WORD ORIGINS -- Is a scintilla a small scint? Actually, no, but it does refer to something small. "Scintilla" is often used in a negative sense, as in "not a scintilla of evidence against my client," said the lawyer. The word derives from the Latin verb "to sparkle," and the noun form denotes a spark. A related word in English is "scintillating," as in "sparkling." This time out, however, it carries a positive connotation.
PRINTOUT -- Sarcasm is wasted on the young, destructive to the old, and useless against the self-righteous. Not only that, it's hard to do in print.
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