Monday, December 20, 2010

ferret \FER-it\, verb:

1. To search out, discover, or bring to light.

noun:

1. Domesticated, usually red-eyed, and albinic variety of the polecat.

verb:

1. To drive out by using or as if using a ferret.

noun:

• 1. A narrow tape or ribbon, as of silk or cotton, used for binding, trimming, etc.

verb:

• 1. To harry, worry, or torment.

Ferret originates in the Latin furonem, both "cat" and "robber." The verb form of ferret relates to the use of half-tame ferrets to kill rats and flush rabbits from burrows.

Shatner commas

• Oddly placed commas that don't seem to serve any actual purpose in punctuation, but make it look like you should take odd pauses, as William Shatner does when delivering lines.

This is what Shatner commas look like:

When, we get to, the restaurant, we should, order some, tasty, beverages.

Trivia

Where on a horse would you find its feathers?

• In heavier horse and pony breeds, on the lower legs. The feathers are the long hairs that cover the lower fetlock (ankle joint) and hoof area. Clydesdale horses have the thickest feathers.

History

• Louisiana Purchase: the United States officially took possession of the territory from France (1803)
• South Carolina: became the first state to secede from the Union (1860)
• It's a Wonderful Life: Frank Capra's drama was screened for the first time, in NYC's Globe Theatre (1946)
• Berlin Wall: was opened for the first time since it was erected in 1961 (1963)
• Operation Just Cause: the US invaded Panama to overthrow and capture military leader Manuel Noriega, who stood accused of corruption and drug trafficking (1989)

Birthdays

• Harvey Firestone (1868-1938): founder of Firestone Tire and Rubber Company; also, scientists Thomas Graham (1805-1869) and Robert Van de Graaff (1901-1967)
• Branch Rickey (1881-1965): baseball manager who developed the farm system and hired the first black players; plus, athletes Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman (1886-1974), Roy Williams (29) and David Wright (28)
• Robert Menzies (1894-1978): Australian prime minister
• Dick Wolf (64): creator and producer of Law and Order
• Uri Geller (64): illusionist
• David Cook (28): singer, American Idol winner; also, musicians Alan Parsons (62), Mike Watt and Billy Bragg (both 53), Kris Tyler (46), Chris Robinson (44) and JoJo (20)
• Jonah Hill (27): actor, Superbad, Cyrus; also, actors Charlie Callas (86), John Hillerman (78), Kathryn Joosten (71), Jenny Agutter (58) and Michael Badalucco (56)