Bytes

Wednesday, March 28, 2018

I was pondering what to post for Bytes (contrary to what you might think, I don’t have a stockpile of items ready, I usually decide each night what to post for the morning) when a pinterest email arrived with selected galleries. One such gallery was early female photographic portraits. On looking through the photographs I was struck by the timeless quality of the beauty and was reminded of the lines from Dead Poets Society when Mr Keating has his students look at old photographs of past students:

"They're not that different from you, are they? Same haircuts. Full of hormones, just like you. Invincible, just like you feel. The world is their oyster. They believe they're destined for great things, just like many of you, their eyes are full of hope, just like you. Did they wait until it was too late to make from their lives even one iota of what they were capable? Because, you see gentlemen, these boys are now fertilizing daffodils. But if you listen real close, you can hear them whisper their legacy to you. Go on, lean in. Listen, you hear it? - - Carpe - - hear it? - - Carpe, carpe diem, seize the day boys, make your lives extraordinary."

Heer are some of those early photographs (photos from Pinterest, captions from moi) . . .

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The Fairbanks Sisters, 1922

Madeline (1900 – 1989) and her twin sister Marion Fairbanks (1900 – 1973) were stage and motion picture actresses active in the silent era. The two sisters were seemingly inseparable although on one occasion one twin appeared in a film without the other. In 1923, Madeline decided to pursue dramatic roles, while Marion continued in musical revues. By 1924, the girls had felt their separation too keenly, and they rejoined on stage in George White's Scandals. By 1932, Marion was on stage separately at the Waldorf Theatre, New York City. 1930s news accounts reported that she operated a beauty parlour and directed a branch of a cosmetics manufacturer. In her later years she knew much unhappiness and struggled with alcohol.

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Marie Doro

Marie Doro (1882 – 1956) was an American stage and film actress of the early silent film era. Although generally typecast in lightweight feminine roles, she was in fact notably intelligent, cultivated and witty. Most of her early movies are lost. After losing her mentor who had been aboard the Lusitania in 1915 when it was sunk, she made a few films in Europe, then returned to America. Increasingly drawn to the spiritual life, she ended as a recluse, actively avoiding friends and acquaintances.

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Lota Cheek, 1923

I have a feeling that isn’t her real name. She was the winner of a NYC 1922 beauty contest but her career was tarnished when she was named in a divorce case. I haven’t been able to find out a lota stuff about Ms Cheek.

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Evelyn Laye, 1917

Evelyn Laye, CBE (10 July 1900 – 17 February 1996) was an English actress who was active on the London light opera stage, and later in New York and Hollywood. Married to the actor Sonnie Hale in 1926, Laye received widespread public sympathy when Hale left her for the actress Jessie Matthews in 1928. She was initially very reluctant to abandon the marriage, but, despite a trial reconciliation, a divorce case eventually followed in 1930, with the judge labeling Matthews an "odious person". She subsequently wed actor Frank Lawton, with whom she remained married until his death. Awarded a CBE in 1973, Laye continued acting well into her nineties. It was reported after Laye's death that the Queen Mother had petitioned the then Prime Minister John Major for Laye to be awarded a damehood.

By the way . . .

This is Jessie Matthews (1907 – 1981), referred to above. Matthews was an English actress, dancer and singer of the 1920s and 1930s, whose career continued into the post-war period. After a string of hit stage musicals and films in the mid-1930s, Matthews developed a following in the USA, where she was dubbed "The Dancing Divinity". Her British studio was reluctant to let go of its biggest name, which resulted in offers for her to work in Hollywood being repeatedly rejected.

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Jetta Goudal

Jetta Goudal (1891 – 1985) was a Dutch-born American actress, successful in Hollywood films of the silent film era. Goudal appeared in several highly successful and acclaimed films for Cecil B DeMille and became one of the top box office draws of the late 1920s. DeMille later claimed that Goudal was so difficult to work with that he eventually fired her and cancelled their contract. Goudal filed a lawsuit for breach of contract against him and DeMille Pictures Corporation. Although DeMille claimed her conduct had caused numerous and costly production delays, in a landmark ruling, Goudal won the suit when DeMille was unwilling to provide his studio's financial records to support his claim of financial losses. Because of her suit against DeMille and her high-profile activism in the Actors' Equity Association campaign for the theatre and film industry to accept a closed shop, some of the Hollywood studios refused to employ Goudal. In 1932, at age forty-one, she made her last screen appearance. In 1930, she married Harold Grieve, an art director and founding member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. When her film career ended, she joined Grieve in running a successful interior design business. They remained married until her death in 1985 in Los Angeles. In 1960, for recognition of Goudal's contribution to the motion picture industry, she was honoued with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

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Dorothy Revier

Dorothy Revier (1904 – 1993) was an American actress noted for roles in silent films in the 1920s. Revier died at the age of 89 and was buried under a simple marker of name and dates, with the lone inscription, "Beloved Actress."

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Tuesday, March 27, 2018

Quote for the Day

"Some people think football is a matter of life and death.

I assure you, it's much more serious than that.”

- Bill Shankly

William Shankly (1913 – 1981) was a Scottish football player and manager, who is best known for his time as manager of Liverpool. Shankly took charge of Liverpool when they were in the Second Division and rebuilt the team into a major force in English and European football. He led Liverpool to the Second Division Championship to gain promotion to the top-flight First Division in 1962, before going on to win three First Division Championships, two FA Cups, four Charity Shields and one UEFA Cup.

Origins

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I was asked how the term “shrink” came to be applied to psychiatrists and I was at a loss to know or even offer a conjecture.

Having now looked into it, I can say that:

· The use of the term “shrink” for psychiatrists comes from the term “headshrinker”, applied to the headhunting Jivaro tribe of the Amazon.

· In 1950, Time magazine used the term for the first time in print by stating that anyone who would have predicted the phenomenal success of the television Western "Hopalong Cassidy" would have been sent to a "headshrinker." Because the article contains a footnote that headshrinker is Hollywood slang for a psychiatrist, it is clear that the term was if recent origin.

· The 1955 movie "Rebel Without a Cause," includes scenes in which characters discuss going to a headshrinker.

· According to an article by one John Green:

The headshrinker metaphor arguably reflects the feelings of fear, mystery and hostility traditionally associated with the profession. Another theory holds that it implicitly refers to shrinking a patient's narcissistic, inflated sense of self. Although many mental-health professionals have come to accept the term with self-deprecating humor, it has also been criticized as a relic of an outmoded therapeutic approach that reduces people to mere causes and symptoms rather than regarding them as complex individuals.

https://classroom.synonym.com/origin-word-shrink-psychologists-11814.html

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Quarantine comes from the French "qarante" for 40.

Whenever a ship arriving in port was suspected of being infected it had to forego contact with the shore for a period of about 40 days.

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A loophole is an ambiguity or inadequacy in a system which can be used to get around the intended purpose.

Originally the terms referred to the slots in castle walls used by archers and later by musketeers.

The use of the word to describe an “out” comes from these slits affording an out in a seemingly impenetrable wall, just as a loophole now is an out in a seemingly airtight law, which only the clever few can use.

It is recorded that a friend visited W C Fields as he was hearing death. He was surprised to find Fields reading the Bible and martini in his other hand. When Fields, an atheist, was asked why he was reading the Bible, he responded “Looking for loopholes.”

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The word "curfew" comes from the French phrase "couvre-feu", which means "fire cover". It was later adopted into Middle English as "curfeu", which later became the modern "curfew". Its original meaning refers to a law made by William The Conqueror that all lights and fires should be covered at the ringing of an eight o'clock bell to prevent the spread of destructive fire within communities in timber buildings.

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Although the accepted etymology of the word football, or "foot ball", originated in reference to the action of a foot kicking a ball, this may be a false etymology. An alternative explanation has it that the word originally referred to a variety of games in medieval Europe, which were played on foot. These sports were usually played by peasants, as opposed to the horse-riding sports more often enjoyed by aristocrats. In some cases, the word has been applied to games which involved carrying a ball and specifically banned kicking.

Sunday, March 25, 2018

An apology and a Quote for the Day

Firstly, my apology for not forewarning that there might not be any Bytes on Saturday and Sunday. I spent a few days with my father in law in Canberra where I have previously been able to connect to his wi-fi. I was under the impression that if I could receive emails then I would also be able to send emails and post Bytes. Not so.

I mentioned to someone on the weekend that in the medieval days the priests were the holders of all knowledge and learning, that they communicated with God and interpreted His Latin word for the uneducated, ordinary people. Today the god is computer technology and the priests are the computer programmers and technicians. And guess where the rest of us are.

Which gives rise to today’s Quote for the Day:

Bonus items . . .

Anecdote for the Day

An item about Prince Harry’s intended marriage to Meghan Markle reminded of an anecdote about Winston Churchill . . .

The item:

Because Harry is in line to the throne, official approval is needed to wed. A short time ago Her Maj gave official approval to the wedding, stating in her declaration to the Privy Council:

“My lords, I declare My Consent to a Contract of Matrimony between My Most Dearly Beloved Grandson Prince Henry Charles Albert David of Wales and Rachel Meghan Markle, which Consent I am causing to be signified under the Great Seal and to be entered in the Books of the Privy Council.”

The anecdote:

The Lord Privy Seal (or, more formally, the Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal) is a high office in the British Government. Originally, its holder was responsible for the monarch's personal (privy) seal (as opposed to the Great Seal of the Realm, which is in the care of the Lord Chancellor) until the use of such a seal became obsolete.

Between 1940 and 1942 the Lord Privy Seal was Clement Attlee, a man who did not inspire Churchill, Churchill once saying of him that he was "a modest man with much to be modest about”.

During the war years, whilst Churchill was in his war time bunker, his personal secretary knocked on his toilet door and told him that the Lord Privy Seal wanted to see him.

Churchill called out to his aide: “Tell the Lord Privy Seal I am sealed in my privy, and can only deal with one shit at a time."

Winston Churchill

Clement Attlee

Friday, March 23, 2018

Thought for the Day

Funny Friday

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St Patrick's Day has been and gone, but that's no reason for not having some rollicking Irish jokes . . .

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An Irishman was flustered about not being able to find a parking space. “Lord,” he prayed, “I can’t stand this. If you open a space up for me, I swear I’ll give up drinking me whiskey, and I promise to go to church every Sunday.”

Suddenly, the clouds parted and the sun shone on an empty parking spot.

“Never mind,” he responded, “I found one.”

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Two Irish lads were working for the Dublin public works department. One would dig a hole and the other would follow behind him and fill the hole in. They worked up one side of the street, then down the other, then moved on to the next street, working furiously all day without rest, one man digging a hole, the other filling it in again.

An onlooker was amazed at their hard work, but couldn’t understand what they were doing. He asked the hole digger, “I’m impressed by the effort you two are putting into your work, but I don’t get it – why do you dig a hole, only to have your partner follow behind and fill it up again?”

The hole digger wiped his brow and sighed, “Well, I suppose it probably looks odd because we’re normally a three-person team. But today the lad who plants the trees called in sick.”

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An Englishman, an Irishman and a Scotsman are starting their new jobs as lumberjacks. Each are given a chainsaw and are told to record how many trees they cut down each day.

At the end of the first day, the Englishman and Scotsman cut down 60 but the Irishman was way behind on 10. Their boss thought he would give the Irishman another chance so the three men went to work the next day. Yet again, at the end of the day, the Englishman and Scotsman cut down 60 but the Irishman was still on 10.

This prompted the boss to approach the Irishman and demand why he was lagging behind. The Irishman replied, 'Sorry sir, but I can't cut down more than 10 trees a day with this saw.' So the boss took the chainsaw to see if there was anything wrong with it. As soon as he pulled the cord the Irishman jumped with fright and exclaimed, 'What the feck is that noise?!'

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An Irishman and an American were sitting in the bar at Dublin airport.

“I’ve come to meet my brother,” said the Irishman. “He’s due to fly in from America in an hour’s time. It’s his first trip home in forty years”.

“Will you be able to recognise him?” asked the American.

“I’m sure I won’t,” said the Irishman. “After all, he’s been away for a long time”.

“I wonder if he’ll recognise you?” said the American.

“Of course he will,” said the Irishman. “Sure, an’ I haven’t been away at all!”

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Muldoon, the farmer, lived alone in the countryside with his pet dog of many years. Eventually, his dog died of old age. Muldoon went to the parish priest.

"Father, my dear old dog is dead. Could you be saying a mass for the poor creature?"

Father Patrick replied, "Muldoon, I'm sorry to hear of your dog's death, but we can't be holding services for an animal in the church. However, there's a new denomination down the road, and maybe they would do something for the animal."

Muldoon said, "Thank you, Father. Do youthink tow thousand pounds is enough to donate for the service?"

Father patrick quickly responded, "Son! Why didn't you tell me the dog was Catholic?!"

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An Irish woman of advanced age visited her physician to ask his help in reviving her husband's libido. 'What about trying Viagra?' asks the doctor. 'Not a chance", she said. "He won't even take an aspirin". 'Not a problem", replied the doctor. "Give him an 'Irish Viagra'. It's when you drop the Viagra tablet into his coffee. He won't even taste it. Give it a try and call me in a week to let me know how things went."

It wasn't a week later that she called the doctor, who directly inquired as to progress. The poor dear exclaimed, "Oh, faith, bejaysus and begorrah! T'was horrid! Just terrible, doctor!" "Really? What happened?" asked the doctor. 'Well, I did as you advised and slipped it into his coffee and the effect was almost immediate. He jumped straight up, with a twinkle in his eye, and with his pants a-bulging fiercely! With one swoop of his arm, he sent the cups and napkins flying, ripped me clothes to tatters and took me then and there, took me passionately on the tabletop! It was a nightmare, I tell you, an absolute nightmare!"

Why so terrible?" asked the doctor, "Do you mean the sex your husband provided wasn't good"?

'Twas the best sex I've had in 25 years! But as sure as I'm sittin' here, I'll never be able to show me face in Starbucks again!"

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A London lawyer runs a stop sign in Dublin and gets pulled over by an Irish Garda He thinks that he is smarter than the cop because he is a lawyer, from London, and is certain that he has a better education than any paddy cop. He decides to prove this to himself and have some fun at the Garda's expense!!

Irish Garda says,' Licence and registration, please.'

London Lawyer says, 'What for?'

Irish Garda replies, 'You didn't come to a complete stop at the Stop sign.'

London Lawyer says, 'I slowed down, and no one was coming.'

Irish Garda says, 'You still didn't come to a complete stop. Licence and registration, please.'

London Lawyer says, 'What's the difference?'

Irish Garda says, 'The difference is, you have to come to complete stop, that's the law. Licence and registration, please!'

London Lawyer says, 'If you can show me the legal difference between 'slow down' and 'stop', I'll give you my licence and registration and you give me the ticket. If not, you let me go and don't give me the ticket.'

Irish Garda says, 'Sounds fair. Exit your vehicle, sir.'

The London lawyer exits his vehicle. The Irish Garda takes out his baton, starts beating the lawyer with it and says, 'Do you want me to stop, or just slow down?'

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Taking a wee break from the golf course, Rory McIlroy drives his new Mercedes into an Irish service station. An attendant greets him in a typical Irish manner, unaware who the golf pro is... "Top o the mornin to ya" As Rory gets out of the car, two tees fall out of his pocket. "What are those things, laddie?" asks the attendant.

"They're called tees," replies Rory.

"And what would ya be usin 'em for, now?" inquires the Irishman.

"Well, they're for resting my balls on when I drive," replies Rory.

"Aw, Jaysus, Maryan' Joseph!" exclaims the Irish attendant. "Those fellas at Mercedes think of everything..."

Corn Corner:

Two Irishmen looking for work see a sign that reads TREE FELLERS WANTED. “Oh, now, look at that,” said Paddy. “What a pity there’s only de two of us!”

An Irishman walks into a railway station and presents himself at the ticket counter.

“I’d like a return ticket,” he says.

“Where to?”

“To here!” says the Irishman.

Billy stops Paddy in Dublin and asks for the quickest way to Cork.

Paddy says, “Are you on foot or in the car?”

Billy says, “In the car.”

Paddy says, “That’s the quickest way.”

Paddy was in New York, patiently watching the traffic cop on a busy street crossing. The cop stopped the flow of traffic and shouted, “Okay pedestrians”. Then he’d allow the traffic to pass.

He’d done this several times, and Paddy still stood on the sidewalk. After the cop had shouted “Pedestrians” for the 10th time, Paddy called over to him, “Is it not about time ye let the Catholics across?”

"Ma'am, I'd like to order a Guinness."

“You must be Irish."

"Oh, so ordering a Guinness makes me Irish? If I ordered a Pizza, would you assume I'm Italian?"

"I didn't..."

"And if I ordered a Bratwurst, would that make me German?"

"No, but..."

"So why exactly do you think I'm Irish then?"

"Sir, this is a book store."

Wednesday, March 21, 2018

Thought for the Day

The Frog and the Scorpion

I recently had occasion to mention the story below to someone. It was posted in Bytes in 2010 and I believe it would be of interest as a repeat . . .

Those who have seen the 1992 flick The Crying Game may remember the story that Jody tells Fergus in the context of good and bad people, the story being a metaphor for the movie as a whole:

Scorpion wants to cross a river, but he can't swim. Goes to the frog, who can, and asks for a ride. Frog says, "If I give you a ride on my back, you'll go and sting me." Scorpion replies, "It would not be in my interest to sting you since as I'll be on your back we both would drown." Frog thinks about this logic for a while and accepts the deal. Takes the scorpion on his back. Braves the waters. Halfway over feels a burning spear in his side and realizes the scorpion has stung him after all. And as they both sink beneath the waves the frog cries out, "Why did you sting me, Mr. Scorpion, for now we both will drown?" Scorpion replies, "I can't help it, it's in my nature."

See it at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgSxeITKxyw

The meaning of the story is clear: creatures (including people) will remain true to their natures, irrespective of external influences. The frog takes the scorpion at its word and agrees to transport the scorpion, notwithstanding that there is nothing in it for the frog. The scorpion on the other hand will remain true to its dangerous innate nature, even though it is treated with trust and kindness.

Contrary to popular belief, the story is not an Aesop’s Fable. Instead it forms one of the stories in The Fables of Bidpai, first translated into English from the original Sanskrit in 1570. It is believed that the fables go back to the 3rd century BC.

Some variations on the theme:

- The innate nature is not only destructive, it can also be to the good, as noted above with the frog. Hence an alternative version of the story:

Two monks were washing their bowls in the river when they noticed a scorpion that was drowning. One monk immediately scooped it up and set it upon the bank. In the process he was stung. He went back to washing his bowl and again the scorpion fell in. The monk saved the scorpion and was again stung. The other monk asked him, "Friend, why do you continue to save the scorpion when you know it's nature is to sting?"

"Because," the monk replied, "to save it is my nature."

- Another variation on the story has sought to apply the principle of innate nature to groups, specifically to show that casual violence is innate in some societies and cultures:

A story popular in Lebanon tells of a scorpion on the bank of the Nile who asked a frog to ferry him to the other side. “Oh no,” the frog said. “You would sting me.” “That’s ridiculous,” the scorpion replied. “I won’t sting you, because I can’t swim, and I would drown as well as you.” Convinced, the frog took the scorpion on his back and began to swim the river. In midstream the scorpion’s lethal urge became too strong and he plunged his stinger into the frog’s neck. The stricken frog groaned and asked, “Why, why did you do that? Now we’re both going to die.” As they both sank under the water the scorpion gave his final shrug and replied “This is the Middle East.”

- A final story, this time a genuine Aesop’s Fable, about being true to one’s nature:

A starving wolf who met a healthy dog in a snow covered forest. "How robust and well fed you are," said the wolf. "My master gives me food," replied the dog. "And how sleek your fur is," said the wolf, Suddenly ashamed of his own tattered coat. "My master takes great care in grooming me," said the dog with pride. "Why not come with me and he will do these things for you as well." "And what must I do for him?" asked the wolf. "Sleep by the warmth of his fire, walk by his side in the town, and hunt with him in the forest," replied the dog. "And what is that around your neck?" "Why it is my collar," said the dog. "I see," said the wolf... and he turned and walked back into the forest.