Posts
Monday, June 22, 2009
Monday, June 15, 2009
England in the 1500s
Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May and still smelled pretty good by June. However, they were starting to smell, so brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odour. Hence the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting married.
Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children. Last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it. Hence the saying, “Don't throw the baby out with the bath water.”
Houses had thatched roofs-thick straw-piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof. When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roof. Hence the saying, “It's raining cats and dogs.”
There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings could mess up your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That's how four-poster canopy beds came into existence.
The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt. Hence the saying, “Dirt poor.” The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they added more thresh until, when you opened the door, it would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entranceway. Hence the saying “a thresh hold.”
In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire. Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next day. Sometimes stew had food in it that had been there for quite a while. Hence the rhyme, “Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old.”
Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special. When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man could, bring home the bacon. They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and chew the fat.
Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous.
Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or the upper crust.
Lead cups were used to drink ale or whiskey. The combination would sometimes knock the imbibers out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up. Hence the custom of holding a wake.
England is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people. So they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a bone-house, and reuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying people alive. So they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the graveyard shift) to listen for the bell; thus, someone could be, saved by the bell or was considered a dead ringer.
Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children. Last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it. Hence the saying, “Don't throw the baby out with the bath water.”
Houses had thatched roofs-thick straw-piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof. When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roof. Hence the saying, “It's raining cats and dogs.”
There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings could mess up your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That's how four-poster canopy beds came into existence.
The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt. Hence the saying, “Dirt poor.” The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they added more thresh until, when you opened the door, it would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entranceway. Hence the saying “a thresh hold.”
In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire. Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next day. Sometimes stew had food in it that had been there for quite a while. Hence the rhyme, “Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old.”
Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special. When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man could, bring home the bacon. They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and chew the fat.
Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous.
Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or the upper crust.
Lead cups were used to drink ale or whiskey. The combination would sometimes knock the imbibers out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up. Hence the custom of holding a wake.
England is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people. So they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a bone-house, and reuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying people alive. So they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the graveyard shift) to listen for the bell; thus, someone could be, saved by the bell or was considered a dead ringer.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Saturday, June 06, 2009
Thursday, June 04, 2009
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
Monday, June 01, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Married...
We're glad the wedding went well, and that many of our friends, relatives, colleagues, ex-classmates were all there. We're glad that they were generous in their giving, enabling us to give back to God in thanks for His blessing. We're glad everyone liked the no-frills, fuss-free wedding with live music and good food.
Most of all we're glad that the wedding, while enjoyable, is over and we can look forward to the rest of our lives together i.e. our marriage. Thank you for your well-wishes and we hope we can be a blessing to you the same way you have been a blessing to us.
Yours sincerely,
Mr & Mrs Aaron Wong
Most of all we're glad that the wedding, while enjoyable, is over and we can look forward to the rest of our lives together i.e. our marriage. Thank you for your well-wishes and we hope we can be a blessing to you the same way you have been a blessing to us.
Yours sincerely,
Mr & Mrs Aaron Wong
Barcelona 2-0 United
Deserved what we got - nothing. Shades of 2007's capitulation to Milan. Can't outpass the best.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Last day of singlehood
No it is not an emo song. I'm getting married tomorrow and it still hasn't sunk in. Still feels like any other Friday, except there's no ALG. At least there are no butterfiles in the stomach. =]
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Stag night
The guys brought me to a stand-up comedy at DXO, Esplanade. It was full of the usual risque jokes and I was the butt of many of them given that EVERYONE in the club knew I was getting married but I enjoyed it with my close friends beside me, laughing at me.
On top of all that, United won the title halfway through the night, so it's all good.
On top of all that, United won the title halfway through the night, so it's all good.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Exams - the kids' and mine
I hope I've done enough for the kids despite the mad rush. The SA1 practice papers & answer keys, the Revision Tests and the worksheets came thick and fast. I never like to rush, but there really was no time. And now I have to rush the non-core stuff during my marriage leave, after going through the SA1 papers and the files.
That aside, I completed my first UniSIM exam paper for Introduction to Humanitites I. I somehow could not get going over the weekend only really studied today, the day of the exam. No wonder they call it study leave - MOE knows we're gonna study at the last minute! By God's grace, I studied selectively, spotting certain questions I knew would emerge - painting evaluation, Colosseum/gladiators/Roman games, and the study of history. Drawing mind maps really helped with the memorising part, together with desperate kinesthetic memory techniques. I remembered whatever I wanted myself to remember in a few hours, with naps in between. I had never felt so lethargic! And so I finished my paper with 15 minutes to spare, enabling me to catch a cab with three others headed to the northeast. I overestimated the cost, so as I got off last, I paid only $2.
Thanks, God. =]
That aside, I completed my first UniSIM exam paper for Introduction to Humanitites I. I somehow could not get going over the weekend only really studied today, the day of the exam. No wonder they call it study leave - MOE knows we're gonna study at the last minute! By God's grace, I studied selectively, spotting certain questions I knew would emerge - painting evaluation, Colosseum/gladiators/Roman games, and the study of history. Drawing mind maps really helped with the memorising part, together with desperate kinesthetic memory techniques. I remembered whatever I wanted myself to remember in a few hours, with naps in between. I had never felt so lethargic! And so I finished my paper with 15 minutes to spare, enabling me to catch a cab with three others headed to the northeast. I overestimated the cost, so as I got off last, I paid only $2.
Thanks, God. =]
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Plot: Wolverine lives a mutant life, seeks revenge against Victor Creed (who will later become Sabertooth) for the death of his girlfriend, and ultimately ends up going through the mutant Weapon X program.
My take: Made me interested in the whole X-Men fanboy thing again, especially figuring out why/who things and people are in the movie. Interesting.
Source: http://www.flixster.com/movie/wolverine
Saturday, May 09, 2009
Predicting religious holidays
Ever wondered why it's so difficult to portend when Hari Raya Puasa/Haji, Deepavali, Vesak Day, Chinese New Year comes every year? Fret no more, as an NUS Maths professor explains how the different calendars (lunar, solar, Gregorian, lunisolar etc.) come together to make planning leave so chaotic.
Source: http://www.math.nus.edu.sg/aslaksen/calendar/public-talk.pdf
Friday, May 08, 2009
Army Fighting Language - Mr Brown
Hilarious. A crash course in sexuality education in Hokkien.
http://www.mrbrownshow.com/2009/03/30/the-mrbrown-show-army-fighting-language/
Thursday, May 07, 2009
MOE Statement on Sexuality Education Programme
The erstwhile new Exco did have a point, then.
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1 In recent weeks, the Ministry of Education (MOE) has received feedback on the Sexuality Education Programme conducted by AWARE, as well as other lesson material not involving AWARE. MOE has done a thorough investigation. This statement presents the Ministry’s findings and future steps.
2 MOE and the schools do not promote alternative lifestyles to our students. MOE’s framework for sexuality education reflects the mainstream views and values of Singapore society, where the social norm consists of the married heterosexual family unit.
3 Today, schools are allowed to engage external vendors to supplement MOE’s sexuality education programme. MOE has reviewed the internal processes for selecting and monitoring vendors and found that they can be improved. MOE will put in more stringent processes to ensure that training materials and programmes delivered in schools are in line with the Ministry’s framework on sexuality education. Schools will suspend the engagement of external vendors until the new vetting processes are completed. The Ministry is also reviewing ways to provide parents with more information about sexuality education in the specific schools that their children are in.
4 MOE has examined AWARE’s “Comprehensive Sexuality Education: Basic Instructor Guide”. The Guide contains some positive aspects, like the accurate information provided on STIs/HIV and role-play practice for students to say no to sex. However, MOE’s assessment is that in some other aspects, the Guide does not conform to MOE’s guidelines. In particular, some suggested responses in the instructor guide are explicit and inappropriate, and convey messages which could promote homosexuality or suggest approval of pre-marital sex.
5 In view of this, AWARE’s programmes in schools will be suspended and subjected to the new vetting processes.
6 MOE has also investigated feedback about materials used during General Paper (GP) lessons in junior colleges which carry information on alternative lifestyles. These materials and lessons did not involve AWARE. GP lessons are meant to promote critical thinking and discussion on contemporary issues. MOE investigations showed that the teachers had used these materials to initiate discussion on family structures, and not to promote alternative lifestyles. Nevertheless, MOE will remind school leaders and teachers to exercise greater professional discretion in guiding their students when such topics are discussed. They should also adhere to social norms and values of our mainstream society.
7 Parents are ultimately responsible for inculcating values in their children. MOE’s sexuality education programme aims to complement parents’ role in helping students make informed, responsible and values-based decisions regarding sexuality.
--------------
1 In recent weeks, the Ministry of Education (MOE) has received feedback on the Sexuality Education Programme conducted by AWARE, as well as other lesson material not involving AWARE. MOE has done a thorough investigation. This statement presents the Ministry’s findings and future steps.
2 MOE and the schools do not promote alternative lifestyles to our students. MOE’s framework for sexuality education reflects the mainstream views and values of Singapore society, where the social norm consists of the married heterosexual family unit.
3 Today, schools are allowed to engage external vendors to supplement MOE’s sexuality education programme. MOE has reviewed the internal processes for selecting and monitoring vendors and found that they can be improved. MOE will put in more stringent processes to ensure that training materials and programmes delivered in schools are in line with the Ministry’s framework on sexuality education. Schools will suspend the engagement of external vendors until the new vetting processes are completed. The Ministry is also reviewing ways to provide parents with more information about sexuality education in the specific schools that their children are in.
4 MOE has examined AWARE’s “Comprehensive Sexuality Education: Basic Instructor Guide”. The Guide contains some positive aspects, like the accurate information provided on STIs/HIV and role-play practice for students to say no to sex. However, MOE’s assessment is that in some other aspects, the Guide does not conform to MOE’s guidelines. In particular, some suggested responses in the instructor guide are explicit and inappropriate, and convey messages which could promote homosexuality or suggest approval of pre-marital sex.
5 In view of this, AWARE’s programmes in schools will be suspended and subjected to the new vetting processes.
6 MOE has also investigated feedback about materials used during General Paper (GP) lessons in junior colleges which carry information on alternative lifestyles. These materials and lessons did not involve AWARE. GP lessons are meant to promote critical thinking and discussion on contemporary issues. MOE investigations showed that the teachers had used these materials to initiate discussion on family structures, and not to promote alternative lifestyles. Nevertheless, MOE will remind school leaders and teachers to exercise greater professional discretion in guiding their students when such topics are discussed. They should also adhere to social norms and values of our mainstream society.
7 Parents are ultimately responsible for inculcating values in their children. MOE’s sexuality education programme aims to complement parents’ role in helping students make informed, responsible and values-based decisions regarding sexuality.
Source: http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/2009/05/moes-statement-on-sexuality-ed.php
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