panjandrum & greenmail

panjandrum \pan-JAN-druhm\, noun:
An important personage or pretentious official.

Panjandrum was coined by Samuel Foote in a piece of nonsense writing:

So she went into the garden to cut a cabbage-leaf to make an apple-pie; and at the same time a great she-bear, coming up the street, pops its head into the shop. "What! No soap?" So he died, and she very imprudently married the barber: and there were present the Picninnies, and the Joblillies, and the Garyulies, and the grand Panjandrum himself, with the little round button at top, and they all fell to playing the game of catch-as-catch-can till the gunpowder ran out at the heels of their boots.

It was composed on the spot to challenge actor Charles Macklin's claim that he could memorize anything. Macklin is said to have refused to repeat a word of it.

greenmail \GREEN-mayl\ noun

The practice of buying a large quantity of a company's stock as a hostile
takeover measure, and then selling it to the company at a higher price.

[From green (money) + mail (as in blackmail).]

(no subject)

been up and coughing since 5am.

staying home from work today, sick.

have a cough, congestion, and stuffed up. I blame Terri at work for passing it on.

taking Theraflu and Robitussin CF.

lets hope it kicks in soon.

yech

RahhhR!

thanks to sweetalyssm for this scary zombie Scotto icon!

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Do the types of stories we choose to tell reveal our own strength of character, or lack thereof?

What lurks under your skin? Over it?

Pick all that apply. :)
[Poll #7207]

(no subject)

The Prime Number Sh-tting Bear

I will use it to teach math to my child. Sparky! Pay attention! thanks for showing it to me, applelard

(no subject)

I love my fellow pod.

Off to dreamland. nigh night!