15 Obsolete English Words That Deserve a Comeback
Discover funny obsolete English words like ultracrepidarian, mumpsimus, slubberdegullion, fudgel, apricity, and more—forgotten vocabulary that deserves a comeback.
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Hail to the Short Chief
Read more: Hail to the Short Chief“Hail to the Chief” has been the official anthem of the President of the United States for well over 150 years. The song is instantly associated with power, prestige, and position. Ironically, it was largely because of the stature of a man whose appearance failed to impress, that this song is now associated with the most…
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Death By … Dying?
Read more: Death By … Dying?The Charlotte, North Carolina television station WBTV reported a homicide in October 2011. As reporter Ron Lee gave live details of the shooting, the line “Man Killed to Death” was displayed at the bottom of the screen. WBTV quickly changed the lower-third to the more specific “Man Shot After Argument”. source
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Truman Looks for Heavenly Financial Advisor
Read more: Truman Looks for Heavenly Financial AdvisorPresident Harry Truman occasionally practiced Abraham Lincoln’s technique of venting anger through letters that were written, but not sent. Truman — who at this point had been out of office for almost 9 years — was so frustrated as he read the report of the Treasurer of the United States that he wrote to the…
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Fiery Words from the Great Emancipator
Read more: Fiery Words from the Great EmancipatorA recent post on one of our favorite blogs, Rachel Being Chatty, reminded us of an anger management technique practiced by the 16th President. Abraham Lincoln was no stranger to dealing with difficult people. He frequently encountered individuals who would fan the flames of Presidential irritation, causing Lincoln to want to tell the offenders exactly…
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Return of the King? What are the Odds?
Read more: Return of the King? What are the Odds?Ian MacMillan was counting on the return of the King — the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, that is. In 2002 MacMillan, an unemployed resident of Great Britain, placed a wager of five pence (7¢ in US currency) in favor of Elvis Presley riding into town on a horse named Shergar for a tennis match with Lord…
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The Translated Version Hasn’t Come Out Yet
Read more: The Translated Version Hasn’t Come Out YetA Spanish delegate to a diplomatic conference turned on his microphone and said, “Estoy constipado, perdónadme.” Ordinarily this would translate as, “Please excuse me; I have a cold.” The French interpreter, instead, translated his words as, “Excuse me; I’m constipated.” Source: John Coleman-Holmes, Mâcher du coton, Entre-temps, 1971, p. 201.
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Japanese, Finnish or Chinese? The 10 Hardest Languages for English Speakers to Learn
Read more: Japanese, Finnish or Chinese? The 10 Hardest Languages for English Speakers to LearnWhat are the hardest languages for non-English speakers to learn? Find out the top ten list here.
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Jimmy Carter’s Translation Woes
Read more: Jimmy Carter’s Translation WoesThe post highlights President Jimmy Carter’s experiences with faulty interpreters, notably during his 1977 visit to Poland when Steven Seymour misinterpreted his messages, leading to embarrassing misunderstandings. Following his presidency, Carter encountered another misinterpretation at a college in Japan, reinforcing his apprehension about the reliability of interpreters.
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How to Tell a Southern Goat from a British Goat
Read more: How to Tell a Southern Goat from a British GoatPhoto credit: By me (w:User:pfctdayelise) (Image taken by me using Casio QV-R41) [CC BY-SA 2.5-2.0-1.0], via Wikimedia Commons source
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Meet the Horrifying Largest Snake Ever: the Titanboa
Read more: Meet the Horrifying Largest Snake Ever: the TitanboaTitanboa: The King Kong of Snakes Colombia once was home to the largest snake that ever lived: the titanboa.
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The Original Pinocchio Story: They All Lived Horribly Ever After
Read more: The Original Pinocchio Story: They All Lived Horribly Ever AfterThe original tale of Pinocchio differs from Disney’s adaptation. In the 1881 version, Pinocchio has a contentious relationship with Jiminy Cricket and suffers more tragic events. He burns his feet and faces near-death experiences due to his foolishness. The story’s dark tone was softened in later chapters, with Jiminy ultimately teaching Pinocchio a moral lesson.
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This Place is a Zoo!
Read more: This Place is a Zoo!Terror swept the streets of New York on November 9, 1874. In the city that never sleeps, where just about anything can happen without causing a New Yorker to turn his head, this was a day to be remembered. What was it that caused men to tread with caution on the sidewalks and made frightened…
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Pucker Up and Kiss Your Allergies Goodbye
Read more: Pucker Up and Kiss Your Allergies GoodbyeCountless songs, poems, and dramatic works have been written about the power of a kiss. You may have been unaware of one of the additional benefits of the exercise: allergy reduction. Dr. Hajime Kimata, a Japanese scientist who specializes in allergy research, published the findings of his study on how kissing affected allergic reactions in patients…
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The University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt: A Legendary Event of Absurdity and Brilliance
Read more: The University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt: A Legendary Event of Absurdity and BrillianceExplore the wild, quirky, and competitive world of the University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt, a four-day marathon of bizarre tasks, academic overachievement, and community spirit
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The Entertainer Who Put a Lot of Heart Into His Work
Read more: The Entertainer Who Put a Lot of Heart Into His WorkPaul Winchell (1922-2005) may be best known as the voice of Tigger in Winnie the Pooh, Gargamel in The Smurfs, the characters in Green Eggs and Ham and many other animated characters, and for earning a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his work in television. He holds another distinction, however, that frequently gets…
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