Abbreviations and Acronyms
ASAP, meaning imminently
What is as soon as possible? ASAP originated as army slang in 1955.
The air is drier during the winter, but you can use one of these to add moisture to the air.
What is a humidifier? In addition to contributing to winter health, a humidifier helps the HVAC (heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning) system regulate temperature.
This is one of the two astrological signs of people born in January.
What is Capricorn or Aquarius? Those born January 1–19 are born under Capricorn, and those born January 20–31 are born under Aquarius.
It was on New Year’s Day 1976 that this bronze Philadelphia landmark was moved out of Independence Hall.
What is the Liberty Bell? The Liberty Bell cracked around 1835 and has not been rung since 1846.
What does : "STAT" mean?
What is immediately (or similar)? It’s used in medical settings, usually in an emergency, and it comes from the Latin statim, meaning “instantly.”
Govt.
What is government? Govt. is an abbreviation, or shortened version of a word. An acronym is an abbreviation that is formed by using the first letters of major words in a phrase, and it is pronounced as a word. For example, SCUBA is the acronym for self-contained underwater breathing apparatus.
Keep your curtains or blinds like this to naturally heat your home during the day.
What is open? When exposed to sunlight, glass heats up because windows let in more radiant energy than they let out. However, as soon as dusk hits, it’s best to close the curtains to help hold the heat in the home.
This term encompasses the changes people set out to make in the new year.
What are resolutions? A top reason resolutions fail is that people treat them like sprints instead of marathons. If you incorporate small changes a few at a time, they add up to big changes. Success breeds success.
This navy special operations force was created on January 1, 1962.
What is the Navy SEALs? Originally, there were two SEAL teams: one in California and the other in Virginia.
Do this to your ceiling fans in the winter.
What is flip the switch that controls the direction of the blades (or anything close)? When you change the direction of the blades to the winter position, it forces hot air down from the ceiling.
P.S.
What is postscript? You usually find this abbreviation at the end of a letter or email as an afterthought.
Replace these to make your HVAC work more efficiently.
What are filters? HVAC systems work harder to force air through dirty filters.
Dean Martin sang a song about this month in January.
What is June? The song is “June in January,” and it starts: It’s June in January Because I’m in love.
At the Cotton Bowl stadium on January 1, 1967, this team from Green Bay won a 34–27 victory over the Dallas Cowboys.
Who are the Packers? The game was lauded as one of the best NFL championship games of all time.
On January 1, 1958, inmate and musician Merle Haggard heard Johnny Cash perform at this prison.
What is San Quentin State Prison? Many people believe Johnny Cash served time in San Quentin, but he didn’t. He recorded at both Quentin and Folsom State Prisons, but he spent only one night in jail for public drunkenness.
LOL!
What is laughing out loud (or lots of love)? LOL originated in letter writing to mean lots of love but evolved into laughing out loud on the internet.
Name one part of the body that gets cold first during the winter.
What are extremities (or fingers, toes, nose, or ears)? Most of the time, it’s not a circulatory problem; it’s the blood vessels in those parts of the body going into spasms because of their sensitivity to cold.
Born January 1, 1752, she is best known as the seamstress who sewed the first American flag.
Who is Betsy Ross? The flag has 13 red and white strips and 13 stars on a blue background, symbolizing the 13 colonies.
This Star Trek actor known for playing Spock married Susan Bay on New Year’s Day in 1989.
Who is Leonard Nimoy? Did you know Nimoy was best man at his Star Trek costar William Shatner’s 1997 wedding?
On January 1, 1974, Lee MacPhail took over as the president of this baseball organization, succeeding Joe Cronin.
What is the AL (American League)? MacPhail was later elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998.
PIN
What is personal identification number? Debit and credit cards have four-numeral identification numbers used to withdraw money from an ATM—the acronym for automated teller machine.
Set your water to this temperature when showering in the winter.
What is warm? Hot showers rob your skin of moisture.
The January moon is most often named for this canine.
What is wolf? It is named for the sound of howling, hungry wolves heard in January.
On January 1, 1966, “The Sound of Silence” by this duo topped the Billboard charts.
Who are Simon and Garfunkel? The duo first met in 1953 and began making music together at the age of 16.
Henry VIII had this number of wives.
What is six? His second wife, Anne Boleyn, was instrumental in igniting the reformation, and she was beheaded.