14 September 2015

Throttlebottom

[throt-l-bot-uh m]

noun, ( sometimes lowercase)

1. a harmless incompetent in public office.

Origin of Throttlebottom

after Alexander Throttlebottom, character in Of Thee I Sing (1932), musical comedy by George S. Kaufman and Morris Ryskind

Dictionary.com

Anagram

blotto them tort
blotter moth tot

Today’s quote

Justice and power must be brought together, so that whatever is just may be powerful, and whatever is powerful may be just.

– Blaise Pascal

On this day

14 September 1752 – the British Empire commences using the Gregorian calendar instead of the Julian calendar. To balance the calendar, the 10 days from 3 September to 13 September are written off. This is because the Gregorian claimed the annual cycle was 365.2425 days. The Julian calendar was based on 365.25 days per year, hence the leap year every 4 years to make up the 0.25 days each year.

14 September 1812 – Fire of Moscow – French troops under the command of Napoleon defeat Russian troops in the Battle of Borodino and invade Moscow. Count Fyodor Rostopchin orders Russian citizens to destroy the Kremlin and other major buildings as they retreat. The fires burn for 4 days and destroy around 75% of Moscow.

14 September 1983 – birthday of Amy Winehouse. English singer-songwriter. Died 23 July 2011.