Tech Buzzwords Make Shortlist for Word of the Year (Mashable)

The Oxford English Dictionary has chosen its (two-word) word of the year: Squeezed Middle. Last year's word of the year was big society, and the word of 2009 was unfriend. Those who spend time on Twitter might have guessed that OWS, occupy or 99% would have come out on top this year. They didn't come out on top, but they did make the shortlist, alongside some notable tech buzzwords. Gamification, clicktivism and crowdfunding made the U.S. shortlist, while hacktivism, sodcasting (playing music on your phone's speaker in a public place) and -- not surprisingly -- phone hacking made the UK list.

[More from Mashable: Retweet & Sexting Are Now Words In Oxford English Dictionary]

Here's the full U.S. shortlist for 2011's word of the year, along with OED definitions:

• Arab Spring: A series of anti-government uprisings in various countries in North Africa and the Middle East, beginning in Tunisia in December 2010.
• Bunga bunga: Used in reference to parties hosted by the former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, at which various illicit sexual activities were alleged to have taken place.
• Clicktivism: The use of social media and other online methods to promote a cause.
• Crowdfunding: The practice of funding a project or venture by raising many small amounts of money from a large number of people, typically via the Internet.
• Fracking: The forcing open of fissures in subterranean rocks by introducing liquid at high pressure, especially to extract oil or gas.
• Gamification: The application of concepts and techniques from games to other areas of activity, for instance as an online marketing technique.
• Occupy: The name given to an international movement protesting against perceived economic injustice by occupying buildings or public places and staying there for an extended period of time.
• The 99%: The bottom 99% of income earners, regarded collectively.
• Tiger mother: A demanding mother who pushes her children to high achievement using methods regarded as typical of Asian childrearing.
• Sifi: A bank or other financial institution regarded as so vital to the functioning of the overall economy that it cannot be allowed to fail, a.k.a. "systemically important financial institution."

The English language is ever evolving. Retweet and sexting were added to the dictionary in August, and earlier this year, Oxford acknowledged LOL, .

[More from Mashable: Is Phone Hacking Ever Justified? [OPEN THREAD]]

This story originally published on Mashable here.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/digitalmusic/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/mashable/20111126/tc_mashable/tech_buzzwords_make_shortlist_for_word_of_the_year

pirates of silicon valley htc flyer tablet htc flyer tablet hank williams bruins steve jobs stanford commencement speech black star

Big plays help No. 11 MSU beat Northwestern 31-17 (AP)

EVANSTON, Ill. ? Keshawn Martin returned a punt 57 yards for a touchdown just before halftime and Kirk Cousins threw two TD passes to B.J. Cunningham as No. 11 Michigan State warmed up for next week's Big Ten championship game by beating Northwestern 31-17 on Saturday.

The Spartans had already wrapped up the Legends Division title and a berth in the league championship game next week. Now they have the best record in the division, as well, and 10 victories overall (10-2, 7-1).

Cousins threw a 33-yarder to Cunningham in the third quarter and hit him again on a juggling 29-yard TD pass with 5:17 left to complete a 93-yard drive. It was the 62nd career touchdown pass for Cousins, breaking the school record held by Jeff Smoker (61).

Northwestern (6-6, 3-5) had its four-game winning streak snapped in the regular-season finale and now hopes for a bowl bid. The Wildcats closed to 24-17 early in the final quarter on Dan Persa's 12-yard TD pass to Demetrius Fields, set up by a clutch fourth-down pass from Persa to Jeremy Ebert.

The Wildcats got the ball back at the MSU 47, but a holding penalty and Jerel Worthy's sack of Persa forced a punt and then MSU went on its long, game-clinching drive.

Martin sprinted in on his 57-yard punt return with 34 seconds left in the half as Michigan State scored two touchdowns in the final 1:40 of the second quarter and took a 17-3 lead at the intermission.

With the score tied at 3-3, Northwestern was driving when Treyvon Green fumbled after a hit by Max Bullough and Michigan State's Denzel Drone recovered at the Spartan 3 with just more than five minutes left in the half. Northwestern called a timeout ? presumably to have the play reviewed ? but Michigan State retained possession.

MSU then took off on a 97-yard drive ? Cousins hit Brian Linthicum for 15 yards and heaved a 46-yarder to Martin that carried to the NU 7. Le'Veon Bell then carried the final 7 yards for a TD, completing an eight-play march that put the Spartans up 10-3.

The Spartans defense then forced a Northwestern punt and Martin fielded Brandon Williams' boot, broke to his right, signaled to blockers and sailed in for a 17-3 lead. The two TDs came just 66 seconds apart.

Northwestern responded quickly once the second half began.

The Wildcats' Drake Dunsmore got wide open on a blown coverage, hauled in a Persa pass and raced downfield on a 69-yard play before he knocked out at the 3. One play later, Persa flipped a 2-yard TD to Jeremy Ebert and two minutes into the third quarter, Northwestern was back in the game at 17-10.

But Cousins had a third-down keeper of 8 yards for a first down to keep the Spartans moving. And then on a third-and-13 he rolled out and avoided the rush before making a beautiful throw to Cunningham for a 33-yard TD that made it 24-10.

Cousins completed 14 of 20 for 214 yards on a drizzly overcast day and Cunningham had six catches for 120 yards. Michigan State's league-leading defense came up with six sacks. Persa completed 23 of 32 for 245 yards and two TDs.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111126/ap_on_sp_co_ga_su/fbc_t25_michigan_st_northwestern

earthquake today droid razr oklahoma news atomic clock earthquake map giants geoffrey mutai