Punctuation marks, like all other aspects of language, change over time. A personal example: I routinely teach college students what a colon (:) is; they rarely, if ever, have used one before and are unfamiliar with it.

The Daily Mail reports that Venetian printer and publisher Aldus Manutius invented the semicolon in 1494. It proliferated in English. In Nineteenth Century English literature, semicolons typically appeared approximately once every 205 words; a number that is now down to every 309 words. A survey of British students revealed that only 11% use it it regularly and 69% use it rarely.

Although some authors, such as Virginia Woolf, have been fond of it, other writers, notably Kurt Vonnegut, have expressed loathing for this punctuation mark; opinions range into extremes for the semicolon.

-via Dave Barry | Photo: kencf0618

The subreddit /r/Tragedeigh is devoted to highlighting the most bizarre and outlandish names that people create for their children. Some are normal names that are deliberately misspelled (e.g. Jaxshuyn), some place unrealistic demands upon a child (e.g. Messiah), and others are fictional characters that do not serve as good role models for children (e.g. Daeneyrs).

The Guardian reports that the Japanese government has banned names that it deems are kirakika, which means shiny or glittery. In English, we could call such names Tragedeighs. Parents must tell government officials how names are pronounced in order to prevent weird pronunciations. Parents with eccentric pronunciations must justify those renderings in writing.

Photo: Flickr user alexxis used under Creative Commons license.

The Hugging Chair, also called the OTO, is a chair designed for people with autism. Sometimes, people with autism experience needs for continuous sensory pressure. The OTO provides it by wrapping the user with soft, warm fabric. There's a control pad that allows the user to adjust the pressure to suit his/her unique needs at the time.

This is the work of LABAA, a firm based in Nantes, France, consisting of cabinetmaker Alexia Audrain and business partner Corentin Lemaitre. The pair have won a James Dyson Award for the design of this unique product.

-via Toxel

As we have noted in the past, President John Tyler (1790-1862) left the White House in 1845. He had many children, the last of which, Lyon Gardiner Tyler, was born in 1853 when former President Tyler was 63 years old. Lyon Gardiner Tyler himself sired a child in 1928, when he was 75. That man, Harrison Ruffin Tyler, was the grandson of a President born in the Eighteenth Century.

The youngest Mr. Tyler had been something of a historical curiosity in recent years. Now he has passed on. Last Sunday, The Richmonder reports, he died at the age of 96.

During his life, Mr. Tyler worked in chemical engineering and thrived financially. He eventually purchased and restored Sherwood Forest Plantation, a home once owned by his Presidential grandfather. He also bought and restored the nearby Fort Pocahontas, which was constructed and defended by African American troops during the Civil War.

-via Educatëd Hillbilly

The Bishop of Rome had significant temporal power from at least Pope Miltiades, a trend that generally accelerated (with interruptions, Byzantine and otherwise) until the papal domains assembled its own navy to combat Muslim invaders in 849. The Popes intermittently maintained naval forces in addition to armies in the centuries that followed.

Starting in the 1840s, the gradual unification of Italy squeezed the Papal States and its armed forces. The last warship serving in the Papal Navy (Marina Pontifica) was a screw corvette built by the British in 1859 and named the Immacolata Concezione. According to a 1963 article in the US Naval Institute's Proceedings, it had 8 18-pound cannons and a very comfortable cabin built with the Pope's travel in mind. The crew of 46, though, was primarily tasked with protecting the Papal States' fishing rights.

In 1870, the Kingdom of Italy invaded the Papal States and, erm, persuaded Pope Pius IX that the temporal power of the Bishops of Rome had reached a conclusion. The Immacolata Concezione was integrated into the Royal Italian Navy. It later entered French service. The precise fate of the vessel is uncertain, but it was definitely the last warship to sail under the Papal ensign.

"After we're done with this show, you should probably go."

I agree with Julia Dunn, colleague of reporter Olivia Jacquith, whose water broke at about 4:15 AM, right before the CBS 6 News Albany's morning broadcast began at 5 AM. Jacquith's baby was two days overdue, but he would have to wait until the show concluded before the mother left for the hospital. It's worth noting that staying was Jacquith's decision, not the station's.

Jacquith and her baby boy, who is named Quincy, are doing well. You can see photos of them at the news site of Jacquith's own employer.

-via Dave Barry

McCallie School is a private boarding school for boys in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Several years ago, the school asked sixth graders to propose questions that they would answer when they were ready to graduate.

The Chattanooga Times Free Press reports that the young boys asked their future iterations about their life preferences and future plans. Last week, the school videographer assembled them and gave the young men the opportunity to answer those questions.

Even though the video was intended for use by the school, it's gone viral. Perhaps many of us would like to connect with who we were in the past and who we could become in the future.

-via Colin Rugg

SLAW DOG WITH COMEBACK VICTORY pic.twitter.com/rQ1AHWTImN

— Sickos Committee (@SickosCommittee) May 23, 2025

KTLA 5 News reports that all 6 of Oscar Mayer's Wienermobiles gathered at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway--the home of the Indy 500--to determine which Wienermobile is the fastest. The competitors at the Wienie 500 each represent different regions of the United States--the only nation capable of producing so spectacular a sport.

Slaw Dog, the Wienermobile that represents us here in the Southeast, prevailed in the final yards of the the last lap of the race.

Yesterday, Kermit the Frog delivered the commencement address to graduating students at the University of Maryland. Inside Higher Ed reports that Kermit passed on what he has learned over the 70 years of his life. The University of Maryland selected Kermit to honor the late alumnus Jim Henson, who graduated from that school with a degree in economics.

I notice that Kermit is wearing academic regalia that includes a doctoral hood. I'm having trouble interpreting the colors, although Insider Higher Ed notes that the frog does hold an honorary doctorate in amphibious letters awarded by Southampton College in 1996.

-via David Burge

A few years ago, redditor Josh Wright converted an old treadmill into a belt sander.

He stripped apart the treadmill (which was no longer useful for its original purpose) and then attached a new 1-HP motor. Wright built a frame suitable to holding up the entire unit as well as make it practical to use. He then experimented with different adhesives for the belt and found that ordinary shellac was the most effective. Wright used the shellac to add sandpaper sand to the belt.

It sands quite effectively. I can see it being useful for very large projects.

You can watch this complete build process here.

What should we call this instrument? It is guitarrdion? An accoritar? The Ukrainian-language website provides us with no information, but the instrument appears to have the bellows and keys of an accordion bisecting an acoustic guitar. I'm not sure what that does to the sound of the strings, but it's quite functional as an accordion.

-via The Awesomer

How often do you think about the cuisine of the Roman Empire? For most men, at least once a day is common. Vocatio Romae in corde cuiusque hominis latet. Now the glory of Rome can be consumed at a pop-up restaurant in Portland, Oregon. Eater reports that chef Caraway Alexander offers meals taken directly from preserved Roman recipes.

Solana, as the program is named, is not Italian cuisine. Alexander found that ancient Roman foods are very different from what their modern descendants consume. Eggplant and tomato are absent, but authentic Roman dishes include pork belly and spelt porridge, celery, and lovage seeds.  These and other Roman foods are available today from 2-6 PM at the Mayfly.

-via Daily Roman Updates

The town of Anahuac on Galveston Bay is called the "Alligator Capital of Texas." The waters near it are filled with these dangerous predators. But you can still visit and prove that you're at the top of the food chain.

Culture Map reports that the Republic Boot Company will take you gator hunting in Anahuac. Once you've bagged your alligator, the company takes the skin of your kill and turns it into a pair of luxurious boots, thus giving you bragging rights about not only your sense of style, but also your effectiveness as a predator. The cost is $5,000 and the adventure is available during alligator hunting season, which is September 11 through 30.

-via Marginal Revolution | Photo: Republic Boot Company

Great Big Story introduces us to the NYO Games. Young people across Alaska's native communities come together to compete in twelve sports. These events are developed from the practical needs of natives engaging in hunting and fishing activities.

For example, the two foot kick, which requires kicking a ball suspended from a cord, was originally a visual signal sent across the tundra. The two-person stick pull reflects a need to hold on to a spear after impaling a seal.

This video shows a state-level competition for teenagers in these games. They demonstrate extraordinary athletic skills and describe how these sports help participants connect with their heritages.

Artist Kamber Carroll makes furniture that satiate your hunger for novel and eye-catching style. He's built up a portfolio of home furnishings that look like food. Carroll's latest collection titled The Sandwich Series presents popular sandwiches as tables.