Green Tea (91/11/01)
It is inconceivable to think of life in Japan without the green tea which is regularly consumed both at home and on social or business calls elsewhere. This tea is now recognized as having health benefits as well as slaking thirst. It has become clear that there is a definite relationship between smoking and lung cancer. Deaths due to lung cancer in Japan, however, are much lower than in the United States even though the average consumption of cigarettes among Japanese males is considerably higher. Recent studies indicate that the Japanese fondness for green tea may be one reason for this discrepancy. The director of a Laboratory for Cancer Research in the United States reported that consumption of green tea reduced the lung cancer rate by 45 percent in mice exposed to cancer-causing agents in cigarette smoke. Studies also indicated that green tea has slowed the formation of skin cancer tumors in mice and inhibited cancerous growths in the stomach and liver. Although green tea is made from the same kind of plant as the black tea consumed in the West, it undergoes less processing. It is remarkable that cancer rates in Shizuoka Prefecture, where green tea is produced and where people drink more of it than in other areas, are comparatively low. Drinking green tea not only serves to promote human relationships. It seems to be a positive element in promoting good health as well. -- Clark Offner (3748)
Construction Worker (91/11/02)
The construction company for which I worked during my summer vacations while in college specialized in concrete and brick construction. My jobs varied depending on the day and construction site but, as a temporary worker, my jobs were the most menial. Sometimes, I shoveled sand and gravel into the cement mixer. Sometimes, I transported wet concrete in a wheelbarrow along the narrow, wooden planks of a scaffold to the place where it was poured between forms to become part of a foundation or wall. At other times, the wheelbarrow was filled with mortar or bricks to deliver to a bricklayer. Although the work was usually not very dangerous (Kiken), it was hard (Kitsui) and dirty (Kitanai), so even though the pay was good, few men would willingly choose this kind of work as their lifetime occupation. Most of the time, I was the only "white" laborer among a crew of "black" workers. Needless to say, I was the best educated of the lot--in the formal sense of the word, but I found out that there were intelligent, discerning men among laborers who had abilities, skills and insights that I lacked and I realized that genuine education is not limited to head knowledge. -- Clark Offner (3749)
Hallelujah (91/11/03)
The most famous part of Handel's oratorio, 'The Messiah,' which is often sung in Japan during the Christmas season, is the "Hallelujah Chorus." The word "hallelujah" is a transliteration of a Hebrew term meaning "praise the Lord." This term is found frequently in the Old Testament book of Psalms, the last five of which both begin and end with this command to praise God, our Creator, Protector and Provider. In the 147th Psalm, God is pictured as the Ruler of the universe, the Restorer of Jerusalem and the Revealer of his word to Israel. This "great and mighty" Lord, whose "wisdom cannot be measured" is said to favor humble people. "He heals the broken-hearted and bandages their wounds." He does not take pleasure in "strong horses" nor in "brave soldiers." Rather, "he takes pleasure . . . in those who trust in his constant love." The God of the Bible is not one of many gods, but the one source of power, goodness, righteousness and beauty. Because the people of Israel had recognized God's work in their history, they became witnesses to his character to the rest of the world. Christians who find God's supreme revelation in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ join with the Jews in their singing of praise to the Lord. Hallelujah! -- Clark Offner (3750)
Tenteki (91/11/04)
Some hospitalized patients receive a continual injection of a liquid by a process called 'tenteki'. This term is not limited to medical treatment. It is also found in a well-known proverb, 'tenteki ishi o ugatsu', constant dripping wears away the stone. This proverb teaches that even a little action (such as calling this "Daily Word" telephone number, for example), if continued for a long time, will have a surprising effect (even on people who think their heads resemble rocks). A similar saying is found in the Old Testament book of Job, chapter 14, verse 19, but a more picturesque verse, in Proverbs 17:15, compares endless dripping on a rainy day to a nagging wife. An English proverb that teaches the cumulative effect of small efforts that seem to have no immediate result is related to the cutting down of large trees: "Many strokes fell great oaks". --Clark Offner (3751)
Formal Elections (91/11/05)
Last week, the formality of an election was held to choose the president of the Liberal-Democratic Party although the result was a foregone conclusion. Today, in accordance with Article 67 of the Constitution, the Diet will designate one of its members to become Prime Minister, but there is no doubt about who will be designated, for, in the Japanese style of parliamentary democracy, formal elections do not usually bring surprises. Results are already decided before elections take place. What do you think about the process by which the man who has now become the chief executive of this nation was chosen? Do you think he represents the preference of a majority of the Japanese people "with whom resides sovereign power"? Article 68 of the Constitution states that "The Prime Minister shall appoint the Ministers of State." Do you think the Cabinet members chosen by the Prime Minister represent his personal choice of those best qualified to serve in their respective positions? I would be interested to read your observations regarding how the men who now head the Japanese government were selected. I will correct the essays sent to me by those listeners or readers who are willing to give their opinions on this subject and publish them in the next issue of "Daily Word" Echoes. My address is: "Daily Word", Post Office Box 30, Moriyama Post Office, Nagoya 463. --Clark Offner (3752)
Adolphe Sax (91/11/06)
Musical instruments in a band or orchestra are divided into stringed instruments, wind instruments and percussion instruments. The sounds of wind instruments made of brass are produced simply by blowing into the mouthpiece. In other wind instruments, a thin strip of cane or metal in the mouthpiece, called a reed, vibrates when blown, producing the characteristic sound of a reed instrument. Most reed instruments, such as the clarinet which originated in Egypt thousands of years ago, are made of wood and thus are called wood-winds, but in the 19th century a new instrument was created which combined a reed mouthpiece with a brass tube. It was invented by the son of a Belgian maker of musical instruments who had made some improvements in the clarinet. The son, who was born 177 years ago today, on November 6, 1814, followed his father's occupation. His name was Adolphe Sax and the instrument he invented is called a saxophone, which combines his surname with the Greek word for sound. The saxophone became an important instrument in 20th century music. An English writer has called music "nothing else but wild sounds civilized into time and tune", but to some of us old folks, some modern music does not seem to have been civilized enough. --Clark Offner (3753)
Nobel Prize Winners (91/11/07)
A woman who has courageously worked for democracy and human rights in her Asian homeland has been chosen to receive the 72nd Nobel Peace Prize. Although Aung San Suu Kyi insists on using only nonviolent means to accomplish her goals, the military rulers of Myanmar have kept her under house arrest for the past two years. She is the eighth woman to receive this prestigious award. The first woman to receive a Nobel Prize was born 124 years ago today, on November 7, 1864, in Warsaw, Poland. In 1903, along with her husband, she received the Nobel Prize in physics for their combined research on radioactivity. Marie Curie is the only person whose name appears more than once in the list of Nobel Prize winners, for in 1911, she was awarded the prize in chemistry for her discovery of radium and polonium. The second woman to receive a Nobel Prize in chemistry was the Curie's daughter, Irene, who shared the prize with her husband in 1935. In the past, contributions made by women in many fields have often been overlooked and opportunities for them to make such contributions were limited. Hopefully, times are changing but, in the area of women's rights, Japan is not a world leader. --Clark Offner (3754)
Keeping Teeth Clean (91/11/08)
You can be quite sure that a word beginning with the letters d-e-n-t has something to do with teeth for "dens" is the Latin word for "tooth". A dentist is a person whose profession is dentistry, the branch of medical science that deals with the teeth and their care. Dentists advise people with dental problems the kind of dentifrice to use so they will not need dentures when they get old. At a meeting of the International Association for Dental Research held last month in Australia, a university professor advocated chewing gum as a way to promote healthy teeth. He suggested that chewing sugar-free gum may be more effective in preventing tooth decay than brushing the teeth. He further asserted that vigorous chewing can even repair decay for the saliva which is stimulated by chewing contains minerals which help rebuild the tooth surface. He advised chewing gum after every meal and eating such saliva stimulating foods as apples, pears, carrots and salads. Keeping teeth clean helps keep them healthy, but an unhappy way to keep them clean is noted in the Old Testament book of Amos, chapter 4, verse 6, where "cleanness of teeth" was the result of a famine. -- Clark Offner (3755)
A Mailman (91/11/09)
In contrast to the long summer vacation which separates the end and beginning of school years in the United States, the winter vacation over Christmas and New Year's holiday is very short. Nevertheless, I spent one of those winter vacation periods as a mailman in my hometown. That is an especially busy time for American post offices because of the many greeting cards and parcels sent at that time of the year. Assisting an older, experienced mailman, I helped sort and deliver mail throughout a central, residential area of the community. It provided considerable daily exercise, walking from house to house with a mail bag over my shoulder, regardless of the weather. An unexpected benefit gained from this experience was realized the following year. Having become acquainted with the post office employees, they knew that some of my friends called me by the nickname of "C.B.O.,", which are the initials of my full name. In order to favorably impress a pretty girlfriend at college, I told her I was such a famous person that if she sent a letter simply addressed to "C.B.O." to my hometown, which had some 12,000 inhabitants, I would receive it. During the next summer vacation, she sent a letter with that address and, sure enough, it was delivered to me. I don't imagine that was the deciding factor, but that college girlfriend later became my wife. -- Clark Offner (3756)
Religious Rituals (91/11/10)
The Chinese character pronounced 'akiru' in Japanese consists of two characters meaning "to eat" (taberu) and "to pack" (tsutsumu). A person who packs much food in his or her stomach is full and, in some cases, we may translate 'akiru' into English as "to be fed up." In the first chapter of the Old Testament book of Isaiah, the prophet harshly informs the people that God is fed up with the kind of sacrifices they have been offering him. They had been offering sacrifices of sheep, bulls and incense as were commanded in the Old Testament Law, but God was not pleased with such sacrifices nor with the other religious rituals they were observing. The reason was that even though they performed religious ceremonies in the temple, they continued to engage in unjust and unethical practices in the political, business or social arenas. He called on them to "stop doing evil and learn to do right. See that justice is done--help those who are oppressed, give orphans their rights, and defend widows" [16-17]. It is easy to be "religious" in a ritualistic sense, but the God of the Bible requires that such ritual be backed up with concrete acts of justice and mercy in daily life. What do you think God would say about the religious rituals performed by politicians, businessmen and common people today? -- Clark Offner (3757)
Minu wa Hana (91/11/11)
The basic meaning of the Japanese word 'hana' is "flower", in general, or cherry blossoms, in particular, but it has many derived meanings, including "youth", "best days", "a fair woman", "Japanese playing cards", "a tip" and "a geisha's fee". Since the meaning is so broad, how should one translate the Japanese proverb, 'iwanu wa hana?' The usual translation is "It's better left unsaid" and the meaning is similar to the proverb, "Silence is golden". Another Japanese proverb implies that some things are better left unseen, 'minu wa hana'. The meaning of this proverb is expressed in the English saying that "Expectation is better than realization". The British writer, Robert Louis Stevenson, wrote in his essay, "El Dorado", "To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." In Romans 8:25, it is written: "if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience." --Clark Offner (3758)
Two Genes (91/11/12)
Jean, spelled j-e-a-n, is a girl's name. Another word, spelled and pronounced the same signifies the strong cotton fabric used in making the trousers which are called "jeans" both in English and Japanese. Gene, spelled g-e-n-e, is a boy's name. Another word spelled and pronounced the same denotes the hereditary unit that determines the particular character of an organism. In Japanese, such genes are called 'gen' or 'idenshi'. As a result of research on rats conducted at the University of Utah in the United States, two particular genes have been identified as elements causing hypertension, or high blood pressure. Although stress and anxiety may be contributing factors to this ailment, the discovery of these two genes linked to the disease will make it possible to work on more effective remedies. Whether one's name is Jean or Gene, and regardless of whether or not one wears jeans, to a certain extent, physical health is determined by our genes, but mental disposition or faith also exerts a great influence on our physical condition. Writers of essays for the next issue of "Daily Word" Echoes should send them to reach me by this coming Saturday, November 16th. --Clark Offner (3759)
Frances Xavier Cabrini (91/11/13)
A "saint" is, literally, a holy person. In the New Testament, this word was used for all Christians who had been chosen by God to live a holy life. In the Roman Catholic Church tradition, however, certain persons are officially designated saints following their deaths, after formal procedures have been followed. In Japanese history, a famous saint is Francis Xavier, the Jesuit missionary who brought Christianity to this country in 1549. When the name Francis ends in c-i-s, it is the name of a man, but when it ends with c-e-s, it is the name of a woman. The first American citizen to be designated a saint by the Roman Catholic Church was a woman, named Frances Xavier Cabrini, and today, November 13th, is her feast day. Born in Italy in 1850, she founded a religious order there. In 1889, she was sent to the United States by the pope to aid Italian immigrants. She became an American citizen and, in 1946, 29 years after her death, she was canonized, which means she was officially designated a "saint". Whether or not they are officially recognized as such, Christians should live saintly lives while they are still alive. --Clark Offner (3760)
Foreign Students in U.S. (91/11/14)
A recent news article reported that the number of foreign students enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities rose by 5.3 percent in the last school year, reaching a total of 407,500. While students from Latin America, African and Arab nations declined, those from Eastern European nations and the Soviet Union had the biggest percentage increase. The largest number of foreign students come from Asia. China, with 39,600, has the most. The country with the second largest number is Japan, with 36,600, followed by Taiwan with 33,500, India with 28,900 and Korea with 23,400. The institution with the most foreign students enrolled is a community college in Florida, with 5700 foreign students, but seven other universities throughout the country have over 3000 foreign students enrolled. For the second straight year, business was the favorite major for foreign students, followed by engineering, which was the most popular major among foreign students for the 40 previous years. This may indicate a shift in emphasis of the countries from which they come. As the number of foreign students in Japan increases, deeper mutual understanding is needed to make their stay here a good experience. --Clark Offner (3761)
New England Frugality (91/11/15)
Although it is not so noticeable among young people these days, a traditional virtue of the Japanese people has been their thriftiness or frugality. This has also been a characteristic of residents of New England, in the northeastern section of the United States who are sometimes called Yankees. A recent issue of the 'Yankee' magazine, published in the New England state of New Hampshire was devoted to thriftiness and the following examples were reported in the frugality contest it sponsored. A brother and sister in Connecticut have been exchanging the same Christmas cards for 37 years. Members of a church in that state collected the bird droppings from the church's bell tower and sold the excrement as fertilizer. A Main resident built a car that runs on chicken fat. A lady in Vermont collected 545 discarded plastic bread bags, cut them into strips and braided a rug that won first prize at the county fair. The state of New Hampshire raises money by auctioning the pelts of animals killed on its roads. With the large deficit budget of the United States government, it should recall its New England roots and the words of a New Englander named Benjamin Franklin, who wrote: "The way to wealth...depends chiefly on two words, industry and frugality; that is, waste neither time nor money, but make the best use of both." -- Clark Offner (3762)
University Jobs (91/11/16)
During my final year of high school, I requested catalogs from various colleges and universities and weighed their merits and demerits in order to decide which one to attend. From the time I was in grade school, I had resolved to become a minister when I grew up, so I chose a private, Christian school, even though it was more expensive than the state universities which my brother and sisters had attended. The University of Dubuque, a small, Presbyterian school, is located in Dubuque, Iowa, just across the Mississippi River from Illinois, about 250 kilometers from my hometown. My usual mode of transportation between home and university was hitchhiking, which I enjoyed. The university granted me a scholarship, so with the money I had saved plus the money I earned at various jobs while at school, I was able to pay all my expenses, including room, board and tuition, without receiving financial help from my parents or taking a loan. I will continue to tell of my part-time jobs in future Saturday messages. Some of those jobs I chose to do and others were assigned to me but, fortunately, they did not interfere with such extra-curricular activities as sports and clubs. In fact, one year as a university student, I earned more money than I spent. -- Clark Offner (3763)
Mansions in Heaven (91/11/17)
The Japanized English word 'mansion' is misleading, for in modern English, a mansion is a large, stately house where very rich people live. The word's original meaning, however, was simply a dwelling place. In the classical English version of the Bible, Jesus used this word in his final talk with his disciples, who were fearful because they sensed that Jesus was going to leave them. Chapter 14 of the Gospel of John begins with Jesus' comforting words: "Let not your hearts be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions. I go to prepare a place for you." Here, Jesus is not speaking of beautiful houses. He simply means that in heaven there are dwelling places for all. God's kingdom is not the exclusive abode of a select few. There is room for all who believe. Jesus explains that it is necessary for him to return to his Father's house to prepare the way for them to follow him there. These words have been a great comfort to Christians throughout the ages who do not believe that death is the end of existence nor a falling into fearful darkness. Rather, it is going home to be with their Lord who has prepared a place for them in heaven, the Father's house. Whether it is a spacious mansion or a modest apartment, if our loving Lord is there, it is heaven. -- Clark Offner (3764)
The Mills of God (91/11/18)
A mill is a device which grinds grain into flour. In the old days, heavy, rotating millstones were used to grind grain. An old saying about the mills of God has become well-known in English through the translation of a German poem by Baron Friedrich von Logau by the American poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: "Though the mills of God grind slowly, yet they grind exceeding small." This is a warning of divine retribution, which may be slow in coming, but will be harsh when it does arrive. The meaning is similar to the Japanese saying, attributed to the Chinese philosopher, Lao-tse, or 'Rōshi: Tenmō kaikai, so-nishite morasazu,' "Heaven's net is of coarse mesh, but nothing slips through it." Both of these sayings presume that we live in an orderly universe and affirm that the evil deeds of human beings will eventually receive their just punishment. --Clark Offner (3765)
Americans and Soviets (91/11/19)
A new reference book was published last month jointly by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Soviet State Committee on Statistics. According to this handbook of economic and social indicators, an average citizen of the Soviet Union eats nearly five times as many potatoes as an average American. No wonder we think of Russians as big and burly. When it comes to meat and poultry, however, the average American consumes more than twice the amount of his or her Soviet counterpart. I hope this does not mean that Americans do more "beefing" and are more "chicken." Other statistics included in the book reveal that nearly three out of every four Americans are urban, while one out of every three Soviets is rural. Nine out of ten American households had a color television set, compared to four out of ten for Soviet families. In 1989, the United States had 1626 daily newspapers versus 719 in the Soviet Union, but the U.S. circulation of 63 million was less than half the 138 million in the U.S.S.R. As a result of the breaking down of barriers between the two countries, I presume the number of color television sets in the Soviet Union will increase, but I'm not sure that Americans will be eating more potatoes. --Clark Offner (3766)
Hungry People (91/11/20)
"Hunger" is the discomfort, weakness, or pain caused by a lack of food. If a child or an adult misses a meal or two, he or she may complain of being hungry, but in the deeper sense of the word, there are very few, if any, truly hungry people in Japan today. We should be thankful for the abundance of food and other necessities in this country, for the situation is very different in other areas of the world. Recently a Christian organization called Bread for the World reported that "more than half a billion adults and children are in a constant state of hunger". Can you imagine how it would feel to be constantly hungry, never knowing the feeling of satisfaction following a tasty meal? The report stated that 20 percent of the world's population live in households too poor to obtain an adequate diet for active work. The Gulf War and other civil wars have contributed to this sad situation along with the collapse of the economies of formerly Communist countries and poor harvests due to drought. Even when food is donated, however, there is often a problem of how to transport it to the people who need it. Those of us who live in wealthy nations, while being thankful for our good fortune, should support efforts to share our abundance with those in need. Jesus said, "Happy are those who are merciful to others" [Matthew 5:7]. --Clark Offner (3767)
First Sōkei-sen (91/11/21)
If asked to name the two most famous private universities in the United States, I presume most people would choose Harvard and Yale, the oldest and third oldest colleges in the country, but there is no doubt what the answer would be if the question concerned private universities in Japan. Keiō Gijuku, founded by the influential educator and transmitter of Western influence, Yukichi Fukuzawa, in 1858, is now known as Keiō University and the Tokyo Senmon Gakkō, founded in 1882 by the respected statesman, Shigenobu Okuma, developed into the present Waseda University. Keiō, literally meaning a "congratulatory response", was an era name of Emperor Kōmei from 1865 to 1868, and Waseda is a place name in Tokyo, meaning "early rice field". Keiō and Waseda universities have been competitors over the years in various fields, but their competition on the baseball field is especially well-known. The Keiō-Waseda baseball competition is at the heart of the Six University Baseball League in Tokyo. The first baseball game between teams of these two schools, known as Sōkei-sen, took place 88 years ago today, on November 21, 1903, at Keiō University in Mita, Tokyo. The game was won by the home team by a score of eleven to nine. ---Clark Offner (3768)
George Eliot (91/11/22)
The word "pseudonym," spelled p-s-e-u-d-o-n-y-m, derived from Greek words meaning "false name," denotes the fictitious name, or pen name, some writers use instead of their real names. A great English novelist who was born 172 years ago today, on November 22, 1819, is known by the pseudonym of George Eliot. Novels for which this writer is famous include 'The Mill on the Floss' and 'Silas Marner,' in which middle-class characters live out lives bound by their circumstances and emotions. In them, the natural landscape, social conditions and personal experiences of the writer's youth are reflected. Using the pseudonym of a man, the author actually was a woman, Mary Ann Evans, who was raised in a strict, Christian atmosphere against which she later rebelled. Her pen name was chosen for her by the man with whom she lived 24 years but who she could not legally marry because he was not divorced from his estranged wife. Her rebellious attitude is reflected in this quotation from 'Middlemarch.' "Correct English is the slang of prigs who write history and essays. And the strongest slang of all is the slang of poets." -- Clark Offner(3769)
Washing Dishes (91/11/23)
The word "common," is usually an adjective, signifying something ordinary, but it may also be a noun. When an "s" is attached to the end of the noun, the word may denote a building or hall for dining. The dining hall on the campus of the University of Dubuque was called Peters Commons because it had been built with money donated by a Mr. Peters. One part-time job I had at the university involved washing dishes in the kitchen of Peters Commons. Meals were served cafeteria-style in this dining hall. Those of us who worked in the kitchen were permitted to go through the cafeteria line ahead of other diners in order to finish our meals early and get to work as soon as we had eaten. After eating, diners carried dishes, glasses, cups and silverware on trays to a window where a worker scraped left-over food into a garbage can, separated the silverware and glasses and stacked the plates, saucers and bowls. The dishwasher then put the dishes, silverware and glasses into separate racks and shoved them into the dishwashing machine. Hot, soapy water was sprayed on them at high pressure followed by clear, hot water to rinse them. Another person then took them out of the racks and dried them. Sometimes I put them in the dishwashing machine and at other times I took them out. In either case, I spent an hour or so in the kitchen three times a day to pay for the meals I ate there. -- Clark Offner (3770)
Paul in Athens (91/11/24)
The New Testament book called The Acts of the Apostles contains the interesting account of the Apostle Paul's visit to the Greek city of Athens in chapter 17. Athens was the city of culture and philosophy where, it is written, both citizens and foreigners who lived there spent their time "telling and hearing the latest new thing." Paul was upset when he saw how full of idols the city was and he began to tell people about Jesus, the Christ. Since this new teaching attracted the interest of the people, he was asked to give a lecture in a public meeting. He began by complimenting the people for being so religious that they even had an altar to "an Unknown God." Then he told them about the one true God who was unknown to most of them, saying that this God did not need man-made temples nor material offerings since he himself was the creator of all things. Quoting their own poets, he stated, "We too are his children." If that is so, Paul reasoned, it is a mistake to consider God to be like an idol made of gold or silver. Making use of logical reasoning and drawing upon elements in their own tradition, Paul sought to lead both philosophers and common people to a more perfect understanding of God. This account is very suggestive for a Christian missionary in Japan. -- Clark Offner (3771)
The Child is Father (91/11/25)
A short poem by the well-known English poet, William Wordsworth, is the source of a well-known English proverb. The entire poem is as follows: "My heart leaps up when I behold A rainbow in the sky: So was it when my life began, So is it now I am a man, So be it when I shall grow old Or let me die! The Child is father of the Man: And I could wish my days to be Bound each to each by natural piety." The proverb, "The child is father of the man", is an inversion of the natural order and teaches that an individual's lasting character is already evident in a young child. The meaning is similar to the Japanese proverb about the soul of a three-year-old continuing until a hundred, 'Mitsugo no tamashii hyaku made'. This is why it is so important for parents to give healthy moral training to young children, as noted in Proverbs 22:6, even before they begin school. --Clark Offner (3772)
Charles Schulz (91/11/26)
These days, as television has become so pervasive, fewer and fewer people find or take the time to sit and read great literature. More and more people are finding superficial enjoyment looking at comic books. Cartoons provide a quicker, easier way to absorb meaning than carefully-crafted literary passages. Although personally I am not well acquainted with current comic books, my impression is that most of them are not very uplifting. Over many years in the United States and other countries, however, a popular comic strip called Peanuts has offered food for thought for thinking people as well as humor. The creator of this comic strip, Charles Schulz, was born 69 years ago today, on November 26, 1922, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He became a lay-preacher of a Christian denomination and, in an indirect way, he seeks to "preach" by means of the words and antics of Charlie Brown, his friends and his dog "Snoopy". Mr. Schulz has written, "if you do not say anything in a cartoon, you might as well not draw it at all. Humor which does not say anything is worthless humor. So I contend that a cartoonist must be given a chance to do his own preaching." Since all comics "preach" in one way or another, it is important for parents and all of us to consider the influence for good or ill that comic strips have on us and our children. --Clark Offner (3773)
Stress (91/11/27)
Today's message is about "stress". In speech and music, stress signifies the emphasis or accent placed on particular syllables or notes. In physics, it denotes the force applied to a body which causes strain or deformation. These days, the word is commonly used for mental distress caused by psychological pressure. Stress is a common complaint of Japanese businessmen, but a recent study has shown that foreign executives working in Japan likewise complain of tired eyes, fatigue, frustration, shoulder pain and headaches. A poll of 300 American and European executives in Japan indicated that 68 percent reported feeling stress in corporate life, compared with 76 percent of Japanese businessmen in a separate survey. A major difference, however, was that when the pressure becomes too great, 25 percent of the foreign executives take time off to recuperate compared to less than 5 percent of the Japanese. Another difference was seen in one of the means chosen to ease pressure: 17 percent of Japanese businessmen reported going to karaoke bars, compared to only 5 percent of Western executives. The Biblical answer to the problem of stress is faith in God. In Isaiah 26:3, it is written: "You, Lord, give perfect peace to those who . . . put their trust in you." --Clark Offner (3774)
Friedrich Engels (91/11/28)
The Communist system which is collapsing around the world these days is based on an unrealistic, idealistic view of human nature. Some elements in Communist theory are commendable, but to put them into practice requires a basic change in human character which obviously has not yet been effected. The name most commonly associated with Communist theory is Karl Marx, the German social philosopher, but he was assisted in his theorizing by Friedrich Engels, who was born 171 years ago today, on November 28, 1820. Engels, the son of a wealthy German textile manufacturer, went to England to take a position in a factory in which his father had an interest. In Paris, he met Karl Marx and their lifelong association began. His first book, 'The Condition of the Working Class in England' in 1844, attracted wide attention. Following its publication, he was active in organizing revolutionary movements on the continent while collaborating with Marx on several works, including the 'Communist Manifesto' in 1848. Following the failure of the revolutionary uprisings, he returned to England. From his income as a successful businessman, he provided Marx with the means to continue his research and writing. Englels' influence on Marxism can scarcely be overestimated. --- Clark Offner (3775)
Construction Worker (91/11/02)
Hallelujah (91/11/03)
Tenteki (91/11/04)
Formal Elections (91/11/05)
Adolphe Sax (91/11/06)
Nobel Prize Winners (91/11/07)
Keeping Teeth Clean (91/11/08)
A Mailman (91/11/09)
Religious Rituals (91/11/10)
Minu wa Hana (91/11/11)
Two Genes (91/11/12)
Frances Xavier Cabrini (91/11/13)
Foreign Students in U.S. (91/11/14)
New England Frugality (91/11/15)
University Jobs (91/11/16)
Mansions in Heaven (91/11/17)
The Mills of God (91/11/18)
Americans and Soviets (91/11/19)
Hungry People (91/11/20)
First Sōkei-sen (91/11/21)
George Eliot (91/11/22)
Washing Dishes (91/11/23)
Paul in Athens (91/11/24)
The Child is Father (91/11/25)
Charles Schulz (91/11/26)
Stress (91/11/27)
Friedrich Engels (91/11/28)
Fashionable Colors (91/11/29)
Night Librarian (91/11/30)
Green Tea (91/11/01)