What’s the best Christmas gift you ever got? In The Big Bang Theory, socially-awkward genius Sheldon struggles with the whole concept of Christmas gift-giving. Why is it wrong to give someone something practical that they need? Why give someone something ostensibly useless? Sheldon just doesn’t get it — until
William Keylor Boston University The Christmas Truce is no stranger to popular entertainment – this year more than any other as its 100th anniversary is marked. The famous moment when British and German soldiers climbed out of the trenches in peace on Christmas Day 1914 has been replicated and ruminated upon
This year won’t be the first Christmas that the Queen has spent without her husband, but it will be the first in 75 years that she will have to confront the knowledge that he is not merely absent, but gone. Still, as we do at this time of year,
Despite the ever-increasing secularisation of “The Holidays”, one of the most iconic images of Christmas remains the Nativity. Even the Christian-hating left find themselves, every year, trying to usurp the imagery of the Nativity. Perhaps that’s because it’s one of the most striking images in all the major
The word for today is… Christmas (noun): Church festival observed annually in memory of the birth of Christ Source : Online Etymology Dictionary Etymology : Late Old English Cristes mæsse, from Christ (and retaining the original vowel sound) + mass. Written as one word from mid-14c. As a verb, “to celebrate Christmas,” from
Thomas Adam University of Arkansas Thomas Adam, PhD, is an associate professor of international and global studies in the Department of Political Science at the University of Arkansas. He also serves as associate director of the International and Global Studies Program at the University of Arkansas. Each season, the celebration
The word for today is… perpetuity (noun): 1 : eternity 2 : the quality or state of being perpetual 3: the condition of an estate limited so that it will not take effect or vest within the period fixed by law 4 : an annuity payable forever Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Continual existence—
Andrei Lux Edith Cowan University Andrei Alexander Lux is a Lecturer in Leadership and Course Coordinator of Management and International Business at the School of Business and Law in Edith Cowan University. Andrei’s research focuses on Leadership and Organizational Behavior, with interests in positive follower outcomes such as Engagement,
Rob Slane theblogmire.com We are accustomed to thinking of great evil as instantly recognisable. From Nuremberg rallies to the squalor of the Gulag, great evil is something obvious and unmissable. Or so we think. Unfortunately, we have developed such a cartoonish idea of what evil, villains, and devils look
It is very strange the way the whole world seems to be having exactly the same problems at the moment. There’s the pandemic obviously, but also, all countries seem to be struggling with inflation, shortages of various items, supply chain issues and staff shortages. Inflation is easy to explain;
Manly D. Hall Information Opinion In times of immense social pressure, where conformity is valued and thinkers are banished, there is no better source to turn to than the towering essays of Ralph Waldo Emerson. His writing always struck me as cutting to the heart of human weakness: the tendency
The word for today is… gossamer (noun, adjective): noun 1 : a film of cobwebs floating in air in calm clear weather 2 : something light, delicate, or insubstantial adjective :extremely light, delicate, or tenuous Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : In the days of Middle English, a period of mild weather in late
The word for today is… embellish (verb): 1 : to make beautiful with ornamentation 2 : to heighten the attractiveness of by adding decorative or fanciful details Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Like its synonyms adorn, ornament, and garnish, embellish means to make something beautiful by the addition of a decorative or fanciful
Lindsay Mitchell lindsaymitchell.blogspot.com Lindsay Mitchell has been researching and commenting on welfare since 2001. Many of her articles have been published in mainstream media and she has appeared on radio,tv and before select committees discussing issues relating to welfare. Lindsay is also an artist who works under
The word for today is… odious (adjective): : arousing or deserving hatred or repugnance Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Odious has been with us since the days of Middle English. We borrowed it from Anglo-French, which in turn had taken it from Latin odiosus. The Latin adjective came from the noun odium,
