Saturday, June 22, 2013

Saturday, June 22, 2013

zither \ZITH-er, ZITH-\, noun:
  • a musical instrument, consisting of a flat sounding box with numerous strings stretched over it, that is placed on a horizontal surface and played with a plectrum and the fingertips.
Zither entered English in the mid-1850s and ultimately comes from the Greek term for "lute," kithara.
whistleblower
  • An insider who reveals an act, generally illegal, taking place, which the person committing the act would not wish to be public. The word comes from the idea that the whistleblower is "blowing a whistle" to stop the illegal action that he/she sees.
The CEO was sent to jail after a whistleblower who worked at the company leaked documents to the press proving illegal stock manipulation.
Trivia
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History
  • Henry Hudson: English explorer was set adrift with his son and several others by the mutinous crew of his ship; the castaways perished (1611)
  • Galileo Galilei: was compelled by the Church to recant his heliocentric view of the universe (1633)
  • G.I. Bill of Rights: law that helped veterans go to college was signed by FDR (1944)
  • Okinawa: the WWII campaign for the island ended; over 12,000 Americans and 110,000 Japanese lost their lives during the 83-day battle (1945)
  • voting age: President Richard Nixon signed a measure allowing 18-year-olds to vote (1970)
  • Charon: largest moon of Pluto was discovered (1978)
Birthdays
  • George Vancouver 1757
  • Erich Maria Remarque 1898
  • Carl Hubbell 1903
  • Billy Wilder 1906
  • Michael Todd 1907
  • Ann Morrow Lindbergh 1907
  • Mary Livingstone 1909
  • Joseph Papp 1921
  • Gower Champion 1921
  • Bill Blass 1922
  • Ralph Waite 1928
  • Roy Drusky 1930
  • Kris Kristofferson 1936
  • Ed Bradley 1941
  • Barry Serafin 1941
  • Michael Lerner 1941
  • Klaus Maria Brandauer 1944
  • Peter Asher (Peter and Gordon) 1944
  • Andrew Rubin 1946
  • David L. Lander 1947
  • Howard Kaylan (The Turtles) 1947
  • Todd Rungren 1948
  • Meryl Streep 1949
  • Allen Osmond 1949
  • Lindsay Wagner 1949
  • Larry Junstrom (.38 Special) 1949
  • Graham Greene 1952
  • Chris Lemmon 1954
  • Freddie Prinze 1954
  • Green Gartside (Scritti Politti) 1956
  • Gary (INXS) Beers 1957
  • Bruce Campbell 1958
  • Alan Anton (Cowboy Junkies) 1959
  • Tracy Pollan 1960
  • Jimi Somerville 1961
  • Jimmy Sommerville (Bronski Beat, Communards) 1961
  • Amy Brenneman 1964
  • Mike Edwards (Jesus Jones) 1964
  • Tom Cunningham (Wet Wet Wet) 1965
  • Paula Irvine 1968
  • Stephen Page (Barenaked Ladied) 1970
  • Lindsay Ridgeway 1985

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