Author Topic: Alms for the poor! (Read 492 times)

Mightytboy · « **on:** December 07, 2006, 01:44:02 PM »

OK I was moving into the office of one of our Techs that just quit so I wouldn't have to stay in the Server room anymore and I found an old bowl he left and thought it would be funny to put it on the desk an write "Alms for the poor!" on it.

Nobody got it!

I've had at least 15 people see it but the only one who's even heard of it was our oldest tech. He's in his late 50's.

Who here can tell me without Googling it?

porkfrog · « **Reply #1 on:** December 07, 2006, 02:14:59 PM »

tell you what without googling it? the origin of the saying or the meaning?

i'm only 33 and I know what it means.

"I'm poor. Can I have some money?"

I'd assume "alms" was a particular type of currency at some point in history. Most likely coin.

Now Im going to google it.

porkfrog · « **Reply #2 on:** December 07, 2006, 02:20:39 PM »

ok, i know what it means for sure now. i'll wait to see what others come up with though.

Skuzzy · « **Reply #3 on:** December 07, 2006, 02:23:32 PM »

Think Popeye folks.

Skuzzy · « **Reply #4 on:** December 07, 2006, 02:56:51 PM »

Man, these guys are slow.

Rino · « **Reply #5 on:** December 07, 2006, 03:05:12 PM »

I amsk what I amsk..a gagagaga

Airscrew · « **Reply #6 on:** December 07, 2006, 03:07:37 PM »

only thing I can think right now is "Scrooge"

Skuzzy · « **Reply #7 on:** December 07, 2006, 03:15:36 PM »

Sindbad the Sailor

Probably one of the best Popeye cartoons (short actually. If I remember, it was some 15 minutes long) ever.

Definately a classic.

Is that what you are thinking of Mighty?

derelict · « **Reply #8 on:** December 07, 2006, 06:30:03 PM »

Was the ancient cry of beggers in the street who would hold out their bowl and ask for "gifts" from passers-by. Kinda like an old time way of saying "hey Mister...can you spare a dime" or "Hey buddy care to give a guy down on his luck a buck?". Was that what you were going for?

Every time I hear that Line, which I've used myself a couple of times, it reminds me of Monty Python's Holy Grail. I say it in the same voice as the guy pulling the wagon thru the streets saying "Bring out your dead, bring out your dead".

but I'm not dead yet.....

you will be (smack)

Pooh21 · « **Reply #9 on:** December 07, 2006, 06:42:17 PM »

Just an old way to beg. I remember robin hood saying it when he was dressed up as a blind man in the disney movie, Iliked that movie til furries came along and perverted the whole idea.

death to furries:mad:

Maverick · « **Reply #10 on:** December 07, 2006, 08:00:33 PM »

Furries???

Mightytboy · « **Reply #11 on:** December 08, 2006, 08:35:37 AM »

derelict is correct.

"Any material favour done to assist the needy, and prompted by charity, is almsgiving... [A]lmsgiving implies a material service rendered to the poor for Christ's sake." Catholic Encyclopedia (1913) entry on Alms.

Skuzzy · « **Reply #12 on:** December 08, 2006, 09:12:35 AM »

And I thought you were trying to be tricky. Sheesh. Had I known you wanted a literal translation, that would have been simple.

lasersailor184 · « **Reply #13 on:** December 08, 2006, 09:19:10 AM »

Ditto. I thought there was some sort of trick question to it. So I didn't reply to avoid making a fool of myself.

Shame too, I was the first person to see this thread.

Mightytboy · « **Reply #14 on:** December 08, 2006, 09:52:28 AM »

Sorry I was just suprised at how many people never even heard of the term.

Nothing sinister or tricky just a straight forward question.

I changed my sign on the bowl to read...

*Alms for the poor!

*See back of bowl if you don't understand.

Back of bowl.....

*Welfare