Lagniappe-\'lan-yap\ Something given gratuitously.
(Basically, stuff we thought you might find interesting.)
What Time Is It, Exactly?
Do you need to know the exact time? The most accurate source of time is the Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C. The observatory, located on Massachusetts Avenue, provides ongoing updates of the current time.
To set your watch, call (202) 762-1401. The line is active 24 hours a day.
Traveling on Government Business?
If you are a federal government employee who travels, there is one location where you can find out how much your agency will reimburse you.
Simply go to www.gsa.gov, and enter
"Per Diem Rates" in the home page search engine.
The site contains rates for every city in the country. And, it is updated annually when government adjusts its reimbursement rates.
What's Style Got To Do With It?
You may have heard editors and publishers refer to different styles, such as Chicago
or GPO. But what is a style, and why is it important?
Like the framework of a building, style is not necessarily noticeable, but it provides
a necessary structure. A uniform style allows readers to concentrate on the message in
your article or brochure, instead of being distracted or confused by inconsistent
punctuation, confusing abbreviations, or varied spellings. For example, is it "data base"
or "database?" One dictionary might say it is two words, and another one word. By
choosing and adhering to a style, an editor resolves those questions and avoids confusing
the reader.
How do we at Woodward Communications determine which style manual
to use? It depends on the subject matter and the client's preference.
For example, for publications of the federal government, we use
the Government Printing Office Style Manual. For medical
journals, we use the Stylebook/Editorial Manual of the American
Medical Association. For legal documents, we use The Bluebook:
A Uniform System of Citation. And whenever the choice is up
to us, we use our personal favorite—The Chicago Manual
of Style.
