Word of the Day for Sunday, March 23, 2008

anathema \uh-NATH-uh-muh\, noun:

1. A ban or curse pronounced with religious solemnity by ecclesiastical authority, and accompanied by excommunication. Hence: Denunciation of anything as accursed.
2. An imprecation; a curse; a malediction.
3. Any person or thing anathematized, or cursed by ecclesiastical authority.
4. Any person or thing that is intensely disliked.

Urban Word of the Day: Barsexual

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Barsexual&defid=1419501

• A college-age girl who kisses other girls in bars and clubs, usually for attention and the approval of men.

A BISEXUAL girl kisses girls at home when no ones looking.

A BARSEXUAL girl only kisses them in places that charge a cover.

Trivia

Where does the Easter lily rank as a crop when it comes to wholesale value in the U.S. potted-plant market?

• Fourth—behind poinsettias, mums, and azaleas, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Of the four plants, the Easter lily has the narrowest sales window—typically only two weeks. Poinsettias have a six-week sales window; mums and azaleas are available year-round.

Today's Holiday

• Easter (Christian): Easter marks the Resurrection of Jesus three days after his Crucifixion. Sandwiched between the 40 preparatory days of Lenten penitence and the seven weeks of Eastertide, it is the most important and most joyous holiday on the Christian calendar.

Today in History

• "Give me liberty or give me death": Patrick Henry demanded freedom from England for the colonies (1775)
• Pakistan: became the first Islamic republic (1956)
• Mir: Russian space station ended 15 years of orbit, disintegrating and falling into the South Pacific (2001)

Today's Birthdays

• Erich Fromm (1900-1980): psychoanalyst, The Art of Loving
• Akira Kurosawa (1910-1998): film director, Ran
• Wernher von Braun (1912-1977): rocket scientist who helped build America's space program
• Roger Bannister (79): first runner to break the 4-minute mile; another racer born on this date was Donald Malcolm Campbell (1921-1967)
• Ric Ocasek (59): singer, producer, zombie, married to supermodel Paulina Porizkova
• Chaka Khan (55): Grammy-winning R&B singer
• Jason Kidd (35): Dallas Mavericks point guard; NBA Hall-of-Famer Moses Malone (53) was also born on this date
• Keri Russell (32): star of Felicity, Waitress; other actors born on this date include Amanda Plummer (51) and Hope Davis (44)