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Spelling Bee Not Without C-O-N-T-R-O-V-E-R-S-Y

The word is "stromuhr." It's a medical instrument -- don't worry, I had to look this up, too -- that measures the amount and speed and flow of blood through an artery.

Anamika Veeramani, 14 years old and from North Royalton, Ohio, spelled "stromuhr" to win the 2010 Scripps National Spelling Bee last night.

There was some controversy. By the way, is that "s-y" or "s-e-y"? The judges put six contestants into the final round -- even though they didn't spell a word in the semi-final round -- to guarantee 10 finalists to fill a two-hour television spelling bee special.

Veeramani told reporters that she wants to go to Harvard and become a cardiovascular surgeon, where she can say, "Hand me that stromuhr. Stat!"

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Scott Simon is one of America's most admired writers and broadcasters. He is the host of Weekend Edition Saturday and is one of the hosts of NPR's morning news podcast Up First. He has reported from all fifty states, five continents, and ten wars, from El Salvador to Sarajevo to Afghanistan and Iraq. His books have chronicled character and characters, in war and peace, sports and art, tragedy and comedy.