Quip–a witty remark. E-Quips (think e-book or email) is hopefully a witty blog – dedicated to word play such as parodies, puns, and word parallels and stories about libraries that you may not have heard before. It has also expanded to include a few book reviews, nature and observational essays and poems, stories about military and veterans, and tips about writers and writing. It has evolved into an online journal. I also include select re-blogs to admire or inspire.
Hope you enjoy the ride and the fun.
Please let me know if there is word that deserves a riff or a library that has a story to share.
Ides of March, day in the ancient Romancalendar that falls on March 15 and is associated with misfortune and doom. It became renowned as the date on which Roman dictatorJulius Caesar was assassinated in 44 bce and was further immortalized in the tragedy Julius Caesar by English dramatist William Shakespeare. In the play, a soothsayer warns Caesar to “beware the Ides of March.”
Often reviled (certainly by Dante) was Marcus Junius Brutus Minor, known to most as “Brutus” or more simply “Et tu Brute?” So why dedicate a holiday to this most heinous of individuals?
This slayer of Kings and betrayer of friends? Why, my good people, because National Brutus Day reminds us that even in this modern age, betrayal, subterfuge, and (metaphorical at least) back-stabbing is still alive and well.
National Brutus Day Timeline
509 BCE
Lucius Junius Brutus and the Birth of the Roman Republic
According to Roman tradition, Lucius Junius Brutus leads the revolt that overthrows the last king, Tarquin the Proud, helping to found the Roman Republic and establishing his family name as a symbol of tyrant-slaying and civic duty.
85–42 BCE
Life of Marcus Junius Brutus
Born into a prominent Roman family, Marcus Junius Brutus rises as a politician and orator, serving under Pompey and later reconciling with Julius Caesar, whose favor and pardon set the stage for Brutus’s later, infamous act of betrayal.
44 BCE
The Assassination of Julius Caesar on the Ides of March
On March 15, Julius Caesar is stabbed to death in a meeting of the Senate near Pompey’s theater, with Brutus among the leading conspirators, an event that turns his name into a lasting byword for political betrayal and backstabbing.
Early 14th Century
Brutus in Dante’s Inferno
In his Divine Comedy, Dante Alighieri places Brutus in the very lowest circle of Hell, where Lucifer eternally chews Brutus, Cassius, and Judas Iscariot, cementing Brutus’s medieval reputation as one of history’s supreme traitors.
1599
Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar and “Et tu, Brute?”
William Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar is first performed in London, giving the world the line “Et tu, Brute?” and portraying Brutus as a conflicted idealist, a depiction that powerfully shapes how later generations understand betrayal by a friend.
19th Century
Brutus as a Symbol in Political Thought and Art
Romantic and revolutionary movements in Europe seize on Brutus as a complex symbol of tyrannicide and republican virtue, with painters, sculptors, and writers debating whether his violent betrayal represents heroic patriotism or unforgivable treachery.
20th–21st Centuries
“Brutus” and the Idiom of Backstabbing
In modern English, “Brutus” and “Et tu, Brute?” enter everyday speech as shorthand for being stabbed in the back by a trusted ally, used in journalism, film, and casual conversation to describe personal and political betrayals alike.
Julius Caesar
Julius CaesarBust of Julius Caesar made of gypsum plaster.Ides of March coinThe Ides of March coin, struck by Marcus Junius Brutus in 43 or 42 bce; the reverse side (right) refers to Julius Caesar’s assassination and is inscribed with the abbreviation “EID MAR” (Eidibus Martiis; Latin: “on the Ides of March”).
In 44 bce, Julius Caesar was in the midst of a series of political and social reforms when he was assassinated by a group of nobles on the Ides of March. Led by senators Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus, a group of approximately 60 conspirators fatally stabbed Caesar in the Roman Senate in a plot to preserve the Roman Republic and halt Caesar’s increasingly monarchical regime. His death triggered a civil war that ultimately led to the rise to power of his great-nephew and adopted son, Octavian, who became the first Roman emperor, Augustus Caesar, in 27 bce. According to Roman biographer Suetonius’s Lives of the Caesars, Octavian avenged Julius Caesar’s death in a number of ways, including sacrificing 300 prisoners of the Perusine War at an altar raised to Caesar on the Ides of March.
The Lend-Lease Act, signed on March 11, 1941, was a pivotal U.S. policy allowing the president to transfer war materials, food, and services to any nation deemed vital to American defense, primarily to aid the Allies against Nazi Germany without officially entering World War II. The program provided over $50 billion in aid, sustaining Britain, the Soviet Union, and others
What follows is probably the most simplified description you will ever read of how the United States tried to stay out of World War II.
1920s and 1930s
Throughout the “Roaring Twenties,” the United States was still in debt over World War I. As a result, Neutrality Acts were passed by Congress in 1935, 1936, and 1937. In a nutshell, those acts made it unlawful for Americans to sell or transport arms or materiel to nations at war.
“Cash and Carry”
Then came World War II. Watching the aggression of Germany, Italy, and Japan, in 1939, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt proposed amending the Neutrality Acts and following a “cash and carry” policy in which other countries could purchase arms from the United States but the US would not supply military personnel.
When I finally got to study World War II, I was shocked to learn how slow the U.S. was to jump into the fray and come to the aide of Great Britain.
Photo by British Library on Unsplash
During the Battle of Britain, in September of 1940, Britain sent a delegation of researchers to the United States to share secret radar technology. Britain’s energy and money had to focus on the war but, since the United States wasn’t fighting, it could give attention to research and development.
“Arsenal of Democracy” and Isolationism
Three months later, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill sent Roosevelt a 15-page letter asking for the U.S. to help them. In one of his famous “fireside chats,” Roosevelt responded by announcing that the U.S. would be the “Arsenal of Democracy” and would sell arms to Britain and Canada.
Isolationists in the U.S. maintained that the war was a European problem and that the U.S. should stay out of it. Gradually, more Americans agreed that their country should do more to back Britain but keep our military out of the conflict.
This is a stark example of hindsight being better than foresight. No doubt, if the United States had known what lay ahead over the next five years, it would have acted earlier and more forcefully. Being protected by the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, Americans were lulled into a false sense of security.
That false sense of security came back to bite us on December 7, 1941, (and again on September, 11, 2001) but I’m getting ahead of myself.
Lend-Lease Act of 1941
“An Act to Promote the Defense of the United States” was introduced and eventually enacted on March 11, 1941 in the “Lend-Lease Act.” That Act permitted the U.S. to supply the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, France, the Republic of China, and other Allied nations with food, oil, and materiel, free of charge, for the duration of the war.
In March of 1941, the U.S. was still trying to stay out of the war militarily, but the Lend-Lease Act made it clear that the United States recognized that it was in its best interest to aide Britain because defending Britain was, in effect, defending the U.S.
Of course, we know now that nine months later, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, thrusting the United States into the war in the Pacific. It would be January 26, 1942, before the first American troops would arrive in Great Britain.
The Lend-Lease Act of 1941 was strengthened by the Lend-Lease Act of February 23, 1942.
Lend-Lease officially ended on September 20, 1945. In that five-year period, $51 billion in supplies were shipped from the United States. That would be equivalent to approximately $700 billion in today’s dollars.
The tangled mass of wind chimes appear on the ground Not right over left left over right up the hole and pull but a still a mess One bit looped around another and took a bit of effort to restore each tone to its fullest bit Sounds still resounding.
Who were the Tech Fans ( Virginia Polytech) And who were the Virginia (UVA)? Nobody wore team colors. Just the blue jeans that could represent anyone. Just belongings enjoying The pregame meal At the local barbeque joint.
The Commonwealth Clash, sponsored by Smithfield, is the official, points-based all-sports rivalry between the University of Virginia (UVA) and Virginia Tech, dating back to 1895. UVA color’s at orange and blue, Virginia Tech’s are Chicago maroon and Burnt Orange.
400 Approximate number of libraries in the National Park Service (NPS)
3.5 million materials housedin the Harper Ferry (W. VA) center for Media Services. (Collection inludes art, documents, photos, sound recording, uniforms, and other objects).
25 the number of Park respresented in the Open Parks Network, a collaboration between Clemend (SC) University and the Naional Park Service (and is funded the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
1923 – Year that Yosemite Research Library (YRL) began to acquiring its collection.
3,100 – Number of preserved plants in the herbarium at that Zion National Park in Utah.
8 – Number of items packed in the Teton County (WYO) LIbrary’s wild life kits. Each kit is available for checkout and includes a backpack, binoculars, and a field guide to the Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks.
Pack of Skoal in her left back pocket Crocs on her feet for comfort T-shirt advertising one of the lagers for sale Nice picture of sharks special to the lady Slow moving, easy-going Provides food quickly No charge for taking your time.
Nothing but the horizon ahead Sunset with Jesus fingers Sinking behind a gray cloud Potent of blessings to come? Diminutive silhouette Only sign We are not the only mariners out tonight The eye can catch What the cellphone cannot Perhaps we will get a green flash Unfortunately, we did not
Gather around your servicemen and women to give them a hug. It’s simply a way to show your support. With either a pat on the back or a hearty handshake, be sure to give both past and present G.I.s your appreciation. While G.I.s refer to Army personnel, the day encompasses all those who have served in the military. So, hug those Jarheads, Wingnuts, Squids, and Coasties, too!
Today the term G.I. is fairly commonly known to refer to those serving in the Armed Forces of the United States of America. How that came to be is a little less military protocol and more the American story.
It seems at the turn of the 20th century, G.I. was a notation used in supply records for galvanized iron. It was later used during World War I for German artillery shells made from galvanized iron.
Sometime during the war, soldiers started interpreting the initials as “Government Issue” or “General Issue”. By the time World War II came around it was starting to gain meaning as the generic enlisted man.
About that time G.I. Joe was born. His creator, comic strip artist, and former Army Sergeant David Breger, issued his first G.I. Joe cartoon series in Yank magazine on June 17, 1942.
The term G.I. became more permanently etched in the American language when in 1944 President Franklin Roosevelt signed the bill that became known as the G.I. Bill; Servicemen’s Readjustment Act.
NATIONAL HUG A G.I. DAY HISTORY
In 1996, Adrienne Sioux Koopersmith created Hug A G.I. Day. She selected the only day on the calendar that was also a military command to salute and celebrate the men and women who risk their lives for our country and freedoms. We have included the link to the original page for you.
G.I. FAQ
Q. What is the G.I. Bill? A. The original G.I. Bill is no longer in effect. However, today’s G.I. Bill provides benefits to services members and veterans to attend college, university, trade school, or other training services.
Q. What branch of the military was David Breger’s G.I. Joe? A. G.I. Joe Trooper was in the U.S. Army and was a featured cartoon in the Army publication Yank. However, when Mattel began creating G.I. Joe action figures, they produced one for each branch of the military.
If you can’t hug your GI in person, perhaps you can send them a nice card.
The 2026 March Full Moon, known as the Worm Moon, peaks on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, at 6:38 a.m. EST. This specific full moon features a total lunar eclipse (a “Blood Moon”), creatin.
The Full Worm Moon reaches its peak on the morning of Tuesday, March 3, 2026, at 6:38 A.M. ET. This year’s March Moon is especially notable because it coincides with a total lunar eclipse. The eclipse reaches its greatest point at 6:33 A.M. ET—just minutes earlier—and during totality, the Moon can take on a coppery red or orange glow.g a, red-colored, celestial event, with the best visibility in western and central North America
During a total lunar eclipse, Earth’s shadow gradually moves across the Full Moon, causing it to darken and take on a warm, coppery glow—often called a Blood Moon. This color change happens slowly and can be safely watched with the naked eye.
Totality—when the Moon is fully within Earth’s shadow—lasts from 6:04 A.M. to 7:02 A.M. EST, with the greatest eclipse occurring at 6:33 A.M. EST. See our time zone converter.
The Moon leaves the umbra at 8:17 A.M. EST (5:17 A.M. PST) and the penumbra at 9:22 A.M. EST (6:22 A.M. PST). In eastern regions, totality occurs close to sunrise, while observers farther west will see the eclipse higher in the pre-dawn sky.
March’s Full Moon is known as the Worm Moon. For many years, it was believed this name referred to earthworms appearing as the soil warms in early spring—drawing birds such as robins and signaling the changing season.
However, historical research suggests another explanation. In the 1760s, Captain Jonathan Carver recorded that the name referred to beetle larvae—another type of “worm”—which emerge from thawing tree bark and winter hiding places at this time of year.
Either way, the name reflects the same idea: the land is beginning to wake up.
For generations, this Full Moon served as a seasonal marker for people who worked the land. The Worm Moon reflects a time when winter begins to loosen its hold—when daylight is increasing, snow and ice start to retreat, and the natural world shows its first subtle signs of change.
Rather than signaling planting time, this Moon traditionally marked a period of observation and preparation. It was a cue to watch the landscape, take stock after winter, and begin planning for the growing season ahead—even though the ground itself was often still frozen.
Another traditional name for March’s Full Moon is the Sugar Moon (Ojibwe). In many regions, this is the time when sugar maples are tapped, and sap buckets begin to fill—an early sign that spring is on its way, even if snow still covers the ground. Learn how maple sap is turned into syrup.
Other Moon Names:
Wind Strong Moon (Pueblo): referring to blustery late-winter winds
Quan Yin Goddess of mercy Purity prevals By the lotus symbol Or some other example How do we worship you? Is there a primer?
Quan Yin (or Guanyin) is the revered Mahayana Buddhist Bodhisattva of Compassion, often called the “Goddess of Mercy” who hears the cries of the world and vows to save all beings from suffering. Originating from the Indian male figure Avalokiteshvara, she transformed into a female figure in East Asia, symbolizing maternal love.
We got back to the donkey about a month later and wonder if they had missed us. When Bob yelled Chow Call, they looked at us with great expectations, like show us the food. Once the food was produced, Holly lead the way to the fence. Buddy and Whitey followed behind. They looked like they were engaging in father/son conversation
We had no other people intersted in feeding the donkeys, though other people were in an out of the parking lot. We fed them carrots and sweet potato medallions. Buddy even condescended to eat whatever fell out of his mouth. Holly and Whitey were equally anxious to miss not bite.
During the period, while Bob was in the store, Buddy forgot to turn in his back on me. Pleasant turn of events. Buddy spend the time being other wise involved.
Holly and Whitey took turns with Whitey turning first to his father and then back to his mother. He really couldn’t decide who to turn to first.
Libraries have always been my happy place, whether ashore or on board. I spent over 40 years as a librarian both professionally and as a volunteer. I have a friend who is now retired and refers to herself as a Recovering Librarian but I am not ready to give up my addiction.
Even aboard a cruise ship in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, I have discovered the library. I remember on a pre Covid cruise when the ship’s library included a librarian. The day I went to the library to interview her she was not at the desk so I never got to find out what she did or how she got her job. Once cruise ship libraries were re-established after the fear of Covid spreading had receded, the libraries became self service. (This has been my
A quick Google study of cruise ship libraries reveals that the Queen Mary has the best. Some cruise ships combine libraries with game rooms. Many have a library of donated books sort of like Little Free Libraries where you take one, leave one.
This one escaped the Ancient Mariner! One day out of Hawaii of out.
From the Rime of the Ancient Mariner
The Wedding-Guest he beat his breast, Yet he cannot choose but hear; And thus spake on that ancient man, The bright-eyed Mariner.
And now the STORM-BLAST came, and he Was tyrannous and strong: He struck with his o'ertaking wings, And chased us south along.
With sloping masts and dipping prow, As who pursued with yell and blow Still treads the shadow of his foe, And forward bends his head, The ship drove fast, loud roared the blast, And southward aye we fled.
And now there came both mist and snow, And it grew wondrous cold: And ice, mast-high, came floating by, As green as emerald.
And through the drifts the snowy clifts Did send a dismal sheen: Nor shapes of men nor beasts we ken— The ice was all between.
The ice was here, the ice was there, The ice was all around: It cracked and growled, and roared and howled, Like noises in a swound!
At length did cross an Albatross, Thorough the fog it came; As if it had been a Christian soul, We hailed it in God's name.
It ate the food it ne'er had eat, And round and round it flew. The ice did split with a thunder-fit; The helmsman steered us through!
And a good south wind sprung up behind; The Albatross did follow, And every day, for food or play, Came to the mariner's hollo!
In mist or cloud, on mast or shroud, It perched for vespers nine; Whiles all the night, through fog-smoke white, Glimmered the white Moon-shine.'
'God save thee, ancient Mariner! From the fiends, that plague thee thus!— Why look'st thou so?'—With my cross-bow I shot the ALBATROSS.
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