Popular Culture

24 November 2003


Voice Recognition Software Can't Handle Southern Drawl
It appears that the software engineer who wrote the voice recognition program for the Police Department of Shreveport, Louisiana, was some kinda damnyankee. The local version of the English language, not dissimilar from that of William Faulkner, James Baldwin and Flannery O'Connor, cannot be parsed by the software. Of course, those fine authors gained fame for writing, not speaking. For more, click here.

Freddy Adu, 14, Signs With DC United
America's Major League Soccer hasn't quite caught fire the way fans in the US had hoped. The quality of play has improved in the last few years, and there are signs that the league's financial picture makes it viable for the long-term. But something has been missing, something to get excited about. Last week, the MLS found it. DC United signed Freddy Adu, age 14, to a contract. He could be the answer to the game's prayers -- if his handlers don't blow it. Click here to read on.

Britney Spears Gets Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
Britney Spears got her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her achievements in the record business. On the strength of three albums (her fourth came out the day the star was unveiled), she gets a star. One would think that this honor reflected incredibly, other-worldly talent. Miss Spears isn't bad as a pop singer, but the fact is the star doesn't quite rank as a knighthood. Click here to read more.