| Saturday, September 6, 2008 |
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| Robert Pirsig and his Bike |
SpotlightZen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is probably the most popular philosophy book of the seventies — and still going strong — with more than five million copies sold worldwide. It appears in Guinness World Records as the bestselling book rejected by the largest number of publishers (121). The story of the seventeen-day journey of a father and his son across the United States from Minneapolis, Minnesota, to California, is described by author Robert Pirsig as a kind of Chautauqua — a series of talks designed to educate and entertain. Happy birthday to Pirsig, who turns 80 today.
Quote"The only Zen you can find on the tops of mountains is the Zen you bring up there."
Question of the DayWhat is a zen parable?
A zen parable is a short story open for interpretation by the reader or listener. There is no right or wrong interpretation as each person hearing it will interpret it from the perspective of his or her own life and circumstances.
Word of the daytutelage
The noun has 2 meanings:
Meaning #1: teaching pupils individually (usually by a tutor hired privately)
Synonyms: tuition, tutorship
Meaning #2: attention and management implying responsibility for safety
Synonyms: care, charge, guardianship
Back to school! After "I love you," these may be the three words that inspire the most excitement. This week we'll look at some words relating to education.
Today's History
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| Saint Petersburg |
- William McKinley: US president was shot; he died 8 days later (1901)
- Queen Juliana: popular monarch assumed the throne of the Netherlands, which she retained until 1980 (1948)
- Saint Petersburg: the original name was restored after the Russian city had been Leningrad since 1924 (1991)
Today's Birthdays
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| Jeff Foxworthy |
- Marie-Joseph Lafayette (1757-1834): French general who aided colonists in the American Revolution
- Roger Waters (65): rock artist, Pink Floyd; musicians Macy Gray (41) and Foxy Brown (29) share this birth date
- Jeff Foxworthy (50): actor, comedian and host of Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?; other actors born on this date include JoAnne Worley (71), Swoosie Kurtz (64), Jane Curtin (61), Rosie Perez (44) and Justin Whalin (34)
- Elizabeth Vargas (46): broadcast journalist, 20/20
