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 Mountain Views NewsSaturday, August 3, 2024

RICH JOHNSON 

NOW THAT’S RICH

STUART TOLCHIN

MOUNTAIN 
VIEWS

NEWS

PUBLISHER/ EDITOR

Susan Henderson

PASADENA CITY 
EDITOR

Dean Lee 

SALES

Patricia Colonello

626-355-2737 

626-818-2698

WEBMASTER

John Aveny 

DISTRIBUTION

Peter Lamendola

CONTRIBUTORS

Michele Kidd

Stuart Tolchin 

Harvey Hyde

Audrey Swanson

Meghan Malooley

Mary Lou Caldwell

Kevin McGuire

Chris Leclerc

Dinah Chong Watkins

Howard Hays

Paul Carpenter

Kim Clymer-Kelley

Christopher Nyerges

Peter Dills 

Rich Johnson

Lori Ann Harris

Rev. James Snyder

Katie Hopkins

Deanne Davis

Despina Arouzman

Jeff Brown

Marc Garlett

Keely Toten

Dan Golden

Rebecca Wright

Hail Hamilton

Joan Schmidt

LaQuetta Shamblee


PUT THE LIGHTS ON

RARE WORDS 
AND THE 
CONFUSING 
USE OF THE 
LANGUAGE

Proficient in the use of the English 
language? Not so fast. Languages like most 
people evolve. And I am relatively certain I 
will start evolving soon.

Back to words. The Oxford English 
Dictionary contains 171,476 words in 
current use, and 47,156 obsolete words.

Experts tells us if we were to go back in 
time and visit William the Conqueror as 
he was invading the British Isles in 1066, 
we would not have understood what the 
English speakers were speaking. So, I guess 
time travel is out.

As we all know, new words come along 
all the time. And slang terms evolve. You 
will eventually find new words added. 
like “frenemy”. “Frenemy” is a common 
slang term for “friend” who may also be a 
“enemy”. (I got a lot of those).

English is English you say…right? Not 
necessarily. You throw in words that may, 
at one point, have meant something else: 
Let’s take a gander…errr look (not goose).

Bird: An animal with feathers that tweets 
is a bird right? Not everywhere the Kings 
English is spoken. A “bird” in England 
very well may mean an attractive young 
female. Like us yanks may refer to as a 
“chick”.

Geezer: We use the term to describe an 
elderly and often eccentric old man…like 
yours truly. In Britain “geezer” is used the 
same way Americans refer to young guys 
as “dudes”.

Jumper: Typically, in the U.S. a jumper 
involves a frantic call to 911. In England, a 
jumper is a sweater or a knitted top.

Rubber: Decency and an attempt at good 
taste prevent me from the slang meaning 
here in the colonies. In Mother England, 
a rubber refers simply to a pencil eraser…
that’s all I’m gonna say.

Comforter: Well, we in the good ole 
USA use warm fuzzy blankets we call a 
comforter to snuggle up with on a cold 
evening. In the King’s English a comforter 
describes a baby’s pacifier.

Boot: In America a boot is something we 
wear on our feet. Usually one left and one 
right. In England a boot is the trunk of a 
car. Go figure.

Traveling to the British Isles anytime 
soon? We would hate for you to miss out 
on delicious delicacies because you didn’t 
know the differences in the use of the 
language:. For example:

“Shrimps” are called “Prawns”. “French 
Fries” are called “Chips”. “Chips (as in 
potato chips) are known across the pond 
as “Crisps”, “Cookies” are known as 
“Biscuits”.

Want a grilled cheese sandwich? In the 
British Empire you better order up a 
“Toastie”. “Popsicles” are known as “Ice 
Lollies”. In Britain don’t use the word 
“Guy”. Use “Bloke”!

If you’re trying to win the affection of 
a lovely Londoner and she says, we fit 
together “Like chalk and cheese” move on. 
It ain’t happening.

If that same lovely lady tells you, “she 
wants to splash out on a…(fill in the blank) 
it means she wants to spend lots of money 
on a luxury item. Probably your money.

If a British friend yells out I’ve got to “spend 
a penny” they are desperately looking for a 
bathroom. Don’t slow them down.

Tired? Tell your companion you are 
”utterly knackered”. Wore out in other 
words.

If you talk too much a Brit might say you’re 
“Having a Chinwag”. Simmer down. (I get 
that one a lot.)

Finally, if you are traveling internationally 
this summer, here are 8 things you should 
never do:

Going to Japan? Don’t tip in restaurants 
and hotels. It’s seen as degrading and just 
isn’t done. (If you need to tip someone, I’m 
always available lol).

Don’t smile at a stranger in Russia.

Don’t use your left hand in India. It’s 
unclean. Greet someone, exchange money 
or pick something up with your right hand.

For goodness sakes, don’t eat everything 
on your plate in China. Your host will 
figure they didn’t give you enough to eat.

Don’t walk with your hands in your 
pockets in Germany.

Catching a cab in Ireland? Ride shotgun. If 
you climb in the back, you are violating the 
rules of egalitarianism.

Don’t open a gift immediately in India. 
Wait and avoid being thought of as greedy.

And for heavens sake…do not blow your 
nose in public in France. Excuse yourself 
and conduct your nose blowing in the 
restroom.

I hope your week is going splendidly. If 
you ever want to correct my use of the 
language, or ask me to devote a column to 
whatever is on your mind, please email me 
your thoughts to Rich@versatape.com. I’ll 
do my best to accommodate you craving 
for useless information.

-Rich

REPARING THE WORLD

The Hebrew concept of TIKKUN OLAM described in 
English as “REPARING THE WORLD” is something we 
all should be thinking about today. This world absolutely 
needs fixing. I don’t have to remind you that this is a 
very difficult time. The present continuing blazing hot 
temperature makes leaving the house a risk. Is this temperature connected 
to global warming and is it something that will be the norm of the future? 
Speaking of “global warming”, it has momentarily escaped the news, but it still 
there and may well be containing a message of imminent human extinction. 
That’s all.

Of course, there is little room to discuss global warming on TV 
these days as the news is filled with descriptions of the political instability 
surrounding us. As we all know there was an attempt on the life of the former 
President as he spoke at a rally seeking re-election. The bullet that grazed his 
ear war only millimeters away from killing him and now, almost immediately, 
he speaks of his survival as the work of the hand of God. Today he tells the 
world that upon election he will immediately declare himself a dictator and 
dispense with restrictions contained in the Constitution and legal precedents.

Perhaps the Ex-President is like a bad dream that will soon go away 
and be forgotten. The problem is that the entire Republican Party which 
hopefully contains many intelligent responsible people appears to be loyal to 
Mr. Trump and expresses their loyalty by their willingness to overthrow the 
policies and principles that make people, people such as me, proud to be an 
American and, of equal importance, allows me to feel safe living in this country.

Sure, there are fears of nuclear war, the Covid Virus, which makes 
just going out in public a risk, the inflationary costs of groceries and medical 
insurance, the fact that insurance companies are raising prices and threaten to 
cancel coverage altogether, the glaring inadequacies of education, the declining 
birth rate-----I could go on, but you already get the point. Sure, things are 
tough, but I still thought of the United States as my homeland, the place where 
my children and grandchild were born and being raised, and it is the place 
where we all always felt the safest.

Today, my closest friends talk of moving elsewhere, and in fact, some 
have already moved to countries where there is universal health care and more 
affordable housing prices. All right, let them go. I don’t want t to leave, I just 
want things to be fixed. It is in this context that while visiting the local Sierra 
Madre Library with my wife, son, and granddaughter on a day especially set 
aside for small children (now doesn’t that sound wonderful) that I happened 
to pick up and glance at a new book by James McBride entitled the Heaven 
and Earth Grocery Store. The author had attended Oberlin College where my 
daughter graduated and had four happy years. I opened the book and read only 
the front dedication page which thanked someone for exposing the author to 
the concept of Tikkun Olam, the Hebrew concept that I mentioned in the first 
sentence of this article. The term jogged my memory as something I might 
have once known about but now had forgotten. Like seemingly everyone else 
I had my iPhone with me and looked up the term. I learned, or relearned, that 
the term refers to the fact individual Jews are members of a greater society 
each of whom has the human responsibility to change, improve, and fix our 
earthly surroundings. I gathered that each of us should have a hand in working 
toward the betterment of our human existence as well as the lives of future 
generations.

Great—where do I start? I looked up and saw my five-year-old 
granddaughter energetically and happily coloring away on some paper she had 
been given. That is where to begin. Stop being consumed by the news and 
notice the inexhaustible energy and sheer beauty of small children. Stop just 
being an observer and protect what we all know must be protected. I am trying 
and hope you will do the same.

TIKKUN OLAM 

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DINAH CHONG WATKINS

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE 
WRONG KIND


DEI

“That’s your grandson?” the incredulous disbelief in her 
voice was as obvious as an adult child upon hearing their 
parents “still do it”.

Her fingers pulled the image apart on the cellphone screen, 
she squinted harder, subtly shook her head and passed me 
back my phone, “Mmmnn…” No comment was forthcoming.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) has become a hot button issue, more so 
with the presidential election at hand. But the rising tide of “What about me?” 
in college admissions, workplace hiring, and housing supply has exposed a once 
sheltered group to the iniquities many others are confronted with all their lives.

I have to admit, my English is pretty good - for a Canadian. But once in a while, 
a retail clerk or waitstaff or lost elderly person in need of directions will apprehensively 
attempt direct communications with me. I wait to see that slow, roll of 
relief washing over their face when I answer intelligibly - for a Canadian. Hey, 
I totally understand - I spent decades in China making do with my middling 
Mandarin, it was as good as winning five bucks on a Scratch-off ticket if the 
stranger I was trying to talk to could speak English instead. 

Did I benefit from any DEI initiatives while living in China? Well, I looked like 
the majority, ate like the majority and was mistaken most times for the majority, 
so no. However, there were plenty of foreigners who looked different from 
the majority and yes, they were given inherent benefits, VIP treatment, and exclusive 
access to all the right places. Sadly, when they eventually returned back 
to their home country, they became just another one of the masses and alas, an 
average Joe. 

It’s hard to be an average Joe, we tend to take our benefits for granted. Over 
lunch with some colleagues, one guy complained that he was being overlooked 
for a promotion because of the color of his skin. Since he was the only White 
male amongst us, we congratulated him on finally joining the “club”. We 
drowned our sorrows in San-yee’s homemade apricot peach kombucha, the 
lingering buzz from the over fermented fruit made the last Zoom call of the day 
bearable.

Will I always be looked on upon as an immigrant? An outsider? Someone who’s 
representative of the diverse make-up of our nation, who deserves equal rights 
and inclusion? More importantly, will I look at others that way? Will we ever get 
to that place where we’re just an average Joe?

Sometimes, when I’m walking hand in hand with my DEI quarter Chinese, 
blonde, blue-eyed grandson, I imagine the inner hidden thoughts of strangers 
as we pass by, 

“They must have gotten the AARP nanny rate for her.”

Dinah Chong Watkins column appears every 1st and 3rd Saturday of the 
month. For more Close Encounters Of The Wrong Kind go to www.ceotwk.com 


THE FRAMERS' BIG QUESTION


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Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com