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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
Barnaby Rudge had a talking raven named Grip. I was rather doubtful that this was possible. But here is a URL that says that Dickens himself owned Grip, that Grip could really say several phrases used in the story. Amazing. http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Lofts/5542/grip.html
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296 |
At first I thought you might have a thread here about eating crow...
Anyway, I read your link above and thought it would be good to include here those favorite phrases of Dickens' Grip and also the little story about how Grip had died:
"The real Grip,who was a beloved pet of the Dickens children, could talk.
His favorite sayings were:
"Never Say Die"
"Keep up your Spirit"
"Hurrah!"
"Polly put the kettle on, we'll all have tea!"
Grip slept in the stables, usually on horseback.The stables were being repainted and white lead was used back then.
The painters were careful, but Grip being curious in his nature, burned to possess the pound of white lead.When the workmen went to dinner, he ate it all and died. He was stuffed and mounted. Dickens himself made the glass and wood case that he is displayed in. "
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
It would be interesting to know Grip's early history. I think it likely that he would have to be made a pet when
quite young. I also wonder if there was a cut-off age for
learning new words.
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296 |
I suppose Grip was a high-octane raven driven by achievement based on the phrases that appealed to him. His owner certainly was a high-octane writer. The reason I'm using high-octane tonight is I just read in the Random archives the history behind high-octane, which isn't supercharged at all, but apparently is simply a rating to show effectiveness of preventing engine knocks.
Grip's name is interesting, isn't it, wwh? Do you suppose he was called Grip simply because he could grip well?
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
I remember from organic chemistry over sixty years ago, that
it was thought that a straight chain hydrocarbon with 8 carbons, would be the ideal fuel. Gasoline in early days was a mixture of more than a few length chains. In addition to straight chains, hydrocarbon chains can have forks, and
some of the the bonds can be double, unsaturated. It finally turned out that the very best single type had a fork, and I think at least one double bond. But I can't remember the details. I'll see if I can find it.
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