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25 November 2011
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^ WORD OF THE WEEK
xenophone |
Friday 25 November - King Malcolm II of Scotland died, 1034. Confucian scholar Yi Hwang born, 1501. Italian naval leader Andrea Doria died, 1560. The Great Storm of 1703 reached its peak over southern England, 1703. Engineer Karl Benz born, 1844. The Confederate Army of Manhattan failed to burn down New York City, 1864. Entertainer Bill "Bojangles" Robinson died, 1949. Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap opened in London, and is still running today, 1952. Final Fantasy game creator Hironobu Sakaguchi born, 1962. International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Saturday 26 November - Vlad III Dracula retook control of Wallachia for the third time, 1476. Historian John Spottiswoode died, 1639. Poet William Cowper born, 1731. Abolitionist Sojourner Truth died, 1883. Founding of the National Hockey League in Canada, 1917. Cartoonist Charles M. Schulz born, 1922. Bandleader Tommy Dorsey died, 1956. Singer Natasha Bedingfield born, 1981. Concorde made its final flight, from Heathrow to Bristol, 2003. Sunday 27 November - Poet Horace died, 8 BCE. Pope Urban II declared the First Crusade, 1095. Inventor and astronomer Anders Celsius born, 1701. The first Eddystone Lighthouse was destroyed, 1703. Actress Fanny Kemble born, 1809. Mathematician and proto-programmer Ada Lovelace died, 1852. Artist Ronald William "Josh" Kirby born, 1928. Isabelle Dinoire received the first partial face transplant, 2005. Film director Irvin Kershner died, 2010. Monday 28 November - Eleanor of Castile, wife of King Edward I of England, died, 1290. William Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway paid the bond for their marriage license, 1582. Poet William Blake born, 1757. Writer Washington Irving died, 1859. Women voted in a national election for the first time, in New Zealand, 1893. Actress Hope Lange born, 1933. Air New Zealand Flight 901 crashed into Mount Erebus, Antarctica, 1979. Actress Karen Gillan born, 1987. Serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer killed in prison, 1994. Tuesday 29 November - Charlemagne arrived in Rome to investigate alleged crimes committed by Pope Leo III, 800. Humanist Joachim Vadian born, 1484. Composer Claudio Monteverdi died, 1643. Novelist Louisa May Alcott born, 1832. Spokan Falls (now Spokane, WA) was incorporated as a city, 1881. Author Madeleine L'Engle born, 1918. Nolan Bushnell released Pong, the first commercially successful video game, 1972. Racing driver Graham Hill died, 1975. Computer scientist Maurice Wilkes died, 2010. Wednesday 30 November - Writer Jonathan Swift born, 1667. Optician John Dolland died, 1761. New Jersey was hit by a 5.3 magnitude earthquake, 1783. Gunsmith Oliver Winchester born, 1810. The Folies Bergère in Paris staged its first revue, 1886. Writer Oscar Wilde died, 1900. Michael Jackson's Thriller album was released, 1982. Actress Kaley Cuoco born, 1985. Stunt motorcyclist Evel Knievel died, 2007. St Andrew's Day in Scotland. Thursday 1 December - King Henry I of England died, 1135. King Henry V of England entered Paris, 1420. Astronomer Nicolas-Claude Fabri de Peiresc born, 1580. Japanese warlord Kobayakawa Hideaki died, 1602. Dr Pepper was first served, at a drug store in Waco, TX, 1885. Author Henry Williamson born, 1895. Occultist Aleister Crowley died, 1947. Actress Emily Mortimer born, 1971. The AIDS virus was officially recognised, 1981. World AIDS Day.
This week, Natasha Kaplinsky (then working for BBC TV News):We now join Caroline Wyatt at British military headquarters - who, like all correspondents, is not allowed to disclose her precise location or operational details. Caroline, where are you, and what plans have they got for today?
A mixed bag of quotations. Answers next issue or from the regular address.Last issue's quotations were:
- Do not try the free pistachio ice cream! It done turn!
- You're smarter than you look, Marshal. That's probably not a good thing.
- I lived here, and you stole this house from me.
- - There are four columns of lonely women in here, and only one of lonely men. The odds are on our side. Now why wouldn't any of these women want to meet a nice person like you?
- I'm not a nice person.- All the best people have bad chests and bone diseases. It's all frightfully romantic.
- I've activated the Squeak Seeker 2000.
-- Mousehunt [1997]- I tell you one thing, though. Wherever we go, whatever we do, we're gonna take this luggage with us!
-- Joe Versus the Volcano [1990]- She rests at last beneath starry skies.
-- The Da Vinci Code [2006]- A woman without love wilts like a flower without sun.
-- Amelie [2001]- The best thing about being me... There are so many "me"s.
-- The Matrix Reloaded [2003]
Strange stories from around the world, some of which might be true...
NOT-SO-QUICK-GETAWAY. When 59-year-old Rose Devlin and 52-year-old Denise Egan tried to shoplift a trolley-load of booze from an ASDA supermarket in Oldham, England, this summer they planned it meticulously, but forgot one important detail. One of them distracted the security guard on the door while the other pushed the trolley out to their car, and both then loaded the drinks into the car before driving off.. a little way across the car park, where their vehicle ran out of petrol. Fortunately there was a gas station at the supermarket so they pushed the car there, filled up, paid for the petrol and drove off - completely unaware that from the moment they entered the store until they finally drove off they were being filmed on CCTV. When they tried to repeat the theft at another store on October 1, police arrested them, using the Oldham footage as evidence in court.
BUT IT'S COLD. SERIOUSLY! Switzerland's federal court has thrown out an appeal against the canton of Appenzell's ban on naked hiking in the Alps. The appellant was a man who had been fined 100 Swiss francs (about £69 or US$109) after striding naked past a drug rehalitation center and a family enjoying a picnic with their small children, and although there is no federal law against public nudity the local court has found him guilty of breaching public decency; the federal court ruled that such a penalty was not overly high-handed. BBC reporter Imogen Foulkes commented that "naked hikers may now have to look for another country which offers them a warmer welcome."
HAS BOBBY BEEN REINCARNATED? When Lao Pan, 69, died earlier this month, there were few mourners. His only companion was his dog, who was reported to have kept vigil at his graveside, even refusing to leave for food. The story of Greyfriars Bobby, a Skye Terrier who entered legend for the same reason, and is commemorated by a bronze statue in the Edinburgh cemetary where his owner was buried is believed to be just that - a story dreamed up as a publicity stunt, with no factual basis, but if the reports of Lao Pan's dog are true, more weight should be thrown behind Bobby's story.
SIGN OF THE TIMES. Tim Backhouse was so fed up with traffic speeding through the village where he lived that he painted a 15ft- (4.5m) high speed limit sign on the side of his house. The local council claim that most traffic keeps within the 30mph limit within the village, but the local shop lies just outside the civic boundary and residents complain that cars and lorries speed past it; there is also no safe crossing point. Backhouse intends to paint over his sign in December.
ZZZZZZZ. When Surrey Wildlife Trust was surveying nesting boxes near Leatherhead, England, they discovered a hibernating dormouse who didn't wake up even when carefully taken out to be weighed. Mammal project officer Dave Williams commented "It was making a funny whistling sound every time it breathed out. My two female colleagues said ''It's bound to be a male'' - and it was!" They also filmed the slumbering rodent and the video has become a viral hit on YouTube - you can see it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyaOXN6Vgrw.
LA police reopening inquiry into 1981 death of Natalie Wood. Ahead of public sector strike, Britain's Trade Union Congress planning assault on Christmas music chart with recording of Let's Work Together. Lowry painting of London's Picadilly Circus auctions for £5.6m (US$8.7). After backtracking on group name to avoid clash with 10-year-old music charity Rhythmix, The X Factor has now agreed to make a donation as well, although the amount stumped up has been withheld. UK Media Ethics Enquiry hears evidence from Hugh Grant, J.K. Rowling, Sienna Miller, Max Mosley et al. Britons apparently feel most national pride about William Shakespeare. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 breaks global sales record for video games, with US$775m (£490m) sales in first five days; The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim sold US$450m (£320m) in comparable period, although sales of both reflect higher prices rather than a significant increase in the number of units sold. Google launches iTunes-rivalling music store for Android devices, backed by 4 of 5 big labels; closes down several other services, although not reportedly-troubled Google+ social network. Comedy Network renews South Park for another five years. Jeff Kinney's Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever is fastest-selling novel of 2011 so far, and third fastest children's book since sales have been recorded, beaten only by J.K. Rowling and Stephanie Meyer. Royal Television Society accidentally awards digital effects prize to Dr Who: A Christmas Carol instead of Misfits; Victorian drama The Crimson Petal and the White takes three gongs. Kenneth Branagh, Ralph Fiennes to receive Variety and Richard Harris awards at British Independent Film Awards. Su Pollard, Simon Webbe, Barry McGuigan, Debra Stephenson among celebs for Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special. Chiwetel Ejiofor, Matthew Goode, Anthony Head, Caroline Quentin to star in Stephen Poliakoff's Dancing on the Edge for the BBC next year. Jonathan Ross renews ITV chat show contract for another three series. Julie Delpy to direct Joe Strummer biopic. Stephen King, Jean M Auel among nominees for 2011 Bad Sex in Fiction award. Bruce Springsteen's Born in the USA, Paul Simon's Graceland among albums to be inducted to Grammy Hall of Fame. Musical version of Rocky to premiere in Germany next year. Filming on fourth Mad Max flick Fury Road forced out of Australia by heavy rain earlier this year. Clemons-less Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band to tour next year, headlining Hard Rock Calling, Isle of Wight festivals. Twilight: Breaking Dawn tops US box office, takes less than New Moon; Happy Feet 2 at #2. Adele, Taylor Swift each take three American Music Awards; ongoing throat issues force Adele to pull out of BBC Children in Need telethon; CiN broke last year's donations with three hours still to go. Michael Buble's Christmas covers album tops UK chart. Netflix revives Arrested Development. Tim Brooke-Taylor collects OBE. Benedict Cumberbatch, Jonny Lee Miller named joint winners of best actor Evening Standard Theatre Award for alternating roles in Frankenstein. Jeff Wayne revamping of The War of the Worlds tour sees holographic Liam Neeson replacing floating-head Richard Burton as narrator. After announcing Wolf Hall sequel last week, Hilary Mantel announces plan for trilogy. Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher separate. BBC asks translators to tone down swearing in subtitles for The Killing II. David Nicholls writes new ending for Mike Newell's film version of Great Expectations. Amy Winehouse was planning to form supergroup for jazz album. The X Factor being investigated over product placement by Tulisa Contostavlos. Mila Kunis keeps date with US marine who asked her to the Marine Corps Ball via YouTube. The Prodigy to headline last night of Download Festival next year. Obits: playwright Shelagh Delaney (71), animator Mark Hall (75), pop artist Gerald Laing (75), writer Anne McCaffrey (85), actor John Neville (86), songwriter Lee Pockriss (87), opera singer Sena Jurinac (90).
It weighs 1800lbs (816kg), it's 60 inches (1.52m) tall, and it's made of... 18,085 worldwide-donated bras. It's the BraBall.http://www.braball.com/
^ THE AMAZING NOT-QUITE-RANDOM LOTTERY PREDICTOR!
Dumbledore Bear, our in-house psychic predicts that the following numbers will be lucky:4, 6, 15, 39, 45, 49
Little Jennifer's mother was using the family computer for a quick session of her favourite game when her daughter walked into the room and stood silently looking at the progress bar on the loading screen crawling along. Her mother was intrigued and turned to face her. "What's the matter, Little Jennifer?" she asked.
"I was just thinking, Mummy. I'm never having children. I heard they take nine months to download. By the way, your game woman just died."