IRISH TECHNOLOGY

After having dug to a depth of 10 meters last year, Scottish scientists found traces of copper wire dating back 100 years and came to the conclusion that their ancestors already had a telephone network more than 100 years ago.

Not to be outdone by the Scots, in the weeks that followed, English scientists dug to a depth of 20 meters, and shortly after, headlines in the English newspapers read: "English archaeologists have found traces of 200 year old copper wire and have concluded that their ancestors already had an advanced high-tech communications network a hundred years earlier than the Scots."

One week later, "The Kerryman," a southwest Irish newsletter, reported the following: "After digging as deep as 30 meters in peat bog near Tralee, self-taught archaeologist Paddy O'Droll reported that he found absolutely nothing. Paddy has therefore concluded that 300 years ago Ireland had already gone wireless."

CHILD OF THE 80'S

Are you a child of the 80's? If you exhibit any of the following, you probably are.
"You might be a child of the 80's if..."

1 - You know, by heart, the words to any "Weird Al" Yankovic song.

2 - A predominant color in your childhood photos is "plaid."

3 - The three words, "Atari," "IntelliVision" and "Coleco" all sound familiar.

4 - You remember when hooking your computer into your television was the only way to use it.

5 - You still occasionally hum a Debbie Gibson tune.

6 - You remember "Friday Night Videos" before the days of MTV.

7 - You remember when they actually played videos on MTV.

8 - At one time, your hair became something that could only be described as, "I was experimenting."

9 - You see teenagers today wearing the same clothes you wore at that age and they still look bad.

10 - One of your biggest regrets was not being able to participate in the 60's.

11 - While in high school, you and your friends discussed elaborate plans to get together again at the end of the century and play "1999" by Prince over and over again.

12 - You remember when music that was labeled "alternative" really was.

13 - Although you hate to admit it, you just don't understand half the lingo that today's kids use.

14 - You knew all the words to Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start the Fire," but it didn't hold any meaning for you until the third verse.

15 - You can remember a time when "going out for coffee" DIDN'T involve 19,000 selections to choose from.

16 - Kids that work in restaurants and supermarkets are starting to irritate you by calling you "Sir" or "Ma'am."

17 - You're starting to realize that getting carded while buying alcohol is a good thing.

18 - You know who shot J.R.

19 - You ever dressed to emulate a person you saw in a Madonna, Duran Duran or Cyndi Lauper video.

20 - There were at least three people in your school that voluntarily went by the names of "Skip," "Buffy," "Muffy," or "Dexter."

21 - You had ringside seats for Luke and Laura's wedding on General Hospital.

22 - The phrase, "Where's the beef?" still doubles you over with laughter.

23 - You remember thinking the special effects in the movie "Tron" were the best ever.

24 - You're starting to think that Corvettes really look good, and aren't really for someone going through a mid-life crisis.

25 - This rings a bell: "...and my name is Charlie. They work for me."

26 – You took family trips BEFORE the invention of the minivan.

27 – When you rode in the back of the station wagon, you faced the cars behind you.

28 – You had a crush on either Ted the photographer on the “Love Boat,” Gage from “Emergency” or Ponch the motorcycle cop from “ChiPs.”

29 – You were unsure if Diet Coke would ever catch on after all.

30 - You owned a pair of Rainbow suspenders just like Mork used to wear.

31 – You were too young to go see the Blue Lagoon, so you just had to settle for second hand reports.

32 – You remember when movies were only PG and R.

33 – You remember Bo and Luke Duke

34 – You remember rotary dial telephones.

35 – And finally, there was nothing strange about Bert and Ernie living together.

A GREAT CUP OF TEA

This is taken from the Dr. James Dobson Bulletin for June, 1998

Have you noticed that children sometimes try to be helpful, but it makes your life more complicated?

I heard a story about a mother who was sick with the flu. Her darling daughter wanted to be a good nurse. She fluffed the pillows and brought a magazine for her mother to read. And then she showed up with a cup of tea.

"You're such a sweetheart," the mother said as she drank the tea. "I didn't know you could make tea."

"Oh, yes," the little girl replied. "I put the tea leaves in the water like you do, and I boiled it, and then I strained it into a cup. But I couldn't find a strainer, so I used the flyswatter."

"You what?"

And the little girl said, "Oh, don't worry, mom. I didn't use the new flyswatter. I used the old one."

PERKS OF BEING OVER 50
For those of you who are there and those who will be there soon enough.

1 - Kidnappers are not very interested in you.

2 - In a hostage situation you are likely to be released first.

3 - No one expects you to run--anywhere.

4 - People call at 9 pm and ask, "Did I wake you????"

5 - People no longer view you as a hypochondriac.

6 - There is nothing left to learn the hard way.

7 - Things you buy now won't wear out.

8 - You can eat supper at 4 pm.

9 - You can live without sex but not your glasses.

10 - You get into heated arguments about pension plans.

11 - You no longer think of speed limits as a challenge.

12 - You quit trying to hold your stomach in no matter who walks into the room.

13 -. You sing along with elevator music.

14 - Your eyes won't get much worse.

15 - Your investment in health insurance is finally beginning to pay off.

16 - Your joints are more accurate meteorologists than the national weather service.

17. Your secrets are safe with your friends because they can't remember them either.

18 - Your supply of brain cells is finally down to manageable size.

19 - You can't remember where you got this list.

And you notice these are all in Big Print for your convenience.

REMEMBERING THE NAMES

When I was introduced to a couple visiting our congregation, I decided to remember their names by noting they were the same as those of two characters in a popular children's story.

After the services I stopped to talk to them, and as they were saying goodbye I teased, "Be careful going up that hill! But you must get that all the time."

They smiled politely but said nothing. After they left, my wife asked, "What was that all about?"

"Jack and Jill. Up the hill. Remember?" I said.

"Yes, but what does that have to do with," she pointed to the couple, "Dick and Jane?"

THE NEW WIVES DUTIES!

Three men from Texas were sitting together one day bragging about how they had given their new wives duties.

The first man had married a woman from Illinois and had told her that she was going to have to do the dishes and house cleaning. It took a couple of days, but on the third day he came home to see a clean house and dishes washed and put away.

The second man had married a woman from Michigan. He had given his wife orders that she was to do all the cleaning, dishes, and the cooking. The first day he didn't see any results, but the next day he saw it was better. By the third day, he saw his house was clean, the dishes were done, and there was a huge dinner on the table.

The third man had married a girl from Wyoming. He told her that her duties were to keep the house cleaned, dishes washed, lawn mowed, laundry washed and hot meals on the table for every meal. He said the first day he didn't see anything, the second day he didn't see anything, but by the third day some of the swelling had gone down and he could see a little bit out of his left eye, enough to fix himself a sandwich and load the dishwasher.

IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE

There once was a sheriff who, no matter what the situation, always said, "It could have been worse" after viewing the scene of the crime. It drove his two deputies absolutely crazy.

One day, the two deputies in the Sheriff's Office answered an emergency call at a farmhouse. When they walked in, they found the nude bodies of a man and a woman in the bedroom. They both had been shot to death. When the deputies went to the living room, they found the body of a man with a gun at his side.

"No doubt about it," one deputy said to the other. "This was a double murder and suicide. This guy came home and found his wife in bed with somebody else and shot them both. Then he shot himself."

"You're right," the other deputy replied. "Double murder and suicide. But I'll bet you when the sheriff gets here, he's going to say 'It could have been worse' as he always does!"

"No way. How could it be worse? There are three people in the house, and all of them have been shot to death. It couldn't be worse. You're on." said the first deputy.

About that time, the old sheriff arrived at the scene. He walked into the bedroom and saw the two nude bodies. He then walked into the living room and saw the man on the floor with the gun by his side. "No doubt about it," the sheriff said, shaking his head. "It was a double murder and suicide. This guy came home and found his wife in bed with somebody else and shot them both. Then he shot himself."

After hesitating for a moment, the old sheriff looked his deputies squarely in the eyes. "But, you know," he said, "it could have been worse."

The deputy who had lost the bet jumped up and shouted, "Sheriff, how could it have been worse? There are three people in this farmhouse, and all three of them are dead. It couldn't have been worse!!"

"Yes it could," the sheriff retorted. "You see that guy there on the floor? If he had come home yesterday, that would be me in there in that bed.

MISSED CONNECTION

My friend's flight from Boston to New York City was delayed, so she missed her connection home to Seattle. She joined a group of other passengers in line at the ticket counter, each hoping to book seats on the next flight to that destination.

All the travelers waited patiently except for one man, who treated the agent very rudely. "I had an aisle seat reserved, and I better get an aisle seat when we get on another plane," he demanded. A few minutes later everyone was relieved when they learned that there would be room for all.

"And, sir," the ticket agent said, turning to the obnoxious man, "I am happy to tell you that you will have an aisle seat." Still muttering, he picked up his carry-on and left for the gate. "And I'm also happy to announce," the agent continued, "that the rest of you will be seated in first class."

SAY WHAT?

Bob was in his usual place in the morning sitting at the table, reading the paper after breakfast. He came across an article about a beautiful actress about to marry a football player who was known primarily for his lack of common knowledge and his fairly low IQ.

He turned to his wife Marlene with a look of question on his face. "I'll never understand why the biggest jerks get the most attractive wives."

Marlene replies, "Why thank you, dear!"

INSTRUCTIONS FOR YANKEES MOVING TO THE SOUTH

1 - Save all manner of bacon grease. You will be instructed later how to use it.

2 - If you forget a Southerner's name, refer to him (or her) as "Bubba". You have a 75% chance of being right.

3 - Just because you can drive on snow and ice does not mean we can. Stay home the two days of the year it snows.

4 - If you do run your car into a ditch, don't panic. Four men in the cab of a four-wheel drive with a tow chain will be along shortly. Don't try to help them. Just stay out of their way. This is what they live for.

5 - Don't be surprised to find movie rentals and bait in the same store.

6 - Do not buy food at the movie store.

7 - If it can't be fried in bacon grease, it ain't worth cooking, let alone eating.

8 - Remember: "Y'all" is singular. "All y'all" is plural. "All y'all's" is plural possessive.

9 - There is nothing sillier than a Northerner imitating a southern accent, unless it is a southerner imitating a Boston accent.

10 - Get used to hearing, "You ain't from around here, are you?"

11 - People walk slower here.

12 - Don't be worried that you don't understand anyone. They don't understand you either.

13 - The first Southern expression to creep into a transplanted Northerner's vocabulary is the adjective "Big ol'", as in "big ol' truck" or "big ol' boy". Eighty-five percent begin their new southern-influenced dialect with this expression. One hundred percent are in denial about it.

14 - The proper pronunciation you learned in school is no longer proper.

15 - If attending a funeral in the South, remember, we stay until the last shovel of dirt is thrown on and the tent is torn down.

16 - If you hear a Southerner exclaim, "Hey, y'all, watch this!" stay out of his way. These are likely the last words he will ever say.

17 - Most Southerners do not use turn signals, and they ignore those who do. In fact, if you see a signal blinking on a car with a southern license plate, you may rest assured that it was on when the car was purchased.

18 - You can ask a Southerner for directions, but unless you already know the positions of key hills, trees and rocks, you're better off trying to find it yourself.

19 - The winter wardrobe you always brought out in September can wait until November, if used at all.

20 - If there is the prediction of the slightest chance of even the most minuscule accumulation of snow, your presence is required at the local grocery store. It does not matter if you need anything from the store, it is just something you're supposed to do.

21 - Florida is not considered a southern state. There are far more Yankees than Southerners living there.

22 - As you are fussing at the person driving 15 mph in a 55 mph zone, directly in the middle of the road, remember, many folks learned to drive on a model of vehicle known as John Deere, and this is the proper speed and lane position for the vehicle.

GOATS IN SCHOOL

At a high school in Montana a group of students played a prank on the school. They let three goats loose in the school building.

Before they let them go they painted numbers on the sides of the goats: 1, 2, 4.

Local school administrators spent most of the day looking for goat #3.

SORRY FOR THE DELAY

A Southwest flight was delayed at the gate after everyone had boarded.

The flight attendant said over the intercom, "We're sorry for the delay. The machine that normally rips the handles off your luggage is broken, so we're having to do it by hand. We should be finished and on our way shortly."

FEELING OLD?

About 15 years ago, my brother and I were shopping in a record store in the downtown plaza. He was trying to find music recordings related to the concert known as "Woodstock" from the 1960's.

The teen-aged clerk asked if she could be of assistance.

"Yes, I'm trying to find recordings of Woodstock," he explained.

The young lady looked very puzzled and I knew she had no clue, but I had no idea how badly she had no clue until she spoke. "Woodstock? You mean Snoopy's little buddy?"

GENTLE THOUGHTS FOR TODAY. When I'm feeling down, I like to whistle. It makes the neighbor's dog run to the end of his chain and gag himself. A penny saved is a government oversight. The older you get, the tougher it is to lose weight, because by then your body and your fat have gotten to be really good friends. The easiest way to find something lost around the house is to buy a replacement. Have you ever notice: The Roman Numerals for forty (40) are " XL." If you think there is good in everybody, you haven't met everybody. The sole purpose of a child's middle name is so he can tell when he's really in trouble. There's always a lot to be thankful for if you take time to look for it. For example I am sitting here thinking how nice it is that wrinkles don't hurt. Did you ever notice: When you put the 2 words "The" and "IRS" together it spells "Theirs?" Aging: Eventually you will reach a point when you stop lying about your age and start bragging about it. The older we get, the fewer things seem worth waiting in line for. One of the many things no one tells you about aging is that it is such a nice change from being young. First you forget names, then you forget faces. Then you forget to pull up your zipper. It's worse when you forget to pull it down. Long ago when men cursed and beat the ground with sticks, it was called witchcraft. Today, it's called golf.

SOUTHERN JUSTICE

A couple of kids in the South get pulled over for speeding. When the trooper approaches the car, the driver says 'What's the problem, sir?'

The trooper takes out his machined aluminum flashlight and whacks the kid across the head saying 'You don't speak to a state trooper unless you're spoken to'.

The trooper writes out the citation and gives it to the driver who responds 'Thanks a lot'.

The trooper again gives the kid a dose of the flashlight and says, 'When you address a state trooper, you finish your sentence with the word sir'

He then walks over to the passenger side and whacks the other kid with the flashlight.

The kid says 'What was that for, sir?'

The trooper says 'I was just fulfilling your wish. Y'all wouldn't have gotten 100 yards down this road before you'd have said to your friend, "I wish he'd have hit me with that flashlight", so I fulfilled your wish.'

MENU PLANNING TIP TO REDUCE STRESS

I have changed my system for labeling homemade freezer meals. I used to carefully note in large clear letters, "Meatloaf" or "Pot Roast" or "Steak and Vegetables or "Chicken and Dumplings" or "Beef Pot Pie."

However, I used to get very frustrated when I asked my husband what he wanted for dinner because he never asked for any of those things. So, I decided to stock the freezer with what he really likes.

If you look in my freezer now you'll see a whole new set of labels. You'll find dinners with neat, legible tags that say: "Whatever," "Anything," "I Don't Know," "I Don't Care," "Something Good," or "Food." My frustration is reduced because no matter what my husband replies when I ask him what he wants for dinner, I know that it will be there waiting.