SSA Blog #024     By Michelle Drew     December 6, 2005

Well, once again we have a fabulous example of the no nonsense attitude of the locals out here in Wyoming. I was at a little mall here, at a makeup counter located near the entrance of this particular store. While I was being waited on, a woman carrying packages went to exit the store, setting off the alarm. (They may be small out here, but they are not stupid. They do have alarms).

The sales woman excused herself, to assist the customer. She discovered that an electric toothbrush had not been inactivated by the clerk that had rung up the sale. So she deactivated the tag, rebagged the item, and returned it to the customer. As the customer went to exit, again, the alarm went off. Once again the sales woman took the item and deactivated it. Again the alarm went off as the customer went to leave. Again, the sales woman took the item and tried to deactivate it. Finally she returned the item to the customer and said, "I can't get this to deactivate, so just run!"

There have been so many rich examples of regional charm out here. Maybe the rest of us just make life too complicated for ourselves? It is something to consider.

All Good Thoughts

Today we feature more of Michelle's favorites...

"The principle mark of genius is not perfection but originality, the opening of new frontiers."
--Arthur Koestler

"Happiness is not in our circumstances, but in ourselves."
--John B. Sheerin

"If you're not allowed to laugh in Heaven…I don't want to go there."
-- Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Anyone can sympathize with the sufferings of a friend, but it
requires a very fine nature to sympathize with a friend's success."
-- Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) Irish Dramatist and Poet

"Let's be grateful for those who give us happiness; they are the charming gardeners
who make our soul bloom."
-– Marcel Proust

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest
appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them."
 -– John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Reader Contribution

Tony has been a friend and regular contibutor of All Good Thoughts for many years now. He hails from South Africa where he makes artificial limbs for amputees. He has a wonderful sense of humor and has sent us the following piece. I'm not sure how much of it is true, but it is entertaining for sure. Thanks again Tony, Big hugz to you over there...

In the 1400's a law was set forth that a man was not allowed to beat his
wife with a stick no thicker than his thumb.? Hence we have "the rule of
thumb"

Many years ago in Scotland, a new game was invented. It was ruled "Gentlemen
Only...Ladies Forbidden"...and thus the word GOLF entered into the English
language.

The first couple to be shown in bed together on prime time TV were: Fred and Wilma Flintstone.

Every day more money is printed for Monopoly than the US Treasury.

Men can read smaller print than women can; women can hear better.

Coca-Cola was originally green.

It is impossible to lick your elbow.(At least 75% of people who read this will try to lick their elbow)
[Ed. note: Any man who can do this should forward his phone number ;)]

The State with the highest percentage of people who walk to work: Alaska

The percentage of Africa that is wilderness: 28% (now get this...)

The percentage of North America that is wilderness: 38%

The cost of raising a medium-size dog to the age of eleven: $6,400

The average number of people airborne over the US any given hour: 61,000

Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair.

The first novel ever written on a typewriter: Tom Sawyer.

The San Francisco Cable cars are the only mobile National Monuments.

Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a great king from history:
Spades - King DavidHearts - Charlemagne

Clubs -Alexander, the GreatDiamonds - Julius Caesar

111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321

If, a statue of a military person on a horse has both of the horse's front legs in the
air, the person died in battle. If the horse has one front leg in the air
the person died as a result of wounds received in battle. If the horse has
all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes.

Only two people signed the Declaration of Independence July 4th, John
Hancock and Charles Thomson.? Most of the rest signed on August 2, but the
last signature wasn't added until 5 years later.

Q. Half of all Americans live within 50 miles of what?A. Their birthplace

Q. Most boat owners name their boats. What is the most popular boat name
requested?A. Obsession

Q. If you were to spell out numbers, how far would you have to go until you
would find the letter "A"?A. One thousand

Q. What do bulletproof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers, and laser
printers all have in common??
A. All invented by women.
[Thanks for mentioning that Tony. Now if you could just lick your elbow!]

Q. What is the only food that doesn't spoil?
A. Honey

Q. Which day are there more collect calls than any other day of the year?
A. Father's Day

In Shakespeare's time, mattresses were secured on bed frames by ropes. When
you pulled on the ropes the mattress tightened, making the bed firmer to
sleep on. Hence the phrase......... "goodnight, sleep tight."

It was the accepted practice in Babylon 4,000 years ago that for a month
after the wedding, the bride's father would supply his son-in-law with all
the mead he could drink. Mead is a honey beer and because their calendar was
lunar based, this period was called the honey month . which we know today as
the honeymoon.

In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints and quarts... So in old England,
when customers got unruly, the bartender would yell at them "Mind your pints
and quarts, and settle down." and thus came the expression to mind your p's and q's.

BACK Many years ago in England, pub frequenters had a whistle baked into the
rim, or handle, of their ceramic cups.? When they needed a refill, they used
the whistle to get some service. "Wet your whistle" is the phrase inspired
by this practice.

~~~~~~~~~~~AND FINALLY~~~~~~~~~~~~

Don't delete this just because it looks weird. Believe it or not, you
can read it.
I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod
aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdgnieg.The phaonmneal pweor of
the hmuan mnid Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it <>deosn't
mttaer in waht oredr theltteers in a wrod are, <>theolny iprmoatnt
tihng is taht the frist and lsat <>ltteer be in the rghit pclae.
The rset can be a taotl mses and you can  <>sitll raed it wouthit aporbelm.
Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not
raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.
Amzanig huh?