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Everything posted by Bill W
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The thing is that most indoor spiders are not able to adapt to survive outdoors, so is it mercy or a cruel punishment and a painful death for them? The only difference is that you may not have to observe its death.
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detrimental - Word of the Day - Fri Jul 18, 2025
Bill W commented on Myr's blog entry in Writing World
The word "detrimental" ultimately derives form the Latin word "detrimentum," meaning "loss" or "damage." This Latin word comes from "deterere," which means "to wear away" or "to rub off". The "detr- " part of the word is related to the idea of wearing something down or away, while the "-mentum" suffix indicates a state or result. Therefore, "detrimental" essentially means causing damage or harm, reflecting the original concept of wearing something away or diminishing its value. The word entered French as "detriment," and finally it entered English as "detriment" and later as the adjective "detrimental." According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word "detrimental" was first used in English in the mid-1600s. Specifically, the OED's earliest evidence for "detriment" is from 1623, in the writing of William Sclater, Church of England clergyman. It is also recorded as a noun from the Middle English period (1150-1500). The earliest known use of the word "detrimental" in English in the mid-1600s, specifically, in 1656 in the writings of Thomas Blount. The word is formed within English, derived from the noun "detriment" and the suffix "-al". Examples of "detrimental" used in a sentence: "It will have detrimental effects on the healing process." "As it turned out, nothing he had kept secret was actually detrimental to their relationship." "The new law will have detrimental influences on future tobacco use." "It was an example of the detrimental effect that passive smoking can have on anyone's health." "The detrimental effects of such solitude on health are well documented." "t's also had a significant and detrimental impact on the regional economy." "That would be hugely detrimental to football." "Any suggestion of negative or detrimental treatment may lead to a valid claim for whistleblowing, where compensation is not capped and financial awards can be high." -
ubiquitous - Word of the Day - Thu Jul 17, 2025
Bill W commented on Myr's blog entry in Writing World
The word "ubiquitous" has its roots in Latin. It comes from the Latin word "ubique," meaning "everywhere," combined with the suffix "-ous," which indicates a quality or state. "Ubique" itself is derived from "ubi," meaning "where," and the generalizing particle "-que". Therefore, "ubiquitous" essentially means "existing everywhere" or "omnipresent". According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the adjective "ubiquitous" was first used in English in 1772, in James Macpherson's "Remarks on an Introduction to the History of Great Britain and Ireland". The specific quote cited is: "When we think him [sc. God] in some matter straitned, or abdridged of room, for his Omnipresence, on the supposition of his essence not pervading this ubiquitous nothing, we seem to forget who he is." The related noun "ubiquity," meaning "presence everywhere," appeared earlier, in the late 16th century, according to Merriam-Webster. Examples of "ubiquitous" used in a sentence: "Sugar is ubiquitous in the diet." "The company's logo has become ubiquitous all over the world." "She is one of the wealthiest, most ubiquitous media personalities around." "Historical markers are a ubiquitous presence along many of the nation's highways and country roads." "He quickly became the face of the campaign and a ubiquitous presence on television screens and billboards." "He has added speed and superb running lines to his ubiquitous presence. "He aims to make his product ubiquitous by selling it internationally." "We live in a society where the term "risk" has become ubiquitous." "They have become a seemingly ubiquitous part of our national culture." "They are ubiquitous environmental contaminants of considerable persistence." -
The word "rind" originates from the Old English word "rinda," meaning bark of a tree or other plant." It's related to other Germanic words like Old Saxon "rinda", from Old High German "rinda," and German "Rinde," all referring to a crust or outer covering, and possibly to Old English "rendan" (to rend). Ultimately, the Proto-Germanic root *rind- is suggested to be related to the Proto-Indo-European root *(H)rendh-. The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) indicates that the word "first" (as a noun) was first used in English in the Old English period (before 1150). As an adjective, its earliest known use is also in the Old English period (before 1150). Examples of "rind" used in a sentence: *"It's a strong aged cheese with a pale orange rind." *"The fruit is about the size of a small hen's egg, and within its fibrous rind is the seed or so-called nut, the albumen of which is very hard and has a prettily mottled grey and brown appearance." *"For water-vessels, they employ gourds and large coco-nut shells, in preparing which they pour in water and allow the pulp or the kernel to decay, so that it may be removed without breaking the rind or shell." *"The process of expression is applicable to the obtaining of essential oils which are contained in the rind or skin of the fruits belonging to the citron family, such as orange and lemon oils." *"The old idea that it was made from layers or pellicules growing between the rind and a central stalk has been abandoned, as it has been proved that the plant, like other reeds, contains only a cellular pith within the rind."
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Since Devin's dad was a finance major in college and he helped Gramps and Pops select the stocks they put in their portfolio, which did really well, I believe the boys will utilize him to help them invest their money, once they sell the coins. I have a feeling they'll want to build as much wealth as they can, so once their boys reach puberty and are able to transition, that they'll be able to afford to take time off of work to home school and train them. Thank you for your feedback.
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Thank you for the tip, Joey Chestnut!
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Yes, I did a lot of research of the valuable coins from before 1865, since that would be what was in those bags. Nice haul - I wish I had found something like that either where I used to live or where I currently live. $$ I was tempted to do that, but I didn't want to get sued by Paul Simon for stealing the lyric to one of his songs. 😜 Thanks for the feedback.
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Yes, Gramps didn't wait long before he had Aaron. Maybe he figured that way they'd have more time to be able to spend together. Yes, people have a tendency to eat a lot of Thanksgiving, but sometimes they make more than is needed so they have leftovers later that night and again the next day, although they may put a little different spin on things the next time around, like turkey sandwiches or turkey soup, or by adding some different ingredients to the other dishes to change them slightly. Thanks for the feedback and I'm glad you enjoyed it.
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adversarial - Word of the Day - Tue Jul 15, 2025
Bill W commented on Myr's blog entry in Writing World
And it proves it every time you go into a courtroom. -
I'm glad to see that @Myr is finding plenty to keep himself busy.
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adversarial - Word of the Day - Tue Jul 15, 2025
Bill W commented on Myr's blog entry in Writing World
The etymology of "adversarial" traces back to the Latin word "adversus," meaning "Turned toward" or "opposite." This root is also the foundation for "adversary," which evolved from the Latin "adversarius," signifying an opponent or enemy. The word came to English via the Anglo-French adverser (13c.), Old French adversarie (12c., Modern French adversaire) "hostile opponent, enemy," or directly from Latin adversarius "an opponent, rival, enemy," noun use of adjective meaning." The "-al" suffix was added to "adversary" in English to create the adjective "adversarial," meaning relating to or characteristic of an adversary or opposition. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the earliest known use of the adjective "adversarial" in English is in the 1830s. The OED's earliest evidence for the word is from 1839. Its earliest evidence appears in "Charter". Examples of "adversarial" used in a sentence: "With shared goals, there is less reason for conflict or adversarial relationships." "She has obviously had an adversarial relationship with the media for a long time." "We have an adversarial relationship with them." "It makes the task of the lawyers much less adversarial!" "I think there is an adversarial relationship within the sports journalism business." "There is always another challenge for dragons to face and an adversarial group attempting to thwart their reign of terror." "These are quicker, cheaper, less adversarial and provide a better outcome for the court user." "First, the balance of power in wage bargaining has shifted as union coverage has declined and the unions have become far less adversarial." "The majority have wished they had learned mediator skills earlier, and many expressed a distaste for the overly adversarial system they work in." -
If Warren Buffett was a shifter, I doubt he's actually retiring. He'll just kill the guy he named as his successor and then shift to look like him, In that case, hang on to your Berkshire Hathaway stock. 😁
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Chapter 14 – Plenty to be Thankful For When my parents came home the following evening, I’d already fixed supper for them again, but this one was much simpler than the one I’d prepared the previous evening. This time I used ingredients that I found in the cupboards, freezer, or things that were left over from my previous shopping trip, so it was less complicated. Supper consisted of rigatoni and meatballs, garlic bread, and another green salad with black olives, tomato wedges, croutons, a
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apoplectic - Word of the Day - Mon Jul 14, 2025
Bill W commented on Myr's blog entry in Writing World
The word apoplectic has multiple origins, potentially borrowed from French ("apoplectique") or Latin ("apoplēcticus"), but it ultimately derives from the Greek verb "apoplēssein" (ἀποπλήσσειν), ‘to cripple or disable by a stroke’. It initially meant "of or relating to or causing apoplexy," which at the time referred to a sudden illness causing paralysis and dizziness (a stroke). By the 1720s, the meaning evolved to "showing signs of apoplexy," eventually leading to its current informal sense of "extremely angry" or "enraged". According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the earliest known use of the word "apoplectic" in English is from before 1625, in a text written by playwrights Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher. Examples of "apoplectic" used in a sentence: "She was positively apoplectic with anger when she realized she had been cheated." "Some of the people in the political universe are apoplectic on the subject." "The base of her party has been apoplectic for the better part of three years." "The victim’s family was apoplectic when the case against their son’s killer was dismissed." "When the cashier refused to give me the correct change, I became apoplectic and threatened to call the police." "The apoplectic husband threatened to kill his wife’s lover." "Because Matt always appears apoplectic, he is being forced to take an anger management course by the traffic court judge." -
condescending - Word of the Day - Sun Jul 13, 2025
Bill W commented on Myr's blog entry in Writing World
The Latin prefix con- means "with," and the Latin word for descend, descendere, means "descend" or "down," so the word condescending probably developed to describe someone who looked down on others. Condescending behavior is, not surprisingly, itself looked down upon. The word condescending came to Middle English from Old French condescendre, from the Latin condescendere The adjective "condescending" was first used in the mid 1600s. Specifically, the Oxford English Dictionary identifies the earliest known use in the writing of Roger Boyle, 1st Earl of Orrery, in 1655. The noun form, "condescension," also emerged around the same time, with its first recorded use in 1642. The adverb "condescendingly" appeared even earlier, in 1653. Examples of "condescending" used in a sentence: "I didn't like his smug, condescending tone" "Some faculty members seem to express a condescending, at times almost disdainful, attitude." "I sensed him smiling down in a condescending way and ushering me back into the building and onto the stage, tears and all." "Your answers to me were patronizing and condescending." "His condescending tone was as annoying as the words." "Jackson always picked some condescending nickname for her beaus." "Your condescending tone is making me feel patronized and insulted." "Don't use that condescending attitude with me!" -
The word "queasy" has uncertain etymological origins, but it likely comes from a Scandinavian source like Old Norse "Kveisa" (meaning "boil" or "bowel pain") or is influenced by Old French coisier (meaning "to hurt") and Anglo-French "queisier," which itself might stem from the same Germanic root as "kveisa". It entered the English language around the 15th century, and referred to a feeling of nausea or unsettled stomach. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the adjective "queasy" was first used in English around 1450. Specifically, the OED's earliest evidence is from the Middle English period, in the text Practica Phisicalia, a recipe book by John of Burgundy, although some date his works to between 1338 and 1390. The word appears in Middle English texts as "coisy," "coysy," "queisy," and "qwesye." Examples of using "queasy" in a sentence: "It made me a bit queasy, as these things tend to do,’ he said." "The board ride made me a little queasy." "She complained of a queasy stomach." "He feels queasy about taking the test." "She had the queasy feeling that she was being watched." "If public speaking makes you queasy, practice reading in front of supportive friends or family members." "For example, if you always eat pepperoni pizza before your cardio workouts, and you always end up feeling a bit queasy, it might be time to try a different pre-workout meal."
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obsession - Word of the Day - Fri Jul 11, 2025
Bill W commented on Myr's blog entry in Writing World
The word "obsession" origninates from the Latin word obsessio, meaning "a besieging or blockade," It is derived from the past participle of the verb obsidere, which means "to besiege, occupy, or sit opposite to." This Latin root is composed of ob (against) and sedere (to sit). The Oxford English Dictionary identifies the earliest evidence of the use of "obsession" in English as being from 1548 in Hall's "Vnion". The word obsession has a long history in the English Language. In the1510s it Initially referred to the "action of besieging" (now an obsolete meaning). Around 1600 the meaning shifted to encompass the "hostile action of an evil spirit." In the 1670s it gained a more general sense referring to "the action of anything which engrosses the mind," The psychological sense of obsession, referring to a persistent, intrusive thought or idea, developed later, around the 1880s, and in 1901 the psychological sense officially emerged, defining it as an "idea or image that intrudes on the mind of a person against his will". Examples of "obsession" used in a sentence: "He was fascinated by the actress and tracking her every move had become an obsession." "She has an obsession about cleanliness." "Her concern about cleanliness approaches the level of obsession." "Money has become an obsession for him." "An obsession with home ownership is one of the causes of the financial crisis, he says." "I've created this love of food that is almost an obsession." Examples of other forms of the word, using obsessive and obsessed in a sentence: "Many dancers are obsessive about their weight." "He is an obsessive workaholic who never stops thinking about his job." "The new therapy is supposed to help people control their obsessive thoughts. "He's obsessed with Taylor Swift and collects anything and everything connected with her." "Mankind has always been obsessed by power." "She is obsessed with personal hygiene." "The author of the book seems to be obsessed with sexual perversity and death." -
resilience - Word of the Day - Thu Jul 10, 2025
Bill W commented on Myr's blog entry in Writing World
The word "resilience" originates from the Latin word "resilire," meaning "to jump back" or "to recoil." The Latin verb "resilire" is derived from "salire," meaning "to leap". This Latin root is also the basis for words like "sally" and "somersault". In essence, the core meaning of resilience, both etymologically and in its modern usage, is the ability to bounce back from adversity or a challenging situation. Today, resilience is used in a wide range of fields, including psychology, sociology, engineering, and ecology, to describe the capacity to withstand and recover from challenges. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the first use of the word "resilience" in the English language was in 1626, in Francis Bacon's Sylva Sylvarum. The OED defines this early usage as "an act of rebounding or springing back; rebound recoil." While the initial usage was related to physical rebounding, the meaning of resilience has evolved. The OED indicates that a second definition, associated with elasticity, was added in 1824. The Oxford English Dictionary indicates that the word "resilient" was first used in English in the mid-1600sm specifically in 1644. The OED's earliest example is from the writings of John Bulwer, a medical practitioner and writer. Examples of "resilience" and "resilient" used in a sentence: "But as the day went on they started to find some resilience." "Almost 200 Californians turned out for tips on how to build resilience." "Family therapists may be their best allies in passing on resilience." "Cold temperatures cause the material to lose resilience." "The rescue workers showed remarkable resilience in dealing with the difficult conditions." "That speaks to what has been a theme of this year – the resilience of this team." "Even my doctors were surprised at how resilient I was during and after treatment." "We realized how resilient these women and children had to be." "In the study, resilient people were easily comforted by positive memories of their deceased partner." -
Anton, yes, Devin is impatient, but I don't believe that he would put Mac or either family at risk. He just doesn't like to wait for certain things, such as having control over his own body. I think he'll be fine, and people seem to change once they have children, so maybe he'll learn patience one they have a son. As far as Preston is concerned, I'm not sure what the deal is. There's a fine line between showing interest in someone or just being nosy, I still feel that Preston likes the boys and just wants to know more about them to sate his curiosity, with no ulterior motive, although I could be wrong. I have a feeling that he's just a lonely academic who has found a connection to the boys, especially Mac (Michael).
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infidelity - Word of the Day - Wed Jul 9, 2025
Bill W commented on Myr's blog entry in Writing World
The word "infidelity" originates from Latin and French, ultimately deriving from the Latin word "infidelis," meaning "unfaithful" or "disloyal. It entered the English language around the 15th century. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the first known use of the noun "infidelity" in English is from 1509, in the writings of Alexander Barclay, a poet and clergyman. The core meaning revolves around a breach of faith or loyalty, initially in religious contexts ("unbelief") but later extending to interpersonal relationships, particularly romantic ones. Examples of "infidelity" in a sentence: "As a result of their infidelity, the people descended into moral and spiritual corruption." "I like books about atheism and infidelity and general neuroticism much more." "George ignored his partner's infidelities." "I divorced him for infidelity." "Napoleon on the other hand spoke of her in his will with marked tenderness, and both excused and forgave her infidelity to him." "His infidelity to his wife and his harshness towards his son Carlino are blemishes on a splendid career, but he more than expiated these faults by his tragic end." Synonyms for infidelity: unfaithfulness, cheating [informal], adultery, betrayal -
I've found surprises like that as well, but I chose not to take such extreme measures and blow a hole in the porcelain receptacle. A little toilet paper over the offending and unwanted guest and a quick flush works just fine to eliminate the problem.
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That might mean the old taste buds are going and you need more extreme foods to wake them up.
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Well, Devin and Mac had a week to spend with their families, so that will give Devin a little time to heal and enjoy Thanksgiving. I've already made a slip and giving away a hint about a second Thanksgiving celebration, and we know that Lonny and Clint will be joining the boys for the football game on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, so we have that to look forward as well. After that, there will be Christmas and New Year's celebrations, so there's a lot to look forward to, plus who knows what new or unexpected challenges they might face.
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Thanks for the cooking tips. One thing I noticed with my family and with my in-laws, as they got older they ate more sweets. It didn't make a difference what it was, along as it was sweet, and Mac's dad seems to be the same way.
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Devin got his way and doesn't have to worry about not being able to transition into small animals again, so hopefully his recovery will go well. I'm sure you've all probably surmise that he'll probably take an active role in making his recovery happen as quickly as possible. Oh, and Lee, he'll have a week before the next football game, so that should be enough time for him to heal, right? 🙃
