Monday, May 31, 2010

threnody \THREN-uh-dee\, noun:

• A poem, speech, or song of lamentation, esp. for the dead; dirge; funeral song.

The source of threnody is the Greek thrēnōidía, where thrēnōs is "lamentation" and ōid is "song." (Also the root of ode.)

Football Minute

• When someone asks for a minute to do something, even though they know it will take much longer than 60 seconds.

Wife: I need to run into this store. It'll only take a minute

Husband mumbles: More like a football minute.

Trivia

What was the password of the Allied forces on D-Day in 1944?

• Mickey Mouse.

Today's Holiday

• Memorial Day (US): U.S. holiday. Originally held (1868) in commemoration of soldiers killed in the American Civil War, its observance later extended to all U.S. war dead. Most states conform to the federal practice of observing it on the last Monday in May, but some retain the traditional day of celebration, May 30. National observance is marked by the placing of a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery. Flags, insignia, and flowers are placed on the graves of veterans in local cemeteries.

History

• Copyright Act of 1790: was signed into law by US president George Washington; it initially covered only books, maps and charts
• Ancash earthquake: killed more than 47,000 in Peru (1970)
• Deep Throat: Watergate whistleblower's identity was revealed after 30 years of secrecy; he was W. Mark Felt, a former associate director of the FBI (2005)

Birthdays

• Walt Whitman (1819-1892): poet who wrote Leaves of Grass, "O Captain! My Captain!"
• William Pirrie (1847-1924): shipbuilder who built the Titanic

• Rainier III (1923-2005): prince of Monaco
• Brooke Shields (45): stage and screen actor; other actors born on this date include Sharon Gless (67), Tom Berenger (61), Gregory Harrison (60), Roma Maffia (52), Chris Elliott and Kyle Secor (both 50), Lea Thompson (49), Colin Farrell (34) and Eric Christian Olsen (33)
• Clint Eastwood (80): Dirty Harry
• Peter Yarrow (72): Peter of Peter, Paul and Mary
• Joe Namath (67): celebrity quarterback