GrowlerZone Issue #10
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GrowlerZone #10 + + + + GrowlerZone #10
+ + A Cultural Posting From Growlerville + +
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Issue #10
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"In the costume party of life, disguise the limit." (Oldold)
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In this issue:
- - DEAR GROWLERZONE: Feedback forum
- - SUGGESTED LISTENING: Growler Radio 4 Book of Lies:
- - GRIST: The Educated vs. The Elders: Clash of Cultures
- - AMAZING HUHU FACTS: Can a lie be the best way to communicate the truth?
- - THE REAL GROWLERVILLE REPORTS: More first hand Growlerville News
Mr. E gets an inside peek at Prof. Growler's lab.
THE BENEFITS OF BEING ANNOYING: A link to an interesting Oldold correspondence.
- - UNCLE HUHU'S KNOCK-KNOCK CITY: This Pro Is Still Knocking
- - The Huhu's Who's Who: A Great Reference for Growlerville Characters
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DEAR GROWLERZONE
Dear GrowlerZone,
I want to complain about the notion in GR5 "Book of Lies" that
lying may sometimes be an acceptable practice. Can you please give me even one example of when, in everyday life, it is ok to lie? Mrs. Z
Dear Mrs. Z.
Nice hair! GZ
Dear GrowlerZone,
What is this about rubber bugs? In the last issue, and on
several places on your site, there is mention of fake crickets, but
no mention of what they're used for. From what story? BarbieQ
Dear BarbieQ,
They are used in controversial research. Listen to Growler Radio 26
"Timefish," and there's more on them in Mr. E's article below. GZ
Dear GrowlerZone,
Concerning your crossword puzzles: We have all of Growler Radio
but were disappointed to find your website only has 24 puzzles! My
kids have been after me to find out when more are coming. Tool8
Dear Tool8,
We lost the rest of the crossword puzzles during an invisibility crisis.
We are still looking for them. GZ.
Got questions or comments? Let's hear from you.
gz @ growler.com Put "Dear GrowlerZone" on the subject line.
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SUGGESTED LISTENING:
GROWLER RADIO 5 - Book of Lies
Those antique volumes are reminders that some ancient spells are still potent! There are some books that you shouldn't read unless you have guidance, and then there are some books that you shouldn't read, EVER! Dispose of all hazardous magic properly, and don't believe everything you read.
A package containing 2 books gets mistakenly delivered. The kids encounter the power and danger of magically encrusted antique manuscripts when the package accidentally opens. And, of course, things are never as they seem.
Concepts: hazards of magic, perception of truth
Visits: See The Real Growlerville Report #18
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GRIST: Growlerville Is Changing.
by QB Snifs
It's been creeping up on us slowly, hardly noticed in the everyday passing of time. More and more of our children are educated in the affairs of the larger world, now most are schooled away from Growlerville. Yet, because this culture evolved from a powerful tribal society, there is a strong awareness of conflicts between the teachings and values of the educated world, and the beliefs and customs of the tribe. So as time goes by, we are made more and more aware of a great divide amongst us, seemingly a universal conflict between the old and the new, made more urgent by the nature of this place.
In a modern world where the old is readily replaced by the new and improved, it is good to remember that things often happen differently in Growlerville.
Consider the current battle over the jurisdiction of cultural artifacts. When archaeologists discovered the whereabouts of the Urn of the Imposimazoo, they assumed they would be quickly granted the right to dig up and study this historic find. But instead of welcoming the efforts of the scientists, the Elders immediately filed a petition to enjoin the excavation. Before a packed Huhu Authority, the archaeologists argued the benefits of scientific research, while the Elders appealed for spiritual reasons. According to the grandfathers, the Imposimazoo site has been identified as a sacred entombment by the hieroglyphs found there.
As we all know, the Elders lost this effort. The excavation proceeded. The scientists uncovered a deep pocket cut into the stone. At the bottom, held closed by huge, intentionally positioned boulders, was the fabled Urn, covered with hieroglyphs and sealed with clay. When it was released from this entombment, and the hieroglyphics understood, the Elders again petitioned to not only enjoin, but also to respect the wishes of the Ancients who had buried the Urn.
Their message, written all over the Urn, was a warning to not break the seal, and to return the Urn to its intentionally prepared containment tomb.
It warned of a great hazard from "a creature which has both no form and all forms, which is both harmless and disastrous."
Throughout our lives, beginning in nursery school, we have all been told the unfathomable stories of the Imposimazoo. We have all sung the words and we have all wondered what they meant: "a creature of no form and all forms." It is part of our mythology, and so when the scientists realized what they had found, they were extremely eager to see first hand the mythological Imposimazoo. They wanted to study it, perhaps find ways to understand it. On the other hand, the Elders were appalled and angered. Although they put up a fight - filed legal actions and picketed the site - they ultimately lost this battle to the curiosity of their educated descendants, and to the overwhelming media circus created to help sell the excavation.
We all know how badly this turned out. Growlerville was quarantined, and taken to the edge of civil disorder before being miraculously saved by the Dutchess.
Now there is another looming conflict with a striking similarity to the Imposimazoo incident. Because of that earlier disaster, the Elders successfully lobbied for the creation of a new Cultural Commission, which would give them a greater say in any matters regarding the study of culturally important artifacts. Legally, they had obtained significant preemptive powers to enforce tribal protocols, and the Elders seemed pleased that they could prevent exploitation or misuse of their cultural heritage.
But soon a forbidden artifact appeared in the media, earning money for its owner as he demonstrated its amazing ability - to create distrust, and disorder as a result. The dark power of this object is that it causes the reader to believe the book, which suggests that everyone else is lying. Supposedly created by Oldold as a practical joke on his unfortunate friends, several copies have been known to exist.
The object in question, one of the Libri Falsi, or Book of Lies, is clearly on the list of dangerous artifacts. In fact, the Huhu Authority had recently voted unanimously to destroy by flushing any existing copies. This after experiencing a humiliating session which, because of the presence of a Book of Lies in the legislative chambers, degenerated into a name calling match, ending only when all members resigned in anger.
So the Cultural Commission expected no objection to the exercise of its new authority when it asked that this now circulating Book of Lies be handed over to be dealt with according to its mandate. But the owner refused to comply. As if this wasn't bad enough, the archaeologists then partnered with the owner, their lawyers arguing that the artifact was found on private property, beyond the jurisdiction of the new Cultural Commission.
This is where it stands. Once again the Elders are being thwarted by their educated descendants, the lawyers and the scientists. And so, while evidence of this culture clash is making itself obvious, there is still no protection for the average citizen. The well intentioned Cultural Commission is paralyzed as the deep pockets of outside interests spin the wheels of our courts on jurisdictional matters, enabling a known danger to continue to threaten our environment. In the mean time, there is a lot of yelling to be heard in the vicinity of the lab, and progress on legal matters has pretty much ground to a halt.
Anyone see a silver lining here?
Have comment on this story? Email us: gz @ growler.com
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Did you know that our website has 28 age appropriate crossword puzzles?
Go here: The Growler Tapes Crossword Puzzles
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AMAZING HUHU FACTS Growler Radio 5 - Book of Lies
Item: Libri Falsi: The Book of Lies
Fact: Sometimes a lie is the only way to communicate the truth.
The acknowledged founder of our current magic based culture is Oldold, our ancestor and master of unseen forces. This prolific genius created huge numbers of magically encrusted items: magic jewelry, magic clothing, magic food, and even magic music.
Interestingly, Oldold was a hand crafter of many moods. Although most of his work involved helping others, magic historians say that a large number of his magic objects were created as practical jokes and tricks on his unfortunate friends. Among the more dangerous relics was a magically encrusted volume entitled Book Of Lies.
He must have been in quite foul a mood when he made this one. If you open it, you are charmed into believing the book. And the book lies! This causes you to think everyone else is lying and you end up trusting no one. You are compelled to believe the opposite of what you are being told, and so, if you are under the influence of the book, the only way to communicate the truth to you is to lie.
The Book Of Lies was considered so devastatingly dangerous that the Huhu Authority voted UNANIMOUSLY to flush it! UNANIMOUSLY!
And that's an amazing Huhu Fact!
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The Real Growlerville Reports
The Real Growlerville 15: The Dutchess Saves The Day
A first hand account by investigative journalist, Mr. E
If you can't afford to fall asleep, don't close your eyes, not even to blink.
I relaxed on the bed, and as a result, I'm behind on a most important news event regarding the Elected Representatives to the Huhu Authority..........Read More.
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THE BENEFITS OF BEING ANNOYING
Read this most enlightening correspondence (From Oldold's personal record).
The master of the counterintuitive argues that being annoying can reap personal rewards, while his daughter argues the other side. Go here.
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UNCLE HUHU'S KNOCK-KNOCK CITY
Knock knock.
Who's there?
Botany.
Botany?
Botany good jellybeans lately?.
Knock knock.
Who's there?
Deny.
Deny who?
Denight is when destars shine.
Knock knock.
Who's there?
Sammy.
Sammy who?
Sam me or you in this picture?
Knock knock.
Who's there?
Wanda.
Wanda who?
Wanda why you keep forgetting to clean your room
Click here for the big collection of knock-knock jokes from Uncle Huhu: More Knocks
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Another recommended story that May Relate to this issue of GrowlerZone:
GROWLER RADIO 7 - SUMMER SNOW
Everyone talks about the weather, but no one does anything about it. No one, that is, until Growler Louise and the Dutchess stumbled onto a powerful new enchantment. But you know how it is when you experiment with magic - sometimes you're hot, sometimes you're not.
It's a heat wave, and it looks like a storm is brewing. But those clouds are flashing! The radio says Growlerville is completely buried under snow, and it's still snowing! The kids get permission to play with the stuff in the Magic Shop, but not everyone believes them.
Introduces: Growler Louise and the Dutchess experimenting with magic together!
Concept: Experimenting with magic is never predictable.
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The Huhu's Who's Who.
Want to reference a character from Growlerville? Most anyone who's anyone is in this book, although we admit some are missing.
Click here for the Huhu's Who's Who