Engage. Enrage. Enjoy.

A Feather in One’s Cap.

Posted on by boom booms room staff

For a deed or job well done you may have heard your mom, a mentor, or a “report to” of yours applaud your work.  Perhaps you have been told to “put a feather in your cap.”  High praise indeed that feather is.  It’s a make-believe symbol of honor and achievement.  Or, way back when people did add a feather to one’s head wear.

But what is the origin of such a phrase? Well, as it is with many old school or old world expressions, that is a subject of some debate.

Way back in 1599 an English writer and traveler Richard Hansard noted that Hungarians should only wear a feather in their cap if they had killed a Turk.  The more feathers in your hat the more dead Turks.

The Native American tradition of adding a feather to the head-dress of any warrior for his bravery is well-known and well documented.

However, if you though as an American child it was a cool thing to recite/sing Yankee Doodle it may not have been after all.

Yankee Doodle went to town
A-riding on a pony,
Stuck a feather in his cap
And called it macaroni’.

It turns out that the word Yankee was used by the Brits to describe the naive or inexperienced.  Doodle was a “polite” way of inferring dumb or simpleton.  Simpletons were also called noodles.  Macaroni was slang for a dandy or fop.  A dandy or fop was how someone who paid far more attention to their appearance than to their substance was known.  That is, just by putting a feather in your cap doesn’t yet make you accomplished at the task at hand.

In short London mocked the revolutionary militia from day one of the uprising.  I guess the Ugly Americans got the last laugh.

As the late Paul Harvey would bellow,  “and now you know the rest of the story.”

 

Let Mike the Tiger Geaux! Neaux!

Posted on by boom booms room staff

A well-meaning, California-based group has collected 35k plus petition signatures encouraging the powers that be to let Mike VII the Tiger, the live two-year old LSU mascot, go free.  Read more here.  This isn’t new news.  The group Care2, which claims 40 million members, started a similar petition after Mike VI lost a long battle with cancer about 18 months ago.  Mike VII replace Mike VI last August.

The Boom Boom Room has a few thoughts about the Care2 initiative if you care to read them below.

  1.  This live tiger was born in captivity and rescued due to poor living conditions and violations by the previous owner.
  2. According to animal experts he has never been in the wild and cannot be released into it since he has never had to hunt for food and therefore could not survive.
  3. His habitat cost over three million to build.  It covers over 1.5 acres.  It has an indoor area as well as an expansive outdoor area.
  4. The outdoor area includes a cool pool.  The indoor area has a “warm” area and a “cooling” area.  He can choose his body temp whether he is inside or out essentially.
  5. The LSU vet examines him regularly and is on call 24/7 making his health a great priority.
  6. Vet students care for the animal daily.  This gives them an ongoing learning opportunity.  This gives Mike great attention.
  7. His diet is better than yours and mine.
  8. LSU no longer encourages or forces the animal into a smaller mobile cage to parade him around the field on game day.
  9. The average lifespan of these glorious animals increases by over 33% when placed in this type of environment.
  10. The worldwide wild tiger population is and has been under siege due to poaching.  Skins can fetch several thousand dollars in the black market.

Maybe Care2 should care more about that illegal poaching that kills thousand of tigers each year than one tiger who lives a pretty pampered existence.  And, isn’t it easy to “sign” a petition online?  “Sign here if you are against caging live tigers.”  Duh.  Thirty five thousand signatures from an organization that boasts 40 million members sounds pretty darn indifferent too.  Aren’t there many trees that still need a hug?

Mike sez, “I am tiger, hear me happily roar.”

 

Boom Boom’s Life Lessons

Posted on by boom booms room staff

One of the many gifts that Boom Boom gave us was the torrent of quips about how one leads one’s life.   He could say so much by saying so little.   A statement at just the right moment resonated in my young, eager eardrums.  How I interpreted or applied it was up to me.  No more words were spoken because no more words were needed.

My intent is to simply drop them here from time to time for reflection in your life.  Perhaps you can benefit as I have.  Whether all of the quotes were originally his(the vast majority are), or if he was himself inspired by a few along the way isn’t relevant.  The message is.  Our first one of many is below.   Enjoy.  Engage.

“Champions sweat when no one else is watching.”

Perhaps this quote will inspire you to share a story or a thought with a loved one.

Father Time is Undefeated. Don’t Help Him.

Posted on by boom booms room staff

Texting while driving can be deadly.  Texting while walking isn’t much better.  You’ve seen the videos.  Unfortunately people do dumb things while fixated on their smart phones.  People walk into anything, anywhere, anytime when distracted.  But, walking into traffic or crossing a street illegally is a bird brain thing to do.  If a cop in a bad mood observes this you might get ticketed for “jaywalking.”  How did this irresponsible behavior’s name take flight?  Its meaning and origin follows.

Meaning: One who crosses the street in a reckless or illegal manner
History: Jay birds that traveled outside of the forest into urban areas often became confused and unaware of the potential dangers in the city – like traffic. Amused by their erratic behavior, people began using the term “Jaywalker” to describe someone who crossed the street irresponsibly.

Nothing good comes of jaywalking.  You could cause an accident, be in an accident, or worse case you could die in an accident.  What a way to go.  Imagine your loved ones explaining that jaywalking caused you to die, or “kick the bucket.”   How “kicking the bucket” became a phrase to describe death isn’t pleasant and is described below..  You’ve been warned.

Meaning: To die
History: When a cow was killed at a slaughterhouse, a bucket was placed under it while it was positioned on a pulley. Sometimes the animal’s legs would kick during the adjustment of the rope and it would literally kick the bucket before being killed.

Father Time is undefeated.  There is no need to help him by mindlessly walking into traffic and possibly kicking the bucket.