Today's geography lesson
Joyce Fetteroll
As Sandra has said the reason to learn things is to get the jokes. Or
is the reason to joke to learn things? No, no it's the first one!
(I will warn you there are a couple of sexual references for those
who might want to preread to prepare answers for kids' questions
ahead of time ;-)
Joyce
NEW STATE MOTTOES
Author Unknown
Alabama: At Least We're not Mississippi
Alaska: 11,623 Eskimos Can't be Wrong!
Arizona: Dehyd-rific! - or - But It's a Dry Heat
Arkansas: Litterasy Ain't Everthang
California: As Seen on TV
Colorado: If You Don't Ski, Don't Bother
Connecticut: Like Massachusetts, Only Dirtier and With Less Character
Delaware: We Really Do Like the Chemicals in our Water
Florida: Ask Us About Our Grandkids
Georgia: We Put the "Fun" in Fundamentalist Extremism
Hawaii: Haka Tiki Mou Sha'ami Leeki Toru (Death to Mainland Scum, But
Leave Your Money)
Idaho: More Than Just Potatoes... Well Okay, We're Not, But The
Potatoes Sure Are Real Good
Illinois: Please Don't Pronounce the "S"
Indiana: 2 Billion Years, Tidal Wave Free
Iowa: Land of James T. Kirk - or - We Do Amazing Things With Corn
Kansas: First Of The Rectangle States
Kentucky: Five Million People; Fifteen Last Names
Louisiana: We're Not All Drunk Cajun Wackos, But That's Our Tourism
Campaign
Maine: We're Really Cold, But We Have Cheap Lobster
Maryland: A Thinking Man's Delaware
Massachusetts: Our Taxes Are Lower Than Sweden's (For Most Tax Brackets)
Michigan: First Line of Defense From the Canadians
Minnesota: 10,000 Lakes and 10,000,000 Mosquitoes -or-
Our Govenor Can Beat Up Your Govenor
Mississippi: Come Feel Better About Your Own State
Missouri: Your Federal Flood Relief Tax Dollars at Work
Montana: Land of the Big Sky, the Unabomer, Right-Wing Crazies, and
Very Little Else
Nebraska: Ask About Our State Motto Contest
Nevada: Whores and Poker!
New Hampshire: Go Away and Leave Us Alone
New Jersey: You Want a ##$%##! Motto? I Got Yer ##$%##! Motto Right
Here!
New Mexico: Lizards Make Excellent Pets
New York: You Have the Right to Remain Silent, You Have the Right to
an Attorney
North Carolina: Tobacco is a Vegetable
North Dakota: Um... We've got... Um... Dinosaur Bones? Yeah, Dinosaur
Bones!
Ohio: Don't Judge Us by Cleveland - or - We Wish We Were In Michigan
Oklahoma: Like the Play, Only No Singing
Oregon: Spotted Owl, It's What's For Dinner
Pennsylvania: Cook With Coal
Rhode Island: We're Not REALLY An Island
South Carolina: Remember the Civil War? We Didn't Actually Surrender
South Dakota: Closer Than North Dakota
Tennessee: The Educashun State
Texas: Se Hablo Ingles
Utah: Osmondland -or- Our Jesus Is Better Than Your Jesus
Vermont: Yep
Virginia: Who Says Government Stiffs and Slackjaw Yokels Don't Mix?
Washington: Help! We're Overrun By Nerds and Slackers!
Washington, D.C.: Wanna Be Mayor?
West Virginia: One Big Happy Family -- Really!
Wisconsin: Come Cut Our Cheese
Wyoming: Where the Men are Men, and the sheep are scared
is the reason to joke to learn things? No, no it's the first one!
(I will warn you there are a couple of sexual references for those
who might want to preread to prepare answers for kids' questions
ahead of time ;-)
Joyce
NEW STATE MOTTOES
Author Unknown
Alabama: At Least We're not Mississippi
Alaska: 11,623 Eskimos Can't be Wrong!
Arizona: Dehyd-rific! - or - But It's a Dry Heat
Arkansas: Litterasy Ain't Everthang
California: As Seen on TV
Colorado: If You Don't Ski, Don't Bother
Connecticut: Like Massachusetts, Only Dirtier and With Less Character
Delaware: We Really Do Like the Chemicals in our Water
Florida: Ask Us About Our Grandkids
Georgia: We Put the "Fun" in Fundamentalist Extremism
Hawaii: Haka Tiki Mou Sha'ami Leeki Toru (Death to Mainland Scum, But
Leave Your Money)
Idaho: More Than Just Potatoes... Well Okay, We're Not, But The
Potatoes Sure Are Real Good
Illinois: Please Don't Pronounce the "S"
Indiana: 2 Billion Years, Tidal Wave Free
Iowa: Land of James T. Kirk - or - We Do Amazing Things With Corn
Kansas: First Of The Rectangle States
Kentucky: Five Million People; Fifteen Last Names
Louisiana: We're Not All Drunk Cajun Wackos, But That's Our Tourism
Campaign
Maine: We're Really Cold, But We Have Cheap Lobster
Maryland: A Thinking Man's Delaware
Massachusetts: Our Taxes Are Lower Than Sweden's (For Most Tax Brackets)
Michigan: First Line of Defense From the Canadians
Minnesota: 10,000 Lakes and 10,000,000 Mosquitoes -or-
Our Govenor Can Beat Up Your Govenor
Mississippi: Come Feel Better About Your Own State
Missouri: Your Federal Flood Relief Tax Dollars at Work
Montana: Land of the Big Sky, the Unabomer, Right-Wing Crazies, and
Very Little Else
Nebraska: Ask About Our State Motto Contest
Nevada: Whores and Poker!
New Hampshire: Go Away and Leave Us Alone
New Jersey: You Want a ##$%##! Motto? I Got Yer ##$%##! Motto Right
Here!
New Mexico: Lizards Make Excellent Pets
New York: You Have the Right to Remain Silent, You Have the Right to
an Attorney
North Carolina: Tobacco is a Vegetable
North Dakota: Um... We've got... Um... Dinosaur Bones? Yeah, Dinosaur
Bones!
Ohio: Don't Judge Us by Cleveland - or - We Wish We Were In Michigan
Oklahoma: Like the Play, Only No Singing
Oregon: Spotted Owl, It's What's For Dinner
Pennsylvania: Cook With Coal
Rhode Island: We're Not REALLY An Island
South Carolina: Remember the Civil War? We Didn't Actually Surrender
South Dakota: Closer Than North Dakota
Tennessee: The Educashun State
Texas: Se Hablo Ingles
Utah: Osmondland -or- Our Jesus Is Better Than Your Jesus
Vermont: Yep
Virginia: Who Says Government Stiffs and Slackjaw Yokels Don't Mix?
Washington: Help! We're Overrun By Nerds and Slackers!
Washington, D.C.: Wanna Be Mayor?
West Virginia: One Big Happy Family -- Really!
Wisconsin: Come Cut Our Cheese
Wyoming: Where the Men are Men, and the sheep are scared
Sandra Dodd
On Mar 8, 2006, at 7:30 AM, Joyce Fetteroll wrote:
> As Sandra has said the reason to learn things is to get the jokes. OrAre there similar other bits of humor from other countries?
> is the reason to joke to learn things? No, no it's the first one!
elizabeth roberts
Joyce,
I got a big kick out of the one for NC... :-) But ...the one for Virginia, I musta been gone from there waay too long because I don't quite get it. Oh well.
North Carolina: Tobacco IS a Vegetable
Virginia: Who Says Government Stiffs and Slackjaw Yokels Don't Mix?
Beth
Sing, Dance, Laugh...LOVE!
---------------------------------
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
I got a big kick out of the one for NC... :-) But ...the one for Virginia, I musta been gone from there waay too long because I don't quite get it. Oh well.
North Carolina: Tobacco IS a Vegetable
Virginia: Who Says Government Stiffs and Slackjaw Yokels Don't Mix?
Beth
Sing, Dance, Laugh...LOVE!
---------------------------------
Yahoo! Mail
Use Photomail to share photos without annoying attachments.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Cally Brown
Surely not! Who ever could make fun of us? ;-)
Cally
New Zealand
Cally
New Zealand
>Are there similar other bits of humor from other countries?
>
Sandra Dodd
On Mar 8, 2006, at 11:59 AM, Cally Brown wrote:
others <g>).
It's taken me 35 years, two visits and a whole lot of reading to get
British jokes. We get a lot of Canadian comedians and humorists
(meaning we have access, not always that we "get" them).
Otherwise... cluelessness floods in.
Sandra
> Surely not! Who ever could make fun of us? ;-)You'd have to explain the jokes to me, anyway (and maybe to a few
>
> Cally
> New Zealand
others <g>).
It's taken me 35 years, two visits and a whole lot of reading to get
British jokes. We get a lot of Canadian comedians and humorists
(meaning we have access, not always that we "get" them).
Otherwise... cluelessness floods in.
Sandra
Cally Brown
perhaps I've finally spotted a good thing about the american cultural
domination of our tv - I got almost all the jokes! How very
Pollyanna-ish of me - finding something good in something so awful and
it's still morning here!!
Cally
domination of our tv - I got almost all the jokes! How very
Pollyanna-ish of me - finding something good in something so awful and
it's still morning here!!
Cally
>You'd have to explain the jokes to me, anyway (and maybe to a few
>others <g>).
>
>It's taken me 35 years, two visits and a whole lot of reading to get
>British jokes. We get a lot of Canadian comedians and humorists
>(meaning we have access, not always that we "get" them).
>Otherwise... cluelessness floods in.
>
>Sandra
>
>
Cally Brown
Opps - the awful bit is not the american culture (well, not all of it)
but rather that we let it dominate our tv instead of having more of our
own, and a wider international base....
cally
but rather that we let it dominate our tv instead of having more of our
own, and a wider international base....
cally
Sandra Dodd
On Mar 8, 2006, at 1:36 PM, Cally Brown wrote:
You get BBC things too? Australian? Is there much very-local TV
produced there? Do you have NZ soap opera? Cop show? Sit coms?
Someone from Australia tried one day to enlighten me about Bananas in
Pajamas, explaining to me whose accent represented what region and
socio-economic strata of Australia. I had nothing to stick it to. I
know a little about Sydney and a little about Tasmania, and I've
watched Priscilla the Queen of the Desert a lot. None of that
helped. <bwg>
The second season of Bananas in Pajamas we got here, they had dubbed
the theme song with American singers. I don't remember if they re-
did the characters' voices. My kids didn't watch it much.
Our Brit-living American friends were here and were surprised that
Clifford the Big Red Dog wasn't British. It's dubbed there, they
think. (Holly can correct me later if I'm telling this story wrong...)
Sandra
> Opps - the awful bit is not the american culture (well, not all of it)================================
> but rather that we let it dominate our tv instead of having more of
> our
> own, and a wider international base....
You get BBC things too? Australian? Is there much very-local TV
produced there? Do you have NZ soap opera? Cop show? Sit coms?
Someone from Australia tried one day to enlighten me about Bananas in
Pajamas, explaining to me whose accent represented what region and
socio-economic strata of Australia. I had nothing to stick it to. I
know a little about Sydney and a little about Tasmania, and I've
watched Priscilla the Queen of the Desert a lot. None of that
helped. <bwg>
The second season of Bananas in Pajamas we got here, they had dubbed
the theme song with American singers. I don't remember if they re-
did the characters' voices. My kids didn't watch it much.
Our Brit-living American friends were here and were surprised that
Clifford the Big Red Dog wasn't British. It's dubbed there, they
think. (Holly can correct me later if I'm telling this story wrong...)
Sandra
s.waynforth
>It's dubbed. It really irritates me as I am sure they payed John Ritter
>
> Our Brit-living American friends were here and were surprised that
> Clifford the Big Red Dog wasn't British. It's dubbed there, they
> think. (Holly can correct me later if I'm telling this story wrong...)
>
>
> Sandra
>
a bit of cash to do Clifford in the first place. But Arthur isn't dubbed.
Schuyler
Robyn Coburn
<<<<< Someone from Australia tried one day to enlighten me about Bananas in
Pajamas, explaining to me whose accent represented what region and
socio-economic strata of Australia. I had nothing to stick it to. I
know a little about Sydney and a little about Tasmania, and I've
watched Priscilla the Queen of the Desert a lot. None of that
helped. <bwg>>>>>>
Well other than the Wiggles, there are also "The Koala Brothers" (Disney)
and "The Shapies" (Animania - HD animation channel).
If it helps you at all Sandra, I was told my accent (oft confused with
English but not by English people) is designated "Educated Australian", but
I can slide into Strine if you ever want a demonstration of a more "working
class" (supposedly) lingo.
Try "Muriel's Wedding" too.
Robyn L. Coburn
--
No virus found in this outgoing message.
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Pajamas, explaining to me whose accent represented what region and
socio-economic strata of Australia. I had nothing to stick it to. I
know a little about Sydney and a little about Tasmania, and I've
watched Priscilla the Queen of the Desert a lot. None of that
helped. <bwg>>>>>>
Well other than the Wiggles, there are also "The Koala Brothers" (Disney)
and "The Shapies" (Animania - HD animation channel).
If it helps you at all Sandra, I was told my accent (oft confused with
English but not by English people) is designated "Educated Australian", but
I can slide into Strine if you ever want a demonstration of a more "working
class" (supposedly) lingo.
Try "Muriel's Wedding" too.
Robyn L. Coburn
--
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Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.1.375 / Virus Database: 268.2.0/276 - Release Date: 3/7/2006
Cally Brown
Well yes....
Canadian, though the few things I have seen have been great - though off
hand 3/4 of the way through a very busy day my mind is blank so don't
ask me what! Personally I'm a fan of British mostly - Life Isn't All
HeHe HaHa (or should that be HaHa HeHe?) has just started here - I love
it. Indian-British - wonderful.
past it before it happenned.
- but american?
Cally
>You get BBC things too? Australian? Is there much very-local TVAll of the above, but most is american. As in USof A. Hardly ever see
>produced there? Do you have NZ soap opera? Cop show? Sit coms?
>
Canadian, though the few things I have seen have been great - though off
hand 3/4 of the way through a very busy day my mind is blank so don't
ask me what! Personally I'm a fan of British mostly - Life Isn't All
HeHe HaHa (or should that be HaHa HeHe?) has just started here - I love
it. Indian-British - wonderful.
>Someone from Australia tried one day to enlighten me about Bananas inRiiight - I'm 'afraid' I missed Bananas In Pyjamas - my kids were kinda
>Pajamas, explaining to me whose accent represented what region and
>socio-economic strata of Australia. I had nothing to stick it to. I
>know a little about Sydney and a little about Tasmania, and I've
>watched Priscilla the Queen of the Desert a lot. None of that
>helped. <bwg>
>
past it before it happenned.
>Our Brit-living American friends were here and were surprised thatYou're kidding! I can understand it for like, a japanese or italian film
>Clifford the Big Red Dog wasn't British. It's dubbed there, they
>think. (Holly can correct me later if I'm telling this story wrong...)
>
- but american?
Cally
Joy
>Our Brit-living American friends were here and were surprised thatYou're kidding! I can understand it for like, a japanese or italian film
>Clifford the Big Red Dog wasn't British. It's dubbed there, they
>think. (Holly can correct me later if I'm telling this story wrong...)
>
- but american?
-= maybe it's been dubbed because of the age of the kids that would watch
the show. When my family
first arrived in the UK from the US my children then 8 + 9 had a tough time
understanding 'anyone' here in the UK.
I hadn't expected that. Then to make it even worse we move to Wales, were
the accent can be really really hard
to decipher sometimes. <g>
Joy
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Sandra Dodd
On Mar 8, 2006, at 8:50 PM, Cally Brown wrote:
to understand if they're foreign, even a little foreign.
Sometimes I've gotten DVDs of English or Australian TV, and when it
doesn't have subtitles I'm pretty frustrated. I'm fine for long
stretches, but then there will be some little phrase thrown off
without them moving their lips, and between the accent, the phrase
itself and no lip movement I am clue-free. Frustrating. Like
reading a book with a big white spot over the words.
But when they DO have subtitles, it's great, because I don't care so
much if someone comes in and talks to me, or if I'm sewing, because
when the noise comes, I can read the words and keep on going.
Subtitles are a verbal, multi-tasking visual-reader's dream.
The other day we were watching something and Holly asked me what
someone had said, and she put it back to that place, and I said "Well
put the subtitles on." She looked at me with the look that made me
know I had asked for the impossible, and said, "It's a tape, mom!"
Oh. I hate tapes, then. <g>
Sandra
> >Our Brit-living American friends were here and were surprised thatI think things designed for the youngest-aged kids are hard for them
> >Clifford the Big Red Dog wasn't British. It's dubbed there, they
> >think. (Holly can correct me later if I'm telling this story
> wrong...)
> >
> You're kidding! I can understand it for like, a japanese or italian
> film
> - but american?
to understand if they're foreign, even a little foreign.
Sometimes I've gotten DVDs of English or Australian TV, and when it
doesn't have subtitles I'm pretty frustrated. I'm fine for long
stretches, but then there will be some little phrase thrown off
without them moving their lips, and between the accent, the phrase
itself and no lip movement I am clue-free. Frustrating. Like
reading a book with a big white spot over the words.
But when they DO have subtitles, it's great, because I don't care so
much if someone comes in and talks to me, or if I'm sewing, because
when the noise comes, I can read the words and keep on going.
Subtitles are a verbal, multi-tasking visual-reader's dream.
The other day we were watching something and Holly asked me what
someone had said, and she put it back to that place, and I said "Well
put the subtitles on." She looked at me with the look that made me
know I had asked for the impossible, and said, "It's a tape, mom!"
Oh. I hate tapes, then. <g>
Sandra
s.waynforth
It may have been about cost. It may have been cheaper to dub it than to
pay John Ritter residuals.
Schuyler
Joy wrote:
pay John Ritter residuals.
Schuyler
Joy wrote:
>
>
>
> >Our Brit-living American friends were here and were surprised that
> >Clifford the Big Red Dog wasn't British. It's dubbed there, they
> >think. (Holly can correct me later if I'm telling this story wrong...)
> >
> You're kidding! I can understand it for like, a japanese or italian film
> - but american?
>
> -= maybe it's been dubbed because of the age of the kids that would watch
> the show. When my family
> first arrived in the UK from the US my children then 8 + 9 had a tough
> time
> understanding 'anyone' here in the UK.
> I hadn't expected that. Then to make it even worse we move to Wales, were
> the accent can be really really hard
> to decipher sometimes. <g>
>
> Joy
>
>
>
>
>
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Sandra Dodd
On Mar 9, 2006, at 11:08 AM, s.waynforth wrote:
There's something else mysterious too about marketing foreign media
in the U.K. and I don't understand it. It's about money, no doubt.
<g> Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was completely revamped for the
English market—every scrap of everything was redone, which was
guaranteed by their changing the name and the weapon Michaelangelo
carried. The official simple explanation is that nunchuku were
illegal in England, and they didn't want to encourage any "ninja"
business, so they changed the name to Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles.
We have some of the books. But they redid the action figures and
everything for their own market, and I don't know if that extended to
all commonwealth countries or not.
This reminds me to link my games pages, which I've just worked on
yesterday. The chess page has some new art and links to more art,
and there are more links to online games. But there's a Ninja/Hero
Turtle mention. http://sandradodd.com/gameplay
There are books unavailable for export, and some books that are
different in Canada and the U.S. Now, though, with international
shipping of individual orders so common and international Paypal and
all that, I expect some of those things might fall or soften.
In England they have disposable fountain pens.
I thought of buying one but they're expensive (expensive by the time
they get to New Mexico <g>).
Sandra
> It may have been about cost. It may have been cheaper to dub it---------------------------
> than to
> pay John Ritter residuals.
>
> Schuyler
There's something else mysterious too about marketing foreign media
in the U.K. and I don't understand it. It's about money, no doubt.
<g> Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was completely revamped for the
English market—every scrap of everything was redone, which was
guaranteed by their changing the name and the weapon Michaelangelo
carried. The official simple explanation is that nunchuku were
illegal in England, and they didn't want to encourage any "ninja"
business, so they changed the name to Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles.
We have some of the books. But they redid the action figures and
everything for their own market, and I don't know if that extended to
all commonwealth countries or not.
This reminds me to link my games pages, which I've just worked on
yesterday. The chess page has some new art and links to more art,
and there are more links to online games. But there's a Ninja/Hero
Turtle mention. http://sandradodd.com/gameplay
There are books unavailable for export, and some books that are
different in Canada and the U.S. Now, though, with international
shipping of individual orders so common and international Paypal and
all that, I expect some of those things might fall or soften.
In England they have disposable fountain pens.
I thought of buying one but they're expensive (expensive by the time
they get to New Mexico <g>).
Sandra
Liz in AZ
I remember when I lived in Britain that the characters associated with
American breakfast cereal were different. I can't recall which cereals
in particular, but some of ones like Lucky Charms, Frosted Flakes,
Froot Loops, and the like were associated with advertising characters
that were totally unlike the characters that hawk them in the US.
I thought it was rather odd.
--- In [email protected], Sandra Dodd <Sandra@...>
wrote:
American breakfast cereal were different. I can't recall which cereals
in particular, but some of ones like Lucky Charms, Frosted Flakes,
Froot Loops, and the like were associated with advertising characters
that were totally unlike the characters that hawk them in the US.
I thought it was rather odd.
--- In [email protected], Sandra Dodd <Sandra@...>
wrote:
> There's something else mysterious too about marketing foreign media
> in the U.K. and I don't understand it. It's about money, no doubt.
Robin Bentley
Sandra wrote:
so they changed the name to Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles.
We have some of the books. But they redid the action figures and
everything for their own market, and I don't know if that extended to
all commonwealth countries or not.
In Canada, it was (is) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I don't think ninja
paraphernalia is outlawed there, so maybe it wasn't an issue.
There are books unavailable for export, and some books that are
different in Canada and the U.S.
The first Harry Potter book was "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone"
(as I think it was in the U.K.), but "Sorcerer's Stone" in the U.S. Does
anyone know why? I think I knew once, but have forgotten.
Robin B.
A Canadian in WA
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
so they changed the name to Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles.
We have some of the books. But they redid the action figures and
everything for their own market, and I don't know if that extended to
all commonwealth countries or not.
In Canada, it was (is) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I don't think ninja
paraphernalia is outlawed there, so maybe it wasn't an issue.
There are books unavailable for export, and some books that are
different in Canada and the U.S.
The first Harry Potter book was "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone"
(as I think it was in the U.K.), but "Sorcerer's Stone" in the U.S. Does
anyone know why? I think I knew once, but have forgotten.
Robin B.
A Canadian in WA
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Cally Brown
Oh my.... this brings back a memory....
BE??) my American penfriend came over to join us for a few weeks
travelling around. On the second day she was there we were on the top of
a double decker London bus and Christine commented on the two very
drunken men (we are talking 9 in the morning here!) who were not only
very drunk but also VERY vocal. She commented on how their English
accents were so different she couldn't understand them.
We never did enlighten her: it was a New Zealand (but very drunkenly
slurred) accent, and their words were indeed strange ones for a
Christian girl from Colorado ;-)
We just smiled and agreed with her.
Cally
New Zealand - and though it is 9am once more, I am not drunk at the moment!
> When my familyWhen dh and I went to England many years ago (1975!! hell, how can that
>first arrived in the UK from the US my children then 8 + 9 had a tough time
>understanding 'anyone' here in the UK.
>I hadn't expected that. Then to make it even worse we move to Wales, were
>the accent can be really really hard
>to decipher sometimes. <g>
>
BE??) my American penfriend came over to join us for a few weeks
travelling around. On the second day she was there we were on the top of
a double decker London bus and Christine commented on the two very
drunken men (we are talking 9 in the morning here!) who were not only
very drunk but also VERY vocal. She commented on how their English
accents were so different she couldn't understand them.
We never did enlighten her: it was a New Zealand (but very drunkenly
slurred) accent, and their words were indeed strange ones for a
Christian girl from Colorado ;-)
We just smiled and agreed with her.
Cally
New Zealand - and though it is 9am once more, I am not drunk at the moment!
Sandra Dodd
On Mar 9, 2006, at 12:35 PM, Robin Bentley wrote:
They thought no Americans knew what "the philosopher's stone" was.
They had no idea how big a deal those books would be, and they were
at the time (still, but less now that they have a best selling
hardback) in the business of producing inexpensive paperback books
for the school market. Since I was a little kid, "Scholastic
Books" meant books kids could buy at school, in monthly batch sales.
The classroom gets points the teacher can use to get posters, pencil
sharpeners, pencils, stickers, etc. Kids earn points they can get
free books with.
So to make a cheap paperback version of the first book, they figured
(I'm assuming) that they should make it "more accessible" to an
American market, and I guess their assumption was that Americans know
the word "sorcerer" but are afraid of philosophy and never read any
medieval history or trivia. Probably I was a weird kid, but I read
about alchemy from the time I was nine or ten, so I was vaguely
familiar with what "the philosopher's stone" meant.
To have changed it was SUCH a bad idea I hate to think about it.
"The Sorcerer's Stone" means not one damned thing, historically or in
the context of the book.
They changed lots of little things in that first book, replacing
Britishisms with American equivalents. I haven't really followed
more recent changes (haven't done any side-by-side comparisons except
for the first book, which I bought but gave away), but I know the
recent book maintained 'trainers,' which in the U.S. is a high-priced
personal coach, but in the U.K. is a pair of what we more commonly
call "tennis shoes" or athletic shoes.
I have mixed feelings. Jumbly feelings, really. <bwg>
Sandra
> The first Harry Potter book was "Harry Potter and the Philosopher'sBecause the people at Scholastic Books were STUPID.
> Stone"
> (as I think it was in the U.K.), but "Sorcerer's Stone" in the
> U.S. Does
> anyone know why?
They thought no Americans knew what "the philosopher's stone" was.
They had no idea how big a deal those books would be, and they were
at the time (still, but less now that they have a best selling
hardback) in the business of producing inexpensive paperback books
for the school market. Since I was a little kid, "Scholastic
Books" meant books kids could buy at school, in monthly batch sales.
The classroom gets points the teacher can use to get posters, pencil
sharpeners, pencils, stickers, etc. Kids earn points they can get
free books with.
So to make a cheap paperback version of the first book, they figured
(I'm assuming) that they should make it "more accessible" to an
American market, and I guess their assumption was that Americans know
the word "sorcerer" but are afraid of philosophy and never read any
medieval history or trivia. Probably I was a weird kid, but I read
about alchemy from the time I was nine or ten, so I was vaguely
familiar with what "the philosopher's stone" meant.
To have changed it was SUCH a bad idea I hate to think about it.
"The Sorcerer's Stone" means not one damned thing, historically or in
the context of the book.
They changed lots of little things in that first book, replacing
Britishisms with American equivalents. I haven't really followed
more recent changes (haven't done any side-by-side comparisons except
for the first book, which I bought but gave away), but I know the
recent book maintained 'trainers,' which in the U.S. is a high-priced
personal coach, but in the U.K. is a pair of what we more commonly
call "tennis shoes" or athletic shoes.
I have mixed feelings. Jumbly feelings, really. <bwg>
Sandra
Deb
--- In [email protected], elizabeth roberts
<joyfullzoo@...> wrote:
quite get it. Oh well.
politicos live in VA (near DC) but you've also got the Smoky
Mountains and all the "yokels" up there, akin to jokes about
Arkansas and the Ozarks. So, you've got the two mixing around in VA.
--Deb
<joyfullzoo@...> wrote:
>Virginia, I musta been gone from there waay too long because I don't
> Joyce,
>
> I got a big kick out of the one for NC... :-) But ...the one for
quite get it. Oh well.
>What I got from it was that a big chunk of DC employees and
> North Carolina: Tobacco IS a Vegetable
>
> Virginia: Who Says Government Stiffs and Slackjaw Yokels Don't Mix?
>
> Beth
>
politicos live in VA (near DC) but you've also got the Smoky
Mountains and all the "yokels" up there, akin to jokes about
Arkansas and the Ozarks. So, you've got the two mixing around in VA.
--Deb
Schuyler Waynforth
>There used to be (3 years ago?) a paper shop on Amherst street near
> In England they have disposable fountain pens.
> I thought of buying one but they're expensive (expensive by the time
> they get to New Mexico <g>).
>
> Sandra
>
the back entrance to La Montanita co-op that might just have
disposable fountain pens. It's where David got his bullet space pen.
It's called Papers! I guess (quick google search).
Schuyler
Sandra Dodd
On Mar 9, 2006, at 2:34 PM, Schuyler Waynforth wrote:
AHA!!!!
Holly just walked in. I'm not supposed to be reading mail, I'm
supposed to be getting ready for a quicky shopping trip, but one stop
is in Nob Hill near there and so... (no, we won't have time <g>).
Thanks!
Sandra
> There used to be (3 years ago?) a paper shop on Amherst street near\
> the back entrance to La Montanita co-op that might just have
> disposable fountain pens. It's where David got his bullet space pen.
> It's called Papers! I guess (quick google search).
AHA!!!!
Holly just walked in. I'm not supposed to be reading mail, I'm
supposed to be getting ready for a quicky shopping trip, but one stop
is in Nob Hill near there and so... (no, we won't have time <g>).
Thanks!
Sandra
[email protected]
In a message dated 3/9/2006 3:12:21 PM Eastern Standard Time,
Sandra@... writes:
American market, and I guess their assumption was that Americans know
the word "sorcerer" but are afraid of philosophy and never read any
medieval history or trivia. Probably I was a weird kid, but I read
about alchemy from the time I was nine or ten, so I was vaguely
familiar with what "the philosopher's stone" meant.
To have changed it was SUCH a bad idea I hate to think about it.
"The Sorcerer's Stone" means not one damned thing, historically or in
the context of the book.<<
I admit it, I'm ignorant on this...what is "The Philosopher's Stone?" I
know what a philosopher is, but what's the significance of the stone part?
Nancy B.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Sandra@... writes:
>>So to make a cheap paperback version of the first book, they figured(I'm assuming) that they should make it "more accessible" to an
American market, and I guess their assumption was that Americans know
the word "sorcerer" but are afraid of philosophy and never read any
medieval history or trivia. Probably I was a weird kid, but I read
about alchemy from the time I was nine or ten, so I was vaguely
familiar with what "the philosopher's stone" meant.
To have changed it was SUCH a bad idea I hate to think about it.
"The Sorcerer's Stone" means not one damned thing, historically or in
the context of the book.<<
I admit it, I'm ignorant on this...what is "The Philosopher's Stone?" I
know what a philosopher is, but what's the significance of the stone part?
Nancy B.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Robin Bentley
Because the people at Scholastic Books were STUPID.
They thought no Americans knew what "the philosopher's stone" was.
Ha, that's what I thought (about Scholastic that is).
To have changed it was SUCH a bad idea I hate to think about it.
"The Sorcerer's Stone" means not one damned thing, historically or in
the context of the book.
It made no sense to me, either. It was a meaningless phrase.
They changed lots of little things in that first book, replacing
Britishisms with American equivalents. I haven't really followed
more recent changes (haven't done any side-by-side comparisons except
for the first book, which I bought but gave away), but I know the
recent book maintained 'trainers,' which in the U.S. is a high-priced
personal coach, but in the U.K. is a pair of what we more commonly
call "tennis shoes" or athletic shoes.
I've noticed it in other sort-of mass market books, like Usborne. Stories
that are British (you can tell by place names and the odd expression left
in) have all the spelling changed. What I find funny are sentences left in
like "What are you on about?" which wouldn't likely be said by an American.
Then, they carry on about something happening in Kentucky <g>.
I have mixed feelings. Jumbly feelings, really. <bwg>
I get rumbly ones - oh, that usually means I'm hungry <g>.
Robin B.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
They thought no Americans knew what "the philosopher's stone" was.
Ha, that's what I thought (about Scholastic that is).
To have changed it was SUCH a bad idea I hate to think about it.
"The Sorcerer's Stone" means not one damned thing, historically or in
the context of the book.
It made no sense to me, either. It was a meaningless phrase.
They changed lots of little things in that first book, replacing
Britishisms with American equivalents. I haven't really followed
more recent changes (haven't done any side-by-side comparisons except
for the first book, which I bought but gave away), but I know the
recent book maintained 'trainers,' which in the U.S. is a high-priced
personal coach, but in the U.K. is a pair of what we more commonly
call "tennis shoes" or athletic shoes.
I've noticed it in other sort-of mass market books, like Usborne. Stories
that are British (you can tell by place names and the odd expression left
in) have all the spelling changed. What I find funny are sentences left in
like "What are you on about?" which wouldn't likely be said by an American.
Then, they carry on about something happening in Kentucky <g>.
I have mixed feelings. Jumbly feelings, really. <bwg>
I get rumbly ones - oh, that usually means I'm hungry <g>.
Robin B.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Robin Bentley
I admit it, I'm ignorant on this...what is "The Philosopher's Stone?" I
know what a philosopher is, but what's the significance of the stone part?
Nancy B.
Here's a site you might try. Sandra's probably got some links, too.
http://www.crystalinks.com/philosopherstone.html
Robin B.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
know what a philosopher is, but what's the significance of the stone part?
Nancy B.
Here's a site you might try. Sandra's probably got some links, too.
http://www.crystalinks.com/philosopherstone.html
Robin B.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Robin Bentley
Oops, sorry. Sandra's writing and mine got all jumbled <g> up when I cut
and pasted too closely.
Should look more like this:
Sandra wrote:
Ha, that's what I thought (about Scholastic that is).
the context of the book.
It made no sense to me, either. It was a meaningless phrase.
more recent changes (haven't done any side-by-side comparisons except
for the first book, which I bought but gave away), but I know the
recent book maintained 'trainers,' which in the U.S. is a high-priced
personal coach, but in the U.K. is a pair of what we more commonly
call "tennis shoes" or athletic shoes.
I've noticed it in other sort-of mass market books, like Usborne. Stories
that are British (you can tell by place names and the odd expression left
in) have all the spelling changed. What I find funny are sentences left in
like "What are you on about?" which wouldn't likely be said by an American.
Then, they carry on about something happening in Kentucky <g>.
I get rumbly ones - oh, that usually means I'm hungry <g>.
Robin B.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
and pasted too closely.
Should look more like this:
Sandra wrote:
>>Because the people at Scholastic Books were STUPID.They thought no Americans knew what "the philosopher's stone" was.
Ha, that's what I thought (about Scholastic that is).
>>To have changed it was SUCH a bad idea I hate to think about it."The Sorcerer's Stone" means not one damned thing, historically or in
the context of the book.
It made no sense to me, either. It was a meaningless phrase.
>>They changed lots of little things in that first book, replacingBritishisms with American equivalents. I haven't really followed
more recent changes (haven't done any side-by-side comparisons except
for the first book, which I bought but gave away), but I know the
recent book maintained 'trainers,' which in the U.S. is a high-priced
personal coach, but in the U.K. is a pair of what we more commonly
call "tennis shoes" or athletic shoes.
I've noticed it in other sort-of mass market books, like Usborne. Stories
that are British (you can tell by place names and the odd expression left
in) have all the spelling changed. What I find funny are sentences left in
like "What are you on about?" which wouldn't likely be said by an American.
Then, they carry on about something happening in Kentucky <g>.
>>I have mixed feelings. Jumbly feelings, really. <bwg>Sandra
I get rumbly ones - oh, that usually means I'm hungry <g>.
Robin B.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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Sandra Dodd
On Mar 9, 2006, at 5:03 PM, Robin Bentley wrote:
Sandra
> Here's a site you might try. Sandra's probably got some links, too.No, when I need to look something up I just always go to google.com
Sandra
David C.Z. Wacks
The philosopher's stone dates to a legend based in alchemy (the precursor to
chemistry). Many disagree on what the stone actually is. Some theorize it
has a formulae written up on, others that it is a special material. It is
the key component for transmuting base metals (lead) into gold or for
brewing healing, longevity, and life potions. Since it has been "lost" no
alchemist was ever able to reproduce this feat.
There are plenty of sites on it.
Trivia: Scholastic changed JK Rowlings Harry Potter and the Philosopher's
Stone to the Sorcerer Stone as they did not think it would play as well here
and people may not know what it was (Who wants to watch a philosophy show)
Let me know if I can be more help.
On a hunch I checked wikipedia (quick resource)
< http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosopher_stone >
The philosopher's stone, in Latin lapis philosophorum, is a mythical
substance that supposedly could turn inexpensive metals into gold and/or
create an elixir that would make humans younger, thus delaying death. It was
a longtime "holy grail" of Western alchemy. In the mystic view of alchemy,
making the philosopher's stone would bring enlightenment upon the maker and
conclude the Great Work. It is also known by several other names, such as
materia prima.
Philosopher's Stone is also a modern slang term for the sclerotia of
certain hallucinogenic mushrooms, most notably that of Psilocybe mexicana.
HTH,
--Dave
-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]]On Behalf Of Robin Bentley
Sent: Thursday, March 09, 2006 5:03 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [UnschoolingDiscussion] Philosopher's stone
I admit it, I'm ignorant on this...what is "The Philosopher's Stone?" I
know what a philosopher is, but what's the significance of the stone
part?
Nancy B.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
chemistry). Many disagree on what the stone actually is. Some theorize it
has a formulae written up on, others that it is a special material. It is
the key component for transmuting base metals (lead) into gold or for
brewing healing, longevity, and life potions. Since it has been "lost" no
alchemist was ever able to reproduce this feat.
There are plenty of sites on it.
Trivia: Scholastic changed JK Rowlings Harry Potter and the Philosopher's
Stone to the Sorcerer Stone as they did not think it would play as well here
and people may not know what it was (Who wants to watch a philosophy show)
Let me know if I can be more help.
On a hunch I checked wikipedia (quick resource)
< http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosopher_stone >
The philosopher's stone, in Latin lapis philosophorum, is a mythical
substance that supposedly could turn inexpensive metals into gold and/or
create an elixir that would make humans younger, thus delaying death. It was
a longtime "holy grail" of Western alchemy. In the mystic view of alchemy,
making the philosopher's stone would bring enlightenment upon the maker and
conclude the Great Work. It is also known by several other names, such as
materia prima.
Philosopher's Stone is also a modern slang term for the sclerotia of
certain hallucinogenic mushrooms, most notably that of Psilocybe mexicana.
HTH,
--Dave
-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]]On Behalf Of Robin Bentley
Sent: Thursday, March 09, 2006 5:03 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [UnschoolingDiscussion] Philosopher's stone
I admit it, I'm ignorant on this...what is "The Philosopher's Stone?" I
know what a philosopher is, but what's the significance of the stone
part?
Nancy B.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Dawn Adams
When I at an airport bookstore we'd get American parents coming through and picking up the Harry Potter books for their kids. Some knew they were 'Americanized' and insisted on picking them up here because the Canadian editions were identical to the British. Some didn't know but after I told them they'd get pissed with Scholastic and buy our version.
Apparently "Americanizing foreign english books is a common practice. Especially with kids titles.
Dawn
Because the people at Scholastic Books were STUPID.
They thought no Americans knew what "the philosopher's stone" was.
Ha, that's what I thought (about Scholastic that is).
To have changed it was SUCH a bad idea I hate to think about it.
"The Sorcerer's Stone" means not one damned thing, historically or in
the context of the book.
It made no sense to me, either. It was a meaningless phrase.
They changed lots of little things in that first book, replacing
Britishisms with American equivalents. I haven't really followed
more recent changes (haven't done any side-by-side comparisons except
for the first book, which I bought but gave away), but I know the
recent book maintained 'trainers,' which in the U.S. is a high-priced
personal coach, but in the U.K. is a pair of what we more commonly
call "tennis shoes" or athletic shoes.
I've noticed it in other sort-of mass market books, like Usborne. Stories
that are British (you can tell by place names and the odd expression left
in) have all the spelling changed. What I find funny are sentences left in
like "What are you on about?" which wouldn't likely be said by an American.
Then, they carry on about something happening in Kentucky <g>.
I have mixed feelings. Jumbly feelings, really. <bwg>
I get rumbly ones - oh, that usually means I'm hungry <g>.
Robin B.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Apparently "Americanizing foreign english books is a common practice. Especially with kids titles.
Dawn
Because the people at Scholastic Books were STUPID.
They thought no Americans knew what "the philosopher's stone" was.
Ha, that's what I thought (about Scholastic that is).
To have changed it was SUCH a bad idea I hate to think about it.
"The Sorcerer's Stone" means not one damned thing, historically or in
the context of the book.
It made no sense to me, either. It was a meaningless phrase.
They changed lots of little things in that first book, replacing
Britishisms with American equivalents. I haven't really followed
more recent changes (haven't done any side-by-side comparisons except
for the first book, which I bought but gave away), but I know the
recent book maintained 'trainers,' which in the U.S. is a high-priced
personal coach, but in the U.K. is a pair of what we more commonly
call "tennis shoes" or athletic shoes.
I've noticed it in other sort-of mass market books, like Usborne. Stories
that are British (you can tell by place names and the odd expression left
in) have all the spelling changed. What I find funny are sentences left in
like "What are you on about?" which wouldn't likely be said by an American.
Then, they carry on about something happening in Kentucky <g>.
I have mixed feelings. Jumbly feelings, really. <bwg>
I get rumbly ones - oh, that usually means I'm hungry <g>.
Robin B.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Helen Cain
At 07:11 AM 3/10/06, Sandra Dodd wrote:
mag (I'm in Melbourne, Australia). A mother is writing about
"learning not to question children about their motives"
She writes:
"She read the "Babysitter books" (and everyone will tell you how BAD
that is!) in both the Australian and the American editions; the same
book twice, that is. Quite a long time later she chuckled to me,
"They are *hilarious* those books, they translate all the language
into metric, so when one of the characters says,'I wouldn't touch
that with a ten foot pole', they rewrite it as 'I wouldn't touch that
with a three metre pole.'" -- leading to amused speculation about the
interchange, "Jamie, you've grown another foot since I saw you" and
the riposte, "No, I've still only got two" and it's metric
equivalent. This little game with language and mathematics absorbed
her attention for a long period of time. A stern librarian would
never have known about the jokes, and would have thoroughly irritated
her by pushing her to read "better" books."
Helen
><snipped about philosopher's/sorcerer's stone>This reminded me of a bit from a recent article in our local home ed
>They changed lots of little things in that first book, replacing
>Britishisms with American equivalents. I haven't really followed
>more recent changes (haven't done any side-by-side comparisons except
>for the first book, which I bought but gave away), but I know the
>recent book maintained 'trainers,' which in the U.S. is a high-priced
>personal coach, but in the U.K. is a pair of what we more commonly
>call "tennis shoes" or athletic shoes.
mag (I'm in Melbourne, Australia). A mother is writing about
"learning not to question children about their motives"
She writes:
"She read the "Babysitter books" (and everyone will tell you how BAD
that is!) in both the Australian and the American editions; the same
book twice, that is. Quite a long time later she chuckled to me,
"They are *hilarious* those books, they translate all the language
into metric, so when one of the characters says,'I wouldn't touch
that with a ten foot pole', they rewrite it as 'I wouldn't touch that
with a three metre pole.'" -- leading to amused speculation about the
interchange, "Jamie, you've grown another foot since I saw you" and
the riposte, "No, I've still only got two" and it's metric
equivalent. This little game with language and mathematics absorbed
her attention for a long period of time. A stern librarian would
never have known about the jokes, and would have thoroughly irritated
her by pushing her to read "better" books."
Helen