Friday, June 17, 2011

abut \uh-buht\ , verb;

1. To be adjacent; touch or join at the edge or border.

2. To end at.

Origin: Abut relates to the Old French abuter, "to touch at one end," but also verbally relates to "of a but to" the end of something, and perhaps derives influence from the English butt, or "ending."

nerdjacking

• In conversation, digressing into extreme and/or unnecessary detail about oneâs passion (music, coding, gaming) to an otherwise uninitiated layperson, without awareness or acknowledgement of the listenerâs rapidly waning interest or lack of understanding of the subject at hand.

Clyde held Stellaâs attention briefly, until he began nerdjacking the conversation by talking about World of Warcraft for 4 uncomfortable minutes.

Trivia

What percentage of the typical adult human body’s oxygen and caloric intake is used by the brain?

• 20 percent.

History

• California: was claimed by Sir Francis Drake for England; he called it Nova Albion (1579)
• Battle of Bunker Hill: first great battle of the Revolutionary War began (1775)
• Statue of Liberty: gift from France arrived in New York (1885)
• Watergate: office break-in at Democratic Headquarters in Washington began a scandal that would bring down a government (1972)
• O.J. Simpson: the car chase watched by millions on TV ended in the arrest of the NFL Hall-of-Famer suspected of murdering his ex-wife, Nicole, and Ronald Goldman (1994)

Birthdays

• John Robert Gregg (1867-1948): invntr/ shrt-hnd
• Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971): composer of The Rite of Spring; plus, composers Charles Gounod (1818-1893), Sammy Fain (1902-1989) and Gene de Paul (1919-1988)
• M. C. Escher (1898-1972): graphic artist with the brain-teasing prints
• Barry Manilow (68): singer of "Copacabana," other musicians: Eric Stefani (43), Jello Biafra (52) punk rocker
• Greg Kinnear (48): starred in Little Miss Sunshine and Flash of Genius; also, actors Joe Piscopo (60), Mark Linn-Baker (57), Thomas Haden Church (50) and Jason Patric (45)
• Venus Williams (31): Olympic tennis champion; and, speed-skating champ Dan Jansen (46)

Read more: http://www.answers.com