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WITandWISDOM(tm) - December 6, 2000 ~~~~~~~ THOUGHTS: Democracy is the worst system ever invented - except for all the rest. - Winston Churchill Source: Bits & Pieces, August 17, 1995, Copyright (c) Economic Press, Inc., www.epinc.com via http://www.witandwisdom.org ~~~~~~~ SPECIAL THOUGHTS: During the American Civil War, a young man named Roswell McIntyre was drafted into the New York Cavalry. The war was not going well. Soldiers were needed so desperately, that he was sent into battle with very little training. Roswell became frightened - he panicked and ran. He was later court-martialed and condemned to be shot for desertion. McIntyre's mother appealed to President Lincoln. She pleaded that he was young and inexperienced and he needed a second chance. The generals, however, urged the president to enforce discipline. Exceptions, they asserted, would undermine the discipline of an already beleaguered army. Lincoln thought and prayed. Then he wrote a famous statement. "I have observed," he said, "that it never does a boy much good to shoot him." He wrote this letter in his own handwriting: "This letter will certify that Roswell McIntyre is to be readmitted into the New York Cavalry. When he serves out his required enlistment, he will be freed of any charges of desertion." That faded letter, signed by the president, is on display in the Library of Congress. Beside it there is a note which reads, "This letter was taken from the body of Roswell McIntyre, who died at the battle of Little Five Forks, Virginia." Given another chance, McIntyre fought until the end. Most of our decisions are of a different magnitude than Lincoln's, but he illustrates that there is always a time to try again. It never does a boy (or anybody else for that matter) much good to shoot him. But you might be surprised at the power of forgiveness! From the book, Riches of the Heart by Steve Goodier Source: Sermon Fodder, Sermon_Fodder- subscribe@onelist.com via http://www.witandwisdom.org ~~~~~~~ THIS & THAT: Freddie was a bird, a fat little robin whose mother was a terrible scold. One day, after she had given Freddie's father a terrible tongue-lashing, the abused bird ruffled his feathers and screeched: 'You can't talk to me like that! Some day the worm will turn!" Freddie thought about what his father had said as he went looking for food. Suddenly he saw a worm squirming away from him. "Aha," thought Freddie, "some day the worm will turn. I'll just hop along behind and catch him when he does." But this was no ordinary worm. It was Willie Worm whose parents had just lectured him about the importance of being honest. "Always go straight, Willie," they said, "you'll never regret it." So Willie heeded their advice. Instead of turning, he kept going straight, Freddie the robin hopped along behind until he fainted from hunger. Willie overdid it, however. He kept on in a straight line until he fell off the edge of the world. All of which goes to show: (a) that you can't take things too literally, (b) you've got to be careful what you say in front of children, and (c) the world is really flat. By John Luther Source: Bits & Pieces, April 30, 1992, Copyright (c) Economic Press, Inc., www.epinc.com via http://www.witandwisdom.org ~~~~~~~ KEEP SMILING: An elementary school teacher, well versed in educational jargon, asked for a small allotment of money for "behavior modification reinforcers." Her superior saw the item and asked, "What in the world is that?" "Lollipops," the teacher explained. Source: The Funnies, andychaps_the-funnies- subscribe@egroups.com via http://www.witandwisdom.org ~~~~~~~ TRIVIA: What vehicle can change tire pressure while moving? The High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) or Hummer is a highly durable motor vehicle that was originally designed for military use. A Hummer has the ability to change tire pressure while it is moving, making it practical for travel across loose surfaces like sand dunes. The Hummer was designed to be dropped by parachute and land on its wheels unharmed. Its other interesting talents include a winch powerful enough to suspend the vehicle in midair, and, in the military version, the ability to ford streams as deep as 60 inches (150 centimeters). The civilian version of the Hummer, which became available in 1992, is not available with a machine gun or rocket launcher, but it is just as durable as the military version. (Hummer is a trademark of AM General.) A web site for Hummer enthusiasts: http://www.humr.com/humrcentral.html |