Word of the Week
SEQUACIOUS
Pronunciation: \sih-ˈkwaa-shuhs\
Function: adjective
Etymology: Latin sequac-, sequax inclined to follow, from sequi
Date: 1643
1archaic : subservient , tractable
2: intellectually servile
Interesting Fact
The Scoville scale is a measure of the hotness or piquancy of a chili pepper. These fruits of the Capsicum genus contain capsaicin, a chemical compound which stimulates chemoreceptor nerve endings in the skin, especially the mucous membranes. The number of Scoville heat units (SHU) indicates the amount of capsaicin present. Some hot sauces use their Scoville rating in advertising as a selling point. The scale is named after its creator, American chemist Wilbur Scoville, who developed a test for rating the pungency of chili peppers. His method, which he devised in 1912, is known as the Scoville Organoleptic Test. An alternative method of quantitative analysis, known as high-performance liquid chromatography, directly measures capsaicinoids and attempts to relate the measured concentration in ppm to the Scoville scale using a mathematical conversion factor of 15, 20 or 30 depending on the capsaicinoid.
In Scoville's method, a solution of the pepper extract is diluted in sugar syrup until the "heat" is no longer detectable to a panel of (usually five) tasters; the degree of dilution gives its measure on the Scoville scale. Thus a sweet pepper or a bell pepper, containing no capsaicin at all, has a Scoville rating of zero, meaning no heat detectable, even undiluted. Conversely, the hottest chilis, such as habaneros, have a rating of 200,000 or more, indicating that their extract has to be diluted 200,000-fold before the capsaicin present is undetectable. The greatest weakness of the Scoville Organoleptic Test is its imprecision, because it relies on human subjectivity.
Trivial Pursuit
Here are this week’s questions:
Global View (Geography):
What birds littered Tokyo streets with rotten food in 2001, leading officials to set 100 traps?
Entertainment:
What Baha Men ditty boasts the chorus: “woof, woof, woof, woof, woof”?
News:
What publishing czar offered a $1 million reward to any woman who could prove an affair with a member of Congress, in 1998?
Written Word:
What Fox News star parlayed his on-air “Talking Points” into a number one bestseller?
Life and Science:
What gum disease fighting brand claims “it can help you keep your teeth,” as long as you can also endure scaling and root planing procedures?
Games and Sports:
What 1987 pioneering simulation game actually made an urban planner’s job seem interesting?
Here are last week’s answers:
Global View (Geography):
What Mideast nation hopes to lure tourists to its town of Jerash by staging daily chariot races? Jordan
Entertainment:
What was the first Star Trek series without “Star Trek” in its title? Enterprise
News:
How old was “Granny D” Haddock when she walked 3,200 miles across America to promote campaign finance reform – 70, 80, or 90? 90
Written Word:
What sage soothed listeners with his audio book The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success? Deepak Chopra
Life and Science:
What “100 percent pure” product did Byrd Laboratories sell to concerned job-seekers for $49.95 a bag, in 1986? Urine
Games and Sports:
How many years did Michael Jordan sit home at playoff time in his 13 seasons with the Bulls? Zero
Monday, October 27, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Word of the Week - 10-20-2008
Word of the Week
GEEZER
Pronunciation: \ˈgee-zuhr\
Function: noun
Etymology: probably alteration of Scots guiser one in disguise
Date: 1885
: a queer, odd, or eccentric person —used especially of elderly men
— gee·zer·hood noun
Interesting Fact
The word hello has sometimes been credited to Thomas Edison, specifically as a way to greet someone when answering the telephone. Alexander Graham Bell initially used Ahoy-hoy (as used on ships) as a telephone greeting. However, in 1877, Edison wrote to T.B.A. David, the president of the Central District and Printing Telegraph Company of Pittsburgh:
“Friend David, I do not think we shall need a call bell as Hello! can be heard 10 to 20 feet away. What you think? Edison
By 1889, central telephone exchange operators were known as 'hello-girls' due to the association between the greeting and the telephone.
Trivial Pursuit
Here are this week’s questions:
Global View (Geography):
What Mideast nation hopes to lure tourists to its town of Jerash by staging daily chariot races?
Entertainment:
What was the first Star Trek series without “Star Trek” in its title?
News:
How old was “Granny D” Haddock when she walked 3,200 miles across America to promote campaign finance reform – 70, 80, or 90?
Written Word:
What sage soothed listeners with his audio book The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success?
Life and Science:
What “100 percent pure” product did Byrd Laboratories sell to concerned job-seekers for $49.95 a bag, in 1986?
Games and Sports:
How many years did Michael Jordan sit home at playoff time in his 13 seasons with the Bulls?
Here are last week’s answers:
Global View (Geography):
What mid town Manhattan eatery did Tom Wolfe call “the Versailles of American corporate culture”? The Four Seasons
Entertainment:
What band was mistakenly billed as “The V2s” and “VR” in its early days? U2
News:
What Michigan island’s carriage horses have too many harness sores and are poorly shod, according to the U.S. Humane Society? Mackinac Island
Written Word:
What Scott Turow sequel stirs up the personal life of the DA from Presumed Innocent? The Burden of Proof
Life and Science:
What can concerned parents try to prevent by remembering the offbeat rhyme: “Now you lay me down to sleep, on my back for safest sleep”? SIDS, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
Games and Sports:
Who took exception when Vanity Fair asked if he had “the smallest jockstrap in wrestling”? The Rock
GEEZER
Pronunciation: \ˈgee-zuhr\
Function: noun
Etymology: probably alteration of Scots guiser one in disguise
Date: 1885
: a queer, odd, or eccentric person —used especially of elderly men
— gee·zer·hood noun
Interesting Fact
The word hello has sometimes been credited to Thomas Edison, specifically as a way to greet someone when answering the telephone. Alexander Graham Bell initially used Ahoy-hoy (as used on ships) as a telephone greeting. However, in 1877, Edison wrote to T.B.A. David, the president of the Central District and Printing Telegraph Company of Pittsburgh:
“Friend David, I do not think we shall need a call bell as Hello! can be heard 10 to 20 feet away. What you think? Edison
By 1889, central telephone exchange operators were known as 'hello-girls' due to the association between the greeting and the telephone.
Trivial Pursuit
Here are this week’s questions:
Global View (Geography):
What Mideast nation hopes to lure tourists to its town of Jerash by staging daily chariot races?
Entertainment:
What was the first Star Trek series without “Star Trek” in its title?
News:
How old was “Granny D” Haddock when she walked 3,200 miles across America to promote campaign finance reform – 70, 80, or 90?
Written Word:
What sage soothed listeners with his audio book The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success?
Life and Science:
What “100 percent pure” product did Byrd Laboratories sell to concerned job-seekers for $49.95 a bag, in 1986?
Games and Sports:
How many years did Michael Jordan sit home at playoff time in his 13 seasons with the Bulls?
Here are last week’s answers:
Global View (Geography):
What mid town Manhattan eatery did Tom Wolfe call “the Versailles of American corporate culture”? The Four Seasons
Entertainment:
What band was mistakenly billed as “The V2s” and “VR” in its early days? U2
News:
What Michigan island’s carriage horses have too many harness sores and are poorly shod, according to the U.S. Humane Society? Mackinac Island
Written Word:
What Scott Turow sequel stirs up the personal life of the DA from Presumed Innocent? The Burden of Proof
Life and Science:
What can concerned parents try to prevent by remembering the offbeat rhyme: “Now you lay me down to sleep, on my back for safest sleep”? SIDS, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
Games and Sports:
Who took exception when Vanity Fair asked if he had “the smallest jockstrap in wrestling”? The Rock
Monday, October 13, 2008
Word of the Week - 10-13-2008
Word of the Week
OCULIST
Pronunciation: \ˈah-kyuh-lihst\
Function: noun
Etymology: French oculiste, from Latin oculus
Date: 1615
1 : ophthalmologist
2 : optometrist
Interesting Fact
Gypsum is a very soft mineral composed of calcium sulfate dihydrate.
Gypsum occurs in nature as flattened and often twinned crystals and transparent cleavable masses called selenite. It may also occur silky and fibrous, in which case it is commonly called satin spar. Finally it may also be granular or quite compact. In hand-sized samples, it can be anywhere from transparent to opaque. A very fine-grained white or lightly-tinted variety of gypsum is called alabaster, which is prized for ornamental work of various sorts. In arid areas, gypsum can occur in a flower-like form typically opaque with embedded sand grains called desert rose. The most visually striking variety, however, is the giant crystals from Naica Mine. Up to the size of 11m long, these megacrystals are among the largest crystals found in nature.
Gypsum is a common mineral, with thick and extensive evaporite beds in association with sedimentary rocks. Gypsum is deposited in lake and sea water, as well as in hot springs, from volcanic vapors, and sulfate solutions in veins.
The word gypsum is derived from the aorist form of the Greek verb μαγειρεύω, "to cook", referring to the burnt or calcined mineral. Because the gypsum from the quarries of the Montmartre district of Paris has long furnished burnt gypsum used for various purposes, this material has been called plaster of Paris. It is also used in foot creams, shampoos and many other hair products. It is water-soluble. It is used in drywall, fertilizer, and as a tofu (soy bean curd) coagulant, making it ultimately a major source of dietary calcium, especially in Asian cultures which traditionally use few dairy products. It is also used as school or blackboard chalk
Because gypsum dissolves over time in water, gypsum is rarely found in the form of sand. However, the unique conditions of the White Sands National Monument in the US state of New Mexico have created a 710 km² (275 square mile) expanse of white gypsum sand, enough to supply the construction industry with drywall for 1,000 years. Commercial exploitation of the area, strongly opposed by area residents, was permanently prevented in 1933 when president Herbert Hoover declared the gypsum dunes a protected national monument.
Commercial quantities of gypsum are found in Jamaica, Iran, Thailand, Spain (the main producer in Europe), Germany, Italy, England, Ireland, in British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland in Canada, and in New York, Michigan, Indiana, Texas(in the Palo Duro Canyon),Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and Nevada in the United States. There is also a large mine located at Plaster City, California in Imperial County, and in East Kutai, Kalimantan.
Trivial Pursuit
Here are this week’s questions:
Global View (Geography):
What mid town Manhattan eatery did Tom Wolfe call “the Versailles of American corporate culture”?
Entertainment:
What band was mistakenly billed as “The V2s” and “VR” in its early days?
News:
What Michigan island’s carriage horses have too many harness sores and are poorly shod, according to the U.S. Humane Society?
Written Word:
What Scott Turow sequel stirs up the personal life of the DA from Presumed Innocent?
Life and Science:
What can concerned parents try to prevent by remembering the offbeat rhyme: “Now you lay me down to sleep, on my back for safest sleep”?
Games and Sports:
Who took exception when Vanity Fair asked if he had “the smallest jockstrap in wrestling”?
Here are last week’s answers:
Global View (Geography):
What astronaut is depicted showing Sammy Davis Jr. a moon rock, at Mammoth Cave Wax Museum? Neil Armstrong
Entertainment:
How old was Bjork when she signed her first record deal – 7, 11, or 15? 11
News:
What 2000 Republican presidental hopeful dove into a mosh pit to gain an ”endorsement” from Michael Moore’s cable TV show? Alan Keyes
Written Word:
What dyspeptic dogs “always bark at night” according to Lewis Grizzard’s book title? Chili Dawg
Life and Science:
What name did the World Meteorological Organization take off a list of hurricane names in 2001, after complaints from Jewish groups? Israel
Games and Sports:
Who was the first pitcher since Mickey Lolich in 1968 to win three games in a World Series? Randy Johnson
OCULIST
Pronunciation: \ˈah-kyuh-lihst\
Function: noun
Etymology: French oculiste, from Latin oculus
Date: 1615
1 : ophthalmologist
2 : optometrist
Interesting Fact
Gypsum is a very soft mineral composed of calcium sulfate dihydrate.
Gypsum occurs in nature as flattened and often twinned crystals and transparent cleavable masses called selenite. It may also occur silky and fibrous, in which case it is commonly called satin spar. Finally it may also be granular or quite compact. In hand-sized samples, it can be anywhere from transparent to opaque. A very fine-grained white or lightly-tinted variety of gypsum is called alabaster, which is prized for ornamental work of various sorts. In arid areas, gypsum can occur in a flower-like form typically opaque with embedded sand grains called desert rose. The most visually striking variety, however, is the giant crystals from Naica Mine. Up to the size of 11m long, these megacrystals are among the largest crystals found in nature.
Gypsum is a common mineral, with thick and extensive evaporite beds in association with sedimentary rocks. Gypsum is deposited in lake and sea water, as well as in hot springs, from volcanic vapors, and sulfate solutions in veins.
The word gypsum is derived from the aorist form of the Greek verb μαγειρεύω, "to cook", referring to the burnt or calcined mineral. Because the gypsum from the quarries of the Montmartre district of Paris has long furnished burnt gypsum used for various purposes, this material has been called plaster of Paris. It is also used in foot creams, shampoos and many other hair products. It is water-soluble. It is used in drywall, fertilizer, and as a tofu (soy bean curd) coagulant, making it ultimately a major source of dietary calcium, especially in Asian cultures which traditionally use few dairy products. It is also used as school or blackboard chalk
Because gypsum dissolves over time in water, gypsum is rarely found in the form of sand. However, the unique conditions of the White Sands National Monument in the US state of New Mexico have created a 710 km² (275 square mile) expanse of white gypsum sand, enough to supply the construction industry with drywall for 1,000 years. Commercial exploitation of the area, strongly opposed by area residents, was permanently prevented in 1933 when president Herbert Hoover declared the gypsum dunes a protected national monument.
Commercial quantities of gypsum are found in Jamaica, Iran, Thailand, Spain (the main producer in Europe), Germany, Italy, England, Ireland, in British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland in Canada, and in New York, Michigan, Indiana, Texas(in the Palo Duro Canyon),Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and Nevada in the United States. There is also a large mine located at Plaster City, California in Imperial County, and in East Kutai, Kalimantan.
Trivial Pursuit
Here are this week’s questions:
Global View (Geography):
What mid town Manhattan eatery did Tom Wolfe call “the Versailles of American corporate culture”?
Entertainment:
What band was mistakenly billed as “The V2s” and “VR” in its early days?
News:
What Michigan island’s carriage horses have too many harness sores and are poorly shod, according to the U.S. Humane Society?
Written Word:
What Scott Turow sequel stirs up the personal life of the DA from Presumed Innocent?
Life and Science:
What can concerned parents try to prevent by remembering the offbeat rhyme: “Now you lay me down to sleep, on my back for safest sleep”?
Games and Sports:
Who took exception when Vanity Fair asked if he had “the smallest jockstrap in wrestling”?
Here are last week’s answers:
Global View (Geography):
What astronaut is depicted showing Sammy Davis Jr. a moon rock, at Mammoth Cave Wax Museum? Neil Armstrong
Entertainment:
How old was Bjork when she signed her first record deal – 7, 11, or 15? 11
News:
What 2000 Republican presidental hopeful dove into a mosh pit to gain an ”endorsement” from Michael Moore’s cable TV show? Alan Keyes
Written Word:
What dyspeptic dogs “always bark at night” according to Lewis Grizzard’s book title? Chili Dawg
Life and Science:
What name did the World Meteorological Organization take off a list of hurricane names in 2001, after complaints from Jewish groups? Israel
Games and Sports:
Who was the first pitcher since Mickey Lolich in 1968 to win three games in a World Series? Randy Johnson
Monday, October 6, 2008
Word of the Week - 10-6-2008
Word of the Week
CHINESE PUZZLE
Function: noun
Date: circa 1815
1 : an intricate or ingenious puzzle
2 : something intricate and obscure
Interesting Fact
Originally called Fritatas, Elmer Doolin was so taken with the bag of corn chips served with his lunch in San Antonio, Texas that he paid $100 for the recipe and a potato ricer. In 1932, he started the Frito Corporation in his mother's kitchen. Doolin, his mother and brother produced the corn chips, named Fritos, and had a production capacity of approximately 10 pounds per hour. Doolin distributed the Fritos in 5¢ bags. Daily sales totaled $8 to $10 and profits averaged about $2 per day.
In 1933, the hourly production of Fritos increased from 10 pounds to nearly 100 pounds due to the development of a "hammer" press. By the end of the year, production lines were operating in Houston and Dallas. The Frito Company headquarters also moved to Dallas to capitalize on the city's central location and better availability of raw materials. In 1937, The Frito Company opened its Research and Development lab and introduced new products including Fritos Peanut Butter Sandwiches and Fritos Peanuts to supplement Fritos.
At the time of Doolin's death in 1959, The Frito Company produced over forty products, had plants in eighteen cities, employed over 3,000 people and had sales in 1958 in excess of $50 million. By 1962, Fritos would be sold in 48 countries.
Trivial Pursuit
Here are this week’s questions:
Global View (Geography):
What astronaut is depicted showing Sammy Davis Jr. a moon rock, at Mammoth Cave Wax Museum?
Entertainment:
How old was Bjork when she signed her first record deal – 7, 11, or 15?
News:
What 2000 Republican presidental hopeful dove into a mosh pit to gain an ”endorsement” from Michael Moore’s cable TV show?
Written Word:
What dyspeptic dogs “always bark at night” according to Lewis Grizzard’s book title?
Life and Science:
What name did the World Meteorological Organization take off a list of hurricane names in 2001, after complaints from Jewish groups?
Games and Sports:
Who was the first pitcher since Mickey Lolich in 1968 to win three games in a World Series?
Here are last week’s answers:
Global View (Geography):
What morning malady do Outer Mongolians cure by chugging a pickled sheep’s eye in tomato juice? A hangover
Entertainment:
Who did Holly Hunter portray in the TV movie When Billy Beat Bobby? Billie Jean King
News:
What vice-presidential candidate noted in a 1985 book: “Even after three years in Congress, I could not get a VISA card”? Geraldine Ferraro
Written Word:
What beachside balladeer penned the 1998 number-one memoir A Pirate Looks at Fifty? Jimmy Buffett
Life and Science:
What European city got to play an eight-story-tall game of Pong, thanks to the Chaos Computer Club’s Blinkenlights display, in 2001? Berlin
Games and Sports:
What did Steve Williams lug for seven miles most days in 2000, to earn a reported $880,000? Tiger Woods’ golf bag
CHINESE PUZZLE
Function: noun
Date: circa 1815
1 : an intricate or ingenious puzzle
2 : something intricate and obscure
Interesting Fact
Originally called Fritatas, Elmer Doolin was so taken with the bag of corn chips served with his lunch in San Antonio, Texas that he paid $100 for the recipe and a potato ricer. In 1932, he started the Frito Corporation in his mother's kitchen. Doolin, his mother and brother produced the corn chips, named Fritos, and had a production capacity of approximately 10 pounds per hour. Doolin distributed the Fritos in 5¢ bags. Daily sales totaled $8 to $10 and profits averaged about $2 per day.
In 1933, the hourly production of Fritos increased from 10 pounds to nearly 100 pounds due to the development of a "hammer" press. By the end of the year, production lines were operating in Houston and Dallas. The Frito Company headquarters also moved to Dallas to capitalize on the city's central location and better availability of raw materials. In 1937, The Frito Company opened its Research and Development lab and introduced new products including Fritos Peanut Butter Sandwiches and Fritos Peanuts to supplement Fritos.
At the time of Doolin's death in 1959, The Frito Company produced over forty products, had plants in eighteen cities, employed over 3,000 people and had sales in 1958 in excess of $50 million. By 1962, Fritos would be sold in 48 countries.
Trivial Pursuit
Here are this week’s questions:
Global View (Geography):
What astronaut is depicted showing Sammy Davis Jr. a moon rock, at Mammoth Cave Wax Museum?
Entertainment:
How old was Bjork when she signed her first record deal – 7, 11, or 15?
News:
What 2000 Republican presidental hopeful dove into a mosh pit to gain an ”endorsement” from Michael Moore’s cable TV show?
Written Word:
What dyspeptic dogs “always bark at night” according to Lewis Grizzard’s book title?
Life and Science:
What name did the World Meteorological Organization take off a list of hurricane names in 2001, after complaints from Jewish groups?
Games and Sports:
Who was the first pitcher since Mickey Lolich in 1968 to win three games in a World Series?
Here are last week’s answers:
Global View (Geography):
What morning malady do Outer Mongolians cure by chugging a pickled sheep’s eye in tomato juice? A hangover
Entertainment:
Who did Holly Hunter portray in the TV movie When Billy Beat Bobby? Billie Jean King
News:
What vice-presidential candidate noted in a 1985 book: “Even after three years in Congress, I could not get a VISA card”? Geraldine Ferraro
Written Word:
What beachside balladeer penned the 1998 number-one memoir A Pirate Looks at Fifty? Jimmy Buffett
Life and Science:
What European city got to play an eight-story-tall game of Pong, thanks to the Chaos Computer Club’s Blinkenlights display, in 2001? Berlin
Games and Sports:
What did Steve Williams lug for seven miles most days in 2000, to earn a reported $880,000? Tiger Woods’ golf bag
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