Thursday, March 10, 2011

ersatz \AIR-sahts; UR-sats\, adjective:

• Being a substitute or imitation, usually an inferior one.

Ersatz derives from German Ersatz, "a substitute."

brainspin

• The inability to sleep because of your mind fixating on a thought.

The Lost finale gave me brainspin and I wasn't able to sleep all night.

Trivia

When it comes to the human body, what is an osteoblast?

• A cell that makes bone.

History

• Personal Rule: King Charles I of England dissolved Parliament and began 11 years of ruling alone (1629)
• Alexander Graham Bell: made the first telephone call: "Watson, come here; I want you" (1876)
• rings of Uranus: were discovered (1977)
• syzygy: all the planets were on the same side of the Sun (1982)

Birthdays

• Clare Boothe Luce (1903-1987): playwright, US ambassador to Italy
• Kim Campbell (64): Canada's first female PM
• Paul Haggis (58): writer/director, Crash; plus, writer/producer David Rabe (71) and columnist Bob Greene (64)
• Prince Edward (47): Earl of Wessex
• Olivia Wilde (27): actor, Dr. Hadley ("Thirteen") in House; also, actors Chuck Norris (71), Shannon Tweed (54), Sharon Stone (53), Paget Brewster (42), Jon Hamm (40), Cristián de la Fuente (37) and Emily Osment (19)
• Shannon Miller (34): gold medal-winning gymnast
• Carrie Underwood (28): Grammy-winning country singer; and, musicians Bix Beiderbecke (1903-1931), Pablo de Sarasate (1844-1908), Arthur Honegger (1892-1955), Norman Blake (73), Dean Torrence (71), Tom Scholz (64), Jeff Ament (48), Edie Brickell (45), Timbaland (40) and Robin Thicke (34)