The apparent gibberish at right is actually an excerpt from O.J. Simpson's July 1994 arraignment, as taken in stenotype by court reporter Janet Moxham.  She and colleague Chris Olson captured every single word uttered in the proceedings (up to 320 per minute) more accurately than a tape recorder -- which can't ask mumblers like Kato Kaelin to speak up. 

Their machines allow words or phrases to be typed in one swift stroke, creating a phonetic stream of syllables on the paper tape.  Just 17 letters, struck in combination like piano chords, stand in for all 26.  It's a curious system:  The word "hundred," seven strokes on a typewriter, is written in one motion: "H U PB D" -- the "PB" represents "n" on the right side of the keyboard and the tape.  But "not" is written "TPH O T" because different keys make an "n" on the left. 

Confused yet?  It gets even stranger:  Hitting all the consonants at once, "STKPWHR FRPBLGTS," means the judge is talking.  And reporters also invent their own terms.  On Olson's tape, O.J. Simpson is "JOS," but on Moxham's, he is "OJSIM." 

Whatever the notation, computer links to stenotype machines give judges and attorneys an instant English translation.  By typing "rude," Olson sends them a message:  "Please speak one at a time." 

Technology hasn't yet solved the problem of lawyers interrupting each other.