Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Best Places to Find Gifts for Geologists

Best Places to Find Gifts for Geologists Stumped on what to get the geologist in your life for the upcoming holiday, birthday, or anniversary? Heres a short list of places to shop and gifts to get for that person who loves all things geological. The gift ideas in this geologic gift guide range from serious to wacky, plus a few items to make your jaw drop! Not on the list are all of our favorite books for geologists - for those, visit our  book reviews. Geological Tool Gifts   The Brunton Co. The Brunton Company is the maker of world-standard field tools for geologists, starting with their famous compasses many of us know simply as Bruntons. Forestry Suppliers For everything from hammers to sieves, Forestry Suppliers has a great inventory of tools your geologist will enjoy. Amateur Geologist Amateur Geologist boasts all sorts of gifts for geologists from the tools they’ll need in the field to books, geological maps, and even fun, educational items for kids. One can never have too many 10X magnifiers – at least a geologist can’t! Here are our picks for the best magnifiers on the market. Magazine and Guide Gifts for Geologists Bobs Rock ShopWhile Bob doesnt sell rocks at his rock shop (Bob’s Rock Shop is actually an online publication and community for rock enthusiasts), but this great Web destination has advertisers who do- or you can get a subscription to  Rock Gem  magazine here. Earth MagazineEarth Magazine is one of the best and most popular magazines for those who take geology seriously (the publication was formerly  titled Geotimes). You can buy gift subscriptions for your geologist on their site. Mountain Press PublishingMountain Press Publishing’s online bookstore is home to the highly regarded Roadside Guide and Geology Underfoot series of books. U.S. Geological Survey Maps and MoreYes, the USGS has a store, and it’s full of great gifts for geologists! Find maps, posters, passes, products and more from the worlds coolest government agency. Desert GuidesDesert Guides host an assortment of books about getting around, and even finding wealth, in the desert. Your geologist will get lost in the fascinating information and stories! Minerals, Rocks, and Collectibles Gifts Science Stuff Science Stuff, formerly known as Earth Stuff, has gifts for any young scientist. We especially like their Earth science section with rocks, minerals, tools, fossils, and books for smart kids interested in all things geology. The Mineral GalleryThere are hundreds of mineral shops on the Web, but the Mineral Gallery probably has the best selection of minerals for sale for your geology enthusiast. FulguritesWhen lightning strikes the ground, sediments are fused together by the energy creating beautiful and unique crystal-like structures. Various mineral dealers sell the melted results as collectibles, you can find them at the link above. Top Stone Rolling FountainsThese fountains feature large stone spheres spinning miraculously suspended on water. Uniquely beautiful, these gifts are perfect for the geologist or rock enthusiast who has everything. We love this site. Spheres To YouThey call themselves the biggest seller of stone spheres in the world, and we believe them. Their selection is incredible. The Soft EarthPottery artist, Joan Lederman, uses pedigreed seafloor mud from Woods Holes oceanographers to make wonderful objects and collectibles. U.S. Geological Survey Bench Mark ReplicasFull-size reproductions in pewter of those cool brass benchmarkers from all around the world from the most famous summits to the South Pole. They even make earrings, pins, pendants, and more.

Sunday, March 1, 2020

A Quiz About Clarity

A Quiz About Clarity A Quiz About Clarity A Quiz About Clarity By Mark Nichol Writers usually don’t mean to be duplicitous when they write one thing when they mean another; it’s just that what they intended to communicate is not what they communicated. The following sentences demonstrate some of the types of misunderstandings that result from careless composition. Try your hand at repairing the damage, and then take a look at my solutions at the bottom of the page: 1. â€Å"The postwar suburban ideal was a Cadillac and a fur coat like a movie star.† 2. â€Å"His legacy was also one of social revolutionary, humanitarian, and artist.† 3. â€Å"A letter can be mailed via the Pony Express reenactors for the 1860 price of $5.† 4. â€Å"That established history is being challenged by a rare book collector and author, John Doe and Jane Smith.† 5. â€Å"Although DNA testing is highly effective, those involved in criminal investigations do not always use it because of its high cost.† Answers 1. The sentence implies that the ideal was ownership of two things: a Cadillac, and a fur coat that resembles a movie star. We know it means possessing a Cadillac and a fur coat, as movie stars were wont to do, but the sentence fails because it doesn’t explicitly state that. This revision does: â€Å"The postwar suburban ideal was driving a Cadillac and wearing a fur coat, like a movie star.† 2. The subject’s legacy cannot be that of someone with these identities, but it can be associated with that of such a person: â€Å"His legacy was that of a social revolutionary, humanitarian, and artist.† 3. The final phrase of this sentence lacks clarity. The point is that in 1860, sending a letter by Pony Express cost $5, and that today, for the same amount a more modest total than it was about 150 years ago one can send a letter on a commemorative ride carried out by reenactors. The sentence should be revised to make this relationship clearer: â€Å"A letter can be mailed via the Pony Express reenactors for the same fee it cost in 1860: $5.† 4. As written, this sentence suggests that the challenger is a book collector and author who is rare, and that the person’s name is John Doe and Jane Smith. Hyphenating rare and book to demonstrate that they team up to modify collector, and recasting the sentence to join each single epithet to the respective name, makes all clear: â€Å"That established history is being challenged by a rare-book collector, John Doe, and author Jane Smith.† 5. DNA testing is not always used of its high cost? Then why is it always used? Back up a little bit the sentence means that DNA testing’s high cost restricts the frequency of its use. This important distinction is conveyed with the simple reversal of two phrases and the insertion of a comma between them: â€Å"Although DNA testing is highly effective, because of its high cost, those involved in criminal investigations do not always use it.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How Many Tenses in English?50 Idioms About Fruits and VegetablesI wish I were...