And the winner is...

...Digital Ice with his guess of $7.38!! In a close second, Joanna with $6.34 and C.O. Jones with $6.22.

The actual amount of money in the cup? $9.47.

Congrats to the winners, and thanks to everyone who participated.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

More than 13 million pints of Guinness are consumed on St. Patty's Day (along with some free stuff)

More than 13 million pints of Guinness are consumed on St. Patty's Day, opposed to the usual 5.5 million pints that are consumed on any other day of the year. This is just one of the many reasons that St. Patrick's Day is one of the BEST holidays of the year (aside from May 10).

Since I will not be in the continental US on March 17 (no worries, I'll be celebrating with a green margarita under a green palm tree) I am holding my second annual St. Patty's Day contest now. All you have to do is guess how much treasure is in my Pot O' Gold (below).


Guess correctly and you win... an ENCYCLOPEDIA BRANIGAN drinking pack for two, because lets face it, its not (as much) fun drinking alone.


The rules:

• Please list your guess in dollars and cents - $0.00 - with a valid e-mail address (unless you KNOW I know you)
  
• No duplicate guesses
  
• Submit your entry in the comments section below
• You must submit by 11:59 AM EST on Friday, March 5. The winner will be announced that afternoon (just in time for Hoboken!)
  
• Price is Right rules - guess over and you lose!
• NEW RULE - No partnering (JEREMY)
• NEW RULE TWO - People who attend the PRSA 3-on-3 Hoops Tournament will receive an extra guess!
  

There are no tricks, no $20s hidden in the back of the cup or fake coins.

Good Luck!!!

Pluto is not (is!) a planet

According to Neil deGrasse Tyson, director of the American Museum of Natural History's Hayden Planetarium and author of The Pluto Files: The Rise and Fall of America's Favorite Planet, Pluto is not a planet.

Tyson's theories on the ball of gas floating somewhere around the orbit of Neptune have been a topic of debate in the scientific community (you can even buy "I Miss Pluto" T-shirts!). Tonight at 8PM EST, PBS will dive deeper into the saga of Pluto with the premier of “The Pluto Files”on NOVA.

Neil deGrasse Tyson gives Pluto an astronomy lesson. Gene Duncan ©Walt Disney World

Little known fact from the producer of the film, Terri Randall (who also happens to be my Aunt, love of sharing information runs in the family): Pluto was discovered in 1930 by Clyde W. Tombaugh at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona. Around the same time, Walt Disney created his legendary character, Pluto the Dog. While it is not documented in the Disney archive, Tombaugh’s family (including his 97 year old wife) claim Walt called Clyde to ask him permission to name the dog after his planet. Many astronomers attribute Pluto the planet’s popularity to the popularity of Pluto the Dog.

So remember to tune in tonight (or TIVO, that is also acceptable) at 8PM to watch this star-studded (haha, sorry puns also run in the family) program.

Check your local listings for more details or visit http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/pluto/.

Cat got your tongue? Blame Paul Broca...

...it's his area of your brain that isn't functioning properly. Back in 1846, French neurosurgeon Paul Broca identified an area in the left hemisphere of the brain which is responsible for speech production, including articulation, proper word usage and pronunciation. Broca's area was the first area of the brain to be associated with a specific function.

Why am I writing about Dr. Broca and his area? I was walking out of work today, trying to explain to my lovely co-worker Joanna how my new bootleg purse came with a certificate of authen...authent...ugh, the word ends in "tion"...authenticicication...I know what I want to say...WHATEVER.

I got into my car, feeling rather stupid that I could not pronounce a simple word. I'm a college educated (summa cum laude, has to count for something) adult (hah). Speaking should not be so difficult. Five minutes into my ride home I realized the word I meant to use. Scientific reason for this slip up? I won't pretend to be a doctor, but I would guess it was because I had worked all day, and my brain was a little tired.

Or, it could be that many of the words in the English language are difficult to pronounce? On the list of the most commonly mispronounced words, you will find everyday works like ask, business and realtor. Since you are reading an encyclopedia, I have picked some ridiculously words that you may find a little more difficult to wrap your tongue around. If you click on the word, the link will lead you to a page which will read the word correctly.

Otorhinolaryngologist
Subepithelially
Entrepreneurial
Asklepieions
Antidisestablishmentarianism
Zantedeschia
Pachycephalosaurus
Electro­encephalo­graphically
Sesquipedalianist
Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis

Oh, and just in case you were curious, it's authentication.