|k| clippings: 2015-11-05 — calling Katexicans of the Clamorite

WORK

“Autumn”

I walk outside the stone wall
Looking into the park at night
As armed trees frisk a windfall
Down paths that lampposts light

—Samuel Menashe
—from Samuel Menashe: New and Selected Poems

WORD(S)

demonym /DEM-ə-nim/. noun. A word that identifies people from a particular place, e.g. American, Liverpudlian or Seattlite. Coined by Paul Dickson, of Merriam-Webster, in 1997 as a back-formation of demonymic. From Greek demos (populace) + -onym (suffix for name). See also domunym and gentilic.

Some interesting demonyms: Accidentals (Accident, Maryland), Munchers (Munich), Tangerines (Tangiers), Hatters (Medicine Hat, Alberta), Jovian (Jupiter), Cretans (Crete…come on, it’s a little funny), Abba-Zabbas (Albania, preferred over Albinos) and Nutmegger (Connecticut, funny history there).

“His designation ‘Chaldean’ no doubt points to the astrological thought of his time, as opposed to being a demonym for Babylonian natives.” (Francesca Rochberg)

“Let’s find out if you can tell the difference between a Cestrian (a resident of Chester, England) and a Cytherean (a hypothetical inhabitant of the planet Venus). Test your familiarity with demonyms…” (Richard Nordquist)

WEB

1. Continuing last issue’s moving-images theme: Moving Movie Posters. Clever.

2. Marian Call, favorite of Katexic and the Clamor, is issuing Yippee Ki Yay, her awesome (and unique) holiday album, on CD (and the usual digital). And she’s on tour (South, East and Far North USA). But anyone, anywhere can purchase “custom voicemail carols for the holiday season, deliverable on Solstice, on Christmas Eve, or on New Year’s Eve.” See Marian’s site for details.

3. Dakota Death Trip is compiling, from archival sources, “Tales of the tragic, harsh, strange, and amazing lives of those brave enough to claim the Northern Plains as home.”

4. Chaz Hutton’s post-it note illustrations/graphs/comics. Pairs well with Jessica Hagy’s classic Indexed work.

5. Today in 1639, the first post office is established in the American colonies. Located in the home of Richard Fairbanks and established by the General Court of Massachusetts: “For preventing the miscarriage of letters, it is ordered, that notice be given that Richard Fairbanks’s house in Boston is the place appointed for all letters which are brought from beyond the seas, or are to be sent thither,’ to be brought unto; and he is to take care that they be delivered or sent according to their directions; and he is allowed for every such letter one penny, and must answer all miscarriages through his own neglect in this kind; provided that no man shall be compelled to bring his letters thither, except he please.” When you think about it (well, when I think about it, anyway), the U.S. Postal Service remains a rather amazing accomplishment. It’s too bad that, despite making a profit of over 300-million dollars in the last quarter, politically-motivated myths about its unprofitability and unviability continue to proliferate. It will be a sad day if the service is finally shuttered.

WATCH/WITNESS

“…O NE CHIEFLY NEEDS SWIFTNESS IN BANGING THE KEYS. THE MACHINE COSTS 125 DOLLARS. THE MACHINE HAS SEVERAL VIRTUES I BELIEVE IT WILL PRINT FASTER THAN I CAN WRITE. ONE MAY LEAN BACK IN HIS CHAIR & WORK IT. IT PILES AN AWFUL STACK OF WORDS ON ONE PAGE. IT DONT MUSS THINGS OR SCATTER INK BLOTS AROUND.” → Read more about Mark Twain’s first typewritten letter at the always fab Letters of Note.

REPRISES/RESPONSES/REJOINDERS/RIPOSTES

• Reader F. on memorizing poems: “I can’t say enough about how much richness memorizing poems has brought to my life in ways both obvious and much-less so. Thanks for sharing Dahlia Lithwick’s article.”

• On Twitter, Reader A. dives: “The internet rabbit hole gobbles me up—that clip on Props leads me to Raging Cinema tumblr.”

I welcome comments, suggestions, thoughts, feedback and all manner of what-have-you. Just press ‘Reply’ or email to: clippings@katexic.com.

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