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September 17
It’s kind of amazing that today, September 17, isn’t more widely commemorated as the day Norton I, Emperor of the United States, was crowned. As emperor of the egalitarian USA, it makes perfect sense that Norton I started life as a commoner. He was born Joshua Abraham Norton in England in 1818. Or sometime between Continue reading
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Born today: W. O. Bentley
Bentley has for years been one of the world’s top manufacturers of ridiculously expensive luxury cars. But the company is actually based on trains, motorcycles, and their original product: racing cars. Walter Own Bentley was born September 16, 1888 in London. His family was well off, although not wealthy, so although he attended a private Continue reading
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Valetudinarian
A valedictorian is the person who achieves the highest grade point average in a cohort of students — most often a high school class. Particularly around graduation time, you’re apt to hear the word “valedictorian” here and there. But you probably won’t hear about any “valetudinarians.” A valetudinarian is someone who’s very concerned with their Continue reading
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September 16
This is it. September 16. The very day that, in 1959, the first successful photocopier was introduced. This is it. September 16. The very day that, in 1959, the first successful photocopier was introduced. This is it. September 16. The very day that, in 1959, the first successful photocopier was introduced. It was the Xerox Continue reading
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Paradigm
Back in the 1400s the word “paradigm” entered English. It’s from the Greek word “paradeiknynal,” which means “to show side by side,” and in English it meant a pattern or example. It was never a particularly popular word, and by the 1600s it had been relegated to the realm of grammar; it was used to Continue reading
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Spats
Up until about the 1920s, if you were a well-dressed man (or, sometimes, woman), you’d often wear “spats” over your shoes. Spats were cloth covers for the tops of shoes, extending up to the ankle. In some accounts, King George V of England was partly responsible for changing the style away from spats; in 1926 Continue reading
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Born today: Titus Oates
In 1919 William Butler Yeats wrote The Second Coming, including the lines “Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold,” and “The best lack all conviction, while the worst / Are full of passionate intensity.” Sounds a lot like the present day, doesn’t it? But Yeats was describing the world of a century ago. The conspiracy Continue reading
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September 15
September 15 features a wide range of holidays and observances, some of them fairly unusual. First of all, of course, it’s global “Free Money Day.” The idea is simple; you just give away money (generally two bills or two coins) to strangers, or leave it someplace it will be found. You can share physically or Continue reading
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Asynartisia
Advice to writers: don’t be TOO obscure A good candidate for The Most Obscure Word In English is “asynartisia” — it doesn’t appear in most dictionaries (even gigantic ones), and it seems to have been used only three times ever. That’s not counting the times it appears in online discussions about what the heck it Continue reading
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Breborion
In 1653, Sir Thomas Urquhart translated “The First Book of the Work of Mr. Francis Rabelais.” Urquhart was a Scottish aristocrat who was also a writer, but he is most known for his translations of Rabelais. That, and the way he died, of course. When he heard that Charles II had become the king, Urquhart Continue reading
About Me
I’m Pete Harbeson, a writer located near Boston, Massachusetts. In addition to writing my own content, I’ve learned to translate for my loquacious and opinionated pup Chocolate Bossypaws. I shouldn’t be surprised, but she mostly speaks in doggerel. You can find her contributions tagged with Chocolatiana.
Check out my other blog, Techlimitics, where I’m grappling with the nature of simplicity.
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