Kamis, 31 Januari 2019

What Does It Mean to ‘Punt' Something?

The Super Bowl is right around the corner. So with that in mind, today we’re going to talk about “punting.”

‘Punt’: To Give Up

“Punting” first arose as a way to describe kicking a ball dropped from the hands before it hits the ground in rugby in the mid-1800s, and in football (and that’s American football), it means essentially the same thing: “to punt” means to kick the ball down the field.

But as an idiom, “to punt” means to give up, to defer action, or to pass responsibility off to someone else. 

Nobody is really sure where the word “punt” comes from. It might have been from a regional dialect in England that might have come from the word “bunt.” But like I said, nobody really knows.

A coach who chooses to punt on a fourth down is essentially saying, “The chance of us failing on this play is so big that we’re just going to give the ball to the other team.”

‘Punt’: The Boat

I can tell you that the other kind of punting you may be thinking about—the kind related to flat-bottom boats you still often see propelled by men and women with long poles on the river Thames in Cambridge, England—that word has a completely different origin. It comes from the Latin word for “flat-bottomed boat” that also gives us the word “pontoon.” Part of the Latin root is the word “pons,” which meant “bridge,” because these flat-bottomed boats were sometimes used to support a temporary bridge.

‘Punt’: Examples

“Punt” actually has a lot of obscure meanings as both a noun and a verb in glass-making, gambling, and beyond; but let’s get back to our modern “giving up” meaning. 

Here are a few examples from the news:

In December, "The Washington Post" described the U.S. Congress as “punting the [government] shutdown into the new year.” In other words, they gave up on fixing it in 2018 and decided to wait until 2019. 

The Post also described how the British Parliament “punted one of the most momentous decisions in British history [i.e., Brexit] to a referendum.” In other words,...

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'Wage,' 'Wager' and 'Wed'

I often gather and answer listener questions on Twitter, and a couple of months ago, A.L. Wicks asked, “What’s the connection between ‘wage’ and ‘wager'?" I’m answering this question today, in my Super Bowl episode, because I live in Nevada, so I see what a big gambling weekend, a wagering weekend, this is every year.

‘Wage’ and ‘Wager’

“Wage” and “wager” both came into English in the early 1300s from an Old North French word “wage” that means “to pay, pledge, or reward,” and was spelled “gage” in Old French. The words are closely related, your wages being money pledged to you for work you do, and a wager being an amount you pledge when gambling.

A secondary meaning of the verb “wage”—“to carry out something,” like when we talk about “waging war”—developed in the mid-1500s, probably from the idea of pledging yourself to a battle or campaign.

The Oxford English Dictionary lists 'wages' as both singular and plural.

‘Mortgage’

The same root gives us the word “mortgage” with that “gage” spelling at the end from Old French instead of the “wage” spelling. “Mortgage” literally means “dead pledge,” the “mort-” meaning “dead” and coming from the same root that gives us the word “mortal.” The Online Etymology Dictionary says that a mortgage was called a dead pledge because “the deal dies when the debt is paid or when payment fails.”

‘Engage’

The “gage” root also gives us the word “engage.” When you engage people in a project, they are pledged to you, and in a more metaphorical sense, when you’re deeply engaged in a book or story or conversation, you are in a sense, pledged to it. Finally, when you become engaged to marry, you’re making a pledge.

‘Wed’

In fact, if you go much farther back, to Proto-Germanic languages, “wage” comes from the same root as the verb “wed,” as in “to marry,” because back then, a man would make a pledge, often of money, to take a wife.

So if you’re wagering on the big game this Sunday, don’t go wild and bet your house or your mortgage, and when you look at your spouse and think of your...

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Why Exercise Is Essential for Strong Bones

Osteoporosis is low bone mass and deterioration of bone tissue, which can lead to increased risk of bone fractures (among other things). For years we have been told to take calcium supplements, drink plenty of milk, and (more recently) take Vitamin D supplements to keep our bones strong. But lately, we are seeing “weight-bearing exercise” being promoted as a way to prevent or treat osteoporosis. Why is that?

Exercise and Bones

If we want bone to grow, we need to start by squeezing cells called mechanoreceptors in those bones. Without squeezing these mechanoreceptor cells, the delicious bone-growing nutrients that we ingest to support bone growth won’t be able to do their job. Your body can have plenty of them around but it won’t know what to do with them.

Along comes a hormone called irisin (also known as the “exercise hormone”) which is secreted by our muscles when we exercise. When it is secreted in vast quantities, irisin has been shown to have beneficial effects on adipose tissue (fat), cognition (brain), and bones.

The squeezing I mentioned is best created by exercising because movement stimulates the release of molecules from skeletal muscle. One of those molecules is the aforementioned irisin, which is produced most when we do high-intensity training.

Once irisin is generated, it will go to work on improving bone density.

Once irisin is generated, it will go to work on improving bone density by stimulating osteocytes, which are the master regulator of bone remodeling. Now we get to the cool part of the latest study done on irisin.

Not only does irisin stimulate osteocytes but it also stimulates something called sclerostin. Sclerostin launches a process opposite that of the osteocytes—it stimulates break down of bone.

What?

I know, right!?

The idea that irisin would promote the production of osteocytes and sclerostin seems counterproductive. But the authors of the study say that "It is this bit of bone breakdown that signals the body to engage in some skeletal renovation." And as we all know, renovations don't get completed if the workers are sitting on their lunch pails.

Breaking Down Bone

So, it would appear that the body needs to break down bone in order to rebuild it. Which, if we follow the logic, means that taking all the calcium in the world is not going to help your bones if you don’t move, bounce, twist, and squeeze those cells.

For optimal bone generation and regeneration, you need as much movement as possible.

For optimal bone generation and regeneration, you need as much movement as possible. And it...

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Rabu, 30 Januari 2019

9 Genius Ways to Reuse Old Candles

Whether you have a giant pillar candle that you’re never going to use or shrived nubs of candles that once were, here are some ways to repurpose them around the house.

Stop a Door from Squeaking

Candle wax can actually work better than WD-40 at silencing a squeaky door once and for all, because you don’t have to reapply it every couple of weeks. Take the door off its hinges, then rub the hinges all over with a candle. The wax will stick and prevent the hinge components from rubbing against each other, which causes the annoying sound.

Make DIY Wine Corks

Here’s a great use for those short candlestick ends you haven’t thrown out: use them as makeshift corks for wine bottles. If you have an unfinished bottle of wine but you’ve lost or broken the cork, heat a one-inch candle end in a glass container in the microwave for three seconds on high. It will soften it up enough to stick in the bottle and serve as a stopper. And it looks romantic, too!

Old-Candle Pin Cushion

You’ve lost the wick of an old candle, and you were never really crazy about the scent anyway. Turn it into a pincushion by simply sticking pins in the top or the sides. The wax will even help the pins slide more easily into cloth.

Use a Candle as Household Wax

Keep a used-up candle on hand to help around the house! Have a drawer that keeps sticking? Rub its runners or anywhere it seems to be sticking with an old candle. You can also solve a stuck zipper by rubbing a candle over it.

Special Uses for White Candles

Have a stash of broken white candles that you’ve been waiting for a use for? It may not be the romantic image you had in mind when you bought the candles, but white candles can reused for some neat household tricks.

1. Keep Mildew and Mold Off Shower Grout

This, without a doubt, is our favorite use for an old candle. After giving your shower grout the cleaning of its life, help make it stay that way forever by rubbing it down with a white candle. Just run the candle between the tiles, and the wax that’s left behind will protect it from growing mold, mildew, and other stains.

3. Waterproof with Wax

To waterproof something you’ve written with marker on your child’s school supplies (or even on a package you’re sending), rub over the writing with a white candle. The wax will repel water, but you’ll still be able to see through it.

3. Old Candle Art Project

Turn your old white candle into part of an art project itself, along with some watercolors. Give your child a white tapered candle and have her “draw” a picture on a piece of paper. She...

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How to Cut Taxes When You Work From Home

At the end of 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was signed into law. It made lots of high-profile changes, such as reducing the corporate tax rate and increasing the standard deduction for individuals.

In this episode, I’ll cover one of the lesser-known modifications to the tax law that every American who works from home should know. Beginning with the 2018 tax year, fewer taxpayers can claim the home office deduction. I’ll review the basics of this tax deduction and explain who’s still eligible to claim it.

How Tax Reform Changed the Home Office Tax Deduction

Before tax reform, the home office deduction was available to anyone who maintained a dedicated space in their home that was used solely and exclusively for business purposes. The majority of people claiming the deduction were self-employed individuals who ran their own businesses.

However, the deduction was also available to those who worked for an employer, in certain situations. Employees needed to meet additional requirements that self-employed people didn't, including that the work you did at home had to be for the convenience of your employer rather than just being a perk or helpful for you to do your job.

The bad news is that tax reform eliminated the home office deduction for employees because it took away the ability to claim miscellaneous itemized deductions.

The bad news is that tax reform eliminated the home office deduction for employees because it took away the ability to claim miscellaneous itemized deductions. Workers used to include home office deductions in this category on Schedule A, which allowed you to deduct an amount of that exceeded 2% of your adjusted gross income.

For example, if you earned $100,000 and had $5,000 in unreimbursed job expenses, you could deduct $3,000 (the amount over 2% of income). If you paid an average tax rate of 20%, that deduction would have saved you $600 in taxes.

While it’s true that the standard deduction under tax reform has nearly doubled to $12,000 for singles and $24,000 for joint filers, if you’re an employee who pays a significant amount of job-related expenses out of pocket, you may not come out ahead. Consider asking your company for ways to offset the costs you pay to be successful in your job—especially if you maintain a home office for their convenience.

So, the takeaway for employees is that if you work from home, you are no longer allowed to claim a home office deduction starting with the 2018 tax year. If you’ve grown accustomed to writing off a variety of expenses related to your job, they are no longer allowed.

Who’s Eligible for the Home Office Tax Deduction

... Keep reading on Quick and Dirty Tips

Selasa, 29 Januari 2019

This Is Your Brain on Cholesterol

We spend most of our adult lives monitoring our cholesterol levels, making sure that they don’t get too high. If they get above a certain number, our doctors are likely to want to put us on cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins.  These drugs have a long track record of reducing deaths from heart disease.

Statin use also appears to reduce the risk of dementia later in life — although it’s not clear how much of this is due to its cholesterol-lowering effects. Statins also reduce inflammation in the body, for example, which might protect the brain.

In fact, some recent studies suggest that, while high cholesterol levels at 50 maybe be bad news, high cholesterol levels at 80 may be just what the doctor ordered. Specifically, researchers have observed that elderly people with high LDL cholesterol levels are less likely to have dementia than those with low cholesterol levels.

How Cholesterol Works in the Brain

Although we often think of cholesterol as a threat, cholesterol is actually an essential component of healthy cells and is especially important in neurons or brain cells. In fact, 25% of the cholesterol in your body is found in the brain!

Here are a few more interesting facts about cholesterol:

  1. Most of the cholesterol in your body does not come from the food you eat. Rather, it is manufactured by your liver.
  2. Eating foods that are high in cholesterol, such as eggs and shrimp, does not have a major impact on your blood cholesterol levels.
  3. Eating foods that are high in saturated fat, on the other hand, does tend to increase blood cholesterol levels.

That doesn’t necessarily mean that eating more saturated fat is a good way to protect yourself against dementia. Paradoxically, although high...

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What Is Your Metabolism?

Scientifically speaking, "metabolism" is a term that describes all the chemical reactions involved in being a living organism. And while it is true that metabolism is linked to body weight, a slow metabolism is rarely the root cause of excess weight gain.

While there are health conditions that slow the metabolism such as Cushing's Syndrome or an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism), those cases are quite rare. So while it may be tempting to blame your metabolism for weight gain, it is a natural process and your body has many mechanisms that regulate it to meet your individual needs.

Our BMR is best defined as the average amount of calories we expend while simply living our best lives.

Most often, when we talk about metabolism, we are actually talking about what is known as our basal metabolic rate (BMR). And our BMR is better defined as the average amount of calories we expend while simply living our best lives.

Basal Metabolic Rate

The most accurate way to find out your basal metabolic rate is to have it measured in a lab. But you also can calculate an approximation of your metabolic rate using an online calculator. Or you can also use the Harris-Benedict Equation:

  • Men:  BMR = 88.362 + (13.397 x weight in kg) + (4.799 x height in cm) - (5.677 x age in years)
  • Women: BMR = 447.593 + (9.247 x weight in kg) + (3.098 x height in cm) - (4.330 x age in years)

Then, after you have your approximate BMR, you can find out your total metabolic rate. But as I will explain shortly, your total metabolism (metabolic rate) is a combination of your BMR and other myriad metabolic processes.

What Affects Your Metabolism?

Metabolism is mostly affected by what your body (specifically your muscles) are doing at rest - not just the small percentage of the day when you are exercising. For the most part, it is our muscles' resting metabolism that makes up the greatest portion of BMR.

Metabolism is also the process by which the body converts food into energy. During this biochemical process, the calories in our food are combined with oxygen to set free the energy that we need to stay alive.

Even when we are asleep, our bodies need this energy to do things like breathe, circulate blood, regulate hormone levels, and grow and repair. The amount of energy our body uses to carry out these functions contributes to our basal metabolic rate.

When you exercise, play a sport, or otherwise raise your heart rate, your metabolism is temporarily affected but it is the metabolic activity of your muscle mass at rest that defines it. So,...

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Are Extreme Weather Events Linked to Climate Change?

It seems the news has no shortage of extreme weather events: wildfires raged across Greece and the northwestern United States, flooding washed out the northeastern US, and intense heatwaves blanketed Japan and the United Kingdom. The island of Puerto Rico is facing down another hurricane season while many areas only recently regained power after Hurricane Maria devastated the island in 2017.

If it feels like we are hearing about extreme weather events more and more frequently now, it’s because we are. Large fires are now five times more common and fire season lasts three months longer than 40 years ago. The most intense rainstorms have increased by as much as 70% in the last 50 years and the city of Houston, Texas has seen three five-hundred-year floods—that is, floods so intense they are only expected to happen once every 500 years—in the last 3 years.

What does science say about the link between climate change and this increase in extreme weather? Can we attribute a single event, like a particular heat wave or wildfire or flood, to climate change?

Linking Climate Change and Extreme Weather

Global temperatures are rising. This fact is indisputable. Temperatures are also rising at the same time that extreme weather events are increasing across the globe. But as any scientist’s favorite warning tells us: correlation does not equal causation. Just because it seems to rain every time I forget my umbrella doesn’t mean I’m actually making it rain with my poor memory function. We’ve also seen a significant decrease in the number of seafaring pirates in the last several decades as temperatures have continued to rise, but that does not mean we all need to reconsider piracy as a profession in our efforts to find a viable solution to climate change.

So to understand whether or not climate change and extreme weather events are linked, we have to look at the physics behind their possible connections and not just the fact that they are occurring at the same time. It turns out, the strengths of those connections vary with different kinds of extreme weather.

Heat Waves

The extreme weather events with perhaps the most obvious link to rising global temperatures are heat waves or prolonged...

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Senin, 28 Januari 2019

5 Ways Positive Discipline Makes Parenting Easier

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my 25 years of parenting it's that kids themselves aren’t bad—it’s their behavior that can push us over the edge.

As the oldest of five and the daughter of two teachers, I was lucky to be raised with the understanding that we’re all human, we make mistakes, we (hopefully) learn from our mistakes, and when we do something disobedient—it’s our behavior that is unacceptable not us as a human being.

My upbringing helped lay the foundation for my own approach to discipline—which is to use bad behavior as a teachable moment rather than a punishment. But if I'm completely honest, there were plenty of days when my kids pushed my buttons so hard that I slipped from this ideal. No matter how many years you’ve been a parent, sometimes you need to take a step back and reevaluate what’s working and not working in your parenting regime.

If discipline is something you’d like to improve upon, but find that you’re exhausted when presented with a cherub who knows the fine art of manipulation, don’t despair. Mighty Mommy has 5 simple strategies that will help you incorporate positive discipline into your parenting routine and make that disobedient behavior a thing of the past:

  1. Name the Bad Behavior
  2. Stop Nagging
  3. Use Warmth and Understanding
  4. Don’t Threaten Isolation
  5. Catch Them Doing Good

Let's explore each in more detail.

Tip #1: Name the Bad Behavior (Not the Bad Child)

Parents in the 21st century tend to overcomplicate how we raise our children. We have so many competing agendas between home, work, and outside commitments that we often fail to prioritize how we expend our energy.

See also: 4 Basic Strategies for Parenting Success

Obviously life can get complicated. But on those days when our kid insists on wearing underwear outside his pants and we find a rainbow of melted crayons in the dryer, it's easy to lose perspective of the big picture—and that is to raise self-sufficient, productive children who...

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Minggu, 27 Januari 2019

Capitalizing Dog Breeds

 

 

Although the website for the American Kennel Club and dog-specific publications such as Bark magazine and Dogster seem to capitalize all the words in breed names, the Associated Press’s rule for dog (and cat) breeds is to capitalize the part of the name derived from a proper noun and lowercase the part of the name derived from a common noun. 

In the following examples, “English," “Yorkshire,” “Norwegian,” and “Bernese”  are all derived from proper nouns—the names of places—so they are capitalized in these breed names:

  • English mastiff

  • Yorkshire terrier

  • Norwegian elkhound

  • Bernese mountain dog

On the other hand, "mastiff" is derived from the Latin "mansuétus" for "tame or mild," "terrier" is derived from Old French "chien terrier" for "dog of the earth, land, or ground,” and “elkhound” is descriptive as is “mountain dog”—so those are all common nouns, which means those parts aren’t capitalized. 

And for some breeds, all the words in the name are all lowercase, such as “basset hound.” These hunting dogs were initially bred in France and Belgium, and “basset” means “low” in French, describing their lowness to the ground because of their short little legs. All the better to sniff for prey!

The Chicago Manual of Style doesn’t give instructions that are as specific as those from the Associated Press, but refers writers to Merriam-Webster dictionaries, which appear to follow the same guidelines. 

Since styles seem to vary, if you’re writing about the Puppy Bowl, the best advice I can give you is to check the style guide for your publication, or if you’re writing for yourself, check a dictionary or choose a style you like and simply use it consistently. 

The Grammar DevotionalGet more tips like...

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Jumat, 25 Januari 2019

How to Score the Best Shopping Deals

Know What You're Getting

Before you’re convinced to buy something just because it’s on sale, make sure to carefully consider the discount offer. For example, when something is offered for 25 percent off, with an additional 25 percent taken at the register, you’re usually not actually getting 50 percent off—you’re getting 25 percent of 25 percent—or 43.75 percent off. Also, make sure to ask whether “buy one, get one free” promotions require you to purchase two items, or if you can simply get one for 50 percent off. Finally, be aware that many stores put quantity limits on sale items just to try to convince consumers that the product is in demand. Buying more than you regularly would doesn’t save you money—it makes them more.

Play Good Cop, Bad Cop

One of the best methods for negotiating at the store is the “good cop, bad cop” strategy, so make sure to bring your spouse or a friend. One of you acts really interested in the product, while the other continually points out the flaws and negative aspects. Because of the “good cop,” the salesperson will remain hopeful that he can sell the product, but “bad cop” will make him work for it.

Return to the Scene for Even More Deals

You’re shopping in your favorite store and notice that there are tons of markdowns. After you fill your arms with bargains, go home and mark the day on your calendar! Most stores receive shipments of new goods every 9-12 weeks and discount current merchandise to make room for the new stuff. Return to the store during that time frame to find more deals.

Not Just Members Only

Just because you don’t belong to a wholesale club doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t shop there. Many states have laws that say that a store must allow anyone (even non-members) to buy prescription medication and/or alcohol there. Most stores will also allow you to shop there if a friend has given you a gift card for the store. Call the store’s customer service department and ask them what their policy is.

Ask for Price-Matching

Before you go to the store, do a little research at competing stores or on the internet beforehand. If you ask a salesperson to match the price at a nearby store, there’s a good chance they will. Make sure you’re aware of “extras” that the competing stores may be offering. Even if you’re not...

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7 Strategies to Maximize a Break Without Losing Focus

Everybody needs a break. Two great inventions that speak to that need are the weekend and the vacation, both of which have a distinct beginning and end. But a break in the middle of the workday is a more elusive challenge. Deadlines, demanding bosses, guilt, and sheer workload often make us power through. We eat lunch while catching up on email and consider a walk to the bathroom a luxury.

On the other hand, even if we value and prioritize breaks, sometimes they go off the rails, unintentionally shape-shifting into a momentum-killing two-hour rabbit hole of online shopping, one more round of Snake vs Block, or BuzzFeed quizzes (We Can Guess Your Eye Color Based On The Trip You Plan To Michigan, anyone?)

Either way, stopping to stare out the window or wander the halls at work may seem lazy, guilt-inducing, willpower-taxing, or logistically impossible. However, done right, breaks can boost focus, recharge your batteries, and make you more productive, not to mention happier. How to do it right? This week, here are 7 ways to make those few minutes really count.

Taking any break, whether it’s quiet or loud, mindless or mindful, is better than nothing.

Tip #1: Any Break Is Better Than No Break

For anyone who’s so overscheduled that lunch consists of wolfing down a protein bar in a bathroom stall, let’s make clear that taking a break—any break—is better than powering through.

A study in Applied Cognitive Psychology ran a head-to-head comparison of five different kinds of breaks. Everyone was asked to focus on a task that required sustained attention for 45 minutes. In the middle, participants took a 5-minute break to play on their phone, sit in silence, listen to a Coldplay song, watch a Coldplay video (apparently even researchers crush on Chris Martin), or choose between the song and the video. Compared to the group that took no break at all, performance was better in every single one of the break conditions.

This makes sense. After all, how much productivity do you realistically get out of that fifth straight hour of studying for your calculus exam? Taking any break, whether it’s quiet or loud, mindless or mindful, is better than nothing.

Tip #2: Make Your Break Different Than Your Work

Everyone has that coworker whose cologne makes the eyes water. But even though you can smell the Drakkar Noir before he enters the conference room, he has no idea. Why? A trick of the brain called habituation. Just like folks who live...

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Why Do People Say 'Yeah, No'?

 

What part of “no” don’t you understand? Some of you may remember a song with this title released by Lorrie Morgan in 1992; others of you have probably read it on a T-shirt or two. You may have even said it yourself, or maybe someone has said it to you. It’s funny because the word “no” isn’t made up of smaller parts. Sure, there’s the consonant N and the vowel O, but by themselves, they don’t mean anything. The idea is that “no” is as simple as it gets, and if you can’t understand even that much, there’s no hope for you. 

Examples of ‘Yeah, No’

But when you listen closer to the ways that English speakers use the word “no,” the picture turns out to be a bit more complicated. This becomes especially apparent when someone uses “no” right next to a word that seems to have the opposite meaning: “yeah.” Here’s an example that I collected from YouTube, through the website YouGlish, which allows you to search for specific words in their corpus of YouTube videos. In this clip, movie director Brad Bird and television producer Damon Lindelof are talking about the possibility of someone making a sequel to the movie “E.T.” 

Damon Lindelof: Do I need—

Brad Bird: Thank God Spielberg has made sure that hasn’t happened. 

Damon Lindelof: Yeah, no, it’s great. And it’s just—

Brad Bird: He’s protecting that one. 

Damon Lindelof: If a movie was great then, and there hasn’t been a sequel by now, there probably shouldn’t be. 

Lindelof shows that he agrees with Bird’s sentiment by saying “yeah,” so what is a “no” doing in that sentence?

Here’s another YouTube example. In this one, Harvard professor Michael Puett is taking questions from an audience about his lecture on Chinese philosophy.

Audience member: Sort of how do you, how do you take that jump from like hermit to joyousness?

Michael Puett: Yeah, no, it’s a great question.

In this example, it’s not even clear why Puett said “yeah,” let alone put a “no” after it. 

Here’s one more example. In this one, actor Paul Scheer is being interviewed, and has been asked about some of his upcoming online shows. He’s talking about a show title that we don’t need to include in...

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Kamis, 24 Januari 2019

'Tip Your Hat' or 'Tip Your Hand'?

Keith, one of our regular listeners, wrote in recently to ask about two similar idioms. He wasn’t sure about the difference between “tip your hand” and “tip your hat.” 

Keith, here’s the story. 

'Tip Your Hat' Means to Acknowledge an Accomplishment

To “tip your hat” means acknowledge something awesome that someone else did. You might tip your hand to the football coach who suggested a winning play. Or tip your hat to your dad if he made an extra-delicious dinner.

This expression dates all the way back to the 1600s, when it was customary for men to wear hats when they were outside the home. You would “tip your hat”—that is, touch your hand to the brim or lift the whole thing off your head—to greet someone or acknowledge their presence. You’d also take off your hat completely when you entered a building or sat down to eat, as a way of showing respect. 

As John Donne put it in one of his poems: “…when thou meet’st one … raise they formall hate.”

A variation of this phrase is “hats off to …,” as in “Hats off to Susie, our employee of the month!” And it’s related to the expression “hat in hand.” If you go to someone hat in hand, you approach them with extreme deference, usually to ask for a favor or beg for charity. Your hat would be in your hand as a sign of respect and submission.

'Tip Your Hand' Means to Reveal Your Strategy

Let’s look at our next idiom. To “tip your hand” means to accidentally reveal your intentions before you mean to. For example, you might “tip your hand” if you let a real estate agent know much you love the house you’re looking at. Now they know that if you try to negotiate on price, they can just hold firm and you won’t walk away.

This expression was first seen in the early 1900s, when it was sometimes expressed as to “tip your mitt.” It’s believed to come from card games, where if you tip your hand too far forward, you would expose your cards to the opposing player. 

Doing so would be the exact opposite of “playing things close to the vest,” another expression that comes from card games. It means to reveal almost nothing of your thoughts or strategy. You can picture a player literally holding their cards right by their chest, so no one else could see them. 

So, that’s your tidbit for today. To “tip your hat” is to acknowledge someone’s accomplishment or status. To “tip your hand” means to accidentally reveal your intentions....

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Lower Your Blood Pressure With Exercise (Instead of Medication)

In late 2017, around 30 million Americans suddenly failed their blood pressure test. This was partly due to the season finale of Game of Thrones but mostly due to the American Heart Association lowering the measuring stick on what they consider to be healthy blood pressure. Since then, high blood pressure has been defined as 130/80 millimetres of mercury or greater (tightened from the previous 140/90). You can read more about that in my article Can Exercise Lower Your Blood Pressure?

If you need a reminder of how your BP works, your total blood pressure is determined by measuring your systolic and diastolic blood pressures.

  • Systolic blood pressure (the top number) measures the force your heart exerts on the walls of your arteries each time it beats.
  • Diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) measures the force your heart exerts on the walls of your arteries in between beats.

If you have failed your blood pressure test more than once, it is likely that your doctor has advised you to take a medication to control it. They may also have suggested that you do things like reducing your salt intake and try meditation or other de-stressing practices. Well based on new research soon folks with high blood pressure may get sent to see a coach like me instead of to the pharmacy. 

Based on new research, folks with high blood pressure may get sent to see a coach instead of to the pharmacy.

Dr. Huseyin Naci Ph.D. recently published a meta-analysis in the British Journal of Sports Medicine that compares the effectiveness of exercise and antihypertensive medications on lowering blood pressure. The objective was to compare the effect of exercise regimens and medications on systolic blood pressure.

To do this, the researchers looked at randomized controlled trials of some of the most commonly prescribed blood pressure medications (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin-2 receptor blockers, β-blockers, calcium channel blockers, and good old diuretics) from existing Cochrane reviews. Then they compared those results to the previously published meta-analysis of exercise interventions that tested the blood pressure lowering effects of endurance, dynamic resistance, isometric resistance, and combined endurance and resistance exercise interventions.

The researchers noticed that a portion of the studies done on how effective exercise is on lower blood pressure was actually done on individuals who did not have what would clinically be categorized as "high blood pressure" but the...

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You Don't Need Quotation Marks (And You Can Quote Me On That)

Once upon a time, Grammar Girl readers, we were cut from the same cloth. For years I was employed as a puzzle editor and crossword writer, so the meaning of words is intensely important to me. I also worked as a copy editor—and if a misplaced, missing, or superfluous apostrophe doesn’t cause you to foam at the mouth, you have no business wearing the copy editor uniform. (Black leather, shiny buttons.)

But then something happened to me. I underwent a Gollum-like metamorphosis, transmogrifying into a warped creature who prefers a dark hole to the sunlight. I became a novelist. And suddenly, free from the tyranny of the imposed style manual, I discovered within myself a grammatical rebellious streak. It would be fair to say that this did not please all my readers. 

I’ll allow one of my Goodreads complainants to state the case for the prosecution, regarding my novel "Grist Mill Road." This question was posted by Skip Worrell, a man who looks like he has never in his life misplaced one apostrophe or so much as a single hair:

"This is the second novel I've read recently where the author chose not to use quotation marks. Is this some new literary fad, or, as seems to me, just an annoying affectation?"

Reaction #1: How dare a man named Skip accuse me of an annoying affectation.

Reaction #2: This is an entirely fair and reasonable question.

Novelists have been wriggling free of the “” convention for over a century.

 Let’s tackle this in two parts. Firstly, is this some new literary fad? The answer to this question is: ish. Novelists have been wriggling free of the “” convention for over a century. For example, what if I said to you:

     — James Joyce used a line break and an em dash to indicate direct speech.

Following Joyce’s lead, other writers such as William Gaddis, Nadine Gordiner, Charles Frazier, and Roddy Doyle all happily em-dashed away to indicate chatter on the pages of their novels.

But in the mid-twentieth century, another Irish writer (and Nobel Prize for Literature winner) Samuel Beckett began to eschew any marks or typography at all to indicate direct speech. Later Raymond Carver (periodically) and E.L. Doctorow would also use only words to let the reader know when a character was speaking (he said, she said, etc.) Doctorow had a very simple explanation as to why he did this:

     You can tell when it's dialogue, he said.

(Did it throw you, a lack of quotation marks strangling the previous line?)

However, more recently this quoteless convention (or non-...

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Rabu, 23 Januari 2019

5 Tips for Keeping Your Hardwood Floors in Prime Condition

Hardwood flooring makes an aesthetically pleasing addition to any home. In addition to looking better than other popular flooring types, hardwood can last a lifetime if proper care is taken. Unfortunately, many homeowners allow their hardwood floors to fall into disrepair, leading to costly premature replacement. Follow these 5 easy tips to keep hardwood flooring in prime condition for years to come:  

Tip #1: Vacuum on a Weekly Basis

Hardwood flooring is fairly easy to clean, especially when compared to other surfaces. Unlike carpeting, which conceals and traps dirt, dust and dander, hardwood flooring leaves them exposed, thereby making it easier to get rid of them. To ensure that your hardwood floors remain dust-free, make a point of vacuuming on a weekly basis. This will prevent dust and other undesirable elements from accumulating and keep your floors looking brand new. Assuming no one tracks dirt inside and no spills occur, this is the only type of regular cleaning your hardwood floors will need.  

Tip #2: Keep Water Off Your Floors

Water is one of hardwood flooring’s biggest enemies. Not only can prolonged exposure to water damage a floor’s finish, it can also result in deep penetration and lasting stains. With this in mind, make a point of keeping water off your hardwood floors whenever possible. For example, if you’re expecting rain, take care to close every window in the vicinity of your flooring. Additionally, if you keep potted plants on your hardwood floors, you’ll be wise to place trays beneath each one. Lastly, spills of any kind should be wiped up quickly.   

It’s true that hardwood floors are easy to care for—they’re also prone to lasting damage if proper care isn’t taken.

Tip #3: Use Mats 

To prevent people and pets from tracking water, mud and other potentially damaging elements onto your floors, incorporate absorbent doormats throughout your home. Mats provide a place to wipe your shoes upon entry. Absorbent mats are particularly useful during the winter months, when snow and ice are abundant. Snow-covered boots should never make contact with hardwood flooring, so be extra vigilant about making guests remove their footwear throughout the winter season.  

Tip #4: Polish Several Times a Year

If your hardwood flooring has a surface finish, it’s recommended that you polish it every two to three months. Since the majority of hardwood floors contain polyurethane surface finishes, there’s a good chance yours have this too. Polishing your floors...

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How to Set Better Personal Finance Goals for 2019

If you’re like many people, you want more health, wealth, and wisdom this year. But as January comes to a close, you may already be losing sight of your New Year’s resolutions. Or maybe you didn’t create any goals in the first place. Well, it’s never too late!

I can’t help you with health or wisdom tips—you’ll need other other experts, such as the Nutrition Diva, Get-Fit Guy, and Savvy Psychologist, for those. But I can make it easier for you to create and accomplish better money goals. Keep reading for tips and to find out my personal financial goals for 2019.

Tips to Set Better Personal Finance Goals

Setting financial goals can feel overwhelming because it requires some deep thinking. The best goals resonate with you on an emotional level, which makes them easier to remember and keep. You have to get to the core of what you truly want and the envision the outcomes you desire.

Improving your finances comes down to three steps:

  1. Understanding what your financial situation is today.
  2. Knowing where you’d like your future financial situation to be.
  3. Acting on what needs to be done to bridge the gap between the two.

The first step in setting goals is getting organized so you can assess your level of financial fitness.

Here’s an excerpt from my new book, Debt-Free Blueprint: How to Get Out of Debt and Build a Financial Life You Love, that will give you a bird’s eye view of your finances and create more meaningful goals:

I’d like you to take a step back and look at your financial life holistically and create an overarching financial plan. Why is a financial plan important? Think of it this way: If you were building a new home, would you pour a concrete foundation before having finalized your house plan?

That would be extremely risky and probably leave you with some major design flaws and regrets. Creating a financial plan is just like having a detailed house plan—it shows what you intend to create with your money. It’s part of the process of identifying your goals and determining how you’re going to manage your money to achieve them.

Financial planning may seem boring, but you just have to hunker down and do it if you want to make the smart moves necessary to live a financially secure life. It’s possible to get lucky and end up having enough money to reach dreams, such as retiring with a big bank account or becoming...

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Selasa, 22 Januari 2019

Can Fiber Undo the Damage of a High Fat Meal?

Perhaps you saw the headlines last week about a new analysis finding that people who consumed a lot of fiber are significantly less likely to die from heart disease, stroke, Type 2 diabetes, and colon cancer.

How could such a frumpy nutrient make such a big difference in our health? After all, fiber is, by definition, indigestible by humans. It provides no vitamins, minerals, or energy. And yet, fiber intake is consistently linked with lower disease risk.

There are a number of possible explanations.

How Fiber Keeps Us Healthier

First, fiber has the charming habit of taking out the trash. Insoluble fiber acts as a sort of broom, sweeping waste material out of the large intestine and lowering the risk of colon cancer. Soluble fiber acts more like a sponge, sopping up cholesterol, thereby lowering the risk of heart disease.

See also: What is the Difference Between Soluble and Insoluble Fiber?

Secondly, although fiber is not digestible by humans, it does provide lot of good nutrition for the beneficial bacteria that live in our intestines. Diets that are higher in fiber tend to give rise to a more robust and varied population of intestinal bacteria. These little beasties, we are learning, influence our health in a wide variety of waysaffecting everything from appetite, to immune function, to metabolism, and even our mood.

Thirdly, foods that are high in fiber are often high in other nutrients as well, such as anti-oxidants, phytosterols, lignans, and minerals. If your diet is high in fiber and you're getting most of that fiber from whole foods, chances are that your diet is high in a variety of disease-fighting nutrients. 

And finally, your risk of heart disease, stroke, Type 2 diabetes, colon cancer, and many other diseases is lower when you are not overweight. Fiber can play a positive role in weight loss and managementwhich could also help explain why people who eat more...

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5 Clever Candle Hacks

What to Do If Your Candle is Too Big for Your Candlestick

Most taper candles are too large to fit into standard candlesticks, so you’ll have to do a little work to ensure your candle fits securely. (Do not light the candle and melt wax into the base—this is messy and dangerous!) First, try placing the bottom of the candle under hot water; this softens the wax and allows it to mold to its new surroundings. If this doesn’t do the trick, whittle down the wax around the base of the candle with a paring knife, checking the fit as you go. Stop when you get it narrow enough to fit the holder. Apply wax adhesive (or some sticky tack) around the base of the candle, and place it in the candlestick.

What to Do If Your Candle is Too Small for Your Candlestick

If your candle is too skinny for your candlestick, wrap some aluminum foil around the base of it until you get a snug fit. Or, you can use a hair rubberband.

How to Store Candles

Looking for a container to store long, tapered candles in? The best one we’ve found are the tubes that Pringles potato crisps come in. It even has a lid! You can also use paper-towel tubes to protect them. Just wrap two candles at a time in tissue paper, then slip them into the cardboard tube. Keep tubes together with rubber bands if necessary.

Remove Candle Wax

Did you get candle wax on your candle holders, table, or even your carpet? Here’s how to get rid of candle wax on any kind of surface.

Instant Outdoor Candles

As long as you stay safe, candles are great for adding light and atmosphere to an outdoor party. To keep them from blowing out, just use a clear 2-liter bottle. Cut off the top and bottom, then place the middle portion over candles that you’re using outside. The plastic will act as a shield to keep wind away and the fire lit.

For more household tips, don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Instagram!

Image courtesy of Shutterstock.

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Which Is Best: Machines, Free Weights, or Body Weight?

Regardless of your age, body type or gender, incorporating strength training into your fitness plan is a great idea. If you have strong and toned muscles you will be better able to move through everyday activities with ease now and 10, 20, or 50 years from now.

Before we jump in, let’s review the benefits of strength training:

  • Improved bone density
  • Improved body composition
  • Improved gene expression
  • Better blood glucose control
  • More balanced blood lipids
  • Lower blood pressure
  • Improved cardio-respiratory fitness
  • Greater aerobic capacity
  • Looking good in a tight t-shirt

3 Types of Exercises

Strength training exercises mostly fall into three groups, based on what you're doing and what equipment you're using. They are:

  1. Body Weight
  2. Free Weights
  3. Machines

Each type can serve a useful purpose so it's handy to know your way around all of them. There are pros and cons in all three areas, and some exercises tend to be more effective when done using one or the other.

For instance, dumbbells can be inexpensive, are somewhat portable, and having a set at home in your living room (near the TV) or in your office (under your desk) can make it easy to quickly grab them when the mood strikes you.

A machine, on the other hand is something that you likely won’t have at home. But using them at the gym can allow you to really focus your effort because they are fixed onto an axis that only allows you to move in one or two planes (or axis). A machine will also allow you to lift heavier weights than you might otherwise be able to and allow you to target specific muscle groups.

When you use free weights or body weight, you're engaging more muscles while you stabilize yourself along with the weight that you are lifting. This creates a more functional type of fitness (the type that you can use in everyday movement). On the other hand, machines can build strength, but using them too much can lead to a lack of functional fitness.

Choosing which type of exercises are ideal for you involves many factors.

So, choosing which type of exercise is ideal for you involves many factors, such as experience, availability, personal preference, body type, genetics, strength, and of course your fitness goal.

Let’s go look at each one in detail so you can make an informed decision...


Body Weight

A body weight exercise is an exercise where the resistance is provided by the combination of gravity and your own body weight. Despite how easy that may sound, these exercises can enhance many biomechanical parameters like strength, endurance, power, mobility,...

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How to Deal with Overwhelming Overload

Task lists! Meetings! Software! Responsibilities! Obligations! Too much to do! Welcome to the 21st century. We’re in the most technologically advanced period of the human race, and yet we’re overwhelmed, overworked, and overloaded more than all generations that have come before. 

Take, for example, Bernice, proud owner of a chain of Green Growing Things plant stores. She has stores to run, inventory to review, marketing materials to produce, employees to hire, a wedding to plan (she’s been planning this darned thing for ten years now). She also has yoga, singing lessons, socializing, cooking, teaching class as an adjunct professor of carnivorous plants, and hugging her shmoopie.

You’ve probably got a similar lineup. And even though you enjoy each activity on its own, the combination is too much. It’s enough to beat down even the strongest person’s mojo. So it’s up to you to Tame the Overwhelm. Using … a calendar.

First, there are some hard truths to confront:

The Hard Truths of Time Management

Truth #1: There are only 24 hours in a day.

You can’t just work hard and get 25 hours’ worth of work done. Things just take time. Nine women can’t join forces to have a baby in one month.

As we covered in Get-it-Done Guy episode 484, How to Plan Properly with Deadlines and Milestones, schedule slips are very hard to recover from. If you fall behind by one day, it takes four days of 25% overtime to make up the lost work. That’s basic math.

You need slack time to catch up from unexpected delays. Slack time isn’t a luxury. You need to schedule it.

Truth #2: You need to get better at estimating.

You have to know how long things take before you can do a good job scheduling them. How long will it take to build a robot minion, construct a secret laboratory, and take over the world? Two weeks, of course. But if you only allocate six days in your schedule, you’ll be eight days behind, before you’ve even started. 

Truth #3: You need energy and motivation.

You need energy. And relaxation! And motivation! That means taking rest and recuperation as seriously as work. Otherwise you're on the road to Burnout Town. You need a system that can handle all of that. Fortunately, a simple calendar can do all this heavy lifting. 

Get-It-Done Group member...

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How the Government Shutdown Affects Science

The United States is currently in the midst of the longest partial government shutdown in history which has lasted four weeks and counting. A partial shutdown requires that only federal employees deemed “essential” report to their jobs. That leaves 800,000 federal workers out of work or working without pay—this includes tens of thousands of federal contractors.

Science-based agencies that work behind the scenes to keep our lives running smoothly (from national parks to airplanes to the food we eat) are intertwined with the federal government in the United States. With much scientific research being funded by government agencies, how does the shutdown affect the progress of science? And how much of our daily lives relies on ongoing, government-run science projects? Let's find out.

The Government Shutdown Affects Our Ability to Prepare for Weather

Some meteorologists at the National Weather Service are being forced to work without pay if they are deemed essential. Those of us living toward the middle latitudes of the United States and currently experiencing intense storms are, of course, grateful for their service. However, preparation efforts for future storms have been put on hold.

For example, scientists at the National Hurricane Center, which is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, are usually hard at work in the hurricane off-season honing and improving forecast techniques so that newly upgraded models are ready before the hurricanes arrive. However, with only one of 200 people working through the shutdown, those upgrades are falling woefully behind.

Large chunks of the population may be left vulnerable to wildfires as well once the season starts because the Forest Service has been unable to purchase much needed new equipment or to continue with training for thousands of firefighters. Without enough workers, they are also unable to make preparations to prevent future wildfires from spreading.

The Government Shutdown Affects the Safety of Our Food and Water

Almost all of the facilities that produce the food we eat every day are monitored for safety and cleanliness by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) which normally conducts around 160 inspections per month. However, with hundreds of workers lost to the shutdown, keeping up with these inspections is impossible, even for high-risk foods like fresh produce. Remember the lettuce recall due to an E. coli outbreak just last month?...

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Senin, 21 Januari 2019

4 Basic Strategies for Parenting Success

In late December, I experienced a parenting milestone which I’ll never forget—I was with my oldest daughter and her husband as they welcomed their first child into the world.

My grandson is only three weeks old and I’m still in awe of this surreal and breathtaking experience. After 25 years of motherhood, I didn’t think I could feel the love that I have for my own eight kids for another human being. But after cutting my grandson’s umbilical cord and hearing him cry for the first time, I can honestly tell you that my heart grew right out of my chest.

I couldn’t quite put my finger on why I was so overwhelmed. Sure he was incredibly beautiful and adorable beyond words. And yes he is the newest branch of our family tree. Of course I loved listening to his newborn coos and holding him tight, smelling that newborn baby smell that is so intoxicating. But that wasn’t it.  What really melted my heart and soul was watching my daughter’s eyes gaze upon her son and seeing her unconditional love as she soothed him in the first moments of his life. It took my breath away.

As those first days unfolded, my daughter and I spent a lot of time together, observing the ins and outs of who he her son was, and we talked—a lot—about parenthood.

As the oldest of my brood of eight, my daughter had the tough role of being second in command. Thankfully, she was a natural and loved the responsibility of being a mother’s helper throughout her childhood. She saw firsthand the delicate balance that was required to keep our large household running (somewhat) smoothly.

As she prepared to go home from the hospital, she admitted to feeling extremely excited but quite nervous about this huge responsibility that was now hers. She joked about the sleepless nights that were ahead and wondered when she’d have five minutes alone in the bathroom again. But the one question that was really weighing on her mind was what constitutes a successful parent.

Success means something different to everyone, but in my decades of parenting eight kids I have discovered that my measure of success is being happy and appreciative of the small moments in each day.

Whether you’re raising the next President of the United States or struggling with your learning-disabled child, here are Mighty Mommy's four basic strategies for being a successful parent:

  1. Be consistent.
  2. Don’t compare one child to another.
  3. Be a positive role model.
  4. Eat up the ordinary.

Let’s dive in a bit deeper into each one:

Strategy #1: Be Consistent

If there is one single piece of advice I would give...

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Jumat, 18 Januari 2019

How to Disclose a Mental Health Issue

This week, an anonymous podcast listener from Brooklyn, NY, wrote in and wondered if she should tell people about her social anxiety. She gets anxious when people watch her eat or drink, especially if she doesn’t know them well. She wonders if it would be helpful to announce it: “Sometimes eating in restaurants makes me nervous,” or if that would just elicit raised eyebrows and awkward questions.

Coming out about your mental health can be tough in any situation. Should you disclose to colleagues? To friends? On a first date? On a twentieth date? To your Michael Scott-esque boss? Any way you slice it, it’s a decision only you can make.

Many people stay silent because they anticipate rejection, judgment, or outright discrimination. But others decide to disclose to gain support, exercise their civil rights, and break the stigma. 

For what it’s worth, there’s already a whole lotta disclosing going on. Even with a heavy topic—specifically, suicidal thoughts among individuals living with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression—a study led by University of Southern California researchers found that 77% of participants had already disclosed to someone in their social network, and every single person—100%—planned to reach out if suicidal thoughts came back.

But it’s still a hard decision. Disclosures, like diamonds, are forever; they can’t be unseen, just like the uncanny resemblance between the Monopoly guy and the guy on the Pringles can. (Or maybe that’s just me. The mustache? The bow tie? Anyone?) 

Regardless, let’s think through whether or not to disclose your mental health, plus how to do in a style that works for you. 

First up: a study out of King’s College London pilot-tested a decision aid for people pondering whether or not to disclose their mental illness to employers. There is much to think about, including these four points:

Point #1: Consider your needs.

What compels you to speak up? Do you want encouragement and understanding? Do you feel burdened or isolated by a secret? Maybe you need help finding a doctor or want your buddies to understand why you’re not drinking anymore. Maybe you need the reasonable accommodations mandated by the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008, like a few hours of flextime each week to attend therapy or breaks dictated by need rather than by the clock. Regardless, think about your end goal: what do you need or want out of the...

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Introducing A New Parenting Podcast

Mighty Mommy will be back on Monday with a regular episode. But today, I’m really excited to share a little something extra: a preview of a brand-new podcast called Josie & Jonny Are Having a Baby (With You!). josie and jonny are having a baby with you

You might know Josie Long and Jonny Donahoe as stand-up comedians. Josie has won a ton of awards at places like the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

And now, they’re expecting their first child. And the show follows them through this not-totally-planned pregnancy as they get ready to become parents.

They may not know much about parenting, but they’re learning as they go – just like all of us. In each episode, they reach out to their network of friends to help them as they go. Hear from actors, writers, and entertainers like John Hodgman, Jane Marie, Eugene Mirman, and Rachel Sklar. They cover the funny, messy questions, from "What is no sleep really like?" to "How do we teach kids about politics?" and "How on earth are we going to pay for this thing?", and they talk about the tough stuff too, like IVF, postpartum depression, and other mental health concerns that sometimes come along with new parenthood.

Go find Josie and Jonny Are Having A Baby in your podcast app right now to hear the first episode. But before you do, here’s a preview of the show.

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Kamis, 17 Januari 2019

‘Relapse’ or ‘Recur’?

 

Nobody wants a disease to recur and nobody who has had a disease want a relapse—both cases are usually bad—but let’s think about how these two words differ.

People relapse and diseases recur.

‘Recur’

“Recur” comes from Latin that means “to run back again,” so when something recurs, it happens again. A disease recurs. 

  • David worried that his cancer would recur.
  • Lila’s recurring back injuries make it hard for her to work.

‘Relapse’

“Relapse” also comes from Latin, this time from a word that means “to slip or slide back.” When you relapse, you slip back to a previous state. A person relapses.

  • Sarah’s family did all they could to keep her from having a relapse.
  • Horatio’s doctor attributed his asthma relapse to air pollution.

Noun or Verb?

Also, “relapse” can be both a noun and a verb, but “recur” is only a verb. If you want to use “recur” as a noun, you need to use “recurrence.” Here are some more examples:

First, we’ll do “relapse.” The last two examples were “relapse” as a noun, and here’s another one:

Lauren worries a lot about having a relapse.

Here’s how you’d use it as a verb:

After Mom relapsed, we needed to hire in-home help.

Next, here’s “recur.” It’s a verb.

After Mom’s cancer recurred, we needed to hire in-home help.

And although “recur” often refers to diseases or conditions, you can also use it more broadly:

You’ll notice that nature themes recur in her writing.

If you want to use it as a noun, use “recurrence”:

Nature themes are a recurrence in her writing.

Garner’s Modern English Usage says that saying a disease relapses is an error. So remember that people relapse and diseases recur.

Quiz

  1. The doctor said Herman’s cancer was unlikely to [relapse/recur].
  2. Maria’s symptoms [relapsed/recurred] after she ran out of medicine.
  3. Darin [relapsed/recurred] after switching to the new treatment.
  4. We all worried Curtis would [recur/relapse] someday.
  5. ...
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‘Methinks’ Isn’t What You Think

 

Have you ever wondered what's up with the weird word “methinks”? Why does it use an object for a subject (“Me thinks”), and why does it have an -s like a third-person verb (“thinks”) even though it seems to be in the first person? The answers are weirder than you may think!

But to find those answers, we’ll need to take a little dive into Old English, the form of English that was spoken between about 500 and 1100 AD. 

Not the Verb You’re Thinking Of

Old English had two different but related verbs, "þencan," meaning “to think,” and "þyncan," meaning “to seem or appear.” (The þ character is called a thorn, and it represents either the "th" sound in “thin” or the “th” sound in “then.”)

In Middle English these two verbs merged together in form, so they both were pronounced “thinken,” even though both the “seem” and “think” meanings remained distinct. But the one that meant “seem” could be used in a way that strikes modern English speakers as not just foreign but ungrammatical—it could appear with an object in place of the subject, specifically a dative object. But we’ll get to that in a second. First, we need to learn what the dative case is.

Seems to Me like a Dative Construction

Modern English has just one object case (as in “me” or “him” or “her”; “Squiggly likes her”), but Old English had two separate object cases: the accusative, which was mostly used for direct objects, and the dative, which was mostly used for indirect objects.

In a sentence like “She gave me the book,” “the book” is the direct object—it’s the thing being given. “Me” is the indirect object, because I’m the one receiving the thing that’s being given. Note that we can also say, “She gave the book to me,” with the indirect object “me” following the preposition “to.” So in some constructions, “me” and “to me” are equivalent. 

In Old English, using “me” to mean “to me” was more common, even in constructions where we would need the “to” today. For example, the “me” in “woe is me” was originally a dative—it really means “woe is to me.” (Our modern object pronouns actually come from the dative case; the accusative forms disappeared centuries ago, and the datives simply took their place.)

And the “think” verb that meant “seem” took objects in the dative case. That...

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'Kneeled' Versus 'Knelt'

 

Joshua asked, "Is there *really* no difference between "kneeled" and "knelt"? I want to say that "knelt" is more British, but I can't find anything to back that up. Are there really just two words with the same definition that you can use interchangeably depending on which you think looks or sounds nicer?"

Yes, it appears the two words are interchangeable. A small number of verbs are currently making the transition from irregular verb to regular verb and have two coexisting past-tense forms. Sometimes the distinction is British versus American because the British held on to the irregular form more strongly than we Americans did. The verb "dream" is one example: "dreamt" is considered more British, and "dreamed" is considered more American.

Irregular verbs tend to become regular over time. For example, "chide" (meaning something similar to "to scold") is a verb whose past tense shifted to the regular form relatively recently. The past tense used to be "chid," but now we're more likely to say "chided," as you can see in this Google Ngram search result.

kneeled knelt ngram

Sometimes the distinction between two past-tense forms is a matter of where you live—London or New Yorkbut sometimes the two forms exist simply because a word is transitioning, which seems to be the case with "kneel." A Google Ngram search shows that "knelt" is still more common in both British and American English. Eventually, everyone will probably forget about the irregular form ("knelt"), and the past tense of "kneel" will...

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6 Easy Tips to Soothe Side Stitches

Stretch the Diaphragm

When the pain strikes, stop running and press your fingers into the diaphragm where it hurts most. This will hopefully loosen up the stretched ligaments. While holding your fingers in that spot, make a tiny ‘O’ with your mouth and breathe out as forcefully as you can. If you do it correctly, this will help drop your diaphragm. The pain should lessen or disappear after a few minutes of this.  

Make Some Noise

Do you feel a side stitch coming on? Don’t panic: Try this little-known secret to relax your diaphragm before the situation gets worse. Every time you take a step, let out a loud grunt. Regardless of how embarrassed you might feel doing this, you’ll be amazed how effective this little trick can be. It’s worth the stares you might get from strangers.

Drop It Low

If you want to get rid of a side stitch, here’s another easy maneuver that you’ve seen runners do countless times. Bend forward and place your hands on your knees. Make sure your knees are bent. This position often helps to ease the pain and get you back to your workout.

Mindful Breathing

Breathing deep as you run should help keep side stitches at bay. But once those stitches strike, breathing deep should actually be avoided because it will only intensify the painful sensation. At this point, the best thing you can do is to switch up your breathing pattern. If you were breathing out every time you stepped right, try exhaling when you step left. You should notice the side stitch waning in time.

Baby It’s Cold Outside

Here’s a tip that is much easier to follow if you live in a warm climate: Try to avoid running in cold weather. The icy air encourages the kind of short, shallow breaths that lead to side cramps. On freezing cold days, do your poor diaphragm a favor and hit the gym instead!

Burst Your Bubbles

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Friendship in the American Frontier: Wild Bill and Buffalo Bill

They were the two most famous plainsmen of the American West, and they shared the same first name. Well, sort of. William Cody came to be known as Buffalo Bill and James Butler Hickok came to be known as Wild Bill.

Hickok hailed from Illinois and had traveled to Missouri and Kansas as a young man looking for adventure. The Codys were a farming family in Iowa but the death of Billy Cody’s older brother sent the family to Kansas to start over. But the anti-slavery views of Isaac Cody were not welcome and he was beaten and stabbed by an angry mob. When he eventually died from his injuries, Billy had to find work to support his mother and sisters. It was while he was a 12-year-old worker on a wagon train that Cody met James Hickok, about 10 years his senior. The older man saved Billy from being beaten by a bully, and the two became friends for life.

They met again during the Civil War. Hickok originally served as a Union Army scout, but then he went behind enemy lines as a spy. Sometimes this got him into hot water. There were some close escapes. 

In the years after the Civil War, Hickok and Cody became close friends.

Cody claims to have witnessed one of Hickok’s dashing escapes. The Union and Confederate forces were drawn up in a skirmish line near Fort Scott, Kansas, when Cody observed two men take off on horses away from the rebel position. Improbably, “some five hundred shots were fired at the flying men” with only one man—another of Hickok’s unfortunate sidekicks—being felled. With Union troops returning fire, he made it safely to report to General Alfred Pleasonton that Price’s force was weaker than it appeared. Based on this intelligence, an attack was ordered, and it was successful in driving Price back.

Hickok and Cody scouted together for a time during the campaign, then went to Springfield, Missouri. “Wild Bill and myself spent two weeks there ‘having a jolly good time,’ as some people would express it.”

By the way, how did each man get his new name? In the case of James Butler Hickok, he was already called Bill by most folks. Then something happened one day in Independence, Missouri, during the Civil War.

As Hickok walked through town one day, he came upon a disturbance in a bar. He was told that the bartender had incautiously spoken in favor of the rebellion and several drunken Union-favoring patrons inside were beginning to show the bartender the error of...

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Rabu, 16 Januari 2019

How to Organize Your Office

Shelf Space

If your desk seems cluttered, make sure you’re taking advantage of the space above it. Install a shelf or two for books and folders, and make sure to attach some hooks on their undersides. Hang small baskets on the hooks and now you have a hiding place for paperclips, pens, glue sticks, tape, and the hundred other things that are taking up room in your office space.

DIY Filing Cabinet

No filing cabinet? No problem! You can turn almost any drawer into one suitable for hanging files. All you need is a drawer that is deep enough to hold hanging files, and two tension rods that are usually used for curtains—the smallest and thinnest you can find. Insert the rods in the drawer parallel to each other and perpendicular to the front and back of the drawer. They should be wide enough apart so that the hanging file folders will be able to hang on from rods (adjust as necessary). Now you’re ready to start filing away!

Create a Financial “Hub”

The best way to stay on top of your financial documents is to set up one spot for all related paperwork— bills, bank statements, tax files, and other important documents. Use a large desk drawer with hanging file folders, or get a separate cabinet altogether to use for money-related filing. Your financial hub should be conveniently located near your computer, scanner, and shredder.

Recycled Inbox

Cereal boxes make great stacking trays for your home office. Carefully cut off the top and back of the box, and you have an inbox waiting to happen. If you don’t like the Total, Wheaties, and Chex look, spray the boxes with silver spray paint and let dry before using.

Glass Jars as Supply Containers

Do you have a collection of old glass jars and other...

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Pay Off Debt or Save? Your 5-Step Guide for Making Smart Money Decisions

Making decisions about money can be difficult. Most people have several financial goals—but knowing which ones should come first or where to start can be challenging.

We all have limited financial resources to manage. If you don’t know what your priorities should be, it’s easy to feel stuck and never make any progress.

Here are some recent questions I received from Money Girl readers and podcast listeners:

Michele M. asks: “I’m wondering if I should use my savings to pay off my credit cards and then build my savings back up again?

Naomi S. wonders: “I’m trying to get out of credit card debt, take control of my financial life, and set up a good financial future for my children. Do you have any tips on where to start so I can have less financial stress?”

James B. asks: "With so many ways to spend and invest money, I'm not sure that I'm focusing on the right things. What should my financial goals be, exactly?"

These are questions you may have asked also. In this episode, I’ll answer them by giving you a step-by-step guide for making smart money decisions.

5-Step Guide for Making Smart Money Decisions

Whenever you have a money question or dilemma, come back to this guide for a clear path forward. It can be the ticket for leveraging your financial resources, reducing stress, and building wealth as quickly as possible.

Step #1: Build a cash reserve.

Oftentimes I get money questions about paying off different types of debt, such as credit cards, student loans, and mortgages. My first response is to ask if you have a cash reserve, also known as an emergency fund.

Your number one financial priority before doing anything else should be to accumulate an emergency fund. Having a cash cushion to fall back on can be the difference between surviving a financial emergency—such as losing your job or having an unexpected medical bill—or getting buried under it.

Devastating events are tough enough to handle without also being stressed about money. When you don’t have a financial cushion to soften the blow of a large expense or a loss of income, you could end up going into debt.

How much emergency savings you should have is different for everyone. If you work in an unstable industry or are the sole breadwinner for a large family, you probably need a bigger financial cushion than a single person with no dependents and plenty of job opportunities.

Ideally, you should accumulate at least three to six months’ worth of your living expenses. Another good rule of thumb is to accumulate at least 10% of your annual gross...

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Selasa, 15 Januari 2019

3 Myths (and 1 Truth) About Grain-Fed Beef

In previous episodes, I’ve talked about the nutritional differences (such as they are) between grass- and grain-fed beef. But today, I want to share some updated information regarding the impact of various feeding programs on the health of the cow and on the environment--an area where there are a lot of misconceptions.

I’ve just returned from the beautiful state of Colorado, where I had an opportunity to visit some places where beef cattle are raised. Along the way, I learned a few things that surprised me. Just in case you have some of the same misunderstandings that I had, let me share what I’ve learned. Even if you don't eat meat yourself, you might find this quite interesting. 

You remember the movie Three Weddings and Funeral? Well, here are Three Myths and a Surprising Truth about grain-finished beef.

Myth #1: All grain-fed beef are raised on feedlots.

Whether a cow is destined for grass- or grain-finishing, the first year looks pretty much the same for both. After the calves are weaned, they spend another 6-12 months grazing on grass pasture. Tor the last 6 months of their lives, grain-finished cattle are fed an increasing ration of corn or other grains, which affects the rate at which they gain weight, the degree of marbling in the meat, and the flavor of the meet.

The majority of grain-finished cows are moved to a concentrated animal feeding operation (or CAFO) for this part of the process. But not all of them. There are also ranchers raising small herds, anywhere from a few dozen to a couple hundred, who finish their cattle on grain right there on the ranch.  If your only objection to grain-fed beef is the idea of a feedlot, you do have other options.

If you live in the U.S., your state beef council may be able to connect you with a rancher who is finishing his own cattle on grain.  

Myth #2: Grain-fed...

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