PoochyB’s Wordstock

Until 2004 private charities were verboten in China, because the Communist Party feared that they might compete with it for the populace’s affections.

ver·bo·ten
adj.   Forbidden; prohibited.

David Paterson was sworn in as New York state’s governor after Eliot Sptizer’s recent resignation amid revelations about his sexual dalliances with a prostitute.

dal·li·ance  

n.  

1. Frivolous spending of time; dawdling.
2. Playful flirtation.

Many moderates took umbrage after videos were broadcast of Mr. Wright’s sermons, in which he raged against “white” America.

um·brage       (ŭm’brĭj)  Pronunciation Key
n.  

1. Offense; resentment: took umbrage at their rudeness.
2. 1. Something that affords shade.
   2. Shadow or shade. See Synonyms at shade.
3. A vague or indistinct indication; a hint.

The vaunted Latino family is coming to resemble the black family.

vaunt       (vônt, vŏnt)  Pronunciation Key
v.   vaunt·ed, vaunt·ing, vaunts

v.   tr.
To speak boastfully of; brag about.

v.   intr.
To speak boastfully; brag. See Synonyms at boast¹.

n.  

1. A boastful remark.
2. Speech of extravagant self-praise.

He softened his argument with a more ecumenical message.

ec·u·men·i·cal       (ěk’yə-měn’ĭ-kəl)  Pronunciation Key
adj.  

1. Of worldwide scope or applicability; universal.
2. 1. Of or relating to the worldwide Christian church.
   2. Concerned with establishing or promoting unity among churches or religions.

This was not a momentary aberration but part of a pattern of incendiary rhetoric.

in·cen·di·ar·y       (ĭn-sěn’dē-ěr’ē)  Pronunciation Key
adj.  

1. 1. Causing or capable of causing fire.
   2. Of or containing chemicals that produce intensely hot fire when exploded: an incendiary bomb.
   3. Of or involving arson.
2. Tending to inflame; inflammatory: an incendiary speech.

We can apply Winston Churchill’s aphorism, “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see,” to the internet.

aph·o·rism       (āf’ə-rĭz’əm)  Pronunciation Key
n.  

1. A tersely phrased statement of a truth or opinion; an adage. See Synonyms at saying.
2. A brief statement of a principle.

His style was all his own – he spoke in languid sentences, adorned with erudite allusions and polysyllabic flourishes, in an accent that had a touch of English-aristo.

er·u·dite       (ěr’yə-dīt’, ěr’ə-)  Pronunciation Key
adj.   Characterized by erudition; learned. See Synonyms at learned.

He has the ruthless, delusional fanaticism of a clever man who is frightened of being toppled – and perhaps put on trial for his copious human-rights abuses.

co·pi·ous       (kō’pē-əs)  Pronunciation Key
adj.  

1. Yielding or containing plenty; affording ample supply: a copious harvest. See Synonyms at plentiful.
2. Large in quantity; abundant: copious rainfall.
3. Abounding in matter, thoughts, or words; wordy: “I found our speech copious without order, and energetic without rules” (Samuel Johnson).

It [the Fed cutting short-term interest rates] was a Herculean effort, and it staved off the outright catastrophe of a bank failure that had threatened to split Wall Street asunder.

a·sun·der       (ə-sŭn’dər)  Pronunciation Key
adv.  

1. Into separate parts or pieces: broken asunder.
2. Apart from each other either in position or in direction: The curtains had been drawn asunder.