Saturday, August 21, 2010

peon

1.

a. An unskilled laborer or farm worker of Latin America or the southwest United States.

b. Such a worker bound in servitude to a landlord creditor.

2. A menial worker; a drudge.

3. (also pyun) In India and other parts of South and Southeast Asia, a person of menial position, especially a messenger, servant, or foot soldier.

hit on the horn

• 
  
  To make a phone call (mostly used by African Americans.)

A: "Yo... sorry I am late Bro."

B: "Yeah... I just was goin´ to hit on the horn."

History

• 
  
  Lincoln-Douglas debates: began in the Illinois Senate race; slavery and states' rights were the main issues (1858)
• 
  
  Mona Lisa: was stolen from the Louvre by a museum employee; she was recovered two years later (1911)
• 
  
  Leon Trotsky: Soviet revolutionary died of wounds inflicted by a Stalinist assassin with an ice axe (1940)

Birthdays

• 
  
  Philip II (1165-1223): king of Capetian France
• 
  
  Wilt Chamberlain (1936-1999): basketball star who holds record for most points (100) in one game; athlete Archie Griffin (56) shares this birth date
• 
  
  Kenny Rogers (72): country/pop singer, The Gambler; other musicians born on this date include Count Basie (1904-1984), Melvin Van Peebles (78), Jackie DeShannon (66), Glenn Hughes (58), Liam Howlett (39) and Alizée (26)
• 
  
  Hayden Panettiere (21): cheerleader Claire Bennet on Heroes; also, actors Clarence Williams III (71), Loretta Devine (61), Kim Cattrall (54), Carrie-Anne Moss (40), Alicia Witt (35) and Cody Kasch (23)