Thursday June 10th, 2004

 

In Today's Tribune 

 

 

Like I said yesterday, we start a new contest on Monday. Make sure you tune in.

 

I hope you all have a very pleasant and safe weekend. I'll be back in a week.

 

 

Here's today's tidbits

Born on June 10th

Tara Lipinski (1982)

Leelee Sobieski (1982)

Hoku Ho (1981)

Elizabeth Hurley (1966)

Michael Burger (1957)

F. Lee Bailey (1933)

Maurice Sendak (1928)

Judy Garland (1922)

Saul Bellow (1915)

Frederick Loewe (1904)

Last request

Mary Clancy goes up to Father O'Grady after
his Sunday morning service, and she's in tears.

He says, "So what's bothering you, dear?"

She says, "Oh, Father, I've got terrible news.
My husband passed away last night."

The priest says, "Oh, Mary, that's terrible.
Tell me, Mary, did he have any last requests?"

She says, "That he did, Father..."

The priest says, "What did he ask, Mary?"

She says, "He said, 'Please, Mary, put down
that gun...''

Today's useless fact - Who invented the Slinky?

Like so many other great inventions, the Slinky, a favorite of both kids and physics teachers, was just a grand accident. Richard James, a naval engineer, "discovered" this enduring toy in 1943.

Working to help the war effort, James was developing an anti- vibration device for ship instruments when he knocked over some springs and was fascinated by the way the springs appeared to "walk" down the shelves. James showed his invention to his wife, Betty, who provided the name. (Tabloid trivia: Betty eventually came to run the company, after Richard left for Bolivia to join an obscure religious group.)

The Jameses took their first batch of 400 Slinkys to Gimbel's department store in Philadelphia during the winter of 1945, right in time for Christmas shopping. They were so desperate to sell the toy, they paid a friend $1 to buy one and start the feeding frenzy. Ninety minutes later, not one Slinky remained. And the rest is Slinky history.

Some other little known facts: Slinkys were among the first toys to to travel into space; a stamp commemorating the 1940s features the beloved toy; during the Vietnam War, U.S. soldiers would toss a Slinky into a tree for use as a makeshift radio antenna; and, if stretched end-to-end, the Slinky toys sold since 1945 (about 250 million) would wrap around the world 126 times.

What's The Buzzword For June10th?

 pioneer  \pye-uh-NEER\  noun

What does it mean?
  1 : a person or group that explores new areas of thought
or activity
  2 : one of the first to settle in an area : colonist

How do you use it?
  A literary pioneer of the 1900s, Andre Norton was one of
the first women to enter the field of science-fiction writing.

Are you a word wiz?
  At the root of "pioneer" we find the Latin word "pes," which
refers to a part of the body. What do you think "pes" means?

  A. arm
  B. head
  C. foot
  D. stomach

Answer:
  The Latin word "pes," meaning "foot," has left its tracks
all over English. "Pes" journeyed from Latin to French where
it formed the base for the word "peonier," meaning "foot
soldier." English speakers adopted "peonier" to form the noun
"pioneer," which later developed verb and adjective uses as
well. "Pedestrian," which names a person who travels on foot,
is another offspring of "pes." "Pes" is also the root word of
"pedal," the name of a device that is operated by foot. And
"pes" is at the root of "centipede" and "millipede," which
name insects that have a lot of feet.
 

Today's Jigsaw puzzle 

 

CLICK HERE    CHRISTINE & ME

                That wraps up this week. See you Monday.

                                                      

                                    

                  The following is what appeared in Wednesday's edition.......

In Today's Tribune 

 

 

I'm taking next week off but be sure to tune in Monday. We've got another contest in the works with a one-of-a-kind prize for the winner. You've got to see it to believe it. You'll get all the details on Monday.

 

 

Here's today's tidbits

Born on June 9th

Natalie Portman (1981)

Johnny Depp (1963)

Michael J. Fox (1961)

Dick Vitale (1940)

Jackie Mason (1934)

Robert Cummings (1910)

Cole Porter (1892)

Lisa Contreras

Stephanie Ruth

Frugal Living

A friend was trying to influence his elderly mother to enjoy the money she had accumulated through frugal living.

"Mother," he said, "you have enough money to last you till you're one hundred."

To which she quickly replied "And then what'll I do?"

Today's useless fact - Why is poison ivy poisonous?

 

Poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac are all members of the cashew family and cause contact dermatitis, or skin rash. Poison ivy produces an alcohol (catechol) that is stored within its plant tissue. Merely touching the leaves will cause no reaction. The leaves must be broken to release the allergin.

These plants evolved poisons to protect themselves from plant- eating animals, not just to ruin our camping trips. If you wash your hands and other areas of the body within ten minutes of exposure, you can avoid an allergic reaction, as the allergin cannot penetrate the skin this quickly. However, wash with water alone, because soap removes protective oils from the skin.

In the United States, poison ivy and western poison oak are responsible for more clinical cases of dermatitis than all other plant and chemical sensitizers combined. Believe it or not, in California over 50 percent of all workmen's compensation cases are caused by poison oak-induced dermatitis. That's one itchy state!

What's The Buzzword For June 9th?

 conspicuous  \kun-SPIH-kyuh-wuss\  adjective

What does it mean?
  1 : easily seen
  2 : attracting attention : striking

How do you use it?
  At the end of the cello recital, Arthur breathed a sigh of
relief at having made no conspicuous errors.

Are you a word wiz?
  "Conspicuous" has a conspicuous number of synonyms. See if
you notice one in the list below.

  A. palatable
  B. frivolous
  C. remarkable
  D. inimitable

Answer:
  Did C grab your attention? "Conspicuous," "remarkable,"
"striking," and "prominent" all mean noticeable or attracting
attention. "Conspicuous" applies to something that is obvious
and unavoidable to the sight or mind, as in "a conspicuous
waste of money." "Remarkable" applies to something
extraordinary or exceptional, as in "a child of remarkable
intelligence." "Striking" applies to something that impresses
itself powerfully and deeply on one's mind or vision, as in
"a striking view of the canyon." "Prominent" applies to
something commanding notice by standing out from its
surroundings or background, as in "a doctor who occupies a
prominent position in the town."
 

Today's Jigsaw puzzle 

 

CLICK HERE    BAKE-OFF WINNER

                That's all for today. Tune in tomorrow for more stuff.

                                                      

                                    

                  The following is what appeared in Tuesday's edition.......

In Today's Tribune 

 

 

Only one thing is more frightening than speaking your truth,
and that is not speaking.

-Naomi Wolf

 

Here's today's tidbits

Born on June 8th

Keenen Ivory Wayans (1958)

Boz Scaggs (1944)

Nancy Sinatra (1940)

Joan Rivers (1933)

Jerry Stiller (1929)

Barbara Bush (1925)

Robert Preston (1918)

Frank Lloyd Wright (1867)

Prison Teacher

A teacher was assigned a new post teaching English to prison inmates.

Not knowing the level of education the prisoners had, he decided to begin his first class by asking a basic question:

"Okay, who can tell me what a sentence is?"

Mixed Fruit

     

Today's useless fact - How is snake antivenom made?

First, the venom is "milked" from the snake. Then, it's diluted and injected into a horse or goat. As the animal builds up immunity to the venom, the dosage is increased, and the animal creates blood rich in antibodies.

Antibodies are blood proteins created to fight antigens. These antibodies collect in the serum, which is eventually separated from the dark red cells. After the serum has been purified a little more, it's ready to be injected at a moment's notice.

Of the 300,000 species of snakes, around 3,000 are venomous. In the U.S., between 8 and 15 people die of snakebite every year. Most snakebites can be prevented by wearing hiking boots that cover your ankles, so lace up.

What's The Buzzword For June 8th?

 stadium  \STAY-dee-um\  noun

What does it mean?
  1 : a course for footraces in ancient Greece with rows of
seats for spectators
  2 : a large usually roofless building with rows of seats for
spectators at modern sports events

How do you use it?
  "In four years, I expect to see some of you marching into
the stadium as part of our Olympic team," said the proud coach
to his athletes.

Are you a word wiz?
  "Stadium" comes ultimately from the Greek word "stadion."
What do you think "stadion" referred to?

  A. the number of people in a crowd
  B. a kind of sport
  C. a prize awarded to athletes
  D. a unit of measurement

Answer:
  You're a winner at the word game if you picked D. In
ancient Greek, "stadion" was a unit of measurement equal
to about 185 meters or 607 feet. One of the most important
events in the ancient Olympic Games was a footrace exactly
one "stadion" long. "Stadion" also referred to the course on
which the race was run and the raised seats for spectators
that surrounded it. Latin speakers later borrowed "stadion"
as "stadium," which English speakers in the 14th century
borrowed. In time, "stadium" referred to larger structures
in which different kinds of athletic contests were held.
 

Today's Jigsaw puzzle 

 

CLICK HERE    ERIKA & DYLAN

                That's all for today. Tune in tomorrow for more stuff.

                                                      

                                    

                  The following is what appeared in Monday's edition.......

In Today's Tribune 

 

 

Bachelors know more about women than married men, that's why they are not married.

 

 

Here's today's tidbits

Born on June 7th

Anna Kournikova (1981)

Larisa Oleynik (1981)

Karl Urban (1972)

Prince (1958)

Liam Neeson (1952)

Jenny Jones (1946)

Tom Jones (1940)

Dean Martin (1917)

Jessica Tandy (1909)

Paul Gauguin (1848)

Smart Clerk

In a department store, a difficult customer and a patient clerk were having a hard time getting together. Nothing the clerk provided was suitable. Finally, the finicky shopper said in annoyance, "Can't you find a smarter clerk to serve me?"

"No," said the saleswoman. "The smarter clerk saw you coming and disappeared."

If you've been keeping abreast of all the postings on the messageboard, then you should know that we have a new member to the AquinoHotline. Her name is Dora Fung. I asked her to send in a picture of her so we can all get to know her.

 

                      

Dora, you are now "officially initiated" to the Neen Tribune. Welcome.

Today's useless fact - Don Juan

Your high school graduation class is unusual if it does not include at least one Don Juan. Surveys suggest that one young male in eight seeks renown as a lover—and gains it almost half the time. Tall or short, dark or fair, the typical American loverboy can't be compared with Don Juan Ternorio. This legendary Spanish nobleman, said to have flourished in the 14th century, caught the attention of Mozart, among others. No one knows where the composer got his data, but notes made for his "Don Giovanni", say that the man whose name was given to the opera had 2,594 mistresses. He didn't make it to 2,595 because he was lured to a monastery. Monks who were furious that he gave the region such a bad reputation reputedly killed him -not in bed, but fully clothed and wearing even his boots.

 

Call Girl

What's The Buzzword For June 7th?

 petrify  \PEH-truh-fy\  verb

What does it mean?
  1 : to convert into stone or a stony substance
  2 : to paralyze with fear, amazement, or awe : stun

How do you use it?
  Dylan was petrified when Midnight, Mrs. Reed's cat, 
suddenly jumped into his lap while he was reading "The Black
Cat" by Edgar Allan Poe.

Are you a word wiz?
  "Petrify" developed from the Greek word "petros." Given
what we've told you about the meaning of "petrify," what do
you think its Greek root means?

  A. surprise
  B. stone
  C. stillness
  D. confusion

Answer:
  Answer B is rock solid. But how could a word that means
"stone" come to mean "fear"? In the 1500s, "petrify" meant
"to turn to stone," a sense that recalls its ancestor,
"petros," which meant "stone." If you suffer an attack of
fear or shock, you might stop and remain very still, as if
you had turned to stone. Over time, English speakers started
using "petrify" to refer to acting as if you were made of
stone and couldn't move. By the way, "petros" is also an
ancestor of "petroleum," the name of the flammable liquid
that is the source of gasoline, plastics, and paints.
 

Today's Jigsaw puzzle 

 

CLICK HERE    DESTINI & NIKKO

 

                That's all for today. Tune in tomorrow for more stuff.