Tuesday, April 13, 2010

ne plus ultra \nee-plus-UL-truh; nay-\, noun:

1. The highest point, as of excellence or achievement; the acme; the pinnacle; the ultimate.
2. The most profound degree of a quality or condition.

Ne plus ultra is from Latin, literally, "(go) no more beyond", from ne, "not" + plus, "more" + ultra, "beyond."

Famine Underwear

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  The garments you wear during a shortage of underwear, when you haven't done laundry in several weeks or months. Usually characterized by lack of elasticity, holes (usually large and awkwardly located), stains, and typically are at least 5 - 10 years old. In some cases soccer shorts, underwear of unknown origin, thongs, bathing suit bottoms, or 'granny panties' can be considered famine underwear, but do not necessarily meet the above criteria.

I haven't done laundry in weeks, so I'm wearing my famine underwear, the boxers I made in home economics in middle school.

Trivia

What special Hugo science-fiction achievement award was presented to astronauts Neil Armstrong, Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, and Michael Collins in 1969?

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  An award for Best Moon Landing Ever. It was given to the Apollo 11 moon mission crew members at the 27th convention of the World Science Fiction Society. 

History

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  Edict of Nantes: Henry IV granted freedom of religion to the Huguenots of France (1598); the edict was repealed by Louis XIV in 1685
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  Messiah: Handel oratorio premiered in Dublin's New Musick Hall; proceeds went to local hospitals for the mentally ill (1742)
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  MoMA: founded in NYC (1870)
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  Jefferson Memorial: was dedicated in Washington, DC, on the 200th anniversary of Thomas Jefferson's birth (1943)
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  Tiger Woods: won his first major golf tournament, the Masters, by a record 12 strokes, at age 21 (1997)
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  Sidney Poitier: became first African American to win an Oscar for Best Actor, for Lilies of the Field (1964)

Birthdays

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  Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826): the US president who authored the Declaration of Independence
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  Butch Cassidy (1866-1908): outlaw, leader of the Hole in the Wall Gang
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  Samuel Beckett (1906-1989): playwright who wrote Waiting for Godot; plus, authors György Lukács (1885-1971), Eudora Welty (1909-2001), John Braine (1922-1987), Lanford Wilson (73) and Seamus Heaney (71)
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  Stanley Donen (86): director/choreographer, Singin' in the Rain; plus, actors Lyle Waggoner (75), Edward Fox (73), Paul Sorvino (71), Tony Dow (65), Ron Perlman and William Sadler (both 60), Caroline Rhea (46), Rick Schroder (40) and Kyle Howard (32)
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  Max Weinberg (59): drummer for Springteen's E Street Band and Late Night with Conan O'Brian, Max Weinberg 7; also, musicians Bill Conti (68), Jack Casady (66), Al Green (64), Peabo Bryson (59), and Aaron Lewis (38) of Staind.
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  Davis Love III (46): champion golfer; also, chess master Garry Kasparov (47)