Word of the Day for Wednesday, October 8, 2008

circumlocution \sir-kuhm-loh-KYOO-shuhn\, noun:

• The use of many words to express an idea that might be expressed by few; indirect or roundabout language.

Circumlocution comes from Latin circumlocutio, circumlocution-, from circum, "around" + loquor, loqui, "to speak."

FMI

• For My Information

FMI, does Colin go to the gym on Main Street or on Water Street?

Trivia

For what short-lived career goal did astronaut-to-be Sally Ride briefly drop out of college?

• Professional tennis. Ride dropped out of Swarthmore College to work on her tennis game full time, but after just three months she decided she wasn’t good enough to turn pro. She resumed her education at Stanford University, and went on to become the first American woman in space.

Today in History

• The Great Chicago Fire: began, as did three other blazes around Lake Michigan, including America's deadliest fire, the Peshtigo fire (1871)
• Empress Myeongseong: the last empress of Korea was assassinated by the Japanese (1895)
• Che Guevara: leftist revolutionary hero was captured by the Bolivian army; he was executed the next day (1967)
• water speed record: was set by Australian Ken Warby at 318 mph/510 kph; it still stands (1978)

Today's Birthdays

• Eddie Rickenbacker (1890-1973): war hero and former president of Eastern Airlines
• Juan Perón (1895-1974): president of Argentina
• Frank Herbert (1920-1986): author of Dune
• Jesse Jackson (67): civil rights activist
• Emily Procter (40): Calleigh Duquesne in CSI: Miami; other actors born today include Paul Hogan (69), Chevy Chase (65), Sigourney Weaver (59), Darrell Hammond (53), Stephanie Zimbalist (52), Matt Damon (38) and Angus T. Jones (15)