Happy Memorial Day!

Well the brisket and spare ribs are almost done, the longnecks are chilled, the baked beans are nice and hot. Anyone in the Longview/Tyler, Texas area come by and eat a bite. Sorry Richard, didn't make any mole and since squirrels are out of season there's no chocolate-chili squirrel brains on the menu. But my homemade barbeque sauce is hotter'nhell.

lol, I am making myself a turkey sand-which. Home alone today and I am liking it! My woman left for Texas with her friend on Sat. driving there from PA. Crazy girls....
Have a nice holiday people, I know I am!
Eric

Originally posted by Michael Morris:
the longnecks are chilled

the redneck is hungry

the redneck is hungry
Come on, we got plenty!
My woman left for Texas with her friend on Sat. driving there from PA.
Get smart did she?

What part of PA? I was amazed at the friendliness of the people in Pittsburg, made me feel welcome. Just like bein' in the Lone Star State.

Originally posted by Michael Morris:
the redneck is hungry
Come on, we got plenty!

Thanks but I think I've had enough of southern accent for one holiday weekend. Just returned from Virginia and boy o boy! All y'all was all over the place.

Am back in Maryland where the local lingo is "Wassup Dawg"

Didnt meet any fellow rednecks though!!
[ May 26, 2003: Message edited by: Sriraj Rajaram ]

Virginia
That's Yankee land!

Right now I am sitting from State College (Where PSU University Park is) I am orginally from Lancaster the home of the amish
My girlfriend is heading to College Station to meet friends there.

Originally posted by Michael Morris:
Virginia
That's Yankee land!

No way!! Thats as southern as you want it to be. Maybe norther virgina is a little more liberal but deep south virginia.. no way!! Infact if I'm not mistaken wasnt General Lee from Virginia? Or did the confederacy fight their last battle in Virginia before the surrender

My girlfriend is heading to College Station to meet friends there.
She'll have to pass within 15 miles of my place on I20 most likely. Goin' to Aggie land huh? Well maybe she won't come back dumber.

if I'm not mistaken wasnt General Lee from Virginia? Or did the confederacy fight their last battle in Virginia before the surrender
Yea, but Lee wasn't very dedicated to the cause. Had two opputunities to route DC and didn't do it. Could have ended the war before it ever got under way. Alas, though, all's well that end's well.

That's Yankee land!
It is NOW!!!
Robert E. Lee's home - uhh... I mean Arlington National Cemetery

Hands up all those who have no idea whatsoever what memorial day is (remember what two of the w's in www stand for).

Originally posted by Michael Morris:
Well the brisket and spare ribs are almost done, the longnecks are chilled, the baked beans are nice and hot. Anyone in the Longview/Tyler, Texas area come by and eat a bite. Sorry Richard, didn't make any mole and since squirrels are out of season there's no chocolate-chili squirrel brains on the menu. But my homemade barbeque sauce is hotter'nhell.
Wow, sounds ace. Wish I was nearby. Ain't had a good bbq for a year now

Originally posted by Marcus Green:
Hands up all those who have no idea whatsoever what memorial day is (remember what two of the w's in www stand for).

Its similar to Remembrance Sunday in the UK, where service men and women who have died in wars are honoured.

Its similar to Remembrance Sunday in the UK, where service men and women who have died in wars are honoured.
While I was taking the brisket off the grill four WWII vintage aircraft flew over my place in formation at low altitude. Quite an event to witness in rural East Texas. The coyotes are probably still pissin' their pants.

Originally posted by Marcus Green:
Hands up all those who have no idea whatsoever what memorial day is (remember what two of the w's in www stand for).

Yes, it's the "world wide web" and there is a thing called "google" which you might want to try.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=memorial+day
This is one of the first links:
http://www.usmemorialday.org/backgrnd.html

Indeed I could use www.google.com, It is one of my favorite ego surfing toys, ohh look what rank I get when I type in "Marcus Green" and "water based lubricant" (or whatever). The purpose of my post was similar to that of the apocraphyl (sp) judge who says "what pray is television".
The majority of viewers of the text in this forum are not based in the US and thus it makes sense to encourage people to clarify terms.
What are you all doing for Guy Fawkes night this year?
Marcus

What are you all doing for Guy Fawkes night this year?
Reminding my wife how much 'behUH' July 4th is in the US, than Guy Fawkes over in 'BrihIN'!!

Originally posted by Marcus Green:
What are you all doing for Guy Fawkes night this year?

Probably same thing I did last year.
I don't suppose you guys over there will be celebrating Gaspee Day the weekend of 6/13-6/15 by any chance, will you?

Originally posted by Michael Morris:
What part of PA? I was amazed at the friendliness of the people in Pittsburg, made me feel welcome. Just like bein' in the Lone Star State.

That's what I like to hear about my fellow Pittsburghers. I'm originally from the Pittsburgh area, but not find myself across the state near Philadelphia.
BTW, I just like to point out that there's an 'h' at the end of Pittsburgh.

We Pittsburghers fought harrd to keep that h, so I make sure anybody not from the region knows how to spell it

(Back in the early 1900s, the USPS decided to standardize town names across the nation. This meant that Pittsburgh's h was dropped. The residents of 'Pittsburg' got all up in arms, and after a couple of years the h was restored.)

I'm originally from the Pittsburgh area, but not find myself across the state near Philadelphia.
I knew there was something I liked about you Joel.

As for the missing h in Pittsburg (sic) you know I have to maintain my status as top statistical misspeller at JavaRanch.

Originally posted by Joel McNary:

That's what I like to hear about my fellow Pittsburghers. I'm originally from the Pittsburgh area, but not find myself across the state near Philadelphia.
BTW, I just like to point out that there's an 'h' at the end of Pittsburgh. We Pittsburghers fought harrd to keep that h, so I make sure anybody not from the region knows how to spell it
(Back in the early 1900s, the USPS decided to standardize town names across the nation. This meant that Pittsburgh's h was dropped. The residents of 'Pittsburg' got all up in arms, and after a couple of years the h was restored.)

So the USPS told them to get the H out and they didn't?

Originally posted by Marcus Green:
What are you all doing for Guy Fawkes night this year?

Probably thinking how sad it is that one of the bigger holidays in Britian is based on anti-Catholicism.

Originally posted by Paul Stevens:

So the USPS told them to get the H out and they didn't?

JMcN:
I'm originally from the Pittsburgh area,
Where you'ns from 'pacifically?

South, down near the Worsh'ntun area. Specifically, I'm from* a little town named "Eighty Four," a one-stoplight town with a multi-million dollar national company headquartered there (84 Lumber).
-------
*Well, I'm not from Eighty Four per se, but rather from the boonies surrounding it. Eighty Four just happened to be the post office serving the rural area.

I'm from West Brownsville, which is just down 40 from 84. Howdy, neighbor. (Ok, I don't live there any more -- I'm out in southeastern Michigan these days.) Graduated from California Area High School in 1988.

Originally posted by Thomas Paul:
Probably thinking how sad it is that one of the bigger holidays in Britian is based on anti-Catholicism.

Damn right - he was a terrorist trying to undermine 'legitimate' authority.

Besides, Halloween is pretty big in the States right? That's pretty anti-Catholic if you look at the origins trick-or-treating.
[ May 28, 2003: Message edited by: Richard Hawkes ]

Besides, Halloween is pretty big in the States right? That's pretty anti-Catholic if you look at the origins trick-or-treating.
Really? Halloween means the eve of all hallows or the night before All Saints Day. Long as I've been Catholic that's been a Holy Day of obligation. The following day, All Souls Day is one of two days in the Liturgical Year that any priest can offer three Masses, the other is Christmas Day. I'm sure that Halloween originated from some pagan rite, but the Catholics have always taken the position that if you can't beat'm, join'm by Catholocizing the celebration.

Originally posted by Michael Morris:
Really? Halloween means the eve of all hallows or the night before All Saints Day. Long as I've been Catholic that's been a Holy Day of obligation. The following day, All Souls Day is one of two days in the Liturgical Year that any priest can offer three Masses, the other is Christmas Day. I'm sure that Halloween originated from some pagan rite, but the Catholics have always taken the position that if you can't beat'm, join'm by Catholocizing the celebration.
Trick-or-treating started because of the Guy Fawkes plot. In celebration at the foiling of the gunpowder-plot, Protestants used to turn up at Catholic homes demanding food or they'd be tricked - persecuted probably.
Anyway sometime in the US (not sure when), trick-or-treat was relocated to Oct 31 and has become part of the Halloween tradition, same as in UK except we don't celebrate it so much.

In celebration at the foiling of the gunpowder-plot, Protestants used to turn up at Catholic homes demanding food or they'd be tricked - persecuted probably.
Thanks for the info. I wasn't aware of that. Guess I need to brush up on some history.

Its quite amazing how holidays and celebrations have mutated throughout history and between continents. Many have lost old, and gained new meanings. I'm gonna do a Google!

Just found this about the gunpowder plot:
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/gunpowder_plot_of_1605.htm
About halfway down we have a conspiracy theory! Some argue the plot was an attempt to make Catholics appear more dangerous, although the evidence is pretty slim. Interesting though, never heard it before...

Just found this about the gunpowder plot:
Man that sounds like good fodder for an Oliver Stone flick.

I had never even heard of "trick or treating" until I was in my 20's and I was born & grew up in the UK.
Guy Fawkes Night (November 5th) has never been an actual holiday in the UK in my life time, just an excuse for bonfires, food, fireworks and a spot of effigy burning.
Marcus

Originally posted by Richard Hawkes:
Trick-or-treating started because of the Guy Fawkes plot. In celebration at the foiling of the gunpowder-plot, Protestants used to turn up at Catholic homes demanding food or they'd be tricked - persecuted probably.

Protestants may well have done that but that is not the source of trick-or-treating. It can be traced back to the time of the Druids. During the Middle Ages, people would dress in costumes to scare evil spirits away from your house if you gave them a treat.

Originally posted by Thomas Paul:
Protestants may well have done that but that is not the source of trick-or-treating. It can be traced back to the time of the Druids. During the Middle Ages, people would dress in costumes to scare evil spirits away from your house if you gave them a treat.
It has a few origins, however I chose that one because you seemed to imply we're proud of persecuting catholics. All most people associate with Nov 5 is someone trying to blow up parliament and getting caught.