Category: Uncategorized

• What is the “mail” in “blackmail”?

  The origin of blackmail has nothing to do with dark letters. This week, a sensational yet unverified dossier leaked that alleges Russia has “compromising personal and financial information” it could use to blackmail President-elect Donald Trump. While we wait to learn more about the allegations, let’s get to the bottom of another matter. Where does…

  John Kelly

  January 13, 2017

  Uncategorized

• “Sequoia”: a giant-sized controversy

  Earlier this week, heavy storms and flooding toppled the famous Pioneer Cabin Tree, a giant sequoia whose trunk cars once drove through, in California’s Calaveras Big Trees State Park. Before it was carved out in the 1880s to attract tourists, a forest fire had already hollowed out part of its trunk, apparently resembling a log…

  John Kelly

  January 10, 2017

  Uncategorized

• “Names in the News” at Nameberry

  Guest-blogging on Nameberry  Back in September, I started guest-blogging on Nameberry, a leading baby name website created by name experts Pamela Redmond Satran and Linda Rosenkrantz. Alongside an active forum, thematic lists of baby names, and a daily blog, Nameberry features a searchable database of over 50,000 names, including trends on their popularity. As a…

  John Kelly

  January 7, 2017

  Uncategorized

• New Year’s “resolutions”: an etymology not meant to last

  “New year, new me,” as so many of us are starting out 2017, resolved to lose weight, save money, or variously better ourselves and lives. Historians trace the practice of making self-improving resolutions in observance of the new year all the way back to ancient Babylon. But why do we call them resolutions? Resolution The…

  John Kelly

  January 3, 2017

  Uncategorized

• The “best” and “worst” of 2016

  As the new year fast approaches, we like to look back on the best – and worst – of the previous year. Twenty-sixteen did great work of the latter category, which is why I chose 2016 as the ‘word’ of the year on Slate. But why is best called “best” and what makes worst “worst”?…

  John Kelly

  December 30, 2016

  Uncategorized