December 17, 2008

gaffe \gaf\, noun:

• a blunder; faux pas

by 1909, from French gaffe "clumsy remark," originally "boat hook," from Old French gaffe, from Old Provencal gaf, probably from Gothic gafa "hook," but this origin is obscure. It may derive from British slang gaff "to cheat, trick" (1893) or gaff "criticism" (1896), from Scottish dialect sense of "loud, rude talk," which ultimately may be from Old English gaf-spr¾c "blasphemous or ribald speech."

Holiday Beard

• When a male decides not to shave for the period of his holiday, returning with a rather terrible looking collection of facial hair.

"It's too hot to shave here, I'll just grow a holiday beard"

Trivia

What was the name of the first feline used to portray finicky Morris the Cat in 9Lives cat food commercials?

• Lucky. He was adopted from an Illinois animal shelter.

Today in History:

• Shimabara Rebellion: Japanese peasant uprising began due to heavy taxation; about 37,000 were beheaded (1637)
• Harold Holt: the Australian prime minister went missing and was presumed drowned while swimming off the coast of Portsea, Victoria (1967)
• Project Blue Book: US Air Force investigation into UFOs was terminated; the conclusion was that sightings were due to mass hysteria, hoaxes, mistakes and the like (1969)
• NAFTA: trade agreement was signed by Canada, the US and Mexico (1992)

Today's Birthdays:

• John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-1892): poet and abolitionist
• Arthur Fiedler (1894-1979): conductor of the Boston Pops
• Art Neville (71): musician, The Neville Brothers
• Peter Farrelly (52): film-maker, There's Something About Mary
• Eugene Levy (62): actor, A Mighty Wind, American Pie; also, actors Armin Mueller-Stahl (78), George Lindsey (73), Tommy Steele (72), Bernard Hill (64), Christopher Cazenove (63), Bill Pullman (55), Sean Patrick Thomas (38), Giovanni Ribisi, Marissa Ribisi and Sarah Paulson (all 34) and Milla Jovovich (33)

Quote:

• "If we worked on the assumption that what is accepted as true really is true, then there would be little hope for advance." — Orville Wright