Новости за 18.04.2024

How concerned should you be about bird flu?

A new theory suggests that Titan's majestic dune fields may have come from outer space. Researchers had always assumed that the sand making up Titan's dunes was locally made, through erosion or condensed from atmospheric hydrocarbons. But researchers from the University of Colorado want to know: Could it have come from comets?

A woman dismissed from serving on the juror for Donald Trump’shush money trial subtly shaded the former president’s skin tone to MSNBC.

A "dog whistle" is a subtle call to action or statement that is coded or otherwise obscured to appeal to supporters and avoid detection by opponents. Of course, literal dog whistles predate the political usage of the term and refer…

The existence of a "silent majority" within a country implies that a majority of the population does not express their political beliefs. The phrase was once meant to refer to those who had already died, such as when Justice John…

Physical echo chambers date back to the 20th century when recording studios were modified to amplify echoes and reverberations. In a 1955 New York Times article, reporter Elie Abel described the circular, futile discussions between American and Chinese ambassadors as…

Muzzle-loading cannons, once very popular in naval artillery, weighed thousands of pounds, were mounted on wheels, and in the event of strike or turbulence, could break free of restraints and become a "loose cannon."Former President Theodore Roosevelt feared becoming a…

In 19th-century horse racing, "dark horses" were contestants bettors knew very little about since they had been trained in secret or "in the dark." The goal was to train them so well that it led to a surprise win and…

Woke refers to a state of being that is attentive to social justice and civil rights matters.While likening awareness of racial injustice to being "awake" predates the 20th century, the phrase "stay woke" was often used in Black communities as…

A "fair-fight district" results when redistricting results in a voting area that favors no political party. When the New York legislature reapportioned the state's districts in 1982, it left the 22nd district with two incumbents approaching their election year: one…

"Pundit" derives from the Hindi word "pandit," meaning a learned or skilled person. It entered the English lexicon in the 17th century to describe Indian court officials who served as advisors of Hindu law to English judges.The modern take on…

In a truly patriotic dispute, the practice of referring to Democratic and Republican strongholds as "blue states" and "red states" begins with fireworks. In 1900, the Chicago Tribune planned to light blue fireworks to signify Republican wins and red to…

Ulysses S. Grant is widely credited for coining the term "lobbyist" to describe the people who bombarded him with legislative requests while he tried to relax at the Willard Hotel during his 1869-1877 tenure.However, the term originates in England and…

Unlike other fundraising or political efforts prioritizing members with the most resources and influence, grassroots movements begin from the local level, or "roots," working their way upward.One of the first printed usages of the term appears in a 1904 newspaper.…

This broadly encompassing term originates in 1871 and derives from the name of the seven-year-long conflict between the Catholic church and the government in Prussia: Kulturkampf. The conflict resulted in attempted assassinations of politicians, arrests of churchgoers, and riots.University of…

The term gridlock, now often used to describe political stalemate due to a lack of consensus, has quite literal origins. It was first used to describe the type of traffic congestion that emerges due to a road network that is…

In politics, a lame duck typically refers to a politician who loses influence after election defeat until the inauguration of their successor. With less accountability to the public, they tend to either accomplish very little or push unpopular initiatives through…

A derivative—or arguably pejorative—version of John Q. Public, Joe Six-Pack was popularized by author Martin F. Nolan to refer to working-class Americans. In this case, "six-pack" refers to a half-dozen cans or bottles of beer.In a 1970 article covering a…

Red tape refers to excessive or rigid rules and processes that impede progress and decision-making, and there was a time when it was much more literal."Red tape" emerged during the Holy Roman Empire of Spanish King Charles V in the…

Identity politics typically refers to the efforts of a group to rectify collective injustices suffered due to shared personal attributes, including race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or culture. The concept was born of the Combahee River Collective, established in 1974,…

A "faithless elector" is someone in the Electoral College who votes against their party's nominee.The first faithless elector, Samuel Miles, cast his 1796 presidential election vote for Thomas Jefferson against the will of his John Adams-supporting constituency. One of his…

A "gerrymander" happens when redistricting a voting area favors a political party. Its origins came from Massachusetts Gov. Elbridge Gerry, who was a framer—but not a signer—of the Constitution. He also argued against electing congress members to the House of…

While the term "founding fathers" may seem to predate American politics, it was only invoked for the first time in 1916 by then-Sen. Warren G. Harding during the Republican National Convention of the same year. He repeated the phrase many…

"Gerrymander," "blue states," and "red tape." These words populate headlines and newspaper articles regularly, with many writers taking their meaning for granted, but a look through history can reveal surprising changes in meaning over time.In a political landscape challenged by…

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