Ramen and Men
Declaration of Independence
Bilingualism
National Cherry Festival
Caesar
Vice President
National/State Boundaries
The Ceding of Florida
Commons Building
Sightseeing Tours
Ministry of Mending
Transatlantic Cable
Henry Ford

Ramen and Men
04/07/02

The stimulus for today's message was a recent newspaper article about a popular kind of Japanese noodles called "ramen." This was the topic of the senior thesis of a college student in Colorado, who carefully examined the "social and cultural meanings" of this tasty noodle dish. It reminded me of the frequent visits to a neighborhood noodle shop in the Japanese city of Nagoya that my wife and I made along with our son and his Japanese wife and two daughters. While reading the article, I was again reminded of certain peculiarities of the Japanese and English languages. In Japanese, there are many words with the same pronunciation, having completely different meanings and written with different Chinese characters. In my Japanese dictionary, there are six words written with different characters pronounced "men," one of which denotes "noodles." "Ramen" is one kind of "men." In English, there are many irregularities in regard to the pronunciation of certain letters and the plural forms of certain words. The plural form of most words is made by adding an "s" or an "es" to the singular form. Thus, the plural of "pan" is "pans;" the plural of "can" is "cans," and the plural of "fan" is "fans." But the plural of "man" is "men," and the plural of "woman" is "women," in which the pronunciations of both vowels are changed. In the creation story found in the second chapter of the first book in the Bible, the book of Genesis, the origin of the (Hebrew) words for "man" or "Adam," (both derived from "ground" = "adamah") (verse 7) and "woman" (= "wife-man") (verse 23) may be found. (755)

Declaration of Independence
04/07/04

Most early colonists of North America did not have political independence as their goal. They were content to live under the administration of Great Britain and to express their loyalty to the British monarchy. It was in response to the unilateral imposition of taxes and other undemocratic procedures that provoked the colonists to object and rebel. Finally, on July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress approved the "Declaration of Independence" which has continued to exert a great influence in the affairs of many other nations also. That Declaration begins as follows: "When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands, which have connected them with another, and to assume among the Powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent Respect to the Opinions of Mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the Separation. We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness--That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their powers from the Consent of the Governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute a new Government . . . ." Now, as Independence Day is celebrated in the U. S. A., it is well for its citizens and others throughout the world to reconsider the implications of these famous words. (754)

Bilingualism
04/07/06

Reflecting on the time, place and circumstances related to one's birth, all people may discern both positive and negative factors, both advantages and disadvantages. Whether the "plus" or "minus" side is emphasized depends on the individual. Having been born and raised in a foreign country with a different language and culture than those of one's parents may be considered either beneficial or distressful. Thinking of the experience of my own children, who were born and raised in Japan, obviously they had very limited contact with their grandparents and felt somewhat "out of place" both in Japan and the U. S. A. Although we generally spoke English at home, they naturally became conversant in Japanese as well and they had the opportunity to experience and understand two very different cultures and traditions. A recently published study has indicated that people who are fluent in two languages, who are bilingual, since childhood generally perform better than monolingual people on cognitive tests. They also maintain their cognitive abilities longer as they age. It was noted that it takes a lot of brainpower to hold two languages in the mind simultaneously and that speaking a second language actually produces physical changes in the brain\pumping more blood to carry more oxygen. The advantage of being able to communicate accurately in different languages is obvious in the world today, but genuine "bilingualism" implies more than being able to literally translate words from one language to another. The underlying implications of certain words and expressions also must be recognized. (757)

National Cherry Festival
04/07/08

There is a big difference between the cherry trees in the United States and those in Japan and in the mental pictures they stimulate. In Japan, cherry trees are famous for the beautiful blossoms they produce in the spring which last for about one week. At that time, parties are held under the flowering branches, but for the rest of the year, these trees are almost ignored. Japanese cherry trees and their blossoms have become a favorite theme for poets, but they do not bear fruit. Blossoms on a lesser scale may be seen on American cherry trees also, but these blossoms are the predecessors of tasty fruit. In the state of Michigan, which ranks first among the states in the production of cherries, there are over two million cherry trees. In Traverse City, a northern Michigan city located on a bay of Lake Michigan, a National Cherry Festival is held annually during the first full week after Independence Day. During that week, the city, in which there are hundreds of thousands of cherry trees, sponsors many events that attract hundreds of thousands of visitors. Parades are held. A Cherry Queen is selected. Groups of singers perform. There is a cherry pie-eating contest and a cherry recipe-baking contest. Along with fresh cherries, cherry ice cream, cherry fudge, baked cherry goods, cherry pizzas and other cherry specialties are available. In Washington, D.C., a National Cherry Blossom Festival is held while the cherry blossoms on the trees donated by the city of Tokyo in 1912 are in bloom\in March or April. (759)

Caesar
04/07/10

This seventh month of the year in the Gregorian calendar is called July. This name was given to this month in the year 44 B.C.E. in honor of Julius Caesar, the Roman statesman, military leader and writer, who died that year. The number of days in that month, which was the month of his birth, was then increased by one to total 31. Originally, Caesar was simply a family name, but after the imperial reign of Julius, the name was used by other emperors and has been used as titles of rulers of other countries as well: the Kaiser of Germany and the Czar of Russia. This name is also found in certain English expressions. A "Caesarean section" is a surgical incision through the abdominal wall and uterus performed to extract a fetus from a pregnant woman. The procedure was given that name because of a legend that Julius Caesar was born in that way. Because of a suspicion that one of the three wives of Caesar was involved with another man, Caesar divorced her. Although her involvement was not certain, Caesar made the statement that has become a traditional expression: "Caesar's wife must be above suspicion." A "Caesar salad" is a certain kind of salad that was first served in a restaurant called Caesar's Place in Tijuana, Mexico. In reply to the question about whether the Jews should pay taxes to Caesar, Jesus told the questioner to look at a coin he was using, which had Caesar's portrait on it and gave his famous reply: "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's" (Matthew 22:21). According to the creation story in the first chapter of Genesis, man was created in the image of God so we should give ourselves to God. (756)

Vice President
04/07/14

There are a number of different kinds of "vices." One kind of "vice" (which may also be spelled v-i-s-e) is a clamping device having two jaws which is used to firmly hold an object being worked on. This kind of "vice" is an important tool for carpenters or metalworkers. Another meaning of "vice" is an evil, degrading, immoral practice or habit. All morally sensitive people seek to rid their societies of these kinds of vices. There is a third homonym with the same spelling which denotes one who acts in the place of another, a deputy. In the Navy, a vice-admiral is ranked just below an admiral and some universities have a vice chancellor who serves as the chancellor when the chancellor is absent. In the United States of America, the vice president ranks just below the president and may assume the president's duties if the president is absent, ill or deceased. In the national election to be held this fall, both a president and a vice president will be elected to serve a four-year term. In the election campaign which is now under way, even before the official selection of the candidates by the major political parties, candidates for both president and vice president are seeking to win the approval of voters. Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts recently chose Senator John Edwards of North Carolina as his running mate and candidate for vice president. They will seek to replace President Bush and Vice President Cheney. Obviously, there is now too much vice in American society. Of course, we cannot put this kind of vice in a vice to repair it, but we hope that the person who is chosen to be vice president will help to solve the problem. (760)

National/State Boundaries
04/07/16

Looking at a map of the world, it is interesting to compare the size and shape of the various countries and to note the kind of boundaries that separate them. The countries with the largest areas are: Russia, Canada, the United States, China, Brazil and Australia. National boundaries of countries in Europe and Asia are generally determined by natural geographic features, such as bodies of water, mountain ranges, rivers, etc., but those on the continents of Africa, North and South America have many straight-line boundaries, obviously determined by human beings, usually representing colonial powers. Some of those boundaries have continued to be causes of bitterness and wars, even at the present time. Of the six largest countries, Canada, the United States, Brazil and Australia have some straight-line boundaries. Comparing state or prefecture boundaries within Canada, the United States, Australia and Japan, we see no straight-line boundaries in Japan, but many in the other three countries. In fact, there are two adjacent states in the U. S. A. that are rectangular in shape, with straight-line boundaries on all four sides. An adjacent state also has straight-line borders and three other neighboring states have mostly straight-line borders with short sections determined by rivers. If you wish to check a map, the states I have noted are the western states of Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, New Mexico, Nevada and Arizona. If you look closely in that area, you will see the only place in the U. S. A. where the boundaries of four states join in one place. (758)

The Ceding of Florida
04/07/19

Twenty-three of the fifty states in the United States of America have at least a part of their state on a seacoast, whether the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico. From all of those states, one may easily see the sea, but the states with the highest percentage of coastline are Hawaii, Alaska, California and Florida. "See" and "sea" are homonyms with very different meanings as are "seed" and "cede." When used as a noun, "seed" denotes a small embryo from which a new plant may be produced. As a verb, "seed" means to plant seeds, but "the seeding of Florida" has quite a different meaning than "the ceding of Florida." To "cede" means to officially surrender possession of some property. It was 183 years ago, on July 17, 1821, that Florida was ceded to the United States by Spain. It was the Spanish explorer, Juan Ponce de Leon, who claimed this territory for Spain in 1513 and gave it the Spanish name meaning "flowery," but it became the source of conflict between Spain, France and Britain. During the American Revolution, Florida remained loyal to Britain and became a haven for Loyalists who flocked there from the rebelling colonies. It was following the War of 1812 between the United States and Great Britain, however, that Great Britain conceded to American demands and ceded this territory to the U. S. A. One may see the sea from many parts of this flowery state and since it was ceded to the U. S. A., it has been seeded by many kinds of flowers and fruits, including oranges, grapefruit and other citrus fruits which we enjoy. (763)

Commons Building
04/07/21

Since entering this retirement community five years ago, it has become customary for our granddaughters to come to visit us during their summer vacation. During the recent visit of two teen-aged granddaughters, one from Japan and one from New Mexico, the new Commons Building which is very near our house became a popular place. In this building, there are a variety of attractions. In one corner, there is a large swimming pool, in which the girls enjoyed swimming. Next to the swimming pool is a Fitness Center, in which there are many different kinds of machines that are used for exercising various parts of one's body, but they did not make use of these machines. In the third corner, there is a large library in which not only books, newspapers, magazines and videotapes are available; there are also a couple of computers on which they enjoyed playing games and writing to their friends. In the other corner there is a game room. In this room, there is both a ping-pong table and a pool table. There are also many small tables and chairs to be used by those who borrow games or jigsaw puzzles which are kept in a cabinet. Games include checkers, chess and Chinese checkers. There are many different kinds of jigsaw puzzles which may be put together. Unfinished puzzles are often left on tables for others to work on or finish. My wife and I also went to the game room to play games with them and we brought home a jigsaw puzzle and a couple of videotapes to enjoy at home. And in the middle of the Commons, there is a Coffee Shop where people may relax and have a cup of coffee or tea along with some cookies and ice cream. (761)

Sightseeing Tours
04/07/23

When guests visit us in our retirement community here in Penney Farms, Florida, we may take them to the city of St. Augustine, which is about 40 minutes away by car. St. Augustine, located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean and founded in 1565, is the oldest continually occupied European settlement in North America. There are many historic sites and tourist attractions in that city that draw millions of visitors every year. We usually find a place to park our car and then walk around the city, visiting various places of interest along the streets, but it is also possible to take a sightseeing tour of the city on a trolley. The trolley, which is a kind of small streetcar which does not run on a track, may consist of three or four cars, with the driver in the first car using a loudspeaker to explain about the various areas we pass through. It is possible to disembark from the trolley car at certain stops and board another one that follows later with the same ticket. We have taken this sightseeing tour with guests, but we had never taken a carriage tour until the recent visit of our two granddaughters. The carriage is a four-wheeled, horse-drawn passenger vehicle, which we knew our granddaughters would enjoy riding. The driver, who sat in front of us held the reins which guided the grey horse. As we slowly passed along the streets that were also used by passenger cars and trolley cars, the driver told us about the history of the city and informed us about the particular areas we were passing through and the sites along the way. Since it was the first time that any of us had ridden in a carriage, it was an enjoyable experience. (762)

Ministry of Mending
04/07/25

There are various kinds of "ministers" engaged in different types of "ministries." The most common use of these terms is related to government or religion. Certain governmental departments may be called "ministries," such as the Ministry of Finance or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In such cases, the person in charge of such departments is a "minister," as is a person who is authorized to represent his government in dealings with other governments, usually ranking next below an ambassador. In the religious sense, a "minister" is a person authorized to perform religious functions in a church. There are many retired ministers in this Christian retirement community who are regularly called upon to minister in the community's church. On Sunday, I am scheduled to preach and my wife will serve as the liturgist. My sermon title is: "Ministry of Mending." To "mend" means to "make right or correct; repair." There are a number of different areas in which church members, including "ministers," should be involved in mending. First, in the Biblical view, there is a break in the relationship between human beings and their Creator which needs to be mended. Then, there are divisions between human beings of different cultural, religious, racial traditions that should be mended. Even members of the same religious or cultural traditions often are separated because of different personalities or perspectives which require mending. Mending relationships between countries, races and religions is important in the world today and these problems will be considered in the "Sermon Feedback" session on Monday morning. (764)

Transatlantic Cable
04/07/28

At the present time, when radio and television, computers and telephones are so prevalent, it is difficult to imagine the communication problems of 150 years ago. At that time, it took up to one or two months for messages to be transmitted from New York to London over land and sea. After underwater cable connections had been made between England and France in 1845 and between Scotland and Ireland in 1853, a number of attempts were made to lay a submarine telegraph line connecting North America with the British Isles, but it was not until July 27, 1866, 138 years ago this week, that a permanent transatlantic cable was successfully completed. A line laid eight years earlier, by which Queen Victoria and President Buchanan exchanged greetings, lasted only three weeks due to poor insulation. Attempts to lay the cable under the ocean included having ships coming from the opposite sides carrying cables to a meeting place in the center of the ocean and for ships beginning at the midpoint and sailing to their opposite continents had failed. The cable stretching from the Canadian province of Newfoundland, the easternmost area of the North American continent, to the British Isles is about 4,800 kilometers long; from Newfoundland to New York, another 1,500 kilometers of cable connections over land and sea were required. The major figure involved in the successful completion of this project was Cyrus Field, an American merchant who had retired from paper manufacturing at the age of 33, and began this new project, which he continued despite numerous failures, the following year. (765)

Henry Ford
04/07/30

When used as a common noun, "ford" denotes a shallow place in a body of water, such as a river, where a crossing can be made on foot. It is more common, however, to use the word as a proper noun, designating a particular person or the automobile he invented. Henry Ford was born on July 30, 1863 on a farm near Dearborn, Michigan. As a young man, he spent much time doing farm chores by hard hand labor, but, having an interest in mechanics, he became an apprentice machinist in Detroit and repaired watches in his spare time. In 1893, in his backyard shop, he successfully tested a two-cylinder internal combustion engine powered by gasoline he had designed and produced. In 1903, he established the Ford Motor Company and, in 1908, he began producing his Model T Ford, also known as the "Tin Lizzie," which became very popular. By 1927, when production of the Model T ceased, 15 million of them had been sold around the world. This was made possible by new assembly-line techniques which Ford had introduced. On the assembly-line, a moving conveyor belt transports parts in front of a line of workers, each one of whom performs a simple task on a particular part. High wages and an eight-hour day were other factors in attracting workers and making Ford cars so popular. In conclusion, here are a couple of meaningful quotations from Henry Ford. "Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is the probable reason why so few engage in it." "One who fears failure limits his activities. Failure is only the opportunity to more intelligently begin again." (766)