GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

panjandrum
Steve Jobs recently gone, Bill Gates may be the computer pajandrum, but that is not translating into easy answers for educational "reform". I do, however, wish him success with his donation to eliminate polio in 2012.

I'm glad someone is finally doing something about it, but isn't it regrettable that it needs some panjandrum to rally public opinion? One wonders why charitable societies or campaigning politicians haven't acted long before now.

Just think of the collisions, exhaustion, injuries and deaths suffered. Imagine all those legs getting tangled or hit or paralysed. Some people even have the gall to advertise their number of mallet victims:

Spoiler: show

I don't mind racing but I strongly oppose people enforcing such a dangerous competition on these innocent and gentle ponies.

Spoiler: show

Go for it, Bill, go!

[Algot Runeman]

E.P.S.



Eliminate POLO not POLIO. I laughed loud enough to wake my napping wife.
I thank you, even if she does not.

[MidasKnight]

Well played EPS.

I never cease to be amazed (and also ashamed) that your grasp of the English language is superior to my own. It is my first, primary and (nearly) only language while it is ... what ... your 3rd or 4th?

Impressive.

[laurie]

Laurie,

There's never been a question, you can spell. You can even spell pun. Ergo, you are a goddess!
Humans, rejoice. You have been granted a great boon.

Not sure about the goddess thing -- I just like to use ergo when I can.

Maybe the occasional quod erat demonstrandum, too.

[laurie]

Last week it was the Coneheads. Now EPS's wordplay reminds me of another Saturday Night Live running skit: Miss Emily Litella (played by the magnificent Gilda Radner) and her "misheard" editorials.

Polio, not polo.
Oh...
Never mind.

[Algot Runeman]

burnside

noun
(usually burnsides)
a moustache in combination with whiskers on the cheeks but no beard on the chin.

Origin:
late 19th century: named after General Ambrose Burnside (1824–81), American army officer


Matthew Brady (via US Library of Congress and Wikipedia)

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While burnsides were "popular" in the 1800s, it seemed very droll that in the 1950s parents objected not only to his gyrations, but also to Elvis Presley's sideburns and long hair. Of course, at that time, I was sporting a snazzy short flat top hairdoo. Not sure if my parents particularly liked that, either.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

burnside

I still have a dense mop of (gray) hair on top, but no burnsides, sideburns nor beard.

On the other hand I have a set of very useful sidehandles with feedback. My motorbike pillion rider can instantly communicate her/his comments, for example when I'm going too fast or when she/he falls off, etc.

[voralfred]

I thougt you were pulling our legs, what with "burnsides" being the same as "sideburns" (that word, I knew, for some obscure reason) and related to a real character... but it does say so in Wikipedia..
Unless, of course, you wrote the Wikipedia article as well...
Did you? THis is making my head spin....

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

I thougt you were pulling our legs, ...

Who? Me?
Great Ghu, NO!
I wouldn't dream of it, I swear!

[voralfred]

I did not mean you, EPS!
I would not need to ask, since I know you always pull our legs.
I meant Algot, who posted the post about Burnsides

[Algot Runeman]

voralfred,

THis is making my head spin....

Are you auditioning for a remake of that movie "The Exorcist". Since you can write so wittily, I think you are a bit old for the part.

While I do admire the Wikipedia effort, I've only made very few and obscure edits. Burnsides morphing to sideburns is something I first heard back in elementary school, I think. My eighth grade teacher was a Civil war buff.

[laurie]

Burnsides morphing to sideburns is something I first heard back in elementary school, I think. My eighth grade teacher was a Civil war buff.

That's when I learned about Burnside and his famous hairy cheeks, too. Though methinks t'was a few years later than flat tops and Elvis...

[Algot Runeman]

Though methinks t'was a few years later than flat tops and Elvis...

That's the spirit. Jump right in there with all that hip, jive, modern lingo.

[Algot Runeman]

lollop

Pronunciation: /ˈlɒləp/

verb (lollops, lolloping, lolloped)
[no object, with adverbial of direction]
move in an ungainly way in a series of clumsy paces or bounds: the bear lolloped along the path

Origin:
mid 18th century: probably from loll, associated with trollop


Original photo RayMorris1

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Warning:
The National Park Service reminds all visitors that wildlife is potentially dangerous.
DO NOT feed the bears.
It doesn't matter if they are lolloping or frolicking or simply being cartoonishly cute.

[Apologies to all those very serious lolcats creators for appropriating your idea.]

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

lollop
Origin:
mid 18th century: probably from loll, associated with trollop

Could it have been derived from Lollipop? Which also takes us back to flat tops and Elvis.

Spoiler: show

[laurie]

Nice clip, EPS!

Spoiler: show

Andy Williams doing the "pops", and I believe that's Don and Phil Everly with Andy at the end.

[Algot Runeman]

E.P.S., Thanks for pointing us to the video. It lead me to a modern group doing a cover version of "Mister Sandman", another Chordettes hit song. What a find. Pomplamoose is my new favorite music group.

The power of WotD shines out again!

[Algot Runeman]

flocculant

Pronunciation: /ˈflɒkjʊl(ə)nt/

noun
a substance which promotes the clumping of particles, especially one used in treating waste water.


jill570641


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Chemistry. Waste Water flocculant, zeolite. You don't want to know more, do you?

[umsolopagas]

A childhood memory I have of school holidays is going upcountry and having to traverse a certain town. This was a huge ordeal to me and my siblings due to the foul stench that emanated from a number of oxidation ponds used by a nearby paper factory to treat the waste water from their production process.

Being normal, healthy children - though slightly sickened - with normal, healthy, violent prejudices towards unpleasant odours we took one look and sniff at the bubbling, frothing ponds and gave the town the moniker "Sh***y Town". As a middle-aged adult I can report that the stench is still as foul and have just decided to rename the town once again to Flatule Focculant Town.

[Algot Runeman]

raddled

Pronunciation: /ˈradld/

adjective
1 showing signs of age or fatigue: she’s beginning to look quite raddled
2 coloured with or as if with raddle: raddled sheep

Origin:
raddled (sense 1) from raddle in the sense 'rouge', by association with its exaggerated use in make-up


HaveaFan

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Clancey wearily walked away from the doused fire, raddled and soaked. It didn't help that his boots were so worn. Each step made a squishing sound as he carried the fire hose back to the engine.

[MidasKnight]

flocculant

Pronunciation: /ˈflɒkjʊl(ə)nt/

noun
a substance which promotes the clumping of particles, especially one used in treating waste water.


jill570641


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Chemistry. Waste Water flocculant, zeolite. You don't want to know more, do you?

This is what I do for a living. Water treatment!

[Algot Runeman]

solicitude

Pronunciation: /səˈlɪsɪtjuːd/

noun
[mass noun]
care or concern for someone or something: I was touched by his solicitude

Origin:
late Middle English: from Old French sollicitude, from Latin sollicitudo, from sollicitus (see solicitous)


Clotheyes

==*==^== ==*==^== ==*==^== ==*==^== ==*==^== ==*==^== ==*==^==

In spite of the solicitude, Marcy didn't feel better. Commiseration from one's victorious opponent right after a match doesn't help much.

[Algot Runeman]

speakeasy

Pronunciation: /ˈspiːkiːzi/

noun (plural speakeasies)
informal
(in the US during Prohibition) an illicit liquor shop or drinking club.


Erin and Lance Willett


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In spite of the attempt to conceal the liquor by drinking from teacups, speakeasy patrons still got just as drunk.

[umsolopagas]

Muted tones are highly ecouraged at the speakeasy hence the reason that most of us cringe at the thought of going out for a tipple with people who have no notion of the fine art of the whisper.

[Algot Runeman]

gnome [definition 2]

Pronunciation: /nəʊm, ˈnəʊmi/
noun
a short statement encapsulating a general truth; a maxim.

Origin:
late 16th century: from Greek gnōmē 'thought, opinion' (related to gignōskein 'know')

Code: Select all

1 A legendary dwarfish creature supposed to guard the earth's treasures underground.
2 A short statement encapsulating a general truth; a maxim.

Know thyself. A maxim as pernicious as it is ugly. Whoever studies himself arrest his own development. A caterpillar who seeks to know himself would never become a butterfly.
Andre Gide

Sunshine Coast Daily

The grumpy gnome studied his gnarled knuckle. He spoke in gravelly voice, "Max, 'im not know the known gnomes of the tribe of gnomes. Never be smart like me. He still use Gnome 2. I've moved on to KDE and Plasma."

[Gnome 2 is a computer window display technology for Linux that has been replaced by Gnome 3, which some users don't like because it is too different from the older version. KDE is an alternative "Kool Desktop Environment" used by many. Both are Free Open Source Software alternatives to the Windows or MacOSX systems.]