December 19, 2008

iambic \ahy-AM-bik\, adjective:

1. of or consisting of iambic measures
2. a foot or measure in poetry consisting of two syllables, an unaccented followed by an accented or a short syllable followed by a long

by 1575, from Latin iambicus, from Greek iambikos, from iambos "metrical foot of one unaccented followed by one accented syllable," from iaptein "to assail" (in words); the meter of invective and lampoon in classical Greek from the time it was used for such by Archilochos, 7c. B.C.E.

christmas zombie

• Days before Christmas, people become blind and get tunnel vision, casuing them to only see what is in front of them, putting them into a trance like state while looking for the perfect gift. This effect usually happens two days before christmas.

Guy: Dude, what was up with that chick driving the Esclade, she almost hit you.

Guy 2: Fuck her, she was a christmas zombie.

Trivia

What R.E.M. song is the title of a Jim Carrey film?

• “Man on the Moon.” The 1999 biopic is about eccentric comedian Andy Kaufman; the movie features music by R.E.M.

Today in History:

• Benjamin Franklin: prolific inventor/author/statesman began publishing his Poor Richard's almanac (1732)
• A Christmas Carol: Charles Dickens published his classic morality tale of the miser Ebenezer Scrooge (1843)
• Bill Clinton: was impeached for perjury and obstruction of justice (1998)

Today's Birthdays:

• Leonid Brezhnev (1906-1982): Soviet leader
• Edith Piaf (1915-1963): cabaret singer called "the little sparrow"; other musicians born on this date include Robert Sherman (83), Maurice White (67), John McEuen (63) and Lady Sovereign (23)
• Cicely Tyson (75): stage and screen actor; also, actors Ralph Richardson (1902-1983), Tim Reid (64), Jennifer Beals (45), Scott Cohen (44), Rosa Blasi and Alyssa Milano (both 36) and Jake Gyllenhaal and Marla Sokoloff (both 28)
• Richard Leakey (64): anthropologist and paleontologist
• Criss Angel (41): magician, illusionist

Quote: "Buying the right computer and getting it to work properly is no more complicated than building a nuclear reactor from wristwatch parts in a darkened room using only your teeth." — Dave Barry