We told you earlier this week about a report from an anti-Trump publication that claimed to have good sources saying President Trump was considering firing DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and replacing her. . . .

TRUMP'S JOB IS TO STAY FOCUSED ON THE ECONOMY. If you want to see why President Donald Trump is visiting Pennsylvania to talk about affordability, and why he is planning rallies on the topic around the country in the coming weeks, just look at the simple question asked in the new Harvard CAPS Harris poll: "What would you say are the most important issues facing the country today?" The question was open-ended, and respondents could name more than one issue. The top concern, named by 36% of those surveyed, was price increases, inflation, and affordability. The No. 2 issue, named by 29%, was the economy and jobs. Put them together, and economic issues were by far the most important issue named by the voters in the poll.

President Trump is stepping out of his White House bubble to address economic gloom; we expect he'll make time to listen as well as speechify. He needs to be careful: Slamming Democrats' talk of "affordability" as a "con job" is readily twisted to make it seem like he doesn't think people are suffering. We realize that he means that Dems are responsible for the nation's current woes; they can't credibly claim to be the party of strong economic growth, which is the only way out of this box.

Language is so fun. Though English has technically existed for well over a thousand years, today's modern version of the language is nearly unrecognizable from its roots in Old and Middle English. Over time, words and phrases evolve and transform in both pronunciation and meaning. New words are created, and many older words die out.Some antiquated words, however, manage to survive the passage of time even if they're not regularly used in everyday conversation or writing. How can they hold on without ever actually being used? By being "fossilized.""A fossil word is a word that appears primarily in the context of a specific phrase. Words can become fossilized either because they grow antiquated or because they're replaced by other words in common speech. But the phrase in which they appear remains," says author and etymologist Jess Zafarris in a TikTok video: @jesszafarris Fossil words! #fossilwords #etymology #grammar #language #idioms #history #wordnerd #battle #religion #edutok #etymologytok #linguistics This definition makes the term "Fossil Words" make perfect sense. Imagine an ancient bone or tooth that, instead of withering away in the open air, gets embedded into rock and soil and is thus preserved. Similarly, we use many of these extremely old and outdated words regularly, but in the context of these idioms and phrases even though we likely have little idea what they mean on their own or where they come from. Here are a few of the most common and fascinating fossil words:1. Ado - as in, "Without further ado.""Ado" is a Middle English word from the 1200s meaning "fuss, bustle, or activity." It's rarely used outside of this specific phrase or in the title of the Shakespeare play Much Ado About Nothing.2. Bate - as in, "With bated breath""Bate" (not bait) is another 800-year-old Middle English word that's a shortening of the word "abate" which means to suppress or diminish.3. Vicarious - as in, "Living vicariously"Zafarris says "vicarious" has been fossilized multiple times. Originally of Latin origin, "vicariously" initially was used to describe dying, mostly in the case of "Jesus dying vicariously for humanity's sins." Later, the phrase "living vicariously" became popularized. You can do other things vicariously, of course, but it's pretty rare to hear the word outside of this phrase.4. Figment - as in, "A figment of your imagination"This word comes from Middle English in the 15th century and refers to something "made up," or "a fable." You might hear of something being a "figment" of someone's mind, psyche, dreams, or imagination, but rarely anything else.5. Avail - as in, "To no avail""Avail" is an old one, tracing back to the 14th century. It means "advantage toward attainment of a goal or purpose." The verb form sometimes circulates, as in "to avail yourself of" meaning "to take advantage of."6. Moot - as in, "A moot point"You guessed it: more Middle English. "Moot" actually has a fairly specific origin, which Merriam-Webster explains: "The adjective moot followed a few centuries behind the noun moot, which comes from mōt, an Old English word meaning 'assembly.' Originally, moot referred to an Anglo-Saxon deliberative assembly that met primarily for the administration of justice. By the 16th century, functioning judicial moots had diminished, the only remnant being moot courts, academic mock courts in which law students could try hypothetical cases for practice."These days, points and arguments are often the only things that can be moot, or not worthy of further discussion. Animated GIF Giphy 7. Petard - as in, "Hoisted by your own petard"You can blame Shakespeare (again) for this catchy idiom, which few people know the true meaning of. In the strictest sense, a "petard" is a firework or explosive. Merriam-Webster breaks down the idiom's origin from Hamlet: "'For 'tis the sport to have the enginer / Hoist with his own petar.' Hoist in this case is the past participle of the verb hoise, meaning 'to lift or raise,' and petar(d) refers to an explosive device used in siege warfare. Hamlet uses the example of the engineer (the person who sets the explosive device) being blown into the air by his own device as a metaphor for those who schemed against him being undone by their own schemes."8. Lam - as in, "On the lam""Lam" came about in the 1500s to describe a sudden or hurried escape, usually from law enforcement. You'll rarely hear the word outside the phrase "on the lam," although it's sometimes used as a verb: "Lam it," meaning "to flee quickly."9. Shebang - as in, "The whole shebang""Shebang" is much more recent compared to many of the words on this list, first being used in the late 1800s according to Merriam-Webster. It means "everything involved in what is under consideration," which makes the phrase the "whole shebang," a little bit... redundant. That's probably why you rarely hear about only "part of the shebang."10. Vim - as in, "Vim and vigor""Vim" is simply an outdated word for having high energy and enthusiasm. It's rare, but not unheard of, to see it used without being attached to "vigor" as well.11. Wreak - as in, "Wreak havoc""Wreak" is an extremely old (12th century) word meaning "to cause or bring about," but what's brought about is almost always bad. You can wreak havoc, destruction, chaos, and not much else. That's because its etymological origins are tied to ideas of anger and vengeance.12. Fro - as in, "To and fro"Old English meaning back or away, and not, as is commonly believed, "from."13. Bide - as in, "Bide your time""Bide" comes from Middle English meaning "to stay, linger, wait expectantly, hope for, undergo." Technically, there are other things you can bide, but time is by far the most common these days.14. Beck - as in, "At your beck and call""Beck," of course, is closely related to the more modern "beckon," which is a hand signal or nod used to get someone's attention or draw them closer to you. Beckon is still used but "beck" is pretty much extinct outside of this fossilized form.15. Amok - as in, "Run amok"We might say, "The kids are running amok in the house!" these days, but in the 1600s "amok" had a much more specific, and violent, meaning. According to Merriam-Webster, a person (usually a man) afflicted with "amok" would..."Attack bystanders in a frenzy, killing everyone in sight until he collapsed or was himself killed."Fossil words also include a subcategory of words that aren't really words at all, but have evolved and morphed only within the context of a specific phrase. For example: @pbsdigitalstudios Let’s examine some not-so-extinct words with @Dr. Erica Brozovsky! Did any of these surprise you? Let us know what you think in the comments, and catch up on full episodes of Otherwords by heading to PBS Storied on YouTube! #words #english #fossilwords #history #shakespeare @PBS 16. Tarnation - as in, "What in tarnation?!""Tarnation" is not really a proper word that exists outside of this specific usage. Etymologists say it originated in the 1700s as an alternation of "darnation" combined with "tarnal," which was a mild profanity at the time.17. Druthers - as in, "If I had my druthers..."How about this one: "I'd rather..." -> "I'd ruther" -> "Druther"... A word created out of dialect, "Druthers" refers to the thing you'd rather, or ruther, have.18. Caboodle - as in, "The whole kit and caboodle""Boodle" is an old word of Dutch origin meaning "a crowd, lot, bunch, or bundle." The ca- or ka- in front of boodle was likely added for fun alliteration (to go with "kit" ) when the phrase became widely adopted in the 1800s.19. Nother - as in, "A whole nother""Nother" is not actually a word in the common, modern sense. The word "another" was split into two parts, with "whole" inserted in the middle, for emphasis in the 19th century—similar to something like fan-freaking-tastic, which is known as a tmesis.Another fun fact: Sometimes fossilized words get confused for their more modern derivatives and variations. For example, the expression is "champing at the bit," but people often write it as "chomping." This is known as an eggcorn.Now you know that when using these everyday idioms, even if they've become overused and cliche, you're actually helping to keep a part of English history alive. Well done!

Voice actor Tawny Platis has become a viral sensation with her wide range of voiceover talents and videos demonstrating a variety of different voices. But one video that explores the evolution of teen girl voices in television and film over the last 75 years has people praising both her voice acting talent and the history of female representation she's providing. Platis describes her video as "A very brief and at times hyperbolic look into the evolution of how teenagers have been portrayed in film and tv from the 1950s until today." Some of it is from her own experience and observations in the industry, but she shared that she also referenced more than 30 different academic and media sources to explain what contributed to the differences between the decades. See on Instagram The best part is that she explained each vocal shift while actually using the stereotypical teen girl voice of the decade. "Teenagers in the 1950s had higher-pitched, perky, breathy voices that signaled they were squeaky clean and conformed with traditional family values," she said. "Post WWII prosperity had created a generation with disposable income and leisure time, which had never really happened before, and sure does explain an awful lot." A classic example of this 1950s teen girl is Gidget. - YouTube www.youtube.com A big shift happened in the '60s, though, and the girls' voices took on a whole different tone, a much deeper one. "By the 1960s, teens were either partying on the beach or really into counterculture, man. It reflected two distinct responses to social upheaval, either living in a bubble of upper-middle-class wealth or rebelling against the status quo by embracing far-out but groovy ideas like peace and love," she said.The '70s saw the teen girl voice drop even deeper, as "disillusionment and a loss of innocence due to counterculture failing to change society" led to jadedness. "Nobody was trying to be good or revolutionary. They were either trying to survive or embracing disco hedonism." - YouTube www.youtube.com Then came the Reagan-era '80s, where teen girl voices went back up an octave, added "like" every other word, and reflected the "conspicuous consumption" that led young women to "perform vapidities as a form of privilege." Rich and safe again, "we're just going to act like nothing bad ever happened." (Think "valley girl.") The '90s saw the angsty Gen X teen girl, "materialistic and largely privileged, but self-aware and ironic," which dropped the voice way down again. Vocabulary from the '80s spilled over into the '90s, but was delivered "with an eye roll instead of a giggle." Alternative and grunge culture arose in response to things like the fall of the Berlin Wall. This decade was marked by "aimlessness and detachment, but genuine care." - YouTube www.youtube.com Then came 9/11 and soon after "a return to superficial concerns after brief unity." Reality TV replaced the "90s sarcastic speak" with the dreaded vocal fry, "which was often used to sound more authoritative and professional." (Platis points out that this came about after girls and women had been criticized for "uptalk.") As the 2010s rolled in and social media became popular, a voice that indicated authenticity came along, partially in response to "a growing backlash against fakeness." Platis said, "Teen girls stopped trying to sound like reality stars and started trying to just sound like themselves." A class consciousness also came into play that made conspicuous consumption less attractive. - YouTube www.youtube.com And now the 2020s, in which we've seen a shift from "authentic vulnerability to hybrid performance that reflects the generation's unique position as digital natives who've seen all previous iterations of teen culture archived online and can literally consciously choose elements from each era, as well as just hijack any words they like from AAVE and the drag community." The isolation of the pandemic years also resulted in a "hyperaware and genuinely expressive" tone. That sounds about right.People love Platis's breakdown, but one of the best comments came from Amanda Palmer, who described how all of these changes reflect some of the real-life expectations women often feel surrounding their voice:"Can we just talk about the incredible value to women and girls, period, about understanding how much of what we consider our 'authentic' voice really is a construct of so many inputs and cultural norms and expectations. I was so shocked when I went into vocal surgery (for nodes) in 2007 and was told that I was 'pushing my voice' down. And indeed I was. And I still have to constantly try to wrestle myself away from the habit. But years on the road with men and in a male industry has definitely left its mark. Finding my true voice, the one without weight on it, and damage wrought by using it, is a lifelong goal. Always working towards it. Amazing work, thank you so so much. ??"You can follow Tawny Platis on Instagram and TikTok.

Sometimes Gen-Xers just want to feel seen, something that doesn't always happen for us. So when a YouTube account called Null Parade created a Gen X–themed ad inspired by Dos Equis, many in this latchkey sandwich generation truly showed their love.In a video titled "The Most Gen X Man in the World - Dos Equis Ad," the description reads: "He was raised in malls, still listens to grunge music, and approaches life with one sacred philosophy: whatever. He is... the most Gen X man in the world." The Most Gen X Man in the World. www.youtube.com, Null Parade We see a man in his late 40s or 50s (it's Gen X, who can really tell?) sitting in a sad cubicle, sighing. A voiceover shares, "He waited 20 years for boomers to retire, only to be told millennials were the future."We next see him sitting on a couch, playing a video game and wearing a red-and-black, '90s-style checkered shirt. The voiceover continues, "He once spent the entire weekend alone…" The screen cuts to a child playing a video game in an arcade. "…at age nine."Shots of him staring at the iCloud on his computer are juxtaposed with him nodding on what looks like a date. "He treats The Cloud the same way he treats horoscopes—with confusion and deep distrust."Cut to: he's sitting on a therapist's couch (same '90s checkered shirt, disheveled hair, 5 o'clock shadow). "He once tried therapy. It didn't go well." The man then speaks, sarcastically telling her, "Everything's just super. Can't you see the joy leaking out of my face? So how much does Big Pharma pay YOU to get guys like ME on pills?""He grew up on microwave dinners and Mountain Dew. Which is why he has to take Tums five times a day." We then see him "not" meditating behind an old-school, '80s-style boombox. "He doesn't meditate. He blasts grunge until the emotions go numb." A Gen X kid watches MTV with a TV dinner.Photo Credit: YouTube, Null ParadeOn a hopeful note, we then see a child drinking from a garden hose, while the sun sparkles behind him. It cuts quickly to our Gen X guy drinking from a pool hose, and it's slightly less enchanting. "He still drinks from garden hoses from time to time. Not because he's thirsty, but because it tastes like danger."Now we see him with various technology, like televisions and remotes. "His approach to fixing technology is simple. Blow on it first, hit it second."Now he's driving. "He still refers to re-starting a song on Spotify as… 'Alexa, rewind the tape.'""His wardrobe hasn't changed since 94. Faded band tee, flannel, cargo shorts and sneakers that are old enough to drink. Boomers respond with anger. Millennials respond with anxiety. And him?" He looks directly into the camera and says, "Couldn't care less."He walks slowly through a deserted parking lot. "He still gets emotional walking past abandoned malls." Flash to a young child looking overjoyed to be surrounded by an Orange Julius and a KB Toys. The voiceover carries on, "Because those places raised him better than anyone else did." A Gen X man plays video games.Photo Credit: YouTube, Null ParadeOur Gen X guy stares suspiciously as an orange lava lamp floats behind him. "He suspects the government is lying, corporations are evil, the Wi-Fi is listening, but he's too tired to give a damn." He looks up and says, "Enjoy the soundtrack of my misery. It's boring as hell."He stands between an older boomer and younger millennial. "He's the middle child of history, overlooked, underappreciated and ignored his entire life. But he's used to it."We now see a backlit shot of him sitting in the garage. "He is… the most Gen X man in the world." As he sits on a dirty recliner, he holds a bottle of beer and says with purpose, "I don't always drink. But when I do, it's to give even less of a f**k. Stay Gen X, my friends."The comment section lit up, at least as much as a group of Gen X-ers can. Many of the comments are pure self-compliments. "None of us aged a day," one person writes. "We were all 30 the day we were born." Another adds, "We grew up on hose water and neglect. We were feral. It was glorious." A Gen X kid drinks water from a hose.Photo Credit: YouTube, Null ParadeSo many feel totally seen: "Scrolling through the comments here and it feels like I totally made it home." This YouTuber astutely adds, "The happiest person is one who accepts who they are. Warts and all. That's Gen X. We're not worried about the future, because we've already imagined and accepted all the negative possibilities, and made peace with them."And perhaps the most Gen X comment of them all? "I'm 57. I approve this message, but I really don't give a f#$%."