Tag Archives: American culture
Love Songs in English Posted by Gary Locke on Feb 13, 2020
Many of the greatest songs of all time are love songs. If you’ve ever been in love, or wanted to be, you’ve probably been touched by a love song. Oh, yes, you might say, that’s exactly how I feel! This is why couples often say, “They’re playing our song!” They found a song that perfectly…
English Words in the News: Primary Posted by Gary Locke on Feb 6, 2020
I live in New Hampshire, which means that every four years, media from all over the world stumble over each other in an effort to learn what my neighbors are thinking about. This is not an exaggeration. I was once interviewed on Danish television! The reason for this quadrennial (meaning every four years) fascination with…
English Words in the News: Caucus Posted by Gary Locke on Jan 23, 2020
Every four years the United States begins its national presidential election with the Iowa caucuses. This is followed by the New Hampshire primary. Soon, in rapid succession, many more states conduct their voting. By May we usually know who the presidential candidates in the two major parties will be. What’s important is that there are…
The American Veteran Posted by Gary Locke on Nov 7, 2019
Americans celebrate Veterans Day every November 11 as a way of honoring every person who has ever served in the United States Armed Forces. Note that the word Veterans has no apostrophe. Memorial Day, which is celebrated on the last Monday of May, honors those service members who died in combat while serving in the…
Trick or Treat! Posted by Gary Locke on Oct 24, 2019
When I was a kid, Halloween was always an exercise in greed. I was far less interested in my costume than in the loot I was going to acquire while wearing the costume. I planned my evening very carefully, mindful to take advantage of the time my parents had permitted me. I wouldn’t allow my…
US Units of Measure for Cooking Posted by Gary Locke on Oct 10, 2019
I love to cook. I find it relaxing, but also creative. When I get home at night I gather my ingredients for dinner, pull out the necessary cookware and utensils, pour a glass of wine, and focus on making something that my wife and I will enjoy at the table. I rarely measure anything. I’ve…
The US Interstate System Posted by Gary Locke on Sep 11, 2019
“Are we there yet?” The United States is vast. The distance to drive from Portland, Maine to San Francisco, California is about 2725 miles or nearly 4400 kilometers. While the US has many different highway systems, including state, county, territorial, and secondary roads, the country is linked by one massive grid of highways known as…