Today’s WOTD – 28 September 2012

gammon

[gam-uhn]

verb – Australian slang

– to lie, deceive
– to be false

For example:

‘He said the Cowboys played a good game, but he was just gammon.’

Also:

noun

1. the game of backgammon.
2. a victory in which the winner throws off all his or her pieces before the opponent throws off any.
verb (used with object)
3. to win a gammon over.

Origin:
1720–30; perhaps special use of Middle English gamen (game)

Today’s aphorism

‘To be wronged is nothing unless you continue to remember it’.

– Confucius

On this day

28 September 551BC – birth of Confucius, Chinese teacher and philosopher, founder of Confucianism. Died 479BC.

28 September 1330 – birth of Nicholas Flamel, French alchemist who purportedly made it his life’s work to decode a mysterious book, known as Book of Abramelin the Mage. Some believe he decoded the recipe for the Philosopher’s Stone, which could turn base metals into silver and gold, and was said to be the elixir of life. Died 22 March 1418(?) He was seen at least 3 times after his death, which led to rumour that he had produced the elixir of life and was therefore immortal. He has been immortalised in numerous books and movies, including ‘Harry Potter‘ by J.K. Rowling, and the ‘Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel‘ series by Michael Scott.

28 September 1895 – death of Louis Pasteur, French bacteriologist, one of the founders of microbiology. Invented the process for preventing milk and wine from causing sickness, known as pasteurisation. (Not entirely fool-proof, as over-imbibing wine still seems to cause sickness in some). Born 27 December 1822.

28 September 1967 – birth of Moon Unit Zappa, American musician. Son of legendary musician, Frank Zappa.