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Thursday, March 15, 2007

Thursday!!!




"Born in a small town near Paris on 4 January 1809, he became blind after an accident, at the age of three. After studying at the blind school in Paris he went on to teach there. Eventually he revised a writing style used by the military (Charles Barbier´s "night writing") to come up with a way for blind students to read with their fingers. The system used raised dots on paper and was not adopted by the world until 80 years after his death."

Go nuts and hint in the comment section at today´s wonderful and very famous Frenchman!

addendum:



It better not be, or feathers will fly!

Ok my lovelies...I am gonna take a little trip and should be back in about 3 weeks. You´ll live, the world will keep spinning and hopefully Iceland will have imported cherries by the time I get back. I´ll try to check in every now and then! Be safe, be happy and tie your shoe-laces before leaving the house!

Posted by Minka :: 12:08 am :: 29 Royal Subjects

29 Comments:

At 00:52, Blogger Doug The Una said...

The senses we're born with are frail,
One mistake with an awl and we hail
The heroic insight
To trade touch for light,
Although foresight with tools is the grail.

 
At 01:38, Blogger tsduff said...

Awe - Doug took all the good rhyming words... boo hoo..

I try but I fail
With my fingers so pale
Feeling dots that are raised
On a page,
But I cannot read it
My brain just won't see it,
And so I stamp off
In a rage.

 
At 02:04, Blogger Minka said...

Doug, coming from you -never having tempted fate in your life- I wish this man had you around when a toddler. You´d kept him outa trouble, right? ;) But very well hinted, good background knowledge and I like the rhyming :)

terry, and people wonder why I am always in such a hurry to be first! ;) Well done!

 
At 02:45, Anonymous Anonymous said...

As is often the case with great advances, he was told his system would never catch on -- but he'd already taught it to all his classmates and they were using it to communicate.

Also despite being a teacher, poverty killed him -- working late hours in an impossibly cold and drafty room.

 
At 11:38, Blogger Minka said...

Quilly, yes he confirms the statement that great thinkers and inventors are rarely appreciated in their own time!
I think he didnæt cut his ear off though :)

 
At 15:42, Blogger Doug The Una said...

Minka, say what you will about my follies, I never once stabbed out both my eyes with a leather tool by accident.

 
At 16:31, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Doug -- he only stabbed one of his eyes. The infection spread to the other eye. You know, that was back before timely medical intervention and the knowledge of proper cleanliness.

The eyes are so delicate that even today harming one eye in such a manner could cause one to lose the other. I had a student go through something very similar (nail gun) to our subject. It took many antibiotics,surgeries and drainage tubes to keep him from losing the uninjured eye.

 
At 17:38, Blogger birdwoman said...

A donkey noise + an elevated train?

(no limericks for me, but bad crossword clues)

(*)>

 
At 18:48, Blogger Doug The Una said...

Quilly, I always kinda wondered about that.

Birdwoman, that's a good one.

 
At 19:36, Blogger Minka said...

Doug, yeah...but you still have at least half of your life ahead of you :) Don´t complement the day before the sun has set!

Quilly, you tell him!

Doug, some people should wonder, shouldn´t they?

Birdwoman, I liked that one. Crosswords is new around here...we like it. 5 down is: YES!

 
At 21:58, Blogger Dan said...

His last name begins with a B. Am I on the right trail? :)

 
At 03:16, Blogger G said...

"Don't compliment the day before the sun has set" - I like that.

Clues clues - the rhymes are all good, what can I add? Good night? Where would Helen be without him?

Happy Trails to you.

 
At 09:41, Blogger Minka said...

Dan, yes indeed you are on the right Trail and his first name starts with an L! Ups...it just came blurting out of me :)

G, hellen Keller sure would be less well read if it weren´t for him. Happy trails to me too!

 
At 10:50, Blogger Nessa said...

That's why little boys are not allowed to have BB guns.

Have fun on your trip, Minka.

 
At 11:35, Blogger I Dive At Night said...

Three weeks?!?! Well, I hope your flight is good. May your travels be wonderful. Morgan

 
At 11:41, Blogger Doug The Una said...

You can't leave until you tell us who the french fry is!

 
At 13:29, Blogger Minka said...

goldennib, little boys shouldn´t even have toy guns in my humble opinion.

Morgan, they will be and I promise pictures (many!) when I get back :)

Doug, patience is...well, not something you are familiar with. It is only Friday...let´s give late arrivals a chance to play too, alright?!

I´ll give the answer sooner or later and I alreayd told you you were right, so quit bugging me, will ye?!

 
At 22:23, Anonymous Anonymous said...

oh my -- i didn't see this earlier (guess i'd better get my eyes checked, eh?)... kidding! i saw it, but had nothing to add to the fine and clever hints already offered up. i don't know much about this man, i'm embarrassed to say, tho', of course, i am in awe of his amazing efforts to put the printed word into the hands of those who would have otherwise gone without...

as for flying penguins? ooooh! here's hoping you land in a place filled with lots of sunshine, clear roads, happy faces, and FUN FUN FUN!... send a postcard, will ya? some of us never get to go anywhere! *pouts*

save travels, dear friend! xoxox

 
At 03:23, Blogger robkroese said...

Can anybody tell me why they have those little dots on the buttons at the drive-thru ATM?

 
At 10:42, Blogger Miz BoheMia said...

HEY! There is internet where you are going so you'd best check in on us seeing that I am finally back and what do you do??? YOU LEAVE!!!! BWAAAAAAH!!!!!

And especially because my original plan to see you won't be happening! Damn you España!!!!

Hope you have a fabulous flight and a more than amazing trip with the faboo people you will be seeing and yep, we know who they are! Give them big smooches from me and tell them to do the same to you!!!!

 
At 14:11, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Safe trip! (You know, I'm only a couple hundred miles from the Dawg).

 
At 18:46, Blogger Minka said...

Neva, sure thing. I would have thought about it myself, I am nothing if not a good tourist!

Diesel, Don't ask me! I live abroad! I don;t know what an ATM.

Quilly, wow I did not know that! Next time I am in that area... I expect you to show me Las Vagas!!!

 
At 01:52, Blogger Trundling Grunt said...

Born in Coupvray near Paris
He lost an eye when he was three
With only six dots
Blind men could read lots
Oh yes, his first name was Louis

Better never than late.

 
At 16:08, Blogger Doug The Una said...

Is it just me, or has it been 8:15AM on Friday for the last two days?

 
At 16:14, Blogger Miz BoheMia said...

WHAT AM I??? CHOPPED LIVER???

*Sniff, sniff* Oh boohooing away am I as I cry me a river DAS FO SHO!

 
At 03:02, Blogger Minka said...

Miz B. I am so sorry I somehow did not notice your comment and celebrate your return appropraitly. For am I glad you are back and to hear you haven;t lost any of your spunk! WElcome oh sweet bohemian.

trundling grunt, late you are but some people do save the best for last :) And well done!

Actonbell, I sure will, I am making notes and everything, pictures are being taken a la Pez style :)

Pascover...go stick your head in the sand!

Miz B: ashamed penguin being mortified, hug it out?

 
At 17:28, Blogger Ariel the Thief said...

I know his name and what he is famous for but nothing more. but I can tell you, he had sensitive fingers!

Bon Voyage! :-D

 
At 01:04, Blogger The Old Mule said...

I hope you have a wonderful trip to someplace fun. And fly home safe, young bird.

 
At 04:58, Blogger Minka said...

ariel, Thank you and he did. His name is :

LOUIS BRAILLE

old mule...yes sir, I will!

 

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