Old-school news, just in time
by Dictionary Scoop Just as a river constantly flows yet maintains its continuity, languages change and evolve over time. Words can shift in spelling, alter their meanings, or branch into entirely new concepts while retaining the essence that once defined them. Even in modern times, with dictionaries and education standardizing pronunciations and definitions, notable differences …
Continue reading “Words Whose Standard Spelling Has Changed”
by Anders Anglesey and Amy Fenton Daily Record (Scotland) A blind couple on the brink of eviction has been left astounded by a stranger’s generous offer to purchase their home for them. “Cath and John Roche, both blind since birth, were shocked when they received a Section 21 notice after their landlords’ properties in …
Continue reading “Blind Couple Gets Assistance In Saving House”
by Dean Burnett BBC We all know someone like it. You probably work with or are even related to one. At office parties and family gatherings, you’re likely to have to interact with one and rediscover just how annoying they are. We’re talking about the ‘know-it-all.’ Individuals who will enthusiastically lecture you about …
by Dictionary Scoop Have you ever noticed how many everyday words go back to Greek mythology? Sure, we have the more obvious ones—like “narcissist” or “nemesis”—but you might find in this list terms that you didn’t know were so old. 1-Tantalizing Remember the story of Tantalus? He was a king who tried to fool the gods and …
Continue reading “How Greek Mythology Slips Into Everyday Life”
by Interesting Facts With the right combination of words and expressions, we can communicate anything our hearts desire. That’s the power of language. But what about those times when you’re looking for a single word rather than an entire sentence to sum up a thought or feeling? For that, we can look to …
by Kevin Burton Been reading with joy, a small flood of stories about people having sight restored through gene therapy. Voretigene neparvovec, sold under the brand name Luxturna, is a gene therapy medication for the treatment of Leber congenital amaurosis, according to Wikipedia. The US Food and Drug Administration approved Luxturna, in December of …
Continue reading ““Life Changing” Gene Therapy Restores Vision”
by Kevin Burton The Wednesday before Valentine’s Day I posted a story about a cruel and unusual dating ritual that came from ancient Rome. The cruel part was men beating women with animal skins as part of a Valentine’s Day tradition. The unusual part was the women were eager for this! It was …
Continue reading “Long-Lasting Innovations From Ancient Rome”
by Kevin Burton What would you say to Sir Elton John if you could have a moment’s conversation with him today? Now that question may be absurd, or at least rhetorical. If you’re like me and grew up with Elton John in his prime all over the radio, as part of the fabric …
Continue reading “Of Sir Elton John And Seeing Things Clearly”
by Megan Dausch Helen Keller Services The Louis Braille Museum in Coupvray, France, smelled like history—aged wood, old paper, and the faint mustiness of time. It was a small house, but it held the weight of a remarkable legacy. I remember running my fingers over the dominoes Louis Braille played with as a …
Continue reading “Braille Gives Literacy, Independence, Access”
by Kevin Burton Our cat Ronnie is “food-motivated.” The manager of Save The Kitties in Derby said so and she wasn’t lying. Ronnie was obviously supplied with people food in large quantity by her previous owners because she clung to our feet when we opened the refrigerator. She knew exactly what the apparatus …
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