Did Aye Sea That Rite?

I was watching the news this afternoon on our local CBS affiliate, KWTX-TV when they posted the following Burn Ban notice:

Now, either they were in a hurry to get it on the air or .... well, they were not paying any attention.

1st-"limestone" should be capitalized. After all, it is the name of a nearby county-Limestone County.

2nd-"McClennan" is not a county in Texas. perhaps they meant McLennan County.

3rd-I have never heard of "ariel" fireworks. "Lion of God" fireworks may sound good, but I don't think that is what they meant. Again perhaps, AERIAL fireworks is more in order.

Way to go Channel 10!

PS-In their defense Channel 10 is not alone in their....hmmm....eggcorn or just plain misspellings. Witness this by viewing the many other uses found by Google for "Ariel Fireworks".

© 2008 Barry T Horst


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And Now, Something A Little Different

I have often been amused by certain words and terms. I mean sometimes they just don't sound right.

I went to the grocery store the other day and tried to go through the "self-check out" lane and saw a sign on the scanner that said, "OUT OF ORDER".

What did that mean?

Should I have done something else first?

Would it work if somebody brought some "ORDER" to it?

That's along the same line as when someone says. "It's out of whack!

"WHAT???

Out of whack? Why I've never seen any whack. (And if I had, I don't think I'd tell anyone!) I suppose it's too simple to say, "AIN'T WORKIN'!"

But that leads us down another road. "AIN'T" Some people say that "AIN'T" ain't a proper word to use.

Excuse me!!!! Some people say "AIN'T" isn't a proper word to use.

Well for a word that's not proper, it's sure been around for a while. Since 1685 to be exact, more or less.And think of all the people that have used it, besides me. Sojourner Truth gave a speech entitled, "Ain't I A Woman?" Lewis Carroll used "AIN'T" in his "Through The Looking Glass" as did Al Jolsen in the Jazz Singer. The use of the word "AIN'T" even cropped up in the last presidential election when Sarah Palin used it during the vice presidential debate and Barack Obama used it during his speeches on the stump to say, "That ain't right!"

And lest we forget, Bugs Bunny's, "Ain't I a stinker?"

© 2008 Barry T Horst


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Picture Monday, December 29, 2008

While researching some pictures taken earlier this year I came across a few that I wanted to share on this final Picture Monday of 2008. The first picture is a picture I took of the Texas flag one afternoon this summer. I took this picture around 6:00 PM on this particular afternoon. I was facing east and there was a stiff breeze blowing out of the north. I wanted to get the flag with the sun setting behind it so that the flag would appear to glow when the sun shone through it. The only problem with this was the flag would appear backwards with the star on the right-hand side. Afterwards I came home and reversed the image and then enhanced the background glow to get a better effect. I liked the result.

The picture below was taken before the Texas A&M vs. Baylor game this year. The US Army Air National Guard flew these 3 Apache helicopters over the field prior to the game. The landed at the TSTC airfield and came to the game. Later the pilots were honored by the crowd with a rousing ovation.

At the same A&M vs. Baylor game there was a star sitting near me. I took his picture. This is Bill Young from the local CBS affiliate, KWTX-TV Channel 10. He seemed to try to keep a low profile. I was impressed with his sunglasses. Look at the D&G on the side. The letters appear to be Green and Gold, the Baylor colors.

I told my daughter, "He must have found those at Dollar General! See the DG on the side."

Julie said, "No Dad! Those are Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses!"

"Is that better than Dollar General?"

"Yes Dad! That's better than Dollar General!"

You learn something new everyday!

© 2008 Barry T Horst


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Santa Claus' Punch and Judy

My haven't things changed in the last 60 years! I came across this old Christmas film from 1948. Children then enjoyed much simpler toys and entertainment. Society was much less obsessed with being "Politically Correct". Sit back and enjoy the entertainment.

© 2008 Barry T Horst


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The Night After Christmas Morn; A Reprise

'Twas the night after Christmas morn, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;

The stockings and such lay on the floor in a mess,
In hopes that it would surely not block our egress;

The children were playing all snug in their room,
While visions of new games danced in their heads I presume;

And momma in her finest, and I in my finer,
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap in my recliner,

When out in the den there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the recliner to see what was the matter.

Away to the hallway I flew in a rush,
Tore open the doors and stood with a blush.

The light on the breast of the new-fallen tree
Gave the lustre of calamity to the objects I see,

When, what to my wondering eyes should materialize,
But 7 cats from the branches, "What am I to surmise?"

With a mischievous leader, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be Mister and his sidekicks.

More rapid than eagles his cohorts in crime came,
And I fussed and I yelled, and called them by name;

"Now, Peanut! now, Tabby! now, Callie and Boo!
On, Mister! on Rory! and now Bristow, you too!

To the top of the chair! To the end of the hall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild tornado fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, they jump to the sky,

So to the end of the hallway the cohorts they flew,
With an ornament of catnip, and a candy cane too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard Grandma quite clear,
She was scolding each cat, each scofflaw that was near.

As I drew up my hand, and was turning around,
Down the hallway Mister came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his tail,
It was all tarnished with the pine needles that fell;

A bundle of toys he had in his mouth,
As he looked like a tramp, beginning to head south.

His eyes -- how they twinkled! His tail was so comic!
His nose started to twitch as his whiskers he did flick!

His curious eyes were drawn down the hall,
He squinted and stared at his apparent downfall;

The bundle of toys he held tight in his teeth,
By my feet he stopped and left them beneath;

As if to leave an offering of peace,
An apology for being so caprice.

He stood regal and erect, a right stately old cat,
And I laughed when I saw him, as away he did scat;

A twinkle in his eye and a twist of his tail,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to bewail;

He made not a sound, but went straight to our room,
And started to refresh; and also to groom,

And laying himself down upon the furniture,
He gave us all a nod, and started for to purr;

He opened his eyes, to his cohorts gave a mew,
And away they all flew with barely an adieu.

But I heard him exclaim, ere he nodded off contrite,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."
© 2008 Barry T Horst


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A Christmas Message From Our Family To Yours, CHRISTMAS 2008

© 2008 Barry T Horst


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Picture Monday, December 22, 2008

Picture Monday today is all about testing a video that I made for Julie this Christmas. I wrote a poem for her and her kitten, Bristow. The poem is based on The 12 Days of Christmas. After authoring the video I posted it on YouTube. That is the video in today's blog. The only problem is that some of the formatting did not stay with the video in the final product. I will be working on this glitch, but for now here is the video.

Here is the list showing the 12 gifts:

12 Posts for Scratching,
11 Sprigs of Catnip,
10 Beds for Sleeping,
9 Windows for sunning,
8 Ribbons waving,
7 Fish a-swimming,
6 Mice for Playing,
5 Pounds of Cat Food,
4 Kitty Snacks,
3 Sachet Fresheners,
2 Litter Strainers,
And a Bag of Kitty Litter, Dust Free.

© 2008 Barry T Horst


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HO, HO, HO...More Christmas Fun!!!

Gee! I wish had posted this earlier.

There is still time for you send that email to Santa, even though Christmas is 3 days away. Santa will reply even while making his rounds. I think he has a Blackberry or an iPhone or something so that he can text and email from his sleigh. Apparently Santa knows where all the dead zones are and stays away from them.

Check out Email Santa Claus. It's a great site for you and the kids. Be careful though, you may spend too much time there and forget to finish your holiday shopping.

Confidentially.....I found out that I was still on the Nice List. Imagine that!

Oh, while I'm thinking about it, you need to know that NORAD still tracks Santa Claus. After all, we don't want to mistake him for a nuclear missile gone wild. Here is a video and a link to the NORAD Tracks Santa site. Pick your language and enjoy. (The video is on the Norad site).

Here is another fun site: Sfeervol Nederland. It is Dutch and I can't read much of it. The page title very roughly translates to Attractive(ly) Netherlands. It probably is closer to Netherlands Holidays or something similar judging from the content.

Perhaps one our many friends from The Netherlands can help me with the translation.I like the page because on the left hand side of the opening page there is a link to various Christmas web cams and I have spent all day exploring them.

It is amazing to sit in your bedroom and visit the world through these web cams and experience the holidays with so many. I can imagine this must be how the first shortwave radio enthusiasts felt when they spoke to people half way around the world.

AMAZING!

© 2008 Barry T Horst


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Mr. Bungle and My Classroom

Today was the last day of school before the Christmas holidays.

Finally, a chance to have 2 weeks of peace and quiet. No kids, except the occasional grandchild.

So, what do I do?

I go straight home and watch films about school. And not just any film, but a film about manners. Manners in the lunch room no less!

Give it a go. It's really kinda good, in a.... strange sort of way.

Oh, by the way. I disabled the autoplay on the video. This way it won't play until you are ready for it to. So be sure to press the play button.

Contrary to popular belief the students in my classroom were not used in the filming of this mini-epic. It was filmed approximately 50 years ago. I know this because of the generic school house type of asphalt tile used for the flooring. It looks like the tile that was used then. I know this because I was 3 years old at the time and was very well acquainted with the floor. I spent a lot of time there. The copyright notice gave a little clue also.The copyright notice gave a little clue also.

Anyway, it seems that Miss Brown's class could certainly be confused for my class. I mean, did you see how well behaved those children were? Just like my class of kindergartners, in my dreams.

Then when Phil went to the Boy's Room I knew that it had to be my class because of the massive amount of soap that he used while performing this important task of pre-lunch hygiene. However, I realized it could not have been my class when Phil used only one paper towel.

You see, my class thinks that paper towels grow on trees.

Oh, wait! They do, sort of.

Anyway, my class thinks that it is a good idea to recycle used paper, so they try to use massive amounts in order to show others that they are recycling.

Then, on his way out of the Boy's Room, Phil had to stop and comb his hair. It looked like he was combing the fuzz on a peach.

Later in the cafeteria good ol' Phil must have been one thirsty camper. Did you notice how his milk carton kept changing from Meadow Gold to Pet Milk? At least three times.

And while we're in the cafeteria, did you catch that hunk of cake? I've never seen a piece of cake that big at any school I've been in. Obviously I've been in the wrong schools for cake.

Obviously!

© 2008 Barry T Horst


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Little Surprises are the Best Surprises

I was not planning a post for today. However, I awoke at my normal 5:30 AM and received a surprise. While I was getting ready for work (showering, shaving, etc.) Chris came in and told me that the school start was delayed due to the cold weather. Apparently there was enough freezing rain and/or sleet to ice up the bridges and cause the buses to run late. Consequently, time to post.

Now a surprise for you, a letter from Santa.

Well not exactly a letter from Santa from me; just a link to where you can print one. It is located at DLTK.com.

Here it is: Print your own Santa Letter.

© 2008 Barry T Horst


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Picture Monday, December 15, 2008

We have a potpourri of pictures for Picture Monday on this fine and wonderful day in hopes of catching you up on a few events that have taken place since the last far away post.

Above and below: Jeremy Wariner et al. They came back home to good ol' BU for Homecoming 2008; or as the Noble NoZe Brotherhood lovingly refer to it, Come Homing.

Below we have a few representatives of the Noble NoZe Brothers and the equally noble, Poppa Rollo's Pizza firetruck carrying a few more said NoZe Brothers.

Below is a Big Bear in the air. Unfortunately Baylor lost their Homecoming game with Missiouri.

The Aggie Corp of Cadets prepare to march during the half time extravaganza of the BU vs. TAMU game.

The scoreboard of the BU vs. TAMU game. Looks like Baylor won this one.

Hey, that must be an outstanding teacher reading to the crowd at Barnes & Noble in Waco. Well, not quite a crowd. More like 5 kids, one of which is my grandson. That must be him next to me.

© 2008 Barry T Horst


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It's ALIVE.............

Yes, the blog is alive again. I have been absent for quite some time. Actually I have been busy for quite some time. For some reason this school year has been particularly busy. The Christmas holidays are beginning to roll around and things are actually beginning to ease up a little. I suppose that I might address some of the goings on in my recent world later. First and foremost, yours truly was selected as Outstanding Teacher at Brook Avenue Elementary School for the 2008-2009 school year.

Don't believe me! Follow this link to the Waco ISD website.

More later!

© 2008 Barry T Horst


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