There is an inn, a merry old inn beneath an old grey hill,And there they brew a beer so brownThat the Man in the Moon himself came down one night to drink his fill. The ostler has a tipsy cat that plays a five-stringed fiddle;And up and down he saws his bowNow squeaking high, now … Continue reading Poem – “The Man in the Moon Came Down Too Soon”
Friday Flotsam: School and ‘One Piece’
1. At school I've more or less defaulted to lecturing, as trying to get the kids to engage hasn't been too profitable for most of the classes. Though oddly enough, turning to lecturing interspersed with questions has gotten a lot more interaction going, so perhaps it works out. 2. I ended up correcting the history … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: School and ‘One Piece’
Poem – “Epigram for Wall Street”
I'll tell you a plan for gaining wealth,Better than banking, trade or leases —Take a bank note and fold it up,And then you will find your money in creases!This wonderful plan, without danger or loss,Keeps your cash in your hands, where nothing can trouble it;And every time that you fold it across,'Tis as plain as … Continue reading Poem – “Epigram for Wall Street”
“The Devil Went Down to Georgia” – Alternate Ending
The Devil went down to GeorgiaHe was lookin' for a soul to stealHe was in a bind 'cause he was way behindAnd he was willin' to make a dealWhen he came across this young manSawin' on a fiddle and playin' it hotAnd the Devil jumped upon a hickory stumpAnd said, "Boy, let me tell you … Continue reading “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” – Alternate Ending
Friday Flotsam: Mostly School and Language Matters
1. School still going okay. Started getting into the weeds of the Revolution with my Government class; they were surprised to learn of some of my clarifications (i.e. that the amount of taxes weren't the issue, but rather the question of jurisdiction). Actually, the idea that the British government had a case at all seemed … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Mostly School and Language Matters
September 12, 1683: The Lifting of the Second Siege of Vienna
We remember In September... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxlRJsQ7p2k "Don't worry, everyone; I'm here to save the world. Again."-State motto of Poland
Poem – “The Beleaguered City”
I have read, in some old, marvellous tale, Some legend strange and vague,That a midnight host of spectres pale Beleaguered the walls of Prague. Beside the Moldau's rushing stream, With the wan moon overhead,There stood, as in an awful dream, The army of the dead. White as a sea-fog, landward bound, The spectral camp was seen,And, with a sorrowful, deep … Continue reading Poem – “The Beleaguered City”
Friday Flotsam: Corniness and ‘Shadows on the Rock’
1. Thinking of 50s-era educational shorts this week made me wonder: they're usually described as 'cheesy' or 'corny'. What does this mean? What constitutes corn? The heirs of Webster define it as "mawkishly old-fashioned : tiresomely simple and sentimental". Fair enough, but what is the positive contrary? Up-to-date, sophisticated, and rational, I suppose. Though that … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Corniness and ‘Shadows on the Rock’
“You’re Not Talking to the Founding Fathers Again, Are You?”
With the course of study I'm teaching, this short came to mind, as riffed by Mike and the Bots. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmjegYYYlUE&t=342s "What money?""Don't smart-mouth me, boy." Like most '50s educational shorts, this one's a stagey, stolid affair, but with some pretty solid information and a point that's hard to argue with: about keeping a budget and … Continue reading “You’re Not Talking to the Founding Fathers Again, Are You?”
Revolution Analogies
Sorry; again, it just keeps coming up! Today I happened to come across the following in an old comments section: “Imagine that a father gave his teenage son every liberty, so that the son was accustomed to making all his decisions for himself and living his life as he chose. Then suddenly one day the … Continue reading Revolution Analogies
Serpent's Den 