Ellipsis: The Enigma of Dot-Dot-Dot In the realm of language, the ellipsis (…), also known as “dot-dot-dot,” stands as an enigmatic punctuation mark that trails off into unknown territory, leaving readers with a sense of intrigue or uncertainty. Origins and Purpose The ellipsis originated in ancient Greek manuscripts, where scribes used it to indicate an omitted or incomplete section of text. Over time, it became adopted into written English, serving various purposes: * Omission: It signals the intentional skipping of words or phrases that are unnecessary or obvious. * Silence and Pause: It suggests a hesitant pause, a moment of reflection, or an unspoken emotion. * Suspense and Intrigue: It creates suspense and anticipation, leaving readers wondering about what comes next. * Trails of Thought: It conveys a stream of consciousness or wandering thoughts, allowing the reader to follow the speaker’s train of thought. * Emphasis: It can be used to emphasize a word or phrase by creating a pause before or after it. Usage Guidelines When using ellipses, it is essential to adhere to some guidelines: * Spacing: Use a single space on either side of the ellipsis, as in “…”. * Punctuation: Ellipses generally do not require additional punctuation after them if they are not used to indicate a question or an exclamation. * Conciseness: Use ellipses sparingly to avoid breaking up the flow of writing. * Clarity: Ensure that the omitted words or phrases can be easily understood from the context. Examples * Omission: “I have to go to the store for… milk, bread, and eggs.” * Silence and Pause: “She hesitated for a moment, her eyes searching his face…” * Suspense and Intrigue: “And then… he disappeared into the shadows.” * Trails of Thought: “…you know, sometimes I wonder if… maybe I’m not good enough.” * Emphasis: “…and that is why I believe that freedom… is the most precious of all human rights.” The ellipsis is a powerful tool that can evoke a wide range of emotions and thoughts. By understanding its origins and usage guidelines, writers can harness its enigmatic charm to enhance their writing and leave lasting impressions on their readers.”..”
“..” Two periods, known as “dots” or “dot dot,” hold significance in various contexts. Computing: * Directory Navigation: In directory paths, “..” represents the parent directory of the current one. For example, in the path “/home/user/documents/file.txt”, “/home/user/documents” is the parent directory. * Package Managers: Package managers like npm and pip use “..” to denote the parent directory of a module or package, enabling easier referencing of dependencies. * Relative Paths: “..” can be used in relative paths to move up one directory level. For instance, the path “../README.md” would refer to the README.md file located in the parent directory. File Extensions: * “..” is commonly used as a placeholder for an unknown file extension, indicating that the file type is not specified or irrelevant. For example, “file..” represents a file with an unknown extension. Syntax and Programming: * Assembly Language: In assembly language, “..” is an instruction that indicates an immediate memory addressing mode, where the operand immediately follows the instruction. * Regular Expressions: In regular expressions, “..” matches any two characters, making it useful for finding patterns or wildcard searches. Mathematics: * Interval Notation: In interval notation, “..” represents an open interval, where the endpoints are not included. For example, “(0, 10)” denotes the interval from 0 to 10, excluding 0 and 10. Other Contexts: * Ellipsis: “..” can be used to indicate an omission, abbreviation, or pause in speech or writing. * Versioning: In software versioning, “..” is sometimes used to denote a minor version update. For example, “1.0..1” would indicate a minor update to version 1.0. * Wildcard: “..” is often used as a wildcard character in various search and filtering operations, allowing for broader matches or results.
COVID-19 Cases Surge, Hospitals Overwhelmed The surge in COVID-19 cases has put an unprecedented strain on hospitals across the country. As of Wednesday, over 100,000 people are hospitalized with the virus, a 25% increase from last week. In some states, hospitals are so overwhelmed that they are having to ration care and turn away patients. The surge in cases is being driven by the Omicron variant, which is more contagious than previous variants of the virus. The Omicron variant is also causing milder symptoms in most people, but it can still be deadly for the elderly and those with underlying health conditions. Public health officials are urging people to get vaccinated and boosted, wear masks, and avoid large gatherings to help slow the spread of the virus. They are also warning that the surge in cases is likely to continue for several weeks. The surge in COVID-19 cases is a major challenge for the health care system. Hospitals are struggling to keep up with the demand for care, and patients are facing long wait times and limited access to care. The surge is also taking a toll on health care workers, who are exhausted and overwhelmed.
