ROMAN CIRCUS
Many of us remember the excitement generated by the spectacle of the Roman chariot race depicted in the film Ben Hur. Some of us have …
BEWARE OF DUNG CARTS
Beware of dung carts! One day in August 1565, James Johnson got drunk. By early evening he was so intoxicated that he fell asleep in …
AMERICA AND EUROPE
I thought this was an interesting article that investigates the different approaches to life in America and Europe. Many of us often discuss/debate these differences, …
NEW FORMAT
I have decided to introduce a new format for some blogs that I will publish today and in the future. It is rather an unusual …
PANJANDRUM
A Panjandrum was a giant firework built to break Hitler’s Atlantic Wall in the first assault on Normandy’s beaches in World War II, or was …
DUCT TAPE
Duct tape is about as ubiquitous as it comes in terms of a useful tool. I remember my father giving me a roll to take …
FUN INTERLUDE
I thought these two, true, stories would provide a fun interlude in my normal run of blogs. They make me smile and they take us …
CHESTNUT TREES
The chestnut trees of Europe tell a hidden story, charting the fortunes of ancient Rome and the legacy it left in the continent’s forests. …
PUFFIN PARADISE
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) site at Bempton Cliffs welcomes about 3,000 puffins to Puffin Paradise every summer. From April to …
SONGKRAN
For three days every year, Thailand transforms into a wet and wild party, the Songkran Festival. But this ancient festival is far more than just …