{"id":459,"date":"2021-09-06T08:27:36","date_gmt":"2021-09-06T13:27:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wordofweek.com\/?p=459"},"modified":"2021-09-07T11:12:49","modified_gmt":"2021-09-07T16:12:49","slug":"word-of-the-week-66-mollify","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wordofweek.com\/?p=459","title":{"rendered":"W<\/strong>ORD OF THE <\/strong>W<\/strong>EEK <\/strong>#66 \u2013<\/a> mollify<\/strong>"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

August 19  – \u201cIf there’s American citizens left, we’re gonna stay to get them all out.<\/em>\u201d<\/em><\/strong> President Biden <\/strong>in interview with George Stephanopoulos <\/p>\n\n\n\n

August 31 – “The bottom line, 90% of Americans in Afghanistan who wanted to leave were able to leave.\u201d <\/em>\u2013 President Biden <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apparently his victory speech did little to mollify<\/strong> the vast majority of Americans who are not happy with leaving of our citizens behind.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mollify is a  verb meaning to soothe in temper or disposition.  Also mollified or mollifying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe mollified<\/strong> the staff with a raise.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/mollify<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Significant Quote:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe will not conduct a hasty rush to the exit.  We\u2019ll do it\u2026. responsibly, deliberately, and safely.  And we will do it in full coordination with our allies and partners<\/em>\u2026.\u201d<\/em> <\/strong>President Biden \u2013 April 14, 2021<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Full cooperation with our allies?<\/strong> Really?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On July 2 all U.S. air support left Bagram Airport in the middle of the night without informing even the Afghan General, who woke up to find all of his air support gone and the lights turned off.  Looters quickly arrived.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On August 15 the city of Kabul fell. Our embassy closed. In our exit there was little or no cooperation with our allies. It took President Biden 36 hours to return the Prime Minister of England’s call.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

England\u2019s response, August 19 –  For the first time in history the UK Parliament voted to hold the President of the United States in contempt for unilateral decision making and a botched withdrawal. That came after several impassioned denunciations on the floor.  One member stated that they would not join us in combat under our present administration.  It was an unprecedented and humiliating rebuke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It appears that England along with other NATO countries did not feel that we were in \u201cfull cooperation\u201d with them.\u00a0 Rather they were furious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another significant quote\u2026.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

July 23 \u2013 Conversation from President Biden to Afghan President Ghani:  \u201cI need not tell you the perception around the world and in parts of Afghanistan, I believe, is that things are not going well in terms of the fight against the Taliban.  And there is a need, whether it is true or not<\/strong>, there is a need to project a different picture.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

President Ghani followed those instructions, painting a false and rosy picture, up until August 15, when he hopped on a helicopter with his tail between his legs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just eleven days later the final U.S. plane left Afghanistan leaving behind an unknown number of U.S. citizens along with green card holders, Afghanistans with visas, plus all of their families. Oh, and over $80 billion of fully operational sophisticated weaponry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are now told that it is up to the State Department to negotiate their return, and we are told that we have significant leverage. It appears to me however that they are holding Americans as hostages, so I ask….who really has the leverage?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My<\/strong> Question:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I clearly am not part of the U.S. intelligence community, but even I was pretty sure that there was going to be a terrorist attack at the airport.\u00a0 How did I know?\u00a0 Our government told me in no uncertain terms \u2013 STAY WAY FROM THE AIRPORT.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Knowing that, what was being done at the airport gate to protect our troops? With thirteen dead Americans it seems like a reasonable question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And the Excuses: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I am the commander in chief and the buck stops here….however….” He then goes on to blame others for what was his responsibility. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

First and foremost he blames Trump (of course) for putting a policy in place that he felt obliged to follow. A little strange how this one policy was inviolate, while so many others were not….Keystone Pipeline, border policies, the arctic refuge, Iran policy….but this one policy he was forced to uphold?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also blames the Afghan army for quitting so rapidly, painting them as cowards. He says he was surprised at the speed of the collapse and not prepared. But the CIA gave repeated warnings ….this one in April, five days before Biden’s withdrawal speech, “The Afghan government will struggle to hold the Taliban at bay if the coalition withdraws.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Biden’s April announcement that the withdrawal would start two weeks later was unexpected. Imagine what effect that had on the morale of the Afghan troops and what momentum it gave the Taliban?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite those repeated warnings from the intelligence community, Biden rejected all options to keep troops in Afghanistan longer. He was hell-bent on withdrawal. His original date of 9\/11 suggests he may have been motivated more by public relations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On July 2, when questioned about withdrawal plans he said “Look. we want to talk about happy things, man.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Painting the Afghans as cowards? the Afghan Army had lost over 60,000 in this war. British MP Tom Tugendhat, who served in Afghanistan, tore into Biden in a speech on the floor of Parliament, calling the president \u201cshameful\u201d for maligning the whole of the Afghan military\u00a0 \u201cThose who have not fought for the colors they fly should be careful about criticizing those who have.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dear Mr. President – the buck stops with you. Period<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interesting Phrase:\u00a0 Blowing smoke up your ass.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A crude but great American idiom\u2026. Defined as \u201cto speak deceptively to one, usually in an attempt to mask true feelings or the reality of a situation.\u201d  \u201cI think they’re<\/em> <\/em><\/strong>blowing smoke up my ass about giving regular raises to their employees.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So let me ask you\u2026.when, on August 19, just eleven days before our last plane left, when President Biden told the nation \u201cIf there\u2019s American citizens left, we\u2019re gonna stay to get them all out\u201d\u2026.do you think he really meant that, or was he just blowing smoke up our collective asses?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quote of the Week:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cStupidity is one of life\u2019s big mysteries, like evil, like love, an ineffable thing. You cannot exactly define it, but you know it when you see it\u2026..\u201c <\/em>Lance Morrow<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Nasria, 25 and pregnant, and an American citizen, one of many (No one knows how many) who are now stranded in Afghanistan. U.S. Rep Darrell Issa met with her and reported that she was kicked in the stomach by Taliban fighters. She said she and her husband tried to get to the airport for 12 to 13 hours, waiting without food or water, but the Taliban blocked them at gunpoint even as she showed them her U.S. passport.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite the State Department telling her they\u2019ll find a way to get her out of the country, she said she\u2019s losing hope. \u201cNow that the U.S. military is gone, the Taliban <\/a>is hunting Americans.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Until next time\u2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gramps<\/p>\n\n\n\n

66 Weeks of Great Words<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1 \u2013   exacerbate \u2013 to make worse \u201cYour input just exacerbates an already difficult situation.\u201d
2-   assuage \u2013 to make a situation or feeling less intense. \u201cI pray our Heavenly Father may assuage you of the anguish of your grief.\u201d.3 \u2013   force majeure\u2019 \u2013  unforeseeable circumstance that prevents someone from fulfilling a contract. \u201cThe tenant will not be required to pay rent due to the force majeure\u2019 clause.
4 \u2013   sanguine \u2013 <\/a>optimistic or positive, especially in an apparently bad or difficult situation. \u201cI\u2019m trying to be sanguine about this, but I see a major roadblock\u201d
5 \u2013   segue \u2013 (seg way) proceed to what follows without pause.  \u201cShe has the skill to easily segue from political conversations into subjects less controversial.\u201d
6 \u2013   bifurcate \u2013 to cause to divide into two branches or parts. \u201cWe have decided to bifurcate this large project.\u201d
7 \u2013   indolent \u2013 habitually lazy \u2013 \u201cHis failure in life may stem from his indolent ways as a youth\u201d.
8 \u2013   ameliorate \u2013 to make better or more tolerable \u2013  \u201cthis drug should ameliorate your pain\u201d
9 \u2013 <\/a>truncate \u2013 to shorten by or as if by cutting off \u2013 \u201cA truncated version of this report is on the web.\u201d
10 \u2013 nascent \u2013 coming or having recently come into existence  \u201cHis nascent idea for a business turned into a goldmine\u201d
11 \u2013 b\u00e9chamel \u2013 a rich white sauce \u2013 \u201cHe made a lump-free b\u00e9chamel for her, and, in return, she gave him her love.\u201d
12 \u2013 anarchy \u2013  absence of government \u2013 \u201cThe revolution began when anarchy took root in just one city\u201d.
13 \u2013 rhetorical question \u2013 a question not intended to require an answer. \u201cIs this a beautiful day or what?\u201d
14 \u2013 milieu \u2013 the physical or social setting in which something occurs or develops.- \u201cHis discipline is a result of growing up as part of the military milieu\u201d
15 \u2013 nadir \u2013 the lowest point \u2013 \u201cThe stock market reached its current nadir in March\u201d
16 \u2013 black swan event \u2013 comes as a surprise and has a major effect. \u201cThis pandemic is considered by many to be a black swan event.\u201d
17 \u2013 myopic \u2013 narrow in perspective and without concern for broader implications.  \u201cYour myopic view of this project is disturbing\u201d.
18 \u2013 quixotic \u2013 foolishly impractical especially in the pursuit of ideals \u2013 \u201cHis quixotic pursuit for her affection was quite simply foolish.\u201d
19 \u2013 prescience \u2013 human anticipation of the course of events \u2013 foresight.  \u201cHis intuitive prescience helped to make him a success\u201d
20 \u2013 laconic and laconic riposte \u2013 use of a minimum of words, and a short clever response to an insult or challenge. In response to a demand to immediately surrender the general sent back the following: Nuts\u201d21 \u2013 protean \u2013 ability to change, versatile.  \u201cThe coronavirus is protean in its ability to either make you sick or not.\u201d
22 \u2013 ephemeral \u2013 lasting a very short time or perhaps only one day. \u201cCuster was chasing an ephemeral Indian city.\u201d
23 \u2013 catch-22 \u2013 a dilemma or difficult circumstance from which there is no escape because of mutually conflicting or dependent conditions.  From the novel \u201cCatch-22\u201d.
24 \u2013 arrogate \u2013 to take or claim something without justification. \u201cIn order to accomplish his dream he arrogated to himself controversial powers\u201d.
25 \u2013 obtuse \u2013 difficult to understand, lacking intellect.  \u201cThe responses to his remarks this week were even more obtuse.\u201d 
26 \u2013 purloin \u2013 to appropriate wrongfully (steal), often pertaining to a theft that is a breach of trust.  \u201cWhen she opened her new office she purloined one of my listings\u201d.
27 \u2013 salience \u2013 the quality of being particularly noticeable or important.  \u201cIt is not clear that raising the electoral salience of the Supreme Court will work to the president\u2019s advantage.
28 \u2013 confabulate \u2013 to talk normally or to hold a discussion.  \u201cHe likes to confabulate.\u201d
29 \u2013 animus \u2013 a usually prejudiced and often spiteful or malevolent ill will. \u201cI have no animus or agenda for the Affordable Care Act.\u201d
30 \u2013 puerile \u2013 to act or communicate in a juvenile, silly or childish manner. \u201cHis puerile ways are giving a poor impression at his job interviews\u201d.
31 \u2013 regnant \u2013 having the greatest influence \u2013 \u201cThe regnant belief\u201d.
32 \u2013 roil \u2013 to be agitated or chaotic \u2013 \u201cthe politics of slavery was roiling the United States\u201d.
33 \u2013 sonder \u2013 The realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own.
34 \u2013 inculcate \u2013 To instill or teach someone an attitude, idea, or habit by persistent instruction. \u201cThey will try to inculcate you with a respect for culture.\u201d
35 \u2013 mendacity \u2013 untruthfulness, lying. \u201cHe blew the whistle on the mendacity of the politician.\u201d
36 \u2013 pejorative \u2013 Expressing contempt or disapproval.  Having negative connotations.   \u201cPermissiveness is often used a pejorative term\u201d.
37 \u2013 dystopian \u2013 A world or society in which people lead wretched, dehumanized fearful lives, often associated with a totalitarian government or an environmentally degraded world. \u201cThe dystopian future of a society bereft of reason\u201d.
38 \u2013 Occam\u2019s razor \u2013 The simplest answer may be the preferred answer.
39 \u2013 execrate or execrable \u2013 very bad \u2013 \u201cThe execrable hotel food.\u201d
40 \u2013 immutable \u2013 unchangeable \u2013 Do not make the mistake of assuming that public opinion is immutable.   
41 \u2013 prurient \u2013 having or encouraging an excessive or unwholesome interest in matters of sex. 
 \u201cShe\u2019d been the subject of much prurient curiosity\u201d.
42 \u2013 obsequious \u2013 exhibiting fawning attentiveness. Exaggerated deference of manner.  \u201cWaiters who are obsequious in the presence of celebrities.\u201d
43 \u2013 iconoclast \u2013  a person who attacks settled beliefs or institutions \u201cHe was a prolific writer with a reputation for iconoclastic insight and irreverent prose.\u201d
44 \u2013 oblique \u2013 something not parallel nor at a right angle to a specified or implied line \u2013 slanting.
\u201cWe sat on the settee oblique to the fireplace. Or something not done in a direct way such as \u201cHe issued an oblique attack on the president\u201d.
45 \u2013 profligate \u2013 wasteful \u2013 wildly extravagant.  \u201cHe has always been a profligate spender, which is why he is broke.\u201d
46 \u2013 raconteur \u2013 a good teller of stories.  \u201cWe always invite her to dinner because she is a fine raconteur\u201d.
47 \u2013 taciturn \u2013 a person who is reserved or uncommunicative in speech\u2026saying little.  It usually connotes unsociability. \u201cNothing bothered the taciturn <\/strong>Hogan more that excessive praise.\u201d<\/em>
48 \u2013 fungible \u2013 capable of mutual substitution: interchangeable\/  \u201cThe court\u2019s postulate is that male and female jurors must be regarded as fungible<\/strong>.\u201d
<\/em>49 \u2013 filibuster \u2013 The use of tactics in an attempt to delay or prevent action especially in a legislative assembly. This currently requires a 60 vote Senate majority. \u201cThey stopped the bill from coming to a vote by the use of a filibuster\u201d.
<\/em>50 \u2013 hegemony \u2013 preponderant influence or authority over others: Domination. \u201cThey battled for hegemonyin Asia.\u201d<\/em>
51 \u2013 de facto \u2013 being such in effect though not formally recognized or contrary to established law \u201ca de facto state of war\u201d <\/em>for a war that has not been officially declared.
52 \u2013 blockchain \u2013 an open, distributed leger that can record transactions between two parties efficiently and in a verifiable and permanent way.
53 \u2013 b\u00eate noire \u2013 A person or thing one particularly dislikes or is strongly detested. \u201cThe abuse of women was a b\u00eate noire for Lincoln.\u201d
54 \u2013 evince -\u201cto constitute outward evidence of\u2026.to display clearly: reveal. \u201cHe evinced a depraved mind.\u201d
55 \u2013 virago \u2013 a loud overbearing woman.  Domineering, violent, or bad tempered. \u201cDemocrats, on the other hand, saw Jessie as a Republican virago.\u201d
56 \u2013 metonym \u2013  a name, or expression used as a substitute for something else with which it is closely associated. \u201cWashington is a metonym for the federal government of the US.\u201d<\/em>
57 \u2013 felicitous is an adjective and is defined as   well chosen or suited to the circumstances such as \u201ca felicitous phrase\u201d.
58 \u2013 ennui – a feeling of listlessness and dissatisfaction arising from a lack of occupation or excitement. “He succumbed to ennui and despair”
59 \u2013 Imprimatur is a noun meaning sanction or approval. \u201cHe gave the book his imprimatur.\u201d
60 \u2013 fiat \u2013 A command or act of will that creates something without further effort.  An authoritative determination. \u201cHe runs the company by fiat.\u201d<\/em>
61 <\/em>\u2013 salient \u2013 <\/em>meaning most notable or important.  Of notable significance. \u201cIt succinctly covered all the salient point of the case.\u201d<\/em>
62 \u2013<\/em> meme \u2013 an idea, behavior, style, or usage that spreads from person to person within a culture.  \u201cThe band encouraged fans to make memes to advertise the U.S. release of their EP.\u201d<\/em>
63 \u2013  <\/em>delectation \u2013 <\/em>delight or enjoyment. \u201cHere are some chocolates for your delectation.\u201d<\/em>
64 – feckless – acting in an irresponsible, weak, or cowardly manner. Inept, incompetent. “feckless leadership.”<\/em>
65 – Ignominious – Deserving or causing public disgrace or shame. despicable, “His was an ignominious withdrawal.”<\/em>
66 – mollify – to soothe in temper or disposition. “He mollified his staff with promises of future raises.”<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

August 19  – \u201cIf there’s American citizens left, we’re gonna stay to get them all out.\u201d President Biden in interview with George Stephanopoulos  August 31 – “The bottom line, 90% of Americans in Afghanistan who wanted to leave were able to leave.\u201d \u2013 President Biden  Apparently his victory speech did little to mollify the vast majority … Continue reading W<\/strong>ORD OF THE <\/strong>W<\/strong>EEK <\/strong>#66 \u2013<\/a> mollify<\/strong><\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordofweek.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/459"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordofweek.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordofweek.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordofweek.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordofweek.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=459"}],"version-history":[{"count":26,"href":"https:\/\/wordofweek.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/459\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":488,"href":"https:\/\/wordofweek.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/459\/revisions\/488"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordofweek.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=459"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordofweek.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=459"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordofweek.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=459"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}