Mercury

1. Innermost planet in the solar system, and officially the smallest major planet since Pluto was demoted to the newly created category of dwarf planet in 2006. Diameter c. 3,050 miles. Large iron core, pitted surface, negligible atmosphere. Orbital period 88 days. Rotational period 59 days. Surface temperature ranges from minus 180 to plus 430 degrees Centigrade. No natural satellites. Gravity at surface about 38 percent of Earth gravity. Currently (in 2008) being mapped by the MESSENGER space probe.

2. The planet's namesake was the messenger god of ancient Rome, well known for his winged sandals and identified with intersex identity and hermaphroditism. Greek counterpart was Hermes.

3. Stage surname of lead singer Freddie of the rock group Queen. Born Farrokh Bulsara September 5th 1946, died of AIDS-related pneumonia on November 24th 1991. With his band provided much of the soundtrack for various movies, most notably Higlander. A real character.

4. Metallic chemical element, liquid at room temperature, density around 13.5 grammes per cubic centimetre (or times that of water), atomic number 80. Symbol Hg, from Latin Hydrargyrum, derived from Greek form meaning "water-silver". Toxic when ingested or vapours inhaled, affects nervous system, used in barometers, thermometers and numerous other applications.

Mercury has been visited by the spacecraft Mariner 10 and MESSENGER.

Please Mercury, may my courier reach Julius Octavius in time.

Freddie Mercury ROCKED.

Make sure you don't bite the thermometer too hard, or you'll get shards of glass in your mouth and a few drops of mercury down your throat.

by Fearman May 10, 2008

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diamonds on the soles of their shoes

Absolutely filthy rich. From the Paul Simon song title from Graceland (1986).

Look at those nouveaux-riches types at the boarding school on sports day. They want everyone to know they have diamonds on the soles of their shoes.

by Fearman August 06, 2007

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batman

Invented by Bob Kane in 1940. Coolest superhero in American comic book history (the Incredible Hulk probably comes in a discreet second). Batman's real-life alter ego is billionaire philanthropist Bruce Wayne. When summoned to crime-ridden Gotham City by the Batsignal (a batlike silhouette within a searchlight beam, shining onto those perpetually dense clouds) he proceeds to de-scum the place like nobody else. Often has at least one delightfully camp side-kick, but generally works best alone.

Unforgettable scene from Tim Burton's 1988 movie ..,

(BATMAN dangles HOOD over side of 23-storey building)

Batman:
I'm not going to harm you. I want you to do something. I want you to tell all your friends who I am.

Hood (howling in fear):
WHO ARE YOU?!?

(Batman pulls the Hood in about an inch from his masked face.)

Batman:
I'm Batman.

(He throws the Hood down on the flat roof behind them. Long before the criminal has regained a fraction of his composure, Batman has disappeared into the shadows.)

by Fearman October 07, 2007

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out-Herod Herod

To deliberately outdo someone in cruelty, idiocy or something else so as to get back at them.

I didn't care what anyone else thought of his wedding speech in the marquee; one way or another, unaccustomed to public speaking as he was, it drove me to the edge of sanity. So in the end I just got up there when he was finished and for the next three hours, until the Security bundled me out the flap, I decided to out-Herod Herod and went for it.

by Fearman September 22, 2007

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