Morning In America


“Things that I thought were unacceptable a few years ago are now commonplace in my house,” she said, “like all four of us starting the day on four computers in four separate rooms.”

"Technology has shaken up plenty of life’s routines, but for many people it has completely altered the once predictable rituals at the start of the day.

This is morning in America in the Internet age. After six to eight hours of network deprivation — also known as sleep — people are increasingly waking up and lunging for cellphones and laptops, sometimes even before swinging their legs to the floor and tending to more biologically urgent activities." (New York Times)

Okay, But What Does KUTGW Mean?


"Kate Washburn didn’t know what to make of the email a friend sent to her office with the abbreviation “NSFW” written at the bottom. Then she clicked through the attached slideshow, titled “Awkward Family Photos.”

"It included shots of a family in furry “nude” suits and of another family alongside a male walrus in a revealing pose.

"After looking up NSFW on NetLingo.com—a Web site that provides definitions of Internet and texting terms—she discovered what it stood for: “Not safe for work."

As this article in today's Wall Street Journal demonstrates, you probably should have some sort of basic reference document at your disposal in order to de-code the bewildering number of abbreviations cropping up in today's social discourse.

"The consequences of misunderstanding the lingo can be mortifying. Cassandra McSparin, 23, of Jim Thorpe, Pa., knew a woman whose friend’s mother had died. The woman texted her friend: “I’m so sorry to hear about your mother passing away. LOL. Let me know if there’s anything I can do.”

"It turns out she thought LOL meant “Lots of love.”