Memory And Intelligence

Tucson Weather Today

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From about the second grade in elementary school I began to recognize that I possessed an excellent memory, not a 'photographic' memory nor an eidetic memory but simply a higher than average memory -- an extremely adequate memory.

Damn . . . I can't remember what I was going to write . . . something about a superior memory being a prerequisite to exhibiting superior intelligence and  how even a good memory can fade with age.

Oh well . . .

Later.

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WORD FOR TODAY

carborundum

A trademark used for an abrasive of silicon carbide crystals.

Any of various abrasive materials, esp one consisting of silicon carbide.

Carborundum Stone

And . . .

Silicon carbide (SiC), also known as carborundum, is a compound of silicon and carbon with chemical formula SiC. It occurs in nature as the extremely rare mineral moissanite. Silicon carbide powder has been mass-produced since 1893 for use as an abrasive. Grains of silicon carbide can be bonded together by sintering to form very hard ceramics which are widely used in applications requiring high endurance, such as car brakes, car clutches and ceramic plates in bulletproof vests.

Electronic applications of silicon carbide as light emitting diodes (LEDs) and detectors in early radios were first demonstrated around 1907, and today SiC is widely used in high-temperature/high-voltage semiconductor electronics. Large single crystals of silicon carbide can be grown by the Lely method; they can be cut into gems known as synthetic moissanite. Silicon carbide with high surface area can be produced from SiO2 contained in plant material.

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BORN ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY


Malcolm Jamal Warner


Born Aug 18, 1970
Age: 41 years old.

Malcolm-Jamal Warner is an American television actor, television director, and musician. He is best known for his role as Theo Huxtable on the long-running NBC sitcom The Cosby Show. Additionally, he appeared as Malcolm McGee on the UPN sitcom Malcolm & Eddie. He is currently starring as Dr. Alex Reed on the new BET sitcom Reed Between the Lines.

   
Robert Redford

Born Aug 18, 1936
Age: 75 years old.

Charles Robert Redford, Jr., better known as Robert Redford, is an American actor, film director, producer, businessman, environmentalist, philanthropist, and founder of the Sundance Film Festival. He has received two Oscars: one in 1981 for directing Ordinary People, and one for Lifetime Achievement in 2002. In 2010 he was awarded French Knighthood in the Legion d'Honneur. At the height of his fame in the 1970s and 1980s, he was often described as one of the world's most attractive men and remains one of the most popular movie stars.

Patrick Swayze

Born Aug. 18, 1952

Died Sep 14, 2009

Patrick Wayne Swayze was an American actor, dancer and singer-songwriter. He was best known for his tough-guy roles, as romantic leading men in the hit films Dirty Dancing, Road House, Ghost, and as Orry Main in the North and South television miniseries. He was named by People magazine as its "Sexiest Man Alive" in 1991. His film and TV career spanned 30 years.

Meriwether Lewis


Born Aug. 18, 1774
Died Oct 11., 1809

Meriwether Lewis was an American explorer, soldier, and public administrator, best known for his role as the leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition also known as the Corps of Discovery, with William Clark. Their mission was to explore the territory of the Louisiana Purchase, establish trade and sovereignty over the natives near the Missouri River, and claim the Pacific Northwest and Oregon territory for the United States before European nations. They also collected scientific data, and information on indigenous nations. President Thomas Jefferson appointed him Governor of Upper Louisiana in 1806.


 On this date in 1920, the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified.


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A funny 7-second video