Sunday, May 2, 2010

sesquipedalianism \ses-kwi-PEED-l-iz-uhm\, adjective:

1. Given to using long words.
2. (Of a word) containing many syllables.

Sesquipedalianism appears in Horace's Ars Poetica, meaning "words a foot-and-a-half long," as an ironic criticism.
mattress worship

• Refers to the decision to stay in bed when you are too tired to get up and go to church.

Bottom doesnt go to church; he prefers mattress worship.
Trivia 
What California town is named for President Zachary Taylor? Hint: The answer is neither Zachary nor Taylor.

• The town of Rough and Ready. Taylor’s nickname as an army officer was “Old Rough and Ready.” The town was founded by a group of gold rushers from Wisconsin who were organized as the Rough and Ready Mining Company and led by an ex-soldier who had served with Taylor.

History

• Martin Luther: the 23-year-old German theologian and future Protestant reformer was ordained (1507)
• Berlin: surrendered to Russian forces during WWII; the war in Europe ended less than a week later (1945)
• Nelson Mandela: won in South Africa's first multiracial election (1994)
• GPS: President Bill Clinton announced that US citizens and the military would have equal access to the positioning system (2000)

Berfdays

• Catherine the Great (1729-1796): empress of Russia who described herself as an "enlightened despot"; Spanish PM Antonio Maura (1853-1925) was also born on this date
• Henry Martyn Robert (1837-1923): author of Robert's Rules of Order
• Dr. Benjamin Spock (1903-1998): pediatrician who wrote The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care
• Christine Baranski (58): Tony winner for The Real Thing and Rumors, Emmy winner for Cybill; also, actors Theodore Bikel (86), Roscoe Lee Browne (1925-2007), David Suchet (64), The Rock (38), Gaius Charles (27) and Kay Panabaker (20)
• David Beckham (35): soccer superstar; other athletes born today include Sarah Hughes and Ashley Harkleroad (both 24)