Dylan Thomas, the greatest Welsh poet, died in New York 60 years ago, on November 9th, 1953 shortly after his 39th birthday. According to the medical record, he died as a result of an alcoholic “insult to the brain” – the result of a drinking session after which, it is often, perhaps erroneously, reported that… Continue reading
A weekend in Zurich
A [Sept 2013] poll named Zurich the best city in the world to live in. It’s good for tourists, too. The city makes visiting especially easy, with an extensive tram system and entry to museums and galleries all on the one ticket. Gareth found this friendly city on its namesake lake the perfect choice for… Continue reading →
New deal lets electric cars run on 100% green energy
Another argument against the electric car is about to fall. It’s the “Ah, but electric cars are just as polluting because they use electricity from dirty old coal fired power stations” criticism. True, up to a point. Although detractors forget that electric cars don’t emit any noxious gases, so are clean at the roadside. But… Continue reading →
Remarkable tool making ability of the New Caledonian crow
The 7 o’clock news on Radio 4 on Monday, October 7 included an intriguing item, far too short and incomplete, on the remarkable tool making and using capacity of the New Caledonian crow. The item referred to new research by scientists at the University of St Andrews led by Dr Christian Rutz on the crows’… Continue reading →
King’s Cross Square deal for Cubitt’s Victorian railway marvel
Yesterday people stood outside King’s Cross Station and celebrated a negative. Empty space. The site of something nobody could possibly have liked, gone forever. Polar opposite emotions to those that would have been felt in 1962, half a mile away, the last time a familiar feature was demolished in front of a station in the… Continue reading →
FutureLearn goes global – UK universities launch free online learning
I recently read a book, Traveller of the Century, on Underground trains in London. What is remarkable about that? Because that is the only place I read that particular one, on the Kindle platform on my smartphone. I picked it up during those many five or ten unproductive minutes we have on public transport when… Continue reading →