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September 3
Welcome to September 3, National Welsh Rarebit Day! It was originally called “Welsh rabbit”, even though it doesn’t contain any rabbit, and the ingredients probably wouldn’t even appeal to rabbits. It’s a pretty simple dish; basically just cheese on toast. The name has morphed into “rarebit” instead of “rabbit” because too many people were confused.… Continue reading
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The club, and Jimmy
“I did something right outta your bag of tricks,” Joe announced. “I got a bag of tricks?” “Yeah, ya do.” “So what did ya do?” “You know that Model A guy Warren?” “Sure, is he looking for help with bodywork and you said you’d do it as a favor?” “You’re the favors guy; if I… Continue reading
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John
John’s favorite meal was thanksgiving dinner — or, really, a turkey dinner with all the trimmings; it didn’t have to be just for thanksgiving. The young family usually attended one or the other sets of parents’ holiday gatherings; John really wanted to host a holiday gathering at his own home. He was surprised how much… Continue reading
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Just an Expression
Hare was carefully checking a garden near the edge of the forest to see if any vegetables had been left when winter came. “Hello, Hare,” came a greeting from high above. “Oh, good day, Magpie,” said Hare. “I was just…” “I know, I know,” said Magpie importantly. “You were just checking for winter fish.” “Um…well… Continue reading
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Thrift
The word “thrift” is a good example of how English meaning shifts over time. “Thrift” comes from the word “thrive” with the addition of the suffix “-t.” Adding the “t” was a way in Germanic languages (such as Old English) to form a noun from a verb. It’s the same addition that produced “gift” from… Continue reading
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September 2
The day after September 2, 1752 — it was a Wednesday — was September 14. At least it was in Great Britain and all the British colonies. That was the day of the big switch from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar. The two calendars were off by 11 days at the time (it varied),… Continue reading
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Born Today: Guy Laliberté
Sometimes running away to join the circus can provide a pretty good foundation. Guy Laliberté was born September 2 in Quebec, in 1959. When he was a boy, his parents took him to the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, which turned out to be a big event for him. He liked it so… Continue reading
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Filbert
Hare softly knocked his forehead against the wall in his kitchen. Gritting his teeth, he took the plate of tea cakes and went back into the living room. Filbert was still talking. “So I told the dude, ‘you’re one cool cat,’ I said, ‘so just hang loose.’” Filbert leaned his chair back so he almost… Continue reading
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Panjandrum
Copyright claims in the early 21st Century are absurd enough that they really don’t hold up to any reasonable analysis. You — yes, you personally — can easily have removed virtually any video or posting that’s been uploaded to a centralized service like YouTube or Instagram. All you have to do is file a claim… Continue reading
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Quidam
In 1624, William Bedell published a book with the riveting title “Copies Certaine Letters.” In it he posed a question, which has echoed down the centuries since, “Who were these quidams that laid hands on Scory?” A couple of hundred years later, in 1832, the London Times pointed out that “If the doctrine of our English quidams be right,… Continue reading
About Me
I’m Pete Harbeson, a writer (among other things) located near Boston, Massachusetts. In addition to writing my own content, I’ve learned to translate for my loquacious and opinionated pup Chocolate Bossypaws. No surprise, she mostly speaks in doggerel. You can find her contributions tagged with Chocolatiana.
Check out my newsletter, Artisanal Scribbles, where I’m grappling with writing, authentic human authorship, integrity, and the craft of beauty in the AI age. You can also find some of my old software projects at GitHub. Nothing very impressive. I mostly wrote tiny utilities in Python and shell scripts. I’m mostly retired from coding nowadays.
I find myself suddenly de-corporatized (their choice, not mine). To help keep the lights on, buy me a coffee!
Recent Posts
- How much is that doggie in the window?
- Hang on, I’m busy
- Sometimes it’s not an improvement
- Do not call your friend…
- Once more, into the breach
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Contact
peterharbeson@me.com