“Climate is what we expect, weather is what we get.” This pithy quote by famed science fiction author Robert A. Heinlein (among earlier variations) nicely frames the basic difference between climate and weather: climate refers to average, long-term conditions, while weather refers to specific, short-term conditions. Of course, it’s more complicated than that. We talk a lot about climate these days, especially in the context …
During the month of Ramadan, followers of Islam around the world partake in fasting. No food or drink is consumed during the daylight hours for 30 straight days. People who partake are far from alone. In fact, fasting plays an important role in many religions, as well as in diets and forms of protest. Regardless of the purpose, there’s a couple of questions that relate …
You’ve probably come across the word holistic before. It floats around in yoga retreats and meditation studios, spas, healing centers, and health food stores. Predominantly, but not exclusively. Do you spell it with a W? And when you realized it is normally spelled holistic, did you wonder why it’s not wholistic when it’s clearly about the “whole”? We’ve wondered, too. After all, wholistic would seem a more sensible choice. …
If you’ve ever purchased a product, read a book, or watched a movie (read: everyone currently on this page), then you’ve likely seen four symbols time and time again: ™, ®, ©, and ℠. They can be large or close to microscopic. No matter how small, however, they are powerful and convey a lot of meaning. So what’s the deal with each, and what makes …
Take a minute to think back to the beginning of the pandemic. Do you remember the Great Toilet Paper Shortage of 2020 that signaled the end of the Before Times? It has been one heck of a long year and a lot has changed since then, including our bathrooms. Fearing the unthinkable, a number of people installed bidets in their bathrooms to avoid a disaster. …
Recently, we added the word supposably to our dictionary. And, what do you suppose happened? For one thing, we discovered how strongly people feel about this word—which many assume to be a recently invented term or a mispronunciation. Others quite reasonably think it’s a synonym of supposedly. After all, even Joey from Friends famously and hilariously couldn’t figure out if supposedly and supposably were different words. …
March 14 is a day to think about a specific number: pi. Pi has the same first three digits as the date 3/14—at least when written in the American style, with the month before the day. It’s also a day that people like to indulge in pie, a homophone with a completely different meaning. Pi goes on for much longer than 3.14, of course. And …
Let’s say you’re in a thorny situation, and you find yourself wanting to offer comfort. Do you have a word or two in your back pocket for this moment? Do you assure your friend it will be alright? Or do you ensure them they’ll feel better soon? … Or is the word you’re looking for insure? Confused? This is a tricky one. Assure, ensure, and insure ultimately derive …
Countries around the world are doing what they can to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine to as many people as possible. As we wait and hope the vaccine will finally free us from the virus’s clutches, the words are flying fast and furious; everyone from Dr. Fauci on down is suddenly concerned with terms like vaccine efficacy and vaccine effectiveness. And who can blame us for …
Romaine, arugula, and iceberg lettuce are all ingredients that likely spring to mind when you hear the word salad. These healthy leafy greens are generally what to expect when you’re asked “soup or salad” at a restaurant. But there are other foods with salad in the name that you’d probably be surprised at receiving if you opted for a salad starter: potato salad, pasta salad, …
Every year in the weeks leading up to Easter, many Christians around the world partake in Lent. The approximately 40-day observance comes with its own set of notable dates before and during that time period. One of the most prevalent customs is that followers abstain from meat on Fridays. Fish, however, is fair game. That’s because fish has been considered somehow different from other types …
You’ve received the award of a lifetime, and you’ve been asked to attend a fancy presentation dinner. You want to convey your interest in the event and are ready to respond, “Yes, I’ll definitely be there!” But wait … should you say you’re planning to definitively be there? Which is it? Definitely or definitively? Before you move on to picking out your entree and getting all dressed …