American Samoa, a US territory in the South Pacific, is known as “Football Island” for producing more NFL players per capita than anywhere else. Samoan culture emphasizes discipline, respect, and spirituality, and the territory’s economy relies on tuna fishing and tourism. Located in the South Pacific roughly midway between Hawaii and New Zealand, American Samoa […]
Mississippi is known as “The Magnolia State” due to the state flower and tree, which can be found in various colors throughout the region. Magnolias are a genus of shrubs and trees that have been around for nearly 100 million years and can be found in various parts of the world. While some species are […]
The term “Indians” for Native Americans came from Columbus’ misunderstanding in 1492. “Native American” is a politically correct alternative, but not perfect. “Indigenous peoples of the Americas” is more accurate, but too cumbersome. Some Native Americans still refer to themselves as Indians and it is the official legal term in the US. The debate on […]
The origin of the word “Dixie” in relation to the American South is debated. Theories include a French word for ten-dollar bills, the Mason-Dixon line, and a minstrel song. The popularity of the nickname has declined in recent years due to its association with the Civil War era. There continues to be great debate about […]
When George Washington was elected as the first US president, there was debate on how to address him. John Adams suggested “His Highness” but it was later simplified to “Mr. President” which is still used today. “Majesty” was dismissed as “superlatively ridiculous.” When George Washington was 57, he was elected president of the newly minted […]
Colorado is known as the Centennial State because it became a state in 1876, the same year as the US centennial celebration. It was the only state admitted that year and was previously denied statehood. Its official nickname was voted by the legislature and is used on official documents. Other common nicknames include Colorful Colorado, […]
Cincinnati, Ohio was once known as “Porkopolis” due to its success as the principal pork processing center in the US in the 1820s and 1830s. However, scandals and embarrassment over pigs roaming the streets led to government regulation and Chicago eventually replaced Cincinnati as the major meat processing center. Despite this, the legacy of pig […]
Wisconsin’s nickname “The Badger State” is not due to the animal’s abundance, but rather the behavior of the first settlers who dug temporary houses near mines. The state is also known as “The Copper State” due to its copper mines and “The Dairy State” due to its thriving dairy industry and cheese production. Unlike most […]
Movie trailers, short promos for upcoming films, are shown before the main feature, but were originally shown after the movie. In the early days of cinema, theaters showed a variety of films and trailers. Studios realized the promotional value of trailers in the 1930s and now they are commonly watched online. Loew’s first trailer was […]
The @ symbol, officially called “commercial at”, has been used for centuries in retailing and accounting to communicate cost per item. In 1972, it was used by Ray Tomlinson to create email addresses. In different languages, it has various translations, such as “monkey” in Croatian and “cinnamon roll” in Swedish. In the United States, @ […]
The color orange was named after the fruit, with mentions found in British documents from the 14th century. The name was applied to color from the mid-16th century, after the fruit was introduced to the Caribbean and North America. The term “orange” went through several incarnations before its translation into English. There is no consensus […]
When a security is “written off,” the holder is forced to sell it for the shares of another party. This happens when a party enters into a contract obligating the owner to sell it. Cancelling securities is disadvantageous for the owner and advantageous for the buyer. In the financial world, when a security is “written […]
When a security is retired, the holder is forced to sell it at a disadvantage to another party. This can happen when an option is exercised or a bond is redeemed early. Investors face the risk of losing money when contracts involving the sale and trading of investments are cancelled. Failure to comply with contracts […]
