desk per diem
n.— «For most of the year, senators and Assembly members are eligible to receive $162 per day on top of their annual base salary, which rises from $113,000 to $116,000 in December. This “desk” per diem, as it’s called, is designed to cover the cost of keeping a second home in Sacramento. Unless lawmakers have an unexcused absence, they typically receive it every day the Legislature works.» —“Fruits of the battle: extra pay for Senate” by Brian Joseph in Sacramento Orange County Register (California) Aug. 9, 2007. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Ever wonder what medieval England looked and sounded like? In Old English, the word hord meant “treasure” and your wordhord was the treasure of words locked up inside you. A delightful new book uses the language of that period to create...
A Southern California resort for nudists—or naturists, as some prefer to be called—had a recent change of management, and residents received a notice that the place will now become a textile park. The word textile is often used in that community as...