Writers and where they do their best creative work. A new book on Geoffrey Chaucer describes the dark, cramped, smelly room where he wrote his early work. Which raises the question: What kind of space do you need to produce your best writing...
If you’re a parent looking for ways to warn your kids not to play with matches, you could do worse than “If you play with fire, you’ll pee the bed.” Similar admonitions are used around the world, apparently because a child...
Texas ratio n.— «In banking, distress can be gauged by comparing the amounts of delinquent loans and other nonperforming assets on the books against capital and loan-loss reserves—a measure known in the industry as a “Texas ratio.” A...
eco-coasting n.— «Around 5.4 million motorists are putting lives in danger by freewheeling out of gear down hills to save fuel. Experts warn eco-coasting puts drivers at risk of losing control as gravity takes over.» —“Freewheel...
in-run betting n.— «A particular danger of Internet betting is what is known as “in-run betting,” the ability to bet on a match in progress, either on the final result or any number of propositions, such as how many double...
soft-story adj.— «City officials have decided to speed an analysis of what to do about so-called soft-story buildings because the wood-frame structures are ubiquitous in San Francisco – possibly numbering in the tens of thousands...