May 30, 2006
Very Shrewd Career Chalk Talk from Harvard Business School, James Waldroop, PhD, from Bottom Line Secrets.
How to Use Sound Effects to Tell a Story from www.farmradio.org.
On this day in 1431, Joan of Arc was burned at the stake for heresy at the age of 19. Click here for her inspiring story at www.writersalmanac.org.
Site for Songwriters: www.Songwriter101.com.
May 29, 2006
Birthdays of the Day:
Today is the birthday of G.K. Chesterson born in 1874. Find his mind and thinking through his quotations from www.chesterton.org.
Patrick Henry was born on this day in 1736. Read about his life from the Library of Congress here.
Check out an awesome print on eBay here with the following quotation on it:
"Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God. I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death."
-Patrick Henry, March 28, 1775
Books of the Day;
May 27, 2006
SPECIAL BULLETIN: On May 25, 2006, Kevin Woolsey was named as the General Manager of WHYR-LP, 96.9 FM, a brand new radio station in Baton Rouge, LA. The station transmits from the Perkins and I-10 intersection and has a print path of 3.5 miles radius. It broadcasts in all directions. This station will be a Bible based broadcaster of Information, Inspiration, Education, Encouragement and, in short, TRUTH. WHYR-LP is a non-profit station and is teaming up with the Baton Rouge community for the following needs.
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WHYR needs pastors that preach & teach Bible truth that are willing to sponsor WHYR with their production. Not all ministers will be approved, however, if you have original content that will build up the community, we are interested. Our rates are extremely low and extremely competitive! Call Kevin for information at (225) 773-3350.
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WHYR needs individuals that want to sponsor the station's programming with a one-time and monthly gifts to meet the varied expenses of the station. We are currently in need of a one time $900 gift to pay BMI, ASCAP, & SESAC for unlimited use of their song lists for a one year period. Call Kevin to make this arragement at (225) 773-3350.
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WHYR needs businesses that are looking for a way to share their products, services and ideas with our Baton Rouge listeners. Only family friendly, full-of-integrity businesses will be approved. Our sponsorship rates are very competitive! Call Kevin for details and rates at (225) 773-3350.
WHYR is open to new programming ideas. Please email Kevin at TheInspirationStore@gmail.com and let us know what you think makes a great radio station. Thank you!
Birthday of the Day: Julia Ward Howe was born today in 1819. She wrote the Battle Hymn of the Republic during the Civil War. Other interesting facts from Wikipedia.org:
 | In 1843 she married a fellow abolitionist, physician Dr. Samuel Gridley Howe who founded the Perkins Institute for the Blind. The couple made their home in Boston, had six children, and were active in the Free Soil Party. |
| Howe's "Battle Hymn of the Republic", set to William Steffe's already-existing music, was first published in the Atlantic Monthly in 1862 and quickly became one of the most popular songs for the Union during the American Civil War. |
| After the war she focused her activities on the causes of Pacifism and women's suffrage. She was a member of the Unitarian church. |
| In 1870 she was the first to proclaim Mother's Day, with her Mother's Day Proclamation. |
| On January 28, 1908 Julia Ward Howe became the first woman elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters. |
| Julia Ward Howe is buried in the Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts. |
| Julia Ward Howe was inducted into the Songwriters' Hall of Fame in 1970. |
Interesting Book of the Today:
The Continental Monthly, Volume V. Issue I, from Project www.Gutenberg.org
May 26, 2006
Quotation of the Day:
"Meek young men grow up in libraries, believing it their duty to accept the views, which Cicero, which Locke, which Bacon, have given, forgetful that Cicero, Locke, and Bacon were only young men in libraries, when they wrote those books."
--Ralph Waldo Emerson
Books of the Day:
The Story of the Hymns and Tunes, by Theron Brown and Hezekiah Butterworth, 1906.
Ontario Normal School Manuals: Science of Education, by The Minister of Education for Ontario, 1915
The King in Yellow, by Robert W. Chambers. "A wild ride in alternate imagined history." -K. Woolsey
May 25, 2006
Poem of the Day:
Let Beauty Awake, by R. L. Stevenson in Songs of Travel
"Sunrise in Arkansas" photo by K. Woolsey
LET Beauty awake in the morn from beautiful dreams,
Beauty awake from rest!
Let Beauty awake
For Beauty's sake
In the hour when the birds awake in the brake
And the stars are bright in the west!
Let Beauty awake in the eve from the slumber of day,
Awake in the crimson eve!
In the day's dusk end
When the shades ascend,
Let her wake to the kiss of a tender friend
To render again and receive!
Book of the Day:
Songs of Travel by Robert Louis Stevenson.
Inspiring Site of the Day: www.poetryloverspage.com
Business of the Day: Anderson Windows, in business since 1904. Enter the PHOTO GALLERY. "It’s time to get inspired. See how windows add character and drama to a variety of room styles."
May 24, 2006
Today's WOW! Devotion:
From Charles H. Spurgeon, Faith's Check Book, May 24 entry.
One a Majority!
"One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, He it is that fighteth for you, as He hath promised you"
(Joshua 23:10).
Why count heads? One man with God is a majority though there be a thousand on the other side. Sometimes our helpers may be too many for God to work with them, as was the case with Gideon, who could do nothing till he had increased his forces by thinning out their numbers. But the LORD's hosts are never too few. When God would found a nation, He called Abram alone and blessed him. When He would vanquish proud Pharaoh, He used no armies, but only Moses and Aaron. The "one-man ministry," as certain wise men call it, has been far more used of the LORD than trained bands with their officers. Did all the Israelites together slay so many as Samson alone? Saul and his hosts slew their thousands but David his ten thousands.
The LORD can give the enemy long odds and yet vanquish him. If we have faith, we have God with us, and what are multitudes of men? One shepherd's dog can drive before him a flock of sheep. If the LORD sent thee, O my brother, His strength will accomplish His divine purpose. Wherefore, rely on the promise, and be very courageous.
Thinking Quotations on Intelligence and Learning:
"Intelligence implies the capacity for solving problems, learning from experience, and reasoning abstractly."
--The Original Roget's Thesaurus
"The best way to find your way out of the clouds of ignorance is to be a sponge for every kind of knowledge you come across, every second, every day. You must soak up new ideas or your mind will stay empty . A useful mind is loaded with information; a useless mind is either vacant or crammed with mixed-up ideas."
--China Sinclair
"You lose nothing by asking, and there is a chance to gain something lasting."
--Unknown
"Crafty men condemn studies, simple men admire them and wise men use them."
--Francis Bacon
"It was his 'driving passion to understand that set him apart from his friends.'"
--Stephen Oates on Abraham Lincoln's Childhood
"Learn from other's mistakes rather than making them all yourself."
--Unknown
Books for Today:
Fifty Famous Stories Retold, by James Baldwin.
Logic, Deductive and Inductive, by Carveth Read.
What the Mother of a Deaf Child Ought to Know, by John Dutton Wright.
What in the world is glassblowing? Find the answer here.
May 23, 2006
Today is the Birthday of Thomas Hood born in 1799. Find a brief biography of his life here along with many of his poems here: The Poetical Works of Thomas Hood.
28 Poems by Thomas Hood, Poetry e-book download.
Funny Poem of the Day: Daddy Fell into the Pond, a poem by Alfred Noyes.
FUNNY POETRY, with random sound effects when homepage is opened.
Today's Curious & Helpful Books:
Fowler's Household Helps. Over 300 Useful and Valuable Helps About the Home, Carefully Compiled and Arranged in Convenient Form for Frequent Use, 1916.
Good Things to Eat as Suggested by Rufus, A Collection of Practical Recipes for Preparing Meats, Game, Fowl, Fish, Puddings, Pastries, Etc.
A Book of Exposition, Edited by Homer Heath Nugent.
Familiar Quotations, A Collection of Familiar Quotations,
with Complete Indices of Authors and Subjects, by John Bartlett.
Health Article for Men: The Men's Medical Checklist, Seven tests that men shouldn't go without.
How should I dress for a job interview? Interview Checklist
How to Look your Professional Best for Males.
What is Your Professional Image? How to dress the part.
May 22, 2006
Songwriter's Question of the Day: What did King David's song lyrics sound like in their original languages? Find out here: Chapter-by-Chapter MP3 Recordings of the Hebrew Bible. Bonus question: What rhyme schemes, if any, did David using in his lyrics?
Course of the Day: Self Paced Online Biblical Greek Course - Summer 2006, Instructor Susan Jeffers, June 19 - August 12, 2006.
Learn to Read Biblical Hebrew, Free online beginning course with audio.
Read the Greek New Testament in 1,250 days!
"This Web Site contains notes designed to encourage those who want to read through the Greek New Testament. The notes are arranged for daily reading covering 5 years (1250 days of notes designed for five days a week and 50 weeks a year). You can download them either as 250 sets of weekly notes in Word (generally Word 2000) format, or as whole New Testament books in PDF format. You need to be aware that some of the PDF files are quite large (as large as 2 Mb)."
I Timothy 1 in Latin: Read text and listen to audio simultaneously.
Idiom of the Day:
Spanish: "No hay nada tan atrevido como le ignorancia."
Literal English translation: "There is nothing more bold than ignorance."
English equivalent: "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread."
"Advice, Suggestions, Tips and Techniques for Learning Languages" from www.omniglot.com.
May 21, 2006
Quotations of the Day:
"All limits are self imposed." --Icarus
"There is nothing impossible to him who will try." --Alexander the Great
"That is the way with wise people--they are so wise and practical that they always know to a dot why something cannot be done; they always know the limitations. That is why I never employ an expert in full bloom. If ever I wanted to kill opposition by unfair means I would endow the opposition with experts. They would have so much good advice that I could be sure they would do little work." --Henry Ford, My Life and Work
"At first the "horseless carriage" was considered merely a freak notion and many wise people explained with particularity why it could never be more than a toy. No man of money even thought of it as a commercial possibility." --Henry Ford, My Life and Work
Book of the Day: My Life and Work, by Henry Ford
Health Question of the Day: What is a stroke?
How to Prevent a Stroke, Lifesaving Advice from One of the Country's Leading Stroke Specialists, by Patrick Lyden, MD, University of California, San Diego.
May 20, 2006
Quotations of the Day:
"SHUCHU RYOKU - Focus all your energy to one point." --Gozo Shioda, Quotations for Martial Artists, by John D. Moore, 2003.
"Power is not revealed by striking hard or often, but by striking true." --Honoré de Balzac, Quotations for Martial Artists, by John D. Moore, 2003.
"Sword and mind must be united. Technique by itself is insufficient, and spirit alone is not enough. --Yamada Jirokichi, Quotations for Martial Artists, by John D. Moore, 2003.
"The time to strike is when the opportunity presents itself." --6th Code of Isshinryu Karatedo, Quotations for Martial Artists, by John D. Moore, 2003.
"The immature mind hops from one thing to another; the mature mind seeks to follow through." --Harry Overstreet, The Mature Mind, New York; W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 1949, p. 215.
"...we gather clearness from seeing things in various relations." --Rufus Choate, Reminiscences of Rufus Choate, 1860.
Writer of the Day: Today is the birthday of Honoré de Balzac born in 1799. He is known to have spent 14 to 18 hours in writing. Out of his imagination came more than 2,000 named characters. His works paint a wide mosaic of life in Paris and France from 1820 to 1850. One of his grand ideas was that of a serialized multi-genre web of stories and novels that tied together many different lives, histories and events. His The Human Comedy was comprised of nearly 100 stories, novels and essays.
Books of the Day:
The Red Inn by Honoré de Balzac.
The Land of Contrasts, A Briton's View of His American Kin, by James Fullarton Muirhead.
Our Legal Heritage, 5th Ed., by S. A. Reilly, Copyright 2004
Here is a handy Calorie Calculator from runnersworld.com How many calories did you burn? Enter distance run, weight and voila!
May 19, 2006
Quote of the Day: "Knowledge is good. But it is merely a first step. Wisdom is when we take knowledge and apply it to life." --Mark Fenseke
Joke of the Day: "I used to work in a fire hydrant factory. You couldn't park anywhere near the place." --Steven Wright
Long Tongue Twister of the Day:
"Betty Botter had some butter,
"But, "she said, "this butter's bitter.
If I bake this bitter butter,
it would make my batter bitter.
But a bit of better butter--
that would make my batter better."
So she bought a bit of butter,
better than her bitter butter,
and she baked it in her batter,
and the batter was not bitter.
So 'twas better Betty Botter
bought a bit of better butter.
Betty better butter Brad's bread."
How about 400 Tongue Twisters?
How about some Articulation and Voice Exercises? Download as Word Document or View as HTML
STRATEGIES FOR EFFECTIVE AND DYNAMIC PRESENTATIONS, Prepared by Ellen Colton
Country of the Day: China, from the CIA World Fact Book. Excerpt:
"For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing the rest of the world in the arts and sciences, but in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the country was beset by civil unrest, major famines, military defeats, and foreign occupation. After World War II, the Communists under MAO Zedong established an autocratic socialist system that, while ensuring China's sovereignty, imposed strict controls over everyday life and cost the lives of tens of millions of people. After 1978, his successor DENG Xiaoping and other leaders focused on market-oriented economic development and by 2000 output had quadrupled. For much of the population, living standards have improved dramatically and the room for personal choice has expanded, yet political controls remain tight."
Interesting Facts of the Day:
1. China has a grand total of one political party, the Chinese Communist Party, which has eight registered small parties which are all controlled by the CCP.
2. China's manpower available for military service is estimated for 2005 to be 342,956,265 males age 18-49 and 324,701,244 females age 18-49.
3. China has 111 million internet users.
May 18, 2006
Superfoods Fight Heart Disease, Cancer, Diabetes and More, Steven Pratt, MD, University of California from BottomLineSecrets.com.
Question of the Day: Why are so many "old folks" grumpy so much of the time? Answer: Their body hurts so much of the time. Action Tips: 1. Be nice to them! 2. Take care of your own body--you will be old one day, too!
Meet economist real-life Robert J. Barro, Professor of Economics at Harvard. Find his full-text articles published in Business Week and the Wall Street Journal here.
Free Study Guides for many standardized tests used for admissions, licensing, and education/vocation assessment. Includes ACT, SAT, Nursing, much more.
18 Tricks to Teach Your Body, from Men's Health at health.msn.com.
May 17, 2006
Health Question of the Day: How efficient is the human body at turning food into energy? Find the answer here. Excerpt:
". . . a human being gets more than 300 miles per gallon!"
Geography Question of the Day: Given that the the continent of Africa is quite large at about 11,700,000 square miles, how many africas could you fit onto the earth's surface if you squeezed them, like puzzle pieces, side by side? Answer: Nearly 17 africas would fit on the surface of Planet Earth.
Chinese Village Provides Model for Prosperity from NPR.
Curious Books of the Day:
Journalism for Women, A Practical Guide, by E.A. Bennett.
Diary Written in the Provincial Lunatic Asylum, by Mary Huestis Pengilly, 1885.
Everybody's Guide to Money Matters, by William Cotton, 1898.
Free Library of the Day: The National Academies Press, "Read more than 3,000 books online FREE! More than 900 PDFs now available for sale." Has a handy "skim" function. What is the National Academies Press?
"The National Academies Press (NAP) was created by the National Academies to publish the reports issued by the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, the Institute of Medicine, and the National Research Council, all operating under a charter granted by the Congress of the United States. The NAP publishes more than 200 books a year on a wide range of topics in science, engineering, and health, capturing the most authoritative views on important issues in science and health policy. The institutions represented by the NAP are unique in that they attract the nation's leading experts in every field to serve on their award-winning panels and committees. This is the right place for definitive information on everything from space science to animal nutrition." -Source: http://www.nap.edu/about.html
May 16, 2006
Quotations of the Day:
"Be the change you want to see in the world." --Mahatma Gandhi
"Other people are like a mirror that reflects back on us the kind of image we cast. --Bishop Fulton J. Sheen, Old-Time Television, Compiled by Criswell Freeman, pg. 44.
"The root of all disease is fear. Fear of what? Fear of yourself. Become unafraid of yourself, and you lose your fear of other things. --Robert Young, Old-Time Television, Compiled by Criswell Freeman, pg. 46.
"The man of truly decided character, must be one who is capable of taking long and clear views into the future; but as the past is the only telescope through which the future can be seen, the man of truly decided character must be an incessant, and also a silent observer from his youth." -Familiar Letters to Young Men on Various Subjects, William. A. Alcott, pg. 189.
Interesting Fact of the Day: What is the world's second highest mountain peak? What is it's name? Find out at the Highest Mountain Peaks of the World.
Poet of the Day: Robert Burns and How to Know Him from Project Gutenberg.
Other Interesting Books of the Day:
Ancient and Modern Physics, by Thomas E. Willson.
A School History of the Great War from Project Gutenberg.
Interesting Maps for Today:
Check out a Map of Europe in 1913 at the start of World War I.
Map of German Colonies and locations of early naval engagements.
What is the purpose of kindergartens?
"The advantage to the community in utilizing the age from 4 to 6 in training the hand and eye; in developing the habits of cleanliness, politeness, self-control, urbanity, industry; in training the mind to understand numbers and geometric forms, to invent combinations of figures and shapes, and to represent them with the pencil—these and other valuable lessons…will, I think, ultimately prevail in securing to us the establishment of this beneficent institution in all the city school systems of our country." --Hon. William Harris, Commissioner of Education, "Free Kindergartens," circa 1897.
A Kindergarten Story Book, by Jane L. Hoxie, 1916.
Library of the Day: Making of America Books, Current online book holdings: 3,311,398 pages in 9,612 volumes.
May 15, 2006
Inspiration for Today:
"The more often you hand out smiles and love, cheer and charity, the more often it is placed into circulation to be exchanged by everyone. On a distant day, some of if will unexpectedly blow back to you and it will bring a much needed warmth to your heart." --China Sinclair
"Each day, and the living of it, has to be a conscious creation in which discipline and order are relieved with some play and pure foolishness." --May Sarton, The Joy of Not Working, pg. 198, by Ernie J. Zelinski.
"When I was a girl, if you'd have told me I'd be married to an Austrian-born, Republican bodybuilder whose big breakthrough was playing Conan the Barbarian, I would have laughed out loud. But that's what happened, and I'm still laughing. The love and the laughter are what you need most in your life. They'll fill out all the potholes in the road." --Maria Shriver, Ten Things I Wish I'd Known, pg. 115.
HOW TO KILL A LION ON A SNOWY DAY, by Ray C. Stedman, sermon given on November 4, 1973.
Free Audio Library of the Day: If you like expository preaching? Do you like digging into word meanings and imagining historical contexts? Then check out hundreds of archived topical messages at The Ray Stedman Library.
Today in 1856 author L. Frank Baum was born. He wrote The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
Question of the day: What is speed walking?
May 14, 2006
Speech of the Day: THE CONSERVATION OF ORES AND RELATED MINERALS, by Andrew Carnegie. Given in 1909 to a conference of governors.
Book of the Day: The Best American Humorous Short Stories
Heavy-duty Reading of the Day: Evolution of the Conservation Movement, 1850-1920. Proceedings of a Conference of Governors. Note from American Memory from the Library of Congress:
"This is the publication of the Conference of Governors held in the White House May 13-15, 1908 under the sponsorship of President Theodore Roosevelt. Gifford Pinchot, at that time Chief Forester of the U.S., was the primary mover of the conference. The focus of the conference was on natural resources and their proper use. President Roosevelt delivered the opening address: "Conservation as a National Duty." Among those speaking were leading industrialists, such as Andrew Carnegie and James J. Hill, politicians, and resource experts. Their speeches emphasized both the nation's need to exploit renewable resources and the differing situations of the various states, requiring different plans. This Conference was a seminal event in the history of conservationism; it brought the issue to public attention in a highly visible way. The next year saw two outgrowths of the Conference: the National Conservation Commission, which Roosevelt and Pinchot set up with representatives from the states and Federal agencies, and the First National Conservation Congress, which Pinchot led as an assembly of private conservation interests."
"The Virginia Records volumes were part of Jefferson's personal library. These volumes were very fragile when Jefferson first collected them, can only be handled with the greatest care today, and are generally not made available for researchers except in microfilm format. Their presentation here, online, makes this unacknowledged treasure widely available to the public for the first time in an easily accessible format." -from the Library of Congress
May 13, 2006
Cool Music of the Day: From the trailer of the upcoming movie An Inconvenient Truth, click here.
Free Desktop Download: Floating Rainbow Bubbles by Kevin Woolsey.
The Best Poem Ever?
SONNET 29, by William Shakespeare
When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes,
I all alone beweep my outcast state
And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries
And look upon myself and curse my fate,
Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
Featured like him, like him with friends possess'd,
Desiring this man's art and that man's scope,
With what I most enjoy contented least;
Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,
Haply I think on thee, and then my state,
Like to the lark at break of day arising
From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate;
For thy sweet love remember'd such wealth brings
That then I scorn to change my state with kings.
What do you think is the best poem ever? Tell us which one and why it is at theinspirationstore@gmail.com .
Quote of the Day: "There is only one valuable thing in art: the thing you cannot explain." -Georges Braque (1882-1963)
May 12, 2006
Today is the birthday Edward Lear born in 1812. He was an illustrator and writer of children's poems. Here's one:
There was a Young Lady whose eyes
Were unique as to color and size;
When she opened them wide, people all turned aside,
And started away in surprise.
-from A Book of Nonsense
Encouragement of the Day: Faithful Servants are Honored from Faith's Checkbook by C. H. Spurgeon.
Biography of the Day: The Life & Works of C.H. Spurgeon by Henry Davenport Northrop.
Free Library of the Day: Classic Christianity Public Domain Books
Article of the Day: An Open Letter on Translating, by Dr. Martin Luther, written on September 8, 1530. Highlights only here.
May 11, 2006
Quotations of the Day from Fifteen Thousand Useful Phrases at Project Gutenberg.
"The first merit which attracts in the pages of a good writer, or the talk
of a brilliant conversationalist, is the apt choice and contrast of the
words employed. It is indeed a strange art to take these blocks rudely
conceived for the purpose of the market or the bar, and by tact of
application touch them to the finest meanings and distinctions."
-Robert Louis Stevenson
"It is with words as with sunbeams, the more they are condensed, the deeper
they burn."
-Southey
"Words are things; and a small drop of ink, falling like dew upon a
thought, produces that which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think."
-Byron
Word of the day: Slugabed
For the serious student of the Bible: History's Most Renown Bible Commentary Writers including Calvin, Darby, Geneva, Gill, Jamieson, Faussett, and Brown, Lightfoot, Johnson, Luther, Matthew Henry Complete, Spurgeon, Matthew Henry Concise, McGarvey and Pendleton, McGee, & Wesley.
The Complete The Treasury of David by Charles H. Spurgeon
For word-freaks only: 29 words to know from Word of the Day Archive from May 1999.
For the Crossword Puzzle Impaired: Tips for Solving Cryptic Crossword Puzzles
Daily Crossword from Merriam-Webster Online.
Health Question of the Day: Can asparagus be eaten raw? Answer from asparagus.org:
"Although most people prefer asparagus cooked in some way, it is perfectly safe to eat asparagus raw. Just rinse it well in warm water to remove any sand and serve cold with a dip."
Asparagus contains glutathione. Excerpt from asparagus nutrition page:
"Glutathione (GSH) is one of the most potent anticarcinogens and antioxidants found within the body. GSH is used to detoxify carcinogenic electrophiles and protect cells from oxidative damage, thereby preventing damage to DNA and other macromolecules. Thus, GSH acts as an initial and primary defense against chemicals that can cause cell transformation and/or cell death. Asparagus had the highest GSH content of the several foods tested."
Want to know the Approximate pH (acidity) of Foods and Food products? We thought so. Here is a comprehensive list from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Want to be an expert on water? Read the Water Science Glossary of Terms from the U.S. Geological Survey.
The Water Cycle summary: Text with pictures from the U.S. Geological Survey.
Eat Like the Greeks By Dr. Donald Colbert, M.D.
May 10, 2006
Book of the Day: The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame. The author described his book as a book . . .
"of life, sunshine, running water, woodlands, dusty roads, winter firesides, free of problems, clear of the clash of sex, of life as it might fairly be supposed to be regarded by some of the wise, small things 'that glide in grasses and rubble of woody wreck."
So was the President of The Confederate States of America a good speaker? You decide: Speeches of the Hon. Jefferson Davis, of Mississippi-Delivered During the Summer of 1858, from Project Gutenberg.
Interesting Fact of the Day: Jefferson Davis, the youngest of 10 children, died in New Orleans, Louisiana.
What is Flicker? It is a place to download and share your photos for free. Create public or private albums. Share with family. Here is Kevin's stab at it.
A tool for advertisers: Want to know how many times someone typed in a particular keyword search into Yahoo's search engine recently? Click here for an instant search tool from Overture.
Example: A search on "flower" reveals that 727,532 searches were done on the phrase "send flower" in the month of March 2006. This was the top search on the list of about 50 "flower" related searches.
What is a colocation center?
Find the toll-free number to any business in America at AnyWho.com.
May 9, 2006
Fact of the day: In 2002, 646 people died from falling on the same level they were on from slipping, tripping, and stumbling. So, what are your odds of dying due to injury? Click here to find statistics from the National Safety Council to answer questions such as, "What are the odds of being killed by lightning?" or "What are the chances of dying in a plane crash?"
10 Most Common Causes of Accidental Death in America from SoYouWanna.com
"There are so many interesting ways to die in America, that we felt it was just wrong to limit it to the most frequent causes, which are all boring diseases and infections and stuff. (Except in Alaska, where suicide generally makes it into the top ten.) You want to hear about the terrible calamities, the tragic consequences of an error in judgment or a general lack of coordination. Do we ever disappoint?"
An Interview with a former slave, Ester Green. Us Chillun Wore Shoes Like Grownups, from the "WPA Slave Narrative Project." This is the first offering of this interview in digital format. It was transcribed by Kevin Woolsey of TheInspirationStore.com. Excerpt:
"When all de niggers was freed, massa called em up to de house and tole dem dat dey was loose to go wherever suited dem, but mos' of dem stayed on de place two or three weeks, and den one mornin' I woke up and all of dem had left durin' de night. I was de only nigger left on de place and I jus' cried and cried, mostly because I was jus' lonesome for some of my own kind to laugh and tak wid."
"I don' remember exactly what I did after de Surrender,"
"I's a member of de Mobile Delare Baptist Church, but I can't attent very regular 'count of bein' all crippled up wid de rheumatisms. I recond dat ailing is natural though, cause I been here a long time and I's got forty grandchilluns and more dan dat many great-grandchilluns."
May 8, 2006
Who was Paul Laurence Dunbar? In short, he was the first African American writer to make a living from his writing.
The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar was released this week by Project Gutenberg. Excerpt:
"So far as I could remember, Paul Dunbar was the only man of pure African blood and of American civilization to feel the negro life aesthetically and express it lyrically."
A Brief Biography on Paul Laurence Dunbar here.
History Connection of the Day: Paul Dunbar's mother was a washerwomen. One of her clients was the Wright family of whom Wilber and Orville attended Dayton's Central High School with Dunbar.
May 7, 2006
Interesting Fact of the Day: On an average day, there is ten times more water in the earth's atmosphere that in all the rivers of the world combined. -Source: Department of the Interior, Geological Survey.
What is The U.S. Department of the Interior? What do they do? Among other things they:
1. Manage 504 million acres of surface land, or about one-fifth of the land in the United States
2. Manage 471 dams and 348 reservoirs that deliver irrigation water to one of every five western farmers and proide water for 31 million people
3. Produce more than 55,000 different maps via the U.S. Geological Survey scientists.
Writer's Quote for Today:
"I don't believe in intuition. When you get sudden flashes of perception, it is just the brain working faster than usual. But you've been getting ready to know it for a long time, and when it comes, you feel you've known it always." -Katherine Anne Porter (1894 - 1980)
Prolific Speaker/Writer of the Day Award goes to John Wesley (1703-1791). He is said to have preached 40,000 sermons in his lifetime.
THE COMPLETE WORKS OF JOHN WESLEY including complete commentary on the whole Bible, chapter by chapter. Excerpts from his commentary on I Corinthians 13, also known as "The Love Chapter":
(v. 4) The love of God, and of our neighbour for God's sake, is patient toward, all men. It, suffers all the weakness, ignorance, errors, and infirmities of the children of God; all the malice and wickedness of the children of the world: and all this, not only for a time, but to the end.
(v. 7) (Love) endureth all things - Whatever the injustice, the malice, the cruelty of men can inflict. He can not only do, but likewise suffer, all things, through Christ who strengtheneth him.
(v. 8) Whether there be tongues, they shall cease - One language shall prevail among all the inhabitants of heaven, and the low and imperfect languages of earth be forgotten. The knowledge likewise which we now so eagerly pursue, shall then vanish away - As starlight is lost in that of the midday sun, so our present knowledge in the light of eternity.
(v. 12) Now we see - Even the things that surround us. But by means of a glass - Or mirror, which reflects only their imperfect forms, in a dim, faint, obscure manner; so that our thoughts about them are puzzling and intricate, and everything is a kind of riddle to us. But then - We shall see, not a faint reflection, but the objects themselves. Face to face - Distinctly. Now I know in part - Even when God himself reveals things to me, great part of them is still kept under the veil. But then I shall know even as also I am known - In a clear, full, comprehensive manner; in some measure like God, who penetrates the center of every object, and sees at one glance through my soul and all things.
Need to do a Bible word study? Check out VINCENT'S NEW TESTAMENT WORD STUDIES complete text with instant search feature.
Travel back in time with Sketches of Jewish Social Life. The ambitious object of this book's author, Alfred Edersheim, was to "transport the reader into the land of Palestine at the time of our Lord and of His apostles."
Initiation into Literature, by Emile Faguet. Translated from the French, from Project Gutenberg. From author's introduction:
"This volume, as indicated by the title, is designed to show the way to
the beginner, to satisfy and more especially to excite his initial
curiosity. It affords an adequate idea of the march of facts and of
ideas. The reader is led, somewhat rapidly, from the remote origins to
the most recent efforts of the human mind."
Initiation into Philosophy, by Emile Faguet. Also from Project Gutenberg.
THE GOLDEN VERSES OF PYTHAGORAS. Here are "The Best of" excerpts.
5. Of all the rest of mankind, make him thy friend who distinguishes himself by his virtue.
6. Always give ear to his mild exhortations, and take example from his virtuous and useful actions.
25. Let no man either by his words, or by his deeds, ever seduce thee.
32. in no wise neglect the health of thy body;
33. But give it drink and meat in due measure, and also the exercise of which it has need.
54. Thou wilt likewise know, that men draw upon themselves their own misfortunes voluntarily, and of their own free choice.
55. Unhappy that they are! They neither see nor understand that their good is near them.
56. Few know how to deliver themselves out of their misfortunes.
57. Such is the fate that blinds mankind, and takes away his senses.
"On May 7, 1915, a German submarine sank the British ocean liner Lusitania, drowning 1,198 civilians. Over 100 U.S. citizens were among the dead." From the Library of Congress-read more here.
May 6, 2006
The 10 Most Redeeming Films of 2005 from www.christianitytoday.com/movies . Excerpt:
"What do we mean by "redeeming" films? They're all stories of redemption—sometimes blatantly, sometimes less so. Several of them literally have a character that represents a redeemer. And with some of them, the redemption thread is buried beneath the surface; you might have to look a bit harder for it, but it's most certainly there. Some of them are "feel-good" movies that leave a smile on your face; some might leave you with more of a contemplative frown, asking, "How should I process that?"
What is barley? Ruth 3:16 from the Bible mentions that Boaz gave Ruth a gift of more than 50 pounds of barley. Click here for a no-stone-left-unturned article from The World's Healthiest Foods.
Are numbers important? The Piraha tribe of Brazil lacks the ability to count past 2 or 3 and cannot draw straight lines. Link to article from BBC News.
30 most popular pet names from InfoPlease.com
10 ways to ease your boredom at work from Crabby office lady.
I Think I'm Stupid Video from Crabby Office Lady. View at 300K View at 100K View at 56K
Have trouble creating letters? Go here: Microsoft Office Template Page.
Poem of the Day:
THE KID WHO DIDN’T FOCUS
The kid who didn't focus,
Forgot to tie his shoe.
The kid who didn't focus,
Never learned kung-fu.
The kid who didn't focus,
Didn't hear his teacher well.
The kid who didn't focus,
Never learned to spell.
The kid who didn't focus,
Ran smack into the wall,
It made him feel like
A squish-squashed plastic ball.
The kid who didn't focus,
Got hit crossing the street
By a pink and yellow bicycle,
It knocked out all his teeth.
The kid who didn't focus,
Always got in trouble,
Because he could not obey
Instant on the double.
So focus, focus, focus
And you will learn real well,
Focus all your mind,
You might get smart,
Who can tell?
by Kevin Woolsey
Fact of the Day: The Hindenberg was about the size of the Titanic. It was on this day in 1937 that a horrible disaster happened on this hydrogen-filled airship. Click here for a well-written article by Steve King in The Writer's Almanac.
Quote of the Day:
"The wealth and glory of the ungodly are a vain show. This pompous appearance flashes out for an hour and then is extinguished." -Charles H. Spurgeon, Faith's Checkbook, May 6th entry
May 5, 2006
Fact of the day: In 1883, only eleven people attended the funeral of Karl Marx. Source: The Writers Almanac, May 5, 2006, by Steve King.
Recipe of the day: White Bean and Winter Tarragon Soup . Learn about the history of tarragon here as well. Excerpt:
"Tarragon is called the "King of Herbs" by the French, and with good reason. It is the main flavoring in many of the sauces that form the foundation of classic French cuisine . . ."
"Tarragon was used by the ancient Greeks as a remedy for toothache. Today we know that tarragon contains an anesthetic chemical, eugenol, which is the major constituent of anesthetic clove oil, making its use for temporary pain relief understandable. During medieval times there was a belief, called the Doctrine of Signatures, which stated that an herb's appearance revealed its medicinal value. According to this philosophy, tarragon was thought to cure snake bites, due to the serpentine shape of its roots."
How about a ranking of 167 countries with the MOST freedom of the press to NO freedom of the press? This is the most recent "Press Freedom Index". It was compiled by the organization Reporters Without Borders. Excerpt from article:
"North Korea once again comes bottom of the Reporters Without Borders fourth annual World Press Freedom Index, released today. It is closely followed in the 167-country list by Eritrea (166th) and Turkmenistan (165th), which are other “black holes” for news where the privately-owned media is not allowed and freedom of expression does not exist."
"Journalists there simply relay government propaganda. Anyone out of step is harshly dealt with. A word too many, a commentary that deviates from the official line or a wrongly-spelled name and the author may be thrown in prison or draw the wrath of those in power. Harassment, psychological pressure, intimidation and round-the-clock surveillance are routine."
May 4, 2006
Today is the birthday of education reformer Horace Mann, born in 1796. Here are sample samples of his thinking:
"A teacher who is attempting to teach without inspiring the pupil with a desire to learn is hammering on cold iron."
"Resolve to edge in a little reading every day, if it is but a single sentence. If you gain fifteen minutes a day, it will make itself felt at the end of the year."
"If any man seeks for greatness, let him forget greatness and ask for truth, and he will find both.""Habit is a cable; we weave a thread of it each day, and at last we cannot break it."
"LOST: Somewhere between sunrise and sunset, two golden hours, each set with sixty diamond minutes. No reward is offered, for they are gone forever."
Word of the day:
Transmogrify (Trans-MOG-ruh-fy) verb. To change into a different shape; to transform.
"Yours, in tribulation,
ALONZO TARBOX.
P. S.--Be sure and see that the printer spells my name rightly, and
don't transmogrify it into "TREEBOX," as a beast of a Treasury Clerk did
the other day." -from Punchinello, Vol. 1, No. 14, July 2, 1870, by Various"I picked his picture out in a moment at Police
Headquarters, after seeing his reflection in the mirror. I knew it
was necessary to surprise him, and so I borrowed the photograph and
used it to transmogrify the queen of spades card. Just for an
instant he lost his nerve, but that was enough." -from The Gates of Chance
by Van Tassel SutphenMore examples of this word in use at Dictionary.com.
Study on: Search Engine Users. Internet searchers are confident, satisfied and trusting – but they are also unaware and naïve. Source: Pew Internet & American Life Project. Extract:
"Internet users are very positive about their online search experiences.
Search engines are highly popular among internet users. Searching the internet is one of
the earliest activities people try when they first start using the internet, and most users
quickly feel comfortable with the act of searching. Users paint a very rosy picture of their
online search experiences. They feel in control as searchers; nearly all express confidence
in their searching skills. They are happy with the results they find; again, nearly all report
that they are usually successful in finding what they’re looking for. And searchers are
very trusting of search engines, the vast majority declaring that search engines are a fair
and unbiased source of information."
Differences between men & women using search engines:
"More men than women use search engines and are familiar with some of the
controversial issues about search engines. Men search more frequently than women.
They have a higher opinion of themselves as searchers than women do, despite being no
more successful in finding what they’re looking for. They also tend to stick more often to
a single engine, while women have a few favorites."
Internet Searchers: Summary of Findings at a Glance:
"Internet users are very positive about their online search experiences.
Most searchers use search engines conservatively.
Most searchers are naïve about search engines and search results.
Internet users turn to search engines for both important and trivial questions.
Men are more intense and savvy searchers than women.
Young users are more avid, committed, and trusting searchers than older users."Source: Deborah Fallows. Search Engine Users. Washington, DC: Pew Internet & American Life Project, Jan.,
2005
May 3, 2006
Stay Healthy Tips of the Day: The five foods you need to stop eating now!
Question of the Day: What makes people poor? To join in this discussion email here: theinspirationstore@gmail.com
Identifying the Rural Poor and Their Ability to Invest in Agriculture: Implications from Quantitative and Qualitative Data from Western Kenya. Excerpt from this study:
What makes people poor are several of many possible factors, ranging from external shocks, to levels of assets/skills, to personal behavior and attitude.
In order of importance:
Laziness
No children/relatives to help
No employment
Alcoholism
Drought/hail
Small farms
HIV/AIDS
Malaria
Too many children
Physical handicaps
Today is the birthday of Jacob Riis author of How the Other Half Lives: Studies Among the Tenements of New York.
Our Communicator of the Day Award goes to President Bill Clinton. Here is a model of his clarity and use of a speech to focus on real world issues. Speech: The Opportunity for Private Citizens to Effect Positive Change in an Increasingly Interdependent World .
From the Clinton Foundation Newsletter dated today, May 3, 2006, regarding their upcoming announcement for guidelines on nutrition for schoolchildren: Bill Clinton had this to say:
"I was overweight when I was a child -- I weighed 210 pounds by the time I turned 15. Even during the years I ran 20-25 miles a week, I weighed less but still had clogged arteries. Now I've experienced the effects of cardiovascular disease firsthand."
"Everyday, 54 million young people attend nearly 123,000 schools around the country. Reading, writing, and arithmetic aren't the only things they learn. The food we consume as young people influences our eating habits for the rest of our lives, and if we can teach kids to eat healthier food, we can make them healthier adults."
Want to email a congressman? Here is a good place to start: Congressional Directory: Browse 109th Congress
May 2, 2006
The back health tip of the day comes from a visit to the office of Community Chiropractic & Harrie E Wolverton, DC, a 1985 graduate of Palmer College. Since leg muscle and ligament balance has much to do with back health, Dr. Wolverton was asked about the proper way to stretch tight legs after prolonged sitting. The following are his recommendations:
To stretch the hamstrings, place your foot on top of the seat of a chair, then stretch your leg, not by bending your whole body forward, but by bending from the hip, keeping your back in its natural curve (upright) position.
Pick up a scrap 2X4 from Lowe's, long enough to place in a doorway of your home. Place the front part of your feet on the 2X4, using your hands on the doorway for balance as needed. Coming down to the floor with the balls of your feet will stretch your calf muscles, while going up and standing on the fore of your foot will tighten the calf muscles. This tightening also "sends a message" to the rest of your back where the muscles should be positioned.
The above information is not intended to be given as professional medical advise. It has not been reviewed by Dr. Wolverton or any trained medical professional. It is only intended to aid in self-help health and awareness. Please consult a trained professional for your specific physical and medical needs.
Feet give us the wonderful gift of mobility. Here is a brief article on the Anatomy of a Foot (no, this is not the name of a recently released blockbuster movie.) Excerpt:
The human foot combines mechanical complexity and structural strength. The ankle serves as foundation, shock absorber, and propulsion engine. The foot can sustain enormous pressure (several tons over the course of a one-mile run) and provides flexibility and resiliency.
The foot and ankle contain:
--26 bones (one-quarter of the bones in the human body);
--33 joints;
--more than 100 muscles, tendons (fibrous tissues that connect muscles to bones), and ligaments (fibrous tissues that connect bones to other bones); and
--a network of blood vessels, nerves, skin, and soft tissue.
These components work together to provide the body with support, balance, and mobility. A structural flaw or malfunction in any one part can result in the development of problems elsewhere in the body. Abnormalities in other parts of the body can lead to problems in the feet.
Today is the day that the first edition of the King James Bible was published in 1611. It was the product of 54 linguists. They felt that the "sound" of the language was vital in their translation. Before the KJV, the Bible of choice was the Puritan Geneva Bible because of it's plain, direct and vigorous language. This is the Bible read by Shakespeare, Donne and Bunyan, author of Pilgrim's Progress. This is also the Bible that accompanied the Mayflower on it's voyage to America.
Here is an excerpt from the Puritan Geneva Bible of 1599:
Psalme 23
A Psalme of David. The Lord is my shepheard, I shall not want. He maketh 2
me to rest in greene pasture, and leadeth me by the still waters. He restoreth my 3
soule, and leadeth me in the paths of righteousnesse for his Names sake. Yea, 4
though I should walke through the valley of the shadowe of death, I will feare no
euill: for thou art with me: thy rod and thy staffe, they comfort me. Thou doest 5
prepare a table before me in the sight of mine aduersaries: thou doest anoynt
mine head with oyle, and my cuppe runneth ouer. Doubtlesse kindnesse and 6
mercie shall follow me all the dayes of my life, and I shall remaine a long season
in the house of the Lord.
The site that originally published the full text of the Geneva Bible 1599 is no longer running. To download a copy of the complete text to archive on your computer, go here.
John Calvin wins the Communicator of the Day Award from TheInspirationStore.com. Here is a condensed version of the Institution of the Christian Religion. Excerpt:
"It is evident that man never attains to a true self-knowledge until after he has contemplated the face of God,
and come down after such contemplation to look into himself.""It is beyond dispute that there exists in the human mind, and indeed by
natural instinct, some sense of deity. As Cicero, though a pagan, tells
us, there is no nation so brutish as not to be imbued with the
conviction that there is a God. Even idolatry is an evidence of this
fact. But, though experience teaches that a seed of religion is divinely
sown in all, few cherish it in the heart. Some lose themselves in
superstitious observances; others, of set purpose, wickedly revolt from
God; and many think of God against their will, never approaching Him
without being dragged into His presence."
May 1, 2006
Instant Bible passage lookup from BibleGateway.com. Compare five versions/languages instantly.
Encouragement for those who have lost loved ones from Manna-Fest: Program # 288-. A man who had a conversation with Jesus concerning the unjust death of his daughter. Jesus explains scripture to this man.
"What Jesus Revealed About Death" Excerpt:
"Get a revelation of heaven. Heaven is more real than earth. Heaven is a full society. . . It's a mirrored image to this earth, without the pain. It's got houses, trees, animals, nations, cities."
--Pastor Walter Hallam
Robert Louis Stevenson's Kidnapped began to be published in Young Folks magazine today in 1886. The Life of Robert Louis Stevenson for Boys and Girls is a shorter biography from Project Gutenberg. Excerpt:
"For fourteen years I have not had a day's real health. I have wakened
sick and gone to bed weary, and I have done my work unflinchingly. I
have written in bed, and written out of it, written in hemorrhages,
written in sickness, written torn by coughing, written when my head swam
for weakness, and for so long, it seems to me I have won my wager and
recovered my glove. I am better now, have been, rightly speaking, since
I first came to the Pacific; and still few are the days when I am not in
some physical distress."
The Empire State Building
The Empire State Building, New York, New York,
Samuel H. Gottscho, photographer, January 8, 1934.
On May 1, 1931, with the press of a button in Washington, D.C., President Herbert Hoover turned on the lights of the Empire State Building. This event officially opened the edifice, at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 34th Street in New York City, to the public. At 102 stories, it reigned as the world's tallest skyscraper until 1974.
In 1929, a corporation which included Alfred E. Smith (former Governor of New York) and John Jacob Raskob (financial captain behind the growth of General Motors), and others formed to construct the Empire State Building. Excavation began in January of the following year, construction commenced in March, and Smith laid its cornerstone in September. The steel framework rose at a rate of 4 1/2 stories per week. The building's construction was completed in a phenomenal one year and 45 days.
Upon its completion, the 1454-foot Empire State Building became an icon for all things New York. Its Art Deco lobby presented 10,000 square feet of marble and its mast, currently a TV tower, was originally intended as a mooring for dirigibles. It has been featured in scores of stories and films, perhaps the most the most famous being the 1933 production of King Kong starring Fay Wray.
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