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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.