Dive into the archives.
- Offending nationalist sensibilities?
In last week’s The Economist the Director of the International Bureau for the Democratic Party of Japan wrote in to criticise one of the magazine’s covers, pictured below.
You made fun of our respected nation’s name on a cover that is sold on newsstands all over the region. This conduct is equal to burning a national [...]
- Mapping the extinction of languages
Throughout history languages have transformed with moving populations. Sometimes they transform right of existence. I was never one to get weepy about dying languages. I have always thought it a fact of history. But I do regret lost cultural artefacts, as well as the potential for linguistic and cognitive research. National Geographic’s Enduring Voices Project [...]
- Volapuk
In the book Spook Country William Gibson paints a picture of Cuban-Chinese gangsters who do parkour and communicate through a manufactured language called Volapuk.
Gibson describes Volapuk through the character Milgrim on page 16:
When the Russians got themselves computers, the keyboards and screen displays were Roman, not Cyrillic. They faked up something that looked like Cyrillic, [...]
- Strategic communication
The latest Principles of War seminar series featured John Rendon of the Rendon Group who spoke on the topic of strategic communication. This is an issue dear to my heart as a former PR man with a technology bent familiar with the monolithic industrial-age government department system and its lack of timely communication capability.
Rendon hits [...]
- Diplo speak
Hilarious sign at UNHQ, NY. Photo by Blake Hounshell.
- Lost in Translation?
In the very public row over Russia’s refusal to extradite a suspect to Britain in the poisoning murder of Alexander Litvinenko, the headlines in the western press are focusing solely on Putin’s statement that Russia is not Britain’s colony:
Russia’s not your colony, says Putin – Times Online
Putin Attacks UK `Colonial Thinking’ in Murder Row [...]
- Jamba what?
From the Wikipedia article (with sources):
Prior to 2007, the company website of Jamba Juice claimed that “Jamba” derives from the “African” word “Jama,” which means “to celebrate, taking care of body, mind and soul is a way of celebrating life.” The etymology has since been removed from the company’s website. Direct e-mails to [...]
- 13 minutes with Fergie on Iraq
Fareed Zakaria interviews Niall Ferguson in an episode of Foreign Exchange. Old Fergie has a thing or two to say about Iraq, comparing it to the Eastern Europe of the 20th century of all places! Give it a look below and wot wot! to the Chief for the link.
