Saturday, December 10, 2011

adytum \ad-i-tuhm\, noun:

1. A sacred place that the public is forbidden to enter; an inner shrine.

2. The most sacred or reserved part of any place of worship.

Adytum is from the Greek roots a- meaning “not” and -dyton meaning “to enter.”

first nap of the day

• Euphemism for sleeping late.

Where's Deb? Her breakfast is getting cold.

She's taking the first nap of the day.

Trivia

What powerful world leader was barred from visiting Disneyland in 1959 for security reasons?

• Nikita Khrushchev, during the Cold War. The Soviet premier raged, “What is it, do you have rocket-launching pads there?”

History

• Mississippi: the Magnolia State became America's 20th state (1817)
• Spanish-American War: conflict ended with Spain renouncing its claim to Cuba and ceding Guam, Puerto Rico and the Philippines to the US (1898)
• Nobel Prizes: were first awarded in Stockholm in the fields of physics, chemistry, medicine, literature and peace (1901)
• "The Gift of the Magi": O. Henry's short story was first published (1906)
• Universal Declaration of Human Rights: was adopted by the UN; it became the world's most translated document (1948)
• 300 million yen robbery: Japan's biggest heist was perpetrated; it remains unsolved (1968)

Birthdays

• Emily Dickinson (1830-1886): reclusive poet; plus, writers Giovanni Battista Guarini (1538-1612), George Macdonald (1824-1905), Nelly Sachs (1891-1970) and Mary Norton (1903-1992)
• Thomas Gallaudet (1787-1851): educator of the deaf
• Paul Hardcastle (54): jazz musician; plus, singers Chad Stuart (70), Gloria Loring (65), J Mascis (46) and Kevin Sharp (41)
• Kenneth Branagh (51): actor best known for his interpretations of Shakespeare's plays; also, actors Harold Gould (1923-2010), Fionnula Flanagan and Tommy Kirk (both 69), Susan Dey (59), Michael Clarke Duncan (54), Nia Peeples (50) and Raven-Symoné (26)

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