galumph

galumph - verb - To move in a clumsy manner or with a heavy tread.

I used to say this when I was trying to be a big monster walking. How fun to find out it's actually a word!

sola scriptura

Sola scriptura - n - The assertion that the Bible as God's written word is self-authenticating, clear to the rational reader, its own interpreter ("Scripture interprets Scripture"), and sufficient of itself to be the only source of Christian doctrine.

I take exception to this idea, which was put forward by Martin Luther as a keystone of the Protestant Reformation. Here's why.

In the 4th Century, most Christians, based on a close reading of the New Testament, accepted that Jesus Christ was God. An Alexandrian priest named Arius closely read those very same scriptures and concluded that Jesus was created by God, and was therefore not consubstantial, coeternal, and coequal with God. Other close readers of the NT, the Monophysites, concluded that Christ had only a single divine nature. A 5th Century bishop of Constantinople, another careful student of scripture named Nestorius, asserted that Jesus had two separate and distinct natures, divine and human, on the grounds that a human woman could not give birth to God (he also refused to believe that "a squalling infant was God"). These last two doctines called into question the validity of Christ's death as atonement for mankind's sins.

It would seem that scripture alone is not sufficient to arrive at truth. The seven generally recognized Ecumenical Councils were convened to resolve these and similar questions (plus some less provocative issues, such as when Easter should be celebrated).

There's a larger point, viz., that Christianity is the only religion in which reason is an integral component. I don't believe that was accidental. Christians have nothing to fear from truth. The application of rational thought to the historical record leaves our religion as sound today as it was in the 1st Century.

Today's less provocative exquisite entry is Reverie by English painter John William Godward, who specialized in women in Classical costume. I don't have a date for this work, but an educated guess would be 1910-1925.

modest

modest - adj - having or showing a moderate or humble estimate of one's merits, importance, etc.; having or showing regard for the decencies of behavior, speech, dress, etc.; limited or moderate in amount, extent, etc.

respect + humility = modesty

Out of respect for myself I will always strive to keep healthy and fit both mentally and physically. Out of respect those with whom I come in contact, I will not hold myself as more important than they and consider carefully their concerns and wishes. This, for me, defines modest behavior.

au naturel

au naturel – adj - In the natural state; naked; nude.

Now what made me think of that? Any ideas?

Today's exquisite entry has left me snowblind. All those bright, white, teeth. . .

profligate

profligate - adj - shamelessly immoral; dissipated; dissolute; recklessly wasteful

There was an article on the news yesterday about the famous polygamist in Utah (currently in prison) who asserts polygamy is a religious issue and is therefore protected under the constitution. If I understood correctly, the suit against him isn't so much related to the issue of polygamy as it is about the underage girls to whom he is either married or has arranged marriages for.

Mormon

Mormon - n - An ancient prophet believed to have compiled a sacred history of the Americas, which were translated and published by Joseph Smith as the Book of Mormon in 1830; A member of the Mormon Church.

I'm back to heresy, and, needless to say, I consider Mormons heretics. (Ditto for Jehovah's Witnesses; I'm not sure about Seventh Day Adventists.)

Wolf referred me to a great apologetics site, which I've been giving a real workout. The section on heresy is especially helpful, especially if (like me) you have trouble sorting out the Monophysites, Adoptionists, Nestorians, Patripassionists, Monarchians, Docetists, Arians, and Monothilites. Here's a link:

http://www.carm.org/

The fourth entry in our Exquisite series is again by Renoir. Since Natalie's otherwise occupied, I have a little more freedom, i.e., I can get away with more. Wolf, you started this thing, but I notice I'm been doing all the ball-carrying here.

covariance

covariance - noun - The expectation or mean value of the variable formed by multiplying the differences obtained by subtracting two given variates from their respective means; the product of the standard deviations of two given variates and the coefficient of correlation between them; a statistical measure of the variance of two random variables that are observed or measured in the same period.

Sheesh! I thought I knew what that meant!

(interesting reading here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Covariance_and_contravariance_%28computer_science%29)

pulp

pulp - n - A magazine or book printed on rough, low-quality paper made of wood pulp or rags, and usually containing sensational and lurid stories, articles, etc.

Before there was television there were pulp magazines. A newstand of the 1930s was a wondrous sight: brightly-colored, action packed, sometimes sexy covers on magazines featuring an incredible variety of stories - mystery, detective, weird, science fiction, war, air war, sports, romance, humor, jungle adventures, Oriental adventures, spicy, and a number of series characters, including the Shadow, Doc Savage, the Spider, G8 and His Battle Aces, and many others. (Caveat: The covers could be sexy, but they promised a lot more than the fiction inside delivered.)

The typical pulp magazine paid a cent a word, and with hundreds of pulps at any given time there was a constant demand for fiction. It was a great time for a young writer to be alive. Alfred Bester said that the pulps gave the novice a place to learn his craft while getting the bad writing out of his system. Few such markets exist today.

The cent a word rate was pretty standard, but some of the pulpier pulps paid, as the old joke had it, "a quarter cent a word, payable on lawsuit." Still, at a cent a word, a 20,000 word story (about 35 printed pages or so) paid 200.00. 200 bucks went a long way in the great days of the pulps (maybe from about 1920 to 1955). L Ron Hubbard and Arthur Burkes routinely cranked out 10,000 words a day.

Naturally a lot of pulp fiction makes for painful reading today, but then much modern TV makes for painful viewing. Audiences then were no more sophisticated than audiences today. And some high-powered authors got their start in the pulps: Raymond Chandler, Tennessee Williams, Dashiel Hammett, Philip Wylie, Robert A Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, Erle Stanley Gardner, and many others.

So much for the pulps.

Today's picture, "Exquisite" number three, is The Pink Rose by Charles Amable Lenoir. I hate to indulge in art-babble, but since Nat's not paying attention I will point out the obvious (to me) symbolism: innocence, virginity, pristine possibility. The pink rose. Beautiful.

ambit

ambit - noun - circuit or compass; the boundaries or limits of a district or place; an area in which something acts, operates or has power or control; extent; sphere; scope

Last night I was teaching SafeKids about their "circle of safety". That is the area around you over which you exert personal control. If you allow someone close enough to reach into that space, you risk capture by bad-guys. Sure wish I could have used this word, but a bunch of 5-11 year old kids just wouldn't have understood it and it would have taken as long to explain it as it did to just describe the concept.

exquisite - Second in a Series

Jeanne Rannay (1877), by Pierre Auguste Renoir

doyen

doyen - noun - the senior member of a body or group; one who is knowledgeable or uniquely skilled as a result of long experience in some field of endeavor

The resident example, is, of course, Jack.

perdition

perdition - noun - a state of final spiritual run; loss of the soul; damnation; the future state of the wicked; utter destruction and ruin.

I am (once again) reading an old favorite of mine, although I can't recall having mentioned the title. I'll give you a hint, the famous first sentence is, "Call me Ishmael". If you need an example of a cynical person, please read the first couple of chapters of this book! Anyway, today's word is embedded in a quote I found irresistable to post. It is on the difference of paying or being paid.

The act of paying is perhaps the most uncomfortable infliction that the two orchard thieves entailed upon us. But being paid, - what will compare with it? The urbane activity with which a man receives money is really marvellous, considering that we so earnestly believe money to be the root of all earthly ills, an that on no account can a monied man enter heaven. Ah! how cheerfully we consign ourselves to perdition!

(Note the older spelling (now considered incorrect) of the word marvelous). I'd be interested in reading comments by Jack regarding the religious views held by our hero in this statement. Note the often misquoted or misunderstood assertion that money is the root of all earthly ills which the Bible specifically states the LOVE of money...

For those who may not have figured out the book in this case, the author is Herman Melville, the title is (wait for it... ) "Moby Dick". My particular tome is ancient by all appearances, it has a hard green cover, torn at the edges, yellow, brittle paper and no copyright or publishing date contained therin and published by Grosset & Dunlap of New York. Being a former library book (discarded in lieu of newer printings in better condition no doubt) , the oldest stamp is March 22 1965. Yet, oddly, it's the only copy I have (I have, for example, a couple of books containing the Three Musketeers). This is truly a wonderful read, not only for the story, but also for it's language. A real joy and should be listed in the top 10 of pretty much everyones reading list.

poignant

poignant - adj - Keenly distressing to the feelings; keen or strong in mental appeal; affecting or moving the emotions; pungent to the smell.

Anger is the feeling that makes your mouth work faster than your mind. - Evan Esar (American Humorist 1899-1995)

Guilty.

parasol

parasol - n. - a lightweight umbrella used as a sunshade

Also, think Mary Poppins.

erastian

Erastian - n - One of the followers of Thomas Erastus, a German physician and theologian of the 16th century. He held that the punishment of all offenses should be referred to the civil power, and that holy communion was open to all. In the present day, an Erastian is one who would see the church placed entirely under the control of the State.

Sounds reasonable, right? Check out the battles over homosexual adoptions recently conducted by Catholic Charities in San Francisco (needless to say, they folded like a cheap suit) and the Catholic and Anglican churches in England. It seems these institutions, all of which handle adoptions, think that sending children home with "parents" who are in violation of Christian doctrine would be a sin. There are, however, laws against homophobia in Tony Bennet's beautiful city by the bay and Tony Blair's Cool Brittania.

On a personal note, I have had it. I realize that Good Old John - that clownish figure at the end of the aisle - is easy pickings for anybody who's having a rough day, but I've finally reached my limit. It's bad enough that my beloved civilization and the country whose history has fascinated me since I was five are dying, but I can no longer stand the Death of a Thousand Cuts that is my life at Hertz. Like Dostoevsky's famous servant, I am tempted to stand up and shout, "I too am a human being!" Realistically, though, I'm not - not really. I'm just a unit in a number that's reported to the EEOC on a regular basis. Do I serve any real purpose here? Would it make any difference if I spent my days reading scripture? Answers: No and Yes (reading scripture might bring me peace.)

Do I whine? No, I'm not whining. I'm absolutely furious. I have nothing left to give, not that anybody would want it in the first place.

Sorry about the vent, but I have to do it and I'm going to let it stand. The alternative is for me to hand in my notice and take my chances, but, having a wife and children as I do, that's not an option.

Look on the bright side: It may be a rant, but I used no obscenities and never blasphemed. You may also put out of your minds any notion that I'm going to grab a gun and start shooting. At most I'll make a furious entry on my personal blog.

One more thing: This is not open to discussion.

Unitarianism

Unitarianism - n - Christian doctrine that stresses individual freedom of belief and rejects the Trinity.

Unitarianism did indeed start out as a Christian sect, but has since provided churches the main function of which seems to be feeding doughnuts to atheists and agnostics on Sunday morning.

Isaac Newton wrote far more on Christian exegesis than he did on science and mathematics. In fact, his entire exposition of the calculus appeared only as an appendix to his book on optics. Newton, however, did have a deep, dark secret: he was a closet Unitarian, in that he denied the doctrine of the trinity (he was essentially an Arian).

Father Richard McBrien, formerly head of the theology department at Notre Dame, has been rightly described as "as good a Unitarian as you'll ever meet." People who were shocked that Notre Dame hosted a performance of Eve Ensler's unutterably sick Vagina Monologs (sorry, Nat, but it's her title, not mine), should take a closer look at the theological underpinnings of America's premier Catholic university. I'm not too crazy about Catholic-bashing, but they sure have been begging for it.

Is it any wonder that churches which are trying to keep up with the times are losing membership, while churches that actually take all that Christian stuff seriously are thriving? All those good Unitarians, be they Catholic, Episcopalian, or Methodist, are losing the culture war, and a good thing too. Seven Virginia churches recently left the Episcopalian communion. With Katharine Jefferts Schori elected head of the U.S. church, one needn't wonder why.

trant

trant - verb - to walk slowly; to traffic in an itinerary manner; to peddle (as a noun - a scam)

This is the last of the words I collected from the Lost Beauties list.

off-kilter

off-kilter - adj. - not in perfect balance, a bit askew; eccentric, unconventional

Somehow this came up in a conversation at work the other day. And none of us could remember how to properly say the word:

"Off-kelter?"

"No, that doesn't sound right. Off-canter?"

"Now, I know that's not right."

"Off...?"

"What does it even mean?"

"It's when something is off or not right."

(then we somehow got on the discussion of the Earth's axis)

"I don't know. Hey, maybe I'll use it as one of my WoDs!"

reck

reck - verb - to have care, concern or regard; to take heed.

No, this isn't what happens between two cars when the drivers aren't paying enough attention to their driving. No this isn't the disorganized and chaotic condition of some people's lives. That word would be wreck (with a preceding 'w').

Note this word is nearly lost to history, but consider the suffix -less. When applied to this word, gives us a common enough word in our language. However, for fun, try this one out on someone and see how they react. They will probably think you meant wreck!

casus belli

casus belli – n - An event or political occurrence that brings about a declaration of war.

Prominent examples include the firing on Fort sumter (1861, American Civil War), the assassination of Archdule Framz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie (1914, World War I). and the German invasion of Poland (1939, World War II). Don't even get me started on the Hundred Years War. Edward III is probably still wearing a hairshirt in purgatory. (Speaking of purgatory, I'm almost certain that the soft drink machines are stocked only with Fresca, the cigarette machines contain only Carltons, and the dinner menu will be either liver and Brussel sprouts or squid with a side order of spaghetti and clam sauce. I'm not too worried though; by the time the rewrite is implemented, my stay there should be down to 6.000 years [give or take a century].)

And now, take the IQ challenge by answeing a test question from the movie IDIOCRACY:You have a bucket that holds two gallons. You have another bucket that holds five gallons. How many buckets do you have?

Keep that in mind as you read the following transcription of a conversation between a North Orange County high school match teacher and one of his students. I wish I were making it up, but I'm not.

Student: My mother is 28 [years old].

Teacher: How old are you?

Student: 15.

Teacher: So your mother had you when she was 13?

Student: Wow! How did you figure that out in your head so fast?

Teacher (embarassed): Uh, well, after all, I am a math teacher.

(California schools spend over 10,000 dollars per annum per student.)

I wonder how that kid would make out on the IDIOCRACY IQ test. (What am I saying? My betters have assured me that there's no such thing as IQ, and that people like Charles Murray and Richard Lynn are just racist, Nazi, sexist swine - so there! I'll ask again - how does anybody ever get bored in such a fascinating world so filled with big boffs and hearty-har-hars?)

inordinate

inordinate - adj. - disorderly, unregulated; exceeding reasonable limits, immoderate

Last week I kept forgetting to submit my words. Maybe I can blame it on Jack for not being in the office and me not having him here as a reminder to post? Yeah, that works. I'm sticking with that excuse.

Perhaps I am inordinate?

ingle

ingle - noun - a fire burning in a hearth; a fireplace

holt

holt - noun - a wood or grove; a wooded hill

I believe Steinbeck used this word in his novel Of Mice and Men and it also shows up on the list of beautiful words by MacKay.

nostalgia

nostalgia - noun - a wistful desire to return in thought or in fact to a former time of one's life, to one's homeland, or to a one's family and friends; a sentimental yearning for the happiness of a former place or time.

Two thoughts come to mind on this word from the Lost Beauties list: 1) it was a mistake to leave Hz. I've been more and more miserable over here. The money is good (better than Hz was, but the work environment stinks). This company seems to bend over backwards looking for ways to make their employees mad. I could go on and on, but I'll think I'll just leave well enough alone. 2) Where are all the word contributors? It was, perhaps easier to manage things when we were all together, but I miss those days of pestering each other about the days word.

mickle

mickle - adj - great; large; much

An archaic word from the list of beautiful words.

Happy Valentines Day!

ugsome

ugsome - adj - horrid; loathsome; disgusting; ugly

curtail

curtail - v. - to make less by or as if by cutting off or away some part; shorten

rindle

rindle - noun - a small water course or gutter

Today, I start a series of words from Charles MacKay's Lost Beauties of the English Language which I find fascinating. MacKay generated his own short list of words in a rudimentary dictionary which was sold in the 1870's. He had a rather pedantic view that a nation's barbarous language was an indication of the barbarousness of the nation as a whole, and he set about to change that. His dictionary was, perhaps in his view, a call to return to some of the less used, but beautiful words of the English language.

ante-bellum

ante-bellum - adj - Latin, lit. "before-the-war," in U.S., usually in ref. to American Civil War (1861-65).

Even my feeble Latin can handle this one: Ante = before, bellum = war. One thing I have retained from my high school Latin is an appreciation for Latin (and Greek) as an English vocabulary builder. Take 'bellum' as an example; what do you think the English word 'bellicose' might mean? Or to give just one more example out of thousands I could produce, how about 'culina' (kitchen)? Does culinary ring any bells? I realize I'm preaching to the choir here, and nothing I've written will be new to you, but it's a good thing to keep in mind when you're teaching your children.

As for the ante-bellum period in our misnamed Civil War, which I say runs from 1846-1861, the book to read is David Potter's The Impending Crisis. (1846 is the year the Mexican War began. What makes it the starting point for the events leading up to the central event in our history was tobacco-chomping, whiskey-guzzling, Pennsylvania congressman David Wilmot's proviso to a bill to provide funding for purchase of land acquired from Mexico; it stated that slavery was to be forbidden in all such purchased lands. The proviso was defeated, but it was the first in a sad chain of events that include the Compromise of 1850, the Fugitive Slave Act of 1852, the Kansas-Nebraska bill, the founding of the Republican Party in 1856, Dredd Scott vs. Sanford, the border war between Kansas and Missouri, the Lincoln-Douglas debates, John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry, the splitting of the Democratic Party in 1860, the election of Abraham Lincoln, and the secession of South Carolina in December, 1860, followed by secession of the six Gulf states.) (Yes, I know I indulged in some ad hominems above, but I'll stand by them.)

depravity

depravity - noun - moral perversion; impairment of virtue and moral principles; a corrupt or degenerate act or practice.

You know, like the Democrats. Okay, sorry, I'll refrain from the political statements. I just couldn't resist that one. Anyway, this is sort of a dovetail on Natalie's uncommented word theme from earlier.

modus vivendi

modus vivendi - n - A manner of living; a way of life; A temporary agreement between contending parties pending a final settlement.

This is a Latin term I find myself using more frequently in these unhappy times.

Now, completely off topic: What's with the current rash of militant, even vitriolic, atheism? I'm talking about the recent bestsellers by Sam Harris and Richard Dawkins (not to mention their TV appearances), Philip Pullman's prize-winning His Dark Materials trilogy, and the pathological and often obscene ravings of such as Amanda Marcotte (today's picture). I can understand their disbelief - there was a time when I shared it - but I can't understand their hatred. Any thoughts?

missive

missive - noun - a written message; a letter

'Tis the season for these. Send an amorous instance to your sweetheart!

resale

resale - n. - the act of selling again usually to a new party; a secondhand sale, an additional sale to the same buyer

Ahhh, resale shops! My favorite t-shirts are all from resale shops. They are soft, worn-in, and usually one-of-a-kind. Now wearing vintage is the "new thing." Those vintage stores in the mall charge ridiculous amounts for those clothes. I can understand paying a lot for the last original shirt from some rock concert in the '70s... but all that other stuff? ...nah, I'll stick to the good 'ole resale shops.

On another note, I stand behind my word for Monday. I may have used a different form of it before, but I think we've allowed for different word endings in the past. Perhaps I'm being licentious? I will search the spreadsheet a little more closely in the future, though.

Also, I added a word for yesterday. It's late, but it's there!

conspectus

conspectus - noun - a general sketch or survey of a subject

John is particularly good with this word. Consider all the times he has provided the list with interesting information over some topic related (and sometimes not) to the word he posts. Props to you, my friend.

lewd

lewd - adj. - sexually unchaste or licentious

This concludes my theme of words (for now) that restrict commentary.

modus operandi

modus operandi - n - Mode of operating or working.

lasciviousness

lasciviousness - n. - lewd, lustful

misnomer

misnomer – n - A misapplied or inappropriate name or designation; an error in naming a person or thing.

lechery

lechery - n. - inordinate indulgence in sexual activity

This word and yesterday's word create my theme for the next few days. While themes are good, unfortunately the nature of this particular theme keeps me from commentary.

We gotta keep this thing clean!

tribune

tribune – n - A person who upholds or defends the rights of the people; (Roman History) any of various administrative officers, esp. one of 10 officers elected to protect the interests and rights of the plebeians from the patricians.

In other words, a tribune's job was to represent the commoners and to intervene on their behalf with the elites. (A tribune might also have been one of six officers who took turns commanding a legion, but the definition I've given is what's generally understood.) The most famous tribunes in Roman history were the Gracchus brothers, Tiberius (163-133 B.C.) and Gaius (159-121 B.C.), both of whom ran afoul of the Senate and paid with their lives. Their mother, Cornelia (pictured above), became a venerated figure for having produced two such men of the people.

cohort

cohort - noun - a body of about 300 to 600 soldiers; the tenth part of a legion; any group or body of warriors; a group or band of people; a companion; an associate

I wrote the definition for this word in reverse order. The obsolete version is the first definition I give and it follows along the lines of my previous word. (For the moment we seem to be interested in Roman history!) Anyway, a cohort was the more mobile infantry that was used to outflank a phalanx on several occasions as the Romans were starting to dominate their world. One of the reasons the Spartans were able to be nearly invincible in wartime was their complete lack of fear when facing the enemy as well as their incredible discipline and hard training. They managed to win in phalanx battles, often out of intimidation as much as anything. The Romans had most of the same characteristics. They were fearless in battle and more disciplined than any army of it's time (or maybe even since!). However, they brought a higher degree of mobility and speed to warfare (as well as effective battle formations) so they could defeat enemies even though out numbered. That's not to say they didn't use some of the more common forms of war (like the phalanx), they just seemed to do it better or faster.

randy

randy - adj. - lustful, lecherous

New word for me. As far as I knew, this was just a name for a guy. It makes me look at all the Randys I know just a little bit differently (I know it's not their fault, but still!).

consul

consul – n - An official appointed by the government of one country to look after its commercial interests and the welfare of its citizens in another country; either of the two chief magistrates of the ancient Roman republic.

Consul was the highest elective office in the Roman republic. The republic itself came to an end after the civil war following Julius Caesar's assasination. The victor, Octavian (63 B.C.-A.D. 14), took the name Augustus and the republic gave way to the empire. (The naval battle off the coast of Actium, 31 B.C., was the decisive victory in the civil war. Marc Antony and his main squeeze, Cleopatra, committed suicide, and that was effectively the end for the republic. In my opinion, Actium is one of the relatively few battles of historical importance.)

phalanx

phalanx - noun - a group of heavily armed infantry formed in ranks and files close and deep with shields joined and long spears overlapping.

Inspired by today's word 'legion', I couldn't help but think quickly to come up with a similar military word. Indeed, I'm fascinated with ancient military weapons and tactics. I personally believe we have evolved to a point where warfare is 'clean' in so far as innocent bystanders are not targets and killing them is a veritable crime. So war has become a common occurrence, but we don't call it that. We call it military action. War is an atrocity. It should be fought with shields, spears and swords, up close so you know the man (or woman) you are killing. Raping and pillaging should be allowed as spoils to the victor. In such a climate, war once again becomes dirty and it's use as an extension of political or economic power becomes less commonplace. But I digress. Here is a quote which applies to today's word:

“Now of those, who dare, abiding one beside another, to advance to the close fray, and the foremost champions, fewer die, and they save the people in the rear; but in men that fear, all excellence is lost. No one could ever in words go through those several ills, which befall a man, if he has been actuated by cowardice. For ‘tis grievous to wound in the rear the back of a flying man in hostile war. Shameful too is a corpse lying low in the dust, wounded behind in the back by the point of a spear.” [Tyrtaeus: The War Songs Of Tyrtaeus]

exude

exude - v. - to ooze out; to undergo diffusion

I'm back!

I've read through all (most all, anyway) the words y'all posted on the days I missed. Great words! It really is amazing how many words we've been through...and how many more there are left! Yay!

BTW...maybe John is right and y'all do need me to keep you two honest. I saw those pictures (you know which ones I'm talking about)!

legion

legion – n - A division of the Roman army, usually comprising 3000 to 6000 soldiers.

For centuries Rome had the best-trained, most efficient army the world had ever seen. They usually won, but there were at least two notable exceptions: in A.D. 9, Varus walked into a German ambush and lost three legions, and in A.D. 378 the emperor Valens took over 60% casualties against the Visigoths at Adrianople.

Jerry Pournelle noted that there have been only two extended periods of peace in history, the Pax Romana and the Pax Brittanica, and both were enforced by imperial military forces.

magnitude

magnitude - noun - Size; extent; great importance or consequence; a number characteristic of a quantity and forming a basis for comparison with similar quantities such as length; the brightness of a star or other celestial body as viewed by the unaided eye and expressed by a mathematical ration of 2.512: a star of the first magnitude is approximately 2.5 times as bright as one of the second magnitude and 100 times brighter than one of the sixth magnitude

I think that definition is long enough to not warrant commentary, don't you?

factor

factor – A person who acts or transacts business for another; an agent entrusted with the possession of goods to be sold in the agent's name; a merchant earning a commission by selling goods belonging to others.

Obviously, the word has several definitions; I've given a couple that may be less familiar. In the ante-bellum South, such crops as cotton, tobacco, and indigo would be shipped overseas to a factor, who would then handle the sale. The factor might also purchase and ship back items that were not readily available in the states. This became a bone of contention in the states that eventually made up the Confederacy. Since the federal government in its pre-income-tax days was mostly financed by import tariffs, Southerners felt - with some justification - that they were bearing a disproportianate share of the burden.

impatience

impatience - noun - eager desire for relief or change; restlessness; intolerance of anything that thwarts, delays or hinders.

This is listed as a virtue in programming circles. I found this article to be quite amusing and often accurate. Note the other virtues of programmers is hubris and laziness.

decimate

decimate – v - To destroy a great number or proportion of; to select by lot and kill every tenth person of.

Both sides, Union and Confederate, were decimated on the single bloodiest day in American history, September 17, 1862. The scene was the ridges and fields west of Antietam Creek near Sharpsburg, Maryland. There were over 23,000 casualties, more than the total casualties for the War of 1812, the Mexican War, and the Spanish-American War combined. A sorrowful day indeed.

honorific

honorific - n - A title, phrase, or grammatical form conveying respect, used especially when addressing a social superior.

For example, a cardinal is addressed as "Your Eminence," a king as "Your Highness," etc.

And now I have some mournful news: Natalie has thrown in the towel; the co-founder of our institution is no longer with us. Ave Atque Vale, Natalia!

picture of a punty (click here)

punty - noun - an iron rod used in glassmaking for handling the hot glass.

You can't see it very well in this picture, but the rod in approximately the center of the picture running into the orange mass of glass is the punty. Glassblowing has always fascinated me. There used to be a glassblower in Colorado Springs which we used to visit from time to time, and I never wanted to leave. It was so exciting to watch the blow and manipulate the glass into such beautiful shapes.

limn

limn –v - To represent in drawing or painting; to portray in words; describe; to illuminate manuscripts.

I'm a big fan of the lost art of manuscript illumination. Here's a page from the Book of Kells (c. A.D. 800), a copy of the gospels produced by Irish monks.

inscrutable

inscrutable - adj - difficult to fathom or understand; difficult to be explained or accounted for satisfactorily; obscure; incomprehensible; impenetrable

Kind of like the Democratic response to the Presidents speech last night. Some of the comments, especially those related to the economy didn't make sense to me. Not because I'm not an economist, but because they seemed to be restating the same points the President made. Further, the comments related to the defense of the nation seemed more related to how his father had served a long tour, how he had served with the Marines, how his son was serving currently, more than a rebuttal of how the President was handling the situation in Iraq. I guess I'm just not cut out for political endeavors.

patina

patina – n - A film or incrustation, usually green, produced by oxidation on the surface of old bronze and often esteemed as being of ornamental value; a similar film or coloring appearing gradually on some other substance; a surface calcification of implements, usu. indicating great age.

en masse

en masse – n - In a mass; all together; as a group.

George Bush is expected to push for amnesty en masse for illegal aliens in his State of the Union speech tonight. I wish I could remember who said that "a declining civilization will almost instinctively make the wrong decisions." Incidentally, how seriously am I supposed to take this so-called War on Terror?

logistics

logistics – n - The branch of military science and operations dealing with the procurement, supply, and maintenance of equipment, with the movement, evacuation, and hospitalization of personnel, with the provision of facilities and services, and with related matters; the planning, implementation, and coordination of the details of a business or other operation.

I was interested to learn that the Union Army of the Potomac, with about 105,000 men present in Spring of 1862, needed 600 tons of supplies daily to maintain itself. I am therefore highly skeptical of Herodotus' claim that Xerxes fielded a five-million-man army in the second Persian War (480-479 BC). McLellan had railroads and steamboats at his disposal; Xerxes had sailboats and oxcarts.

imprecation

imprecation - noun - a curse; the act of invoking evil upon someone

This word comes in pretty handy today. It seems, as the roads improve, people drive slower. I have been leaving an extra 10 or so minutes before my normal (non-winter-weather time) and arriving at work at a progressively later time. GAH! Why? Well the idiots[backspace][backspace][backspace][backspace][backspace][backspace] people on the road who can't figure out the accelerator is on the right-hand side and drive like a normal person on perfectly clear highways. Driving 20 mph below the speed limit when the roads are clear does nothing but make every driver behind you frustrated and angry, and potentially causes wrecks. I speak an imprecation on these morons!

consummate

consummate - verb - to bring to a state of perfection; fulfill (adj - complete or perfect; supremely skilled; superb)

I used this word in the definition of yesterday's allegedly 'R' rated posting, so I thought to define it today. Surprisingly it hasn't already been used!

doxology

doxology - n - A hymn or form of words containing an ascription of praise to God; the Doxology, the metrical formula beginning “Praise God from whom all blessings flow.”

One reason I'm not a libertarian is that, if I can judge from such Austrian school writers as Lew Rockwell, their doxology is, "Praise be to Walmart from which all blessings flow."

Congratulations are in order for Jeff, who produced our first R-rated WoD! I'm now working on a second such entry.

exquisite

exquisite - adj - of special beauty or charm or rare and appealing excellence as a face, a flower, coloring, music or poetry; extraordinarily fine or admirable; consummate

In following yesterday's word, I am providing a couple of pictures I find matching today's word. These are posted by request from Jack. The credit for the pictures goes to http://www.domai.com where they were originally posted.



An exquisite beauty!

et alia

et alia - adv - And others (used as an abbreviation of 'et alii' (masculine plural) or 'et aliae' (feminine plural) or 'et alia' (neutral plural) when referring to a number of people).

As in a recent email by Michael George to "Clint et al." Just call me Et for short. (Yes, you're right: that p---ed me off.)

pulchritudinous

pulchritudinous - adj - physically beautiful; comely

I had in mind to add a link to a picture of something I consider extremely beautiful, but then thought perhaps it (the picture) wouldn't be well received. So I'll leave you with some ideas of things I consider beautiful, ranked in order of most to least. However keep in mind, the 'least' on this list is still extremely beautiful.

the unclad feminine form
vibrant Sunsets
the Ocean
flora in full bloom

macabre

macabre – adj - Gruesome and horrifying; ghastly; horrible; of, pertaining to, dealing with, or representing death, esp. its grimmer or uglier aspect; of or suggestive of the allegorical dance of death.

One of my earlier movie memories is of the brouhaha surrounding the 1955 movie Macabre. The gimmick was that every ticket purchased came with a $1000 Lloyds of London insurance policy covering the purchaser if he died of fright watching the movie. As far as I know, nobody collected.

absentminded

absentminded - adj - lost in thought and unaware of one's surroundings or actions.

I guess this applies to me on this list recently. I have had time to put words in the list, but just haven't thought about it. I've been preoccupied with getting my software written and ready for testing and being responsive to the bugtracker to get defects fixed and closed as quickly as possible. I'll try to be less absentminded and be more attentive to getting my words on the list.

bien pensant

Bien pensant - n - A French phrase literally translated as "good thinking" or "right thinking", commonly used as a mild pejorative to describe the acceptance of a fashionable idea after it has been established in the mainstream without a sufficient amount of critical thought. The term has been used by both the political left and right, to critique, respectively, views seen as reactionary, or excessively politically correct, amongst other things.

My son Michael was married yesterday, and will be heading for Fort Riley as soon as the honeyman is over. For once, I have an answer to "What's new?" other than "I ate dinner, read a book, and hit the sack."

favonian

favonian - adj - pertaining to the west wind; soft; mild; gentle

I can't believe I haven't used this word before. I was going through some of my word lists from back in high school and thought about this one. I used to try to find ways to use this one in a sentence because of how neat it sounds. Anyway, probably doesn't apply to what just happened to Hz employees a couple of days ago.

unequivocal

unequivocal –adj - Not equivocal; unambiguous; clear; having only one possible meaning or interpretation: absolute; unqualified; not subject to conditions or exceptions

I've actually seen three good movies lately, and I recommend them all: World Trade Center (PG-13), Apocalypto (rated R for some intense violence), and (much to my surprise) The Black Dahlia (rated a hard R; strictly for adults).

ineluctable

ineluctable – adj - Incapable of being evaded; inescapable.

Jeff, you may have heard that we had a couple of hundred layoffs Friday. The rewrite group didn't lose any heads but legacy and GDD did. Another thing: I think we may have lost Natalie, co-founder of our peculiar institution. Do you have any ideas why?

sunder

sunder - verb - to break apart; to separate; to divide; to sever

I ran across this word in reading more of my Andre Norton books, in this case "The Beast Master" and "The Beast Master's Ark". Both real page-turners. I have a hard time putting them down and going to sleep. Highly recommended, as are all the Andre Norton books, which are typically short, quick reading, but very addictive.

bildungsroman

Bildungsroman – n - a type of novel concerned with the education, development, and maturing of a young protagonist.

As just one example, try Robert Lewis Taylor's Pulitzer Prize winner The Travels of Jamie McPheeters.

cortege

cortege - noun - a train of attendants; a procession, especially a funeral procession


It is interesting this word can mean the folks following a king or those following a hearse.

ex nihilo

ex nihilo - adv & adj - Out of nothing.

Sorry about my recent absences, but I seldom get a chance to come up for air these days. Implementaion of the rewrite is less than a year away.

impart

impart - verb - to make known, tell, relate or disclose; to give, bestow or communicate; to grant a part or share of

Slightly related to yesterday's word. It was used in the same sentence which I recall even less now.

impute

impute - verb - to attribute or ascribe (something discreditable) as to a person; to attribute (righteousness, guilt, etc) to a person or persons vicariously; ascribe as derived from another.

What an interesting word. This was used in a sentence Sunday which I can't recall completely (and now _really_ wish I could) but was in the gist of something God does to us. Something like 'God imputes us with grace'. I find the concept of ascribing someone with righteousness vicariously a bit odd.

hoi polloi

hoi polloi – n - The common people; the masses.

This is another word dating back to my earliest youth. The Kavanaghs, I was told, were members of the hoi polloi.

closure

closure – n - The act of closing; the state of being closed; a bringing to an end; conclusion.

Much modern commentary is just so much white noise. The use and misuse of words like today's is a prime attribute of this meaningless chatter. For example, Harper Collins recently fired Judith Regan. The reason given was that she had made anti-Semitic remarks; the real reason was that she had brokered a deal for O. J. Simpson's speculative memoir If I Did It (cute title). They were all set to publish the book until public outrage changed their corporate minds. Clearly, someone's head had to roll, and Judith drew the short straw. She claimed that she had only been trying to bring about closure! Hauling in big bucks had been the furthest thing from her mind.

When I lived in Colorado Springs, a hiker was lost in the mountains. After a long search his body was found, prompting some Journalism major to state that closure had been reached and the family could now begin the mourning process. The mourning process! Words fail me.

Maybe we could market a more general version of Dilbert's Buzzword Bingo. I'll get it started: caring, compassionate, tolerant, diversity, misspoke (meaning I accidentally said what I was really thinking or I inadvertantly told the truth), and celebrate (applied to anything but Christmas or birthdays).

(Speaking of anti-Semitism[TM], Joseph Sobran wittily and correctly pointed out that an anti-semite used to be someone who didn't like Jews, but now it's someone Jews don't like.)

mufti

mufti – n - Civilian clothes, in contrast with military or other uniforms, or as worn by a person who usually wears a uniform.

I'm surprised this one didn't occur to me sooner.

wassail

wassail - noun - An expression of good wishes on a festive occasion, especially in drinking to someone; the liquor used for a wassail, especially a beverage formerly much used in England at Christmas and other festivals, made of ale (or wine) flavored spices, sugar, toast, roasted apples, etc.


Or, in my case, hot apple cider with red hot candies melted therein. Although, I've been led to believe the addition of rum to such a concoction really 'spices' it up nicely. I've never tried it that way, so I guess I've never had a true wassail.

purblind

purblind - –adj - Nearly or partially blind; dim-sighted; slow or deficient in understanding, imagination, or vision.

sub rosa

sub rosa – n - Confidentially; secretly; privately.

flibbertigibbet

flibbertigibbet - n - A silly, flighty, or scatterbrained person, especially a pert young woman with such qualities.

For once I'm going to use Dictionary.com's word of the day. My mother often described my sister as a flibbertigibbet, and, until today, I thought it was a word she'd invented! Live and learn.

Let me wish my WoD colleagues a Joyous Kwanzaa, a Happy Hannukah, and a very Merry Holiday. (Just kidding. Merry Christmas to the Van Zandts and Bowmans and a very Happy New Year!)

(The Nativity scene at the top was painted by Carravaggio sometime around 1600. The angel is holding a streamer labeled "Gloria in Excelsis Deo (Glory to God in the Highest).")

malaise

malaise - noun - a vague feeling of discomfort in the body, as at the onset of illness; a general feeling of depression or unease.

Beginning last week this was me. After a week of trying to fight it off, I chose to investigate my options in chemistry and went to see the doctor, who prescribed an antibiotic. Now this feeling is mostly gone. Better living through better chemistry works.

trammel

trammel – n - Usually, trammels. a hindrance or impediment to free action.

I'm up to my nostrils in work, so brevity continues to be the soul of wit.

pule

pule - verb - to whimper; to whine

ergo: last week was a tough week, I just couldn't stay caught up with work or word entries. Now I'm sick and I have to take off work to go to the doctors office.

fungible

fungible – adj - Being of such nature or kind as to be freely exchangeable or replaceable, in whole or in part, for another of like nature or kind.

For example, wheat stored in a silo or money in a bank.

farrago

farrago – n - A confused mixture; hodgepodge; medley.

He who makes an animal of himself loses only the pain of being a man. - Samuel Johnson

inkhorn

inkhorn - adj - affectedly or ostentatiously learned; pedantic

endemic

endemic – adj - Natural to or characteristic of a specific people or place; native; indigenous; belonging exclusively or confined to a particular place.

Here's another of JJK's favorite poems.





The Emperor of Ice-Cream, by Wallace Stevens (1879-1955)

Call the roller of big cigars,
The muscular one, and bid him whip
In kitchen cups concupiscent curds.
Let the wenches dawdle in such dress
As they are used to wear, and let the boys
Bring flowers in last month's newspapers.
Let be be finale of seem.
The only emperor is the emperor of ice-cream.

Take from the dresser of deal,
Lacking the three glass knobs, that sheet
On which she embroidered fantails once
And spread it so as to cover her face.
If her horny feet protrude, they come
To show how cold she is, and dumb.
Let the lamp affix its beam.
The only emperor is the emperor of ice-cream.

assonant

assonant - noun - resemblance of sounds, especially of the vowel sounds in words

chanson de geste

chanson de geste –n - An epic poem written in assonant verse or rhyme about historical or legendary events or figures.

Literally, "song of deeds." A prime example would be the Song of Roland (12th Century?).

Dead is Roland; his soul with God.
While to Roncesvalles the Emperor rode,
Where neither path nor track he found,
Nor open space nor rood of ground,
But was strewn with Frank or heathen slain,
"Where art thou, Roland?" he cried in pain:
"The Archbishop where, and Olivier,
Gerein and his brother in arms, Gerier?
Count Otho where, and Berengier, I
von and Ivor, so dear to me;
And Engelier of Gascony;
Samson the duke, and Anseis the bold;
Gerard, of Roussillon, the old;
My peers, the twelve whom I left behind?"
In vain! - No answer may he find.
"O God," he cried, "what grief is mine
That I was not in front of this battle line!"
For very wrath his beard he tore,
His knights and barons weeping sore;
Aswoon full fifty thousand fall;
Duke Naimes hath pity and dole for all.

accolade

accolade - noun - any award, honor or laudatory notice.

For example, in my case, I've been nominated for Sailor of the Year.

sham

sham – n - Something that is not what it purports to be; a spurious imitation; fraud or hoax.

Natalie says she'll be back in January.

soubrette

soubrette – n - A maidservant or lady's maid in a play, opera, or the like, esp. one displaying coquetry, pertness, and a tendency to engage in intrigue; an actress playing such a role; any lively or pert young woman.

I suppose Nat might fit the third definition. For rhe primary definition, I think of Paquette in Voltaire's novel and Leonard Bernstein's musical Candide. (By the way, I can't recommend the soundtrack to Candide too highly, especially the 1956 original cast recording. It's interesting that Bernstein was working on Candide at the same time he was composing West Side Story. One Hand, One Heart, originally in C was moved to WSS, while Oh Happy We was moved from WSS to C.)

dictum

dictum - noun - an authoritative statement; a formal pronouncement

stentorian

stentorian – adj - Very loud or powerful in sound.

I have returned.

unguent

unguent - noun - a salve for sores, burns or the like; an ointment

M. D'Artagnan was given a miraculous potion which he used to overcome certain wounds and which he offered to Athos at their first meeting. It's not recorded in the story, but after the duel with the Cardinals Guards, I wonder if Athos made use of it.

nuptial

nuptial - adj - of or relating to marriage or the marriage ceremony; characteristic of or occurring in the breeding season

I have a friend who left for Las Vegas NV last night (maybe...). She is going out there to watch some rodeo finals or something like that. She is also trying to coerce her SO to get married while there. Conniving woman!

galvanic

galvanic - adj - of, pertaining to, or producing a direct current of electricity, especially when produced chemically; startling; shocking; stimulating; energizing

minutia

minutia - n - Precise details; small or trifling matters. (Plural minutiae.)

Maybe we should hold a candle-light vigil in front of the Van Zandt house.