Sunday, November 28, 2010

namaste \NUHM-uh-stey\, noun:

1. A conventional Hindu expression on meeting or parting, used by the speaker usually while holding the palms together vertically in front of the bosom.

2. A conventional Hindu expression on meeting or parting, frequently a part of yoga practice.

Namaste has become popular in English as a result of yoga. The Hindi word derives from Sanskrit, namas, "bowing," and te, "to you."

Concierge

• A fancy name for a person that has access to Google and who's job is to search hotels, restaurants, airlines, etc. in order to book reservations for people that are too lazy and/or rich to do it themselves.

Concierge: Thank you for calling concierge services, how can I help you?

Mr. Smith: I'm flying into NYC this weekend and need to book the best hotel and booty bar please.

Concierge: Sure (googles "best hotel in NYC" then "best strip club in NYC" and proceeds to book reservations). Mr. Smith, your reservations have been made.

Trivia

When it comes to human anatomy, what’s a floating rib?

• A lower rib that is attached only to the spine, and not to the sternum (aka breastbone) or any other ribs. Two of the 12 pairs of ribs in humans are floating ribs.

History

• Strait of Magellan: the ships of explorer Ferdinand Magellan reached the Pacific from the Atlantic by sailing through the strait that later took his name (1520)
• Royal Society: long-lived UK scientific society was founded by learned men (1660)
• Lady Nancy Astor: became the first woman member of the British Parliament (1919)
• Mariner 4: spacecraft that sent the first pictures of the Martian surface was launched (1964)

Birthdays

• Francesca Lé (40): t3h pr0n
• William Blake (1757-1827): engraver and poet, Songs of Experience; plus, authors John Bunyan (1628-1688) and Nancy Mitford (1904-1973)
• Friedrich Engels (1820-1895): socialist philosopher, a founder of Communism
• Anton Rubinstein (1829-1894): pianist, composer; also, musicians Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632-1687), Randy Newman (67), Paul Shaffer (61) and apl.de.ap (36) and Motown record producer Berry Gordy, Jr. (81)
• Alexander Godunov (1949-1995): ballet dancer
• Ed Harris (60): actor/director, Pollock, Appaloosa; actors S. Epatha Merkerson (58), Judd Nelson (51), Aimee Garcia (32) and Scarlett Pomers (22) share this birth date
• Anna Nicole Smith (1967-2007): actress/model
• Jon Stewart (48): satirist, host of The Daily Show