Jul 1, 2003 · I believe the usage in the expression would come from parts 2 and 3 above, where the vein is a pathway, the idea being that the thought being introduced by the expression “in the same vein” takes the same or a similar pathway as the referenced idea. I can’t imagine how “vain” would be worked into the usage.

Nov 23, 2002 · I have a friend who isn’t american and he was drinking in a bar (in Maryland) when a woman passed him this note: “My Dixie was wrecked” He asked me what this meant, thinking it might be some american saying he wasn’t f…

Oct 25, 2021 · I’ve actually noticed this phenomenon in several songs. They were allegedly written by one artist, but the lyrics are sometimes markedly different (don’t get me started on Battle Hymn of the Republic 😉 ). But you’d ask for examples. So I’ll give you just one. Good King Wenceslas. According to Wikipedia the song was written in 1853 by John Mason Neale. Yet …

Jan 2, 2021 · Including general knowledge gaps that you feel you shouldn’t have had (e.g. “wait, there’s been a country there this entire time?”)

May 14, 2010 · In a similar vein - it seems relatively rare for people to be able to hold their hand flat and separate each of the fingers and thumb sideways in turn. If I understand you correctly, the only one I’ve seen people have trouble with is the Vulcan salute–between the …

May 25, 2023 · Factual Question is essentially the title. The full quote (I think?) is as follows: “I stopped explaining myself when i realized people only understand from their level of perception.” Googling that quote makes it look like the origin is completely unknown. Jim Carrey posted it on his Instagram at some point, and a lot of people attribute it to him. It’s also commonly seen on …

Mar 21, 2006 · When I write English I prefer to stick with one convention of spelling and grammer, and as I learned British English in school I’m using that - even though I sometimes get confused by reading so much U.S. English on the Internet. Anyway; I’m thouroughly confused over the use of ‘movie’ vs. ‘film’ in British English. Is ‘film’ slightly outmoded or…? Would it be wierd if I used ...

Jan 25, 2012 · A simple question: We all know that when setting up a box pool, you don’t draw the numbers until the grid is filled in. However, when I brought the chart I made for our office pool into work this morning, one person cried “foul” because I had already labeled one side as the Giants and one side as the Patriots. He claimed that the “real” way to do it was to randomize that as …

Jul 30, 2010 · In a similar vein, I recall in the PBS “1900 House” documentary the maid using something like salt crystals and maybe rosemary when brushing the carpets (before vacuum cleaners of course) to help draw out grime and also liven up the colors.

Oct 14, 2012 · As some of you may remember last year I purchased The Virginia Edition. TVE is a complete Heinlein. And they mean complete. All the books, stories, screenplays, essays, and letters available that were written by the old man. 46 volumes of leather bound, acid free Heinlein. Heck, each volume even comes with one of those little ribbon bookmarks. I have never …