A.Word.A.Day with Anu Garg

slipstream  (SLIP-streem) noun  A stream of air (or another fluid) forced backwards by a propeller.  2. The area of reduced pressure behind a fast-moving object.  verb tr., intr.  3.  To follow behind a vehicle to take advantage of decreased wind resistance.

grok  (grok)  verb. tr.  To understand deeply and intuitively.   Coined by Robert A. Heinlein in his science-fiction novel Stranger in a Strange Land.  

waldo   (WAL-doh)  noun  A device for manipulating objects by remote control, for example, a remotely-operated arm.  After Waldo F. Jones, an inventor in a science-fiction story by Robert A. Heinlein.  

tardis  (TAR-dis)  noun  1.  A time machine.  2.  Something that is much bigger than it appears from the outside.   From TARDIS, a time machine in the British science-fiction TV series, Doctor Who.  

triffid  (TRIF-id, TRY-fid)  noun  An out-of-control plant that overruns everything around it.  Also, anything that behaves in this manner.  After triffids, a species of plants in the science-fiction novel, The Day of the Triffids, by John Wyndham.  From Latin tri- (three) + findere (to split).  

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From:  Christina Vasilevski  Subject:  slipstream  "Slipstream" is also the term for a new subgenre of fiction that incorporates elements of both literary and speculative writing.

From:  George M. Robinson  Subject:  slipstream  One more current definition for this word:  To slipstream is to seamlessly add later enhancements to a piece of computer software released earlier.

From:  Catherine Schaus  Subject:  grok  I most remember this word as it was used on a button for original era Star Trek fans:  I Grok Spock.

From:  Nick Wills-Johnson  Subject:  grok  Grok is also the name of the student magazine at Curtin Uni in Australia.

From:  M Henri Day  Subject:  grok  When I see this word, I can't help but be reminded of Pamela Jones's great website Groklaw, which she shut down on 20 August 2013, after a decade-long run in which she served the on-line community with explanations of related legal issues.

From:  Jennifer Perrine  Subject:  waldo  I first came across today's word ("waldo") in The Girl Who Was Plugged In, a novella written by James Tiptree, Jr.
From:  Susan Smolinsky  Subject:  tardis   What a perfect quotation for the word tardis:

"Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe said:  'It's a bit of a tardis -- once inside there's lots of corners to explore and enjoy.'"  Kathie Griffiths; New City Library Opens With A Flourish!; Telegraph and Argus (Bradford, UK); Dec 10, 2013.   Libraries are the ultimate TARDIS--There is much talk about what to call "new" libraries, as we try to convey the fact that libraries are so much more than just books to borrow--they provide computer access for so many people with no other means of getting online, many offer a free wifi connection 24/7, we provide downloaded FREE audiobooks and e-Books and even videos, we help build literacy skills--print and digital literacy in folks of all ages, we are community meeting spaces, offer kids programming for babies to teens, we offer book discussions and lectures for adults, more and more libraries are embracing the maker movement, turning the tide from being just consumers into creators--whether it is learning to program an arduino microcontroller or a robot to more traditional arts and crafts.  In Vermont we offer patrons free access to "Universal Classes", online continuing education classes on almost any topic imaginable!  No matter the size of the library, once inside you have access to a world of information, with a librarian ready to help guide you through Time and Relative Dimension in Space!  The Doctor knows about the power of libraries:  "You want weapons?  We're in a library!  Books!  The best weapons in the world!  This room's the greatest arsenal we could have--arm yourselves!" (Doctor Who, "Tooth and Claw")

How to But Great Olive Oil by Tom Mueller  There are 700+ different kinds of olives, which make thousands of different kinds of oil.  When you can’t taste the oil first, visit a vendor that performs stringent quality control in their production and selection of oils, such as Zingerman’s, Corti Brothers or Fairway Market.  When choosing bottled oil, prefer dark glass or other containers that protect against light, buy a quantity that you’ll use up quickly, and keep it well sealed in a cool, dark place.  Even an excellent oil can rapidly go rancid when left sitting under a half-bottle of air, or in a hot or brightly-lit conditions.  Phrases like “packed in Italy” or “bottled in Italy,” do not mean that the oil was made in Italy, much less that it was made from Italian olives.  Italy is one of the world’s major importers of olive oil, much of which originates in Spain, Greece, Tunisia and elsewhere, so don’t be taken in by Italian flags and scenes from the Tuscan countryside on the packaging.  Look for PDO and PGI certification.  PDO is the acronym for “Protected Designation of Origin” (“DOP” in Italian), a legal definition, similar to the Appellation d’origine contrôlée designation in French wines, for foods (including extra virgin olive oil) that are produced or processed in a specific region using traditional production methods.  (PGI, or “Protected Geographical Indication” (“IGP” in Italian) is a similar though less stringent designation.  Once you’ve bought your oil, store it in a place where it is protected from light, heat and oxygen, the three enemies of good oil, which speed spoilage.  And don’t hoard it!  Even great oils deteriorate with each passing day, and will all too soon become ordinary, even rancid, if not used quickly.  Find oils that scored well in recent, reputable olive oil contests at http://truthinoliveoil.com/great-oil/how-to-buy-great-olive-oil/

Disgruntled, Uncouth, and Inept by Alan Headbloom  There is a class of English words that exists mainly in the negative, where the positive form has been lost over time.  If you remove the negative prefixes (un- im- in- dis- de- non-) from the word, it will sound funny to native speakers—because today we only know these words in the negative.  Find examples of lost positives, their meanings and synonyms, at http://www.headbloom.com/index.php/resources/post/disgruntled_uncouth_and_inept/  Find a funny article by Jack Winter using lost positives in the July 25, 1994 issue of The New Yorker at http://www.newyorker.com/archive/1994/07/25/1994_07_25_082_TNY_CARDS_000367745

The sidereal month is the time the Moon takes to complete one full revolution around the Earth with respect to the background stars.  However, because the Earth is constantly moving along its orbit about the Sun, the Moon must travel slightly more than 360° to get from one new moon to the next.  Thus, the synodic month, or lunar month, is longer than the sidereal month.  A sidereal month lasts 27.322 days, while a synodic month lasts 29.531 days.  http://www.sumanasinc.com/webcontent/animations/content/sidereal.html

In his book Loose Cannons, Red Herrings, and Other Lost Metaphors, the late Robert Claiborne reminded us that metaphor "lies at the heart of language itself.  Daily, and quite unthinkingly, we use such expressions as the eyes of a potato, the head of a hammer, and the foot of a hill."  Claiborne further illustrated his point by revealing the literal origins of hundreds of inherently figurative words.  See if you can identify ten of those words after reading Claiborne's brief histories.  Richard Nordquist  Link to answers at http://grammar.about.com/od/quizzesfiguresofspeech/a/A-Quick-Quiz-On-Lost-Metaphors.htm

There is no universal agreement on the actual name of Presidents Day. There is no universal agreement on which presidents are being honored.  There is no agreement on something as simple as whether is an apostrophe in “presidents.”  Valerie Strauss  Read more and link to USA.gov's Web page on American Holidays at http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/02/16/why-presidents-day-is-slightly-strange/

Issue 1111  February 17, 2014  On this date in 1621, Myles Standish was appointed as first commander of Plymouth colony.  On this date in 1753, In Sweden February 17 was followed by March 1 as the country moved from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar.  On this date in 1933, the Blaine Act ended  Prohibition in the U.S.