Word of the Week - 10-27-2008

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