Friday, September 23, 2011

copacetic \koh-puh-SET-ik\, adjective:

• Very satisfactory; fine.

The origin of copacetic is unknown.

unlightening

• A process of "learning" something that makes you feel dumber.

The conversation I had with my blind date was so unlightening that I practically fell asleep before the salad course.

Trivia

The rocker Kid Rock was named Robert James Ritchie at birth. What was funnyman Chris Rock’s birth name?

• Chris Rock—or, more formally, Christopher Julius Rock III.

History

• "I have not yet begun to fight": defiant statement was reportedly proclaimed by American commander John Paul Jones, just before winning a naval battle with the British (1779)
• Lewis and Clark: explorers arrived back in St. Louis after a three-year journey through the US Pacific Northwest (1806)
• Checkers speech: as a vice-presidential candidate, Richard M. Nixon denied having received improper contributions, except perhaps for his daughter's dog, Checkers (1952)

Birthdays

• Augustus (63 BCE-14 CE): Roman emperor
• Emmuska Orczy (1865-1947): author of The Scarlet Pimpernel; commentator and author Walter Lippmann (1889-1974) shares this birth date
• Bruce Springsteen (62): rocker, Born in the USA; other musicians born on this date include John Coltrane (1926-1967) , Ray Charles (1930-2004) and Julio Iglesias (68)
• Jason Alexander (52): singer/actor, best known as Seinfeld's best friend, George Costanza; also, actors Mickey Rooney (91), Paul Petersen (66), Mary Kay Place (64), and Chi McBride and Elizabeth Pena (both 49)
• Lucia Cifarelli (41): singer from LI, NY. KMFDM. Married to Sascha Konietzko