Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Community Comment archive for Feb. 2013

THURSDAY, FEB. 28, 2013

A Word A Day -- tchotchke

Good evening, Netizens... February 28, 2013 Words of the Day tchotchke \CHAHCH-kuh\ DEFINITION noun : knickknack, trinket EXAMPLES Upon returning home from his trip to Maine, Jerry ceremoniously placed his new ceramic lobster next to the other tchotchkes on his mantelpiece. "Everywhere there is something…

Continue reading this post »


Van Cliburn passes away at 78

Good evening, Netizens... Another of our American piano greats, Van Cliburn, died yesterday ostensibly of bone cancer, and I admit there will always be a soft spot in my heart for this Texas-born piano prodigy. There for a time, back in my youth, they made…

Continue reading this post »

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 27, 2013

Words of the day -- expunge

Good evening Netizens... February 27, 2013 Word of the Day expunge \ix-SPUNJ\ DEFINITION verb 1 : to strike out, obliterate, or mark for deletion 2 : to efface completely : destroy 3 : to eliminate (as a memory) from one's consciousness EXAMPLES Time and the…

Continue reading this post »

TUESDAY, FEB. 26, 2013

Words of the day -- pugilism

Good evening, Netizens... February 26, 2013 Words of the Day pugilism \PYOO-juh-liz-um\ DEFINITION noun : boxing EXAMPLES Long fascinated by the art and science of pugilism, Shane has collected biographies of noted boxers such as Muhammad Ali, Jack Dempsey, and Sonny Liston. "At 48, Cyr…

Continue reading this post »

MONDAY, FEB. 25, 2013

Councilman Mike Fagan! Pay attention! 

Good evening, Netizens... I am cracking up over hearing how City Councilman Mike Fagan called Governor Inslee a “lying whore”. Perhaps that is because most of the whores I have met on East Sprague Avenue are more honest than your typical politician, including Mr. Fagan.…

Continue reading this post »


Words of the day -- idiopathic

Good evening Netizens February 25, 2013 Word of the Day idiopathic \id-ee-uh-PATH-ik\ DEFINITION adjective 1 : arising spontaneously or from an obscure or unknown cause 2 : peculiar to the individual EXAMPLES "Some dogs have idiopathic epilepsy, which means there's no real explanation for their…

Continue reading this post »

SUNDAY, FEB. 24, 2013

Words of the day -- roseate

Good evening, Netizens... February 24, 2013 Word of the Day roseate \ROH-zee-ut\ DEFINITION adjective 1 : resembling a rose especially in having a pink color 2 : overly optimistic : viewed favorably EXAMPLES Her memories of her childhood are pleasant, bordering on roseate; some of…

Continue reading this post »

SATURDAY, FEB. 23, 2013

Words of the day -- manifesto

Good evening, Netizens... February 23, 2013 Word of the Day manifesto \man-uh-FESS-toh\ DEFINITION noun : a written statement declaring publicly the intentions, motives, or views of its issuer EXAMPLES On the day of his sudden departure from the company, Rick posted an angry manifesto on…

Continue reading this post »

FRIDAY, FEB. 22, 2013

Words of the day -- recuse

Good morning, Netizens... February 22, 2013 Word of the Day recuse \rih-KYOOZ\ DEFINITION verb : to disqualify (oneself) as a judge in a particular case; broadly : to remove (oneself) from participation to avoid a conflict of interest EXAMPLES The judge recused herself because she…

Continue reading this post »

THURSDAY, FEB. 21, 2013

Words of the day -- ephemeral

Good morning, Netizens... February 21, 2013 Words of the Day ephemeral \ih-FEM-uh-rul\ DEFINITION adjective : lasting a very short time EXAMPLES The young pop star's fame turned out to be ephemeral. "During the creation of the ephemeral show—the walls will be erased for a new…

Continue reading this post »

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 20, 2013

Words of the day -- trousseau

Good morning Netizens... February 20, 2013 Words of the Day trousseau \TROO-soh\ DEFINITION noun : the personal possessions of a bride usually including clothes, accessories, and household linens and wares EXAMPLES I am fortunate to be in possession of various family heirlooms, including several items…

Continue reading this post »

TUESDAY, FEB. 19, 2013

Words of the day -- white elephant

Good afternoon Netizens... February 19, 2013 Words of the Day white elephant \WYTE-EL-uh-funt\ DEFINITION noun 1 : a property requiring much care and expense and yielding little profit 2 : an object no longer of value to its owner but of value to others 3…

Continue reading this post »

MONDAY, FEB. 18, 2013

Words of the day -- portend

Good evening, Netizens... February 18, 2013 Word of the Day portend \por-TEND\ DEFINITION verb 1 : to give an omen or anticipatory sign of 2 : indicate, signify EXAMPLES In the short story, the appearance of a black cat portends danger for the protagonist. "These…

Continue reading this post »

SUNDAY, FEB. 17, 2013

AP

When to hitch a ride... 

Good morning, Netizens... By now you no doubt have heard the incredible tale of the stinky Carnival Triumph cruise liner from Hell that broke down in the tropics, leaving its passengers to fend for themselves for five days, for such necessities as food, water and…

Continue reading this post »


Words of the day --clamant 

Good morning, Netizens... February 17, 2013 Word of the Day clamant \KLAY-munt\ DEFINITION adjective 1 : clamorous, blatant 2 : demanding attention : urgent EXAMPLES Clamant students gathered outside the college president's office, protesting the denial of tenure for the popular professor. "My clamant desire,…

Continue reading this post »

SATURDAY, FEB. 16, 2013

Words of the day --espouse 

Good morning, Netizens... February 16, 2013 Word of the Day espouse \ih-SPOWZ\ DEFINITION verb 1 : marry 2 : to take up and support as a cause : become attached to EXAMPLES The new theory has been espoused by many leading physicists. "[The food collection…

Continue reading this post »

FRIDAY, FEB. 15, 2013

Catching up is hard to do sometimes.,.., 

Good morning, Netizens... I have been more than a bit remiss in posting in Community Comment lately, for a number of personal reasons. However, now that I have once again caught up my job list, completing a number of fairly complex tasks for a diverse…

Continue reading this post »


Words of the day -- intemperate 

Good jmorning, Netizens... February 15, 2013 Word of the Day intemperate \in-TEM-puh-rut\ DEFINITION adjective 1 : not moderate or mild : severe 2 : lacking or showing lack of restraint 3 : given to excessive use of alcoholic beverages EXAMPLES The journalist eventually apologized for…

Continue reading this post »

THURSDAY, FEB. 14, 2013

Words of the day -- heartstring

Good morning, Netizens... February 14, 2013 Word of the Day heartstring \HAHRT-string\ DEFINITION noun : the deepest emotions or affections — usually used in plural EXAMPLES "Thou touchest my inmost centre, boy; thou art tied to me by cords woven of my heart-strings." — From…

Continue reading this post »

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 13, 2013

Wprds of the day -- companionable

Good morning, Netizens... February 13, 2013 Word of the Day companionable \kum-PAN-yuh-nuh-bul\ DEFINITION adjective : marked by, conducive to, or suggestive of companionship : sociable EXAMPLES I've come to enjoy sharing a dorm room with Brad; he's a companionable roommate and we get along well…

Continue reading this post »

TUESDAY, FEB. 12, 2013

The price of North Korea's atom bomb test..,,

Good morning, Netizens... According to the Associated Press, North Korea has said it successfully detonated a miniaturized nuclear device at a northeastern test site Tuesday, defying U.N. Security Council orders to shut down atomic activity or face more sanctions and international isolation. The atomic test,…

Continue reading this post »


Words of the day -- aegis

Good morning, Netizens... February 12, 2013 Word of the Day aegis \EE-jus\ DEFINITION noun 1 : a shield or breastplate 2 a : protection b : controlling or conditioning influence 3 : auspices, sponsorship b: control or guidance especially by an individual, group, or system…

Continue reading this post »

MONDAY, FEB. 11, 2013

Words of the day -- meretricious

Good evening Netizens... February 11, 2013 Words of the Day meretricious \mair-uh-TRISH-us\ DEFINITION adjective 1 : of or relating to a prostitute : having the nature of prostitution 2 a : tawdrily and falsely attractive b : superficially significant : pretentious EXAMPLES The critic panned…

Continue reading this post »

SUNDAY, FEB. 10, 2013

Words of the day -- reprove

Good evening Netizens... February 10, 2013 Words of the Day reprove \rih-PROOV\ DEFINITION verb 1 : to scold or correct usually gently or with kindly intent 2 : to express disapproval of : censure 3 : to express rebuke or reproof EXAMPLES "Remember to say…

Continue reading this post »

FRIDAY, FEB. 8, 2013

To Be, Or Not. . .

Yesterday, my seatmate at dialysis talked to his doctor about planning on NOT coming back to dialysis because the site in his arm is so pitiful and they spend about an hour trying to get it to work and the blood flow to be adequate…

Continue reading this post »

Spokesman-Review readers blog about news and issues in Spokane written by Dave Laird.



Blog Archives

Feb. 2013
28 27 26 25 24
23 22 21 20 19
18 17 16 15 14
13 12 11 10 08
07 06 05 04 02
01