Monday, September 27, 2010

rigmorole \RIG-muh-rohl\, noun:

1. An elaborate or complicated procedure.

2. Confused, incoherent, foolish, or meaningless talk.

Rigmarole is an unusual alteration of the Middle English phrase ragman roll, which refers to a "long list or catalog."

corn packer

• A farm worker tasked with picking and packing corn.
• Alternatively: A derogatory term for a gay Iowan.

"Corn packer is a derogatory term for a gay Iowan." - Stephen Colbert at House Judiciary Subcommittee hearing on Immigration, Citizenship and Border Security

Trivia

What were the first animals to fly into deep space and circle the moon?

• Two tortoises, in September 1968. The steppe tortoises were aboard the Zond 5, the Soviet Union’s unmanned spacecraft, when it made its circumlunar flight and then returned to earth.

History

• Society of Jesus: the Jesuits' order was chartered by Pope Paul III (1540)
• Locomotion No. 1: steam-powered locomotive hauled its first passenger train on England's Stockton and Darlington line (1825)
• Warren Commission: government investigative team concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in assassinating President John F. Kennedy (1964)
• NC-17: rating for adult-oriented films was introduced by the MPAA (1990)
• Taliban: a group of Islamic religious students captured Afghanistan's capital, Kabul (1996)

Birthdays

• Samuel Adams (1722-1803): American Revolutionary leader, signer of the Declaration of Independence
• 
  Thomas Nast (1840-1902): caricaturist who came up with the symbols of the Republican and Democratic Parties
• Harry Blackstone (1885-1965): magician
• Kathleen Nolan (77): the Screen Actors Guild's first female president; also, actors Jayne Meadows (90), Sada Thompson (81), Wilford Brimley (76), Greg Morris (1933-1996), Liz Torres (63), A Martinez (62), Sofia Milos (45), Patrick Muldoon (42), Amanda Detmer (39) and Gwyneth Paltrow (38)
• Avril Lavigne (26): punk/rock singer of "Sk8er Boi" and "Girlfriend"; other musicians born on this date include Bud Powell (1924-1966), Randy Bachman (67), Meat Loaf (63), Shaun Cassidy (52) and Lil' Wayne (28)