Thursday, January 2, 2020 3:54 pm

Definition of resolution- from Merriam-Webster.com

1 : the act or process of resolving: such as

a : the act of analyzing a complex notion into simpler ones

b : the act of answering : solving

c : the act of determining

d : the passing of a voice part from a dissonant to a consonant tone or the progression of a chord from dissonance to consonance

e : the separating of a chemical compound or mixture into its constituents

f(1) : the division of a prosodic element into its component parts

(2) : the substitution in Greek or Latin prosody of two short syllables for a long syllable

g : the analysis of a vector into two or more vectors of which it is the sum

2 : the subsidence of a pathological state (such as inflammation)

3a : something that is resolved made a resolution to mend my ways

b : firmness of resolve

4 : a formal expression of opinion, will, or intent voted by an official body or assembled group

5 : the point in a literary work at which the chief dramatic complication is worked out

6a : the process or capability of making distinguishable the individual parts of an object, closely adjacent optical images, or sources of light

b : a measure of the sharpness of an image or of the fineness with which a device (such as a video display, printer, or scanner) can produce or record such an image usually expressed as the total number or density of pixels in the image a resolution of 1200 dots per inch

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I recognize the cheap trick of using a definition as a literary device. What can I say? It's a New Year and I am all out of old tricks.

I even went so far as to use the above list as basis for a Sunday School lesson. The cool part of "teaching" tech savvy adults? With the word "prosody", phones came out and internet search for the definition began. It did not mean what we thought it meant. (Look it up yourself - that's what the Google is for.)

Pick any definition from the list and it will fit this crazy year. With impeachment, a several day siege of the US embassy in Baghdad, elections, Australia burning, changes in Kentucky's government and investigations by Republicans into a Republican governor's pardons- any definition can apply.

For America, 1(d) : the passing of a voice part from a dissonant to a consonant tone or the progression of a chord from dissonance to consonance is at this moment only a fever dream. Stay tuned. Anything is possible- pot is now legal in 11 states and who ever thought that would happen?

We could also use some 2 : the subsidence of a pathological state (such as inflammation). Without naming names, inflaming passions has been a money maker for media outlets in this last part of the Twenty Teens.

Social media will take up a chunk of pixels under 6(b). As the year progresses with more and more political advertising, clarity and sharpness will be in short supply.

For the American experiment to have a happy result will take a: the act of analyzing a complex notion into simpler ones, b : the act of answering : solving and c : the act of determining.

Resolving our differences and reaching a happy resolution will take firmness of resolve.

As West Kentucky Journal enters its twelfth year of publishing, our resolution is to research more, write more and share more.

Full speed ahead and don't spare the pixels!