Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Fact of the day! 10-22-08


30 per cent of all marriages start of from a good friendship.

Meditation - 10-22-08


What really matters is not just the practice of sittingbut far more the state of mindyou find yourself in after meditation.It is this calm and centered state of mindyou should prolong though everything you do.
Sogyal Rinpoche

Word of the day! 10-22-08

Today's Word
synecdoche \si-NEK-duh-kee\, noun:a figure of speech by which a part is put for the whole or whole for a part or general for the special or vice versa

"Photographers had to resort to visual synecdoche, hoping that a small part of the scene -- a wailing child, an emaciated mother, a pile of corpses in a freshly dug trench -- would suggest the horrors of the whole.-- Paul Gray, Looking At Cataclysms, Time, August 1, 1994

"We're using the part-for-whole type of synecdoche, for instance, when we describe a smart person as a "brain."-- We Live by the Brand, Hartford Courant, August 9, 1995

By 1388, from Middle Latin synodoche, from Late Latin synecdoche, from Greek synekdokhe, literally "a receiving together or jointly," from synekdekhesthai "supply a thought or word, take with something else," from syn- "with" + ek "out" + dekhesthai "to receive," related to dokein "seem good".

Laugh of the day! 10-22-08

How many mice does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
Two, if they're small enough.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Fact of the day! 10-21-08


The first person widely recorded to have died of radiation poisoning was scientist Marie Curie.

Meditation - 10-21-08


Daily life is the school.And for each one of us our daily life confronts us exactly with what we need to learn to be more centered, more conscious and more meditative.There is no other way... daily life is the way.
Dharma

Word of the day! 10-21-08

Today's Word
synecdoche \si-NEK-duh-kee\, noun:a figure of speech by which a part is put for the whole or whole for a part or general for the special or vice versa

"Photographers had to resort to visual synecdoche, hoping that a small part of the scene -- a wailing child, an emaciated mother, a pile of corpses in a freshly dug trench -- would suggest the horrors of the whole.-- Paul Gray, Looking At Cataclysms, Time, August 1, 1994

"We're using the part-for-whole type of synecdoche, for instance, when we describe a smart person as a "brain."-- We Live by the Brand, Hartford Courant, August 9, 1995

By 1388, from Middle Latin synodoche, from Late Latin synecdoche, from Greek synekdokhe, literally "a receiving together or jointly," from synekdekhesthai "supply a thought or word, take with something else," from syn- "with" + ek "out" + dekhesthai "to receive," related to dokein "seem good".

Laugh of the day! 10-21-08

As a senior citizen was driving down the freeway, his cell phone rang.Answering, he heard his wife's voice urgently warning him, "Herman, I just heard on the news that there''s a car going the wrong way on Route 280. Please be careful!""It's not just one car," said Herman, "It's hundreds of them!"

Monday, October 20, 2008

Fact of the day! 10-20-08


The legend of the Loch Ness Monster started around the year 565 when St. Columba claimed to see a dragon threaten a traveller by Loch Ness

Meditation - 10-20-08


Daily life is the school.And for each one of us our daily life confronts us exactly with what we need to learn to be more centered, more conscious and more meditative.There is no other way... daily life is the way.
Dharma

Word of the day! 10-20-08

Today's Word
malfeasance \mal-FEE-zuhn(t)s\, noun:Wrongdoing, misconduct, or misbehavior, especially by a public official.

"But more often than not the same board members who were removed by the chancellor for malfeasance subsequently manage to get reelected in a political process that defies any form of accountability.-- Diane Ravitch and Joseph Viteritti, New Schools for a New Century

"Cagney family conjecture was that Grandpop Nelson, with the temper of a dozen Furies, had likely committed some malfeasance in his native town forcing him to change his name when he left.-- John McCabe, Cagney

Malfeasance is derived from Old French malfaisant, present participle of malfaire, "to do evil," from Latin malefacere, from male, "badly" + facere, "to do."

Laugh of the day! 10-20-08

You're so ugly, I took you to the zoo and the zookeeper said, ''Thanks for bringing her back!''

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Fact of the day! 10-18-08


The last of the professional truffle hunters stopped work in 1930. His name was Alfred Collins and he worked in the Winterslow area of Wiltshire. He hunted for truffles, mainly the Summer Truffle, Tuber aestivum, using two trained Spanish poodles. The truffles grew under beech trees at a depth of about 3 inches. If they grew any deeper than this, they were no good.



Meditation - 10-18-08


Meditation is not about the goal, about arriving somewhere, it is the joy of discovering oneself and all the mysteries of life.Every day a new star, a new insight.Many great things will come out of meditation but they will happen on their own, they are surprises, presents.While meditating one should not expect anything, everything will come on its own accord.
Tishan

Word of the day! 10-18-08

Today's Word
alfresco \al-FRES-koh\, adverb:1. In the open air; outdoors.
adjective:1. Taking place or located in the open air; outdoor.

"Turner escaped from the entangled politics of London's art world, where the Royal Academy was marooned in petty disputes, to paint alfresco on the riverbanks.-- Siri Huntoon, "Down by the Riverside", New York Times, November 7, 1993

"Outdoor sitting areas all have LAN connections, so that employees can work alfresco.-- Scott Kirsner, "Digital Competition - Laurie A. Tucker", Fast Company, December 1999

"I sailed past alfresco cafes filled with young people reading the paper, past restaurants doing a thriving brunch business, and ended up dropping down a fairly steep hill to the water yet again, on an obscure street that ended near a big factory.-- Gary Kamiya, "An ode to Sydney", Salon, September 27, 2000

Alfresco is from the Italian al fresco, "in the fresh (air)," from al, "in the" (a, "to, in" + il, "the") + fresco, "fresh."

Laugh of the day! 10-18-08

As a senior citizen was driving down the freeway, his cell phone rang.Answering, he heard his wife's voice urgently warning him, "Herman, I just heard on the news that there''s a car going the wrong way on Route 280. Please be careful!""It's not just one car," said Herman, "It's hundreds of them!"

Friday, October 17, 2008

Fact of the day! 10-17-08


Drug taking allegations were common in the ancient Olympics just like with the modern ones and one of the most commonly used performance enhancers was the Fly Agaric, Amanita muscaria. It is even rumoured that Pythagoras of the triangle fame took it when he won his boxing gold to give him a crazy hallucinogenic boost.

Meditation - 10-17-08


Meditation is not about the goal, about arriving somewhere, it is the joy of discovering oneself and all the mysteries of life.Every day a new star, a new insight.Many great things will come out of meditation but they will happen on their own, they are surprises, presents.While meditating one should not expect anything, everything will come on its own accord.
Tishan

Word of the day! 10-17-08

Today's Word
expeditious \ek-spuh-DISH-uhs\, adjective:Characterized by or acting with speed and efficiency.

"His problem was to get from Lookout Valley to Chattanooga Valley in the most expeditious way possible.-- Ulysses S. Grant, Personal Memoirs

"The criminal may of course use some short-term act of violence to 'terrorize' his victim, such as waving a gun in the face of a bank clerk during a robbery in order to ensure the clerk's expeditious compliance.-- Bruce Hoffman, Inside Terrorism

Expeditious is derived from Latin expeditus, "unshackled, unimpeded, ready for action," from expedire, "to free (one's feet) from a snare; hence, to get out, to set free, to get ready for action," from ex-, "out of" + pes, ped-, "foot."

Laugh of the day! 10-17-08

Juan comes up to the Mexican border on his bicycle. He's got two large bags over his shoulders. The guard stops him and says, "What''s in the bags?"
"Sand," answered Juan.
The guard says, "We'll just see about that get off the bike." The guard takes the bags and rips them apart; he empties them out and finds nothing in them but sand.He detains Juan overnight and has the sand analyzed, only to discover that there is nothing but pure sand in the bags.
The guard releases Juan, puts the sand into new bags, hefts them onto the man''s shoulders, and lets him cross the border.
A week later, the same thing happens. The guard asks, "What have you got?"
"Sand," says Juan.
The guard does his thorough examination and discovers that the bags contain nothing but sand.He gives the sand back to Juan, and Juan crosses the border on his bicycle.
This sequence of events if repeated every day for three years. Finally, Juan doesn't show up one day and the guard meets him in a Cantina in Mexico.
"Hey, Buddy," says the guard, "I know you are smuggling something. It's driving me crazy. It's all I think about..... I can't sleep. Just between you and me, what are you smuggling?"
Juan sips his beer and says, "Bicycles."

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Fact of the day! 10-16-08


German scientists recognized already in 1930's, decades ahead of others, that smoking causes lung cancer. Nazis founded the "National Socialist Institute for the Study of the Dangers of Tobacco" with the mission to protect the mankind against one of its most dangerous poisons. Smoking was branded as socially undesirable and was forbidden in many public places. Tobacco advertising was strictly regulated and athletically or sexually oriented cigarette advertising was prohibited.

Meditation - 10-16-08


Keep your heart clear and transparent,and you will never be bound. A single disturbed thought,though, creates ten thousand distractions. Let myriad things captivate youand you'll go further and further astray. How painful to see people all wrapped up in themselves...
Ryokan

Word of the day! 10-16-08

Today's Word
misprize \mis-PRYZ\, transitive verb:1. To hold in contempt.2. To undervalue.

"I hesitate to appear to misprize my native city, but how can the history of dear, sedate old London town possibly compare to Paris for sheer excitement?-- Alistair Horne, Seven Ages of Paris

"Or did he misprize such fidelity and harden his heart against so great a love as hers?-- Ludovico Ariosto, Orlando Furioso, translated by Guido Waldman

Alternatively, when disagreements are noticed, they may by chance be overemphasized by those who misprize their significance by failing to assess the pressure exerted by economic and institutional factors as opposed to the purely intellectual.-- Ellen Handler Spitz, "Warrant for trespass/ permission to peer", The Art Bulletin, December 1, 1995

Misprize comes from Middle French mesprisier, from mes-, "amiss, wrong" + prisier, "to appraise."

Laugh of the day! 10-16-08

Q: Why did God create blondes? A: Because sheep can't bring beer from the fridge.
Q: Why did God create brunettes? A: Neither could the blondes.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Fact of the day! 10-15-08

About 35,000 species of spiders have been described throughout the world. Spiders live in almost every habitat on earth.

Meditation -10-15-08


Every clique has a theory about me - I am mine;what I am, I am.
Unknown

Word of the day! 10-15-08

Today's Word
waylay \WAY-lay\, transitive verb:1. To lie in wait for and attack from ambush.2. To approach or stop (someone) unexpectedly.

"When his mother praised certain well-behaved and neatly dressed boys in the village, Jung was filled with hate for them, and would waylay and beat them up.-- Frank McLynn, Carl Gustav Jung

"He returned to her night after night, until his brother, Frank, waylaid him one evening outside Harriet's cabin and beat him bloody.-- Lynne Olson, Freedom's Daughters

"Furious and humiliated, the boy waylaid Martha after school.-- Julian Barnes, England, England

"The women, who hold wicker baskets filled with flowers and incense, are out to waylay tourists and to entice them into buying the blooms and scents.-- Jacob Heilbrunn, "Mao More Than Ever", New Republic, April 21, 1997

Waylay comes from way (from Old English weg) + lay (from Old English lecgan).

Laugh of the day! 10-15-08




What do you call a poodle with no legs?
A sponge.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Fact of the day! 10-14-08


The new 50p coin, when Britain went decimal in 1971, was the world's first seven-sided coin.

Meditation- 10-14-08


We can be told the truth about many things but they do not have any value until we realize them by ourselves.There are no shortcuts.Each step of the way has to be walked.
Nahsti

Word of the day! 10-14-08

Today's Word
otiose \OH-shee-ohs; OH-tee-\, adjective:1. Ineffective; futile.2. Being at leisure; lazy; indolent; idle.3. Of no use.

"Mr. Federspiel's surreal flourishes and commentaries straddle the line between interesting and otiose. Most of the surrealism is pretty but pointless.-- D. F. Wallace, "The Million-Dollar Tattoo", New York Times, May 5, 1991

"Although the wild outer movements and the angular Minuet can take such clockwork precision, the Andante, with its obsessive, claustrophobic dialogues between strings and bassoons, seemed sluggish and otiose.-- Tim Ashley, "VPO/Maazel", The Guardian, April 16, 2002

"The umlaut he affected, which made no difference to the pronunciation of his name, was as otiose as a pair of strategically positioned beauty spots.-- Peter Conrad, "Hidden shallows", New Statesman, October 14, 2002

"One hazard for religions in which all professional intermediaries are dispensed with, and in which the individual is enjoined to 'work out your own salvation' and is regarded as fully capable of doing so, is that belief and practice become independent of formal organized structures which may in such a context come to be perceived as otiose.-- Lorne L. Dawson, "The Cultural Significance of New Religious Movements: The Case of Soka Gakkai", Sociology of Religion, Fall 2001

Otiose is from Latin otiosus, "idle, at leisure," from otium, "leisure."

Laugh of the day! 10-14-08

A young businessman had just started his own firm. He had just rented a beautiful office and had it furnished with antiques.
He saw a man come into the outer office. Wishing to appear the hot shot, the businessman picked up the phone and started to pretend he had a big deal working. He threw huge figures around and made giant commitments.
Finally he hung up and asked the visitor, "Can I help you?"
"Yeah, I''ve come to activate your phone lines."

Monday, October 13, 2008

Fact of the day! 10-13-08

Julius Caesar gave us our modern calendar with 12 months and 365 days. Originally there were only 10 months, running from March to December. The winter time didn't have any months. Then they added two more, but you can still tell that there were 10 because, September (from the Latin septem)- means 7 (but now it's the 9th month). October (from the Latin octo) means 8 (but now it's the 10th month). November (from the Latin novem) - means 9 (and now it's the 11th month) and finally December(from the Latin decem) - means 10.

Meditation - 10-13-08


Meditation is very rich and multi-dimensional.Let-go, trust, surrender, love, acceptance, going with the flow, union with existence, egolessness, ecstasy.All these are part of it, and all these start happening if you learn the ways of meditation.
Dharma

Word of the day! 10-13-08

Today's Word
euphonious \yoo-FOH-nee-uhs\, adjective:Pleasing or sweet in sound; smooth-sounding.

"She combines alliteration and deft word choices with the grace of an oral storyteller, creating euphonious and precise sentences that are perfect for reading aloud.-- Amy L. Cohn, "Children's Books", New York Times, March 10, 1991

"Einstein originally proposed the more appropriate (but less euphonious) title of "theory of invariants" for his work, but gave up pushing for it when "relativity" caught the public's imagination.-- James Trefil, "The Most Beautiful Theories Are The Truest", New York Times, October 5, 1986

"In the first draft, their names had been alphabetized, but during a speech session Rosenman and Sherwood suddenly perceived the more euphonious sequence of Martin, Barton, and Fish.-- Carol Gelderman, All the Presidents' Words

"Early in life, on the basis of my easy grasp of biological nomenclature and what I consider aesthetic reasons -- all those euphonious names -- I resolved to be a medical doctor.-- Paul Theroux, Fresh Air Fiend: Travel Writings, 1985-2000

Euphonious comes from Greek euphonos, "sweet-voiced," from eu-, "well" (hence "sweetly") + phonos, from phone, "voice, sound." The noun form is euphony.

Laugh of the day! 10-13-08

A guy walks into a post office one day to see a middle-aged, balding man standing at the counter methodically placing "Love" stamps on bright pink envelopes with hearts all over them. He then takes out a perfume bottle and starts spraying scent all over them. His curiosity gets the better of him and he goes up to the balding man and asks him what he's doing.
"I'm sending out 1,000 Valentine's Day cards signed, 'Guess who?'"
"But why?" asks the man.
"I'm a divorce lawyer."

Friday, October 10, 2008

Fact of the day! 10-10-08


England at the time of the Romans was lived in by many different Celtic tribes. If they had spent less time fighting each other and more time fighting the Romans, they might have won.

Meditation - 10-10-08


There is no question of going anywhere,arriving anywhere, or doing anything;you are there already.

Nisagardata

Word of the day! 10-10-08

Today's Word
legerdemain
\lej-ur-duh-MAIN\, noun:1. Sleight of hand.2. A display of skill, trickery, or artful deception.

"We are inclined to regard the treatment of [paradoxes] . . . as a mere legerdemain of words.-- Benjamin Jowett, Dialogues of Plato

"Their alleged legerdemain at the blackjack table and roulette wheel of the luxurious Salle Anglaise was caught on closed-circuit television.-- "Double dealing puts Monte Carlo in a spin", Daily Telegraph, February 23, 1997

"There is a certain knack or legerdemain in argument.-- Shaftesbury, Characteristics of Men, Manners, Opinions, Times

Legerdemain is from Old French leger de main, literally "light of hand": leger, "light" + de, "of" + main, "hand."

Laugh of the day! 10-10-08

One fall day Bill was out raking leaves when he noticed a hearse slowly drive by. Following the first hearse was a second hearse, which was followed by a man walking solemnly along, followed by a dog, and then about 200 men walking in single file.
Intrigued, Bill went up to the man following the second hearse and asked him who was in the first hearse. “My wife,” the man replied.
“I'm sorry,” said Bill, “what happened to her?”
“My dog bit her and she died.” Bill then asked the man who was in the second hearse. The man replied, “My mother-in-law. My dog bit her and she died as well.”
Bill thought about this for a while. He finally asked the man, “Can I borrow your dog?”
To which the man replied, “Get in line.”

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Fact of the day! 10-9-08


The Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in eleven caves along the northwest shore of the Dead Sea between the years 1947 and 1956. The area is 13 miles east of Jerusalem and is 1300 feet below sea level. The mostly fragmented texts, are numbered according to the cave that they came out of. They have been called the greatest manuscript discovery of modern times.

Meditation - 10-9-08


Anything connected with fear,a mature person should disconnect himself from.That's how maturity comes.Just watch all your acts, all your beliefs,and find out whether they are based in reality,in experience, or based in fear.And anything based in fear has to be dropped immediately without a second thought.It is your armor.
Chandra Mohan

Word of the day! 10-9-08

Today's Word
aficionado \uh-fish-ee-uh-NAH-doh\, noun:An enthusiastic admirer; a fan.

"An aficionado of Chinese food, Diffie was also known for carrying around a pair of elegant chopsticks, much the way a serious billiard player totes his favorite cue.-- Steven Levy, Crypto

"Aficionados of spy fiction may find the plot by itself enough to keep them reading -- the book is certainly never boring.-- Erik Tarloff, "Hanky Versus Panky", New York Times, July 16, 2000

For one thing, they listened to classical records together; Sagan was a real aficionado of the musical masters.-- Keay Davidson, Carl Sagan: A Life

Aficionado derives from Spanish aficionar, "to induce a liking for," from afición, "a liking for."

Laugh of the day! 10-9-08

A farmer had 3 beautiful daughters who were getting ready to go out on dates. The first beau came to the door and said, ''''I''m Eddie, I''m here to pick up Betty. We''re going for spaghetti, is she ready?''''
"No," the farmer said.
The second beau came to the door and said, ''''I''m Joe, I''m here to pick up Flo to take her to the show. Is she ready to go?''''
"No."
The third beau came to the door and said to the farmer. ''''Hello, my name is Chuck.''''
The farmer shot Chuck.

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

NEW LISTING!!!! MUSTANG


To see more details follow this link.....

Fact of the day! 10-8-08


Every citizen of Kentucky is required by law to take a bath at least once a year.

Meditation - 10-8-08


Breakfast at McDonald's

This is a good story and is true. I am a mother of three (ages 14, 12, 3) and have recently completed my college degree. The last class I had to take was Sociology.The teacher was absolutely inspiring with the qualities that I wish every human being had been graced with. Her last project of the term was called, 'Smile.'The class was asked to go out and smile at three people and document their reactions.I am a very friendly person and always smile at everyone and say hello anyway. So, I thought this would be a piece of cake.Soon after we were assigned the project, my husband, youngest son, and I went out to McDonald's one crisp March morning.It was just our way of sharing special playtime with our son.We were standing in line, waiting to be served, when all of a sudden everyone around us began to back away, and then even my husband did.I did not move an inch... an overwhelming feeling of panic welled up inside of me as I turned to see why they had moved. As I turned around I smelled a horrible 'dirty body' smell, and there standing behind me were two poor homeless men.As I looked down at the short gentleman, close to me, he was 'smiling'. His beautiful sky blue eyes were full of God's Light as he searched for acceptance..He said, 'Good day' as he counted the few coins he had been clutching.The second man fu mbled with his ha nds as he stoo d behind his friend. I realized the second man was mentally challenged and the blue-eyed gentleman was his salvation. As I held my tears as I stood there with them.The young lady at the counter asked him what they wanted.He said, 'Coffee is all Miss' because that was all they could afford. (If they wanted to sit in the restaurant and warm up, they had to buy something. He just wanted to be warm). Then I really felt it - the compulsion was so great I almost reached out and embraced the little man with the blue eyes.That is when I noticed all eyes in the restaurant were set on me, judging my every action. I smiled and asked the young lady behind the counter to give me two more breakfast meals on a se parate tray.I then walked around the corner to the table that the men had chosen as a resting spot. I put t he tray on the t able and laid my hand on the blue-eyed gentleman's cold hand. He looked up at me, with tears in his eyes, and said, 'Thank you.'I leaned over, began to pat his hand and said, 'I did not do this for you. God is here working through me to give you hope.' I started to cry as I walked away to join my husband and son. When I sat down my husband smiled at me and said, 'That is why God gave you to me, Honey, to give me hope.'We held hands for a moment and at that time, we knew that only because of the Grace that we had been given were we able to give. We are not church goers, but we are believers.That day showed me the pure Light of God's sweet love.I returned to college, on the last evening of class, with this story in hand.I turned in 'my project' and the instructor read it. Then she looked up at me and said, 'Can I share this?'I slowly nodded as she got the attention of the class.Sh e began to read and that is when I knew that we as human beings and being part of God share this need to heal people and to be healed. In my own way I had touched the people at McDonald's, my son, instructor, and every soul that shared the classroom on The last night I spent as a college student.I graduated with one of the biggest lessons I would ever learn:UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE.Much love and compassion is sent to each and every person who may read this and learn how to LOVE PEOPLE AND USE THINGS - NOT LOVE THINGS AND USE PEOPLE.There is an Angel sent to watch over you.In order for her to work, you must pass this on to the people you want watched over.An Angel wrote: Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.To handle yourself, use your head.To handle others, use your heart.

Word of the day! 10-8-08

Today's Word
circumlocution \sir-kuhm-loh-KYOO-shuhn\, noun:The use of many words to express an idea that might be expressed by few; indirect or roundabout language.

"Dickens gave us the classic picture of official heartlessness: the government Circumlocution Office, burial ground of hope in "Little Dorrit."-- "Balance of Hardships", New York Times, September 28, 1999

"In a delightful circumlocution, the Fed chairman said that "investors are probably revisiting expectations of domestic earnings growth".-- "US exuberance is proven 'irrational'", Irish Times, October 31, 1997

"Courtesies and circumlocutions are out of place, where the morals, health, lives of thousands are at stake.-- Charles Kingsley, Letters
Prefer the single word to the circumlocution.-- H.W. Fowler, The King's English

Circumlocution comes from Latin circumlocutio, circumlocution-, from circum, "around" + loquor, loqui, "to speak."

Laugh of the day! 10-8-08



A cab driver reaches the Pearly Gates and announces his presence to St. Peter, who looks him up in his Big Book. Upon reading the entry for the cabbie, St. Peter invites him to pick up a silk robe and a golden staff and to proceed into Heaven.
A preacher is next in line behind the cabby and has been watching these proceedings with interest. He announces himself to St. Peter. Upon scanning the preacher's entry in the Big Book, St. Peter furrows his brow and says, "Okay, we'll let you in, but take that cloth robe and wooden staff."
The preacher is astonished and replies, "But I am a man of the cloth. You gave that cab driver a gold staff and a silk robe. Surely I rate higher than a cabbie."
St. Peter responded matter-of-factly: "This is heaven and up here, we are interested in results. When you preached, people slept. When the cabbie drove his taxi, people prayed."

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Fact of the day! 10-7-08


Golf was banned in England in 1457 because it was considered a distraction from the serious pursuit of archery

Meditation - 10-7-08


" Use the eye in your heart to see the beauty that is building on this planet"

Word of the day! 10-7-08

Today's Word
implacable \im-PLAK-uh-bull\, adjective:Not placable; not to be appeased; incapable of being pacified; inexorable; as, an implacable foe.

"For it is my office to prosecute the guilty with implacable zeal.-- Paola Capriolo, Floria Tosca (translated by Liz Heron)

"He... then continued on up the road, his shoulders bent beneath the implacable sun.-- Arturo Pérez-Reverte, The Fencing Master

"She conducted her life and her work with all the steady and implacable seriousness of a steamroller.-- "The Stein Salon Was The First Museum of Modern Art", New York Times, December 1, 1968

Implacable ultimately comes from Latin implacabilis, from in-, not + placabilis, placable, from placo, placare, to soothe, calm, appease.

Laugh of the day! 10-7-08

What do a hurricane, a tornado, and a redneck divorce all have in common?
Someone's fixin to lose a house trailer...

Monday, October 6, 2008

Fact of the day - 10-6-08

Every year about 98% of atoms in your body are replaced.

Meditation - 10-6-08

Life is a perpetual change we must accept and to which we have to continually adapt. Often our mind does not accept these changes and creates unnecessary tension, fear and prevents us to flow with life.Nothing is greater than to let go with the flow of life in a total acceptance.

Dharma

Word of the day! 10-6-08

Today's Word
officious \uh-FISH-uhs\, adjective:Marked by excessive eagerness in offering services or advice where they are neither requested nor needed; meddlesome.

"Ian Holm plays a well-meaning but officious lawyer who tries to make the grieving families sue for damages.-- John Simon, "Minus Four", National Review, February 9, 1998

"The guy was an officious twerp, but Luke and Pete were vagrants, and a railroad employee had the right to throw them out.-- Ken Follett, Code to Zero

"Why don't you mind your own business, ma'am? roared Bounderby. "How dare you go and poke your officious nose into my family affairs?"-- Charles Dickens, Hard Times

Officious comes from Latin officiosus, obliging, dutiful, from officium, dutiful action, sense of duty, official employment, from opus, a work, labor + -ficere, combining form of facere, to do, to make. It is related to official, of or pertaining to an office or public trust.

Laugh of the day! 10-6-08

Two blondes were driving down the road.The blonde driving looks at her friend in the passenger seat and asks her to see if her blinker is working. So the blonde looks out the window and says, ''Yes. No. Yes. No.''

Friday, October 3, 2008

Fact of the day! 10-3-08


The only nation whose name begins with an "A", but doesn't end in an "A" is Afghanistan.

Meditation - 10-3-08


There is only one secret which is not part of the mind, and that is witnessing, watching. Thoughts are passing, desires are moving, memories are coming and going like clouds in the sky and you are sitting silently simply watching, not doing anything... And that awareness takes you beyond the mind.It is true meditation.
Osho

Word of the day! 10-3-08 I really like this one!

Today's Word
panache \puh-NASH; -NAHSH\, noun:1. Dash or flamboyance in manner or style.2. A plume or bunch of feathers, esp. such a bunch worn on the helmet; any military plume, or ornamental group of feathers.

"Dessert included a marvelous bread pudding and a fair bananas Foster,the old-time New Orleans dish, which was prepared with great panache tableside, complete with a flambé moment.-- Eric Asimov, "New Orleans, a City of Serious Eaters.", New York Times, July 4, 1999

"It is... an inevitable hit, a galvanizing eruption of energy, panache and arrogantly sure-footed stage craft that comes at a time when theatrical dance is in the doldrums.-- Terry Teachout and William Tynan, "Seamy and Steamy.", Time, January 25, 1999

"Although Black didn't have many friends and was not among the school's leaders, he was likeable, had panache, and his contemptuous tirades were rarely taken at face value.-- Richard Siklos, Shades of Black: Conrad Black and the World's Fastest Growing Press Empire

Panache is from the French, from Medieval French pennache, from Italian pinnacchio, feather, from Late Latin pinnaculum, diminutive of penna, feather. It is related to pen, a writing instrument, originally a feather or quill used for writing.

Laugh of the day! 10-3-08

Yo mama's so ugly, the last time I saw something like her, I pinned a tail on it.

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Fact of the day! 10-2-08


There is an average of 50,000 spiders per acre in green areas.

Meditation - 10-2-08


It is only in difficult times that we can really seewhere we are with our meditation .In these moments we must bemore attentive with ourselves.These moments are preciousmore than any other, to see our true face.

Dharma

Seasons Change... So do we!


Ok, Everyone! I recently decided that for your enjoyment and daily use, I will include a helpful tip and a thought for meditation Daily along with the Word and Joke of the day! It's also highly likely that in the future you will see several other additions and modifications including but not limited to A featured car as well as a featured employee! It's about time huh? If you have suggestions please e-mail at heidikeough@yahoo.com! Thanks and enjoy!!!!

Miss. Heidi Keough

Word of the day! 10-2-08

Today's Word
donnybrook \DON-ee-brook\, noun:1. A brawl; a free-for-all.2. A heated quarrel or dispute.

"But this was the beginning of Tommy's years of fighting back, a period that ended in a donnybrook conducted all over the O'Connor house.-- Tracy Kidder, Home Town

"Wine and talk flow freely, so much so that the meal ends with a Rooney family donnybrook over, typically enough, religion and politics.-- Howard Frank Mosher, "24 Hours in Due East, S.C.", New York Times, April 7, 1991

"The author finds few villains in "West Virginia's Battle of the Books," which describes a donnybrook over the content of public school textbooks during the mid-70's in the "seemingly placid community" of Charleston, W.Va.-- Kaye Northcott, "Round Up the Usual Enigmas", New York Times, February 23, 1992

A donnybrook is so called after Donnybrook, Ireland, a suburb of Dublin that once held an annual fair known for its brawls.

Laugh of the day! 10-2-08

A young wife, her boorish husband and a young good looking sailor were shipwrecked on an island. One morning, the sailor climbed a tall coconut tree and yelled, "Stop making love down there!"
"What's the matter with you?" the husband said when the sailor climbed down. '"We weren't making love."
"Sorry," said the sailor, "From up there it looked like you were."
Every morning thereafter, the sailor scaled the same tree and yelled the same thing. Finally the husband decided to climb the tree and see for himself. With great difficulty, he made his way to the top.
The husband says to himself, "By golly he's right! It DOES look like they're making love down there!"

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Word of the day! 10-1-08

Today's Word
xenophobia \ZEN-uh-FOE-bee-uh\, noun:Fear or hatred of strangers, people from other countries, or of anything that is strange or foreign.

"After calling for peace in 61 languages and beseeching the world to end racism and xenophobia, the pope made a surprise announcement.-- "Will the Next Pope Be Catholic", SF Weekly, April 26, 2000

"In Europe today, it is xenophobia and the political manipulation of fear of foreigners that pose the greatest threat to democracy, or at least to the quality of democracy.-- Kofi Annan, "Democracy: An international issue", UN Chronicle, June-August, 2001

"The news, the incidents and accidents of everyday life, can be loaded with political or ethnic significance liable to unleash strong, often negative feelings, such as racism, chauvinism, the fear-hatred of the foreigner or, xenophobia.-- Pierre Bourdieu, On Television

"In the embattled atmosphere of wartime France, Apollinaire's quenchless appetite for the new was not widely shared. Xenophobia reigned.-- Ruth Brandon, Surreal Lives: The Surrealists 1917-1945

The word xenophobia was formed from the Greek elements xenos "guest, stranger, foreigner" + phobos "fear."

Laugh of the day! 10-1-08

A salesman is driving toward home in northern Ontario when he sees an Indian thumbing for a ride on the side of the road. As the trip had been long and quiet, he stops the car and the Indian gets in.
After a bit of small talk, the Indian notices a brown bag on the front seat. "What's in bag?", the Indian asks the driver.
The driver says, "It's a bottle of wine. I got it for my wife."
The Indian is silent for a moment then says, "Good trade."

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Word of the day! 9-30-08

Today's Word
fettle \FET-l\, noun:A state or condition of fitness or order; state of mind; spirits -- often used in the phrase "in fine fettle."

"Aside from the problems with her voice . . . Miss Garland was in fine fettle last night.-- Vincent Canby, "Judy Garland Sets the Palace Alight", New York Times, August 1, 1967

"Back in 1987, the Conservatives won a thumping majority in a June general election, primarily because the economy was seen by grateful voters to be in fine fettle.-- Larry Elliott, "Danger of a recurring nightmare", The Guardian, June 18, 2001

"Many of the nuns were in fine fettle, even into their 80s and 90s.-- John McCrone, "Sisters of mercy", The Guardian, August 18, 2001

"He seems in fine fettle when we meet, and happy to discuss the film that gave him his break.-- Charlotte O'Sullivan, "Naked ambition", The Guardian, February 7, 1999

Fettle is from Middle English fetlen, "to set in order," originally "to gird up," from Old English fetel, "a girdle."

Laugh of the day! 9-30-08

New Rule: When I ask how old your toddler is, I don't need to know in months. "27 Months." "He's two," will do just fine. He's not a cheese. And I didn't care in the first place

Monday, September 29, 2008

Word of the day! 9-29-08

Today's Word
verbiage \VUR-bee-ij\, noun:1. An overabundance of words; wordiness.2. Manner or style of expression; diction.

"The sheer volume of verbiage he has expelled over eight years is enough to make John Updike look blocked.-- Andrew Sullivan, "Sounds of Silence", New Republic, January 15, 2001

"Points like these seem so self-evident as not to merit much repeating, but in the professional literature they appear all the time, slightly dressed up in academic verbiage.-- Michael Barrett, "The Case for More School Days", The Atlantic, November 1990

"She also indulged in flowery verbiage that her classmates called "H.D." for "heightened diction."-- John Habich, "Mother Country", Minneapolis Star Tribune, April 25, 2001

Verbiage comes from French, ultimately from Latin verbum, "word."

Monday, September 22, 2008

Word of the day! 9-22-08

Today's Word
undulate \UN-juh-layt; UN-dyuh-\, intransitive:To move in, or have, waves; to vibrate; to wave; as, undulating air.

"The actors' hands quiver and the poles undulate in the wind.-- Peter Marks, "'The Caucasian Chalk Circle': Brecht Can Be Fun.", New York Times, May 25, 1998

"Rather than tuna, several hundred white-sided dolphins come into focus, undulating crisply through the sea surface below.-- Carl Safina, Song for the Blue Ocean:Encounters Along the
World's Coasts and Beneath the Seas

"Most startling was the dancer's exposed, undulating abdomen, which she could adroitly activate while hardly moving her feet.-- Emily Wortis Leider, Becoming Mae West

Undulate derives from Latin undulare, from undula, a little wave, from unda, a wave.

Laugh of the day! 9-22-08

Q. How many men does it take to change a roll of toilet paper?
A. We don't know; it has never happened.

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Word of the day! 9-20-08

Today's Word
proponent \pruh-POH-nuhnt\, noun:One who argues in support of something; an advocate; a supporter.

"A fervent proponent of the work ethic, Reuther at first resisted the demand for early retirement, as he had rejected shorter hours in the 1950s.-- Stanley Aronowitz, From the Ashes of the Old

"He was a forthright proponent of the Vietnam War, contemptuous of the anti-war movement.-- Richard Siklos, Shades of Black

"As the first practical proponent of "natural" education--where the innate desire to learn is nourished and curiosity is unfettered--Pestalozzi abandoned the tradition of interminable lectures followed by student recitation that characterized typical instruction for all age groups, in favor of more active, hands-on activities.-- Norman Brosterman, Inventing Kindergarten

"Now, at the dawn of the new millennium, proponents of string theory claim that the threads of this elusive unified tapestry finally have been revealed.-- Brian Greene, The Elegant Universe

Proponent is from the present participle of Latin proponere, "to put forth," from pro-, "forth" + ponere, "to put."

Laugh of the day! 9-20-08

Q. What do you call a woman who knows where her husband is every night?
A. A widow.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Our BIG sale!!!!!

The HUGE sale!!!

With both the Ford and the Chevy Store's inventory at 1 location!
Jeremy goofing around
Me Serving Dogs.....

Me Eating Dogs!!!
Our Detail Shop taking a brake
The owner of the Chevy store with his family
Me pretending I'm in a Cadillac commercial :)
Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man!!!!!!!








Word of the day! 9-18-08

Today's Word
tintinnabulation \tin-tih-nab-yuh-LAY-shuhn\,
noun:A tinkling sound, as of a bell or bells.

"One found oneself immersed in the infinitely nuanced tintinnabulations of clapping cymbal rhythms passed from one player to the next, in the barely audible, rain-like patter of drums that suddenly grew into an overwhelming mechanical onslaught.-- Tim Page, "From Japan, The Thundering Drums of Kodo", Newsday, February 24, 1995

Tintinnabulation derives from Latin tintinnabulum "a bell," from tintinnare from tinnire, "to jingle."

Laugh of the day! 9-18-08

Q. What's the difference between a man and E.T.?
A. E.T. phoned home.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Word of the day! 9-16-08

Today's Word
disconcert \dis-kuhn-SURT\, transitive verb:1. To disturb the composure of.2. To throw into disorder or confusion; as, "the emperor disconcerted the plans of his enemy."

"In steering a small boat before a heavy gale, don't look back -- it may disconcert you.-- Frank Arthur Worsley, Shackleton's Boat Journey
I wander away, disconcerted by this sudden sense of having been cut short, frozen in mid-flow.-- Paul Golding, The Abomination

"They were disconcerted each time they saw him change from one evening to the next from a dramatic role to a comic one, from the part of a good man to that of the villain, as if he were thereby revealing some incomprehensible mutability in his being; but every time, after just a few lines, they would become wholly engrossed in the new fiction, convincing themselves that this was just how he was.-- Paola Capriolo, The Woman Watching

Disconcert is derived from Old French desconcerter, from des-, "dis-" + concerter, from Old Italian concertare, "to act together, to agree."

Laugh of the day! 9-16-08

Tickle Me Elmo:
There is a factory in Northern Minnesota which makes the Tickle Me Elmo toys. The toy laughs when you tickle it under the arms. Well, Lena is hired at The Tickle Me Elmo factory and she reports for her first day promptly at 8:00 AM. The next day at 8:45 AM there is a knock at the Personnel Manager's door. The Foreman throws open the door and begins to rant about the new employee. He complains that she is incredibly slow and the whole line is backing up, putting the entire production line behind schedule.
The Personnel Manager decides he should see this for himself, so the 2 men march down to the factory floor. When they get there the line is so backed up that there are Tickle Me Elmo's all over the factory floor and they're really beginning to pile up. At the end of the line stands Lena surrounded by mountains of Tickle Me Elmo's.
She has a roll of plush red fabric and a huge bag of small marbles. The 2 men watch in amazement as she cuts a little piece of fabric, wraps it around two marbles and begins to carefully sew the little package between Elmo's legs.
The Personnel Manager bursts into laughter. After several minutes of hysterics he pulls himself together and approaches Lena. "I'm sorry," he says to her, barely able to keep a straight face, "but I think you misunderstood the instructions I gave you yesterday..."
"Your job is to give Elmo two test tickles."

Monday, September 15, 2008

Word of the day! 9-15-08

Today's Word
suffuse \suh-FYOOZ\, transitive verb:To spread through or over in the manner of fluid or light; to flush.

"She gave me a long slow look, as if she were deciding something, and then she allowed herself to blush, the color suffusing her throat in a delicious mottle of pink and white.-- T. Coraghessan Boyle, T. C. Boyle Stories

"Have you ever felt happiness suffuse all the cells in your body and a smile light up your face?-- Sarabjit Singh, "Queen of the Hills", India Currents, November 30, 1996

"Like an angel or an earthquake, it isn't there and then it is; it doesn't steal over us and suffuse us with a festive spirit like the gradual effects of alcohol or good deeds.-- Barbara Peters Smith,
"Gladness descends on her home", Sarasota Herald Tribune, December 27, 2003

Suffuse comes from the past participle of Latin suffundere, "to overspread; to suffuse," from sub-, "under" + fundere, "to pour."

Laugh of the day! 9-15-08

After Leslie brought home her fiance to meet her parents, her father invited the young man into his study to find out more about him. "What are your plans?" he asked Joseph. "I'm a scholar of the Torah," Joseph replied. "Well, that's admirable," Leslie's father replied. "But what will you do to provide a nice house for my daughter?" "I will study, and God will surely provide for us," Joseph explained. "And how will you buy her a nice engagement ring?" "I will study hard, and God will provide for us." "And children?" asked the father. "How will you support children?" "Don't worry, sir, God will provide," replied the fiancé. The conversation continued in much the same fashion. After Joseph and Leslie had left, her mother asked her father what he found out. The father answered, "Well, he has no job and no plans, but the good news is that he thinks I'm God."

Friday, September 12, 2008

Word of the day! 9-12-08

Today's Word
hoary \HOR-ee\, adjective:1. White or gray with age; as, "hoary hairs."2. Ancient; extremely old; remote in time past.

"Once upon a time, memoirs were written by hoary chaps casting rheumy glances back towards their golden youth: no more.-- Erica Wagner, "Post-Post-Modern memoir", Times (London), July 19, 2000

"Had Mozart lived to the hoary old age of 73, he might indeed have fallen out of favor in an era besotted with Rossini, becoming a "largely forgotten, neglected, unperformed composer."-- Marilyn Stasio, "Crime", New York Times, June 23, 1996

"Mr. Weicker spends most of his time serving up hoary war stories and settling old political scores.-- Jeff Greenfield, "Politically Imprudent", New York Times, June 18, 1995

"Compare that with the elements of a musical in about 1920: the star in a cliche story that was merely a framing device for generic musical numbers, hoary joke-book gags, and the usual specialty performers in a staging more often than not by a hack.-- Ethan Mordden, Coming Up Roses

Hoary derives from Middle English hor, from Old English har, "gray; old (and gray-haired)."

Laugh of the day! 9-12-08

Billy Bob and Luther were talking one afternoon when Billy Bob tells Luther, "Ya know, I reckon I'm 'bout ready for a vacation. Only this year I'm gonna do it a little different. The last few years, I took your advice about where to go. Three years ago you said to go to Hawaii. I went to Hawaii and Earline got pregnant.
Then two years ago, you told me to go to the Bahamas, and Earline got pregnant again.
Last year you suggested Tahiti and darned if Earline didn't get pregnant again."
Luther asks Billy Bob, "So, what you gonna do this year that's different?"
Billy Bob says, "This year I'm taking Earline with me."

Thought for the day! 9-12-08

Why doctors call what they do "practice"?

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Word of the day! 8-9-08

Today's Word
regale \rih-GAY(uh)L\, transitive verb:1. To entertain with something that delights.2. To entertain sumptuously with fine food and drink.
intransitive verb:1. To feast.
noun:1. A sumptuous feast.2. A choice food; a delicacy.3. Refreshment.

"If I've been away, and the boys do remember to ask about my trip, I remark on their thoughtfulness by saying, 'Thanks for asking!' and then regale them with stories about my journey.-- Lucy Calkins, Raising Lifelong Learners: A Parent's Guide

"He might also regale them with tales of how his Magic team beat Jordan's Bulls, 108-102, in Game 6 to win their four-of-seven-game Eastern Conference semifinal series before a stunned crowd of 24,332 tonight at the United Center.-- "Bulls Burst in the Air as Magic Moves On", New York Times, May 19, 1995

"Levin settled his guests in the dense, cool shade of the young aspens on a bench and some stumps purposely put there for visitors to the bee-house who might be afraid of the bees, and he went off himself to the hut to get bread, cucumbers, and fresh honey, to regale them with.-- Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina, translated by Constance Garnett

Regale comes from French régaler, "to entertain." It is related to gallant.

Laugh of the day! 8-9-08

It got crowded in heaven, so, for one day it was decided only to accept people who had really had a bad day on the day they died. St. Peter was standing at the pearly gates and said to the first man, "Tell me about the day you died." The man said, "Oh, it was awful. I was sure my wife was having an affair, so I came home early to catch her with him. I searched all over the apartment but couldn't find him anywhere. So I went out onto the balcony, we live on the 25th floor, and found this man hanging over the edge by his fingertips. I went inside, got a hammer, and started hitting his hands. He fell, but landed in some bushes. So, I got the refrigerator and pushed it over the balcony and it crushed him. The strain of the act gave me a heart attack, and I died." St. Peter couldn't deny that this was a pretty bad day, and since it was a crime of passion, he let the man in. He then asked the next man in line about the day he died. "Well, sir, it was awful," said the second man. "I was doing aerobics on the balcony of my 26th floor apartment when I twisted my ankle and slipped over the edge. I managed to grab the balcony of the apartment below, but some maniac came out and started pounding on my fingers with a hammer. Luckily I landed in some bushes. But, then the guy dropped a refrigerator on me!" St. Peter chuckled, let him into heaven and decided he could really start to enjoy this job. "Tell me about the day you died?", he said to the third man in line. "OK, picture this, I'm naked, hiding inside a refrigerator...."

Friday, September 5, 2008

Word of the day! 9-5-08

Today's Word
bevy \BEV-ee\, noun:1. A group; an assembly or collection.2. A flock of birds, especially quails or larks; also, a herd of roes.

"In an instant, a bevy of perfumed and coiffed poodles would begin a raucous race from her bedroom to the bottom of the stairs.-- James A. Drake, Rosa Ponselle: A Centenary Biography

"Shortt is a more attractive man, and was followed about by bevies of adoring damsels.-- Selected Letters of Rebecca West, edited by Bonnie Kime Scott

Bevy comes from Middle English bevey. It perhaps originally signified a drinking company, possibly deriving from Old French beivre, "to drink," from Latin bibere.

Laugh of the day! 9-5-08

Seen in my local paper's "readers sales" section.
FOR SALE BY OWNER
Complete set of encyclopaedia Britannica.45 Volumes. Excellent condition.£1000 pounds or best offer.
Reason for sale:- No longer required.Got married last weekend.Wife knows everything.

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Word of the day! 9-4-08

Today's Word
immolate \IM-uh-layt\, transitive verb:1. To sacrifice; to offer in sacrifice; to kill as a sacrificial victim.2. To kill or destroy, often by fire.

"What have I gained, that I no longer immolate a bull to Jove, or to Neptune, or a mouse to Hecate . . . if I quake at opinion, the public opinion, as we call it; or at the threat of assault, or contumely, or bad neighbors, or poverty, or mutilation, or at the rumor of revolution, or of murder?-- Ralph Waldo Emerson, Essays and English traits

"In the city of Bhopal, police used water canon to thwart a group of Congress workers who were on the point of immolating themselves.-- Peter Popham, "Gandhi critics are expelled by party", Independent, May 21, 1999

"Bowls of honey at the room's center drew random insects to immolate themselves against a nearby bug zapper.-- Carol Kino, "Damien Hirst at Gagosian", Art in America, May 2001

Immolate comes from the past participle of Latin immolare, "to sacrifice; originally, to sprinkle a victim with sacrificial meal," from in- + mola, "grits or grains of spelt coarsely ground and mixed with salt."

Laugh of the day! 9-4-08

A cowboy rides into town on Friday, stays three days and leaves on Friday how does he do it?The horses name is Friday

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Word of the day! 9-3-08

Today's Word
glower \GLAU-uhr\, intransitive verb:1. To look or stare angrily or with a scowl.
noun:1. An angry or scowling look or stare.

"At one point, the head of the institute started chatting with colleagues sitting at a table behind Yeltsin, prompting the Russian President to interrupt his reading and glower at them.-- Bruce W. Nelan, "The Last Hurrah?", Time, April 26, 1993

"A baby wearing a disposable nappy has been placed on a tree trunk in dark woodland: he seems to glower at us disapprovingly, like a troll, or a mini-Churchill.-- Margaret Walters, "The secret life of babies", New Statesman, September 13, 1996

"A boyish-looking man who frowned and glowered, trying to look more authoritative than his twenty-nine years, Andrei said his job was to focus on the convolutions in Russian property law.-- Eleanor Randolph, Waking the Tempest

"Floyd approached me with a glower, cheeks reddened, indignant.-- William Peter Blatty, Demons Five, Exorcists Nothing

Glower is from Middle English gloren, perhaps ultimately of Scandinavian origin.

Laugh of the day! 9-3-08

Recently, the Psychic Hotline and Psychic Friends Network have launched hotlines for frogs. Here is the story of one frog and his discussing with his psychic. A frog telephones the Psychic Hotline and is told, "You are going to meet a beautiful young girl who will want to know everything about you."
The frog says, "This is great! Will I meet her at a party, or what?"
"No," says the psychic. "Next semester in her biology class."

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Word of the day! 9-2-08

Today's Word
comestible \kuh-MES-tuh-buhl\, adjective:1. Suitable to be eaten; edible.
noun:1. Something suitable to be eaten; food.

"I came to Adria's lab expecting subtle combinations and rare ingredients, the real outer limit of the comestible.-- Adrian Searle, "Spray-on sauces, caviar for astronauts and aerosols of wine. . .", The Guardian, April 6, 2001

"No matter how many flip-flops the nutrition gurus may make in deciding whether a particular comestible will kill or cure, most Americans seem to trust their instincts and eat what they please.-- Richard Martin, "Dollars to doughnuts", Nation's Restaurant News, May 29, 2000

"This rare comestible calls for specially designed platters, holders, and forks, but how well worth their acquisition!-- Samuel Chamberlain, Clémentine in the Kitchen

"Both men are descended from the fourth Earl of Sandwich, who is credited with inventing the namesake comestible in the mid-l8th century.-- Amanda Mosle Friedman, "Noble heir to sandwich inventor starts namesake delivery outfit", Nation's Restaurant News, April 23, 2001

Comestible comes from Late Latin comestibilis, from comestus, from comesus, past participle of comedere, "to eat up, to consume," from com-, intensive prefix + edere, "to eat."

Laugh of the day! 9-2-08

A little boy was attending his first wedding. After the service, his cousin asked him, "How many women can a man marry?" "Sixteen," the boy responded. His cousin was amazed that he had an answer so quickly. "How do you know that?" "Easy," the little boy said. "All you have to do is add it up, like the Bishop said: 4 better, 4 worse, 4 richer, 4 poorer"

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Word of the day! 8-28-08

Today's Word
chthonic \THONE-ik\, adjective:Dwelling in or under the earth; also, pertaining to the underworld

"Driven by dæmonic, chthonic Powers."-- T.S. Eliot

"The chthonic divinity was essentially a god of the regions under the earth; at first of the dark home of the seed, later on of the still darker home of the dead."-- C. F. Keary

"The chthonic imagery of Norine's apartment, which..was black as a coalhole and heated by the furnace of the hostess' unslaked desires."-- M. McCarthy

"Two great and contrasted forms of ritual: the Olympian and the Chthonic, the one a ritual of cheerful character, the other a ritual of gloom, and fostering superstition."

Chthonic comes from khthón, the Greek word for earth.

Laugh of the day! 8-28-08

Ol' Fred had been a religious man who was in the hospital, near death. The family called their preacher to stand with them. As the preacher stood next to the bed, Ol' Fred's condition appeared to deteriorate and he motioned frantically for something to write on. The pastor lovingly handed him a pen and a piece of paper, and Ol' Fred used his last bit of energy to scribble a note, then he died. The preacher thought it best not to look at the note at that time, so he placed it in his jacket pocket. At the funeral, as he was finishing the message, he realised that he was wearing the same jacket that he was wearing when Ol' Fred died. He said, "You know, Ol' Fred handed me a note just before he died. I haven't looked at it, but knowing Fred, I'm sure there's a word of inspiration there for us all." He opened the note, and read out loud, "Hey, you're standing on my oxygen tube?"

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Word of the day! 8-27-08

Today's Word
conspectus \kuhn-SPEK-tuhs\, noun:1. A general sketch or survey of a subject.2. A synopsis; an outline.

"Eagerly the Austen family went at their productions, choosing plays that represented, as Gay says, a conspectus of late 18th-century fashionable comic theatre.-- John Mullan, "Behind the scenes", The Guardian, August 31, 2002

"The extent and intensity of this vast conflict amounting to undeclared civil war is such that it is difficult for any observer to form a conspectus or assess all its implications.-- "4,000,000 People Cross the Punjab to Seek New Homes", The Guardian, September 25, 1947

Conspectus comes from the Latin, from the past participle of conspicere, "to catch sight of, to perceive," from com-, intensive prefix + specere, "to look at."

Laugh of the day! 8-27-08

A young Native American woman went to a doctor for her first ever physical exam. After checking all of her vitals and running the usual tests, the doctor said, "Well, Running Doe, you are in fine health. I could find no problems. I did notice one anomaly, however." "Oh, what is that, Doctor?" "Well, you have no nipples." "None of the people in my tribe have nipples," she replied. "That is amazing," said the doctor. "I'd like to write this up for The South Carolina Journal of Medicine, if you don't mind." She said, "OK." "First of all" asked the doctor, "how many people are in your tribe?" She answered, "approximately 500." "And what is the name of your tribe?" asked the doctor. Running Doe replied, "We're called ......" (I hate to do this to you) "The Indiannippleless Five Hundred"

Word of the day! 8-26-08

Today's Word
peregrination \pehr-uh-gruh-NAY-shun\, noun:A traveling from place to place; a wandering.

"He left Parma in the family camper-van, abandoning it in a Milan car-park to avoid its being identified at border controls before setting off on a peregrination through Switzerland, France, London, Canada, New York and eventually back to London.-- Paddy Agnew, "Incident leads to crime that has baffled police", Irish Times, December 12, 1998

"In 1890, Lafcadio Hearn settled in Japan after a lifetime of restless, melancholy peregrination.-- Francine Prose, "Modern Geisha", New York Times, April 23, 2000

"He ventures out in his pajamas and makes a dreamlike peregrination through the town's deserted streets.-- Richard Eder, "Puck-ish Ramblings in Midsummer Dreams", New York Times, May 18, 2000

Peregrination comes from Latin peregrinatio, from peregrinari, "to stay or travel in foreign countries," from peregre, "in a foreign country, abroad," from per, "through" + ager, "land."

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Ever Wonder?

Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog's face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him on a car ride, he sticks his head out the window? ...

Laugh of the day! 8-26-08

Roses are red, violets are blue, I'm a schizophrenic and so am I."

Monday, August 25, 2008

Ever Wonder?

If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a song about him?

Word of the day! 8-25-08

Today's Word
berate \bih-RAYT\, transitive verb:To scold severely or angrily.

"She tells of Mr. Hauptmann's great joy when they had a baby son, and of the times she ran up the stairs to berate him for playing the mandolin after the baby was asleep and found him playing the Brahms Lullaby as the baby looked on approvingly.-- "Mrs Hauptmann's Cause", New York Times, October 20, 1981

"Mayer Amschel went on to berate Nathan for failing to calculate his profits net (as opposed to gross).-- Niall Ferguson, The House of Rothschild

"Monsieur couldn't bear to be touched, and if I stretched out my foot and accidentally brushed against him in my sleep he would wake me up and berate me for half an hour.-- Christine Pevitt, Philippe, Duc D'Orleans

Berate is from be-, "thoroughly" + rate, "to scold, to chide," from Middle English raten.

Laugh of the day! 8-25-08

Two bowling teams, one made up of all blondes and one of all brunettes, charter a double-decker bus for a weekend tournament in Atlantic City. The brunette team rode in the bottom deck of the bus and the blonde team rode on the top level. The brunette team down below was whooping it up and having a great time when one of them realized she didn't hear anything from the blondes upstairs. She decided to go up and investigate. When the brunette reached the top, she found all the blondes frozen in fear, staring straight ahead at the road and the seats in front of them. The brunette asked, "What is going on up here? We're having a great time downstairs!" One of the blondes said, "Yeah, but you've got a driver!"

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Word of the day! 8-23-08

Today's Word Yesterday's Word Previous Words Subscribe for Free Help
foment \foh-MENT; FOH-ment\, transitive verb:1. To nurse to life or activity; to incite; to abet; to instigate; -- often in a bad sense.
noun:1. Fomentation; the act of fomenting.2. State of excitation.

"Cynical politicians may even foment conflicts among groups to advance their own power.-- Martha Minow, Not Only for Myself

"Here, over many cups of coffee and other brews, John Adams, James Otis, and Paul Revere met to foment rebellion, prompting Daniel Webster to call it "the headquarters of the Revolution."-- Mark Pendergrast, Uncommon Grounds

"Having burned to taste the foment of the sixties, I romanticized Diego's experience of it.-- Katherine Russell Rich, The Red Devil

Foment is from Latin fomentum, "fomentation," from fovere, "to warm, to foster, to encourage."

Laugh of the day! 8-23-08

Pinku tells her husband, “Pappu, that young couple that just moved in next door seem such a loving twosome. Every morning, when he leaves the house, he kisses her goodbye, and every evening when he comes homes, he brings her a dozen roses.
Now, why can’t you do that?”

“Gosh,” Pappu says, “Why, I hardly know the girl!”

Friday, August 22, 2008

Word of the day! 8-22-08

Today's Word

Hobson's choice \HOB-suhnz-CHOIS\, noun:A choice without an alternative; the thing offered or nothing.

"Fagan's defense revolves around his insistence that he faced a Hobson's choice and had to act.-- Laura Parker, "Discovery of daughters never followed by reunion", USA Today, May 11, 1999

"They're faced with a Hobson's choice: Make the plunge . . . or face a terrifying alternative -- gradual extinction.-- Heather Green, "The Great Yuletide Shakeout", Business Week, November 1, 1999

The origin of the term Hobson's choice is said to be in the name of one Thomas Hobson (ca. 1544-1631), at Cambridge, England, who kept a livery stable and required every customer to take either the horse nearest the stable door or none at all.

Laugh of the day 8-22-08

If at first you don't succeed, you're not Chuck Norris.

Something to think about

Ever Wonder Why.............

Why the sun lightens our hair, but darkens our skin?
Why women can't put on mascara with their mouth closed?
Why don't you ever see the headline "Psychic Wins Lottery"?
Why is "abbreviated" such a long word?
Why is it that doctors call what they do "practice"?
Why is it that to stop Windows 98, you have to click on "Start"?
Why is lemon juice made with artificial flavor, and dishwashing liquid made with real lemons?
Why the man who invests all your money is called a broker?
Why isn't there mouse-flavoured cat food?
When dog food is new and improved tasting, who tests it?
Why do they sterilize the needle for lethal injections?
You know that indestructible black box that is used on airplanes? Why don't they make the whole plane out of that stuff?!
Why don't sheep shrink when it rains?
Why are they called apartments when they are all stuck together?
If con is the opposite of pro, is Congress the opposite of progress?
If flying is so safe, why do they call the airport the terminal?

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Word of the day! 8-21-08

Today's Word
juju \JOO-joo\, noun:1. An object superstitiously believed to embody magical powers.2. The power associated with a juju.

"[David] Robinson, sounding confident and sure, said that the time for juju and magic dust had passed. 'To be honest with you, I think it's beyond that', he said. 'It's very hard to come up with magic at the end'.-- "Knicks Find There's No Place Like Home", New York Times, June 22, 1999

"'You ever heard of juju?' Skyler shook his head. 'Magic. You talk about this and it'll be the last talkin' you do. You'll just open your mouth and nothin' will come out'.-- John Darnton, The Experiment

"We are told, for example, of the Edo youngster, apparently both Christian and traditionally African in his beliefs, who was heard to mutter 'S.M.O.G.' over and over when he and his companions were threatened by 'bad juju'. When questioned he replied, ''Have you never heard of it? It stands for Save Me O God. When you are really in a hurry, it is quickest to use the initials'.-- "The Spirits And The African Boy", New York Times, October 10, 1982

"On any terminal she is using, a co-worker puts up a sign proclaiming, 'Bad karma go away, come again another day'. When she was pregnant, she said, she crashed her computer twice as often -- she attributes that to a double whammy of woo-woo juju.-- "Can a Hard Drive Smell Fear?", New York Times, May 21, 1998

Juju is of West African origin, akin to Hausa djudju, fetish, evil spirit.

Laugh of the day! 8-21-08

Man + woman
Smart Man + Smart Woman = Romance
Smart Man + Dumb Woman = Pregnancy
Dumb Man + Smart Woman = Affair
Dumb Man + Dumb Woman = Marriage
Smart Boss + Smart Employee = Profits
Smart Boss + Dumb Employee = Production
Dumb Boss + Smart Employee = Promotion
Dumb Boss + Dumb Employee = Overtime
A man will pay $2.00 for a $1.00 item he needs.
A woman will pay $1.00 for a $2.00 item that she does not need.
A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband.
A man never worries about the future until he gets a wife.
A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend.
A successful woman is one who can find such a man.
To be happy with a man, you must love him a little and understand him a lot.
To be happy with a woman you must love her a lot and not try to understand her at all.
Men wake up as good-looking as they went to bed.
Women somehow deteriorate overnight.
A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn't.
A man marries a woman expecting she won't change, but she does.
Married men live longer than single men, but married men are more willing to die.
Any married man should forget his mistakes. There's no use in two people remembering the same thing.
A woman has the last word in any argument.
Anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argument

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Word of the day! 8-20-08

Today's Word
bruit \BROOT\, transitive verb:To report; to noise abroad.

"The first originated with a professor of government who, it was bruited, had always succeeded in predicting the outcome of presidential-year elections.-- William F. Buckley Jr., "We didn't tell you so", National Review, November 29, 2004

"An attack on Iraq has been bruited about ever since President Bush invoked an axis of evil in his State of the Union address to Congress in January.-- Joyce Appleby and Ellen Carol Dubois, "Congress must reassert authority to declare war", The Record (Bergen County, NJ), September 20, 2002

"Since his family was so very wealthy, having an accumulated fortune of many years, he did not have to work for a living, and thus he could -- and did -- devote himself to various and sundry dissipations and pleasures, especially drink (in fact it was widely bruited about, that in his younger years, he was alcoholic).-- Dorothy Belle Pollack, "A fairy tale for the modern day", The Record (Bergen County, NJ), September 13, 2004

Bruit comes from Old French, from the past participle of bruire, "to roar."

Laugh of the day! 8-20-08

Q: What did the mommy snake say to the baby snake?
A: Stop crying and viper your nose!

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Laugh of the day! 8-19-08

This guy arrives at the Pearly Gates. He has to wait to be admitted, while St. Pete leafs through his Big Book. He's checking to see if the guy is worthy of entry or not. Saint Peter goes through the books several times, furrows his brow, and says to the guy, "You know, I can't see that you did lots of good in your life but, you never did anything bad either. Tell you what, if you can tell me of one REALLY good deed that you did in your life, you're in."The guy thinks for a moment and says, "Well, there was this one time when I was drivin' down the highway and I saw a Biker Gang assaulting this poor girl. I slowed down my car to see what was going on, and sure enough, that's what they were doing. There were about 50 of 'em torturing this chick.Infuriated, I got out my car, grabbed a tire iron from my trunk and walked straight up to the leader of the gang. He was a huge guy with a studded leather jacket and a chain running from his nose to his ear. As I walked up to the leader, the Gang formed a circle all around me.So I ripped the leader's chain off his face and smashed him over the head with the tire iron. Then I turned around and yelled to the rest of them, 'Leave this poor, innocent girl alone, you slime! You're all a bunch of sick, deranged animals! Go home before I teach you all a lesson in pain!'"St. Peter, extremely impressed, says, "Really? Wow, when did all this happen?""Er.. about two minutes ago."

Word of the day! 8-19-08

Today's Word
aestival \ES-tuh-vuhl\, adjective:Of or belonging to the summer; as, aestival diseases. [Spelled also estival.]

"Far to the north and hemmed in against the Russian Bear, it is easy to overlook this land of lakes, forests, and aestival white nights."-- [i.e. Finland]

"You generally get true summer in August: this year it has been unusually æstival."-- M. Collins

From the Latin æstas, summer. Also from æstas: