24 June 2014

obstreperous

[uhb-strep-er-uhs]

adjective

1. resisting control or restraint in a difficult manner; unruly.
2. noisy, clamorous, or boisterous: obstreperous children.

Origin:
1590–1600; < Latin obstreperus clamorous, akin to obstrepere to make a noise at ( ob- ob- + strepere to rattle); see -ous

Related forms
ob·strep·er·ous·ly, adverb
ob·strep·er·ous·ness, ob·strep·e·ros·i·ty [uhb-strep-uh-ros-i-tee] Show IPA , noun

Synonyms
1. uncontrolled, refractory.

Antonyms
1. obedient. 2. calm.

Anagram

uproots beers
super booster
sober troupes

Today’s aphorism

The meaning of life is life.

– Alan Alda

On this day

24 June 1997 – the United States Air Force releases a report into the so-called ‘Roswell Incident’ in which there had been claims that an alien craft had crashed near Roswell, New Mexico, and the body of an alien was retrieved by the Air Force. The USAF report claimed that the bodies witnesses had seen were actually life-sized dummies.

24 June 2010 – Julia Gillard is appointed Australia’s first female prime minister after replacing Kevin Rudd in a leadership spill. On 26 June 2013, following ongoing ructions in the Labor Party, Gillard called another leadership ballot which was won by Kevin Rudd. Julia Gillard tendered her resignation, which took effect the following day when Rudd was sworn in as prime minister.

24 June 1950 – The Korean War begins as North Korean forces invade South Korea in response to the dividing of the Korean Peninsula by Allied forces after World War II. The US sends troops as part of the UN response to repel North Korea. In 1953 a demilitarised zone is established between North and South Korea. Although conflict ended in 1953 following a truce, both sides have remained on military alert ever since. Political posturing and a number of border clashes in the years since 1953 have brought the peninsula to the brink of war on numerous occasions.