From English macro, meaning “large,” + -scope, a combining form meaning “instrument for viewing,” + -ic, an adjectival suffix meaning “like.” As exemplified in The Highly Selective Dictionary of Golden Adjectives for the Extraordinarily Literate.
“The pathologist explained that after she conducts a macroscopic examination of the corpse to obtain an overall impression, it is her practice to then conduct a microscopic examination of tissues from the damaged portions of the body.”
macroscopic
\ mak-ruh–skop-ik \, adjective;
visible to the naked eye.
pertaining to large units; comprehensive.
Source: The Highly Selective Dictionary of Golden Adjectives for the Extraordinarily Literate by Eugene Ehrlich and http://www.dictionary.com
There seem to be no easy weeks now that conference play is underway, but the good news: the Spartans only had two games this week (compared to the three they had to play last week), but one of the two is a trip to West Lafayette to play Purdue. The Spartans survived a pesky Iowa team on Thursday to win at home (by just two points) then traveled to Purdue and just had no answer at all. Zach Edey (Purdue’s center) has had career games in his last two against the Spartans. Alas. This is the kind of year that for every one step forward we take, we seem to take another step back — never gaining any ground. The good news: only one game this week and not until Saturday.
There is only one (1) B1G Ten teams in the AP Top-25: Purdue (#1), although, over the course of the season, there have been eight separate teams ranked at one point or another. There are now only two (2) teams with just a single loss (Purdue and Florida Atlantic), two (2) teams with just two (2) losses (Houston and Charleston), and the remainder of the top-25 have three (3) or more losses. It is certainly going to be an interested March this year.
Next up for the Spartans: on the road to face the Scarlett Knights of Rutgers on Saturday (2/4). Go Green!
The upsets this week included: Alabama (#2) losing to unranked Oklahoma. Kansas State (#5) losing to Iowa State (#12) by four (4) points. UCLA (#8) losing to unranked USC. Kansas (#9) losing to Baylor (#17) by six (6) points. TCU (#11) losing to unranked Mississippi State. Iowa State (#12) losing to unranked Missouri. Xavier (#13) losing to unranked Creighton. Auburn (#15) losing to unranked Texas A&M. Auburn (#15) losing to unranked West Virginia by three (3) points. Charleston (#18) losing to unranked Hofstra by four (4) points. Miami (#20) losing to unranked Pittsburgh by three (3) points. New Mexico (#25) losing to unranked Nevada by three (3) points in overtime.
The close calls this week (won by six points or less [two scores] or in overtime) included: Purdue (#1) defeating unranked Michigan by three (3) points. Alabama (#2) defeating unranked Mississippi State by three (3) points. Houston (#3) defeating unranked Cincinnati by six (6) points. Arizona (#6) defeating unranked Washington State by five (5) points. Baylor (#17) defeating unranked Arkansas by three (3) points. St. Mary’s (#22) defeating unranked BYU by one (1) point. Providence (#23) defeating unranked Villanova by five (5) points. Clemson (#24) defeating unranked Florida State by one (1) point.
Top-25 match-ups won by the higher-ranked team included: Tennessee (#4) defeating Texas (#10). Xavier (#13) defeating UConn (#19) by three (3) points.
This month we move on to the next of the transition elements: gold. Gold is one of the most “sought-after” elements (think on the gold rush days). Gold is soft and very easy to work with; it can be polished to a very high shine and is resistant to corrosion. It can be found in jewelry, electronic equipment/components, dental crowns, for arthritis treatment, and as the simple precious metal (gold bullion). Its purity is measured in karats with 24-karat being purest.
gold – earliest know use: c. 3000 B.C.
Symbol: AU Atomic number: 79 Atomic weight: 196.97 Density: 19.300 g/cm3 Melting point: 1,064.18°C (1,947.52°F) Boiling point: 2,856°C (5,172°F) Color: gold Standard state: solid at 25°C (77°F) Classification: metallic
Source: The Complete Periodic Table: Elements with Style, by Adrian Dingle and Dan Green.
By “ancient history,” I will be referencing events from January 28th that occurred pre-1492 (i.e., before “Columbus sailed the ocean blue”). Note: most of these will be from the medieval world (476 AD – 1491 AD) as many earlier events don’t always have specific dates.
the Frankish emperor Charlemagne dies and is succeeded by his only surviving son, Louis I (known posthmously as “the Pious) (814 AD).
following a revolt against King Odo of France organized by Archbishop Fulk of Reims, Charles teh Simple, the posthumous son of Louis II the Stammerer, King of the Franks, is crowned king of France in his place. (894 AD)
Robert de Comines, the Norman Earl of Northumbria, is killed in Durham by English rebels, who subsequently win control of Yorkshire. (1069 AD)
the Holy Roman Emperor William of Holland dies. This dashes any chance for the unanimous election of a successor to the former emperor Frederick II; both Conrad IV and Conradin (Frederick’s son and grandson) disgraced themselves politically making the continuation of the Hohenstaufen dynasty unpopular. (1256 AD)
Henry VII, first Tudor king of England, 1485-1509, born in Pembroke Castle, Wales. (1457 AD)
Source: Volume 1 of the Chronology of World History: Prehistory — AD 1491: The Ancient and Medieval World.
Now that we are full into the winter season, what better time to get us thinking about summer than a painting that shrieks “summer?” I acquired this one back in the summer of 2021 from a quaint little studio in Suttons Bay, Michigan. The artist: Kat Dakota, the title: Peterson Park I, the medium, giclee print on canvas. Simply exquisite.
What a game on Monday! The Spartans hosted the #3-ranked Boilermakers of Purdue and played them tight for most of this back-and-forth game. Unfortunately, the Spartans came up one (1) point short and lost at home. Yet another gritty performance against a top-5 team (without Malik Hall) only to come up a point short (we lost both games to top-5 opponents by the exact same score). Major bummer. Three days later, they hosted the #23-ranked Scarlet Knights of Rutgers (the only conference team to defeat Purdue so far this year). After a sluggish start, the Spartans caught fire, led by six at the half and never trailed the remainder of the game. Great bounce-back win for the Spartans. Then yesterday, the Spartans traveled to Bloomington to face the Hoosiers of Indiana where they ran into a buzz saw. The daunting schedule (3 games in 7 days) proved to be too much for the Spartans to pull out the win on the road.
There are only two (2) B1G Ten teams in the AP Top-25: Purdue (#3), and Rutgers (#23). And, there are currently only three (3) teams remaining with just a single loss: Purdue (#3), Charleston (#18), and Florida Atlantic (#24). Another week of significant losses by teams in the top-25.
Next up for the Spartans: at home to face the Hawkeyes of Iowa on Thursday (1/26) then on the road to face the Boilermakers of Purdue on Sunday (1/29). Go Green!
The upsets this week included: Houston (#1) losing to unranked Temple by one (1) point. Kansas (#2) losing to Kansas State (#13) by one (1) point in overtime. Kansas (#2) losing to TCU (#14). UCLA (#5) losing to Arizona (#11) by six (6) points. Gonzaga (#6) losing to unranked Loyola Marymount by one (1) point. Texas (#7) losing to Iowa State (#12). Xavier (#8) losing to unranked DePaul by one (1) point. Iowa State (#12) losing to unranked Oklahoma State by two (2) points. TCU (#14) losing to unranked West Virginia. UConn (#15) losing to unranked Seton Hall by one (1) point. Miami (#17) losing to unranked Duke by two (2) points. Clemson (#19) losing to unranked Wake Forest. Rutgers (#23) losing to unranked Michigan State. Arkansas (#25) losing to unranked Missouri by three (3) points.
The close calls this week (won by six points or less [two scores] or in overtime) included: Purdue (#3) defeating unranked Michigan State by one (1) point. Purdue (#3) defeating unranked Maryland by three (3) points. Miami (#17) defeating unranked Syracuse by four (4) points. Clemson (#19) defeating unranked Virginia Tech by one (1) point. Baylor (#21) defeating unranked Oklahoma by two (2) points.
Top-25 match-ups won by the higher-ranked team included: Marquette (#20) defeating Providence (#22).
The Gun-Carryin' Librarian 