The word for today is…

tarradiddle (noun) – 1. A petty falsehood; a fib.
2. Silly pretentious speech or writing; twaddle.

Source : The Free Dictionary

Etymology : Late 18th century: perhaps related to diddle.

Peter is a fourth-generation New Zealander, with his mother's and father's folks having arrived in New Zealand in the 1870s. He lives in Lower Hutt with his wife, some cats and assorted computers. His...