BBC NEWS | UK | Tax staff breach data security

[Roger Hird]

In article <4f989bd384roger.hird@argonet.co.uk>,
   Roger Hird <roger.hird@argonet.co.uk> wrote:
> In article <4819A1C6.6685.6EEE8F@davidh.spidacom.co.uk>,
>    David Hansen <davidh@spidacom.co.uk> wrote:
> > So, it is now a business. Fascinating.

> It's current Civil-Service-speak: just as taxpayers are "customers".  

> But actually what civil servants do has always been "business" in the
> dictionary sense: "public business" - though it's a rather 19th century
> term.

Off topic but fascinating - first use of the term "public business" seems
to be attributed to one N. Machiavelli (Old Nick, indeed) in The Prince in
1513.  That should please David!  First reference in English - 1709.

-- 
Roger Hird
roger.hird@argonet.co.uk

Running RISCOS 4.39 on an Acorn StrongARM RiscPC