It’s Element-ary, Number Thirty-Seven!

This month we move on to the next of the transition elements: tungsten. Tungsten is very hard and has the highest melting point of all metals. It is hard to liquefy, it is hard to boil, and it is used in bulletproof armor plating as well as in the filaments of light bulbs.

tungsten – discovered in 1783 A.D.

Symbol: W
Atomic number: 74
Atomic weight: 183.84
Density: 19.250 g/cm³
Melting point: 3,422°C (6,192°F)
Boiling point: 5,555°C (10,031°F)
Color: gray-white
Standard state: solid at 25°C (77°F)
Classification: metallic

Source: The Complete Periodic Table: Elements with Style, by Adrian Dingle and Dan Green.

Amazing Adjectives, Number 107!

From French facetieux, meaning “facetious, mischievous”; from Latin plural facetiae, meaning “wit, clever talk”; from facetus, meaning “witty, clever.” As exemplified in The Highly Selective Dictionary of Golden Adjectives for the Extraordinarily Literate.

“Walter’s annoying habit of injecting facetious remarks into otherwise serious conversations finally got him into real trouble with this fiancee’s father and threatened to delay his marriage indefinitely.”

facetious

\ fuh–see-shuhs \, adjective;

1. not meant to be taken seriously or literally.
2. amusing; humorous.
3. lacking serious intent; concerned with something nonessential, amusing, or frivolous.

Source: The Highly Selective Dictionary of Golden Adjectives for the Extraordinarily Literate by Eugene Ehrlich and http://www.dictionary.com

For Logophiles, Number Four!

Here is the next installment from: Word Lover’s Dictionary: Unusual, Obscure, and Preposterous Words, by Josefa Heifetz.

dacrygelosis [dăk“ rǐ-jǝ-lō‘ sǐs], noun;

condition of alternating crying and laughing.

Source: Word Lover’s Dictionary: Unusual, Obscure, and Preposterous Words, by Josefa Heifetz; and http://www.dictionary.com.

Some Groaners!

Here are some jokes that I ran across . . . enjoy!

Mark: Is it crazy to be afraid of cats?
Meg: Depends. Are you a man or a mouse?

Crystal: Did you hear the rumor about butter?
Kristen: Yes, and I’m not going to spread it.

Mandy: People laugh at my jokes at the office, but never on Zoom.
Randy: That’s because you’re not remotely funny.

Cindy: Did you hear about the guy who fell onto the airport baggage carousel?
Mindy: No. Did he get knocked out?
Cindy: Yes, but he care around slowly.

Did you hear about the guy who changed his name to Authorized Personnel? It opened a lot of doors for him.

Imagine a man holding an open carton of eggs and asking the following question:
John: What’s your preference — scrambled or fried?
Ron: Whatever you like. I’m eggnostic.

Source: AARP Bulletin, May 2022, p. 54.

Know Before You Go, Number Three!

Here is the next installment from the reference book: Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands, by Terri Morrison and Wayne A, Conway. This source was named “one of the best business ‘how-to’ books of 2006” [by Library Journal]. In addition to notes about each country (background, culture, history, type of government, language, business practices, protocols, etc.), there is also a section entitled “know before you go.” So whether you are traveling for business or for pleasure, a book like this could certainly come in handy. Periodically, I will be posting the “know before you go” on a variety of countries that I have not yet had the opportunity to visit (and perhaps some that I have, ex post facto, so that others may learn what I did not know prior to going).

This post is for one of the countries I have already traveled to: Chile . . . here is what I didn’t “know before I went.”

• Weather emergencies — earthquakes, volcanoes, and tsunamis.
• Elevation — altitude sickness. Best prevention, acclimation: once you get over 6000 feet above sea level, spend a couple of days to get used to the altitude. Repeat this for every increase in 3000 foot elevation. Alcohol can make this worse. Sunburn is also a hazard at high elevation.
• In the southernmost part of Chile, the Antarctic ozone hole in the atmosphere — sunburn can happen quickly; best prevention, sunblock, protective clothing (including sunglasses).
• Many Chileans are heavy smokers. It may be difficult to find smoke-free establishments (International Hotel chains are fairly good at enforcement of no-smoking rules).
• The roads (especially the main highways) are good, and Chileans are relatively safe and polite drivers.
• Armed robbery and kidnapping are rare.
• Corruption is uncommon (except for tax evasion).
• The traffic police (Carabineros) tend to be honest — may take any attempt to bribe them as an insult.

Source: Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands, by Terri Morrison and Wayne A. Conway, Japan, p. 82-83.

Fun Fact Friday, Number 296!

Today’s real facts (courtesy of http://www.snapple.com) are about wood.  Did you know that . . .

• termites eat through wood 2 times faster when listening to rock music? (Real Fact #33)
• the official state gem of Washington is petrified wood? (Real Fact #382)
• the woodpecker can hammer wood up to 16 times per second? (Real Fact #437)

Source: http://www.snapple.com/real-facts

Monarch with Chickadees!

Following a year of very limited travel (thank you COVID), I was able to vacation back to Michigan during the summer of 2021. Unfortunately, the Traverse City Film Festival was still in hiatus, but this allowed me more quality time with family without the added distraction of a jam-packed movie-going schedule. And we used this time well . . . eating, drinking, and taking in the local art scene. Here is a piece by one of my favorite Traverse City artists. The artist: Charles R. Murphy, the title: Monarch with Chickadees, the medium: acrylic. Charles’ work is easy to find in the Traverse City area, as many galleries have pieces. This one I found at McMillens Framing.

Man’s Best Friend!

Last month, I introduced an origami pattern for a cat; this month, here is the dog. Happy folding!

Source: https://youtu.be/p5qVAPqz4DY

Utter Loathing!

“The president abominated the idea of having more power in his hands because of the pressure it would bring.” (Source: sentence.yourdictionary.com)

abominate

\ uh–bom–uh-neytt \, verb (used with object);

1. to regard with intense aversion or loathing; abhor.
2. to dislike strongly.

Source: The Highly Selective Dictionary for the Extraordinarily Literate by Eugene Ehrlich, sentence.yourdictionary.com and http://www.dictionary.com

The Plesiosaurus!

Here is a fun limerick for all of you dinasaur lovers out there!

There once was a plesiosaurus,
Which lived when the earth was all porous.
But it fainted with shame,
When it first heard its name,
And departed long ages before us.

Source: A Bundle of Birdbrains…Lots of Limericks (selected by Myra Cohn Livingston)