Tuesday, May 22, 2018

belabor \bih-LEY-ber\, verb:

1. To explain, worry about, or work more than is necessary.
2. To assail persistently, as with scorn or ridicule.
3. To beat vigorously; ply with heavy blows.
4. Obsolete. To labor at.

Like besot, belabor comes from the prefix be- which makes a verb out of a noun and the root labor meaning "to work."

 
Cyclops date

• A date with someone you've met over the internet; it's not quite a blind date because you've seen their photo, chatted with them and possibly talked to them on the phone.

I have a cyclops date tonight at 8. Text me at 8:20 so I have an excuse to bail if it sucks.

 

History

• War of the Roses: series of civil wars began, pitting York against Lancaster (1455)
• Pact of Steel: Germany and Italy committed to a military alliance (1939)
• Truman Doctrine: became US law; it encouraged aid to countries under communist threat (1947)
• Richard Nixon: became the first American president to visit Russia (1972)
• Sri Lanka: became a republic, changing its name from Ceylon (1972)
• Republic of Yemen: was formed by the union of North Yemen and South Yemen (1990)
• The Tonight Show: Johnny Carson hosted the last episode of his late night show (1992)

Birthdays 

• Wilhelm Richard Wagner 1813 - Composer

  
• Mary Cassatt 1844 - Painter, printmaker
• Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 1859 - Author of Sherlock Holmes detective novels
• Laurence Olivier 1907 - Actor, director, producer
• Sun Ra (Herman Poole Blount, Le Sony'r Ra) 1914 - Musician
• Vance Packard 1914 - Journalist, social critic, author
• Judith Crist 1922 - Film critic
• Charles Aznavour 1924 - Singer
• Elaine Leighton 1926 - Musician
• Michael Constantine 1927 - Actor
• Jackie Cain 1928 - Musician
• T. Boone Pickens 1928 - Oil tycoon
• Kenny Ball 1930 - Musician
• Al Brown 1934 - Band leader (Al Brown's Tunetoppers)
• Peter Nero (Bernard Nierow) 1934 - Pianist, conductor
• Frank Converse 1938 - Actor
• Susan Strasberg 1938 - Actress
• Richard Benjamin 1938 - Actor, director
• Paul Winfield 1939 - Actor ("Sounder")
• Bernard Shaw 1940 - Broadcast journalist
• Michael Sarrazin 1940 - Actor
• Barbara Parkins 1942 - Actress
• Bernie Taupin 1950 - Songwriter, worked with Elton John
• Jerry Dammers 1954 - Musician (Specials)
• Iva Davies 1955 - Musician (Icehouse)
• Al Corley 1956 - Actor, singer, producer
• Morrissey 1959 - Musician (The Smiths)
• Dana Williams 1961 - Musician (Diamond Rio)
• Ann Cusak 1961 - Actress
• Jesse Valenzuela 1962 - Musician (Gin Blossoms)
• Johnny Gill 1966 - Singer (New Edition)
• Dan Roberts 1967 - Musician (Crash Test Dummies)
• Naomi Campbell 1970 - Model
• Alison Eastwood 1972 - Actress, director
• Anna Belknap 1972 - Actress ("CSI: NY")
• Donell Jones 1973 - Musician
• A.J. Langer 1974 - Actress
• Ginnifer Goodwin 1978 - Actress ("Big Love")
• Maggie Q 1979 - Actress
• Apolo Anton Ohno 1982 - Speed skater