Tuesday, April 12, 2011

oppugn \uh-PYOON\, verb:

1. To assail by criticism, argument, or action.

2. To call in question; dispute.

Oppugn is born from the combination the Latin op-, "to oppose, attack," and pugnare, "to fight," similar to pugilsim.

work paralysis, n.

• the inability to get work done because of it's large quantity. Similar to writer's block, but applies to all work with a deadline.

the stack of paperwork had reached an all time high, and i was hit with work paralysis

Trivia

How many times in U.S. history have two sitting senators run against one another as major party candidates for president?

• Only once, in the 2008 election in which Democrat Barack Obama defeated Republican John McCain.

History

• Galileo: Italian scientist's heresy trial began during the Inquisition (1633)
• US Civil War: started when Confederate troops attacked Fort Sumter (1861)
• "Rock Around the Clock": Bill Haley and His Comets recorded the song that ushered in the era of rock 'n' roll (1954)
• Salk vaccine: Jonas Salk's immunization against polio was released for general use (1955)
• Columbia: first space shuttle took its first test flight (1981)

Birthdays

• Henry Clay (1777-1852): US Speaker of the House, statesman, "The Great Compromiser"
• Lily Pons (1898-1976): coloratura soprano; and, diva Montserrat Caballé (78)
• Herbie Hancock (71): jazz musician who wrote the score for 'Round Midnight
• David Letterman (64): late-night talk show host
• Scott Turow (62): author of legal thrillers, Presumed Innocent; plus, techno-thriller novelist Tom Clancy (64) and playwrights Alan Ayckbourn (72) and Tom Noonan (60)
• Ed O'Neill (65): Modern Family's Jay Pritchett; also, actors, Dan Lauria (64), Andy Garcia (55), Nicholas Brendon and Shannen Doherty (both 39), Claire Danes and Jennifer Morrison (both 32), Brooklyn Decker (24) and Saoirse Ronan (17)
• Guy Berryman (33): bassist for Coldplay; also, singers John Kay (67), David Cassidy (61), Pat Travers (57), Vince Gill (54) and Amy Ray (47)