In the Know #23

January 27, 2008

Today is International Holocaust Remembrance Day.


Dictionary.com's Word of the Day

indelible \in-DEL-uh-buhl\, adjective:
1. That cannot be removed, erased, or washed away.
2. Making marks that cannot easily be removed or erased.
3. Incapable of being forgotten; memorable.


In the news:

- A 16-year-old was arrested over allegations of intentions to hijack a commercial passenger airliner.

- Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki announces a "decisive" offensive against al-Qaeda in Iraq.

- Australia to withdraw troops from Iraq this year.


Today in History, according to Wikipedia:

98 - Trajan becomes Roman Emperor.

1678 - The first fire engine company in the United States went into service.

1825 - U.S. Congress approves Indian Territory (in what is present-day Oklahoma), paving the way for the "Trail of Tears."

1880 - Thomas Edison is granted a patent for his electric incandescent lamp.

1926 - John Logie Baird makes the first television broadcast.

1945 - The Red Army arrives at the Auschwitz-Birkenau (entrance pictured) concentration camp in Poland.


Today's Famous Births:

1756 - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Austrian composer, Le nozze di Figaro

1832 - Lewis Carroll, English author, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and "Jabberwocky"

1921 - Donna Reed, American actress, It's a Wonderful Life and From Here to Eternity

1940 - James Cromwell, American actor, The Green Mile and Babe

1955 - John G. Roberts, Jr. (pictured), 17th Chief Justice of the United States

1957 - Frank Miller, American comic book artist and writer and film director, 300 and Sin City

1971 - Jonathan Smith, American rapper, a.k.a. Lil' Jon


Trivia
Today's Category - per request, Mars...the planet, not the candy bar

~ Mars is the fourth planet from the sun.

~ Earth's circumference is 1.88 times bigger than Mars', but Earth is 9.35 times as massive.

~ It is referred to as the "Red Planet" due to its appearance from Earth.

~ A year on Mars lasts 686.5 Earth days.

~ A day on Mars lasts 24.55 Earth hours.

~ Surface temperatures range from about 133K (-220F) to 293K (68F).

~ The atmosphere of Mars is composed mostly of carbon dioxide.

~ The apparent magnitude of Mars at its brightest is about -2.9, making it visibly brighter than any star.


I always wondered...
...how The Shawshank Redemption works...

[1] Actor - Morgan Freeman; actor - Driving Miss Daisy and Glory and Se7en and Million Dollar Baby and so many more

[2] Actor - Tim Robbins; actor - Jacob's Ladder and Arlington Road

[3] Writer, short story - Stephen King; writer, short story - Stand By Me; writer, novel - The Green Mile and The Shining and a few horror novels too

[4] Director and screenplay - Frank Darabont; screenplay - The Green Mile; executive producer - Collateral

Greatest movie...ever.

[All references from Wikipedia.org unless otherwise noted]