Thursday, September 1, 2011

substrate \SUHB-streyt\, noun:

1. Something that is spread or laid under something else.

2. In biochemistry. the substance acted upon by an enzyme.

3. In electronics, a supporting material on which a circuit is formed or fabricated.

Substrate combines the Latin sub-, "under," and sternere, "to spread."

naff

• British slang, describes something that is stupid, lame or unpalatable.

That party was naff — they ran out of beer, and the people were way too uptight.

Trivia

In the 1993 film comedy Groundhog Day, what song is playing morning after morning when Bill Murray, as TV newsman Phil Connors, is awakened by a radio alarm clock?

• “I Got You Babe,” sung by Sonny and Cher.

History

• Canadian provinces: Canada welcomed two new provinces, Saskatchewan and Alberta (1905)
• WWII: Germany invaded Poland and the war began (1939)
• 1923 Great Kantō earthquake: a quake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale devastated Tokyo and Yokohama; tens of thousands died and millions were left homeless
• Muammar al-Qaddafi: took power in Libya after overthrowing King Idris I (1969)
• Titanic: the wreck of the luxury liner was found by American and French searchers on the North Atlantic ocean floor 73 years after she sank (1985)
• Beslan: Chechen terrorists took over a Russian school; hundreds were killed during the three-day standoff (2004)

Birthdays

• Edgar Rice Burroughs (1875-1950): creator of Tarzan
• Walter Reuther (1907-1970): UAW president, labor leader
• Seiji Ozawa (76): renowned conductor; plus, opera composer Engelbert Humperdinck (1854-1921)
• Alan Dershowitz (73): high-profile lawyer and author
• Phil McGraw (61): TV psychologist and life strategist
• Gloria Estefan (54): Grammy-winning singer of "Rhythm Is Gonna Get You"; also, musicians Barry Gibb (65), Greg Errico (63), Boney James (50) and Grant Lee Phillips (48)
• Ricardo Antonio Chavira (40): Desperate Housewives' Carlos Solis; other actors born on this date include George Maharis (83), Lily Tomlin (72), Don Stroud (68) and Scott Speedman (36)

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