We’ve been discussing the changing nature of the English language a lot here this week (from the rise of public English to the acceptance of “like”), but if there is one thing that’s consistent in language, it’s the word “huh.” Linguists have studied 31 languages that all contain the interjection, making it one of the first universal words.
Huh?
The Only Real Currency
“Produce like no one is listening. Distribute like nobody’s watching. Contribute like you’ve never been hurt." Here is lil' sweetheart Karl Marx like you've never seen him before -- what a romantic!
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My Book Didn’t Influence Terrorism
Ashwin Sanghi first published his book, The Rozabal Line, on Lulu.com under the anagram Shawn Haigins. A revised edition of the book was published by Westland Ltd. & Tranquebar Press much later, and garnered controversy with readers pointing out similarities between its plot and the 26/11 terrorist attack on Mumbai. Sanghi's response? "Any book based on research could have real life commonalities."
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Rowling: Billionaire, Petty Criminal, Both?
J.K Rowling is a vandal! The billionaire and author of the Harry Potter series left her mark in an Edinburgh hotel room when she scribbled some graffiti on the back of a decorative bust back in 2007. "J.K. Rowling finished writing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in this room on 11 Jan 2007," it reads. Oh, I suppose that's okay.
In Thrall of Print Mathematics
Former nytimes.com design director Khoi Vinh tries to renew his digital subscription to the paper, and it doesn't go well: "The total customer experience here is haphazard at best, and, at worst — I hate to say this because I am still friendly with many people at the company, but in truth there’s no way around it — it’s insulting."
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Oscar Wilde’s Love Letters Discovered
“No dress, just ourselves and a flask of Italian wine”; "Till Thursday night. This is all wrong, isn't it.” A collection of love letters written by Oscar Wilde to a young male magazine editor have been discovered.
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