From uncle garabed's notebook

"The Armenian Weekly", Volume 74, No. 32, August 16, 2007

Revolutionary Talk

Whilst you are proclaiming peace and good will to men, you insist upon retaining an absolute power over wives. … Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the husbands. Remember, all men would be tyrants if they could.

…Abigail to John Adams,
March 31, 1776

Everyone in His Place

While Henry IV of France was once being harangued by several deputies in a provincial town, an ass started to bray. Said the king: “Pray, gentlemen, each one in his turn.”

From the Trivia File

If you yelled for 8 years, 7 months, and 6 days, you would have produced enough sound energy to heat 1 cup of coffee.

Church Bulletin Blooper

On Sunday a special collection will be taken to defray the expense of the new carpet. All those wishing to do something on the carpet will please come forward to get a piece of paper.

From the Word Lab

Bashi-bazouk: A savage and brutal ruffian. The word is Turkish and means “disorderly dress.”

It is applied in Turkey to non-uniformed irregular soldiers who make up in plunder for what they do not get in pay.

It came into prominence at the time of the Crimean War, and again in that of the Bulgarian atrocities of 1876.

Sporting fellow

Edo: Here we are in another argument; can’t you be reasonable?

Bedo: O.K. I’ll meet you halfway. I’ll admit I’m right if you’ll admit you’re wrong.

What’s in a Name?

Jamjian/Djamdjian: Turkish in derivation, identified as a trade, jamji is defined as a glazier.