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pre millenium tension
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Subject: pre millenium tension From: danl Date: 10 May 99 - 02:03 PM what with all the excitement about the year 2000, my mum, who is a primary school year 6 teacher (ages 10/11) got all her kids to write a song about something they thought would be relevent in the next millenium. one bright spark had written this and i thought it was so good that i got her permission to share it with you all! enjoy...! The Moon is Full. The moon is full, you just can't move I'm not going back till it's improved! It's fit to burst, it's overrun With aliens in search of fun. ch. Next vacation I'll steer clear, (x3) The moon has lost it's atmosphere! Every crater's jam-packed full, Low gravity, you see's, the pull. Those package tours that peer at earth But do they get their moneys worth? Silly t-shirts, solar flares, Tinted heelmets, no-one cares! Hotels as far as the eye can see Surround the sea of tranquility. No room to swing a martian cat Just sovenirs and tourist tat. Smaller craters (there are no rules) Converted imto swimming pools! I want to know, when on vacation What is an alien's motivation? It baffles me why every race Should crowd together in one place You think they'd search for peace and quiet, It beats me why they never try it. I used to come for a week in June But that was before the tourist boom.
love ivy b.* |
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Subject: RE: pre millenium tension From: emily rain Date: 10 May 99 - 05:12 PM what a great song! thanks, ivy! |
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Subject: RE: pre millenium tension From: Alice Date: 11 May 99 - 09:55 AM Ivy, that's a great song! good to see the work of 6th grade songwriter! thanks for posting it |
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Subject: RE: pre millenium tension From: ddw Date: 12 May 99 - 12:32 AM I agree it's a great little ditty, but I just can't bring myself to believe a 10- or 11-year-old wrote it. The meter's too good, the rhyme is too good and the real clincher for me was the pun in "The moon has lost its atmosphere." It's too good to be an accident, but how many kids that age understand the concept of the "atmosphere" of a place? Sorry, but I'm a doubter..... ddw |
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Subject: RE: pre millenium tension From: Banjer Date: 12 May 99 - 06:13 PM I'll have to side with DDW on this one...It occured to me as I was reading it how funny it would be for a Mudcatter parent to look at the song and think to him/herself, "That's odd, that's the ditty I helped little Jane/Johnny write for his homework last week!" |
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Subject: RE: pre millenium tension From: MAG (inactive) Date: 12 May 99 - 06:18 PM Ah, ye of little faith. There is a great science fiction novel for that age called *This Place has no Atmosphere.* Kids learn all about atmospherre when they study the solar system. -- Mary Ann, yes I'm a librarian. |
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Subject: RE: pre millenium tension From: Alice Date: 12 May 99 - 06:22 PM Banjer and ddw, you just haven't been around enough clever 11 year olds lately. I agree it could have had parental inspiration, but I also know some very bright young writers. OK, Ivy... the doubting Thomases await your response! |
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Subject: RE: pre millenium tension From: The Shambles Date: 12 May 99 - 06:54 PM I'm a believer. Only 234 days to go! |
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Subject: RE: pre millenium tension From: LEJ Date: 12 May 99 - 07:45 PM That song is very clever. Oddly enough, it reminds me of something the late Shel Silverstein might have penned. |
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Subject: RE: pre millenium tension From: The Shambles Date: 13 May 99 - 02:06 AM It was poor, much scorned Neil Diamond 'wot' wrote that wasn't it? Only 233 days to go........................................ (I have a calander with a little 'gizmo' on it that clicks down to the Millienium). |
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Subject: RE: pre millenium tension From: katlaughing Date: 13 May 99 - 03:37 AM ivy, Don't listen to 'em! Kids today know so much more about the world, esp. any kid who has a computer and Internet access! An interesting book, is Stephen Jay Gould's Questioning the Millenium: A Rationalist's Guide to a Precisely Arbitrary Countdown" published by Harmony books. ISBN # 0-0609-60076-1. He points out the fact that the "year 2000" first of all isn't technically the start of the next century, and second of all, that the numbers which we assign to time's passage, are after all, constructs of humankind and really have nothing to do with the planet itself or its evolution. It's an interesting antidote to all of the millenium hysteria, esp. that of the far right/survivalists/etc. There is a very touching last chapter about an "autistic friend" of his; touching in what he reveals about his friend in the last sentence or two. I won't spoil it by telling you. He admits to it bringing tears to his eyes, as it did mine. As I said, a good read. So was the poem, Ivy B. Thanks for posting it. katlaughing & embracing the future! |
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Subject: RE: pre millenium tension From: Bev Lawton Date: 13 May 99 - 05:54 AM As I work with them 'puter thangs the year 2000 bug has occupied my attentions for a fair while - but I can announce the following : Memo to Management: Our staff has completed the 18 months of work on time and on budget. We have gone through every line of code in every program in every system. We have analyzed all databases, all data files, including backups and historic archives, and modified all data to reflect the change. We are proud to report that we have completed the "Y2K" date change mission, and have now implemented all changes to all programs and all data to reflect your new standards: Januark, Februark, March, April, Mak, June, Julk, August, September, October, November, December As well as: Sundak, Mondak, Tuesdak, Wednesdak, Thursdak, Fridak, Saturdak We trust that this is satisfactory, because to be honest, none of this Y to K problem has made any sense to us. But we understand it is a global problem, and our team is glad to help in any way possible. By the way, what does the year 2000 have to do with it? Speaking of which, what do you think we ought to do next year when the two digit year rolls over from 99 to 00? We'll await your direction. Bev Lawton |
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Subject: RE: pre millenium tension From: AllisonA(Animaterra) Date: 13 May 99 - 09:24 AM Ivy, as one who also works with 11 year old lyricists, kudos to you and yours- they certainly can and do have the sophistication these days- far more than I do! It's a great lyric- may I share it with my kiddos? Allison |
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Subject: RE: pre millenium tension From: MudGuard Date: 14 May 99 - 02:32 AM The Shambles, your calendar does not count the days to the next millenium, it just counts the days till the start of the year 2000. As there was no year zero, the 1st millenium started in year 1 and ended with the year 1000, the 2nd millenium started with year 1001 and ends with year 2000, the 3rd millenium starts with year 2001 and ends with year 3000, and so on... Andreas |
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Subject: RE: pre millenium tension From: The Shambles Date: 14 May 99 - 10:02 AM Im sure you are right. 232 days to go to whatever? |
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Subject: RE: pre millenium tension From: Jeri Date: 14 May 99 - 10:37 AM To the Y2K: 232 days (counting today) To the beginning of the 3rd millennium: 598 days
Hail the day so long expected, (Sorry, I'm a PC user - but I can take a joke.) |
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Subject: RE: pre millenium tension From: Bert Date: 14 May 99 - 11:53 AM Kat, Seeing as everyone is being so logical and precise in their counting, shouldn't it be 'Second of all but one' because you already used the first one in 'First of all'? :-) Bert. |
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Subject: RE: pre millenium tension From: Alice Date: 14 May 99 - 12:26 PM Yesterday as I was watching Bill Cosby on a talk show (yes, it was Oprah, and no, I don't watch it every day) he was speaking about college graduates... the ones who still live at home with parents, the resumes trying to "spin" paper boy into publication delivery service, etc. (very funny). Anyway, there were some new graduates stopped on campus and questioned about several things. It was enlightening regarding the lack of common knowledge among these new grads. They were asked questions such as, what is Y2K, can you name 2 senators, what is the electoral college... very scary wrong answers. The answer to What is Y2K? A rock and roll band. What is the electoral college? A college where you can take more electives. What are the three branches of US government? The president, the governor, and the mayor. In response to Name 2 senators, two grads who could not name any senators, could quickly name the Spice Girls and the characters of South Park. Yes, it was scary. |
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Subject: RE: pre millenium tension From: danl Date: 17 May 99 - 02:33 PM hello. its been a long hard week in which this computor has REFUSED to work for some reason or another and i havent been able to see what had happened to this thread! a server case of 'the mudcat blues' as described in another thread i think! yes it was written by a year 6 girl, and of course she knows about the atmosphere, after all she has a very good teacher... my mum! perhaps there was some parental input but you'd be suprised sometimes what they can come up with on their own. as for all this Y2K talk, its all over my head. two of my brothers work in the computor industry (to put it mildly. ie, its all they ever seem to talk about) but although they have once or twice tried to explain it all to me and have been debating it for years, i still havent quite grasped any more than the basic concept. for me the 1st of january will always mean something else compleatly - my birthday! and no, its not a cool day to have it, can you imagine all those birthdays when i was a kid and the only one without a hangover? its a bit better now of course though coz i tend to have one too.... anyway, its good to be back after my week of abstinance! love ivy b* |
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Subject: RE: pre millenium tension From: The Shambles Date: 17 May 99 - 02:43 PM 229 days to go. |
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Subject: RE: pre millenium tension From: Alice Date: 17 May 99 - 02:53 PM Ivy, again, I loved the lyrics you posted by the 6th grader. It made me think of a song my son wrote (gee, am I a proud mum or what?) when he was in the 4th grade. It is called "Time Is Everything", and I'll have to ask him if he has it written down somewhere. --alice |
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Subject: RE: pre millenium tension From: danl Date: 17 May 99 - 03:22 PM dear me, all these artistic 11 year olds. when i look back at what i wrote last week i cringe, let alone when i was in year 6!
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Subject: RE: pre millenium tension From: Penny S. Date: 17 May 99 - 04:40 PM I endorse Ivy B about her Y6 lyricist. The rhyming couplets and the way the scanning breaks down matches the work of our Y6 children. I have also found some quite sophisticated puns from Y4 (8-9 yr-olds), very often when they apply a common phrase in an unusual but appropriate place. If they come from a family where the adults use words creatively, they may well be capable of doing so themselves. |
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Subject: RE: pre millenium tension From: annamill Date: 17 May 99 - 04:53 PM I'm absolutely dying, Bev. I'm a programmer working on this problem. Everyone around me is addressing this problem. I just cut and pasted this to everyone in my department. I can't stop laughing. I may get fired... Anna |
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Subject: RE: pre millenium tension From: MudGuard Date: 18 May 99 - 02:42 AM A letter from someone who had to work on the Y2K problem: Dear Boss, as requested I solved that Y2K problem with all our calendars. I do not like the result, but as you requested it I don't complain. All calendars now have the months Januark, Februark, Mak and Julk instead of January, February, May and July. I also changed the names of the days (resp. daks) to Mondak, Tuesdak, Wednesdak, Thursdak, Fridak, Saturdak and Sundak. Yours, Kelly Bundy |
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Subject: RE: pre millenium tension From: Alex Date: 18 May 99 - 08:58 AM Because of all the headaches Y2K is causing, I vote for calling it Pre Millenium Syndrome. |
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Subject: RE: pre millenium tension From: Ken B. in Oklahoma Date: 18 May 99 - 10:16 AM There is something much more important than the Y2K crisis, ETERNITY!!! In 26 million years, will you even remember what happened on January 1, 2000? "Are you ready for Y2K, the year 2000? Do you know Jesus Christ as your personal savior? If not, then you aren't even ready for tomorrow." (No problem with going into the new millenium, i.e. 2001) I am a writer myself, when God gives me something, and I think I approve of the lyrics the youngster wrote. Although I am 53 years old, I am really only 3 years old as a writer as I only began writing in April of 1996. Think about forever in Heaven or in Hell, KB |
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Subject: RE: pre millenium tension From: Cara Date: 18 May 99 - 11:11 AM Where do they come from? There's a great article in Salon today, May 18. It's in their Technology section and it's about Y2K and compares our time to the most recent fin de siecle and also to 990, when people also freaked out, generating enough hysteria to launch the Crusades. Check it out www.salon.com Great poem, too, IvyB!! |
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Subject: RE: pre millenium tension From: Cara Date: 18 May 99 - 11:12 AM Where do they come from? There's a great article in Salon today, May 18. It's in their Technology section and it's about Y2K and compares our time to the most recent fin de siecle and also to 990, when people also freaked out, generating enough hysteria to launch the Crusades. Check it out www.salon.com Great poem, too, IvyB!! |
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Subject: RE: pre millenium tension From: Alice Date: 18 May 99 - 06:01 PM this is old... but maybe you haven't seen it yet ---------
Message from: Rome
Dear Cassius,
Are you still working on the Y zero K problem? This change from BC to AD is giving us a lot of headaches and we haven't much time left. I don't know how people will cope with working the wrong way around. Having been working happily downwards forever, now we have to start thinking upwards. You would think that someone would have thought of it earlier and not left it to us to sort out at the last minute.
I spoke to Caesar the other evening. He was livid that Julius hadn't done something about it when he was sorting out the calendar. He said he could see why Brutus turned nasty. We called in the consulting astrologers, but they simply said that continuing downwards using minus BC won't work. As usual, the consultants charged a fortune for doing nothing useful. As for myself, I just can't see the sand in an hourglass flowing upwards.
We have heard that there are 3 wise guys in the east working on the problem, but unfortunately they won't arrive till it's all over. Some say the world will cease to exist at the moment of transition. Anyway we are continuing to work on this blasted Y zero K problem and I will send you a parchment if anything further develops. Plutonius.
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Subject: RE: pre millenium tension From: Alex Date: 19 May 99 - 01:00 AM And to think I was getting upset at the gun crowd. Now we get the Jesus freaks. Hey Ivy - Sorry, I should have said earlier that I liked your poem - it fits into a recently-added section of Folk, which, due to a typo, became known as FILK MUSIC. Keep on writing. Think about setting your stuff to music. Or not. There are places where you can go and recite your work. Poetry Slams are great fun. Try it. |
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Subject: RE: pre millenium tension From: The Shambles Date: 19 May 99 - 01:28 PM 227 days to go. |
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Subject: RE: pre millenium tension From: Penny S. Date: 21 May 99 - 12:23 PM Primary school puns. I can't give the boy's name, I'm afraid, because of our net policy. He's Year 4 (can't remeber whether 8 or 9). We are making cartoon versions of the story of Herakles, and reminding ourselves of the Labours. The Man-Eating Mares of Diomedes come up. "He'd have to find them in the Mayor's office," says he. |
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Subject: RE: pre millenium tension From: The Shambles Date: 21 May 99 - 01:34 PM My mate used to tell of a composition at his school, where the 'full-stop' had been left out to read. On Corsica Napoleon was born at the early age of ten - |
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Subject: RE: pre millenium tension From: The Shambles Date: 21 May 99 - 01:36 PM Oh and! 225 Days to go. |
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Subject: RE: pre millenium tension From: Penny S. Date: 21 May 99 - 06:31 PM My lad's remark was intentional and knowing the different meanings. |
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