I'm a subscriber to the "A Word A Day (AWAD)". What the people at AWAD do is that they send you a word everyday. Just over the past three weeks, I found that there are words like mien, smellfungus, schnozzle and bumbledom. They have been trying hard to increase my vocabulary since 8th September 2007. That's more than six years.
But I've to be honest with you. More than learning new words, their meaning(s) and their usage; what I like most about these words are their etymology - their origins. I love reading about the history of such words, and I usually delve more into it than into the word itself. And that brings us to the mail I received from AWAD this last Thursday, 28.11.2013.
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A.Word.A.Day
with Anu Garg
Rube Goldberg
PRONUNCIATION:
(roob GOLD-buhrg) 
MEANING:
adjective: Absurdly complex or impractical.
ETYMOLOGY:
After cartoonist Rube Goldberg (1883-1970) who was known for his intricate drawings showing fantastically impractical contraptions to accomplish simple jobs. Earliest documented use: 1928.
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Rube Goldberg was, like was the norm in those days, a sculptor, an engineer, a cartoonist, an author and a cartoonist. The word "Rube Goldberg" is an eponym for the cartoonist Rube Goldberd, who used to visualize impossible contraptions for carrying out menial tasks through his cartoons.
Most of his machines are the kind of stuff we used to watch Tom and Wily Coyte use in their devious plans to capture Jerry and Roadrunner respectively. Mousetraps being actuated, birds going after crackers, strings being pulled, balls rolling for ages before hitting something, dominoes falling on top of each other, balloons rising up, weights getting shifted and what not.
It must have been great fun for him to devise these ingenious ways. And we can do nothing, but stand enraptured in front of these machines, appreciating the mind behind their preposterous nature.
And this week, we are going through five such "Impossible Machines" that this great man had envisioned.
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Most of his machines are the kind of stuff we used to watch Tom and Wily Coyte use in their devious plans to capture Jerry and Roadrunner respectively. Mousetraps being actuated, birds going after crackers, strings being pulled, balls rolling for ages before hitting something, dominoes falling on top of each other, balloons rising up, weights getting shifted and what not.
It must have been great fun for him to devise these ingenious ways. And we can do nothing, but stand enraptured in front of these machines, appreciating the mind behind their preposterous nature.
And this week, we are going through five such "Impossible Machines" that this great man had envisioned.
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open the image in a new tab in case you aren't able to understand properly
1. The Napkin*
So, you are eating soup and you are repeatedly getting your overgrown moustache dipped in the spoon. What do you do? Cut your 'tash?? GOD FORBID!!
You use "The Napkin". Find out how it works in this following illustration.
2. The Parachute*
I guess the following machine was necessitated by the invention of airplanes. So, in case you ever in a doomed airplane, or simply falling off a cliff, be sure to use this simple device to keep you airborne, until you can reach land safely.
3. The Mouse Trap*
Too bad that we paid Rs.500 tthose pest control guys last week. We could have used this quickfire method to get rid of the four pawed beasts from our flat.
4. The Alarm Clock*
It's the winter. It's getting cold. The buzzer alarms and phone alarms are being rendered useless thanks to our wish to not get out of the bed. With the "Snooze" option being the biggest hurdle we have to get through, I think this contraption should ensure that we are woken up everyday in time. If a combination of a cannon ball and ice cold water can't get you to wake up, I don't know what will.
5. The Toothpaste Dispenser*
In the half awake/drowsy state after getting up, if you have trouble getting toothpaste out of its tube, then you must definitely try using the following device.
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Now, I know I said that all these are impossible machines. But if you look at the intention behind these inventions, you'll notice that it is for reducing amount of effort that man has to make in performing menial tasks. And that must be the reason why people actually tried to execute these crazy schemes.
Here is the video of a device called 'The Page Turner'. Never mind the fact that it takes almost two minutes for this device which shall work once, if it works at all. This is a work of pure genius.
View and enjoy!!!
Here is the video of a device called 'The Page Turner'. Never mind the fact that it takes almost two minutes for this device which shall work once, if it works at all. This is a work of pure genius.
View and enjoy!!!
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And to end this post, I've the word they sent me today. Even though I'm pretty sure that I won't use the word "blimp" at any place (other than this sentence), I'm all the more amused at the character from whose name this word has been derived.
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There was an attempt to explore the effects of being too reliant on the modern intelligence enabled devices in the midweek post "Duh!!". So, you can go ahead and read it, if you haven't already.
And that's all for this week. Don't forget to rate this blog at the bottom of this post.
You guys and gals have a great weekend!!
'til next week.
*No birds or animals were ever harmed in the working of these inventions. Well, maybe a few mice were sent to moon, but that's all.
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