Wednesday, September 29, 2010

confiscable \kuhn-FIS-kuh-buhl\, adjective:

• Liable to be taken by an authorized party.

Confiscable is a legal term whose source is the Latin confiscare, from com- "together" and fiscus, "public treasury," literally "money basket."

Social Terrorism

• When someone you know comes to visit unexpectedly and inconveniently, often staying for a long time, and you can't tell them to leave without being rude.

Yesterday, I was just about to go out, and then the doorbell rang. It was Sally, and she invited herself in and stayed for an hour! It was social terrorism!

Trivia

What’s the difference between hay and straw?

• Hay is cut and dried grass, clover, alfalfa, oats, and other grasses and legumes used as feed for farm animals; straw is the hollow stalks of wheat and other grains left over after harvesting and used for livestock bedding and mulch, as well as for weaving hats and baskets.

History

• Richard II: became the first English king to abdicate his throne; he was forced to do so by his successor, Henry IV, and died shortly thereafter (1399)
• bobbies: Sir Robert Peel's police force went on duty at Scotland Yard (1829)
• Tylenol scare: began with the first of seven deaths in the Chicago area from ingestion of cyanide-laced Tylenol capsules (1982)
• Dow Jones: had its steepest one-day drop in history, 778 points (2008)

Birthdays

• Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616): author of Don Quixote
• Enrico Fermi (1901-1954): pioneer in nuclear fission
• Jean-Luc Ponty (68): jazz violinist; other musicians born on this date include Jerry Lee Lewis (75), Mike Post (66), Mike Pinera (62), Suzzy Roche (54) and Les Claypool (47)
• Lech Walesa (67): labor leader who became president of Poland; plus Mexican president Miguel Alemán (1902-1983)
• Bryant Gumbel (62): TV journalist and sportscaster
• Zachary Levi (30): the titular star of Chuck; also, actors Greer Garson (1904-1996), Trevor Howard (1913-1988), Lizabeth Scott (88), Steve Forrest (86), Anita Ekberg (79), Ian McShane (68), Madeline Kahn (1942-1999), Drake Hogestyn (57), Jill Whelan (44), Emily Lloyd (40), and Rachel Cronin and Mackenzie Crook (both 39)