Saturday, March 11, 2006

Spotlight
When wine goes through a second fermentation, it develops bubbles; this sparkling wine is called champagne. Lawrence Welk, born on this date in 1903, was a band leader and accordionist, whose easy listening style of music played on TV and radio for decades. The music was so light and bubbly that one fan compared it to champagne and the tag "champagne music" stuck. While Welk's band played big-band era pop songs and polkas, bubbles floated gently over the singers and dancers on stage.

Quote
"I just had an idea that went right over my head." – Lawrence Welk

Word of the day
effervescence: the state of giving off bubbles; when champagne is poured, its effervescence tickles the nose. (© )

Today's News

• Slobodan Milosevic: former Yugoslav leader found dead in his cell (story)
• economy class syndrome: it's not only the immobility that causes deep vein thrombosis (story)
• Google: enters online word processing market (story)
• Enceladus: icy moon of Saturn has water; could it harbor life? (story)

Today's History

• Great Blizzard of 1888: hit the northeastern US, 400 died
• Paul McCartney: was knighted by Queen Elizabeth (1997)
• Madrid bombings: 10 bombs exploded on the train system during rush hour, killing 191 (2004)

Today's Birthdays

• Rupert Murdoch: media mogul, CEO of News Corp. (75)
• Bobby McFerrin: singer, "Don't Worry, Be Happy" (56)
• Douglas Adams: author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1952-2001)