Nattering on

[magid]

Last Thursday's lecture at the OSMH was given by Joyce Chaplin about Benjamin Franklin's map of the Gulf Stream, which was the first one published, in 1768. Before then, there had been descriptions written of trade winds, but not of the currents. Benjamin had always been fascinated by the sea, and on his mother's side was related to many people in the maritime trades (most of them based in Nantucket). So he had many knowledgeable people available when he went looking for information, particularly Timothy Folger, a ship captain. As to why then, not only were the British encouraging the publication of better charts, to encourage trade, Franklin was under pressure from the authorities for living in London while being the postmaster general for the colonies (and a political thorn in many politicians' sides). This map helped speed the mails across the Atlantic. It was first printed in Braitain for packet boats to the colonies. It was overprinted on a 1702 chart. Later editions of the map (1782 and 1786) included more detail, focusing more on the northern US and crossing the Atlantic (though stopping before the branching of the Gulf Stream). The 1782 edition was in French, a gesture towards our allies in the Revolution as peace talks were happening in Paris. The last edition was printed to accompany Franklin's essay "Maritime Observations," in which he included the temperature measurements he took (air and water) in and out of the Gulf Stream.

Signs of spring: Friday I saw crocusi and snowdrops blooming. Today I wore sandals outside.

I saw the lobby of The Newbry today, and was fascinated by the ten* murals of historical incidents around Boston. There's Samoset welcoming Pilgrims (who already have a big house built; somehow this doesn't seem quite right), George Washington organizing troops on Cambridge Common, Paul Revere riding to warn the townspeople, the meetings that lead to the Boston Tea Party (held in the Old South Meeting House; it was interesting to see a place I've become somewhat familiar with in an old mural), the launching of the USS Constitution, and more. Also of interest: to balance the clock on one wall, there's a dial showing from which direction the wind is blowing.
* Why is it that after so many years on the base 10 system, there's not a good word for 10 of something, like dozen is for 12?

Another Purim moment: the Ricer Rav, Reb Ozo, first female Sephardi rabbi. How do we know this is a good thing? "Orzo ruach la'tzaddik". (With thanks to Gnomi.)

I had to make a pie for the Purim seudah today, since it is π day. (Improv strawberry-blueberry, which happily worked.) Mmmm.... pie.
[Hilchot Pi Day:

1. On that day, one should eat pie. If one is unable to eat pie, one should eat round foods. Praised are those who eat pie and other round foods.
   
2. When should one eat pie? On that day, during the daytime. Bait Hillel says at 3:14. Bait Shammai says at 1:59. Cookie Monster says, all day long (since it is only cookies that are a sometimes food).
   
3. All kinds of pie are permissible, if they are round. It is preferable to eat round foods than a square pie. ]

I didn't know the paragraph sign had a particular name! Cool. It's the pilcrow sign (which I first read as "pillow sign," what I'd need for a nap).
(And for my future reference, here's a nice list of HTML special characters. ["Special characters" sound like a particular group in a novel.])

On the difference between church and state.

The town of Hamilton!, OH, looks like a factorial to me, maybe by multiplying $10 ⋅ $5 ⋅ $1 = $50? (Which is to say, Hamilton! = Grant. Or should that be Hamilton != Grant?)

Comments

[queue.livejournal.com]

Why is it that after so many years on the base 10 system, there's not a good word for 10 of something, like dozen is for 12?

Decade. AHD lists the second definition as a group or series of 10. If you want to make people not immediately think you're talking about years, you could try using decad.

[magid.livejournal.com]

Let me rephrase: there's not a good, common word for 10 of something. I am one of those who assume decade refers to years.

And "decad" makes me think of some accent or another, with some discussion of how that horrible guy just stood the other person up, de cad.

[queue.livejournal.com]

maybe by multiplying $10 ⋅ $5 ⋅ $1 = $50

You're forgetting the two-dollar bill.

[magid.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

That would mean Hamilton! = Franklin, then.