As an editor, one of my triggers is phrases of the form "I work for the elimination of ambiguity". I shun them. I prefer to work to eliminate ambiguity. I do so because "it's a fact the whole world knows" that nounifications are harder to understand.

Now I read, in The Economist, that "presenting ... statements in noun form" -- I support the division -- "reduced feelings of anger" compared to the verb form -- I support dividing.

One of the key problems online is to prove that you are who you say you are. If you are, then I can allow you to do certain things.

These two things are usually called authentication and authorisation.

We had a quick trip to Venice a few weeks ago, which included a good mix of the old and the new. A new restaurant was the Antica Osteria Ruga Rialto, a favourite haunt of a new friend. Having eaten cuttlefish twice already, I decided to try something new, green gnocchi with shrimps.

After a frustrating afternoon pursuing deep geekiness (with some progress, and which I may write more about) I decided to cheer myself up by continuing the endless, thankless and probably pointless task of bringing old posts over here. Three of the five aroused intense memories.

• There was the da...

Phil Howard, of Michigan State University, casually let slip in our conversation about concentration in the food industry that a brewery in Australia had been fined for faux craft beer. I had to investigate. Its quite an interesting story.