[Vhfcn-l] Monday musings

[VHFCN1 Pilots and Crew]

You must believe in God in spite of what the clergy say.

Benjamin Jowett

 

The recipe for perpetual ignorance is: be satisfied with your opinions and
content with your knowledge.

Elbert Hubbard

 

The best way to keep one's word is not to give it.

Napoleon Bonaparte

 

Knowledge is power, if you know it about the right person.

Ethel Mumford

 

Strange as it seems, no amount of learning can cure stupidity, and higher
education positively fortifies it.

Stephen Vizinczey

 

An opinion should be the result of thought, not a substitute for it.

Jef Mallett

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

Throw your hat into the ring

 

The ring in question here is a boxing ring. These, of course used to be
circular spaces in a crowd of onlookers, rather than the square, roped
'rings' of contemporary pugilism. Any Jack the lad who fancied his chances
in a bout would throw in his hat - presumably this was a more reliable way
of putting oneself forward than just shouting over the hubbub of the crowd.

 

The expression dates from at least the early 19th century. The earliest
citation of it found is from an 1805 issue of The Sporting Magazine, or as
the publishers preferred to call it The Sporting Magazine or Monthly
Calendar of the Transactions of the Turf, the Chace, and every other
Diversion Interesting to the Man of Pleasure, Enterprise and Spirit:

 

Belcher appeared confident of success [in a boxing match], and threw his hat
into the ring, as an act of defiance to his antagonist

 

That citation doesn't specifically refer to a challenge. Another reference,
from just a few years later, supplies that - The Mirror of Taste, published
in Philadelphia in 1810:

 

A young fellow threw his hat into the ring and followed, when the lame
umpire called out "a challenge," and proceeded to equip the challenger for
the game. ... He then walked round the ring till a second hat was thrown in,
and the umpire called out, "the challenge is answered."

 

A nod is as good as a wink

 

To a person who is ready to understand or undertake something, any subtle
signalling of it is sufficient. The context is usually of some undertaking
that is borderline illegal or of sexual innuendo.

 

This proverbial saying sounds as if it might be quite modern but it is in
fact a 16th century phrase originating in England. The longer version of the
phrase is 'a nod is as good as a wink to a blind horse'. It might seem that
this is just an elaboration of the shorter version, but it appears that the
'blind horse' version was in fact the original. The earliest examples of the
proverb in print all give the fuller version, for example, in the Letters of
the English lawyer and writer Joseph Ritson, February 1793:

 

A nod, you know, is as good as a wink to a blind horse.

 

It seems intuitive to interpret the longer version as meaning 'neither a nod
nor a wink has any purpose, both being equally pointless'. Nevertheless, the
context of the early uses has it being used with the same apparent meaning
as the short version, that is, 'you may nod or wink - I will take your
meaning either way'.

 

During the 19th century the expression began to be shortened and the blind
horse was left at home. Citations from that period use the form 'a nod is as
good as a wink etc.', which clearly indicates that the later usage was
simply a shorthand way of writing the original.

 

More recently, the expression has gained currency in the form of "a nod is
as good as a wink to a blind bat", which Eric Idle used in his 'Nudge,
nudge' sketch in Monty Python's Flying Circus. The character Idle played was
a nonsense-talking fool who came out with a string of meaningless innuendos.
The choice of bat was knowing, as bats are generally regarded as blind and
so calling the creature a blind bat emphasized the ridiculousness of the
character's gabble... and, yes, bats aren't really blind.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

Who gave Chelsea Clinton her cat, Socks?

A: Her piano teacher, who found Socks and his sister, Midnight, abandoned in
a park in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1990 and took them home. Chelsea fell in
love with Socks during a piano lesson and adopted her.

 

How was Martha Washington formally addressed during her husband's
presidency?

A: As Lady Washington.

 

Who was the first U.S. presidential nominee to give his acceptance speech in
person at his party's convention?

A: Frederick Douglass, in 1888.  He received one vote at the Republican
convention in Chicago that ultimately picked Benjamin Harrison as the party
candidate. Douglass went on to become U.S. minister to Haiti.

 

Who piloted Eleanor Roosevelt, in evening dress, to Baltimore, just after
she became first Lady?

A: Amelia Earhart. Mrs. Roosevelt was so enthusiastic about the flight, she
wanted Earhart to give her flying lessons, but the president said no.

 

What live trophy from the Lewis and Clark expedition to the American
Northwest did President Thomas Jefferson keep on the grounds of the White
House?

A: A grizzly bear.

 

What historic presidential site was closed in 1985 because visitors balked
at having to pass prison gates, gun towers and armed guards to get to it?

A: The house in Moreau, New York, where Ulysses S. Grant completed his
memoirs and died. It's now part of Mt. McGregor Prison.

 

What president won election after three unsuccessful bids for the
nomination?

A: James Buchanan, who won in 1856 after losing the nomination in 1844,
1848, and1852.