The Wordnik Word of the Day for February 22, 2012 is

MacGuffin

http://www.wordnik.com/words/MacGuffin

(noun) A plot element or other device used to catch the audience's attention and maintain suspense but whose exact nature has fairly little influence over the storyline.

While the origin of 'MacGuffin' is obscure, the first recorded usage was in a lecture given by Alfred Hitchcock at Columbia University in 1939. A 'red herring' differs in that it purposely draws attention away from the central issue.

From a new article on synesthesia:

"If you ask Emma Anders about the number five, she'll tell you that it's red. She'll also tell you that five is a mischievous, self-centered brat — like a kid throwing a temper tantrum at a party."

The Word of the Day for February 20 is:
duende   doo-EN-day   noun
: the power to attract through personal magnetism and charm
Examples:
The magician was not only a talented illusionist; he also had the duende that kept the audience rapt throughout the entire show.

Did you know?
The word "duende" refers to a spirit in Spanish, Portuguese, and Filipino folklore and literally means "ghost" or "goblin" in Spanish. It is believed to derive from the phrase "dueno de casa," which means "owner of a house." The term is traditionally used in flamenco music or other art forms to refer to the mystical or powerful force given off by a performer to draw in the audience. The Spanish poet Federico Garcia Lorca wrote in his essay "Teoria y Juego del Duende" ("Play and Theory of the Duende") that duende "is a power and not a behavior . . . a struggle and not a concept." Nowadays the term appears in a broader range of contexts to refer to one's unspoken charm or allure.

Tiniest Chameleon, Brookesia Micra, Discovered On Madagascar Island

More tiny images and story if you click.

-Quiche

Don't try this without parental supervision and permission! Until you get a parent involved, it's just a theoretical recipe. A theorecipe, if you will.

This recipe for truffles is based on Cassandra's Super Chip Trail Mix and comes from Agent M.

Cassandra’s Secret Truffles
1/2 pound good quality semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup plain potato chips, crushed to ¼ inch pieces
½ cup dried banana chips, crushed to ¼ inch pieces
½ cup peanut butter chips

Directions
Put the chocolate in a medium sized microwave-safe bowl. Melt at 50 percent power in the microwave until soft, about 1 minute. Stir, and continue heat until completely melted, about 1 minute more.
Warm the cream in the microwave on 50 percent power for 1 minute. Gradually whisk the cream into the chocolate until smooth and shiny. Whisk the butter into the chocolate until very smooth. Add the potato chips, banana chips, and peanut butter chips to the chocolate. Stir until all the ingredients are well mixed. Scoop out mixture with a small ice cream scoop or large soup spoon. Roll into truffle balls about the size of a ping pong ball. Set on a tray to cool for about an hour (if you can keep everyone from eating them for that long!)
Store in an airtight container at room temperature.


Thanks, Agent M!

The Word of the Day for February 16 is:
rabble   RAB-ul   noun
1 : a disorganized or confused collection of things
2 a : a disorganized or disorderly crowd of people : mob

"Recently, the publicity department at Morrow Books told the blogging rabble that it might cut off the flow of requested free books if the bloggers failed to cite those books online." -- From an article by Bob Hoover in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, January 8, 2012

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/13/chocolate-shortage_n_1273795.html?ref=food

http://www.foodandwine.com/slideshows/best-hot-chocolate-in-the-us

Agent S. Flipper sends in some designs for Secret book covers. We think they're too good! We're trying to get people not to read the books, these covers would work against that goal. Check them out here:

Thanks!

The Wordnik Word of the Day for February 10, 2012 is

naufragous

http://www.wordnik.com/words/naufragous

(adj) Causing shipwreck.

'Naufragous' is Latin in origin: 'navis,' ship, plus 'frango,' break.