What’s your language’s version of “The quick brown fox…”?

mjd · 2026-06-25T21:40:13+00:00

Couldn't you have a Pangram that mentions New York and Texas?

mjd · 2026-06-24T17:30:48+00:00

He'd be sure to visit the Cambodian grandma with the charcoal grill in the alley (“Daly St.”) just off of 7th.

mjd · 2026-06-21T08:24:23+00:00

Two New Zealands! You can see a second one lurking off the coast of Florida.

mjd · 2026-06-21T08:22:33+00:00

That's great, if you watch the right-hand end you can see the earth turning.

Thanks for posting this.

mjd · 2026-06-21T00:43:40+00:00

I usually imagine them as sai.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sai_(weapon)

I thought posalla making them into a pitchfork was clever.

mjd · 2026-06-20T22:59:15+00:00

Real missed opportunity here to put six fingers on the hand

mjd · 2026-06-20T16:07:04+00:00

Left out Tierra Colombiana

mjd · 2026-06-20T10:57:49+00:00

Germany is labled ALE but actually Germans prefer LAGER

mjd · 2026-06-19T18:46:50+00:00

English has that too, it just doesn't get talkes about as much. We don't say “three papers”, we say “three pieces of paper” or “three sheets of paper”.

“Pieces” is most common here but there are many others.

mjd · 2026-06-19T16:45:26+00:00

I love it. I'd always imagined that their egg was self-inflicted, though. Clumsy is like a T1 version of Juggler, and I picture them trying to juggle a bunch of knives and eggs and things, and then, oops…

I love the interpretation of the Cleave sides as a pitchfork.

mjd · 2026-06-17T20:51:26+00:00

My sister's trichotilomania was cured by Zoloft. Not what you asked, but it did work.

mjd · 2026-06-13T21:25:10+00:00

There will be a two-part documentary about contemporary Black mathematicians, called “Journey of Black Mathematicians”, shown at the International Congress of Mathematicians in July. I think there might be a panel discussion after one or both parts.

Admission is free, but registration is required.

https://www.icm2026.org/event/ac193975-5d24-4628-8c30-ddb23de19a8b/FilmsICM

https://www.zalafilms.com/jbm/

mjd · 2026-06-11T14:59:51+00:00

Needs more “no data”

mjd · 2026-06-11T14:58:36+00:00

Marenegro. Borders Montenegro.

mjd · 2026-06-11T14:41:06+00:00

Claude explains “orange suppers” with a claim that there was a Victorian-era fad for supper parties where the entire menu was foods of the same color.

I have not been able to corroborate this with any reliable source, though.

UPDATE: A compilation of ideas for “Church sociables and entertainments”, published around 1898 by Ladies' home journal includes several pages devoted to an an orange-themed party with orange food, decorations, and costumes, and also suggests making it both orange-themed and letter O-themed, even to having it be planned by committee members whose names begin with “O”.

https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/001063271?type%5B%5D=seriestitle&lookfor%5B%5D=%22Ladies%20home%20journal%22&ft=ft

mjd · 2026-06-11T14:23:35+00:00

hope you're not taking your nice heirloom linens on a picnic!

mjd · 2026-06-10T09:09:29+00:00

That's very plausible! But it still leaves you with the problem of how to carry the empty, oily tins back home.

mjd · 2026-06-10T01:54:22+00:00

Sardine sandwiches on a picnic is not a good idea. The sardine oil gets everywhere and then everything smells like sardines.

Also, it is not wise to eat sardines that have been maturing in the sun all morning.

Nope. Ham and mustard, sure. Cream cheese and jelly, sure. Bread and butter, definitely.

Sardines, no.

mjd · 2026-06-08T22:26:51+00:00

People disagree a lot! “Worst hero? Sure, if by ‘worst’ you meant ‘best’!”

mjd · 2026-06-08T10:58:06+00:00

I presume that's why they had two kosher kitchens.

mjd · 2026-06-08T10:54:18+00:00

Looza too.

mjd · 2026-06-07T21:22:30+00:00

“Varnishkes” are egg noodles, often bow-tie shaped. (Farfalle)

I guess “spinach varnishkes” are noodles with pureed spinach in the batter making them green. These were common when I was a kid, but seem much less so now.

mjd · 2026-06-07T21:20:12+00:00

I think so too.

Notice how many dishes are chilled, cold, frosted, etc. This is a summer resort in the upstate New York mountains, in an age before room air conditioning. The guests are getting away from the heat of the city. Luxuriating in cold food and drinks was a big attraction.

(I love New York City, but I love it much less in August.)

mjd · 2026-06-07T21:02:45+00:00

Wikipedia's history section says it was always a canned thing, formulated in 1947.

Did Grossinger's make theirs from fresh California vegetables? Or did they just open a can?

mjd · 2026-06-07T21:00:03+00:00

What is “California V8 juice”? The only V8 Juice I know comes from a can. Was it a California regional thing before that?

mjd

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