My favorite silly thing about the new administration.

[FatDave]

Because all the podiums are set up for President Obama height, whenever anybody else speaks at one, they look incredibly short. Like they almost have to stand on their tiptoes to see past the microphone. They're going to need to put hydraulic height adjusters in them or something.

[TechBear_Seattle]

1. The podium is where he stands, from Greek podion, diminuative of pous, foot

The piece of furniture that holds the microphone is the lectern, from Latin lectrum, from lectere, "to read."

There you go: two words of the day. :hi:

[FatDave]

4. OK, you just schooled a vocabulary geek.

That's needed from time to time.

I always thought if it had its own base, it was a podium, and a lectern was a table-top model. But I don't know if I had any justification for thinking that.

[TechBear_Seattle]

5. Podium and pew actually share linguistic roots

Podium also refers to a wall's support base, or even a low wall itself; such low walls were places to sit in amphitheaters and gardens, which is where the word "pew" derives. This gives another way to remember: people sit on the podium.

[patrice]

2. or that kind of thingee that's on the bottom of your office chair, just lift the lever

and let it rise or push it down.

[customerserviceguy]

3. I noticed that with Rev. Lowery

I could barely see the man's face!