The Fourth Plinth is probably the most famous public art commission in the world and it all began back in 1994 when after 150 years with an empty plinth, Prue Leith, then chair of the Royal Society of Arts wrote a letter to the Evening Standard suggesting that something should be done about the empty… Continue reading The Trafalgar Square Fourth Plinth
Category: Culture
There’s English and there’s English.
Language is very important to all of us, which ever one it is that we speak. Over 20,000 people a year read my old post on 102 Words That Aren’t In English But Should Be 102 Words That Aren’t In English But Should Be. A few weeks ago however a report appeared that put the cat… Continue reading There’s English and there’s English.
Tracing words back through time
Back in the mid 1990’s when I was studying at SOAS, one of the classes that I most enjoyed were those given by Professor Alexander Piatagorsky. He is said to have been the greatest Russian philospher of all time and one of the lesser known but greatest thinkers of the modern world. Sasha was… Continue reading Tracing words back through time
First Footing at New Year
First Footing is still very much alive in modern Britain. A survey shows that nearly a third of people in Britain say that First Footing continues to play a part in their New Year celebrations. The greatest number of followers of the First Footing tradition (when the first person over your threshold after the clock… Continue reading First Footing at New Year
My Top 12 movies of 2017
As half the planet is in the midst of not doing very much of anything but eat and watch films, here is my lowdown of my favourite 12 films of 2017 or one per month for those who want to know why I didn’t go with the traditional top 10. Notable mentions to the very… Continue reading My Top 12 movies of 2017
Christmas through the ages
It seems unavoidable, the big day has almost arrived. Whereas last year I wrote a post on debunking myths surrounding Christmas and in 2015 on the history of Father Christmas and Santa Claus this time around I thought I would write a little on what Christmas was like through the ages. I like Christmas but I… Continue reading Christmas through the ages
How to make home-made wine
The last few weeks sees me do what I do every Halloween, make some home-made wine. It isn’t fully fermented wine and is technically known as Must. However it is a fun thing to do and it produces gallons (or litres) of a very plesant sparkling drink. It’s very easy to do. First of all… Continue reading How to make home-made wine
Did Babylonians Beat The Greeks To Trigonometry?
We’re all used to learning that it was the Ancient Greeks who invented (or inflicted for those of us who hate Maths) Trigonometry but recent evidence suggests that they may have been beaten to it those canny Babylonians. A 3,700-year-old clay tablet has proven that the Babylonians developed trigonometry 1,500 years before the Greeks and were… Continue reading Did Babylonians Beat The Greeks To Trigonometry?
How Star Trek revolutionised the modern world
Star Trek recently celebrated its 51st birthday and this week with the launch of Star Trek Discovery the mission to entertain and inspire continues with renewed vigor. The scientific inventions that we use on a daily basis inspired by WW2 generation writers inspired by visions of the 23rd century are well documented and growing. Communicators… Continue reading How Star Trek revolutionised the modern world
A Quick Guide To Newcastle Upon Tyne.
My football team Newcastle United won promotion to the English Premier League last night and as a coincidence, I came across this great post about the city I consider to be my home. Now a top destination for the finer things in life, Newcastle is a hub of premium restaurants, specialist bars and vibrant nightclubs.… Continue reading A Quick Guide To Newcastle Upon Tyne.
Stephen Liddell 