Thursday, December 9, 2010

farouche \fa-ROOSH\, adjective:

1. Sullenly unsociable or shy.

2. Fierce.

Farouche derives from the Late Latin foasticus, "without, out of doors."

geek

• The people you pick on in high school and wind up working for as an adult

The geeky kid now owns a million dollar software company

Trivia

Which was the only South American country to send combat troops to Europe to fight with the Allies during World War II?

• Brazil, which declared war on the Axis powers in August 1942 and sent more than 25,000 troops to Europe to aid the Allies.

History

• American Minerva: New York's first daily newspaper began publication, edited by Noah Webster (1793)
• "Charge of the Light Brigade": Alfred, Lord Tennyson's poem was published (1854)
• John Birch Society: was founded under the banner "Less Government, More Responsibility, and With God's Help, A Better World" (1958)
• Coronation Street: longest-running British soap opera first aired (1960)
• A Charlie Brown Christmas: the iconic Peanuts holiday special premiered (1965)

Birthdays

• Karl Wilhelm Scheele (1742-1786): chemist who discovered several elements; plus, chemist Comte Claude-Louis Berthollet (1748-1822)
• Emmett Kelly (1898-1979): sad-faced circus clown
• Dalton Trumbo (1905-1976): screenplay author of Spartacus and Johnny Got His Gun; other writers born on this date include John Milton (1608-1674), Joel Chandler Harris (1848-1908), Jean de Brunhoff (1899-1937) and Buck Henry (80)
• Beau Bridges (69): character actor, The Fabulous Baker Boys; also, actors Kirk Douglas (94), Dina Merrill (85), Dick Van Patten (82), John Cassavetes (1929-1989), Judi Dench (76), John Malkovich (57), Felicity Huffman (48), Jesse Metcalfe (32) and Simon Helberg (30)
• Dick Butkus (68): pro linebacker who's in the NFL Hall of Fame
• Donny Osmond (53): singer and game show host and winner of Dancing With the Stars; also, musicians Junior Wells (1934-1998), Dan Hicks (69), Joan Armatrading (60), Jakob Dylan (41), Kara DioGuardi (40), Tré Cool (38) and Imogen Heap (33)
• Crown Princess Masako (47): wife of Japan's Crown Prince Naruhito