Word of the Day for Sunday, September 21, 2008

beneficence \buh-NEFF-i-suhns\, noun:

1. The practice of doing good; active goodness, kindness, or charity.
2. A charitable gift or act.

Beneficence is from Latin beneficentia, from beneficus, kind, generous, obliging, from bene, well (from bonus, good) + facere, to do. One who, or that which, is characterized by beneficence is beneficent.

Trivia
What was the first beer sold in a snap-top can?

• Iron City beer, in 1962.

Today in History

• Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus: editorial in the New York Sun addressed an 8-year-old's doubts (1897)
• The Hobbit: J.R.R. Tolkien's classic Middle-earth novel was published (1937)
• Hindu milk miracle: was said to have occurred at a temple in New Delhi (1995)

Today's Birthdays

• Chuck Jones (1912-2002): animator of Bugs Bunny
• Jerry Bruckheimer (63): prolific producer of action films and TV shows, CSI; producer Ethan Coen (50) also celebrates a birthday today
• Stephen King (61): author of Misery and The Shining; writers H.G. Wells (1866-1946), Leonard Cohen (74) and Fannie Flagg (64) share this birth date
• Faith Hill (41): country singer; also, musician Don Felder (61)
• Ricki Lake (40): actor and talk show host; also, actors Larry Hagman (77), Henry Gibson (73), Bill Murray (58), Dave Coulier (49), David James Elliott (48), Nancy Travis (47), Rob Morrow (46), Cheryl Hine (43), Luke Wilson (37), Nicole Richie (27) and Maggie Grace (25)