Tuesday, November 03, 2009

sommelier \suhm-uhl-YEY; Fr. saw-muh-LYEY\ , noun;

• To involuntarily repeat a particular response, such as a word, phrase, or gesture, despite the absence or cessation of a stimulus, usually caused by brain injury or other organic disorder.

Origin: Sommelier derives from French, from Old French, "officer in charge of provisions, pack-animal driver," alteration of sommerier, from sommier," beast of burden," from Vulgar Latin saumārius.

right-of-stay

• when two cars disregard the right-of-way guidelines they were supposed learn from a driver's manual when they were 16, resulting in both cars to remain motionless at an intersection assuming the other car will make the first move. Usually after about 1o seconds both cars will go at the same time which leads to a firestorm of profanity and/or an accident.

Right-of-stay
At a four-way stop sign intersection
Northbound Car: Is this person gonna go or what
Westbound Car: Is this person gonna go or what
Northbound Car: Fuckin' go dude
Westbound Car: Fuckin' go dude
Northbound Car: Fuck this guy I'm going
Westbound Car: Fuck this guy I'm going
Northbound Car: What the fuck is wrong with you motherfucker
Westbound Car: Fuck you and your gay ass PT Cruiser asshole
Trivia

What was the name of the trophy awarded to the winner of the very first Miss America Beauty Pageant in Atlantic City in 1921?

• The Golden Mermaid.

Today in History

• The Times of India: the world's most widely circulated daily newspaper was founded under the name The Bombay Times and Journal of Commerce (1838)
• US presidential election of 1948: the Chicago Tribune reported erroneously that "Dewey Defeats Truman"
• Iran-contra affair: Reagan administration scandal came to light when a Lebanese periodical revealed that the US was selling weapons to Iran (1986)

Today's Birthdays

• Stephen Fuller Austin (1793-1836): pioneer who colonized Texas
• André Malraux (1901-1976): writer and politician, Man's Fate; plus, writers William Cullen Bryant (1794-1878) and James Reston (1909-1995)
• Walker Evans (1903-1975): American photographer
• Bob Feller (91): legendary pitcher and MLB hall-of-famer; plus, tennis hall-of-famer Roy Emerson (73)
• Charles Bronson (1921-2003): tough-guy actor; also, actors Jeremy Brett (1933-1995), Ken Berry (76), Roseanne Barr (57), Kate Capshaw (56) and Kathy Kinney (55)
• Dennis Miller (56): conservative talk show host and Saturday Night Live alum
• Adam Ant (55): British face-painted rock singer