The word of the day* for January 9, 2007 is “paucity” — 1 : smallness of number : FEWNESS. 2 : smallness of quantity : DEARTH.
“Be alert. The world needs more lerts.” As a bumper sticker motto, that makes excellent sense. Most bumper sticker mottoes do. Some however make you want to get out of the car at the stoplight and ask the driver what the heck his/her message means. Some of them make me want to get out and take a tire iron to the driver, but I always tell myself that the car is new to the driver, who hasn’t had a chance to remove the old stickers—s/he doesn’t really mean that.
The messages on most cars are political: the two-year-old campaign sticker and “Don’t blame me; I didn’t vote for Name” . Some are obscene—among which I include the little line drawings of children making water onto advertising logos, etc. and the silhouettes of (presumably) naked women. Some are personal: “My child is an honor student at Name of School or memento mori, “In loving memory of Name, 1956-2001.” Some are philosophical: anti-abortion, pro-ecology and religious.
The one of which I am still uncertain had a peace sign—circled crow’s foot—on the left and a cross—uncircled—on the right. The motto was “Choose which to follow.” Weellll, I suppose since the Prince of Peace said that He would come again with a sword, maybe that makes sense.
The quote† for today is from Bertrand Russell (1872–1970), Unpopular Essays, “An Outline of Intellectual Rubbish,” (1950):
For my part I distrust all generalizations about women, favourable and unfavourable, masculine and feminine, ancient and modern; all alike, I should say, result from paucity of experience.
;^) Jan
* The definition is from either Merriam-Webster Online, 10th Edition (http://www.m-w.com/) or The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition (http://www.bartleby.com/61/) and is used by permission.
† Thequote is from either Bartleby: Great Books on Line (http://www.Bartleby.com/bartlett) or The Quotation Pages (http://www.quotationspage.com/) and is used by permission.
P.S.: Comments and word requests are welcome.
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