regional news stories on Newser

Actually, There Are Seven Americas

Kevin Spak — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:31:26 CST

Where do your friends live? For most people, the answer is “nearby.” PeteSearch compiled data from 210 million public Facebook profiles, mapping where our friends connections are, and found some tight regional clustering—and some big divisions. The blog breaks the country into seven distinct groupings: Stayathomia: People in this...

French Wine Industry Tanks, But It Still Makes Best Vino

Harry Kimball — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 17:53:21 CDT

The French wine industry is in a tough spot, Mike Steinberger writes on Slate. “It is hemorrhaging market share abroad, domestic consumption continues to plummet, and thousands of vintners are in desperate financial straits.” What’s more, “the appellation system that regulates much of French viticulture is a shambles.” Sounds bad,...

Safety Worries Mount as Regional Airlines Soar

Matt Cantor — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 11:26:54 CDT

Regional airlines have risen to new heights in recent years as major carriers outsource to the smaller firms. But as the regional outfits have grown, so have safety concerns, reports the Chicago Tribune . Pilots for the smaller airlines are often driven by modest salaries to work overtime, and some wonder...

Pungle, Nebby, Oh My! Folksism Dictionary Is Almost Done

Drew Nelles — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 14:36:01 CDT

Do you know what a “mumble squibble” is? How about a “elbedritsch”? When the final volume of the Dictionary of American Regional English comes out next year, a decades-in-the-making collection of odd vernacular from across the country will be complete at last, NPR reports. "It's very helpful because it's really...

Discomgollifusticated? Check This Dictionary of Vernacular

Harry Kimball — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 04:53:23 CDT

The Dictionary of American Regional English, a 40-year lexicographical labor of love, will be competed next year, Good reports—with compilers finally making it to Z. The tome, which revels in local disparities, has been a boon not only to word lovers; it helped bring down the Unabomber through his...