Humans have been using acronyms for centuries. One of the earliest examples can be seen in the Greek word “ichthys” which stands for “Iēsous Christos, Theou Yios, Sōtēr” (or “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior”). The word, meaning “fish” in Greek, is often used today to describe the Jesus fish symbol. Ancient governments used acronyms, […]
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Posted inNews
Counties in Rhode Island with the fastest-rising temperatures in the last 100 years
Hitting 116 degrees F in normally temperate Portland, Oregon. 105 degrees in Reno in September, just as summer is meant to be waning. And in California’s Death Valley National Park, temperatures hit almost 130 degrees in the aptly named Furnace Creek, marking a world record for the hottest September day in history. 2021 and 2022 […]
Posted inNews
Counties in Massachusetts with the fastest-rising temperatures in the last 100 years
Hitting 116 degrees F in normally temperate Portland, Oregon. 105 degrees in Reno in September, just as summer is meant to be waning. And in California’s Death Valley National Park, temperatures hit almost 130 degrees in the aptly named Furnace Creek, marking a world record for the hottest September day in history. 2021 and 2022 […]
Posted inNews
Counties in Vermont with the fastest-rising temperatures in the last 100 years
Hitting 116 degrees F in normally temperate Portland, Oregon. 105 degrees in Reno in September, just as summer is meant to be waning. And in California’s Death Valley National Park, temperatures hit almost 130 degrees in the aptly named Furnace Creek, marking a world record for the hottest September day in history. 2021 and 2022 […]
Posted inNews
Rhode Island ranked #15 in list of states with the most UFO sightings
UFO sightings date back to biblical times. In the Bible’s Book of Ezekiel, a mysterious ship is described as appearing from the sky in Chaldea (modern-day Kuwait). Strange sightings were recorded around Rome in 218 B.C. A wave of mysterious apparitions showed up in fourth-century China when a “moon boat” was documented floating overhead once […]
Posted inReal Estate
Ranking: Jamestown has the most expensive homes in Newport County
Stacker compiled a list of places with the most expensive homes in Newport County, RI using data from Zillow. Places are ranked by the Zillow Home Values Index for all homes as of November 2022. The ZVHI represents a seasonally adjusted price for the middle market for all homes. All 6 cities and towns with […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Best Black movies of 2022
Black cinema had an impressive year. From the days of Black filmmakers creating movies for segregated Black audiences in the early 1900s, Black movies have come a long way down a rocky road. The Lincoln Motion Picture Company, established by George P. Johnson in 1916, was the first Black-owned company to produce Black stories for […]
Posted inNews
Where refugees to the US come from and why
In 2022, for the first time in history, the number of refugees worldwide reached more than 100 million people. Millions of people are fleeing violence, persecution, and economic instability, and attempting to start a new life in a more tolerant and secure country. Recognizing this global issue, the Biden administration has agreed to accept up […]
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22 of the biggest scientific discoveries of 2022
The year 2022 was an exciting one for science. NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope yielded two major breakthroughs: new infrared images of the universe and the first evidence of carbon dioxide outside of the solar system. The ongoing pandemic spurred the innovative development of a nasal vaccine for the latest variants of the coronavirus and […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Best movies of 2022, according to film lovers
2022 was a banner year for movies. It saw the return of the Avatar and Batman franchises, along with the unexpected soaring popularity of the sequel to 1986’s “Top Gun.” In addition to tentpole blockbusters, you’ll find epics with ensemble casts like “Babylon” and “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery,” as well as Steven Spielberg’s […]
Posted inNews
Influential Supreme Court decisions decided by 1 vote
From issues concerning freedom of speech to college admission, many Supreme Court cases that shape the daily lives of U.S. citizens were not decided by a landslide but rather by a single vote. The Supreme Court can decide appeals on all federal or state court rulings dealing with federal law. The Supreme Court hears less […]
Posted inNews
Jobs projected to grow the most in the next decade
With the pace of work speeding up, and demands on workers and companies ever-changing, it’s no secret the jobs of the future will be quite different from today’s jobs, much less the jobs of the past. Although technology has been a significant factor in changing many workplaces in the United States, the tech industry is […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Best films turning 50 in 2023
As 2022 draws to a close, many film enthusiasts are already looking ahead to their most anticipated releases of 2023. However, it’s also never too soon to start appreciating film anniversaries in the new year, and 2023 is chock-full of them. In fact, many iconic films are turning 50, marking half a century since some […]
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LGBTQ+ people who made history in 2022
2022 was a lavender ceiling-shattering year for LGBTQ+ politicians, athletes, artists, and actors. Queer pop stars topped the charts. LGBTQ+ candidates won their midterms races in record numbers. And historically large swaths of trans and nonbinary people graced the covers of magazines, dominated game shows and reality TV competitions, and won prestigious acting awards, increasing […]
Posted inNews
Major retail chains that no longer exist
At the start of this decade, many of America’s beloved major retailers announced that they’d be closing their stores—Papyrus, Macy’s, Pier 1 Imports, JCPenney—the list goes on. It’s a pattern that recurs throughout retail history. Chains grow quickly and incur new expenses as they expand. Then they hit the limit of their funding and growth […]
Posted inSports
12 sports records athletes set this year
Every year brings sports memories full of firsts and world-class athletes taking success in their sport to a new level. Was 2022 a great year for sports? Athletes like Antonio Brown, Brittney Griner, Baker Mayfield, Joe Burrow, and Serena Williams dominated headlines for various good, bad, and controversial reasons. The Los Angeles Rams, Houston Astros, […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Lyrics to 60 famously misunderstood songs, explained
The word mondegreen is defined as a misheard word or phrase that makes sense in your head, but is, in fact, incorrect. The term was coined in a November 1954 Harper’s Bazaar piece, where the author, Sylvia Wright, recalled a childhood mishearing. According to the author, when she was young her mother would read to […]
Posted inNews
23 astronomical events to look out for in 2023
Thanks to the James Webb Space Telescope, the first high-definition photos of outer space were able to be seen in 2022. Neat images of galaxies, constellations, nebulae, black holes, and much more were captured by the successor to the obsolete Hubble. While screens glow with the sharpness and brightness of the pictures taken by Webb, […]
Posted inFood & Drink
From coast to coast: The best regional fast-food chains to try
Beloved fast-food chains are scattered across the country, even stretching past international borders. McDonald’s, Burger King, and Wendy’s are three of the most common burger chains across the country, along with other treasured chains like Subway, KFC, and Starbucks. The love for quick-service food certainly has expanded. According to an IBISWorld tally, there are 197,163 fast-food […]
Posted inArts & Culture
20 of the best Christmas albums of all time
Perhaps more than any other holiday season, Christmas is full of nostalgia. As the years go on, whether anyone likes it or not, it can be nearly impossible to avoid memories of the seasons that have passed and Christmas traditions around the tree, whether spent with family or alone. As different as those holiday memories […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Best Christmas movies of all time, according to critics
Since well before Thanksgiving, streaming and cable networks have featured Christmas movies in anticipation of the season. Some wholesome classics, like “Miracle on 34th Street” or “It’s a Wonderful Life,” have stood as holiday standards for generations. Others are forging new traditions, with prolific holiday production house Hallmark premiering new offerings every year and streamers […]
Posted inNews
How gas prices have changed in Rhode Island in the last week
Gas prices have declined for the sixth consecutive week on average in the U.S. and demand is high as Americans fill up their tanks for holiday travel plans. “Fuel prices across the board have been plunging back into territory more Americans feel is normal, which could certainly boost economic sentiment going forward,” GasBuddy head of […]
Posted inNews
How to ensure your pet has a happy and healthy holiday season
The holidays are on their way, which means gatherings, mountains of food, and other joyful things you’ve been waiting for all year. It’s a temporary yet merry shift in the schedule that your pets will no doubt sense. The extra people in the house might unsettle them, and they may wonder why their family is […]
Posted inNews
50 of the best Christmas movies of all time
The holidays have arrived, and that makes now the time to revisit history’s most beloved Christmas movies. But what is a Christmas movie, exactly? So goes a question that continues to be hashed out on the internet, with titles such as “Die Hard” inspiring heated levels of debate. As if to fan the flames, the […]
Posted inNews
What Christmas was like the year you were born
On Christmas Day in 1914, British and German troops emerged from the trenches of World War I as weeks of bad weather cleared and called a truce. It was spontaneous and not approved by any higher-ups, but many soldiers on both sides ended up taking part. Soccer games were played between the British and German […]