January 31, 2021

JAN 31, waterfowl: John Audubon, birder










You can review these illustrated verses in a wider context by proceeding to 'Immersible Verse: Limericks about Waterfowl' on the full-service blog 'Edifying Nonsense'. You can learn a bit more about the anhinga, the bird featured in the cover illustration of "The Birds of America" by checking the post of January 25.


January 30, 2021

JAN 30, insects: the (cock)roach





Authors' Note

cucaracha: Spanish for cockroach, presumably giving rise in the early 17th century to the English name for the insect

cockroach: adjectival form for the common insect (of thousands of species, only four are characterized as pests; cockroachlike might also be used in appropriate instances)   In the 1830s, Victorians adopted the shortened form roach to avoid the sexual connotations of the insect's name.
      

You can review Giorgio's other verses about pesty and occasionally beneficial insects, as  collected in 'Buzzwords: Verses about Insects' on the full-service blog "Edifying Nonsense". Click HERE.




January 28, 2021

JAN 28, etymology: 'horse'







For fans of etymology, we have three blogposts with collections of verses about word-origins such as the one above on our more encyclopedic blog "Edifying Nonsense". You can start to review some of this intriguing material by clicking HERE, and then following the links!


January 27, 2021

JAN 27, anagram swarm: 'ELECTION FRAUD' contest: other submissions, #2 and #3

Continuing from the posts of January 16January 18January 20





As we wrap up this topic, we note here a few submissions in the National Contest that were quite clever from a wordplay perspective, but not relevant to the topic at hand. These include ...

FLUORINE CADET; INTRODUCE FLEA; CAROTENE FLUID;
TUNDRA ICE-FLOE; FURNACE TOILED; FINE-CUT ORDEAL;
INCUR FLEET ADO; FERAL DOE TUNIC; FINE CORAL DUET;
ERUDITE FALCON; ADIEU TORN CLEF; FLORA INDUCTEE;
FEED LATINO CUR; COULDN'T FAERIE? FAINTER OLD CUE;
ELFIN EDUCATOR; ARTFUL CODEINE; DECENT FOUL AIR;
UNDO AFTER LICE; CIAO, TENDER FLU; FLORENCE AUDIT;
TRUE FAN, "LIE, DOC." ECO-LAIDEN TURF;
DO INFLATE CURE; TRIFLE ACNE DUO; RED ELF AUCTION;
CAT: DOUR FELINE; URL://DEFECATION; CAN'T FIELD EURO;
FIE, RUNTED COLA! RODENT-FLEA I.C.U.; FAUCI, DO RELENT.

(for entries themed more in keeping with the topic, see the post of January 20.)



January 26, 2021

JAN 26, wordplay maps: American Scramble-towns 13,14


Who would ever have guessed? It turns out that an unparalleled word in generating anagrams (letter scrambles) is P-A-L-I-N-D-R-O-M-E-S. We have taken advantage of that property to create this unique series of wordplay maps of imaginary American (and Canadian) locales, each one completed by its official two-letter state (or provincial) abbreviation. 






LINKS: 
Forward to U.S.A. map #15
Let's skip all this stuff and get on to the Canadian version, eh? 


January 25, 2021

JAN 25, birdlore: (American) robins







To learn more about the life-style issues of Fred the robin, along with his colleague Carl the cardinal, ("curtained verse: robin red-breast"),  check out this Blogpost


You can view an encyclopedic collection of illustrated poems on this topic by proceeding to the post 'Poems about BIRDLORE' on our full-service blog "Edifying Nonsense". Click HERE.


January 24, 2021

JAN 24, American satire: freedom-from-Trump day






Authors' Note:  Here's a reprise from a post published in November, now illustrated with Barry Blitt's cartoon-cover for this week's New Yorker, (A Weight Lifted...



We hope that you enjoyed this verse. You can find 30 more on this topic in 5 collections on our full-service blog 'Edifying Nonsense'. Click HERE to start!
  

January 23, 2021

JAN 23, patients and their maladies: Mick's anosmia





Authors' Note:  Patients who have suffered a loss of sense of smell (anosmia) are known as anosmics. Rarely, this sensory disorder along with manifestations in other body functions can be attributed to a marked deficiency of dietary zinc. Whether zinc supplements can help with recovery in well-fed anosmics remains unresolved. The metallic element osmium, which has no known biologic role, is named for the stench emitted by its poisonous tetroxide derivative.


Be sure to check out the whole collection of verses on 'Patients and their Maladies" by proceeding to our full-service blog ,"Edifying Nonsense." CLICK HERE !

January 22, 2021

JAN 22, anagram swarm: 'ELECTION FRAUD' contest: other submissions, #1

 Continuing from previous posts


Here are a few other imaginative entries for the National Anagram Contest ...
FORNICATE DUEL;     ADORE FIT UNCLE;     RECITAL DONE - FU! 
ONE LURID FACET;    COULD IRAN FÊTE?    TOUCAN FIELDER;
FONDUE ARTICLE;     EDUCATE FOR NIL;     IN 'ACUTE' FOLDER;
A FECUND TOILER;    I.O.U. FACT LENDER;  DOCENT FAILURE;
ULTRA-FINE COED;   DETOUR IF CLEAN;      ENTICE FUR-LOAD; 
DO INFLATE CURE;   RE CUE, "DON'T FAIL!" OFTEN LURED C.I.A. 










January 21, 2021

JAN 21, classic palindrome: 'drawn onward'





Authors' Note: 

patsy: slang for 'sucker' or 'gullible person'

Dem: American short-form for 'Democrats', referring either generally to adherents of the political party, or to elected officials

Don: short-form for 'Donald'; a respectful term of address for a Spanish or Italian nobleman; a leader of the Italian Cosa Nostra

D.C.: District of Columbia, often used in casual references to the American capital city, Washington

   This poem was written just after the publically broadcast hearings of the Intelligence Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives in the first impeachment of Donald Trump in November, 2019.

   Are we not drawn onward to new era? also represents a classic palindrome.




You can review these illustrated verses in a wider context by proceeding to 'Reversing Verse: Limericks About Classic Palindromes' on the full-service blog 'Edifying Nonsense'. 



January 20, 2021

JAN 20 (2021), singable satire: Tom Lehrer sings "REDUPLICATIONS L to Z"

 

PARODY SONG-LYRICS

ORIGINAL SONG: "The Elements", Tom Lehrer, 1959.

PARODY COMPOSED: Dr. G.H. and Giorgio Coniglio, 2015. This song is the eighth of nine in the series on Word Pairs. You can find the links to the lyrics of the previous songs at the bottom of the post. 

EXPLANATION:
 For a discussion of reduplications on an earlier post on this blogsite, click here. The current post also honours our previous venture of Feb 15, 2017 entitled 'Abracadabra' to 'Zoom-zoom': possibly the world's largest compendium of reduplications'.  

UKULELE and GUITAR-FRIENDLY LINK: Our whole series of songs can be found in a friendly format for ukulele (and guitar)-players on our sister blog  "SILLY SONGS and SATIRE". Click HERE to proceed to this site. 




Many of these words and phrases have fascinating stories of their origin and subsequent use; the hotlinks highlight those with instructive or amusing information available on the web.


There’s lazy Daisy, loosey-goosey, Ling Ling, and lickety-split
And lovey-dovey, legal eaglemellow yellow, and nitwit
And Mai Tai, mole hole, nitty-gritty, and phony-balo-oney.

There’s namby-pamby, no-no, ooey-gooey, okey-dokeping pong
And pom-pom, palsy-walsy, pasty-faced, slap-happy, singalong
And pow-wowpitter-patter, pooper-scooper, plain Jane, and pell-mell
And poo-poo (scat), pooh-pooh (reject), and pupu (snack);  how can you tell?

There's quick fix, quack-quack, razzle-dazzle, rail trail, ragtag, ring-aling
A mini-lesson found on the Internet
And  razzmattaz, and rumble-tumble, Roger dodgerand Sing Sing.
And ready Freddy, rollick-frolic, “fuddle-duddle” (P. Trudeau)
And roly-polyrinky-dink and super-duper, or so-so.

There's shock jock, sure cure, snip-snap, sci-fi, smartcart, shipshape, and stun gun,
And silly billy, speed read, shilly-shally, squish-squash, stumblebum
And shady ladyseesawspace race, Star Wars, snail mail, PigglyWig'
And tutti-frutti,  tittle-tattletiki, tip-top, thing'majig.

There's teeter-tottertootsie-wootsie, teentsie-weentsie, and tee-tee
And tom-toms drumming, tartar, tum-tum, tattle-tale, uh-huh, TV
And tubby-wubby, willy-nilly, wishy-washy, woman’s womb
And walkie-talkie, wingding, yo-yo, yoo-hoo! zig-zag and zoom-zoom.

Ta-Dah !!!



January 19, 2021

JAN 19, commercial product: web-purchased firearms (Elmer Fudd)





Authors' Note: Shotgun-wielding hunter Elmer Fudd was the cartoon-world nemesis of the beloved character Bugs Bunny. Elmer was notable for his lisping speech, for his hatred of 'wascally wabbits', for his oversized weaponry, and fortunately for Bugs, for his rather poor eyesight and aim.
   Currently (2017), weapons can be legally web-purchased by residents of the US, without  prior background checks of the purchasers.  

Our range of domestic and commercial products is somewhat limited, but you might want to review our unusual prospective gifts on our full-service blog "Edifying Nonsense". Click HERE.


January 18, 2021

JAN 18, anagram swarm: 'ELECTION FRAUD' contest: honorable mention

Continuing from the posts of January 16 and January 18 ...


As you know, in the National Contest the Best Anagram was 
                                               FAILED RECOUNT

and the Runner-up was...     OUTLINED FARCE

Here are some other national entries worthy of attention...
                                                LO, INCUR DEFEAT
                                                OR FEED LUNATIC 
                                                NOTICED EARFUL
                                                LIAR OUTFENCED
                                                REINFECT ALOUD
                                                FUEL RIOT-DANCE
                                                UNALTERED FOCI
                                                ELUDE FRACTION
                                                LEFTIE CANDOUR
                                                ULCERATED INFO
                                                ROTUND LIE-FACE
                                                DUE LATIN FORCE
                                                RUINED FACT: Olé !  
                                                LUCIFER ATONED
                                                UNDO RELIEF ACT
                                                I.O.U. FACT-LENDER
                                                FIE ON A RED CULT!
                                                URAL DEFECTION                                                                                            UNCLAD RIOT-FEE 
                                                U.F.O. CREDENTIAL
                                                CURT FOE DENIAL
                                                ONCE-FED RITUAL
                                                FEAR NOT IL DUCE
                                                TO CRUDE FINALE


At the state level, there are quite a few additional  submissions worthy of honorable mention, attributed to the participating state, as shown on the accompanying map.


January 17, 2021

JAN 17, culinary verse: Cretan salad





 
Find the collection of illustrated poems dealing with these issues on the post 'Culinary Verse' on our full-service blog 'Edifying Nonsense'. Click HERE!



January 16, 2021

JAN 16, anagram swarm: 'ELECTION FRAUD' anagram contest: runners-up

Continuing from the post of January 16  ...


The national runner-up for best anagram is...
OUTLINED FARCE
Now to the runners-up for each participating state...
Read carefully. These concoctions are all different from the state 'Winners', which were posted 2 days ago!
And, have a safe week -- two-day countdown to Freedom-from-Trump Day.






January 15, 2021

JAN 15, classic palindrome: no 'D'; no 'L -- London



                                                                                                              #120749 approved May 2023




You can review these illustrated verses in a wider context by proceeding to 'Reversing Verse: Limericks About Classic Palindromes' on the full-service blog 'Edifying Nonsense'. 





January 14, 2021

JAN 14, doctors and their practices: the endocrinologist





You can view these informative verses in a wider context by proceeding to the collection 'DOCTORS and their PRACTICES' on our full-service blog "Edifying Nonsense". Click HERE!




January 13, 2021

JAN 13, sleek Greek prefixes: ECTO-








Clicking HERE will introduce you to our entire collection of verses about the Greek prefixes!

January 12, 2021

JAN 12, anagram swarm: 'ELECTION FRAUD' contest winners



Over the last week we have had an anagram contest at the national (U.S.) level. We are sorry if you missed the opportunity to participate.
The challenge was to come up with the best anagram (letter-scramble) of

E-L-E-C-T-I-O-N F-R-A-U-D

Out of an abundance of caution, we avoided announcing the contest initially, and have not required contest participants to agree to publishing their phone numbers, email addresses or charge-card PINs.

But we are now pleased to announce that the winning entry nationally was ...

FAILED RECOUNT
Consideration was also given by the judges to the best entry for each participating state; the winning entries are shown on the accompanying map.

Sincere thanks to all who participated.








January 11, 2021

JAN 11, classic palindromes: critique of palindromes







You can review these illustrated verses in a wider context by proceeding to 'Reversing Verse: Limericks About Classic Palindromes' on the full-service blog 'Edifying Nonsense'. 

January 10, 2021

JAN 10, a brief singable saga: Italian treats


PARODY-SONGLINK: These verses were originally conceived as poetic lyrics. However, they can, like almost all limericks, be easily sung using  certain well-known tunes; in this case, the classic "Limerick Song?" 
Click HERE to access ukulele and guitar chord-charts to help you accompany the song ("Italian Treats") on your favorite instrument. Otherwise, you can follow along with the poetic lyrics ...










Late-life learning:
Portabella is an accepted variant of portobello,
 a mushroom named after the Italian town of Porto Bello.




  For the purpose of this blog, a 'brief saga' is defined as a poem, usually narrative, but occasionally expository, that tell its story in at least 15 lines. Most commonly, the format involves three stanzas in limerick form, constituting a single submission to the online humor site 'Omnificent English Dictionary iLimerick Form'. On the OEDILF site, rigorous standards for content and format proceed in a collaborative editing process that may take several weeks to over a year. 
   Generally, OEDILF has not been enormously welcoming of multi-verse submissions, but Giorgio Coniglio has persisted, and the OEDILF number for each accepted multi-verse poem is shown here on the slide with its first verse. 

To access the next 'brief saga' on this blog, proceed to 'the gastro-esophageal junction'.

To access the most recent previous 'brief saga', back up to 'The Dacha (Mar-a-lago)'.