Erin McKean is an editor and lexicographer for the New Oxford American Dictionary. She’s a dictionary expert, and even a dictionary evangelist — she has a lot to say about what dictionaries are good for, and she has practical advice about dictionary use in the modern world.

In 2006, McKean spoke to the good people of Google about the ten things she wishes people knew about dictionaries. She discusses “how people go about making new words, and how lexicographers use Google.” She also reveals that her favorite word is erinaceous, meaning “Of, like, or pertaining to hedgehogs.” Watch her talk, dictionary lovers:

See also: McKean’s Dictionary Evangelist blog, and if you’re into retro threads, her Dress a Day blog.

I have a feeling some of this might hit home with, I dunno, one or two of you. This was part of a survey conducted on behalf of an online learning company named SkillSoft. Share your biggest work irritants in the comments.

The 10 Biggest Job Irritations

1. Seeing others not pulling their weight.
2. Managers changing their minds about what they want doing.
3. Lack of support from managers.
4. Pressure from managers.
5. Feeling put-upon by managers.
6. Interruptions by colleagues.
7. Interruptions by managers.
8. Managers who bully.
9. Lack of support from colleagues.
10. Co-workers who bully.

Some shows are inextricably linked with their settings, like Seinfeld and New York, or Cheers and Boston. But other TV families could have lived just about anywhere. Do you remember where these 15 sitcoms called home?

Take the Quiz: Sitcom Settings

If there’s one company that knows how to make shorts that don’t suck, it’s Pixar. They also know how to make feature films that don’t suck, as evidenced by their newest release WALL•E, which, forget the animation category, should be nominated for a Best Picture Oscar next year as far as I’m concerned. Stretching all the way back to 1995′s Toy Story, the former Lucasfilm division has a proud history of great features, and an equally proud, if somewhat lesser known, history of great shorts going all the way back to 1984, many of which have helped Pixar earn its thirteen Academy Awards. Here they all are, arranged chronologically for your flossing and viewing pleasure.

Andre and Wally B – 1984

This was made at Lucasfilm, but animated by John Lasseter, who would become the head of Pixar. To look at the animation, it’s incredible to think this was made in 1984 — consider the monochrome bloops and bleeps your PC, if you were lucky enough to have one, made back then. The technology was quite restrictive, but Lasseter pushed the envelope by asking the Lucasfilm tech team for tear-drop shapes that could be animated (over and above the simple geometric shapes he was otherwise limited to). The results are impressive, if brief. (more…)

Add a futuristic touch to your living room, if you think that will 1) make life easier or 2) impress your guests.

The Remote Buddy will make your living room look like the helm of the Enterprise. It has slots for four different remote controls plus a drink! There are also color-coded buttons that can be programmed to send a signal to lost remotes.

I have four remotes. Two are identical universal remotes that are supposed to be kept in separate rooms, but are often used for a game of “dueling channels.” When one is misplaced, it actually makes life easier. Another is for the digital cable setup. We really don’t need it, but it came with the cable box. The fourth is a remote that came with my new computer. It’s the size of an iPod Shuffle, and would be completely lost in the Remote Buddy. It will never be used, because if I’m too far away to reach the computer, I’m too far away to see the computer! Now that I think of it, I have a few other remotes for the DVDs and VCRs, but they are stashed somewhere because the universal remotes do just fine.

Really, all you need for your entertainment system is one remote that works with everything. Having too many remotes is akin to hanging onto the huge stereo speakers you were so proud of back in the 70s, when great sound comes out of tiny little boxes now. But if you still want to fill your Remote Buddy, you can stick your Wiimote in there, and maybe your cell phone and iPod, although you should stick those in a recharging dock. Hey, THAT’s what would make this gadget really useful -a recharging dock! But it would mean a wire running to it, or mounting it on the wall. At least the Remote Buddy has a drink holder. For only $59.98. The Remote Buddy will be available July 17th.

Not a game per se, but an activity. It makes you think, nonetheless. And hey, it’s Monday, so doing this to half-asleep people will drive them crazy.

One at a time, ask a handful of co-workers,
friends, family members, or anyone else
handy to examine their own fingernails.
Pay attention to their responses.
What was difference in the male
response vs. the female response?

Click here for the answer.

Unless you’ve been living in a cave, you probably know by now that Coldplay has been accused of plagiarizing the tune used in the title track to their new album Viva La Vida. The band Creaky Boards claims members of Coldplay stopped in to one of their gigs in NYC and lifted their tune called “The Songs I Didn’t Write.” (Irony anyone?)

Whether the claim is accurate or not isn’t for us to say. We’ll let the legal system go to work on that one. But we can fill you in on a few other recent plagiarism claims. Ethan Trex did such a great job on this blog earlier this month writing about the time the Beach Boys pinched from Chuck Berry, so be sure to check that post out when you’re done clicking through the list below.

4. Beatle George Harrison was sued by the publishers of The Chiffons’ 1964 hit “He’s So Fine.” Apparently they thought the melody of his song “My Sweet Lord” was a wee bit too similar.

Ruling: After several years of litigation, a trial judge concluded that $1,599,987 of the whopping $2,152,028 the song had made to date was a reasonable sum owed The Chiffons’ publisher. Harrison, of course, appealed the case but the ruling was upheld.

Here are the two songs for you to decide:
“My Sweet Lord”

“He’s So Fine”

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Top 10 Amazing Chemical Reactions. This is what made measuring moles in high school chemistry worth the effort.
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Gay couples can’t have biological kids together. So if homosexuality is genetic, why hasn’t it died out? Slate explains the fascinating theory of “sexually antagonistic selection.”
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65 Things that Look Like Pac-Man. Waka waka waka (pause) waka waka waka waka. What, no pie?
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A Bra’s Tale: Detour on a Daughter’s Trip Abroad. A wardrobe malfunction causes a plane to divert over the Andes.
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The Weirdest Examples of Mass Hysteria. You might not be familiar with the Tanganyika Laughter Epidemic, the Mad Gasser of Mattoon, or the Monkey Man of New Delhi. Yet.
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If you enjoyed the awesome 2008 version of Where the Hell is Matt? you’ll probably also enjoy the outtakes.
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Our Wonderful Nature takes a look at the mating habits of the water shrew. This video is not at all what you’d expect from that description.
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The Best Lists of The Best Books. Surely there’s something in there you’ll stay up all night for.

What was Marbury v. Madison?
M. v. M. was Chief Justice John Marshall’s 1803 ruling that the Court had the power to declare acts of Congress unconstitutional.

Marbury was William Marbury, whom outgoing President John Adams appointed justice of the peace in Washington, DC, as part of the Federalists’ attempt to maintain a presence as Thomas Jefferson and the Republicans swept into power. Madison was James Madison, the new Secretary of State, who, with Jefferson, refused to follow through with Marbury’s appointment.

Marbury took his claim to office directly to the Supreme Court. Marshall, realizing the Court stood to lose if it backed either Marbury or Jefferson, found a third way. He argued that the Constitution did not give the Supreme Court power to hear cases except on appeal from a lower court. And so, Marshall reasoned, the Judiciary Act of 1789 was unconstitutional, because it gave the Court power to hear cases the first time.

Who were Roe and Wade?
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