The cockney expression "high cockalorum" occurs in two 19th-century English books of which I am aware: Dickens' Oliver Twist and Kingsley's The Water Babies. The latter I became acquianted with via the 1978 film of the same name, in which "High Cockalorum!" sees service as one of the songs -- you can watch the relevant portion of the film here.
The term "cockalorum" means a more-than-healthy bit of swagger; indulging in rodomontade; showing off. Which is a pity, because it makes such a good word for a happy kids' song.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Religion in Space
After touching down on the Moon, American astronaut and Presbyterian Buzz Aldrin administered communion to himself, a plan he'd kept secret so as not to attract the attention of the despotic atheist Madalyn Murray O'Hair.
O'Hair, it turns out, had filed a lawsuit in 1968 after astonauts on Apollo 8 had read from Genesis. The court rejected O'Hair's complaint, stating that its jurisdiction in matters of separation of church and state did not extend into outer space (Source: Chaikin, Andrew. A Man On The Moon. p 204).
O'Hair, it turns out, had filed a lawsuit in 1968 after astonauts on Apollo 8 had read from Genesis. The court rejected O'Hair's complaint, stating that its jurisdiction in matters of separation of church and state did not extend into outer space (Source: Chaikin, Andrew. A Man On The Moon. p 204).
Monday, July 6, 2009
Fourth Fun
This weekend, when I wasn't cheering the fireworks displays, I was putting a serious dent in the world's hot dog population.
I was also talking to a friend as we reminisced over the joys of bologna sandwiches we ate as children.
"The thing about bologna," Beth told me, "is that there's no creature called 'bologna.' You can eat chicken and beef, but where's the bologna creature?"
I confessed to a profound ignorance on the subject.
Beth's husband Tim had constructed a miniature canon for the holiday. Tim runs a construction business, so he was able to craft a professional-quality device that let out a ferocious roar when you fired it off. Naturally there was no grapeshot involved -- it was all gunpowder and wadding; because we were up in the north Georgia foothills, however, the echo of the canon's boom went on for several seconds.
I was also talking to a friend as we reminisced over the joys of bologna sandwiches we ate as children.
"The thing about bologna," Beth told me, "is that there's no creature called 'bologna.' You can eat chicken and beef, but where's the bologna creature?"
I confessed to a profound ignorance on the subject.
Beth's husband Tim had constructed a miniature canon for the holiday. Tim runs a construction business, so he was able to craft a professional-quality device that let out a ferocious roar when you fired it off. Naturally there was no grapeshot involved -- it was all gunpowder and wadding; because we were up in the north Georgia foothills, however, the echo of the canon's boom went on for several seconds.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Blog Categories
Philosophy: the scientific pursuit of a unifying principle of knowledge about the nature of reality.
Gnomish Wisdom: everyman's wisdom, often received, that requires no specialized knowledge or insight.
Zeitgeist: a type of wisdom that passes away with time. Those who love the spirit of the age specialize in pursuing a life that is patterned on transitory things; their outlook is characterized by shallowness and a vanity of mind. Being essentially emotional, intellectual energy is routinley supplanted by animal passion.
Maps, Keys, and Clocks: shorthand for penetrating what is presented to the senses to enter the realm of the eternal.
Gnomish Wisdom: everyman's wisdom, often received, that requires no specialized knowledge or insight.
Zeitgeist: a type of wisdom that passes away with time. Those who love the spirit of the age specialize in pursuing a life that is patterned on transitory things; their outlook is characterized by shallowness and a vanity of mind. Being essentially emotional, intellectual energy is routinley supplanted by animal passion.
Maps, Keys, and Clocks: shorthand for penetrating what is presented to the senses to enter the realm of the eternal.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Honduras
Source
In Honduras:
* President Manuel Zelaya tried to hold an unconstitutional referendum to rewrite the Honduran constitution, lift presidential term limits, and extend his rule.
* General Romeo Vásquez, boss of the Honduran armed forces, resisted Zelaya's initiaitives and was fired.
* The Honduran Supreme Court rebuked Zelaya.
* Zelaya then embraced mob tactics and -- with aid from Hugo Chávez and Daniel Ortega -- raided a military base to seize the Venezuela-supplied referendum ballots. He deliberately and unambiguously broke the law in an attempt to seize power.
* With judicial backing -- which includes Honduras' Congress, Supreme Court, Electoral Tribunal, attorney general, and national prosecutor -- the army intervened to stop Zelaya and dumped him in Costa Rica.
A would-be dictator was deposed. Hugo Chavez suffered a setback and is fuming. It's delightful.
Honduras: Donde hay lluvia de peces cual milagro celestial
In Honduras:
* President Manuel Zelaya tried to hold an unconstitutional referendum to rewrite the Honduran constitution, lift presidential term limits, and extend his rule.
* General Romeo Vásquez, boss of the Honduran armed forces, resisted Zelaya's initiaitives and was fired.
* The Honduran Supreme Court rebuked Zelaya.
* Zelaya then embraced mob tactics and -- with aid from Hugo Chávez and Daniel Ortega -- raided a military base to seize the Venezuela-supplied referendum ballots. He deliberately and unambiguously broke the law in an attempt to seize power.
* With judicial backing -- which includes Honduras' Congress, Supreme Court, Electoral Tribunal, attorney general, and national prosecutor -- the army intervened to stop Zelaya and dumped him in Costa Rica.
A would-be dictator was deposed. Hugo Chavez suffered a setback and is fuming. It's delightful.
Honduras: Donde hay lluvia de peces cual milagro celestial
Prandtl-Glauert Singularity
Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Source
The prevailing scientific opinion is that the Prandtl-Glauert singularity (a.k.a "vapor cone") is what causes the visible condensation cloud often seen in the vicinity of space shuttle launches, nuclear blasts, and aircraft traveling at transonic speeds.
Don't ask me what all that means (though you can read the source above if you would like to wrestle with it), but it makes for some impressive visuals.
FA-18 Hornet breaking the sound barrier
The Launch of Apollo 11
Operation Crossroads
Personally, I think it could be a rift in the space-time continuum.
Source
The prevailing scientific opinion is that the Prandtl-Glauert singularity (a.k.a "vapor cone") is what causes the visible condensation cloud often seen in the vicinity of space shuttle launches, nuclear blasts, and aircraft traveling at transonic speeds.
Don't ask me what all that means (though you can read the source above if you would like to wrestle with it), but it makes for some impressive visuals.
FA-18 Hornet breaking the sound barrier 
The Launch of Apollo 11
Operation CrossroadsPersonally, I think it could be a rift in the space-time continuum.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
New Loreena CD
Feast of the Precious Blood
See http://www.quinlanroad.com/shopping/mummers.asp
It's all old stuff, but it's the music I like best from the McKennitt canon.
Yes, I have an iPod, but I ordered my own copy of the CD yesterday; it's only $9 USD. On the online order form under special instructions I put, "Include Loreena's autograph please;" we'll see how it goes.
I have a penny whistle at the house that I sometimes make a stab at learning to play. I know next to nothing about music, so it's slow going (e.g. I can almost squeak out "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star"). I think I'm still a few years away from earning my keep as a busker.
See http://www.quinlanroad.com/shopping/mummers.asp
It's all old stuff, but it's the music I like best from the McKennitt canon.
Yes, I have an iPod, but I ordered my own copy of the CD yesterday; it's only $9 USD. On the online order form under special instructions I put, "Include Loreena's autograph please;" we'll see how it goes.
I have a penny whistle at the house that I sometimes make a stab at learning to play. I know next to nothing about music, so it's slow going (e.g. I can almost squeak out "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star"). I think I'm still a few years away from earning my keep as a busker.
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