tinyurl.com/yxxt -> www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/biztech/12/12/microsoft.swastika.reut/index.html
The swastika, which was made infamous by Nazi Germany, was included in Microsoft's "Bookshelf Symbol 7" font. That font was derived from a Japanese font set, said Microsoft Office product manager Simon Marks. Microsoft said it will release other tools at a later date to remove only the offending characters. A form of the swastika has been used in the Buddhist religion to symbolize the feet or footprints of the Buddha. The symbol, which was also used widely in the ancient world including Mesopotamia, Scandinavia, India and the Americas, became common in China and Japan with the spread of Buddhism. German dictator Adolf Hitler adopted the swastika as the symbol of the Nazi Party because of its nationalist identification, according to the Los Angeles-based Simon Wiesenthal Center, an international Jewish human rights group. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Story Tools 34 Click Here to try 4 Free Trial Issues of Time!
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