The ‘Save the Last Word’ campaign, discussed previously here, has resulted in the some words being rescued from the Collins Dictionary cut, as reported by ABC’s Lingua Franca programme: ‘embrangle’ and ‘fubsy’ got popular support; three technical words, ‘compossible’ and ‘apodeictic’, and ‘agrestic’, were judged too useful in their respective fields of philosophy and perfumery; ‘periapt’ was saved by the D&D community (but poor old ‘malison’ was failed by the SF community); and ‘skirr’ was championed by teachers on behalf of their students studying older literature.
You can get the video podcast or audio podcast of Michael Chabon giving a talk at UK Berkley including a reading of Gentleman of the Road or ‘Jews With Swords’ as he calls it. It’s an entertaining listen – the man is seriously funny.
As you could not have failed to notice this week, it’s the 200 year anniversary of Darwin’s birth. Take the opportunity to familiarise yourself with one of the most powerful scientific theories of all time, the theory of evolution by natural selection (note: the theory centres around the method ie natural selection, not whether or not evolution actually happens ie it does. Also note that scientists use the word ‘theory’ differently than the lay population ie please don’t bother me with emails along the lines of ‘it’s just a theory’ because you’re just flaunting your ignorance when you do).
Yesterday was Library Lovers’ Day for Australia’s libraries…and having been without it for three years, let me tell you: I Love My Local Library. Libraries are an amazing resource and every time you go and check out a book, DVD, game, magazine, puzzle etc, or use one of the many community resources and activities they offer, host, or organise, you help maintain their funding and their validity. Go there today and take your children.
Or sit home and watch Neil Gaiman read The Graveyard Book chapter by chapter on last year’s book tour.
