Daily Calendar for Tuesday, May 28, 2024
Question of the Day
My understanding is that there are a couple of words that were derived from sailing, one being “posh” and the other being “news.” What are the true origins of these words, and is it true that they are derived from sail of old?
The origin of posh” is obscure.The most seen explanation for the origin ascribes it to the days of the British Empire in the 19th (and early 20th) century when there was constant steamship travel between England and India. In those pre-air conditioning days, it was unbearably hot crossing the Indian Ocean, and the coolest cabins were the most sought after. That meant, when traveling east, those on the port side; sailing west, those on the starboard. Consequently, those passengers who could afford the luxury booked “Port Outward/Starboard Homeward” or “P.O.S.H.” The acronym thus became a synonym for whatever is first-class or luxurious. A more likely definition is that it is a word from Romany, the language of Gypsies, meaning half. The word originally entered England’s underworld in the 17th century in such compounds as posh-houri, meaning half-pence, and soon became a slang term for money in general. And then the meaning changed to expensive or fancy.”News” has no nautical origin that we know of. It’s the plural of “new” and is from the old French word for new — noveles. Its original meaning was “new things, novelties,” and eventually came to encompass “tidings, or an account of recent events and occurrences brought as new information.” Now we use it in the singular form, but until this century the plural form was used.”
Advice of the Day
It is unlucky to bring an umbrella aboard ship.
Home Hint of the Day
Because it is an excellent seal against dirt and can be washed repeatedly, enamel finish paint (either oil or latex) is especially good for kitchens, baths, and laundry rooms. Its glossiness will look best on smooth surfaces.
Word of the Day
Minnesota
The name is from the Sioux word meaning “sky-tinted water” or “cloudy water.”
Puzzle of the Day
What letter turns an animal into a covering?
C - ape
Born
- Thomas Moore (poet) –
- Ian Fleming (writer) –
- Frank Drake (American astronomer) –
- Rudy Giuliani (politician) –
- Gladys Knight (singer) –
- Hunter "Patch" Adams (doctor) –
- Christa Miller (actress) –
- Kylie Minogue (singer) –
- Elisabeth Hasselbeck (The View co-host) –
- Jesse Bradford (actor) –
- Michael Oher (football player) –
- Cameron Boyce (actor) –
Died
- Noah Webster (writer) –
- Phil Hartman (actor) –
- Mildred Wirt Benson (original author, under the pen name Carolyn Keene, of the Nancy Drew mystery books) –
- Maya Angelou (poet) –
Events
- French West India Company secured royal grant of all French colonies in America–
- First stamp auction in the U.S.–
- The Sierra Club, dedicated to the conservation of natural resources, was founded–
- Patent application for John B. Gruelle’s Raggedy Ann doll filed–
- R.H. Macy & Co. was incorporated–
- On With the Show, the first all-color talking picture, premiered in New York City–
- Golden Gate Bridge opened to vehicles–
- When a Man Loves a Woman by Percy Sledge topped charts–
- Mars 3 orbiter and lander was launched–
- An unidentified soldier killed during the Vietnam War was buried with military honors in the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington, Virginia. (He was later identified via DNA testing, and exhumed.)–
- The cover of Vanity Fair featured a photo of President Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan kissing–
- Hubble Space Telescope photographed unknown object TMR-1C–
- Baby Jessica McClure, who held the attention of the nation when she fell into an abandoned well at 18 months old, graduated from Greenwood High School in Texas–
- In Germany, several people reported seeing what seemed to be UFOs. A police investigation found that it was a 29-year old man proposing to his girlfriend accompanied by glowing paper lanterns–
Weather
- Three tornadoes tore through Cincinnati, Ohio–
- It was 97 degrees F in San Francisco, California–
- Mother Nature dumped up to 10 inches of snow on parts of Wisconsin–
- 100 degrees F in Portland, Oregon–
- Large hail hit areas of Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey–