Jul 20, 2012

Crwth

The crwth (Prounouced Crooth) is also called a crowd and is an archaic stringed musical instrument, associated particularly with Welsh music, once widely-played in Europe.

Played like a violin.  It has six strings tuned e e' a' a b' b'' and a flat bridge and fingerboard. It has begun to make a mini comeback in folk music circles.


'Merica Burger

Received this from my niece and a friend on Facebook. Too good not to share. LINK

California burger chain Slater's 50/50 has a menu that features a burger made of 100 percent ground bacon and comes topped with a slice of thick-cut bacon, bacon island dressing, and bacon flavored cheddar cheese. It's only non-bacon topping is a sunny-side-up egg. Alas, it is only offered in July and it is called 'Merica

Its regular flagship burger is made of half ground beef and half ground bacon.

The 'Merica follows previous burgers-of-the-month, including a Pulled Pork Burger and a Chili Cheese Frito Burger. Slater's offers several other bacon-themed goodies, including a bacon brownie and the Bakon Mary, a twist on the Bloody Mary cocktail featuring bacon-infused vodka, a rim of bacon salt and a slice of thick-cut bacon as garnish. Almost makes me wish I was still back there, except for the fact that it is California.

Looking at Tomorrow

There are two islands known as the Diomedes, about two and a half miles apart in the middle of the Bering Strait, between Siberia, Russia and Alaska. One of them, Little Diomede, belongs to the US, and has a population of about 150. The other island, Big Diomede belongs to Russia and is uninhabited, except for Russian border guards.

The space between these two islands marks not only an international border, but the International Date Line as well, making it possible for the folks on Little Diomede to wake up on a Sunday and look across the water to Big Diomede, where it’s already Monday. I guess this means the Russians are ahead of the US, at least by a day.

Four Fun Food Facts

NECCO Wafers - New England Confectionery COmpany.

The Quaker Oats guy's name is Larry.

Barbie’s full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts.

Kool-Aid was originally marketed as “Fruit Smack.”

Going Dutch

Some pejorative expressions using Dutch were created through cultural enmity between the English and the Dutch during their fight for naval supremacy in the seventeenth century. Some included: Dutch reckoning (a bill presented without any details and which gets bigger if you argue), Dutch widow (a prostitute) and Dutch feast (an alcohol-fueled event in which the host gets drunk ahead of his guests).

Others, including Dutch courage and Dutch uncle, Going Dutch, Dutch lunch, Dutch treat, Dutch party, and Dutch supper, all with closely similar meanings, are American creations from the nineteenth century.

They were used in the literal sense of a meal reflecting a particular culture. The evidence shows they were more correctly German, as in Pennsylvania Dutch. A newspaper report in 1894 mentions that for a Dutch supper to be successful everything must be “consistently expressive of the fatherland” and mentions rye bread, cabbage salad, Wienerwursts (hot dogs), and beer. Americans invented the terms based on their observations of the habits of the immigrants. Early users applied them as straightforward descriptions and not as derogatory terms. So, let's do lunch, Dutch treat.

Chantilly Lace

Some of you might remember the Big Bopper’s hit of the same name in 1958. LINK

Some will remember what it looks like. This style of lace-making dates to the 1600s. While the majority of the lace was actually produced elsewhere, it gets its name from the town of Chantilly, France.

Jul 19, 2012

Sons of the Desert Convention

The 18th annual (held every other year) international convention is being held July 17 - 22 in Manchester New Hampshire. It is attended by folks who love a good time and follow Laurel and Hardy. I have attended a few and had a great time. During one convention in California, we staged a pie fight to commemorate a scene from another of L&H movies. It turned out to be the largest pie fight in the world and we were on the TV show 'Real People'. Took me days to get the lemon custard out of every nook and cranny of my body.

The 'Sons of the Desert' name is taken from a lodge that the boys belonged to in the movie of the same name. It is an international fraternal organization devoted to lives and films of comedians Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. Each participating city has a "tent" with the name taken from one of their movies. The exception is Detroit, which took the name 'Dancing Cuckoos' from the theme song.

The group is loosely formed and has never approved the bylaws, which Stan Laurel said must maintain a 'half-assed dignity'. Meetings consist of watching their old movies and enjoying drinks and popcorn. Each year the bylaws are brought up for vote and ceremoniously ignored. The leader of the group has the title 'Exhausted Ruler', also taken from one of the movies. It was formed in 1964.

Six Types of Collectors

Deltiologists study and collect postcards.

Phillumenists
collect matchbooks and other match-related items. The world’s top phillumenist has a collection of over 700,000 different labels.

Pannapictagraphists collect comic books and probably can't even spell what they are.

Vexillophiles collect and display flags.

Plangonologist are collectors of dolls.

Arctophiles collect teddy bears.

What's in a Name, Wedgwood

Josiah Wedgwood may be remembered today in his eponymous pottery, but his life was far more exciting than that association would lead one to think.

In his day he was a prominent abolitionist, and his pottery company made a medallion with the design of a black slave on his knees with the motto, “Am I not a man and brother?” He produced large quantities of the medallion and distributed them for free through the Society for the Abolition of the Slave Trade. Fashionable women started wearing them as jewelry and men smoked pipes with the image on the side. It became the most widely recognized image of a black person during the 1700s. Josiah died before slavery was abolished in England.

He also has the distinction of being the grandfather of Charles Darwin
.