Virtual minute markets; Green lung; Blaster

[Bapopik at AOL.COM]

    Greetings from Pretoria.  There has been a move this week to change the
name to Nelson Mandela City.
    Jeez, just when you get the hang of that marching song...

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AMERICAN-FRENCH DICTIONARY ("HOW TO SPEAK AMERICAN")

    There's an interesting article in the 7 July 1999 INTERNATIONAL HERALD
TRIBUNE on "How to Speak American," about an English-French dictionary by Ted
Stanger.

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VIRTUAL MINUTE MARKETS

    I don't have time to check, but the MAIL & OBSERVER (South Africa), July
2-8, 1999, pg. 30, col. 1:

_Bidding on the virtual market of time_
Young Internet companies have found a niche conducting online auctions in
"virtual minute markets", Karlin Lillington reports.

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GREEN LUNG

    I've heard of a "green thumb."  The MAIL & OBSERVER (South Africa), July
2-8, 1999, pg. 32, col. 1:

_No walk in the park for boss_
A woman who managed a Katlehong park has taken charge of 340 of
Johannesburg's "green lungs", writes _Luvuyo Kahaza_.

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HOOKER (continued)

    The MAIL & OBSERVER, July 2-8, 1999, pg. 46, in an ad for a Sports
Election:  "This time you can vote for a hooker."

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BLASTER

    From the MAIL & OBSERVER, July 2-8, 1999, pg. 4, cols. 1-2:

_A rose..._
     South Africa, which has long boasted responsibility for the first word
in the _Concise Oxford English Dictionary_--aardvark--(oh alright then, at
least after "a") may be about to add to its tally of contributions in the
hallowed work, albeit in a manner that does not reflect well on our
lifestyle.  The compilers have disclosed that the word "blaster" has made it
into the database of words they are considering for inclusion--allegedly as a
South Africanism meaning a flame-thrower built into a car to deter hijackers.