Thursday, June 30, 2011

They Took My Thumb

Erie-Lackawanna tugboat, Richmond Terrace and Bement Avenue






   My grandfather, the late Holger Anderson, was many things in his life; subway tunnel digger, LIE tree cutter, brass foundry worker, carpenter, floor scraper and other things.  By the time I was born he was exclusively a floor scraper, in fact, one of the best around.  Not long before I was born, though, he had still been a carpenter.

   As a carpenter he work for the Erie-Lackawanna Railway at a boatyard they maintained at the foot of Bement Avenue and Richmond Terrace.  He primarily worked repairing the wooden barges used by the railroad to shunt car around the harbor.  He had started in the yard working for Bethlehem Steel but at ome point the railroad took over and he ended up with a pension from them.

  As a railroad carpenter my grandfather worked with huge circular saws.  They had all sorts of safety guards and things to keep the users safe.  He also used little handheld saws.   With one of them he took off his thumb one day.

  Supposedly he stuck the severed digit into his pocket and drove up to St. Vincent's Hospital.  It was the early sixties so reattachment didn't work.   Later in life he used the sharp little stump of his thumb to grab recalcitrant grandchildren.  It was very effective.

   He's been gone 23 years now and would have been 102.   Still miss him.



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The 15 Shortest Living People in the World

Here is a list of 15 shortest living people in the world as recognized by the Guinness World Records. These people have been described as "shortest" in their lifetime or profession and have a recorded measure of 165 centimeters or 5.41 ft and less.

1.) Junrey Balawing – Philippines


“Current World’s Shortest Living Man”
 He is the 2nd smallest adult ever!
Height: 0.5993 m (1 ft 11 23 in)
Born: June 12, 1993
Birthplace:  Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte

2.) Khagendra Thapa Magar – Nepal



“Second Shortest Living Man”

Height: 0.67 m (2 ft 2 12 in)
Weight:  5.5 kilograms (12 lbs)
Born: October 14, 1992
Birthplace:  Baglung District, Nepal
Medical condition: Primordial dwarf

3.) Lin Yü-chih – Taiwan


“Third Shortest Living Man”

Height: 67.5 cm (2 ft 2.58 in)
Born: 1972
Birthplace: Taiwan
Occupation: Author and Social Activist
Medical condition: Osteogenesis imperfecta
Founder: Osteogenesis Imperfecta Association

4.) Edward Niño Hernández - Colombia


“Fourth Shortest Living Man”

Height: 0.7 m (2 ft 3 12 in)
Weight: 10 kg (22 lb)
Born: 1986
Birthplace:  Colombia

5.) Madge Bester – South Africa


“World’s Shortest Living Woman”

Height: 2 ft 1.5 in (65 cm)
Born: April 26, 1963
Birthplace:  South Africa
Medical condition: Osteogenesis imperfecta











6.) Hatice Kocaman – Turkey


“Smallest Living Mobile Woman”

Height: 71 cm
Born: 1989
Birthplace:  Turkey

7.) Nisa Juarez – USA
“World’s Shortest Baby”

Height: 24 cm
Weight: 320 g (11.3 oz)
Born: 108 days premature
Birthplace:  USA

8.) Jyoti Amge – India


“World’s Shortest Teenager”

Height: 23 inches (58 cm)
Weight: 11 pounds (5.25 kg)
Born: December 16, 1993
Birthplace:  Nagpur, India
Medical condition: Dwarfism

9.) Ajaykumar – India


“World’s Shortest Actor to Play in a Full Length Film”

Height: 2 ft 6 in (76 cm
Birthplace: India
A.K.A.: Undapakru or Guinness Pakru
Occupation: Actor

10.) Verne J. Troyer – USA



“World’s Smallest Stuntman”

Height: 81 cm (2 ft 8 in)
Born: January 1, 1969
Birthplace:  USA
A.k.a.: Mini V. Mini Me
Occupation: Stand-up comedian, actor, stuntman, performer
Medical condition: Cartilage-hair Hypolasia Dwarfism










11.) Aditya 'Romeo' Dev – India


"World's Smallest Bodybuilder"

Height: 84 cm (2 ft. 9in)
Weight: 9 kg (20 lbs
Born: 1988
Birthplace:  India
Medical condition: Dwarfism

12.) Dylan Postl – USA



“World’s Smallest Living Professional Wrestler”

Height: 132 cm
Born: May 29, 1986
Birthplace: USA
A.K.A.: Hornswoggle or Little Bastard

13.) Renato Brunetta – Italy



“World’s Smallest Politician”

Height: 143 cm
Born: May 26, 1950
Birthplace: Italy
Occupation: Economist/Politician

14.) Robert Bernard Reich - USA



“Second Shortest Politician”

Height: 147 cm
Born: June 24, 1946
Birthplace:  USA
Position: Secretary of Labor in Bill Clinton’s cabinet
Occupation: Professor, Political economist, author, political commentator

15.) Julie Krone – USA



“Shortest American Jockey”

Height: 4 ft 10.5 in (149 cm)
Born: July 24, 1963
Birthplace:  Michigan, USA

***Bonus*** Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo – Philippines

(Macapagal-Arroyo in blue)

“World’s Shortest Female Politician”

Height: 150 cm (4’11”)
Born: April 5, 1947
Birthplace:  Philippines
Positions: Cabinet Secretary, Senator, Vice President of the Philippines, President of the Philippines, current Congresswoman of Pampanga











See also



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The 15 Shortest Living People in the World

Here is a list of 15 shortest living people in the world as recognized by the Guinness World Records. These people have been described as "shortest" in their lifetime or profession and have a recorded measure of 165 centimeters or 5.41 ft and less.

1.) Junrey Balawing – Philippines


“Current World’s Shortest Living Man”
 He is the 2nd smallest adult ever!
Height: 0.5993 m (1 ft 11 23 in)
Born: June 12, 1993
Birthplace:  Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte

2.) Khagendra Thapa Magar – Nepal



“Second Shortest Living Man”

Height: 0.67 m (2 ft 2 12 in)
Weight:  5.5 kilograms (12 lbs)
Born: October 14, 1992
Birthplace:  Baglung District, Nepal
Medical condition: Primordial dwarf

3.) Lin Yü-chih – Taiwan


“Third Shortest Living Man”

Height: 67.5 cm (2 ft 2.58 in)
Born: 1972
Birthplace: Taiwan
Occupation: Author and Social Activist
Medical condition: Osteogenesis imperfecta
Founder: Osteogenesis Imperfecta Association

4.) Edward Niño Hernández - Colombia


“Fourth Shortest Living Man”

Height: 0.7 m (2 ft 3 12 in)
Weight: 10 kg (22 lb)
Born: 1986
Birthplace:  Colombia

5.) Madge Bester – South Africa


“World’s Shortest Living Woman”

Height: 2 ft 1.5 in (65 cm)
Born: April 26, 1963
Birthplace:  South Africa
Medical condition: Osteogenesis imperfecta











6.) Hatice Kocaman – Turkey


“Smallest Living Mobile Woman”

Height: 71 cm
Born: 1989
Birthplace:  Turkey

7.) Nisa Juarez – USA
“World’s Shortest Baby”

Height: 24 cm
Weight: 320 g (11.3 oz)
Born: 108 days premature
Birthplace:  USA

8.) Jyoti Amge – India


“World’s Shortest Teenager”

Height: 23 inches (58 cm)
Weight: 11 pounds (5.25 kg)
Born: December 16, 1993
Birthplace:  Nagpur, India
Medical condition: Dwarfism

9.) Ajaykumar – India


“World’s Shortest Actor to Play in a Full Length Film”

Height: 2 ft 6 in (76 cm
Birthplace: India
A.K.A.: Undapakru or Guinness Pakru
Occupation: Actor

10.) Verne J. Troyer – USA



“World’s Smallest Stuntman”

Height: 81 cm (2 ft 8 in)
Born: January 1, 1969
Birthplace:  USA
A.k.a.: Mini V. Mini Me
Occupation: Stand-up comedian, actor, stuntman, performer
Medical condition: Cartilage-hair Hypolasia Dwarfism










11.) Aditya 'Romeo' Dev – India


"World's Smallest Bodybuilder"

Height: 84 cm (2 ft. 9in)
Weight: 9 kg (20 lbs
Born: 1988
Birthplace:  India
Medical condition: Dwarfism

12.) Dylan Postl – USA



“World’s Smallest Living Professional Wrestler”

Height: 132 cm
Born: May 29, 1986
Birthplace: USA
A.K.A.: Hornswoggle or Little Bastard

13.) Renato Brunetta – Italy



“World’s Smallest Politician”

Height: 143 cm
Born: May 26, 1950
Birthplace: Italy
Occupation: Economist/Politician

14.) Robert Bernard Reich - USA



“Second Shortest Politician”

Height: 147 cm
Born: June 24, 1946
Birthplace:  USA
Position: Secretary of Labor in Bill Clinton’s cabinet
Occupation: Professor, Political economist, author, political commentator

15.) Julie Krone – USA



“Shortest American Jockey”

Height: 4 ft 10.5 in (149 cm)
Born: July 24, 1963
Birthplace:  Michigan, USA

***Bonus*** Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo – Philippines

(Macapagal-Arroyo in blue)

“World’s Shortest Female Politician”

Height: 150 cm (4’11”)
Born: April 5, 1947
Birthplace:  Philippines
Positions: Cabinet Secretary, Senator, Vice President of the Philippines, President of the Philippines, current Congresswoman of Pampanga











See also



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