Tuesday, August 29, 2006

 

Spotlight: Filibuster. The word conjures up images of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington: an exhausted speaker, impatient representatives, cynical and often acrimonious outbursts. A filibuster is a delay tactic used to stop a legislature from taking action on a bill. Usually, the representative who filibusters speaks incessantly and on irrelevant topics, in an attempt to wear down the majority into withdrawing a bill. On this date in 1957, Strom Thurmond ended the longest filibuster in US Senate history. He spoke for 24 hours, 18 minutes against a civil rights bill; the bill passed.

Quote: "I think even for a senator, it takes some pretty serious yodeling to call for a filibuster from a five-star ski resort in the Swiss Alps." — Scott McClellan

Word of the day: fleer -- to laugh in a derisive manner: sneer (© )

Today's News:

• Turkey: 2nd blast in as many days kills 3 (story)
• Google, eBay: online giants ink advertising deal (story)
• memory: TV, booze — bad; crosswords, fish — good (story)
• Maria Esther de Capovilla: oldest person dies at 116 (story)

Today's History:

• chop suey: was invented in New York City by a chef for visiting Chinese diplomat Li Hongzhang (1896)
• The Beatles: gave their last paid concert, at San Francisco's Candlestick Park (now Monster Park) (1966)
• Communist Party: was disbanded by the Supreme Soviet after 74 years of ruling the USSR (1991)

Today's Birthdays:

• John Locke: English empiricist philosopher who influenced the American and French revolutions (1632-1704)
• John McCain: US senator from Arizona (70)
• Michael Jackson: androgynous pop superstar (48)