Posts made by Dave Paprocki

The categorical imperative is a moral principle developed by philosopher Immanuel Kant, proposing that morality is absolute and universal, defined by rationality and reasoning rather than subjective feelings or preferences. It suggests that an action is morally right if it can be universally applied to all similar situations, not depending on particular desires or goals. Any action, according to Kant, must pass the test of universality to be considered morally right.

A ventral fin is a type of fin located on the underside of a fish or marine mammal used for balance, steering, and propulsion. Ventral fins typically include the pelvic and anal fins.

Through and through describes a situation where an object, real or imaginary, passes completely through another object, also real or imaginary. The phrase has several common uses:

An alpenstock is a long wooden pole or stick, usually with an iron point at the end, traditionally used by shepherds in the Alps. It is also commonly used by hikers, climbers, and mountaineers for balance and stability on difficult terrains.

A patch of land adjoining a church, often used as a graveyard.

Any of several plants, of the genus Cerastium, such as mouse-eared chickweed

an international group of wealthy individuals who travel frequently to international resorts. -- the group is not organized, but membership is defined solely by frequent travel for pleasure.

A naturally occurring colorless glass made of almost pure silica, and found in fulgurites, which are produced by lightning striking sand.

The act of thrusting or driving out.

Aertex was a British clothing company based in Manchester, established in 1888, and also the name of the fabric manufactured by the company. It owned the trademark for Aertex fabric, a lightweight and loosely woven cotton material that is used to make shirts and underwear.

large (up to 20 lbs) food fish of the eastern coast of the United States and Mexico

The Upper Paleolithic (or Upper Palaeolithic) is the third and last subdivision of the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age. Very broadly, it dates to between 50,000 and 12,000 years ago (the beginning of the Holocene), according to some theories coinciding with the appearance of behavioral modernity in early modern humans, until the advent of the Neolithic Revolution and agriculture.
Anatomically modern humans (i.e. Homo sapiens) are believed to have emerged in Africa around 300,000 years ago. It has been argued by some that their ways of life changed relatively little from that of archaic humans of the Middle Paleolithic, until about 50,000 years ago, when there was a marked increase in the diversity of artefacts found associated with modern human remains.
This period coincides with the most common date assigned to expansion of modern humans from Africa throughout Asia and Eurasia, which contributed to the extinction of the Neanderthals.
The Upper Paleolithic has the earliest known evidence of organized settlements, in the form of campsites, some with storage pits. Artistic work blossomed, with cave painting, petroglyphs, carvings and engravings on bone or ivory. The first evidence of human fishing is also found, from artefacts in places such as Blombos cave in South Africa. More complex social groupings emerged, supported by more varied and reliable food sources and specialized tool types. This probably contributed to increasing group identification or ethnicity.The peopling of Australia most likely took place before c. 60 ka. Europe was peopled after c. 45 ka.
Anatomically modern humans are known to have expanded northward into Siberia as far as the 58th parallel by about 45 ka (Ust-Ishim man).
The Upper Paleolithic is divided by the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), from about 25 to 15 ka. The peopling of the Americas occurred during this time, with East and Central Asia populations reaching the Bering land bridge after about 35 ka, and expanding into the Americas by about 15 ka.
In Western Eurasia, the Paleolithic eases into the so-called Epipaleolithic or Mesolithic from the end of the LGM, beginning 15 ka. The Holocene glacial retreat begins 11.7 ka (10th millennium BC), falling well into the Old World Epipaleolithic, and marking the beginning of the earliest forms of farming in the Fertile Crescent.

A person with a chemical or psychological dependency on a drug, especially one which is illegal or improperly procured.

To glut; to eat voraciously.

united in pairs; yoked together; coupled

Erectile dysfunction (ED), also called impotence, is the type of sexual dysfunction in which the penis fails to become or stay erect during sexual activity. It is the most common sexual problem in men. Through its connection to self-image and to problems in sexual relationships, erectile dysfunction can cause psychological harm.
In about 80% of cases, physical causes can be identified. These include cardiovascular disease; diabetes mellitus; neurological problems, such as those following prostatectomy; hypogonadism; and drug side effects. About 10% of cases are psychological impotence, caused by thoughts or feelings; here, there is a strong response to placebo treatment.
The term erectile dysfunction is not used for other disorders of erection, such as priapism.
Treatment involves addressing the underlying causes, lifestyle modifications, and addressing psychosocial problems. In many cases, treatment is attempted by drugs, specifically PDE5 inhibitors (such as sildenafil), which dilate blood vessels, allowing more blood to flow through the spongy tissue of the penis (akin to opening a valve further in order to allow more water to enter a fire hose). Other treatments, less commonly used, include prostaglandin pellets, inserted in the urethra; smooth-muscle relaxants and vasodilators, injected into the penis; penile implants; penis pumps; and vascular reconstructive surgery.

A game in which the first player to call Punch buggy! on sighting a Volkswagen Beetle gets to punch the other.

To reach above or beyond in any direction.

Edward FitzGerald (1809-1883) was an English poet, writer, and translator, best known for his English translation of The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, a collection of Persian quatrains. This translation, which became one of the most popular works of English poetry in the Victorian era, is noted for its melancholic reflection on life and the fleeting nature of human existence. Despite his literary success, FitzGerald lived a largely reclusive life away from the public eye.

A lightweight whip with multiple lashes.