Thank you Muhammad Ail, plus: While a restaurant could have an award winning menu, how is their food

In response to last week’s question, "While a restaurant could have an award winning menu, how is their food?," my writing and sailing friend Rich advised, "Style over substance. A problem our society is currently suffering from," to which

my friend Tracey, who is known for her good taste, added, "Probably as pretentious and disappointing as their service. And what kind of award did the menu win? From whom was the award issued?"

My cousin Greg cautioned, "Just don’t order the “pu-pu” platter….."

My temple friend Richard replied, "Unknown. On the bright side, if the food isn’t as good as the award-winning menu, at least you can eat the menu! (Everything tastes better with barbecue sauce.)"

My Utah friend Bruce had to offer, "Neil Armstrong went to a restaurant on the moon that had great food but no atmosphere...  Sorry...couldn't help myself."

My cousin Wes wrote, "Depends on who is cooking today.  Great graphic arts on a menu last longer than cooks."  And another cousin, Dave, shared, "I pretty much avoid restaurants that advertise award winning menus. In a related thought, can salmon get salmonella?"

Please send me your thoughts about this week's "things that make you go 'Hmmm' “:

Why do people have eyebrows?

We don't stop laughing because we get old. We get old because we stop laughing.  Make it a priority to have fun and make others laugh.

Hal

Below are quotes from Muhammad Ail, another example of a Muslim American that contributed so much to our country and the world.  I regularly share #16 when I send a birthday greeting.

1. "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. His hands can't hit what his eyes can't see. Now you see me, now you don't. George thinks he will, but I know he won't.

2. "Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth."

3. "I'm young; I'm handsome; I'm fast. I can't possibly be beat."

4. "Don’t count the days; make the days count."

5. “If my mind can conceive it, and my heart can believe it—then I can achieve it." Jesse Jackson said this as early as 1983, according to the Associated Press, and Ali used it in his 2004 book.

6. “It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am."

7. “It isn’t the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out; it’s the pebble in your shoe.”

8. “If you even dream of beating me, you'd better wake up and apologize.”

9. “Braggin' is when a person says something and can’t do it. I do what I say.”

10. "I am the greatest, I said that even before I knew I was."

11. "Only a man who knows what it is like to be defeated can reach down to the bottom of his soul and come up with the extra ounce of power it takes to win when the match is even."

12. "I'm so mean, I make medicine sick."

13. "I should be a postage stamp. That's the only way I'll ever get licked."

14. “Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they’ve been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It’s an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It’s a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.”

15. “He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.”

16. "A man who views the world the same at 50 as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life.”

17. “If they can make penicillin out of moldy bread, they can sure make something out of you.”

18. "I shook up the world. Me! Whee!"

19. “I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.'”

20. “At home I am a nice guy: but I don’t want the world to know. Humble people, I’ve found, don’t get very far.”

21. "A man who has no imagination has no wings."

22. "He’s (Sonny Liston) too ugly to be the world champ. The world champ should be pretty like me!"

23. "I am the astronaut of boxing. Joe Louis and Dempsey were just jet pilots. I'm in a world of my own."

24. “I’ve wrestled with alligators. I’ve tussled with a whale. I done handcuffed lightning. And throw thunder in jail.”

25. "Hating people because of their color is wrong. And it doesn't matter which color does the hating. It's just plain wrong."

26. “It’s not bragging if you can back it up.”

27. "I'm the most recognized and loved man that ever lived cuz there weren't no satellites when Jesus and Moses were around, so people far away in the villages didn't know about them."

28. "It's just a job. Grass grows, birds fly, waves pound the sand. I beat people up."

29. “I’m not the greatest, I’m the double greatest.”

30. “Live everyday as if it were your last because someday you're going to be right.”

Thanks to Demetri Martin, Steven Wright and George Carlin for the inspiration for Hmmm.  Stop by NicheLabs to see what else I'm up to.

"How bad can it be if it's clear?

In response to last week’s question, "How bad can it be if it's clear?,"  my sailing friend Jim cautioned, "A question posed by someone who clearly has never had Everclear," to which my dog rescue friend Kate added, "If it is called scotch or bourbon, we have a problem."  My Utah friend Bruce then advised, "Choose your poison: Vodka and gin are clear while Los Angeles air is brown... They both give you red eyes if consumed in large quantities... "

My temple friend Richard proffered, "There is no conflict between being clear and bad.  For example, if a '60 Minutes' crew shows up at your house, that is clearly bad.  If you get 'invited' to the local IRS office, that is likewise clearly bad. If your parachute does not open, that is clearly VERY bad."   My PR friend Stan concurred, "If you need rain, clear weather can be really bad depending on how much rain you need. If a problem is really clear, then it can be worse than you thought, and that could be really bad. Clearly, you really weren’t clear."

My birthday bud Jon challenged, "Your question is unclear.  So it’s pretty bad!" to which my cousin Greg piled on, "Clear as mud."

Please send me your thoughts about this week's "things that make you go 'Hmmm' “:

 While a restaurant could have an award winning menu, how is their food? from my cousin Dave.

We don't stop laughing because we get old. We get old because we stop laughing.  Make it a priority to have fun and make others laugh.

Hal

Knowing how much I enjoy Steven Wright's humor, my friend Stan asked if Steven Wright (Red Sox) is happier since he found success with the knuckleball?

Thanks to Demetri Martin, Steven Wright and George Carlin for the inspiration for Hmmm.  Stop by NicheLabs to see what else I'm up to.

Is graduation a gradual thing?

In response to last week’s question, "Is graduation a gradual thing?," my friend Tracey recalled, "Yes it is and quite often painful!"  My neighbor Al provided an example although not necessarily what Tracey was referring to when he wrote, "When you are sitting in a 90-degree football stadium, from the top row, listening to some pompous speaker, it sure seems gradual."  

My birthday bud Jon observed, "It depends on your grades" while my recruiting friend Jason reminisced, "Graduation is a sudden event with a goodly amount of foreplay and a sh-ton of memories and embellishments."

My dad's beach buddy Bob  counseled, "It is toward a never to be achieved goal."

And my fascinating friend Bruce summarized, "Hmmm... Kindergarten, Elementary, Junior High, High School, and MA at Juilliard were easy.  For the second MA at USC (chemical engineering), the going was tougher (supporting a family and a career)  so - steep... And now that I'm retired, I'm almost done with PhD from Manchester (astrophysics) - very steep...  Wondering do I want to bother finishing, just so someone has to call me Doctor?     The answer is: Gradual...  I think the older we are, the tougher the climb."

Please send me your thoughts about this week's "things that make you go 'Hmmm' “:

         How bad can it be if it's clear?   from my collaboration friend Mary

 We don't stop laughing because we get old. We get old because we stop laughing.  Make it a priority to have fun and make others laugh.

Hal

Please take a moment to remember all of those who have given their lives for our country so that we may be free.  While the US Congress is a mess, we are free to criticize and elect other representatives --- and for that is just one of the things thank the families of those who died in our military, reserves and law enforcement protecting our democracy.

Thanks to Demetri Martin, Steven Wright and George Carlin for the inspiration for Hmmm.  Stop by NicheLabs to see what else I'm up to.

How do you pronounce [#@%*^$%# ?

In response to last week’s question, "How do you pronounce  [#@%*^$%# ?,"  my neighbor Al replied, "...with soap in my mouth," to which my west coast friend Bruce added, "I know how to pronounce it, but you misspelled it!  The final syllable you wrote ($%#) is merely the gurgle and pop my throat makes from the soap and pepper Miss Snodgrass (my second grade teacher) washed my mouth with, so many years ago..."

My birthday bud Jon declared, "Trump."

 My temple friend Richard cautioned, "You can pronounce it any #@%*^$%# way you want, but you have to be careful about where the $%*Ω£¢§# you say it!"  My Parrothead friend Samantha follows Richard's advice, "I have small children, so I only pronounce that in my head- and oftentimes in traffic."

 When my dad's beach buddy Bob described "unmentionable series of 4 letter words," my jeweler friend Bill provided the qualifier, "It depends if you are from the North or the South."

 My writing and sailing friend Rich concluded, "It translates to 'Special Words' such as 'The Special Work Words' when you walk out of the latest meeting or 'The Special Sailing Words' when you run the boat aground, or 'The Special Wife Words' pretty much for anything you do, sensitivity is harder than it looks."

 My PR friend Stan declared it is, "F" to which my cousin Greg thought it was "FUBAR" and my social media friend Mark thought it would be "Freaking Auto-correct."

My friend Tracey recalled, "If you've ever watch The Flintstones, Fred pronounced it at least once or twice per episode."  And my sailing friend Norm politely replied, "Cheese & Crackers!"

Please send me your thoughts about this week's "things that make you go 'Hmmm' “:

Is graduation a gradual thing?

We don't stop laughing because we get old. We get old because we stop laughing.  Make it a priority to have fun and make others laugh.

Hal

Congrats to those completing high school, college and post-graduate school, and their families.  If you got your masters or doctorate, are you a post-graduate graduate?

Thanks to Demetri Martin, Steven Wright and George Carlin for the inspiration for Hmmm.  Stop by NicheLabs to see what else I'm up to.

Why are there half sizes for shoes?

In response to last week’s question, "Why are there half sizes for shoes?," my temple friend Richard explained, "Sizing of shoes and wits are the same, which is why there are so many half-wits. Obviously feet grow and wits decrease on an incremental basis.:

My dad's beach buddy Bob observed, "Because there are men and women who are not necessarily 'full bodied,' " to which my collaboration friend Paul concurred, "I’ve always assumed this is b/c women don’t want to buy shoes w/2-digit sizes. 'My feet aren’t THAT big.' "   This was confirmed when my friend Tracey replied, "As someone who wears an 8.5... an 8 is too snug and a 9 is too loose."  Then my cousin Dave added, "I wear a 9 1/2 shoe to go with my 15 1/2 shirt collar."

My PR friend Stan shared, "There are no half-sizes. '9-1/2' is a size that’s somewhere between 9 and 10. You would only have a half-size if you only needed half a shoe. In that case, the 9-1/2 would be 4-3/4. Personally, it would offend my bad sense of fashion, and I’d take a full-size shoe, 9-1/2 and find some filler material for the rest of it. Then, I’d go watch a cigar box – or let Prince Albert out of the can."

My DISH friend Mark reminded us, "If the shoe doesn’t fit…" as my equestrian friend Royce wrote, "Ya know...I was discussing that at breakfast this morning with the guys at Bennies."

Please send me your thoughts about this week's "things that make you go 'Hmmm' “:

How do you pronounce  [#@%*^$%# ?

Life  is too short for drama and petty things, so kiss slowly, laugh insanely, love truly, and forgive quickly.   

Hal

Thanks to Demetri Martin, Steven Wright and George Carlin for the inspiration for Hmmm.  Stop by NicheLabs to see what else I'm up to.