Miscellany and Trivia

Compiled by S. T. Adelante

The New York Times of December 12, 2009, cited a report of the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life entitled “Many Americans Mix Multiple Faiths,” recording that many Americans now blend Christianity with Eastern or esoteric ideas. Protestants (by 20 %) and Catholics (by 28 %) acknowledged a belief in reincarnation. Similar percentages espouse astrology, the spiritual practice of yoga, and the concept of spiritual energy in mountains, trees, and crystals. Over the past dozen years, the number of Americans who acknowledge experience of ghosts has increased from 9 to 18 %, and contact with the dead from 18 to 29 %. According to the Times, Americans bend dogmas to suit themselves rather than bend themselves to fit a dogma.

Bill Gates is the most famous businessman in the world. Many pages have been written about how he has dominated the revolution in personal computing. But we know little about him as a person. Here’s a familiar anecdote which may show his personality:

When Bill Gates was in the sixth grade, his parents decided that he needed some kind of help. He was at war with his mother Mary, an extrovert woman who believed that he should do what she told him. She would call him to dinner from his bedroom, which she had given up trying to make him clean, but he wouldn’t respond.

“What are you doing?” she once asked him.

“I’m thinking,” Bill answered.

“You’re thinking?”

“Yes, Mom, I’m thinking,” he said aggressively. “Have you tried thinking?”

Finally, his parents decided to send him to a psychologist. The psychologist concluded that Bill was extremely intelligent. After a one-year session and a large number of tests, the psychologist told Bill’s parents: “You’re going to lose. You had better adjust to it because there’s no use trying to punish him. It’s useless to try to compete with him.” A lot of computer companies have concluded the same.

Thor Heyerdahl gained world recognition in 1947 when he and five companions sailed from Peru to Polynesia in a balsa wood raft called the Kon Tiki. The voyage added credibility to Heyerdahl’s theory that Polynesian culture exhibited pre-Inca influences.

On a visit to London, Heyerdahl had a busy schedule of appointments. Shortly after recording a program for the Independent Television Network, he was due at the BBC studios for an interview. Having been assured by the BBC that a taxi would be sent to pick him up from the ITN studios, Heyerdahl waited expectantly in the lobby. As the minutes ticked by, however, he began to grow anxious. He approached a little man in a flat cap, who looked as if he might be a taxi driver and was obviously searching for someone. “I’m Thor Heyerdahl,” said the anthropologist. “Are you looking for me?”

“No, mate,” replied the taxi driver. “I’ve been sent to pick up four Airedales for the BBC.”
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Now, this anecdote ain’t so easy to grasp. Is there anyone out there who can shed light on this anecdote? If you can, send your explanation to the administrator.

In January 1960, a reporter for the London Standard approached Churchill at a reception.

“Sir Winston, what is your comment on the prediction made the other day that in the year 2000, women will rule the world?”

“They still will, will they?” was Churchill’s grunted response.

Once at Varanasi, as Swamiji was coming out of the temple of Mother Durga, he was surrounded by a large number of chattering monkeys. They seemed to be threatening him. Swamiji did not want them to catch hold of him, so he started to run away. But the monkeys chased him. An old sannyasin was there, watching those monkeys. He called out to Swamiji, ‘Stop! Face the brutes!’ Swamiji stopped. He turned round and faced the monkeys. At once, they ran away. Many years later, Swamiji said: ‘If you ever feel afraid of anything, always turn round and face it. Never think of running away.’

“Well, don’t you feel bad for killing a living creature?” asked Moyers.
“No,” said the Dalai Lama, “I gave him two warnings!”

Dali once took his pet ocelot with him to a New York restaurant and tethered it to a leg of the table while he ordered coffee. A middle-aged lady walked past and looked at the animal in horror. “What’s that?” she cried. “It’s only a cat,” said Dali scathingly. “I’ve painted it over with an op-art design.” The woman, embarrassed by her initial reaction, took a closer look and sighed with relief. “I can see now that’s what it is,” she said. “At first I thought it was a real ocelot.”