~★~♥~♥~★~ El Morno! ♥~★~★~♥ ~
March 4, 2013

 

★~ Today’s Quote: 

★~ Hug a GI Day:

March fourth and show appreciation to a GI with a hug or a handshake.

★~ Grammar Day:

National Grammar Day: Prescriptivist vs. Enthusiast ( by Kory Stamper)

I consider myself an enthusiast.

“What I cannot defend, however, is asshattery in the name of grammar.”

“Remember, this National Grammar Day, that there are people all around you with varying degrees of knowledge of and appreciation for the intricacies of English. Instead of calling people out on March 4th for all the usages they get wrong, how about pointing out all the thing things that people–against all odds–get right? Can you correctly pronounce “rough,” “though,” “through,” and “thought”? Congratulations, you have just navigated the Great Vowel Shift. If I ask you to come up with synonyms of “ask” and you respond with “question” and “inquire,” congratulations: you have seamlessly navigated your way through 500 years of English history. Do you end sentences in prepositions? That is awesome, because that is a linguistic and historical tie back to Old English, the dyslexic-looking Germanic language that started this whole shebang almost 1500 years ago.”

Amen.”

Read more by Kory Stamper.A Plea for Sanity this National (US) Grammar Day

★~ Pound Cake Day:

The original pound cakes contained one pound each of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour. This principle made it simple to remember the recipe and come up with a name to file it under in your recipe holder.

These days,  pound cake proportions are a little more in line with watching our pounds….these recipes sound pretty good. North Carolina Miscellany

★~ Today in History:

★~ March FOURTH—Today is the only day of the year we are commanded to March Fourth (Thank you, Matt clever spouse of El Morno friend Joanne for this tidbit and reminder)

♥~ 1791 – Vermont, became the 14th state.  It is the Green Mountain State! Coincidentally, that’s what the French phrase ‘vert mont’ means. Montpelier is Vermont’s capital city. Hail Vermont is the state song which goes right along with the state motto: Vermont, Freedom and Unity. The hermit thrush stands alone as the state bird; and the red clover is the colorful state flower which attracts the state insect, the honeybee. The Morgan horse is the state animal, and the state tree … you guessed it … is the one that makes all that famous Vermont maple syrup, the sugar maple tree.

♥~ 1837 – Happy 176th Birthday Chicago! Today marks the day the city of  Chicago was incorporated  (link is from last year but I think it still describes Chicago pretty well)

♥~ 1942 – The Stage Door Canteen opened on West 44th Street in New York City. The canteen became widely known as a service club for men in the armed forces and a much welcomed place to spend what would otherwise have been lonely hours. The USO, the United Service Organization, grew out of the ‘canteen’ operation, to provide entertainment for American troops around the world.

♥~ 1950 – Walt Disney’s Cinderella was released.

♥ – 1974 – People Magazine:  officially launched with the Mar 4, 1974, issue featuring a cover photo of Mia Farrow.

★~ Born Today: 

♥~ 1678 – Antonio Lucio Vivaldi musician: violin; composer: The Four Seasons, Nisi dominus, Summer Storm, Primavera, Concerto per liuto e mandolino, Griselda, Gloria,Symphony 4 in B Minor, Magnificat, Quattro stagione; died July 28, 1741

♥~ 1888 – Knute Rockne: College Football Hall of Famer: coach: Notre Dame [1918-1930]: 122 games: won 105, lost 12, tied 5; killed in plane crash Mar 31, 1931  (Note to Debbie: I went for a more rugged picture this year)

 ♥~ 1932 – Miriam Makeba: Grammy Award-winning South African singer and civil rights activist. In the 1960s she was the first artist from Africa to popularize African music in the U.S. and around the world. Nicknamed Mama Africa.

♥~  1954 – Catherine O’Hara actress: A Simple Twist of Fate, Wyatt Earp, Home Alone series, Dick Tracy, Beetlejuice; comedienne: The Steve Allen Comedy Hour, Second City TV, SCTV Network 90

♥~ 1969 – Chaz Bono (Chastity Sun Bono) transgender advocate, writer, musician; only child of entertainers Sonny & Cher.

♥~ 1990 – Andrea Bowen actress: Desperate Housewives, Eye of the Dolphin, Luckey Quarter, Red Riding Hood, Highball

★~ Did You Know: Grammar Mistakes That (Almost) Everyone Makes…

♥~ Moot: Contrary to common misuse, “moot” doesn’t imply something is superfluous. It means a subject is disputable or open to discussion. e.g., The idea that commercial zoning should be allowed in the residential neighborhood was a moot point for the council.

♥~  Envy and Jealousy: The word “envy” implies a longing for someone else’s good fortunes. “Jealousy” is far more nefarious. It’s a fear of rivalry, often present in sexual situations. “Envy” is when you covet your friend’s good looks. “Jealousy” is what happens when your significant other swoons over your good-looking friend.

♥~  Continual and Continuous:  They’re similar, but there’s a difference. “Continual” means something that’s always occurring, with obvious lapses in time. “Continuous” means something continues without any stops or gaps in between. e.g., The continual music next door made it the worst night of studying ever. e.g., Her continuous talking prevented him

♥~ Anxious:  Unless you’re frightened of them, you shouldn’t say you’re “anxious to see your friends.” You’re actually “eager,” or “excited.” To be “anxious” implies a looming fear, dread or anxiety. It doesn’t mean you’re looking forward to something.

♥~ Disinterested and Uninterested:  Contrary to popular usage, these words aren’t synonymous. A “disinterested” person is someone who’s impartial. For example, a hedge fund manager might take interest in a headline regarding the performance of a popular stock, even if he’s never invested in it. He’s “disinterested,” i.e., he doesn’t seek to gain financially from the transaction he’s witnessed. Judges and referees are supposed to be “disinterested.” If the sentence you’re using implies someone who couldn’t care less, chances are you’ll want to use “uninterested.”

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Hope you have a magniloquent Monday. I’m not sure if that is the correct usage of the word magniloquent, but I like the word, it starts with M and I’m using it. I’m a defender of whimsical capitalization, and using and spelling words based on if they look right. However, you will never hear me say, “Where’s it at?” Because a voice in my head will yell back “between the ‘is’ and the ‘at’.” I turned a deaf ear when Joe use to say, “Me and Cole” are going to the store until the day Cole said, “me and dad are going to the store.” You have to stand for something or you will fall for anything.

Do you have a grammar pet peeve?

Odd Loves Company,