Seniors' Annual Test for Dementia

Exercise for the brain is just as important as exercise for muscles. As we age, it's even more important that we stay mentally alert. Bearing in mind that "If you don't use it. you lose it", we offer the following self-test for those over 60 so you may gauge your loss or non-loss of mental acuity.

The correct answers to all questions are at the end of the quiz, so write down your answers to each question, and No Fair Peeking!

OK, clear your mind and begin.


1. What do you put in a toaster?

2. Say "silk" 5 times. Now spell "silk". What do cows drink?

3. If a red house is made from red bricks and a blue house is made from blue bricks and a pink house is made from pink bricks and a black house is made from black bricks, what is a greenhouse made from?

4. It's 30 years ago, and a twin-engined plane is flying at 20,000 feet over Germany. If you recall, Germany at that time was divided into West Germany and East Germany. Anyway, during this flight one of the engines fails, but the pilots see that somehow the other engine is sputtering and likely to fail also. They decide on an appropriate emergency landing procedure using this sputtering engine but unfortunately the engine quits and they suffer a fatal emergency landing exactly in the middle of "no man's land" between West and east Germany. Where would you bury the survivors?

5. Without using a calculator - You are driving a bus from London to Milford Haven in Wales. In London, 17 people get on the bus. In Reading, six people get off the bus and nine people get on. In the next town, two people get off and four get on. In Cardiff, 11 people get off and 16 people get on. In Swansea, three people get off and five people get on. In Carmathen, six people get off and three get on. You then arrive in Milford Haven. What was the name of the bus driver?








ANSWERS

1. The correct response would be "bread." If you said "toast", learn how to spell Alzheimer now, because it's unlikely you will be able to do so anytime in the future.
2. Cows drink water. Did you really write down "milk?"
3. Greenhouses are made from glass where I come from, not green bricks.
4. No, you don't bury the survivors, only those who didn't survive the crash landing. You know that, don't you?
5. You forgot that YOU were driving the bus, or did you just forget your name?

The MAN Remote

(click on picture to enlarge)

Why? Why? Why?

Why do we press harder on a remote control when we know the batteries are getting weak?

Why do banks charge a fee on "insufficient funds" when they know there is not enough?

Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet?

Why doesn't glue stick to the bottle?

Why do they use sterilized needles for death by lethal injection?

Why doesn't Tarzan have a beard?

Why does Superman stop bullets with his chest, but ducks when you throw a revolver at him?

Why do Kamikaze pilots wear helmets?

Whose idea was it to put an "S" in the word "lisp"?

If people evolved from apes, why are there still apes?

Why is it that no matter what color bubble bath you use the bubbles are always white?

Is there ever a day that mattresses are not on sale?

Why do people constantly return to the refrigerator with hopes that something new to eat will have materialized?

Why do people keep running over a string a dozen times with their vacuum cleaner, then reach down, pick it up, examine it, then put it down to give the vacuum one more chance?

Why is it that no plastic bag will open from the end on your first try?

How do those dead bugs get into those enclosed light fixtures?

When we are in the supermarket and someone rams our ankle with a shopping cart then apologizes for doing so, why do we say, "It's all right?" Well, it isn't all right, so why don't we say, "That hurt, you stupid idiot?"

Why is it that whenever you attempt to catch something that's falling off the table you always manage to knock something else over?

In winter why do we try to keep the house as warm as it was in summer when we complained about the heat?

How come you never hear father-in-law jokes?

And my FAVORITE......

The statistics on sanity are that one out of every four persons is suffering from some sort of mental illness. Think of your three best friends -- if they're okay, then it's you.

Email this Forward

My Friends,

My heartfelt appreciation goes out to all of you who have taken the time and trouble to send me "forwards" over the past 12 months. Thank you for making me feel safe, secure, blessed, and wealthy.

Extra thanks to whoever sent me the one about rat crap in the glue on envelopes cause I now have to go get a wet towel every time I need to seal an envelope.

Also, I scrub the top of every can I open for the same reason. Because of your concern I no longer drink Coca Cola because it can remove toilet stains.

I no longer drink Pepsi or Dr Pepper since the people who make these products are atheists who refuse to put "Under God" on their cans.

I no longer use Saran wrap in the microwave because it causes cancer. I no longer check the coin return on pay phones because I could be pricked with a needle infected with AIDS.

I no longer use cancer-causing deodorants even though I smell like a water buffalo on a hot day.

I no longer go to shopping malls because someone might drug me with a perfume sample and rob me.

I no longer receive packages from nor send packages by UPS or FedEx since they are actually Al Qaeda in disguise.

I no longer answer the phone because someone will ask me to dial a number for which I will get a phone bill with calls to Jamaica, Uganda, Singapore, and Uzbekistan.

I no longer eat KFC because their "chickens" are actually horrible mutant freaks with no eyes or feathers.

I no longer have any sneakers -- but that will change once I receive my free replacement pair from Nike.

I no longer have to buy expensive cookies from Neiman Marcus since I now have their recipe.

I no longer worry about my soul because at last count I have 363,214 angels looking out for me.

Thanks to you, I have learned that God only answers my prayers if I forward an e-mail to seven of my friends and make a wish within five minutes.

I no longer have any savings because I gave it to a sick girl who is about to die in the hospital (for the 1,387,258th time).

I no longer have any money at all - but that will change once I receive the $15,000 that Microsoft and AOL are sending me for participating in their special email program.

Yes, I want to thank you so much for looking out for me that I will now return the favor!

If you don't send this e-mail to at least 144,000 people in the next 7 minutes, a large pigeon with a wicked case of diarrhea will land on your head at 5:00 PM (CDT) this afternoon. I know this will occur because it actually happened to a friend of my next door neighbor's ex-mother-in-law's second husband's cousin's beautician.

Know Thy Proverbs

I've had the following in my files since the early '80s & find them quite instructive. Most young people probably have only a minimal acquaintance with traditional proverbs, but some of my older visitors might find these to be a challenge worth taking up in an idle moment.

To solve, consider the following: "H. W. H. is L." would stand for "He who hesitates is lost."

1. T. H. are B. than O.
2. W. in R. D. as the R. D.
3. A. W. and N. P. M. J. a D. B.
4. An O. of P. is W. a P. of C.
5. H. W. L. L. L. B.
6. The E. B. C. the W.
7. I. at F. Y. D. S. T. T. A.
8. The R. to H. is P. with G. I.
9. A. that G. is N. G.
10. The P. is M. than the S.
11. An A. a D. K. the D. A.
12. P. W. L. in G. H. S. T. S.
13. N. is the M. of I.
14. D. L. a G. H. in the M.
15. The G. is A. G. on the O. S. of the F.
16. S. and S. W. the R.
17. D. P. A. Y. E. in O. B.
18. T. M. C. S. the B.
19. O. G. T. D. A.
20. S. and R. and S. the C.
21. F. R. in W. A. F. to T.
22. B. of a F. F. T.
23. Y. C. T. an O. D. N. T.
24. S. and Y. S. F.

Visitors who solve these might consider posting their solutions in the comments. No peeking!

Application to Date My Daughter

For all fathers of teenaged daughters, here is a ready-made form to submit to prospective dates for your princess. Click on the form to enlarge (and print.)

Magic Squares

Magic Squares are unbelievably fascinating, and have been so for ages. The simplest form of these is the Order 3 format, where the numerals 1 through 9 are inserted into a grid like the one below, so that their sum equals the same, whether they are added horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.The sum the numbers must add up to is determined mathematically, i.e. every number to be used is added together, and the grand sum is divided by the number of squares per side in the grid.

Thus, ( 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 + 8 + 9 = 45) & ( 45 / 3 = 15 ) so each line in the square, horizontally, vertically & diagonally in the finished square must equal 15 for it to be a proper Magic Square. One solution is shown below:
The next level of difficulty would of course be an Order 4 Magic Square, which must have a grid of 4 cells per side, for a total of 16, thus necessitating the use of numbers 1 through 16. Again, the grid would look like this:
If we now add all the numbers to be used in this grid, 1 through 16, we obtain a total of 136, which must be divided by 4 (the number of cells per side), to obtain 34. Thus, each line of numbers must add up to this last total for the completed square to be a magic square.

Of course, one can solve the Order 4 square by the usual trial & error method, but several people have endeavored to find a more 'elegant' solution. One such method is to write the 16 numbers out in sequence, as shown in the box, below left, and then to transpose the middle groups top & bottom, left & right, as shown. Finally, diagonally switch the 4 numbers at the heart of the grid and you come up with a working magic square.

Albrecht Durer's haunting engraving titled 'Melancholia' shows an intellectual struggling with near despair at the complexities of some problem, and a Magic Square of Order 4 is shown on the wall. It is a mirror image of the one above, but has lines swapped and probably was altered to better show the date the engraving was made, AD 1514, as the numbers 15 & 14 appear at bottom centre.

One particular Order 4 Magic square is the 'diabolic' square, where not only is the whole a true Magic square, but indeed any 4 adjacent cells total 34! Very unusual and outside of the reversed forms, quite unique in my opinion. I've shown 4 adjacent cells in yellow, and 4 adjacent ones in blue which both total the required 34, but you can see that all possible combinations fulfill the requirement.
Of course, these diabolic squares may be extended ad infinitum in all directions and many different forms of Magic Squares can be thus created. In the following I show the above diabolic square at upper left, and other examples below to the right, (one in blue, one in green.) Bear in mind that this grid could be extended horizontally as well as vertically - might make a nice lampshade for a mathematician.

The next step in Magic squares is obviously the Order 5,which would fit into a grid of 25 cells and contain the numbers 1 through 25. These first 25 numbers add up to 325, and since the grid has 5 cells per side, the magic constant here would be 65.

I present one such Order 5 Magic Square but realise that a large range of arrangements are indeed possible which satisfy the conditions.
May I suggest you try to come up with one or two of these Order 4 or 5 Magic Squares? I would be glad to hear of your successes, of course, but look forward to some of my readers who can shed insight into the math in their construction.

For the readers who stuck it out this long, the question surely must be if there are Order 6, 7, 8 , etc. Magic Squares. The answer of course is yes, and I can show one example of an Order 6 below, but space on this blog precludes further adventures beyond.


As one can see in the sample Order 6 above, all the numerals from 1 through 36 are inserted in the 36 cells to obtain a constant of 111 for the horizontal, vertical and diagonal lines. By now, those of you who still haven't finished the bottle should be able to calculate what the constants for the upper level Magic Squares are, or indeed, whether they are even possible.

Insults With Class

These glorious insults are from an era before the English language got boiled down to 4-letter words.

The exchange between Churchill & Lady Astor: She said, "If you were my husband I'd give you poison." He said, "If you were my wife, I'd drink it."

A member of Parliament to Disraeli: "Sir, you will either die on the gallows or of some unspeakable disease." "That depends, Sir," said Disraeli, "whether I embrace your policies or your mistress."

"He had delusions of adequacy." - Walter Kerr

"He has all the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire." - Winston Churchill

"I have never killed a man, but I have read many obituaries with great pleasure." Clarence Darrow

"He has never been known to use a word that might send a reader to the dictionary." - William Faulkner (about Ernest Hemingway).

"Thank you for sending me a copy of your book; I'll waste no time reading it." - Moses Hadas

"I didn't attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it." - Mark Twain

"He has no enemies, but is intensely disliked by his friends.." - Oscar Wilde

"I am enclosing two tickets to the first night of my new play; bring a friend, if you have one." - (George Bernard Shaw to Winston Churchill).
"Cannot possibly attend first night, will attend second, if there is one." - (Winston Churchill, in response).

"I feel so miserable without you; it's almost like having you here." - Stephen Bishop

"He is a self-made man and worships his creator." - John Bright

"I've just learned about his illness. Let's hope it's nothing trivial." - Irvin S. Cobb

"He is not only dull himself; he is the cause of dullness in others." - Samuel Johnson

"He is simply a shiver looking for a spine to run up." -Paul Keating

"In order to avoid being called a flirt, she always yielded easily." - Charles, Count Talleyrand

"He loves nature in spite of what it did to him." - Forrest Tucker

"Why do you sit there looking like an envelope without any address on it?" - Mark Twain

"His mother should have thrown him away and kept the stork." - Mae West

"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go.." - Oscar Wilde

"He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts... for support rather than illumination." - Andrew Lang(1844-1912)

"He has Van Gogh's ear for music." - Billy Wilder

"I've had a perfectly wonderful evening. But this wasn't it." - Groucho Marx

Fractured English

In a Bangkok temple:

IT IS FORBIDDEN TO ENTER A WOMAN, EVEN A FOREIGNER, IF DRESSED AS A MAN.

Cocktail lounge, Norway:
LADIES ARE REQUESTED NOT TO HAVE CHILDREN IN THE BAR.

Doctors office, Rome:
SPECIALIST IN WOMEN AND OTHER DISEASES.

Dry cleaners, Bangkok:
DROP YOUR TROUSERS HERE FOR THE BEST RESULTS.

In a Nairobi restaurant:
CUSTOMERS WHO FIND OUR WAITRESSES RUDE OUGHT TO SEE THE MANAGER.

On the main road to Mombassa, leaving Nairobi:
TAKE NOTICE: WHEN THIS SIGN IS UNDER WATER, THIS ROAD IS IMPASSABLE.

On a poster at Kencom:
ARE YOU AN ADULT THAT CANNOT READ? IF SO WE CAN HELP.

In a City restaurant:
OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK AND WEEKENDS.

In a cemetery:
PERSONS ARE PROHIBITED FROM PICKING FLOWERS FROM ANY BUT THEIR OWN GRAVES.

Tokyo hotel's rules and regulations:
GUESTS ARE REQUESTED NOT TO SMOKE OR DO OTHER DISGUSTING BEHAVIOURS IN BED.

On the menu of a Swiss restaurant:
OUR WINES LEAVE YOU NOTHING TO HOPE FOR.

In a Tokyo bar:
SPECIAL COCKTAILS FOR THE LADIES WITH NUTS.

Hotel, Yugoslavia:
THE FLATTENING OF UNDERWEAR WITH PLEASURE IS THE JOB OF THE CHAMBERMAID.

Hotel, Japan:
YOU ARE INVITED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE CHAMBERMAID.

In the lobby of a Moscow hotel across from a Russian Orthodox monastery:
YOU ARE WELCOME TO VISIT THE CEMETERY WHERE FAMOUS RUSSIAN AND SOVIET COMPOSERS, ARTISTS AND WRITERS ARE BURIED DAILY EXCEPT THURSDAY.

A sign posted in Germany's Black Forest:
IT IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN ON OUR BLACK FOREST CAMPING SITE THAT PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT SEX, FOR INSTANCE, MEN AND WOMEN, LIVE TOGETHER IN ONE TENT UNLESS THEY ARE MARRIED WITH EACH OTHER FOR THIS PURPOSE.

Hotel, Zurich:
BECAUSE OF THE IMPROPRIETY OF ENTERTAINING GUESTS OF THE OPPOSITE SEX IN THE BEDROOM, IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE LOBBY BE USED FOR THIS PURPOSE.

Airline ticket office, Copenhagen:
WE TAKE YOUR BAGS AND SEND THEM IN ALL DIRECTIONS.

A laundry in Rome:
LADIES, LEAVE YOUR CLOTHES HERE AND SPEND THE AFTERNOON HAVING A GOOD TIME.

How the US Government works

The Economy is so bad that...

- I got a pre-declined credit card in the mail.

- I ordered a burger at McDonald's & the kid behind the counter asked "Can you afford fries with that?"

- CEO's are now playing miniature golf.

- If the bank returns your cheque marked "Insufficient Funds," you can phone back and ask if they meant you or them?

- Hot Wheels & Matchbox stocks are trading higher than shares in GM.

- Parents in Beverly Hills fired their nannies & had to learn their children's names again.

- A truckload of Americans were caught sneaking into Mexico.

- Dick Cheney took his stockbroker hunting.

- Motel Six won't leave a light on anymore.

- Exxon-Mobil laid off 25 Congressmen.

- The Suicide Hotline now reroutes your calls to a call centre in Pakistan, and all they want to know is if you can drive a truck.


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The American Medical Association has finally weighed in on Obama's healthcare plan.



The Allergists voted to scratch it, but the Dermatologists advised not to make any rash moves.

The Gastroenterologists had sort of a gut feeling about it but the Neurologists thought the Administration had a lot of nerve.

The Obstetricians felt they were all laboring under a misconception.

Ophthalmologists considered the idea shortsighted.

Pathologists yelled, "Over my dead body!" while the Pediatricians said, 'Oh, Grow up!'

The Psychiatrists thought the whole idea was madness, while the Radiologists could see right through it.

Surgeons decided to wash their hands of the whole thing..

The Internists thought it was a bitter pill to swallow, and the Plastic Surgeons said, "This puts a whole new face on the matter."

The Podiatrists thought it was a step forward, but the Urologists were pissed off at the whole idea.

The Anesthesiologists thought the whole idea was a gas and the Cardiologists didn't have the heart to say no.

In the end, the Proctologists won out, leaving the entire decision up to the assholes in Washington.

Now You Know Almost Everything

Q: Why are many coin banks shaped like pigs?
A: Long ago, dishes and cookware in Europe were made of a dense orange clay called 'pygg'. When people saved coins in jars made of this clay, the jars became known as 'pygg banks.' When an English potter misunderstood the word, he made a bank that resembled a pig and it caught on.

*****

Q: Did you ever wonder why dimes, quarters and half dollars have notches, while pennies and nickels do not?
A: The US Mint began putting notches on the edges of coins containing gold and silver to discourage holders from shaving off small quantities of the precious metals. Dimes, quarters and half dollars are notched because they used to contain silver. Pennies and nickels aren't notched because the metals they contain are not valuable enough to shave.

*****

Q: Why do men's clothes have buttons on the right while women's clothes have buttons on the left?
A: When buttons were invented, they were very expensive and worn primarily by the rich. Because wealthy women were dressed by maids, dressmakers put the buttons on the maid's right! Since most people are right-handed, it is easier to push buttons on the right through holes on the left and that's where women's buttons have remained since.

*****

Q: Why do X's at the end of a letter signify kisses?
A: In the Middle Ages, when many people were unable to read or write, documents were often signed using an X. Kissing the X represented an oath to fulfill obligations specified in the document. The X and the kiss eventually became synonymous.

*****

Q: Why is shifting responsibility to someone else called 'passing the buck'?
A: In card games, it was once customary to pass an item, called a buck, from player to player to indicate whose turn it was to deal. If a player did not wish to assume the responsibility, he would 'pass the buck' to the next player.

*****

Q: Why do people clink their glasses before drinking a toast?
A: It used to be common for someone to try to kill an enemy by offering him a poisoned drink. To prove to a guest that a drink was safe, it became customary for a guest to pour a small amount of his drink into the glass of the host. Both men would drink it simultaneously. When a guest trusted his host, he would then just touch or clink the host's glass with his own.

*****

Q: Why are people in the public eye said to be 'in the limelight'?
A: Invented in 1825, limelight was used in lighthouses and stage lighting by burning a cylinder of lime which produced a brilliant light. In the theatre, performers on stage 'in the limelight' were seen by the audience to be the center of attention.

*****

Q: Why do ships and aircraft in trouble use 'mayday' as their call for help?
A: This comes from the French word m'aidez -meaning 'help me' -- and is pronounced 'mayday'.

*****

Q: Why is someone who is feeling great 'on cloud nine'?
A: Types of clouds are numbered according to the altitudes they attain, with nine being the highest cloud. If someone is said to be on cloud nine, that person is floating well above worldly cares.

*****

Q: Why are zero scores in tennis called 'love'?
A: In France, where tennis first became popular, a big, round zero on scoreboard looked like an egg and was called 'l'oeuf,' which is French for 'egg.' When tennis was introduced in the U.S. , Americans pronounced it 'love.'

*****

Q: In golf, where did the term 'Caddie' come from?
A. When Mary, later known as Queen of Scots, went to France as a young girl (for education & survival), Louis, King of France, learned that she loved the Scot game 'golf.' So he had the first golf course outside of Scotland built for her enjoyment.
To make sure she was properly chaperoned (and guarded) while she played, Louis hired cadets from a military school to accompany her. Mary liked this a lot and when she returned to Scotland (not a very good idea in the long run), she took the practice with her. In French, the word cadet is pronounced 'ca-day' and the Scots changed it into 'caddie.'

Now you know almost everything!

Tiger Woods Family Portrait

Bumper Snickers #4

1. I have kleptomania. When it gets bad, I take something for it.
2. Sometimes too much to drink isn't enough.
3. Suicidal twin kills sister by mistake!
4. Just 2 days from now tomorrow will be yesterday.
5. Bartenders are just pharmacists with limited inventories.
6. The next statement is true. The last statement is false.
7. I may be schizophrenic, but at least I have each other.
8. I am a nobody. Nobody is perfect. Therefore, I am perfect.
9. Dyslexics have more nuf.
10. I love cooking with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.
11. Money isn't everything, but it sure keeps the kids in touch.
12. Reality is only an illusion that occurs due to a lack of alcohol.
13. Red meat isn't bad for you. Fuzzy green meat is bad for you.
14. I'm having an out-of-money experience.
15. Don't sweat the petty things. Don't pet the sweaty things.
16. I found Jesus! He was in the trunk when I got back from Mexico.
    

You Could Have Heard A Pin Drop

When in England , at a fairly large conference, Colin Powell was asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury if our plans for Iraq were just an example of 'empire building' by George Bush.

He answered by saying, 'Over the years, the United States has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return is enough to bury those that did not return.'

You could have heard a pin drop.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There was a conference in France where a number of
international engineers were taking part, including French and American. During a break, one of the French engineers came back into the room saying 'Have you heard the latest dumb stunt Bush has done? He has sent an aircraft carrier to Indonesia to help the tsunami victims. What does he intended to do, bomb them?'
A Boeing engineer stood up and replied quietly: 'Our carriers have three hospitals on board that can treat several hundred people; they are nuclear powered and can supply emergency electrical power to shore facilities; they have three cafeterias with the capacity to feed 3,000 people three meals a day, they can produce several thousand gallons of fresh water from sea water each day, and they carry half a dozen helicopters for use in transporting victims and injured to and from their flight deck. We have eleven such ships; how many does France have?'

You could have heard a pin drop.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A U.S. Navy Admiral was attending a naval conference that included Admirals from the U.S. , English, Canadian, Australian and French Navies. At a cocktail reception, he found himself standing with a large group of Officers that included personnel from most of those countries.
Everyone was chatting away in English as they sipped
their drinks but a French admiral suddenly complained that,
whereas Europeans learn many languages, Americans learn only English.' He then asked, 'Why is it that we always have to speak English in these conferences rather than speaking French?'
Without hesitating, the American Admiral replied 'Maybe it's because the Brits, Canadians, Aussies and Americans arranged it so you wouldn't have to speak German.'

You could have heard a pin drop.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Robert Whiting, an elderly gentleman of 83, arrived in
Paris by plane. At French Customs, he took a few minutes to locate his passport in his carry on. 'You have been to France before, monsieur?' the customs officer asked sarcastically. Mr. Whiting admitted that he had been to France previously.
Then you should know enough to have your passport ready.'
The American said, ''The last time I was here, I didn't have to show it.
'Impossible. Americans always have to show your passports on arrival in France !'
The American senior gave the Frenchman a long hard look. Then he quietly explained, ''Well, when I came ashore at Omaha Beach on D-Day in 1944 to help liberate this country, I couldn't find a single Frenchman to show a passport to.'

You could have heard a pin drop.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Marine Corps General Reinwald was interviewed on National Public Radio by a typical female progressive broadcaster about his sponsorship of a Boy Scout Troop visiting his military base.

Female Interviewer: "So, General Reinwald, what things are you going to teach these young boys when they visit your base?"
General Reinwald: "We're going to teach them climbing, canoeing, archery, and shooting."
Female Interviewer: "Shooting! That's a bit irresponsible, isn't it?"
General Reinwald: "I don't see why, they will be properly supervised on the rifle range."
Female Interviewer: "Don't you admit that this is a terribly dangerous activity to be teaching children?"
General Reinwald: "I don't see how. We will be teaching them proper rifle discipline before they even touch a firearm."
Female Interviewer: "But you're equipping them to become violent killers!"
General Reinwald: "Well, ma'am, you're equipped to be a prostitute, but you're not one, are you?"

You could have heard a pin drop.

10 Common Sayings

10 Strange Common Sayings - How They Originated

1. Scot Free Many people think that this saying refers to Scottish people being tight with money - hence something being free, but in fact the word “scot” is an old Norse word which means “payment” - specifically a payment made to a landlord or sheriff. So this phrase - while meaning what most people think it means, has no connection to the Scottish people - it just means to get off without having to pay. 2 Fit as a Fiddle This is another phrase where a single word has confused people - “fit” in the context of this saying does not mean “healthy” which is a 19th century definition. Its original meaning was “suitable” - and it is still used in that context in the sentence “fit for a king”. As fit as a fiddle means “as appropriate as can be” - not “in excellent health”. The first use of the phrase, incidentally, was in the 16th century and it was originally “as right as a fiddle”. 3 Another Thing Coming Common Saying: If you think that, you have another thing coming This is a complete aberration of the original phrase because of the sound of English. The correct phrase is “if you think that, you have another think coming” - in other words, “what you think is wrong so think again”. Because the “k” in “think” often ends up silent when saying “think coming” people have changed the phrase over time. Of course, “another thing coming” makes no sense at all. To illustrate how global this error is, when you google “another thing coming” it returns 139,000 results; when you google “another think coming” it returns a mere 39,000 results. 4 Eat Humble Pie This phrase means “to be humble in apologizing for something.” I was slightly reluctant to put it on the list because it actually does mean what people think it means, but there is still a misconception here; people think that this phrase means to eat a pie made of humbleness but it actually means to eat a pie made with umble (pictured above). Umble is an old English word for offal - the bits of the animal seldom eaten today (sadly). It was a pie that was normally eaten by the poor as the finer cuts of meat were left for the rich only. “To eat a humble pie” is an example of metanalysis (words being broken down into parts or meanings that differ from the original) as it sounds just like “to eat an umble pie”. Other examples of this in English are “an apron” which used to be “a napron”. 5 Rule of Thumb People commonly think that this saying is a reference to a law allowing a man to beat his wife as long as he uses a rod no thicker than his thumb. It is, of course, completely untrue. There is no record of any judge in Britain ever making a ruling like this - or any lawmaker passing a law. The phrase actually refers to doing something by estimates - rather than using an exact measure. 6 On Tender Hooks This phrase is very commonly misspelt. First off, what exactly is a tender hook? It doesn’t seem logical does it? Well - that is because it isn’t. The phrase is actually “on tenterhooks”. A tenter was a medieval tool used for making cloth - the tenterhooks (pictured above) were small hooks to which the fabric would be stretched in the manufacturing process. To be on tenterhooks means to be left hanging - or to be in a state of suspense. 7 Take a Raincheck This phrase is usually meant to mean “I won’t do it now but I will later”. This is the commonly accepted meaning (and has been for a long time) so it is now considered to be correct. It is included here merely out of interest because its original meaning was slightly different. Initially, a raincheck was offered to people who had tickets to a baseball game that was rained out - they would offered a “raincheck” which was a ticket for a game at a later date to make up for the missed game. This eventually found its way into shopping jargon in general where a raincheck was an offer to sell an out-of-stock good when it arrived back in stock. The meaning has eventually broadened to a point that it is not an offer any longer but a response. 8 Free Reign This is a spelling error that leads to a misunderstanding - though the meanings remain the same fundamentally. Many people presume this phrase to mean that a person given free reign, has the “royal” power to do anything they want. In fact, the correct phrase is “free rein” and it comes from the days before cars when horses were used as our main mode of transport. When navigating a steep or winding path, one would relax the reins so that the horse could pick the safest path as he was more likely to do a better job than the rider. 9 Wreck Havoc Havoc means chaos - and to wreck something is to put it into a state of chaos. So why would you make chaos out of chaos? You wouldn’t. What you might do is wreak havoc though - because “to wreak” means “to cause to happen”. The two words are pronounced differently - wreck sounds like “rek” while “wreak” sounds like “reek”. It is a small - but common, error. 10. Beg the Question Let’s face it - 99% of people reading this list will not know the correct meaning of “beg the question”, but that implies that the mistaken meaning should really be considered correct through common usage - so let us not fight about right or wrong - I will just state the facts: “to beg the question” does not mean “to raise the question”. Originally the phrase was “to begge the question” and it appeared in English around the 1580s. It is a reference to a question (or phrase) which implies the truth of the thing it is trying to prove. Confusing? Okay - here is an example: “why does England have fewer trees per acre than any other country in Europe?” This is a “begged question” - the person asking is implying that England has fewer trees - when in fact, it may not. Another example is “he must be telling the truth because he never lies”. Decartes was begging the question when he said “I think, therefore I am”. Oh - and for those of you who are used to using the term in the wrong way, consider using “prompt the question” as a correct alternative.

Alternate Meanings Contest

These are the entries submitted to the Washington Post's yearly contest, in which readers are asked to supply alternate meanings to common words:

1. Coffee (n): The person upon whom one coughs.

2. Flabbergasted (adj): Appalled by discovering how much weight one has gained.

3. Abdicate (v): To give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.

4. Esplanade (v): To attempt an explanation while drunk.

5. Willy-nilly (adj): Impotent.

6. Negligent (adj): Absentmindedly answering the door when wearing only a nightgown.

7. Lymph (v): To walk with a lisp.

8. Gargoyle (n): Olive-flavored mouthwash.

9. Flatulence (n): Emergency vehicle that picks up someone who has been run over by a steamroller.

10. Balderdash (n): A rapidly receding hairline.

11. Testicle (n): A humorous question on an exam.

12. Rectitude (n): The formal, dignified bearing adopted by proctologists.

13. Pokemon (n): A Rastafarian proctologist.

14. Oyster (n): A person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddishisms.

15. Frisbeetarianism (n): The belief that after death, the soul flies up onto the roof and gets stuck there.

16. Circumvent (n): An opening in the front of boxer shorts worn by Jewish men.

Washington Post's MENSA INVITATIONAL

The Washington Post's Mensa Invitational once again asked readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting or changing one letter, and supply a new definition. Here are the winners:

1. Cashtration (n): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period of time.

2. Ignoranus (n): A person who is both stupid and an asshole.

3. Intaxication (n): The euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts only until you realize it was your own money to start with.

4. Reintarnation (n): Coming back to life as a hillbilly.

5. Bozone (n): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking up in the near future.

6. Foreploy (n): Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of getting laid.

7. Giraffiti (n): Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.

8. Sarchasm (n): The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.

9. Inoculatte (v): To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.

10. Osteopornosis (n): A degenerate disease.

11. Karmageddon (n): It's like, when everyone is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's like. a serious bummer.

12. Decafalon (n): The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you.

13. Glibido (n): All talk and no action.

14. Dopeler Effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.

15. Arachnoleptic Fit: The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web.

16. Beelzebug (n): Satan in the form of a mosquito that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out.

17. Caterpallor (n): The color you turn after finding half a worm in the fruit you're eating.

New Stock Market Terms (2008)

CEO - Chief Embezzlement Officer
CFO - Corporate Fraud Officer
BULL MARKET - A random market movement causing an investor to mistake himself for a financial genius.
BEAR MARKET - A 6-to-18 month period when your kids get no allowance, the wife gets no jewelry, and the husband gets no sex.
VALUE INVESTING - The art of buying low and selling lower.
P/E RATIO - The percentage of investors wetting their pants as the market keeps crashing.
BROKER - What my broker has made me.
STANDARD & POOR - Your life in a nutshell.
STOCK ANALYST - Idiot who just downgraded your stock.
STOCK SPLIT - When your ex-wife and her lawyer split your assets equally between themselves.
FINANCIAL PLANNER - A guy whose phone has been disconnected.
MARKET CORRECTION - The day after you buy stocks.
CASH FLOW - The movement your money makes as it disappears down the toilet.
YAHOO - What you yell after selling it to some poor sucker for $240 a share.
WINDOWS - What you jump out of when you're the sucker who bought Yahoo @ $240 per share.
LIQUIDITY - When you look at the stock market postings and wet your pants.
INSTITUTIONAL INVESTOR - Past year investor who's now locked up in a nuthouse.
PROFIT - An archaic word no longer in use.
DERIVATIVES - The egg that laid your goose.

Acerbic Sarcasms & Put-Downs

For those of you with a mean streak, or those who work thanklessly while others receive accolades and promotions, we offer this short selection of comments you may wish to make to rude co-workers, customers or (shudder) superiors.

1. Okay, okay! I take it back. Unfuck you.

2. You say I'm a bitch like it's a bad thing.

3. Well, this day was a total waste of make-up.

4. Well, aren't we a damn ray of sunshine?

5. Don't bother me, I'm living happily ever after.

6. Do I look like a people person?

7. This isn't an office. It's hell with fluorescent lighting.

8. I started out with nothing and I still have most of it left.

9. Therapy is expensive. Popping bubble wrap is cheap. You choose.

10. Why don't you try practicing random acts of intelligence and senseless acts of self-control?

11. I'm not crazy. I've just been in a very bad mood for 30 years.

12. Sarcasm is just one more service I offer.

13. Do they ever shut up on your planet?

14. I'm not really your type. I'm not inflatable.

15. Stress is what you have when you wake up screaming and realize you haven't gone to sleep yet.

16. Back off! You're standing in my aura.

17. Don't worry, I forgot your name too.

18. I work 45 hours a week to be this poor.

19. Not all men are annoying. Some are already dead.

20. Wait... I'm trying to imagine you with a personality.

21. Chaos, panic and disorder... my work here is done.

22. Ambivalent? Well, yes and no.

23. You look like shit. Is that the style now?

24. Earth is full. Go home.

25. Aw... did I step on your little itty bitty ego?

26. I'm not tense at all... just incredibly alert.

27. A hard-on doesn't really count as personal growth.

28. You are depriving some village of an idiot.

29. If assholes could fly, this place would be an airport.

30. Look in my eyes... do you see one ounce of gives-a-shit?

Men are from Mars, Women from Venus

Women's Thought Processes

Each of these blue balls represents a thought about something a woman feels needs to be done, a decision to be made or a problem to be solved.
A man has only two balls, and they occupy 100% of his thoughts.



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HAZMAT Sheet for WOMAN


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Man-Woman Apparatus

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Engineer's Analysis of WOMAN