Sunday, September 5, 2010

zetetic \zeh-TEH-tic\, adjective:

• Proceeding by inquiry; investigating

Zetetic comes from the Greekzetetikos, "searching."

GTL

• The process of staying fresh and mint. Stands for "Gym, tan, laundry." Must be done everyday to achieve maximum potential. Side effects include fist pumping. Coined by the eloquent Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino from MTV's ground breaking Jersey Shore.

You gotta GTL everyday to make sure you're looking your best bro. If your shirt looks bad it makes the whole product look bad.

Trivia

What 1968 Hollywood Cold War thriller was such a favorite of reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes that he watched it repeatedly—at least 150 times—in his declining years?

• Ice Station Zebra, starring Rock Hudson.

History

• Peter the Great: the Russian czar levied a tax on beards (1698)
• Continental Congress: delegates from 12 of the 13 colonies (Georgia did not attend) convened in Philadelphia to seek repeal of the British Intolerable Acts (1774)
• Sam Houston: was elected the first president of the Republic of Texas (1836)
• On the Road: Jack Kerouac's stream-of-consciousness novel, considered a defining work of the Beat Generation, was published (1957)
• Munich Massacre: Palestinian terrorists of the Black September group murdered 11 Israeli athletes at the Summer Olympics (1972)

Birthdays

• Louis XIV (1638-1715): king of France and Navarre
• Jesse James (1847-1882): outlaw of the American Old West
• Werner Herzog (68): director, screenwriter and producer; filmmakers Darryl F. Zanuck (1902-1979) and Dennis Dugan (64) were also born on this date
• John Cage (1912-1992): avant garde composer; plus, musicians Johann Christian Bach (1735-1782), Giacomo Meyerbeer (1791-1864), Loudon Wainwright III (64), Freddie Mercury (1946-1991) and Dweezil Zappa (41)
• Raquel Welch (70): actor, sex symbol; also, actors Bob Newhart (81), Carol Lawrence (78), William Devane (73), George Lazenby (71), Michael Keaton (59), Kristian Alfonso (47) and Rose McGowan (37)