Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Wordorigins.org @wordorigins.bsky.social · 8h

"Bubbles flew in the air as the groom, his best man (his son, dressed as Eric Cartman from South Park), the bride and maid of honor (the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man from Ghostbusters) walked down the red carpet.

Lee West @whodat35.bsky.social · 14h

Unicorn bride marries Kenny from South Park at Portland ICE protest. www.oregonlive.com/crime/2025/1...

Unicorn bride marries Kenny from South Park at Portland ICE protest

The couple in costumes said they wanted to bring joy to the protests and show that demonstrators are "fun loving people."

www.oregonlive.com

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Wordorigins.org @wordorigins.bsky.social · 9h

The American Empire contains multitudes.

Wordorigins.org @wordorigins.bsky.social · 9h

For US bases overseas, it varies by country. The kaserne in Germany where I was stationed was entirely run by the US. There were no Germans there. I did some work at RAF Alconbury in Cambridgeshire, and that was US/NATO troops with an RAF officer nominally in command. It's all up to the SOFA.

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Wordorigins.org @wordorigins.bsky.social · 9h

Typically, such "deals" are governed by Status of Forces Agreements (SOFAs, one of the more ridiculous military acronyms), that govern all the legal questions about who is in charge of the base, whether and how the soldiers can be prosecuted if they commit a crime, etc.

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Wordorigins.org @wordorigins.bsky.social · 20h

I don't know the details--I'm not sure anyone does--but I presume it's not "their" base, but rather some facilities (presumably hangars and barracks) at Mountain Home AFB in Idaho.

On the other hand, the US has lots of bases in other countries, including Qatar.

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Wordorigins.org @wordorigins.bsky.social · 1d

Agreements like this have been a norm for decades, but usually, while not secret, they aren't publicly touted. The US hosts training of other countries' air forces all the time.

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Wordorigins.org @wordorigins.bsky.social · 1d

The Nobel committee threw some subtle shade on Trump in their announcement of this year's award

AnneA @annenc.bsky.social · 1d

#NobelPeacePrize

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Reposted by Wordorigins.org

Gretchen McCulloch @gretchenmcc.bsky.social · 2d

Higgledy piggledy
Timothée Chalamet
Has a name meriting
Endless design

Much like his forerunner
Benedict Cumberbatch:
Hexasyllabically,
Easy to rhyme

tweet from childish branzino @absflora:
timothée chalamet is the new benedict cumberbatch in the sense that you can say ANYTHING and we know who you mean. tiffany chevrolet. timpanogos charlemagne. symphony cabernet. jiminy castaway.

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Wordorigins.org @wordorigins.bsky.social · 1d

Judeo-Christian

#etymology #wordorigins #language

Judeo-Christian — Wordorigins.org

10 October 2025 Judeo-Christian  has two main meanings. The first refers to Jews who have converted to Christianity. The second, and today more common, meaning refers to the common ethical and ...

www.wordorigins.org

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Wordorigins.org @wordorigins.bsky.social · 2d

Medbed: from science fiction to conspiracy theory to the presidential announcements

#etymology #wordorigins #language #uspolitics

medbed

[I’ve decided to attempt posting a “Words in the News” premium feature weekly. We’ll see how long I can keep that pace up—and much will depend on how many pay to subscribe to the premium features. I’m...

wordorigins-org.ghost.io

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Wordorigins.org @wordorigins.bsky.social · 3d

Screenshot of a social media post that says "Friends, I have discovered my new patron saint" in reply to a post with a picture of an 18th century gentleman and the words "'I see that you have made 3 spelling mistakes.' Last words of Marquis de Favras after reading his death sentence before being hanged (1790)"

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Wordorigins.org @wordorigins.bsky.social · 3d

deplatform

#wordorigins #etymology #language

deplatform — Wordorigins.org

8 October 2025 The verb  deplatform  is a relatively new one. Merriam-Webster defines it thusly:

www.wordorigins.org

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Wordorigins.org @wordorigins.bsky.social · 4d

"Let's do the fucking news"

Screenshot of actor William Hurt behind a network news desk from the film "Broadcast News"

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Wordorigins.org @wordorigins.bsky.social · 5d

It wasn’t planned; it’s just how the revision schedule fell out; but this one is appropriate for the start of SCOTUS’s term

#etymology #wordorigins #language #uspolitics #SCOTUS

Calvinball — Wordorigins.org

6 October 2025 Calvinball  is the name of a fictional sport coined by cartoonist Bill Watterston in his syndicated comic strip  Calvin and Hobbes . In the strip, Calvinball is a sport wher...

www.wordorigins.org

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Wordorigins.org @wordorigins.bsky.social · 6d

"A dozen or so chapters devoted to whale anatomy"

The Onion @theonion.com · 6d

Highlights From Kamala Harris’ New Memoir

Kamala Harris has released 107 Days, a new memoir detailing her 2024 run for president against Donald Trump. Here are highlights from the book. Complete list of every American who did not vote for her...

theonion.com

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Wordorigins.org @wordorigins.bsky.social · 6d

There's nothing wrong with the passive voice. It exists for a reason, as in this example.

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Wordorigins.org @wordorigins.bsky.social · 8d

fond

#etymology #wordorigins #language

fond — Wordorigins.org

3 October 2025 The modern adjective  fond  refers to the quality of having affection, liking, or eagerness for someone or something. But this was not always so. In Middle English  fonn...

www.wordorigins.org

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Wordorigins.org @wordorigins.bsky.social · 8d

I was interviewed by NPR the other day about the origin of "hoax"

www.npr.org/2025/10/01/n...

Fool me once: the magical origin of the word hoax

Frauds, swindles, cons, scams, and deceptions are collectively known as hoaxes. But there's more than meets the eye.

www.npr.org

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Wordorigins.org @wordorigins.bsky.social · 10d

Your Daily Stella: Get a room! (with her boyfriend Arlo)

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Wordorigins.org @wordorigins.bsky.social · 10d

I didn't see anything here about whether or not patient outcomes are improved with AI. Lots about radiologists' workloads, but nothing about whether patients are healthier with AI or not.

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Wordorigins.org @wordorigins.bsky.social · 10d

Maybe I missed it, but I didn't see anything in this piece about patient outcomes improving (or worsening) with the use of AI. That should be the ultimate metric: are we healthier with AI or without?

(I realize there will be no one answer to this question.)