Wednesday, March 18, 2009

elucidate \ih-LOO-si-dayt\, transitive verb:

• To make clear or manifest; to render more intelligible; to illustrate; as, an example will elucidate the subject.

Elucidate comes from Late Latin elucidare, to clear up, from ex-, e-, out of + lucidus, bright, from lux, luc- light. Hence to elucidate is to bring the inner light out of an obscure subject. One who elucidates is an elucidator; that which tends to elucidate is elucidative; the act of elucidating, or that which elucidates, is an elucidation.

cewebrity

• an internet personality that has attained celebrity

Have you seen that kid from pixieland.org? Holy crap he's poppin up everywhere including conan o'brien...when did he become a cewebrity?

Trivia

What entertainer did composer-conductor Leonard Bernstein describe as “the greatest cultural force in the 20th century”?

• Elvis Presley.

Today in History:

• Tri-State Tornado: the deadliest tornado in US history hit Missouri, Illinois and Indiana; nearly 700 were killed (1925)
• Gideon v. Wainwright: the US Supreme Court ruled that poor defendants in felony cases have the right to a court-appointed lawyer (1963)
• art theft: the largest museum heist in history took place at the Isabella Stewart Gardner
• Museum in Boston, with the thieves dressed as police officers; it remains unsolved and a $5 million reward is still offered (1990)

Today's Birthdays:

• Grover Cleveland (1837-1908): POTUS No. 22 and 24; other world leaders born on this date include Neville Chamberlain (1869-1940) and F.W. de Klerk (73)
• Rudolf Diesel (1858-1913): inventor of the eponymous engine
• John Updike (1932-2009): Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Rabbit, Run; plus, writer George Plimpton (1927-2003)
• Queen Latifah (39): musician/actress who starred in Chicago, Mad Money; Chicago composer John Kander (82) and musicians Charley Pride (71), Bill Frisell (58), Irene Cara (50), Adam Levine (30), Jerry Cantrell (43) were also born on this date
• Dane Cook (37): actor/comedian; also, actors Peter Graves (83), Kevin Dobson (66), Brad Dourif (59) and Vanessa Williams (46)
• Brian Griese (34): quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers