In English, fairy tales often begin with the phrase “once upon a time.” In contrast, Korean folktales often begin with “In the old days, when tigers used to smoke,” or similar phrases, such as “In the old, old days when...
A man in San Clemente, California, and his friends are debating the term for when a substance you are smoking for pleasure is all used up. Is the bowl cashed or cacked? In this case, both terms work. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of...
When an Austrian candy maker needed a name for his new line of mints, he took the first, middle, and last letters of the German word pfefferminz, or “peppermint,” to form the brand name PEZ. He later marketed the candies as an alternative for...
Smoking cigars is sometimes known as herfing, and a herf is a lively gathering of like-minded puffers. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Herfing” Hello, you have A Way with Words. Hi, Grant and Martha. This is Blake in...
Tyson in Seattle, a counseling student, noticed that older readings refer to teenagers smoking dope, a phrase that to him sounds dated and not quite credible. Dope has had a busy life, referring at various times to hashish, opium, heroin, marijuana...
Anne Louise from San Diego wonders why she and a friend call wishing to see sunlight during long opera-company workdays a pipe dream. A pipe dream is “an unobtainable hope” or “an unrealistic fantasy,” and the phrase comes from opium pipes and the...