Most of the local cinemas I went to in my childhood are now gone. There were two cinemas on Shepherds Bush Green. The smaller one became a Walkabout (Australian pub) and now stands empty; the larger one became a Bingo Hall, stood empty for many years, and now the building has been modified and turned… Continue reading 10 Meatballs Escape from Alcatraz
Kosher foods are those that conform to Jewish law (kashrut, Jewish dietary law). For any adults reading these lines the word kosher could probably be counted as Universal Knowledge. Twenty years ago I used the word to mean safe (legit, on-the-level), in the way that Arthur Daley in “Minder” might describe a business transaction. Before… Continue reading Word of the week: kosher
This weekend of events commemorating the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death is drawing to a close. There are 37 plays in the Complete Works of Shakespeare. Can you name them all? If so, how do you remember them? If not, and you would like some suggestions, my mnemonics are given below. [Digressions appear in square… Continue reading Shakespeare Mnemonics
[There are over 700 words in this piece, and links to 10,000 words elsewhere.] So, how to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death? At Shakespeare’s Globe this weekend there are filmed excerpts of all the plays: “The Complete Walk: 37 Plays, 37 Films, 37 Screens, A free, celebratory journey through Shakespeare’s plays”. That’s what… Continue reading 10,000 words about Shakespeare
We don’t have a dog. We don’t want one. It’s very unlikely that we will ever have one. Family members in Ireland and Spain have them and that’s as close as we need to get. Here in West London there are plenty of people walking their dogs during (and as part of) the school run.… Continue reading Cleaning up after your dog
Here’s a theory for you. The ideal dietary regime for you is linked to your blood type. If your blood type is O you should follow a high protein diet (and eat meat); if your blood type is A you should follow a high carbohydrate diet (and be vegetarian). It’s a theory, I must emphasize… Continue reading Eat right for your type
I have just started reading “Shakespeare’s Local” by Pete Brown. It’s about the George, a pub near London Bridge that can trace its history back 600 years. It’s more about beer and London history than about Shakespeare, but it seemed appropriate to start reading a book with Shakespeare in its title as we approach the… Continue reading Backing up
SPOILER ALERT: This article reveals the winner of the 2015-16 series of “University Challenge” (the final was broadcast on Monday 18 April 2016). If you don’t want to know who won, stop reading now. The show will be on the BBC iPlayer until around 18 May, so you can watch it here.
Poof: I think that’s how it’s spelt, though it might be puff. It’s a word people used in the 1970s to describe a homosexual, along with its 2-syllable alternative “poofter”. People used it in a similar way to how we use the word “wuss” these days. A kid doesn’t want to dive off the low… Continue reading Word of the Week: poof
There is no hierarchy of misery. Bad things happen. There is no linear relationship between the things that happen to people and how they cope with them. The worst thing that ever happened to you is the worst thing that ever happened to you. Losing a parent in your 30s or 40s can affect you… Continue reading The hierarchy of misery
The Compartments 