Category Archives: amusements

amusements, environment, history, links, medical, science

Monthly Links

Once more unto the breach, dear comrades, to bring you this month’s selection of links to items you may have missed the first time round. And an e-glass of e-ale to anyone who can knit the links into a coat of mail!

Science, Technology, Natural World

Let’s begin with another look at why wasps are so annoying, but yet so useful.

Oh and for anyone wanting to scare their visitors, you can buy a roughly five times life-size model of an Asian Giant Hornet (aka. “murder hornet”).

If you never understood why mathematics is so fascinating, take a look at odd perfect numbers. [LONG READ]

And changing topic again, scientists think they’ve found phosphine gas in Venus’ upper atmosphere, and say this could be a sign of life (albeit microbial life). Meanwhile Derek Lowe explains about phosphine but remains somewhat sceptical of the latest results.

Health, Medicine

The logistics around distribution of any vaccine (well any drug really) are complex, especially when one gets into the realm of Cold Chain Distribution.

But then we need to keep our feet in the real world as no vaccine will work by magic and return us to normality.

Girls: have you ever needed to pee standing up and envied us men our flexible hose? If so, the Shewee may be your friend.

Environment

Rewilding as an environment improvement method is taking time to get going, but not if one maverick Devon farmer has anything to do with it.

Social Sciences, Business, Law

So who thinks Scottish bank notes are legal tender in England? Spoiler: they aren’t! And what is legal tender anyway?

History, Archaeology, Anthropology

There’s some new archaeology at Pompeii which is uncovering more of its past.

Medieval sermons were one of the most effective and wide-reaching forms of propaganda, but that only works if they are in the vernacular. [LONG READ]

The people of medieval Europe were devoted to their dogs. [LONG READ]

Transport until the early part of the 20th century was largely dependent on the horse: either being ridden or pulling a wagon of some description. Here’s a look at horse transport in Victorian times.

Lifestyle, Personal Development, Beliefs

Oliver Burkeman, writing his last regular column for the Guardian, talks about his eight secrets for a fulfilled life.

If you’re dreading a long, dark winter lockdown, then maybe the Norwegians have something for you.

So what does your cat mean by “miaow”? A Japanese vet is apparently earning a fortune telling people what their cats are saying. Personally I thought we had a fairly good idea!

Shock, Horror, Humour, Wow!

Magawa, an African giant pouched rat, has been awarded a gold medal for his work detecting landmines in Cambodia. I must say he’s a rather handsome animal, and well deserving of his apparently upcoming retirement.

And finally, what is the connexion between frozen shit and narcissists’ eyebrows? Yes, of course, it’s this year’s Ig Nobel prizes.

amusements, memes

Ten Things: September

This year our Ten Things series, on the tenth of each month, is concentrating on things which are wackier than usual, if not by much. From odd road names to Christmas carols by way of saints and scientists. So here goes with September …

Ten Relatively Unknown Scientists

  1. Robert Hooke (1653-1703)
  2. John Flamstead (1646-1719)
  3. Paul Dirac (1902-84)
  4. Mary Anning (1799-1847)
  5. Eric Laithwaite (1921-97)
  6. Alice Hamilton (1869-1970) (right)
  7. Paul Flory (1910-85)
  8. Paracelcus (1493-1541)
  9. Emmy Noether (1882-1935)
  10. Grace Hopper (1906-92)

If you’re interested to know more, all have Wikipedia entries.

amusements, memes

Ten Things: August

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This year our Ten Things series, on the tenth of each month, is concentrating on things which are wackier than usual, if not by much. From odd road names to Christmas carols by way of saints and scientists. So here goes with August amusement …

Ten Amusing (but Real) UK Placenames

  1. Brass Knocker Hill, Claverton, Bath
  2. Dead Woman’s Bottom, Somerset
  3. Fanny’s Cross, Devon
  4. Fishpond Bottom, Dorset (right)
  5. Fryup, Yorkshire
  6. Marsh Gibbon, Buckinghamshire
  7. Berrick Salome, Oxford
  8. Twatt, Orkney
  9. Ugley, Essex
  10. Bell End, Worcester
amusements, memes

Ten Things: July

This year our Ten Things series, on the tenth of each month, is concentrating on things which are wackier than usual, if not by much. From odd road names to Christmas carols by way of saints and scientists. So here goes with July …

Ten Pieces of Weather Lore

  1. Red sky at night, shepherds’ delight,
    red sky in a morning, shepherds’ warning.
  2. Onion skins very thin,
    mild winter coming in.
    Onion skins thick and tough,
    coming winter cold and rough.
  3. Oak before ash, we’re in for a splash;
    Ash before oak, we’re in for a soak.
  4. If there’s ice in November that will bear a duck,
    There’ll be nothing after but sludge and muck. (right)
  5. If there is a halo round the sun or moon,
    then we can all expect rain quite soon.
  6. A piece of seaweed hung up will become damp before it rains.
  7. When the dew is on the grass,
    Rain will never come to pass.
    When grass is dry at morning light,
    Look for rain before the night.
  8. Spiders leave their webs when it is going to rain.
  9. St Swithun’s day [15/07], if thou dost rain,
    For forty days it will remain;
    St Swithun’s day, if thou be fair,
    For forty days ’twill rain no more.
  10. If in October leaves still hold,
    The coming winter will be cold.
amusements, memes, words

30 Day Word Challenge: Final Summary

I promised a summary every five days of the words I’ve chosen for my 30 Day Word Challenge. Here’s the final summary.

Day 26. A word that you’d name your memoir: bumf
Day 27. A word from an inside joke: batteries
Day 28. A word that is a palindrome: rotavator
Day 29. A word with several meanings: maroon
Day 30. A word you have always liked: crenelate

So just to recapitulate, here’s my whole list.

As always, click the image for a larger view

Day 1. A word that makes you happy: picatrix
Day 2. A word that describes your best friend: callipygian
Day 3. A word you always spell wrong on the first try: occasionally
Day 4. A word that reminds you of family: dysfunctional
Day 5. A word for your favourite colour: variable
Day 6. A word you learned from a song: abaft
Day 7. A word that makes you laugh: merkin
Day 8. A word that rhymes with your name: teeth
Day 9. A word that makes you feel smart when you use it: flocculate
Day 10. A word from your favourite sport: wicket
Day 11. A word that annoys you: decimate
Day 12. A word you associate with your birth month: winter
Day 13. A word you learned recently: yellowplush
Day 14. A word with lots of syllables:
pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis
Day 15. A word found in your favourite book: rookery
Day 16. A word that describes your pet: varmint
Day 17. A word you have to look up constantly: mondegreen
Day 18. A word you love to say: cunt
Day 19. A word with four vowels in it: constabulary
Day 20. A word you wish more people used: boscage
Day 21. A word you just made up: jamwot
Day 22. A word that is an oxymoron: childproof
Day 23. A word that would be a funny dog name: puss
Day 24. A word from a movie quote: restaurant
Day 25. A word that describes you: fat
Day 26. A word that you’d name your memoir: bumf
Day 27. A word from an inside joke: batteries
Day 28. A word that is a palindrome: rotavator
Day 29. A word with several meanings: maroon
Day 30. A word you have always liked: crenelate

I hope you enjoyed this; I certainly did!

amusements, memes, words

30 Day Word Challenge: Days 21 to 25

I promised a summary every five days of the words I’ve chosen for my 30 Day Word Challenge. Here’s summary #5.

Day 21. A word you just made up: jamwot**
Day 22. A word that is an oxymoron: childproof
Day 23. A word that would be a funny dog name: puss
Day 24. A word from a movie quote: restaurant
Day 25. A word that describes you: fat

As always, click the image for a larger view

** Actually I cheat slightly: I made up this word some while back. In case you’re wondering a jamwot is an endangered South American arboreal capybara.

Remember, daily posts on Facebook and another summary in five days time.