QQ: What's the difference between "affect" and "effect"?

A: In general, "affect" is a verb; "effect" is a noun. (When you affect something, you have an effect on it.)

Tangents:

Verbs are words that depict action.

Nouns name a person, place or thing.

The Butterfly Effect is a movie starring the guy from "Punk'd."

QQ: Can I still eat this Hostess Twinkie?

A: The official shelf life of a Hostess Twinkie is 25 days.

Tangents:

Modern preservatives made the Twinkie a popular item for stockpiling in post-WWII bomb shelters.

Cultural references to the Twinkie include the film Wall-E, in which a 700-year-old Twinkie-esque cake is fed to a cockroach.

The Twinkie gained popularity in the '50's as a sponsor of "The Howdy Doody Show."

("Doodyville"?)

QQ: Who is John Buchan?

A: Sir John Buchan, 1st Baron of Tweedsmuir, was a prolific British author of both fiction and nonfiction.

Tangents:

Buchan's novel The 39 Steps was made into a movie by Alfred Hitchcock and later became a campy Broadway musical.

Buchan served as Governor General of Canada.

Buchan's nonfiction dealt primarily with military history.

Quote:

"It's a great life, if you don't weaken."

Good to know!

Five days a week, this blog will answer a Quick Question with a fast answer, three resources, and occasional wry observations.