MDBCs 06 Feb 2023

Lame duck is a term usually reserved for politics in many democratic countries in the West and in Australia. It refers to a person or a group of people who are nearing the end of their elected term and will not be running for political office again.

Risky Decisions

Because their time in political office is limited, lame ducks are thought to have a freer hand in making decisions. Studies have shown that elected politicians towards the end of their tenure tend to make risky decisions. This is because they do not need to worry about the political consequences of their actions anymore.

Stock Exchange

The term lame duck however, originated in a field far from politics. Etymologists trace the first usage of the word to the London Stock Exchange in the 18th century. The term was used to refer to a defaulter - 'someone who couldn't pay his or her debts and then waddled off like a duck'. The usage of the term to refer to an elected official on his or her way out dates back to the late 19th century in the United States.

How to Celebrate

Honor any lame ducks you may have around you. If you personally know of one, throw them a going away party.
If you are in the United States, learn more about the 20th Amendment to the U.S. constitution, also sometimes known as the lame duck amendment.

Did You Know…

…that a group of ducks is called a team or a raft?

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An exercise for people who are out of shape:

Begin with a five-pound potato bag in each hand. Extend your arms straight out from your sides, hold them there for a full minute, and then relax.

After a few weeks, move up to ten-pound potato bags.

Then try 50-pound potato bags, and eventually try to get to where you can lift a 100-pound potato bag in each hand and hold your arms straight for more than a full minute.

Once you feel confident at that level, put a potato in each bag.

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Things I overheard at my health club: