January 19th, 2005 - Jon

[An open letter to The Word Geek:- Plus an apology. I had been previously told that the word "news" had been derived from North East West South, but taking upon "The Word Geek"'s comments left on the letters page, I was in fact misinformed with that titbit of information, and indeed the word is derived from "New thing". Well spotted, Mr. W Geek.] When I read the letters page and got criticised for my mis-informed history, it did make me think about how many people read my columns, and all the letters on the website. I wasn't too sure my columns were being read by people, as I had had no feedback, and since it is all news, some of it is irrelevant now. But have a think about this:- I had absolutely no idea that "The Word Geek", as he calls himself would be reading my column and would e-mail in with a critique. As I write this, I can confidently assume that The Word Geek has no idea I am writing this, or that I have read his letter. I played a concert with my temporary band on the 13th at my school, and I bet none of them have any idea they are on my family camera; and when I went on holiday, we filmed the landscapes and the beaches and got hundreds of people on film, who didn't even know about it. So, at the risk of inducing paranoia into you all, how do you know when or when you are not being filmed? Or when one of your articles or stories or something is being read, or being critiqued. Someone could be writing you a letter at this very moment, regardless of what time you read this column. Even if you are, I don't know about it! "It's a small world after all."