Tuesday, September 21, 2010

milquetoast

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  One who has a meek, timid, unassertive nature.

WORD HISTORY An indication of the effect on the English language of popular culture is the adoption of names from the comic strips as English words. Casper Milquetoast, created by Harold Webster in 1924, was a timid and retiring man named for a timid food....

bingo tease

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  a person who claims to have bingo but does not

Person A: "BINGO!"

Person B: (looks at bingo card) I did not call O 69

All other players: "SHES SUCH A BINGO TEASE!"

Trivia

When it comes to Japanese martial arts, what is jukendo?

• Fighting with bayonets.

History

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  Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus: editorial in the New York Sun addressed an eight-year-old's doubts (1897)
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  The Hobbit: J.R.R. Tolkien's classic Middle-earth novel was published (1937)
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  independence: Malta (1964) and Belize (1981) become independent of the United Kingdom
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  Hindu milk miracle: was said to have occurred at a temple in New Delhi (1995)

Birthdays

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  John Loudon McAdam (1756-1836): inventor, macadam roads
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  Chuck Jones (1912-2002): animator of Bugs Bunny
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  Jerry Bruckheimer (65): prolific producer of action films and TV shows, CSI; plus, producer Ethan Coen (52)
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  Stephen King (63): prolific author of Misery and The Shining; writers H.G. Wells (1866-1946) and Fannie Flagg (66) share this birth date
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  Bill Murray (60): comedian, actor, Ghostbusters, Lost in Translation; also, actors Karl Slover (92), Larry Hagman (79), Henry Gibson (1935-2009), , Dave Coulier (51), David James Elliott (50), Nancy Travis (49), Rob Morrow (48), Cheryl Hine (45), Ricki Lake (42), Luke Wilson (39), Nicole Richie (29) and Maggie Grace (27)
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  Faith Hill (43): country singer; also, musician Don Felder (62)