All Articles
Wordsmith – Test your wordpower
Improve and test your wordpower against a list of rather unusual english words.
How did the Dodo become extinct?
The Dodo bird has come to symolise extinction, and man’s folly in his destructive overuse of natural resources. Indeed Jersey’s own Durrell Wildlife Trust’s – which is dedicated to saving specise from extinction – symbol is the Dodo. So how did this ungainly bird become extinct ?
The Night Castle Cornet Exploded
Around midnight on Sunday 29 December 1672 the Governor of Guernsey, Viscount Christopher Hatton, was suddenly awoken – by hailstones on his face. His mother lay dead beneath the remains of a ceiling and his house lay in ruins around him. This was the night that Castle Cornet literally exploded around its’ occupants.
Urban Myths Debunked : Is it true that goldfish have a memory span of only 3 seconds?
One of the most persistent of urban myths : Is it true that goldfish have a memory span of only 3 seconds?
How Does Human Memory Work?
The human mind and human memory is truely one of the wonders of the world that we live in. Somehow experiences, knowledge can all be stored in our brain and recalled in split second almost by an unbidden instinct. In this article we look at some of the chemistry and biology (that we know of so far) behind this miracle of nature.
A very short history of Bonfire night
No one was more delighted by the foiling of the Gunpowder Plot than King James I, who had narrowly avoided becoming the first king to sit on a rocket-propelled throne. In this article we look at the history of the partying mayhem that grew up surrounding this quintessentially British tradition.
Lost in Translation IV – Misadventures in English
English is the global language of communication which means that when it collides with local languages it can have hilarious results. Here we’ve gathered together the results of some of the planets finest misadventures in English.
5 Myths About World War I Debunked
World War I was supposed to be the “war to end all wars”. It was the first ‘modern mechanised war’ and a lot of myths about it have been built up over the years often by revisionist historians using ‘hind-sight’. Some of these so called “facts” are blinding us to the reality and we are in danger of belittling the experience of soldiers and civilians in this conflict. In this article we look at some of the bigee “facts” that are just plain wrong.
Living with the Enemy – Jersey’s own “Anne Frank”
There are many stories various types of active resistance against the occupying forces. Indeed many islanders lost their lives, executed by the Germans for their opposition. In this article we look at one such act which has parallels with the Anne Frank storey in the Netherlands.
Why does time go forward?
An odd question and an even odder answer when we say that it’s because “you can’t unspill milk or unshatter a glass”. In this article we explain what this means.
Why do trees drop their leaves ?
As the reasons roll around we accept it as a natural part of life; Autumn arrives, the days get shorter and the leaves fall from the trees. But why is it this way? Why do trees drop the very means by which they gain sustenance? Why not just hang on to them at least until the new Spring growth ?
Great British Inventions
The British have always been an innovative and inventive nation. Just how inventive may surprise you. In this article we look at just four of the inventions that Britons have made without which, life today would be very different indeed : The Reflecting Telescope; The Passenger Railway; The Tank and Stainless Steel
Why are British Soldiers called ‘Tommies’ ?
The British ‘Tommy’ going over the top to battle the evil Hun is synonymous with World War I and World War II but this slang term for the British soldier originated much earlier than this and is credited as being coined by one of Britain’s most famous Generals
Aviation Antics – The Ground Crew Get Their Revenge
In this article we’ve gathered together some maintenance complaints/problems made by pilots from the Australian airline QANTAS…and the cheeky responses the engineers and ground crew gave.
Local Historic Figures and Celebrities – Can you name them ?
Moores Hotel has a rather curious mural on the wall of it’s upper level – a pantheaon of Baliwick historical figures and modern day celebreties (including a rather curious cat) … but can you name them ?
