There are lots and lots of local and regional papers in Spain, many are propped up by the state (the Generalitat has been paying and presumably pulping almost 10% of La Vanguardia’s sales), and most of them have little or no competition. Most will disappear over the next few years because the state is losing…
This cemetery photo was taken near the beginning of an as yet undocumented walk which culminates in a bath in a 30m waterfall. It’s interesting because the flying beast rather resembles a dragon in dove’s clothing. Offhand I can’t think of any dove dragon myths, but there are plenty of references to pigeons and dragons…
In an update, even more Pelorus boato-photos here. This is getting ridiculous, because there’s a rumour going round that the guy may be going to use Le Grand Bleu (354′) as a frigging supply vessel for the Pelorus (377′). The latter is apparently now heading back to Monte Carlo, which will cheer up Shirley Bassey…
Localisation – like most developments in publishing – has benefited greatly from the needs of the porn industry. “I speak Spanish to God, Italian to women, French to men and German to my horse,” said Charles V of Spain, without, alas, going into detail. I assume, however, that his Italian will not have been the…
Apparently I’ve been signed up for the local chess tournament for the next few Saturdays, otherwise this is where I’d really like to be on Saturday 15th: PHILADELPHIA, May 6 /PRNewswire/ — The Klingon Language Institute (KLI) invites Star Trek fans and anyone curious about Klingon language and culture to a small qep le’ (a…
The more I think about this post, the more intrigued I am as to how you defend yourself against a violent customer using a DNA kit. Does it conceal a gun, or will busdrivers be able to turn notorious spitters into lettuces?
We already knew from a footnote in Marx’s Capital that the Scottish industrialist Peter Fairbairn, who based his life and business in Leeds and was city mayor, “discovered several very important applications of machinery to the construction of machines as a result of strikes in his own factory.” Now Oxford has digitised a number of…
From Nat Geog, via Cronaca, news that Philippe Aries was at least partly wrong: Members of the London-based Society of Thames Mudlarks look very different today from the Victorian street children the group takes its name from. Where ragged waifs once searched for bits of bone and coal to sell, men in overalls, gloves, and…
Akaky over at The Passing Parade lives in fear of the perpetually extending penis promised him by the spammers. No need: we will resurrect The Mighty Thor to deal with this latter-day Midgard Serpent. Here is a taster from an August 1975 story entitled Night of the Troll!, in which Thor interrupts his battle with…