Today is the anniversary of one of the most famous science experiments ever conducted (no pun intended). In 1752, Benjamin Franklin flew a kite in a thunderstorm, proving that lightening is electricity. With the help of his son William, Franklin attached an iron rod to a silk kite and tied a metal key to the kite's string. After drawing lightening from a cloud, he touched the key with his knuckle which generated an electric spark.
Franklin's experiment on June 15 led to his development of the lightning rod. In 1753 he published an explanation of this new device along with instructions on how to use it on buildings and on ships (1).
In addition to practical applications, Franklin's experiments contributed to the known theories about electricity. According to U.S. History.org,
Franklin's work became the basis for the "single fluid" theory. When something is being charged, such as a car battery, electricity flows from a positive body, that with an excess charge, to a negative body, that with a negative charge. Indeed, a car battery has plus and minus signs on its terminals.
Franklin was at a loss for known terms to describe his discoveries; as a result, he developed his own words, many of which still remain in the lexicon of electricity:
battery
charge
condenser
plus
minus
positively
negatively
armature (2)
A Renaissance man in every sense of the term, Franklin's lifetime contributions went well beyond science. He aided Jefferson in the drafting of the Declaration of Independence, persuaded the French to aid the rebel colonies in their fight with England, negotiated the peace with England after the war, and helped in the framing of the U. S. Constitution.
Perhaps Franklin is best known for his writings in Poor Richard's Almanack, published between 1733 and 1758. Full of proverbs, wit, and advice, Poor Richard's Almanack made Franklin an eminently quotable figure even though Franklin freely admitted that less than 10 percent of the sayings were original.
Today's Challenge: Franklin Never Said, "Go Fly A Kite!"
Ralph Keyes in the book The Quote Verifier traces the history of hundreds of quotes and misquotes, including several famous quotations attributed correctly or incorrectly to Benjamin Franklin. See if you can identify which of the quotes below originated with Franklin:
1. For want of a nail the shoe is lost, for want of a shoe the horse is lost, for want of a horse the rider is lost.
2. Build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door.
3. Love your neighbor, yet pull not down your hedge.
4. Whose house is of glass, must not throw stones at another.
5. Fish and guests in three days are stale.
6. Things as certain as death and taxes. . . . (3).
Quote of the Day: The immortal axiom-builder, who used to sit up nights reducing the rankest old threadbare platitudes to crisp and snappy maxims that had a nice, varnished, original look . . . --Mark Twain about Benjamin Franklin
Answers: None of the quotes originated with Franklin. Instead, as Twain explains above, he adapted them all from other writers, making them often more clear and concise.
1. George Herbert
2. Ralph Waldo Emerson
3. George Herbert
4. George Herbert
5. Plautus
6. Daniel Defoe
1 - The Editors of The Old Farmer's Almanac. Ben Franklin's Almanac: Wit, Wisdom, and Practical Advice. New York: Yankee Publishing Inc., 2003.
2 - http://www.ushistory.org/franklin/info/kite.htm
3 - Keyes, Ralph. The Quote Verifier: Who Said What, Where, and When. New York: St. Martin's Griffin, 2006.
Showing posts with label Quotes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Quotes. Show all posts
Saturday, June 15, 2013
Tuesday, September 08, 2009
September 8: International Literacy Day
Today is International Literacy Day sponsored by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). First observed in 1967, International Literacy Day calls attention to the need to promote literacy and education around the world as an antidote to poverty.
According the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, more than 100 million girls and boys never enroll in school. At the minimum 860 million adults worldwide are illiterate.
Education and literacy are central to the stability, prosperity, and well-being of any country. As explained by Koichiro Matsuura, UNESCO Director-General:
Literacy is not merely a cognitive skill of reading, writing and arithmetic, for literacy helps in the acquisition of learning and life skills that, when strengthened by usage and application throughout people’s lives, lead to forms of individual, community and societal development that are sustainable.
According to UNESCO figures, 32 countries have literacy rates smaller than 50%. These include Bangladesh 35.3, Afghanistan 29.4, Somalia 24.1, and Nepal 20.1 (1).
Today's Challenge: Read All About It
The eight quotes below each say something important about literacy. See if you can match up each quote with its speaker.
John F. Kennedy
E. D. Hirsch, Jr.
Carl Sagan
Alvin Tofler
Abraham Lincoln
Isaac Asimov
Thomas Jefferson
Kofi Annan
1. Upon the subject of education, not presuming to dictate any plan or system respecting it, I can only say that I view it as the most important subject which we as a people may be engaged in. That everyone may receive at least a moderate education appears to be an objective of vital importance.
2. Our progress as a nation can be no swifter than our progress in education. The human mind is our fundamental resource.
3. Bigotry is the disease of ignorance, of morbid minds; enthusiasm of the free and buoyant. Education and free discussion are the antidotes of both.
4. We have ignored cultural literacy in thinking about education. We ignore the air we breathe until it is thin or foul. Cultural literacy is the oxygen of social intercourse.
5. One of the greatest gifts adults can give -- to their offspring and to their society -- is to read to children.
6. The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.
7. Education is a human right with immense power to transform. On its foundation rest the cornerstones of freedom, democracy and sustainable human development.
8. True literacy is becoming an arcane art and the United States is steadily dumbing down.
Word of the Day: Peruse
This word, originally from Middle English, once meant “to use or to wear out.” Today it means “to read carefully.” Some people mistakenly use it to mean “to skim-read” or “to glance over" (3).
Quote of the Day: Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is the premise of progress, in every society, in every family. --Kofi Annan
Answers. 1. Abraham Lincoln 2. John F. Kennedy 3. Thomas Jefferson 4. E. D. Hirsch, Jr. 5. Carl Sagan 6. Alvin Tofler 7. Kofi Annan 8. Isaac Asimov
1 - UNESCO - Education - Literacy Day - http://portal.unesco.org/education/en/ev.php-URL_ID=41537&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
2 - http://www.literacyday.net/
3- Online Etymology Dictionary
According the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, more than 100 million girls and boys never enroll in school. At the minimum 860 million adults worldwide are illiterate.
Education and literacy are central to the stability, prosperity, and well-being of any country. As explained by Koichiro Matsuura, UNESCO Director-General:
Literacy is not merely a cognitive skill of reading, writing and arithmetic, for literacy helps in the acquisition of learning and life skills that, when strengthened by usage and application throughout people’s lives, lead to forms of individual, community and societal development that are sustainable.
According to UNESCO figures, 32 countries have literacy rates smaller than 50%. These include Bangladesh 35.3, Afghanistan 29.4, Somalia 24.1, and Nepal 20.1 (1).
Today's Challenge: Read All About It
The eight quotes below each say something important about literacy. See if you can match up each quote with its speaker.
John F. Kennedy
E. D. Hirsch, Jr.
Carl Sagan
Alvin Tofler
Abraham Lincoln
Isaac Asimov
Thomas Jefferson
Kofi Annan
1. Upon the subject of education, not presuming to dictate any plan or system respecting it, I can only say that I view it as the most important subject which we as a people may be engaged in. That everyone may receive at least a moderate education appears to be an objective of vital importance.
2. Our progress as a nation can be no swifter than our progress in education. The human mind is our fundamental resource.
3. Bigotry is the disease of ignorance, of morbid minds; enthusiasm of the free and buoyant. Education and free discussion are the antidotes of both.
4. We have ignored cultural literacy in thinking about education. We ignore the air we breathe until it is thin or foul. Cultural literacy is the oxygen of social intercourse.
5. One of the greatest gifts adults can give -- to their offspring and to their society -- is to read to children.
6. The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.
7. Education is a human right with immense power to transform. On its foundation rest the cornerstones of freedom, democracy and sustainable human development.
8. True literacy is becoming an arcane art and the United States is steadily dumbing down.
Word of the Day: Peruse
This word, originally from Middle English, once meant “to use or to wear out.” Today it means “to read carefully.” Some people mistakenly use it to mean “to skim-read” or “to glance over" (3).
Quote of the Day: Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is the premise of progress, in every society, in every family. --Kofi Annan
Answers. 1. Abraham Lincoln 2. John F. Kennedy 3. Thomas Jefferson 4. E. D. Hirsch, Jr. 5. Carl Sagan 6. Alvin Tofler 7. Kofi Annan 8. Isaac Asimov
1 - UNESCO - Education - Literacy Day - http://portal.unesco.org/education/en/ev.php-URL_ID=41537&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
2 - http://www.literacyday.net/
3- Online Etymology Dictionary
Sunday, September 07, 2008
September 8: International Literacy Day
Today is International Literacy Day sponsored by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). First observed in 1967, International Literacy Day calls attention to the need to promote literacy and education around the world as an antidote to poverty.
According the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, more than 100 million girls and boys never enroll in school. At the minimum 860 million adults worldwide are illiterate.
Education and literacy are central to the stability, prosperity, and well-being of any country. As explained by Koichiro Matsuura, UNESCO Director-General:
Literacy is not merely a cognitive skill of reading, writing and arithmetic, for literacy helps in the acquisition of learning and life skills that, when strengthened by usage and application throughout people’s lives, lead to forms of individual, community and societal development that are sustainable.
According to UNESCO figures, 32 countries have literacy rates smaller than 50%. These include Bangladesh 35.3, Afghanistan 29.4, Somalia 24.1, and Nepal 20.1 (1).
Today's Challenge: Read All About It
The eight quotes below each say something important about literacy. See if you can match up each quote with its speaker.
John F. Kennedy
E. D. Hirsch, Jr.
Carl Sagan
Alvin Tofler
Abraham Lincoln
Isaac Asimov
Thomas Jefferson
Kofi Annan
1. Upon the subject of education, not presuming to dictate any plan or system respecting it, I can only say that I view it as the most important subject which we as a people may be engaged in. That everyone may receive at least a moderate education appears to be an objective of vital importance.
2. Our progress as a nation can be no swifter than our progress in education. The human mind is our fundamental resource.
3. Bigotry is the disease of ignorance, of morbid minds; enthusiasm of the free and buoyant. Education and free discussion are the antidotes of both.
4. We have ignored cultural literacy in thinking about education. We ignore the air we breathe until it is thin or foul. Cultural literacy is the oxygen of social intercourse.
5. One of the greatest gifts adults can give -- to their offspring and to their society -- is to read to children.
6. The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.
7. Education is a human right with immense power to transform. On its foundation rest the cornerstones of freedom, democracy and sustainable human development.
8. True literacy is becoming an arcane art and the United States is steadily dumbing down.
Word of the Day: Peruse
This word, originally from Middle English, once meant “to use or to wear out.” Today it means “to read carefully.” Some people mistakenly use it to mean “to skim-read” or “to glance over" (3).
Quote of the Day: Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is the premise of progress, in every society, in every family. --Kofi Annan
Answers. 1. Abraham Lincoln 2. John F. Kennedy 3. Thomas Jefferson 4. E. D. Hirsch, Jr. 5. Carl Sagan 6. Alvin Tofler 7. Kofi Annan 8. Isaac Asimov
1 - UNESCO - Education - Literacy Day - http://portal.unesco.org/education/en/ev.php-URL_ID=41537&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
2 - http://www.literacyday.net/
3- Online Etymology Dictionary
According the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, more than 100 million girls and boys never enroll in school. At the minimum 860 million adults worldwide are illiterate.
Education and literacy are central to the stability, prosperity, and well-being of any country. As explained by Koichiro Matsuura, UNESCO Director-General:
Literacy is not merely a cognitive skill of reading, writing and arithmetic, for literacy helps in the acquisition of learning and life skills that, when strengthened by usage and application throughout people’s lives, lead to forms of individual, community and societal development that are sustainable.
According to UNESCO figures, 32 countries have literacy rates smaller than 50%. These include Bangladesh 35.3, Afghanistan 29.4, Somalia 24.1, and Nepal 20.1 (1).
Today's Challenge: Read All About It
The eight quotes below each say something important about literacy. See if you can match up each quote with its speaker.
John F. Kennedy
E. D. Hirsch, Jr.
Carl Sagan
Alvin Tofler
Abraham Lincoln
Isaac Asimov
Thomas Jefferson
Kofi Annan
1. Upon the subject of education, not presuming to dictate any plan or system respecting it, I can only say that I view it as the most important subject which we as a people may be engaged in. That everyone may receive at least a moderate education appears to be an objective of vital importance.
2. Our progress as a nation can be no swifter than our progress in education. The human mind is our fundamental resource.
3. Bigotry is the disease of ignorance, of morbid minds; enthusiasm of the free and buoyant. Education and free discussion are the antidotes of both.
4. We have ignored cultural literacy in thinking about education. We ignore the air we breathe until it is thin or foul. Cultural literacy is the oxygen of social intercourse.
5. One of the greatest gifts adults can give -- to their offspring and to their society -- is to read to children.
6. The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.
7. Education is a human right with immense power to transform. On its foundation rest the cornerstones of freedom, democracy and sustainable human development.
8. True literacy is becoming an arcane art and the United States is steadily dumbing down.
Word of the Day: Peruse
This word, originally from Middle English, once meant “to use or to wear out.” Today it means “to read carefully.” Some people mistakenly use it to mean “to skim-read” or “to glance over" (3).
Quote of the Day: Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is the premise of progress, in every society, in every family. --Kofi Annan
Answers. 1. Abraham Lincoln 2. John F. Kennedy 3. Thomas Jefferson 4. E. D. Hirsch, Jr. 5. Carl Sagan 6. Alvin Tofler 7. Kofi Annan 8. Isaac Asimov
1 - UNESCO - Education - Literacy Day - http://portal.unesco.org/education/en/ev.php-URL_ID=41537&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
2 - http://www.literacyday.net/
3- Online Etymology Dictionary
Monday, September 17, 2007
September 17: Constitution Day
Today is the anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution on September 17, 1787 at Independence Hall in Philadelphia. The 55 delegates began their work in May 1787, and they worked through the summer to forge a document that laid the foundation for American democracy, including the three branches of government and its system of checks and balances (1).
In his book Made in America, Bill Bryson explains that the delegates selected a Committee of Detail to polish the final draft of the Constitution and put it on paper. It was one of these committee members, John Rutledge, who influenced the opening words of the Constitution's Preamble. As Bryson explains:
[Rutledge] was an admirer of the Iroquois and recommended that the committee familiarize itself with the treaty of 1520 that had created the Iroquois Confederacy. It begins: "We, the people, to form a union . . . ." (Bryson).
It was, in fact, these words that were chosen as the introduction for what has become the single most influential document in history:
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
Today's Challenge: A More Perfect Union
Celebrate the miracle of the Constitution by reading each of the quotes below that mention the Constitution. See if you can identify the speaker of each quote.
1. I also wish that the Pledge of Allegiance were directed at the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, as it is when the President takes his oath of office, rather than to the flag and the nation.
2. The U. S. Constitution doesn't guarantee happiness, only the pursuit of it. You have to catch up with it yourself.
3. The constitution vests the power of declaring war in Congress; therefore no offensive expedition of importance can be undertaken until after they shall have deliberated upon the subject and authorized such a measure.
4. The American constitutions were to liberty, what a grammar is to language: they define its parts of speech, and practically construct them into syntax.
5. The Constitution is not neutral. It was designated to take the government off the backs of the people.
6. To live under the American Constitution is the greatest political
privilege that was ever accorded to the human race.
7. The United States Constitution has proven itself the most marvelously elastic compilation of rules of government ever written.
Quote of the Day: Some events define and shape history with the force of plate tectonics, moving the world onto a new path. On September 17, 1787, just such an event occurred when the Constitution of the United States was signed. --Robert Byrd
Answers: 1. Carl Sagan 2. Benjamin Franklin 3. George Washington 4. Thomas Paine 5. William O. Douglas 6. Calvin Coolidge 7. Franklin D. Roosevelt
1 - http://usgovinfo.about.com/blconstday.htm
2 - Bryson, Bill. Made in America: An Informal History of the English Language in the United States. New York: Perennial, 1994.
In his book Made in America, Bill Bryson explains that the delegates selected a Committee of Detail to polish the final draft of the Constitution and put it on paper. It was one of these committee members, John Rutledge, who influenced the opening words of the Constitution's Preamble. As Bryson explains:
[Rutledge] was an admirer of the Iroquois and recommended that the committee familiarize itself with the treaty of 1520 that had created the Iroquois Confederacy. It begins: "We, the people, to form a union . . . ." (Bryson).
It was, in fact, these words that were chosen as the introduction for what has become the single most influential document in history:
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
Today's Challenge: A More Perfect Union
Celebrate the miracle of the Constitution by reading each of the quotes below that mention the Constitution. See if you can identify the speaker of each quote.
1. I also wish that the Pledge of Allegiance were directed at the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, as it is when the President takes his oath of office, rather than to the flag and the nation.
2. The U. S. Constitution doesn't guarantee happiness, only the pursuit of it. You have to catch up with it yourself.
3. The constitution vests the power of declaring war in Congress; therefore no offensive expedition of importance can be undertaken until after they shall have deliberated upon the subject and authorized such a measure.
4. The American constitutions were to liberty, what a grammar is to language: they define its parts of speech, and practically construct them into syntax.
5. The Constitution is not neutral. It was designated to take the government off the backs of the people.
6. To live under the American Constitution is the greatest political
privilege that was ever accorded to the human race.
7. The United States Constitution has proven itself the most marvelously elastic compilation of rules of government ever written.
Quote of the Day: Some events define and shape history with the force of plate tectonics, moving the world onto a new path. On September 17, 1787, just such an event occurred when the Constitution of the United States was signed. --Robert Byrd
Answers: 1. Carl Sagan 2. Benjamin Franklin 3. George Washington 4. Thomas Paine 5. William O. Douglas 6. Calvin Coolidge 7. Franklin D. Roosevelt
1 - http://usgovinfo.about.com/blconstday.htm
2 - Bryson, Bill. Made in America: An Informal History of the English Language in the United States. New York: Perennial, 1994.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
August 23: First Lady Day
Today is the anniversary of a letter sent by First Lady Dolley Madison (1768-1849) to her sister on August 23, 1814, the eve of the burning of the White House by invading British troops during the War of 1812. The letter is of particular interest to historians as it details First Lady Madison's efforts to save important presidential papers and a full-length portrait of George Washington, by artist Gilbert Stuart.
Some historians doubt the authenticity of the letter's date, saying is was probably written 20 years later; nevertheless, they do not dispute the facts of the letter, particularly First Lady Madison's intrepid efforts to save Washington's portrait:
Our kind friend, Mr. Carroll, has come to hasten my departure, and is in a very bad humor with me because I insist on waiting until the large picture of Gen. Washington is secured, and it requires to be unscrewed from the wall. This process was found too tedious for these perilous moments; I have ordered the frame to be broken, and the canvass taken out it is done, and the precious portrait placed in the hands of two gentlemen of New York, for safe keeping.
Dolley Madison is not the only First Lady of note. Below are ten quotes by the wives of U.S. Presidents. See if you can identify the speaker of each quote.
1. Just say no to drugs!
2. I think, at a child's birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most useful gift, that gift should be curiosity.
3. I may be the only mother in America who knows exactly what their child is up to all the time.
4. The power of a book lies in its power to turn a solitary act into a shared vision. As long as we have books, we are not alone.
5. The First Lady is an unpaid public servant elected by one person - her husband.
6. I have sacrificed everything in my life that I consider precious to advance the political career of my husband.
7. I'm not some Tammy Wynette standing by my man.
8. If you bungle raising your children, I don't think whatever else you do matters very much.
Quote of the Day: No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. --Eleanor Roosevelt
Answers: 1. Nancy Reagan 2. Eleanor Roosevelt 3. Barbara Bush 4. Laura Bush 5. Lady Bird Johnson 6. Pat Nixon 7. Hillary Clinton 8. Jackie Kennedy
1 - The White House Historical Association - Classroom
http://www.whitehousehistory.org/04/subs/04_b_1812.html
Some historians doubt the authenticity of the letter's date, saying is was probably written 20 years later; nevertheless, they do not dispute the facts of the letter, particularly First Lady Madison's intrepid efforts to save Washington's portrait:
Our kind friend, Mr. Carroll, has come to hasten my departure, and is in a very bad humor with me because I insist on waiting until the large picture of Gen. Washington is secured, and it requires to be unscrewed from the wall. This process was found too tedious for these perilous moments; I have ordered the frame to be broken, and the canvass taken out it is done, and the precious portrait placed in the hands of two gentlemen of New York, for safe keeping.
No original of the letter exists; however, the full text of the letter can be read at the web site of The White House Historical Association.
Dolley Madison first came to Washington, D.C., when her husband was appointed Secretary of State under President Jefferson. She gained a reputation as a charming hostess, frequently entertaining large gatherings at the White House. In fact, the night she left the White House, the dinner table was set for 40 guests.
The expansion of hostilities in the War of 1812 made it necessary for Dolley to finally flee the White House. The U.S. had declared war on Great Britain on June 18, 1812. The first years of the war were confined to Canada, the Great Lakes, and the high seas, but after Great Britain's victory over Napoleon in April 1814, the British focused more of their forces against the U.S. After defeating the Americans at Bladensburg, Maryland, the British advanced toward Washington.
The night after Madison had penned the letter to her sister and fled the White House to safety, the British arrived. After consuming the meal that had been prepared for American military and cabinet officers, the British soldiers looted and set fire to the White House.
The war continued for a few months until February 17, 1815 when the United States declared victory and ratified the Treaty of Ghent. President James Madison and his wife never lived in the White House again, but they did dedicate themselves to its reconstruction and the reconstruction of other governmental buildings destroyed in the war. in 1817 President James Monroe moved into a restored White House.
Today's Challenge: All the Presidents' WivesDolley Madison is not the only First Lady of note. Below are ten quotes by the wives of U.S. Presidents. See if you can identify the speaker of each quote.
1. Just say no to drugs!
2. I think, at a child's birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most useful gift, that gift should be curiosity.
3. I may be the only mother in America who knows exactly what their child is up to all the time.
4. The power of a book lies in its power to turn a solitary act into a shared vision. As long as we have books, we are not alone.
5. The First Lady is an unpaid public servant elected by one person - her husband.
6. I have sacrificed everything in my life that I consider precious to advance the political career of my husband.
7. I'm not some Tammy Wynette standing by my man.
8. If you bungle raising your children, I don't think whatever else you do matters very much.
Quote of the Day: No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. --Eleanor Roosevelt
Answers: 1. Nancy Reagan 2. Eleanor Roosevelt 3. Barbara Bush 4. Laura Bush 5. Lady Bird Johnson 6. Pat Nixon 7. Hillary Clinton 8. Jackie Kennedy
1 - The White House Historical Association - Classroom
http://www.whitehousehistory.org/04/subs/04_b_1812.html
Friday, August 17, 2007
August 17: Goldwynism Day
Today is the birthday of movie mogul Samuel Goldwyn. Born Schmuel Gelbfisz in Warsaw, Poland in 1879, Goldwyn immigrated to Canada and then New York when he was 19 years old. He left his job as a glove seller in 1913 to start a business in the infant movie industry, forming a company with his brother-in-law. For his first film The Squaw Man, he hired then unknown Cecil B. DeMille to direct.
Throughout his career as a movie producer Goldwyn helped build some of the most influential Hollywood studios, including Paramount, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and United Artists. Despite the fact that he had a volatile temper and lacked formal education, Goldwyn had keen business instincts and is unquestionably one of the greatest geniuses in the history of film making.
In the realm of the English language, however, Goldwyn's name has become synonymous with malapropisms -- that is a ludicrous misuse of a word, especially by confusion with another word with a similar sound. Goldwyn is so notorious for his slips of the tongue, that an entire sub-category of malaprops are named for him: Goldwynisms. Wikipedia lists over 50 of these malaprops attributed to Goldwyn, such as one of the most famous: "A verbal contract isn’t worth the paper it’s written on" (2).
The reality is, however, that like Yogi Berra, Goldwyn did not say everything that people said he said. In fact during his lifetime studio screenwriters even went so far as to hold contests to create the best Goldwynisms. The winner reportedly was "It rolls off my back like a duck" (3).
Today's Challenge: "I Didn't Say Everything I Said"
To verify the true Goldwynisms from the pseudo-Goldwynisms, we turn to the book The Quote Verifier which devotes a special section to Samuel Goldwyn. Label the malaprops below as Yes, meaning Goldwyn said it; Maybe, meaning the evidence in inconclusive; or No, meaning he did not say it.
1. I was on the brink of an abscess.
2. I'll give you a definite maybe.
3. I had a monumental idea this morning, but I didn't like it.
4. I can answer you in two words: 'im possible.'
5. I read part of it all the way through.
6. I don't care if my pictures don't make a dime, so long as everyone comes to see them.
7. Let's have some new cliches.
8. A verbal contract isn't worth the paper it's written on.
9. In this business it's dog eat dog, and nobody's gonna eat me.
10. It's more than magnificent, it's mediocre.
Quote of the Day: Television has raised writing to a new low. --Attributed to Samuel Goldwyn (1879 -1974)
Answers: 1. Yes 2. Possibly 3. Yes 4. No 5. No 6. Yes 7 Maybe 8. No 9. Yes 10. Maybe
1 - Aberdeen, J. A. "Samuel Goldwyn, Hollywood's Lone Wolf." The Society of Independent Motion Picture Producers
http://www.cobbles.com/simpp_archive/samuel-goldwyn_intro.htm
2 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Goldwyn
3 - Keyes, Ralph. The Quote Verifier: Who Said What, Where, and When. New York: St. Martin's Griffin, 2006.
Throughout his career as a movie producer Goldwyn helped build some of the most influential Hollywood studios, including Paramount, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and United Artists. Despite the fact that he had a volatile temper and lacked formal education, Goldwyn had keen business instincts and is unquestionably one of the greatest geniuses in the history of film making.
In the realm of the English language, however, Goldwyn's name has become synonymous with malapropisms -- that is a ludicrous misuse of a word, especially by confusion with another word with a similar sound. Goldwyn is so notorious for his slips of the tongue, that an entire sub-category of malaprops are named for him: Goldwynisms. Wikipedia lists over 50 of these malaprops attributed to Goldwyn, such as one of the most famous: "A verbal contract isn’t worth the paper it’s written on" (2).
The reality is, however, that like Yogi Berra, Goldwyn did not say everything that people said he said. In fact during his lifetime studio screenwriters even went so far as to hold contests to create the best Goldwynisms. The winner reportedly was "It rolls off my back like a duck" (3).
Today's Challenge: "I Didn't Say Everything I Said"
To verify the true Goldwynisms from the pseudo-Goldwynisms, we turn to the book The Quote Verifier which devotes a special section to Samuel Goldwyn. Label the malaprops below as Yes, meaning Goldwyn said it; Maybe, meaning the evidence in inconclusive; or No, meaning he did not say it.
1. I was on the brink of an abscess.
2. I'll give you a definite maybe.
3. I had a monumental idea this morning, but I didn't like it.
4. I can answer you in two words: 'im possible.'
5. I read part of it all the way through.
6. I don't care if my pictures don't make a dime, so long as everyone comes to see them.
7. Let's have some new cliches.
8. A verbal contract isn't worth the paper it's written on.
9. In this business it's dog eat dog, and nobody's gonna eat me.
10. It's more than magnificent, it's mediocre.
Quote of the Day: Television has raised writing to a new low. --Attributed to Samuel Goldwyn (1879 -1974)
Answers: 1. Yes 2. Possibly 3. Yes 4. No 5. No 6. Yes 7 Maybe 8. No 9. Yes 10. Maybe
1 - Aberdeen, J. A. "Samuel Goldwyn, Hollywood's Lone Wolf." The Society of Independent Motion Picture Producers
http://www.cobbles.com/simpp_archive/samuel-goldwyn_intro.htm
2 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Goldwyn
3 - Keyes, Ralph. The Quote Verifier: Who Said What, Where, and When. New York: St. Martin's Griffin, 2006.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
August 11: Presidential Gaffe Day
On this date in 1984, President Ronald Reagan, known as the "great communicator," made one of the rare gaffes of his political career. While warming up for a radio address, Reagan said:
My fellow Americans, I am pleased to tell you today that I’ve signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes.
At the time Reagan was running for re-election against Democratic nominee Walter Mondale, and the President's faux pas resulted in a temporary dip in his poll numbers. However, Reagan won the November election and went on to continue his get-tough policy towards Russia. Ironically one of Reagan defining moments came in later comments about Russia; in 1987 he visited the Berlin Wall where he famously said, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" (1).
Some might argue that the most glaring faux pas in presidential history was committed by President Warren Harding. Ignoring advisers who told him to wrap up against the cold, he proceeded to give the longest ever inaugural address and died from the resulting chill one month later of pneumonia.
Here at Word Daze, however, we will focus on the verbal faux pas of the presidents. Based on this criteria, Harding's gaffe doesn't quite qualify; his speech was long (10,000 words), but today no one quotes any of his slips of the tongue. Faux pas, by the way, is translated from the French as "false step."
Today's Challenge: Presidential Tongue Lashings
See if you can identify the president who uttered each the following gaffes:
1. Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we.
2. Depends on what your definition of "is" is.
3. I love sports. Whenever I can, I always watch the Detroit Tigers on the radio.
4. When a great many people are unable to find work, unemployment results.
5. Comment made on September 7th: Today is Pearl Harbor Day - 47 years ago from this very day we were hit and hit hard at Pearl Harbor.'
6. Rarely is the questioned asked: Is our children learning? (2)
Quote of the Day: Somewhere out in this audience may even be someone who will one day follow in my footsteps, and preside over the White House as the president's spouse. I wish him well. --Barbara Bush
Answers: 1. George W. Bush 2. Bill Clinton 3. Gerald Ford 4. Calvin Coolidge 5. George H. W. Bush 6. George W. Bush
1 - This Day In History - Presidential - August 11. The History Channelhttp://www.historychannel.com/tdih/tdih.jsp?month=10272960&day=10272976&cat=presidential
2 - List of U.S. presidential faux-pas, gaffes, and unfortunate incidentshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._presidential_faux-pas,_gaffes,_and_unfortunate_incidents
Friday, February 16, 2007
February 16: Sports Quotes Day
Today is the birthday of tennis great John McEnroe. He was born in 1959 in Germany where his father was serving in the U.S. Army. McEnroe is remembered not only for his masterful play as a singles champion, but also for his many victories in doubles and mixed doubles. His most memorable play came at Wimbledon in the 1980s where he battled Bjorn Borg.
Although he won many major tennis titles and spent many years as the number one ranked tennis player in the world, John McEnroe is most remembered for his words and antics on the tennis court. Smashing tennis rackets and challenging umpire decisions, McEnroe became one of the most volatile and boisterous athletes ever.
Perhaps his best known line was one shouted in the direction of an umpire at Wimbledon in 1981: "You cannot be serious!" This line became so often associated with McEnroe, that he used it for the title of his 2002 autobiography (1).
Today's Challenge: The Sports Section
Great writers aren't the only ones with profound things to say. Below are some famous quotes by athletes and coaches. See if you can identify the speaker of each quote.
1. Football is like life -- it requires perseverance, self-denial, hard work, sacrifice, dedication and respect for authority.
2. Bear Bryant could take his'n and beat your'n, or he could take your'n and beat his'n.
3. Sports Do Not Build Character...They Reveal It.
4. There is no room in your mind for negative thoughts. The busier you keep yourself with the particulars of shot assessment and execution, the less chance your mind has to dwell on the emotional. This is sheer intensity.
5. Baseball is 90% mental, the other half is physical.
6. I wouldn't ever set out to hurt anyone deliberately unless it was, you know, important -- like a league game or something.
7. A lifetime of training for just ten seconds.
8. You can't climb to the second floor without a ladder. Try for a goal that's reasonable, then gradually raise it.
Quotes of the Day:
-If a man watches three football games in a row, he should be declared legally dead. - Erma Bombeck
-If a woman has to choose between catching a fly ball and saving an infant's life, she will choose to save the infant's life without even considering if there is a man on base. - Dave Barry
Answers:
1 - The Biography Channel "John McEnroe." http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_story/141:459/1/John_McEnroe.htm
Although he won many major tennis titles and spent many years as the number one ranked tennis player in the world, John McEnroe is most remembered for his words and antics on the tennis court. Smashing tennis rackets and challenging umpire decisions, McEnroe became one of the most volatile and boisterous athletes ever.
Perhaps his best known line was one shouted in the direction of an umpire at Wimbledon in 1981: "You cannot be serious!" This line became so often associated with McEnroe, that he used it for the title of his 2002 autobiography (1).
Today's Challenge: The Sports Section
Great writers aren't the only ones with profound things to say. Below are some famous quotes by athletes and coaches. See if you can identify the speaker of each quote.
1. Football is like life -- it requires perseverance, self-denial, hard work, sacrifice, dedication and respect for authority.
2. Bear Bryant could take his'n and beat your'n, or he could take your'n and beat his'n.
3. Sports Do Not Build Character...They Reveal It.
4. There is no room in your mind for negative thoughts. The busier you keep yourself with the particulars of shot assessment and execution, the less chance your mind has to dwell on the emotional. This is sheer intensity.
5. Baseball is 90% mental, the other half is physical.
6. I wouldn't ever set out to hurt anyone deliberately unless it was, you know, important -- like a league game or something.
7. A lifetime of training for just ten seconds.
8. You can't climb to the second floor without a ladder. Try for a goal that's reasonable, then gradually raise it.
Quotes of the Day:
-If a man watches three football games in a row, he should be declared legally dead. - Erma Bombeck
-If a woman has to choose between catching a fly ball and saving an infant's life, she will choose to save the infant's life without even considering if there is a man on base. - Dave Barry
Answers:
1. Vince Lombardi
2. Bum Phillips
3. John Wooden
4. Jack Nicklaus
5. Yogi Berra
6. Dick Butkus
7. Jesse Owens
8. Emil Zatopek
1 - The Biography Channel "John McEnroe." http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_story/141:459/1/John_McEnroe.htm
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