Definition: (adjective) Lying; untruthful.
Synonyms: dishonest, deceptive, deceitful, duplicitous.
Usage: She was more upset with the mendacious child for his dishonesty than his initial misbehavior.
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Month: June 2021
post road – One with a series of post-houses or stations for post-horses; a road on which mail was carried. More…
nixie – Any piece of mail that is unable to be forwarded because it is illegibly or incorrectly addressed. More…
post – Latin posita, “placed,” gave us Italian posta, “station on a road,” and became French poste, “a station for mail”—from the series of stations that fast horsemen traversed to deliver messages, giving us post, as in “mail system.” More…
blackmail – The “mail” in blackmail is Scottish for “tax, tribute,” referring to the tribute demanded by rebel chiefs in return for their protection. More…
like there were no tomorrow
Very rapidly and eagerly; without restraint or thought (i.e., as if there won’t be another opportunity, so one must do something as much or as quickly as possible). Watch the video
Tragedy of the Commons
A tragedy of the commons is a dilemma that results when multiple individuals, acting independently or focusing on their own self-interest, deplete a shared, limited resource, even though doing so is clearly not in the best interest of any of them. The phrase comes from the title of American ecologist Garrett Hardin’s 1968 essay that introduced the concept. Hardin’s primary example was animal herding on shared lands. On what grounds has Hardin’s hypothetical model been criticized? Discuss
remonstrance
Definition: (noun) An expression of protest, complaint, or reproof, especially a formal statement of grievances.
Synonyms: expostulation, objection.
Usage: M’Lellan turned a deaf ear to every remonstrance, and kept on his willful way.
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readiness
impromptu – Based on Latin in promptu, “in readiness,” from promptus, “prepared, ready.” More…
procinct – A state of readiness or preparation. More…
stand by – Meaning “to await, support,” it was an order to hold one’s self in readiness, recorded from 1669. More…
gear – Its etymological meaning is “that which puts one in a state of readiness.” More…
Rice-Planting Festival at Osaka
There are many rituals associated with the growing of rice in Japanese farming communities. In many rural celebrations, young women in costume perform rituals including planting seedlings while singing rice-planting songs to the accompaniment of pipes and drums. On June 14 in Osaka, thousands congregate to observe a group of young kimono-clad women plant rice and sing in the sacred fields near the Sumiyoshi Shrine. Working rhythmically to the music, the young women appear to be participating in a dance rather than the hard work of planting. Discuss
easier than falling off a log
Extremely easy; very intuitive; requiring little or no skill or effort. Watch the video
Clarence Hudson White
An accountant with a passion for art, White began teaching himself photography by taking portraits of his friends and family in his spare time. In 1896, he won a gold medal from the Ohio Photographer’s Association. As time passed, he became increasingly devoted to photography, helping to found the Photo-Secession movement in 1902 and, a few years later, moving to New York to pursue photography full time. He went on to become a renowned teacher of photography. Who are some of his famous students? Discuss