FrontPage Archive - May 2009
Created | Updated Jun 1, 2009
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1 May 2009
The Shagbark Tree - This primarily a North American species of tree stands 30m tall when mature.® George Formby, Entertainer - His career as a comedian, actor, singer and songwriter lasted for 40 years.
® Twenty Years After, the Novel - Alexander Dumas's follow-up to The Three Musketeers.
QOTD: Nuts were comparatively sweet prior to the introduction of refined sugar
5 May 2009
How to Survive a Karaoke Evening - No matter how bad a singer you are, the host will have heard worse. Probably.® Cuckoo-spit and the Froghopper - The origin of a white, frothy substance found on certain plants during the spring and early summer.
® Benjamin Franklin, Politician and Scientist - Born in Boston, he started life in poverty as the eighth of ten children.
QOTD: But then, he got a scholarship to Sandhurst, in case you didn't know, …
6 May 2009
Chitting - Something the amateur gardener should consider in order to get a nice healthy crop - for use in the kitchen and out.The Noddy-Shot - UK broadcasting jargon for a well-established television production technique which sprung to prominence in 2007.
® Eddie the Eagle - At the 1988 Winter Olympics, plasterer Michael Edwards had a Warhol-esque moment of fame as his alter ego.
QOTD: So, how do you enforce a "responsible raining area" or a "no tornadoes zone"?
7 May 2009
Lana Turner, Actress - During World War Two, this American icon took to the railroads and toured the country selling war bonds.Sarah Baartman - Her life is seen by some South African women as symbolic of the exploitation many of them have been through.
® The LBW Law in Cricket - 'Leg Before Wicket' is just one way in which the dismissal of a batsman can be achieved.
QOTD: 'If we dont go to the beach soon, it will be closed and I wont get to build any sandcastles.'
8 May 2009
Making Carrot Juice - We are informed that 'whatever truck the gods on Mount Olympus drank was swill compared to this.'The Ligne Claire School of Comics - These striking publications use the distinctive style of art pioneered by Hergé, inventor of Tintin.
® Notifiable Infectious Diseases in the UK - Timely Entry on the oldest national system for collecting statistics on communicable diseases.
QOTD: Who do you think will get the nod this year? The guy who sets fire to drains, maybe? Or the one who draws little arrows on your ceiling with a pencil?
11 May 2009
Sir George Sitwell, Baronet and Eccentric - A fine tribute to the designer of a small pistol for shooting wasps.The Lewisham Rail Disaster - A combination of events caused the worst ever accident on the Southern Region of British Railways.
® The Empire State Building - This New York skyscraper is probably the best-known and best-loved of all tall buildings.
QOTD: Liter? Lighter? Who cares? How can they do it, and retain the texture?
12 May 2009
How to Play NIT - Should you ever find yourself bored on a long car journey this game may help you while away the hours.Joseph Merrick, the 'Elephant Man' - Merrick was born with Proteus syndrome, a genetic disease which caused his head to overgrow.
® Waiting for Godot - This iconic play by Samuel Beckett is probably most famous for the fact that nothing much happens in it.
QOTD: You'd better tell me where that is...my plan to have a curry and a pint on Christmas Day 2013 could be in jeopardy!
13 May 2009
The Modern Jazz Quartet - The distinctive vibraphone-heavy music of this combo has been described as 'chamber jazz'.HOTOL, The British Space Plane - This ambitious idea was a joint project between British Aerospace (BAe) and Rolls Royce.
® William Hague MP - He became Conservative Party leader in 1997 after Labour's landslide defeat of John Major's Tory Government.
QOTD: Rhubarb. I'm already fed up of crumble, and what is basically crumble with icecream and without the crumbly top. … What else can I do with it?
14 May 2009
The Mental Health Act (1983) - In England and Wales, individuals can be detained for assessment and treatment.The Immortal Jellyfish - These incredible hydrozoans, given the right circumstances, get younger and younger, achieving immortality.
® Syke, Lower Saxony, Germany - Syke is a small town of approximately 26,000 inhabitants situated south of Bremen in northern Germany.
QOTD: Ach...you'd do it. You know you would.
15 May 2009
Bohr and the Bomb - Had one Danish physicist been as self-assured as his peers, history might have taken a different course.Retinopathy of Prematurity - As the name suggests, this is an eye condition that affects some premature babies.
® Bodhrans - These instruments provide the backbone rhythm of Irish dance music, although too many can be a bad thing.
QOTD: The words of our understanding are not full enough to tell what is the truth of the campfires in the sky.
18 May 2009
Positioning the Bridge on a Mandolin - Mandolins are fretted musical instruments, but unlike the guitar, most have a movable bridge.The V-Bomber Ejector Seat Scandal - Absorbing look at the history behind the lack of an effective means of escape for rear crew.
® Charades - For hundreds of years the game of charades has kept people entertained with amusing pieces of mime.
QOTD: What you want is a thing called a "body polisher"...
19 May 2009
Shakespeare's Ophelia: 'Cursed'? - Many actresses who have played this character have suffered bad luck; is it just a coincidence?The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence - This body advises which medications and procedures should be free on the NHS.
® The Exeter Book of Old English Poetry - A fine Entry on the largest single surviving collection of Anglo-Saxon Poetry.
QOTD: 2legs falls over (same link again), video and then discuss it in the blog (link to teh blog,), … (then a final extra link to teh same '2legs falls over' video'
20 May 2009
Project Daedalus: Interstellar Spacecraft - The first serious investigation into the feasibility of interstellar spacecraft.® University of Cambridge, UK - Many of the University buildings are of historical interest, and the museums contain many rare items.
® Iced Tea without Boiling Water - A refreshing drink for a summer's day, this is a recipe which doesn't even require a kettle.
QOTD: They can wreak unbelievable destruction in a single night. … Hence, with all apologies to our eponymous researcher. They must DIE!
21 May 2009
The Crown Jewels - Described here as 'the ultimate bling', they are under heavy security in the Tower of London.® Harpsichords - This instrument's place at the centre of nearly all Baroque ensembles has ensured its healthy survival.
® Settling Complicated Bets with a Calculator - Bet-settling is a disappearing art-form, or more accurately, a disappearing science.
QOTD: Maybe preview adheres to the many-worlds view of time/choice/future and thus it should undercaption the display with 'This is what your posting *may* look like in just one of many possible futures'.
22 May 2009
Fire and What Can Be Done About It - It has served as inspiration, been praised and cursed, and very often feared.® Early Air-to-Air Combat - The aircraft of 1914 were not intended as fighters but to 'scout' for the enemy.
® Harry Houdini - His real name was Ehrich Weiss and his first brush with showmanship began when he was nine years old.
QOTD: right up until the last 5 minutes I thought it was great. Sad, funny etc etc. Then it got silly.
26 May 2009
Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanova - In 1901, Anastasia was born into a powerful family that ruled the second largest empire known to man.The Martian Moons: Phobos and Deimos - Unlike other moons, Phobos and Deimos are not spherical; instead they rather resemble potatoes.
® Glasgow, Scotland - With a strong industrial background, Scotland's largest city lies on the west coast, straddling the River Clyde.
QOTD: Most common mistake at the moment is putting the space inbetween the wrong two charcters, lik ethis, all the right notes, just not necessarily in the right order
27 May 2009
The Swastika and the Sauvastika - Galaxy Babe's 200th Entry takes a look at the long history of a now-controversial symbol.Endometriosis and Adenomyosis - Symptoms may take years to develop, and thus older women are more likely to be affected.
® Reindeer - Rangifer tarandus is found in the colder regions of Europe and North America and is domesticated in many parts.
QOTD: Can the grottiest-looking part (in the body) be eaten? Rather, should it be?
28 May 2009
Well Dressings of the English Peak District - This custom originated within the English Peak District of Derbyshire and Staffordshire.® Monty Python: the Stage Shows - Although famous for their TV and film work, most of the group started their careers in theatre.
® Why People Lie - There are white lies, which do little damage; and black lies, which can cause harm when the truth is found out.
QOTD: Would it help if I said I want to be buried with my sword, to confuse future archaeologists?
29 May 2009
Purple - An outstanding read that looks at the fascinating, diverse history of a colour synonymous with regality and good fortune.'Wlonk' - the Word - A lovely word belonging to the Arthurian age whose pronunciation remains a mystery.
® The Five-card Trick - Excellent Entry to help you learn a killer party trick that'll leave your mates mightily impressed.
QOTD: Not when you're doing it on flat, straight, empty country trails. It'd be insanity to do it at any other time.
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