The word for today is… modicum (noun) – a small portion; a limited quantity Source : Merriam – Webster Etymology : What does “modicum” have to do with a toilet? It just so happens that “modicum” shares the same Latin parent as “commode,” which is a synonym of “toilet.” “Modicum” and “commode” ultimately derive
Amelia Thorpe Sophie Adams UNSW Declan Kuch Western Sydney University Amelia Thorpe is Associate Professor in Law at UNSW, working in the areas of planning, property and local government law, legal geography and urban studies. Her research centres on frameworks for decision-making in contemporary cities – who gets to have
Sara Mohammadi scoop.me Dutch fashion designer Bas Timmer is swapping luxury catwalks for homeless aid: He now sews “sheltersuits” – a mixture of sleeping bag, winter jacket and bag. The ingenious invention keeps people warm who have no solid roof over their heads in winter and have to live on
The word for today is… ersatz (adjective) – being a usually artificial and inferior substitute or imitation Source : Merriam – Webster Etymology : Ersatz can be traced back in English to 1875, but it really came into prominence during World War I. Borrowed from German, where Ersatz is a noun meaning “substitute,” the
Gerry On the Level This phrase is believed to have derived from a Freemasonry ritual in which the tools used for stone cutting and building were used to symbolise moral qualities. For example, newcomers to the Lodge are told as part of their initiation that the square implies straight dealing
The word for today is… polemic (noun) 1a : an aggressive attack on or refutation of the opinions or principles of another b : the art or practice of disputation or controversy —usually used in plural but singular or plural in construction 2 : an aggressive controversialist : disputant Source : Merriam – Webster Etymology : When
Dr John Maunder sunlive.co.nz Groundhog Day, February 2, is a popular tradition in the United States. It is also a legend that traverses many centuries, its origins clouded in the mists of time with ethnic cultures and animals awakening on specific dates. CNN reported on the 2nd of
The word for today is… spindrift (noun) – 1 : sea spray especially : spray blown from waves during a gale 2 : fine wind-borne snow or sand Source : Merriam – Webster Etymology : Spindrift first set sail in the mid-18th century under Scottish command. During its first voyage, it was known by the
One of the problems with large organisations, including city councils, is they inevitably treat people as numbers. This applies not just to the public, but also to their own staff. A typical example is when the chief executive, usually an accountant or lawyer, has an engineering project that s/he
The word for today is… effusive (adjective) – 1 : marked by the expression of great or excessive emotion or enthusiasm effusive praise – 2 archaic : pouring freely – 3 : characterized or formed by a nonexplosive outpouring of lava effusive rocks Source : Merriam – Webster Etymology : We’ve used “effusive” in English to describe excessive
The word for today is… vulcanize (transitive verb) : to subject to vulcanization Source : Merriam – Webster Etymology : Vulcanization involves heating rubber in combination with sulfur. The Roman god Vulcan (whose Greek counterpart is Hephaestus) was the god of fire and of skills that used fire, such as metalworking. So when Charles
The word for today is… ad hominem (adjective)) – 1 : appealing to feelings or prejudices rather than intellect 2 : marked by or being an attack on an opponent’s character rather than by an answer to the contentions made Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Ad hominem literally means “to the person” in
Gerry To turn a blind eye Lit: to deliberately overlook something We seem to be having a few nautical phrases lately and this one, of course, was first formulated during the Battle of the Copenhagen in 1801. Vice-Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson was second in command of the fleet that
Chris Sellars I tried to write an article explaining the nature of truth and falsehood. I stopped writing and gave up after exceeding my word allocation four fold. It may have to be the theme for a book that I will probably never write. I will sum up though that
The word for today is… eclectic (adjective) 1 : composed of elements drawn from various sources 2 : selecting what appears to be best in various doctrines, methods, or styles Source : Merriam – Webster Etymology : Eclectic comes from a Greek verb meaning “to select” and was originally applied to ancient philosophers who were
Paul C Paul C is a Registered Surveyor and a Fellow of the NZIS. After qualifying, he ran his own practice for 10 years before he was asked to join the Planning Tribunal for an initial 5-year term. He stayed for 32. The Tribunal became the Environment Court where
