System for providing entertainment and enhancing human relationships

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The system of the present invention was originated to promote, create, and/or enhance various human relationships by providing a combination of participation in a game or game-like activity or activities with periods of discussion to exchange ideas on a variety of topics. The components of the system are combined in a way which are in some respects random, and yet arranged to occur so that they complement one another to provide the positive aspects that create better human relationships, and also diffuse, defuse, divert or otherwise alleviate the adverse elements that are impediments to these relationships.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

There are many facets of the subject of human relations, dealing with the process of “getting acquainted”, “getting to know each other better”, and simply “getting along”.

As one example, when a group of people are moving into a new environment, such as entering school as freshmen, or starting a new job, in some instances there would be orientation programs where the newcomers are assembled for a presentation that gives an overview. Quite often the program is arranged so that the people will break up into groups for either workshops, tours of the facility, or structured activities. This may be mixed in with more casual social activities such as a get together where these people have name tags and they move freely among groups to engage in introductory conversations with different people.

Also, at conventions, seminars, and professional educational programs, there will generally be a social hour, again for the purpose of these people meeting each other on a more informal basis. In many instances, alcoholic beverages will be served (generally in moderation), and in more recent times this activity has been given the title of an “attitude adjustment” hour.

In contrast to the two situations given above, some activities are established on a more continuing basis to accomplish not only the initial introductions, but also to promote long range good fellowship and also combine this with community activities. Thus, we have the Rotarians, the Lions, the Elks and many others. There are regular meetings with a meal, a period of announcements done humorously, often a program, etc.

Another broad category is the area of sports and games where, in the course of such activities, people become acquainted with each other and may become good friends. The game of golf, for example, lends itself to a fair amount of off and on conversation. Also, card games leave room for conversation, such as a period when a hand is completed and a person is shuffling the cards and dealing a new hand. In fact, quite often the more enjoyable aspect of such games is the fellowship/friendship that develops.

It is interesting to note that in most all of these situations, as indicated in the above text, the activity or event which promotes the “getting acquainted” and “getting to know each other better” is more to provide the opportunity for the acquaintanceship, but not the actual process of accomplishing it. In other words, there is the opportunity for the people to make the introduction, and then the people are more or less left to their own devices to carry the conversation further. They may “hit it off” where the initial introduction results in a lasting friendship or at least a pleasant acquaintanceship that might be generated from time to time.

However, quite often people have difficulty in making these initial introductions into anything more than the only somewhat “superficial” exchange of ideas or information on some very general topics. They have difficulty in meeting people and making friends. To remedy this situation, we have various books and programs to improve a person's social skills. Decades ago there was the very successful “How to Win Friends and Influence People”, a book written by Dale Carnegy, and this developed later into a series of courses to accomplish just what the title of the book expresses.

Then when the closer relationships do develop, such as a good friendship, a family relationship, or a marital relationship, there are also books and programs to facilitate the relationships and get the people over difficulties that occur.

In view of the foregoing, it is only natural that this whole area of human communications and behavior would be studied analytically. One has only to consult a dictionary words beginning with the five letters “p, s, y, c, and h” (derived from the word “psyche”) to identify the areas of study that have developed.

Thus we find the term “psychology”, which is defined as “the science of mental processes and behavior”.

Then there are areas of scientific inquiry which deal with more severe mental problems. There is “psychiatry” defined as “medical study, diagnoses, treatment and prevention of mental illness”. Out of this grows “psychoanalysis”, the technique developed by Sigmund Freud that uses free association, dream interpretation, and analysis of resistance and transference to investigate mental processes”. There is also “psychotherapy” (the psychological treatment of mental, emotional, and nervous disorders).

There are professional counselors who deal not necessarily with more severe human illnesses or aberrations, but more with resolving a wide variety of human/social problems, whether these be problems in the work place, school, marriage, family relations, etc. Many of these counselors develop unique skills and techniques to get to the heart of the problem and find solutions.

Again, it is interesting to note that when the counselors, therapists, psychiatrists, psychoanalysts, and other such professions apply their techniques to situations, they do so where there is a “problem”. Where there is a situation of sufficient concern so that the assistance of a specialist is needed, there are programs, books, courses directed toward developing high levels of competence in human communications.

To turn our attention to a rather different aspect of human social activity, In large part, these appear to be focused toward an identified goal, such as making a sale, negotiating a favorable settlement, making a speech to promote a cause or point of view, a lawyer developing the skills to convince a judge or jury, etc. In general, the goal toward which these are directed is to succeed or come out a “winner”. Thus, the person who becomes a successful salesman, “gets the sale” and the salesman who is less adept comes out the “loser”.

Now we come to this somewhat unique category of human relationships which is what we might term the “boy/girl” relationships. The efforts to foster this in some sort of program or controlled basis begin probably around the age 11 to 13, where there are school dances. Then there is the activity of “dating” which in some instances may lead to becoming engaged and eventually a marital relationship.

In some instances, this “win/lose” approach in the area of “boy/girl” relationships becomes paramount. There are books and magazines on how to succeed in these relationships, how to dress, how to talk, and other guidelines to make one more socially acceptable in the particular arena of boy/girl activity. For better or for worse, this can become a competitive atmosphere.

These boy/girl relationships in general differ from many of the other relationships discussed above in this text in that there is often a strong element of emotion which could be characterized as love, dedication, a caring feeling, etc. Thus, in those situations where the emotional attachment becomes diminished, a married couple has to find out if they actually do have a sufficiently strong bond to maintain and nurture a happy marital relationship.

Now, to transfer our attention to another facet of human relationships, there is often a natural reluctance in most every person to be completely open and candid in communicating with others, particularly in the early “getting acquainted” stage. A person may be avoiding certain channels of conversation or even disguising actual facts simply because that person does not want to appear foolish, inadequate, maybe a little bit “odd”, or embarrassed. The corollary of this is that the person would more likely want to convey information which would keep things in an area where the person would not feel threatened, or which may be more likely to enable the person to “look good” or at least in areas where the person might have a comfortable feeling. Also, a person may wish to avoid bringing up subjects that might make another person uncomfortable.

In those instances where a conversation develops and one person finds themselves getting into areas where they would rather not probe, or finding themselves having a somewhat different view on issues where they would rather not have the conversation go further, the relationship often fades at the initial introductory stage.

The discussion up until now has dealt with more general aspects. To appreciate the novel aspects of the present invention, which will be discussed later herein, we should now turn our attention to a more specific activity where there is social interaction, this being a typical game of cards. While participation in some card games can be a highly competitive event, more often people will play a game of cards as a pleasant pastime, where the game itself provides interest and excitement and yet there is a certain amount of conversation that might generally be termed “good fellowship”.

For example, let's consider a game of gin rummy. Playing a hand of gin rummy is (like most card games) a combination of skill and luck. A reasonably competent gin rummy player will try to remember which cards have been discarded, remember what cards the other player has picked up from the discard pile, and make his or her decisions accordingly. Thus during the playing of the hand, the player will usually have his mind “on the game”, and will not be letting extraneous thoughts demand his attention.

There is a definite recreational benefit to this, in that some of the concerns, worries or frustrations that may be bothering a person will be pushed to the back of his mind. At least during the play of that hand, the person will be concentrating solely on the game.

Then when the particular hand is finished by one of the players knocking or managing to “gin”, there is a break in the concentration. Probably the player who is on the losing end of that hand will be expressing somewhat jokingly his frustration that he was waiting for a certain card to go out, etc. Unless the people are highly competitive and/or playing for big stakes, whether the person wins or loses, the total time period in which the number of hands are played will generally be a relaxing and enjoyable event.

Yet between hands while the cards are being shuffled and then the next hand dealt, quite often the people will engage in conversation. Assuming the people are simply relaxing after a few hands of gin after a game of golf, or playing the card game at a family get together, random topics will come up. In a way people sometimes find it easier to bring up these topics in the time periods between when the hands are played (i.e. during the shuffling or the dealing of the cards), because the time frame is short (possibly about 20-60 seconds, and the person does not expect to get involved in the subject in depth. Then if it does become a topic of interest that the two players want to discuss further, they can delay the playing of the next hand to exchange a few more thoughts. However, they will end the conversation by getting back to the next hand.

Over a period of time, assuming that people are both good natured and don't get particularly upset if they're having a losing streak, a friendship can develop, either a rather limited friendship where there are more frequent games, or deeper friendships where the people enjoy each other's company in other social engagements.

This same phenomenon can occur for people who get together on a more or less regular basis to play poker. If the stakes are kept low enough to be within a person's “entertainment budget”, and if the atmosphere is overall friendly even if the person has a long run of bad hands, there is time for conversation. After a hand is played and the cards are being gathered, shuffled and again dealt for the next hand, various topics will come up, whether it be a sporting event, a local political matter, some random gossip, etc.

In that kind of environment, particularly where the same people meet as friends on a somewhat regular basis, even if it's once every several months, the people will get to recognize each other's moods, and sense whether a person might be depressed, worried, etc. Under those circumstances the person who is somewhat depressed or concerned may feel more comfortable in discussing the problem at least to some extent during the card game, not only because he is with friends, but because it is in an atmosphere where he can in a sense “turn it on or turn it off”, depending on the tempo of the game.

However, if that person is getting into the subject more deeply than he would like to at that time, he has an easy “out” simply by suggesting that it's time to get back to playing the next hand. Also, in these sort of gatherings, such as playing a game of gin rummy, a game of poker, a game of pinochle, hearts, etc. there is generally an understanding that the people are there for recreation and fun. It's against that “code” to bring up subjects which are highly controversial, and if they are brought up it might be done in a humorous way, so they pass it off with humor and then “get on with the business of the game”.

These types of relationships are not limited to card games, and they can occur in games such as chess, checkers, horseshoes, etc.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the object of the present invention to provide a new system in the human process of “getting to know each other” in a format or “arena” where two or more people can learn about one another on neutral ground. The system of the present invention does not involve a contest. There are no winners, there are no losers. The only requirement is to have fun discovering one another. The fun comes from an arena safe from competition, judgment, and arguments.

It is further the object of the present invention to promote, create, and/or enhance understanding, mutual respect, possibly friendship or even enhance intimacy, this being done in an environment where there is a more natural and light-hearted discussion which can incorporate humor and discovery. The speaker is not intimidated by the possibility of being judged, and the listener has no need to formulate a defense to the opinion of the other.

The result is a more playful exercise in the serious arena of “hearing” and “being heard”. The advantages of the present invention are based upon the philosophy that the more we “hear” from one another, the more we learn who we really are and the respect we have for one another grows.

There is one basic guideline to the discussions, and that is that there are no judgments. One person may agree or agree to disagree, and yet the spirit is not to try to sway the other's opinion. That would be judgmental and counterproductive. Thus, the fun comes from an arena safe from competition, judgment and arguments.

The main phases and physical components of the present invention are the following:

a) The activity phase or time segments in which the participants are engaged in an activity may be a game activity where there is a series of actions, events, or timed occurrences at least some of which are “triggering events” to interrupt that activity for the communication phase. In preferred embodiments this can be a game-like activity such as a card game.

b) The communication phase or time segments is initiated by the “triggering event”, after which an item of information is provided to at least one of the participants. In one preferred embodiment, this is accomplished by having a plurality of discussion cards, which can be similar in size (or larger) and shape to playing cards. Also, in one preferred form, the information is a quotation, sometimes with the identification of the person making that quotation, and also some information about that person. Then, in this communication phase, the participants express their thoughts in accordance with a prescribed format. In one embodiment the cards also may display a question to generate some avenue of response. Other types of information items are listed elsewhere in this text.

c) The diversion/defusing phase takes place by one or more of the participants, in a somewhat humorous vein, symbolically eliminate some situation or occurrence in the discussion that is somewhat argumentative or in some other way detracting from the more cooperative, pleasant and sometimes humorous atmosphere of the total activity. In an earlier created embodiment, this is accomplished by use of the “saboteur” which is a physical item that symbolizes or presents an argumentative or judgmental viewpoint or attitude, and the saboteur could be humorously inactivated or diverted. This also could be, for example, a “grump-in-the-box” (which will be described later), which is activated to express or symbolize an argumentative or judgmental view, and then this “grump-in-the-box” is inactivated in a suitable manner to symbolize an end to the controversy. Alternatively, in a later created embodiment, the diversion/defusing device is a more amiable figure such as a “judge-in-the-box” who rises from a contained box to give his “decision” to abate the matter at hand. Other devices will be described elsewhere in this text.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A and 1B

provide, by way of example, isometric views showing the two sides of a standard deck of playing cards for playing a card game which provides the activity that in turn produces the triggering events, and also a set of discussion cards which stimulate the comments and/or discussion;

FIGS. 1C and 1D

show two sides of a typical discussion card;

FIGS. 2A-2D

are four isometric views of the diversion/defusing devices which accomplish return to the activity phase in a way to maintain the pleasant and sometimes humorous atmosphere which should pervade the overall activities;

FIG. 3

shows a timer which could be used to set a time limit on the person's comments on the discussion card or person who made the quotation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

It is believed that a clearer understanding of the system, components and method of the present invention will be obtained by first describing briefly the overall system of the present invention and then describing various features and applications in more detail. In the following text, it will be assumed only two people are the participants.

A) The Sequence of the System

The sequence of the events in a preferred embodiment of the present invention is as follows:

a) The two people agree to play a game, such as a card game. As the game progresses, there will be triggering events, such as one person winning the game, winning a hand in a game of cards, capturing a piece (as in a chess game), or some other identifiable event.

b) Upon the occurrence of the triggering of the event, the “responsible party” for that triggering event (or another person) draws one of the discussion cards. The “responsible person” could be the winner of the hand or game, the person who takes a chess piece or who performs some other act that causes the “triggering event”.

c) The responsible person who draws the discussion card reads the quotation and also identifies the author, along with reading the short biographical information about the author and possibly a thought provoking question (if these are present).

d) After reading the card, the responsible person can be the first to express an opinion or maybe a comment, or request the other player or players to express his (or her) thoughts first. In either case, both must eventually express themselves (or will likely do so). It should be remembered that there is no right or wrong answer. The person is simply voicing her or his feelings or possibly making a random comment about something which has been recalled by the person, with the recollection being presumably stimulated by the information on the card, or author, or source of the information.

e) When the people complete their expressions based upon that discussion card, the card game or other game continues.

f) Occasionally, one person will argue that the other's feeling or opinion is wrong or deficient, or make some comment that would make the other person defensive or uncomfortable. When this happens, the diverting/defusing device, which could be the “defuser”, comes into play to “defuse” the situation (i.e. snuffing out or eliminating the fuse). Within the broader sense, this “defusing” is meant to include a “diversion” where the potential problem is sidetracked or diverted. This defusing device could be a saboteur, for example, such as the aforementioned grump-in-the-box. As indicated previously, this is simply a box with the imaginary grump inside (see FIG.

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B). This could be activated, for example, by pressing a button. Then the voice emanating from the box begins expressing views which could be argumentative, dissident, judgmental, etc. Then the person who is arguing to change the opinion of the other person or put the other person in a defensive position inactivates the grump-in-the-box. This could be done, for example, by pounding lightly on top of the box which in turn inactivates the voice that is coming from the box. This is a signal to the person who is making judgements or trying to change the opinion of another to discontinue such persuasive comments or judgements, and in accordance with the rules agreed upon, the person making such comments will discontinue this line of commenting.

This shows in a humorous way that when you judge, and try to change the other person's thinking to suit your own, you unleash the greatest threat against any relationship (in a sense, sabotage the relationship). After that, the game continues as described above.

As indicated previously, another desirable option is the “judge-in-the-box”, which is a figure of a judge which, when activated, rises from the box to make a proper judicial statement terminating the discussion. Then, the judicial figure is pushed back into the box and the lid closed.

B) The Activity Phase (i.e. The Game)

To describe the activity phase or activity time segment, we shall assume that the basic activity is the card game, such as poker, gin rummy, blackjack, or any other game which the participates find to be enjoyable. This card game will have certain “events” which will “trigger” the start of the communication phase or segment.

For example, in a game of gin rummy the event that triggers the communication phase could be the end of a hand. If more frequent triggering events are desired, then it could be, for example, when one of the players picks a card from the discard pile as opposed to drawing from the stack of cards. In a game of blackjack where each individual “hand” goes by more quickly, the event could be when either the dealer or the player receiving the cards goes “busted”.

If the activity is not a card game, but something like chess or checkers, then for the chess game the triggering event could be, for example, when a major piece (i.e. a knight, bishop, rook or Queen, but not a pawn) is captured. Or in checkers it could be when one of the checker pieces is taken off the board. In monopoly, the event could be passing “Go”, putting a house or hotel on a piece of property, etc. In the game of scrabble it could be forming a word having some characteristic such as having at least a certain amount of letters (or maybe a quite small amount of letters.

In the following text, the term “game” will commonly be used to denote the activity or activity phase. However, it is to be understood that this term “game” is meant to include other activities (as discussed later in this text) which would not technically be a “game”, but could be, for example, a counseling session, an educational activity, or some other activity engaged in by the participants which would provide the triggering events, and also be such that the participants could then return to the activity.

C) The Discussion Phase using the Discussion Cards

When this triggering event occurs, the player who is either the winner of the game or the active player who causes the triggering event (e.g. the player in the gin rummy game who picks up a card from the discard pile) draws a card from the stack of quotation cards. The player reads aloud the quotation on the card and also the name of the person making the quotation, along with the sentence or two giving information about that person, and/or the attached question. The “winner” has a choice of either expressing his or her own idea, opinion, or a random comment first or request the “loser” to express his or her opinion first.

In either case, both must eventually express themselves and most any sort of comment or opinion is acceptable. It is important for the players to keep in mind that each person is simply voicing his or her own feelings, and there are no “right” or “wrong” opinions. Also, the comments or opinion could be about the author alone, the quotation alone, the question alone, or events or issues that somehow are brought up by the quotation or author, or possibly a personal experience relating to the same.

It is important to remember that often the words “human”, “woman”, or “man” can be interchanged in these quotes. The quotes are chosen to encourage and exchange thoughts and ideas, not to play the battle of the sexes.

In some instances, these quotations can be selected to give people an arena where they can learn about each other in an enjoyable way without judgment. It really requires no skill. These are not the quotations of the people themselves, and each participant must discuss something on the chosen card, or at least related to the information on the card. The overall effect of this is that there is no personal investment or responsibility in the subject which is to be discussed. Accordingly, each participant can approach it in the spirit of lighthearted discovery and conversation.

To state this in other terms, the object of this activity is to promote, create or enhance an understanding of each other (or, in some situations, even an “intimacy”) through natural, light-hearted discussion that should flow with understanding and discovery and sometimes humor and laughter. The object of quotation discussion is to learn about one another on neutral ground. The quotes are by others and this enables you to freely get candid, heart-felt opinions with no investment of being right. At the risk of being repetitious, it should be emphasized that a cardinal rule for the productive participation is that:

“There is no right or wrong. There are only perceptions/opinions.”

With the need for judgment eliminated, each person speaks freely while the other is set free to truly listen. The speaker is not intimidated by the possibility of being judged and the listener has no need to formulate a defense to the opinion of the other. The result thus can usually be a playful exercise in a serious arena of hearing and being heard, a concept that resides in the soul of intimacy.

The more we “hear” from one another, the more we learn who we really are and the respect we have for one another grows. There is only one basic guideline to the discussions, which is there are no judgments. You may agree or agree to disagree, yet the spirit of the game is that no one is allowed to sway the other's opinion. That would be judgmental and counterproductive. These basic guidelines should be recognized and understood.

In some instances, it may be desirable to limit the time for discussion. If so, a timer can be provided, as shown in FIG.

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. This could be used, for example, to put a time limit on the comments of one person, or possibly a limit on the entire discussion period. In those situations where the discussion is becoming particularly interesting, possibly a person could ask for a reprieve and turn the timer over to start another period running.

D) The Diverting/Defusing Phase

This involves the “defuser”. Occasionally one person will argue that the feelings or opinion expressed by the other person is “wrong”. This could even be done somewhat unconsciously. When that is perceived, then the person who perceives the situation (generally the person whose feelings are being challenged) can bring forth the “defuser”. The “defuser” is symbolic of some person, entity, or “thing” which provides a communication and/or conveys an impression or “idea” that leads to returning to the more tranquil or pleasant atmosphere of the overall activity.

In

FIG. 2A

the defuser is in the form of the judicial figure who, as described above, rises from the box in which he resides to make a judicial pronouncement which either “defuses” the situation, terminates the discussion, or uses a diversion technique to return to the activity phase. The device is activated by a lever which causes the lid to open and the judge to pop up. Various judicial pronouncements that can be made by the judge are shown in FIG.

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A.

In

FIG. 2B

, the other “defuser” is in the form of a more disagreeable or argumentative figure which is “inactivated” and possibly inactivated somewhat unceremoniously.

As described previously in this text, this type of defuser can be in the form of the “grump-in-the-box”, which is simply a box that contains an audio mechanism which, when activated, makes expressions which are argumentative, judgmental, etc. The expression coming out of the box could even be somewhat incomprehensible and vituperously expressed gobble de gook, or such challenging words as “foul play, not fair”, etc. Also, as indicated previously, the grump-in-the-box could be inactivated by either the person who is possibly being argumentative or unfair by simply lightly pounding the top of the box to put an end to the verbiage coming from the box, with the understanding that the person being argumentative agrees to stop. Or the person activating the grump-in-the-box could himself lightly pound the top of the box, with the understanding that the argumentative line of discussion will stop. Then, with the potential tension being defused and/or diverted, the game can go on as before.

This is to show in a humorous way that when you judge, or try to change another's thinking to suit your own, you unleash the greatest threat to any relationship. This threatening judgment/change process must be diffused, defused, diverted, or eliminated, and must be recognized and dealt with in a humorous way together with understanding. This exercise keeps the participants on track, so opinions can be expressed openly and honestly without fear of being judged.

With regard to the other options of the saboteur, in

FIG. 2C

there is shown a third option which is a round ball having a triangle floating inside the ball. The triangle has a different message written on each surface of the triangle remarking on judgments having been made. A person will shake the ball and a different message comes up.

A fourth option is shown in

FIG. 2D

, where the “defuser” comes in a more friendly form of a soft sculpture of a dog. The dog is petted gently, and this small pressure makes the dog give a message which is a comment on the argumentative or judgmental situation which has arisen. This could be a saying such as “you make fleas look like fun”, or “you can teach an old dog new tricks, but not this way” or “it's not cool to bark judgments”.

It is to be understood that more than one defuser/diversion device could be used. Let us assume that all four of the diverter/diffusion devices described above are included in one embodiment of the system. The grump-in-the-box may be activated by a person in a situation where the person feels that the direction of the discussion is more toward an antagonist or argumentative mood. In this situation, the activation of the grump-in-the-box in a way symbolizes this, and would in a way be appropriate for the particular situation.

On the other hand, the situation may be such that it would seem to require a decision from another to terminate this line of discussion, and then the judge-in-the-box would be activated as the appropriate defuser. On the other hand, the person who is to activate the diffusion/diverting device may simply want to make a comment which would indicate that this line of discussion is either inappropriate, irrelevant, and is at least objected to in some way, and the round ball with the various messages appearing would be suitable.

Finally, the activation of the canine defuser could be suitable for, or related to, the treatment the dog is getting, and make the comments such as, “You make fleas look like fun”. Also, other types of defusers could be utilized, depending upon the particular manner in which the person may select for the implementation of the diverting or diffusing. process.

E) More about the Discussion Cards

In the preferred form, the preferred form of the information on the discussion cards is at least in part quotations, along the identity of the people being quoted, also sometimes with related biographical or other comments.

The theme of a set of quotations, the selection of the quotations and even the order in which the cards are placed can influence the general direction of the comments and/or discussion that might take place. For example, these could be more thought provoking, or humorous, or both thought provoking and humorous, or even dealing with items which are difficult to take seriously such as fads in diets, popular music, etc.

Also, the themes and selections of the quotations and formatting of the same can be directed toward different general classes of people and also the issues that relate to that class. Also the cards could be structured in such a way to direct or lead the conversation. Further, in addition to using quotations, there are other sorts of information which could be placed on the cards to stimulate a discussion, such as the following:

i. Statistics (e.g. on magazine subscriptions, watching television, travel, human behavior, living habits, etc.)

ii. Fascinating Facts (e.g. customs and habits in other cultures, and other times)

iii. Idioms and Their Origins (unusual way in which words are linked to express thought)

iv. Superstitions and Their Origins

v. Opinions (Gallup polls, etc.)

vi. Oxymorons

vii. Ridiculous (yet real) ads or headlines (e.g. those such as Jay Leno's headlines)

viii. Historic Trivia

ix. Word Origins

Further, the quotations themselves need not be erudite or clever quotations, they could be such things as man on the street quotes from real people walking down main-street USA. They could also comprise great movie lines, proverbs from the Bible, multi-cultural proverbs, etc.

Also, in addition to the quotation and identification of the author of the quotation along with a very brief biography, there could be a thought provoking question added. For example, the statement “Go west, young man, go west”, attributed to a newspaper editor Horace Greeley, could be followed by the question of “What would life now be like in the United States if the Louisiana purchase had not been made, and if Horace Greeley had not exhorted people to a western migration?”

F) Dynamics of the System of the Present Invention

Possibly a productive way of exploring this subject is to look at the main components of the present invention and how these operate in accordance with the way conversations or exchange of ideas would occur in this system:

i) The Function of the Game Activity.

First, the game activity provides randomly occurring triggering events. Assuming that the game is a card game, a person does not quite know when the hand is going to end or other triggering event is to occur. Accordingly, the person can simply concentrate on the game and when the triggering event occurs, he or she can temporarily forget about the game.

Second, the game provides a change of pace. The game temporarily stops, and after the discussion card is read and the comments of the players are made, the participants would get back to the business of playing the next hand. The benefit of this is that during the period of expressing opinions or making comments, a person may be exploring his or her own feelings, and the person for the moment possibly becomes somewhat introspective or have an emotional response that could be somewhat unsettling. If the quotations are presented over a long period, with each one requiring a comment, and there is no break in this, it could be somewhat fatiguing and the repetition can become boring. However, with a game providing interruptions and getting a person's mind on something totally different (i.e. the game), that repetition and/or fatigue factor is in large part avoided.

Third, the game itself provides something of a safe haven. It may be that the subject matter that is suggested in some quotation may involve something about which one of the players is rather sensitive. With the rules of the game being to comment in any way you feel appropriate, it would be perfectly appropriate for the person to avoid making any profound comment on that particular subject and simply pass it off with humor, or possibly recount some incident. Further, if the person simply feels like avoiding the subject entirely, the person may make some totally extraneous statement, such as “For some strange reason, this reminds me of my trip to Chicago in 1987”, and then recount something totally irrelevant. (However, this approach probably should be used less frequently).

ii) The Discussion Cards.

To comment, for instance, on those cards on which there are quotations (possibly with biographical information), desirably each set of quotations would be chosen because it is one that would stimulate various reactions of some sort, possibly a humorous reaction, a comment on some more profound social issue, a recounting of a personal incident that was particularly meaningful to that person, expressing a point of view that is somewhat out of the ordinary or is out of step with the conventional thought, etc.

In many instances where the quotation is read, it is a subject which a person probably would not normally bring up in an early part of a “getting acquainted” conversation. However, in the format of the present game/discussion activity, when a potentially personal or sensitive subject is brought up, the comments, whether off-hand or expressing a firm conviction of the person, can be given without any great apprehension of adverse consequences (provided of course the game is conducted in the proper spirit). Thus, there is potential of obtaining meaningful personal insights about the person in a new relationship which could take years to discover otherwise.

Another benefit of this game is that the topics that are stimulated by the discussion cards could be selected for the occasion. For example, in a boy/girl relationship that is in the initial or early stages of “getting acquainted”, there may be one set of discussion cards. Or for a couple who are trying to recapture a relationship that has gone somewhat stale, another set of quotations may be appropriate. For a group of people who are parents and neighbors, a set of cards dealing with family, traveling, education, politics, etc. may well be acceptable. Thus, at least to some extent, the selection of the subject matter of the quotation cards can influence the situation.

Also, as an added feature, one or more “wild cards” or “joker cards” could be added. The card would be mixed into the deck of cards. The wild cards will be added to allow the holder to ask a particular question they would like answered, pass on answering or giving an opinion, recall a favorite quotation or make up one, or take more speaking time than would normally be allowed (i.e. turn over the timer if an hourglass timer is being used), or some of these options could be specified on the wild card. Also, the wild card could be held until needed upon which time it is used and then replaced into the deck.

iii) The Diverting/Defusing Device.

This is the “safety valve.” In some situations, as indicated above, the discussion may develop in a way that one or more of the participants is becoming somewhat judgmental or argumentative. This diverting/diffusing phase of the system enables a person who feels threatened or perhaps some discomfort or embarrassment (or even attacked) to get out of the situation without explanation.

Thus, in the use of the diverting/defusing device, this is a signal that the person, for whatever reason, would prefer to get back to the game of cards or at least get the discussion on a different track.

iv) The Element of Personal Discovery.

The subjects can be varied and far-reaching. The atmosphere that is created is intended to lead people into a wide variety of subjects, which could be as diverse as romance, travel, landscaping, living at the South Pole, etc. There can be quotations such as Thoreau's statement that “Most men live a life of quiet desperation”, leading to thoughts on basic life styles and the meaning of the same. With the random pacing of the discussion periods and the “safety valves”, the people can embark on this path of discovery in an atmosphere adventurous and have a safety from adverse social consequences.

G) Use of the System in a Classroom

This system, slightly modified, can be integrated into the classroom where there is a teacher or a supervisor. This version would be implemented into most levels of education starting at elementary school level and continuing to the highest level of education. The subject matter of the discussion cards selected would reflect the maturity of the children involved. The following features should be noted.

i) The basic rules remain the same;

ii) The supervisor or a student reads the quotation and the short biography of the person quoted aloud. The discussion that follows should be a free flowing exchange amongst the students;

iii) The supervisor refrains from judgment or comments directed at any student interpretation.

iv) The supervisor is a referee, intervening when one student tries to change another students opinion. The supervisor explains the “defuser” and provides the devices used to bring attention to the role of the “defuser”. The form given to the “defuser” is subject to the variations needed to be appropriate for different levels of student maturity and the subject matter.

v) The referee (i.e. supervisor) also provides for “time out”, when necessary, to bring attention to the “art of listening and hearing”.

vi) The supervisor should not critique the grammar of the expression as in an English class. Correction or bringing attention to the ability of the speakers to express themselves will result in inhibition and that is to be avoided as it will destroy the intent of the course. The aim here is for the children or students to be comfortable to say a wide variety of things, in any form of verbal expression they choose.

vii) The students are encouraged to bring their choice of quotes to class as well as compose a short biography of the author. They are encouraged to create their own quote accompanied by a short autobiography. These are never forced or required, only encouraged.

viii) The benefits of this course are outline below; The students are exposed to philosophy and philosophical debating. They are learning to “hear”. They experience being heard. The process opens an arena for them to say a variety of things without fear of repercussions regarding their beliefs or opinions. This safe arena is necessary to ultimately reach the goal of this class.

The manner in which this is incorporated into the classroom can vary. For example, this could be used in connection with, for example, a history class, an English class, a Civics class, a Psychology class, etc. The “activity” could then be the routine which the teacher normally follows, and this could be interspersed with the use of the discussion cards. For example, if the particular subject at that time is an historical event that had happened a century or two earlier, the discussion card could present a situation where an alternative occurrence might take place, or the same or a similar occurrence would occur in some other environment, some other country, or some other time frame.

Another alternative is that the system could be incorporated in a classroom environment where it is intermixed with the curriculum in such a way to be used as a counseling tool. This brings us to the next subject which is discussed immediately below.

H) Use of the System as a Counseling Technique

When the system is used in the classroom as a counseling tool, this gives the teacher or counselor an opportunity to recognize a troubled youth based on their response to some of the quotes, or their personal choice of quotes and authors. Mental note should be taken of students who exhibit potential problem areas (i.e. violence, lack of emotion or sensitivity, inability to express themselves, etc.).

The teacher then has the opportunity to see that the student discreetly receives the necessary attention needed. All this has the very real potential of diverting a tragedy.

Care must be taken that the help received is not publicly associated with the class. If the association is made, the students may become inhibited. Those inhibitions would be fatal to the intent of the course, which is to find potentially troubled children before a tragedy develops.

In other environments, there could be a group counseling or a group therapy discussion, and this would be interspersed with the discussion cards and the defusing devices.

The counseling could deal with specific classes and specific types of problems, and this could be used for children who are expected to deal with such problems as:

i. facing divorce;

ii. facing hospitalization, serious illness, death of a relative;

iii. grandparents;

iv. arrival of a new sibling.

In this instance, the defuser would perhaps be a wind-up bug to symbolize that it bugs them when you judge them or don't hear them.

There can also be such techniques used for adults in situations such as the following:

i. Romantic couples renewing or discovering a relationship;

ii. Senior citizens preparing for twilight years, and facing/coping with future changing needs;

Also, the counseling could occur not just in situations where people are facing problems, but also in counseling sessions where people are simply looking at how to enhance their lives, such as what are sometimes called in religious gatherings a “retreat”. Further, the therapy sessions could simply be where a person is seeking “time out” to evaluate his or her situation in life, and they want to create some insights or ideas or goals as to how they might want to change their lives. In this instance, the activity, which would be interspersed with the discussion cards, could be a program in which certain concepts are presented, and the timing of the discussion periods using the discussion cards could be at timed intervals, the length of which could depend upon various factors.

I) Alternative Forms of the System

As indicated earlier in this text, the term “information cards” within the broader scope of the present invention is intended to include other forms of communication. For example, instead of the information being in writing, the information could be presented audibly. Further, it could be presented visually through electronic media.

As a further alternative, participation in this activity could occur in an environment other than a face-to-face environment where the people are in the same room. The presentation of the information could be over the internet, and the discussion could be conducted over the internet. Further, the activity portion of the system could also be an activity engaged in over the internet, and could even be a game which could be played by two or more participants transmitting their moves over the internet. In fact, this could lead to innovations where certain individuals who are seeking the help of the “defuser”, could use their own imaginative forms of accomplishing the diversion, defusing or elimination of the unwanted occurrence or trend of the discussion.

It is obvious that various modifications, adaptations, and improvements can be made within the broad scope of the system of the present invention.

In the following text there are given examples of quotations, comments on the author or text, and in some instances questions to stimulate thought and/or discussion.

Quote

Quote Comment

First Name

Last Name

Life-span

Biography

Biography Comment

The injuries we do

Proof of this quote is

Aesop

6th century

Aesop (of fable fame)

They just didn't,

and those we suffer

in the biography.

BC

was a slave from Phrygia

appreciate his witty

are seldom weighed

who eventually gained

blasphemies. They did

on the same scales.

freedom, followed much

prove his theory.

to his surprise by being

thrown over a cliff by a

band of angry priests.

Charm; that quality

Is being charming

Henri

Amiel

1821-1881

Swiss writer and

We thought mid-life

in others of making

universally

Fredrick

philosopher as well as

career changes were a

us more satisfied

attractive?

professor of aesthetics

sign of our times.

with ourselves.

in 1849 then turned

professor of moral

philosophy 1853-81.

There's a world of

It is easy to feel the

Maya

Angelou

1928-

Born Margarite Johnson

The rise of an unwed

difference between

truth of this; it is

became a mother at 16,

16-year-old black

truth and facts,

another thing entirely

held a string of jobs

mother in 1944 to

Facts can obscure

to come up with an

from cook and waitress

reading her poetry at

the truth.

example of this.

to civil rights

a Presidential

activist, novelist and

Inauguration is an

celebrated poet who

ascent against all

performed in 1993 at

odds.

President Clinton's

inauguration.

People who think

Anon

None

they know

everything are very

irritating to those

who do.

The work praises

Has pride in one's

Anon

None

the man.

product been replaced

by pride in the amount

of money one can

receive for that

product regardless of

quality.

Opportunities are

Do people purposely

Anon

None

never lost. The

pass on opportunities

other fellow takes

so their friends may

those you miss.

take them?

When a man points

Anon

None

his finger at

someone else, he

should remember

that three of his

fingers are

pointing at

himself.

Shortly after the

Anon

None

introduction of the

under wire bra,

Valium was

invented.

Coincidence?

Dancing is a

Anon

None

perpendicular

expression of a

horizontal desire.

If you catch a man,

Anon

None

throw him back.

They couldn't find

Anon

None

the artist, so they

hung the picture.

Men their rights

Susan B.

Anthony

1820-1906

Liberal Quaker and

and nothing more;

radical reformer active

women their rights

in the anti slavery and

and nothing less.

temperance movements.

Anthony, teamed with

Elizabeth Cady Stanton,

worked tirelessly to

succeed in securing the

right of women to vote.

So many women don't

Isn't it easy to make

MaryKay

Ash

Mary Kay, cosmetics

Remember the pink

know how great they

a judgment based on

success story.

Cadillac's, how vogue

really are. They

outward appearances?

on the outside can you

come to us all

get?

vogue on the

outside and vague

on the inside.

If you think you

MaryKay

Ash

Mary Kay, cosmetics

Remember the pink

can, you can. And

success story.

Cadillac's, how vogue

if you think you

on the outside can you

can't, you're

get?

right.

Violence is the

Define incompetence.

Isaac

Asimov

1920-1922

Award winning author of

He excels in his

last refuge of the

400 books mostly

ability to make clear

incompetent.

scientific, some science

descriptions of

fiction.

complex ideas.

If I had my life to

Tallulah

Bankhead

1903-1968

Being the daughter of a

live over again,

congressman didn't stop

I'd make the same

Ms. Bankhead from

mistakes, only

becoming an

sooner.

unconventional often

outspoken and very

successful actor of

stage, screen radio and

television.

You grow up the day

Do you actually know

Ethel

Barrymore

1879-1959

American actress from a

you have your first

people who are unable

family littered with

laugh at yourself.

to laugh at themselves

actors, including John

occasionally?

and Drew, won 1944

academy award for None

But the Lonely.

Your own mind is a

What could be next,

Arnold

Bennett

1867-1931

English novelist, wrote

Has anyone asked why

sacred enclosure

taking

The Old Wives Tales and

is this man writing a

into which nothing

responsibility!!!!!!

became editor of the

journal called

harmful can enter

1900 journal “Woman”.

“Woman”?

except by your

permission.

If you can't be a

Good example by

Catherine

Bird

NONE

good example than

default?

you'll just have to

be a horrible

warning.

Self-confidence is

How do you think self-

Laurence

Boldt

Career consultant and

nothing special. It

esteem fits into all

author. His book, Zen

is the absence of

this?

Soup, is a wonderful

self-consciousness,

compilation of wisdom

nothing more,

drawing from great minds

nothing less.

east and west.

I am not a glutton

If you look at

Emma

Bombeck

1927-1996

Popular American humor

- I am an explorer

everyday things in

columnist and author of

of food.

life as an exploration

such books as; If Life

does your attitude

is a Bowl of Cherries-

change?

What Am I Doing in the

Pits, When You Look

Like Your Passport Photo

It's Time To Go Home

and All I Know About

Animal Behavior I

Learned in Loeman's

Dressing Room.

The only person who

His opinion would be

Ruth

Brown

NONE

listens to both

he's angered by having

sides of an

to listen to it.

argument is the

fellow in the next

apartment.

I've never had but

Jeanne

Calment

122 years

Apparently wrinkle free,

one wrinkle, and

save one, French women/

I'm sitting on it.

chocoholic who smoked

like a chimney finally

passed on at the age of

122 years.

Don't think of

Dogs have been known

Joseph

Cambell

1904-1987

Native New Yorker and

what's being said

to approach people

father of theory that

but of what's

with tail wagging and

all myths and epics have

talking, malice?,

as they've reached out

a common origin in the

ignorance?, pride?

to pet them, the dog

need of the human psyche

or love.

bites! Is this quote

as it relates to social,

saying a similar

cosmic and spiritual

situation exists with

reality.

humans?

Any fool can

What do you think of a

Dale

Carniegie

1888-1955

Pioneer in public

criticize, condemn

person engaging in

speaking. Highly

and complain - and

this type of negative

successful author of one

most do.

conversation? Does

of the best sellers of

the subject matter

all time, How To Win

make a difference?

Friends And Influence

People.

A pat on the back,

Positive reinforcement

Bennett

Cerf

1898-1971

Co-founder of Random

though only a few

over corporal

house. Editor of

vertebrae removed

punishment?

humorous anthologies who

from a kick in the

regularly appeared on

pants, is miles

television, he was also

ahead in results.

a syndicated newspaper

columnist, publisher,

and editor.

All generalizations

Alexander

Chase

None

are false,

including this one.

A women can become

What's the chance this

Anton

Chekhov

1860-1904

Famous Russian author

The Cherry Orchard, a

a man's friend only

guy had a lot of

who supported his family

play about a family's

in the following

female friends?

while he attended med

loss of their

stages - first an

school by writing comedy

ancestral estate,

acquaintance, next

for lowbrow humorous

seems to be a sad

a mistress, and

magazines. In these

topic. Chekhov,

only then a friend.

articles he mastered the

however, insisted it

difficult art of saying

was a comedy!! His

a great deal using very

sense of humor is as

few words. He moved from

interesting as his

comedy to such fun

life story.

topics as human

isolation and suffering,

even here he uniquely

undercut the sadness

with a comic remark or

action therefore causing

the audience to

experience several

deeply mixed emotions.

Every man is

No one escape being

G. K. Gilbert

Chesterton

1874-1936

British poet and author

Interesting

important if he

mourned or laughed at

Kieth

of works on social and

combination; master of

loses his life; and

so enjoy it all, and

literary criticism,

paradox and absent-

every man is funny

if you're really

theological studies and

mindedness, almost a

if he loses his hat

uptight wear a hat.

detective stories. His

paradox in its own

and has to run

sharp wit, controversial

right.

after it.

views and mastery of

paradox made the absent-

minded author very

popular.

I like living. I

When is ending a life

Agatha

Christie

1890-1976

English novelist and

Why does one who so

have sometimes been

acceptable?

playwright of mysteries

loves life write so

wildly,

with suspenseful plots

many murder mysteries?

despairingly,

and unexpected

Paradox or hidden

acutely miserable,

conclusions.

desire?

racked with sorrow,

but through it all

I still know quite

certainly that just

to be alive is a

grand thing.

A fanatic is

Having been said by

Winston

Churchill

1874-1965

British Prime minister

someone who can't

one of histories

1940-1945 and again

change his mind and

greatest wartime

in 1951-1955. He achieved

won't change the

leaders is it not

a world reputation as an

subject.

interesting that wars

all-seeing strategist

are usually the work

and inspirational war

of fanatics religious

leader. He is often

and otherwise.

described as many men in

one because of his many

diversified talents.

Your worst

Can you name a

Karen

Crockett

NONE

humiliation is only

situation when this

someone else's

wasn't true?

momentary

entertainment.

Women are more

With long fingers,

Curiosity

None

attracted to men

long feet, big hands,

with long strides.

long noses . . . alright

already, do you notice

a common denominator

here?

Look at this view

Response from a

Curiosity

None

young lady.

homeless man sitting

on a beach in winter

when asked why he

wasn't in a warm

shelter.

Author of many

Many ideas first

Curiosity

None

science fiction

explored in science

novels, H. G.

fiction become reality

Wells, predicted

or even the impetus

and named the

for exploration by

atomic bomb in

scientists, can you

1914.

recall any. They say

star trek has actually

given scientists many

new avenues of

exploration.

A toilet will

How many men suffer

Curiosity

None

injure One in 65

injuries inflicted by

Americans in their

angry women who used

lifetime. Most will

the toilet after the

be men.

seat was left up?

The Vampire

Is it more acceptable

Curiosity

None

Research Center in

to believe in aliens

Elmhurst NY has

or ghosts than

been thriving since

vampires? Are any of

1972.

them acceptable?

Chances that the

If your life is in

Curiosity

None

cash in an

chaos, at least your

American's wallet

money is in order! Is

is organized by

this one frantic grasp

denomination:9 in

at something

19

controllable in our

lives.

Recent studies

It appears girls

Curiosity

None

suggest 57% of men

really do just want to

placing personal

have fun, or it's up

ads said looks are

there on the

important, while

requirement list.

26% of women said

same. 41% of women

wanted someone

humorous while only

21% of men wanted

someone fun; 33% of

men wanted someone

slim or petite

while only 2% of

women look for

lean.

Among People's top

The visuals attached

Curiosity

None

ten worries at the

to this one make it

gym, falling down

understandably

during aerobics.

humiliating to those

at the gym for

vanities sake.

The highest

Is there an

Charles

Darwin

1809-1882

British leader in

This leader of

possible stage in

evolutionary process

evolutionary biology,

evolutionary biology

moral culture is

for “moral culture”?

discoverer of natural

married his cousin,

when we recognize

Is it possible to

selection. His theories

hence slamming his own

that we ought to

control your thoughts?

were condensed into the

family's evolution to

control our

If so, how then can

famous treatise that

a grinding halt!

thoughts

you control your

rocked the world, “The

thoughts on how to

Origin of the Species by

control your thoughts?

Means of Natural

Selection”. His theories

have been widely

accepted.

I get my exercise

Think this quip made

Chauncy

Depew

1834-1928

Celebrated witty after-

acting as

him friends of the

dinner speaker.

pallbearer to my

physically fit.

Secretary of the State

friends who

of New York 1863,

exercise.

President of N.Y.

Central Railroad, U.S.

Senator 1899-1911.

A pessimist is a

Chauncy

Depew

1834-1928

Celebrated witty after-

man who thinks all

dinner speaker,

women are bad. An

Secretary of the State

optimist is one who

of New York 1863,

hopes they are.

President of N.Y.

Central Railroad, U.S.

Senator 1899-1911.

It is not good

Have you observed a

Rene'

Descartes

1596-1650

Not only known as the

This is a man who used

enough to have a

dog thinking? Do some

father of modern

his mind very well.

good mind. The main

dogs appear to use

philosophy, he

thing is to use it

their mind as opposed

discovered and

well.

to others?

formulated co-ordinate

geometry in 1637.

To be conscious

Is being conscious of

Benjamin

Disraeli

1804-1881

British statesman and

We all get laughed at

that you are

ignorance and doing

novelist who had a

sometime no matter how

ignorant is a great

nothing to correct it

profound 30-year

influential we may be.

step toward

a great step backward?

influence in British

knowledge.

politics despite his

maiden speech being

drowned in shouts of

laughter.

Man is not the

Is this another

Benjamin

Disraeli

1804-1881

British statesman and

We all get laughed at

creature of

chicken vs. egg

novelist who had a

sometime no matter how

circumstances.

conundrum?

profound 30-year

influential we may be.

Circumstances are

influence in British

the creatures of

politics despite his

men.

maiden speech being

drowned in shouts of

laughter.

Assumption is the

Do you know of any

Angelo

Donghia

NONE

mother of screw-up.

examples where

assumptions have not

only been wrong but

had disastrous

results?

We should tackle

What is its point, or

Lawrence

Durrell

1912-1990

British novelist, poet

He seemed to have

reality in a

is there a point?

and diplomat turned

maintained his sense

slightly joking

English teacher in

of humor despite

way . . . otherwise we

Athens during world war

having narrowly

miss its point.

II. He wrote several

escaped the Germans

famous works drawing on

via a fishing boat.

his diverse experiences

abroad.

Only two things are

Albert

Einstein

1879-1955

Winner of the 1921 Noble

Strange and

infinite, the

Prize for physics was

interesting

universe and human

also an outspoken

bedfellows, Freud and

stupidity, and I'm

philosopher and humanist

Einstein. Imagine what

not sure about the

who co-wrote “Why War”

they would discuss.

former.

with Sigmund Freud in

You could have a field

1933.

day with this one.

Your imagination is

How do you imagine

Albert

Einstein

1879-1955

Mathematical physicist,

your preview of

yourself in the

conceptual reviser of

life's coming

future? Take care to

man's understanding of

attractions.

answer just in case

the universe. Among his

Albert's right.

many achievements, the

concept of a space-time

continuum, the theory of

relativity, and the

ability to admit “my

wife does my

mathematics.”

A difference of

Can a person learn to

George

Elliot

1819-1880

Marian Evans Cross, a

Due to her historical

taste in jokes is a

appreciate differences

great English novelist

period she had little

great strain on

in humor?

who had a significant

choice but to use a

affections.

effect on women's

male pen name, what do

literature, unfortunate

you think?

or telling of the times,

that an icon like this

should choose the

pseudonym of George

Elliot.

I've never any pity

At least they're

George

Elliot

1819-1880

Mary Ann (Marian) Evans

What a life of

for conceded

always with someone

was considered among the

opposites, think about

people, because I

they love!

greatest of English

it, a women writing

think they carry

novelists. She

under a male pen name,

their comfort about

eloquently depicted life

creating extraordinary

with them.

of the lower middle

pictures with her

class while her home was

writing of the lower

a center of intellectual

middle class, while

and literary life during

her home is literally

the Victorian era.

considered a cultural

center.

Fear always springs

Do people embrace

Ralph Waldo

Emerson

1803-1882

American poet and

from ignorance.

ignorance by being too

essayist. Advocate of

freighted to ask

spiritual independence,

questions?

believed in intuition as

divine guidance and in

individualism to it's

fullest.

Whatever limits us

Do people use “fate”

Ralph Waldo

Emerson

1803-1882

A unique voice of

we call fate.

as an excuse or

American influence. He

defense?

was a writer, poet and

philosopher who

subscribed to

Transcendentalism, a

philosophy that stresses

humans undeniable ties

to nature.

Men are disturbed

Can you trace

Epictetus

b. approx

A slave in Rome who upon

What would it be like

not by things that

something disturbing

AD 50

being freed devoted his

to be a philosophical

happen, but by

back to an opinion you

life to philosophy.

slave?

their opinions of

had? Would you feel

things that happen.

differently by looking

at and maybe changing

that opinion now?

Go the extra mile.

Newsletter

Executive

NONE

It's never crowded.

Speechwriter

Setting a good

How wild do you think

William

Feather

American businessman

example for your

your parents could

children takes all

have been without you

the fun out of

around, what naughty

middle age.

activities would have

appealed to them?

Perhaps if one

Can you recognize

Joanna

Field

English author hoping to

Have you ever kept a

really knew when

patterns in behavior?

clue in on what's

diary, have you

one was happy one

In your behavior?

missing in life was

discovered anything

would know the

known to keep a journal

about what make's you

things that were

to help her key into

tick after having read

necessary for one's

what, in her daily life,

excerpts?

life.

made her joyful. That

journal was published in

1934 and called “A

Life of One's Own”.

I am not a woman, I

Indira

Gandhi I

1917-1984

Started her political

am a human being.

career as official

hostess and political

confidant to her father,

Jawaharlal Nehru, the

first prime minister of

an independent India.

She rose through the

ranks to be elected

prime minister in 1966

and again in 1980. She

was assassinated by one

of her own body guards

in 1984.

The motto should

Is forgiveness

Emma

Goldman

1869-1940

Red Emma an American

There's just nothing

be; rather than

unnecessary when it is

anarchist who in 1883,

like those homespun

forgive one

replaced with

was actively agitating

girls of yesteryear.

another; rather

understanding?

people against

Think her assassin

understand one

tyrannical employers,

partner shared her

another.

and for her efforts was

understanding?

jailed in New York. She

founded the anarchist

monthly, Mother Earth,

with a loose cannon of a

partner who would

eventually he charged

with attempted

assassination.

Time is nature's

Graffiti

The reason spray paint

There are some pearls

way of preventing

cans are prohibited for

arising from this form

everything from

sale to people under 18

of creativity.

happening at once.

in some States.

Time is an illusion

Trekkies.Put that in

Graffiti

The reason spray paint

There are some pearls

perpetuated by the

your space-time

cans are prohibited for

arising from this form

manufacturers of

continuum, and see how

sale to people under 18

of creativity.

space.

long it takes.

in some States.

The body is a

How do you most honor

Martha

Graham

1893-1991

She became the most

She not only treated

sacred garment,

your body, do you have

influential person in

her body with honor,

Its your first and

a ritual like a long

the history of modern

she taught it to

last garment; it is

hot bath every Sunday

dance she created a new

communicate!

what you enter life

eve, or do you honor

dance language intended

in and what you

whims and feed it junk

to express psychological

depart life with,

food?

complexities through

and it should be

innovative dance

treated with honor.

movement.

Plain women know

An odd and perceptive

Katherine

Hepburn

1909-

Beautiful. Four time

Do you suppose she had

more about men than

quote from a beautiful

Academy Award winner,

homely moments?

beautiful ones do.

and gifted women.

who maintained a 25 year

relationship with co-

star Spencer Tracy

Mix a little

What defines the

Horace

65-8 BC

Horace, Quintus Horatius

What surroundings or

foolishness with

“right moment” to be

Flaccus (65-8 BC.) Roman

circumstances can you

your serious plans;

foolish or silly,

poet laureate and

imagine exists for

it is lovely to be

hindsight? Right

satirist,

Horace in 8 BC to

silly at the right

moment you were

extraordinarily popular

produce such original

moment.

lovely, wrong moment

perhaps due to his

thoughts and

you were an idiot.

expression of common

expressions?

thoughts and feelings,

not high ideals.

And the trouble is,

When is a risk worth

Erica

Jong

1942-

The author of Fear of

if you don't risk

taking, and when isn't

Flying apparently didn't

anything, you risk

it? Is there ever no

worry what risks she

even more.

risk involved?

took with her good name.

Her book was among the

first sexual liberation

novels written in the

just “coming out” 70's.

Life is either a

Considering this is

Helen

Keller

1880-1968

At the age of 19 months

daring adventure,

Helen Keller, her

she became blind and

or nothing.

every waking,

deaf. This did not stop

conscious moment had

her from earning a

to be an adventure

bachelor degree and

into the unknown,

becoming a highly

don't you think.

respected lecturer,

writer and scholar.

I believe that

What type of character

Martin

King Jr.

1929-1968

A strong advocate of

truth and

did this man possess

Luther

non-violent protest

unconditional love

to maintain a belief

ironically assassinated

will have the final

in truth and

while acting as one of

word in reality.

unconditional love

the principal leaders of

while surrounded by

the civil rights

lies, hate, and anger.

movement. Winner of

Nobel and Kennedy Peace

prize and considered a

brilliant orator.

The only unnatural

As a species do we

Alfred

Kinsey

1894-1956

Controversial American

No wonder he was

sex act is that

have the ability to do

sexologist and zoologist

controversial.

which you cannot

something unnatural?

born in Hoboken, New

perform.

Jersey.

Some women are not

Give examples of

Karl

Kraus

1874-1936

Austrian satirist,

beautiful- they

beauty that are not

critic, and poet who

only look as though

manifested physically,

took great joy in

they are.

go further than the

attacking the middle

obvious. Name your

class and liberal press.

friends attributes.

It's only when we

This simple statement

Elizabeth

Kubler-

Swiss born pioneer

truly know and

seems to sum it all

Ross

psychiatrist in the

understand that we

up, don't you think?

study of the psychology

have a limited time

of dying. Published

on earth --- and

what is considered to be

that we have no way

the most influential

of knowing when our

book on the subject

time is up --- that

called “On Death and

we will begin to

Dying” in 1969.

live each day to

the fullest as if

it was the only one

we had.

To err is human; to

What does that make

Doug

Larson

NONE

admit it,

Clinton, super

superhuman.

president?

Title 14 Section

So . . . if you're abducted

Loopy

Laws

Neverending

Strange but true non the

1211 of the code of

and the Feds find out

Obscure

less.

federal Regulations

do you have to do jail

implemented July

time. Does that make

16, 1969 makes it

two abductions?

illegal for any US

citizen to have any

contact with an

extraterrestrial or

their vehicle.

Cats in Sterling,

Loopy

Neverending

Strange but the law non

Colorado may not

Obscure Laws

the less.

run loose without

having been fit

with a taillight.

In North Dakota it

Do you think they want

Loopy

Neverending

Strange but true non the

is illegal to serve

to keep the salt

Obscure Laws

less.

beer and pretzels

intake down to slow

at the same time.

the drinking before

driving, or do they

want to keep food out

of you so you are

easier to spot while

DUI? What tangled webs

we weave!

In NY the penalty

Loopy

Neverending

Strange but true non the

for jumping off a

Obscure Laws

less.

building is death.

In Hornytown, say

Which came first, the

Loopy

Neverending

Strange but true non the

it ain't so, North

town's name, or the

Obscure Laws

less.

Carolina, massage

massage parlors?

parlors have been

banned!

It is good to have

It is the journey that

Ursula

Le Guin

1929-

She grew up immersed in

Do you know anyone

an end to journey

makes the memories in

legends and myths thanks

whose profession and

towards; but it is

the end, isn't it?

to an anthropologist

talents that have been

the journey that

father and her mother an

shaped by their

matters in the end.

author of children's

parents professions?

books. It's no wonder

she became a multi

award-winning author of

science fiction and

fantasy.

To mention a loved

Does she want us to

Anne Morrow

Lindbergh

1906-

American writer and

object, a person,

take care of what we

aviator whose

or a place to

mention and how we say

accomplishments as a

someone else is to

it?

female aviator are over

invest that object

shadowed by her famous

with reality.

husband Charles. She is

most famous for her

writing and not for her

extraordinary pioneering

spirit.

Chaos in the midst

Picture someone in a

Steve

Martin

1945

Comic, writer, and

What can you expect

of chaos isn't

situation of chaos

talented actor born in

from someone who co-

funny, but chaos in

among order.

Waco Texas who seem to

wrote and made their

the midst of order

have made a great deal

screen debut as a

is.

of his career out of

title character in a

chaotic, comedic events.

film called “The Jerk”

I never forget a

Groucho

Marx

1890-1977

Born Julius Henry he was

face, but in your

the bushy eye browed,

case I'll make an

cigar smoking,

exception.

wisecracking oldest of

the vaudeville, stage

and movie actor

brothers. Groucho also

authored Memoirs of a

Mangy Lover in 1963.

Feelings are

J

Massi

NONE

everywhere -- Be

gentle.

Admit your errors

Great way to turn the

Andrew

Mason M.D.

NONE

before someone else

tables or baffle your

exaggerates them.

enemies.

For Where your

What do you treasure

Matthew

One of Jesus' people.

treasure is, there

most, does it bring

will your heart be

happiness?

also.

Whether women are

Ever see animals

Golda

Mier

1898-1978

Israel's first

Truly a women who

better than men I

exhibit a bias based

ambassador to Moscow, on

proved her ability to

cannot say - but I

on gender?

to Minister of Labor

do a man's job even if

can say they are

then Minister of Foreign

that meant heading the

certainly no worse.

Affairs and finally on

government through two

to Prime Minister in

very difficult wars.

1968.

Don't be humble.

What would it require

Golda

Mier

1898-1978

Born in Russia,

Proof that no dream is

You're not that

to make being humble

graduated from Milwaukee

too great if a child

great.

acceptable?

Teachers college. While

in her teens can

in her teens she began a

aspire to and achieve

life long dedication to

something so difficult

building a homeland for

as finding a homeland

the Jews, she is

for a whole race of

considered one of the

people!

founders of the state of

Israel and served as

it's prime minister

1969-1974

When one tugs at a

Think of examples that

John

Muir

1838-1914

Explorer, naturalist,

Without the help of

single thing in

relate to you own

writer and crusader for

John Muir many of our

nature, he finds it

family, do you think

the preservation of

most treasured

attached to the

Mr. Muir's comment

natural resources in the

National Parks would

rest of the world.

becomes more clear as

late 1800's.

not exist today. When

you relate it from

we have such wonderful

your family to the

results from his

family of the world.

vision. Why is it we

still don't understand

the connectedness of

all things, and

continue to allow

greed to actively

destroy our planet.

We don't see things

Is it possible to

Anais

Nin

1903-1977

American author

as they are, we see

completely make that

influenced by surrealism

them as we are.

separation?

and psychoanalysis,

nice combo, she

created many short

stories, works of

erotica, and her first

novel was House of

Incest.

In our play we

Is there a “type” of

Publius

Ovid

43 BC-17 AD

Extraordinary Roman

Maybe Augustus didn't

reveal what kind of

person who enjoys

Ovidus Naso

attorney who devoted

like his poetry, which

people we are.

certain forms of play?

himself, instead, to of

was hard to overlook

all things poetry. In 8

because he was a most

AD he was banished by

prolific poet.

Augustus for reasons

unknown.

It is often hard to

Have you observed in

Frederick

Phillips

NONE

distinguish between

your own life or

the hard knocks in

another situation

life and those of

where a truly

opportunity.

difficult time

resulted in a

wonderful opportunity?

You can discover

What type of play do

Plato

427-347

His philosophy has had

Imagine what it would

more about a person

you think was popular

BC

an incalculable

be like to sit with

in an hour of play

in Plato's day?

influence on almost

these guys, the

than in a year of

every period and

surroundings,

conversation.

tradition placing him

clothing, smells and

among the most important

sounds, use all of

philosophers of all

your senses.

time. Two other great

figures of philosophy

are his teacher,

Socrates, and Aristotle

his pupil and subsequent

principal competitor.

Almost always it is

Is the reflection just

Antonio

Porchia

NONE

the fear of being

a reminder of the part

ourselves that

we are playing at the

brings us to the

moment?

mirror.

Nobody can make you

Even if you think your

Eleanor

Roosevelt

1884-1962

Chaired the United

Obviously a women who

feel inferior

dog is an inferior

Nations Commission that

didn't suffer from an

without your

creature, he doesn't.

created the Universal

inferiority complex.

consent.

Declaration of Human

Rights from which

emerged the prohibition

of discrimination on

grounds of race color or

creed.

You must do the

What do you think you

Eleanor

Roosevelt

1884-1962

U.S. delegate to the

Apparently there

thing you think you

can't do and why?

United Nations, niece of

wasn't much she

cannot do.

President Theodore

couldn't do whether

Roosevelt, Wife and

she thought she could

distant cousin of FDR.

or not.

When a man is

Are creatures other

John

Ruskin

1819-1900

British poet, author,

He took his thoughts

wrapped up in

than humans able to be

and art critic privately

to extremes and

himself, he makes a

self-consumed, or is

educated until he

beginning in 1870 he

pretty small

it the only way they

attended Oxford. He

suffered periodic

package.

can be?

encouraged England to

bouts of insanity. Is

take responsibility for

the taking of thoughts

the squalor that arose

to extremes a

with ungoverned

contributing factor or

capitalism. He was a

a symptom of insanity?

profoundly religious man

who took this concept

all the way to a type of

Christian Communism.

The Miss Universe

Irene

Saez

Winner of the Miss

contest taught me

Universe title in 1981

how to compete. And

she went on to try to

competing among

capture another

women is very

prestigious title, that

different from

of president of

competing among

Venezuela.

men. Women are

fiercer

competitors.

The more articulate

May

Sarton

Prolific poet from

You must be pretty

one is, the more

Belgium who lived out

articulate to be made

dangerous words

her later years in

a cult figure.

become.

Northeastern US where

she is considered a cult

figure to a circle of

women.

Being bald is an

Telly

Savalas

Lolly pop sucking actor

unfailing sex

born with the name Ernst

magnet.

Stavro Blofeld.

Time and trouble

Dorothy

Sayers

1893-1957

British author of

will tame an

detective mysteries was

advanced young

one of the first women

women, but an

to obtain a degree from

advanced old women

Oxford.

is uncontrollable

by any earthly

force.

Every man takes the

Yet, no one sees

Arthur

Schopenhauer

1788-1860

German Pessimist

His Quote seems to be

limits of his own

things in the same

Philosopher. The first

in direct contrast to

field of vision for

way, does this make

of the primary articles

this part of his

the limits of the

the possibilities

of his pessimistic

philosophical beliefs.

world.

limitless and very

philosophical creed was

limited.

Subjective Idealism

being, for example, the

idea that the world is

an illusion of the

brain and therefore in

itself, nothing.

What is most

In what way is this

Susan

Sontag

1933-

American philosophical

beautiful in virile

shown in our culture?

writer on modern

men is something

culture. It was her

feminine. What is

essays that got her

most beautiful in

dubbed a new

feminine women is

intellectual and she

something

became the influential

masculine.

darling of the American

counterculture.

I love humanity but

Edna

St.

1892-1950

The winner of a 1923

I hate people.

Vincent

Pulitzer she was mainly

Millay

recognized for her

poetry. She also wrote

plays for experimental

theater, one of which

was a satirical fantasy

about war called Aria Da

Capo.

As far as I'm

Sally

Stanford

Celebrated and

Probably not related

concerned, morality

politically motivated

to the Stanford's of

is just a word that

Madam and vice-mayor of

university fame don't

describes the

Sausalito California.

you just know it?

current fashion of

conduct.

In the year 2000

Be Afraid! Be Very

Statistics

Who figures these things

approximately 19

Afraid, if we don't

out, and why?

million women Baby

start talking about

Boomers will be

it.

suffering anxiety,

irritability, and

violent mood swings

due to menopause.

If you're over 35

The moral of the story

Statistics

Who figures these things

you have a 1 in 77

. . . if you're gonna fool

out, and why?

chance of suffering

around be in shape!

a heart attack

during sex.

Very attractive men

Homely criminals get

Statistics

Who figures these things

and women earn at

50% more jail time

out, and why?

least 5% per hour

than good-looking

more than average

ones.

looking ones.

Ideas are like

Could they have

John

Steinbeck

1902-1968

American novelist, who

rabbits. You get a

possibly imagined what

apparently could make

couple and learn

was about to spring

literary, prizes

how to handle them,

from the idea of the

multiply as well. He was

and pretty soon you

first computer?

awarded 1940 Pulitzer

have a dozen.

and the 1962 Nobel prize

for literature.

It is necessary to

If, in fact, it is an

Wallace

Stevens

1879-1955

Harvard educated

Just goes to show you

any originality to

original, are you not

insurance attorney who

can't judge a man by

have the courage to

the amateur and the

won n the 1955 Pulitzer

his profession!

be an amateur.

master?

Prize for his

extraordinary poetry.

Man does not live

Some go down easier

Adlai

StevensonA

1900-1965

Well known more for his

by words alone,

than others.

wit and speaking ability

despite the fact

than his failed run for

that sometimes he

the presidency in 1952

has to eat them.

and in 1956.

There is no duty we

Since laughter and

Robert Louis

StevensonR

1850-1894

Well traveled Scottish

Happiness might well

so much underrate

happiness can

essayist who lived the

lie in being chief

as the duty of

contagious . . . go out and

last 5 years of his life

spinner of tales in

being happy. By

spread it!

in Samoa acknowledged as

Samoa.

being happy we sow

chief Tu'si-ta'la

anonymous benefits

(teller of tales).

upon the world.

There is nothing

Han

Suyin

1917-

Beijing doctor and

stronger in the

author of the inter-

world than

racial romance novel

gentleness.

turned academy award

winning movie, Love Is A

Many Splendid Thing.

Could a greater

Try to look through

Henry David

Thoreau

1817-1862

Perhaps most famous for

miracle take place

each others for an

his portrayal of simple

than for us to look

instant, what do you

living, it was his essay

through each others

see? Now try it with a

on civil disobedience

eyes for an

loved pet or some

that influenced Mahatma

instant.

other creature.

Gandhi's successful

policies of passive

resistance against the

British rule in India.

Happy families are

Lao

Tolstoi

1875-1877

Russian author of War

all alike; every

Nikolsevich

and Peace who, between

unhappy family is

his use of psychological

unhappy in it's own

analysis in his novels

way.

and his social teachings

had a profound effect on

the course of the 20th

century. Tolstoy's idea

for passive resistance

influenced Gandhi whom

later inspired Martin

Luther King Jr.

Live each moment as

Suzannah

Troy

Somewhere, sometime a

Quite a laid back

if your hair is on

masseuse.

profession for such a

fire!

frenetic quote.

I never let my

Doesn't this give us a

Mark

Twain

1835-1910

Mark Twain, Samuel

schooling interfere

fresh interpretation

Langhorne Clemens,

with my education.

of education.

American writer and

humorist known for

debunking tradition

without malice and being

satirical without

bitterness, for the most

part.

When ignorance gets

Mark

Twain

1835-1910

Unique American writer

started it knows no

who poked fun at

bounds.

entrenched institutions

and long held

traditions. He did so

for the most part

without malice until

1890-1900 when his

life's hard knocks were

being reflected in his

writing.

Always acknowledge

How do you think this

Mark

Twain

1835-1910

Unique American writer

a fault frankly.

would throw them “off

who poked fun at

This will throw

guard”?

entrenched institutions

those in authority

and long held

off their guard and

traditions. He did so

give you the

for the most part

opportunity to

without malice until

commit more.

1890-1900 when his

life's hard knocks were

being reflected in his

writing.

Men show their

What's the last thing

Johann

Von Goethe

1749-1832

German poet, dramatist,

All of this experience

character in

that made you laugh

Wolfgang

scientist and court

collided to make him

nothing more

out loud?

official who partook in

one of the most

clearly than by

Now think about that.

more than one scandalous

versatile figures in

what they think

love affair. He dabbled

world literature.

laughable.

in alchemy, occult

philosophy, and

astrology as well as

music, art, anatomy, and

chemistry.

Expect nothing;

Can having no

Alice

Walker

1944-

African American author

As a young black women

live frugally on

expectations eliminate

and recipient of many

aspiring to be an

surprise.

disappointments?

literary honors

author do you think

including a Pulitzer and

she ever expected to

American Book Award both

win such high honors?

for her novel “The Color

Purple”.

The whole world is

Do you see this in

Horace

Walpole

1717-1797

Respected writer of

His philosophy was

a comedy for those

people you know?

letters and novels, the

modern day and not

who think a tragedy

4th Earl of Orford, was

stuccoed in the past.

for those who feel.

appointed to many cushy

Option 2 He should

government jobs by his

have stuck to writing

father, the prime

and not remodeling.

minister. His

inheritance purchased

coachmen's cottage,

which he stuccoed into

the pseudo-castle of

Strawberry Hill. He

unwittingly helped put

an end to the ridiculous

fashion for Classical

Italian appearance of

architecture in England.

Did a women ever

Wouldn't you have

C. D

Warner

1829-1900

Charles Dudley Warner

C. D. Warner was male,

love who would not

expected this to have

(1829-1900) American

what do you think

give all the years

been said by a woman

writer/attorney till

could have happened

of tasteless

and not a Twain crony?

1860 when he quit law to

for him come up with

serenity, for one

become editor of Harpers

such a female oriented

year, for one

Magazine. Collaborated

comment?

month, for one day

with Mark Twain on The

of uncalculated

Gilded Cage in 1873.

delirium of love

poured out upon the

man . . . who

returned it.

A guilty conscience

Just ask any kid

Carolyn

Wells

1862-1942

American writer of some

She must have had a

is the mother of

caught with their hand

170 volumes. She was

very guilty conscience

invention.

just outside the

diversified in her

to have created 170

cookie jar, and the

genre, humorous

volumes of fiction.

creativity will fly!!

sketches, novels and

fictional detective

stories to name a few.

When women go

Mae

West

1893-1980

Buxom vaudevillian with

wrong, men go right

the dubious distinction

after them.

of having a inflatable

life vest named after

her.

Women should be

You might say Mae was

Mae

West

1893-1980

Popular personality of

obscene and not

the one of the

30's Hollywood who

heard.

original women to be

epitomized aggressive

obscene and heard!

vulgarity with comic

flair. Audiences loved

it!

Between two evils I

How many evils could a

Mae

West

1893-1980

Popular personality of

always pick the one

vaudeville and film

30's Hollywood who

I never tried

actress who

epitomized aggressive

specialized in sultry

vulgarity with comic

sexual innuendo have

flair. Audiences loved

left untried?

it!

Ninety-nine percent

Thornton

Wilder

1897-1975

Fought in two wars, rose

of the people in

Niven

to rank of lieutenant

the world are fools

colonel. Wilder found

and the rest of us

time to be Yale educated

are in great danger

and win several Pulitzer

of contagion.

prizes for his

literature that was

often based on

allegories and myths.

Among his works are Our

Town and Hello Dolly.

You don't have to

Flip sashayed around

Flip

Wilson

Born Clerow Wilson, one

While in the Air force

be a thing of

stage in drag, he was

of 24 children and no

he often proclaimed to

beauty to be a joy

no beauty but the joy

stranger to foster homes

be flipped out, soon

forever.

he brought others made

and reform school, he

it stuck and his

him one of the

became one of the first

friends nicknamed him

funniest comics of the

black superstars through

Flip.

late 60's and early

his gift for comedy.

70's.

Number	Name	Date	Kind
4606546	Rita	Aug 1986	A
4635939	Makow	Jan 1987	A
4836546	DiRe et al.	Jun 1989	A
4940239	Tuttle	Jul 1990	A
5066016	O'Neill	Nov 1991	A
5244391	Bryant	Sep 1993	A
5295834	Saunders	Mar 1994	A
5441277	Lenhart et al.	Aug 1995	A
5472207	Sullivan et al.	Dec 1995	A
5735522	Sausa	Apr 1998	A
5882008	Siegesmund	Mar 1999	A
6019370	Morris	Feb 2000	A
6193606	Walker et al.	Feb 2001	B1
6224056	Jones	May 2001	B1
6279909	Alexander, II et al.	Aug 2001	B1
6315292	Howlett et al.	Nov 2001	B1

System for providing entertainment and enhancing human relationships

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