Month: May 2021

mess

addled, muddled – Addled refers to mental confusion; muddled is anything confused or in a mess. More…

dog’s breakfast, dog’s dinner – Meaning a mess or muddle, a dog’s breakfast or dog’s dinner originally may have referred to a cooking mishap with results fit only for a dog’s consumption. More…

higgledy-piggledy – Probably formed from pig and the animal’s suggestions of mess and disorder. More…

kettle of fish – Meaning “mess, muddle,” the phrase is from “a pretty kettle of fish,” a corruption of “kiddle of fish,” in which a kiddle is a basket set in the opening of a weir for catching fish. More…

Royal Brunei Armed Forces Day

The formation of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces took place on May 31, 1961, and is commemorated each year. Brunei had been a British protectorate since 1888, dependent on the British armed forces for its defense. In 1961, Brunei recruits began training as part of a transition period toward independence for the country, which occurred in 1984. Around the country, there may be parades and military displays put on by various units of the armed forces. In the capital city of Bandar Seri Begawan, it is usually commemorated at the Taman Haji Sir Omar Ali Saifuddien in the city center. Discuss

The Mosquito Alarm

Business owners have long been plagued by unruly teens who loiter on their property and vandalize it. In the mid-2000s, one innovative inventor decided that the key to combating this problem is age-related hearing loss. Enter the Mosquito alarm. Designed to be audible to teens but not adults, the controversial alarm emits a high frequency tone that is physically harmless yet annoying enough to drive away those who hear it. How have teens since adapted this technology to suit their own purposes? Discuss

Kaamatan Festival

Kaamatan is a festival and public holiday in the state of Sabah in Malaysia. The festival is celebrated by the Kadazandusun people, the largest indigenous ethnic group in Sabah. Irrigated rice is their principal crop, and the harvest is a ritual dedicated to the Bambaazon, or rice spirit. If the harvest has been good, this is a thanksgiving; if it has been poor, the ritual is an appeasement of the spirit. This festival is celebrated during the month of May with carnivals, special exhibits, sports competitions, and a regatta, all leading up to the harvest rituals on May 30-31 in Penampang. Discuss

The Cheshire Cat

Known for his distinctive mischievous grin, the Cheshire Cat of Lewis Carroll’s 1865 novel Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland has had a notable impact on popular culture. Still, despite years of painstaking research, historians have not been able to reach a consensus on what inspired Carroll—who was born in Cheshire—to create the character in the first place. Several church carvings of grinning cats have been variously identified as Carroll’s inspiration, but so has what food product? Discuss