Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Dysfunctional Family
As I read Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye, I could only think about how horrible living was for the narrator's family. I felt sorry for the children. Claudia and Frieda lived with scary parents, especially Mama. When Claudia said that she can't get sick because her parents "shake their heads in disgust at [her] lack of consideration. How, they ask us, do you expect anybody to get anything done if you all are sick?" (10). What kind of cold and heartless parents blame their children for getting sick? Claudia says that "illness is treated with contempt" (10). I do not believe her when she says this; however, when Claudia does fall ill, her mom treats her rather coldly. Claudia is so scared of her mother that she sweats promptly when Mama orders her to. At this point, I too thought Mama was disinterested selfish parent who was angry at Claudia for getting sick and being inconvenient, but I soon realized that was not the case. Mama complains and appears to be angry at Claudia while tending her sickness. Nevertheless, she cleans Claudia's puke, keeps her warm, and tries to make her better. Sometimes, action speaks more clearly than the words themselves. In fact, Mama "is not angry at me, but at [Claudia's] sickness" (11). Just like this, even though Mama appears to be indifferent towards her children, she loves and cares for them deep inside; she just does not know how to express it.
How can you get angry at a child for getting sick?
Many white people who read this novel believe that this book supports the idea that black families are dysfunctional, but that is not true. White families believe that the narrator's family is an example of a dysfunctional family because McTeers do not fit the image of an "ideal" family. Who decides what's "ideal" anyway? This is exactly like the blue-eyed dolls that Claudia destroyed. According to Claudia, "all the world had agreed that a blue-eyed, yellow-haired, pink-skinned doll was what every girl child treasured" (20). But why? Why were blue eyes more "beautiful"? Similarly, why are white families any more "functional" than Black families? Why? I do not understand. Yes, I agree that McTeers are not the ideal happy family, but they are perfectly functional. McTeers have the essential thing every functional family has: love. Claudia remembers the time she fell ill and says, "... when I think of autumn, I think of somebody with hands who does not want me to die" (12). Prof. Bump agrees, "the better label for the McTeers might be 'competent but pained' family" (Bump 351).
How did this image come to define "beauty"?
In my Illness and Meaning class, we watched "Out of the Shadow," a documentary filmed by Ms. Smiley about her mom who suffers from paranoid schizophrenia. Ms. Smiley had a dysfunctional family. She had to constantly fear for her life and pleasing her mother was her priority to stay alive. Ms. Smiley was constantly beat as a child and eventually ran away. After Ms. Smiley ran away, her little sister attempted to commit suicide. Now THIS is a dysfunctional family where "children may suffer 'severe neuroses or reactive psychotic episodes'" (Bump 351).
I looked up "dysfunctional family" and the family from "Little Miss Sunshine" came up first!
I guess they are a great example of a dysfunctional family
I could actually relate to Claudia and her family. Disregarding the financial situation and such, the way her family is run is similar to many Korean families. Her mom reminded me of my dad. Koreans have this phenomenon called "silent love," Koreans are not very expressive and tries to speak through actions. This is especially true for Korean dads. They always show hard and strict side to children and always are the ones belittling, yet they still care for the children. Just like Mrs. McTeer, my dad used to always say mean things to me while helping me out. I would always think he might as well not do it if he's going to be mean about it, but now I realize that's just the way he is. I guess, in a way, Korean fathers are embarrassed(?) or shy about openly being nice, so they try to show their love through actions just like Claudia's mother.
Underneath this deceiving appearance is a dad saying, "I love you"
President Roosevelt & The Tarpon Inn by Gerald Garrett
Got a very nice email from Gerald Garrett of Texas about the FDR video from the last "Friday Funhouse." Gerald writes:
Enjoyed video clip as I live in Port Arthur. Will scoot on down to the Tarpon Inn where FDR stayed, and on the wall, "as wall paper is what it looks like," there is a thousand tarpon scales. Of which is a scale there signed by FDR. Might have been from this very fish, of which memory serving correctly, was released.
Will take some shots, post on Joes and send to you to do whatever you like with them.
Gerald then proceeded to take a ton of photos and give us a glimpse at a legendary piece of tarpon history, and of presidential lore. Here is his photo essay:
Tarpon Inn from outside.
Plaque commemorating it as a historic site.
Sign showing vacancy.
Outside veranda where Pres. Roosevelt would have smoked as the sun went down.
Front desk with mounted tarpon.
Pictures and signed tarpon scales.
The Tarpon Inn as it originally looked. I believe this incarnation was damaged significantly by a hurricane.
Pres. Roosevelt signed this tarpon scale on 08 May 1937.
Others signed scales, too.
Old photo of the Tarpon Inn.
Roosevelt landing his tarpon in 1937.
Another shot of the President.
On his way back to the dock.
The Tarpon Inn dining hall.
The boat dock attracted lots of men, women and children.
A shot of the dock from the water.
Many thanks to Gerald for taking these and sending them our way! Awesome stuff. Since Joe Pflueger was a member of the Aransas Pass Tarpon Club, I have more than a passing interest in the subject. Very cool stuff!
-- Dr. Todd
Enjoyed video clip as I live in Port Arthur. Will scoot on down to the Tarpon Inn where FDR stayed, and on the wall, "as wall paper is what it looks like," there is a thousand tarpon scales. Of which is a scale there signed by FDR. Might have been from this very fish, of which memory serving correctly, was released.
Will take some shots, post on Joes and send to you to do whatever you like with them.
Gerald then proceeded to take a ton of photos and give us a glimpse at a legendary piece of tarpon history, and of presidential lore. Here is his photo essay:
Many thanks to Gerald for taking these and sending them our way! Awesome stuff. Since Joe Pflueger was a member of the Aransas Pass Tarpon Club, I have more than a passing interest in the subject. Very cool stuff!
-- Dr. Todd
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Easter Jokes Part 1
Q: What do you call rabbits that marched in a long sweltering Easter parade?A: Hot, cross bunnies.
Q: What do you call Easter when you are hopping around?
A: Hoppy Easter!
Q: What do you call a duck that just doesn't fit in?
A: Mallardjusted.
Q: What do you get when you cross a chicken and the Easter Bunny?
A: A good Easter.
Q: What do you call a duck who plays basketball?
A: A slam duck.
Q: Why was the rabbit rubbing his head?
A: Because he had a eggache! (headache)
Q: How do bunnies stay healthy?
A: Eggercise
Q: What does a rooster say to a hen he likes?
A: Your one hot chick!
Q: What do you call ten rabbits marching backwards?
A: A receding hareline.
Q: What do ducks have for lunch?
A: Soup and quackers!
Q: Why did the rabbit cross the road?
A: Because it was the chicken's day off.
Q: What do you call a bunny with a dictionary in his pants?
A: A smarty pants.
Q: What do you call a bunny with a large brain?
A: An egghead.
Q: What would you call the Easter Bunny if he married a chicken?
A: The very first rabbit to lay an egg!
Q: Why are people always tired in April?
A: Because they just finished a march
Q: Why did the magician have to cancel his show?
A: He'd just washed his hare and couldn't do a thing with it.
A friend was in front of me coming out of church one day, and the priest was standing at the door as he always is to shake hands. He grabbed my friend by the hand and pulled him aside The priest said to him, "You need to join the Army of the Lord!" My friend replied, "I'm already in the Army of the Lord, Father." The priest questioned, "How come I don't see you except at Christmas and Easter?" He whispered back, "I'm in the secret service. "
Easter Jokes Part 2
Q: How do you catch a unique bunny?A: Unique up on it!!
Q: Why did the Easter egg hide?
A: He was a little chicken!
Q: What's the difference between a bunny and a lumberjack?
A: One chews and hops, the other hews and chops.
Q: What do you call the Easter Bunny after a hard day's work?
A: Tired.
Q: Why did the Easter Bunny hop down the road?
A: He was making the movie.
Q: What did the rabbit say to the carrot?
A: It's been nice gnawing at you.
Q: What did the bunny put over his sore?
A: A eggage.
Q: Why did a fellow rabbit say that the Easter Bunny was self-centered?
A: Because he is eggocentric.
Q: Where does Valentine's Day comes after Easter?
A: In the dictionary.
Q: Do you know how bunnies stay in shape?
A: Hareobics.
Q: How does the Easter Bunny say Happy Easter?
A: Hoppy Easter!
Q: Why is the letter A like a flower?
A: A bee comes after it
Q: What type of movie is about water fowl?
A: A duckumentary.
Q: What grows between your nose and chin?
A: Tulips.
Q: What is the end of Easter?
A: The letter R.
Q: What do you get when you find a rabbit with no hair?
A: A hairless hare!
Three blondes died in a car crash trying to jump the Grand Canyon and are at the pearly gates of heaven. Jesus tells them that they can enter the gates only if they can answer one simple religious question. The question posed by Jesus is "What is Easter"?
The first blonde replies, "Oh, that's easy! It's the holiday in November when everyone gets together, eats turkey and are thankful..." "Wrong!, you are not welcome here, I'm afraid. You must go to the other place!" replies Jesus.
He turns to the second blonde, and asks her the same question: "What is Easter?" The second blonde replies, "Easter is the holiday in December when we put up a nice tree, exchange presents, and celebrate the birth of Jesus."St Peter looks at the second blonde, bangs his head on the on the pearly gates in disgust and tells her she's wrong and will have to join her friend in the other place. She is not welcome in Heaven.
He then peers over his glasses at the third blonde and asks, "Do YOU know what Easter is"? The third blonde smiles confidently and looks Jesus in the eyes, "I know what Easter is." "Oh?" says Jesus, incredulously. "Easter is the Christian holiday that coincides with the Jewish celebration of Passover. Jesus and his disciples were eating at the last supper and Jesus was later deceived and turned over to the Romans by one of his disciples. The Romans took him to be crucified and he was stabbed in the side, made to wear a crown of thorns, and was hung on a cross with nails through his hands and feet. He was buried in a nearby cave which was sealed off by a large boulder." Jesus smiled broadly with delight. The third blonde continued... "Every year the boulder is moved aside so that Jesus can come out and, if he sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter."
Voices from the Part: The History of the Nottingham Wooden Winch (1895)
The following article came from the London Fishing Gazette, 07 September 1895. It details the background history of the famed Nottingham Wooden Winch.
History of the Nottingham Wooden Winch
Anglers throughout the country are by this time familiar with the qualities of the Nottingham wooden winch, and a few facts in connection with its invention and production may prove acceptable to readers of the Fishing Gazette.
The old bobbin or bush reels were in use on the river Trent years before the admirable work, The Angler's Instructor," was written by the late William Bailey, of Nottingham. They were of primitive pattern, and were made for the most part in Radford and Sneinton, suburbs of Nottingham. The mechanic who first conceived the idea of a centre reel was one Joseph Turner, of Pomfret-street, Nottingham. He made several, and one is now in the possession of Mr. Stephen Dale, whose grandson, Mr. H. Dale, carries on business as a fishing tackle and reel maker in St. John's-street in the town named. Mr. Stephen Dale himself retired from the business so long conducted by him a season or two ago, and resides at Burton-on-Trent.
Scarcely had Mr. Turner placed his reel on the market than Mr. S. Lowkes, of Upper Parliament-street, Nottingham, produced one on an improved principle. This, however, possessed defects, not the least being that, if the line by any means became entangled in the aperture surrounding the spindle, and on which, of course, the reel revolved, the angler was compelled to break off his line. Moreover, in order to clear the spindle of any line which might have accidentally fouled it, he was under the necessity of running off the whole in. order to reach the seat of the fastening. This lay on the bobbin or revolving plate (wood) itself, and was unlocked by means of a key.
The reel, however, was eagerly sought after, and was, without doubt, the best in the market up to that period—forty years or more ago. Scores of the reels are still in existence, and in a few isolated cases old Trent fishermen are accustomed to use them. The late Mr. John Morley, fishing tackle dealer, of Carrington-street, Nottingham, used to take the centres, whilst those of the ordinary pattern were taken by Mr. S. Dale. A Mr. Steers, also of Nottingham, used to produce scores of first-class centres, and just previously to his death he was engaged on the production of reels working on two centres.
-- Dr. Todd
Monday, March 29, 2010
Black Elk 2
Through this reading, I gained an insight on Native Americans and their culture. I got a new perspective on Native Americans through Black Elk's narrative. I can almost hear Black Elk's thoughts and reasoning. It was nice learning about Native American culture.
This may strike as a random comment, but I like how Black Elk meditates and sees visions. When I try to meditate, I too see images but none vivid. I never had the chance to merge in a deep meditation. I tried once when I visited a Buddhist temple with my grandmother. I sat there for a very long time, trying to empty my mind and let nature transfer its divine message into me. But as you can imagine, little kids are not cut out for meditations; I ended up daydreaming about games and other things that are more exciting. I wish I can have a chance to really have a vision that is as divine and vivid as the one of Black Elk.
Sitting in a peaceful yet uneventful place like a temple is like a torture for little kids
I seem to have digressed... but since I'm talking about meditations, I want to mention something else related to it. I noticed that Black Elk mentions the meaning behind circles: "You have noticed that everything an Indian does is in a circle, and that is because the Power of the World always works in circles, and everything tries to be round" (384). His belief reminded me of the listening sample we listened to in class as we meditated. The speaker told us to imagine concentric circles of life that is all around us. They coexist in harmony, and we must exert positive energy to reinforce the links. This idea of coexisting concentric circles parallels Black Elk's belief that "everything the Power of the World does is done in a circle" (384). I just thought it was interesting that we touched on this subject of life being in circles.
Each circle represents a spirit
As I read, I wanted to solely focus on the Native American culture and their perspective on life, but I could not help but notice the subtle similarities between the spiritual awakening of Black Elk and that of a devout Christian. I wanted to ignore it, but the similarity surfaced over and over again that I now want to talk about the similarities that I noticed in the assigned pages.
Black Elk shares experiences that pious Christians have. Black Elk confesses a couple of times that he was filled with spirit and cried from overwhelming feeling: "While I was singing this I could feel something queer all through my body, something that made me want to cry for all unhappy things, and there were tears on my face" (386). Christians have similar experiences when the Spirit touched them. They burst out in Tongues and cry from abundant joy and happiness. Black Elk believes in a different religion and does not believe in Christianity: "Our people told [the Catholic Priest] that Wasichu promises were no good; that everything they had promised was a lie" (392). Yet, he experiences the same spiritual high that Christians go through. This leads me to believe that all religions have the ability to enlighten a persona and to provide him with a spiritual high.
I imagine Black Elk looked something like people shown in this video when he broke down during his meditations
News of the Week: 29 March 2010
Woman bow hunting fish gets jaw broken by flying carp...Lady Gaga goes fishing...200 singing fish on a Volvo...rodmaker Ray Wright dies in tragic accident...Fred Hall is over for this year...Bad Day at Flat Rock: $20,000 worth of reels stolen...shad fishing is upon us...Bassmaster Classic TV show gets a sports Emmy nomination...in praise of stubby rods...Euro fly fishing techniques infiltrate America...discovering the line dryer courtesy Terry Kovel...a totally awesome fishing adventure...Doc Samson, walleye pro...Tim Tebow would rather go fishing...the first immortal creature lives in the sea, naturally...it must be THE NEWS OF THE WEEK!
The Big Lead: A woman bow hunting fish gets her jaw broken by a carp. You simply can't make this stuff up.
From Tosh.0 -- I don't know whether to laugh or cry at this picture:
Lady Gaga goes fishing. In 8 inch heels. Seriously.
Would you put 200 singing fish on your Volvo? No? Well, then you are NOT this guy.
Bamboo rodmaker Ray Wright has tragically passed away. Read about the story by Clicking Here.
The Fred Hall show has wrapped up.
Fishing line is a real hazard.
Bad Day at Flat Rock: A nearly $20,000 theft of fishing reels in Flat Rock.
Britain's Matt Hayes still loves coarse fishing.
Springtime fun is a hickory shad run.
Bassmaster Classic TV show gets another Sports Emmy nomination.
Dust off your fishing rod--so sayeth the New Hampshirites.
Stubby rods make better fishing tools.
Anglers are competing for the President's Cup.
Euro fly fishing techniques are infiltrating America.
Terry Kovel seems stunned there ever was something called a "line dryer."
Dr. Bill Shelton's Totally Awesome Fishing Adventure.
20 Q's with walleye pro Doc Samson.
Night fishing in calm waters = paradise.
A proposed fishing ban in a popular Nova Scotia lake.
The pleasures of angling.
Pro football prospect Tim Tebow may go fishing rather than attend the draft.
Finishing With a Flourish: The world's first immortal being, and of course, it's a marine animal.
-- Dr. Todd
Sunday, March 28, 2010
La musica lunedì Sera Laura Pausini e Lara Fabian
Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the actual post link here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava's Lounge Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.
PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!
1000 Words
1000 Words
This week we have a great photo dated ca. 1920 of a fly angler on the stream. Another classic composition.
-- Dr. Todd
This week we have a great photo dated ca. 1920 of a fly angler on the stream. Another classic composition.
-- Dr. Todd
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Deconstructing Old Ads with Bill Sonnett
Deconstructing Old Ads:
The Value of old Advertisements
In looking at old ads, it is important to be able to extract valuable information from them while being able to ignore what is advertising hype or in some cases downright falsehoods. A case in point are these two ads from National Sportsman. Both are Heddon ads. The first is from May 1916 and deals with the Heddon Crab Wiggler and the New Baby Crab Wiggler. Warren Platt sent me this ad that purports to quote Jim Heddon saying, "If I could have only one Dowagiac in my tackle box it would be a crab wiggler." There is one BIG problem with this statement. The advertisement states the Crab Wiggler was introduced in 1915 and the Baby Crab Wiggler in 1916. Unfortunately. Jim Heddon passed away in 1911!
The second ad presented here is from May 1919 and is one of my favorites because it answered so many questions that were unknown to collectors 25 years ago. It tells us that "Red Scale" color was introduced in 1919. It tells us that the Deep-O-Diver was introduce in 1919 and shows us that the first model of that bait is the one with the nail in the middle of its back to hang pork rind on. It also shows us that the change had already been made on the baby crab wiggler from the "U-collar" to the later round collar.
When you see the Deep-o-Diver listed here in "Natural Scale" don't be fooled. This information needs to be processed a little. 1918 was the first year that Heddon offered a scale finish. There was only one and it was simply called "Scale Finish." It was cataloged as color 9D. In 1919 when a second scale finish was offered ( i.e. the "Red Scale" ) the name of the first scale finish (9D) was changed to "Natural Scale" as seen in this ad. The following year as more scale patterns were offered the name of color 9D was changed once again to "Green Scale." It was the same color all along, although the earliest versions had that aluminum and black colored stripe down the back that collectors like to call "Deluxe Green Scale."
This 1919 ad also ask us to send for a "Circular" showing their rods and minnows. We know now that there was no large Heddon catalog in 1918 or 1919. Only "circulars" were offered these two years. By the way that 1919 circular is very, very rare. Our friend Joe Stagnitti has the only one I've ever seen. Read this ad carefully and you will find there several more things that can be learned.
-- Bill Sonnett
Friday, March 26, 2010
Sometimes they Do
Sometimes at night, you can watch a plane fly through the moon
Some days that start out as the worst of your life, turn out to be the best
So much we take for granted
So easy only to see pain
Sometimes miracles happen, sometimes they don't
... but sometimes they do
Happy Third Birthday to Fishing for History!
Happy Third Birthday to Fishing for History!
March 26, 2007 -- it was a different world. Radio dominated our lives (television had yet to be invented), President Calvin Coolidge presided over the goldenest year of the decade, Babe Ruth was preparing for an epic season that would see him...
Oh, wait, that was March 26, 1927. My bad.
March 26, 2007 -- it was a different world. Twitter was still just emerging from its egg while the universally beloved Tiger Woods prepared for the Masters, and our watchdog media, ever vigilant, declared that the sub-prime risk was much lower for big banks.
Yes, there was this new thing called "blogs," of which -- if you can even believe this -- there were only seventy million as of August 2007. Ridiculous, I know. Always in tune with the latest breaking trends, one intrepid fishing historian decided to jump into the shallow end of the pool and start the first fishing blog dedicated to preserving fishing history and disseminating fishing news. Apparently, only 120,000 people had the exact same idea of starting a blog on the exact same day.
Well over a million words, a thousand posts, a half million visitors from 100+ countries and nearly a million page views later, we are still here. Exhausted, but still alive and kicking. And according to Alexa, Fishing for History is currently the fifth largest fishing blog in the world. Yikes. Perhaps that's a comment on the fishing blogosphere more than anything else.
Of course, it is not just me who should celebrate this achievement. Over the course of three years, over a hundred people have contributed in the form of guest articles, features, photos, etc. I can't possibly list everyone but you know who you are. A few, however, stand out for their exceptional (and welcome) contributions. They include Wild Bill Sonnett, who gives us the awesome "Deconstructing Old Ads" on Saturdays, Dick Streater, who contributed a host of "Thought of the Week," and Doug Jobe, Peter Nilsen, Warren Platt and others who contributed to "1000 Words."
Three years is not a very long time when it comes down to it, but in the world of blogs it is a true milestone. Trust me when I say how incredibly difficult it can be to stay motivated to do this day in and day out. I started thinking I'd do it once or twice a week, soon moved to every weekday, and then every single day and now haven't missed a day in over eighteen months.
So my sincere thanks go out to everyone who's come by and stayed a moment or two to read the News of the Week, played around in the Friday Funhouse, or read one of the features or a Voices from the Past. Thank you for indulging me and my friends. Thank you for helping preserve fishing history. And thank you for just being you.
I hope to be here for another three decades or more, but for now I'll settle for being here tomorrow. And the next day. And the day after that.
-- Dr. Todd
March 26, 2007 -- it was a different world. Radio dominated our lives (television had yet to be invented), President Calvin Coolidge presided over the goldenest year of the decade, Babe Ruth was preparing for an epic season that would see him...
Oh, wait, that was March 26, 1927. My bad.
March 26, 2007 -- it was a different world. Twitter was still just emerging from its egg while the universally beloved Tiger Woods prepared for the Masters, and our watchdog media, ever vigilant, declared that the sub-prime risk was much lower for big banks.
Yes, there was this new thing called "blogs," of which -- if you can even believe this -- there were only seventy million as of August 2007. Ridiculous, I know. Always in tune with the latest breaking trends, one intrepid fishing historian decided to jump into the shallow end of the pool and start the first fishing blog dedicated to preserving fishing history and disseminating fishing news. Apparently, only 120,000 people had the exact same idea of starting a blog on the exact same day.
Well over a million words, a thousand posts, a half million visitors from 100+ countries and nearly a million page views later, we are still here. Exhausted, but still alive and kicking. And according to Alexa, Fishing for History is currently the fifth largest fishing blog in the world. Yikes. Perhaps that's a comment on the fishing blogosphere more than anything else.
Of course, it is not just me who should celebrate this achievement. Over the course of three years, over a hundred people have contributed in the form of guest articles, features, photos, etc. I can't possibly list everyone but you know who you are. A few, however, stand out for their exceptional (and welcome) contributions. They include Wild Bill Sonnett, who gives us the awesome "Deconstructing Old Ads" on Saturdays, Dick Streater, who contributed a host of "Thought of the Week," and Doug Jobe, Peter Nilsen, Warren Platt and others who contributed to "1000 Words."
Three years is not a very long time when it comes down to it, but in the world of blogs it is a true milestone. Trust me when I say how incredibly difficult it can be to stay motivated to do this day in and day out. I started thinking I'd do it once or twice a week, soon moved to every weekday, and then every single day and now haven't missed a day in over eighteen months.
So my sincere thanks go out to everyone who's come by and stayed a moment or two to read the News of the Week, played around in the Friday Funhouse, or read one of the features or a Voices from the Past. Thank you for indulging me and my friends. Thank you for helping preserve fishing history. And thank you for just being you.
I hope to be here for another three decades or more, but for now I'll settle for being here tomorrow. And the next day. And the day after that.
-- Dr. Todd
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