|
Issue #475 - 11th May 2018
|
| Contents | — – o o O o o – — |
^ WORD OF THE WEEK
embololalia |
Friday 11th May - A copy of the Diamond Sutra was printed in China; it is the oldest known dated printed book, 868. Anne of Bohemia, Queen of England, born, 1366. Christopher Columbus sailed from Cádiz on his final voyage to the Americas, 1502. Philosopher Jean de La Bruyère died, 1696. Philanthropist Isabelle Bogelot born, 1838. Polymath Sir John Herschel died, 1871. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was founded, 1927. Actress Natasha Richardson born, 1963. Writer Douglas Adams died, 2001. Saturday 12th May - Scottish nobleman Fergus of Galloway died, 1161. Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland's oldest university, was founded, 1364. Cosimo II de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, born, 1590. Maria Theresa of Austria was crowned Queen of Bohemia, 1743. Poet & artist Edward Lear born, 1812. Architect Charles Barry died, 1860. The Soviet Union lifted the Berlin Blockade, 1949. Actress Jennifer Hetrick born, 1958. Artist H.R. Giger died, 2014. Sunday 13th May - Physician Ole Worm born, 1588. Singer & composer Francesco Antonio Pistocchi died, 1726. The "First Fleet" left Portsmouth to establish a penal colony in Australia, 1787. Architect John Nash died, 1835. Composer Arthur Sullivan born, 1842. Thomas Edison carried out the first test of his electric railway, 1880. Writer Daphne du Maurier born, 1907. Ben Carlin became the first - and so far only - person to circumnavigate the globe in an amphibious vehicle, crossing both land and water, 1958. Actor Gary Cooper died, 1961. Monday 14th May - Simon de Montfort became the de facto ruler of England following the defeat of Henry III at the Battle of Lewes, 1264. Japanese samurai Katakura Kagenaga was born, 1630. Writer & lexicographer Antoine Furetière died, 1688. Edward Jenner administered the first smallpox vaccination, 1796. Mathematician & founder of the eponymous Medal, John Charles Fields born, 1863. Businessman Henry J. Heinz died, 1919. Virginia Woolf's Mrs Dalloway was published, 1925. Scientist & U.N.weapons inspector David Kelly born, 1944. Actress Rita Hayworth died, 1987. Tuesday 15th May - Roman emperor Valentinian II died, probably assassinated, 392. Anne Boleyn, Queen of England, stood trial, accused of treason, incest & adultery, 1536. Author & playwright Lady Mary Wortley Montagu born, 1689. Robert Walpole became the de facto first Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, 1730. Physicist & Nobel laureate Pierre Curie born, 1859. Poet Emily Dickinson died, 1886. Las Vegas, Nevada, was founded, 1905. Artist Edward Hopper died, 1967. Journalist & broadcaster Sophie Raworth born, 1968. International Conscientious Objectors Day. Wednesday 16th May - Mary, Queen of Scots fled to England, 1568. Navigator William Adams, the first Englishman to reach Japan, died, 1620. Mathematician Maria Gaetana Agnesi born, 1718. The first major wagon train set out from Elm Grove, Missouri, to follow the Oregon Trail to the Pacific Northwest of the United States, 1843. Actor Henry Fonda born, 1905. Artist Henri-Edmond Cross died, 1910. China's Cultural Revolution began with the issuing of the "May 16 Notice" by the Communist Party of China, 1966. Tennis player Gabriela Sabatini born, 1970. Puppeteer Jim Henson, creator of The Muppets, died, 1990. Thursday 17th May - Artist Sandro Botticelli died, 1510. Anne of Denmark was crowned Queen of Scotland, 1590. Catherine I, Empress of Russia, died, 1727. Physician Edward Jenner born, 1749. The rules of Australian rules football were codified at Melbourne Football Club, 1859. Composer Erik Satie born, 1866. The Dambuster Raids by No. 617 Squadron RAF began, 1943. Singer-songwriter Enya born, 1961. Actor Frank Gorshin died, 2005. World Information Society Day.
This week, Clifton Fadiman:To read in bed is to draw around us invisible, noiseless curtains. Then at last we are in a room of our own and are ready to burrow back. Back to that private life of the imagination we all led as a child and to whose secret satisfactions so many of us have mislaid the key.
A selection of quotations from films with a common actor or actress. Answers next issue or from the regular address.Last issue's quotations were from films starring Jessica Chastain:
- Ever since I can remember, I've wanted to be clever. Some people are born clever the same way some people are born beautiful. I'm not one of those people. I've had to work at it.
- I promise you, that I'll look after him as closely as you've done, I'll respect him and all the care that you've taken with him. And if I can, I'll return him to your care.
- To get ahead in this world, you need more than fair looks and a kind heart.
- You became a doctor to save one life above all others. Your own.
- Far to the east, over ranges and rivers lies a single solitary peak.
- 100% he's there. OK, 95%, 'cause I know certainty freaks you guys out, but it's 100.
-- Zero Dark Thirty [2012]- What're you doing? Zebras can't drive, only penguins and people can drive!
-- Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted [2012]- Once you're a parent, you're the ghost of your children's future.
-- Interstellar [2014]- Tell Commander Lewis, disco sucks.
-- The Martian [2015]- Toscanini once recorded a piece sixty five times. You know what he said when he finished? "It could be better." Think about it.
-- The Tree of Life [2011]
Strange stories from around the world, some of which might be true...
- HISTORY! A 3.5"x2.5" (8.89x6.35cm) Victorian tintype photograph bought on eBay for £7 ($9.50) which the buyer thought was of Jesse James - and had the identity confirmed by two American 'experts' - has been blocked from sale at Christie's auction house in London after their own research concluded that it was similar but had notable facial differences including eye and ear position and lower lip size. Had it been genuine it would have been worth an estimated £2m ($2.72m) ● The search for Malaysia Airlines flight 370 might not have found any sign of the aircraft yet (apart from a piece of flap washed up on a beach), but sonar searches 2,300km (1,400 miles) west of Australia have revealed two previously undiscovered shipwrecks, believed to date from the late 19th Century. ● Egyptian antiquarian authorities have concluded their study of the tomb of Tutankhamun in search of a rumoured hidden chamber, its entrance indicated by faint traces of 'doors' on detailed imaging of the walls produced in 2015. The researchers used ground penetrating radar to search for the room, but have concluded that it is simply not there.
- NATURE! It is an established fact that humans, birds and other warm-blooded animals react to music. Now researchers have put a sedated Nile crocodile in an MRI scanner and studied its brain's reaction as sound - either a fixed tone, as a control, or Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 - was played. The crocodile's brain reacted to the Bach in a similar way to a bird's brain, notable because crocodiles do not produce song like birds. Crocodiles are a living relic of the dinosaurs, so the scientists behind the research are speculating that the reaction to complex sound has been present in animals for hundreds of millions of years. ● Robotics researchers at the University of Manchester have filmed a regal jumping spider (called Kim) jumping between platforms, using high speed film. The spider can jump onto its prey at a distance of six times its body length from a standing start (four times the relative distance humans can jump). They also used CT scanning to model the spider's legs and body structure. They have found that Kim jumped at the optimal angle and energy usage, with a force up to five times her weight, to hit a target. It is hoped that the research can be used to develop small robots that are capable of jumping over obstacles. ● When you think of carnivorous plants you probably think of the Venus flytrap quickly closing on an insect, but a related aquatic carnivorous plant, the rare Aldrovanda vesiculosa, or waterwheel plant, has been found to close its 'trap' ten times faster than the flytrap. The waterwheel plant's mechanism is different to the Venus flytrap's, leading to the question of whether they had a common ancestor and diverged, or carnivorism evolved twice in plants.
- SCIENCE! A genetic study of almost 200,000 people has begun to reveal which genes control whether a person's skin will burn in sunlight, and to what degree. Because of the known link between sunburn and skin cancer it is hoped that the research could lead to a genetic test to predict how likely someone is to develop skin cancer. ● A separate study has found a link between the immune system and the genes which cause hair to turn grey. The discovery will help with understanding pigmentation diseases that involve the immune system, such as vitiligo. ● It has also been discovered that a drug given to women to counter the brittle bone condition of osteoporosis could help prevent hair loss in men. ● Further afield a team of Japanese and German scientists have determined that the Moon could once have held pools of water. They studied lunar meteorites and discovered traces of moganite, a mineral that only forms - on Earth - when pools of alkaline liquid become trapped at high pressure. An Earthly origin for the moganite in the samples was ruled out, suggesting that liquid could have been brought to the moon in meteor impacts in the early Solar system, then compacted further below subsequent impacts.
- PEOPLE! Delhi engineer Milind Raj was out on a morning walk when he heard whimpering and discovered a puppy stuck in a drain between two roads. Locals told him that the dog had been there for two days, but the drain was so boggy that nobody could safely retrieve the animal. Raj, with experience in AI and robotics, constructed a robotic arm with a claw, and attached it to a six-rotor drone he had built two years earlier. He added sensors to monitor the health of the dog, to ensure the claw's grip was not too tight. The dog was too traumatised by having been stuck in the drain to react too much to the claw closing around it, and then being safely lifted free. Raj has since adopted the dog, and named it Lifted. ● A pub landlord in Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire, has banned a team from his pub's charity quiz nights after discovering that they were going to extreme lengths to cheat, including handing in a dummy mobile phone, then covertly looking up answers on the real one, and smuggling in lists of pop music charts. ● When Kendall Robbins gave birth to twins, one male and one female, on May 4th there were only two middle names she and her husband Ross could give them - the twins are Rowan Luke and Kai Leia. May 4th is popularly celebrated as Star Wars Day, after the almost-homophonic line "May the force be with you".
- CRIME! Patricia Mayo worked at the Hartwood Health Centre in Bristol between 2011 and 2016, and campaigned vigorously against government cuts to the National Health Service, but after she left it emerged that she had stolen almost £50,000 ($67,884) from the surgery, pushing it close to insolvency. She has been jailed for 12 months. ● An FBI official has revealed how an operation to resolve a hostage situation on the outskirts of an unnamed American city was disrupted by the criminals flying a squadron of small drones between themselves and the FBI, causing the feds to lose sight of the situation. ● A survey of cocaine use in the Britain has revealed that a third of users can have the drug delivered to them quicker than they could a pizza, and Scottish users consume more than twice the global average.
IN BRIEF: AI systems trained to create new levels for original Doom and Super Mario. ● Chinese company EHang aimed to set world record for synchronised drone display, previously held by Intel in pre-recorded display at 2018 Pyeonchang Winter Olympics opening ceremony; drones fail to coordinate colouring properly to spell out the date, but still set record for number used, at 1,374. ● Google developing AI that can make phone calls to book appointments on behalf of users... ● Controversy over whether there should be one or two spaces after a full stop apparently settled by researchers who analysed different typefaces and pitches; conclude that two spaces makes reading marginally easier then submit paper to journal which publishes it with single spaces. [We are in the single space camp -Ed]. ● Uber unveils prototype for flying taxi; also reveals that self-driving car which killed a pedestrian had detected her, but dismissed it as a false positive.
Cannes Film Festival opens with ban on red carpet selfies, helpline for women to report sexual harassment in wake of Weinstein & #MeToo. US trademark office dismissed Dr Dre's claim against gynaecologist Draion M. Burch who trademarked 'Dr Drai' for speaking engagements. Helena Bonham Carter to take over Princess Margaret role for series 3 of The Crown; Jason Watkins to join drama as Harold Wilson. Ongoing confusion over just what form Spice Girls reunion will take will all five signing to Simon Fuller, Mel B insisting there make be a tour. Spamalot to be adapted to film, as "the movie musical based on the Broadway musical, based on a movie that is based on a legend" (Deadline). Unscripted episode of Peter Kay's Car Share gets mixed review, especially over claims of inappropriate comedy material. Sir Paul McCartney donates collection of 63 photographs taken by Linda McCartney to the V&A Museum. Gamer who launched 2010 DDOS attack on World of Warcraft European servers fined, jailed in the U.S. Most excellent news - third Bill & Ted film confirmed as Bill & Ted Face the Music, in pre-production with script by original creators Ed Solomon, Chris Matheson, directed by Galaxy Quest's Dean Parisot; Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter resuming leads. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences expels Bill Cosby, Roman Polanski; Polanski planning to sue. Sir Ben Kingsley to play Salvador Dali alongside Lesley Manville, Tim Roth in biopic Dali Land. Children of a Lesser God to close on Broadway this month. Footballers Dwight Yorke & Andrew Cole, actress Jennifer Ellison, model Danielle Lloyd awarded undisclosed damages and apology from Mirror Group Newspapers over phone hacking. Harris Dickinson joins cast of Maleficent sequel. Peter Jackson reveals Harvey Weinstein threatened to drop him from The Lord of Rings, consolidate story into single film directed by Quentin Tarantino. Daniel Craig named as highest paid Hollywood actor for as-yet-untitled 25th Bond film ($25m (£18.41m)); highest paid actress at #4 on list behind Craig, Dwayne Johnson & Vin Diesel is Anne Hathaway for Barbie ($15m (£11.05m). Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight hoping for three more series, also in talks for ballet adaptation... Dame Helen Mirren honoured at 45th Chaplin Award Gala. Co-writer Damian Szifron pulls out of directing The Six Billion [sic. - inflation, y' know... -Ed] Dollar Man film. Sridevi Kapoor posthumously wins Best Actress award at Indian National Film Awards. Solo: A Star Wars Story doubles Black Panther's ticket pre-sales within first 24 hours, still behind Avengers: Infinity War. Jack Black hints at second Tenacious D film. Benedict Cumberbatch announces intention to turn down roles unless female co-stars are paid the same as him. Nadiya Hussain quits The Big Family Cooking Showdown after one series to focus on her own show. Bono's son's Dublin-based band Inhaler faces challenge from Hertfordshire band formed a year earlier with same name. Paris court rules that Terry Gilliam's The Man Who Killed Don Quixote can close Cannes Film Festival after former backer tried to block it.
Gogglebox dog 'Frank' Malone (11), actress Cathy Godbold (Home and Away, 43), filmmaker & cameraman Carlos Cavalho (The Forgotten Kingdom, Mining for Change, 47), singer Maurane (Sur un Prélude de Bach, Nouvelle Star, 57), drummer John "Jab'o" Starks (Bobby "Blue" Band, James Brown, 79), singer Dick Williams (The Williams Brothers, 91), film editor Anne V. Coates (The Elephant Man, Lawrence of Arabia, 92), children's book illustrator Alice Provensen (The Glorious Flight, The Color Kittens, The Iliad and the Odyssey, 99).
^ DUMBLEDORE BEAR'S LOTTERY PREDICTOR!
Dumbledore Bear, our in-house psychic predicts that the following numbers will be lucky:2, 8, 15, 33, 52, 53[UK National Lottery, number range 1-59]
You can get your very own prediction at http://www.simonlamont.co.uk/tfir/dumbledore.htm.
Little Jennifer's class were having a maths lesson. "OK, Little Jennifer," the teacher said. "If I gave Little Emma two rabbits, then I gave her another three rabbits, then another two rabbits, how many rabbits would she have?"
Little Jennifer thought for a moment. "Eight rabbits, Miss!"
"No," the teacher said, try again. "If I gave Little Emma two rabbits, three rabbits and another two rabbits, how many rabbits would she have?"
Little Jennifer looked puzzled. "Eight, Miss!"
"No, that's not the right answer. OK, try this. If I gave Little Emma two cats, then three cats and another two cats, how many cats would she have?"
Little Jennifer answered confidantly. "Seven cats, Miss!"
"Well done, Little Jennifer. Now why couldn't you get the same answer with rabbits?"
Little Jennifer smiled, as only Little Jennifer could. "Little Emma's already got a rabbit at home, Miss. He's called Mr Bunnykins!"
^ ...end of line