FrontPage Archive - March 2009
Created | Updated Apr 1, 2009
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2 March 2009
Talking With Cats - A very satisfying Entry this, examining just how one might address a cat and also how to interpret its response.'Maggie Thatcher, Your Boys Took a Hell of a Beating' - A piece of sporting commentary which has entered English folklore.
® The Greek Alphabet - Used throughout Greece and in parts of Cyprus; if you are going to these regions, it's well worth learning the alphabet.
QOTD: I tend to doodle flowers
3 March 2009
The Hows And Whys Of Equine Cleaning - Grooming your horse has many benefits; most of all it is an excellent way to bond with it.Anton Seidl, Conductor - His big break came when, on Wagner's recommendation, he was appointed to the Leipzig State Theatre.
® A Garden Wormery - An efficient, easy and environmentally friendly way of converting ordinary garden and kitchen waste into compost.
QOTD: That's a pretty earthcentric prejudice you got there mate.
4 March 2009
The Chimps' Tea Party - Zoos are educational places these days, but for much of the 20th Century they were principally for entertainment.Melvin Burgess: Author - Considered a controversial yet captivating writer, Burgess's books are among the most influential of recent years.
® Living Statues - A popular form of street theatre whereby an actor will strike a pose and then stay very, very still.
QOTD: What food plants could be grown on a balcony?
5 March 2009
Is It Safe to Cycle? - There's been a resurgence in the popularity of cycling due to congestion, fuel prices and environmental concerns.The MacGuffin - It's not a flatulent Scottish seabird, but a mysterious object used solely as a plot device in various story-telling media.
® The Favourites Icon - You may have noticed a small graphic or icon lurking next to the URL in your browser address bar.
QOTD: Dating is a bit like a mans fancy silk tie or a womans fancy hair-do.
6 March 2009
Robert Burns: The Ploughman Poet - Dead at 37, but alive long enough to leave behind a stunning body of work.David Beckham's Red Card, St Etienne 1998 - Concerning Beckham's 'moment of madness' and the unwarranted vilification that ensued.
® The Word 'Well' - Today we pay homage to one of the most versatile words in the English language, the extraordinary word 'well'.
QOTD: What should I read next, and why?
9 March 2009
The Agen Prunes of Lot-et-Garonne - Unlike the dried plums of so many school dinners, Pruneaux d'Agen are juicy, soft and sweet.The Princes in the Tower - Two main theories have sought to unravel the 600-year-old mystery surrounding the two sons of Edward IV.
® Final Straw, the Snow Patrol Album - One of 2004's best-selling albums, it was in the UK Top 50 for over a year.
QOTD: I just spent £100 on a painting. I work for the NHS in a shed.
10 March 2009
An Idiot's Guide to Trolling - Trolling is the intensely annoying act of deliberately starting arguments on message boards.Down's Syndrome - The most encountered chromosomal disorder, affecting physical appearance and the ability to develop mentally.
® Animals that Freeze Solid - An Entry on animals who survive winter by freezing solid but who then thaw out when spring arrives.
QOTD: Are larks really happy?
11 March 2009
Audience Participation in Pantomime - There are some events that can turn a group of British people into a highly emotional baying mob.A Time Capsule in the Vaults of the Paris Opera - In 1907 lead urns containing recordings of the greatest stars of the era were buried.
® Bushido and the Warrior Arts - It's often associated with the concept of knightly chivalry in Europe, and certainly there are similarities.
QOTD: When it is a jar.
12 March 2009
Occurrences of 42 in Astronomy - The number that clearly demonstrates the meaning of life also crops up a lot in astronomy.Denial of Service Attacks - There are many ways in which a hacker can bring down a server or Internet connection.
® Texas Hold'em: the Poker Game - A game most players maintain 'takes a minute to learn and a lifetime to master'.
QOTD: No - I've never seen Star Wars. And now it's become an ambition to maintain this sorry state of affairs.
13 March 2009
The New Organic: Eating Locally - Fresh food is on the agenda more than at any time since WWII, fuelled by a number of factors.The Pipe Organ - It's one of the most complex constructions built by pre-electronics humankind and the loudest musical instrument by far.
® International Dining Etiquette - You've got your tickets, your money and your passport and all that is lacking is that social polish.
QOTD: Cos wivout a gud edukashun us wimmin wudna know how to turn the washy thing on!
16 March 2009
People You REALLY Need to be Nice to in the Office - Generous advice on how to navigate the choppy waters of office politics.English Chartered Markets: The Home Counties - The charter gave towns certain rights to hold markets on a particular day or days.
® The History of Toothpaste and Toothbrushes - The socially conducive practice of cleaning one's mouth dates back as far as records exist.
QOTD: If you read it and think 'I'm not *that* brilliant', then that's the right tone.
17 March 2009
Lauren Bacall, Actress - This iconic actress was born Betty Joan Perske on 16 September, 1924, in Brooklyn, New York.The End of the SS Canberra - An account of the fate of the erstwhile passenger-liner, troop ship, prisoner-of-war transport and cruiser.
® Half Man Half Biscuit, the Band - An affectionate look at Birkenhead's finest: four lads who shook the Wirral.
QOTD: The scarecrow won an award for being outstanding in his field.
18 March 2009
The Rise of the Urban Seagull - Since the decline of the fishing industry, urban areas inland have a new unwelcome resident.The Interesting Thoughts of Edward Monkton - Alter ego of Giles Andreae, creator of the Purple Ronnie greetings card series.
® Conceptual Tables - The most basic form of the conceptual table is a grid used to lay out content in tabular format.
QOTD: I've seen a Nobel laureate give a lecture using Comic Sans MS.
19 March 2009
Broccoli - Believed to have originated in the eastern Mediterranean, it was cultivated and used in cooking by the ancient Greeks and Romans.Giovanni Vigliotto - Born Fred Jiff, he changed his name and occupation for almost every courtship with bored, middle-aged targets.
® Radioactivity - This term was coined by Pierre and Marie Curie to describe a weird phenomenon that happens with certain substances.
QOTD: What soundtrack would suit the Front Page?
20 March 2009
Filth: What Is It Good For? - Is our obsession with the removal of dirt actually a bit counter-productive, leaving us more vulnerable?Teenage Drinking - Binge drinking is a quite a problem in the UK, especially among teenagers. But are we as adults to blame?
® Netball - Once considered the domain of schoolgirls in little pleated skirts, the sport of netball is earning a bit more respect these days.
QOTD: How about a big, shouty voice saying: … 'HEY EVERYBODY! This guy's slacking off at work again!!!'
23 March 2009
Wolves - So often the villain in fairytales, they actually learned a long time ago not to interact with humans: most actively avoid them.® Thornborough Henge Complex - This North Yorkshire site is relatively unknown, yet comes with a pedigree that invites many superlatives.
® PTFE - An introduction to polytetrafluoroethene, which is the most slippery substance in the world.
QOTD: I do like a decent cup of tea though, and I do tend to get through adverse situations with a stiff upper lip.
24 March 2009
Posterior Vitreous Detachment - As we age the vitreous mass gradually shrinks and falls away from the retina.® Night Photography - Clear skies make for moody moonlit scenes while rain can bring concrete to life with reflections from shop windows.
® Hans Christian Andersen: Author - His stories stand the test of time and are admired throughout the world by young and old alike.
QOTD: Wouldn't you have to munch an awful lot of rosemary and thyme to get any benefit?
25 March 2009
'Positive Atheism' - Thoughtful Entry about a form of atheism that encourages peaceful cohabitation with religious individuals.® 'An Alpine Symphony' by Richard Strauss - This work tells the story of a group of mountain climbers ascending one of the Alps.
® Sweet Baked Plantains: 'Platanos Dulce' - A simple Cuban recipe which requires very little effort but produces a lovely result.
QOTD: But I always see it as sort of the Town Centre of hootooville. The place "where its at" as it were.
26 March 2009
Valentine: Saint or Slave to Commerce? - Is there any validity in the history of the 'commercial bonanza' that is Valentine's Day?® Fids and Marline Spikes - These are used to prise and then keep apart the strands of a rope during manufacture, repair and maintenance.
® Tambora - Perhaps the greatest volcanic eruption in recorded history, its power altered the global climate for years afterwards.
QOTD: That was years ago, when I still had hair.
27 March 2009
The Royal Shakespeare Company - Despite its world-wide reputation, the RSC is a relatively modern phenomenon. ® Life Expectancy Profiles - Buried within your country's national statistics website are tables known as 'life tables'.
® Calculating the Day of the Week - You probably know what day it is today, but what about dates in the recent past, or in the near future?
QOTD: Maybe it unleashes a terrible Chaos God who has so far been restrained in the block of ice he was banished to long ago?
30 March 2009
A Celebration of Holly - Native to the UK and Ireland, Holly is also found on every other continent except Antarctica and Australasia.® 42 Amazing Facts About Sawdust - Excellent Entry written in praise of sawdust, 'one of the most useful by-products on the planet'.
® Spanish Customs - Spain is a beautiful country and this is a gentle introduction to its siestas, fiestas and Flamenco.
QOTD: look closer its a beam or shaft of light from a hole somewhere illuminating the back wall and a couple of bits of rubbish caught on the grill, our eyes are just filling in the rest, a' la' the canals of mars effect
31 March 2009
A Short Break in Paris - Your experience in the city can be enhanced by making a few simple preparations in advance.® Joan Hickson, Actress - She was most famous for her appearances in the television adaptations of Agatha Christie's Miss Marple.
® Mary Shelley's Frankenstein - A tale that would echo in eternity for its chilling Gothic nature and black satire upon human creativity.
QOTD: Every time someone says that man is created in the image of god, I have to laugh.
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