Monday, May 16, 2011

nonplus \non-PLUHS\, transitive verb:

• To cause to be at a loss as to what to think, say, or do; to confound; to perplex; to bewilder.

Nonplus is from the Latin non plus, "no more." To be nonplussed is to be at a point where "no more" can be said or done

edgehog

• a passenger at the bus who hogs the aisle seat

I rode the bus with the ultimate edgehog! I had to squeeze my way to the window seat.

Trivia

In writer Sue Grafton’s alphabetically titled series of mysteries that begins with A Is for Alibi and B Is for Burglar, what is “C” for? How about “D”?

• C Is for Corpse and D Is for Deadbeat.

History

• Marie Antoinette: married Louis XVI of France when they were 14 and 15 years of age, respectively (1770)
• Edgar Allan Poe: writer of the macabre wed his 13-year-old cousin, Virginia (1836)
• shield nickel: US Congress voted to replace the half dime with a new nickel (1866)
• impeachment: in its first of 11 ballots, the US Senate failed by one vote to convict President Andrew Johnson; he was acquitted of all charges (1868)
• Academy Awards: Emil Jannings, Janet Gaynor and Wings were the winners at the first awards ceremony (1929)
• Annie Get Your Gun: Irving Berlin musical opened on Broadway, starring Ethel Merman (1946)
• Junko Tabei: became the first woman to scale Mt. Everest (1975)

Birthdays

• Studs Terkel (1912-2008): historian, author of The Good War; plus editors Anne O'Hare McCormick (1882-1954) and Walter Yust (1894-1960)
• Pierce Brosnan (58): actor and social activist, 4-time James Bond, The Ghost Writer; also, actors Henry Fonda (1905-1982), George Gaynes (94), Harry Carey, Jr. (90), Debra Winger (56), Mare Winningham (52), David Boreanaz and Tracey Gold (both 42), Tori Spelling (38), Megan Fox (25) and Melanie Lynskey (34)
• Janet Jackson (45): singer; plus, musicians Woody Herman (1913-1987), Liberace (1919-1987), Betty Carter (1930-1998), Billy Cobham (67), Boyd Tinsley (47) and Krist Novoselic (46)
• Olga Korbut (56): Olympic gold-medal winner in gymnastics; other athletes born on this date include Billy Martin (1928-1989) and Gabriela Sabatini (41)

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