Many common words we use to insult people
did not begin with our current definition. Here are a few that have
changed over the years.
Punk, worthless person - Punk has long been an insult in the
English language. Shakespeare used it as an especially dirty word
for prostitute in 1602. Eventually it came to mean young male
prostitutes. This evolved by the 1920s to mean "young, inexperienced
boy.” Inexperienced soon translated to good-for-nothing and
criminal. During the 1970s, British men in spiky leathers and Mohawk
hair styles were called punks.
Brat, - badly behaved child - The worst kind of children in
the olden days were very poor. Brat as slang dates from the 1500s in
England, and meant beggar’s child. Beggars often made sure their
children were prominently displayed to garner more sympathy and
money, which was annoying to passersby. Bratt is also an old English
word meaning 'ragged garment' or 'cloak'. Brats often wore bratts,
affirming that they were in fact, brats.
Jerk, obnoxious or dull person - Because older trains ran on
steam, they often needed to be refilled with water. Water towers
were built periodically along the train tracks and had hanging
chains that the boiler man would “jerk” to start the water flowing.
Towns sprang up around many of these water-stops and smaller ones
were usually called jerk-water towns and their populations jerks.
Dunce, slow-witted or stupid person - John Duns Scotus was a
brilliant 15th century philosopher. He pioneered the idea that we
had the exact same kind of goodness inside us that God did, but a
lot less. Unfortunately, his followers, known as the Dunses in the
century succeeding his death, were reputed to be the most stubborn,
closed-minded philosophizers around. Mr. Scotus’ name became
attached more to his stubborn followers than to his own work.
Bum, one who performs a function poorly - We owe the
legendary German work ethic for the introduction of the word bum to
mean useless. It meant 'buttocks' since the 13th century (and is
still used as such by many). The use of the word became popular
during the Civil War, when German immigrants swelled the ranks of
the Yankees. The German word bummler was easily shortened to apply
to any soldier, because he was a loafer, sitting on his bum all day.
Barbarian, uncivilized or savage - “Bar-bar” was how ancient
Greeks imitated the babbling stammer of any language that was not
Greek. Thus barbarian came to mean the sort of lowbrow foreigners.
Cretin, stupid or insensitive person - Cretin is an insult
that evolved from a real and dreadful medical condition. It comes
from a word used in an 18th century Alpine dialect. The word was
crestin, used to describe a dwarfed and deformed person. Cretinism
was caused by lack of iodine resulting in congenital hypothyroidism.
Jan 10, 2014
Grand Predictions
This time of year many pundits are either
rehashing the greatest, best, and worst of the past year or offering
predictions for the near and distant future. Here are a few from the
1890s predicting life in the 1990s.
“Three hours will constitute a long day’s work by the end of the next century.”
“Longevity will be so improved that 150 years will be no unusual age to reach.”
“In the 1990s, the United States will be a government of perhaps 60 states, situated in both North and South America.”
“In 100 years Denver will be as big as New York and . . . if the republic remains politically compact and doesn’t fall apart at the Mississippi River, Canada will be either part of it or an independent sovereignty.”
“We shall not only restore the dress of our great-grandfathers before we stop, but run the costumes of Adam and Eve a pretty close shave.”
“The waist line will be just below the bosom.”
“Politically, there will be far less money expended in electing officials, I fancy. Many of our leading politicians, out of a job, will be living on the island.” [in jail].
“There will be no need of a standing army.”
“Law will be simplified and brought within the reach of the common people . . . The occupation of 2/3 of the lawyers will be destroyed.”
“Transcontinental mail will be forwarded by means of pneumatic tubes.”
“By the year 1993, the mechanical work of publishing newspapers may be done entirely by electricity.”
“Aluminum will be the shining symbol of that age. The houses and cities of men, built of aluminum, shall flash in the rising sun with surpassing brilliance.”
“Long before 1993, the journey from New York to San Francisco, and from New York to London, will be made between the sunrise and sunset of a summer day. The railway and the steamship will be as obsolete as the stagecoach.”
“Labor organizations will have disappeared, for there will be no longer a necessity for their existence.”
“Three hours will constitute a long day’s work by the end of the next century.”
“Longevity will be so improved that 150 years will be no unusual age to reach.”
“In the 1990s, the United States will be a government of perhaps 60 states, situated in both North and South America.”
“In 100 years Denver will be as big as New York and . . . if the republic remains politically compact and doesn’t fall apart at the Mississippi River, Canada will be either part of it or an independent sovereignty.”
“We shall not only restore the dress of our great-grandfathers before we stop, but run the costumes of Adam and Eve a pretty close shave.”
“The waist line will be just below the bosom.”
“Politically, there will be far less money expended in electing officials, I fancy. Many of our leading politicians, out of a job, will be living on the island.” [in jail].
“There will be no need of a standing army.”
“Law will be simplified and brought within the reach of the common people . . . The occupation of 2/3 of the lawyers will be destroyed.”
“Transcontinental mail will be forwarded by means of pneumatic tubes.”
“By the year 1993, the mechanical work of publishing newspapers may be done entirely by electricity.”
“Aluminum will be the shining symbol of that age. The houses and cities of men, built of aluminum, shall flash in the rising sun with surpassing brilliance.”
“Long before 1993, the journey from New York to San Francisco, and from New York to London, will be made between the sunrise and sunset of a summer day. The railway and the steamship will be as obsolete as the stagecoach.”
“Labor organizations will have disappeared, for there will be no longer a necessity for their existence.”
Wordology, Roughshod
The expression "to run or to ride
roughshod" over somebody or something, means to tyrannize or treat
harshly. During the 17th century, a "rough-shod" horse had its shoes
attached with protruding nail heads to get a better grip on slippery
roads.
Ten Different Types of Laughter
Laughter is a social
structure, something that connects humans with one another in a
profound way. People are about thirty percent more likely to laugh
in a social setting that warrants it than when alone with humorous
media. In other words, you are more likely to laugh with friends
while watching a comedy together than when you are watching the same
show by yourself. About 90 percent of our laughter is related to
jokes or humor.
Belly Laughter - Belly laughter is considered the most honest type of laughter and it the type where the whole body shakes and you gasp for air. Men are more likely to grunt or snort at something they find funny, while women let loose with giggles and chuckles.
Canned Laughter - Canned laughter is another term for "laugh track." It is real laughter taken completely out of one context and placed in another, such as from a real studio audience to a filmed movie. Canned laughter over a soundtrack to programming increases the chance of an audience finding humor in the material.
Contagious Laughter - Imagine you are out for dinner with a group of friends and someone tells a joke and gets one person laughing, which gets a second person laughing, and so on. Contagious laughter raises the possibility that humans have laugh detectors. People are made to respond with laughter on hearing laughter itself, much like the mystery of spreading a yawn. If it spreads too far, it is called mass hysteria.
Cruel Laughter - Cruel laughter has been around for a long time. In the late Middle Ages, for instance, there's record of residents buying a condemned criminal from a different town just so they could enjoy quartering him themselves. Slapstick comedy often induces cruel laughter.
Etiquette Laughter - People rely on laughter to get along with others, so whether we are with a boss or friends, we tend to laugh at things they say or do, to be polite. Laughter could have developed in our ancestors before full speech, so the sound is merely a way to communicate and show agreement.
Nervous Laughter - During times of anxiety, we often laugh in a subconscious attempt to calm down. However, nervous laughter usually just heightens the awkwardness of the situation.
Pigeon Laughter - Pigeon laughter, which is often practiced in laughter therapy or laughter yoga, involves laughing without opening your mouth. By keeping your lips sealed, the laughter produces a humming sound, much like the noises a pigeon makes.
Silent Laughter - Silent laughter can have real benefits, because it involves the same type of deep breathing that comes with belly laughter. One woman who worked as a clown in a children's hospital explained that teaching sick children the art of silent laughter enabled them to go back to sleep after waking up from a bad dream. This type of laughter is also practiced in laughter yoga and laughter therapy, where it is often called joker's laughter.
Stress-relieving Laughter - Stress is an important reasons to find something humorous and laughter is a sure cure for stress. Stress builds tension in the human body, and that tension has to go somewhere. Stress-relieving laughter can take many forms, but it is usually found in an outburst, much like belly laughing.
Snorting Laughter - About twenty five percent of women and thirty three percent of men laugh through the nose. This is the kind where you might blow milk out your nose when surprised with a humorous situation. A person might either blow air out or suck it in through the nose when laughing. A well told joke often induces me to experience a few different types of laughter in one bout.
Belly Laughter - Belly laughter is considered the most honest type of laughter and it the type where the whole body shakes and you gasp for air. Men are more likely to grunt or snort at something they find funny, while women let loose with giggles and chuckles.
Canned Laughter - Canned laughter is another term for "laugh track." It is real laughter taken completely out of one context and placed in another, such as from a real studio audience to a filmed movie. Canned laughter over a soundtrack to programming increases the chance of an audience finding humor in the material.
Contagious Laughter - Imagine you are out for dinner with a group of friends and someone tells a joke and gets one person laughing, which gets a second person laughing, and so on. Contagious laughter raises the possibility that humans have laugh detectors. People are made to respond with laughter on hearing laughter itself, much like the mystery of spreading a yawn. If it spreads too far, it is called mass hysteria.
Cruel Laughter - Cruel laughter has been around for a long time. In the late Middle Ages, for instance, there's record of residents buying a condemned criminal from a different town just so they could enjoy quartering him themselves. Slapstick comedy often induces cruel laughter.
Etiquette Laughter - People rely on laughter to get along with others, so whether we are with a boss or friends, we tend to laugh at things they say or do, to be polite. Laughter could have developed in our ancestors before full speech, so the sound is merely a way to communicate and show agreement.
Nervous Laughter - During times of anxiety, we often laugh in a subconscious attempt to calm down. However, nervous laughter usually just heightens the awkwardness of the situation.
Pigeon Laughter - Pigeon laughter, which is often practiced in laughter therapy or laughter yoga, involves laughing without opening your mouth. By keeping your lips sealed, the laughter produces a humming sound, much like the noises a pigeon makes.
Silent Laughter - Silent laughter can have real benefits, because it involves the same type of deep breathing that comes with belly laughter. One woman who worked as a clown in a children's hospital explained that teaching sick children the art of silent laughter enabled them to go back to sleep after waking up from a bad dream. This type of laughter is also practiced in laughter yoga and laughter therapy, where it is often called joker's laughter.
Stress-relieving Laughter - Stress is an important reasons to find something humorous and laughter is a sure cure for stress. Stress builds tension in the human body, and that tension has to go somewhere. Stress-relieving laughter can take many forms, but it is usually found in an outburst, much like belly laughing.
Snorting Laughter - About twenty five percent of women and thirty three percent of men laugh through the nose. This is the kind where you might blow milk out your nose when surprised with a humorous situation. A person might either blow air out or suck it in through the nose when laughing. A well told joke often induces me to experience a few different types of laughter in one bout.
Larry, Moe, and Curly
When it comes to laughter, these
three were in the front of the pack. Their antics have spanned
generations of slapstick aficionados. For the Three Stooges fans in
the bunch, just received the following. My niece, Kalyn turned me on
to this Kickstarter to produce a history of the Three Stooges. LINK
Also the fans home page http://www.threestooges.com
Also the fans home page http://www.threestooges.com
The truth About Egg Yolk Color
Americans eggs tend to have
bright yellow yolks, because of what they feed feed the hens. Egg
yolk color is almost entirely influenced by its diet. If you feed
yellow corn it shows and if you feed birds white corn, the egg yolks
are more white. In South America, hens that peck at red annatto
seeds lay eggs with yolks ranging from pink to orange to deep
reddish.
The yellow color in egg yolks, as well yellowish chicken skin and fat, comes from pigments found in plants.
In most parts of the world, diners prefer their yolks with a bit more color so commercial feeds often contain lutein as an additive, although yellow maize, soybeans, carrots, and alfafa powder will also add the color.
Many egg eaters assume that darker yolks are a sign of higher nutritional value. That is not true. Although chicken feed does influence the nutritional value of birds and their eggs, researchers say yolk color does not tell you anything about nutritional value. When it comes to taste, slap a few eggs next to a huge hunk of bacon and the taste becomes awesome, regardless of yolk color.
The yellow color in egg yolks, as well yellowish chicken skin and fat, comes from pigments found in plants.
In most parts of the world, diners prefer their yolks with a bit more color so commercial feeds often contain lutein as an additive, although yellow maize, soybeans, carrots, and alfafa powder will also add the color.
Many egg eaters assume that darker yolks are a sign of higher nutritional value. That is not true. Although chicken feed does influence the nutritional value of birds and their eggs, researchers say yolk color does not tell you anything about nutritional value. When it comes to taste, slap a few eggs next to a huge hunk of bacon and the taste becomes awesome, regardless of yolk color.
Jan 5, 2014
Happy Friday
"If you do something well and you enjoy it, what more can you bloody
well ask?" Peter O'Toole
I am very good at, and always bloody well enjoy having a Happy Friday!
I am very good at, and always bloody well enjoy having a Happy Friday!
A is for Alcohol
Now that the holidays festivities
have subsided, I offer a bit of solace to the imbibers in the crowd.
A recent study from the Research Society on Alcoholism shows that
regular drinkers are less likely to die prematurely than people who
have never indulged in alcohol. It concludes that abstaining from
alcohol altogether can lead to a shorter life than consistent,
moderate drinking.
The controlled study followed 1,824 individuals between ages 55 and 65 over a 20-year period and accounted for variables including socioeconomic status to level of physical activity. It found that mortality rates were highest for those who had never had a sip, lower for heavy drinkers, and lowest for moderate drinkers who enjoyed one to three drinks per day.
Results showed 69 percent of nondrinkers and 60 percent of heavy drinkers died prematurely, while only 41 percent of the moderate drinkers died prematurely. Even with the other heavy drinking mortality factors, such as risks for cirrhosis and cancer, accidents, and poor judgment associated with heavy drinking; those who imbibe are less likely to die prematurely than nondrinkers.
A possible explanation offered is that alcohol can be a social lubricant and strong social networks are essential for maintaining mental and physical health. Also, nondrinkers demonstrate greater signs of depression than drinkers. Another recent study found that moderate alcohol consumption boosts your immune system. In addition, there is potential heart health and circulation benefits of moderate drinking, especially red wine.
The difference between moderate and chronic is defined by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. They define moderate as no more than four drinks on a single day and no more than 14 in a week for men. For women, it is defined as no more than three drinks on a single day and no more than seven in a week.
The controlled study followed 1,824 individuals between ages 55 and 65 over a 20-year period and accounted for variables including socioeconomic status to level of physical activity. It found that mortality rates were highest for those who had never had a sip, lower for heavy drinkers, and lowest for moderate drinkers who enjoyed one to three drinks per day.
Results showed 69 percent of nondrinkers and 60 percent of heavy drinkers died prematurely, while only 41 percent of the moderate drinkers died prematurely. Even with the other heavy drinking mortality factors, such as risks for cirrhosis and cancer, accidents, and poor judgment associated with heavy drinking; those who imbibe are less likely to die prematurely than nondrinkers.
A possible explanation offered is that alcohol can be a social lubricant and strong social networks are essential for maintaining mental and physical health. Also, nondrinkers demonstrate greater signs of depression than drinkers. Another recent study found that moderate alcohol consumption boosts your immune system. In addition, there is potential heart health and circulation benefits of moderate drinking, especially red wine.
The difference between moderate and chronic is defined by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. They define moderate as no more than four drinks on a single day and no more than 14 in a week for men. For women, it is defined as no more than three drinks on a single day and no more than seven in a week.
C is for Cabo Wabo
Sammy Hagar, lead singer for Van Halen
made more money from Cabo Wabo than all record, concert, song
royalties, and products combined.
He is the founder of the Cabo Wabo Tequila brand along with Cabo Wabo night clubs and restaurants. In 2007, Hagar sold an eighty percent share of the tequila brand for $80 million and sold the rest a three years later. Now he started a new venture with "Sammy's Beach Bar Rum".
Hagar claims he came up with the name after watching a man walk unsteadily along a local beach In Cabo San Lucas after a heavy night's partying. He used Cabo and shortened "wobble" to "wabo" and said the man was doing the "Cabo wabo."
He is the founder of the Cabo Wabo Tequila brand along with Cabo Wabo night clubs and restaurants. In 2007, Hagar sold an eighty percent share of the tequila brand for $80 million and sold the rest a three years later. Now he started a new venture with "Sammy's Beach Bar Rum".
Hagar claims he came up with the name after watching a man walk unsteadily along a local beach In Cabo San Lucas after a heavy night's partying. He used Cabo and shortened "wobble" to "wabo" and said the man was doing the "Cabo wabo."
Jan 1, 2014
F is for Fried Chicken
This has been around for a while,
but still makes me laugh, so I felt compelled to share. It is time
to start the new year with a good hearty laugh.
Our teacher asked what is my favorite animal and I said, "Fried chicken". She told me I am not funny, but she could not have been right because everyone else laughed. My parents told me to always tell the truth. I did. Fried chicken is my favorite animal. I told my dad what happened, and he said my teacher is probably a member of PETA. He said they love animals very much. I do too, especially chicken. Anyway, my teacher sent me to the principal's office. I told him what happened and he laughed too. Then he told me not to do it again.
The next day in class, my teacher asked me what is my favorite live animal. I told her it is chicken. She asked me why, so I told her it is because you can make them into fried chicken. She sent me back to the principal's office. He laughed and told me not to do it again. I don't understand. My parents taught me to be honest, but my teacher does not like it when I am.
Today, my teacher asked me to tell her what famous person I admired most. I told her, "Colonel Sanders". Guess where I am now?
Our teacher asked what is my favorite animal and I said, "Fried chicken". She told me I am not funny, but she could not have been right because everyone else laughed. My parents told me to always tell the truth. I did. Fried chicken is my favorite animal. I told my dad what happened, and he said my teacher is probably a member of PETA. He said they love animals very much. I do too, especially chicken. Anyway, my teacher sent me to the principal's office. I told him what happened and he laughed too. Then he told me not to do it again.
The next day in class, my teacher asked me what is my favorite live animal. I told her it is chicken. She asked me why, so I told her it is because you can make them into fried chicken. She sent me back to the principal's office. He laughed and told me not to do it again. I don't understand. My parents taught me to be honest, but my teacher does not like it when I am.
Today, my teacher asked me to tell her what famous person I admired most. I told her, "Colonel Sanders". Guess where I am now?
Laughter is the Best Medicine
Proverbs 17:22, "a merrie
heart doth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the
bones," has transformed into the popular saying, "Laughter is the
best medicine."
More About Laughter
Here is more good news to smile about
this year. A recent study found that groups that either watched or
participated in comedy felt less pain than their peers, who watched
a documentary. People who laughed more had an even higher pain
threshold than those who only had a few giggles. Chuckling with
others also increased laughter's positive impact. People are 30
times more likely to laugh in a group than alone.
Laughing triggers endorphins, neurotransmitters produced by the pituitary gland and hypothalamus, which spark a feeling of comfort similar to what occurs when someone takes an opiate. Love, excitement, spicy foods, orgasms, exercise, and pain all cause the brain to produce endorphins, which also provide an analgesic effect.
Laughing triggers endorphins, neurotransmitters produced by the pituitary gland and hypothalamus, which spark a feeling of comfort similar to what occurs when someone takes an opiate. Love, excitement, spicy foods, orgasms, exercise, and pain all cause the brain to produce endorphins, which also provide an analgesic effect.
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