02-05-2001, 03:50 PM
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#1
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Guest
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hello from a writer passing through... you seem like a friendly and knowledgable bunch, so I'll ask you a question that I have been trying to find an answer to for years. (and that's an english degree speaking, Lord help us!). In Don Quixote, which is dear to my heart, one of the lines is "stemming gold to make ends meet". While I understand the inference, I've not been able to find out just what "stemming gold" is. Any takers? Canadian English majors? Obscure reference artists? Thanks!
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02-05-2001, 03:50 PM
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#2
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Guest
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hello from a writer passing through... you seem like a friendly and knowledgable bunch, so I'll ask you a question that I have been trying to find an answer to for years. (and that's an english degree speaking, Lord help us!). In Don Quixote, which is dear to my heart, one of the lines is "stemming gold to make ends meet". While I understand the inference, I've not been able to find out just what "stemming gold" is. Any takers? Canadian English majors? Obscure reference artists? Thanks!
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02-05-2001, 05:25 PM
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#3
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Moderator
Join Date: May 2000
Posts: 16,001
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this was discussed a while back and I believe it was said by many to mean "saving" gold for a rainy day. Keeping a bit of cash around for those hard times in which a person may find themselves in other words!
Char
websters dictionary - to make headway against.
it is also a nautical term - re: stem of a ship
perhaps stemming in the song was done by theft or misappropriation instead of good old honest saving!
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02-05-2001, 05:25 PM
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#4
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Moderator
Join Date: May 2000
Posts: 16,001
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this was discussed a while back and I believe it was said by many to mean "saving" gold for a rainy day. Keeping a bit of cash around for those hard times in which a person may find themselves in other words!
Char
websters dictionary - to make headway against.
it is also a nautical term - re: stem of a ship
perhaps stemming in the song was done by theft or misappropriation instead of good old honest saving!
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02-05-2001, 09:43 PM
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#5
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Member
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Oxnard, Ca. U.S.A.
Posts: 89
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Miran !.....
In Geological / Mining terminology . Stemming is the act of placing material
( crushed stone, soil, sand, or drill cuttings ) to plug a drill hole after the explosive has been placed. It is very well compacted to stop the explosion from comming back out the hole.
Maybe the line in the song refers to a job, not an act.
Keep smiling Ron. 
" and I'd like to tell her that I miss her so in North Ontario" ( still snowing in North Bay!! )
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02-05-2001, 09:43 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Posts: 178
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Miran !.....
In Geological / Mining terminology . Stemming is the act of placing material
( crushed stone, soil, sand, or drill cuttings ) to plug a drill hole after the explosive has been placed. It is very well compacted to stop the explosion from comming back out the hole.
Maybe the line in the song refers to a job, not an act.
Keep smiling Ron.
" and I'd like to tell her that I miss her so in North Ontario" ( still snowing in North Bay!! )
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02-05-2001, 11:53 PM
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#7
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Moderator
Join Date: May 2000
Posts: 16,001
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Ron - gee I should have known that! Being the granddaughter of a gold miner from northern Ontario - and he was the one that did the explosives! LOL
Char
stemming gold to make ends meet - he was a miner like my Poppa!
lol
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02-05-2001, 11:53 PM
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#8
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Moderator
Join Date: May 2000
Posts: 16,001
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Ron - gee I should have known that! Being the granddaughter of a gold miner from northern Ontario - and he was the one that did the explosives! LOL
Char
stemming gold to make ends meet - he was a miner like my Poppa!
lol
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02-06-2001, 10:29 PM
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#9
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Member
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Oxnard, Ca. U.S.A.
Posts: 89
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We might be onto something Charlene, although I doubt your Poppa would be the "Drunkard in the Tavern", or if any Mine Manager would let such a person loose with explosives.
Although it's interesting to note that " the Collar" is the top of the bore hole. And the first two lines of this verse could also relate to the mining industry.
Keep smiling Ron
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02-06-2001, 10:29 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Posts: 178
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We might be onto something Charlene, although I doubt your Poppa would be the "Drunkard in the Tavern", or if any Mine Manager would let such a person loose with explosives.
Although it's interesting to note that " the Collar" is the top of the bore hole. And the first two lines of this verse could also relate to the mining industry.
Keep smiling Ron
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02-06-2001, 11:20 PM
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#11
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Moderator
Join Date: May 2000
Posts: 16,001
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Ron - my Poppa could pack away a drink or dozen! In his latter days it was a bottle of Jamaican dark Demerrera Rum and several beer! Never "drunk" though! Died at 81 from complications from a fall. He had gold dust in his lungs and emphysema that should have killed him when he was 50 if the roll yer owns didn't!
I've seen the north country and the mines and back then it was a rough life.
Takes Gordy to make it come back so clear though.
Char
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02-06-2001, 11:20 PM
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#12
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Moderator
Join Date: May 2000
Posts: 16,001
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Ron - my Poppa could pack away a drink or dozen! In his latter days it was a bottle of Jamaican dark Demerrera Rum and several beer! Never "drunk" though! Died at 81 from complications from a fall. He had gold dust in his lungs and emphysema that should have killed him when he was 50 if the roll yer owns didn't!
I've seen the north country and the mines and back then it was a rough life.
Takes Gordy to make it come back so clear though.
Char
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02-07-2001, 12:53 AM
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#13
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Member
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Oxnard, Ca. U.S.A.
Posts: 89
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Charlene, Tough times, Tough job, and really Tough climate, required exceptionally strong ( both mentally and physically ) men and women to overcome. Although our countries are vastly different climatically, the characteristics required in our forefathers to succeed are remarkably similar, thats why Gords music is also loved in Aus...
keep smiling Ron
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02-07-2001, 12:53 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Posts: 178
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Charlene, Tough times, Tough job, and really Tough climate, required exceptionally strong ( both mentally and physically ) men and women to overcome. Although our countries are vastly different climatically, the characteristics required in our forefathers to succeed are remarkably similar, thats why Gords music is also loved in Aus...
keep smiling Ron
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02-07-2001, 03:29 PM
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#15
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Guest
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Ahhh... this makes sense. He's not stemming gold in the tavern, he's at the tavern AFTER stemming gold. And the fact that he's working with unpredictable explosive situations all day explain why he's getting drunk later. Nothing like risking your life on a daily basis. Actually, "unpredictable explosive situations" sounds a lot like where I work! No flying rock, though, just personalities... in any case, Thank you all! Now I know where to come.
be well,
Miran
"listen to the pictures flow, across the room into your mind they go..."
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02-07-2001, 03:29 PM
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#16
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Guest
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Ahhh... this makes sense. He's not stemming gold in the tavern, he's at the tavern AFTER stemming gold. And the fact that he's working with unpredictable explosive situations all day explain why he's getting drunk later. Nothing like risking your life on a daily basis. Actually, "unpredictable explosive situations" sounds a lot like where I work! No flying rock, though, just personalities... in any case, Thank you all! Now I know where to come.
be well,
Miran
"listen to the pictures flow, across the room into your mind they go..."
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