Dead as a Doornail Origin: Why do I say something is As Dead as a Doornail?

Since the 14th century1,2 people have declared things to be dead as doornails. It makes sense as doornails are indeed dead inanimate objects, but then so are diamonds, doughnuts, and doorknobs. So why were doornails chosen of all things? What is the origin of dead as a doornail? Continue reading

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Saturated fats: What is saturated fat?

If you’re hearing about saturated fat in the news, it’s likely to be related to how they clog up arteries, increase risk of heart disease and generally make us all die! But is all this bad press fair? Why precisely do we avoid saturated fats? What are the facts?
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Saturated fats: Why saturated fats are bad

The saturated fats have a reputation for being bad for you, but are they really that bad for you? What are the real negative aspects of saturated fats? And are these negative aspects true for all saturated fats? This article explores why we avoid saturated fats. Continue reading

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Saturated fats: Benefits of saturated fats

Saturated fats have a reputation for being bad for you, but is this fair? Are there any benefits to eating saturated fats?  Continue reading

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Conclusion on Saturated Fats: Is saturated fat bad for you?

After reading the previous articles on what saturated fats are, the benefits of saturated fats, and on why saturated fats are bad for us, what can we conclude? Should saturated fats be included as part of a healthy diet? And if yes, which foods would you include? And which ones should be avoided? Let’s start answering these questions: Continue reading

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Origins of the Piggy Bank: Why do we have piggy banks? A piggy bank history

You may have already met Rupert the pig on my donate page.

Why a pig of all creatures on my donate page? Because he’s a piggy bank of course! (Well, that and because he gallantly offered to help me promote the page with his cuteness). What have pigs got to do with donations, banks and money? Here follows the story of how the piggy bank name arose. Continue reading

Posted in Culture, Etymology | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Shunning and Social Rejection: Why am I a social outcast?

There are many different forms of social rejection from parental rejection to peer social exclusion at school, romantic rejection, religious shunning and even rejection at a job interview. Whilst specifics vary amongst different types of social exclusion, they all have much in common when it comes to explaining the concept of not being accepted. So what are the general causes of social rejection? Continue reading

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Origins of Clapping: Why do we Clap?

If you think about it, striking your hands together almost aggressively to emit loud slapping sounds is not an entirely intuitive mark of admiration and appreciation, and yet the clap has served this very role for centuries. So what is the story behind why we clap? Continue reading

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The Back Pat: Why do we pat on the back?

Whether you’re giving someone a bro hello-hug, comforting someone or congratulating them, the pat on the back is a gesture that’s very much part of every day life. Why is back patting done? Continue reading

Posted in Body Language | Tagged | 8 Comments

Meaning of RSVP: What does RSVP stand for?

Since the days of Emily Post it’s been widely known that a prompt reply to an invitation’s RSVP is common courtesy. Whilst many of us are accustomed to seeing RSVP written elegantly on invitations, a surprisingly high amount of us (including me before writing this article!) have no idea what it stands for. What does RSVP mean? Continue reading

Posted in Culture, Etymology, Weddings | Tagged , | 4 Comments