News For Nerds

Here's some of the things making your world a little nerdier this week:

(1) A new word has entered the lexicon: Geekgasm.
There are a number of definitions out there, but here's mine:

geekgasm (n) [geek-gazzem]

An intense feeling of excitement caused by the sudden appreciation of a complex idea or nerdy piece of art, often scientific in nature.

A geekgasm is generally accompanied by a violent ejaculation of sound (such as "Gee whiz!") and followed by an intense feeling of fatigue.

Usage example: "Gee whiz! Did you see that new Transformers movie? I had a total geekgasm."
See also: Geekstacy; Multiple geekgasm (x-ref: Star Wars trilogy.

(2) When looking for the correct spelling of the word mensiversary (meaning "monthly anniversary"), I found that it does not appear in the online Dictionary.com.

As potential alternatives, it offers Mena Suvari and Monster Zero.

Which is helpful.

(3) A design has been selected for the new Virgin Galactic spaceport.

I can't help thinking that New Mexico was chosen as the location because Richard Branson wants to break through the fabric of space time and be the the Roswell alien.

He'd love that.

Also, is it just me or does the design look a bit, um, rude?

(4) While we're on the topic of space, man's first envoy to the distant stars, Voyager I, was launched 30 years ago yesterday. With all the whiz-bangery in the world at their disposal (well, more or less) NASA is still using the original computer bank to keep track of it.

And finally,

(5) Surprising precisely no-one, Apple has released a touch-screen iPod. While it's basically an iPhone without the phone, it's hella sexy.

Not quite geekgasm material, but close.