Peter Jacobsen Peter Jacobsen is a Writing Fellow at the Foundation for Economic Education. fee.org The irrational pandemonium of the 20th century was the fear of a population explosion. Estimates from scientists such as Paul Ehrlich projected population growth would lead to mass starvation, death, and environmental degradation. None
A BBC news presenter has had to apologise after she was caught giving the middle finger while doing a live broadcast. Maryam Moshiri flicked the bird straight at the camera lens during the broadcast on Wednesday, a gesture which was supposedly meant for a colleague. After realising she was live,
The word for today is… splenetic (adjective): 1archaic : given to melancholy 2: marked by bad temper, malevolence, or spite Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : To vent one’s spleen is to express anger. There are healthy ways of doing this, of course, but vent too much of your spleen, or vent
A disabled child has been asked to leave an early childhood centre after his family requested a standing and walking frame to improve his independence. Wolf Greene has hypotonic cerebral palsy and attends Conductive Education Canterbury (CEC) in Rolleston, Christchurch, which offers an alternative early intervention service for children with
The word for today is… impertinent (adjective): 1a: given to or characterized by insolent rudeness b: not restrained within due or proper bounds especially of propriety or good taste 2: not pertinent : irrelevant Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : English speakers adopted both impertinent and pertinent from Anglo-French in the 14th century.
Thomas Buckley Thomas Buckley is the former mayor of Lake Elsinore, Cal. and a former newspaper reporter. He is currently the operator of a small communications and planning consultancy. brownstone.org “I remember when Friday used to mean something,” said the dishevelled man on the bus. Dependent poverty has a
Just stop talking sweetie… Tory Whanau says speculation about her night out at Wellington’s Havana Bar last month is “definitely rumours”. In an interview with NZ Herald, Whanau made comments about the night that caused her to come forward about her drinking problem, but she would not go into
The word for today is… faze (verb): : to disturb the composure of : disconcert, daunt Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : If you’re hazy on faze, let us filter out the fuzz. Faze (not to be confused with phase) first appeared in English in the early 1800s with the same meaning we
Rawiri reminds me of Mrs Brown… Change my mind. Discuss it on The BFD. If you would like to access exclusive Member content or just remove the ads to make your reading experience more enjoyable click here to browse our Membership options.If you enjoyed this article please share it
The word for today is… tentative (adjective, noun): adjective 1: not fully worked out or developed 2: hesitant, uncertain noun : something that is uncertain or subject to change : something that is tentative Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Tentative is from the Latin tentare (“to attempt”), and its original meaning was “attempted,
All that Greymouth woman Brittany Kremers has wanted is to live a normal life and to look and feel normal, but she’s lived with pain and facial disfigurement for two decades after being diagnosed with an aggressive cancer as a child. Brittany hoped a prosthetic would mean she could
The word for today is… coax (verb): 1: to influence or gently urge by caressing or flattering : wheedle 2: to draw, gain, or persuade by means of gentle urging or flattery 3: to manipulate with great perseverance and usually with considerable effort toward a desired state or activity 4 obsolete
The word for today is… sartorial (adjective): : of or relating to a tailor or tailored clothes broadly : of or relating to clothes Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : It’s easy to uncover the root of sartorial. Just strip off the suffix -ial and you discover the Latin noun sartor, meaning “tailor”
In a paywalled opinion piece yesterday, Steven Joyce took aim at centralisation. Those who supported the change of government will be happy with the early signs, while those who voted for the losing side are proving to be loud in their grief. Such is democracy. […] Wellington’s story is one
The word for today is… fervid (adjective): 1: very hot : burning 2: marked by often extreme fervor Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Fervid comes from the Latin verb fervere, meaning “to boil” or “to glow,” as well as, by extension, “to seethe” or “to be roused.” In English, this root gave
Shane MacGowan, the sandpapery-voiced former Pogues frontman who served as the bridge between traditional Irish folk music and punk rock, died on Thursday at the age of 65. MacGowan’s wife, Victoria Clarke, confirmed the musician’s death in a statement. The BBC wrote that MacGowan “died peacefully at 3.
