Category: Writing

This new generation urban dictionary shows just how fast the world is changing.

The use of lanquage should be of interest to all bloggers. A new generation of words is constantly being created by smart hip urban young people that is often rich in expression. The words can also be brutually direct and not at all flattering. The following is an example, one that will update daily.

Check out this page for a new urban dictionary word a day. If you have teen age kids or older it may allow you to keep the communication lines open to them. You will have an on going effort to make. If you are over 30 it will probably seem like the English lanquage is being used in ways that you never imagined it could be.

“Mobs, Messiahs, and Markets” by William Bonner and Lila Rajiva. Surviving the Public Spectacle in Finance and Politics.

William “Bill” Bonner is the President and CEO of Agora, Inc. , a leading financial newsletter publisher. One of the better known financial newsletter publications in the world is “The Daily Reckoning” and is published by Agora. Bill frequently shows off his considerable writing skills by writing feature articles for The Daily Reckoning.

Lila Rajiva is an author and political journalist who wrote “The Language of Empire” , which analyzes the media coverage of the US in Iraq Abu Ghraib prison scandal.

In “Mobs, Messiahs, and Markets”,  Bill and Lila use their rare and skillful writing talents to corroborate on a book which examines the way that humans act in crowds and are influenced by the actions of groups and voices of authority. One of the conclusions is that  individuals in crowds often lose their ability to think independently and will engage in actions, at times even violent and foolish ones, that they would never undertake on their own.

This adaptation of a crowd or mob mentality spills over into almost all that we do and is especially evident in the world of politics, financial matters, and public opinion. People will believe the craziest things if they are presented as being a popular and accepted belief.

Mobs, Messiahs, and Markets is a good entertaining read that explores serious minded material in a way that will often make you laugh out loud. However, the result of reading the book is far more useful.

After a thoughtful read you will be better able to defend yourself against the nonsense put forth daily by market shills, talking heads, media outlets, and sadly your own government. The spin masters know how people’s thinking can be manipulated and used to their advantage. Mobs, Messiahs, and Markets provides you with the tools to think for yourself.

The CIA has it own way of doing business and has its own highly descriptive vocabulary.

Michael Weston should know. After working for the CIA for twenty years he was suddenly terminated.

He received the dreaded “burn notice.” An official statement was put out on Michael by the CIA to other agencies, domestic and foreign, that he is unreliable.

What a way to end a glorious career as a secret operative, commonly know as a spy.

He should have know that he was set up. After all he is an expert at making people think one thing is going on while exactly the opposite is taking place. Misinformation is a big part of the spy game.

If only he hadn’t told the boss he was collecting information on that beautiful Russian agent from Moscow. Well, he was collecting information, it just wasn’t the kind of information that the agency expected him to collect.

Michael always did have a weakness for tall slim redheads. It was bad luck that they ran into his boss in the hotel lobby. With all of the fancy five star hotels in London he thought that was the last place he would be seen by his CIA boss.

His boss had some nerve to spy on them while they were busy at the hotel. Then to have a waiter show up at his hotel room door at 2:00 AM with the video clip evidence on a silver tray was really too much.

It was the hand written note saying “hot stuff, you have been burned” that let Michael know his CIA life was over. Darn. He would miss that unlimited expense account.

Of course there are always two sides to a story. To hear the other side visit USA Network’s Burn Notice. But be careful. You may be under surveillance.