That Christmas Creep Will Get You Every Time

by Kevin Burton    Our rule about Christmas music is none before Dec. 1.  For Christmas decorations, anything goes as long as it’s after Thanksgiving.    We should perhaps clean up that Christmas rulebook inconsistency.    Also, most years we buy a new Christmas ornament for the tree. We have enough ornaments for at least …

Was This The Worst Idea Of The 1970s?

by Kevin Burton    Pet rocks I remember. Mood rings, yep. Little sawed-off Gremlin cars. Yeah, I remember those.     I was part of the 70s. I was on the scene baby! I watched the Jackson 5 cartoon. Didn’t dance much but I sang a lot of disco. I remember the bicentennial and staying up …

Sharp-Dressed Words From Fashion Industry

by Dictionary Scoop     In this article, we uncover the origins of 10 items from the fashion industry. Even though all of these garments have evolved over time, their unusual names remain. 1-Denim    A couple of centuries before Levi Strauss popularized denim jeans, two cities in Europe were already developing the textile that would become an icon of …

Uber And Lyft Corporations Are To Blame

by Terri Gerstein Slate.com    Last year, former U.S. Circuit Court Judge David Tatel, who is blind, was denied a Lyft ride to court when a driver refused to accept his guide dog.    It should not be necessary to state this, but: People who are blind deserve full access to trains, airplanes, and other transportation …

Despite Upgrade, City’s Website Not Accessible  

by Meg Britton-Mehlisch Wichita Beacon    Staff at Wichita’s City Hall weren’t happy with their virtual footprint. In 2022, they described the city’s website, http://www.wichita.gov,  as “suboptimal,” “outdated” and “confusing.”     So the city spent $312,000 on a website refresh intended to flip that description and create a welcoming and easy-to-use virtual gateway to local …

Science Made These Dreams Come True

by Dictionary Scoop    Humans love to predict the future. None of the things we have been able to create throughout history, from pyramids to airplanes, would have been possible without first imagining them.    During the 20th century, as the turn of the millennium approached, scientists, writers, and illustrators imagined technological innovations that, if …

Six Fascinating Facts About The Telephone

by interestingfacts.com    Most of us are familiar with the story of the first telephone call: On March 10, 1876, Boston University professor Alexander Graham Bell reached for the curious invention on his desk, rang up his trusty assistant, and said, “Watson, come here… I want you to look at this text.”    OK, maybe …

These Technologies Are Older Than You Think

by Dictionary Scoop    In the fast-paced world of technology, it’s easy to assume that all our gadgets and gizmos are creations of the digital age. However, some inventions have been around longer than you might think.    Prepare to be amazed as we unveil ten technologies that seem to defy the boundaries of time. …

Surge Pricing Coming To A Wal-Mart Near You

by Kevin Burton    The Wal-Mart closest to our house is almost finished with a major remodel, including all shelves and bins and even its drive-through pharmacy.    I am guessing this is not about being tidy, but about making a tidy profit.    I think this is about surge pricing. Apps such as Uber …