What’s Playing At The Movies This Weekend?

by Kevin Burton    “Do you want to see a movie?” my wife Jeannette will ask me, thinking of  a fun diversion. “What’s playing?” I will ask.    “I don’t know,” she will say, exasperated.    “If I don’t know what’s playing, how do I know if I want to go?” I will say, as …

Where Your Favorite Cheeses Come From

by Dictionary Scoop     Whether you’re a cheese expert or just enjoy a good slice on your sandwich, you’ll enjoy this flavorful ride.    There are fascinating stories behind the cheeses we eat every day. So, let’s take a trip around the world—one cheesy stop at a time—and explore ten places that gave these famous …

Long-Lasting Innovations From Ancient Rome

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 …

Countries That Will Pay You To Move There

by Meghan Shouse housebeautiful.com    Moving out of the United States may sound appealing for cultural, political or personal reasons, but the process can be challenging. Securing the right visa for you and your family is often a difficult task, especially without easy entry options like schooling or family ties.    Still, if your desire …

Blind Lawyer Pioneer Fought For The Disabled

by Kevin Burton     Here’s the story of a woman I had never heard of before, who could and should be put on a US postage stamp.    As a woman and a disabled person, she was way ahead of her time in effectively fighting the good fight for marginalized people. May God bless any …

A Way Americans Can Avoid Fascist President

by Silvia Marchetti CNN    While many communities around the world have been wondering what to make of Donald Trump’s presidential re-election, a village on the Italian island of Sardinia has sniffed a potential opportunity.    Like many other places in rural Italy, Ollolai has long been trying to persuade outsiders to move in to revive …

English Idiom Equivalents In Other Languages

by Dictionary Scoop    To say that the English language is filled to the brim with quirky and baffling idioms is no groundbreaking news.    While we have previously delved into the inherent strangeness of the idioms we use every day, one of the most beautiful aspects of these phrases is how difficult they are to translate: …

Latin, Like Ancient Rome, Never Gets Old

by Merriam-Webster Dictionary    Over the centuries, certain Latin phrases have been used widely enough in English to get included in the dictionary. This list contains some of our favorites: In Vino Veritas Definition – “there is truth in wine”:    The classy thing to say when you’ve had too much to drink and have just …

Friending Shakespeare And His Word Creations

by Kevin Burton    Today we continue a sampling of words and phrases coined by William Shakespeare compiled by the Dictionary Scoop website. Five words and phrases Sunday, five more today.    The first one on today’s list is a good description of me. The last one is a word I am sure you thought …

Italian Words That We Use (Most) Every Day

by Dictionary Scoop    The beautiful Italian language includes terms that perfectly encapsulate the meaning of things other languages need more than one word to define.    Since food and classical music are two very successful Italian exports, it should come as no surprise that many words we use in English-speaking countries relating to these …