Yahoo! Answers

Hey Guys,

The other day, I spotted a scofflaw jog across the street without using a crosswalk. As I stood there, twiddling my thumbs waiting for the light to change, I got to wondering about the expression “jaywalking.” How did that term get its start?

Back in early 20th century the term “jay” was slang for country bumpkin or hick. To put it another way, a type of person who didn’t have any experience in the big, scary city. Back then, many people were seeing cities for the first time and didn’t know the rules of the road. As a consequence, they wandered out into streets and risked being hit by cars. People called these folks “jaywalkers.” It was not a term of endearment.

The Straight Dope pins down the origin to Boston. A 1927 issue of Harpers wrote, “the Bostonian … has reduced ‘a pedestrian who crosses streets in disregard of traffic signals’ to the compact ‘jaywalking.’”

These days, folks who jaywalk risk more than being honked at by angry drivers. Hefty fines ($191 in Los Angeles, for example) can result. Or, if they’re having a really bad day, a trip to the hospital.

Thanks for reading,

Mike

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Hey Guys,

With holiday parties fast approaching, many may be wondering just how late “fashionably late” really is. Here’s the scoop.

First off, it depends on the event. If you’re going to a wedding, a funeral, or a business meeting, you never want to be late. But for holiday parties, most etiquette experts believe that guests should arrive within a half hour of the appointed time.

Miss Manners writes that the window is actually about 20 minutes. She also writes that she doesn’t really get why anybody wants to be late to a party. “You get to talk to the hosts, you don’t have to forage for food and drink, and you have an excuse for being the first to leave.”

Ask Men argues that it’s far worse to show up early than it is late. “It’s common knowledge that being fashionably late will contribute in garnering you attention. But thirty minutes late should represent a barrier you don’t want to cross. There’s a reason the host asked you to come over at a specific time and complying shows that you are a courteous individual. Never be early.”

Indeed, that seems to be the big tradeoff. If you come to a party on the late side, you might appear to be kind of cool. But you might also run the risk of there being no more food or drinks.

What are your thoughts on when to show for holiday parties? Right on time? A little bit late? Or way late? Please leave a comment below.

Thanks for reading,

Mike

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Hey Guys,

They say that knowledge is power. But don’t get too smart because they also say that ignorance is bliss. Here’s the story on those contrasting quotes.

English philosopher and scientist Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1626) was the man who first remarked that knowledge is power. At least he’s the one who, more often than not, gets credit for coining the phrase. Thomas Hobbes is the other philosopher who may have come up with it.

The University of Tennessee at Martin hosts a peer-reviewed site on philosophy. The magnitude of Bacon’s idea is summed up nicely: “Knowledge is power, and when embodied in the form of new technical inventions and mechanical discoveries it is the force that drives history – this was Bacon’s key insight.”

But what about ignorance and the feelings of sweet, sweet bliss it can produce? This sad but true sentiment is often attributed to the great poet Thomas Gray. The full quote is: “Where ignorance is bliss, ‘Tis folly to be wise.” The phrase appears in Gray’s “Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College.”

What are some of your favorite quotes? Please leave a comment below.

Thanks for reading,

Mike

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Hey Guys,

Last week, I wrote about how cats seem to know to use their litter boxes. I figured it’s only right to give equal time to dogs.

Of course, dogs don’t use litter boxes (at least none that I know of), but they do have their own instinctual habits. Think about whenever a dog lays down. Ever notice what the pooch does before settling in? Most of the time, the dog will turn around several times before sitting down with a big sigh. What’s going on here?

Before I began researching, I assumed the dog’s instinct to turn around was a kind of defense mechanism against predators. After all, dogs used to live out in the wild, fighting for survival against much more dangerous creatures. It would make sense that dogs wanted to take one last 360 degree look around to make sure there weren’t any enemies lurking about.

How wrong I was. According to ThePuppyPlace.org, the act is a way for dogs to find the coolest part of the ground. “Dogs are often found digging into cool soil to escape hot weather; by digging and then turning several times they can direct their bodies into the curled posture that will best take advantage of the depression’s coolness.” They’re not worried about predators, they just want to be comfy.

Dogs may seem crazy, but everything they do, they do for a reason (even sniffing each other’s backsides).

Thanks for reading,

Mike

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Hey Guys,

Growing up, my family always had cats. And I remember, even as a kid, being amazed at how the cats always knew that they were supposed to go to the bathroom in the litter box. How the heck do they know?

This apparent talent is due in large to cat DNA. Thousands of years ago, cats out in the wild made it a habit to bury their waste so it wouldn’t be detected by predators. Thankfully, for those who adopt felines, that instinct is still around today.

Similarly, when a cat is in the wild, it will never urinate near where it sleeps. The cat’s urine gives off a strong odor that can be easily picked up by its enemies. If you find that your house cat is no longer using the litter box like it used to, it could be because the litter box has absorbed some of the odors and the cat no longer thinks its a safe place to go.

The Humane Society lists some tips on how to make sure your litter box remains up to your cat’s standards. After all, as the Humane Society points out, the last thing you want your cat to do is “think outside the box.”

Thanks for reading,

Mike

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!