Words That Make Us

In this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Stationery”. Listen to them as they discuss what stationery items mean to them as teachers. There are some interesting facts and statistics about stationery that might surprise you. What are the most stolen items of stationery? Tony also reads you poetry about stationery which we hope you enjoy!

Stealing stationery from work

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20180524-the-psychology-of-stealing-office-supplies

https://yougov.co.uk/economy/articles/21708-what-are-britons-stealing-work

https://www.furniture-work.co.uk/blog/post/13-eye-opening-statistics-about-theft-in-the-workplace

The history of pencils (and other stationery)

https://inkymemo.com/unknown-facts-stationery-tricks/

Pens Are Better Than Pencils by Dan Brown

https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/pens-are-better-than-pencils/

Most expensive pens:

https://www.executivepensdirect.com/blogs/fun-stuff/the-ten-most-expensive-pens-in-the-world

History of BIC biro

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bic_Cristal#:~:text=The%20 BIC%20 Crystal%20(stylised%20as,billionth%20sale%20in%20 September%202006.

If you have any ideas, suggestions or feedback, please send us an email at: 

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In this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Lying”. Listen to them as they discuss the different types of lies people tell and why we lie. Which nations lie more than others? Which gender? Should one always be honest and what are the most common lies people tell? 

Which country lies the most

https://www.thrillist.com/news/nation/the-most-dishonest-country-is

https://nypost.com/2015/11/16/the-most-dishonest-country-is/

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6875219/Australia-ranks-list-dishonest-countries.html

Why Children/teenagers lie or want to lie

https://raisingchildren.net.au/preschoolers/behaviour/common-concerns/lies#:~:text='white%20lie'.-,When%20do%20children%20start%20lying%3F,more%20at%204%2D6%20years.

https://www.newportacademy.com/resources/restoring-families/why-do-teenagers-lie/#:~:text=Teens%20Lie%20More%20Than%20Any,get%20away%20with%20it%20more.

The most common lies

https://www.lawyersmutualnc.com/blog/the-20-most-popular-lies-we-tell-every-day

White Lies by NATASHA TRETHEWEY

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/58265/white-lies

Sonnet 138: When My Love Swears That She Is Made of Truth

https://www.poemhunter.com/william-shakespeare/

8 of History’s Most Destructive Lies

https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2018/05/8-historys-destructive-lies/

Stoicism on lying

https://dailystoic.com/its-about-what-you-do-and-dont-do/

Shakespeare and Lies - the 7 degrees of lying

https://noshitshakespeare.tumblr.com/post/140859299194/the-seven-degrees-of-lying-in-as-you-like-it-by

If you have any ideas, suggestions or feedback, please send us an email at: 

[email protected]

In this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Football”. This episode was recorded during the European Championship and it spurred a conversation about why men are generally more enthusiastic about football than women. How is women’s football doing in terms of equality, support and funding? What is the Mohammad Salah effect. They discuss their findings on the history of the game and some interesting facts. There’s poetry, too! 

Why more men are interested in football than women:

https://time.com/4322947/men-women-sports-evolution/

Psychology of football supporters - need for identification/belonging:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-science-of-fandom/202302/why-football-fans-get-so-emotional

https://neurosciencenews.com/fan-emotion-brain-25236/

https://www.countryandtownhouse.com/culture/carol-ann-duffy-womens-football/

Shakespeare on Football:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/1S1GnZzSNft0WpBRK92bW8T/back-of-ye-net

https://nosweatshakespeare.com/blog/shakespeare-beautiful-game/

Stoic response to fandom:

https://modernstoicism.com/stoicism-sports-and-fandom-an-exchange-by-tim-lebon-and-greg-sadler/

The Mohammad Salah effect:

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/american-political-science-review/article/can-exposure-to-celebrities-reduce-prejudice-the-effect-of-mohamed-salah-on-islamophobic-behaviors-and-attitudes/A1DA34F9F5BCE905850AC8FBAC78BE58

If you have any ideas, suggestions or feedback, please send us an email at: 

[email protected]

In this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Hair”! Join them as they discuss what different hairstyles might say about us, hair loss, wig history and growing market. Should hair be covered? Shampooed? Cut? They read you poetry too!

Alain de Botton on boldness and hairstyles:

https://www.theschooloflife.com/article/why-we-think-so-much-about-our-hair/

For Anne Gregory by William Butler Yeats

https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/for-anne-gregory/

Wigs:

The Truth About Where Hair Extensions Come From | Shady | Refinery29

Global hair care market - statistics

https://www.statista.com/outlook/cmo/beauty-personal-care/personal-care/hair-care/worldwide

https://www.skyquestt.com/report/hair-care-market#:~:text=Hair%20Care%20Market%20Insights,period%20(2024%2D2031).

https://www.statista.com/statistics/824153/market-value-organic-natural-hair-care-global/

Hair loss shampoos - don’t work

https://drwilliamlindsey.com/fact-fiction-hair-loss-shampoos-work-stop-hair-loss/

No-poo

https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/no-poo#hair-health

History of hairstyles

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hairstyle

https://www.thehairroutine.com/blogs/journal/hair-through-decades

https://www.thelovepost.global/decolonise-your-mind/photo-essays/hair-power-exploring-history-and-meaning-hairstyles-across-globe

Hairstyles and pop music

https://www.buzzfeed.com/spotify/shaggy-beards-and-curly-hair

https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/articles/0125caa8-a00d-4bf8-98e1-089e2dac254f

Idioms about HAIR

https://www.learn-english-today.com/idioms/idiom-categories/body/hair.html

https://torontohairtransplantclinic.com/the-idioms-of-hair/

Her Hair - Charles Baudelaire

https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/her-hair/

https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/hijab-scene-7/

https://www.ucihealth.org/blog/2018/04/redheads-pain#:~:text=They%20need%20about%2020%20percent,killing%20analgesics%2C%20such%20as%20opioids.

https://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/grandads-got-hair

If you have any ideas, suggestions or feedback, please send us an email at: 

[email protected]

In this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Cats”. Listen to them as they discuss their experiences with cats. Rama reads some research about the health benefits of having cats, while Tony counters by reading statistics and other science about cat owners. How do different cultures see cats, especially black ones? Which countries have the most cats and which countries are restricting cat owning? Some interesting poetry about cats features in today’s episode as well!

The physical and mental health benefits of having cats:

https://www.healthline.com/health/benefits-of-being-cat-lover#4.-Health

Annual expenditure on cats and dogs USA

https://www.battersea.org.uk/pet-advice/cat-advice/cost-owning-cat

Needy cat people

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2911381/It-s-official-crazy-cat-ladies-exist-Pet-owners-neurotic-needy-cliams-study.html

"Quick! quick! ..." BY ANONYMOUS

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/42906/quick-quick-

https://www.poetrybyheart.org.uk/poems/the-galloping-cat

Cat Idioms and Phrases

https://owlcation.com/humanities/50-Cat-Idioms-and-Phrases

Famous cats

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_individual_cats

Cat islands:

https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5031.html

The Panther by Rainer Maria Rilke

https://allpoetry.com/The-Panther

Cats in Shakespeare

https://www.thegreatcat.org/cat-shakespeare/

https://www.historyhit.com/the-bizarre-life-of-cats-in-shakespeares-england/

Black cat superstitions and witchcraft

https://www.msj.edu/news/2024/02/the-power-of-black-cats.html#:~:text=Over%20time%2C%20European%20folklore%20evolved,would%20ultimately%20threaten%20their%20safety.

February by Margaret Atwood

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/47787/february-56d2288025b1e

If you have any ideas, suggestions or feedback, please send us an email at: 

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In this new season of The Words That Make Us, Rama and Tony attempt to shorten the episodes. Listen to them as they discuss the topic of "Shoes". They tell you a little about the history and trends in shoes. Which shoe brand generates the most profit and what are elevator shoes? What does your choice of shoes say about you? There's a story and some poetry about shoes in there too.

Interesting facts and the earliest shoes:

https://shuzes.co.uk/blogs/news/10-facts-about-shoes-you-didnt-know

Cultural Significance of Shoes

https://www.walkingonacloud.ca/blog/the-cultural-significance-of-shoes/

https://www.comunitymade.com/blogs/posts/draft-how-footwear-reflects-community-and-culture

Shoe Traditions

https://woombie.com/blog/post/shoe-traditions-across-the-globe-that-leaves-tourist-wondering-why

http://traditionalshoes.com/en/archives/210

https://mainecrimewriters.com/2016/12/08/christmas-customs-a-shoe-in/

Sneaker Culture

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/sneaker-culture-sneakerheads-air-jordans-history-expression

Footwear Industry Trends

https://www.statista.com/outlook/cmo/footwear/worldwide

Bible Quotations and Topics about Shoes

https://www.bible-topics.com/Shoes.html#:~:text=Deuteronomy%2033%3A25%20Thy%20shoes,so%20shall%20thy%20strength%20be.&text=Bound%20round%20the%20feet%20with,am%20not%20worthy%20to%20unloose.

Phrases or Idioms with Shoes

https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/shoe

https://discoverpoetry.com/poems/amos-russel-wells/my-old-shoes/?utm_content=cmp-true

The Shoemaker by Evander A. Crewson

https://discoverpoetry.com/poems/e-a-crewson/the-shoemaker/

If you have any ideas, suggestions or feedback, please send us an email at: 

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In this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Food”. Listen to them discuss the foods of their childhoods and respective countries. What are some statistics about meat and other foods around the world? How is food seen in stoicism, Islam and Christianity? How is the food industry evolving to keep up with modern trends? They also share with you some poems about food.

Trigger warning: If you find the topic of eating disorders triggering, be sure to skip the poem “The Diet” by Carol Ann Duffy.

https://poets.org/poem/eating-and-drinking-0

Evolution of Diet / Timeline

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/foodfeatures/evolution-of-diet/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_food

Learning to eat the stoic way

https://thestoicgym.com/the-stoic-magazine/article/127

Organic Foods Statistics

https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science/organic-food6.htm

On US food consumption

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nZxOh7ghMjKeo2Y49_mb98OIzP1GUa2t/edit#gid=2065436962

Corned Beef and Cabbage

BY GEORGE BILGERE

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/52248/corned-beef-and-cabbage

“The Diet” by Carol Ann Duffy

https://poemanalysis.com/carol-ann-duffy/the-diet/

FUN FACTS ABOUT FOOD!

https://www.thefactsite.com/100-random-food-facts/

If you have any ideas, suggestions or feedback, please send us an email at: 

[email protected]

In this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Holidays”. Listen to them as they discuss the different types of holidays and holiday makers. Which are the most visited countries? Which countries make the most revenue from travel? What is “Paris Syndrome”? What are some poems about travel and the feelings it conjures.

Country tourism revenue and statistics:

https://ourworldindata.org/tourism

Paris Syndrome:

https://qz.com/emails/quartz-obsession/1850677468/paris-syndrome-troubles-in-tourism#:~:text=Symptoms%20include%20dizziness%2C%20anxiety%2C%20vomiting,in%20Paris%2C%20in%20the%201980s.

Shakespeare on holidays:

https://www.folger.edu/blogs/shakespeare-and-beyond/how-william-shakespeare-invented-the-holiday-romcom/

History and evolution of holidays

https://www.inghams.co.uk/blog/inghams/the-history-and-evolution-of-holidays-and-travel/#:~:text=31%20BC%2D1484%20%E2%80%93%20The%20Romans,the%20way%20to%20southern%20Egypt!

https://culturetourist.com/cultural-tourism/history-of-travelling-how-people-started-to-travel/

https://familyholidaycharity.org.uk/our-story/how-times-have-changed-social-history-holidays

Holidays  - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 

https://poets.org/poem/holidays

Vacation - Rita Dove

https://poets.org/poem/vacation

If Once You Have Slept On An Island by Rachel Lyman Field

https://allpoetry.com/If-Once-You-Have-Slept-On-An-Island

Extreme Wanderlust:

https://www.elitedaily.com/life/culture/damaging-side-effects-wanderlust/610398

The types of travelers:

https://travel.earth/different-types-of-travellers/

If you have any ideas, suggestions or feedback, please send us an email at: 

[email protected]

In this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “dreams”. Listen to them as they discuss the meaning of dreams and why women dream differently (and more) than men. How do dreams appear in Buddhism, Christianity, Islam and Sufism? What are the most recurring dreams? Of course expect some poetry too.

The story of Prophet Yusuf in the Quran:

https://www.al-islam.org/enlightening-commentary-light-holy-quran-vol-7/section-6-kings-dream-yusufs-interpretation

What are dreams and what do they mean?

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/dreams-and-dreaming

What is daydreaming and what does it mean?

https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/daydreaming-and-concentration-what-the-science-says/

https://www.verywellmind.com/positives-about-daydreaming-5119107

Dreams by Langston Hughes 1901 –1967

https://poets.org/poem/dreams

Why women dream more than men:

https://www.dreams.co.uk/sleep-matters-club/women-dream-men

Recurring dreams:

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/dreams/dream-interpretation/recurring-dreams#what-are-the-most-common-recurring-dreams

Dreams by Langston Hughes 1901 –1967

https://poets.org/poem/dreams

The Dream That Must Be Interpreted by Rumi

https://www.stillnessspeaks.com/dream-must-interpreted-rumi/

If you have any ideas, suggestions or feedback, please send us an email at: 

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In this episode of the "Words That Make Us" podcast, Rama and Tony discuss the topic of “Teachers”. Listen to them as they discuss their experiences with teaching both as students and teachers. They read a range of humorous poems and share some research about teaching.

https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/my-teacher-wasn-t-half-as-nice-as-yours-seems-to-be/

Napoleon BY MIROSLAV HOLUB

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/51047/napoleon

Stoicism on teaching

https://www.alphabetpublishingbooks.com/stoicism-relevant-teachers/

The Lesson by Roger McGough

https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-lesson/

Mrs Stein By Bill Dodds 

https://www.poemhunter.com/allan-ahlberg/

Where in the world are teachers most respected

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/12/teachers-where-most-and-least-respected/

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-46063947

https://www.anefore.lu/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/EURYDICE-THE-TEACHING-PROFESSION.pdf

European teacher salaries and other statistics

https://www.euronews.com/next/2023/07/05/teachers-pay-which-countries-pay-the-most-and-the-least-in-europe#:~:text=Annual%20gross%20starting%20salaries%20of%20teachers%20(2020%2F2021)&text=Leaving%20aside%20Luxembourg%2C%20the%20annual,than%20half%20the%20German%20figure.

Maya Angelou about her teacher:

https://www.boredteachers.com/post/celebrities-teachers-changed-their-lives

If you have any ideas, suggestions or feedback, please send us an email at: 

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