crescendo

crescendo - noun - A directive to a performer to smoothly increase the volume of a particular phrase or passage.

One of the cartoons my kids used to watch on the Discovery channel featured a musical rocket propelled by the cartoons encouraging the children to pat their legs in a dumming motion. To make the rocket go faster, they needed to be louder, so the cartoons would yell "CRESCENDO", as would my children.

Incidentally, this will conclude (at least temporarily) my foray into the music dictionary for entries. There are so many other words I feel like I've missed in reading recently, I'd like to go back to pick them up and add them.

I am including an exquisite pencil drawing of Natalie Portman. I wish I had the kind of talent this artist does. The ability to make the drawing so very life-like. Especially examine the integrity of each strand of hair.

abstract expressionism

abstract expressionism – n - A movement in experimental, nonrepresentational painting originating in the U.S. in the 1940s, with sources in earlier movements, and embracing many individual styles marked in common by freedom of technique, a preference for dramatically large canvases, and a desire to give spontaneous expression to the unconscious.

I've already commented on Jackson Pollock, so I'll use an untitled masterpiece by Mark Rothko (1903-1970) to illustrate today's word. Now isn't that better than all those tedious Exquisites? Enjoy! (Wolf, what was that you were saying about shades of gray?)

cadenza

cadenza - noun - an ornamental passage performed near the close of a composition usually improvised and usually performed by a soloist

Some examples:
Tchaikovsky: Violin concerto in D major, Op. 35, I
Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major, K. 467, I

opus

opus - noun - the classification of a composition in relation to the composer's other composition, usually given in chronological order.

So, for example, the first composition would be given an opus of 1 (Op. 1). However, most of the time, the publishers are the ones assigning opus numbers, so the numbers don't always represent the true chronology of a composition.

Impressionism II

Wolf, this one's for you. It's the Renoir Blonde Bather I've been threatening to post seemingly forever. She's plumper than we like them today, but no less exquisite for that. Aside from that, the painting is another fine example of impressionism. (Natalie, you have nobody to blame but yourself.)

cubism

cubism - n - A style of painting and sculpture developed in the early 20th century, characterized chiefly by an emphasis on formal structure, the reduction of natural forms to their geometrical equivalents, and the organization of the planes of a represented object independently of representational requirements.

(I know I'm not being very systematic in my art presentation.)

Probably the most famous example is Marcel Duchamp's Nude Descending a Staircase, No. 2, displayed at the 1913 New York Armory exhibition. In my opinion, fine art has never recovered from the cubists; they paved the way for the outrageously overrated Picasso, Kandinsky, Pollock, and too many others to list.

ballad

ballad - noun - a simple song of natural construction, usually in the narrative or descriptive form, usually having several verses of similar construction and may or may not have a refrain

baroque

baroque – adj - Of or pertaining to a style of architecture and art originating in Italy in the early 17th century and variously prevalent in Europe and the New World for a century and a half, characterized by free and sculptural use of the classical orders and ornament, by forms in elevation and plan suggesting movement, and by dramatic effect in which architecture, painting, sculpture, and the decorative arts often worked to combined effect.

In my opinion, "movement" and "dramatic effect" are the key terms. These elements are prominent in Caravaggio's Conversion of Saint Paul (1600).

scale

scale - noun - a collection of musical notes that provides material for part or all of a musical work.

Someone once said the most difficult thing to define is the simplest. How true of the musical scale. Not only is this a collection of notes, but it also has several properties and additional (adverbs!) to describe it (diatonic, chromatic, whole-tone, etc). Ignoring most of these additional properties doesn't really do justice to the term, but consider the following items: scales go up and/or down a musical score and the separation of the notes from each other is constant. If you'd really like to be bamboozled by the description of a scale, try out wikipedia.

Post-Impressionism

Post-Impressionism – n - A varied development of Impressionism by a group of painters chiefly between 1880 and 1900 stressing formal structure, as with Cézanne and Seurat, or the expressive possibilities of form and color, as with Van Gogh and Gauguin.

The best known post-impressionist is Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890). His Starry Night is a spectacular example.

In my opinion, the post-impressionists were the beginning of the end for Western art.

arpeggio

arpeggio - noun - Playing the notes of a chord consecutively (harp style). A broken chord in which the individual notes are sounded one after the other instead of simultaneously.


This picture doesn't really do justice to the term. This doesn't look much different from a scale, which I'll save for a later word entry.

impressionism

impressionism – n - A style of painting developed in the last third of the 19th century, characterized chiefly by short brush strokes of bright colors in immediate juxtaposition to represent the effect of light on objects; a manner of painting in which the forms, colors, or tones of an object are lightly and rapidly indicated.

Jeff's got the music market cornered (and is doing a great job), so I'll take art.

Impressionism was largely a reaction to the almost photographic realism found in such works as Ingres' portraits. The eexample I've chosen is The Dance Class (1874) by Edgar Degas.

adaggisimo

adaggisimo - noun - An extremely slow tempo marking slower than Largo.

Lumbering and ponderous in slowness. I have played only one piece while I was in high school several years ago that had this marking and it was really difficult to bow (I was playing violin at the time).

oubliette

oubliette – n - A secret dungeon with an opening only in the ceiling, as in certain old castles.

largo

largo - noun - a slow and solemn tempo marking having between 40 and 60 beats per minute

microcephaly

microcephaly - n - An abnormally small head and underdeveloped brain.

The microcephalon, popularly known as a pinhead, is usually mentally retarded, or, if you prefer Newspeak, exceptional or special. Tod Brownings tasteless 1932 movie Freaks, loosely based on Todd Robbins's really disturbing short story Spurs, featured genuine circus Freaks, including such celebrities as Siameses twins Daisy and Violet Hilton, midgets Harry and Daisy Earles, basket case Randian, half-man Johnny Eck, and pinheads Schlitzy and the Snow Twins. Schlitzy was unusual in that he was not as severely retarded as most pinheads. and especially in that he was a transvestite.

I finally saw Freaks around 1973. It's a creepy movie, and one of the few I've seen where castration plays a prominent role.

adagio

adagio - adj - slowly

The opposite of allegro. There is a beethoven piece that uses several of my previously submitted words: Adagio con molto expressione (http://play.rhapsody.com/ludwigvanbeethoven/violinsonatas/adagioconmoltoespressione?didAutoplayBounce=true). Interestingly (or maybe not considering how common the words are) Beethoven isn't the only composer to create a work by that name. Others include Clementi and Sibelius.

diktat

diktat – n - A harsh, punitive settlement or decree imposed unilaterally on a defeated nation, political party, etc.; any decree or authoritative statement.

A prime example would be the Treaty of Versailles (1919), which ended the Great War and made almost inevitable a greater one. At least France got even for its loss in the Franco-Prussian war of 1871! (That must have been cold consolation in May, 1940.)

Shown above are the victors at Versailles: from left to right, David Lloyd George of Great Britain, Vittorio Orlando of Italy, Georges Clemenceau of France, and Woodrow Wilson.

Molto

molto - adj - much; very;

In music I seem to see this as 'Allegro con molto', which (loosely translated) means 'very quickly'. However, I have also seen references as 'molto allegro', meaning the same thing.

pro forma

pro forma - n - According to form; as a matter of form; for the sake of form.

The typical political apology is pro forma, along the same lines as calling Senator Kennedy "my esteemed colleague." The specimen issuing the apology will often claim to have "misspoken." Translation: 1) I inadvertently said what I was really thinking; 2) I accidentally told the truth.

Today's Exquisite entry, another mother and daughter scene, is by Frederick Leighton. Motherhood perhaps detracts from one variety of beauty but makes up the loss with another, more spiritual kind. I may have to display Raphael's Sistine Madonna soon, or even Botticelli's Annunciation.

allegro

allegro - adj - brisk or rapid in tempo

So far, the words posted have mentioned tone (in terms of it's range and volume), but this word (and a few more I'll submit unless Natalie beats me to it :) have to do with tempo, or how fast or slow a piece is played. One of the things about music seems to be it's ability to convey meaning by relativity. Specifically what is piano or forte? How quiet should piano be? Well, obviously, it should be quieter than loud! So, specifically, how fast (or brisk) should allegro be? Listen to several renditions of Bach's fugues and you'll hear several interpretations of allegro

naïf II

I realize I'm abusing my posting privileges, but I can't resist. Here's another Vigee-Lebrun. Not the least of her attractions is that she looks like a grownup; I see so few of them these days.

naïf

naïf – n - A naive or inexperienced person.

Today's Exquisite entry shows a self-portrait of Elizabeth Louise Vigee-Lebrun (1755-1842) and her daughter Julie. This is yet another of Jack's favorites. In fact, I once saw a good reproduction priced ridiculously low at $1500. I had my wallet out and was halfway through the gallery door when my wife told me she was going to pack up the kids and go home to mother if I bought it. Maybe someday. . .

She was about 34 when she painted this. I'm happy to report that she and her husband fled France as soon as Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were arrested, and thus lived to a ripe old age. Good for her and good for everybody who loves art, people like - oh, just to pull an example out of my hat - me.

Note: She's even more beautiful in her early portraits, but this is my favorite. The mother and daughter theme appeals to me. Perhaps I'll use a similar example by Frederick Leighton in the near future.

forte

forte - adv - in a loud, forceful manner

Yes Natalie, you are correct! This is the opposite of piano.

gemütlichkeit

gemütlichkeit – n - Warm cordiality; comfortable friendliness; congeniality.

Today's word illustrates what I've always thought a shortcoming of the German language. Be honest: does gemutlichkeit sound warmly cordial to you?

The word has been used ironically to describe H. Clinton's recent performance at the First Baptist Church of Selma, Alabama. In an effort to ingratiate herself with the Negro parishioners, the lifelong Yankee fan and future president spoke in her best Illinois southern accent. This I've got to hear - I'll be checking YouTube as soon as I get home.

On the subject of the forthcoming presidential dog-and-pony show, it looks like I'll be staying home yet again. None of the frontrunners are worth the powder and shot it would take to transport them to the gates of hell. Maybe that will change. (As my daughter would say, "Yeah, right!")

Today's Exquisite entry is Biondina (1879) by Lord Frederick Leighton (1830-1896). More than ever, I need beauty in my life. Out of respect for Natalie I bypassed the same artist's Flaming June (probably his most famous work) and Bath of Psyche. (Come to think of it, Natalie's MIA as usual. Maybe I'll be posting Renoir's well-padded blonde bather yet. Wolf, start checking out Domai; we may be back in business.)

corollary

corollary - n. - a proposition inferred immediately from a proved proposition with little or no additional proof; something that naturally follows, something that incidentally or naturally accompanies or parallels

Isn't forte the opposite of piano? I was going to try and beat wolfjb to the punch, but couldn't find a proper definition. Am I crazy?

piano

piano - adj - soft; subdued

This is a marking on a musical score to let the player know how the composer wanted the particular section or phrase to be emitted by their instrument.

occasions of sin

Occasions of Sin n - External circumstances--whether of things or persons--which either because of their special nature or because of the frailty common to humanity or peculiar to some individual, incite or entice one to sin. (Maybe I'm stretching things a little here; is a 'term of the day' okay?)

We Catholic school students were warned to avoid the "near occasions of sin" such as we would encounter in our daily lives. What kinds of things? Playboy and similar magazines, bad companions, certain parts of town, erotic movies, and the very rare (in my teens) girls who were known to "go all the way" (and who were therefore in high demand; lacking as I did either a Varsity letter or a reputation as a tough guy, they were as far out of my adolescent grasp as the Magellanic clouds). Autobiographical note: My steady girlfriend, a young lady of Russian descent named Rosemary Z------, attended an institution called Queen of the Rosary Academy. How far do you think I got at the Route 110 drive-in? I respected her too much to even attempt to get past second base. I still think of her fondly from time to time; she was a bright spot in my otherwise dismal young adulthood.

Back to Os of S. I recently watched the first two episodes of the HBO series ROME. It was very well done in some respects:

1) It's depiction of crucifixion was right on target, but there may be such a thing as excessive verisimilitude.

2) Romans would engage in sexual activity with slaves present and give it no more thought than moderns would if there were a tank of tropical fish in the room. This point was brought out graphically.

3) A Roman patrician would order a subordinate to divorce a spouse and remarry, regardless of how that subordinate felt. A spectacular example would be Augustus's non-negotiable demand that his selected successor Tiberius divorce his current wife and marry the woman Augustus had picked for him. Tiberius bitterly resented it, but he complied.

4) A Roman paterfimilias (father of the family) had literal power of life and death over his wife and children. If the father died, the oldest son, not the wife, would be in charge. One example: When Constantine I learned that his wife Fausta and oldest son Crispus were enjoying a technically incestuous relationship, he had them poisoned. He was completely within his rights to do so, but his conscience gave him no rest. To atone for what he came to view as a sin (not a crime), he sent his mother Helena Augusta to Jerusalem to locate the Holy Sepulchre and, if possible, the True Cross (she succeeded, but that's another story; I have often said that if all the pieces of the True Cross in the monasteries, convents, churches, cathedrals, and palaces of Europe were put together, you'd have enough wood to build a shopping mall).

I had to abandon the series because, for me, it was an occasion of sin. Within ten minutes of the start of the first episode, I was treated to the sight of an attractive English actress (see above) engaged in (presumably) simulated sexual intercourse, with very little left to the imagination. I could see every square inch of her as she very persuasively feigned (?) transports of erotic ecstasy. I have often said, half-jokingly, that, where the Seven Deadly Sins are concerned, I'm pretty good on Greed and Envy, but I need to work harder on the others. Lust has always been a particular problem for me. I don't need encouragement.

One more thing about occasions of sin. A young woman recently told me that a friend of hers was getting divorced, and that the friend was understandably grief-stricken. It seems that her husband had been unfaithful, and that this husband was also a devotee of pornography. Exposure to the occasions of sin will often lead to sorrow and misery in this world, to say nothing of painful consequences in the next.

I got today's definition from the Catholic Encyclopedia . Just as I, a lapsing Catholic, have found much of value at the Evangelical Protestant CARM website, so EPs will find good and useful material at New Advent. I highly recommend both sites.

NB: Today's picture is not an entry in the Exquisite series. There's nothing exquisite about a skank.

bass

bass - noun - Any of numerous edible, spiny-finned, freshwater or marine fishes of the families serranidae and centrarchidae; the lowest adult male voice; the lowest pitch or range.

posse comitatus

posse comitatus – n - The body of persons that a peace officer of a county is empowered to call upon for assistance in preserving the peace, making arrests, and serving writs; a body of persons so called into service.

This definition is okay as far as it goes, but it doesn't go far enough. I was more interested in the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, which, to oversimplify a bit, forbids the military to be used as a police force. The PCA has been invoked by those who argue against use of armed forces to guard our borders. I can see the arguments in favor of the act itself, but I wonder if we shouldn't be paying more attention to the southern invasion.

By the way, the common term is posse.

The greatest posse novel I'm aware of is The Ox-Bow Incident, by Walter Van Tilburg Clark, which was also made into a good movie back in the 50s.

tenor

tenor - noun - the course of thought or meaning that runs through something written or spoken; purport; drift; the adult male voice intermediate between the bass and the alto or counteralto.

And, of course, who else to you think of as a tenor but the incomparable Luciano Pavarotti.

Lollard

Lollard – n - An English or Scottish follower of the religious teachings of John Wycliffe from the 14th to the 16th centuries.

Wycliffe (1320-1384) was an early reformer. Luckily for him, he had powerful protectors, which is why he died of a stroke instead of at the stake. 40 years after his death, his remains were exhumed, burned, and the ashes dumped in the Thames. His offense was claiming that scripture was the highest authority, only God could forgive sins (no priest required), indulgences were a scam, and the papacy and purgatory, not being scriptural, had no validity. I've stated before that I don't hold with Sola Scriptura, and Wolf was good enough to provide an example in support of my argument (work on the Sabbath), but I can't find the flaw in Wycliffe's arguments. Neither could John Hus (1372?-1415), who was burned at the stake by the Council of Constance. Neither could Martin Luther.

I know I have a tendency to get melodramatic, but I hope you'll take me at my word when I say that my study of Christian history has traumatized me. Once I get past the first eight centuries or so the story turns ugly. The early Christians were mostly sincere, dedicated, and courageous (they had to be). The stories of Paul, Ignatius, Polycarp, Perpetua and Felicitas, Irenaeus, Augustine, Gregory, Patrick, Columba, Columbanus, Boniface - I could go on for pages - are inspiring.

How did we get from them to men like the later popes? The first John XXIII was deposed by the infamous Council of Constance for, amoung other charges, rape, murder, and incest. Alexander VI, the former Roderigo Borgia, had eight children by three concubines; he had earlier celebrated his appointment as cardinal - at age 25 - with an orgy! Julius II, who commissioned Michaelangelo's painting of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, had three illegitimate daughters and a terminal dose of syphillis. Again, I could go on for pages. (On the other hand, there were still pious, holy Christians in the Church - Pope Nicholas V and Saint Catherine of Sienna are two prominent examples.)

The practice of burning heretics also bothers me. When a Gallic church burned eight heretics around 370, they were condemned up one end of Christendom and down the other - not least by the Bishop of Rome himself. Seven centuries later it was SOP. I make allowances for different times, different ways, but still - how could the idea of subjecting human beings to an agonizing death be reconciled with the teachings of Jesus?

I wish I had space enough and time to go into this more.

I'm undergoing a personal reformation, and I'm in turmoil. I don't subscribe to the Christianity for Dummies school, but I'm also no longer on board with their opponents. What's an aspiring Christian intellectual (don't laugh) to do?

(I hope I don't have to say that I'm not referring to Sola Scriptura Christians with that Dummies crack. You know what I mean. Also, instead of an Exquisite, I'm offering a picture of Wycliffe. More pretty girls coming next week.)

Footnote: Derivation of the word Lollard is uncertain. My sources think it may come from the Dutch word lollen (to mumble), a word applied to religious eccentrics and vagabonds.

Invitation: A member of our select group informs me that her friends sometimes check this blog. I offer them my apologies for my inappropriate Exquisite entry and my assurance that I intended no offense. I also invite their comments.

soprano

soprano - the uppermost part or voice; the highest singing voice in women and boys

Bet you didn't see that one coming!

baller

baller - n. - an implement for shaping food into a ball or removing a core

reactionary

reactionary - adj - Of, pertaining to, marked by, or favoring reaction, esp. extreme conservatism or rightism in politics; opposing political or social change.

That describes me fairly enough, although I'm in favor of major social and political change. I started out as a New Leftist, evolved into a standard liberal Democrat, and then into a conservative Republican. I now favor a sharp about-face and march backward. Let's see if we can find the point where we went wrong. It's probably too late, but I may be wrong.

Here's a trivia question. Name the United States president who started a war without congressional approval, suspended habeas corpus without congressional approval, imprisoned literally thousands of suspected traitors and opponents of the war (without charges and without legal representation), shut down hundreds of opposition newspapers, prevented at least one state legislature from convening, attempted to arrest the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, saw his cakewalk war turn into a prolonged bloodbath, and generally treated the Constitution as though it had been printed on perforated tissue. (See my comment for the answer.)

My latest Exquisite is William Bougereau's Little Gourmet (1895). Yes, I know she's just a little girl, but she's all the more exquisite for that. (I'm not at all embarassed to admit that I enjoy looking at pretty girls. The female of the species is intrinsically more attractive than the male. If that be sexism, make the most of it.)

alto

alto - noun - the range between soprano and tenor; the second highest instrument in a family of musical instruments (viola in the violin family)

I really enjoy music.

contravene

contravene - v. - to go or act contrary to, violate; to oppose in argument, contradict

What children do to their parents.

risque

risqué – adj - Daringly close to indelicacy or impropriety; off-color.

Good examples might be The Swing and Young Girl Playing With Puppy, paintings by John Honore Fragonard.

Today's Exquisite entry is Portrait of a Young Girl Reading (1776), my personal Fragonard favorite and definitely not risque. The picture resonates with me for many reasons, and not only because I find modest, pretty teenage girls attractive. I'd guess the subject to be about 16, and Fragonard has caught her at a peaceful moment, but her future is rather less attractive. She'll be in her late twenties when the French Revolution begins. Being evidently a member of the upper class, I can only hope she and her husband (surely she married) and her children (surely she had children) read the handwriting on the wall and left France; if not, she would have been in her early thirties when the Commitee of Public Safety kicked off the Reign of Terror. Assuming she and her husband didn't lose their heads, she'd have been in her early forties when the Napoleonic Wars began in earnest. Maybe her husband (and sons?) survived, maybe they didn't. She'd have been around 55 when a certain amount of tranquility was restored. Perhaps she had a happy old age.

transcend

transcend - verb - to rise above or go beyond; to be above and independent; exceed

divvy

divvy - v. - divide, share

We were having a conversation about slang and I thought this word was slang. It's not.

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.