Tuesday, May 4, 2010

iatrogenic \ahy-a-truh-JEN-ik\, adjective:

• A malady induced inadvertently by a physician or surgeon or by medical treatment or diagnostic procedures.

Iatrogenic stems from the Greek iatros, physician.
unsult

• An insult disguised as a compliment, originating from The Simpons episode Father Knows Worst. The disguise can be very obvious or very subtle.

Example unsult: "Lenny, it takes a lot of courage to wear suspenders while you're not performing in the circus." 
Trivia
What world famous early explorer’s dying words were “I have only told the half of what I saw”?

• Marco Polo, who uttered those words to a priest who urged him to confess and retract his “fables.”

History

• Manhattan: Dutch colonist Peter Minuit landed on the island; he later bought it for $24 in trade goods (1626)
• Al Capone: after many arrests, the crime boss known as Scarface was finally jailed for tax evasion (1932)
• Kent State: four university students were killed and nine wounded by members of the Ohio National Guard, who were quashing a campus protest against the US invasion of Cambodia during the Vietnam War (1970)

Berfdays, yo!

• Bartolomeo Cristofori (1655-1731): harpsichord maker credited with inventing the piano 
• Hosni Mubarak (82): president of Egypt
• Audrey Hepburn (1929-1993): Oscar-winning star of Roman Holiday, Breakfast at Tiffany's, My Fair Lady; also, actors Richard Jenkins (63) and Will Arnett (40)
• George F. Will (69): conservative commentator and columnist
• Keith Haring (1958-1990): graffiti artist whose public works often carried social messages; artist Frederick Church (1826-1900) was also born on this date
• Lance Bass (31): 'N Sync bass singer who was certified by both NASA and the Russian Space Program for a mission aboard a Soyuz space capsule; plus, musicians Roberta Peters (80), Ron Carter (73), Nikolas Ashford (68), Randy Travis (51) and Mike Dirnt (38)