Why Drag It Out? - Jen Doll
An investigation into what inspires soooo many people to toss extra letters into their text messages Nishant Choksi "Hiiiii," he texted. Rest assured: I am an adult. My phone buzzed again. Evvvvverywherrrre, from instant messages to texts to tweets and even e‑mails, I see examples of what language watchers call “word lengthening.” For the past five years, Sali Tagliamonte, a linguist at the University of Toronto, has been gathering digital-communications data from students. But why is anyone adding extra letters in the first place? Ben Zimmer, a linguist and lexicographer, notes that elongations, like emoticons and initialisms (OMG! Tagliamonte suggested a test: try communicating with someone I was close to without using elongations, and see how quickly I’d get a response of “What’s wrong?” “I could kiiiinda tell,” he wrote.
Diagnosing the Wrong Deficit
Though I treat a lot of adults for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, the presentation of this case was a violation of an important diagnostic criterion: symptoms must date back to childhood. It turned out he first started having these problems the month he began his most recent job, one that required him to rise at 5 a.m., despite the fact that he was a night owl. The patient didn’t have A.D.H.D., I realized, but a chronic sleep deficit. I suggested some techniques to help him fall asleep at night, like relaxing for 90 minutes before getting in bed at 10 p.m. Many theories are thrown around to explain the rise in the diagnosis and treatment of A.D.H.D. in children and adults. For some people — especially children — sleep deprivation does not necessarily cause lethargy; instead they become hyperactive and unfocused. We all get less sleep than we used to. One study, published in 2004 in the journal Sleep, looked at 34 children with A.D.H.D. But it’s also possible that A.D.H.D.
Twelve facts about guns and mass shootings in the United States
When we first collected much of this data, it was after the Aurora, Colo. shootings, and the air was thick with calls to avoid "politicizing" the tragedy. That is code, essentially, for "don't talk about reforming our gun control laws." Let's be clear: That is a form of politicization. When political actors construct a political argument that threatens political consequences if other political actors pursue a certain political outcome, that is, almost by definition, a politicization of the issue. It's just a form of politicization favoring those who prefer the status quo to stricter gun control laws. Since then, there have been more horrible, high-profile shootings. If roads were collapsing all across the United States, killing dozens of drivers, we would surely see that as a moment to talk about what we could do to keep roads from collapsing. What follows here isn't a policy agenda. 1. Mother Jones has tracked and mapped every shooting spree in the last three decades. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
Fear of a Black President - Ta-Nehisi Coates
As a candidate, Barack Obama said we needed to reckon with race and with America’s original sin, slavery. But as our first black president, he has avoided mention of race almost entirely. In having to be “twice as good” and “half as black,” Obama reveals the false promise and double standard of integration. The irony of President Barack Obama is best captured in his comments on the death of Trayvon Martin, and the ensuing fray. Part of that conservatism about race has been reflected in his reticence: for most of his term in office, Obama has declined to talk about the ways in which race complicates the American present and, in particular, his own presidency. The reaction to the tragedy was, at first, trans-partisan. By the time reporters began asking the White House for comment, the president likely had already given the matter considerable thought. VIDEO: Ta-Nehisi Coates talks with Atlantic magazine editor Scott Stossel about the anger behind this article. And yet Spud Webb lives.
10 Fashion Hotspots You Should Know About | The Stylitics Report
When we think of exploring fashion travel destinations, the same places usually come to mind: New York City, Paris, London, and Los Angeles. However, we think it’s about time to push your travel boundaries by exploring some hidden fashion destination gems. New fashion oases are popping up, so we’ve scouted the best ones to add to your travel itinerary this summer. Keep reading for the 10 fashion hotspots that you don’t want to miss! 1. This “Ocean State” may not seem like a fashion haven, but it is actually home of StyleWeek Northeast, a 20th Century Fashion exhibit, and RISD (Rhode Island School of Design). 2. This city is known for its history and diversity: over 100 dialects and languages are spoken here. If you love some good thrifty/vintage finds, head out to Oakland’s Rockridge District, located on College Avenue. 3. If you’re looking for some incredible vintage shops, head on over to Columbus! 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Written by Emily Malis, Marketing intern at Stylitics.
15 TED Talks That Will Change Your Life
This Word Is Earth | Paper Tape
By Harmony Button Begin with a definition: we know where to go. We become thoughtfully troubled that despite being called “The Dictionary,” there is not only one, but in fact, many, many different dictionaries. Like a child discovers that the authority of one parent does not always completely coincide with the authority of the other, so we find that The Dictionary offers a deceiving sense of unity. We compare our parents. Merriam’s spine is cracked and tired, and her pages drag. I introduce a source the students soon name “Ed” because the O is silent, like in Oedipus! No, says another, his name is Owen. I am secretly delighted. In my free time, I should drink less coffee, take more trail runs, sleep at least eight hours every night. Next level: I suggest that, like his Dino colleagues, a Thesaurus is, at most, an approximation of the truth. How much of our self-story is made up of memory-myth and reconstructed past? And my world was never quite the same. So why wasn’t I happy? That was me.
A Killer In Your Fridge ~ Sweet Poison…A MUST READ | Rhonda Gessner
In October of 2001, my sister started getting very sick She had stomach spasms and she was having a hard time getting around. Walking was a major chore. It took everything she had just to get out of bed; she was in so much pain. By March 2002, she had undergone several tissue and muscle biopsies and was on 24 various prescription medications. She put her house, bank accounts, life insurance, etc., in her oldest daughter’s name, and made sure that her younger children were to be taken care of. She also wanted her last hooray, so she planned a trip to Florida (basically in a wheelchair) for March 22nd. On March 19, I called her to ask how her most recent tests went, and she said they didn’t find anything on the test, but they believe she had MS. I recalled an article a friend of mine e-mailed to me and I asked my sister if she drank diet soda? I told her not to open it, and to stop drinking the diet soda! Well, she called me, and said her doctor was amazed! Yes! Dr. Dr.
