The OED
A most appealing web site for lovers of the English language is the Oxford English Dictionary . The site is well organized and offers an intriguing and fascinating tour.
If not already there, visit my website.
E-mail your comments
#102
Thursday, November 21
Some thoughts
Some thoughts:
Read any good poetry lately? Ruth Lilly, 87 years old and heir to the Eli Lilly pharmaceutical fortune gave $100 million to Poetry, an almost obscure literary magazine which never published any of her poems. Poetry has a circulation of about 11,000 and in 2002 celebrated its 90th anniversary. Slight increases in the payment to poets are likely, said the editor.
Various studies and surveys tell us 49 percent of American marriages end in divorce. Second and third marriages are as likely to end in divorce as first marriages. It almost seems as though people spend less time to selecting a mate than they do to finding a parking space closest to the door at Wal-Mart. Of course, this doesn’t explain the 68 percent divorce rate in Belarus where there is no Wal-Mart.
Since the butler didn’t do it, according to the Queen, what are we left to think? The amusing tales of British Royalty in the fading days of 2002 are keeping the masses amused, which is one reason the English are unlikely to dump the Royals as predicted by some British watchers. After all, entertaining the masses is as much a worthwhile Royal function as opening a new mall, christening a ship or running with hounds.
Is it possible the administration was pandering to the Christian Coalition and right-wing extremists in the Republican Party leading up to the November elections? Let’s face it. Why now are Administration voices finally speaking out against the anti-Islam rants of Falwell, Robinson and Swaggert? Also, why this week, two weeks after the election, for the first time has the President said war is his last resort?
If not already there, visit my website.
E-mail your comments
#101
Some thoughts:
Read any good poetry lately? Ruth Lilly, 87 years old and heir to the Eli Lilly pharmaceutical fortune gave $100 million to Poetry, an almost obscure literary magazine which never published any of her poems. Poetry has a circulation of about 11,000 and in 2002 celebrated its 90th anniversary. Slight increases in the payment to poets are likely, said the editor.
Various studies and surveys tell us 49 percent of American marriages end in divorce. Second and third marriages are as likely to end in divorce as first marriages. It almost seems as though people spend less time to selecting a mate than they do to finding a parking space closest to the door at Wal-Mart. Of course, this doesn’t explain the 68 percent divorce rate in Belarus where there is no Wal-Mart.
Since the butler didn’t do it, according to the Queen, what are we left to think? The amusing tales of British Royalty in the fading days of 2002 are keeping the masses amused, which is one reason the English are unlikely to dump the Royals as predicted by some British watchers. After all, entertaining the masses is as much a worthwhile Royal function as opening a new mall, christening a ship or running with hounds.
Is it possible the administration was pandering to the Christian Coalition and right-wing extremists in the Republican Party leading up to the November elections? Let’s face it. Why now are Administration voices finally speaking out against the anti-Islam rants of Falwell, Robinson and Swaggert? Also, why this week, two weeks after the election, for the first time has the President said war is his last resort?
If not already there, visit my website.
E-mail your comments
#101
Wednesday, November 20
"Slut and stool pigeon"
In the late 40's and early 50's, Elizabeth Bentley and Whittaker Chambers were star performers during the hunt for Soviet spies in America. Chambers produced documents given to him by American government officials. But Bentley was more fun. She was a courier and the lover of a philandering Soviet agent. J. Edgar Hoover embraced her and then must have suffered massive headaches from his star informer's antics and stories. Her enemies called her a "slut and a stool pigeon," amid a flurry of uncomplimentary comments. Ultimately, Bentley's story stuck and has been buttressed over time as more and more information has come out about Soviet espionage, most notable through the Venona Project. A new biography (Red Spy Queen, Univ. of North Carolina,) by Kathryn S. Olmstead gets a good review from Michael J. Ybarra (The Wall Street Journal, November 20, 2002.)
If not already there, visit my website.
E-mail your comments
#100
In the late 40's and early 50's, Elizabeth Bentley and Whittaker Chambers were star performers during the hunt for Soviet spies in America. Chambers produced documents given to him by American government officials. But Bentley was more fun. She was a courier and the lover of a philandering Soviet agent. J. Edgar Hoover embraced her and then must have suffered massive headaches from his star informer's antics and stories. Her enemies called her a "slut and a stool pigeon," amid a flurry of uncomplimentary comments. Ultimately, Bentley's story stuck and has been buttressed over time as more and more information has come out about Soviet espionage, most notable through the Venona Project. A new biography (Red Spy Queen, Univ. of North Carolina,) by Kathryn S. Olmstead gets a good review from Michael J. Ybarra (The Wall Street Journal, November 20, 2002.)
If not already there, visit my website.
E-mail your comments
#100
Thursday, November 14
Skin check is very important
Completed the work on the three basal cell carcinomas with my dermatologist today. On Tuesday he scrapped and burned a growth on my back, on Wednesday he did the same to a growth on the right side of my scalp and today he cut on my right forehead. The doctor sent today's cuttings (forehead was worst than other two locations) to the biology lab while I was still on the table and telephone report followed shortly giving me the all clear to go on my way. The doctor stiched me up (he did stitches internally and externally) while the flesh sample was en-route to the lab. I questioned him about this and he said in only about five percent of the cases did he have to cut the stitches and continue the work. I like a man with confidence.
I will take out my own external stitches in about seven days. The internal will disintegrate on their own. Daily, I have to cleanse the wounds and apply new bandages for a couple of weeks, perhaps three weeks for the forehead. The literature the doctor gave me said it is an "old wives tale" that wounds heal better in the air. I apply a medication to my back and forehead, but surprisingly Vaseline to my head. I got a haircut in the Robert Duvall style on Tuesday afternoon. It makes dressing my hair easier and less likely to interfere with the wounds when I don't have to comb, brush, fold and tuck those 137 hairs across my head from left to right.
I will return for a checkup in about six months and annually for five years. I plan to make an annual visit part of my normal annual physical routine.
One of the more surprising things about all this is that two spots on the left side of my scalp which I worried about (and two children urged me to see about) were shrugged off as meaningless by the dermatologist. He saw things we didn't. (See reference to confidence in Para one above.)
The worst part of the procedures is the needle to deaden the area to be worked on. Having needles stuck in your head is a thrill only for a masochist. I applied ELA-Max (a local anesthetic) about 45 minutes before the procedures began but thought that of minimal value. The first and second shots were the worst. Who knows how bad they might have been without the ELA-Max?
The doctor said the damage to my skin could have been done years ago and is only now manifesting itself. This was surprising and I urge anyone suspicious of any growth to have it checked by a dermatologist. My regular physician has been looking at me for a few years but nothing he saw sounded any bells. I believe a specialist is called for as we advance in age.
If not already there, visit my website.
E-mail your comments
#99
Completed the work on the three basal cell carcinomas with my dermatologist today. On Tuesday he scrapped and burned a growth on my back, on Wednesday he did the same to a growth on the right side of my scalp and today he cut on my right forehead. The doctor sent today's cuttings (forehead was worst than other two locations) to the biology lab while I was still on the table and telephone report followed shortly giving me the all clear to go on my way. The doctor stiched me up (he did stitches internally and externally) while the flesh sample was en-route to the lab. I questioned him about this and he said in only about five percent of the cases did he have to cut the stitches and continue the work. I like a man with confidence.
I will take out my own external stitches in about seven days. The internal will disintegrate on their own. Daily, I have to cleanse the wounds and apply new bandages for a couple of weeks, perhaps three weeks for the forehead. The literature the doctor gave me said it is an "old wives tale" that wounds heal better in the air. I apply a medication to my back and forehead, but surprisingly Vaseline to my head. I got a haircut in the Robert Duvall style on Tuesday afternoon. It makes dressing my hair easier and less likely to interfere with the wounds when I don't have to comb, brush, fold and tuck those 137 hairs across my head from left to right.
I will return for a checkup in about six months and annually for five years. I plan to make an annual visit part of my normal annual physical routine.
One of the more surprising things about all this is that two spots on the left side of my scalp which I worried about (and two children urged me to see about) were shrugged off as meaningless by the dermatologist. He saw things we didn't. (See reference to confidence in Para one above.)
The worst part of the procedures is the needle to deaden the area to be worked on. Having needles stuck in your head is a thrill only for a masochist. I applied ELA-Max (a local anesthetic) about 45 minutes before the procedures began but thought that of minimal value. The first and second shots were the worst. Who knows how bad they might have been without the ELA-Max?
The doctor said the damage to my skin could have been done years ago and is only now manifesting itself. This was surprising and I urge anyone suspicious of any growth to have it checked by a dermatologist. My regular physician has been looking at me for a few years but nothing he saw sounded any bells. I believe a specialist is called for as we advance in age.
If not already there, visit my website.
E-mail your comments
#99
Saturday, November 9
Salute to veterans
This is the annual Veterans' Day weekend. Veterans of World War II are dying at the rate of 1,800 a day, according to Peter Jennings last night. A good way to thank these men is to be a good person yourself and to have respect for each other.
If not already there, visit my website.
E-mail your comments
#98
This is the annual Veterans' Day weekend. Veterans of World War II are dying at the rate of 1,800 a day, according to Peter Jennings last night. A good way to thank these men is to be a good person yourself and to have respect for each other.
If not already there, visit my website.
E-mail your comments
#98
Friday, November 8
Sincerely, Andy Rooney
November 8, 2002
Mr. Andy Rooney
CBS
524 West 57th Street
New York New York 10019
Dear Mr. Rooney,
I am reading Sincerely, Andy Rooney. I found it in one of those remainder warehouses where books are discounted up to 80%. Your book didn’t reach that level, but I am satisfied it is worth the $4.50 I paid for it.
Sincerely,
If not already there, visit my website.
E-mail your comments
#97
November 8, 2002
Mr. Andy Rooney
CBS
524 West 57th Street
New York New York 10019
Dear Mr. Rooney,
I am reading Sincerely, Andy Rooney. I found it in one of those remainder warehouses where books are discounted up to 80%. Your book didn’t reach that level, but I am satisfied it is worth the $4.50 I paid for it.
Sincerely,
If not already there, visit my website.
E-mail your comments
#97
Thursday, November 7
Post election observations
At the end of the day on November 6, our country had experienced an interesting 24 hours of mixed interests and concerns. Republicans return to Washington in control of the Congress, the Fed meeting in Washington slashed interest rates a half point in an effort to jump start a sluggish economy and Winona Ryder was found guilty of shoplifting in Los Angeles. Somewhere in the middle of the country, a wheat farmer asked, "Is anyone interested in me?"
If not already there, visit my website.
E-mail your comments
#96
At the end of the day on November 6, our country had experienced an interesting 24 hours of mixed interests and concerns. Republicans return to Washington in control of the Congress, the Fed meeting in Washington slashed interest rates a half point in an effort to jump start a sluggish economy and Winona Ryder was found guilty of shoplifting in Los Angeles. Somewhere in the middle of the country, a wheat farmer asked, "Is anyone interested in me?"
If not already there, visit my website.
E-mail your comments
#96
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)