Imagine a time when heroin was marketed for the whole family. It really happened! Also, how Twitter, M&M’s, and Hallmark cards got their names. Plus, restaurant slang, bad juju, having a wild hair, cutting to the quick, and use vs. utilize.
Aspirin is now a generic drug, but it was once a brand-name product made by Bayer. It’s just one of many genericized trademarks, also known as proprietary eponyms, which includes not only aspirin, but kerosene, dry ice, and cellophane. This is...
Is it true that the drug heroin was once marketed to families? Yes! In the 1890’s, heroin, a substitute for morphine, was hailed as a tremendous help to patients with tuberculosis, a leading cause of death at the time. Heroin eased the...
Quiz Guy Greg Pliska shares a puzzle in verse, challenging the hosts to fill in the blanks with words that differ by just one letter. Like this: “I never count ___ when I’m going to ___; that method does not work for me. Right around...
sleep hangover n.— «Those medications can induce next-day grogginess—what some patients call “sleep hangovers.”» —“10 Ways to Get Better Sleep (and Maybe Cure Your Insomnia)” by Lindsay Lyon US News &...
MTV n.— «“You can get Viread at many gay bars or clubs,” says Bob Adams, managing editor of The Advocate‘s sister publication HIV Plus, adding that when it is sold along with Viagra and crystal meth the combination is known as “MTV”—meth...