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Asylum

Asylum… a place of refuge.. but where did the word come from?

Also… KEEP VOTING FOR ME for sexy geek of the year :-)

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327 Comments and 66 threads

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  1. Hay i was wondering what the origin of the frase “throw my at in the Ring” thank you have a good holiday

  2. WORD REQUEST: What is the origin a girl’s hoo-ha, her hoo-ha? What are other polite slang words to refer to a girl’s hoo-ha?

  3. WORD REQUEST: With the Transfer of control of Baghdad’s heavily fortified ‘Green Zone’ to Iraqi control – http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-fg-iraq2-2009jan02,0,2405448.story

    I want to know the origin of the word “victory”

  4. mythman says: 146

    When I was hit by a car, it gave me a traumatic brain-injury that put me in the hospital; it’s not exactly an “asylum” in the ‘imprisoning’-sense of the word, more like ‘asylum’ in the ‘bed-&-breakfast’-sense … the same way your teachings offer asylum to those of us seeking escape from the ‘high-&-mighty money-makers” definitions of words, knowing that the power of words starts with the words’ deepest roots.

  5. animalntaz says: 145

    I haven’t been to an asylum… but I don’t know where I been would call it a mental hospital. But back in the 5th grade, my parents put me in as an inpatient for a few months at a hospital for those with… I guess people with social problems or something, I don’t know.
    Basically when kids picked on me in school, my parents told me to just ignore them. And when that didn’t work out for me, I would come home and not talk to my parents. So that’s the only reason why they sent me to that hospital. :neutral:

  6. Hi, My name’s Ryan. I’m 23 & From Toronto Canada…

    I was on vacation in Australia visiting the old jails which used to dominate the country. A guide of an older age told us the jail “birds” used to say there would be no philipakipakarnication [Philip-a-kip-a-karnication]..

    He said it meant..”The embodiment and immutable fact that one is never above the law”

    Can you clarify this Marina or TA?
    Thanks so much, Cheers
    Ry

  7. Hey Marina I wanted to know where the word ” Omen ” came from and how it originated. Thanks! :smile:

    -Anthony

  8. I think asylum babes r hot becuz they usually never ask me to buy them stuff unless they run out of bubble gum or stuff they really need then it’s cool with me

  9. “a toyota” is spelled the same backwards as it is forwards “a toyota” (palindrome)

  10. trndkllr says: 139

    hi you have alot of competition on the sexist geek site. I was wondering about the word scion as in the cars but I also found it as a clue in a crossword puzzle meaning failure or flop as in the ford edsel but i am not sure why toyota would use the name if it meant failure thank you for time

  11. Well Teach, looks like you won the sexiest geek contest!! And, why wouldn’t you? :grin:

  12. My and I were looking at pictures of hawks and eagles, and we saw that they have funky-feathery crests on their head that kind of look like mohawks, and we want to know if the word “MOHAWK” has anything to do with that.

    We love you. Please investigate “mohawk.” Thanks! Bye!

    Casey (and Dirk)

  13. dvdpage says: 135

    Thanks Marina
    very interesting. I hope you have a great ‘09 too!
    You look great in that dress.

  14. The numbers in the Wierd poll don’t make sense… Meh :mrgreen:
    I just skimmed Wired 16.08. Looks like adverts, mostly,
    and some cheesy tabloid people. No mention of Marina?
    Don’t waste your time reading this one, kids. :grin:

  15. bobsully says: 132

    I live near one, although it is called a “State Hospital.” We were taken there as children at Christmas to carol.

  16. Good morning Marina…
    I was thinking about a word that seems to have many meanings..

    The word is “drag”
    1 we drove the main DRAG.
    2 work was a real DRAG
    3 are you going to DRAG that bag to the curb
    4 Dressed in DRAG
    5 let’s go to the DRAG races

    There must be many other uses for this word, but I can’t come up with any at the moment.

    When do we get our final grades?

    Vosh drug,
    Ron

  17. Мариночка, дорогая, с новым годом! я желаю тебе не только радости и всего самого хорошего но удачи в начинаниах, исполнения заветных желании и конечно помощи Божей…. and of course in this new year i will try to kick a…s as you urged and maybe as i used to… :lol:

    До скорого, Сольнце Моё! :smile:

  18. Evan Owen says: 129

    ***WORD REQUEST: English***
    Hello Marina,
    What’s your “angle” on the origin of “English?” :???: :?:
    As the Welshman says, “There’s no such thing as a cute Angle.” :mrgreen:

  19. Capman911 says: 128

    Marina, Bob came up with picture on the picture game. Did you pose for any of these shots? :smile: They all resemble you. :cool:

    http://casadelshai.files.wordpress.com/2007/01/stone-slinky-dress-ad.jpg

  20. alanocean says: 127

    I requested Booze as a word to investigate but I was also thinking “Monster” Happy New Year! :smile:

  21. Capman911 says: 126

    @ Popzzz, I had to do a quick change on the Word game. While I was looking up something for street signs you put up Desire and I had road signs, so I had to hurry and change it to Trolley. Oh well you beat me to it. :grin:

  22. leonard says: 125

    Who cares? I gotta go and have Capricorn birthday dinner…. :grin:

  23. bsomebody says: 124

    HAPPY NEW YEAR, MY FRIENDS! Time, now to play more games with the young ‘uns. :grin:

  24. New Sexy Geek Voting Poll Graph

    Notice the green column that says Up Votes.
    Notice that Marina beat Phil sometime
    between 6:11 AM and 8:16 AM PST

    However, the orange curve shows that Marina is still in negative territory due to the negative votes, but the gap is being closed.

  25. hs4mm says: 122

    My postscript to my comment below on Agony (There is also ‘agni’ (Latin ignis, Russian ogon [oroHb :) ], ignite/fire) and ‘agrani’ (he who leads, foremost).) was based on similar sounds and meaning. However, I suspect that words that sound similar and have similar referents can have different roots and, conversely, words that sound different and have different referents can have the same root!

    –Hs4Mm

  26. Hello HotForWords Fans!!
    Marina has just passed Phil in GREEN votes.
    Marina has 28203 votes
    Phil has 28113 votes

    That in of itself is significant and is a feather in the cap of all of the HFW fans who have positively voted for Marina w/o negating the other person.

    However, since the down-system voting is part of the Wired’s poll, it it crucial that we act in kind when Marina has been down-voted, which as Marina says, sucks. :lol:

    I’ll post a graph shortly.

  27. James says: 120

    Happy new year everybody!!

  28. donis says: 119

    i was watching some of Marinas lessons when suddenly my sister came home, as she came i tought it would be cool to know what ‘’sister” realy meens but i didnt found this word in list of lessons…
    can you investigate?…

    thank you!…

  29. fatbuffalo says: 118

    is this the first lesson which Marina wears earrings ?

  30. I never been an asylum! i dont now actualy but i dont now! :sad:
    goodmorning Marina! :grin:

  31. Hi Marina,
    lately ive been watching a lot of movies about WWII, and ive noticed that at that time everyone seemed to have a “ministry of propaganda”, where as now “propaganda” has a negative connotation, and no one would use the word to describe a ministry. so i was wondering how the word “propaganda” originated and why wasnt it a negative word from the start, since it basically means “the dissemination of information aimed at influencing the opinions or behaviors of large numbers of people”. i.e. impartial information?

  32. i have never been to an asylum, or sanitorium, or any place like that, although my sister supposedly spent time in a sanitorium when i was young…i doubt that story because i think my parents simply thought it safer than telling us that my sister had gotten pregnant out-of-wedlock…

    i wish everyone a most joyeous, prosperous, healthy, happy, and SEXY New Year… :cool:

  33. imount says: 114

    Your “Da BOMB. I’d like to request the origin of the phrase “Red Neck” as noun.

  34. I Have A Request For Juggs A Word People Like To Use For Breast.

    Why Do They Use It And Why Did It Become A Word For Breast?

    Btw I Love You :)

    Your An Amazing Teacher!!!

  35. Homework: Nope I never have…yet. :shock: But for the original meaning of the word. I plan to visit such a place. Thinking about the Fiji Islands. Nice place to get away from the rat race. I also want to visit Bora Bora and stay at a hut for a week or so. Now that sound like a fun Asylum to visit. :mrgreen:

  36.  
     
    Here is an updated voting graph.

    I want to thank you all for doing the down-voting of the person that is ahead of Marina. You will clearly see the results in this graph.

    Also, take note that there was a massive voting thrust for Marina during the 9 AM through 5 PM hours yesterday (Dec 31). I hope that this can be done again. If so, then Marina should be in number one position in a day or two.
     
     

    • Wow! Good job on the graph there PK! Wish we knew of this fact weeks ago. I wonder when the cut off date is? I see you still can vote for the past contest for Sexy Geek in 2007.

      • Hi Captain, the official contest is over.
        http://blog.wired.com/underwire/

        You can continue voting as Marina suggested, probably for the whole year, or forever just as the Sexy Geek for 2007.
        In fact, I just voted for Marina again in the 2007 contest.

        Interestingly enough, all of the votes for Marina in just the last month or so are larger than all of the votes for the last year of the 2007 contest. The big difference is the heavy down-voting for Marina this year, which requires the same in kind for anyone leading her.

        • KARL, I don’t understand!!
          Update 2 clearly says : “The submission period is officially over.”
          Why would you go as far as saying that the contest is also over?

          • Hello Chemikal,
            Have you read the Wired Blog that says the following:
            Sexiest Geeks of 2008, as Voted by Wired.com Readers

            Scroll down to the bottom where the top ten are and just above it, it says;
            “2008’s top 10 Sexiest Geeks are, as of Wednesday’s official tally:”

            Now, I submit to you, that this in no way precisely states that the contest is officially over, but then again it really isn’t a contest in the normal sense anyway since no one wins a prize.

            This contest or poll in the context of this magazine, is really a way for Wired to take a poll and the offical counting is a way for the magazine to make a deterministic conclusion for the purpose of their article.

            So, maybe we should be calling it a poll instead of a contest. In the article they do use the terms, competition, contest and poll. I think it can be compared to the polls that Marina has on this site, which are open ended.

            The 2007 Sexy Geek poll is still active and I voted today for Marina in that one.

            I wrote an email to the author of the article two days ago to get clarification on a lot of things. I will share that here when and if he writes back.

        • Great, please share as soon as he does write back…
          Why do you think they implemented the down arrow system in the first place? I just don’t see where that could have come from.

          • Hi Chemikal,

            I don’t know why they implemented the down arrows other than to speculate on someone’s belief system on how one might measure popularity.

            I’m sure you could come up with a dozen different systems for measuring popularity. Some would be more fair than others. The simplest systems is to just count simple positive votes.

            Take Phil; he has 301,981 subscribers.
            Take Marina; she has 165,826 subscribers.
            An almost 2:1 difference. (1.82 to be exact)

            If all things are equal (and they never are), then Phil would be favored to win by sheer numbers. With the down-arrow voting, there is a possibility to equalize the voting, up to a point of course.

            Phil’s fans (or somebody) down-voted Marina heavily by more than a 2:1 margin. They used the down arrows to their advantage. Again, we can speculate on a lot of things, and without more information, it is just conjecture.

            If you look at my graphs, it looks like there is a response to when a request is made to act on the voting. It makes sense, as no one would vote if it is not made part of their consciousness.

    • anyway we can spam votes ?
      how do they count ? by IP ?

  37. Hey Marina, I would like to ask what is the definition, state of origin, and for you to sound the word out.
    Good Luck!
    And yes it IS a word.
    methionylglutaminylarginyltyrosylglutamylserylleucylphenylalanylalan ylglutaminylleucyllysylglutamylarginyllysylglutamylglycylalanylpheny lalanylvalylprolylphenylalanylyalylthreonylleucylglycylaspartylproly lglycylisoleucylglutamylglutaminylserylleucyllysylisoleucylaspartylt hreonylleucylisoleucylglutamylalanylglycylalanylaspartylalanylleucyl glutamylleucylglycylisoleucylprolylphenylalanylserylaspartylprolylle ucylalanylaspartylglycylprolylthreonylisoleucylglutaminylasparaginyl alanylthreonylleucylarginylalanylphenylalanylalanylalanylglycylvalyl threonylprolylalanylglutaminylcysteinylphenylalanylglutamylmethionyl leucyalanylleucylisoleucylarginylglutaminyllysylhistidylprolylthreon ylisoleucylprolylisoleucylglycylleucylleucylmethionyltyrosylalanylas paraginylleucylvalylphenylalanylasparaginyllysylglycylisoleucylaspar tylglutamylphenylalanyltyrosylalanylglutaminylcysteinylglutamyllysyl valylglycylvalylaspartylserylvalylleucylvalylalanylaspartylvalylprol ylvalylglutaminylglutamylserylalanylprolylphenylalanylarginylglutami nylalanylalanylleucylarginylhistidylasparaginylvalylalanylprolylisol eucylphenylalanylisoleucylcysteinylprolylprolylaspartylalanylasparty laspartylaspartylleucylleucylarginylglutaminylisoleucylalanylserylty rosylglycylarginylglycyltyrosylthreonyltyrosylleucylleucylserylargin ylalanylglycylvalylthreonylglycylalanylglutamylasparaginylarginylala nylalanylleucylprolylleucylasparaginylhistidylleucylvalylalanyllysyl leucyllysylglutamyltyrosylasparaginylalanylalanylprolylprolylleucylg lutaminylglycylphenylalanylglycylisoleucylserylalanylprolylaspartylg lutaminylvalyllysylalanylalanylisoleucylaspartylalanylglycylalanylal anylglycylalanylisoleucylserylglycylserylalanylisoleucylvalyllysylis oleucylisoleucylglutamylglutaminylhistidylasparaginylisoleucylglutam ylprolylglutamyllysylmethionylleucylalanylalanylleucyllysylvalylphen ylalanylvalylglutaminylprolylmethionyllysylalanylalanylthreonylarginylserine.

  38. belfegor says: 109

    Hey HotForWords :smile: I wanted to ask you what is the origin of the word Clown ? As in circus clown or class clown :roll: I’d love to know :wink:

  39. I just watched your video on “love” and I’d be interested to learn about any similarities in the roots of that word and the word “lubricant”. Perhaps door hinges and machine parts are given graphite so they will “love” each other more? :grin:

  40. zhina says: 107

    Question: Are there any commonly used words in American English (besides “Alaska”, which I think is a corruption of “Alyeska”) that come from Russian?

    BTW, I adore your accent. Happy New Year!

    Zhina

    • “Czar” is widely used, meaning a powerful official. Some fifty years ago, “Sputnik” became a household word for Russian satellite. “Glasnost” and “tovarishch” are fairly well known.

      Less commonly, soil science uses a lot of Russian vocabulary, such as “podsol” and “chernozem”, since Russians did pioneer study in this field. :cool:

      Of course, in the age of the WorldWideWeb, the Russian terms “интернет” and “веб-сайт” have become an indispensible part of our vocabulary! :mrgreen:

  41. Hi Marina,
    I want to wish you a wonderful new year.

    I also want to wish all my classmates the same.
    Have a wonderful new year.

    Here in Las Vegas, 2009 is going to be the best year yet.

    http://www.RolandBuckles.com

  42.  

    ****************************

    FIRST!
    in 2009 :-)

    ****************************
     
     

  43. Here is the latest and last graph of the voting in 2008.
    More graphs coming in the coming days as voting continues.

    This graph is more friendly and for those with number phobias,
    I’ve added some nice eye candy to calm your nerves. :grin:

    VOTING GRAPH

    If you see the graph scrunched in the shadow box, RIGHT click on the image and then click VIEW IMAGE to see the full resolution of the image.

  44. NOW IT ONLY LETS YOU VOTE EVERY 30 MINUTES, IF THIS PHILIP GUY WINS I HAVE A WORD REQUEST FOR YOU MARINA ” douchetastic.”
    I’M STILL VOTING, SOMETIMES IT WILL LET ME GET ONE IN IF I CLEAR MY HISTORY,FILES,AND COOKIES BUT NOT FOR THE LAST TEN TRIES.

    KEEP VOTING YA’LL :!:

  45. mgtrailers says: 101

    Hello Marina, first of all, lemme start by saying Im a big fan of you and your work.
    On youtube my channel name is MGtrailers :) Check me out if you wanna. I would like to request a word. Please consider this :D
    You can either do Calendar or Hot:)

    Thank you and Happy New YEARS!

    PS: So remember, Calendar OR Hot, you choose

  46. Homework: I was going to be a psychiatrist (back in ‘73).
    Then I went on a tour of Dayton State Mental Hospital…
    When I realized how many people are beyond help, I
    changed majors!
    Just got in from working pyrotechnic mayhem – (boom boom!)
    You still have 50 minutes to go, west coast
    Happy New Year!

  47. no way man i’d hate to be in an asylum i here straight jackets suck and great job marina ur my favorite teacher keep education the world :razz: *thumbs up*

  48. jmn-56 says: 98

    and i forgot another word Since we both share december 10 then i want to add the word “December”!! :cool:

  49. jmn-56 says: 97

    Happy New Year!!
    I just saw the calendar thing and i just relised that you and me have something in common!! We both share December 10 as a birthday!! That’s wierd but fun;p!! :mrgreen: And My Word Requst is the word “Horse” and the word “Button”!! So please make a video about these words!!

    • lol , i saw this in the recent comments column :
      jmn-56 Happy New Year!! I just saw the calendar in Asylum
      :mrgreen:

    • Evan Owen says: 97.2

      Re: word request: horse
      Yeah, how did the Greeks get αλογος out of ίππος? :???: (Sorry, just horsing around.)
      Variations on the horsy theme: cavalry, chivalrous, caballero (in southwest American English), equestrian, hippopotamus.

      Trivia: in American English, “cavalry” is sometimes mis-pronounces as “calvary,” which I suppose is OK if the horsemen are bald. :mrgreen: (Sorry, obscure etymological pun.) :neutral:

  50. danielpool says: 95

    HELLO MARINA Happy new year. I did not every spend anytime in a mental institution :lol: :lol: nice video i Voted for you all the time is it official :?: :lol: that you are in second place. You was the most prettiest and most educated.ONE of all of them you are beautiful Marina INSIDE AND OUT Happy new year Marina GOD BLESS YOU :lol: :lol: :lol:

  51. fatbuffalo says: 94

    nope , never been to one
    BTW ever watched Kungfu Hustle ? This lesson reminds me of that movie
    Happy New Year

  52. I VOTED FOR YOU MARINA AND DEVOTED ALL OF YOUR CLOSE COMEPTION! ill tell everyone i know to vote for u! :mrgreen:

  53. muggins says: 92

    I’ve never been in an insane asylum, but I did have a conversation with an escapee. Years ago while passing through Big Sur, on the spur of the moment, I decided to hike ten miles up a Big Sur trail in some park there, and was told about a hot springs near the camp ground I stopped at. So, I went to the hot springs and had a nice soak. Sitting next to the springs was a dude who talked very slowly. It was kinda scary at first hearing this guy talk. I considered walking away from him, but the water was relaxing and he didn’t seem violent. He told me that he had escaped from some mental hospital and the reason why he talked so slow was because the medicine they made patients take was still working. I asked him why he chose Big Sur to escape to, and he said that he heard there was going to be a big party there. Was he afraid that they would try to find him and haul him back to the asylum? No. He said a successful escape was like a graduation. I didn’t know how much of his story was true. The funny thing about it was, I was artificially insane at the time, since I had ingested some mescaline a couple hours before. There we were, just 2 peaceful people enjoying one of the nicest places on earth and having a very slow conversation.

  54. Chemikal says: 91

    XOXO ?
    Would you care to elaborate on it’s origin?

  55. Capman911 says: 87

    It’s after 12 here so everyone have a Happy New Year and be safe. :grin:

  56. leonard says: 86

    May 2009 be good for anybody reading this. Actually happy new years…….

  57. wyo550 says: 85

    I thought ASYLUM was french for INTERNET! Happy New Years everybody and best wishes for a FINE 09! Let’s make it INSANE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!…OK?

  58. Evan Owen says: 84

    No, I’ve never been committed to a mental institution. I have a red belt in TaeKwonDo and fought them off every time they came for me! :mrgreen:

    But seriously, folks, someone in my family WAS committed; hence this public service announcement: drugs in the SSRI class (Lexapro, Zoloft) can induce acute dysphoric reaction, especially in children, adolescents, and young adults. Translation: these anti-depressant drugs can have the OPPOSITE of their intended effect. The feeling is akin to what JK Rowling described in the victims of dementor attacks in the Harry Potter books. :cry:

  59. Evan Owen says: 83

    Hey, isn’t this website a sort of asylum for all the men who are crazy over HFW? :grin:

    ***WORD REQUEST: Ostracize***
    Have people in insane asylums been ostracized? And what does this treatment have to do with pot shards? :?:

  60. bigbhd95 says: 82

    HAPPY NEW YEAR on my 44th wedding anniversary :smile: Many happy returns to all :mrgreen: B.B.

  61. To answer smokey36bear and chickenh0use questions:

    The SexyGeek voting is on a 24 hour basis.
    You can only vote one time per 24 hours.
    You can tell if you are able to vote when the two arrows are “grayed out”. If one of the arrows is bright red or bright green, it means you won’t be able to vote until your 24 hours are up.

    In my case, I can only vote once after about 7 PM my time.
    So, I’ve made a mental note to make sure I vote after 7 PM and before I go to bed.

  62. As Marina mentioned above, continue voting for her

    Remember, it is crucial to down-vote ONLY the person that is ahead of Marina.
    Why?
    Because, the opposing camp is down-voting Marnia.
    You do NOT need to down-vote anyone else, just the person that is ahead of Marina.

    Use this link as it is not in an HTML frame,
    plus it gets you right to the heart of the voting matter.
    http://wired.reddit.com/sexygeeks_2008/?s=top

    Here are my latest stats and graph.
    http://i42.tinypic.com/ad0uva.jpg

    You guys did great as there was an appx 3000+ vote jump for Marina in the afternoon. Right now, Marina is appx 6200 votes behind Phil.

  63. Happy New Year Marina! You are the bomb tonight, super fine! Gorby is looking pretty chipper too! Glad to see he is feeling better. I voted for you till my finger cramped up. There must be some haters out there though with all the negative votes, those bastards! HAVE A GREAT NIGHT!

    and watch out where Gorby pees, we have to keep him in the picture! :smile:

  64. CaptainJack says: 77

    I discovered there is a pattern emerging today. There is like a group of 80 people voting in the Red. That’s just todays numbers. It was like all at once. This number seems consistent with my control group as I tracked there numbers going down 80 votes almost exactly.

  65. Happy New Year Marina!!!

    I’m definetely going to an insane asylum for you :razz:

  66. tryant says: 75

    Oh yeeeeahhhh,I gotta go vote all those others down and You up!!

    I just can’t bring Myself to vote down that chickie that played Jackie on That 70s Show tho,she’s just toooooo fine for that.

  67. gunner says: 74

    С новым годом!!!

  68. tryant says: 73

    Can I request SHREW?

    I was born n raised within 50 miles of here,travelled around a bit,settled here,but,never saw a shrew till I started trapping the little turds in mousetraps! The 1st one I thought was a baby rat! Then I was yappin with the neighbor and She said “Oh,that’s just a shrew,We get them all the time”.

    Just got one a few hours ago,heard the trap snap but not sharply like when it gets em on the neck,took a look and sure enuff,the trap hit it on the belly! I had to end its misery myself,poor little turd was suffering.

    • bsomebody says: 73.1

      You can have mine if you can tame her. :roll:

      • tryant says: 73.1.1

        No thanks! *That* kind of shrew is better left alone IMO. If I wanna be bitched at I’ll just run out and get married! Now I wouldn’t mind finding a single one for a few hours/weeks/maybe months,,much longer than that and the shine wears off of even the ahhhhmmm,most “eager” of shrews.

        Back to the rodents; this last one was gettin brave,they don’t see very well and it had actually came to within 3′ of Me then turned and ran for cover. Kind of a cool little critter and a shame they can’t be cleaner,,they eat like crazy and no bug,spider,centipede etc is safe from them. If I could train one to use a litter box I’d keep it around cause I hate bugs in the house. This tiny town seems to be riddled with tunnels and I’ve noticed a few in My yard.Have thought of extending the truck exhaust pipe and sticking it in a tunnel to try to gas them. I spose the neighbors would need warning in case the tunnels/fumes would reach their place,I don’t wanna gas My neighbors! :shock:

  69. Happy new year Marina.
    Thank you for the card.

  70. labbatt78 says: 70

    sweet! Ty for the card! And yes I did vote for you again today! Happy New Year! :grin:

  71. 2utoday says: 69

    :mrgreen: Hey Marina! I keep voting for you!! Hope you win!!!
    Oh, Yeah!!! :roll:

  72. 2utoday says: 68

    :mrgreen: I have only read about an “asylum” in books or seen them in movies. Never been there and I have never got out of one either. Perhaps planet Earth is an asylum and we all are inmates. That would be a wild premise1 Yikes!!

  73. Marina, Iv’e voted about 3 times already and you’ve got my story lower down in the comments. All I can offer at this time is Have a Happy Merry New Years night and best regards to the family.

    Word Request: Leprechaun

    Have You all heard about the Leprechaun’s pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? Well any way I found that pot of gold while looking over my right shoulder and let me tell you man was he ever pissed, but he got over it when saw all the good it accomplished.

    Oh yea all the Racehorses are all a Year older after midnight tonight, weird huh?

  74. Um no I haven’t been to one, no need. Why what did you hear:?:

    • tryant says: 66.1

      Well We heard You have been walkin a thin line with sanity on one side and the nut hut on the other. This news is all over the net,I have an insider source at all the major networks,Your story breaks national tomorrow! The headlines will read “Smokey’s circuits finally smoked!”

      Well My plans to go visit the neighbors just now fell thru,I think they’re,,ummm,ushering the new year in right,just the 2 of em! They don’t need My help for *that*! :lol: sooooo,I guess I’ll just stay here and goof around,soon I’ll be in no shape to drive. :wink:

  75. Warren says: 65

    Happy New Year everybody.

  76. tryant says: 64

    Never been commited but have visited friends that were.

    I did voluntarily go see a shrink once tho,Sweet Baby Jane had Me worried-sick about Her.The shrink said,,”She is gone and Her problems are Hers and there is nothing You can do about it”,,after hearing that put so plainly,I went home and slept like a baby,,that was after a week of working every day,9.5 hours a day,on nearly no sleep. When I was walking out after the short session I asked the receptionist “how much for the visit”,the Doc was right there and said “nothing”.How cool is that?! He must have figured I was there to help Jane so He helped Me for free,,,I have recommended Him many times after that!

    The moral of the story is,if Ya fall for a crazy one,don’t expect Her to be sane just for You!! When She trips-off on Her merry way just let it be,and,get some sleep.

  77. rashaverak7 says: 63

    Hello marina.
    thanks for the card. :mrgreen:

    i would like to know the origin of the word “cobra”, the snake. and what it really means :grin:

    happy new year

    -rashaverak7

  78. Fianchetto says: 62

    Homework: I’ve transported many patients to the Psychiatric Ward of the local hospital. Does that count?

  79. Fianchetto says: 61

    Thanks for the lovely card! And Happy 2009 to you, too! :grin:

    ?”Did very well in the Sexy Geek contest”?? you ROCK!!!

    Congratulations on the win! :cool:

  80. Well, I’ve never been to a crazy hospital, but,
    since I am crazy about you, I have recently
    been admitted to Reform School. Check it out.
    My teacher in reform school.

    Crazy
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_qzreQootk

  81. Marina, thank you for that wonderful New Year’s card.
    The very best of health and greatest success to you in 2009!

    PK :grin:

  82. Loudfighter says: 58

    Happy new year Marina! :eek:
    Nice vid…
    Good night.
    no no, good aftrenoon! haha :cool:
    bye

  83. bluecane says: 57

    Good afternoon,
    I’m looking for the origin of the word “pot luck”. Does it come from the Chinook word “potlatch?
    I’m in a class training to be a docent at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts. Asked this question during a class and was asked to research it. Help!

    Thanks,
    George

  84. andue322 says: 56

    Dear, HotForWords
    i was wondering where the word hockey and came from plz can you make me a video request….

    Your student,
    Anue322

  85. bmsince90 says: 55

    could you please explain the origin of the word fallout.
    great lesson btw.

  86. mikells43 says: 54

    yes i have been to an insaine asylum lol. and it wasn’t fun. it was when i used to use drugs. but i dont now.

    i was in for 96 hours. once and for 8 days a 2nd time

  87. coreyoh69 says: 53

    Great lesson, was wondering where the word orgasm came from? Can you help with that or is that to dirty of a word to do?

  88. Dear HotForWords,

    I have been to one. It was a three day hold for protection. *goes into a Willy Wonka flash back*

    Your Student,
    ThoughtOnFire

    PS HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! :!: :grin:

  89. mil29 says: 51

    Just going out to celebrate New Year with my friends, (it’s 10.00p.m. here in London). When for some reason i decided to check my e.mails, and there it was a card from you, my teacher.
    Thank you it’s really made my day.

    HAPPY NEW YEAR, BEST WISHES FROM YOUR STUDENT,

    Milan. xxx

    p.s. I didn’t forget to vote. :wink:

  90. Marina not all of the replies are coming through to my or it maybe others as well emails. As you check his comment made back to me not all of it came through. I didn’t receive the first part of his comment, which was “Thanks, Road Warrior!”
    Could be just a glitch.

    Here is your original comment:
    Have a good time PT9. Enjoy your family while you can. Here are you some extra Bones. If you start to fall apart.

    Here is the new reply:
    Wow, that looks just like me, except my feathers look a bit flat. But what’s that chord I’m butchering?

    You can read or reply to this comment by clicking this link:
    http://www.hotforwords.com/2008/12/31/asylum/#comment-99099

  91. neuroway says: 49

    Just wanted to wish everyone a happy new year. I haven’t been around for too long, of course I was attracted here by Marina’s curves, but curves are not what made me stay longer. I guess it’s… knowledge… I don’t know for how long I’ll stick around, but hey, there’s a saying around that goes like this: life is not about the number of breaths we take, but about the moments that take our breath away.

    Cheers people,

  92. Never been to one, but there’s this old abondoned asylum a short drive from where i live. it’s become a haven for homeless people and junkies and kids go there to goof off alot.

  93. REQUESTING THE ORIGIN OF THE ACRONYM
    P.L.U.R.
    peace love unity respect.

  94. laurabeth says: 46

    Hi,
    I just love the word malifulous. Whenever I use it at parties everyone thinks my IQ just went up 25 points! I’d like to know the origin of the word.

    Loved you in Bad Grammar!

    Take care,
    Laura

    • :???: That one’s not in my dictionary. Don’t you mean “mellifluous?” That means literally “flowing with honey.” It’s used mostly figuratively to mean “sweetly flowing,” as with sounds or speech. If I had to guess the meaning from your spelling of it, I’d say “malifulous” meant “full of evil.”

    • laurabeth says: 46.2

      Ummm. Spelling is everything on this website! (as it should be on line and off line). Thanks for the def. but I already knew that. I’d like to know the origin of the word if you have it.

      Many thanks!
      Laura (Picture of Dante, my golden retriever at his obedience school graduation. He hasn’t learned to type or spell yet.)

  95. I need some asylum, have you got a safe place where I can seek it? My dear teacher, I think that I need to know when your birthday arrives. I’d like to do something nice in the clothing department for you.

  96. leftymars says: 43

    Happy New Year, Marina!

    I’m glad I met you this year — at least online. Who knows, we both live in Los Angeles, so maybe we’ll meet in person someday. I’d like that! I think you are very bright, very funny, and drop-dead gorgeous!

    Now, here’s a phrase for you to look up and perhaps write about: Hubba! Hubba!

    I bet you would really crack up Bill O’Reilly with “Hubba! Hubba!” It’s a phrase that was very popular during World War Two. If a guy saw someone who looked like you, they would say, “Hubba! Hubba!”

    I studied Russian for three years when I was in college, but unfortunately I don’t remember too much. Now I’m using Google Language Tools to write this in English (which I know you speak beautifully!) and then translate it into Russian.

    http://www.google.com/language_tools?hl=en

    Behave yourself, Marina!

    Your new buddy,

    George Spink
    Los Angeles

    • Hey Leftymars, and welcome to the site. At the top of the page you will find a Word / Lesson list that has all of the lessons and videos that Marina has made. Also check out the forum Discussions on the right side under the recent comments section and feel free to indulge in that part of Marina’s site also.

  97. leftymars says: 42

    С Новым Годом, Марина!

    Я рад, я встретил вас в этом году – по крайней мере, в Интернете. Кто знает, как нам жить в Лос-Анджелесе, так что, возможно, мы будем встречаться в человеко-нибудь. Я хочу это! Я думаю, Вы очень яркий, очень смешно, и раскрывающемся мертв великолепна!

    Теперь, вот фраза для Вас, чтобы найти и, возможно, писать: Hubba! Hubba!

    Уверен, вы бы действительно разрушаться Билл O’Reilly с “Hubba! Hubba!” Это фраза, которая была очень популярной во время второй мировой войны. Если парень увидел тот, кто посмотрел, как ты, они говорят: “Hubba! Hubba!”

    Я изучал русский язык в течение трех лет, когда я учился в колледже, но, к сожалению, я не помню, слишком много. Теперь я использую Google Языковые инструменты написать на Английский (которые я знаю, вы говорите красиво!), А затем перевести его на русский язык.

    http://www.google.com/language_tools?hl=en

    Ведите себя, Марина!

    Ваш новый приятель,

    Джордж Spink
    Лос-Анджелес

  98. mukmika. says: 41

    Happy New Year, Marina. Most Asylums in Canada are closed, but it seems to me we need to open some of them again.

  99. laurabeth says: 39

    Hi,
    I just love the word malifulous. Just saying it I can imagine angels singing, and also your coworkers will think you just added 25 points to your IQ! I would like to see where it came from.

    Thanks, and I really like your program. I loved you in Bad Grammar!

    Take care,
    Laura

  100. James says: 38

    Seriously. Have any of you lost the HD button and got it replaced woth high quality

  101. James says: 37

    My family were taking the mick out of Marina, so I got up and left them….. I hate when people do that.

  102. cufan71 says: 36

    Homework :cool:
    No, I have never been to an insane asylum.

  103. ccnc150 says: 35

    Happy New Year Marina!

    I recently had a friend tell me that I was having a pipe dream. Pipe Dream what is a pipe dream? Can you tell me the origin of this phrase.

    Thanks,

    Christopher

  104. pandion says: 34

    С новым годом
    I know from previous lessons that this is your favorite holiday. I hope this one is especially good.

    A few years ago, I directed a play in an asylum. The actors were all patients there. It was a very interesting project.

  105. narmold says: 33

    Hi,

    I am requesting the origin of the work: People.

  106. Thank you ma-am for the New Years card. That’s a lot of Champagne for you to drink alone.

  107. milenko17 says: 31

    I have a special unique request for you.

    I know you research and talk about words but looking through old homework you have posted I came across the calender post with important dates. I know a fair amount of Guy Fawkes Day from V for Vendetta but I’m curious what the full real story is behind the 5th of November. Could you make a video explaining it better?

    -Milenko17 (Jeff)

  108. Cashy says: 30

    Happy New Year from Ireland

    Athbhliain faoi Mhaise Duit

    Now, back to the partaay…

  109. A friend of mine went and changed the message on a guy’s answering machine to a phone number that reached a mental hospital… “funny-but-not-funny”… :smile:

  110. Is it my imagination or have all the Marina entries suddenly vanished from the WIRED sexy geek contest page? I was just there looking to downvote sxephil and didn’t see his entries either. I looked through all 3 pages of entries twice and saw plenty of duplicate entries for other people, but no Marina Orlova this time. Hmmm. Maybe a disqualification is underway. WTF? Can they do that?

    On the other hand, if our girl Marina already won it last year and didn’t get a prize or a trophy or something, then why waste time on it? Just a question.

  111. wetsuit5 says: 27

    MARINA,

    Thanks for the New Years Card.
    Great Picture.
    Almost like a HotForWords label for a bottle of champagne.
    There’s an idea for next year.
    Calender and Champagne.

  112. seesixcm6 says: 26

    Дорогая Марина Орлова,
    Был заморозок отца хорош к вам? What nice earrings you wore today. Did one of your subscribers mail them to you? From the way they post remarks, they should send you many gifts! :smile:
    No, I’ve never been to an asylum. Thank you for telling us the origins of that word.
    Счастливое Новый Год! seesixcm6

  113. Loudfighter says: 25

    You are so hot! :grin:
    Good video!
    I like it!
    specialy you are cute and gorby too!

  114. Marina you said vote them down. You know they did it to you on the last contest that’s why you came in 6th. You have to make your own destiny if you want to get ahead. Believe me they are thumbing you down as hard as they can so go for the Gold and do what it takes to win, every man or woman for themselves.

  115. dudesonroad says: 23

    A Happy New Year! :razz:
    Asylums (mental) = Total institutions !

    btw: russian dinner for one Ирония судьбы или С лёгким паром :smile:

  116. bsomebody says: 22

    Oh yes, I have been to mental hospitals quite a bit. Fer real, I am not being sarcastic this time. :roll: Sheesh, just because I am an ass 90% of the time, does not mean I am not sincere 10% of the time.

    I have visited several people in mental hospitals; some have been family; some havve been friends. My daughter is a nurse, and she has worked at hospitals for mentally disabled clients. We used to do some fun stuff, there. I guess I place a little less of the stigma to mental disabilities, because I have seen so much of it up close.

    • buzzword says: 22.1

      it is a shame that mental illness has the stigma it does in the u.s. the healthcare system reflects this disparity very well.

      • The social taboo also reflects this. Not too long ago, cancer had a certain stigma, also. I can have a broken leg, viral infection, intestinal flu, or congenital heart defect, and I am “ill.” If I have a mental illness, then it is very different, people will react very differently toward me. Many mental illnesses have a biological foundation, but that is irrlelevant to most people.

  117. wetsuit5 says: 21

    Never been to mental institution but sure have met may a person that should.

    Marina, Very bad form for YOU to encourage us to vote “Down” others on the competition.
    Win on your own positive talents and not on the negative treatment of others.

    Besides we are no dummies. We get to vote up or down on each of the submissions. We know what to do.

    I know it was your sister who typed the negative thing above, but you might want to redact her input.

    • wetsuit5 says: 21.1

      A wise man once said: “You can’t expect to fly like an eagle if your rolling around like a snake.”
      Or “Never get into a fight with a pig. You both throw around a lot of dirt and both get dirty, but the pig likes it.”

    • bsomebody says: 21.2

      I dunno, wetsuit. Normally I would agree with you. However, the thumbs down seems a part of the game, or the powers that be would not have made that option. As long as voters keep things in perspective, I guess turnabout is fairplay. In cards, we say “It’s not cheating unless you get caught.” In the Navy, we would call it “the competetive edge.” Imagine a NASCAR team never stretching the envelope, or a politican who bluntly states her opinion; I would appreciate that, but the success would be limited.

      Methinks me may have stumbled into an ethical conundrum. If the rules of the game encourage negative responses, is it truly a negative response? Hmm… :???:
      {Somebody scratches his head as he meanders off to the thinking chair (with fond memories of Big Red floating across his consciousness.)} :???:

      • This is not air warfare where the first and last rule is cheat and the first corrolary being if you ain’t cheating you ain’t trying. (I spent my time in the canoe club too). All I was saying is it’s bad form i.e. an ugly side we haven’t seen before.

      • @wetsuit-I am not stating an opinion one way or the other; I am pondering out loud and accepting input from others. My biggest question concerns the rules of the game as established by the officials. A thumbs up and thumbs down are provided for each contestant, which gives me options. I can thumbs up M, thumbs down Phil, and leave Pauley Parrete blank, for example. At school, we will have penny wars: a penny in your own bucket counts as +1, a dollar in someone elses bucket is -1, five dollars is -5, etc. The penny wars are all in fun, and the money is raised for charity. This seems perfectly okay to me. I used to run cross-country, and my goal was for me run my fastest. I would (practically) never intentionally slow another runner. In my MA classes, I do not believe anyone in there would ever intentionally harm a classmate’s success. Most of classmates have actually gone out of the way to help me, on several occasions.

        Does this contest require the altruism expected in a history classroom? Is this more similar to a board game where success requires capuring the opponents’ marbles? Am I trying to make a public display of goodwill and its benefits, or am I trying to get my favorite geeky sex person a prize? :???:

  118. Che Volay says: 20

    So what is the word for tomorrow, ‘Hangover’ ?

    Never understood why people deemed it necessary to get drunk because of a chronological change.

    All the amateur drunks are on the road, that is dangerous, so be careful.

    • wetsuit5 says: 20.1

      I can go out on the weekend.
      This is the one night of the year I surrender the roads to the drunks.
      And the cops they will have to put up with.
      Not worth it for a tick=tock whoop-de-do.

    • orion_ss1 says: 20.2

      In the Navy we had something called ‘Fantail Liberty’.

      The idea was you went to the ship’s fantail, threw all your money overboard, and then banged your head a dozen times on the metal bulkhead. When you woke up in the morning you had a headache and you were broke; therefore you must have had a good time. :smile:

      • Mine was, Please don’t let me have the first Deck Watch of the New Year. I hated writing those poems.

        Rub-a-dub-dub 6000 men in a tub…….Whoops, not policically correct.

        • Not a problem on my ship.

          We had some wits ( well, I’m HALF right ) who had competitions for that watch. They would write potential lines and submit to the Senior Watch Officer who chose the winner, who got to write his verse into the log.

          I had my fair share of mid-watches; I didn’t feel the need to compete for one more.

  119. I have only been in a regular hospital for two heat strokes. People would say I was crazy for some of things I used to do, but the man with the net never caught me.

  120. alanocean says: 18

    I’ve never been to an “Asylum but thought a tour of one could be interesting.I was wondering if you could explain the word ” Booze” in referance to liquor. Love your site and all the Best in the New Year!! :smile:

  121. pagedoll says: 17

    HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!
    Be safe in your celebrations tonight and as you ring in the new year don’t forget to give a toast to Marina, shes earned it. :grin:
    …and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do…but if you do call me, I want in!! :mrgreen:

  122. achsdu17 says: 16

    I’m with pennsyltucky9… never stayed at any hospital.

  123. leonard says: 15

    Mental mindless gathering takes place here—”The Capital of the Republic of Lexicon”….Kick my arse, Marina—Commander in Chief and word nurse for this hospital…Are we ever free to leave? :lol: :roll: :lol: Happy and the best for 2009…..,Iggy Pop & The Stooges – Funhouse kicks ass, sax

  124. Bob says: 14

    Homework: No, Marina, I’ve never been to a Mental Institution, but there are no guarantees … I’m still madly in love with you.
    HAPPY NEW YEAR. Muah!

  125. I’ve never spent a night in ANY hospital. Oh, well..

  126. Bob says: 12

    Oh! Good. Fashionably late again. :grin:
    Happy New Year, Everyone.
    Thank you all for the fun and laughter we’ve enjoyed together in 2008.
    Long may it continue into 2009 and beyond.
    :smile:

  127. James says: 10

    Marina, I am going to come into your appartment and steal some of your hair!!! It’s so nice! (Actually I won’t but it is nice hair)

    Also.. that green dress looks like the blue one in the subscribe lesson. Do you have the same dress in 2 colours???? HA!!!

    HAPPY NEW YEAR DARLIN’ !

  128. Che Volay says: 9

    Did she say, “Kick Ass?”