Shouts & Murmurs

Emoticons During Wartime

Tom McNichol
December 10, 2007

:-)        0;    No new attacks reported today.

 

:-(        0;    New attack reported today.

 

=|:-)=       Th is e-mail is being monitored by Uncle Sam for your protection.

 

:-x        0;    I’d rather not say in an e-mail that’s being monitored for

             my protection.

 

:-w        0;    Our current leader speaks with forked tongue.

 

*:o)       
60;   Our current leader is a bozo.

 

/:-=(       &# 160;  Our current leader in some ways resembles Adolf Hitler,

        & #160;        at least in his disregard for civil liberties during wartime.

 

:-o        0;    Uh-oh, what was that?

 

:-@            I hear screaming.

 

B)         ;    Now donning protective goggles.

 

.-)        0;    Good Sammy Davis, Jr., movie on tonight.

 

<|-)           Yes, the current conflict resembles Vietnam.

 

+<:-)       0; Pope to make appeal for peace.

 

(:3        0;    No, I am the Walrus.

 

:(=)       
60;  Interesting Jimmy Carter piece in today’s Times.

 

[:-)        0;   I’m listening to my iPod.

 

3:-o       
60;  Bovine encephalitis attack!

 

:-)8       
60;  Latest George Will column still doesn’t get it.

 

@:-[--      New Osama bin Laden message released.

 

8-/        0;    Local chemical attack causing blindness.

 

:-#        0;    Kiss your ass goodbye. ♦