The story of how St. Matthias was elected to replace Judas Iscariot as one of the 12 apostles after Judas committed suicide can be found in the Bible’s Book of Acts. There is no historical record of Matthias’s deeds or death. His fame rests almost entirely upon the fact that he took the betrayer Judas’ place, although legend claims that he was stoned and beheaded in Ethiopia in 64 CE. Episcopalians celebrate his feast day on February 24. Discuss
Month: February 2022
Steve Jobs (1955)
Now a household name known the world over for his role in the technological revolution of recent decades at the helm of Apple Inc., Jobs was once a college dropout tinkering with computer parts in his parents’ garage. It was there that he and Stephen Wozniak founded Apple in 1976 and built their first computers. Jobs left Apple in 1985 but returned in 1996 and played a key role in reviving the financially ailing company, reconfirming his reputation as an industry visionary. What is a Stevenote? Discuss
say again
Could you please repeat what you just said? Watch the video
Shirk
In Islam, shirk refers to the sin of practicing idolatry or polytheism—worshipping anyone or anything other than Allah, the singular God of Islam. Though shirk is always considered a sin, Islamic law distinguishes different grades of it, with the most serious being polytheism. Instances of lesser shirk include superstition, belief in the power of created things—such as reverencing saints—and seeking any who profess to know the future. What does shirk mean in Arabic? Discuss
laggard
plow
acre – Old English aecer, now acre, was originally the amount of land a yoke of oxen could plow in a day; the Old English word came from Latin ager, “fertile field,” and became acre, which first meant any field. More…
plow – Borrowed from Old Norse plogr. More…
International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Is Founded (1947)
The ISO is a worldwide federation of national standards bodies from some 100 countries. It was founded in Geneva after World War II to promote the development of standardization and related activities, with a view to facilitating the international exchange of goods and services as well as intellectual, scientific, technological, and economic cooperation. At first glance, ISO appears to be an acronym for the group’s full name, but it is not. Rather, it is derived from a Greek word for what? Discuss
Terminalia
In ancient Rome, February 23 marked the end of the year and was therefore an appropriate time to honor Terminus, the god of boundaries and landmarks. The terminus, a boundary stone that marked the outer limits of Rome, stood between the fifth and sixth milestones on the road to Laurentum. During the observance of the Terminalia, property owners would gather there—or at the boundary stones that marked their private lands—to place garlands around the stone and offer sacrifices. Afterward, there would be singing and socializing among family members and servants. Discuss
Paul Warfield Tibbets, Jr. (1915)
A US Air Force colonel during World War II, Tibbets is best known for piloting the Enola Gay—named for his mother—on August 6, 1945, when it dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. The bomb, code-named Little Boy, was the first atomic weapon deployed in the history of warfare and killed tens of thousands of people. Initially hailed as a hero in the US, Tibbets became a target of controversy in the debate over the ethics of atomic warfare. What was his stance on the bombing later in life? Discuss
be running on fumes
To be continuing to operate with no or very little enthusiasm, energy, or resources left. Watch the video