Skip, a sailing enthusiast from Gainesville, Florida, has been pondering radio protocols, such as the distress signal mayday!, and sécurité, which announces any of various warnings. There’s also pan-pan, repeated three times, a call that...
In 1975, Annie Dillard won the Pulitzer Prize for General Non-fiction for her book Pilgrim at Tinker Creek (Amazon|Bookshop). A few years later, she wrote an essay in The New York Times with advice for writers and artists, calling on them to observe...
bathtub effect n.— «Of particular urgency to Conrad and Michel is how best to address the scheduled downsizing of the bases’ personnel and mission before the Predator and Global Hawk UAVs are scheduled to arrive in 2009. The “bathtub”...
tag n.— «Standard paid him the industry standard—a 50 percent commission on each delivery run, or “tag” in messenger parlance. Companies charge about $6 a tag, give or take a few quarters depending on the length of the run, the weight of...
dish the line v.— «The Colts were the natural challengers to the Patriots, and while they weren’t looking, Pittsburgh dished the line. Urgency replaces nonchalance.» —“Broncos Will Deliver A Shock To The System” by Bernie...
umbraphile n.— «I do not believe there is an umbraphile anywhere with a greater sense of urgency regarding the absolute need to maximize the probability of obtaining clear skies.» —“Re: Weather & Astronomy—Weather and Solar...