Monday, July 4, 2011

suffrage \SUHF-rij\, noun:

1. The right to vote, especially in a political election.

2. A vote given in favor of a proposed measure, candidate, or the like.

3. In Christian practice, a prayer, especially a short intercessory prayer or petition.

Suffrage stems from the Latin roots Sub- "under," and fragor, "crash, din, shouts (as of approval.)" The meaning "right to vote" is first found in the U.S. Constitution, 1787.

fireworks

• explosives meant to annoy your neighbors.

"BOOM"

"I hate that geezer, he got mad at me just for shooting his dog. It was only an M80."

Trivia

When it comes to the chemistry of fireworks, what minerals are used to produce the colors red, white, and blue?

• Red, strontium; white, aluminum or magnesium; and blue, copper.

Today's Holiday

• Fourth of July (US): Anniversary of the adoption of the U.S. Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress (July 4, 1776). It is the greatest secular holiday in the country. Celebrating the day became common only after the War of 1812. Thereafter, civic-minded groups worked to link the ideals of democracy and citizenship to the patriotic spirit of the day.

History

• Walden: Henry David Thoreau took up abode in a small cabin he built himself near Walden Pond, where he spent two years in simple living (1845)
• Alice's Adventure's in Wonderland: Lewis Carroll told Alice Liddell the tale that became the book (1862)
• Lou Gehrig: afflicted by ALS, he bid farewell to fans at Yankee Stadium, calling himself that day "the luckiest man on the face of the Earth" (1939)
• Philippines: gained independence from the US (1946)
• Operation Entebbe: hostages taken by pro-Palestinian hijackers were rescued by Israeli commandos in Uganda (1976)
• Deep Impact: space probe fulfilled its primary mission by colliding with Comet 9P/Tempel to allow examination of the comet's interior (2005)

Birthdays

• Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807-1882): Italian patriot
• Calvin Coolidge (1872-1933): laconic, no-nonsense 30th POTUS
• Abigail Van Buren (93): advice columnist, "Dear Abby"; plus, her identical twin who also wrote a popular advice column, Ann Landers (1918-2002)
• Neil Simon (84): Tony/Oscar-winning playwright and screenwriter of The Odd Couple and Lost in Yonkers; plus, novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864)
• John Waite (56): rock singer; plus, musicians Stephen Foster (1826-1864), Mitch Miller (100), Ralph Johnson (60), Kirk Pengilly (53) and Matt Malley (48)
• Becki Newton (33): Ugly Betty's Amanda Tanen; also, actors Eva Marie Saint (87) and Gina Lollobrigida (84)

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