'♥,' 'OMG,' and 'LOL' added to the dictionary

The Oxford dictionary recently added a list of words to their dictionary added several words that they called "noteworthy" additions. These words are what have previously been called "text talk" but it is claimed that they are being used more and more even outside of texting. Initialisms such as LOL and OMG are abbreviations that have the first letter of each word. This is the first instance where T-shirts have actually inspired the creation of a new word-- ♥

I am somewhat supprised by this. People like Mr. Fleming are very opposed to using "text talk" and letting it flow into any of our writing because of its notorious informality. I wonder if it will in fact become accectable in the future and normal to use abbreviated language. Of course I realize that there has continually throughout time been additions of slang to language and that is largely how language changes over time. That is the reason that we have difficulty understanding Shakespeare, who actually wrote very informally for his time. And that is just middle english, if you go back to old english it can harly even be understood by present day english speakers. I am glad that our language is being reinovated in new and interesting ways.

Original Article: http://digitallife.today.com/_news/2011/03/24/6335138-omg-and-lol-added-to-the-dictionary

Japan braces for economic aftershocks

After the 8.9 eath quake that hit near Japan, there is not yet a verdict on the human toll but its range is in the hundreds. Tens of thousands have evacuated their homes and the 23 foot tsunami swept away people, cars, houses, boats and planes. With many factoris shut down and widespread damages to multiple facilities, there is an anticapted aftershock for specific companies and industries. However, for Japan's overall economy there will no be a very big effect.

This horendous disaster frightened me as I thought of what it would be like to have my hope destroyed or even the possiblity of having family members or close friend killed by a tsunami. There is no telling what personal losses have been inflicted upon the general popualtion and some of the industries at large by the wrath of this natural disaster, even if the earthquake will not have a large effect on Japan and therefore the worlds economy. We must think of this disaster in those turns beyond the effects on the economy and realize that this must have been a scarring and traumatic event for many Japanese citizens, as well as something to consider for future time when a similar catastrophe can be hopefully avoided, or at least cushioned with more preparation.

Original article: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42029262/ns/business-world_business/

Death row inmate gets Supreme Court help

Hank Skinner, a death row inmate, was sentanced to death on the account of murdering 3 people in the first degree. However, after a plea that went all the way to the suprem cout, he has bought himself more time by saying that DNA has been withheld by the state and not propperly tested. The argument against letting the DNA be tested was that it could really just be used as a way to buy time.

I think that it is good that the court ruled on the side of the defendent. We must be as lenient as possible when dealing with the matters of life and death. The laws say that one cannot only be convicted and punished when the defendent has been proven guilty beyon a reasonable doubt, and the right to live must be protected as carefully as possible by those who make and interpret the law. The amount of time that might be gained according to the opposition by the delay created in administering the penalty is negligble compared to the chances that an innocent man may be executed. All that being said, it would have made more sense if the DNA had been tested earlier and this could have saved a lot of time and trouble.

original article: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41949275/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/

Hiring may begin to pick up soon, data suggest

In the article I read, there is a reported decrease in unemployment and unemployment (the amount of people seeking jobs) is the lowest that it has been in 3 years. This is believed to be the result of the economy improving. During the recession companies have cut pay and decreased employment but if the economy continues to improve they may be able to start hiring again. Increased jobs would also mena a probable increase in consumer spending.

I believe that this is in a way good news and in a way bad news. It is true that a decrease in unemployment means people will be better able to support themselves because of the increase in income. It helps the government because it no logner has to help out the jobless by givin them unemployment benefits. So the economy will be more stable and thus America will also better be able to compete with the rest of the world. However, I do believe that we can increase our production and our industies to a formidable level and yet not get caught up in it. When we are encouraging spending so much we keep on thinking about how we can increase the economy but we are not able to enjoy what we already have. I believe that we need to keep moving forward but not push forward so hard that we become rigid and too competitive.

Original article: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41885150/ns/business-stocks_and_economy/

Demystifying Islam in a strained Britain

Britain relationships with Muslims, including their own Muslim population is strained since "the deadly July 7, 2005, bombings on subway trains and buses in London and the bungled attack targeting Glasgow Airport in 2007" and the Muslim population is only continuing to grow. An organization called Quilliam is aiming to calm tensions and stop descrimination toward Muslims and shift the attention to the extremist Islamists who are the ones perpetrating attacks.

I think that the organizations should fight harder to get recognition of the truth about Islam. I personally know about Islam and its some of its foremost figues suchd as poets Hafiz and Rumi. Surely these are the farthest from the kind of people that would want to harm anyone as is shown through their poems which talk only about Love and unending devotion to God. It is difficult to say how we can deal with the extremist Islamists, but I think that their ideas are only strenthened when we demonize them and make them into ememies. Perhaps there is some way that we can further understanding of how we can pecefully appease them or come to terms somehow.

Originial Article: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41642329/ns/world_news-europe/