February 5, 2011
February 5 is … Disaster Day. Just think Egypt.
BRUCE A. BRENNAN BLOG FROM THE WORLD AND MY MIND
The news as I see it and the views as I want them.
Women’s groups and others have been upset over the term “forcible rape” Republicans included in a law that banned federal money from paying for abortions except in a few cases. That apparently is no longer an issue. We can all sleep better tonight. Something was almost accomplished in Washington. House Republicans have dropped language from an anti-abortion bill that critics said sounded like an attempt to redefine rape. The offensive phrase, "forcible rape," was used in legislation seeking to permanently ban use of taxpayer funds to pay for abortions. It allows exceptions for pregnancies caused by incest or when the life of the pregnant woman is endangered. The original language also permitted an abortion exception for cases of "forcible rape," which angered women's groups who thought the term suggested some rapes were not forced. The bill was quickly amended to cover all cases of rape, so as not to suggest that some types of sexual assaults -- statutory rape of someone underage, for instance -- were not covered. A spokesman for chief sponsor Rep. Christopher Smith (R-N.J.) told the Washington Post the dropped language had been "misconstrued." The bill, called the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, would simply write the "Hyde Amendment", an existing year-to-year ban on use of government money to pay for abortions, into permanent law. That way, the prohibition would not need repeated reauthorization by Congress, thereby avoiding the same fight every two years.
Why don’t we work out a law that discourages abortions rather than argue over which ones the hard-working tax-payer is going to pay for. Just a thought I had.
Unfortunate and disturbing news has come out of the Arizona desert. An Arizona woman, who was apparently kidnapped from her Maricopa County home, was found dead along with her captor today in a suspected murder-suicide. The bodies of Thomas Watson, 43, and his ex-girlfriend, Tara Shermerhorn, 31, were found in Watson's truck parked near Horse Thief Basin, a central Arizona recreation area, Goodyear police spokesman Ralph McLaughlin said. Officers received a missing-person report for Watson at about 5 a.m. Thursday. "[He left] what we call a suicide note behind," McLaughlin said. Early on in the investigation, Watson's phone was "pinged," and it was reported to have been located near I-17, north of Phoenix. His phone has since been shut off. Investigators also pinged Shermerhorn's phone, and it appeared to be stationary, near the Crown King area in Yavapai County. According to a former FBI agent who has worked on dozens of missing-person cases, cell phone pings can be extremely useful in finding missing people. "Cell phones are in constant communication with surrounding towers, and they can place you within a triangle of those towers that your cell phone hit off of," Harold Copus, now head of Copus Security Consultants in Atlanta. "The ping won't give them an exact location, but they can significantly narrow down where the cell phone is at." In this case, McLaughlin said, investigators had triangulated the phones and got them down to a one-mile radius of where they were at the time they pinged the towers.
As a writer, I have to have various sources available to me to research terms and language from a particular time period. It is one of the more interesting aspects of writing. The Old West or Wild West is an era that had a unique language. Much of it has been long forgotten but some of it has endured although it may have been modified somewhat. Below is a small example of the language common during the 1860s through the 1890s in the West.
Ace-high ~ first class, respected.
According to Hoyle ~ Correct, by the book.
A hog-killin' time ~ a real good time. "We went to the New Year's Eve dance and had us a hog-killin' time."
A lick and a promise ~ to do haphazardly. "She just gave it a lick and a promise."
All down but nine ~ missed the point, not understood. (Reference to missing all nine pins at bowling.)
Arbuckle's ~ slang for coffee, taken from a popular brand of the time. "I need a cup of Arbuckle's."
At sea ~ at a loss, not comprehending. "When it comes to understanding women, boys, I am at sea."
Back down ~ yield, retract.
Balled up ~ confused.
Bang-up ~ first rate. "They did a bang-up job."
Bazoo ~ mouth. "Shut your big bazoo."
Bear sign ~ cowboy term for donuts. A cook who could and would make them was highly regarded.
Beat the devil around the stump ~ to evade responsibility or a difficult task. "Quit beatin' the devil around the stump and ask that girl to marry you."
Beef ~ to kill. (From killing a cow to make beef to eat.) "Curly Bill beefed two men in San Antonio."
Bend an elbow ~ have a drink. "He's been known to bend an elbow with the boys."
Bender ~ drunk. "He's off on another bender."
Between hay and grass ~ neither man nor boy, half-grown.
Best bib and tucker ~ your best clothes. "There's a dance Saturday, so put on your best bib and tucker."
Big bug ~ important person, official, boss. "He's one of the railroad big bugs."
Bilk ~ cheat.
Blow ~ boast, brag. "Don't listen to him, that's just a lot of blow."
Blowhard ~ braggart, bully.
Blow-up ~ fit of anger. "He and the missus had a blow-up, but it's over, now."
Bone orchard ~ cemetery.
Bosh ~ Nonsense.
Boss ~ the best, top. "The Alhambra Saloon sells the boss whiskey in town."
Bulldoze ~ to bully, threaten, coerce.
Bully ~ Exceptionally good, outstanding. (Used as an exclamation.) "Bully for you!"
Bunko artist ~ con man.
Burg ~ town.
By hook or crook ~ to do any way possible.
Calaboose ~ jail.
While cowboys and their friends or family were talking, the trusted horse was not far away. Can you make horse sense out of horse trivia?
1) Horses cannot throw up.
2) Horses cannot breathe through their mouth, like a dog, but they can cough.
3) The hoof is actually one, big middle toe. The remaining toes were long ago transformed upwards into the bones of the lower leg.
4) Horses' feet stink, when trimmed.
5) Horses' legs are too long for blood to circulate from the heart to the feet, and back up again. Rather, blood flows down to the hoof, then is pumped back up from the hoof to the heart, by means of a semi-soft tissue formation under the heel, called the "frog." Each step compresses the frog and forces blood upwards to be re-circulated. The frog will peel like old calluses several times a year, as new growth emerges.
6) There is a gap between the front, nipping teeth and the grinding molars in the back, which is where the bit rests in their mouth. The bit should never touch any teeth, but rather rests on the bare gums, the "bars" of the mouth.
7) Shod horses have to be trimmed and reshod regularly, (every 4-6 weeks,) whether or not they are being ridden, or the hoof will grow out like a big fingernail. This can cause accidents from tripping and falling, and can also create structural problems, as over-long hooves can eventually result in unnatural strain to tendons, joints, and ligaments. Left a habitual condition, poorly-trimmed feet can result in permanent disfigurement and even lameness. An unshod horse will wear down his hoof naturally, but it is good policy to keep him properly and evenly trimmed.
8) Horses are NOT as vocal as movies make them seem. Mainly, horses vocalize for three reasons; hunger, loneliness, and anger. They do not cry out in fear, like a dog yelps, but rather will react to fear by trying to flee. Horses also have a very high pain threshold, and will only cry out in pain or in dire extremity. Ordinary horse sounds include nickering in hopes of food, nickering or neighing to attract another horse's attention, and squealing in anger or irritation. (Sort of a "get away!" noise.) Stallions of course can be quite vocal, and mares may also make gentle sounds to their young. However, horses generally have very little to say to humans, unless they want something to eat.
On this date in history;
1921 Yankees purchase 20 acres in the Bronx for Yankee Stadium
1922 Reader's Digest magazine 1st published
1922 Reader's Digest magazine 1st published
1945 US troops under General Douglas MacArthur enter Manila. He did return.
1962 Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter & Saturn within 16ยบ
1973 L C William Nolde last US soldier killed in Vietnam, funeral
1976 Last day of Test Cricket for Lance Gibbs & Ian Redpath. And we just had a Bicentennial.
1977 Sugar Ray Leonard beats Luis Vega in 6 rounds in his 1st pro fight
1977 Sugar Ray Leonard beats Luis Vega in 6 rounds in his 1st pro fight
BRUCE A. BRENNAN
DEKALB, IL 60115
COPYRIGHT 2011
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Email: brucebrennanlaw@aol.com
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