Lexical Compendium

Wait... what is this? Sometimes I come across a word, phrase, idiom, quote, reference, bit of slang, person of interest, etc that either I don't know or I find amusing, interesting, etc. This is a collection of those items so that I can refer back to them in emails, texts, etc.

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DSKY

An acronym for Display Keyboard (pronounced diskey). This was the interface that Apollo astronauts used to communicate with the computers on the Command and Lunar Modules.

I first came across this acronym while watching the television series For All Mankind.


(link to this entry)

References:

  1. IMDB: For All Mankind
  2. Smithsonian: DSKY - A Smithsonian description and image of a DSKY.

Tags: television , space , astronaut , apollo

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ICE

An acronym for Internal Combustion Engine. This acronym seems to be bandied about a lot during automobile discussions, especially when discussing electric vehicles (EVs).


(link to this entry)

References:

  1. Wikipedia: ICE

Tags: engine , acronym , cars

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IEEPA

The International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA, pronounced "eye-EE-puh") is a U.S. federal law enacted in 1977 that grants the President broad authority to regulate commerce and impose economic sanctions during a declared national emergency related to external threats.

IEEPA was signed into law by President Carter as a response to the Iran Hostage Crisis.

The act is frequently used to enforce sanctions against foreign governments, organizations, and individuals involved in terrorism, cyber threats, or other destabilizing activities.

In January 2025, President Trump used these powers to enact tariffs on Canada and Mexico using the external threat of illegal immigration and drug trade (specifically fentanyl).

Update: on 02 April 2025, President Trump declared another national emergency in order to use his IEEPA powers. This time the emergency was posed by the large and persistent trade deficit that is driven by the absence of reciprocity in our trade relationships and other harmful policies like currency manipulation and exorbitant value-added taxes (VAT) perpetuated by other countries. This emergency was used to implement broad and sweeping tariffs against most contries. (See White House "fact sheet")

Update: on 28 May 2025 judges ruled that Trump's usage of IEEPA exceeds what the Constitution permits. Obviously this will be appealed.

Update: on 05 November 2025 the Supreme Court held a hearing on whether or not the Trump administration has the authority to impose tariffs under IEEPA. [1]


(link to this entry)

References:

  1. WSJ: Supreme Court Appears Skeptical of Trump's Tariffs
  2. Letters from an American: May 28, 2025
  3. NYT: What Is the International Emergency Economic Powers Act?
  4. US Code: Title 50; Chapter 35 - WAR AND NATIONAL DEFENSE; INTERNATIONAL EMERGENCY ECONOMIC POWERS
  5. Wikipedia: International Emergency Economic Powers Act
  6. The American Presidency Project - Executive Order—Imposing Duties to Address the Situation at Our Southern Border
  7. Cafe: ‘No Reason for Disturbance’: The Birth of IEEPA and President Carter’s Asset Freeze on Iran
  8. White House: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Declares National Emergency to Increase our Competitive Edge, Protect our Sovereignty, and Strengthen our National and Economic S

Tags: politics , economy , government , acronym

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