Speedog's definitions

white dwarf

Noun (astrophysics term): the small, highly-dense stellar body remaining after the nova detonation of a "main sequence" star, typically Earth-sized in overall dimension, but displacing a gravitational mass equivalent to that of the Earth's Sun.

Astrophysicists now calculate that white dwarf stars may account for as much as 6% of all the known stars in our quadrant of the Milky Way galaxy.

by speedog July 13, 2010

air-heel

Verb (high fashion slang): To walk barefoot on the ball of one's feet (or foot) with the heel elevated, as though one is wearing heeled shoes, most usually in the event that one or both shoes are lost during a fashion show; the object being to maintain balance and poise as best possible.

'When Karolina Kurkova lost her shoe during the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, she had to air-heel it down the runway and back"

by Speedog December 1, 2009

Majestic 12

Noun: an alleged, but unsubstantiated, covert operation of the United States of America; with authorization to investigate the possibility of extraterrestrial alien intrusion onto American territory. Purportedly created by executive directive in 1947.

Although many documents have been circulated referencing "Operation Majestic 12", non have to date been officially verified as authentic.

by speedog June 20, 2010

To Protect and To Serve

Phrase: the motto of the Los Angeles Police Department.

'Displayed prominently on all LAPD vehicles is the phrase: To Protect and To Serve".

by speedog May 3, 2010

Climb Mount Nitaka

Phrase (WW II Japanese military): code phrase authorizing the activation of "Operation Z", the Japanese attack on U.S. naval forces based at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Once Emperor Hirohito had given his assent to Operation Z, the code phrase "Climb Mount Nitaka" was transmitted to Admiral Yamamoto.

by speedog July 7, 2010

causality

Noun (physics terminology): the natural sequential relation between any cause and its subsequent effect in the known universe, in which any effect is invariably preceded by the cause of that effect, and never the reverse.

"Newton's Third Law of Motion is essentially a confirmation of the principle of causality."

by speedog April 30, 2010

contact

Aviation term: a verbal queue expressed by the pilot of a propeller-driven aircraft lacking a starter to a mechanic positioned forward of the engine, indicating that the pilot has connected the main electrical circuit of the aircraft via a switch in the cockpit, and that the mechanic should manually rotate the propeller in order to start the engine.

"When Lt. Rickenbacker engaged the main switch of his S.P.A.D. fighter, he shouted 'Contact!' to his mechanic to crank the propeller."

by speedog May 23, 2010