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Do you agree with this quote?

Today's quote of the day comes from none other than Alexander Hamilton (1757-1804): "People sometimes attribute my success to my genius; all the genius I know anything about is hard work."  You may have heard of Hamilton , the smash Broadway musical his rags to riches story inspired. Or, you might know him as the guy on the $10 bill. Hamilton gave new meaning to the word "workhorse." As the first U.S. secretary of the treasury, he was essentially the architect of the American financial system. He wrote 51 of the 85 essays that comprise  The Federalist Papers . He pushed for the establishment of the first national bank. He wrote some 28 essays which were instrumental in securing the ratification of the Jay Treaty with Great Britain. He established the U.S. Coast Card and founded The New York Post, the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the U.S. And, to boot, he married into one of the wealthiest families in New York City, even though he neve...

Ever heard or used this word before?

I'm just about halfway into the 700+ page behemoth  Alexander Hamilton , which served as the inspiration for the hit Broadway musical. The author of the book, Ron Chernow, took the liberty of littering the book with a wide array of big words, many of which have prompted me to pull out my trusty dictionary. One such unfamiliar word that caught my attention was cynosure.  Cynosure stands for an object that serves as a focal point of attention and admiration. Hamilton, the first U.S. secretary of the treasury, captivated women with his good looks and charm. It's no surprise, then, that he built a reputation as something of a flirt, not missing an opportunity to strike up conversations with beautiful ladies at balls and banquets (all this despite being married). Even men found him arresting on account of his intelligence, boldness, and knack for conversation. In modern parlance, many would probably just employ "hunk" or "eye candy." Had you ever ...

What does this quote mean to you?

Today's quote comes from Alexander Hamilton (1755-1804) -- founding father, first treasury secretary of the United States, and the subject of the hit Broadway musical that has taken the country by storm. Not only did he coauthor The Federalist Papers , a collection of 85 articles and essays promoting the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, but he founded the Federalist Party and was the mastermind behind the establishment of the first national bank. Like his arch-nemesis Thomas Jefferson, who everyone knows wrote the Declaration of Independence, Hamilton was a prodigious writer in his lifetime, penning scores of letters, reports, and even George Washington's Farewell Address. Sadly, he died at age 47 after being shot in a duel with Aaron Burr. Because of their sheer brilliance and masterful pen, I consider Jefferson and Hamilton the two most fascinating figures in American History. Hamilton once said, "Those who stand for nothing fall for anything." If th...