Wednesday, September 7, 2011

aplomb \uh-PLOM\, noun:

• Assurance of manner or of action; self-possession; confidence; coolness.

Aplomb is from the French word meaning "perpendicularity, equilibrium, steadiness, assurance," from the Old French phrase a plomb, from a, "according to" (from Latin ad) + plomb, "lead weight" (from Latin plumbum, "lead").

Surfing the Desktop

• To look at or browse your desktop files and documents when your internet is down, while either waiting for your internet connection to be restored or if you're just bored.

The internet has been down all day, I've been surfing the desktop in the meantime. I even found some videos I forgot I had downloaded.

Trivia

Which five actors played gun-toting ex-con Elvis impersonators in the 2001 film 3000 Miles to Graceland?

• Kevin Costner, Kurt Russell, Christian Slater, David Arquette, and Bokeem Woodbine.

History

• Brazil: the largest country in South America declared its independence from Portugal (1822)
• Peking Protocol: ended the Boxer Rebellion in China (1901)
• Miss America: the first competition began, as a two-day beauty contest, in Atlantic City, New Jersey (1921)
• Tasmanian wolf: the last known thylacine, Benjamin, died in Hobart Zoo, though there may be survivors in the wild (1936)
• London Blitz: heavy bombing of the UK by the Nazi Luftwaffe began during WWII (1940)
• ESPN: the popular all-sports network made its debut on cable TV (1979)

Birthdays

• Elizabeth I (1533-1603): England's "Virgin Queen"
• Taylor Caldwell (1900-1985): novelist; also, writers Elinor Wylie (1885-1928) and Edith Sitwell (1887-1964)
• Buddy Holly (1936-1959): rock and roller, "Peggy Sue"; also, musicians Arthur Ferrante (90), Sonny Rollins (81), Gloria Gaynor (62), Chrissie Hynde (60), Benmont Tench (58) and Michael Feinstein (55)
• Evan Rachel Wood (24): actress, Once and Again, The Wrestler; also, actors Anthony Quayle (1913-1989), Peter Lawford (1923-1984), Julie Kavner (60), Michael Emerson and Corbin Bernsen (both 56), W. Earl Brown (48), Tom Everett Scott (41), Shannon Elizabeth (38) and Oliver Hudson (35)

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