E – Eh – nerDictionary

E = mc2

e.g.

A common abbreviation for the Latin phrase exempli gratia, or “for example.” The abbreviation, which can appear in italics (as is the traditional method of writing out Latin phrases) or in standard font, typically appears in a parenthetical list of examples, such as: “There are many math classes available at this school (e.g., algebra, geometry, trigonometry and calculus).”

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

The 1982 classic sci fi adventure tells the story of a stranded alien and the young Earthlings he befriends on his quest to return home. Written by Melissa Mathison and directed/co-produced by Steven Spielberg, E.T. earned $1.2 billion worldwide (adjusted for inflation). The film starred Drew Barrymore (who was six during the film’s production) as Gertie and 10-year-old Henry Thomas as Elliott.

E-tail

Combining the internet prefix “e-” (for “electronic”) with the word “retail,” e-tail is the business of using the internet to sell products directly to the internet consumers.

Eӓ

The name of the universe in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Silmarillion, which describes the creation of the universe and all the places and races within it.

Earth Federation

The military force in the anime series Mobile Suit Gundam (or simply Gundam), sometimes referred to as “the Star Trek of Japan.”

Earth-3

In the DC Comics multiverse, an alternate version of our own Earth (or Earth-0), on which the morals of the citizens are the opposite of ours, and the heroes of the Justice League of America are represented by the Crime Syndicate.

Easter egg

An undocumented (or “hidden”) bonus feature in a software program or digital video disc (DVD).

Eavesdown Docks

A shipping and docking facility on the planet Persephone in the Firefly universe. It was at Eavesdown Docks that Simon Tam (with his sister River Tam in tow) and Shepherd Book first came aboard the Serenity.

Ecchi

A subgenre of Japanese manga, which is characterized by adult themes and sexual imagery.

Economics

The mathematical science of production, distribution and consumption of goods and services.

Eddings, David

Regarded as one of the most influential fantasy authors of his time, David Eddings (1931-2009) was an American born author best known for his epic fantasy novels, including The Belgariad and The Mallorean. Born in Spokane, Washington, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Reed College in Portland in 1954 and a Master of Arts from the University of Washington in 1961. He served in the Army from 1954-1956. Before embarking on a writing career, Eddings was a purchaser for the Boeing Company, an English teacher and a grocery clerk. He married Judith Leigh Schall in 1962, and they remained together until her death in 2007.

Eddings’ first published novel was a contemporary adventure novel called High Hunt, which came out in 1973. Leigh Eddings first appeared as a co-author on the Belgarath the Sorcerer and Polgara the Sorceress publications, but her participation went back to the very beginning of his writing. Publisher Lester Del Rey believed that multi-authorships were a problem, and it was his idea that David Edding’s name alone appeared on the book covers. Meanwhile, Leigh Eddings’ largest contribution was with the behavior of their female characters. By the 1990s, their books were credited with both of their names.

The Belgariad consisted of five novels: Pawn of Prophecy, Queen of Sorcery, Magician’s Gambit, Castle of Wizardry and Enchanter’s End Game. Written between 1982 and 1984, the series tells of the journey of an orphaned farm boy, his Aunt Pol, and the mysterious Mister Wolf. The follow-up series The Mallorean contained Guardian of the West, King of the Murgos, Demon Lord of Karanda, Sorceress of Darshiva and The Seeress of Kell, all published between 1988 and 1992. Eddings went on to write another series of books, set in an entirely different world than The Belgariad. The first series, called The Elenium, was comprised of The Diamond Throne, The Ruby Knight and The Sapphire Rose. His next series was The Tamuli: Domes Of Fire, The Shining Ones and The Hidden City. After the release of The Tamuli, Eddings released a stand-alone book, The Redemption of Athalus.

During his career, Eddings conceived of a 10-point guide to a fantasy novel:

A theological arena
A quest
A magical element
A hero
A resident wizard
A heroine
A villain
A group of companions
A group of ladies attached to the companions
Kings, queens and emperors to rule

Surviving his wife by only two years, Eddings passed away in 2009.

Edlund, Ben

Born September 20, 1968 in Pembroke, Massachusetts, Edlund created the comic book and hero The Tick (which would eventually spawn two TV series: one cartoon and one live-action). Published by New England Comics, he wrote and illustrated the first twelve issues before moving on to other projects. The series continued without his input. Edlund’s television writing and producing credits include The Tick, Firefly, Angel, Supernatural and Gotham.

Ee’d Plebnista

A main plot device in the 1968 Star Trek episode “The Omega Glory,” that which the alien faction The Yangs call the “Ee’d Plebnista” turns out to be a copy of the U.S. Constitution, the meaning of which has been distorted over the centuries, along with the words.

Egbert of Wessex

Recognized as the first historical monarch to establish a stable and extensive rule over all of Anglo-Saxon England, Egbert (770-839), also spelled Ecgberht or Ecgbryht, was king of the West Saxons from 802 until his death in 839. He formed a kingdom around Wessex so powerful, it would eventually achieve the political unification of England in the mid-10th Century.

The son of Ealhmund, king of Kent in 784 and 786, Egbert was a member of a family that had formerly held the West Saxon kingship. In 789, Egbert was exiled to the European continent by the West Saxon king, Beorhtric, only to return and succeed Beorhtric in 802. He immediately removed Wessex from the Mercian confederation and consolidated his power as an independent ruler. In 825, he decisively defeated Beornwulf, king of Mercia, at the Battle of Ellendune (now Wroughton, Wiltshire). The victory was a turning point in English history because it destroyed Mercian ascendancy and left Wessex the strongest of the English kingdoms. Following his conquest of Mercia in 827, he controlled all of England south of the Humber. After further victories in Northumberland and North Wales, he was recognized by the title Bretwalda (“ruler of the British”). By virtue of long-dormant hereditary claims, Egbert was accepted as king in Kent, Sussex, Surrey, and Essex. In 829, he conquered Mercia itself, but he lost it the following year to the Mercian king Wiglaf. A year before his death, Egbert won a stunning victory over Danish and Cornish Briton invaders at Hingston Down (now in Cornwall).

Ego

One of Sigmund Freud’s three aspects (or divisions) of human psyche, along with the id and the superego. Freud, the father of modern psychoanalysis, named the conceptual parts of the “tripartite” (three-part) system of personality, each of which develop at different stages in a person’s life. The ego, which is the realistic (or “external world”) part of the personality, develops to mediate between the desires of the id and the values/morals of the superego. According to Freud, this decision-making component of personality operates on the “reality principle,” often compromising or postponing satisfaction of the id’s demands to avoid negative consequences of society. In deciding how to behave, the ego takes into consideration the social realities of etiquette and rules. Like the id, the ego seeks pleasure (i.e., tension reduction) and avoids pain, but unlike the id, the ego is concerned with devising a realistic strategy to obtain pleasure.

The concepts of “right” and “wrong” do not come into play in the functioning of the ego. It simply seeks satisfaction without causing harm to either the ego or the id. The ego engages in secondary process thinking, which is rational, realistic and orientated toward problem-solving. If a particular plan of action does not work, then it is reconsidered until an alternate plan is formulated. This process is known as “reality testing.”

Freud made the analogy of the ego being a rider while the id is the horse. While the id (as the horse) is the superior strength, the ego (as the rider) holds the id in check.

Ego-surfing/egosurfing

The use of search engines to find internet references to one’s own website, or one’s own name or company name.

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