Drunk Raccoon Passed Out In Liquor Store

by Chris Michael The Guardian    A liquor store employee in Virginia was startled Nov. 29 to discover smashed whisky bottles on the floor of the shop and, upon entering the bathroom, an apparently drunk, sleeping and spread-eagled raccoon.    “He fell through one of the ceiling tiles and went on a full-blown rampage, drinking …

Here’s To Your Health, And To Keeping It Real

by Dictionary Scoop    Health myths are everywhere! These ideas were simply passed down for so long that they became part of what we believed. But now science has stepped in to clear things up. Let’s uncover the truth behind ten common health myths. 1-Cutting your hair makes it grow faster    Have you ever …

The Next Best Thing To Taking It With You?

by Dictionary Scoop    Thinking about one’s own demise is not a pleasant task. Still, it’s wise to make preparations for that day, to ensure your material possessions are handled according to your wishes.    The same goes for any plans you might have for your funeral. Last wills are fairly common, but in some …

Gerry Rafferty Was Born 77 Years Ago Today

by Kevin Burton    The headline to an article in The Independent called Gerry Rafferty a “bipolar alcoholic industry misfit.” His biographers including his daughter Martha dispute none of that.    The article was printed on the occasion of the 2021 release of “Rest In Blue” an album of Rafferty demos polished and completed by …

Common Words Borrowed From Arabic

by Kevin Burton     Have there been more impassioned articles written about the evil of alcohol or the evil of algebra?    Who can tell really? But these twin menaces are linked in today’s word list from Merriam-Webster, words borrowed by English from Arabic: Algebra    Anyone who has unpleasant memories of slogging through this …

These Jokes May Drive You To Drink

by Kevin Burton    Here’s a tip for you discerning eligible bachelors out there, one you may not have picked up on:    Women dig grammar.    In the 70s I would have said “chicks dig grammar,” but you never know when somebody, some female somebody, will stumble upon Page 7 for the first time.  …

The Unfriendly Skies Of Fantasy Football

by Kevin Burton    This is exploratory, just in case. I am doing this just in case.    One needs to keep one’s options open. Old dogs need to at least consider new tricks, right?    So, the fantasy football flight has encountered some turbulence, shall we say? Four teams, two wins six losses among …

Personal Data Scattered To The Four Winds

by Kevin Burton    Yes, of course you’re going to do your due diligence, you’ll do what you can. But is this a lost cause already?    I’m talking about the safe keeping of your personal data, personal identifying information. The intimate details of your life.    How much of that information do you truly …