Thursday, April 21, 2011

mumbo jumbo \MUHM-boh JUHM-boh\, noun:

1. Senseless or pretentious language, usually designed to obscure an issue, confuse a listener, or the like.

2. Meaningless incantation or ritual.

3. An object of superstitious awe or reverence.

Though the popular impression is that mumbo jumbo derives from an African language of the Niger region, this supposition is unproven, and the term's origin is uncertain.

Googleheimer's

• The condition where you think of something you want to Google, but by the time you get to your computer, you have forgotten what it was. Very prevalent in the 420 community.

I've got Googleheimer's so bad that between the garage and the office, I forgot what I was going to look up.

Trivia

For what movie was the full-size submarine model seen in Raiders of the Lost Ark originally built?

• Das Boot, the 1981 epic about a crew aboard a German U-boat during World War II.

History

• Tiradentes: Brazilian hero nicknamed the "tooth puller" was executed in Rio de Janeiro for conspiring against Portuguese rule (1792)
• The Red Baron: German ace aviator Baron Manfred von Richthofen was shot down for the second time — this time, fatally (1918)
• Brasilia: became the capital of Brazil, instead of Rio de Janeiro (1960)
• Tiananmen Square: anti-communist protest grew to 100,000 in Beijing; troops suppressed it six weeks later, killing thousands (1989)

Birthdays

• Jan van Riebeeck (1619-1677): founder of Cape Town
• Friedrich Froebel (1782-1852): founder of the kindergarten system
• Charlotte Brontë (1816-1855): author of Jane Eyre; and writer Elaine May (79)
• John Muir (1838-1914): naturalist, founder of national parks and the Sierra Club
• Elizabeth II (85): queen of Great Britain; and, Russian empress Catherine the Great (1729-1796)
• Iggy Pop (64): punk rock pioneer; plus, rockers Robert Smith (52) and Glen Hansard (41)
• James McAvoy (32): actor, The Last King of Scotland, Wanted; also, actors Anthony Quinn (1915-2001), Charles Grodin (76), Patti LuPone (62), Tony Danza (60), James Morrison (57), Andie MacDowell (53) and Nicole Sullivan (41)
• Tony Romo (31): NFL quarterback; and, running back Cadillac Williams (29)