Hobbies
The Basel Problem
One sometimes gets very interesting results when one turns divergent sums upside down. The Basel problem was asked by Pietro Mengoli in . He asked what is the exact summation of the reciprocals of the [more…]
Blog
19th Century
A Bear’s Diary – Part 5
January 19th, 1809. Our return to Lisbon will not be like our march north. Then we were travelling with an army in good order on broad roads through a populated area near the coast. Now [more…]
Arts
Where have all the Post Offices gone?
According to Touchstone in ‘As You Like It’, the seventh form of lie is “…the lie direct” (Act V, Scene IV): our Politicians do not often use this form – for instance, the late and [more…]
Arts
Postcard from Lille, Part 1
In the prologue we recalled a fond age of travelling to the near continent via rail, ferry and hovercraft. This landscape changed with the opening of the Channel Tunnel. At the beginning of Eurotunnel operations, [more…]
20th Century
A History of Pop Music – 1968
Featured song: The Bee Gees – Words This is a series of articles looking at pop music from 1955 when in my opinion proper pop music began up to 1999 when they stopped making it. [more…]
Arts
Going Postal with Question Time
Graphic EJ Fiona Bruce (remainer), presents her first Question Time from London, with a panel of politicians and other guests facing topical questions from the audience. She is joined by deputy chairman of the Conservative [more…]
Arts
The Pillow Book of Sei Shōnagon
I was musing on the small pleasures in life this morning: hot, clean water on a cold day; the scent of flowers that catches you unawares when walking through a dormant winter’s garden; the taste [more…]
Arts
‘Injuries to the neck’ and other euphemisms: Is the BBC Brainwashing Britain?
When I announced to friends my intention to write a book entitled ‘BBC: Brainwashing Britain?’ questions came thick and fast: “Brainwashing Britain? The BBC? Why ever would they want to do such a thing? Aren’t [more…]
19th Century
Milestones in Nineteenth Century Firearms Development, Part One
Some weeks ago, and quite by chance, a friend offered to sell me a rare mid-19th century rifle, the design of which I had long found to be of interest. Although I was not at [more…]