Friday, July 8, 2011

patois \pat-WAH\, noun:

1. A regional version of a language differing from its standard, literary form.

2. Arural or provincial form of speech.

3. Any jargon or private form of speech.

Patois enters English in the 1600s from the Old French patoier, "to handle clumsily."

ugly cry

• A type of crying that can feel really good and really bad at the same time. The ugly cry can occur after a severe tragedy in one's life, or simply for no reason at all. You know you're doing the ugly cry when you lose COMPLETE CONTROL of all of the muscles in your face, start heaving and making awkward sounds (even though you are trying really hard to be silent), and start leaking fluids from every opening on your face from your hairline to your chin (yes, this includes the mouth). Without a doubt, by the time you are through with your ugly cry episode (if it was genuine) it will look as though you are a homeless person with pink eye who got punched a few times in the face and was hit my a monsoon; this is completely normal (and generally the time to call up a good friend).

Johnny's mom just died, and when he tried to tell me about her, he broke into the ugly cry instead.

 

No movie can make you ugly cry like My Dog Skip.

Trivia

What was used to make the false eyebrows that were considered fashionable in the 18th century?

• Mouse skin. Real eyebrows would be shaved off and replaced with the fake ones.

History

• 1969 Vietnam War U.S. troops begin withdrawing from Vietnam.
• 1947 Roswell UFO Incident A report appears in newspaper Roswell Daily Record announcing "RAAF Captures Flying Saucer On Ranch in Roswell Region."
• 1924 First black to win an individual Olympic gold medal De Hart Hubbard (American) wins in the long jump.
• 1896 Cross of Gold William Jennings Bryan gives his famous speech advocating against the gold standard. "Having behind us the producing masses of this nation and the world, supported by the commercial interests, the laboring interests and the toilers everywhere, we will answer their demand for a gold standard by saying to them: You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns, you shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold."
• 1892 American Psychological Association (APA) is founded, purpose is to advance psychology as a science.
• 1889 Last U.S. bareknuckle boxing match John L. Sullivan knocks out Jack Kilrain in the 75th round for the U.S. heavyweight championship.
• 1889 The Wall Street Journal The first issue of the famous paper is published.
• 1870 First U.S. trademark law is passed by Congress. It was later declared unconstitutional.
• 1776 Declaration of Independence The first public reading is given.

Birthdays

• 1958 Kevin Bacon American actor. Film: Footloose (1984), She's Having a Baby (1988), and Flatliners (1990).
• 1951 Anjelica Huston American Oscar-winning actress. Film: Prizzi's Honor (1985, Oscar) and The Addams Family (1991, Morticia).
• 1935 Steve Lawrence (Sidney Leibowitz), American singer, married to partner Eydie Gorme. Music: Go Away Little Girl (1962, #1).
• 1933 Marty Feldman d. 1982 English pop-eyed comic. Film: Young Frankenstein (1974, Igor).
• 1931 Roone Arledge d. 2002 American sports broadcasting pioneer, winner of 36 Emmys. TV: President of ABC Sports (1968-86) and President of ABC News (1977-98), creator of Monday Night Football, Wide World of Sports, 20/20, Prime Time Live, and Nightline.
• 1926 Elisabeth Kubler-Ross d. 2004 Swiss-born American physician, author of On Death and Dying (1969). She identified the stages of dying as: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.
• 1917 Pamela Brown d. 1975 English Emmy-winning actress, Victoria Regina (1961, Emmy).
• 1914 Billy Eckstine d. 1993 (William Eckstein), American blues singer. Music: Blue Moon, Fools Rush In, and I Apologize. He was the first black singer to become a national sex symbol.
• 1909 Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller d. 1979 41st U.S. Vice-President (1974-77) and governor of New York (1959-73).
• 1907 George Romney d. 1995 American politician, automotive executive, ex-Governor of Michigan. As chief executive of AMC from 1954-62, he bucked current trends and introduced the compact car (a word he coined).