Dedicated To The Memory Of Esperanza Aquino
Thursday September 30th, 2004
In Today's Edition
Larry has asked me to remind you all that he has reserved our section of the park from 8:00 am until sunset. He said he'll probably be there between 8:30 and 9:00 (yeah right).
Remember to bring what your party plans to eat and drink and also bring a side dish that everyone can dig into. I plan on bringing my world famous macaroni salad so those of you that get "dry mouth" while eating it - I suggest that you bring an extra jar of mayo for yourself.
It doesn't look like there's going to be as big a turnout as past Pikniks but I'm going to relish this one the most nevertheless. Who knows? This may be the last one.
Born On September 30th
Lacey Chabert (1982)
Dominique Moceanu (1981)
Martina Hingis (1980)
Jenna Elfman (1971)
Robby Takac (1964)
Fran Drescher (1957)
Marilyn McCoo (1943)
Z.Z. Hill (1935)
Johnny Mathis (1935)
Angie Dickinson (1931)
Truman Capote (1924)
Deborah Kerr (1921)
Buddy Rich (1917)
Kraft
Did you hear about the new facility Kraft Foods is building in Israel?
It's called "Cheeses of Nazareth."
Today's useless fact - What purpose do eyebrows serve?
Faster than you can blink an eye, we went to our Beauty Tips category for the answer to your question.
From the links we visited, it seems the consensus is that eyebrows are there to keep the sweat and rain out of our eyes. Try running a couple of miles and having salty sweat run down in your eyes. You'll appreciate those little caterpillar-like things.
One of the links in the category explaines that scientists aren't sure why we lost most of the hair on our bodies as we evolved but retained the hair above our eyes. Their best guess is that the arch shape of the eyebrow diverts rain or sweat down our cheeks, keeping our eyes dry. This was an important feature for early man to retain. It's difficult to outrun a predator if you have sweat in your eyes and can't see where you're going.
Another link adds that eyebrows also help us to communicate. Sometimes a raised eyebrow is more effective than words.
So aside from providing a convenient location for a facial piercing, it appears that eyebrows actually do serve a purpose.
What's The Buzzword For September 30th?
sarcasm \SAHR-kaz-um\ noun
What does it mean?
1 : a remark made usually to hurt someone's feelings or
show scorn
2 : the use of sarcasms
How do you use it?
"'Well; no matter if it be past!' answered the artist, a
strange gleam of half-hidden sarcasm flashing through the
kindliness of his manner." (Nathaniel Hawthorne, _The House
of the Seven Gables_)
Are you a word wiz?
In what language do you think "sarcasm" has its origins?
A. Sanskrit
B. Greek
C. Scots
D. Chinese
Answer:
We'll cut to the chase: B is the right answer. The word
"sarcasm" derives from "sarkazein," a Greek verb that
literally means "to tear flesh." Anyone who has suffered
from sharp, cutting, or wounding sarcastic remarks probably
wasn't surprised to learn that. The Greeks also used
"sarkazein" in the extended senses of "to bite one's lip in
rage," and "to gnash one's teeth," and finally "to sneer."
From there, the Greek noun "sarkasmos," meaning "a
sneering or hurtful remark," came into use. It is from this
noun that English got "sarcasm."
Today's Jigsaw Puzzle
Click Here
Tigh Mor
That's All For Now. Have a Great Weekend. See You Saturday.
The following is what appeared in Wednesday's edition.
In Today's Edition
"A mother takes twenty years to make a man of her boy, and another woman makes a fool of him in twenty minutes." -- Robert Frost
Born On September 29th
Bryant Gumbel (1948)
Lech Walesa (1943)
Madeline Kahn (1942)
Jerry Lee Lewis (1935)
Anita Ekberg (1931)
Stanley Kramer (1913)
Greer Garson (1908)
Gene Autry (1907)
Miguel de Cervantes (1547)
Hillbilly Medical Terms
Benign ................ What you be after you be eight.
Bacteria ............... Back door to cafeteria.
Barium ................. What you do with dead folks.
Cesarean Section ....... A neighborhood in Rome.
Catscan ................ Searching for the cat.
Cauterize .......... Made eye contact with her.
Colic ............... A sheep dog.
Coma ............... A punctuation mark.
D&C ................ Where Washington is.
Dilate ............. To live longer than your kids do.
Enema ............. Not a friend.
Fester ............ Quicker than someone else.
Fibula ............ A small lie.
G.I.Series ......... World Series of military baseball.
Hangnail ........... What you hang your coat on.
Impotent ........... Distinguished, well known.
Labor Pain .......... Getting hurt at work.
Morbid .............. A higher offer than I bid.
Nitrates ............ Cheaper than day rates.
Medical Staff ....... A Doctor's cane, sometimes shown with a snake.
Node .................... I knew it.
Outpatient .............. A person who has fainted.
Pap Smear ................ A fatherhood test.
Pelvis ................... Second cousin to Elvis.
Post Operative ........... A letter carrier.
Recovery Room .... Place to do upholstery.
Secretion ....... Hiding something.
Tablet .......... A small table to change babies on.
Seizure .......... Roman emperor who lived in the Ceasarean Section.
Terminal Illness .... Getting sick at the train station.
Tumor ............... More than one.
Urine ............... Opposite of mine.
Varicose ............ Near by.
Hospital ............ The biggest building in town, other than Ed's feed warehouse.
The Original
Fixed
On The Beach
Today's useless fact - What is the most frequently visited tourist attraction in the U.S.?
This question proved trickier to answer than we first thought. But our search eventually lead us to the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) web site, listed in the LUKOL directory. ASTA's spring 2003 Hot Spots Survey shows that Orlando, Florida is the number one U.S. travel destination.
Hoping for more specific information, we headed to the Orlando category in the LUKOL directory. Checking the links there we found the Orlando/Orange County Convention and Visitors Bureau site, which offers extensive reports on the area's tourism industry.
According to the Bureau's Domestic Leisure Visitor Profile, "visiting a theme/amusement park was the most popular activity" for U.S. travelers to Orlando. Also on this site, a report from the Amusement Business Magazine and the Orlando Business Journal put Disney World's Magic Kingdom at the top of the attraction attendance list with an estimated 15.4 million visitors in 2003. Disney World's Epcot Center, the Disney-MGM Studios, and Disney's Animal Kingdom fill the next spots on the attendance list.
While none of these sites came right out and said it, judging from this data, we think it's pretty safe to say that the home of Mickey Mouse and friends gets the most visitors of any U.S. tourist attraction.
What's The Buzzword For September 29th?
urchin \ER-chun\ noun
What does it mean?
: a mischievous child
How do you use it?
Vanessa loved to listen to Grandma tell about when Dad was
a young urchin who was always getting into mischief.
Are you a word wiz?
The word "urchin" used to refer to something quite different
from a mischievous child. Which of the following do you think
it is?
A. puppy
B. hedgehog
C. rabbit
D. coyote
Answer:
Mischievous children have been called "urchins" since at
least the mid-1500s. But back in the 1300s, when it first
appeared in English, the word "urchin" referred to a hedgehog.
"Urchin" ultimately comes from the Latin "eris," meaning
"hedgehog." The curious physical appearance of hedgehogs gave
rise to extended uses of "urchin. To call a person an "urchin"
usually suggested a ragged appearance, but a hedgehog's sharp
spines were also sometimes compared to a person's sharp wit.
"Urchin" also referred to mischievous goblins and elves
believed to take the form of hedgehogs. The prickly hedgehog
also gave its name to a spiny marine cousin, the sea urchin.
Today's Jigsaw Puzzle
That's All For Today. Tune In Tomorrow For More Stuff.
The following is what appeared in Tuesday's edition.
In Today's Edition
Here you go Pud!
Your wish is my command
Born On September 28th
Gwyneth Paltrow (1972)
Mira Sorvino (1967)
Moon Unit Zappa (1967)
Janeane Garofalo (1964)
Brigitte Bardot (1934)
Arnold Stang (1925)
Marcello Mastroianni (1924)
Al Capp (1909)
Ed Sullivan (1901)
Starbucks
Starbucks announced this week that from now on new Starbucks employees will be required to go through 32 hours of training.
The first hour Starbucks employees learn how to make a cup of coffee, then the next 31 hours they learn how to charge $4 with a straight face.
Today's useless fact - Does putting batteries in the freezer make them last longer?
According the links in our Batteries category, storing batteries in the freezer (or refrigerator) will make them last longer, but it depends on what kind of battery you're using. And in the long run, it may not be worth the hassle.
For alkaline batteries (the most common kind of household battery), putting them in the freezer will extend their shelf life by less than 5%. And cold batteries can't be used immediately -- you have to wait until they've warmed up to room temperature first. If you need those batteries for a flashlight in an emergency, this could prove problematic. When stored at room temperature, alkaline batteries retain 90% of their power, and the average shelf life of alkaline batteries is five to seven years.
For NiMH and Nicad batteries (often used for electronics), storing them in the freezer might be more practical. These kinds of batteries lose their charge after a few days when kept at room temperature. But they'll retain a 90% charge for months if you store them in the freezer. Just like alkaline batteries, you'll need to wait until they've warmed up before using them. However, this isn't a problem when you need new batteries for your digital camera or other electronic gadget.
Battery manufacturers tend to agree. Kodak says "refrigeration is not necessary, nor is it recommended" and "freezing is not recommended" for its alkaline batteries. Duracell advises: "Do not refrigerate Duracell batteries. This will not make them last longer." Both recommend storing batteries in a cool, dry place
What's The Buzzword For September 28th?
rangy \RAIN-jee\ adjective
What does it mean?
1 : having long limbs and a long body
2 : tall and slender in body build
How do you use it?
Ralph was a rangy boy who used his long legs to become an
excellent moonshine runner.
Are you a word wiz?
We've told you only part of the story about "rangy." The
word has another meaning in addition to the two listed above.
Which of the following do you think it is?
A. of or relating to a mountain range
B. ranging in length or height
C. having a wide singing range
D. able to range for considerable distances
Answer:
We hope that after ranging through the choices, you've
picked D: "able to range for considerable distances." When
"rangy" first came to be used in the late 1800s, this is what
the word meant. (The verb "range" in this case means "to roam
over or through" or "roam freely.") Some horses were described
as "rangy" because they could range across the huge expanses.
Other animals, such as cattle with long limbs and bodies, also
came to be described as "rangy." Before long, "rangy" was
applied to people with tall, slender physiques.
Today's Jigsaw Puzzle
That's All For Today. Tune In Tomorrow For More Stuff.
The following is what appeared in Monday's edition.
In Today's Edition
'Tis better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than open one's mouth and remove all doubt.
- Samuel Johnson
Here's the latest info from Neen about the Piknik
PIKNIK NEWS UPDATE
SATURDAY OCTOBER 2, 2004
SAN DIMAS CANYON PARK
1628 SYCAMORE CANYON ROAD
SAN DIMAS, CA 91773
PICNIC AREA 2
11:00 AM UNTIL ??????
- Each family/group/couple, etc. shall be responsible for its own main dish, supplies, drinks, etc.
- Each family/group/couple, etc. shall bring a side dish, fruit, dessert for all to share
- Due to time & financial constraints, we will be raffling Tribune memorabilia, donations, etc. to offset initial costs of hasty planning.
- Ana will be in charge of the raffle tickets. Please give her your support.
- Larry & Roni will again be in charge of games and bakeoff. I know some of you think that they cheat, but no one else volunteered, so we are stuck with them!
- Renee and Danielle will be in charge of the piņata and its contents
Here are the directions to the Piknik site
Born On September 27th
Stephan Jenkins (1964)
Shaun Cassidy (1958)
Mike Schmidt (1949)
Meat Loaf (1947)
Wilford Brimley (1934)
Greg Morris (1934)
Jayne Meadows (1926)
Arthur Penn (1922)
William Conrad (1920)
Two Wal-Mart Greeters
Two Wal-Mart greeters were sitting on bench during break.
One turns to the other asking,"Slim, I'm 73 years old and I'm just full of aches and pains, I know you are about my age, How do you feel?
Slim says, "I feel just like a new born babe."
Rather amazed his co-worker repeats his statement in the form of a question, "Really? A new born babe???"
"Yup", grins Slim, "No teeth, No hair and I think I just wet my pants."
Today's useless fact - How many new baseballs are used in an average major league game?
According the links in our Baseball Facts category, every major league game begins with six dozen balls. The average life of a ball is six pitches. Since most major league games average between 250 and 300 pitches, that would put the ball count at about 40 or 50 balls used per game.
Sounds reasonable to us. Now, if we only we could figure out why they put a team in Montreal.
What's The Buzzword For September 27th?
erudite \AIR-uh-dyte\ adjective
What does it mean?
: having or showing wide knowledge gained chiefly from books
How do you use it?
"Matthias did a cartwheel. He whooped with joy. 'Methuselah,
you're a magician, an ancient wizard!' The old mouse shook
his head modestly. 'Oh, dear me, no. I like to think of myself
as an aged but extremely erudite scholar.'" (Brian Jacques,
_Redwall_)
Are you a word wiz?
"Erudite" comes ultimately from the Latin word "rudis."
What do you think "rudis" means?
A. red, ruddy
B. origin, beginning
C. rude, ignorant
D. hidden, secret
Answer:
You're an erudite word scholar if you chose C! "Erudite"
traces back to the Latin word for "rude" or "ignorant." How
did such a fancy well-behaved word spring from such a terrible
beginning? It's all in the prefix "e-," which means "away
from." In this case, the prefix "e-" combined with the Latin
word "rudis" to form the Latin "erudire," which means "to
instruct." From there, the adjective "erudit," meaning
"learned," came into Middle English. We added the silent "e"
at the end to give us "erudite."
