"The world is my oyster"

According to the Mail Online, this phrase has been routinely misinterpreted to mean "the world is at my feet."

[In] The Merry Wives Of Windsor, Sir John Falstaff says to the vainglorious idiot Pistol: 'I shall not lend thee a penny,' to which Pistol replies: 'Why then, the world's mine oyster, which I with sword shall open.'

An oyster is something that has to be prised open with a blade. The phrase means 'I will have to use force to get what I want'.

I wouldn't interpret it quite that way, but a quick Google doesn't turn up a definitive answer. There must be some (other) English majors out there who can speak with authority regarding what Edward deVere meant when he wrote this phrase.

Ladders on wheels!!!

The USS Macon was one of the largest airships in the world. This photo is dated 1933, during her construction. That's an "duraluminum" hull. You can read about her career and death at Wikipedia.

If you find this photo fascinating, you really need to look at the large-size version. I can't believe those guys are on top of those ladders.

Found at x-ray delta one's Flickr photostream, via Sharp as Teeth and Stars.

Addendum: This re the men on the ladders (hat tip to Soubriquet):

As those ladders got higher and higher, they swayed more and more, and the workmen became afraid, refused to climb, and quit.

The project slowed almost to a standstill, until Nevil had a brainwave, just to the east of Howden, was the port of Hull, south, across the estuary was the port of Grimsby, and in both of those, there were a great many deep-water sailors, many who had served in the days of sail, and square-riggers. They were used to climbing aloft and working whilst moving, swinging, rolling, and they were eager for work. These men had no fear whatsoever of the heights, and the project was soon back on line.

Limbo party

This is how your parents had fun.

Found in Epiclectic's Flickr photostream, via snuh.

Parasitic wasp larvae

Those who were dismayed by the Planet Earth video of cordyceps fungi erupting from the brains of insects would be best advised to give a wide berth to this National Geographic video showing how parasitic wasp larvae make use of the body of a caterpillar, then hijack its brain at the very end.

Via Mental Floss, where you can find other zombie-like critters.

Corporate farming

People in the United States seem to always think that U.S. farms are the biggest and best. If that's your view, consider this photo from Der Spiegel's gallery of the best photos of 2009, subtitled "The soybean harvest in Brazil." 25 harvesters in a wedge formation. The family farm with 40 acres of soybeans is almost an anachronism today.

Buster Keaton and Sybil Seedy

I was immediately reminded of Paul Newman and Katherine Ross in the scene in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

Via Sloth Unleashed.

"Move Your Money"

This past week I've noticed the video above posted at a variety of major websites (HuffPo, Daily Dish, TruthDig) in association with an appeal for people to support their community banks rather than the major ones. I ignored the video, assuming it was a simple clip from "It's a Wonderful Life." Actually it's a mashup of scenes from the movie interlaced with news reports on the banks that are "too big to fail," and it's quite well done.

TYWKIWDBI agrees with the principle of supporting local banks, for selfish interests as much as for philosophical ones. When a short-term CD matured this summer, my broker at Wells Fargo (formerly Wachovia, formerly Prudential) said he could roll the money into a new one at 1.25%. I told him my local credit union was offering about 2% and asked him to call me back when he found a yield to match that. He hasn't called me since (and I moved the money). We also keep money in CDs in a small-town bank in northern Minnesota.

This is something you have to decide for yourself; don't blindly follow my lead. But you can start by watching the video, or visiting the Move Your Money site.

Megachurch rescued by donations from poor people

Pastor Rick Warren's prayers have been answered. His megachurch - the Saddleback Church of Orange County, California - was facing a $900,000 budget shortfall, and he sent out an urgent appeal:

"On the last weekend of 2009, our total offerings were less than half of what we normally receive -- leaving us $900,000 in the red for the year, unless you help make up the difference today and tomorrow."

The church's usual non-holiday Sunday offering is estimated at $600,000 coming from more than 80,000 members at five different church locations.

Today ABC News is reporting that a flood of small donations has rescued the church.

The pastor shared from the pulpit some of the e-mails he received.

"We're a one-income family, so our resources are limited," one donor wrote. "But God has remained faithful to us with our finances in 2009, and we know He's going to take care of us in 2010, so here is our gift."

Another wrote, "Even though this has been my worst year financially, I still want to help my Church."

I'll defer any comments.

Free to enjoy dogfighting

"Afghan men hold a fighting dog on a long leash as it prepares for the weekly dog fights on December 11, 2009 in Kabul, Afghanistan. Dogfighting is facing a resurgence after it had been banned under the Taliban for being un-Islamic."

Photo: Majid Saeedi/Getty Images

Addendum: Anonymous offered an interesting counterpoint from Foreign Policy re the history of dog fighting in Afghanistan.

Like wrestling, the art in leverage, timing and speed. If, as occasionally happens, one dog shifts from wrestling to truly biting and drawing blood, the owners rush in and put both hands on the flanks of their own dogs, who break off immediately. The fight is called a draw and the next dogs come on.

No dogs die. Almost no dogs are injured (they are too valuable). Much yelling and wagering takes place, and by 2 in the afternoon everyone starts the long hike back to his village -- some with their honor enhanced by the audacity of their hounds and some with their honor diminished.

More at the link. The same source had another post about dogs in Afghanistan; unlike in Iran, the Afghan dogs are respected and while fierce are all household dogs, not strays.

I don't approve of dogfighting/bullfighting/cockfighting etc, but I may have been too quick with my implied condemnation. I also ran across something in my reading yesterday about the historically American "sport" of tying bulls to bears for fights; will blog later - but this is a football day.

An island in the Maldives

Source.

Sherlock Holmes

Hollywood has apparently decreed that Sherlock Holmes is now an "action hero," but for me he will always be the cerebral sleuth of drawing rooms and foggy streets. Golden Age Comic Book Stories has a collection of covers from Colliers, and the movie posters depicting Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce in their iconic roles.

I've changed TYWKIWDBI's comment policy

I've liberalized it again, allowing anyone to comment, including anonymous. Done in response to emails from two readers and the encouragement of my wife (who had also been excluded under the recent strict guidelines). If the spam returns I'll have to change back, but this time I think there is one of those annoying captchas to minimize spam. We'll see.

A dog at the beach

"He comes to the beach several times a week, and loves it..."

Full story and additional photo at Wanderin' Weeta's wonderful nature blog.

Digging out

It's hard to impress a Minnesotan with a photo of deep snow. But this one deserves a post. From English Russia.

Ringing in the new year in Switzerland

"St. Sylvester mummers (Silvesterklausen) perform in the village of Urnaesch in the region of Appenzell, December 31 2009. Three very different groups of mummers distinguished as the beautiful (Schoene), the ugly (Wueschte) and the less ugly (Schoe-Wueschte) dressed up in costumes made of twigs, cones, mosses and dried leaves proceed from house to house in small groups singing and ringing their bells wishing families a prosperous year.

REUTERS/Miro Kuzmanovi