Thursday, October 20, 2011

tawdry \TAW-dree\, adjective:

1. Gaudy, showy and cheap.

2. Low or mean; base: tawdry motives.

noun:

1. Cheap, gaudy apparel.

Tawdry was originally short for (Sain)t Audrey lace, which was a kind of neck lace bought at St. Audrey's Fair in Ely, England named after St. Audrey, Northumbrian queen and patron saint of Ely, who, according to tradition, died of a throat tumor which she considered just punishment of her youthful liking for neck laces.

Counterfriends

• The complete strangers you talk to at a house party who are assembled around the neutral, alcohol friendly zone of the kitchen counter. Like you, they may know only a few people at the party, including the super-mingling host, and are looking for counterfriends.

If it weren't for my counterfriends, I would've been standing next to the wall for two hours!

Trivia

Whose portraits hang on either side of the speaker’s rostrum in the U.S. House of Representatives?

• George Washington’s portrait hangs to the right; the Marquis de Lafayette’s to the left.

History

• Louisiana Purchase: acquisition that doubled the territory of the United States was ratified by the Senate (1803)
• "I shall return": General Douglas MacArthur fulfilled his 1942 promise when he led an Allied army in freeing the Philippines from Japanese control in WWII (1944)
• HUAC: opened hearings into alleged Communist influence in the movie industry (1947)
• Saturday Night Massacre: during Watergate, President Richard Nixon got rid of his special prosecutor, Archibald Cox, as well as his AG Elliot Richardson, and deputy AG William Ruckelshaus (1973)
• Sydney Opera House: distinctive building on Sydney Harbour was opened by Queen Elizabeth II (1973)

Birthdays

• Christopher Wren (1632-1723): architect who designed St. Paul's Cathedral
• John Dewey (1859-1952): philosopher, educator
• Dr. Joyce Brothers (83): pop psychologist
• Elfriede Jelinek (65): Nobel-winning writer; plus, writers Arthur Rimbaud (1854-1891) and Art Buchwald (1925-2007)
• Mickey Mantle (1931-1995): NY Yankees slugger
• Tom Petty (61): Heartbreakers' frontman; other musicians born on this date include Charles Ives (1874-1954), Jelly Roll Morton (1890-1941), Jim Sonefeld (47), Dannii Minogue (40) and Snoop Dogg (39)
• John Krasinski (32): Jim Halpert on The Office; also, actors Bela Lugosi (1882-1956), William Christopher (79), Jerry Orbach (1935-2004), Viggo Mortensen (53) and Jennifer Nicole Freeman (26)

Read more: http://www.answers.com/