BRITISH SENSE OF HUMOUR
The purported British Government notice below, which appeared on the internet recently, graphically illustrates the British sense of humour, which is an enigma to most …
THE RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS
The right to bear arms in the United States is a highly controversial topic, and I have written several blogs on that subject. It is …
CODPIECES
Some codpieces were empty – while others were used to store potpourri. Sometime around 1536, Hans Holbein the Younger was finessing Henry VIII’s crotch. With …
ELFSTEDENTOCHT
This is the famous Elfstedentocht – the ‘Eleven Cities Tour’ – a test of physical and mental endurance like no other. There was no …
CRISPS OR CHIPS
Do you like crisps or chips? Your answer will depend on whether you are English or American, but they are, basically, the same thing: Crisps …
COMMUNAL SLEEPING II
Communal sleeping II – this blog is a sequel to last week’s blog on the same topic: Why have lost the idea of communal sleeping? …
COMMUNAL SLEEPING
Until the mid-19th Century, communal sleeping was completely normal; that is, sharing a bed with friends, colleagues and even total strangers, happened all the time. …
CHRISTMAS PUDDING
Loved and hated in equal measure, Christmas pudding’s cultural and political clout have extended far beyond the dining table. It has been called a “gastronomic …
NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS
The beginning of a New Year encourages many of us make New Year’s resolutions, and most of us break them in the first few hours, …
TYRIAN PURPLE
For millennia, Tyrian purple was the most valuable colour, and a prestigious symbol of power and influence, on the planet. Then the recipe for making …