"Tsunami in the Pacific" [Better Safe Than Sorry]

At Right was the lovely Coconuts Beach Club on the southwestern shore of the island of Upulo, Samoa. Four days after we left the island, this view was a wasteland. Hawaii, Saturday 28, 2010 The first tsunami warning in the state of Hawaii was Saturday morning at 6 a.m. with sirens blaring at about 100 decibels. I was at my computer working on my book and the first indication of something unusual was a helicopter flying over my house. It didn’t hit me until approximately 30 minutes later while watching the latest information on the 8.8 quake centered about 200 miles south of Santiago, Chile—I should do two things right away. Go fill up my vehicle with gas in Pahoa (20 minutes from Kehena) and fill up pots, water containers, and the bath tub with water in case I lose power. (I am on catchment with a 10,000 gallon water tank, but I would not be able to get water into the house without my pump and if the electricity is out—well, no water). This revelation happened after one news reporter said, “better to be safe than sorry"-- have enough fuel in your car, clean water for drinking, a 7 day supply of food, and your bags packed if you are in an evacuation area. (I am about 100 feet above sea level and there is no concern). After what happened in the 1960 Chilean earthquake and tsunami which sent 35 foot waves crashing into Hilo Bay, people are more aware of tsunami threats, especially after what has happen involving the Indian Ocean and Samoan disasters. Since I am passionate about the origin and meaning of idioms, phrases, and proverbs, I thought a snipped of the origin and meaning of phrase “better safe than sorry,” from Part 3, chapter 17, of my book would be appropriate: It makes sense to take precautionary measures, before anything bad happens (such as being swindled by a con-man). This proverb was first used in Samuel Lover’s book, Rory O’More: A National Romance (1887). In America, the phrase first appeared in 1932 in a book titled Murder at the Hunting Club (1932) by Mary Plum. The adage is found in various forms: It is better to be safe than sorry; better to be sensible than sorry and, it is better to be on the safe side. Please, if you like the content of my blog, would you pass it on to your friends so that my goal is achieved. My goal is to create a “platform,” which is a following that publishers and literary agents like to see in an author. (You don’t have to sign up to be a “follower” to participate in the blog). Click on the word comment at the bottom of the posting and leave your own comment. Mahalo, Patrick

"Can't Hold a Candle To"

It might not seem that this idiom has anything to do with white collar crime, but I think it does in this respect: People like Bernie Madoff, and the people involved with corporate crime in companies like Euron and WorldCom are "inferior" in ethics, integrity and character than those of us that don't "rake people over the coals." This posting was promped by a friend who wanted to know the origin and meaning of, "can't hold a candle to" which also is known as, "not fit to hold a candle." The meaning is to be inferior to someone or something. I consider these scoundrels as being lower than dirt. The earliest use in print of this phrase was in John Heywood's collection of proverbs from 1546 and alludes to holding a candle to provide light for someone, at that time considered a menial chore. For my followers and people who log on to the blog, I thank you for your questions regarding idioms and phrases dealing with white collar crime. It will help me in my research for "They Cooked the Books." If you think the subject matter would be interesting for your friends and business colleagues, please pass the link on to them. The faults of a burglar are the qualities of the financier -George Bernard Shaw