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Fact of the Day - VENUS (PLANET) Did you know..... There are entire websites devoted to whether or not Mercury is in retrograde at any given moment, and all the while Venus is spinning backward (compared to most other planets). As a result, the sun rises in the west and sets in the east on the second rock from the sun. Though no one’s entirely sure why our fiery neighbor rotates to the beat of its own drum, it’s been theorized that it originally spun in the same way as most other planets (counter-clockwise when viewed from above), but at some point flipped its own axis 180 degrees. So while its rotation appears backward from our earthbound perspective, it might be more accurate to say that Venus spins the same way it always has, just upside-down. Some scientists think the flip might have been the result of a situation arising from the planet’s extremely dense atmosphere along with the sun's intense gravitational pull, though the scientific community has yet to reach a consensus. For all that, Venus has often been referred to as Earth’s sister planet — even more so than Mars. We’re the two closest neighbors in the solar system, have similar chemical compositions, and are roughly the same size. One crucial difference: Venus probably cannot support life. Venus is the second-brightest natural object in the night sky. If you can only make out one object in the night sky other than the moon, it’s almost certainly Venus. It has the highest albedo — a term used by astronomers to describe a planet’s brightness — of any planet in the solar system, reflecting approximately 70% of the sunlight that hits it and its highly reflective clouds. (Enceladus, an icy moon of Saturn, outshines it by reflecting a full 90% of sunlight, making it the most reflective body in our solar system.) Venus is also relatively nearby and can sometimes be seen during daytime with the naked eye. Because it’s easiest to see just before sunrise and just after sunset, Venus has been nicknamed both the morning star and evening star (ancient people actually thought it was two separate planets). Source: Venus spins backward.

What's the Word: SAGACIOUS pronunciation: [sə-GEY-shus] Part of speech: adjective Origin: Latin, early 17th century Meaning: 1. Having or showing keen mental discernment and good judgment. Examples: "She could always rely on her mentor to provide sagacious feedback." "The op-ed provided a sagacious viewpoint on the recent city council controversy." About Sagacious To be sagacious means to be wise, but specifically showing keen judgment. It's not just about intelligence; it's showing discernment, too. Being sagacious could be described as using "street smarts" in addition to "book smarts." Did you Know? Sage is commonly known as the herb that provides a heavy dose of flavor at Thanksgiving, but the Latin word "sagax" also means "wise." Use "sage" as an adjective meaning "wise," or as a noun for "a wise person." "Sagacious" becomes the adjective if you feel it's wise to use a longer word.

Fact of the Day - MARBLES Did you know.... If you think the Electoral College is confusing, perhaps you’ll take a liking to The Gambia’s method of choosing its leaders: marbles. The small West African nation eschews paper ballots in favor of this novel approach, which was introduced in 1965 due to the country’s low literacy rate. Voters are given a marble upon checking in at their polling station, with each candidate represented by a photo affixed to a color-coded drum. Once the marble has been dropped into the voter’s drum of choice inside a private booth, a bell sounds to confirm it went through — and prevent anyone from attempting to vote twice. As simple as it is effective, the system has even been credited with ending The Gambia’s former dictatorship and keeping its democracy thriving. Other countries have adopted unique electoral processes as well. Aspiring presidential candidates in France need to secure 500 endorsements from elected officials, a time-consuming process meant to discourage fantasy candidates. In neighboring Germany, the Bundestag (lower house of the Parliament) requires two votes per ballot: one for a district representative and one for the voter’s preferred political party, which determines how many seats each party gets in the Bundestag overall. In general, half of the Bundestag’s 598 seats are determined by the first vote and half by the second. Only two countries’ names officially begin with “The.” And The Gambia is one of them. The use of the definite article isn’t entirely uncommon when referring to countries — the Netherlands and the United Kingdom come to mind — but it’s mostly used on an informal basis or because the grammar of the sentence requires it. According to such authoritative sources as the U.S. Department of State and the Times Comprehensive Atlas of the World, the only two countries that should officially be referred to with the definite article are The Gambia and The Bahamas. (It’s also appropriate when the place in question is a geophysical entity, such as groups of islands like the Maldives, but that’s again a matter of grammar rather than official naming practices.) The Gambia’s article comes in part because it was named after the River Gambia, and in part because of a request from the prime minister to avoid confusion with another African country that also earned its independence in the 1960s — Zambia. Source: The Gambia conducts elections using marbles instead of paper ballots.

What's the Word: ZEPHYR pronunciation: [ZEH-fər] Part of speech: noun Origin: Greek, late 17th century Meaning: 1. A soft gentle breeze. 2. A very light article of clothing. Examples: "The warm zephyr was a welcome sign that spring was here. " "You only need to wear a zephyr over your swimsuit for a trip to the beach." About Zephyr In Greek, "zephuros" means "god of the west wind." As "zefferus" moved into Old English, it became a personification of the west wind, or a metaphor for pleasant weather. By the late 17th century, the word "zephyr" was a poetic way to describe a gentle breeze — possibly from the west, but not necessarily. Did you Know? You can use "zephyr" to describe a welcome breeze on a warm day, or it might be the article of clothing you're wearing. "Zephyr" once referred to a specific kind of fine cotton gingham, but the term evolved to describe any lightweight garment.

Fact of the Day - IS IT SAFE? Did you know... Look before you leap. If you’re lucky enough to live somewhere with iconic, vibrant autumns, you’re probably familiar with the other side of that experience: leaves everywhere. Watching those orange, yellow, and red leaves fall to the ground can feel a little less gratifying knowing you’ll have to rake them all into piles later. Still, those raked leaf piles present their own opportunities for fun. From Charlie Brown and Snoopy to Calvin and Hobbes, leaping full-force into a mound of leaves is a classic way to enjoy the outdoors once summer wanes. It’s hard to imagine that this iconic pastime could pose any serious threat, but there are actually some risks involved for both children and adults. Below, we’ll go over some of the biggest concerns around jumping in leaf piles and what you can do to be as safe as possible while soaking up the autumn season. Beware of hidden creatures—especially ticks. Unfortunately, leaf piles are the perfect environment for ticks to thrive. When jumping in, you may inadvertently present yourself as their next meal on a silver platter. It’s an increasingly likely risk because of the explosion in tick numbers due to the warming climate, especially in the Northeast United States. Out of all the dangers, ticks may be the most serious concern for potential leaf-jumpers due to the risk of contracting Lyme disease. A recent Dartmouth study found that the percentage of blacklegged (deer) ticks carrying Lyme disease in the Northeast has risen. This means that not only are there more ticks out there, but each one is more likely to transmit the disease if it bites you. There are measures you can take to protect yourself from ticks if you still want to jump in, though. Firstly, cover as much skin as possible by tucking your pants into your socks and your sleeves into gloves. It’s also a good idea to put on tick repellent. In addition, it’s ideal to wait until temperatures have dropped below 40°F, as that’s when ticks enter semi-hibernation. And of course, always perform a thorough tick check once you get inside. A tick needs to latch to your skin for roughly 24 hours to transmit Lyme disease, so if you spot one quickly, there it should reduce the danger after effectively removing it. If a leaf pile has been sitting around for awhile, though, other animals may also have found it a perfect place to call home. From the innocuous, like frogs and harmless insects like beetles, to the more serious, like spiders and snakes, there’s no telling what may be dwelling in the leaves until you’re actually in them. And the longer they sit out, the longer the pile has to acquire new residents. For that reason—in addition to the risk of mold growth over time—it’s best to jump into fresh leaf piles exclusively. Location matters. Finally, it’s important to consider the location of a leaf pile before jumping in and playing around. For one, the surface under it could pose an injury risk. If the leaves have all been raked onto concrete, for example, they may not provide enough cushion to soften a jump, and the ground underneath won’t be forgiving. Similarly, you want to avoid any leaf piles raked onto the curb or otherwise near roads. It’s tempting to put the leaves there for removal, or just to get them off the lawn, but you should resist if you or any children may jump in them later. The leaves can make it difficult for drivers to see that there’s someone there. It’s better to be safe than sorry and only interact with leaf piles far removed from any moving vehicles. So is jumping in leaf piles safe? Jumping in leaf piles, like many other outdoor activities, poses risks. But with the proper precautions, it doesn’t have to be particularly dangerous. Instead, it can be the key to enjoying a crisp fall day—just make sure to check for ticks afterwards. Source: Is Jumping in Leaf Piles Safe?

What's the Word: RHAPSODY pronunciation: [RAP-sə-dee] Part of speech: noun Origin: Greek, mid-16th century Meaning: 1. An effusively enthusiastic or ecstatic expression of feeling. 2. A free instrumental composition in one extended movement, typically one that is emotional or exuberant in character. Examples: "The story captured the rhapsody of first love and the emotions that go along with it. " "He wrote a rhapsody inspired by the colors of the changing autumn forest." About Rhapsody As a song, a rhapsody is exuberant and bold, full of feeling. It’s written as one instrumental composition. But you can also apply rhapsody outside of the music world. You might recognize “rhapsodies of praise” or a “rhapsody of spring.” Any expression of intense emotions and enthusiasm can be a rhapsody. Did you Know? In ancient Greece, a rhapsody was an epic poem, usually recited in one sitting. Over the years, a rhapsody became a song instead of a poem, but still exuberant and often quite long. You can find rhapsodies all throughout the history of classical music and in more modern forms, such as Queen's epic "Bohemian Rhapsody."

Fact of the Day - IT'S A SAUSAGE? Did you know... When you think of Volkswagen, sausage probably isn’t what comes to mind. But since 1973, the car company has been producing its own prize-winning currywurst at its headquarters in Wolfsburg, Germany, which also happens to be the globe’s largest car-manufacturing plant. The location was once considered remote, so the company has always provided on-site meal options; today, thousands of currywursts are made daily at the plant, using a secret recipe of pork, curry, pepper, ginger, and other spices, and typically served ladled with spicy ketchup. (Both the sausage and the ketchup even have their own VW part numbers.) The currywurst is not just a staple dish among assembly line workers and executives — five-packs are often given to customers and sold at dealerships, sports stadiums, and grocery stores. In 2018, Volkswagen sold 6.2 million cars and about 6.5 million of the 10-inch sausages; in 2024, it sold 5.2 million Volkswagen-branded vehicles and a record 8.5 million sausages. (The Volkswagen Group, which includes several other car brands, collectively sold 9 million cars in 2024.) The sausages are so popular, in fact, that when the company announced in August 2021 that it was removing meat products, including the traditional currywurst, from its menus at the Wolfsburg canteen, there was an uproar. Even former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder weighed in, and the sausages were eventually brought back in 2023. Don’t look for them in the U.S., though: While the currywursts are available in at least 11 countries, Volkswagen is not on the list of suppliers allowed to export processed pork stateside. You can still get a taste of another European company with a surprise food bestseller, though: IKEA’s bestselling product is actually its meatballs. Oscar Mayer Wienermobile drivers take a crash course at Hot Dog High. Each year, a class of 12 Hotdoggers — recent college grads chosen to steer the promotional Oscar Mayer Wienermobiles across the country — relish the chance to learn the inner workings of their new vehicle. Before hitting the road in a 27-foot-long, 11-foot-high fiberglass frankfurter, the Hotdoggers attend a two-week training camp in Madison, Wisconsin, home of Oscar Mayer’s headquarters. The Hotdogger program was established around 1987; in 2019, the company received thousands of applications for the paid, full-time, year-long brand ambassador positions. During their time at Hot Dog High, attendees become well-versed in wearing their “meat belts,” riding “shotbun,” and operating the “bunroof.” They also select Hotdogger names, such as Jalapeño Jackie, Cookout Christian, and Spicy Mayo Mayra. Afterward, six Weinermobiles roam the U.S., spending every week in a different city and piling on about 50,000 miles annually. Source: Volkswagen’s bestselling product isn’t a car — it’s a sausage.

What's the Word: MOIL pronunciation: [moyl] Part of speech: verb Origin: Latin, mid-16th century Meaning: 1. Work hard. 2. Move around in confusion or agitation. Examples: "You'll need to moil to get the bulbs planted before a frost, but it will be worth it in the spring." "She seemed lost as she moiled around the street corner." About Moil As a verb, "moil" primarily means "to work very hard." But if you work too hard, you might get overwhelmed or overheated. In comes the second definition of "moil," meaning "to move around in agitation." Did you Know? The modern definition of "moil" is the opposite of its roots. In Latin, "mollis" means "soft," and "moil" originally meant "to moisten or soften" a substance. But if you're laboring in mud, it's probably pretty hard work, and that's likely how "moil" came to mean "strenuous work."

Fact of the Day - DIVE BARS Did you know.... We dive in to this not-very-sobering linguistic mystery. If you’re in a tavern and find yourself surrounded by ripped upholstery, a stained counter, and dirty glasses, chances are you’re in a dive bar. As drinking establishments go, dives aren’t necessarily a bad thing: Some people enjoy the gloomy ambiance of a well-worn pub and its well-worn patrons. But why do we refer to these lived-in spaces as dive bars? The Origin of Dive Bar According to the Oxford English Dictionary, dive bar was preceded by dive, a colloquial term for “an illegal drinking-den, or other disreputable place of resort, often situated in a cellar, basement, or other half-concealed place, into which frequenters may ‘dive’ without observation.” The term first saw print in 1871, when the New York Herald observed that a local bar was “one of the gayly decorated dives where young ladies ... dispense refreshments to thirsty souls.” Dive in this context took on two separate—but often related—meanings. One was literal: In order to gain entry to a dive, one must descend into a subterranean location the way an ocean explorer must dive into the depths. The other was more metaphorical; entering a dive meant lowering oneself into a less reputable area of society where vices like drinking, narcotics, and gambling prevailed. To dive implied that you’d sooner not be seen or recognized. Because dive could refer to any number of seedy locations, it became necessary to distinguish them from one another. The OED dates dive bar, a “shabby, cheap, or disreputable bar,” to 1940, but printed mentions appeared long before that. In a 1902 edition of The Daily News out of Perth, Australia, a travel column featuring its author in London mentioned that “Australians who are not quite at the top of the finance go to the Fleapit, a dive-bar and billiard-room and restaurant ... ” What Makes a Dive Bar a Dive Bar Not all dive bars start out as dive bars. “Their first [life] is as a tavern, mom-and-pop shop, roadhouse, speakeasy, juke joint, nightclub, honky tonk, club, lounge, pub, beer hall, fern bar, gay bar, tiki joint, inn, or saloon,” wrote T.J. Flynn in Thrillist in 2016. “At some point in time, unforeseen circumstances lead to compromises in upkeep, inventory, and clientele. This can occur slowly or swiftly, but the consequences are lasting. Often it is the result of changes occurring in the neighborhood in which the bar is situated, but many a dive was borne of divorce, health crises, or legal judgments. Flynn’s additional criteria for a dive bar: no craft beers, no branded bar merchandise, no kitchen menu, and plenty of dirty windows. In 2015, a (loosely) organized dive bar crawl in Syracuse, New York, offered some other parameters, as did citizens of Reno, Nevada, in 2025. A sampling: Feature Regular Bar Dive Bar Pickled Bar Food X Clean Bathrooms X Franchise X Indoor Smoking X Worn Furniture X Cheap Drinks X Open for Two Decades or More X Condom Vending Machines in Bathroom X Craft Beers X Weird Smell X Drunk People X X Is Dive Bar an Insult or a Compliment? Whether dive bar is a pejorative term or a compliment depends a lot on who’s using it and why. For some, dive bars conjure up images of a homey, unpretentious setting. For others, it’s like saying you might get stabbed. The lack of pretense is usually the selling point. “It’s our view that today the term has mostly and rightly shed its negative connotations, and we take a flexible approach in part to avoid the exhausting semantics of it,” wrote Chris Drosner in Milwaukee Magazine in 2022. “A dive bar needn’t be lowbrow; it’s just a brow without judgment. A dive is natural, authentic, comfortable in its (usually wrinkled) skin ... And because people make a bar tick, not feeling judged is one of the things that really makes a great dive bar.” For some, dive bar is a synonym for neighborhood bar—a place that doesn’t need any fancy décor or a particularly clean bathroom in order to attract customers. “A dive bar,” wrote the Staten Island Advance in 2019, “is a low-key neighborhood spot were locals gather to drink and socialize—often sipping on a simple selection of drinks. Dive bars are the beloved pubs and taverns that have operated within a community for years because they have their regulars and know how to keep it simple.” In this context, dive bar means “longevity.” If a bar owner wants to cultivate a reputation for being a dive bar, however, they probably need to avoid calling themselves a dive bar. Opening Dave’s Dive does not automatically bestow dive status. That’s up to the customers. Source: Why Do We Call Sketchy Pubs “Dive Bars”?

What's the Word: BILDUNGSROMAN pronunciation: [BIL-dungz-ro-mahn] Part of speech: noun Origin: German, early 20th century Meaning: 1. A novel dealing with one person's formative years or spiritual education. Examples: "She had an entire shelf in her home library devoted to Bildungsroman." "The Bildungsroman told the story of his journey from a one-room schoolhouse to graduating from medical school." About Bildungsroman Bildungsroman is an intimidating word for a literary style popular with all types of readers. "Bildung" is German for "education," and "roman" is a novel. Simply put, it's a coming-of-age story. Since the noun is borrowed directly from German, it's usually capitalized (following the German rule), but it's still correct in English if it's not. Did you Know? Emma by Jane Austen, "David Copperfield" by Charles Dickens, "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Zora Neale Huston, and "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee — all Bildungsromans. Any story that concerns the moral, educational, and philosophical development of a young person falls into this family of novels. A more modern term for this genre is "coming-of-age story" and it applies to narratives across literature, TV, film, and theater.

Fact of the Day - WHITE ON LABOR DAY IS A NO-NO Did you know... After the Civil War, the wives of the super-rich came up with a number of fashion laws to separate the old money crowd from those with vulgar new money. Wearing white in the summer makes sense. Desert dwellers have known for thousands of years that white clothing seems to keep you a little bit cooler than other colors. But wearing white only during the summer? While no one is completely sure when or why this fashion rule came into effect, the best guess is that it had something to do with snobbery in the late 1800s and early 1900s. After the Civil War, the wives of the super-rich ruled high society with an iron fist. As more and more people became millionaires, though, it was difficult to differentiate between respectable old money families and those who only had vulgar new money. By the 1880s, to tell who was acceptable and who was not, the women who were already “in” felt it necessary to create dozens of fashion rules that everyone in the know had to follow. That way, if a woman showed up at the opera in a dress that cost more than most Americans made in a whole year, but it had the wrong sleeve length, other women would know not to give her the time of day. Not wearing white outside the summer months was reportedly another one of these silly rules. White was for weddings and resort wear, not dinner parties in the fall. Of course, it could get extremely hot in September, and wearing white might make sense. But if you wanted to be appropriately attired you just did not do it. Labor Day became a federal holiday in 1894, and society eventually adopted it as the natural endpoint for summer fashion. Not everyone followed this rule. Even some socialites continued to buck the trend—most famously Coco Chanel, who regularly wore white year-round. Though the rule was originally enforced by only a few hundred women, over the decades it trickled down to everyone else. By the 1950s, women’s magazines made it clear to middle class America: White clothing was dug out on Memorial Day and went back into storage after Labor Day. These days the fashion world is much more relaxed about what colors to wear and when, but every year you will still hear people say that white after Labor Day is unacceptable, all thanks to some snobby millionaires who decided that was a fashion no-no more than 100 years ago. Source: Why Can’t You Wear White After Labor Day?

What's the Word: APPETENCY pronunciation: [APP-ə-dən-see] Part of speech: noun Origin: Latin, early 17th century Meaning: 1. A longing or desire. 2. A natural tendency or affinity. Examples: "Ice cream topped with pickles was the strangest appetency that she had during her pregnancy." "My grandfather passed along his appetency for woodworking and carving." About Appetency The Latin verb "appetere," meaning "to seek after," is the root of both "appetency" and "appetite." In addition to the definition of "hunger," "appetency" also means "a natural inclination for something." If you have an appetency for cooking, you might want to consider culinary school. Did you Know? One usage of "appetency" ("a longing or desire") is as a synonym for "appetite," but it has a stronger implication of craving attached to it. If you use "appetency" instead of "appetite," there might be an emotional hunger associated with your desire.

Fact of the Day - COCKROACHES Did you know.... Cockroaches have a reputation for being indestructible. But they may not be as totally immune to radiation as people think. Some say the world will end in fire, some say in ice; still others say in a nuclear apocalypse that will annihilate humanity while leaving cockroaches intact. It’s an unhappy picture, Homo sapiens being completely wiped out by its own technology as the little pests inherit the Earth, but is the possibility fact, or just science fiction? Long Live the Cockroach Unfortunately, it looks like the bugs win this one. They’ve already survived one nuclear attack: The cockroach survival theory surfaced in the wake of the 1945 atomic bombings at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, when reports began to circulate that the only signs of life remaining between the two cities were cockroaches scurrying among the ruins. With that kind of evidence, it’s reasonable enough to infer that even more nuclear weapons won’t be enough to keep them down, but it always helps to test a hypothesis. As usual, that’s where the Mythbusters stepped in. The Discovery Channel team conducted an experiment on German cockroaches to see just how much radiation they can stand before kicking the tiny bucket, and it’s a lot—more than we frail humans can handle, for sure. A month after their initial exposure to 1000 radon units (rads) of cobalt 60—an amount sufficient to kill a human in just 10 minutes of exposure—about half of the cockroach sample was still alive and thriving, which is all the more impressive considering the normal mortality rate of insects with only a 6-to-9-month life span. The second condition upped the dose of radiation to 10,000 rads, about the equivalent amount of exposure that would result from an atomic bomb, and 10 percent of the cockroaches were still around to tell the tale a month later. The 100,000 rads condition proved that at least cockroaches aren’t invincible: None of them made it through, which would be more tragic if they didn’t still possess superhuman levels of radiation immunity. Could Other Animals Survive Extreme Radiation? Detractors from the theory that roaches will someday rule the Earth don’t disagree with the findings that the little creepy-crawlies would easily outlive us after nuclear fallout; their argument is that there are other, even more radiation-resistant organisms out there. Tardigrades—which have been shown to survive in space—would have a good chance. Some wood-boring insects, as well as their eggs, can survive exposure to as much as 68,000 rads, while it would take about 64,000 to take out the common fruit fly. Habrobracon hebetor, a type of parasitic wasp, easily takes the radiation-resistance championship with its ability to survive up to 180,000 rads—somewhere around 200 times as much resistance as any human possesses. But, even if they did make it through a gnarly nuclear blast, a lack of food (and a severely changed environment) could hinder their ability to survive longterm. “It is difficult to know what the long term impacts of the radiation would be on those animals and how this would ripple up the food chain,” Corrie Moreau, a professor of arthropod biosystematics and biodiversity at Cornell University, told Newsweek. “We really have to hope we do not see this experiment play out.” Source: Could Cockroaches Really Survive a Nuclear War?

What's the Word: POTATION pronunciation: [po-TEY-shən] Part of speech: noun Origin: Latin, 15th century Meaning: 1. A drink. 2. The action of drinking alcohol. Examples: "Sit down and join me for a potation." "A majority of the plans for the bachelor party concerned copious amounts of potation." About Potation Po-TEY-tion, po-TAH-tion. Actually, potation has nothing to do with potatoes. The Latin verb "potare" means "to drink," and that turned into "potation" in Old French and then Middle English. The noun form means "a drink" or "the action of drinking." Did you Know? Head to your favorite watering hole and order a potation. It’s not a fancy cocktail made by a mixologist; it’s just a drink. "Potation" is a bit of an old-fashioned term for a beverage, usually an alcoholic one. Bartender’s choice when you ask for a potation.

Fact of the Day - SLEEPING DOLPHINS Did you know... Metallica lyrics notwithstanding, most humans would find it impossible to sleep with one eye open. Dolphins, on the other hand, can’t sleep any other way. That’s because, unlike us, they don’t breathe automatically and have to remain conscious in order to do so actively. The solution to this predicament is called unihemispheric slow-wave sleep, in which one half of the brain rests while the other remains awake. When the right half of a dolphin’s brain is sleeping, its left eye is closed, and vice versa; they periodically alternate which side of the brain is asleep in order to rest fully while retaining consciousness. While sleeping, dolphins may rest motionless or swim slowly and steadily near the water’s surface. Dolphins aren’t the only species with strange sleeping patterns. A number of their fellow sea creatures, from beluga whales to sea lions, also exhibit unihemispheric sleep. On the extra adorable end of the spectrum are otters, who float belly-up and often hold hands with one another so as to not drift apart while snoozing. Great Frigatebirds, meanwhile, sleep in 10-second bursts while remaining airborne for as long as two months at a time. And, like dolphins, they do it with one eye open. Bottlenose dolphins call each other by unique names. Bottlenose dolphins are talkative creatures. Their communication skills, which have been called “sophisticated” and “novel,” include referring to each other by unique names. These “names” consist of learned, distinctive whistles that individual dolphins both broadcast and respond to, and they’re smart enough to not respond to other whistles. Researchers have also noticed that individual bottlenose dolphins copy the signature whistles of others, as a way of finding lost friends and family in the sea. Source: Dolphins sleep with one eye open.

What's the Word: DALLY pronunciation: [DAL-ee] Part of speech: verb Origin: Old French, 15th century Meaning: 1. Act or move slowly. 2. Have a casual romantic liaison with. Examples: "I was enjoying the spring weather so much that I dallied on my way back to the office." "He's not looking for a serious relationship, but he has been known to dally with a new romance." About Dally Here's a handy little verb with two different definitions. You probably won't dally if you're going to dally with someone. If you're dallying (having a casual romantic relationship), there's not a long courtship, so you won't dally (delay) going on a few dates. Did you Know? In Old French, "dailer" meant "to chat." As the word progressed into English, it adopted the definitions of "to move slowly" and "to have a romantic entanglement." Then it acquired another usage of a casual, noncommittal interest in anything. You might while away some time by having a leisurely chat that could lead to romance or perhaps a new acquaintanceship — these are all forms of dallying.

Fact of the Day - LITMUS TEST Did you know... A popular idiom, explained. In a 2024 New York Times piece exploring the controversy over married couples in Japan using separate surnames, the Times headline read: “A Litmus Test in Japan: Should Spouses Have Different Surnames?” Likewise, a story about the Los Angeles Kings dropping a hockey game to the Las Vegas Knights was described as a “litmus test” for the California team. In the media and elsewhere, various parties seem to constantly be faced with a litmus test about their political views, athletic prowess, or overall capabilities. But what exactly is litmus, and why is it constantly being invoked as a metaphor for testing one’s worth? The Origin of Litmus Test While litmus test is typically used as an idiom, there’s actually a literal meaning to it. Litmus is a kind of coloring or dye derived from lichen, the hybrid fungi-algae growth commonly found on rocks. It’s used in chemistry to differentiate an acid from a base. If one dips litmus paper in a solution and it turns red, it’s acidic, but if it turns blue, it's alkaline. The litmus test is binary, or a kind of pass-fail measure. The Oxford English Dictionary cites litmus as being derived from the Dutch leecmos and dates use of litmus in the literal sense to the 1500s. The figurative term first shows up in print in the late 1800s. (“The alleged investigation will not stand the litmus paper test of public opinion,” asserted an 1896 Pittsburgh Press article.) To put something to a litmus test is to imply the situation relies solely on one single determining factor. Something is, or something is not—the litmus test determines which. The Kings failed their litmus test of getting past the Stanley Cup champions the Knights; voters in Japan will or will not vote for a prime minister candidate based on the litmus test of how they feel about separate surnames. One could also go on a date and see how their company treats waitstaff. If they’re kind, that could mean passing a litmus test of compatibility. A literal litmus test essentially sets a goal that has an objective value: The solution is or is not acidic. A figurative litmus test sets a subjective threshold. If you use litmus test to refer to worthiness or quality, you might be thinking of another, similar idiom: the acid test. Litmus Test vs. Acid Test Like litmus test, acid test is another term borrowed from chemistry, where nitric acid is used to evaluate the presence of gold. The idiom acid test is to challenge the value or quality of something. You may find an acid test incorporates several factors whereas a litmus test is nominally used for a single determining factor. Voters, for example, may weigh several issues during a presidential debate, meaning the candidates will be undergoing an acid test. If they’re asked one pointed question about a single incendiary topic, that may be the litmus test of the debate. The two idioms otherwise hew fairly close together, with each used to assess the overall quality or worth of an opinion, person, or event. Because the literal term is so easily applied—the litmus test is merely watching a cheap piece of paper change color, or not—a figurative litmus test is also typically something relatively easy to arrange or witness. A 20-page quiz on history is not exactly a litmus test of one’s knowledge. If anything, it’s more of an acid test—or just a plain test. Sitting down to eat at a new restaurant, on the other hand, might prompt one to choose a single dish as a litmus test. If a new eatery makes a hard-to-prepare meal, a patron may use that as evidence of its overall competency. But another customer may want to eat several meals or courses and assess a business’s overall service, making it an acid test. If you label something a litmus test, it’s probably something easily applied, evaluated, and experienced that will help others form an opinion. Asking someone if they know the etymology of the litmus test is, in its way, a method of measuring their grasp of linguistics—a litmus test of a litmus test. Source: Why Is It Called a “Litmus Test”?

What's the Word: VALEDICTION pronunciation: [val-ih-DIK-shən] Part of speech: noun Origin: Latin, mid-17th century Meaning: 1. The action of saying farewell. 2. A statement or address made at or as a farewell. Examples: "Make sure to give your mother a valediction before you leave for the weekend." "I always struggle with choosing an appropriate valediction for emails to my boss." About Valediction Valedict- serves as the root for several related words. There's "valediction" ("the act of saying farewell"), "valedictorian" ("the student chosen to deliver a farewell address at a commencement ceremony"), and "valedictory," which is both the noun for a farewell speech and an adjective describing something of a farewell nature. Did you Know? If you're a regular at Christian church services, you likely recognize "benediction" as the blessing given at the end of the service. "Valediction" has a similar Latin etymology. "Bene" in Latin is "to wish well or bless." "Vale" is "goodbye," and "dicere" is "to say" in Latin. A benediction and a valediction — depending on the context — are both appropriate ways to say goodbye.

Fact of the Day - EARTH'S SHAPE CHANGING Did you know... At a glance, the universe looks pretty well organized, with perfectly spherical planets orbiting in concentric circles around a glowing orb. But things are a lot more complicated in reality. For example, while our Earth looks like a sphere when viewed from space, it’s actually an irregularly shaped ellipsoid (think a flattened sphere) because of the centrifugal force of its rotation. And its weirdness doesn’t stop there: The precise shape of the Earth is also changing all the time. Many things affect the shape of the Earth. The drifting of tectonic plates form entirely new landmasses, and the Earth’s crust is still rebounding from the last ice age 16,000 years ago. While these minute adjustments go mostly unseen, other shape-altering events — such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and asteroid strikes (RIP to our Cretaceous friends) — are hard to miss. But the Earth also changes shape by the hour, and humans can watch it happen … sort of. Every day (roughly), the Earth experiences two periods of high and low tide, where the gravitational effects of the moon and sun affect the movement of our oceans, and as a result, the shape of the planet, if only temporarily. So even if the Earth’s shape isn’t exactly perfect, it's certainly dynamic. The Earth’s orbit around the sun also changes shape over time. All planets travel in an ellipse around the sun, and the amount this elliptical journey departs from a perfect circle (represented by the value “0”) is known as an orbit’s “eccentricity.” This elliptical orbit means the Earth is closer to and farther from the sun at certain times of the year. Perhaps counterintuitively, the Earth’s closest approach to the sun, also known as its perihelion, occurs in early January, and its farthest distance (aphelion) happens in early July. Over the course of roughly 100,000 years, due to gravitational forces, the Earth’s orbit will fluctuate between almost 0 and 0.07 (which is still a nearly imperceptible ellipse). But these small numbers are much bigger when multiplied by the size of the solar system. Currently, the Earth at only about 0.017 eccentricity is enough to make the planet 3.1 million miles closer to the sun at perihelion compared to aphelion. Still, that difference isn’t enough to affect the seasons on Earth — those are caused by the planet’s axial tilt, and not the relatively small changes in our planet’s distance from the giant ball of gas at the center of our solar system. Source: The Earth’s shape is constantly changing.

What's the Word: SWAIN pronunciation: [sweyn] Part of speech: noun Origin: Old Norse, 14th century Meaning: 1. A young lover or suitor. 2. A country youth. Examples: "The eager swain showed up at her door with a bouquet of flowers to ask her to prom." "The swain didn't often leave the farm, but he went into town for supplies once a month." About Swain In Old Norse, "sveinn" meant "boy" or "servant." Old English adopted "swain" to describe a young man attending a knight. It picked up a few more definitions over the years, with "swain" meaning "a country youth" and then "a gentleman suitor." The courting version stuck around thanks to romantic literature. Did you Know? Swain is an old-fashioned term for a beau, boyfriend, or suitor. While the term isn't used much these days, you might try introducing a new love as your swain — the charming moniker could win over your friends and family.

Fact of the Day - ARTIFICIAL BANANA FLAVOR Did you know.... Artificial banana flavoring was first sold in the United States around the 1850s, predating the widespread availability of the tropical fruit itself by more than two decades. Bananas were a known commodity in the United States for most of the 19th century, as the first recorded shipment arrived in New York City in 1804. But those shipments were rare and limited, and the fruit remained a highly desirable exotic luxury that few Americans had access to. In an effort to capitalize on these culinary curiosities, a so-called “banana essence” was created and sold in the U.S. by 1855. This flavoring was added to sugar candy and marketed as a purportedly authentic alternative to the fruit itself before advances in shipping and refrigeration made it easier to import bananas en masse. Real bananas only became widely available in the United States beginning in the 1870s. As noted by historian John Soluri in his 2005 book Banana Cultures, the fruit was slowly but surely introduced to the country through Central America via small-scale farms in Cuba and Jamaica. Bananas were later unveiled to the masses at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition of 1876, where they were wrapped in foil and sold for a dime each. The fair helped the formerly exotic fruit gain widespread popularity throughout the U.S. decades after the artificial flavor first came on the scene. The odorous durian fruit is banned in public areas throughout Asia. Durian is a fruit native to Southeast Asia that’s highly desired for its unique flavor — but along with that flavor comes an intense and pungent aroma that’s been compared to sewage or rotten food. This odor is so potent that the fruit is banned in public spaces throughout the region, including on public transportation and in hotels. Singapore is among the places with notably strict durian bans, having prohibited the fruit on public transport since 1988. Many Singaporean hotels charge lofty cleaning fees if a durian odor is detected in a guest’s room; the city’s Carlton City Hotel, for instance, imposes a fine of 500 Singapore dollars (roughly $391 USD). Despite the food’s notorious smell, however, it remains a popular and desirable item at many local restaurants and marketplaces. Source: Artificial banana flavoring was common in the U.S. long before real bananas.

What's the Word: REDOLENT pronunciation: [RED-ihl-ənt] Part of speech: adjective Origin: Latin, 15th century Meaning: 1. Strongly reminiscent or suggestive of (something). 2. Strongly smelling of. Examples: "The small homes are redolent of the original ones in the city." "The aromas of spring are redolent with flowers and freshly cut grass." About Redolent You can use "redolent" to describe anything that reminds you of something else, but the original usage was related to smell. In Latin, "red" means "back, or again," and "olere" means "to smell." That gives us "redolent" in Latin, meaning "giving out a strong smell." The spelling and meaning passed through to Old French and into Middle English in the 15th century. Did you Know? Scent is one of the most powerful triggers for memory. Incoming smells pass through the olfactory bulb in your nose, directly to the hippocampus and amygdala. These areas in your brain are responsible for emotion and memory. This pathway explains why a kitchen redolent of baking cookies might remind you of your grandma.

Fact of the day - WHALES AND DOLPHINS Did you know.... An analysis of nearly 200 photos and videos shows that whales and dolphins engage in more playful interactions than previously thought. Whales and dolphins don’t just share the ocean; they appear to enjoy each other’s company, too. A new paper published in the journal Discover Animals provides insights into the social dynamics of these marine mammals. Whales and Dolphins Have Fun Together According to Smithsonian magazine, researchers from Griffith University in Australia pulled nearly 200 videos and photos of whale and dolphin interactions from the internet for their study. The posts were made over 20 years across 17 different countries, though most were from the U.S. and Australia. Additionally, the scientists obtained footage from cameras attached to two humpback whales. What they found was surprising. Per a statement from the university, the videos showed interactions between six baleen whale species (including humpback, gray, and fin whales) and 13 dolphin species (like bottlenose, common, and Pacific wide-sided dolphins) that appeared to be playful. What’s more is that dolphins were usually the ones to begin these encounters, and humpbacks appeared to be their preferred playmates. It seems that humpbacks are game to goof around, as they were the least likely whale species to show behaviors that may indicate aggression (e.g., tail slaps or headbutts) in repsonse to the dolphins. The cameras on the humpback whales even showed footage of them swimming to the bottom of the ocean with bottlenose dolphins to engage in apparent play. The most common type of social interaction between dolphins and whales involved the former swimming near the latter’s heads. This action could be perceived as a dolphin’s one-sided way of playing as well as a more efficient mode of swimming. That said, a quarter of these social interactions appeared to be mutual, implying that playful encounters between whales and dolphins might be more common than scientists previously believed. Source: Study Reveals Surprising Dynamic Between Whales and Dolphins

What's the Word: DEMUR pronunciation: [də-mər] Part of speech: verb Origin: Latin, 12th century Meaning: 1. Raise doubts or objections or show reluctance. 2. (Law) Put forward a demurrer. Examples: "This is an open forum — please demur if you don't agree." "If you don't agree with the charge, your lawyer can demur." About Demur Like many words that are rooted in Latin, "demur" took a progression through other languages to get to English. In Latin, "de-" means "away or completely," and "morari" means "delay." It moved into Old French as "demourer" (verb) and "demeure" (noun), and as it moved from French into Middle English, "demur" meant "to delay." However, it's also an objection — maybe even an objection at a delay. Did you Know? To demur means to object, doubt, or show your reluctance. The verb is also used in a legal sense to file a demurrer, or objection. But if you don't have any qualms, you might use "demur" as a noun. "Demur" is almost always used in the negative as a noun: "I agreed to his compromise without demur."

Fact of the Day - 'GYRO' Did you know... It’s a notoriously tricky one, so don’t feel too bad if you haven’t been getting it right. Alongside philosophy, democracy, and the Olympics, the gyro is one of the most famous—and delicious—things invented by the Greeks. It’s a classic street food dish widespread in Greece as well as in Greek restaurants across the U.S. But if you grew up outside its nation of origin, you may have a hard time pronouncing the food item the next time you order one. So is it “jee-roh”, “jye-roh”, or “yee-roh”? What Exactly Is a Gyro? Gyros consist of a pita wrap containing meat (usually pork and beef in Greece, while lamb is more common in the U.S.) sliced off a vertical rotisserie. Typical toppings include onions and tomato, as well as tzatziki sauce made from yogurt and grated cucumber. In Greece, it’s also typical to receive your gyro with French fries inside. Though the exact origins of the gyro aren’t known, it’s definitely not a new concept. Legend has it that the sandwich may have made its first appearance during the time of Alexander the Great. It’s said that soldiers on the move would use their long blades to skewer meat and roast it over fires, beginning the rotisserie tradition. Though we don’t know for sure if this story has merit, we do know the sandwich is similar to Turkish doner kebab and Levantine shawarma, and that it has undoubtedly influenced and been influenced by these Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes. As is the case with immigrants everywhere, Greeks have brought their food traditions with them across the globe. From 1965 to1980, the United States experienced a wave of immigration from Greece. The largest number of immigrants ultimately settled in New York, many in the neighborhood of Astoria, Queens. This wave unsurprisingly coincided with the first major popularization of the gyro in America. In a 1971 article about the sudden boom in gyro sales in Manhattan, The New York Times claimed they were “selling like hot dogs.” How to Pronounce “Gyro” Correctly The arrival of the gyro immediately caused pronunciation issues for the American public, however. In its article, The New York Times made sure to clarify its pronunciation: “year-oh.” It’s not a particularly intuitive word for native English speakers, leading to all sorts of mispronunciations, like “gee-roh” and “jee-roh.” Part of the problem arises from the transliteration of the Greek gamma, or γ. Gamma generally represents the “g” sound in the Greek alphabet, pronounced like the “g” in “gift.” When gamma comes before “ee” and “eh” sounds, however, like the one in gyro, that hard “g” sound turns into more of a rough “y.” Hence the word is “year-oh” instead of “gee-roh.” It’s a pretty specific rule of Greek pronunciation, so it’s unlikely anyone would hold it against you if you got things mixed up when ordering. Luckily, you’ll probably end up with the tasty sandwich you were looking for, even if you do ask for a “jye-roh.” Source: The Right Way to Pronounce ‘Gyro’

What's the Word: STENTORIAN pronunciation: [sten-TOHR-ee-ən] Part of speech: adjective Origin: Greek, early 17th century Meaning: 1. (Of a person's voice) Loud and powerful. Examples: "A successful candidate requires a stentorian voice that carries above the cheering crowds." "It was a surprise to hear a stentorian voice coming from such a small body." About Stentorian Stentorian is an adjective to describe a loud, booming voice. "Stentor" is the proper noun from Homer's "Iliad," but "stentor" is a common noun for anyone with a powerful voice. Did you Know? Thank Homer for this one. In the classic epic poem the "Iliad," Stentor is the name of the herald who delivered proclamations to the Greek army during the Trojan War. It was said that his voice was as loud as 50 men together, but you don't have to be quite that loud to be called "stentorian."

Fact of the Day - AIR GUITAR COMPETITION Did you know... There are many approaches to promoting world peace — giving Nobel Prizes, developing diplomatic agreements — but none is quite as awesome as playing air guitar. In fact, that’s why the Air Guitar World Championships were created: The organization’s official website proclaims that “wars will end, climate change will stop, and all bad things will vanish when all the people in the world play the air guitar.” In keeping with that (perhaps overly optimistic) outlook, each competition ends with every contestant playing the air guitar “all at once to save the world.” For more than 20 years, people have traveled from around the globe to Oulu, Finland, to participate, but not without first winning their respective National Championships. In most years, there are about 10 National Championships, with participating nations including France, Thailand, Chile, and beyond. The 2025 event, which runs from August 20 to 22, will feature champions from eight countries — Belgium, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, and the U.S. — alongside last year’s champion, Canada’s Zachary Knowles, and other top performers from the qualifying rounds. The 2020 event was canceled, but in 2021, a virtual event pitting past champions against each other crowned Justin “Nordic Thunder” Howard of Chicago the “Champion of Champions.” The 2021 event’s “air-judicators” judged performances using a 4.0 to 6.0 Olympic figure skating scale, with points awarded for technical merit, artistic impression, and “airness” — the latter being “the extent to which an air guitar performance exceeds the imitation of guitar playing and becomes an art form in and of itself.” Howard has been honing his skills — and winning competitions — since 2006, and according to his website, his mission is to share “his message of world peace, love, and understanding through invisible guitar licks and head-banging hair whips.” Finnish is considered one of the world’s most difficult languages to learn. While standard Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish are similar enough to be considered mutually intelligible, Finnish is part of the obscure Finno-Ugric language family, along with Hungarian and Estonian — three tongues with grammatical structures that make them notoriously difficult for non-native speakers to learn. That’s especially true of Finnish, which consistently ranks among the world’s most intimidating languages. If you find yourself trying to converse with a Finn, you may need to ask them, “Puhuisitteko hieman hitaammin?” (“Can you speak more slowly?”) Source: Finland is home to the annual Air Guitar World Championships.

What's the Word: LETHOLOGICA pronunciation: [lee-thə-LAH-jih-kə] Part of speech: noun Origin: Greek, early 20th century Meaning: 1. The inability to remember a particular word or name. Examples: "Her lethologica increased when she was meeting multiple people at a time." "Use mnemonic devices to avoid lethologica when you're studying for a big test." About Lethologica With the Greek word "lethe" for "forgetfulness" and the Greek word "logos" for "word," you can understand "lethologica" as the feeling of being unable to remember a word or a name. It can be a symptom of a medical condition, or it can be a case of forgetfulness. Did you Know? The root "lethe" comes from Greek mythology — it's the river in Hades that makes the souls of the dead forget their previous life. "Lethologica" is a somewhat obscure term for being unable to remember a certain word. A related medical condition is called "aphasia," the loss of ability to understand or express speech.

Watched the I Am A Hero movie with @Dave55811

I restarted my playthrough of The Plucky Squire (PS5), after finally platinuming and 100%ing Bloodborne (PS4). After I plat The Plucky Squire, I plan on replaying Final Fantasy IX (PS4) and finally playing Night in the Woods (PS4).

Perhaps the USSR were feeling nice & confident that day, juuuust about to launch the nukes...but when that NES purchase went through they lost their motivation & threw in the towel.