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The Civil War (1861-5) has spawned numerous myths and falsities.

The Republicans did not intend to abolish slavery - just to “contain” it, i.e., limit it to the 15 states where it had already existed. Most of the Democrats accepted this solution.

This led to a schism in the Democratic party. The “fire eaters” left it and established their own pro-secession political organization. Growing constituencies in the south - such as urban immigrants and mountain farmers - opposed slavery as a form of unfair competition. Less than one quarter of southern families owned slaves in 1861. Slave-based, mainly cotton raising, enterprises, were so profitable that slave prices almost doubled in the 1850s. This rendered slaves - as well as land - out of the reach of everyone but the wealthiest citizens.

Cotton represented three fifths of all United States exports in 1860. Southerners, dependent on industrial imports as they were, supported free trade. Northerners were vehement trade protectionists. The federal government derived most of its income from custom duties. Income tax and corporate profit tax were yet to be invented.

The states seceded one by one, following secession conventions and state-wide votes. The Confederacy (Confederate States of America) was born only later. Not all the constituents of the Confederacy seceded at once. Seven - the “core” - seceded between December 20, 1860 and February 1, 1861. They were: South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas.

Another four - Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Arkansas - joined them only after the attack on Fort Sumter in April 1861. Two - Kentucky and Missouri - seceded but were controlled by the Union’s army throughout the war. Maryland and Delaware were slave states but did not secede.

President James Buchanan who preceded Abraham Lincoln, made clear that the federal government would not use force to prevent secession. Secession was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court only in 1869 (in Texas vs. White) - four years after the Civil War ended. New England almost seceded in 1812, during the Anglo-American conflict, in order to protect its trade with Britain.

The constitution of the Confederacy prohibited African slave trade (buying slaves from Africa), though it allowed interstate trade in slaves. The first Confederate capital was in Montgomery, Alabama - not in Richmond, Virginia. The term of office of the Confederate president - Jefferson Davis was the first elected - was six years, not four as was the case in the Union.

Fort Sumter was not the first attack of the Confederacy on the Union. It was preceded by attacks on 11 forts and military installations on Confederate territory.

Lincoln won only 40 percent of the popular vote in 1860. Hence the South’s fierce resistance to his abolitionist agenda. In 1864, the Republicans became so unpopular, they had to change their name to the Union Party. Lincoln’s vice-president, Johnson, actually was a Democrat and hailed from Tennessee, a seceding state.

He was the only senator from a seceded state to remain in the Senate.

Reconstruction started long before the war ended, in Union-occupied Louisiana, Arkansas, and Tennessee. Slave tax was an important source of state revenue in the South (up to 60 percent in South Carolina). Emancipation led to near bankruptcy.

The Union states of Connecticut, Minnesota, and Wisconsin refused to pass constitutional amendments to confer suffrage on black males. The Union army consigned black labor gangs to work on the plantations of loyal Southerners and forcibly separated the black workers from their families.

Contrary to myth, nearly two thirds of black families were headed by both parents. Slave marriages were legally meaningless in the antebellum South, though. But nearly 90 percent of slave households remained intact till death or forced separation. The average age of childbirth for women was 20.

Segregation was initiated by blacks. The freedmen lobbied hard and long for separate black churches and educational facilities. Nor was lynching confined to blacks. For instance, a white mob lynched, in September 1862, forty four Union supporters in Gainesville, Texas. Similar events took place in Shelton Laurel, North Carolina. The Ku Klux Klan was the paramilitary arm of the Democratic party in the South, though never officially endorsed by it. It was used to “discipline” the workforce in the plantations - but also targeted Republicans.

The Democrats changed their name after the war to the Conservative Party. By 1877 they have regained power in all formerly Confederate states.

Sam Vaknin ( samvak.tripod.com ) is the author of Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited and After the Rain - How the West Lost the East. He served as a columnist for Global Politician, Central Europe Review, PopMatters, Bellaonline, and eBookWeb, a United Press International (UPI) Senior Business Correspondent, and the editor of mental health and Central East Europe categories in The Open Directory and Suite101.

Until recently, he served as the Economic Advisor to the Government of Macedonia.

Visit Sam’s Web site at samvak.tripod.com

When we talk about window shutters, it can often be confusing
because you can actually have them on the inside, such as
plantation shutters, as well as the outside of your home. We are
here to take all the confusion out of the various types of
shutters including hurricane shutters along with wood and vinyl
ones. If you live in a part of the world that is subject to
tropical storms, we highly recommend installing good hurricane
shutters to protect both the inside and outside of your home. A
storm can do serious damage to your home’s interior structure if
the windows blow out. The best time to have them installed is
when you are building your home so that your contractor can tie
them into the exterior décor. Great interior decorating window
treatments are plantation shutters.

Custom made plantation shutters can add style, warmth and beauty
to any room in your home. Louver sizes often range from 2 1/2″
to 4 1/28″ depending on the size and shape of your windows and
the room. They come in a variety of colors as well as wood and
faux wood. Faux wood is a synthetic material that will not fade,
warp or chip over time. If you live in a humid climate, these
may be the perfect choice for you. Real wood shutters also come
in a variety of finishes so that you can match them to the
room’s trim color if you like. Hurricane shutters also come in a
variety of finishes and are most often custom made to ensure a
perfect fit.

Many people wonder about the difference in shutter styles. The
main difference with plantation shutters is that they tend to be
thicker and the louvers are often wider. They provide a
distinguishing look and feel to the room and are often used with
traditional décors versus contemporary settings. That doesn’t
mean you can’t use them in a modern home because you can. You
can choose whatever window coverings you like that suit your
needs and your style.

The amenities available on a cruise ship are as important as the places visited during the journey. A cruise liner is often synonymous with the luxuries it offers. The increasing number of passengers on a luxury cruise liner is an indication of the success of the discount offers given by ravel agents. Discount luxury cruises have made a permanent appearance on the budget traveler’s list. Almost all cruise line operators offer discounts to attract more passengers. Today, discount luxury cruises are the catchword for budget minded travelers.

Luxury cruises range from a few hours to several days. Some cruise voyages last for several months, and discounts give much more flexibility to the average traveler’s plans and budget. A cruise is an all-inclusive package, usually including taxes, surcharges and airport fees, handling fees and port charges. Proper care should be taken while choosing a discount luxury to make sure that the above-mentioned charges are included in the cruise rate.

Rates depend on the cruise length and the ports to be visited. Special rates are sometimes applicable to persons traveling alone. Single person booking a double occupancy cabin may be charged 200% more. As a general rule, discount luxury cruises are best enjoyed in large groups. Certain age groups, such as below 12, are given special discounts. Discounts are also extended to senior citizens and members of certain clubs or associations. Ask around, and always compare prices and amenities before taking the final plunge and booking yourself a cabin on a discount luxury cruise liner.

There are three basic types of logos: text, symbol, and combination logos. The type of logo that will work best for your company depends on a number of considerations, such as the size of your company, the uniqueness of your name, and a variety of other factors.

Text logo

A text logo (also sometimes called a logotype or word mark) is a logo largely made up of the text of the company’s name. This type of logo can have some graphic elements – lines, boxes, borders – that interact with, surround, or even form the letters. However, the graphic elements should be used as an accent to the text, not as a major or equally-weighted part of the logo.

A text logo works well when:

• You have a multi-word business name. If your business name is made up of many words, that are not commonly or easily abbreviated, or when an abbreviation may not be appropriate developing a text logo will keep the logo design as simple and clean as possible.

• You’re working with an innovative, unique business name, as with Yahoo or Google. In each case, the business name is enough to make the logo memorable.

• You’re designing a logo for a large company that offers many types of products, services, or a combination of both, that may be hard to define or “wrap up” in a single picture or symbol.

• You’re designing a logo “for the long haul” – there is less concern about your company “outgrowing” a text logo – they are timeless and classic.

• Trademark protection is highly important – as long as your business name is unique, then a text logo will also be unique.

A text logo may not be the right choice if:

• Your business name is not unique; this can mean difficulty for building your brand recognition. Then, without a symbol, the logo will be more difficult to remember or to associate with your business.

• Your business name does not describe what you do, it can be hard to tell what products or services you offer when just a text logo is used. Taglines or other graphic elements will need to be employed to tell your audience more about your business.

Symbol logo

A symbol logo is the opposite extreme in design from a text logo. This type of logo includes neither words nor letters – only symbols, images and shapes.

A symbol logo works well when:

• Your company already has a high level of brand recognition. If who you are and what you do are already widely known, then you can use a symbol logo as an elegant and clean solution.

• You have been using a combination logo for some time and have now built up enough brand recognition for your symbol to stand alone. This is a common transition for a logo design to take when your company grows.

• You have a unique symbol in your industry – you wouldn’t want to be confused with or mistaken for anyone else in your industry!

• You have the time and energy to trademark your logo, and then to police and enforce that trademark. This is how you ensure that your logo continues to be uniquely yours.

• You have a global presence and can develop a universal, graphic symbol that speaks to you and audiences. Additionally, a symbol can have meanings on many levels, and can also have different meanings in different cultures

A text logo may not be the right choice if:

• You are a company just starting out, you must have the budget and desire to educate your audience on your new symbol logo. This can be a difficult task.

Combination logo

A logo that in some manner combines both a symbol and the company name. The symbol and text can be integrated together, side by side, or with one located above the other.

Combination logos are the most common type of logo for several reasons:

• A combination logo offers the best of both worlds. This type of logo offers a memorable logo graphic that tells the story of who you are, what you do, and what makes you different, all in conjunction with your business name for easy identification.

• A combination logo is an excellent choice for a small- or medium-sized company or a company just starting out, to begin to build brand recognition, because a combination logo is both visually strong and explanatory. The symbol can speak to the services that the company offers, while the company name increases the company recognition.

• Combination logos are easier to copyright and protect than a symbol-only logo, because the logo symbol will always be used in conjunction with the business name. This automatically makes the logo unique.

You can use this guide to determine the best type of logo to design or to have designed for your company, based on the size of your business, how well-known you are, your business name, and your business plans, among other factors. Choosing the right type of logo design is the first step in building your company’s visibility, credibility, and memorability.

About the Author

Erin Ferree, Founder and Lead Designer of elf design, is a brand identity and graphic
design expert. She has been helping small businesses grow with bold, clean and
effective logo and marketing material designs for over a decade. elf design offers
the comprehensive graphic and web design services of a large agency, with the one-
on-one, personalized attention of an independent design specialist. Erin works
closely in partnership with her clients to create designs that are visible, credible and
memorable – and that tell their unique business stories in a clear and consistent
way. For more information about elf design, please visit:

Logo design at http://www.elf-design.com

I always do a lot of thinking about good intentions in December.

It’s not because I’m inspired by the holidays. I’m simply observing the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Each year, around December 10th, I reread that incredible document just to remind myself that as humans, we can all agree on what it means to have basic rights and to be treated fairly. It’s an inspiring piece of writing, and it fills my heart with hope–that is, until I remember that we don’t seem to be making much progress on the goals we set for ourselves 55 years ago.

From the time we’re very young, we learn that there is a difference between what we mean to do and what actually happens. After a scuffle, your mother asked, “Did you do it on purpose or by accident?” It was sometimes okay to kick your brother in the teeth as long as you didn’t mean to do it–like, say, if you were reaching a toy for him on the top shelf and stepped back wildly on your way down. You were trying to help, you caused pain accidentally, you felt bad about it, so it was excused.

Now that we’re adults, are our accidents excused? Do good intentions serve as a sort of “Get out of jail free” card? Not exactly.

Democritus, the Greek philosopher and physicist, said: “My enemy is not the man who wrongs me, but the man who means to wrong me.” Tell that to the mother of a child killed by a drunk driver. Bad things happen, even when they are completely unintentional and repulsive to the perpetrators. Negligent homicide isn’t intentional, but the results are the same as if the guilty party carefully planned and carried out his attack.

If we watch the news, we see all kinds of examples of good intentions that go terribly wrong. Whether we’re talking about the results of a new Walmart or a new war, we can’t always get what we want, but if we try real hard, we just might find–we screw things up royally. (apologies to the Rolling Stones)

The latest brain research tells us that it’s possible to make things happen by simply having a clear intention. As long as we look in the mirror every day and repeat, “I will become a millionaire and benefactress, feeding the poor with my great wealth”, then eventually we’ll be writing those fat checks to the local food bank.

Unfortunately, those mirror musings don’t always focus on the good intentions behind the goal. Given the option of manifesting our destiny, we tend to go with our top choice. The millionaire thing wins out–we can’t open door number two (becoming a benefactress) without opening door number one first. Consequently, we end up with a whole lot of people repeating the millionaire mantra every day, and the real intention–giving generously–gets lost in the shuffle.

The same thing happens on a much larger scale all around the world. Rich countries want to help poor countries. They need to raise money in order to give it away. In order to raise that money, they need to show results from previous efforts. To get positive results, they have to come up with programs that sound feasible and promise outstanding outcomes. They must jump through the appropriate hoops. Any grant writer can tell you that there is an art to getting money, and it has very little to do with good intentions.

We need guidelines even when we have the best of intentions, but sometimes we get so caught up in following our plan that we fail to do the right thing. A recent news story told of a local organization that missed out on over $700,000 in funding it receives from a particular agency each year. Why? The grant application was submitted using margins that were four letters too wide. The agency expressed regret that they would be unable to support this worthy but unfortunate group this year, but stood by its strict rules as a means of filtering out those who are not able to follow instructions to the letter.

We use good intentions as a cloak on far too many occasions. There are times when it’s necessary to recognize that where we’re headed wasn’t anywhere on our map when we started the journey. Just because we mean well doesn’t mean it’s okay to keep going in the wrong direction.

It’s fine to figure out what you want, and it’s okay to ask for it. There’s certainly no reason why we shouldn’t think of ways to improve ourselves and our world and set out to achieve our goals.

But it’s not okay to pursue an activity once we realize that the original intention–the reason for beginning in the first place–has been lost in the flurry of activity required to pursue it. If you kick your brother in the teeth while stealing his toy, you’re going to get in trouble, and Mom will show no mercy.

We know what we want for all humans on the planet. It’s right there in writing, in that document which has been translated into over 300 languages. We’re not even close to achieving all that we want, or all that we can. We created a beautiful promise in that proclamation, but we’ve become too distracted to make it our priority.

If Mom were taking care of this, she’d sit us down and make us read the Universal Declaration of Human Rights until we knew its salient features by heart. We’d emerge from our bedroom contrite and committed to being a better citizen. We’d do our best to please her and to make things right, not because we feared her wrath but because we knew she was lovingly teaching us what it means to be excellent.

O Mother, where art thou?

About The Author

Maya Talisman Frost is a mind masseuse. Her work has inspired thinkers in over 70 countries around the world. Her free weekly ezine, the Friday Mind Massage, serves up a satisfying blend of clarity, comfort and comic relief. To subscribe, visit http://www.massageyourmind.com.

maya@massageyourmind.com

When choosing an Amplifier and Speakers, it is very easy to get mislead by confusing the many values, associated with power outputs. This short article aims to advise you on what figures to look at and which ignore.

RMS = Root Mean Square this is the industry standard method of measuring the output values associated with Power Outputs and also the MOST ACCURATE!!!.

Continuous = The continuous power which the item will handle for long periods of time. This is also an accurate way of determining the power handling of the product, and is much the same as RMS rating.

Program Power = Similar to RMS values and can be taken as being accurate figures.

Peak = This is the MAXIMUM power that a product can handle before damage occurs, and should NOT be used as an accurate measure of power.

PMPO = Peak Music Power Output, this again is a misleading figure and represents the maximum surge value that an item will withstand under ideal lab conditions before permanent damage occurs. PMPO figures are often exaggerated and should be ignored when making power comparisons.

To sum up:-

(1) When choosing an Amplifier and Loudspeakers, Pay attention only to the RMS, Continuous or Program Power Specifications.

(2) Always compare like for like comparisions. For instance correctly match the RMS power of an amplifier with the RMS Power of a Loudspeaker.

Never be tempted to match the Peak Power of a Speaker to the RMS Power of an Amplifier!.

Chris Pointon, a working DJ based in the UK. For more technical articles please visit my knowledgebase at http://www.djsite.info.

For information on DJ’ing visit our Mobile DJ Forum and Community at http://www.dj-forum.co.uk.

“God Bless America” is a well-known phrase throughout the land.
The Bible tells us how to receive His blessings. Yet, America is
running in the opposite direction. By their example, our
forefathers taught how to make America great. Our nation was
founded “Under God” for the purpose of freedom in worship; a
privilege that brings God’s blessings every time. Our coins are
a reminder of their heart, “In God We Trust”; where God always
looks first. The Ten Commandments were their moral guideline;
the system set up by God for a better way of life. Men believed
so strongly that they fought and died for the cause of America
and Pilgrims risked their lives to be a part of it. Yet, today,
we see a new breed of ‘would be’ forefathers who; vote their
wallet instead of their conscience, dictate what we should
believe to justify their lifestyle, look the other way rather
than stand for Godly values, wear as many faces as it takes to
reach prominent positions, and attend church to make further
business contacts. If our forefathers could see us now, they’d
surely think they’d served and died in vain. The shame that has
been brought upon America is heard and seen in the news and is
coming into our neighborhood and homes. For every occasion we
remain silent, indifferent, or divided (due to religious
differences), we have nobody to blame but ourselves. It is a
myth to expect God’s continued blessings when our faith is a
joke to Him. Instead of asking God to Bless America, perhaps we
should be asking why He would. If we don’t care enough to stand,
then why should He? Mt.12:25-30, I Sa. 12:16. It makes no
difference whether in our home, school, church, job, community,
state, or country … wherever God is excluded, Satan has free
reign (I Ki. 18:18b). In our land of the free, we have set Satan
free.

© by Joyce C. Lock
http://our.homewithgod.com/heavenlyinspirations/ This writing
may be used in its entirety, with credits in tact, for
non-profit ministering purposes.

(ARA) - Looking for recipe ideas that are easy to follow, inexpensive and relatively guilt-free too? Try incorporating an American household favorite — canned tuna!

For something a little different that promises to please guests and family, Bumble Bee provides some delightful, recipe ideas made with canned tuna’s new gold label Prime Fillet. Keep this gourmet quality solid white albacore tuna ready in the pantry for parties, unexpected guests or family get-togethers. Then, whip up an affordable gourmet-style meal that will have your guests convinced you’ve prepared something truly elaborate and extravagant. As an added bonus, they will enjoy canapés or entrées that are delectable, but without those serious calories.

Specially developed by two of California’s leading chefs, here are recipes that demonstrate how canned tuna is no ordinary ingredient.

* Mediterranean-Style Rigatoni Pasta with Prime Fillet Albacore

Recipe by Chef de Cuisine Fabrice Poigin, Bertrand at Mister A’s, San Diego

This simple and flavorful pasta dish with a Mediterranean flair is ideal whether sitting down to dinner with the family or celebrating with guests. Chef Fabrice suggests complementing this with a glass of 2001 Spottswood Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc. Serves 4.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil

4 ounces unsalted butter

1 large sweet onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice

2 red bell peppers, deseeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice

1 vine ripe tomato, diced

5 cloves of garlic, minced

A sprig of rosemary

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 small jar of Spanish olives (green olives stuffed with pimientos), drained

2 6-ounce cans of Bumble Bee Prime Fillet Solid White Albacore, drained

1/2 pound rigatoni pasta

1 tablespoon thinly sliced chives

Dry aged parmesan, grated

Pinch of crushed red hot pepper flakes (optional)

Directions: Bring water to boil in a large pot according to package directions in preparation for cooking the rigatoni pasta. Heat 2/3 of the olive oil and 4 ounces of unsalted butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until nearly hot but not smoking. Add diced onions and cook for approximately 5 minutes until soft. Add diced red bell peppers, reducing to low-medium heat and cook until peppers are soft. Add diced tomato, minced garlic and 1/3 teaspoon of rosemary sprig leaves. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

Cover and cook over low heat for another 10 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of dry white wine and simmer for 5 minutes. Then, add drained whole olives and Bumble Bee Prime Fillet tuna in solid pieces to sautéed mixture. Cover and cook until tuna is heated through (approximately 3 to 5 minutes).

Cook the rigatoni pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water according to the package directions or until al dente. Drain the pasta in a colander, leaving behind a little moisture. Toss the pasta, tuna sauce and water, then place in a serving dish or on individual plates. Drizzle remaining olive oil over the top and garnish with thinly sliced chives and grated dry aged parmesan. Top with a pinch of crushed red hot pepper flakes, if you prefer a little more bite.

* Delicate, Festive Albacore Tuna Canape

Recipe by Chef de Cuisine Fabrice Poigin, Bertrand at Mister A’s, San Diego

An easy-to-follow, elegant-style canapé for entertaining guests or just treating yourself to a unique way of serving up albacore tuna! Serves 6 to 8.

Ingredients:

1 6-ounce can of Bumble Bee Prime Fillet Solid White Albacore, drained

2 finely diced shallots

1 tablespoon chives, thinly sliced

1 soup spoon crème fraiche

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Sourdough bread (optional)

3 ounces of comté cheese or aged white cheddar, sliced thinly

Extra crème fraiche for garnish (optional)

1/2 ounce domestic caviar (optional)

Chervil sprigs (optional)

Directions: Mix together Prime Fillet tuna, shallots, chives, crème fraiche, and salt and pepper. Spoon mixture onto toasted triangles of sourdough bread or into Chinese ceramic serving spoons. Top each serving mixture with a slice of cheese and place in a pre-heated oven (300 degrees) until cheese begins to melt — approximately 3 minutes. Remove toasties or Chinese spoons from the oven and top individually with a dot of crème fraiche, and then a dot of caviar (optional). Finish with a sprig of chervil to garnish.

* Prime Fillet Albacore Tuna and Potato Casserole

Recipe by Chef Gerald Hirigoyen, owner and executive chef, Piperade and Fringale Restaurants, San Francisco

Recognized in Food & Wine magazine’s 2003 Top Ten Best New Wine Lists, Chef Gerald suggests complementing this entrée with a glass of 2001 Turnbull Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc. Serves 4.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil

2 large onions, thinly sliced

4 medium Anaheim chilies, seeded and thinly sliced

2 bay leaves

8 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, quartered

1 cup dry white wine

3 cups vegetable stock or canned vegetable broth

6 to 8 saffron threads

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

1 mild dried chili pepper

4 6-ounce cans of Bumble Bee Prime Fillet Solid White Albacore, drained

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Pinch of piment d’Espelette (Basque chili pepper) or mild cayenne powder

Directions: Warm 1/2 cup olive oil in a large casserole over high heat. Add onions, Anaheim chilies, bay leaves, and garlic and sauté for 10 minutes. Add the potatoes, wine, vegetable stock, and saffron. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to medium. Add salt, pepper, and dried chili pepper, and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Add the tuna and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, or until warmed through. Stir only occasionally to avoid breaking apart the fish. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Discard the bay leaves before serving. Serve in shallow soup bowls, and sprinkle with the parsley and piment d’Espelette.

Look for Bumble Bee Prime Fillet’s upside-down gold can in most supermarkets nationwide. For more information on Bumble Bee, visit www.bumblebee.com.

Courtesy of ARA Content

About the author:

Courtesy of ARA Content

I sent you to her to say, “I love you.” And you come back and
say, “She wants a castle.”

I dispatched you to my love to say, “I dream of you.” And you
return and say, “She needs a flower garden.”

Go, tell her I own no castles or flower gardens. But I can write
her sweet poems of those. Don’t tell me, “She reads no poems.”
For castles and gardens perish. But love never dies. And poetry
is love!

(EXCERPTED FROM “BEAUTIFUL,” A POETRY COLLECTION BY ARTHUR ZULU,
TO BE PUBLISHED SOON. IF YOU ENJOYED READING THE POEM AND WOULD
LIKE TO MAKE A VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTION TOWARD ITS PUBLICATION,
PLEASE CONTACT THE AUTHOR.)

ARTHUR ZULU is an editor, book reviewer, playwright, and
published author. He also writes short stories, scripts, essays,
and poems, and ghost writes for others. For his works,
professional services, and FREE helps for writers, goto:
http://controversialwriter.tripod.com mailto:
controversialwriter@yahoo.com Web search: Arthur Zulu

Copyright Victoria Elizabeth 2005.

GUNG HAY FAT CHOY!

– GET OUT AND CELEBRATE “THE YEAR OF THE ROOSTER” 2005 –

On February 9th, people all over the place will be ringing in another Asian Lunar New Year – THE YEAR OF THE ROOSTER!

It’s time to dance with Dragons, bang on the drums, light those fancy firecrackers (left over from Halloween), crack open the fortune cookies, and let’s have a bash – ‘cause the “Rooster’s” back in town!

For those of you who haven’t got a clue what’s going on, the party animals are out in full force. This year, “Rooster” rules the roost! And, that means anyone born in 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993 and of course, the newborn “Roosters” of 2005.

Yo there Chinese astrology fans, if you recall, “Rooster” is the third from the end of the 12-year Chinese Zodiac cycle of crazy critters including first the Rat, then Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, (Rooster — sometimes called Bird or Cock) followed by, Dog and Boar.

Actually “Roosters” are easy to spot. They’re perky, plucky, punctual creatures who don’t need alarm clocks or wake-up calls from the front-desk hotel clerk. These conventional critters have also been known to cut a mean tango, twist, or two-step on the dance floor at weddings, retirements and wakes.

Besides preening their feathers and admiring themselves way too long in the mirror every day, “Roosters” (as are “chicks”) flashy dressers. So, keep your eyes peeled for anyone wearing spiked heels, black fishnet stockings, sparkly mini skirt and matching halter-top with maximum cleavage. And, watch out for a buns-of-steel stud with a colorful rooster tattoo on his right bicep, wearing nothing but a shoe-string thong or skimpy loincloth. No, it’s not a figment of your vivid imagination …it’s just a “Chick” and a “Rooster” doing what comes naturally!!

For those interested in more far-flung fowl facts, take a wee peek below.

In the meantime, suffice to say that all those “lady” birds earn their keep by laying oodles of eggs for Farmer Brown. (Lord knows why these “lucky ladies” get a bad rap as “hen-peckers”; no doubt Farmer Brown had something to do with it). On the other hand, the clucking “cocks”, (who spend most of their time fluffing up their feathers or sidling up to the hens offering them the best bugs and worms in the barnyard), usually end up as “roasters” — on the supermarket shelf or in a KFC bucket!

“Roosters” tend be a tad eccentric, self-oriented, outspoken barnyard creatures, and why not. Who else is consumed with devising yet another bird-brained, “stroke of genius” scheme that no one else can pull off? When not doing dashing detective work, playing Doctor-Do-Little or Naughty Nurse Nellie, or rummaging around in people’s heads as a high-priced success coach (psychiatrist in another life), “Roosters” often get lost in a favorite pastime — deep-musing — which is second only to frolicking about in bucolic settings with pretty young chicks.

When it comes to choosing lovely libertines or life-time companions, “Roosters” are a rather discerning lot. Not any creature will do thank you. Just keep those fowl-challenged folk (like the rambuctious, twitchy-nosed “Rabbit”) well away from those ripsnorting Red “Roosters” — pleeease!!

The best mates for “Roosters” are “Snakes”. Just avoid talking about Adam and Eve, or the snake in the Garden of Eden apple; it spoils the Rooster’s appetite. And whatever you do, make sure you don’t introduce any snake oil sales associates, snake charmers, and snakes in the grass … or there will be hell to pay! If you don’t know any venomless serpents, try “Oxes”. Every “Rooster” needs to find a beautiful if not brave beast of burden willing to plod along affectionately, and not to complain too loudly about having to share a load of smelly organic material from the barnyard of life.

And as a final note, in order to keep your rooster happy, just follow these three things:

1. Let them be Cock of the Walk/Wok for one day. (Heck, that’s the least you can do; after all, they know how to keep time, do the runway thing, and cook stir fried meals for guests — you don’t)!

2. Listen to their cock and bull stories. (They desperately need an appreciative audience and besides, you don’t really mind being entertained by a Big Bad Rooster do you!)

3. Warm the cockles of their hearts like there’s no tomorrow; you’ll have a fabulous feng-shui friend to play with for at least the next 365 days, or possibly a lifetime and beyond — provided you blow sweet nothings softly in his/her ear. (And don’t forget, this advice also works well on February 14th, “Valentine’s Day”, another occasion to try out all the really neat adult toys, chocolate candy kisses, and little red hearts.)

May the Feng-Shui Force Be With You This Year, and before I forget …

GUNG HAY FAT CHOY!

WISHING YOU HAPPINESS AND PROSPERITY THROUGHOUT 2005!

About the Author

Victoria Elizabeth, contributes her pithy poppycock to anyone who will listen — especially her loyal, long-suffering subjects over in the Court of the Quipping Queen at www.quippingqueen.blogspot.com