Today is the REAL historic Memorial Day. It started with Confederate widows and children adorning graves of the fallen of the Second Revolutionary War (1861-1865). Within a year, as spring came again, former slaves were doing the same on the graves of Union POW’s who had died in prisons in…
05/29/15 Grif.Net – Final Exams
Following the final exams in History of Civilization class (when an unusually large number of students flunked), one of the boys went to his professor, and said, “I don’t think this is fair, sir; I don’t think I should have gotten an ‘F’ on this test.” “I agree with you,”…
05/28/15 Grif.Net – Thoughts about Newlyweds
New wife – “The two things I cook best are meatloaf and apple pie.” New Husband – “Which is this?” ~~ In the first year of marriage, the man speaks and the woman listens. In the second year, the woman speaks and the man listens. In the third year, they…
05/27/15 Grif.Net – Menus in English
[The following are actual items found on restaurant menus and in shops around the world in which people have tried to use English words to describe products. Your guess is as good as mine as to what the products actually are!] *Boiled Frogfish – Czech Republic *Buttered saucepans and fried…
05/26/15 Grif.Net – Present
My good friend Jim asked me what I had gotten Teresa for Mother’s Day a couple weeks ago. I replied, “I bought her a bag and a belt.” Jim was shocked, “Really? That was good thinking. I’m sure she appreciated those.” I shook my head no as I responded, “I…
05/25/15 Grif.Net – Do Soldiers Go to Heaven?
[While I am a traditionalist and celebrate Memorial Day on May 30, I know many who have bought into the “long weekend” mentality. So celebrating it both today AND Saturday. Of course funny today, with more serious on the real Memorial Day] Little Jonah stood at attention watching the rows…
05/23/15 Weekend Grif.Net – Memorial Day Obituary
In 1887 Alexander Tyler, a Scottish history professor at the University of Edinburgh, had this to say about the fall of the Athenian Republic some 2,000 years prior: “A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government. A democracy will continue to…
05/22/15 Grif.Net – Food Spoilage Test
[To conclude our week of food tips and tests, here in something to consider about food/drink that just may be past its prime] The Gag Test – Anything that makes you gag is spoiled except for leftovers from what you cooked for yourself last night. Eggs – When something starts…
05/21/15 Grif.Net – Little Known Facts about Chocolate
[In our focus this week on food and drink, we thought it wise to share some facts about eating chocolate] 1. If you’ve got melted chocolate all over your hands, you’re eating it too slowly. 2. Chocolate covered raisins, cherries, orange slices & strawberries all count as fruit, so eat…
05/20/15 Grif.Net – Coffee Addict
[After yesterday’s important warning about “bread”, Pastor Dan responded: “One really crummy post from a crusty old man. No matter how you slice it, is this half-baked post something we kneaded?” Alrighty then. Today we turn from bread to coffee. Keep a tally of the YES responses to these 30…
05/19/15 Grif.Net – Dangers of Bread
Important Warning for those who have been drawn unsuspectingly into the use of bread: 1. More than 98% of convicted felons are bread users. 2. Fully HALF of all children who grow up in bread-consuming households score below average on standardized tests. 3. In the 18th century, when virtually all…
05/18/15 Grif.Net – Reunion
50th high school reunion upcoming. Heard about a husband who went with his wife to her 50th high school reunion. After meeting several of her friends and former schoolmates, they are sitting at a table where he is yawning and overly bored. The band cranks up and people begin to…
05/16/15 Weekend Grif.Net – Tributes to Teachers
[This week I zinged students/teachers as the school-year closes. Here are some thoughts on teachers that are worth looking at again.] Newspaper correction: “It was incorrectly reported last Friday that today is T-shirt Appreciation Week. It is actually Teacher Appreciation Week.” ~~ During the presidency of Dwight Eisenhower, James Michener…