Thursday, December 31, 2009

Necktie Part Missing from Sum of All Human Knowledge


I am going through my organization project today and I see that I have a necktie that I have safety pinned the back of so that I could tuck the short end of the tie in and wear it. This nameless (more on this later) piece of fabric is barely hanging on by a thread, but it just so happens that in my new project of  "Sell, Donate, or Pitch,"  I have come across a bag of thread spools, spare buttons, and a package of 25 assorted needles.

Feeling domestic, I decided that it might look slightly more professional if I actually sewed my tie back together and retired the safety pin of its duty of holding the back of my necktie together.   As I  begin to sew I realized that I am doing a pretty lousy job of sewing this un-named piece of fabric back on my tie.   I am too embarrassed to share with you my shoddy sewing job.  Perhaps if you ask politely!

Anyway, as I am sewing along, I think to myself, "What on earth do you call this silly little piece of fabric on the back of the necktie anyway?"   I have no idea what it is called technically, but I am very sure it has a name.  Perhaps I will look Google necktie and figure it out.  The first entry for my Google search....yep you guessed it, Wikipedia.

Now I am not a huge fan of Wikipedia, especially after what I read yesterday.  Yesterday, I found myself on Wikipedia, and saw that there was a link to a letter from the founder, Jimmy Wales.   I decided to click the link and take it quick read.   It turns out that the link led to Wikipedia's annual beg letter.   This was your typical thank you for your support, please donate, yada yada.... but one sentence really stuck out to me.  I went back and saw that this isn't the first time he has said it.   The quote from Mr. Wales is this:

Imagine a world in which every single person on the planet is given free access to the sum of all human knowledge. That's what we're doing. -- Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia and Chair of the Wikimedia Foundation
Wow....if Wikipedia is the "sum of all human knowledge" then the name of this flap of fabric on the back of my tie that I am sewing should be readily available for me to look up right there on Mr. Wales' page.

Nope....no such luck.   Not a mention to be found on the page!   The history of the necktie is there.  Types of neckties are there.  Tons of ways to tie neckties are there.  However there is no mention of the piece of fabric sewn on to the back of your tie to keep the short end of the tie from flapping around wildly after you have tied your necktie.  Could it be that this is some sort of mistake?   I think that I have found a gap in  "sum of all human knowledge."

If the flap of fabric has no name, since I found it, (think Columbus, or Lewis and Clark, or Darwin) my question to you is what do we name it?  Since I have in essence discovered it, can I name it the "the Bryce of the Tie?"  Furthermore, if I name it, the necktie's Bryce, am I then allowed, even obligated, to get on the necktie Wikipedia page and update the entry on neckties, so that the "sum of all human knowledge"   is more complete?  

Help!!!!

4 comments:

  1. I have just been informed, by my friend Robert that it is, in fact called a Keeper.... Now I am bummed that I will not be naming it after myself!

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  2. I vote for "the Bryce of the Tie." Best wishes on your Sell, Donate, Pitch project. Read the blog and now realize why - your move to Germany. How exciting! You must have a gig, where? Hope to see you before you leave.

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  3. Hi Linda.... thanks for the "vote." I think that The Bryce of the tie is the real "keeper." I am really looking forward to this year... and my impending move across the pond. No solid work there yet, just going a bit on blind faith..going to take the auditions and see where things lead!

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