In 1986 Don Stookey was awarded the National Medal of Technology for his discovery, and 14 years later a CorningWare plate was added to the Millennium Time Capsule. Chances are, when the capsule is opened, the plate will look the same as it did on the day it was made—and still be just as strong.
The lenses in your eyes continue to grow throughout your life.
UJPORAD
Uncle John’s Page of Random Acronym Definitions.
PhD: An advanced college degree, it stands for philosophœ Doctor, which means “doctor of philosophy” in Latin.
YM Magazine: The teenage girl publication’s name used to stand for “Young Miss,” then “Young and Modern.” It’s currently “Your Magazine.”
ROTC: Reserve Officer Training Corps, a U.S. armed forces program that recruits and trains college students (on college campuses) to become military officers. ROTC produces 60% of all officers.
USO: United Service Organizations, the group that sends comedians and singers to entertain troops stationed overseas.
Fannie Mae: Federal National Mortgage Association. Created by Congress in 1938 to loan money to potential home
DARE: In the 1980s and ’90s, American schoolchildren were taught to say no to drugs in the DARE program, which stood for Drug Abuse Resistance Education.
Amtrak: America Travel Track: In operation since 1971, Amtrak is a nationwide passenger train service. Although it’s a for-profit corporation, Amtrak is subsidized by the federal government.
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.: The secret agency on the 1960s TV show was named United Network Command for Law and Enforcement.
SWAT: Special Weapons and Tactics (The term was coined by the 1970s TV cop show S.W.A.T.)
RSVP: Répondez s’il vous plaît. Found on invitations, it’s French for “please reply.”
IRA: Individual Retirement Arrangement (or Irish Republican Army)
RKO Pictures: Radio-Keith-Orpheum. This 1930s Hollywood movie studio was the result of a partnership between RCA (Radio Corporation of America) and the Keith-Albee-Orpheum Theatre Company, a chain of New York vaudeville theaters.
Double-O-Sissy? James Bond creator Ian Fleming’s favorite cocktail was pink gin.
WORD ORIGINS
More interesting stories about where some words come from.
BANDANNA
Meaning: A large colored handkerchief or neckerchief
Origin: “This word derives from a Hindi word badhnu, meaning what today is called ‘tie-dyeing,’ that is, dyeing a cloth but tying sections of it together so that they will not absorb the dye. Hence the spotty or patchy appearance of a genuine large silk bandanna.” (From NTC’s Dictionary of Word Origins, by Adrian Room)
EASEL
Meaning: A wooden frame for holding an artist’s work
Origin: “Having an easel makes life easier for an artist, and the word’s spelling apparently has been influenced by ease, but the name of the frame actually comes from the Dutch ezel, meaning ‘ass’ or ‘donkey.’ The basic idea being that the easel is like a beast of burden.” (From Devious Derivations, by Hugh Rawson)
CLAPTRAP
Meaning: Nonsense
Origin: “Originated in theatrical jargon early the 18th century. It was literally any device or stage action designed to trap claps—that is, applause. Any skilled comic actor knows dozens of bits of business, from slurping his coffee to taking a pratfall, that never fail in getting audience reaction. In the hands of master comedians, such trickery can be high art; in lesser hands it’s simply…claptrap.” (From Dictionary of Word and Phrase Origins, Volume III, by William and Mary Morris)
NICE
Meaning: Pleasant, agreeable, kind, satisfactory
Origin: “Nice is one of the more celebrated examples of an English word changing its meaning out of all recognition over the centuries—in this case, from ‘stupid’ to ‘pleasant.’ Its ultimate source was Latin nescius, ‘ignorant.’ This passed into English via the French nice with minimal change of meaning, but from then on a slow transformation took place, from ‘foolish’ to ‘shy,’ to ‘fastidious,’ to ‘refined’ to ‘pleasant’ or ‘agreeable’ (first recorded in the 18th century).” (From Dictionary of Word Origins, by John Ayto)
The word “mafia” was intentionally left out of The Godfather.
JOURNEYMAN
Meaning: An experienced and competent but undistinguished worker
Origin: “From the Old French jornee, meaning ‘day.’ In Medieval times, a journeyman was a competent craftsman who was qualified to work for a day’s wages. He was more skilled than an apprentice but not as skilled as a master craftsman.” (From Once Upon a Word, by Rob Kyff)
SAWBUCK
Meaning: A $10 bill
Origin: “Originally a sawbuck referred to a movable frame (or sawhorse) used to support wood while it is being sawed, probably a borrowing from the Dutch zaagbok, literally ‘saw-trestle.’
“Also originally, a $10 bill had the Roman numeral X (10) printed on it. Most U.S. paper currency had values in Roman numerals; even in the early 19th century bills were called ‘Vs,’ ‘Xs,’ ‘Cs,’ and so forth. The ‘X’ started being called a sawbuck because of the resemblance of the X to the crossed legs of the sawhorse. The popularity of ‘sawbuck’ was strengthened by the introduction of the word buck for ‘a dollar,’ which arose slightly later.” (From Jesse’s Word of the Day, by Jesse Sheidlower)
LIBEL
Meaning: A published defamation of a person’s character
Origin: “Libel comes from the Latin libellus, ‘little book’—and it refers to what one Roman did when he wanted to defame another. He issued a little book setting forth the other fellow’s alleged misdeeds. These ‘little books’ could also be posters or broadsides designed to be read by the public at large and passed from hand to hand.” (From Dictionary of Word and Phrase Origins, Volume II, by William and Mary Morris)
Author Kurt Vonnegut opened the first Saab dealership in America.
GOOD DOG!
Can a dog be a hero? These people sure think so.
GOOD DOG: Woodie, a collie mix
WHAT HE DID: In 1980 Rae Anne Knitter and her fiancé, Ray Thomas, were hiking on a nature trail in Ohio. Knitter had Woodie on a leash. At one point, Thomas climbed up to the edge of a shale cliff to take a photograph. A few moments later Woodie began pulling on his leash so frantically that he eventually broke free. He ran to the edge of the cliff, glanced down…and promptly leapt off. When Knitter reached the top, she looked down and saw both her fiancé and her dog lying in a stream 80 feet below. Woodie was nudging Thomas’s head (he was unconscious), holding it out of the water until paramedics arrived. Woodie broke both hips, but recovered. So did Thomas.
GOOD DOG: Weela, a 16-month-old American pit bull terrier
WHAT SHE DID: One day in 1993, 11-year-old Gary Watkins was playing in his backyard when Weela uncharacteristically charged the boy and knocked him over—just in time to put her body in between Gary and a rattlesnake. Weela received two bites to her face, but recovered. Good thing, too, because not long after that, the Tijuana River flooded their town—and over the next two months, Weela helped rescue 29 dogs, 13 horses, a cat, and 30 people from the floodwaters. For her feats of bravery, she was named the 1993 Ken-L Ration’s Dog Hero of the Year.
GOOD DOG: Major, a boxer
WHAT HE DID: In July 2005, a black bear approached three children playing badminton in the front yard of Bill and Dawn Rusko near Ligonier, Pennsylvania. Major got between the kids and the bear, and when the bear kept coming, Major attacked the animal. He jumped up and bit it in the face, and finally drove it back into the woods. Unfortunately, Major chased the bear and disappeared. (Okay—happy ending: Bill Lusko and his children spent the next two days searching the woods for Major…and found him. He reportedly ate two bowls of pork chops before curling up for a nap with the kids.)
Planet most like Earth in size, mass, density, and gravity: Venus.
BAD DOG!
&nb
sp; Can a dog be a pain? These people sure think so.
BAD DOG: Shep, a seven-year-old collie
WHAT HE DID: In 2005 Arnold Luscombe of Devon, England, was driving down the road with Shep in the passenger seat when he had to stop for a flock of sheep. As he got out to clear the road, Shep jumped into the driver’s seat…and knocked the car into gear. Luscombe turned around just in time to see his Saab going over a 40-foot embankment. It crash-landed in a creek below. Luscombe scrambled down to the car, where, he told BBC News, “Shep was sitting behind the wheel quite unconcerned.” Luscombe had the car winched out of the creek and said that Shep was no longer allowed in the driver’s seat.
BAD DOG: Shadow, a collie
WHAT HE DID: Gordon Husband, 66, was walking Shadow near the River Wye in Hampton Bishop, England. He threw a stick into some brush for the dog, and the dog promptly returned with a live hand grenade in its mouth. (The site was near an abandoned army base.) Husband gently took the grenade from Shadow’s mouth and called police. A bomb unit came and exploded the device. “Shadow is always coming back from the river with stuff,” the relieved owner said, “but usually just rubber balls.”
BAD DOG: Harvey, a three-year-old bulldog
WHAT HE DID: Harvey is the portly pet of British TV star Johnny Vaughan, host of BBC’s Johnny Vaughan Tonight. In 2003 dog and master were returning from the veterinarian in the star’s Maserati sports car when Vaughan stopped the car to let the dog out for a pit stop. But as he exited the running vehicle, Harvey bounded over the gearshift, accidentally pushing it into drive. “Then,” said Vaughan, “the little critter jumped into the footwell and pressed the accelerator.” The $100,000 car shot down the road and crashed into a parked van. Damage: $17,600. (The insurance company refused to pay for it.) “I was too shocked to be angry,” Vaughan said. “I just couldn’t believe my dog had crashed my car.”
Q: Who was the first athlete to have his number officially retired? A: Lou Gehrig.
LOST IN TRANSLATION
BRI member Christine Degueron sent us these actual instructions for her Nikota Multi-Purpose Rotary Drill. Our guess: the translator needed a few more years of school (or a few less beers).
1. Putting on Jumper: Do not carry far clothes or decoration. They can be mangled by mobile parts. If working in the open air, the rubber gloves and skid-proof footwear are recommendable. Bind your plait shed together or carry a hair net.
2. Keeping Your Body in Stability: Stand on steadily. Keep your body in balance at any time. Don’t climb the ladder not fastened against the wall. Don’t work standing on chair or similar matter.
3. Keeping Site Clean: The disordering working site has the potential of hidden danger.
4. Extension Cable Line: The extension cable line with the unqualified and undamaged indication can be used. When you purchase the extension cable line, it is necessary to consult with the related attentions.
5. You Are Always Attentive: Observe its work. Advance rationally. Do not use the tool if you are unknown the work. Do not let other persons operate the machine, hold it of its field or work away.
6. Ensure Workpiece in Stability: Use chip devices or a screw cane in order to hold the workpiece.
7. Little Pressure: You do not use in the use of the multifunctional tools to high pressure; bit it and disks ability broken. Use only clean and sharp accessories parts.
8. No Overload for Tool: They work better and more certainly in the indicated achievement area.
9. Control Its Devices on Damages: Control your device before each utilize or damages. Device or connection line damages should show, the device may be used no longer until these were removed regular. All parts correctly must be mounted in order to guarantee the flawless business of the device.
Tolstoy’s War and Peace was originally titled All’s Well That Ends Well.
YOU WANT FRIES WITH THAT?
A few tidbits from the BRI’s french fry files.
ORIGIN
So who was the first person to slice a potato into strips and fry them in oil? Nobody knows for sure. France claims a Frenchman was first. Belgians claim they invented it. Still others credit Thomas Jefferson with the achievement in 1802. The most likely answer: they all invented a version of the french fry. People were eager to experiment with this versatile vegetable, so chefs from all over probably sliced and fried them. What is known, however, is that American soldiers returning from France (or possibly Belgium) after World War I started making fries in their homes, just like the ones they were served overseas.
FRY-BRARY
The first literary mention of “chips” (the English term for fries) came in Charles Dickens’s A Tale of Two Cities (1859), in which the author referred to “husky chips of potatoes, fried with some reluctant drops of oil.” The french fry made its literary debut in 1894 in O. Henry’s Rolling Stones: “Our countries are great friends. We have given you Lafayette and French fried potatoes.”
CAPITAL OFFENSE
Is it “French” fries or “french” fries? Answer: according to most dictionaries, the initial “f” is usually uncapitalized. Why? In this case, “french” doesn’t refer to France—it refers to the way the potato is sliced in long strips, or “frenched.”
COMPU-TATERS
When the McDonald brothers opened their first restaurant in 1940, the featured food was hot dogs (hamburgers weren’t added to the menu until a few years later). But french-fried potatoes were there from the beginning, and McDonald’s knew even then that a superior fry would mean return business. Their biggest challenge was making the quality of the fries consistent, which is difficult when the cooking process consists of dropping raw potato strips into a boiling cauldron of oil. Some came out too crisp; others too limp. So McDonald’s spent millions of dollars to turn fry cooking into an exact science. They even opened a research lab in 1957 solely dedicated to the problem. They created a “potato computer”—a machine that could monitor the temperature of the oil and alert the cook when the batch was done. The potato computer is still going strong today. And McDonald’s is still testing different oils, sugars, and thicknesses in the ongoing quest for the perfect fry.
When the Statue of Liberty was restored, her steel framework was coated with Teflon.
SACRED FRIES
In fact, McDonald’s relentless pursuit of the perfect fry got the company in trouble in 2001. Two Hindus and a non-Hindu vegetarian brought a class-action suit against the fast-food giant, claiming that McDonald’s “intentionally failed to publicly disclose its use of beef tallow in the cooking process under the guise of ‘natural flavor.’” McDonald’s lost and was forced to pay a $10 million settlement to various vegetarian organizations and retract an earlier statement that claimed its fries were suitable for vegetarians.
PUBLIC ENEMY #1
During the tense times leading up to the 2003 war in Iraq, American legislators protested France’s opposition to the conflict by insisting that french fries be changed to freedom fries in Congressional cafeterias. “We are at a very serious moment, dealing with very serious issues,” countered French Embassy spokeswoman Nathalie Loisau, “and we are not focusing on the name you give to potatoes.” Ironically, the lawmaker who first proposed the patriotic name change has since changed his tune. Congressman Walter Jones (R-NC) is now a staunch anti-war advocate. And once again, french fries are on the menu in the Congressional cafeteria.
BRANDED
A bumbling crook named Colin Wilson stormed into a Leeds, England, fast-food restaurant and demanded all of the money from the cash register. Because the would-be thief had no gun (he was threatening them with a wooden table leg), the manager decided to fight back. He pulled the fry basket from the vat of hot grease and whacked it across Wilson’s face. Screaming in pain, Wilson ran out of the restaurant and went to a nearby hospital, where he was arrested after the nurse called police to inform them that they had “a patient with an outline of a chip basket burned into his forehead.”
Average airspeed of a
butterfly: 12 miles per hour.
FRENCH FRY MADNESS
Don’t come between Gregg Luttman and his french fries—especially on New Year’s Day. Allegedly sporting a huge hangover, Luttman pulled into the drive-through line of a Pennsylvania Burger King and went berserk when he was informed that they were out of fries. According to the police report, he made “an obscene gesture at the drive-through clerk, berated Burger King workers, and nearly hit an employee with his truck.” After officers arrived and got him into the back of a squad car, he kicked out the back window. He was fined $150 and given two years’ probation.
POTATOHEAD
Mindy Marland, a bartender at the Checkered Flag Bar & Grill in Wallcott, Iowa, was working one night in 2005 when she saw a waitress carrying a plate of food to a table. On the plate she saw an extremely long french fry. “I was intrigued by it and took it off the plate,” she said. After measuring it out at a whopping eight inches, Marland decided to auction it on eBay. Bids started at $1—the winning bid was $197.50.
* * *
WACKO-JACKO
According to Rudy Provencio, who worked for Michael Jackson from 2001 to 2003, the pop star refers to money as “french fries.”
AT&D’OH!
In 2002, AT&T introduced a new junk e-mail filter for its Internet service subscribers. A few weeks later, AT&T began receiving angry phone calls from customers upset about an unannounced rate increase. AT&T didn’t understand—they’d sent a rate hike notice via e-mail to all its customers. What happened: AT&T’s e-mail filter blocked AT&T’s messages, assuming it was spam.
Cabbage patch kids? Cabbage was once considered an aphrodisiac.
Uncle John’s Fast-Acting Long-Lasting Bathroom Reader Page 26
