The Dogs of The Canary Islands.

In a recent blog, “Hagar The Horrible’s perpetration of an incorrect Myth.” I mentioned that I was disappointed at the incorrect and misleading information implies in it. And of course that misleading information, which was implied, was what most people already mistakenly believe! And that is, that the Canary Islands were named after the Canary bird.
Wrong, wrong, wrong. Normally one would say that, that information was a load of Bull! But in fact, it is a load of Dogs. Yes the Canary Islands was named not after the Bird, but called this from the Latin term for the ‘Dogs*’ found there. (And yes, Islands! There is a whole chain of them there.)
The following is from Wikipedia and explains it better than I can: “The name Islas Canarias is likely derived from the Latin term Insula Canaria, meaning "Island of the Dogs", a name applied originally only to Gran Canaria. It is speculated that the so-called dogs were actually a species of Monk Seals ("sea dog*" in Latin), critically endangered and no longer present in the Canary Islands. The dense population of seals may have been the characteristic that most struck the few ancient Romans who established contact with these islands by sea.
Alternatively, it is said that the original inhabitants of the island, Guanches, used to worship dogs, mummified them and treated dogs generally as holy animals. The ancient Greeks also knew about a people, living far to the west, who are the "dog-headed ones", who worshipped dogs on an island. Some theorize that the Canary Islands dog-worship and the ancient Egyptian cult of the dog-headed god, Anubis are closely connected, but there is no explanation given as to which one was first.
The connection to dogs is retained in their depiction on the islands' coat-of-arms.”
So! We not only see that the name of the Canary Islands has absolutely nothing to do with Canaries at all. (Although some are found there too.) But we also see that a very common and popular conception is both false and wrong, because of the confusion in sounds of words of other languages and our own. Again just warning us all to make sure that what we think we hear, is what the other person actually means.
Also and equally important, we always need to be sure of our facts before we pass them on to others don’t we?
What other incorrect perceptions have crept into English through the misunderstanding of the original language in which it was named? Such as “White Rhino” for instance, which isn’t white at all!

Hagar The Horrible’s Perpetration of an incorrect Myth.

As regular readers of these blogs may have already twigged by now, I like comics and get a few good ideas and lots of interesting, if not always useful, information from them.
Among my favourites would normally be Hagar the Horrible. However at the moment I am a bit concerned about the misleading, although not totally incorrect (but still misleading) information implied in a recent Hagar cartoon.
This particular strip has Hagar’s wife and daughter sitting at the dining table in the house, with lots of white space around them and all over this white space is written repeatedly, Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!
There, the daughter (Honi) says to her mother, “Daddy likes to bring back souvenirs from his travels, doesn’t he?” And her mother responds despondently, “Yes…. He just returned from the Canary Islands!”
So your task today is to tell me why I found this cartoon misleading and also to tell me what is the false information and myth that it is incorrectly perpetrating by its implication? Over to you now.

Thirty Page Rule For Book Reading?

This “Rabbits Against Magic” Cartoon Strip by Jonathan Lemon from July 18, 2009 has a rabbit sitting under a tree reading a book, when approached by another rabbit who asks, “Trixie, do you finish every book you start?’
To which Trixie replies, “I have a 30 page rule. When I get that far I make the decision to go to the end or not.”
To which the first rabbit sadly mumbles to itself as it shuffles away, “I’ve never read a book with more than 30 pages.”
What about you and your book reading? Do you have any sort of Plan when reading Books? Or are you like me, and have a lot of books with Book-marks in, showing where, once, I had got reading in it, before putting it down for whatever reason, and never or rarely ever, getting back to it.
True, there are a few books that I have started to read that I have literally given up on because they were so bad. But mostly I have given up because I have had too many others to choose from and chosen to start a new one, while still believing I could finish the previous one(s) too! But sadly rarely actually achieving that.
So I am now going to have to come up with a similar 30 page rule like Trixie too! Either that, or sadly become like the other rabbit and only read very short books instead! What about you now? What’s your reading plan and can you stick to it?

Who really is the negative one?

This is another blog inspired by the Comic strip, “Dark Side of the Horse by Samson” and taken from the internet on October 8, 2010. Here we see the black horse Horace walking along and complaining to a little bird in a tree that: “I hate all this Negativity… All I hear is NO, NO, NO!”
To which the little bird replies: “Oh no!” Then adds: “I think you’re asking the wrong questions.” To which Horace replies: “OH?” Then the little bird continues, “What if you tried asking people, “Would you like some money?’ or, “Do you want me to refrain from kicking your teeth in.” All of which Horace quickly rebuffs with a haughty, “No!” before rushing off!
Now I know that this is only a comic but how true this also is in real life too! Many go around accusing others of their negativity, but when the facts are investigated, it is often, if not always found, that the negativity begins with them and becomes self-feeding and self-perpetuating!
So if you are not happy with all the negativity around you like Horace, please stop being like Horace and start changing your own negative attitudes and behaviour and see what happens. What do you say? Will you give it a go? I hope so! After all, you have nothing to lose except your negativity! So please, give it ago starting right now. Again, what say you?

Same Pants, Wrong Leg.

In this “For Better or For Worse” comic Strip by Lynn Johnston from 2009, she has the mother paying for her Groceries at the Supermarket check-out, when she suddenly notices that her young daughter is not with her, and frantically yells out, “LIZZIE? LIZZIE, where are you?”
Next, you see Lizzie holding on happily to a pair of legs in Blue Jeans, next to another set of legs in Blue jeans! Just then Lizzie looks up to find that those legs she is holding, doesn’t belong to mum at all, but to a strange man. So she lets out a “Shriek” of her own. At which point, the man picks her up and hands her to her mother saying, “Same Jeans … wrong leg!”
Ever had that happen to you or one of your loved ones? I have. When our oldest was about four we went on a ferry ride to French Island, and then on a Bus tour around the Island, and once while stopping at an old disused Chicory Kiln, had a similar experience where she cottoned onto the same colour jeans but the wrong leg, with the same shrieking result.
So you see, it is easy enough to do with people, but what about now with your life? Yes, how are you going now with your life? Are you really holding on to the right leg? Or do you find yourself holding a similar looking one, but just not the right one?
Some have this problem with God and their spiritual lives too! They think they are holding onto the right one true God, because what they are holding onto, looks like God at a distance, but when they really look up, they find it is not God at all, but someone or something else.
So as we close today, are you really holding on to the one true God today or just something that at a distance at least looks like God?
If you would like to discuss this further, please contact me. Thanks.

Who is the real insensitive one?

In this 2010 Comic strip, “Dark Side of the Horse by Samson” and taken from the internet on September 29, 2010 Samson has his anti –hero Horace the Black horse, outside with ear muffs on complaining bitterly: “Monday Morning, 6am. My neighbour is already blowing his air horn. What an idiot”. And then we see in the next panel why Horace has really got his ear muffs on. For there, he is outside with His leaf blower on and going full bore.
So here Horace is complaining about the noise that his neighbour is making in response to Horace’s own insensitivity!
Sadly we so often see this in real life too: and many of the people complaining about the other person’s supposed insensitivity, is oblivious to their own. Even when it is their/our own insensitivity to others that has caused all the problems in the first place.
So today, and every day, before you accuse or blame anyone else for their insensitivity, please check out and correct your own insensitivity first! Please?
It may not always be true, but often it is our insensitivity that is the real problem and not theirs. Either way, please do be sure where the true blame lies before making any accusations.

How well do you know someone before you judge them?

In this 2010 Comic strip, “Dark Side of the Horse by Samson” and taken from the internet on September 29, 2010 Samson has his anti –hero Horace the Black horse, outside walking along and complaining bitterly about his neighbour, saying: “I used to dislike my neighbor.” Then, in the next frame, he adds: “Then I decided to get to know him better!” Then finally in the final frame, Horace concludes with: “Now I hate him with venom!”
Sadly there may be a few people like that still around, but not all are like that, and in fact often when we follow Horace’s first example of actually trying to get to know them better, before judging them , we find that they are not so bad after all.
And often more importantly, they find that you too are not as bad as they first thought!
So today and every day, before you rush to judgement of those around you, please get too know them first.
True. Like Horace, you may well find your first judgment right! But often it is the opposite too.
So please give it ago and try and get to know people better before you make a final judgment! Your thoughts please?

Are you a neighbour like this?

In this 2010 Comic strip, “Dark Side of the Horse by Samson” and taken from the internet on September 29, 2010 Samson has his anti –hero Horace the Black horse outside walking and complaining bitterly about his neighbour, saying: “I will never forget the first time I met my neighbour.” -------- “No matter how hard I try!”
I guess we have all met someone like that, even if not quite had one for a next door neighbour. But enough of them! What about ourselves now? True, there may be some, or even many others we know like that, but how many others feel the same way about us too? As my late mother used to say: “It takes two to Tango!”
So today, forget about how your neighbour treats you and focus on how you treat them! And if there is no difference between the two, then just maybe you have found the real cause of your problems with your neighbour? Again this will not always be true. Some people just are impossible to get along with. But if we never try, we will never really know where the real problem lies will we? Over to you now!

Is that the message you really want to send?

In this “For Better or For Worse” comic Strip by Lynn Johnston, from January 2010, Lynn has two men, Ted and John, walking in the snow, chatting. Ted says, “Got anything for the wife yet John?” To which John replies, “No’’’ But I have some ideas.” To which Ted queries, “Diamonds? Pearls?” To which he is rebuffed with, “Nah. Elly’s far too practical for that stuff, Ted.” Then adds, “I’m thinking Food Sealer. You know, one of those wrapping gadgets that cover leftovers with plastic.” To which Ted says quietly, “Right…’ Before sharply adding, “And every time she looks at vegetables, she’ll think of you.”
Can’t say I always agree with Ted but on this one he is pretty close to the mark. That said, apart from an engagement ring, I can’t say I have ever bought her Diamonds or pearls, some Opals, but no pearls! Although I did offer to buy her Tahitian Pearls, when we were there a couple of years back, to which she refused saying she would never wear them.
Anyway, what this cartoon and I are saying is that when you buy something for your spouse or loved ones, put some real thought into it and give something that will induce positive and happy memories whenever they use it! Again, while it can sometimes be something practical, it also needs to be something that when they use it, they will think favourably of you.
Sometimes it may be something rather impractical like Diamonds, and at other time’s it may be something practical, like a home appliance. The secret is knowing when either is appropriate and when it isn’t?
So as we close now, what message are you sending out in the gifts you give? Is it all about the recipient of the gift? Or is it more about you, as the giver? Over to you for your thoughts now.

How do you respond to impending catastrophes?

This is another blog inspired by the Comic strip, “Dark Side of the Horse by Samson” and taken from the internet on October 9, 2010.
In the first frame we see the Black horse, Horace sitting under a tree and looking up, says: “ My neighbor’s brats are pushing a shopping cart up the hill”. Then in the next frame he says: “ I wonder w… No! This is madness! I must do something! Then in the final frame, you see him standing there with a straw boater hat and cane, beside a sign that spruiks, “ “Come and see death-defying stunts. $5 Admission.”
Terribly opportunistic of him wasn’t it? Still I can’t help but wonder if most times we don’t respond any better, even if we don’t try and make “a buck”, out of it? Yes often we stand there, talking about doing something, when in fact what we should be doing is trying to stop or at least change the situation. Your thoughts please?

He who winds up must …

In this “For Better or For Worse” comic Strip by Lynn Johnston, updated: 12/19/2009, we have the wife’s brother on the couch playing wild games with his young niece and nephew, and the scene opens with him (Phil) saying, “ That’s enough! – I can’t play anymore! It’s time for BED!” He then turns to his sister and says, “Elly, what’s with these kids?!”. Elly replies, “You got them all excited Phil. You chased them all around the house and now they are all wound up! Phil replies, “ I was just trying to tire them out! “ And Elly replies. “ Nope. Doesn’t work. You wound them up … Now you have to unwind them!” The scene ends up with Phil left with the two kids muttering, “ I’ll never understand what makes kid’s tick!”
Me neither, but it is "the winding up and unwinding" that attracted me here. How often do we set out to do something, always of course with nothing but the best intentions, (like Phil trying to tire the kids out), only to have it back fire on us (like in this illustration) and then we try to fob off the results and responsibilities of cleaning up after us, on to someone else. Who, usually, (like Phil’s sister here) refuses to accept our mess and makes us deal with the consequences? Something we never want to do, hey? Hence it is always a good idea to make sure before we start anything new to us, that we really know what we are a doing, and that what we are doing will achieve what we are trying to achieve, shouldn’t we? And if we don’t know, then we should ask the experts, or at least those who have experience in that field, for their advice before starting, shouldn’t we?
Well, I will leave that thought with now, for you to reflect on and maybe even implement next time you do something that you’re new or inexperienced at?

Do we really want to remember?

This “For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston, (Updated 25/9/2010) instigated my memory of the past too. In this strip, it opens with the mother in the Supermarket with her trolley and her toddler daughter and holding a carton of Milk. “ She says, “ Look at this price Elizabeth! – I remember when milk was 50c a quart!” She then goes on to say, “ I remember when bread was $1.28 a loaf and Chicken was $1.45 a pound.” At which point an old, old bald gentleman taps her on the arm and simply says, “Don’t ask me what I remember!”
Yes no matter what we remember, others can also remember ever further back too.
I can’t say I remember when milk was 50c a quart, but at least I can remember what a quart was, and when milk was in bottles too! (Even if only one pint Bottles!) My children in their 20’s & 30’s, wouldn’t, having never growing up with them. Nor with Pounds and ounces either for that matter. So my point here, is that we have to stop living in the past and go on into the future, whilst being happy here in the present.
True, things were cheaper in the past. I remember when the Herald newspaper cost 3 pence. Now the Herald Sun costs $1.10 weekdays; and more over the weekend! Of course, things were cheaper then, but what we also forget is that our wages were a whole lot less then too. As said, when I first started working, a newspaper was only 3 pennies. But my first full wage was only 6 Pounds Australian! That was the week before Feb.14 1966; I remember that date only because on that date, Australia went from Pounds, shillings and pence, To Dollars and cents. Thus my next pay was not now 6 pounds, but 12 Dollars. No I didn’t get a pay rise, that was the then current conversion rate.
Imagine that, working a 40-hour week for 12 dollars. You couldn’t get away legally with paying that for an hours wage now! So yes things were cheaper then, but so was our buying power too. Of course we have so much more now to spend our money on don’t we? And that is where our real problems lie, isn’t it? Not on how much things cost now, verses then, but on what, like food are real necessities, and what, like fast food and fancy phones, CD’s etc, are actually unnecessary luxuries, that we have made necessities.
So let us all look, not back at the prices 10 or 20 years ago, but let us look hard and close on what we are currently spending our money on now, and whether they are really necessities or just desired luxuries?
Not that there is anything wrong with a few luxuries, but do let us get our priorities right first! Okay?

Do we really want our pasts revealed?

This blog is inspired by a Calvin & Hobbes Cartoon, by Bill Waterman from August 19th 2010.
It has Calvin and his imaginary friend, (his stuffed tiger), Hobbes, walking and talking. Calvin says, “I’m destined for greatness, I just know it. ‘Calvin the great,’ they’ll call me.” Then turning to Hobbes, he says, “ And think how lucky you’ll be! You’ll get to tell everyone how you knew me as a kid! What a privilege!” Calvin continues, “ In fact. All the papers and magazines will probably want to interview you to find out what I was really like.” At which point we hear from Hobbes, who quietly says, “ And boy will you have to cough up to keep me Quiet.” Surprised, Calvin then replies, “ And what’s that supposed to mean?”
Funny isn’t it, that we never see ourselves as others see us, nor as we really are, do we?
How many of us are like Calvin and live our lives like we are the only ones in the universe, and can do no wrong, and then are genuinely surprised to find that that is not true, and that they have a past to either live down or keep hidden?
Likewise, how many of us are like Hobbes and prepared to capitalise on our so-called friends personal failings, for the fame and fortune it may bring us? Sadly we see both scenarios being lived out almost daily in our Newspapers and on our TV’s, don’t we?
So let us all do our best not to add to this sad picture all around us now. Let all us Calvins, learn to have a proper respect for ourselves and for others, and to live a life in respect of all: Human, animal and environment!
Likewise let all us Hobbes, live lives of integrity and honour of and for all. Again, whether Human, animal or environment!

Do you collect Ephemera?

In the cartoon strip, “Rabbits against magic” By Jonathan Lemon (14/12/1009) the white rabbit strolls in and asks the blue rabbit: “How come you spend so much time down here?” To which the blue rabbit replies: “I like to sort my collection of Ephemera.’ “ I’ve got posters, maps, brochures, post cards, ticket stubs, air sickness bags, letters, comics, magazines, certificates, prospectuses, catalogues and novelty book marks.’ Continuing he says: “ There’s even a box of pamphlets here on how to reduce clutter.” To which the white rabbit replies: “ I didn’t know you were part squirrel.”
By that I think he means that the blue rabbit is nuts for collecting all that stuff which by its very nature is ephemera. “Ephemera is transitory written and printed matter not intended to be retained or preserved. The word derives from the Greek, meaning things lasting no more than a day.”
So which rabbit are you and I? The one who collects ephemera things? Or the one who thinks those who do this are nuts? While it must be said that there is nothing wrong with keeping a collection of a few ephemeral things (some of which can become very valuable in later years) but there is also a point where this obsession becomes a clutter, maybe even a danger. A danger to both you and to others too. I recently read a story in the paper about how a women who had been reported missing two months earlier by her Husband, had been found in her own house, under a heap of clutter where an overladen book case had collapsed on her.
So, on the one hand I am not trying to deter you from collecting things, even ephemeral things, but please do so in moderation and avoid obsession, clutter and possible danger. Please?

But Who Else Is Listening?

In this “For Better or For Worse” comic Strip by Lynn Johnston, (17/1/2009), it has two boys playing in the snow, and one says to the other: ”I was just fooling around Mike. You don’t have to be That mad.” “ I was just teasing you! Deanna probably doesn’t even know what I said!” To which mike replies: “HMPH.” To which the other continues on with: “When I said you liked her, she never did anything! She prob’ly didn’t even hear me!!” To which Mike angrily replies: “ Oh yeah?” Well everyone else did!!!” To which the scene pans to 3 other children nearby laughing their heads off!
This just reminds us that we need to be both careful about what we do say and where we say it. For there always seems to be an inappropriate audience, when we share things when and where we shouldn’t.
So today’s lesion is for each of us be both careful of what we do say and where we say it too!

Are you real mean too?

In this “For Better or For Worse” comic Strip by Lynn Johnston, UPDATED: 02/22/2010, it has the young boy pleading with his mother: “Aw, does it have to be Brenda? I want Charlene to babysit, Ma – Please?” “Charlene’s neat ma –an’ Brenda’s MEAN! REAL MEAN.” And finally he finishes to himself: “Brenda makes us go to bed on time!”
Funny how we often make strong judgements on how people treat us, whether it is right or wrong? And even though others might be doing the right thing and often as in this case, the thing that is best, for us, we often refuse to see that and consider them Mean, like poor Brenda in this Cartoon.
So today’s question is, who is it around you now that you currently think are mean? And are they really? Or is it you, like the young boy in the cartoon, the real mean and selfish one? Again just something for you to think about and maybe even do something about it, if felt led in that direction.

All your own choosing?

In this “For Better or For Worse” comic Strip by Lynn Johnston, (15/12/2009) it has two men in a shop. One, a bachelor guiding the married man in buying a present for his wife.
The conversation goes: B. “A pearl necklace would be perfect” H. “Are you sure?” B. “Absolutely”. Get her something simple and elegant. That one for instance, is quite lovely.’ Turning to the salesman the bachelor, says: “Yes, that will do nicely. Can you gift wrap it for my friend, please?" Sales man: “My pleasure.” The S.M. then turns to the husband and says: “Your package sir.” H. “Um … thank you”. Then, as they are outside the shop and going home the bachelor states, “Trust me John. Elly will be thrilled that you chose and wrapped something like this yourself!”
Ever find yourself in a similar situation? A situation where it seems like you are in charge, but in reality, someone else, often with no real experience to your own situation, is really pulling the strings?
True sometimes this can be quite helpful and appreciated and even right. But many times it can also be unhelpful misguided and totally wrong.
Oft times what is right and appropriate for one person’s situation is totally wrong or inappropriate in another, isn’t it? Just something to also think about when offering help too, isn’t it?

Are You Hypocritical Too At Times?

This is another blog inspired by a “For Better or For Worse” comic Strip by Lynn Johnston. This one has the young son counting his haul of Candy after Halloween night. (“7 Gumballs, 3 Toffee bars, 1 Bag Cheeze –o’s, 30 jelly beans …”, when his father who is a Dentist comes in and says, “ Unbelievable! Just look at all that awful Junk and goes into a rant saying, “ As a Dentist, I should make a formal complaint about all the candy that’s consumed on Halloween!!!”
Meanwhile his young son is unperturbed and keeps counting His goodies, “! Minty stick, 1 bag of Liquorice loops, 1 bag of popcorn balls…”, as his father keeps ranting about the damage of junk food high in sugar, and then the son makes a discovery. “Hey just a minute.. Then after a bit of frantic searching comes the anguished cry, “ I ha d2 whoopee bars, they’re GONE!”
At which point the father becomes very silent and red faced! Yes despite his rants against Junk food Candy, he too had no real problems of eating it despite his professional knowledge beliefs and rants.
How about you and me? Are we too sometimes like that? No something is wrong, even if just in the excess of off, and even warn others even strongly of the dangers, but still continue to indulge in that hurtful or unhelpful deed? What say you now?

Are You Too Enthusiastic At Times?

This older “For Better or For Worse” comic Strip by Lynn Johnston, has the young son encouraging his younger sister to walk unassisted and is gently and quietly encouraging her and when she succeeds, He screams out at the Top of his voice, “MUM! LIZZIE’S WALKING!”
At the sound of this “noise” Lizzie gets frightened and falls over and won’t try again, much to the dismay of all concerned when mum duly arrives.
Do you and I also see that happening sometimes when we are trying to help people or things along? Everything starts of fine, but instead of going slowly and even withdrawing quietly from the scene when success starts to come, we try and make a big fuss of things and push them along faster than either nature or they are comfortable with, and hence the whole thing often collapses in a heap like this child did on the floor when distracted by the noise of her brother’s enthusiasm.
Again, is there currently some situation now, where you have been helping out quietly and that you now want to shout about, when in fact, you should just withdraw quietly and leave them to go about their business, unhindered by your enthusiasm, thus allowing them to build up their own confidence and ultimately, their own enthusiasm? Again what say you?

How Disarming Are You Really?

In this comic strip by Brian Anderson called, “ Dog Eat Doug”, there is a little baby crawling along the floor near a dog, when the dog goes, “BOO-YAAAA!” At which point the baby jumps into the air and out of sight. To which the Dog replies quietly, “ That was not quite the hip, disarming greeting I thought it would be.”
Very funny when it happens to someone else, but what about us? Are we as careful with what we say to other people? And is what we say, really as Hip and disarming as we claim or think. And even when it sometimes can be, doesn’t mean t is always appropriate either. After all, often there is a time and place where a certain thing will be appropriate, other times where it will be tolerated, and yet other times where it will be totally inappropriate. So today when you try to be hip and disarming, do think before you both speak and act.
For what is hip and disarming to you might be frightening and offensive to others: As the producers of Hey, Hey Its Saturday found out recently! What say you?