centrifugal, centripetal – Centrifugal force pulls away or pushes outward; centripetal draws toward or pulls inward. More…
cow tipping – A widely frowned-upon activity whereby one knocks over a sleeping cow (which sleeps standing up) by pushing on its side. More…
exert – Can refer to a seed’s pushing out or up. More…
crowd – Its underlying notion is of “pushing, pressing,” from Old English crudan, “press.” More…
Now an integral part of New York City culture, the NYC subway opened its first underground line in 1904—about 35 years after service began on the first elevated line. The subway’s early popularity was highlighted in songs like “Take the ‘A’ Train” and publicity contests like “Miss Subways.” Millions of people now ride the city’s subways every day, consistently crowding some trains well beyond capacity. What 1888 natural disaster boosted support for the creation of an underground transit system? Discuss
This national holiday commemorates Turkmenistan‘s independence from the U.S.S.R. on October 27, 1991. Turkmenistan and other republics were gradually able to establish their own autonomous states due to the relaxation of Soviet rule influenced by the policy of perestroika. When the Soviet Union ceased to exist in December 1991, their independence was assured. Discuss
There is rarely a good or positive thing, event, or circumstance that is not accompanied by something negative or unpleasant (i.e., just as a rose has thorns). Watch the video
If your computer has ever had a virus, you might have encountered a rootkit—a Trojan that keeps itself, other files, registry keys, and network connections hidden from detection. It gives the attacker “root” access to the computer, which means it runs at the lowest level of the machine. Rootkits are often damaging and have gained notoriety as a form of malware—software designed to destroy data, steal information, or aggravate the user. When was the first virus for personal computers discovered? Discuss
aught – Another word for “nothing, zero.” More…
zero, cipher – Zero and cipher come from Arabic sifr, “nought, zero,” from Sanskrit sunya, “empty.” More…
lay an egg – The egg in “to lay an egg” refers to “zero.” More…
googol – Coined when mathematician Edward Kasner asked his nephew to create a word for the number 1 followed by 100 zeros. More…
Too complicated to be understood by one. Watch the video
Five Points was a notorious New York City slum centered on a five-cornered intersection in what is now Foley Square. The neighborhood, home to the infamous “gangs of New York,” was created in the early 1800s after Collect Pond was filled, creating a swamp and prompting its more affluent inhabitants to move amid declining conditions. Heavily populated by free African Americans and Irish immigrants, Five Points was an early example of racial integration in the US. What form of dance emerged there? Discuss
Definition: (noun) A minor weakness or failing of character.
Synonyms: fault, defect, imperfection.
Usage: His father’s foibles did not prevent his son from loving and honoring him.
Discuss