Lexicographer and editor Grant Barrett rips the Wall Street Journal a new one over their horriful trend/scare story today on the devolution of Americanlish and the rise of chat-speak and how the kids are destroying all things and whatevs. The story includes this choice bit: "'There used to be a time when people cared about how they spoke and wrote,' laments Robert Hartwell Fiske, who has written or edited several books on proper English usage, including one on overused words titled 'The Dimwit's Dictionary.'" Oh was there, ya slaggy old bit popper?

Grant Barrett from World New York has analyzed the price of Metrocards in excruciating detail. "Seeking clarity," he writes, "I've put together four charts, outlining the various costs associated with using certain MetroCards across different time periods. You can download them in PDF form." You'll never have to think about Metrocards again (if you ever did.)
Metrocard analysis [World New York]