The Guardian reports that "socialism" was the most looked-up word on Merriam-Webster's site this year, a change the American dictionary publisher attributes to US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, who has positioned of himself as a "democratic socialist".
As a socialist (or communist) myself, I personally think it's great that especially people from the United States try to figure out the meaning of the word beyond McCarthyism. I'm glad that people show interest in politics and finding out about positions of candidates.
Past years winners are available on Wikipedia.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday December 19 2015, @12:59AM
I know! I know! Call on me, Teacher khallow!
Thomas Jefferson, Louisiana Purchase. He was also going to buy a bridge in Brooklyn from the same people, but it hadn't been built yet.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Saturday December 19 2015, @02:43AM
Thomas Jefferson, Louisiana Purchase.
No. Let's read the post that kicked this off.
GP is right. That 28% of the land that the federal government "owns" wasn't bought, it was appropriated by executive order. When the Feds can executive order any bit of land they want, then they own all of it, whether accounting books say so or not.
The Louisiana Purchase was a purchase from a foreign power, France. Hence, it doesn't qualify as an example for two reasons: it wasn't appropriated by executive order and it wasn't obtained from US citizens.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday December 19 2015, @07:50PM
OK, Not Tom Jefferson. How about Alaska? The Gadsen Purchase? Southern Ontario on the Plains of Abraham? Manhattan? Palau? Is there any way I can get extra credit?