An employee shows a toilet freshener in the office of German consumer goods company Henkel in Kiev August 13, 2013. Henkel has pulled a toilet freshener from the Eastern European market after complaints from Ukrainians who said it looked too much like the former Soviet republic's flag. A television advertisement for the Bref Duo Stick freshener run in Russia caught the attention of Ukrainians - many of whom watch Russian television - this month. In the ad, the yellow-and-blue freshener which is shaped like a small flag is put under the toilet rim.GLEB GARANICH/Reuters
Welcome to Talking Points, a daily roundup of digital miscellany
FRESH COMPLAINTS
A toilet freshener made by Germany's Henkel has been pulled after Ukrainians complained it looked like their national flag. Henkel's general manager explained the colours represented water/hygiene and lemon, but the product was pulled anyway, three days after the company noticed the complaints.
ENGLISH 101
Literally no longer means literally. Well, it means "literally," but it also has a new meaning: figuratively. That's right. English just got a whole lot more confusing. Now, this isn't particularly new for the word – literally has meant more than just "in the literal or strict sense" (dictionary.com) for some time now. In 1837, for example, The Guardian points out, Walter Scott wrote in Chronicles of the Canongate, "The house was literally electrified; and it was only from witnessing the effects of her genius that he could guess to what a pitch theatrical excellence could be carried." It's just we've gotten a little bit less … classy. "I literally died when I saw Justin Bieber" is a not-unheard-of sentence in this day and age, and though of course the person didn't "literally die," they could argue they did "in effect; very nearly; virtually" (dictionary.com) die. Back to English 101 we go.
CHOOSE TOONS
Choose Your Own Adventure is moving into the digital age. The books you loved as a child are coming back in a bigger and better way, with animation included. The creator of the popular series R. A. Montgomery and publisher Shannon Gilligan, are even raising funds for it in the most 21st century way possible: on KickStarter! That's right – they're looking for $130,000 to start an iPad series (and then shortly, Android). The series is being called Choose Toons and the first will be about robots being built in the readers' parents' garage. As with all of the beloved books previous to this, there are various endings (11 in fact) with different paths to lead you there (20 story branches) and the goal is a positive ending. And, if you donate $30 or more, you can become a beta tester and give feedback on the project.
QUOTED
"I have to say that I thought search and rescue duties over Snowdonia were physically and mentally demanding, but looking after a three-week-old baby is right up there." Prince William
The Duke of Cambridge spoke in Wales on Wednesday about being a dad. He also told the gathered crowd his son was "of course extremely good looking."