juanitaite noun

(mineralogy) A tetragonal-ditetragonal ipyramidal mineral containing arsenic, bismuth, calcium, copper, hydrogen, iron, and oxygen.  The discoverer of juanitaite, Juanita Curtis, died September 24, 2006.  https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Wiktionary:Main_Page

Calendula (Calendula officinalis) is a short-lived perennial in warmer climates, but in cooler climate zones, it is usually grown as an annual flowering herb in garden beds and containers.  Although commonly known as pot marigold, calendula is different from the common marigold (Tagetes spp.).  It is, however, part of the Asteraceae family, along with daisies and chrysanthemums, and has a daisy-like appearance.  It is planted in spring after the last frost and grows relatively quickly, flowering six to eight weeks from seeding.  While ancient cultures used calendula as a medicinal herb, today, gardeners grow these plants for their cheery flowers and profuse blooming habit.  Calendula blooms from late fall through spring in mild climates and from spring to fall in colder regions.  Though they most commonly are seen in varieties with yellow, orange, and red flowers, you can also find them in subtle shades of pink and cream, blooming from May to September.  https://www.thespruce.com/growing-and-using-calendula-1402626 

A petard is a small bomb used for blowing up gates and walls when breaching fortifications, originally invented in France in 1579.  A typical petard was a conical or rectangular metal device containing 5–6 pounds (2–3 kg) of gunpowder, with a slow match for a fuse.  Pétardiers were deployed during sieges of castles or fortified cities.  The pétard, a rather primitive and exceedingly dangerous explosive device, comprised a brass or iron bell--shaped device filled with gunpowder and affixed to a wooden base called a madrier.  This was attached to a wall or gate using hooks and rings, the fuse lit and, if successful, the resulting explosive force, concentrated at the target point, would blow a hole in the obstruction, allowing assault troops to enter.  Shakespeare's phrase "hoist with his own petard"—meaning that one could be lifted (blown) upward by one's own bomb, or in other words, be foiled by one's own plan—has become an idiom that means "to be harmed by one's own plan (to harm someone else)" or "to fall into one's own trap".  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petard    

The phrase "apple of my eye" refers in English to something or someone that one cherishes above all others.  It signifies a person who holds a special place in someone’s heart.  Originally, the phrase was simply an idiom referring to the pupil of the eye.  Originally this term simply referred to the "aperture at the centre of the human eye", i.e. the pupil, or occasionally to the whole eyeball.  The earliest appearance of the term is found in the ninth-century Old English translation of the Latin Cura pastoralis attributed to Alfred the Great.   The sense "pupil" appears to be the meaning Shakespeare used in his 1590s plays A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Love's Labor's Lost.  In A Midsummer Night's Dream, the fairy character Oberon has acquired a flower that was once hit by Cupid's arrow, imbuing it with magical love-arousing properties, and drops juice of this flower into a young sleeping man's eyes, saying "Flower of this purple dye, / Hit with Cupid's archery, / Sink in apple of his eye".  In Love's Labor's Lost, the character Biron/Berowne, angry at the fact that the ruse to trick the ladies has been exposed, says to the courtier Boyet "Do not you know my lady's foot by th' square, / And laugh upon the apple of her eye,"   The phrase "apple of my eye" (or similar) occurs in several places in the King James Bible translation from 1611, and some subsequent translations.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_of_my_eye   

whistle register plural whistle registers  (whistle has a silent t)   The highest register of the human voice, lying above the modal register and falsetto.   Synonyms:  bell register, flageolet register, flute register, whistle tone  https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/whistle_register#English    

October 10, 2025

Borax is a powdery white substance, also known as sodium borate, sodium tetraborate, or disodium tetraborate.  It’s widely used as a household cleaner and a booster for laundry detergent.  It’s a combination of boron, sodium, and oxygen.   Borax is often found in dry lake beds in places like California’s Death Valley, where the water evaporated and left behind deposits of minerals.  Boric acid is made from the same chemical compound as borax and even looks like it.  But while borax is commonly used in cleaning, boric acid is mainly used as a pesticide.  Boric acid kills insects by targeting their stomachs and nervous systems.  Both borax and boric acid in loose powder form can be harmful if swallowed, particularly for children.  They can also irritate your skin.  https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/borax-sodium-tetraborate     

-ology

word-forming element indicating "branch of knowledge, science," now the usual form of -logy.  Originally used c. 1800 in nonce formations (commonsensology, etc.), it gained legitimacy by influence of the proper formation in geology, mythology, etc., where the -o- is a stem vowel in the previous element.  https://www.etymonline.com/word/-ology    

One of the world’s tiniest snails has been named after the Spanish painter Pablo Picasso for its defined, swirled shell that evokes early 20th-century Cubism.  In a paper published in April 2025 in the scientific journal ZooKeys, an international group of nine researchers classified 46 novel species of land snail typically found in Southeast Asia that belong to the greater mollusk family known as Hypselostomatidae (also referred to as “microsnails”).  The newly named snail belongs to the Anauchen microsnail subspecies, which are defined by their shells’ prominent last “whorl” and generally “spirally striated” form.  Serbian biologist Vukašin Gojšina, the paper’s lead author, specifically cited in an interview “the presence of a strong keel on the last whorl which makes it look angled,” reminding them of the Cubist style.  He also said that naming a species after a well-known figure can help make it more visible and ensure its protection.  https://hyperallergic.com/1042143/meet-the-microsnail-named-after-picasso/  Thank you, reader.    

In 1993, Vanna White sued Samsung Electronics over an advertisement featuring a robot turning letters on a game show, alleging a violation of her personality rights.  The lower court's decision in Samsung's favor was reversed by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit,  which denied a rehearing, but Judge Alex Kozinski issued a dissent.  The U.S. Supreme Court denied certiorari.  A jury awarded White $403,000 in damages.  Parody song "Vanna, Pick Me a Letter" (a riff on Wayne Carson's "The Letter") was released by David Kolin (aka Dr. Dave) in 1987.  The second track of "Weird Al" Yankovic's 1988 album, Even Worse, features the song "Stuck in a Closet with Vanna White".  The 2001 Nelly single "Ride wit Me", mentions White with the lyrics "I'm getting pages out of New Jersey from Courtney B.  Telling me bout a party up in NYC.  And can I make it?  Damn right, I be on the next flight, paying cash, first class, sitting next to Vanna White . . .  "  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanna_White   

The term pundit was used in the second half of the 19th century to denote native Indian surveyors used by the British to secretly explore regions north of British India.  The Pundit was the code-name for one of the first native explorers, Nain Singh, who was originally a schoolteacher (or pundit).  His accomplishments were so remarkable that the whole group of around twenty native explorers became known as the Pundits.  Two of the most famous pundits included the cousins Nain Singh and Kishen Singh (code-named A.K.)   One of the greatest projects of 19th century geography was the Great Trigonometrical Survey of India.  The British also wanted geographical information on the lands further north.  This was not just out of scientific curiosity:  the Russians were attempting to expand their empire into Central Asia, and the British feared that they might have set their eyes on gaining the riches of India, which was at that time a British colony.  Thus, the Russians and the British both tried to extend their influence in Asia.  Knowledge of geography of the region was of utmost importance in this Great Game.  The use of pundits by the British during the Great Game is fictionalized in the 1901 novel Kim by Rudyard Kipling.   Pundit (explorer) - Wikipedia  Thank you, reader! 

Announcing the 2025-2026 Season Sunday, October 19, 2025 3:00 P.M. Simon Johnson, organist (from Westminster Cathedral, London) Sunday, November 23, 2025 3:00 PM Toledo Diocesan Choir Music for Choir and Organ Michael Gartz, organist Paul Monachino, conductor.   This concert is presented in memory of Joseph Lawton by his family Sunday, December 7, 2025 4:00 P.M. Toledo Symphony Orchestra Messiah - George Frideric Handel Alain Trudel, conductor   Tickets required (419) 246-8000           www.artstoledo.com  Sunday, December 14, 2025 3:00 P.M. Christmas Carol Sing The Cathedral Choir Paul Monachino, director Sunday, February 15, 2026 3:00 PM NOVA Ensemble (choir) Kevin S. Foster, conductor Friday, April 17, 2026 7:30 PM Toledo Symphony Orchestra Symphonie Concertante - Jongen Alain Trudel, conductor Todd Wilson, organist Tickets required (419) 246-8000 www.artstoledo.com     

Find list of NOBEL PRIZE winners 2025 at https://www.nobelprize.org/all-nobel-prizes-2025/    

October 9, 2025 

 

Calico in British usage since 1505 is a heavy plain-woven textile made from unbleached, and often not fully processed, cotton.  It may also contain unseparated husk parts.  The fabric is far coarser than muslin, but less coarse and thick than canvas or denim.  However, it is still very cheap owing to its unfinished and undyed appearance.  It was made by the traditional weavers called cāliyans.  The raw fabric was dyed and printed in bright hues, and calico prints became popular in Europe.  Calico originated in Calicut, from which the name of the textile came, in South India, now Kerala, during the 11th century, where the cloth was known as "chaliyan".  It was mentioned in Indian literature by the 12th century when the polymath and writer Hemachandra described calico fabric prints with a lotus design.  Calico was woven using Gujarati cotton from Surat for both the warp and weft.  By the 15th century, calico from Gujarat made its appearance in Cairo, then capital of the Egypt Eyalet under the Ottoman Empire.  Trade with Europe followed from the 17th century onwards.   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calico    

The Calico Mountains of California are a mountain range located in the Mojave Desert.  The range spans San Bernardino and Inyo counties in California.  The Calico Mountains are geologically colorful range that lie in a northwest-southeast direction, and are located just north of Barstow and Yermo, and of Interstate 15.  The Calico Mountains have been active in California mining history.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calico_Mountains_(California)    

There’s a saying in Barstow, California, a decaying city in the scorching Mojave Desert.  The Interstate here only goes in one direction:  Away.   But it’s the only place where ex-LAPD detective Beth McDade, after a staggering fall from grace, could get another badge–and a shot at redemption.  Over a century ago, and just a few miles further into the bleak landscape, a desperate stranger ended up in Calico, a struggling mining town, also hoping for a second chance.  His fate, all those years ago, is linked to Beth’s when she’s assigned two very different cases.   https://leegoldberg.com/portfolio/calico/    

Tom Swiftie  noun  Etymology  Referring to the Tom Swift series of books, whose authors frequently avoided the word "said" in favour of other constructions, +‎ -y.  Tom Swifty  (plural Tom Swifties)  A humorous phrase in which a supposed quotation is linked by a pun to the manner in which it is attributed

Examples

"We just struck oil!" Tom gushed.

"I'll have a martini," said Tom drily.

"I'd like my money back, and then some," said Tom with interest.

American publisher Edward Stratemeyer, author of Tom Swift, was born on October 4, 1862.   

Tom Swift is the main character of six series of American juvenile science fiction and adventure novels that emphasize science, invention, and technology. Inaugurated in 1910, the sequence of series comprises more than 100 volumes. The first Tom Swift–later, Tom Swift Sr.–was created by Edward Stratemeyer, the founder of the Stratemeyer Syndicate, a book packaging firm.  Tom's adventures have been written by various ghostwriters, beginning with Howard Garis.  Most of the books are credited to the collective pseudonym "Victor Appleton".  The 33 volumes of the second series use the pseudonym Victor Appleton II for the author. For this series, and some later ones, the main character is "Tom Swift Jr."  New titles have been published again from 2019 after a gap of about ten years, roughly the time that has passed before every resumption.  Most of the series emphasized Tom's inventions.   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Swift    

October 6, 2025