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Yoga Korunta

Life & Politics

Name:
Location: United States

One learns, as nothing endures but change.

28 February 2006

Tuesday's Word

poverty* \'pav-ert-e\ n, often attrib [ME poverte, fr. OF poverte, fr. L paupertat-, paupertas, fr. pauper poor -- more at POOR] 1 a : the state of one who lacks a usual or socially acceptable amount of money or material possessions b : renunciation as a member of the religious order of the right as an individual to own property 2 : SCARCITY, DEARTH 3 a : debility due to malnutrition b : lack of fertility <~of the soil>
syn POVERTY, INDIGENCE, PENURY, WANT, DESTITUTION shared meaning element : the state of one with insufficient resources ant riches
Ohio workers depend on public benefits
Wal-Mart, McDonald's employees top list
Julie Carr Smith, Plain Dealer Bureau
Columbus--Wal-Mart and McDonald's top a new state list of Ohio employers who send the most people to the Medicaid, food stamp and welfare rolls.
The much-anticipated Ohio Department of Job and Family Services review was ordered amid pressure from legislators, advocates and the press, questioning why Medicaid spending is eating up an ever-increasing share of the state budget.
To read the full article, see http://www.plaind.com, 25 FEB 2006.
Ohio is run by the GOP. We have the Worst Governor in the Nation, see blog of 21 NOV 2005.
*Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary

21 February 2006

Tuesday's Word

Manichaeism* "...was one of the major ancient religions of Iranian-origin. Though its organized form is mostly extinct today, a revival has been attempted under the name of Neo-Manichaeism. However, most of the writings of the founding prophet Mani have been lost. Some scholars and anti-Catholic polemicists argue that its influence subtly continues in Western Christian thought via Saint Augustine of Hippo, who converted to Christianity from Manichaeism, which he passionately denounced in his writings, and whose writing continues to be enormously influential among Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox theologians. "

"Because Manichaeism is a faith that teaches dualism, in modern English the word 'manichean' has come to mean dualistic, presenting or viewing things in a 'black and white' fashion."

Hmmm...who do we know who sees complex issues in an oversimplified, Flat Earth, Bible thumping, "With us or against us," chickenhawk, cowboy mentality? Why, our Boy George, of course!

This week's Word comes at the suggestion of Douglas Hoffman, blogger and healer par excellence!

For more on Manichaeism's origins, theology, expansion, relation to orthodox Christianity, criticisms, references, and external links, see http://en.wikipedia.org.

*Wikipedia

14 February 2006

Tuesday's Word

humanism*An attitude of the mind that accompanied the flowering of the Renaissance. The term refers to several varied literary and scholarly activities inspired by the study of antiquity but differing in aim and scope. Humanism in the Renaissance took its name from the studia humanitatis, those studies (grammar, rhetoric, poetry, history, and moral philosophy) that were thought to possess human value: the ability to make man a fully realized human creature, elevated and distinct from the lower animals. The ancient writers of Greece and Rome were particularly revered, as it was felt that they had excelled in such studies and would thus be of value in teaching the modern Christian how to attain the perfections of life. This aspect of humanism, sometimes called the Revival of Antiquity, includes the study of the classics; editorial and philological work on ancient texts; the search of enthusiasts for unknown but extant manuscripts, statues, medals, and coins; the writing of modern works in classical Latin; and the teaching of the classics in universities and to the children of the nobility.

Our English term humanists, used to designate the participants in the above-mentioned activities, is derived from the Italian word umanista, which was first used in the late 16th century to describe a university teacher of the humanities. Renaissance humanist include scholars and poets such as Petrarch, often called the first humanist; instigators of "the revival" such as the Greek scholar Chrysoloras; the philologists Valla and Erasmus; archaeologists and antiquarians such as Poggio and Ciriaco; the educators Vittorino of Feltre and Guarino of Verona; philosophers and antiquarians such as Poggio and Ciriaco of Verona; philosophers, historians, and men of letters such as Pius II and Leonardo Bruni; and a host of secretaries, chancellors, legates, and other royal advisors who, having imbibed the spirit of the period, used their mastery of eloquence in practical labors. Outstanding English humanists during the Renaissance were More, Elyot, and Ascham.

The origins of humanism have been found to lie in introduction of Greek studies into Italy by refugee and other visiting scholars from the Byzantine world and in the economic flowering of the Italian city-states, which provided the necessary wealth and leisure for cultural activities. From Italy, humanism spread north to France, England, the Netherlands, and Germany as well as Spain. By the time of its arrival in the northern countries, however, the purely cultural aims gave way to the needs of the Reformation; theological disputation and educational theory assumed greater importance than the study and imitation of pagan authors and text. In succeeding centuries, the influence of humanism persisted mainly in the school cirricula.

Modern humanism (see New Humanism) only vaguely resembles the Renaissance brand, and is primarily a secular philosophy devoted to the propagation of a self-sufficient system of human values.

07 February 2006

Tuesday's Word

1class* \'klas\ n, often attrib [F classe, fr. L classis group called to arms, class of citizens; akin to L calare to call -- more at LOW] 1 a : a group sharing the same economic or social status b : social rank; esp : high social rank c : high quality : ELEGANCE 2 a : a course of instruction b : a body of students meeting regularly to study the same subject c : the alumni whose year of graduation is the same 3 : a group, set, or biological taxonomy ranking above the order and below the phyllum or division b : a group of adjacent and discrete or continuous values of a random variable c : SET19 4 : a division or rating based on grade or quality

2class vt : CLASSIFY

This week's Word comes by way of the lovely Sarah Jackson, trusted consultant and advisor. "My men believe in Honor, Truth, and Justice." Golly, who does this leave out!?!

*Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary


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