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The PhD is a lie...
Mar. 24th, 2008 11:04 amOK, Portal allusions aside, according to This Encarta article, more than half of all Ph.D. degrees obtained in the USA each year are fake, coming from diploma mills where you can simply buy a degree.
Mar. 24th, 2008
Mall. Mall?
Mar. 24th, 2008 11:10 amHave you ever wondered about the word "mall"? What an odd word, especially as it applies to the big open area in DC and to large enclosed shopping buildings.
The word seems to have its origins, oddly enough, in the Italian maglio which means mallet. Already you can see some connection, eh?
A game called pallamaglio (palla = ball) involved hitting a ball with a mallet through an iron ring, similar to croquette. The game was played in an alley or shaded walkway. In England the game and such an area both acquired the name pall-mall, or simply mall.
From there, the word evolved to mean any area for pedestrians, such as the big open green space between the Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial, or an indoor area lined with shops.
Oddly enough, the expression "pell mell" seems to have no relations to any of the above, coming from the French pele-mele which goes back to the Old French for "to meddle."
The word seems to have its origins, oddly enough, in the Italian maglio which means mallet. Already you can see some connection, eh?
A game called pallamaglio (palla = ball) involved hitting a ball with a mallet through an iron ring, similar to croquette. The game was played in an alley or shaded walkway. In England the game and such an area both acquired the name pall-mall, or simply mall.
From there, the word evolved to mean any area for pedestrians, such as the big open green space between the Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial, or an indoor area lined with shops.
Oddly enough, the expression "pell mell" seems to have no relations to any of the above, coming from the French pele-mele which goes back to the Old French for "to meddle."
Neckbeard?
Mar. 24th, 2008 01:18 pmWhat the heck is a neckbeard?
I've never heard the term before, and in the last couple of days it has shown up twice in online comics that I read.
PvP
Questionable Content
I figure the universe is trying to tell me something. Something about neckbeards...
I've never heard the term before, and in the last couple of days it has shown up twice in online comics that I read.
PvP
Questionable Content
I figure the universe is trying to tell me something. Something about neckbeards...
How much caffeine
Mar. 24th, 2008 01:37 pmFor a while, I've been under the impression that the caffeine ration of soda:tea:coffee is roughly 1:2:4, but what are the actual numbers? Here are a couple of web sites that help answer that.
The first web site basically shows that caffenated sodas are about 25 to 50 mg per 12oz can. Tea is about 50mg per 8 oz, and coffee more than 100mg per 8 oz. There is some variability.
The second web site gives more details, but isn't great for direct comparisons.
The first web site basically shows that caffenated sodas are about 25 to 50 mg per 12oz can. Tea is about 50mg per 8 oz, and coffee more than 100mg per 8 oz. There is some variability.
The second web site gives more details, but isn't great for direct comparisons.
annual egg roll?
Mar. 24th, 2008 04:42 pmI don't understand the big deal with the annual White House egg roll. Can't they just go to the local Panda Express and get one for a dollar like everyone else?