Strength and spirit before, during, and since 9/11. We are America!
Tag Archive for America
Of Big Wigs and Lice: Life in America
In honor of our nation’s birthday coming up on Friday (I’m taking a blog-day off), here’s some offbeat American history.
What was personal hygiene like in early America? For one thing, a person took a bath only semi-annually, in May and October. Also, because bugs and lice were a problem, women wore head-coverings and men who could afford it wore wigs over shaved heads.
But the wigs couldn’t be washed (the more expensive ones were wool). When it was time to clean his wig, a man would place it into a loaf of hollowed-out bread, and bake it for half an hour. Although it worked great for cleaning (and bug-killing), the wig came out fluffy and big.
Yes, that meant that it became a “big wig.” As a result, today that term refers to a person who seems to be rich and powerful.
Happy birthday, America!
America’s Shame
That’s what President Obama calls it, and I agree. He also pointed out that “we’re the only developed country on earth where this happens.” And it happens once a week!
It’s well past time to put aside politics and debates over Constitutional rights and come together–reason and act together–to stop school shootings!
Cost an Arm and a Leg—Fault of Artists
With so much bad stuff going on in the news, from possible corruption in Olympic skating judging to Ukrainian politics and rioting to the ever-present Justin Bieber (will he please go away?!), I thought a diversion was in order for today’s posting. Therefore, I give you…the history behind the old American saying “It will cost an arm and a leg.
Blame it on the artists. When it was time to do a likeness of George Washington, it had to be painted or sculpted because there were no cameras back then. No problem. Bring in an artist. Then negotiate a fee. Such a fee was determined not by, say, the number of people to be painted but by how many arms and legs would be included, because they’re harder to paint. That’s why the Father of Our Country was depicted as sometimes with an arm held behind him, his lower half hidden behind a desk, or showing both arms and legs, depending on how much was in the budget. When a fuller portrait was desired, the artist would say, “Okay, but it will cost you an arm and a leg.”
Note to Terrorists
If you haven’t learned the lesson in the last 12 years, understand this: Any attempt at weakening us will always make us stronger, because we are Americans!
Am I Un-American?
Some people have accused me of being un-American, and only partly in jest. I don’t mean to be; I really do love my country. But I think that celebrating its birthday with fireworks demeans it. The fire display depicts “bombs bursting in air” and other warfare, yet I like to think of America as a peaceful nation. The explosives create air pollution, and the casings, gunpowder, and other chemicals are not good for our American soil and water. Also, the cost is obscene. For example, North Carolina’s Marine Corps base Camp Lejeune cancelled theirs, in this era of tight budgets and sequestration, because it would cost around $25,000 PLUS another $75,000 for other expenses, like security, food, and staff overtime to host a mere 20,000 people.
OK, so call me the Grinch Who Would Steal Independence Day. I just feel that America is better than that.