A blogsite offering entertaining daily oddities since January 2020. There are now over fifteen hundred posts in these four years. Images -- photographic, computer-simulated and poetic --, are drawn from daily life, as well as from poems and wordplay grouped by topic on our parent blog "Edifying Nonsense". The poetry displayed is all original, although portions of it evolved through rigorous editing on a collaborative website.
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 29, 2021
JAN 29, old world palindromes #9 and #10
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
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.
Forward to U.S.A. map #15
Back to U.S.A. map #11
Let's skip all this stuff and get on to the Canadian version, eh?
January 25, 2021
JAN 25, birdlore: (American) robins
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.
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 eagle, mellow yellow, and nitwit
And muck-a-muck, and Mau Mau, mumbo-jumbo, Bony Moronie
And Mai Tai, mole hole, nitty-gritty, and phony-balo-oney.
There’s namby-pamby, no-no, ooey-gooey, okey-doke, ping pong
And pom-pom, palsy-walsy, pasty-faced, slap-happy, singalong
And pow-wow, pitter-patter, pooper-scooper, plain Jane, and pell-mell
And poo-poo (scat), pooh-pooh (reject), and pupu (snack); how can you tell?
And pow-wow, pitter-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 ready Freddy, rollick-frolic, “fuddle-duddle” (P. Trudeau)
And roly-poly, rinky-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 lady, seesaw, space race, Star Wars, snail mail, PigglyWig'
And tutti-frutti, tittle-tattle, tiki, tip-top, thing'majig.
There's teeter-totter, tootsie-wootsie, teentsie-weentsie, and tee-tee
There's teeter-totter, tootsie-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 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)
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
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 in Limerick 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 most recent previous 'brief saga', back up to 'The Dacha (Mar-a-lago)'.
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