December 27 -2000 - All the Rest

The gymnasium of running, walking on stilts, climbing, etc., steels and makes hardy single powers and muscles, but dancing, like a corporeal posey, embellishes, exercises, and equalizes all the muscles at once.

- Richter

Fashionable dances as now carried on are revolting to every feeling of delicacy and propriety and are frought with the greates danger to millions.

- George F. Hall

Dance, laugh, and be merry; but be also innocent.

- Theodore Barriere

I love these rural dances -- from my heart I love them. This world, at best, is full of care and sorrow; the life of a poor man is so stained with the sweat of his brow, there is so much toil and struggle and anguish and disappointment here below, that I gaze with delight on a scene where all those are laid aside and forgotten, and the heart of the toil-worn peasant seems to throw off its load.

- Longfellow


The Lacewing

The lacewing larva is one of the most beneficial of all insects.

insects

The lacewings are a large group of small insects. There are at least 50 different species that live in North America. These insects have complete metamorphosis and therefore go though each level of development: the egg, pupal, larval and adult stages.

The adult lacewings are generally active only at dusk and have very short lives. Their wings are transparent, gauzy, and covered with a fine network of veins. Most of the adult, lacewings are very poor fliers and would be easy prey if active during the daylight hours. The main activity of the adult lacewing is concerned with reproduction. The adult lacewing has no means of defense except, perhaps, the strong, fetid odor that it emits. Many never eat as an adult, limiting their lifespan to 4 to 6 weeks as an adult.

Before the female lacewing lays an egg, she emits a small drop of sticky substance that is drawn into a long slender thread by lifting her abdomen. Once the thread is in place, an egg is attached to the tip of the thread. This, somewhat strange habit, is very important to the survival of the lacewing species. In 6 to 14 days the egg will hatch. The hungry larva are voracious eaters and begin eating immediately. The larva are indiscriminate about what they eat and if they were not attached to the egg thread would soon eat the eggs of their own kind.

The lacewing larvae are called 'aphis-lions.' They are odd grayish-brown creatures with large curved jaws. They are designed as a very effective eating machine. The aphis-lion will grasp the first aphid or other soft bodied insect and insert its pincer like jaws and suck out the body fluid of its victim. The bottom edge of the mandible has a groove running its length that, when closed against the maxilla, forms a tube. Through this tube the juices of its prey is sucked out in less than a minute. The lacewing larva is one of the most beneficial of all insects. They destroy many kinds of plant pests, including the eggs of plant lice, scale insects, and mealy bugs.

The size that the larva grows is dependent only on the amount of food available. In about 10 days the fast growing larva rolls up in the curve of a leaf and spins a cocoon in which it spends its pupal stage. In about 2 weeks a small, delicate adult emerges and the cycle begins anew.

Sources: | Audubon Nature Encyclopedia |

"Let every created thing give praise to the Lord,
for he issued his command, and they came into being. "

Psalm 148:5 (NLT)

Today's SMILE

A cheerful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
Proverbs 17:22 (NIV)

smile6.gif (2723 bytes)

Did You Hear About...

A Frenchman, an Englishman, and a New Yorker were captured by cannibals. The chief comes to them and says, "The bad news is that now that we've caught you, we're going to kill you. We will put you in a pot and cook you, eat you, and then use your skins to build a canoe. The good news is that you get to choose how you die."

The French says, "I take ze poison." The chief gives him a small vial of a dark liquid. The Frenchman holds it up, says, "Vive la France!", swallows the liquid, and promptly dies.

The Englishman says, "A pistol for me, please." The chief gives him a pistol. He points it at his head, says, "God save the Queen!" and blows his brains out.

The New Yorker says, "Gimme a fork." The chief is puzzled but he shrugs, and gives him a fork. The New Yorker takes the fork and starts jabbing himself all over -- the stomach, the sides, the chest, everywhere. There's blood gushing all over, it's horrible.

The chief is appalled, and asks, "WHAT are you doing?"

The New Yorker says, "So much for your canoe, you stupid jerk!"

Contributed by Danielle Krivas From DigiDay

A man said his credit card was stolen but he decided not to report it because the thief was spending less than his wife did.

Departures and Arrivals

Two men named Richard Hanson lived near each other in the same community. One was a minister and the other was a businessman. The minister passed away at about the same time as the businessman went on a trip to Florida.

When the businessman arrived in Florida, he sent a telegram to his wife informing her of his safe arrival. Unfortunately, the message was delivered in error to the wife of the recently deceased minister.

The telegram read: ARRIVED SAFELY; HEAT HERE TERRIFIC.

From: Catherine Weeks

Texas tourist:

A Texan was taking a taxi tour of London, and was in a hurry.

As they went by the Tower of London the cabbie explained what it was and that construction started in 1346 and it was completed in 1412, the Texan replied, "Shoot, a little ol' tower like that? In Houston we'd have that thing up in two weeks!"

House of Parliament next - Started construction in 1544, completed 1618 "Boy, we put up a bigger one than that in Dallas and it only took a year!"

As they passed Westminister Abbey the cabby was silent.

"Whoah! What's that over there?" exclaimed the Texan.

"I couldn't say, it wasn't there yesterday..."

Source: bill@ssbn.UUCP (Bill Kennedy)

TRUE FACT ...

Humans begin laughing at two to three months of age. Six year olds laugh about 300 times per day, while adults laugh from 15 to 100 times per day.

SOURCE: NYT, Dr. William F. Fry, Stanford University

Happy New Year

'Twas the Day after Christmas

Twas the day after Christmas and all through the house
Children sat slack-jawed, bored on the couch.

Wrappings and toys littered the floor,
An incredible mess that I did abhor.

With Mom in her robe and I in my jeans,
We waded in to get the place clean.

When suddenly the doorbell: it started to clatter,
I sprang to the Security-View to check out the matter.

The new-fallen snow, now blackened with soot,
Was trampled and icy and treacherous to foot.

But suddenly in view, did I gasp and pant:
An unhappy bill collector and eight tiny accountants.

The door flew open and in they came,
Stern-looking men with bills in my name.

On Discover, on Visa, on American Express,
On Mastercard too, I sadly confess,
Right to my limits, then beyond my net worth,
OUer the top I had charged, in a frenzy of mirth.

The black-suited men, so somber, so strict,
I wondered why me that they had first picked.

They stared at me with a look I couldn't miss,
That said "Buddy, when are you for paying for this?"

I shrugged my shoulders, but then I grew bolder,
Went to the cabinet and pulled out a folder.

"As you can see," I said with a smile,
"It's bankruptcy that I'll have to file!"
And with a swoop of my arm, my middle digit extended
I threw the bills in the fire: the matter had ended.

The scent of burnt ash came to my nose,
As up the chimney my credit-worthiness rose.

Without another word they turned and walked out,
Got into their limos, but one gave a shout:
"You may think that's the answer to all of your fears,
But it's nothing you'll charge for at least seven years!

By David Frank

Acupuncturists work for pin money.

Daily Miscellany Comics

Have A Great Day

Phill Bower

Soul Food December 27

Today in History December 27

THE REST – December 27

Today's Quotations — Forgiveness

Today's Word – POSADA

Today's Fact