The word of the day1 for February 19, 2007 is “politicize” — transitive verb : to give a political tone or character to <an attempt to politicize the civil service>.
Happy Presidents’ Day. Lloyd asked me, “Do you get the day off?” I don’t: the Unions have given up our minor holidays in favor of the winter recess (formerly known as Christmas Break). Now that the children are out of the house, I’m not sure whether that’s such a good thing. All those little holidays kept us tracking on the year. January was New Year’s and MLK Day; February had a wealth of Valentine’s, Lincoln and Washington; March coming in like a lion and out like a lamb had St. Patrick’s Day (and St. Urho’s). Then we had April which was usually Easter; May was Mother’s Day and June for Father’s Day and graduations. July rolled in Independence Day; poor August had to be content with summer vacation and September was Back to School. October brought Halloween and November, Thanksgiving. Christmas in December rounded out the year.
Now we have Presidents’ Day and other Monday observances of federal and state holidays. And we’re losing perspective on the year. School starts in August heat and graduation is in May. Christmas displays go up before the Halloween costumes are on the racks. Presidents’ Day sales start in January and last the entire month of February. Football starts in August and ends in February; baseball is started and ended in snow drifts. Basketball and golf are year-round. Since hockey is now an indoor sport, it’s year-round or nearly so. Kids in soccer never have a free weekend. And grandma can’t keep track. I’d be in favor of Congress doing something, but as with the Monday observances, it would surelynot end well.
The quote2 for today is from John Arbuthnot (1667–1735), Quoted in Richard Garnett, Life of Emerson, ch. 7 (1888):
All political parties die at last of swallowing their own lies..
;^) Jan
1 The definition is from either Merriam-Webster Online, 10th Edition or TheAmerican Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition and is used by permission.
2 The quote is from either Bartleby: Great Books on Line or The Quotation Pages and is used by permission.
2 The quote is from either Bartleby: Great Books on Line or The Quotation Pages and is used by permission.
P.S.: Comments and word requests are welcome.
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