In the Know #24

January 28, 2008


Dictionary.com's Word of the Day

neophyte \NEE-uh-fyt\, noun:
1. A new convert or proselyte.
2. A novice; a beginner in anything.


In the news:

- At least 45 people killed in a new surge of violence (pictured) that began after Kenya's disputed December 27 presidential election.

- Gunmen killed 11 people in the village of Lusignan on the coast of Guyana.

- Barack Obama wins the South Carolina Democratic primary.

- An unresponsive United States reconnaissance satellite is in an uncontrolled, decaying orbit and will re-enter Earth's atmosphere in late February or early March.


Today in History, according to Wikipedia:

1521 - The Diet of Worms begins.

1915 - U.S. Congress creates the United States Coast Guard (seal pictured).

- At the launch of NASA mission STS-51-L, Space Shuttle Challenger explodes 73 seconds after lift-off.


Today's Famous Births:

1890 - Robert Stroud, American convict, "The Birdman of Alcatraz"

1912 - Jackson Pollack, American painter, No. 5

1936 - Alan Alda, American actor and writer and director, "M.A.S.H."

1954 - Rick Warren, American pastor and author,

1955 - Nicolas Sarkozy (pictured), President of France

1959 - Frank Darabont, American filmmaker, The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile

1974 - Magglio Ordoñez, Venezuelan baseball player, 6-time All Star

1981 - Elijah Wood, American actor, Lord of the Rings trilogy


Trivia
Today's Category - per request, Jupiter...the planet, not the orchestral piece or the rocket

~ Jupiter (pictured, as seen from Voyager I - click it to watch the approach) is the fifth planet from the sun, located beyond the asteroid belt and is one of four Jovian planets, the gas giants.

~ Jupiter's circumference is 11.2 times bigger than Earth's with 1,317 times more volume, but it is only 318 times as massive as Earth.

~ A year on Jupiter lasts 11.86 Earth years.

~ A day on Jupiter lasts only 9.9 Earth hours.

~ Mean temperature is between 112K (-258F) to 165K (-163F) depending on altitude.

~ The atmosphere of Jupiter is composed mostly of hydrogen and helium.

~ The apparent magnitude of Jupiter varies from -1.6 to -2.9 at its brightest, making it easily distinguishable from the stars.


I always wondered...
...how youth ministry works...

If you have any idea...let me know.

[All references from Wikipedia.org unless otherwise noted]