No Joke! Tazi Presents The History Of April Fool's Day (And Recommends The Museum of Hoaxes Blog!)

Dear Readers:

I recently came across an old copy of the Encyclopedia Britannica while sniffing around the bookshelf for a good place to nap - a la Fredrick the Literate. Being the curious cat that I am, I pulled out the first book in the series - subjects beginning with the letter "A" - and started reading about the history of April Fool's Day. I did not know that humans needed a special day to play pranks on people. We cats do it all the time, regardless of the occasion. Anyhow, in lieu of a full blog review, I have decided to share my new-found knowledge with you!

My man, Frederick!

There are many tales of the origin of April Fool's Day. The most widely believed is that it dates back to the mid-1500's, when the Gregorian calendar was adopted in England; switching the feast of the New Year from March 25 - April 1 (a week long celebration in honor of the Spring Equinox, which actually makes sense) to January 1, a single day in the middle of the winter. News traveled slowly back then and, as now, people were not fond of change. Because of this, there were still many who insisted on celebrating the New Year on April 1. Those who celebrated on January 1 would then make fun of those celebrating the New Year on April 1, and would often play good-natured jokes on them. Although this historical event popularized the April 1 date as a day for pranks, it is not what originated it.

As far back as the mid-5th century (1,000 years earlier) the Persians (now Iraqis) celebrated their own New Year with the celebration of Sizdah Bedar (literal translation: getting rid of 13) which falls on the 13th day of the New Year and the final day of celebration, generally April 1. It is a day to play pranks on each other and to be festive and joyful; and is actually one of the older holiday traditions still active in the world today. It is believed that this tradition was carried from Persia (Iraq) by European traders, who found the practice befitting their own celebration on that date.

April Fool's Day is a holiday celebrated by many countries throughout the world; especially those in Europe, where the celebration often takes on a life of its own with the media getting involved to assist in the perpetrating of jokes and hoaxes. Perhaps the most famous April Fool's Day hoax was the one about the Swiss Spaghetti Harvest, reported as actual news by the highly reputed BBC News, the perpetrators of the joke.

To go with all the meatballs, ja!

For more interesting tales of April Fool's Day jokes, check out the blog The Museum of Hoaxes. The British are also responsible for what might also be the longest running April Fool's Day joke: sending people to the Tower of London to witness the annual Washing of the Lions. Started in 1698, the prank continued to fool citizens right up through the mid-19th century; when, presumably, communications had improved through the printing of newspapers.

However you decide to spend your April Fool's Day - whether you try to convince someone that the restaurant chain Taco Bell has purchased the naming rights to the Liberty Bell (and is renaming it the Taco Liberty Bell) or you decide to try and shut down your downtown business district, have fun doing it! And for more ideas on various hoaxes to pull, check out The Museum of Hoaxes multi-blog article on The Top 100 April Fool's Day Hoaxes of All Time - each hoax intro leads to a full-page article (no joke!) that will keep you busy all day, leaving your cat the entire day to nap on top of your Sunday newspaper. It's a win-win situation!

Snuggles,
Tazi


Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with a Bachelors of Arts in Communications. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.

Tazi Recommends: Women Of History

Good Morning, Dear Readers!!

Spring is in the air and I have been in the catnip, which explains why I am feeling extra playful and spunky this morning! This week, in honor of Women's History Month (and International Women's Day yesterday), I am recommending a blog about women in history, appropriately titled,

Women of History
by Melisende from Australia

What I like about this blog is that it digs up interesting information about women who have changed the world, from ancient history to modern time. Just this week the blog oscillated (there's an SAT word for you!) from a history lesson on the Judaic feast of Purim to the current judicial injustices against women in Afghanistan. Women of History is a blog in the traditional sense of a blog: rather than being authored solely by the blogger, it is an offering of previously published blogs and articles researched and gathered by the blogger; allowing for a variety of stories on one broad subject (in this case, women of history) to be gathered in one "blogspot".

Even if you have no interest in women's history, or feel that women's history month acts as a preventative to teaching women's history as part of a regular curriculum, there should be something in this blog that will be of interest to you. Women of History has gathered articles on topics such as political scandal, like "Queen Victoria's Secret Daughter", archaeological discovery (Queen of Sheba), political science (including Mexican Politics), and book reviews.

For those who have fondness for a particular period in history, Women of History has an index page that neatly categorizes its blog entries by historical and cultural period, from Women of The Crusades to Women of Japanese History. The Historical References page offers links to historical maps of ancient and medieval civilizations and links to blogs dedicated to the historical periods or events that Women of History discusses, so this blog/site offers more than just women's history, although that is the overriding theme; rather, it shows the places that women hold in history and immerses the reader into the history that surrounds us all.

The blog entries on Women of History are generally short to medium length, and should take no more than a few minutes to read, which keeps with the whole purpose of a blog - quick, easily digestible bites of information that capture human interest in order to introduce the reader to something new, which I suggest you do right now by putting down that Sunday paper and checking out Women of History!

Snuggles,
Tazi

Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with a Bachelors of Arts in Communications. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.

One Need Not Be A Woman To Study Women's Studies

Dear Readers:

In honor of my 10th birthday this week (6/26) I am taking a week-long vacation! For your entertainment, I am re-posting some classic columns that you may have missed the first time!

--T.K.

Dear Tazi:

I just finished my freshman year of college and as a general education credit I took an Introduction to Women’s Studies class and loved it. I found the viewpoints and cultures we explored – so different from our own – incredibly interesting. I never realized that I took for granted the many rights that American women have that women in other countries (and cultures, right here in this country) are struggling to attain. I also never realized how “patriarchal” our society is, with everything being run from a man’s point of view. Take, for example, public beaches. I have seen men with boobs bigger than Coco [Austin, the model] lying around with no shirt on, and that is perfectly legal; but a woman – no matter how flat-chested she is – must wear a top or else she can be arrested for indecent exposure. I think the 400 pound man in a Speedo should be the one getting arrested, don’t you?

I would like to continue taking more Women’s Studies courses, and maybe even complete a minor in the subject to go along with my Political Science major. The one issue with my plan is that I am a man, and not even an effeminate one. I played football in high school, go drinking with the guys, and do everything that normal guys do – I only took the Women’s Studies class because my girlfriend was in it and wanted me to take it with her.

I guess I am just afraid of what people will think when they find out I am taking Women’s Studies classes. I am afraid that the women in the classes will see me as an interloper and that the guys are all going to think that I am secretly gay. Do you have any rejoinder that I can give to the comments I am certain to receive when people discover that I like Women’s Studies?

Signed,
‘Bama man

Dear ‘Bama Man:

You have written to the right kitty cat! My Mommie happens to be a Gender and Women’s Studies student at the University of Rhode Island! I have a habit of taking long naps on her textbooks, and have learned through osmosis that Women’s Studies is an interdisciplinary field that covers a wide range of topics, including Political Science and Sociology! (How’s that for a rejoinder?). As you have discovered, you do not have to be a woman – or an “effeminate” man – to enjoy Women’s Studies classes. In fact, all men are actively encouraged to explore the curriculum and see how the classes offered could enhance their studies.

Classes in Women’s Studies are designed to expose students to topics that are not (traditionally) covered in the liberal arts program of general education. It is for this reason that many colleges offer their Women’s Studies classes as general education credits and free electives, to offer an alternative viewpoint to the traditional Western philosophies found in historical readings.

Judging from your signature, you are from the Deep South; a place where tradition runs deep. Do not feel that you must abandon your traditions in order to study Women’s Studies; rather, think of it as the exploration of a new path in the rich culture that already surrounds you. Rather than take a history course on the War of Northern Aggression (aka The Civil War), why not take a class on Women of the Civil War? A required Literature credit could easily be filled with a class on Southern Female Writers (My Mommie is a huge fan of the work of Southern women authors, especially Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird; as for me, I just love the title!).
If, after explaining to people your interest in Women’s Studies, you find that you are still receiving flak for your choice of minor I suggest that you just do your best to shrug it off and people will stop bothering you. Those who tease and/or bully do so in the hope of getting a defensive reaction. By coolly explaining that you are exploring a vein of your proud Southern heritage you take away the very ammunition they seek to shoot.

Lastly, to answer your question about indecent exposure: I think that is a moot point. I don’t think a 400 pound man would fit into a Speedo. It may be made of Spandex® but it is still governed by the laws of physics.

Snuggles,
Tazi

P.S.: Might I recommend for you a Women’s Studies elective that deals with Race Class and Gender? This class delves into how each of the three (race, class, and gender) can determine our social status in society, and how we as a culture can work to overcome discrimination and backlash to become a more balanced society. As a Political Science major this type of course would suit you well, and might even count for credit towards your major degree as well. –T.K.


Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with a Bachelors of Arts in Communications. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.

Tazi's Corner #32 - Are Black History/Women's History Months Achieving Their Goals?

Dear Readers:

February is Black History Month; March is Women’s History Month. Does this mean that the remaining ten months of the year are dedicated to White Men’s History? And if so, what happens to Native American History and Latino History? Asian-American History? Do they not get a month of their own, too? I ask these questions not to cause fractiousness but out of true concern for the teaching of history in our American schools.

I realize that much of history’s recorded deeds are credited to men by men, and this is not a screed against those men; rather, it is a suggestion that that those who record history look deeper before recording our posterities. Surely there are people whose skin color and sex differ from that of our Founding Fathers who worked to imprint their mark directly alongside those who shaped our nation! Why not include their accomplishments along with these teachings, instead of relegating them to a separate month, as if these accomplishments are somehow made all the more impressive because it was a black man – or a woman of any color – who accomplished them? Would the words of Frederick Douglass be any less thought provoking if they were orated by a white man? Would First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt’s tireless work for Civil Rights be any less noteworthy if she were born with a scrotum? I realize that at the time these events took place both sex and skin color did make the words and behaviors of these now historical figures shocking, but must we still be shocked and amazed that words and actions of such high caliber could be achieved by those possessed of these traits? Haven’t we moved forward at all over the last 75 – 150 years?

Please don’t misunderstand me; I will take Black History and Women’s History any way I can get it, if only to be assured that it remains a part of a well-rounded educational curriculum, but I feel that setting aside a separate month to focus on the subject in depth leads to educators focusing on the subject solely during that prescribed time. This, to me, is the greater ignorance, and my goal is to combat this ignorance! I ask: Are Black History Month and Women’s History Month accomplishing their goals of making Americans aware of the accomplishments of our minority populations?

Many years ago, one of my Mommie’s friends challenged her to name fifty Black people of historical note. (This was before the Internet was in wide use!). Between her and a few very well-learned friends (one who is now a Librarian!) they were able to accomplish this goal. The challenger, not to be vanquished, put forth a second challenge: name ten historically notable women. Again, the group pulled it out and came up with an even dozen names at which point a final challenge was issued: name five historically notable Native Americans. All were thankful she did not ask for ten, since all they could come up with at the time was five: Sacajawea, who also counted as a woman; Geronimo; Sequoia (for whom the tree is named, but they did not know what else he did); Crazy Horse; and Sitting Bull. Squanto was remembered after the fact, and Jim Thorpe was mentioned, but it his place in history was questioned. Does sports history count as American History?

Today, I set forth this same challenge to you, my readers: How many historically notable American minorities can you name? Please leave your answers in my comments section, along with any links to further information about them!

Snuggles,
Tazi

Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with a Bachelors of Arts in Communications. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.

Tazi's Corner #17 - The Importance Of Your Vote

Dear Readers:

I was going to use this space this week to talk about all the Halloween loot I dragged home this week, but having to watch political ads ad nauseum  crushed my creative muse.  While searching for it, I came across an old essay by my Mommie, and decided that it needed an audience.  Since nobody reads her blog (seriously, it has something like 700 hits over three years) I have decided once again to give her this space.  Sheesh, two weeks in a row!  I am telling you, we cats do nothing but give!

Without further ado, I present to you Mommie's essay on why she votes.

Snuggles,
Tazi

Why I Believe in the Importance of the Vote

by Guest Writer Tazi's Mommie

My Aunt's late mother, "Claire", was born in the early 1900's - before women were extended voting privileges. I remember how Claire once shared a memory with me, of how she went into the voting booth with her mother during the first (national) election in which women were allowed to vote. It was a powerful image, indeed, especially since she was around 90 years old when she shared it with me. For 85+ years that memory lived in her mind...it must have been important to her.

As a Women's Studies major, I have studied the history of women's suffrage in America; from its earliest roots at Seneca Falls, to the racism of Alice Paul that split the fight into a black and white issue, to the protest down Pennsylvania Avenue. The images of women being beaten, jailed, and even killed as they fought for suffrage is brought to life for me as Claire's memory echoes in my mind. How many of us now take our voting privileges for granted? That's correct, I said "privilege", not "right". How many are foolish enough to refer to suffrage as the "right" to vote? Voting is not a right - rights are something extended to all, without restriction. Think about that, and consider yourself lucky if you are one of the millions in the world who do have that privilege.

Throughout U.S. history more people have been denied the vote than have been granted it. When our country was founded, only white, property-owning men were allowed to vote. The standards were eventually relaxed to allow all white men to vote; but it took a Civil War, a Constitutional amendment, and countless lives lost to secure the vote for minority citizens. Excuse me, black male citizens. The 15th amendment did not extend the vote to black women, or to Native Americans (who were not considered to be citizens, in spite of the 15th amendment's wording). It took a second Constitutional amendment and even more lives lost to secure suffrage for women; and it took the Civil Rights Era and yet more lives lost to guarantee that those who were extended voting privileges could actually exercise them. Now, we have voter ID laws cropping up around the nation, including in my home state of Rhode Island. Is this an attempt to secure our polls or, as many claim, an attempt to revive Jim Crow? Is this a law that the average American wants to see enforced?

Copyright Garry Trudeau.  All Rights Reserved.

I realize that many people will not vote because they do not like the choices they have.  Do you choose the rock or the hard place?  Do you make a joke of your vote by writing in "Tazi-Kat" for President?  Before you do either (although I am sure my cat would appreciate the publicity) remember that many in the world do not have the opportunity to freely elect their political leaders. Oh, sure, elections are held! In fact, before Operation Iraqi Freedom, Sadaam Hussain had been getting elected President by a unanimous vote for decades. If you can't smell bullsh-- coming from those election results, I've got a bridge I would love to sell you!  

Before you refuse to vote on the grounds that it is just too arduous, stop and think about what is going on in Egypt, Tunisia, and Syria right now.  It is called the Arab Spring and young people are fighting and dying for proper representation in their government, governments that are openly abusive of their own people; governments that are openly corrupt; governments that don't listen to the needs of the masses, but only to the voices of those who have money (sounds a bit like what is starting to happen in America, huh?).  The suffering of these brave young people makes the few hours you have to wait at the polls suddenly seem like a much less strenuous ordeal.  If you are handicapped or disabled, let the poll workers know - they will accommodate you.  No eligible voter should feel as if they cannot due to age or debilitation.  

Her crime?  Protesting her government leaders.  
She was beaten near to death.

Perhaps the most important reason to vote is this: If the average American does not make their voice heard, the only voices being heard will be those of the extreme - from the Tea Party (Michele Bachmann and Rand Paul) to Socialists (Bernard Sanders and, some would say, Al Franken).  From what I read in the blogs; letters to the editor; and other places where opinions are expressed, this is not what most Americans want.  Please do your part to keep it from happening - vote this Tuesday, November 6th.  Polls are open from 7 AM to at least 8PM, so regardless of what shift you work, the polls will be open before you go in or after you get out.

This week, as I mark my ballot, I will think about Claire...and smile because I know she would be happy that I voted!

A prosperous Election day to All!

--Tazi's Mommie

Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with a Bachelors of Arts in Communications. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.