WHAT IS MAJOR TOM THINKING ABOUT TODAY?

I was thinking about the Boston Tea Party and about tea, in general.  My English friend in the picture enjoys a "spot of tea" every afternoon.  I don't drink it every day, but here's a picture of a brand and flavor I like - Celestial Seasonings Perfectly Pear White Tea:

So, I was thinking about having my picture on a box of tea with a flavor that represents me.  I don't know if one of these pictures would be suitable or a more animated one?  I'm a very laid-back cat.

While that's simmering, let's talk about the Boston Tea Party, which took place on the evening of December 16, 1773.  Frustrated and angry protestors (estimated 5,000-7,000) gathered at Boston Harbor, upset about the Tea Act which was imposed about seven months earlier in May.  This allowed the East India Company (which had 18 million pounds of unsold tea) to sell their tea directly to the colonies without paying the tea tax.  This almost guaranteed that American-based companies would go out of business!  Meanwhile, the East India Company shipped about 500,000 pounds of tea across the Atlantic to Boston, New York, Charleston, and Philadelphia.  On November 28, the first ship arrived in Boston Harbor, with the others to follow.  The king expected the colonists to unload the ships and pay the taxes within 28 days!

When it was announced that night that Governor Hutchinson refused to accept the shipment, Samuel Adams and the Sons of Liberty (disguised as Mohawk Indians) boarded the British ships (the Eleanor, the Dartmouth, and the Beaver) and emptied the tea into Boston Harbor.  It took nearly three hours to empty the 342 chests which held more than 90,000 pounds (45 tons) of tea.  This would be worth one million dollars today!

Well, you can just imagine how mad the British were over this, so they passed several acts to punish Massachussetts, and especially Boston.  I guess you could say it just "wasn't their cup of tea."  The first Act was the Boston Port Bill, which closed Boston to ocean traffic until the tea that was destroyed was paid for.  It was "time out" for Boston!

That got me in the mood to hear the nursery rhyme,"I'm a Little Teapot"

Since you're in the mood now, grab a cup of tea, get cozy, and let's watch Tom and Jerry together in Yankee Doodle Mouse:

HAMMIN' IT UP WITH BLOG HOG HAMILTON

I've got a "dandy" post for you today!  Have you ever heard of a "macaroni wig"?  You're probably scratching your "noodle" right now, aren't you?  Check out the macaroni wigs below.  The thing on the top is called a chapeau bra, which could only be taken off by that long stick! 

I've got some "splaining to do, don't I?  To understand the song, Yankee Doodle Dandy, you have to know what some of the words meant (see below).  The song was written by a British army surgeon, Dr. Richard Shuckburgh, who wrote the lyrics after seeing the appearance of Colonial troops.  The British were very polished in their red uniforms, while the Americans wore everyday work clothes and handkerchiefs or coonskin caps on their heads.  The words were changed, of course, from the original British version, and this is the most popular version:

  Yankee Doodle

Yankee Doodle went to town

A-riding on a pony,

Stuck a feather in his cap

And called it macaroni

Chorus:

Yankee Doodle keep it up,

Yankee Doodle dandy,

Mind the music and the step,

And with the girls be handy 

"Doodle" means a fool or simpleton, "dandy" refers to a gentleman with manners, nice clothes and hairstyle, and "macaroni" was the fancy style of Italian dress imitated in England at that time.  This would imply that the Yankees were so unsophisticated, that they thought they could stick a feather in their caps and it would be fashionable.  Although it made fun of them, the colonials adopted the song as their own.  When the British surrendered their forces at Yorktown to end the war, their band played "The World Turned Upside Down," and the Americans played "Yankee Doodle Dandy."  There are said to be as many as 190 versions of Yankee Doodle!

 

Let's watch Yankee Doodle Daffy:

 
Q: Did you hear the one about the Liberty Bell?

A: Yeah, it cracked me up!

Q: What did one flag say to the other flag?

A: Nothing, it just waved!

Q: Why did the duck say bang?

A: Because he was a firequacker!

Q: What’s the difference between a duck and George Washington?

A: One has a bill on his face, and the other has his face on a bill!

Caesar and Charlotte were trying on a wig to see how they liked it:

Has Charlotte "wigged out" or just sick of the wig?
Look at Tom in the back thinking she's a bird!

Click the link to read "Pig with a Wig" and learn words with the short vowel "i."
 http://www.helpme2learn.com/demos/phonics1a/html/Pig%20With%20a%20Wig.html

I HOGGED ALL OF WEDNESDAY'S BLOG 

SORRY, HAIRY TROTTER!

DEAR TABBY

DEAR TABBY:  My friend told me that fireworks came about as an accident by a Chinese cook mixing common ingredients together for a dish one night!  Is this true or tale?  Also, could you tell me what other states besides New York ban fireworks?  NO SPARKLE, NEW YORK.

DEAR NO SPARKLE:  You're friend is brighter than the sky at a Fourth of July fireworks display....except for in New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and Massachusetts (to go ahead and answer your question).  SORRY!

He was right about the Chinese inventing fireworks, and there is a popular story that a chef with the Chinese Army mixed the three ingredients together in a pan and when it started to flame, the cook placed the mixture in a closed bamboo chute and then came an enormous explosion.  You could say this is how fireworks "exploded" into history!  The Chinese called it "huo yao'" (fire chemical).

We do know that fireworks were invented in China about 2,000 years ago by mixing charcoal (15%), sulfur (10%), and saltpeter (75%).  Saltpeter is potassium nitrate, one of the ingredients in the first gunpowder!  Saltpeter is used as a preservative in meats, ice cream, and also in toothpastes for sensitive teeth - check the ingredients in your food and household products!  You can see how this invention was later used as weaponry.

The knowledge of fireworks soon began to spread to the west.  It is "up in the air" whether Marco Polo (on one of his many trips to China) transported this invention to the Middle East, where European Crusaders brought it to England.  That Marco Polo sure got around! 

Credit for developing fireworks into a true art form has to be given to the Italians. They developed aerial shells that launched upward and exploded into a fountain of color.

 For nearly 2,000 years, the only colors fireworks could produce were yellows and oranges.  It was only in the 19th century that reds, greens, and blues could be produced.

Let's look at some of the familiar patterns of fireworks and maybe you can name some of them at a fireworks show.

Spider effect

Palm burst



Kamuro effect

Now I can't decide whether I want to listen to Katy Perry's Firework or Schoolhouse Rock's Fireworks.  Blast it - I'll watch both!







LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS by Blog Dog Dan

The title of today's post is one of the most important phrases in the United States' Declaration of Independence - pretty catchy, isn't it?  Have you ever had to write a paper that explained why you thought something was unfair and why you wanted to do it your way?  That's exactly what happened when the 13 American colonies (New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia) wanted their independence from Great Britain's rule because of laws and taxes that only benefited the British. 

After the French and Indian War (1754-1763), there were many conflicts between the American colonies and the British government.  One of those was The Tea Act in 1773, which made the colonists "boiling mad" because they could only buy tea from one company (the company wasn't doing so well, and the British wanted to give it more business).  This eventually led to the Boston Tea Party on December 16, 1773.  Sixteen months later, the people were "seeing red" (we'll have to talk about Paul Revere next) and the American Revolution (1775-1783) had begun.   

From 1774 to 1789, the Continental Congress served as the government for the 13 American colonies (and later the United States).  The men chosen to serve in the Continental Congress were called delegates.  In 1776, they declared America's independence from Britain.  This action resulted in the writing of the Declaration of Independence!  But you know it wasn't this simple - nothing worth doing is!  It's interesting to note that one-third of the colonists were in favor of rebellion, one-third continued to side with the British, and one-third were neutral!

The Congress had to meet secretly in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, because their actions would have been considered treason and they could have all been hanged for this crime!  They formed a "Committee of Five" (John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Robert R. Livingston, and Roger Sherman), who asked Thomas Jefferson to write the document stating the reasons why the colonies wanted to become independent.  They all met again on June 28, 1776 to review the draft Jefferson had written, made some changes, and then submitted the document on July 2nd to declare their independence.  This was printed and made official on July 4, 1776.  That is why July 4th is called Independence Day!   

The liberty bell was rung at the reading in Philadelphia on July 8.

This is the timeline afterwards.  Things moved pretty swiftly, for the government!

• July 6:  Pennsylvania Evening Post prints the first newspaper edition of the Declaration of Independence. 
• July 8:  First public reading of the Declaration in Philadelphia.
• July 9:  Washington orders that the Declaration of Independence be read before the American army in New York.
• July 19: Congress orders the Declaration of Independence officially inscribed (engrossed) and signed by members.
• August 2:  Delegates begin to sign the engrossed copy of the Declaration of Independence.
• January 18, 1777:  Congress sends signed copies to all the states.  

Fifty-six people signed the Declaration of Independence.  The youngest signer was Edward Rutledge (age 26), the oldest was Benjamin Franklin (age 70), and two future presidents signed: John Adams (second President) and Thomas Jefferson (third President).  John Hancock (leader of the American Revolution, Governor of Massachusetts, and President of the Continental Congress) was the first person to sign the Declaration and his signature was the largest and most easily recognized of them all!  That's why you hear the expression, "Put your John Hancock here."  Click on the link below to see his signature at the bottom! http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/image.htm

So this July 4th, celebrate all the hard work and sacrifice this gentlemen made for Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.

"We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal..."

Declaration of Independence

July 4, 1776

Let's watch a Sesame Street episode about the American Revolution:

FIAMMA'S FUN FACTS FRIDAY

I do love the "dog days of summer," but I would like them to be called the "iguana days of summer."  I love the summer months because I spend more time outside, but I still have to have shaded areas to cool down, and my room temperature is around 80 at night when I go to bed.  Also, please watch out for iguanas crossing the street in your neighborhood, especially in Florida.  We might even fall from the trees sometimes!

Tom had the 100th post yesterday and didn't even mention it!  With all the "hot air" on the blog this week about therapy this and therapy that, I have to bring the work week to an end at post 101!  I'm being sarcastic because THERE ARE NO THERAPY LIZARDS to talk about.  I am glad there are special animals that can help out our two-legged people friends, both physically and mentally.  I try to do my part locally; just look at this picture with me bringing some tissue and liquid vitamins to a friend who has a cold. 

There are two forms of therapy that are very useful, and that's aromatherapy and laughter.  Aromatherapy is the use of plant oils for healing.  Some oils are used for physical healing (swelling or infections) while others are used for psychological healing (relaxing or stimulating effect).  A French chemist (René-Maurice Gattefossé) founded the science of aromatherapy in 1928.  He discovered its healing benefits when working with soldier's wounds in World War I and was amazed to see the benefits of lavender in treating burns and removing all burn scars. 

You know the saying, "Laughter is the best medicine," don't you?  Well, I have some fun facts about laughter that's "nothing to laugh about":

• If you laugh 100 times, it’s the same thing as cycling 15 minutes on your bike.
• Laughter encourages concentration on "right" attitudes rather than "wrong" attitudes.
• Laughter releases anger, fear, guilt, anxiety, and tension.
• Aside from improving our moods, laughter can reduce stress, help fight infection, and reduce pain.

The animals I live with are my therapy.  Life is always better when it's shared with someone you love.

Two heads are better than one

Bunny and Bear at Caesar's Palace

That hat looks familiar....

We'll get a little more "therapy" with Mr. Bean:

WHAT'S MAJOR TOM THINKING ABOUT TODAY

Daylight, I must wait for the sunrise

I must think of a new life, and I mustn't give in

When the dawn comes, tonight will be a memory, too

And a new day will begin

That is one of the stanzas from the song Memory from the musical Cats.  Did I tell you that I was the understudy for the character Grizabella?  She was a one-time glamour cat, who ponders about her glorious past and her wishes to start a new life.  Cats was based on T.S. Eliot's book of poems, Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats.  "Old Possum" was Eliot's nickname.  The song was based on two poems by T.S. Eliot, Preludes and Rhapsody on a Windy Night.   He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1948. 

Cats is the second-longest-running musical on Broadway (Phantom of the Opera is currently the longest.)  Cats has won many awards, including seven Tonys in 1983. 

Best Musical
Best Actress in a Musical -- Betty Buckley
Best Director -- Trevor Nunn
Best Musical Book -- T.S. Eliot
Best Musical Score -- Andrew Lloyd Webber
Best Costume Design -- John Napier
Best Lighting Design -- David Hersey

Who could these cool cats be:



Of course, like dogs and horses, there are therapy cats, too.  Crystal is a silver Persian who visits the mental health unit at Sequoia Hospital in Redwood City, California.  She rides around in her own special enclosed stroller and visits the patients there, who love to stroke her soft fur. 

I wish I had a hat like Princess Sugar Pie, another therapy cat.  The song tells her story:

Last, but certainly not least, here's a very special video of Luca and Tony, a therapy cat, giving comfort to a war veteran:

 

HAMMIN' IT UP WITH BLOG HOG HAMILTON

If you think hogs are hard-working slobs, too, you would be right!  You could say we really bust our chops and bring home the bacon...or should I say truffles?  Truffles are a fungus that are found underground near the base of trees in the forests in Europe (mostly France and Italy) and North America (Oregon and Washington).  Pigs are trained to hunt truffles by walking on a leash through these forests with their keeper.  Pigs are well suited to this task because they have a natural ability for rooting in the earth for food and are able to identify truffles from as low as three feet underground with their good sense of smell!

The use of pigs to hunt truffles is said to date back to the Roman Empire (noble creatures that we are), but the first well-documented use is in the 15th century.  Today, it is common for dogs to be used to hunt truffles (known as truffle hounds), because hogs have been known to eat too many truffles in the field (not so well documented, I say!)  It is frequent for the truffle hog to be a devoted family pet of the truffler. 

This 1.6-lb. white truffle sold for $150,000 in 2009

Truffles are considered a culinary delicacy.  Because they're difficult to find, they are expensive, selling for $250-500 a pound.  The most popular types are Italian white and French black.  The white ones are only available a couple months of the year, almost exclusively from one part of Italy, and can cost as much as $2,000 a pound.  Because of their high price and pungent odor, only a small shaving is used in recipes.

Don't confuse fungus truffles with candy truffles.  Candy truffles are a delicious chocolate treat.  I wonder if Cochran and Christie know how to make these?  Bet you they would use "dark" chocolate in their recipe!

NOW THAT'S YUMMY!

THAT'S FUNNY

THAT'S NOT SO FUNNY

Stay "tooned" for a Tiny Toons Adventure called Job OpporTOONities, featuring Hampton in Working Pig.  Bet you'll be snorting with laughter!

TROTTIN' ABOUT TOWN WITH HAIRY TROTTER

It was a great weekend for the Flower Mound Humane Society at Fido Fest in Flower Mound last Saturday.  Charlotte and the other doggies really enjoyed the activities and raised money for the shelter and animals looking for their "forever" homes.  You can go to PetSmart in Flower Mound on June 25 for Adopt-A-Pet and June 26 for Adopt-A-Purr.

 

No more horsing around - check out these adorable miniature horses and all the people they are helping.  These are the Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses.  They work inside hospitals, assisted living programs, hospice programs, programs for Alzheimer patients, and with adults and children with disabilities.  They also work with foster children and at-risk and abused children.  You can get more info and see more pictures at horse-therapy.org.  It would beHOOVE us all to have a therapy horse! 

 

There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man."

~Winston Churchill