Germans have a wonderful word for that mess of wires and cables under computer workstation. It’s Kabelsalat, literally “cable salad.” In Japanese, it’s takoashi haisen, or “octopus leg wire.” Electricians sometimes refer to a tangle of wires as a...
Bathroom walls, missing graffiti, and social media. Where have all the cute quips on bathroom stalls gone? We wonder about the apparent decline of restroom graffiti. Are people saving their witticisms for Twitter and Facebook? And: If there were a...
Shinrin-yoku, the Japanese term for walking around in the woods that literally means “a forest bath” is a beautiful descriptor for what a hike should be—an opportunity to stroll through nature and wash off the stress of everyday life. This is part...
precariat n.— «“Precariat” is a new Japanese word combining the English words “precarious,” referring to the insecurity of part-time and contract work, and “proletariat.”» —“‘Precariat’ workers are starting to fight for a little stability” by...
lolicon n. Lolita complex, the attraction of older men to girls or very young women. Also lolicom. Editorial Note: The Japanese form is lolicon. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)