VOCABULARY - KNOWLEDGE AT YOUR FINGER TIP

Today's Word "lexicography"
lexicography \lek-suh-KAH-gruh-fee\ (noun) - 1 : The writing or compiling of dictionaries; the editing or making of dictionaries. 2 : The principles and practices applied to writing dictionaries. "I am of course stopping short still of the needs of practical lexicography in one conspicuous respect : I am attending only to the cognitive side..." -- W.V. Quine, 'Theories and Things' Lexicography is derived from the Greek lexicon (biblion), a word- or phrase-book (from lexis, a phrase, a word) + graphein, to write. A lexicographer (thought to be formed on the pattern of geographer) is a compiler or writer of a dictionary -- as defined by Samuel Johnson in his own Dictionary of the English Language, "a writer of dictionaries, a harmless drudge."

LEADERS AND TEAMPLAYERS - WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE ROLES CHANGE?

In a world where everything seems to fall under the opinions and the actions of others, there seem to be little hope for the average person who is a follower. Leaders are in abundance and they seem to survive because there are those who will always be teamplayers. But what happens when the follower decides it is time to lead, it is time to make a mark in life, it is time to BE??Trust me, that is when all hell breaks loose and that is when conflicts begin.There will always be those who believe that they are to be leaders forever and that all that they do is right and must be followed. These leaders cannot for one second accept that sometimes it would be nice to sit back and let others run the show. They cannot for one minute aceept that the world will still turn whether or not they are in it, leading, guiding, listening or doing nothing.Picture the leader who suddenly is faced with the realization that his follower(s) want to make a mark of their own. Why do they get upset? Because the idea of losing power and control, of being the head at the top of each and every decision leaves them worrying that they will have no place in the community!! When I say community, I am referring to whereever it is that he or she has ruled.I have been known to be a leader for many years. I have led and I have conquered many in battles of undefined and defined nature. I have also been a teamplayer and lately I have decided that it is time to be a leader again. Time to BE!!! Time to BE ASSERTIVE. Time to GROW. Time to take up the reins of leadership and do that which I was born for - to lead. Will this be greeted with open arms by all. NO WAY!!! But who cares? Everyone has to BE! Everyone has to DO! Everyone has to... because only then will fulfillment be attained for oneself.THINK ABOUT IT. IS IT YOUR TIME TO LEAD OR TO FOLLOW??? YOU DECIDE.

HOMER

(Dates of birth and death unknown)
Very little is known about Homer, save for the fact that he was blind and is believed to have been born in what is now western Turkey. His name is Greek for "hostage," which may mean he was descended from prisoners of war. He is best known for his epic poems "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey," which may have been told on the spur of the moment from fragments of pre-existing stories. He is believed to have had many students and disciples who, while very few are known by name, became poets in their own rights after his death.

School doors glued shut

I wonder what would happen if... hahahahahahaha ( I know, I´m bad and I have added thoughts you wouldn´t believe!!!!) Ms B

DELTONA, Fla. (UPI) -- A Florida school began classes 90 minutes late Tuesday because officials were struggling to open doors that had been glued shut by teenagers. Nancy Wait of Volusia County Public Schools said a surveillance video recorded three teenagers gluing the doors of Pine Ridge High School in Deltona shut overnight and officials are working to identify the culprits, WKMG-TV, Orlando, Fla., reported Tuesday. Wait said the incident is not believed to have been a senior prank. Copyright 2009 by United Press International

What to do if mower severs finger or toe

I am posting this info since many of my students do gardening as a means of extra income and also tend their own gardens at home. Just in case...

DALLAS (UPI) -- There are more than 200,000 gardening accidents annually, including ones that resulted in severed fingers or toes, U.S. researchers said. Dr. Maureen Finnegan of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas said whirling blades can send projectiles like rocks and sticks flying. They can also cut fingers, toes and feet. "If you do accidentally sever a finger or toe, it's important to cleanse the amputated part with saline water, wrap it in gauze and put in a watertight bag," Finnegan said in a statement. "Place the bag over ice and take it with you to the emergency room." Better, of course, is to avoid injuries. Finnegan said this can be done by concentrating on the task at hand and using common sense when operating machinery. Some basic safety measures Finnegan recommends include: -- Wearing sturdy shoes rather than sandals or flip flops. -- Checking the yard for debris that could be potential projectiles. -- Always turning off the mower before clearing the blades when something is caught.
Copyright 2009 by United Press International

Race may have impact on teachers

ITHACA, N.Y. (UPI) -- A U.S. study found high-quality teachers may tend to leave schools that experience inflows of black students, researchers said. Study author C. Kirabo Jackson of Cornell University said the study suggests a school's racial makeup may have a direct impact on the quality of its teachers. "It's well established that schools with large minority populations tend to have lower quality teachers," Jackson said in a statement. "But it is unclear whether these schools are merely located in areas with a paucity of quality teachers, whether quality teachers avoid these schools because of the neighborhood or economic factors surrounding a school, or whether there is a direct relationship between student characteristics and teacher quality." Jackson said the findings suggest it's not neighborhoods keeping high-quality teachers away. "This is particularly sobering because it implies that, all else equal, black students will systematically receive lower quality instruction," Jackson said. The study of the Charlotte-Mecklenberg school district in North Carolina ended its race-based busing program in 2002 and some schools had a large and sudden inflow of black students -- but the racial makeup of the neighborhood and economic factors were the same. The study, published in the Journal of Labor Economics, found the black teachers were slightly more likely than white teachers to stay in the schools that experienced a black inflow. However, those black teachers who did leave black schools tended to be the highest qualified.
Copyright 2009 by United Press International

EATING FRUITS .......

It's long but very informative :We all think eating fruits means just buying fruit, cutting it and just popping it into our mouths. It's not as easy as you think. It's important to know how and when to eat. What is the correct way of eating fruits? IT MEANS NOT EATING FRUITS AFTER YOUR MEALS! FRUITS SHOULD BE EATEN ON AN EMPTY STOMACH. If you eat fruit like that, it will play a major role to detoxify your system, supplying you with a great deal of energy for weight loss and other life activities. FRUIT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FOOD. Let's say you eat two slices of bread and then a slice of fruit. The slice of fruit is ready to go straight through the stomach into the intestines, but it is prevented from doing so. In the meantime the whole meal rots and ferments and turns to acid. The minute the fruit comes into contact with the food in the stomach and digestive juices, the entire mass of food begins to spoil. So please eat your fruits on an empty stomach or before your meals!
You have heard people complaining - every time I eat watermelon I burp, when I eat durian my stomach bloats up, when I eat a banana I feel like running to the toilet etc - actually all this will not arise if you eat the fruit on an empty stomach. The fruit mixes with the putrefying other food and produces gas and hence you will bloat! Graying hair, balding, nervous outburst, and dark circles under the eyes all these will not happen if you take fruits on an empty stomach.There is no such thing as some fruits, like orange and lemon are acidic, because all fruits become alkaline in our body, according to Dr. Herbert Shelton who did research on this matter. If you have mastered the correct way of eating fruits, you have the Secret of beauty, longevity, health, energy, happiness and normal weight. When you need to drink fruit juice - drink only fresh fruit juice, NOT from the cans. Don't even drink juice that has been heated up. Don't eat cooked fruits because you don't get the nutrients at all. You only get to taste. Cooking destroys all the vitamins. But eating a whole fruit is better than drinking the juice. If you should drink the juice, drink it mouthful by mouthful slowly, because you must let it mix with your saliva before swallowing it. You can go on a 3-day fruit fast to cleanse your body. Just eat fruits and drink fruit juice throughout he 3 days and you will be surprised when your friends tell you how radiant you look!
KIWI: Tiny but mighty. This is a good source of potassium, magnesium, vitamin E & fiber. Its vitamin C content is twice that of an orange. APPLE: An apple a day keeps the doctor away? Although an apple has a low vitamin C content, it has antioxidants & flavonoids which enhances the activity of vitamin C thereby helping to lower the risks of colon cancer, heart attack & stroke. STRAWBERRY: Protective Fruit. Strawberries have the highest total antioxidant power among major fruits & protect the body from cancer-causing, blood vessel-clogging free radicals. ORANGE : Sweetest medicine. Taking 2-4 oranges a day may help keep colds away, lower cholesterol, prevent & dissolve kidney stones as well as lessens the risk of colon cancer. WATERMELON: Coolest thirst quencher. Composed of 92% water, it is also packed with a giant dose of glutathione, which helps boost our immune system. They are also a key source of lycopene - the cancer fighting oxidant. Other nutrients found in watermelon are vitamin C & Potassium. GUAVA & PAPAYA: Top awards for vitamin C. They are the clear winners for their high vitamin C content.. Guava is also rich in fiber, which helps prevent constipation. Papaya is rich in carotene; this is good for your eyes. Drinking Cold water after a meal = Cancer!
Can you believe this? For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you. It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion. Once this 'sludge' reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine. Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup,warm water or warm beer after a meal. A serious note about heart attacks HEART ATTACK PROCEDURE': (THIS IS NOT A JOKE!)

Women should know that not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting. Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line.. You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart attack . Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms.. Sixty percent of people who have a heart attack while they are asleep do not wake up. Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be careful and be aware. The more we know the better chance we could survive...

A cardiologist says if everyone who READS this tells it to 10 people, you can be sure that we'll save at least one life.

VOCABULARY OF A DIFFERENT SORT

Words Not Yet In The Dictionary
ELBONICS (el bon' iks) n. The actions of two people maneuvering for one armrest in a movie theater.

ELECELLERATION (el a cel er ay' shun) n. The mistaken notion that the more you press an elevator button the faster it will arrive. FRUST (frust) n. The small line of debris that refuses to be swept onto the dust pan and keeps backing a person across the room until he finally decides to give up and sweep it under the rug.

LACTOMANGULATION (lak' to man gyu lay' shun) n. Manhandling the "open here" spout on a milk container so badly that one has to resort to the 'illegal' side.

NEONPHANCY (ne on' fan see) n. A fluorescent light bulb struggling to come to life.

PEPPIER (pehp ee ay') n. The waiter at a fancy restaurant whose sole purpose seems to be walking around asking diners if they want ground pepper.

PETONIC (peh ton' ik) adj. One who is embarrassed to undress in front of a household pet.

PHONESIA (fo nee' zhuh) n. The affliction of dialing a phone number and forgetting whom you were calling just as they answer.

PUPKUS (pup' kus) n. The moist residue left on a window after a dog presses its nose to it.

TELECRASTINATION (tel e kras tin ay' shun) n. The act of always letting the phone ring at least twice before you pick it up, even when you're only six inches away.

USEFUL INFORMATION YOU MAY YET TO LEARN

What color is an airplane's 'black box?'
The "black box" that houses an airplane's voice recorder is orange so it can be more easily detected amid the debris of a plane crash.

What's on top of Mauna Kea?
The 4,200-meter-high summit of Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano, on the island of Hawaii hosts the world’s largest astronomical observatory, with telescopes operated by astronomers from eleven countries. The combined power of Mauna Kea's telescopes is fifteen times greater than that of the Palomar telescope in California -- for many years, the world’s largest -- and fifty times greater than that of the Hubble Space Telescope. Since astronomers observe the skies at night and car headlights interfere with observations, it is preferred that visitors drive to the summit area between sunrise and sunset. Daytime visitors are also welcomed.

What happened to Alexander after he died?
After his death, Alexander the Great's remains were preserved in a huge crock of honey. Among the ancient Egyptians, it was common practice to bury the dead in this manner.

Where were the first klompen made?
The first wooden shoe comes from the Netherlands. The Netherlands have many seas, so people needed a shoe that kept their feet dry while working outside. The shoes were called klompen and they had been cut of one single piece of wood. Today, the klompen are the favorite souvenir for people who visit the Netherlands.

How many Concordes were there?
Only sixteen Concordes were ever made, the last in 1980. On New Year's Eve 1994, one Concorde plane carried wealthy revelers on a 32-hour trip to nowhere. These travelers, who paid $23,000 apiece for the trip, rang in the New Year twice because they twice crossed the International Date Line.

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SOME INFORMATION TO INCREASE YOUR KNOWLEDGE

How did Metallica lead to Megadeth?
In early 1982, desperate for a full time lead guitarist, Ulrich advertised in a local newspaper. Dave Mustaine responded and Ulrich and Hetfield were so impressed they asked him to join before immediately. However, shortly after arriving in New York in 1983, Ulrich and Hetfield decided that Mustaine's aggressive and disruptive behaviour (relating to his extensive alcohol and drug problems) was becoming too much to handle and he was asked to leave the band. Mustaine would go on to create the hugely-successful band Megadeth.


What other cultural touchstone has Bugs Bunny managed to achieve?
In 1997, Bugs appeared on a U.S. postage stamp, the first toon to be honored, beating even the iconic Mickey Mouse. The stamp is number seven on the list of the ten most popular U.S. stamps, as calculated by the number of stamps purchased but not used. In 2002, TV Guide compiled a list of the 50 greatest cartoon characters of all time as part of the magazine's 50th anniversary. Bugs Bunny was given the honor of number one. In a CNN broadcast on July 31, 2002, a TV Guide editor explained why Bugs pulled top billing: "His stock...has never gone down...Bugs is the best example...of the smart-aleck American comic. He not only is a great cartoon character, he's a great comedian. He was written well. He was drawn beautifully. He has thrilled and made many generations laugh. He is tops."

When did the renewed interest in the Shroud of Turin begin?
On May 28, 1898, amateur Italian photographer Secondo Pia took the first photograph of the shroud and was startled by the negative in his darkroom. The negative gave the appearance of a positive image, which implies that the shroud image is itself effectively a negative of some kind, as a negative of a negative is a positive. Observers often feel that the detail and heft of the man on the shroud is greatly enhanced in the photographic negative. Pia's results intensified interest in the shroud and sparked renewed efforts to determine its origin.


What are the origins of alchemy?
Western alchemy has always been closely connected with Hermeticism, a philosophical and spiritual system that traces its roots to Hermes Trismegistus, a syncretic Egyptian-Greek deity and legendary alchemist. These two disciplines influenced the birth of Rosicrucianism, an important esoteric movement of the seventeenth century. In the course of the early modern period, as mainstream alchemy evolved into modern chemistry, its mystic and Hermetic aspects became the focus of a modern spiritual alchemy, where material manipulations are viewed as mere symbols of spiritual transformations.

What do the different colored jerseys in the Tour de France signify?
The maillot jaune (yellow jersey), which is worn by the overall time leader, is the most prized. It is awarded by calculating the total combined race time up to that point for each rider. The maillot vert (green jersey) is awarded for sprint points. At the end of each stage, points for this jersey are earned by the riders who finish first, second, etc. The "King of the Mountains" wears a white jersey with red dots (maillot a pois rouges), referred to as the "polka dot jersey". At the top of each climb in the Tour, there are points for the riders who are first over the top. The maillot blanc (white jersey) is like the yellow jersey, but only open for young riders who are under 25 years old on January 1 of the year the Tour is ridden. Finally, the "fighting spirit" award goes to the most combative rider of the previous stage. Each day, a group of judges awards points to riders who made particularly attacking moves the day before, and the rider with most points in total gets a white-on-red (instead of a black-on-white) identification number.