J. Davy Crockett III

The uses of words in our language changes and evolves constantly. Our burgeoning technology brings with it new words, some of which seem meaningless. Who knew what a “selfie” was until the ubiquitous smart phone made digital cameras and the transmission of photos so popular—particularly in conjunction with social media and YouTube, where one’s everyday activities are shared with the world? What else has changed?

Many people in the USA are deeply concerned about the admission by the National Security Agency (NSA) of eavesdropping on private, personal telephone calls and the monitoring of e-mail. “Leaks” or revelations made by Julian Assange of WikiLeaks, who is reportedly taking refuge in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, and more recently, Edward Snowden, who has sought asylum in The Russian Federation, have set the diplomatic community on edge.