Monday, June 27, 2011

attenuate \uh-TEN-yoo-eyt\, verb:

1. To weaken or reduce in force, intensity, effect, quantity, or value

2. To make thin; make slender or fine.

3. In medicine, to render less virulent, as a strain of pathogenic virus or bacterium.

4. In electronics, to decrease the amplitude of an electronic signal.

Attenuate is based on the Latin attenuāre, "to thin, reduce."

Macaroni and Sneeze

• A regular for lunch at institutions such as public schools, hospitals (esp. mental), and the military/boot camp. Any kind of pasta dish consisting of ingredients/prepared by individuals you are unsure of.

The lunch lady had something hanging from her nose on Monday, the same day we had Macaroni and Sneeze...

Trivia

What did Founding Father James Madison propose as the determining factor in setting congressional pay?

• Wheat prices—more specifically, the average price of wheat during the previous six years of a congressional session.

History

• Joseph Smith: the founder of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was killed by an anti-Mormon mob in Illinois (1844)
• Joshua Slocum: Canadian adventurer landed at Newport, Rhode Island, becoming the first to circumnavigate the world on his own (1898)
• Newbery Medal: was first awarded, to Hendrik Willem van Loon for The Story of Mankind (1922)
• paintball: the first game was played, in New Hampshire (1981)
• US National Do Not Call Registry: opened for business; almost ¾ of a million phone numbers were signed up on its first day in a stand against unwanted telemarketing (2003)

Birthdays

• Alexis Bouvard (1767-1843): astronomer and director of the Paris Observatory
• Helen Keller (1880-1968): blind and deaf author, lecturer and social activist
• H. Ross Perot (81): wealthy Texan who ran for president
• Vera Wang (53): fashion designer who specializes in wedding gowns
• J.J. Abrams (45): writer/producer/director, Lost, Alias
• Ed Westwick (24): bad boy Chuck Bass on Gossip Girl; also, actors Bob Keeshan (1927-2004), Julia Duffy (60), Isabelle Adjani (56), Tobey Maguire (36), Drake Bell (25), Matthew Lewis (22) and Madylin Sweeten (20)

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