Answer of the Day
What is dyslexia? Dyslexia is a developmental disorder in the brain that causes a disability in reading, spelling and writing. Dyslexics may see letters reversed both in shape and in words, e.g., a "p" may look like a "q" or "mat" may be read as "tam." Although dyslexics don't "grow out" of their condition, they can learn to adapt to it, learning varied techniques in reading and improving language development. Famous dyslexics include Tom Cruise, Cher, Albert Einstein, Walt Disney and Magic Johnson. Patrick Dempsey, who plays Dr. Derek Shepherd on Grey's Anatomy, has even credited his dyslexia with helping him to get where he is today. In a 2008 interview, he told Barbara Walters, "It's given me a perspective of — you have to keep working. I have never given up." He memorizes all his lines when he performs. Happy birthday to Patrick Dempsey, who turns 44 today.

Quote
"People sometimes mistake being serious with being taken seriously... you have to be careful not to get too self-important. You have to find the balance between being entertaining and being preachy." — Patrick Dempsey

Word of the day
vatic
(VAT-ik)

adjective
Of or related to a prophet or a prophecy: prophetic.

Etymology
From Latin vates (prophet). Ultimately from the Indo-European root wet- (to blow or inspire) which is also the source of fan, atmosphere, Vatican, and Wednesday (literally, Woden's day, after a Norse god).

Usage
"'I know one day we will all die,' replied Adi, making a valiant stab at vatic foresight." Tom Sutcliffe; Not All of It Added Up; The Independent (London, UK); Jan 29, 2009.

Weekly theme
Words relating to religion (© Wordsmith.org)

Today's History

Emile Zola

• J'accuse: French journalist Emile Zola published his defense of Alfred Dreyfus, the army captain falsely convicted of treason because he was Jewish (1898)
• Henry Ford: patented his plastic car, which ran on ethanol; the plastic was soybean-based, and the car was unsuccessful (1942)
• L. Douglas Wilder: became the first African American elected governor of a US state — Virginia (1990)
• The Fantasticks: the world's longest-running musical ended its off-Broadway run after 17,162 shows and nearly 42 years (2002)

Today's Birthdays

Orlando Bloom

• Salmon P. Chase (1808-1873): Abraham Lincoln's Secretary of the Treasury and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court; his picture is on the $10,000 bill
• Horatio Alger (1832-1899): writer of "rags-to-riches" stories
• Félix Tisserand (1845-1896): astronomer for whom the Tisserand Crater was named
• Orlando Bloom (33): actor, Will Turner in Pirates of the Caribbean; also, actors Sophie Tucker (1884-1966), Gwen Verdon (1925-2000), Frances Sternhagen (80), Charles Nelson Reilly (1931-2007), Rip Taylor (76), Richard Moll (67), Julia Louis-Dreyfus (49), Penelope Ann Miller (46) and Nicole Eggert (38)