March 2010
5 posts
Etymology →
Etymology is the study of the history of words and how their form and meaning have changed over time.
For languages with a long written history, etymologists make use of texts in these languages, and texts about the languages, to gather knowledge about how words were used at earlier stages, and when they entered the languages in question. Etymologists also apply the methods of comparative...
Entomology →
Entomology (from Greek ἔντομος, entomos, “that which is cut in pieces or engraved/segmented”, hence “insect”; and -λογία, -logia[1]) is the scientific study of insects, a branch of arthropodology. At some 1.3 million described species, insects account for more than two-thirds of all known organisms,[2] date back some 400 million years, and have many kinds of...
The Missing Link →
Transitional fossils (popularly termed missing links) are the fossilized remains of intermediary forms of life that illustrate an evolutionary transition. They can be identified by their retention of certain primitive (plesiomorphic) traits in comparison with their more derived relatives, as they are defined in the study of cladistics. Numerous examples exist, including those of primates and...
Albrecht Dürer →
Albrecht Dürer (German pronunciation: [ˈalbʀɛçt ˈdyʀɐ]) (21 May 1471 – 6 April 1528)[1] was a German painter, printmaker and theorist from Nuremberg. His prints established his reputation across Europe when he was still in his twenties, and he has been conventionally regarded as the greatest artist of the Northern Renaissance ever since. His well-known works include the Apocalypse woodcuts,...
Patience →
Patience is the state of endurance under difficult circumstances, which can mean persevering in the face of delay or provocation without acting on annoyance/anger in a negative way; or exhibiting forbearance when under strain, especially when faced with longer-term difficulties. It is also used to refer to the character trait of being steadfast. Antonyms include hastiness and impetuousness…
February 2010
32 posts
Manatee →
Manatees (family Trichechidae, genus Trichechus) are large, fully aquatic, mostly herbivorous marine mammals sometimes known as sea cows. They are noted for their friendly nature, up to 4 meter size and paddle-like flippers. The name manatí comes from the Taíno, a pre-Columbian people of the Caribbean, meaning “breast”…[1]
Space Law →
Space law is an area of the law that encompasses national and international law governing activities in outer space. International lawyers have been unable to agree on a uniform definition of the term “outer space,” although most lawyers agree that outer space generally begins at the lowest altitude above sea level at which objects can orbit the Earth, approximately 100 km (62...
Sinbad →
David Adkins (born November 10, 1956), better known by the stage name Sinbad, is an American stand-up comedian and actor. He became well-known in the late 1980s and 1990s from being featured on his own HBO specials, appearing on several television series, and starring in the family-friendly films Houseguest, First Kid, and Jingle All the Way.
Shower →
A shower (or shower-bath) is an area in which one bathes underneath a spray of water. [1] People very commonly use soap while showering.
Franking →
Franking (or “franks”) are any and all devices or markings such as postage stamps (including printed and/or embossed on postal stationery), printed or stamped impressions, codings, labels, manuscript writings (including “privilege” signatures), and/or any other authorized form of markings affixed or applied to mails to qualify them to be postally serviced.[1]
Happiness →
Happiness is a state of mind or feeling characterized by contentment, love, satisfaction, pleasure, or joy.[1] A variety of philosophical, religious, psychological and biological approaches have striven to define happiness and identify its sources.
Philly Phanatic →
The Phillie Phanatic (also called the Philly Phanatic) is the official mascot of the Philadelphia Phillies Major League Baseball team. A fat furry green creature that somewhat resembles a bird from the rear view with a cylindrical beak containing a tongue that sticks out. He was created by Harrison/Erickson of New York City (now known as Acme Mascots), who have had ties with Jim Henson’s...
Mathman →
Mathman was a cartoon segment on the PBS show Square One TV.
3-2-1- Contact →
3-2-1 Contact is an American science educational television show which aired on PBS from 1980 to 1988. The show, a production of the Children’s Television Workshop, teaches scientific principles and their applications. Dr. Edward G. Atkins, who was responsible for much of the scientific content of the show, felt that the TV program wouldn’t replace a classroom but would open the...
Double Dare →
Double Dare is a children’s game show, originally hosted by Marc Summers, that aired on Nickelodeon. The show combines trivia questions with occasionally messy “physical challenges”. It is often credited with putting the then-fledgling network on the map, and ranked #29 in TV Guide’s list of the 50 Greatest Game Shows of All Time.
Mirah →
Mirah Yom Tov Zeitlyn (born September 17, 1974, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)[1], is an American musician based in San Francisco California. She has released five albums under the K Records label. She is close friends with and has collaborated with Phil Elvrum of The Microphones. She has worked with the Black Cat Orchestra.
Sexism →
Sexism, a term coined in the mid-20th century,[1] is the belief or attitude that one gender or sex is inferior to, less competent, or less valuable than the other. It can also refer to hatred of, or prejudice towards, either sex as a whole (see misogyny and misandry), or the application of stereotypes of masculinity in relation to men, or of femininity in relation to women.[2] It is also called...
Mononymous →
A mononymous person is an individual who is known by a mononym,[1] or “single name”. In some cases, that name has been selected by the individual, who may have originally been given a polynym (“multiple name”). In other cases, it has been determined by the custom of the country[2] or by some interested segment of the public.
Brian Williams →
Brian Douglas Williams (born May 5, 1959) is the American anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News, the evening news program of the NBC television network.[1] Williams replaced Tom Brokaw on December 2, 2004. Previously, Williams was the network’s chief White House correspondent and host of The News with Brian Williams on CNBC and MSNBC. In 2007, Williams was listed among Time...
NAMBLA →
The North American Man/Boy Love Association (NAMBLA) is a New York City and San Francisco-based unincorporated organization in the United States that advocates the liberalization of laws against sexual relations between adult and minor males - resolving to “end the oppression of men and boys who have freely chosen mutually consenting relationships”. NAMBLA also calls for “the...
Gap, Pennsylvania →
Gap is a census-designated place and town in Salisbury Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania with a zip code of 17527. The population was 1,611 at the 2000 census. It is the terminus for four Pennsylvania highways: 772, 741, 897, and the heavily-used 41, which goes toward Wilmington, DE.
Gaap →
In demonology, Gaap is a mighty Prince and Great President of Hell, commanding sixty-six legions of demons. He is, according to The Lesser Key of Solomon, the king and prince of the southern region of Hell and Earth, and according to the Pseudomonarchia Daemonum(False Monarchy of the Demons) the king of the western region and as mighty as Beleth, but for both he is the guide of the four kings (the...
Gäp →
The Yaña Bistä slang, Yaña Bistä gäbe or simply Gäp was a distinct cryptolect of the Tatar language, spoken in Yaña Bistä (The New Quarter) of Kazan, traditionally known by its high crime rate. This socialect has another vocabulary and grammar than standard Tatar and now is extinct.
You Can't Do That On Television →
You Can’t Do That on Television ( a.k.a. YCDTOTV) is a Canadian television program that first aired locally in 1979 before ultimately airing internationally in 1981. It primarily featured early-teenage actors in a sketch comedy format in which they acted out skits based on a theme for that episode.
Jolo →
Jolo is a volcanic island in the southwest Philippines. It is located in the Sulu Archipelago, between Mindanao and Borneo, and has a population of approximately 300,000 people.
Nap →
A nap is a short period of sleep, usually in the day time. Naps may be taken when one becomes drowsy during the day, otherwise wants to feel awake later in the day, or as a traditional daily practice. It is common for small children to take frequent naps.
Argleton →
Argleton is a “phantom” settlement that appears on Google Maps and Google Earth but does not actually exist. The supposed location of Argleton is just off the A59 road within the civil parish of Aughton in West Lancashire, England, but in reality is nothing more than empty fields.[1][2] Data from Google is used by other online information services which are consequently treating...
Dick Swett →
Richard “Dick” Swett (born May 1, 1957) is an American politician from the U.S. state of New Hampshire.
Swett was born in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania and moved to New Hampshire with his family as a child. He attended Yale University and became an architect - working in Skidmore Owings and Merrill’s San Francisco office. Swett became active in the Democratic Party and eventually...
Myoclonus →
Myoclonus (pronounced /maɪˈɒklənəs/) is brief, involuntary twitching of a muscle or a group of muscles. It describes a medical sign and, generally, is not a diagnosis of a disease. The myoclonic twitches are usually caused by sudden muscle contractions; they also can result from brief lapses of contraction. Contractions are called positive myoclonus; relaxations are called negative myoclonus. The...
Anacrusis →
In poetry, anacrusis (Ancient Greek: ἀνάκρουσις “pushing back”) is the lead-in syllables, collectively, that precede the first full measure.
Liger →
The liger is a hybrid cross between a male lion (Panthera leo) and a tigress (Panthera tigris), hence has parents with the same genus but of different species. It is distinct from the similar hybrid tiglon. It is the largest of all cats and extant felines due to hybrid vigour.
Spoonerism →
A spoonerism is an error in speech or deliberate play on words in which corresponding consonants, vowels, or morphemes are switched (see metathesis). It is named after the Reverend William Archibald Spooner (1844–1930), Warden of New College, Oxford, who was notoriously prone to this tendency.[1][2] It is also known as a marrowsky, after a Polish count who suffered from the same impediment.[3]...
Infotainment →
Infotainment is “information-based media content or programming that also includes entertainment content in an effort to enhance popularity with audiences and consumers.” [1] It is a neologistic portmanteau of information and entertainment, referring to a type of media which provides a combination of information and entertainment. According to many dictionaries [2] infotainment is...
Pet Rock →
Pet Rocks were a 1970s fad conceived in Los Gatos, California by advertising executive Gary Dahl. It is said that some time in April 1975, Dahl was having a conversation with his friends about why he didn’t like to go through the average inconveniences that come with owning most pets.
Palouse →
The Palouse is a region of the northwestern United States, encompassing parts of southeastern Washington, north central Idaho and, in some definitions, extending south into northeast Oregon. It is a major agricultural area, primarily producing wheat and legumes. Situated about 160 miles (250 kilometers) north of the Oregon Trail, the region experienced rapid growth in the late 19th century, for a...
Samphire →
Samphire is a name given to a number of very different edible plants that happen to grow in coastal areas.
Box →
Box (plural boxes) describes a variety of containers and receptacles for permanent use as storage, or for temporary use often for transporting contents.