Yearly Archives: 2015

Getting it All Together (Vocabulary Suicide)

Posted on by The Old Wolf

Getting It All Together

 Everyone knows that a shirt has sleeves, pocket, tail, cuffs and collar. Fewer people recognize that an airplane has a fin, rudder, trim tab, and aileron. In each group of items below, choose from among the ones on the right and match them with their components. (In most cases, the things listed on the left represent only part of the components which make up the corresponding item.) Answers and rating after the quiz.

Here’s a freebie:

barrel_diagram

_____ 1. Penumbra, umbra
_____ 2. Hammer, anvil, stirrup
_____ 3. Choroid, sclera, conjunctiva
_____ 4. Pedicel, calyx, stigma
_____ 5. Terret, martingale, Crupper
_____ 6. Vena cava, myocardium
_____ 7. Coronet, pastern, fetlock
_____ 8. Visceral & parietal pleura, upper lobe
_____ 9. Spanker, fore-royal, main royal
_____ 10. Patella, humerus, tibia
_____ 11. Sphenoid, occipital, zygomatic
_____ 12. Scroll, neck, waist, tailpiece
_____ 13. Ileum, jejunum, duodenum
_____ 14. Spiracles, tympanum, cereus
_____ 15. Casemate, bailey, barbican
_____ 16. Newel skirt, comb, balustrade
_____ 17. Voussoir, spandrel, impost, skewback
_____ 18. Pedipalpi, pedicel, scopula
_____ 19. Flews, dewlap, withers
_____ 20. Jump line, weather ear, dingbat
_____ 21. Crossknot, wings
_____ 22. Welt, vamp, tongue
_____ 23. Stretcher, gore, ferrule, bullet
_____ 24. Staves, chime, hoop
_____ 25. Pommel, bell, button
_____ 26. Longeon, spar, bridle leg
_____ 27. Cantle, swell, gullet
_____ 28. La Hire, Judith, Charlemagne
_____ 29. Chanter, bass drone, mounts
_____ 30. Lams, heddles, whip roll
_____ 31. Gnomon, diagram, plate
_____ 32. Capillary tube, constriction, lens
_____ 33. Shackle, case, plug
_____ 34. Pintle, knuckles, leaf
_____ 35. Beaver, gorget, tace, tasset
_____ 36. Jacket, crimp, rim, primer
_____ 37. Dalmatic, chasuble, alb
_____ 38. Bridge, fishtail, drop, overlay
_____ 39. Straws, gour darn, flowstone
_____ 40. Scend, spindrift, curl
  1. Arch
  2. Bagpipe
  3. Barrel/cask
  4. Bow tie
  5. Cardinal’s vestments
  6. Cartridge (bullet)
  7. Casket/coffin
  8. Castle
  9. Dog
  10. Door hinge
  11. Escalator
  12. Flower
  13. Foil (fencing)
  14. Hand loom
  15. Harness (horse)
  16. Horse’s leg
  17. Human ear
  18. Human eye
  19. Human heart
  20. Human lungs
  21. Human skeleton
  22. Human skull
  23. Insect
  24. Intestines
  25. Kite
  26. Limestone cavern
  27. Man’s shoe
  28. Newspaper
  29. Ocean wave
  30. Padlock
  31. Playing cards
  32. Saddle
  33. Sailing ship
  34. Solar eclipse
  35. Spider
  36. Suit of armor
  37. Sundial
  38. Thermometer
  39. Umbrella
  40. Violin

Answers:

l = ah       6 = s     11 = v    16 = k       21 = d      26 = y     31 = ak     36 = f

2 = q        7 = p     12 = an  17 = a      22 = aa    27 = af     32 = al      37 = e

3 = r         8 = t      13 = x    18 = ai     23 = am    28 = ae   33 = ad     38 = g

4 = l         9 = ag    14 = w   19 = i       24 = c       29 = b     34 = j        39 = z

5 = o        10 = u    15 = h    20 = ab   25 = m      30 = n     35 = aj      40 = ac

Your Rating:

35-40 correct:              You’ve got it all together. You have a high vocabulary, are well educated, a neat dresser, and like your caviar imported.

26-34 correct:              Not bad. You are well read and move in active social circles. You pay attention to detail and remember things you hear.

19-25 correct:              You are certainly above average intelligence and possess notable common sense. Your friends come to you for advice. You are as handy with facts as a handyman is with a hammer.

13-18 Correct:             You played around in schoo1, but still came out well because of natural ability. You love to read the back of cereal boxes. You are good at remembering most facts, but sometimes miss an important one (which ends up costing you). You’re admired and liked by those who are less with it than you are.

8-11 correct:                You know what it takes to get around socially, and enjoy talking. What other people think you know is important to you. You once finished reading a book in the same month you started it. You have a hard time remembering things you’ve seen or heard unless they are in color and you are eating popcorn. In the long run, you will probably outshine those who seem to have the edge.

4-7 correct:                  You sometimes bore your friends by telling them facts you don’t possess. You may have been sued for advice malpractice. You have a keen sense of humor, but your jokes are mostly borrowed. You like comic books, bubblegum wrapper ads, and recipes. A half hour of reading cage signs at the zoo tires you mentally.

1-3 correct:                  You sneaked across the boarder and have just arrived in this country. You do not speak English, except to make your basic needs known. Your goal is to be a brain surgeon or a millionaire, whichever comes first. You will soon learn to spell your name correctly.

0 correct:                     Sorry. Vegetables were not supposed to be allowed to take this test.

Every day is April Fool’s in nutrition.

Posted on by The Old Wolf

“People who are desperate for reliable information face a bewildering array of diet guidance—salt is bad, salt is good, protein is good, protein is bad, fat is bad, fat is good—that changes like the weather. But science will figure it out, right? Now that we’re calling obesity an epidemic, funding will flow to the best scientists and all of this noise will die down, leaving us with clear answers to the causes and treatments.

Or maybe not.”

From a recent article at io9 by John Bohannon:

I Fooled Millions Into Thinking Chocolate Helps Weight Loss. Here’s How.

chocolate

With a poorly-crafted study that used a small sample and ignored how big the measured results actually were, a team of journalists managed to punk the nutrition-news circuit into publishing their study.

“A team of German researchers had found that people on a low-carb diet lost weight 10 percent faster if they ate a chocolate bar every day. It made the front page of Bild, Europe’s largest daily newspaper, just beneath their update about the Germanwings crash. From there, it ricocheted around the internet and beyond, making news in more than 20 countries and half a dozen languages. It was discussed on television news shows. It appeared in glossy print, most recently in the June issue of Shape magazine.”

But it was all a crock of dung. And sadly, I can guarantee that many people will continue to believe the lie, simply because it appeared in journals as “prestigious” as Prevention, regardless of this exposé or any further evidence to the contrary. Like the entire anti-Vax movement, nothing can kill a good excuse for mouth-foaming outrage, not even repeatedly-confirmed facts.

Read the article. It’s worth your time, if you’re interested in having accurate information on which to base your decisions.

A big part of the problem with modern “scientific” studies is the concept of “p-value.” It’s more complex than most people care about, but William Rozeboom wrote, “The use of P values and null hypothesis testing is ‘surely the most bone-headedly misguided procedure ever institutionalized in the rote training of science students.’ “

P value calculations tell you only the probability of seeing a result at least as big as what you saw if there is no real effect. (In other words, the P value calculation assumes the null hypothesis is true.) A small P value — low probability of the data you measured — might mean the null hypothesis is wrong, or it might mean that you just saw some unusual data. You don’t know which. And if there is a real effect, your calculation of a P value is rendered meaningless, because that calculation assumed that there wasn’t a real effect.

(ScienceNews – “P value ban: small step for a journal, giant leap for science”)

vsqweempzkjlcamyod3c

And if Randall Munroe pillories something, you have a pretty good idea that there are legitimate questions about its validity.

significant

The takeaway: don’t be excited just because one study says something, and I’ve written about this elsewhere. Look at the study, determine the size of the sample used, and see if you can ferret out how big the measured differences were. There’s a lot more digging you could do, but this is a good place to start.

The Old Wolf has spoken.

Some thoughts on weight loss from a redditor

Posted on by The Old Wolf

Every now and then I stumble across something on reddit that I think deserves a wider audience; there are a lot of folks out there who don’t have any idea what reddit is, or what to do with it.

In the CMV (Change My View) subreddit, people post viewpoints and ask others to convince them that they’re right or not. A recent position: “Any fat person can lose weight by simply adjusting their diet and exercise.”

I’ve posted about releasing weight before, usually in the context of the scammy nostrums people sell to take advantage of those who want to give up pounds but can’t seem to. Redditor /u/eavc posted the following response, which is cogent and relevant. I share it here for your consideration.

It is true that any person will lose weight if diet and exercise are properly adjusted. The important part of your question is whether any person can actually make the adjustments to diet and exercise to produce (and sustain) weight loss.

People are not robots. We are subject to forces of emotion, motivation, willpower, bias, and so on.

That which seems objectively simple to accomplish in isolation can be exceedingly difficult in practice. I believe that everyone can directly observe this to be true with a moment’s reflection on their own shortcomings and struggles.

  • “I’m not going to procrastinate anymore.”
  • “I won’t yell at him anymore.”
  • “I’m going to go running every day.”
  • “I’ll never again drink until I throw up.”
  • “I’m going to stop spending so much money.”
  • “I won’t let sports make me this angry again.”
  • “It’s irrational for me to be so jealous.”
  • “Why should I care if I’m not invited to some party?”

Pain, sadness, boredom, loneliness, routine, socially embedded temptation, fatigue, stress, cognitive biases, competing demands, family crisis, fear, money issues, disease, social learning, etc. — all of these are capable of derailing sincere efforts at personal change.

If there anything in your life you have decided to change and yet have not been able to change, then this argument should ring true.

A person has become fat because they are not good at regulating diet and exercise for whatever reason (biological, psychological, social-cultural, environmental/circumstantial, etc.). Almost by definition, these are people who struggle to adjust diet and exercise. It is therefore like saying “Any depressed person can be happier by simply adjusting their thoughts and feelings” or “Any anxious person … by caring less about the future” or “Sex addict … by choosing not to engage in sexual acts” or “debtor … by earning more and spending less” or “smoker .. by not smoking.” These are true but useless statements, because the person in question practically lacks the abilities required given their current set of circumstances. Advice for all of these kinds of problems centers on how to change psychology or circumstances rather than on the simple idea of the end goal (eat less, smoke less, yell less).

That is why there are books and communities and medicines and science and billions of dollars centered on these kinds of personal change efforts. What’s required is a change in the environment/circumstances or in the psychology – and that’s not easy to do at all.

Let me flip this around. Can you imagine a scenario where a person cannot successfully accomplish the needed adjustment to diet and exercise?

Go over to a place like /r/progresspics[1] and read comments on how people were able to accomplish their transformation. Generally, you’ll hear about some fairly specific set of factors that helped them start and then persist in their journey. New ideas, supportive friends, emotional growth, frightening experiences, a definite system, a change in life situation, regular efforts to stay motivated, and so on.

Now while reading something like that, start mentally deleting the factors that they are crediting. “I couldn’t have done it without the help of my wife” – take away the wife. “I found boxing and that was what clicked after years of nothing clicking” – boxing was never a sport. “I finally decided to prioritize my self and take care of myself” – they were struggling to make it day to day due to environmental stressors (small kids, money problems, work stress, emotionally abusive person in life) and couldn’t focus on personal growth. “The doctor said I would die before I was 50” – the complications of overweight not being as present for them and the doc never delivering that warning.

Then, there’s the reality that most of us are flawed or face challenge in many ways at once. It’s not just being overweight – it’s being overweight and poor. It’s not just being fat – it’s being fat and depressed. Fat and short-tempered. Fat and failing some classes. Fat and an emotionally absent father. Fat and financially irresponsible. Overweight and socially anxious. And generally the list is much longer than just two problems. Many people who want to be better people are pouring a lot of energy into working on something other than being overweight, and it leaves little for the other problem. Conversely, many who successfully lose a lot of weight do so by streamlining and focusing their attention on that specific problem at the expense of other things they could have focused on instead.

All this to say, personal change requires work, and some forms of personal change require so much work as to be practically impossible given the resources and energy available to accomplish that work. That’s why successful weight loss often requires much much more than just the idea of eating less and exercising more. And until the person finds that other thing that is required for their situational factors to shift enough to change the behavior, they are unlikely to be successful in adjusting diet and exercise over the long run.

EDIT: I want to add something to speak to the other side of the coin because some comments have rightly pointed out that this may come across as fatalistic. I’m a big proponent of personal responsibility and personal growth.

If you have something in your life causing problems or holding you back, I would encourage you to look for solutions and – if it’s important enough of a thing – to not give up. I have worked with a lot of people with mental health issues, for example, who say, “I can’t” to things that they absolutely are capable of doing and do go on to do. An attitude of pessimism is often a self-fulfilling prophecy and certainly limits the chances we have to get lucky with the solution to the puzzle or simply to break through due to persistence. The synthesis of my views would be this: we are shaped by many forces but are also capable of ingenuity, resiliency, and change. If you attempt something critically important and fail, either try again, try a new approach, or try something else.

Change is not as simple as ‘eat less’ because behavior is largely the product of a network of causal factors. And for the exact same reason, change is also rarely impossible – there are many factors that can be tweaked up and down the causal chain, though it can take A LOT of effort and probably resources and external support as well. The right small shift can alter the overall set of circumstances and tip the outcome in another direction. And sometimes, it’s something as simple as time or trying again.

Never “Verify Your Email.”

Posted on by The Old Wolf

No email service will send you a message asking you to provide your address and password, or other financial data. They just won’t.

yahoo

This email is bogus. Note the red circle next to the “click to validate” link – that’s a warning from WOT (Web of Trust) that indicates the website is not to be trusted.

If you’re foolish enough to click the link, which goes to http://bookinghh.myfreesitehost.com/smluptt/wadohjom.htm (NOT a Yahoo website), you’ll get this:

Yahoo2

If you fill out this information, scammers now have access to your email account, and they will use it to steal information or send out criminal spam.

Never do this. Be careful out there.

The Old Wolf has spoken.

PayPal Scam: Your account has been limited.

Posted on by The Old Wolf

I’ve mentioned phishing scams before, in a number of places. This email arrived yesterday,

phishing

Note the red flags on this one:

  1. A sender’s address that is not “Paypal.com”
  2. Poor formatting
  3. Incomplete text

The attachment they mention gives you this:

Phishing2

If you are foolish enough to provide this information, it will be sent not to PayPal but to http://162.213.154.42/~oilreol/service.php:

NetRange 162.213.152.0 – 162.213.155.255
CIDR 162.213.152.0/22
NetName FUC-US-2001
NetHandle NET-162-213-152-0-1
Parent NET162 (NET-162-0-0-0-0)
NetType Direct Allocation
OriginAS AS26272
Organization FortaTrust USA Corporation (FUC-9)
RegDate 2013-06-10
Updated 2013-12-17
Ref http://whois.arin.net/rest/net/NET-162-213-152-0-1
OrgName FortaTrust USA Corporation
OrgId FUC-9
Address 3701 NW 82 Ave.
City Doral
StateProv FL
PostalCode 33166
Country US
RegDate 2012-03-08
Updated 2014-07-02
Ref http://whois.arin.net/rest/org/FUC-9
OrgAbuseHandle IPADM602-ARIN
OrgAbuseName IP Admin
OrgAbusePhone +1-305-898-0033
OrgAbuseEmail ipadmin@fortatrust.com
OrgAbuseRef http://whois.arin.net/rest/poc/IPADM602-ARIN
OrgNOCHandle IPADM602-ARIN
OrgNOCName IP Admin
OrgNOCPhone +1-305-898-0033
OrgNOCEmail ipadmin@fortatrust.com
OrgNOCRef http://whois.arin.net/rest/poc/IPADM602-ARIN
OrgTechHandle IPADM602-ARIN
OrgTechName IP Admin
OrgTechPhone +1-305-898-0033
OrgTechEmail ipadmin@fortatrust.com
OrgTechRef http://whois.arin.net/rest/poc/IPADM602-ARIN

This information does not mean that FortaTrust itself is necessarily behind the phishing attempt, but someone could be using their servers in spurious ways.

Whatever the case, be careful out there. PayPal and other legitimate financial institutions will never ask you for sensitive financial data by email.

The Old Wolf has spoken.

A New Horoscope: I’m not as random as you think I salad…

Posted on by The Old Wolf

I found these “New Horoscopes” over at the Facebook page of Notixx; I’m not sure who the original artist/creator is, but it deserves a share, especially with the sick descriptions by Darcie Bell. Enjoy.

this bat

This Bat – You terrify most people. You have a preference for eating your big meals at night and have a hard time flying solo. People with this sign are prone to insomnia, have an ear for music, but could lack vision. You tend to annoy others with your need to be different and special, but it gets a little pretentious when you insist on sleeping upside down like some hippie vampire. Also, your undoing might be a broom.

Mustache

An Ironic Mustache – Even though you think you may be cool and modern; you are a traditionalist who is stuck in the past. You may stubbornly cling to things that no longer serve you, but you may also be hiding a scar or hideous deformity for fear of ridicule. Some people find you sexy, but food can make your life a mess. You forget that your dad grew his mustache ironically, too, so you’re not that original.

Balls

Balls– It really isn’t your fault. You were pretty much born bipolar. One of you may be softer, more sensitive and the other might be a little hairier. Although you have been mythically associated with strength and independence, you are actually quite vulnerable and sad. People either want to gently cup you or pray for your destruction. Either way, you will probably spend your life sweaty, next to an asshole, living only to serve some dick.

taco

Half A Taco – There you go, giving half of yourself away again, but no one mistakes your attempts at martyrdom for generosity anymore, kid. Now who’s gonna want you? You might have a hard shell, but you crack under pressure. People crave you when they are drunk and stoned, but find someone with a big appetite for your layered, spicy goodness, or you’ll just end up soggy and alone in the trash.

cat

A Cat But Upside Down – Yeah, yeah, we see it, now can you stop putting that thing in our face you big show-off? You really will do anything for attention, kitty cat, but hey, why fix it if it ain’t broke? You might put people off with your aggressive demeanor, but you get the job done with your self-promotion and your ability to work hard, with a lot of flair. Although, no one is gonna call you classy, anytime soon.

Image6

Ricky Gervais – People often leave your company scratching their heads unsure if they’ve just witnessed genius or crap. You are critical to a fault, and although you are as loyal as they come, you often make your friends the butt of the joke. You have a hard time keeping your mouth shut. If you weren’t so irreverent and funny, you’d probably be the world’s most brutal English teacher. Pedantic on the verge of insanity, nothing and no one escapes your “witty” observations, eagle eye.

Image7

Murder – Everyone knows that you are sexy. People either dream about doing you or being done in by you, either way, you’re on everybody’s mind. You are complex and sometimes extremely passionate. You can be thoughtful and exacting and in many situations, justice is your sole motivating factor. You are often misunderstood, but you are poetic and bold. You inspire others to act on impulse or to only imagine. That said, you are one cold-blooded son of a bitch.

bass

A Novelty Bass – People may write you off as a one-dimensional, but if they were to open you up, they would be surprised to see how much you really have going on in there. Most times you are silent, lurking in a dark room, but when you sense the presence of another, you spring into action. You may feel like a fish out of water, but you tend to be the center of attention. Also,you are surprisingly aggressive for someone who is mounted on a wall, but you are powered by external forces, making you the textbook co-dependent.

shrimp

Shrimp Cocktail – A little bit sophisticated, a dash retro and over-the-top, you definitely know how to make an entrance. You’re all about the presentation and you always offer a little bit of adventure to those around you. You aren’t gonna fill anyone up, but who wants to be a boring old entrée when you can be the appetizer? Beware however, you may be the life of the party now, but you could also end up being served in bulk to fat tourists on cruise ships.

bag

Bag – You are nothing if not practical. People trust you and they know they can depend on you to hold on to the things that matter to them. You work hard for yourself and for others, but sometimes the stress of your responsibility can become too great and you’ll tear yourself apart. You may not be the sexiest object in the world, but fuck it, you’ve got a job to do and you’re usefulness will be appreciated for generations to come. Or you’ll get crumpled and tossed out. Either way.

guy

A White Guy With Cornrows – You are a walking contradiction. You make people laugh and there are a lot of things going on with you that just SHOULDN’T be happening at the same time. You don’t care what people think and you never will. You are nothing if not confidant, and you enjoy provoking others into spirited discourse about your chosen lifestyle. You may appear to be a bit strange and off, but you are knotted down tight, with a serious stubborn streak. Don’t try too hard to be something you aren’t, though, freakazoid, because you tend to create a pretty serious level of social awkwardness.

turkey

A Hand Turkey – You have a way of connecting people to their past which is both nostalgic and lame. You represent artistic expression at the most basic, primitive level. People project onto you whatever they want to see, but you remain at your core, consistent and unchanging. People keep you around for years, sometimes crudely deface you and mock you, but you still bring joy to people when they stumble upon you stuck in a book somewhere. You are at your best when you’re a little over the top.

Who thinks up stuff like this? I wish I had an imagination this vivid. For what it’s worth, I drew “balls.” Oh well.

The Old Wolf has spoken.

It’s Yesterday Once More: Cocoa Marsh

Posted on by The Old Wolf

I first mentioned this product of the 60s as I was reminiscing about television.

First came Bosco, begun in 1928. Think Hershey’s Syrup, but nowhere near as nasty tasting. It made a lovely chocolate milk. And, interestingly enough, still available.

bosco

Of course that commercial, insidious as all the best commercials are, comes rushing back from the depths of my memory every time I hear a Bossa Nova beat:

But Bosco was soon aced out of our household by Cocoa Marsh, as I faithfully watched Claude Kirschner’s Three Ring Circus.

Claude Kirschner and Clowny
Marsh

An older bottle of Cocoa Marsh.

il_570xN.344625609

A later bottle of Cocoa Marsh, the kind I was most familiar with.

cocoamarsh (Small)
Embossed on the bottom.

But what was cool about Cocoa Marsh (some have suggested that it contained marshmallow as a smoothing ingredient, hence the name, but I have not yet been able to verify this) was that you could get a pump. Dang, i gotta get me some of that, and as I recall, we did.

download
$_57 (1)
$_57
pump

Notice above two images also carried the name of Yum-Berry, a berry-flavored variety of Cocoa Marsh, which I recall very fondly as well. It was short lived, and lasted only around a year if I remember correctly.

Cocoa Marsh marketed heavily through a variety of channels. The Soda Fountain below took the pump concept to the next level, and it looks familiar enough to me that I’d swear on a stack of Saturday Evening Posts that I owned one.

$_57 (3)

Marketing to older folks was not forgotten as well; here a Lionel O-gauge rail car with Cocoa Marsh vats.

$(KGrHqYOKjoE6VEbSsbFBOnH4lHGn!--60_57

Sadly, despite a massive advertising machine through children’s shows in New York, the product was unable to compete with Nestlé’s Quik™ and Ovaltine™ (which as a kid, I thought tasted like bat guano – sort of like comparing chocolate to carob, and just as disappointing.)

In passing, there were a couple of other products around at the time that popped up on my radar. One was Yoo-Hoo, an odd-tasting concoction that was pitched incessantly by Yogi Berra, and which is still available.

img-yoohoo-breakout-box-2-baseball_151929377098

It was very strange tasting indeed, but somehow one got used to it.

The other was Flav-R-Straws, which first showed up in 1956, and which I remember well. They were wildly popular, and I was thoroughly in favor of them.

flav-r-straws_1957

If only I had a TARDIS.

Edit: As an afterthought, I’m hardly the only one who remembers these things. A line from Diana Rubino’s recent novel, The End of Camelot:

The entire day had her eating Sugar Pops out of the box, washed down with Cocoa Marsh or Yum Berry.

The Old Wolf has spoken.

Cultural appropriation and Native American wisdom.

Posted on by The Old Wolf

“The problem with quotes on the Internet is that their sources are extremely hard to verify.”
-Abraham Lincoln

And see, there are so many things out there like that where some bit of human wisdom or snippet of humor is attributed to somebody, or anybody, or George Carlin, or Mother Teresa, or Bill Cosby, or Rameumptom X. Analemma, or “Native American Philosophy.” Particularly in the latter case, it becomes more of an issue than a simple misattribution, because cultural appropriation can be more than insulting, it can actually be harmful to the original culture.

Disclaimer: I’m writing as a white man, a descendant of Italian and British immigrants. I claim no authority to speak for other cultures, but I’m sharing my own experiences and perceptions.

Here’s a good example:

indian

While it’s not entirely outside the realm of possibility, I’d bet a steak dinner at Wolfgang Puck’s CUT in Beverly Hills that no “Old Indian” ever said this. But somehow, slapping a few pictures of Native Americans or Teepees or such things on a list of ideas lends a certain cachet of traditionality and wisdom to an otherwise bland list of platitudes. And I feel as though they must seem dismissive of the native heritage, much of which is sacred and not designed for sharing with outsiders – particularly those who stole the land, shoved the natives into reservations, and used the native culture for attention, advertising, and financial gain.

What prompted these thoughts were just such a list which I found, and which I liked. They are good ideas, and worthy of consideration by any culture.

1. Each morning upon rising, and each evening before sleeping, give thanks for the life within you and for all life, for the good things the Creator has given you and for the opportunity to grow a little more each day. Consider your thoughts and actions of the past day and seek for the courage and strength to be a better person. Seek for the things that will benefit others (everyone).

2. Respect. Respect means “To feel or show honor or esteem for someone or something; to consider the well being of, or to treat someone or somethin with deference or courtesy”. Showing respect is a basic law of life.

3. Treat every person from the tiniest child to the oldest elder with respect at all times.

4. Special respect should be given to Elders, Parents, Teachers, and Community Leaders.

5. No person should be made to feel “put down” by you; avoid hurting other hearts as you would avoid a deadly poison.

6. Touch nothing that belongs to someone else (especially Sacred Objects) without permission, or an understanding between you.

7. Respect the privacy of every person, never intrude on a person’s quiet moment or personal space.

8. Never walk between people that are conversing.

9. Never interrupt people who are conversing.

10. Speak in a soft voice, especially when you are in the presence of Elders, strangers or others to whom special respect is due.

11. Do not speak unless invited to do so at gatherings where Elders are present (except to ask what is expected of you, should you be in doubt).

12. Never speak about others in a negative way, whether they are present or not.

13. Treat the earth and all of her aspects as your mother. Show deep respect for the mineral world, the plant world, and the animal world. Do nothing to pollute our Mother, rise up with wisdom to defend her.

14. Show deep respect for the beliefs and religion of others.

15. Listen with courtesy to what others say, even if you feel that what they are saying is worthless. Listen with your heart.

16. Respect the wisdom of the people in council. Once you give an idea to a council meeting it no longer belongs to you. It belongs to the people. Respect demands that you listen intently to the ideas of others in council and that you do not insist that your idea prevail. Indeed you should freely support the ideas of others if they are true and good, even if those ideas ideas are quite different from the ones you have contributed. The clash of ideas brings forth the Spark of Truth.

17. Once a council has decided something in unity, respect demands that no one speak secretly against what has been decided. If the council has made an error, that error will become apparent to everyone in its own time.

18. Be truthful at all times, and under all conditions.

19. Always treat your guests with honor and consideration. Give of your best food, your best blankets, the best part of your house, and your best service to your guests.

20. The hurt of one is the hurt of all, the honor of one is the honor of all.

21. Receive strangers and outsiders with a loving heart and as members of the human family.

22. All the races and tribes in the world are like the different colored flowers of one meadow. All are beautiful. As children of the Creator they must all be respected.

23. To serve others, to be of some use to family, community, nation, and the world is one of the main purposes for which human beings have been created. Do not fill yourself with your own affairs and forget your most important talks. True happiness comes only to those who dedicate their lives to the service of others.

24. Observe moderation and balance in all things.

25. Know those things that lead to your well-being, and those things that lead to your destruction.

26. Listen to and follow the guidance given to your heart. Expect guidance to come in many forms; in prayer, in dreams, in times of quiet solitude, and in the words and deeds of wise Elders and friends.

Now, whenever I see such a compilation, I ask myself where they really came from – and as I mentioned above, it’s often difficult to trace things of this nature back to an original source. But in this case, it appears that the list above is based in fact, although it was embellished somewhat.

The list below, found at the website of Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools¹, was gathered at a conference held in Lethbridge, Alberta in December, 1982. Indian Elders, spiritual leaders, and professionals from across Canada offered these fundamental elements that they considered to be common among Canadian Indian philosophies. That seems to be about as authentic as one can get.

  • Wholeness. (Holistic thinking). All things are interrelated. Everything in the universe is part of a single whole. Everything is connected in some way to everything else. It is only possible to understand something if we understand how it is connected to everything else.
  • Change. Everything is in a state of constant change. One season falls upon the other. People are born, live, and die. All things change. There are two kinds of change: the coming together of things, and the coming apart of things. Both kinds of change are necessary and are always connected to each other.
  • Change occurs in cycles or patterns. They are not random or accidental. If we cannot see how a particular change is connected it usually means that our standpoint is affecting our perception.
    The physical world is real. The spiritual world is real. They are two aspects of one reality. There are separate laws which govern each. Breaking of a spiritual principle will affect the physical world and vice versa. A balanced life is one that honors both.
  • People are physical and spiritual beings.
  • People can acquire new gifts, but they must struggle to do so. The process of developing new personal qualities may be called “true learning”. There are four dimensions of “true learning”.
    A person learns in a whole and balanced manner when the mental, spiritual, physical and emotional dimensions are involved in the process.
  • The spiritual dimension of human development has four related capacities:
    • the capacity to have and respond to dreams, visions, ideals, spiritual teaching, goals, and theories;
    • the capacity to accept these as a reflection of our unknown or unrealized potential;
    • the capacity to express these using symbols in speech, art, or mathematics;
    • the capacity to use this symbolic expression towards action directed at making the possible a reality.
  • People must actively participate in the development of their own potential.
  • A person must decide to develop their own potential. The path will always be there for those who decide to travel it.
  • Any person who sets out on a journey of self-development will be aided. Guides, teachers, and protectors will assist the traveler. The only source of failure is a person’s own failure to follow the teachings.

Wisdom belongs to humanity, regardless of the source. If that wisdom is shared for the betterment of all, it seems entirely appropriate and legitimate. If it’s used for financial gain to the detriment of a minority culture, that’s when it becomes questionable.

The first list above may not be entirely authentic, but both consist of good thoughts which, if adopted by humanity as a whole, would lead to a much better world for everyone. Hence I feel comfortable sharing both of them.

The Old Wolf² has spoken.

¹ Lots of other good information at this link as well.

² It is not lost on me that the persona I have adopted for this blog and in other circles has a native/shamanistic aspect. No disrespect is intended to any culture; all I can say is that it resonates with me and encourages me to turn my efforts toward the betterment of humanity as a whole.

Rebuses

Posted on by The Old Wolf

These word plays have been around for a long time, but here is a cluster I found while cleaning and digitizing the things I have collected in file cabinets over the last four decades. (Answers at the end, don’t cheat!)

1)

Backward Glance

2)

Crack of Dawn

3)

Crossroads

4)

Undertaking

5)

Tricycle

6)

Touchdown

7)

Split Level

8)

Six Feet

9)

Sandbox

10)

Reading

11)

Odd Couple

12)

Mind Over Matter

13)

Man Overboard

14)

Lying Down

15)

Long Underwear

16)

Life After Death

17)

Hijinks

18)
Faults

19)

Eggs

20)

Degrees

21) Bonus: French Language rebus

French

Answers:

  1. A backward glance
  2. Getting up at the crack of dawn
  3. Crossroads
  4. I understand you undertake to undermine my undertaking
  5. Tricycle
  6. Touchdown
  7. Split level
  8. Six feet underground
  9. Sandbox
  10. Reading between the lines
  11. Odd couple
  12. Mind over matter
  13. Man overboard
  14. Lying down on the job
  15. Long underwear
  16. Life after death
  17. Hijinks
  18. Be above quarrels between man and woman, there are faults on both sides
  19. Two eggs over easy
  20. Three degrees below zero
  21. Un grand abbé, plein d’appétit, à traversé Paris sans danger.

As a small item of interest, these were originally formatted on the Xerox 6085 Desktop Publishing System in around 1986.

The Old Wolf has spoken.

How to Fit-up Your Computer (aka Translation Troubles)

Posted on by The Old Wolf

octopus

Translation has always been more or less an afterthought for most companies, and overseas firms that manufacture goods for the USA often (obviously!) cut corners by saying things like “Oh, give it to Miss Chen, she speaks some English.”

The results were predictably bad.  Nowadays things have improved a little, but it was not uncommon in the latter part of the 20th Century to see things like the following:

How To Fit-up Your Computer

Clear the area on which you are to put back together the divorced parts. Make sure the room is all there. Popping out of the boxes should be:

  • An attractive monitor giving enlivening displays.
  • An efficient keyboard for the tipping of. (A mouse can be put on the second hand if that’s your turn-on.)
  • A fortified central processing unit where all types of characters can be juggled with.
  • And last, strict instruction on hand in either floppy or hard appearance.

Look within now to see if you have any surprises. If you are unfortunate enough to have something missing, or there is an unexpected presence, your local dealer will be willing to examine.

IMPORTANT!! Before you can plug it, you must ensure that the virgin monitor is fitted with a proper adapter in order to cope with your man’s supply.

To start assembly, pray central processing unit is in room provided. Have compartment ready for stuffed batteries. Repeat once a year. Check monitor not being supplied, then carefully drip onto unit. Now marry the tarts by inserting dangling cables. Finally, ready position for coupling behind keyboard.

You should now be ready to switch on to many hours of trouble-free commuting.

Naturally, “Engrish” is still a thing. The translation industry worldwide has undergone a sea change as the internet has opened markets to people living in third-world countries who might never have had access; and agencies take advantage of CAT tools to pay translators fractions of a cent per word based on how many times words or phrases are repeated. This is a scandal and a crime, and the main reason I got out of the freelance translation business, but that’s a subject for another rant.

The Old Wolf has spoken.