September 11th

 In memoriam...

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January 18th: National Thesaurus Day

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The thesaurus, a book that serves as a cross-reference for synonyms, and serves as a guide to effective and precise use of language, is a necessary tool of every writer and even some readers. Dr. Mark Peter Roget (1779–1869) was a British natural theologian, physician, and lexicographer. He suffered from depression his entire life: beginning at the age of eight, his coping mechanism was obsessive list-making. He wrote the first draft of the eponymous English-language thesaurus in 1805, two years prior to Webster beginning the undertaking of his own dictionary. For 47 years he kept it a secret, and finally published it in 1852 at the age of 73, under the title  Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases Classified and Arranged so as to Facilitate the Expression of Ideas and to Assist in Literary Composition . This document is archived in the Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum. Roget’s Thesaurus has been in continuous print. The original manuscript included 15,000 words; the Eighth Editi...
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Earth Rotation Day

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Today, we think about the Earth’s movement:  rotation  means to turn, and  revolution  to go around. It wasn't always evident that these motions occurred. Ptolemy postulated that the Earth was the center of the Universe and that the Sun revolved around our planet. Copernicus performed experiments that showed the opposite was true and published his results in 1543, months before his death. The printer added disclosures regarding the validity of the statements and suggested the information only aided astronomers. His book was banned by the Catholic church as heresy in 1616. In 1632, Galileo agreed with the Heliocentric Model aided by the use of his telescope. He, too, was accused of heresy and placed under house arrest for the remainder of his life. It was not until 1758 that the Catholic Church decided it was not heretical to say the Earth rotates around the Sun. Leon Foucault proved the theory of rotation with his famous pendulum experiment. You can view the Pendulum...
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Memorial Day 2023

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Today,  Memorial Day , we honor those who have died serving this country in the US military. Typical remembrances include parades. And visiting cemeteries to mourn loved ones. Unfortunately, many people have forgotten or chosen to ignore the intent of Memorial Day and consider the date one more long weekend off work and an opportunity to picnic and party. Please don’t wish others a “Happy Memorial Day.” The day has a solemn intent: to remember and honor. Do you have a family member or friend who gave all? Do you plan a unique way to honor them? You can follow the Author on her  Website  or on  Twitter .
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