by Suw on August 10, 2005
It's always amusing to see which words the Oxford Dictionary of English has chosen to include in its tome each year. This year, though, it's even cooler than usual, because not only have they decided that the word 'podcast' is widely used enough to warrant inclusion, but I also know the person who coined it.
I can't imagine that. Coining a word that ends up in the ODE. Without wanting to sound too fangirlish, that is really fucking cool. Because of Ben, the word 'podcast' exists, and now it's in the dictionary. Wow.
UPDATE: Thanks to Chris W for pointing out that it's the confusingly titled Oxford Dictionary of English, not the Oxford English Dictionary. I think I'm going to start a competing title, the English Dictionary of Oxford. Or maybe the Dictionary of Oxford English. There's definitely a need.
by Suw on August 10, 2005
Kate and I have finally taken some photos of the jewellery I made (with her assistance) on the weekend. They don't really do the glass justice, so when I get back to Dorset I might well have a stab at doing some more.
Kate's jewellery really is gorgeous – if you want to buy some from her (and it's all for sale) then drop her a line. She'll even do you a custom-made piece if you'd like.
by Suw on August 10, 2005
You find yourself saying “Yeah, but he looks really hot in armour”.
Ok. So. Armour. Or skirts. That narrows down the field a bit.
by Suw on August 10, 2005
by Suw on August 10, 2005
Wired reports on a Department for Transport pilot scheme to test RFID chipped car numberplates here in the UK, with battery powered chips that can broadcast their identity up to 300ft. Considering that we don't have that many toll bridges or roads here, and the congestion charge is limited to London, I wonder what the justification for this would be. What problem do we have that RFID chipped plates would solve?
If they want to use RFID chips to allow people to pay bridge tolls or the congestion charge, why make them embedded in the number plate and not a hand-held device one could leave in the glove compartment or transfer from car to car? If it's about geolocation of stolen cars, well, we already have transponders you can buy that can do that for you.
So what is it about? Identifying speeding motorists as they go past speed cameras? Would the rise in income from fines justify the cost of chipping 25 million cars on our roads? Or is this about location and prosecution of tax and insurance evasion? Trouble is, the DVLA claim they can do from their desks now just by checking their database, so that's not a compelling argument either.
So let's see: The government are wasting our money testing an expensive solution that doesn't actually solve any real problems and which no one in their right minds would want. If they tell us it's for 'security' and to 'crack down on terror'… well, words fail me.
