Why do we kiss under the mistletoe?
The innocuous mistletoe plant, now used to cop a cheap kiss or two, was once considered to be a sacred plant by the ancient Druids. But how did this Christmas tradition come about ?
True or False, Fact or Fiction
A lot of what we ‘know’ to be true can sometimes turn out to be no more than an ‘urban legend’. IS : Chewing gum is a controlled substance in Singapore? or DOES An apple contains enough cyanide to kill a man ? : Can you tell whether they’re fact or fiction ?
Wordsmith – Indian wordpower
Improve and test your wordpower against some Indian words that have found their way into the English language.
Pontifications – answers to the fluff of everyday life
Answers to some of the amusing questions and fluff we muse on from time to time like : Why are typewriter keys layed out as they are ? ; How exactly does asprin find a headache ? ; Why is the Earth’s core still hot ?
Exotic Paper Planes
Paper planes don’t have to be boring. Here are some rather exotic designs to print out and fold …
Pykrete – Aircraft Carriers made of Wood & Ice
Pykrete is a real substance made from wood chips and ice with strange and fantastical properties that were actually considered for use in building Royal Navy aircraft carriers during World War II.
True or False, Fact or Fiction
A lot of what we ‘know’ to be true can sometimes turn out to be no more than an ‘urban legend’. Did the Nazi’s invent Fanta ? Does ‘Colgate’ means ‘go hang yourself’ in Spanish ? Can you tell whether they’re fact or fiction ?
Wordsmith – Test your wordpower
Improve and test your wordpower against some 18th- and 19th-century words, still in use today.
Our Living Language
The English language is a constantly evolving. New words are constantly being added. Even the alphabet is not immutable. For example did you know that not so long ago there were 27 letters on the alphabet ?
How To … Fire a Musket
In the Napoleonic wars the cannon and musket was king of the battlefield. But how do you load and fire a smooth bore musket ?
Pontifications – answers to the fluff of everyday life
Answers to some of the amusing questions and fluff we muse on from time to time. What does the D in D-day stand for? Why are portholes round? … amongst other questions.
True or False, Fact or Fiction
A lot of what we ‘know’ to be true can sometimes turn out to be no more than an ‘urban legend’. Van Gogh only sold 1 painting or a Tulip could cost as much as a house. Can you tell whether they’re fact or fiction ?
