Rafaella in Wausau, Wisconsin wonders about unwritten rules of etiquette regarding when it is okay as something of an outsider to talk about certain subjects within a family. The rules depend in part on in-group and out-group dynamics within the...
What do you call an upgrade gone wrong? Perhaps the ‘Puter Principle could be the software equivalent of the Peter Principle, which in business means that every employee in a hierarchy tends to rise to his or her level of incompetence. This is...
Chickens give more than eggs, meat, and feathers—they give language!
gravy plane n.— «In the hierarchy of desirable Government appointments, Qantas runs second only to Yarralumla. The queue to get on this gravy plane makes Sydney Airport’s congestion seem minor.» —“Mates—Networks Of The Nice Little...
stained-glass ceiling n. a barrier to the advancement of women within the hierarchy of a church. Etymological Note: This is a specific form of “glass ceiling,” which is the barrier to advancement of women in any profession. A related...
memory color n.— «Those findings are part of a hierarchy of color sensitivity that starts with the flesh tones and, particularly, faces. After that are the apples, blue sky, green grass and more—commonly called memory colors—that people...