577

577) 30/11/2009

Today I learnt that if you are about to get shot, a good thing to say would be this: "If I live I will kill you; if I die then you are forgiven, such is the rule of honour."
----------------------------------------------

576

576) 29/11/2009

Today I learnt that a song by Mott the Hoople (Sea Diver) features on Morrissey's Desert Island Disks.
----------------------------------------------

575

575) 28/11/2009

Today I learnt that Ben Harper's song "Like a King" is about the LA riots and Rodney King.
----------------------------------------------

574

574) 27/11/2009

Today I learnt that as a young boy Cassius Clay was always asking his brother to throw rocks at him so he could dodge them.
----------------------------------------------

573

573) 26/11/2009

Today I learnt that Scatness is in the Shetland Isles.
----------------------------------------------

572

572) 25/11/2009

Today I learnt that Heathers is a late 1980s black comedy cult movie.
----------------------------------------------

571

571) 24/11/2009

Today I learnt that there exists an outstanding scene in the movie Taxi Driver where the camera pans up to reveal the main protagonist sporting a new Mohawk hair cut whilst attending the public speech of a politician.
----------------------------------------------

570

570) 23/11/2009

Today I learnt that P.M. in archaeological terms often refers to Post-Medieval.
----------------------------------------------

569

569) 22/11/2009

Today I learnt that Byzantium was the Christian East.
----------------------------------------------

568

568) 21/11/2009

Today I learnt that Anthony Trollope was instrumental in inventing and introducing post boxes in Britain.
----------------------------------------------

567

567) 20/11/2009

Today I learnt that Max Wall was an English comedian known for his ludicrously attired and hilariously strutting comedic performance.
----------------------------------------------

566

566) 19/11/2009

Today I learnt that the fetishism of commodities is a Marxist idea, implying that for capitalists value is inherent in a commodity rather than being added to it by the labour that created it.
----------------------------------------------

565

565) 18/11/2009

Today I learnt that the word "fidelity" as well as referring to sound quality of course, can denote faithfulness, loyalty and devotion.
----------------------------------------------

564

564) 17/11/2009

Today I learnt that in the Thursday song "Telegraph Avenue Kiss" the second word the singer spells out is "Fidelity".
----------------------------------------------

563

563) 16/11/2009

Today I learnt a quote which I saw inscribed on a board by a church. "Love people, not things; use things, not people."
----------------------------------------------

562

562) 15/11/2009

Today I learnt that somniphobia is the fear of sleep.
----------------------------------------------

561

561) 14/11/2009

Today I learnt that Nilmar is a very good Brazilian footballer.
----------------------------------------------

560

560) 13/11/2009

Today I learnt that South African athlete Oscar Pistorius attended some weird-ass boarding school as a teenager.
----------------------------------------------

559

559) 12/11/2009

Today I learnt that Clarke and Binford can be seen as pioneers in "New Archaeology" as it moved away from cultural-historical models to a more functionalist ethos in the 1960s.
----------------------------------------------

558

558) 11/11/2009

Today I learnt that Unix is a computer operating system.
----------------------------------------------

557

557) 10/11/2009

Today I learnt that in the film District 9 the alien refugees enjoy cat food.
----------------------------------------------

556

556) 9/11/2009

Today I learnt that the word "derivative" can mean unoriginal, bland.
----------------------------------------------

555

555) 8/11/2009

Today I learnt that one of the venues for the South Africa 10 World Cup features an astonishing, gargantuan arch which can which features a lift to carry visitors to the top.
----------------------------------------------

554

554) 7/11/2009

Today I learnt that David Haye now joins the Klitchko brothers as one of the three heavyweight champions of the world.
----------------------------------------------

553

553) 6/11/2009

I learnt that a line of balance graph is a way of programming data in projects which is well suited to projects which feature numerous repetitive activities.
----------------------------------------------

552

552) 5/11/2009

Today I learnt that Timothy Taylor is a much-respected professor of Archaeology who has written somewhat controversial books and even appeared on television.
----------------------------------------------

551

551) 4/11/2009

Today I learnt that the "Design Argument" is any argument for the existence of God. especially the one that theorises the Earth is so complicated/beautiful that a divine entity must have created it.
----------------------------------------------

550

550) 3/11/2009

Today I learnt that "Coma White" is the final track on Marilyn Manson's Mechanical Animals album.
----------------------------------------------

549

549) 2/11/2009

Today I learnt that Bill Bryson actually lived in Britain for many years before writing his books about this country.
----------------------------------------------

548

548) 1/11/2009

Today I learnt that the New York Marathon is a relatively slow course. The winning time will never be earth-shatteringly fast.
----------------------------------------------

547

547) 31/10/2009

Today I learnt that the JJB stadium in Wigan is now called the DW Stadium.
----------------------------------------------

546

546) 30/10/2009

Today I learnt that the film Son of Ranbow includes an amusing French exchange student character who is just incredibly cool.
----------------------------------------------

545

545) 29/10/2009

Today I learnt that there is an urban legend concerning the 80s movie 3 Men and a Baby. A ghost of a little boy is supposedly seen in one scene of the film but in actual fact this was a partially obscured cardboard cut-out of Ted Danson which is used later in the film. It's still freaky though.
----------------------------------------------

544

544) 28/10/2009

Today I learnt that young Arsenal player Craig Eastmond is capable of playing in a defensive midfield role as well as defender. This is the position he played in for his first team debut tonight.
----------------------------------------------

543

543) 27/10/2009

Today I learnt that the symbol for gamma looks like a stylised V or Y shape.
----------------------------------------------

542

542) 26/10/2009

Today I learnt that Britain's premier distance runner Mo Farah won the Great South Run yesterday.
----------------------------------------------

541

541) 25/10/2009

Today I learnt that the Roman name for the Yorkshire town of Ilkley is unknown.
----------------------------------------------

540

540) 24/10/2009

Today I learnt that Windows 7 is the new successor to Windows Vista.
----------------------------------------------

539

539) 23/10/2009

Today I learnt that Nightwish have a very long song entitled "The Poet and the Pendulum."
----------------------------------------------

538

538) 22/10/2009

Today I learnt that celebrated psychologist Carl Jung was associated with Nazism.
----------------------------------------------

537

537) 21/10/2009

Today I learnt that director Martin Scorsese and actor Robert De Niro have collaborated on a number of films including Raging Bull, Taxi Driver and Cape Fear.
----------------------------------------------

536

536) 20/10/2009

Today I learnt that Timbuktu is in Mali.
----------------------------------------------

535

535) 19/10/2009

Today I learnt that the concept of athletic "circuit training" was invented at the University of Leeds.
----------------------------------------------

534

534) 18/10/2009

Today I learnt that I can muster a 16.9 mph sprint at the end of a 10 mile race. But I must run a more evenly paced race which is not as conservative in the early stages.
----------------------------------------------

533

533) 17/10/2009

Today I learnt that Terry Nation's Survivors had 3 series made.
----------------------------------------------

532

532) 16/10/2009

Today I learnt that Alsatians and German Shepherds are the same dog.
----------------------------------------------

531

531) 15/10/2009

Today I learnt that Eugenics is the principle or practice, now largely discredited, of "improving" the human race by selective breeding. It was a staple of Nazism.
----------------------------------------------

530

530) 14/10/2009

Today I learnt that there is a new series of Curb Your Enthusiasm. Pretty good, Pretty... pretty... pretty good!
----------------------------------------------

529

529) 13/10/2009

Today I learnt that in studio photography the flash light is often pointed away from the subject, and is bounced on to them by use of a reflector to soften the effect of light and reduce shadow.
----------------------------------------------

528

528) 12/10/2009

Today I learnt that Champion sportswear is an American brand and has been a popular staple in hip hop and urban fashion since the early 1990s.
----------------------------------------------

527

527) 11/10/2009

Today I learnt the identity of a song I could just about make out, muffled and quiet, in a supermarket a week ago. From what I could hear, which was the verse bassline and the chord sequence of the chorus I thought, "Wow, that sounds like an excellent song". Unfortunately I had no idea who performed this track because I couldn't decipher the lyrics to search on teh internets. Well now I know it was "Bodies" by Robbie Williams, released tomorrow.
----------------------------------------------

526

526) 10/10/2009

Today I learnt that "Blade Runner" and "Blade" have nothing to do with each other, being separate artistic entities.
----------------------------------------------

525

525) 9/10/2009

Today I learnt that in Freudian psychology the ego is the balance between the id with its driving, dark temptations and the super-ego which constitutes one's moral centre.
----------------------------------------------

524

524) 8/10/2009

Today I learnt that Darwin only actually used the word "evolution" right at the end of "On the Origin of Species".
----------------------------------------------

523

523) 7/10/2009

Today I learnt that Dewsbury is far further away from Bradford than I previously thought.
----------------------------------------------

522

522) 6/10/2009

Today I learnt that a man (John Hinkley) who attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagen did so because he wanted to impress young actress Jodie Foster who he was obsessed with and stalked.
----------------------------------------------

521

521) 5/10/2009

Today I learnt that Steve Prefontaine was a brilliant American distance runner who ran heroically but missed out on a medal in the 1972 Olympic 5000m. He died in a car crash whilst training for the 1976 Olympics.
----------------------------------------------

520

520) 4/10/2009

Today I learnt that a "virago" is a loud, fierce, abusive, masculine woman. The term comes from the Latin for "manlike woman".
----------------------------------------------

519

519) 3/10/2009

Today I learnt that Disturbed's song "Land of Confusion" is actually a cover version. The original was by Genesis and it rocks too!
----------------------------------------------

518

518) 2/10/2009

Today I learnt that the city of Rio de Janeiro will host the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. It will be the first one in South America.
----------------------------------------------

517

517) 1/10/2009

Today I learnt that there is a fiction genre called "steampunk" which is an offshoot of cyberpunk. It usually depicts advanced computer-based technology existing in the years where steam power was still dominant.
----------------------------------------------

516

516) 30/9/2009

Today I learnt about a curious athletic training phenomenon called ‘Yasso 800s’. Apparently if you can run 10 sets of 800m repetitions at 3 minutes each, with 3 minutes recovery-jogging between each interval, then you will be in shape for a 3 hour marathon. Equally, if you can do them at 3 minutes 30 apiece then you’re in shape for a 3 and a half hour marathon. Peculiar, nonsensical yet if you build this method of interval training up week-by-week and successfully complete the 10 800s 2 weeks before the marathon then you are in line to achieve whatever the interval timings suggest. Cosmic.
----------------------------------------------

515

515) 29/9/2009

Today I learnt that tomorrow's front cover of The Sun indicates that the newspaper has stopped supporting Labour after over 12 years and will be once more championing the Conservative Party from now on, leading up to the next general election.
----------------------------------------------

514

514) 28/9/2009

Today I learnt that the worst road accident in British history occurred near Grassington, Yorkshire in 1975.
----------------------------------------------

513

513) 27/9/2009

Today I learnt that the origin of the phrase "Tall Poppy Syndrome". It comes from a story by Aristotle where a man scythed a stick across his garden thus cutting off the heads of the tallest flowers. The expression describes the societal phenomenon in which people of genuine merit are criticised or resented because their talents or achievements elevate them above or distinguish them from their peers.
----------------------------------------------

512

512) 26/9/2009

Today I learnt that Fountains Abbey is located very near to the town of Ripon.
----------------------------------------------

511

511) 25/9/2009

Today I learnt that "concentric circles" would constitute circles positioned inside each other, they share the same centre.
----------------------------------------------

510

510) 24/9/2009

Today I learnt that, recently, the biggest horde of Anglo Saxon gold ever found was discovered under a field in Staffordshire by an unemployed metal detectorist.
----------------------------------------------

509

509) 23/9/2009

Today I learnt that the Japanese athlete (Kokichi Tsuburaya) who took bronze in the 1964 Tokyo Olympic marathon behind Abebe Bikila committed suicide a few years later.
----------------------------------------------

508

508) 22/9/2009

Today I learnt that Backspacer is Pearl Jam's new album.
----------------------------------------------

507

507) 21/9/2009

Today I learnt that Asics is a Japanese firm.
----------------------------------------------

506

506) 20/9/2009

Today I learnt that Rotherham United F.C. have been playing their home games at the athletics stadium in Sheffield while a new stadium is being built in Rotherham.
----------------------------------------------

505

505) 19/9/2009

Today I learnt that the statue of Oliver Cromwell in London ironically looks out across the street to a bust of Charles I.
----------------------------------------------

504

504) 18/9/2009

Today I learnt that a Beetle Drive is a mass-participation game where people each attempt to draw a beetle with each part dictated by the roll of a dice. It is similar to Bingo because the winner must shout out "Beetle!"
----------------------------------------------

503

503) 17/9/2009

Today I learnt that a slogan I recently invented yields only one result on Google and is therefore extremely original. That expression is this: "The Revolution Starts Yesterday".
----------------------------------------------

502

502) 16/9/2009

Today I learnt that court case against two teenagers for "plotting" their own version of the Columbine High School Massacre has rightly been labelled "a waste of money" and they were correctly acquitted after only a few minutes of jury deliberation. Thoughts and fantasises and fixations are not and can never constitute crimes. I myself am an expert on the Columbine incident and there are many important lessons to learn from it.
----------------------------------------------

501

501) 15/9/2009

Today I learnt that the word "arbitrary" can be said of a policy or decision which is based on subjective factors or random choice, not on objective principles. The word comes from the Latin for "uncertain" and thus carries connotations of capriciousness and misuse of power.
----------------------------------------------

500 Days!

Well I'm still going. Every day I take away one thing I learned in those particular 24 hours. It's been fun so far. Now to learn some more...
----------------------------------------------

500

500) 14/9/2009

Today I learnt that Uluru is the actual name of what outsiders called Ayers Rock.
----------------------------------------------

499

499) 13/9/2009

Today I learnt what the loneliness of the long distance runner truly feels like.
----------------------------------------------

498

498) 12/9/2009

Today I learnt that Lord Reith was the first Director-General of the BBC.
----------------------------------------------

497

497) 11/9/2009

Today I learnt that the song "News of the World" with the chorus lyrics of "Read all about it" was by The Jam.
----------------------------------------------

496

496) 10/9/2009

Today I learnt that if you listen very carefully to the Nine Inch Nails song "Hurt" you can discern, from the left channel, some of the lyrics (in the first chorus) sung slightly before they are heard in the primary vocals track. This immersive "musical precursor" device creates an interesting reverse-echo effect.
----------------------------------------------

495

495) 9/9/2009

Today I learnt that in Ordnance maps, when a town or village has CP after it this stands for Civil Parish.
----------------------------------------------

494

494) 8/9/2009

Today I learnt that Bristol is famous for its abundance of graffiti art, it is the home city of the iconic and anonymous Banksy.
----------------------------------------------

493

493) 7/9/2009

Today I learnt that the Rat Islands are a group of volcanic islands which are part of Alaska.
----------------------------------------------

493

493) 6/9/2009

Today I learnt that there is a singer who achieved moderate popularity in the 1970s called Dean Friedman with an interesting voice capable of singular high pitches.
----------------------------------------------

492

492) 5/9/2009

Today I learnt that the Beatles appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show three weeks running. It wasn't a one-off performance.
----------------------------------------------

491

491) 4/9/2009

Today I learnt that there is a U2 tribute band entitled New2.
----------------------------------------------

490

490) 3/9/2009

Today I learnt that Alice in Chains have preceded their upcoming new album with two singles one of which features an darkly artistic and abstractly provocative video.
----------------------------------------------

489

489) 2/9/2009

Today I learnt that there was an amazing and rare spectacle which occurred in 1054 AD whereby a star dramatically increased in brightness as the result of a supernova. It was even visible in broad daylight for weeks and its presence was recorded by the Chinese, Arabs and and native Americans.
----------------------------------------------

488

488) 1/9/2009

Today I learnt that the two countries who principally dispute the identity of the Kosovo region are Albania and Serbia. The vast majority of Western nations recognise Kosovo as an independent country.
----------------------------------------------

487

487) 31/8/2009

Today I learnt that Ted Edgar is a man involved with show-jumping.
----------------------------------------------

486

486) 30/8/2009

Today I learnt that "Barefoot Runner" is book written about the legendary Ethiopian marathon runner and Olympic champion of the 1960s Abebe Bikila.
----------------------------------------------

485

485) 29/8/2009

Today I learnt that Michael Jackson shares a birthday with my aunt (today).
----------------------------------------------

484

484) 28/8/2009

Today I learnt that Overkill is the use of excessive force or action that goes further than is necessary to achieve its goal. For example, using a sledgehammer to crack a hazelnut, using a flamethrower to light a candle or killing an ant with a rocket launcher. I learnt that you can call these absurd acts overkill!
----------------------------------------------

483

483) 27/8/2009

Today I learnt that the athlete Caster Semenya has a staggering anagram of her name given the circumstances of her recent World Championships win... "Yes, a secret man".
----------------------------------------------

482

482) 26/8/2009

Today I learnt an inspirational saying courtesy of Arsene Wenger: "The biggest room in the world is the room for improvement".
----------------------------------------------

481

481) 25/8/2009

Today I learnt that the word "gauche" which I was aware means "left" in French is used in English to connote uncomfortable awkwardness in social situations. This stems from the French meaning whereby being left-handed was considered awkward.
----------------------------------------------

480

480) 24/8/2009

Today I learnt that Omegle.com is an interesting website where after pressing a button you are automatically anonymously set up with another completely random anonymous visitor to the site in 1 on 1 chat. Your partner is "Stranger" and you are "You". Very funny site!
----------------------------------------------

479

479) 23/8/2009

Today I learnt that "Catch Me if You Can" is a film based on the true story of a young man who in the 1960s committed fraud on a mass-scale by scamming millions of dollars and posing as a pilot and doctor amongst other things.
----------------------------------------------

478

478) 22/8/2009

Today I learnt that England are in a good position (requiring 10 wickets with a massive lead) to regain the Ashes! A lot can still happen though but tomorrow is a big day!
----------------------------------------------

477

477) 21/8/2009

Today I learnt that the word "priapic" relates to masculinity or specifically the phallus.
----------------------------------------------

476

476) 20/8/2009

Today I learnt that in the M.I.A. song "Paper Planes" the line "I've got more records than the KGB" refers to the Russian organisation's security and espionage records kept on people. Previously I could not understand the meaning of this semantic reference.
----------------------------------------------

475

475) 19/8/2009

Today I learnt that controversy surrounds the gender of new women's 800m World Champion Caster Semenya. The teenage South African has come from absolutely nowhere in the past few weeks to blitz the world with simply astonishing world leading times.
----------------------------------------------

474

474) 18/8/2009

Today I learnt that Wigan Athletic's manager Roberto Martinez used to play for them.
----------------------------------------------

473

473) 17/8/2009

Today I learnt that in the film Amadeus, some of Mozart's work is criticised by the emperor for having "too many notes".
----------------------------------------------

472

472) 16/8/2009

Today I learnt that Usain Bolt has lowered his own 100m World Record to 9.58 seconds. This constitutes the biggest amount the record has ever been lowered by - 0.11 seconds. Considering Bolt's age I believe he could get down to somewhere in the 9.3 region with the right conditions and conditioning but requires the magnificent competition that Gay gave him tonight.
----------------------------------------------

471

471) 15/8/2009

Today I learnt that Great Britain have an excellent 400m hurdler in young Welshman David Greene.
----------------------------------------------

470

470) 14/8/2009

Today I learnt that a Canuck is a slang term for a Canadian.
----------------------------------------------

469

469) 13/8/2009

Today I learnt that there is an all-female band called The Iron Maidens.
----------------------------------------------

468

468) 12/8/2009

Today I learnt that the German word for "back" is "rück" hence the expression "ruck sack".
----------------------------------------------

467

467) 11/8/2009

Today I learnt that the European peninsular was formed in the Pliocene Period.
----------------------------------------------

466

466) 10/8/2009

Today I learnt that long before any knowledge of electricity existed people were aware of shocks from electric fish.
----------------------------------------------

465

465) 9/8/2009

Today I learnt that the town of Haworth is rather randomly twinned with the legendary Inca city of Machu Picchu.
----------------------------------------------

464

464) 8/8/2009

Today I learnt that "Kill Your Idols" is a song by Sonic Youth.
----------------------------------------------

464

464) 7/8/2009

Today I learnt that in late 19th century Britain there was a short-lived period of early organised athletics where professional runners engaged in well-attended and much-publicised races. This came before the years of amateurism and international competition. The record time for the mile was gradually reduced in this period towards the 4 minute mark. I myself managed to get my mile time down to 5 minutes exactly today and I cannot imagine running much faster - so much respect for these athletes!
----------------------------------------------

463

463) 6/8/2009

Today I learnt that the Giant Deer is an extinct species which roamed the Eurasian land-mass before its demise at the end of the last glacial age. Perhaps its ridiculously large antlers led to this imposingly huge beast's demise as they would have made basic living difficult.
----------------------------------------------

462

462) 5/8/2009

Today I learnt that there exists a cold-war based family film entitled Russkies where three American boys form a friendship with a member of the Russian navy who is ship-wrecked in the US territory.
----------------------------------------------

461

461) 4/8/2009

Today I learnt that a song by Kelly Clarkson has attracted criticism and controversy due to it being remarkably similar to a previously released song - by Beyonce.
----------------------------------------------

460

460) 3/8/2009

Today I learnt that there is an episode of The Simpsons where Homer becomes an ice-cream man with amusing consequences.
----------------------------------------------

459

459) 2/8/2009

Today I learnt that Arsenal FC won the Emirates Cup in 2009 by defeating Rangers.
----------------------------------------------

458

458) 1/8/2009

Today I learnt that the actress who, as a girl, played Treena in series 2 of little-known Canadian comedy Trailer Park Boys went on to bigger and better things. That actress was Ellen Page!
----------------------------------------------

457

457) 31/7/2009

Today I learnt that Australian cricketer Ricky Ponting is from Tasmania.
----------------------------------------------

456

456) 30/7/2009

Today I learnt that Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy has penned a poem to mark the passing of two of the last British veterans of World War 1. It contains an alliterative tongue-twister, "bled bad blood".
----------------------------------------------

455

455) 29/7/2009

Today I learnt a joke. What do you call a guy who hangs around with 3 musicians? A drummer.
----------------------------------------------

454

454) 28/7/2009

Today I learnt that the modern concept of "age of consent" in Britain was a Victorian construct aimed to curb the roaring trade that was child prostitution.
----------------------------------------------

453

453) 27/7/2009

Today I learnt that Reverend and the Makers' first record was given a relatively poor review by the NME.
----------------------------------------------

452

452) 26/7/2009

Today I learnt that the X Factor runners up JLS are currently top of the UK charts with their debut single "Beat Again".
----------------------------------------------

451

451) 25/7/2009

Today I learnt that Michael Jackson's expression "Shamone" was a deliberate mispronunciation of "Come on".
----------------------------------------------

450

450) 24/7/2009

Today I learnt that a slogan written on the guitar of Woody Guthrie was "This Machine Kills Fascists".
----------------------------------------------

449

449) 23/7/2009

Today I learnt that in Rocky IV Ivan Drago kills Apollo Creed in a boxing match.
----------------------------------------------

448

448) 22/7/2009

Today I learnt that new diving World Champion Tom Daley recently had to move schools because he was being badly bullied.
----------------------------------------------

447

447) 21/7/2009

Today I learnt that Nat Young is a ground-breaking Australian surfer who was at his peak in the late 60s.
----------------------------------------------

446

446) 20/7/2009

Today I learnt that the myfootballclub.co.uk forums have changed their appearance; now resembling another forum I regularly frequent... Where's dYlan?? lol.
----------------------------------------------

445

445) 19/7/2009

Today I learnt that in the 70s there was a mysterious band who a lot of people thought was really the Beatles making anonymous new music. This band was Klaatu.
----------------------------------------------

444

444) 18/7/2009

Today I learnt that Arsenal have thankfully got rid of Emmanuel Adebayor for a tremendous profit on what we signed him for. Thanks for the goals but the attitude was terrible.
----------------------------------------------

443

443) 17/7/2009

Today I learnt that the Statue of Liberty was built in France and then shipped to America. It was a present from the people of France in mark of America's centenary.
----------------------------------------------

442

442) 16/7/2009

Today I learnt that in the Western world, males die much more often by means of suicide than do females, although females attempt suicide more often.
----------------------------------------------

441

441) 15/7/2009

Today I learnt that "Easier to Run" is a song by Linkin Park.
----------------------------------------------

440

440) 14/7/2009

Today I learnt that the film Eden Lake does not resolve with any sense of overall justice; rather it is a depressing ending in keeping with the hard-hitting depravity of the film.
----------------------------------------------

439

439) 13/7/2009

Today I learnt that "Walkabout" is a novel which opens with a young girl and her brother lost in the Australian wilderness.
----------------------------------------------

438

438) 12/7/2009

Today I learnt that former Australian cricketer Jason Gillespie has come up with a quite brilliant phrase. Asked if his countrymen would be happy with their performance in this opening Test match, he replied, 'Aw, mate, they'll be real happy.' A thoughtful pause, then - 'Happy as a fat spider.'
----------------------------------------------

437

437) 11/7/2009

Today I learnt that I am going to have to get pretty good on keyboards in just two weeks.
----------------------------------------------

436

436) 10/7/2009

Today I learnt that Elton John's "Song for Guy" is essentially an instrumental, piano-driven composition.
----------------------------------------------

435

435) 9/7/2009

Today I learnt that a famous preserved railway in Wales is twinned with the Puffing Billy railway in Australia.
----------------------------------------------

434

434) 8/7/2009

Today I learnt that the 80s song with the chorus "Somewhere is my heart there is..." is by Aztec Camera.
----------------------------------------------

433

433) 7/7/2009

Today I learnt that the late Michael Jackson's daughter is my new favourite Paris. She has an amazing presence and will undoubtedly go far.
----------------------------------------------

432

432) 6/7/2009

Today I learnt that a televisual programme entitled "Safari Sisters" exists in our current dimension of reality.
----------------------------------------------

431

431) 5/7/2009

Today I learnt that cyclist Cadel Evans is, like me, a fan of Tintin.
----------------------------------------------

430

430) 4/7/2009

Today I learnt that even though Serena Williams holds 3 of the 4 tennis Grand Slams she has not risen to World Number 1 and this justifiably annoys her.
----------------------------------------------

429

429) 3/7/2009

Today I learnt that there is another film, made later, which is based on the same short story as Innocence was.
----------------------------------------------

428

428) 2/7/2009

Today I learnt that the French film Innocence has no musical score due to the director wanting her film to be "timeless": Music can automatically date movies to a particular point in time. Also, she wanted the audience to form their own emotions and opinions about what was happening without music directing or influencing them.
----------------------------------------------

427

427) 1/7/2009

Today I learnt that a wind-up radio I purchased needs to be wound clockwise, at a speed of twice a second, to charge.
----------------------------------------------

426

426) 30/6/2009

Today I learnt that Neil Tennant is one half of The Pet Shop Boys.
----------------------------------------------

425

425) 29/6/2009

Today I learnt that the word "Bostin" is Black Country slang for fantastic/great.
----------------------------------------------

424

424) 28/6/2009

Today I learnt that the band Madness have a song also called "Madness."
----------------------------------------------

Going away

I will now be away for 2 weeks but the life-time project of course will continue. I will update this site when I return. (I will be manually writing down what I learn every day in that period.)
----------------------------------------------

423

423) 27/6/2009

Today I learnt that a symbol for Zen is this circular motif.

----------------------------------------------

422

422) 26/6/2009

Today I learnt that the Michael Jackson song "Thriller" was originally entitled "Starlight" with a chorus of "Star-light.... Starlight sun". A demo exists of this version.
----------------------------------------------

421

421) 25/6/2009

Today I learnt that the Ardennes is a region of forests and hills primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg as well as France.
----------------------------------------------

420

420) 24/6/2009

Today I learnt that there are two Radwanska sisters in women's tennis.
----------------------------------------------

419

419) 23/6/2009

Today I learnt that Kristi Klenot is an adult movie actress.
----------------------------------------------

418

418) 22/6/2009

Today I learnt that some people keep skunks as pets.
----------------------------------------------

417

417) 21/6/2009

Today I learnt that the word "milieu" means a social environment or set of surroundings.
----------------------------------------------

416

416) 20/6/2009

Today I learnt that Rafael Nadal is out of this year's Wimbledon.
----------------------------------------------

415

415) 19/6/2009

Today I learnt that a trite remark is one which is meaningless due to it being an over-used, often repeated, hackneyed cliche.
----------------------------------------------

414

414) 18/6/2009

Today I learn that North Korea have qualified for the 2010 World Cup.
----------------------------------------------

413

413) 17/6/2009

Today I learnt that there is a website called "National Novel Writing Month" where anyone can sign up and attempt to write a 50,000 word during the month of November.
----------------------------------------------

412

412) 16/6/2009

Today I learnt that you can get guitar leads which plug into your computer via USB rather than through the microphone jack - amazing.
----------------------------------------------

411

411) 15/6/2009

Today I learnt that Bellowhead is an eclectic folk band.
----------------------------------------------

410

410) 14/6/2009

Today I learnt that Andy Murray has become the first British player to win Queens since 1938. A historic day in British sport.
----------------------------------------------

409

409) 13/6/2009

Today I learnt that the French painter Manet can be viewed as one of the fathers of modern art, with his controversial subject matter and stylistic precursors of Impressionism.
----------------------------------------------

408

408) 12/6/2009

Today I learnt that Gallows' second album Grey Britain begins with a song named The Riverbank.
----------------------------------------------

407

407) 11/6/2009

Today I learnt that Japanese Manga is read from right to left.
----------------------------------------------

406

406) 10/6/2009

Today I learnt that parts of Panic at the Disco's Beatles influenced album Pretty. Odd. were recorded at Abbey Road studios.
----------------------------------------------

405

405) 9/6/2009

Today I learnt that one of the most controversial album covers of all time is Scorpions' Virgin Killer.
----------------------------------------------

404

404) 8/6/2009

Today I learnt that the Jury Team is a British political organisation set up this year which has the aim of putting up independent candidates in elections; selecting them by public texts votes in the style of TV shows like "The X Factor".
----------------------------------------------

403

403) 7/6/2009

Today I learnt that some BNP guy with a neo-Nazi past was elected to the European Parliament as one of the MEPs from my own Yorkshire/Humberside region. Retarded.
----------------------------------------------

402

402) 6/6/2009

Today I learnt that Green Day's new album 21st Century Breakdown is set out in "3 Acts".
----------------------------------------------

401

401) 5/6/2009

Today I learnt that the film Misery was based on a Stephen King novel.
----------------------------------------------

400

400) 4/6/2009

Today I learnt that obsidian is categorised as a volcanic glass.
----------------------------------------------

399

399) 3/6/2009

Today I learnt that the Alice in Chains song "Rooster" was written about Jerry Cantrell's father's service in the Vietnam War.
----------------------------------------------

398

398) 2/6/2009

Today I learnt that the software Tor is an acronym for "The Onion Router".
----------------------------------------------

397

397) 1/6/2009

Today I learnt that Audi means "Listen" in Latin.
----------------------------------------------

396

396) 31/5/2009

Today I learnt that I can run a marathon.
----------------------------------------------

395

395) 30/5/2009

Today I learnt that Calton Hill is in Edinburgh, near the Scottish Parliament building.
----------------------------------------------

394

394) 29/5/2009

Today I learnt that Philippe Petit tight-rope walked between the twin towers of the World Trade Center in 1974. This amazing act for which he was promptly arrested is the subject of the award-winning film Man on Wire.
----------------------------------------------

393

393) 28/5/2009

Today I learnt that the collapse of the ancient Maya civilisation of interlinked city states occurred in the 9th century. Most of the cities were abandoned and were covered-up by encroaching jungle for centuries.
----------------------------------------------

392

392) 27/5/2009

Today I learnt that there is a profound and epic beauty in redemption, the sweetest glory is the perfect revenge. Thierry Henry is finally the European champion his genius warrants and I can triumph over my nemesis and banish him to nothing; destroy everthing he stands for and cherish these words...

Barcelona!
It was the first time that we met
Barcelona! How can I forget
The moment that you stepped in the room
You took my breath away
Barcelona!
Such a beautiful horizon
Like a jewel in the sun

This dream was me and you

TH14
----------------------------------------------

391

391) 26/5/2009

Today I learnt that FTW is an internet slang acronym for "For the Win" or occasionally, in different contexts, "Fuck the World".
----------------------------------------------

390

390) 25/5/2009

Today I learnt that after the 1990 World Cup Semi Final between England and West Germany Stuart Pearce, who missed a penalty in the shoot-out, and Peter Shilton were called in for a mandatory random drugs test and sat waiting with the 2 players called from the German team. If someone had come in to that room then they wouldn't have known who won or lost because the Germans' conduct around the English duo was exemplary and politely subdued despite their victory. This taught Stuart an important lesson which was to always conduct yourself the same in victory or defeat and be good winner as well as a good loser and have respect for your opponents.
----------------------------------------------

389

389) 24/5/2009

Today I learnt that at the end of another brutal round in the epic 1975 "Thriller in Manila" clash between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, Frazier's trainer uttered these immortal words. "Sit down son, it's all over. But nobody will ever forget what you did here today." The fight was thus ended after 14 rounds.
----------------------------------------------

388

388) 23/5/2009

Today I learnt that the former president of South Korea Roh Moo-hyun has committed suicide.
----------------------------------------------

387

387) 22/5/2009

Today I learnt that it is Morrissey's 50th birthday.
----------------------------------------------

386

386) 21/5/2009

Today I learnt that the Visigoths once sacked Rome, the first time it had fallen to an enemy for 800 years.
----------------------------------------------

385

385) 20/5/2009

Today I learnt that the Gorbals area is a place in Glasgow, Scotland.
----------------------------------------------

384

384) 19/5/2009

Today I learnt that conjoined twins acquired the name "Siamese twins" after a famous pair from Siam (now Thailand) who travelled to America and adopted the surname Bunker. They eventually settled down in North Carolina with their wives, (2 sisters) and had 10 and 11 children respectively.
----------------------------------------------

383

383) 18/5/2009

Today I learnt that the ruined monolithic statue on Lost once depicted the Egyptian Goddess of pregnancy and fertility, Taweret.
----------------------------------------------

382

382) 17/5/2009

Today I learnt that in the 1968 Mexico City Olympics Tanzania's Stephen Akhwari completed the marathon, long after its conclusion, in last place despite cutting and dislocating his knee at the start. When asked why he continued running, he said simply, "My country did not send me to Mexico City to start the race. They sent me to finish."
----------------------------------------------

381

381) 16/5/2009

Today I learn that Norway are the Eurovision Song Contest Winners 2009; with a new record points total.
----------------------------------------------

380

380) 15/5/2009

Today I learnt that GTTR stands for Graduate Teacher Training Registry.
----------------------------------------------

379

379) 14/5/2009

Today I learnt that the hosts in the 2 semi-finals of this year's Eurovision Song Contest in Russia will not be hosting the final. This disappointed me because they were hilarious.
----------------------------------------------

378

378) 13/5/2009

Today I learnt that Glassjaw's "Worship and Tribute" album features an unusual partially transparent front cover; using the actual CD within the box as part of the design.
----------------------------------------------

377

377) 12/5/2009

Today I learnt that in the days when boxing matches went on for dozens of rounds, the rounds weren't timed but ended when a boxer received a hit. A round could hence last a few seconds.
----------------------------------------------

376

376) 11/5/2009

Today I learnt that there is a posthumous album (box set) of Johnny Cash's music entitled Unearthed.
----------------------------------------------

375

375) 10/5/2009

Today I learnt that there was/is a myth about Mick Jagger, Marianne Faithfull and a Mars Bar.
----------------------------------------------

374

374) 9/5/2009

Today I learnt that "Straight Edge" is a concept and lifestyle, symbolised by the letter X, which has been associated with parts of the hardcore punk and post-hardcore subculture for decades. It refers to individuals who do not and will never drink, smoke or take drugs. I myself have lived by these principles my whole life.
----------------------------------------------

373

373) 8/5/2009

Today I learnt that the song "Lola" by The Kinks is about an encounter with a transvestite.
----------------------------------------------

372

372) 7/5/2009

Today I learnt that Joe Louis is number 1 in Ring Magazine's list of the 100 greatest punchers of all time.
----------------------------------------------

371

371) 6/5/2009

Today I learnt that the Navajo are the largest Native American tribe of North America today.
----------------------------------------------

370

370) 5/5/2009

Today I learnt that boxer Marvellous Marvin Hagler was renowned for his incredible training routines. In winter he would isolate himself in closed-up hotels on freezing Cape Cod, running mile after mile in heavy-duty combat boots; running miles backwards was also part of the punishing regime.
----------------------------------------------

369

369) 4/5/2009

Today I learnt that an incubus is a mythological male demon that, according to legend, has sexual intercourse with sleeping women.
----------------------------------------------

368

368) 3/5/2009

Today I learnt that Bing is a soft drink made in Kent.
----------------------------------------------

367

367) 2/5/2009

Today I learnt that Frank Bruno finally won a World Title in his second last fight as a pro boxer. His first defence of the title was against Mike Tyson who beat him again and Bruno retired.
----------------------------------------------

366

366) 1/5/2009

Today I learnt that Carol Ann Duffy is the new Poet Laureate. She becomes the first woman to take up this post.
----------------------------------------------

365

365) 30/4/2009

Today I learnt that I can upload files to Rapidshare but only 10 people can download it before the link becomes invalid.
----------------------------------------------

364

364) 29/4/2009

Today I learnt that Hillsong Church is an Australian Pentecostal church whose music releases have been released worldwide in the Christian contemporary music market.
----------------------------------------------

363

363) 28/4/2009

Today I learnt that the London Marathon will be sponsored by Virgin from next year.
----------------------------------------------

362

362) 27/4/2009

Today I learnt that there is a notable pattern in maths whereby 1,111 x 1,111 = 1234321 and 11,111 x 11,111 = 123454321 etc. It stems from 11 x 11 which of course equals 121 and the pattern continues from there.
----------------------------------------------

361

361) 26/4/2009

Today I learnt that Blackburn Rovers fans are still known to sing "There's only one Jack Walker".
----------------------------------------------

360

360) 25/4/2009

Today I learnt that the Angel of Mons is a legend associated with World War 1 where during one battle, the British were supposedly protected by a group of angelic warriors.
----------------------------------------------

359

359) 24/4/2009

Today I learnt that a solecism is a good term to describe grammatical nonsenses in English.
----------------------------------------------

358

358) 23/4/2009

Today I learnt the mandrill is a species of monkey closely related to baboons. I learnt this after watching an episode of Brass Eye where it is explained that the exchange of illicit drugs through the use of a mandrill is perfectly legal in English law.
----------------------------------------------

357

357) 22/4/2009

Today I learnt that the word "Quarantine" originates from the religious notion of spending 40 days and nights in the wilderness.(Quarantina is Italian for a period of 40 days).
----------------------------------------------

356

356) 21/4/2009

Today I learnt that Columbus City is a small settlement in Iowa.
----------------------------------------------

355

355) 20/4/2009

Today I learnt that an atavistic trait is something which is a throwback to the characteristics of distant ancestors. For example a warmongering desire could be seen as an atavistic urge; the primal need to defend one's own clan.
----------------------------------------------

354

354) 19/4/2009

Today I learnt that in the film Blindness the city depicted is Sao Paulo, Brazil combined with a Uruguayan city. Also, buildings from Toronto were digitally added into the background of shots to alter the landscape and make the city in the film seem more unidentifiable and generic.
----------------------------------------------

353

353) 18/4/2009

Today I learnt that an old song "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" is adapted by fans of many football clubs when they are "on their way to Wembley". But most predominantly it is used by supporters of Arsenal.

She wore, she wore, she wore a yellow ribbon
She wore a yellow ribbon in the merry month of May
And when I asked her why she wore that ribbon
She said its for the Arsenal and we're going to Wembley
Wembley, Wembley, We're the famous Arsenal and we're going Wembley.
----------------------------------------------

352

352) 17/4/2009

Today I learnt that O RLY? (used as a sarcastic comment on forums or imageboards, often accompanied by an image macro of an owl) is an Internet meme dating from the early 21st century.
----------------------------------------------

351

351) 16/4/2009

Today I learnt that Zut Alors! is a French exclamation equivalent of "damn" or "darn it!".
----------------------------------------------

350

350) 15/4/2009

Today I learnt that Gael Clichy said his favourite show is Dragonball Z. Therefore he is automatically better than his predecessor, the once great Cole.
----------------------------------------------

349

349) 14/4/2009

Today I learnt that the rare genre fusion of hip hop and country music is sometimes rather amusingly called "hick hop".
----------------------------------------------

348

348) 13/4/2009

Today I learnt that golfer Angel Cabrera has only won 2 PGA tour titles in his entire career; but they both happen to be majors.
----------------------------------------------

347

347) 12/4/2009

Today I learnt that a "simulacrum" is an image or a semblance of some sort: a deceptive substitute perhaps. It is related to the term "simulation".
----------------------------------------------

346

346) 11/4/2009

Today I learnt that American tennis player Gertrude "Gussie" Moran caused much controversy at the 1949 Wimbledon Championships with her strikingly suggestive outfit.
----------------------------------------------

345

345) 10/4/2009

Today I learnt that "Harry Redknapp's got a twitch" was a chant sung by Southampton fans to the tune of Old McDonald's Farm.
----------------------------------------------

344

344) 9/4/2009

Today I learnt that only certain large-brained social animals are able to recognise that a mirror shows a reflection of themselves. One such example is the Asian elephant.
----------------------------------------------

343

343) 8/4/2009

Today I learnt that in the first season of the Premiership, 1992-93, Arsenal were top of the league and flying after 15 games.
----------------------------------------------

342

342) 7/4/2009

Today I learnt that Vladimir Nabokov's character Dolores Haze is not as innocent as I thought she was. This hurt me very much but then I remembered she is a fictional character.
----------------------------------------------

341

341) 6/4/2009

Today I learnt that marathons get their name from the legend that a Greek messenger ran all the way from the town of Marathon to Athens with news of a battle.
----------------------------------------------

340

340) 5/4/2009

Today I learnt that the Queen's aunt, Princess Mary, resided in Harewood House, Yorkshire.
----------------------------------------------

339

339) 4/4/2009

Today I learnt that a horse (Mon Mome) with odds of 100/1 triumphed in the Grand National. This is the longest odds for a winner in over 40 years.
----------------------------------------------

338

338) 3/4/2009

Today I learnt that FAO can stand for "For attention of".
----------------------------------------------

337

337) 2/4/2009

Today I learnt that the famous area in New York is actually Times Square, not Time Square. I don't know why I previously thought the latter title was true.
----------------------------------------------

336

336) 1/4/2009

Today I learnt that a sage is someone possessing great knowledge and wisdom about something. The word can also be used as an adjective - For example: His technique proved very sage and resulted in success.
----------------------------------------------

335

335) 31/3/2009

Today I learnt that, in Microsoft Windows computing, you can re-name multiple pictures by selecting all and simple re-naming one. All selected pictures will then have the same name with an automatically generated individual bracketed number after.
----------------------------------------------

334

334) 30/3/2009

Today I learnt that a fundamental difference between Paracetamol and Aspirin is that the latter is able to reduce inflammation whilst the former is not.
----------------------------------------------

333

333) 29/3/2009

Today I learnt that the operating system Linux is pronounced "linn-ux" rather than "line-ux".
----------------------------------------------

332

332) 28/3/2009

Today I learnt that Holland & Barrett is not an opticians but a chain of health-food stores.
----------------------------------------------

331

331) 27/3/2009

Today I learnt that there is a low-budget late 80s exploitation movie entitled Surf Nazis Must Die.
----------------------------------------------

330

330) 26/3/2009

Today I learnt that The Orphanage is a 2007 Spanish language horror film.
----------------------------------------------

329

329) 25/3/2009

Today I learnt that there is an episode of The Simpsons where Lisa is revealed to be a fan of the Classical/Pop cross-over artist Josh Groban.
----------------------------------------------

328

328) 24/3/2009

Today I learnt that the countries of Ethiopia, Somalia, Eritrea and Djibouti can be said to constitute the "Horn of Africa". This figurative term connotes the easternmost edge of Africa as it juts out into the Arabian Sea.
----------------------------------------------

327

327) 23/3/2009

Today I learnt a semi-amusing wordplay pun: Politics - It comes from the Greek "poly" meaning many and "tics" meaning small, annoying things that suck the life-blood out of other things.
----------------------------------------------

326

326) 22/3/2009

Today I learnt that my knee injury is worse than I originally considered it.
----------------------------------------------

325

325) 21/3/2009

Today I learnt that the greatest WW1 fighter pilot, the "Red Baron" did not crash to his death; he was shot but managed to make a controlled landing of his undamaged plane in a field. This was in the last moments of his life.
----------------------------------------------

324

324) 20/3/2009

Today I learnt that "Five Years" is the song that opens up David Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust" album. It tells of how the Earth is doomed to destruction in five years.
----------------------------------------------

323

323) 19/3/2009

Today I learnt that Lou Reed's seminal album Transformer was co-produced by David Bowie and his guitarist Mick Ronson.
----------------------------------------------

322

322) 18/3/2009

Today I learnt that John Lydon got 2 A-Levels.
----------------------------------------------

321

321) 17/3/2009

Today I learnt that the prefix "sub" can be placed before a thing to indicate a lesser, lower in worth, substandard version of said thing. The expression is frequently used by critic Mark Kermode in his film reviews in which he may say, "this film displays distinct sub-Kubrick elements" or "this storyline is has no originality, it is just another bad, sub-Exorcist plot".
----------------------------------------------

320

320) 16/3/2009

Today I learnt that my dad is far superior at tennis than me. (6-1, 6-1, 6-0, 6-4).
----------------------------------------------

319

319) 15/3/2009

Today I learnt that in the 1962 World Cup Pele was injured early on and Garrincha was the star player for winners Brazil.
----------------------------------------------

318

318) 14/3/2009

Today I learnt that, in boxing, Cruiserweight is heavier than Light Heavyweight.
----------------------------------------------

317

317) 13/3/2009

Today I learnt that the official Comic Relief single this year is a re-working of Depeche Mode's "Just Can't Get Enough".
----------------------------------------------

316

316) 12/3/2009

Today I learnt that the prefix "pan" denotes the concept of "all", the idea of entirety. Hence, Pan-European refers to all Europe. The word panorama displays the prefix in another context.
----------------------------------------------

315

315) 11/3/2009

Today I learnt sadly that Tim Kretschmer has joined the ever-growing list of high-school massacre perpetrators. They can all be traced, of course, to Columbine 1999 and Eric and Dylan.
----------------------------------------------

314

314) 10/3/2009

Today I learnt that to denigrate someone is to belittle or criticise them by pouring scorn on their reputation or character.
----------------------------------------------

313

313) 9/3/2009

Today I learnt that Shakespeare's Twelfth Night is a comedy which concerns a woman pretending to be a man and the humorous consequential misunderstandings thereof. The famous line "some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrown upon them" comes from this play.
----------------------------------------------

312

312) 8/3/2009

Today I learnt that the national anthem of the Netherlands moves from a 4/4 time signature into 3/4.
----------------------------------------------

311

311) 7/3/2009

Today I learnt that Gaelic football is a strictly amateur sport.
----------------------------------------------

310

310) 6/3/2009

Today I learnt that Barbie's surname is Roberts.
----------------------------------------------

309

309) 5/3/2009

Today I learnt that Quentin Tarantino directed Kill Bill and that this was only the 4th film he had directed in his career.
----------------------------------------------

308

308) 4/3/2009

Today I learnt that around 85% of the world's Muslims are Sunni with 15% Shi'a. The Shi'a denomination are concentrated mostly in Iran.
----------------------------------------------

307

307) 3/3/2009

Today I learnt that Otuo Saba is a very promising young boxer who could feature in London 2012. He is only 14 but is very fast and throws unreal combinations.
----------------------------------------------

306

306) 2/3/2009

Today I learnt that the Yongle Encyclopedia, written in early 15th century China, was the largest encyclopedia ever produced - with over 11,000 volumes. It was finally overtaken in size by Wikipedia. Nothing of the original has survived to this day and only a few hundred volumes of copies exist now.
----------------------------------------------

305

305) 1/3/2009

Today I learnt that one of the central themes of the film Be Kind Rewind is the jazz musician Fats Waller.
----------------------------------------------

304

304) 28/2/2009

Today I learnt that Nine Inch Nails released their 2008 album "The Slip" free online.
----------------------------------------------

303

303) 27/2/2009

Today I learnt that several of England's best footballers like Kelly Smith and Karen Carney are moving to teams in America to play in the newly formed women's professional league there. This could be detrimental to the game in England.
----------------------------------------------

302

302) 26/2/2009

Today I learnt that there is a film from 1958 entitled Teenage Caveman. It stars a 25 year old Robert Vaughn playing a young teenage boy in prehistoric times despite the characters having slicked back 50s style hair. Vaughn has later described the movie as the worst ever made.
----------------------------------------------

301

301) 25/2/2009

Today I learnt that a hegemony means one social group or country having dominance, societal control or authority over another. For example: In India, the British hegemony was successfully challenged by Ghandi.
----------------------------------------------

300

300) 24/2/2009

Today I learnt that Kolo Toure is always the last Arsenal player to enter the field of play for the second half. If a player enters the pitch after the whistle to re-start the match has gone though, he may get booked.
----------------------------------------------

299

299) 23/2/2009

Today I learnt that the multi Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire cost around 14 - 15 million dollars to make.
----------------------------------------------

298

298) 22/2/2009

Today I learnt, or rather remembered, that Craig Bellamy once played for Liverpool FC.
----------------------------------------------

297

297) 21/2/2009

Today I learnt that, in the context of football, Benik Afobe is a name you should definitely remember.
----------------------------------------------

296

296) 20/2/2009

Today I learnt that Anvil are an aging metal band formed in Toronto whose up-and-down history has been made into a documentary film.
----------------------------------------------

295

295) 19/2/2009

Today I learnt to be more careful when running backwards. Pain can result if not careful.
----------------------------------------------

294

294) 18/2/2009

Today I learnt that the quadriceps is a four-part muscle group that is in front of the thigh and is used when the leg is extended.
----------------------------------------------

293

293) 17/2/2009

Today I learnt that J.B. Dykes was one of the most prolific and successful of the Victorian hymn tune writers.
----------------------------------------------

292

292) 16/2/2009

Today I learn that there is a Welsh footballer by the name of Darcy Blake.
----------------------------------------------

291

291) 15/2/2009

Today I learnt that Freddie Mercury's song "Barcelona" was released in 1987 as the title-track of an album he made with a famous Catalan opera soprano.
----------------------------------------------

290

290) 14/2/2009

Today I learnt that Bruschetta is an Italian appetizer; it is pieces of grilled bread topped with garlic, cheese and tomato.
----------------------------------------------

289

289) 13/2/2009

Today I learnt that Anarcho-primitivism is an anarchic school of thought that denounces all forms of civilisation and advocates a return to the pre-agrarian days of humanity. Because of its complete rejection of industry and technology it has links with extreme environmentalism.
----------------------------------------------

288

288) 12/2/2009

Today I learnt that Winnebago is an American manufacturer of motor homes; recreational vehicles.
----------------------------------------------

287

287) 11/2/2009

Today I learnt that a Chazzan is a Jewish cantor whose main role is to lead the religious service and perform the musical elements of prayer.
----------------------------------------------

286

286) 10/2/2009

Today I learnt that a planchette is a triangular board supported by wheels which is attached a pencil. When hands are placed on it, it can be used in to channel paranormal elements and produce automatic writing.
----------------------------------------------

285

285) 9/2/2009

Today I learnt that in the 20th century, William Heaton Cooper was a watercolour landscape painter. Based in the Lake District, he followed in his father Alfred's footsteps by painting local scenery and proving to be a successful artist.
----------------------------------------------

284

284) 8/2/2009

Today I learnt that Keith Haring was a 1980s New York artist remembered for his vivid works of pop art imagery and graffiti-based creations.


----------------------------------------------

283

283) 7/2/2009

Today I learnt that in The Shining Jack Nicholson's "Here's Johnny!" line was improvised by the actor.
----------------------------------------------

282

282) 6/2/2009

Today I learnt that footballer Andrey Arshavin is also an established fashion designer of womens' clothes.
----------------------------------------------

281

281) 5/2/2009

Today I learnt that in the world of torrent downloading "seeds" are people who have downloaded the item in its entirety and are actively sharing it.
----------------------------------------------

280

280) 4/2/2009

Today I learnt that Reform Judaism is the largest denomination of the Jewish religion in America.
----------------------------------------------

279

279) 3/2/2009

Today I learnt that Eurasia is a name for the land-mass that encompasses the continents of Europe and Asia.
----------------------------------------------

278

278) 2/2/2009

Today I learnt that "sedition" means inflammatory action, speech or writing which incites public disorder or rebellion.
----------------------------------------------

277

277) 1/2/2009

Today I learnt that Blackwater is a small town in South England. It is immortalised in the Reuben song "Moving to Blackwater".
----------------------------------------------

276

276) 31/1/2009

Today I learnt that ZOA is a word permitted in the game of Scrabble. It is the plural of ZOON which is the whole product of one fertilised egg.
----------------------------------------------

275

275) 30/1/2009

Today I learnt that one of the great legends of Test Match Special, the cricket scorer Bill Frindall, has died at the age of 69.
----------------------------------------------

274

274) 29/1/2009

Today I learnt that on the Channel 4 game show Countdown the official rules stipulate that you must select 3, 4 or 5 vowels. Previously I thought that you could select whatever letters you wanted and could thus initiate unsporting "spoiler" tactics. (Eg. select 9 vowels if you were winning and wanted to maintain your lead because neither player could then score with this combination of letters).
----------------------------------------------

273

273) 28/1/2009

Today I learnt that Joy Division's singer Ian Curtis hardly played guitar in the band at all. Previously I thought that he was the main guitar player as well as the vocalist.
----------------------------------------------

272

272) 27/1/2009

Today I learnt that the Abrahamic faiths are Judaism, Christianity and Islam which all recognise Abraham as a central figure to their religion for varying reasons.
----------------------------------------------

271

271) 26/1/2009

Today I learnt that ex-footballer Gary Mabutt never swears and never swore throughout his career playing football.
----------------------------------------------

270

270) 25/1/2009

Today I learnt that there exists a recent yet lame B movie called 100 Million BC. The dinosaur CGI are hilariously bad.
----------------------------------------------

269

269) 24/1/2009

Today I learnt that the term "suspended disbelief" (which describes how an an audience can knowingly accept/believe the often impossible/improbable events of a fictitious work in exchange for entertainment) was coined by the Romantic poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge.
----------------------------------------------

268

268) 23/1/2009

Today I learnt that Harvey Milk was a prominent gay rights activist and San Francisco politician who became the first openly gay person to be elected to public office in America. He was assassinated in the late 70s.
----------------------------------------------

267

267) 22/1/2009

Today I learnt that Caroline Flint is the current Europe minister.
----------------------------------------------

266

266) 21/1/2009

Today I learnt how the Unofficial Football World Championships works. It all starts from the very first international football match which was played between Scotland and England in 1872. That was a 0-0 draw but after the second ever international match (between the same two sides again) England became Unofficial World Champions by beating Scotland. Since then, it has been defended in boxing title-fight style every time the holders play and is automatically won by the country who beat the holder. It is an unbroken chain going right back to the first international match ever played and countries from every continent have at one point or other held the title. (Austria being the first non-British nation to win the title in 1931). The current unofficial world champions are Holland and the prestigious title will be put on the line against Tunisia in February. Scotland are considered the ultimate champions of football because they have played more matches as champion than any other country.
----------------------------------------------

265

265) 20/1/2009

Today I learnt that the White House is on Pennsylvania Avenue.
----------------------------------------------

264

264) 19/1/2009

Today I learnt that Manic Street Preachers have a song called Kevin Carter written about a Pulitzer prize winning photographer who committed suicide.
----------------------------------------------

263

263) 18/1/2009

Today I learnt that the Arizona Cardinals have never been to the Super Bowl. Until this year???
----------------------------------------------

262

262) 17/1/2009

Today I learnt that Jim Baxter was a legendary Scottish footballer in the 1960s who is often regarded as Scotland's greatest ever player. Unfortunately he had problems with alcoholism but one of his crowning achievements was destroying and humiliating the so-called world champions England in 1967 when Scotland won 3-2 at Wembley. He tormented England, even doing some derogatory kick-ups, and some criticised him for not trying more because they could have absolutely thrashed England that day.
----------------------------------------------

261

261) 16/1/2009

Today I learnt that Larry David's sitcom "Curb Your Enthusiasm" was nearly called "Regrets Only".
----------------------------------------------

260

260) 15/1/2009

Today I learnt that the word "segue" is pronounced "SEG-way". The word is Italian in its origins.
----------------------------------------------

259

259) 14/1/2009

Today I learnt that there is a small chance Kaka may join Manchester City for an absurd amount of money.
----------------------------------------------

258

258) 13/1/2009

Today I learnt that Carl Nielsen was a Danish composer most famous for his symphonies. He can be seen as a contemporary of Jean Sibelius.
----------------------------------------------

257

257) 12/1/2009

Today I learnt that my daily train fare has increased by 30p.
----------------------------------------------

256

256) 11/1/2009

Today I learnt that the primary definition of "slut" is an untidy, dirty woman rather than promiscuous.
----------------------------------------------

255

255) 10/1/2009

Today I learnt that Jack Hobbs holds the record for most centuries scored in first class cricket.
----------------------------------------------

254

254) 9/1/2009

Today I learnt that Kilmarnock and Ayr United are local rivals in football.
----------------------------------------------

253

253) 8/1/2009

Today I learnt that the backwards through-the-legs shot in tennis (sometimes played in desperation when chasing back to reach a lob) is known as the hot dog shot.
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252

252) 7/1/2009

Today I learnt that sports journalist Martin Samuel will now write for the Daily Mail newspaper. He will replace former chief-sports writer Paul Hayward who will now work for The Guardian.
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251

251) 6/1/2009

Today I learnt that Joe Jackson was a British new wave/pop artist who penned "Is She Really Going Out with Him?" amongst other hits.
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250

250) 5/1/2009

Today I learnt that on a golf course a winter green is where a portion of the fairway is cut short and used as a temporary green during the winter.
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249

249) 4/1/2009

Today I learnt that the famous movie line "frankly my dear, I don't give a damn" is from Gone with the Wind.
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248

248) 3/1/2009

Today I learnt that the mighty German World War 2 battleship Bismarck had a very short life in which it destroyed the pride of the British Navy, Hood, before being sunk itself days later.
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247

247) 2/1/2009

Today I learnt that Ogunquit (a town in Maine, USA) is pronounced o-GUHN-kwit.
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246

246) 1/1/2009

Today I learnt that Arsenal's Gavin Hoyte has gone on loan to Watford.
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