Tuesday 20 December 2011

Don't Miss the Bus


I would like to share an experience with you all, about drinking and driving.

As you well know, some of us have been known to have had brushes with the authorities on our way home from the odd social session over the years.

 A couple of nights ago, I was out for a few drinks with some friends at the George  and had a few too many beers and some rather nice red wine. Knowing full well I may have been slightly over the limit, I did something I've never done before .... I took a bus home.

Sure enough I passed a police breathalyser check but as it was a bus they waved it past. 

I arrived home safely without incident, which was a real surprise, as I have never driven a bus before and am not sure where I got it from!

PS.
I don’t know where this story originally came from. 
I personally stole it from Terry Wells of Barking Mad – The Home From Home Alternative to Kennels. (Terry currently runs the Welsh Borders Area Franchise.)
Find out more about Barking Mad by Visiting  our very own WebWatch2000 listings for  “Pets & Domestic Animals”


Click on the Link to View:
(http://www.webwatch2000.com/portal/Pets-Domestic-Animals/)

Wednesday 12 October 2011

Proof of the Pudding


We used to be told that blotting paper was the stuff you looked for in vain while your fountain pen ink was drying.  In similar vein, we believe that pudding is what you look forward to while eating your Beef Wellington  -  thus making absolutely sure that you will not be able to eat the pudding.

If cookery is close to your heart (and alcohol close to your liver) the rash of celebrity chefs on your television set will not have escaped your attention.   But the Philip Harbens and Fanny Craddocks of yesteryear have given way to a new breed of chef  - net-savvy chefs who boast slick websites, personal blogs and Twitter accounts.

This being the case, we feel that it is our duty to bring their offerings to your table.  So, for starters, why not help us by checking out the Food & Drink category here on WebWatch2000  (http://www.webwatch2000.com/portal/food-drink/


Bon appétit

Tuesday 11 October 2011

Arrows and Bananas

It is said that ‘truth flies like an arrow’. 

Now, the more perceptive amongst you will have spotted that this opening sentence is just a cheap excuse for the next one, which goes “But fruit flies like a banana.” (The old gags are still the best!)

So, on the subject of fruit flies, we have often thought (when at a bit of a loose end) that an interesting examination question for A-Level English Language might go along the following lines:

     “Truth flies like an arrow.

      But fruit flies like a banana.

      Discuss”

That’s not an entirely frivolous idea. Just think of the scope for analysing the role of the pun in English literature, and also the problems created by the ambiguity of words that can have a variety of meanings or even can serve as different parts of speech, according to circumstances.

I mean, why else would lawyers use words like ‘aforesaid’, ‘hereinafter’ and ‘hithertofore’? Well, of course, they use them because they are words that can mean only one thing. (If only we knew what it was!)

And another thing .......

Zzzzzzzzzz .......

OK, wake up at the back there.

More seriously, while we are being a bit philosophical about truth, what actually is truth? Is it my truth or your truth? Or is it neither of those? Perhaps that is something we may never know.

But what we probably can know is what the majority of people believe - not quite the same thing as truth but perhaps almost as important. And that is where opinion polls come in.
Well, that is one reason for opinion polls. Another is that they can provide us with a bit if a laugh!

So, if you are still with us, why don’t you let us have your comments on what kind of poll would you like to see us run here on WebWatch2000?


We have had a few thoughts on the subject. For example:

1. What is the meaning of life? (Let’s start with the easy questions!)

2. Are online polls a waste of time? (No bias here!)

3. Why did Prime Minister Thatcher introduce a tax on polls?

Let us know what you think!

Wednesday 5 October 2011

Time's Up!


For those of you whose hobbies include quantum mechanics, special relativity and time travel - yes, all of you! - please note that Einstein’s Theory of Relativity may not be all that it is cracked up to be. 

News of recent research at CERN suggests that while E definitely equals something-or-other, it might not quite be M x C squared!  This is because neutrinos might, just possibly, travel faster than light - thus messing up the entire theory.

With this in mind, and our thanks to Tom Whipple of The Times, here is a (sort of) funny story on the subject:

“We don’t allow faster than light neutrinos in here”, the barman says.  A neutrino walks into a bar.  (Think about it!)

OK, please yourself!

                       _________________________________

Meanwhile, why not catch up on your quantum physics with a trip to the WebWatch2000 books section.  Or, even better, check out the work of Professor Brian Cox at Amazon.co.uk.  Just click on the link below:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/books/ and type Brian Cox into the search box.


Monday 3 October 2011

Stumbling On


‘Serendipity’.   There’s a useful word.  It’s probably one that you use all the time – and your friends love you for it!  (Or maybe they just regard you as a bit of a smarty-boots!)

All right!  We can save you the trouble of reaching down your dusty old Oxford English Dictionary.  Serendipity means an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident!

And, believe it or not, someone has based a very successful international multimillion-dollar internet business on this very concept.   No it’s not serendipity.com (although someone will no doubt have registered that name, long long ago)  It is called ‘StumbleUpon’ and you have probably signed up already.  If not, you should try it.  It works, sort of, like this.

If your best mate is totally nuts about Manchester United, and you come across a really interesting reference to Man U on the internet, you might tell him about it or email him with a web-link to the article in question.  Or if your cousin Flo collects Womble dolls, and you spot a funny story about Wombles, you might send her a text message, drawing her attention to the story.

The idea behind StumbleUpon is that, if lots of people know what things really interest you, they can all tell you about all the things they have come across in your particular areas of interest.  So your exposure to happy accidental discoveries is multiplied many times over!  There are in fact about 15 million members of StumbleUpon.com out there to help you find those happy discoveries.

You will find links to StumbleUpon and lots of other useful social networking sites in the WebWatch2000 social media networking category (http://www.webwatch2000.com/portal/social-media-networks/)

Sunday 2 October 2011

A Brief History of Thyme!


The name Thyme comes from the Greek thymos meaning spirit or smoke. Properties attributed to thyme by the Greeks included the giving of valour and restoring vigour. The Romans also attributed these qualities, their soldiers bathing in it before battle to gain vigour, strength and courage.


Later, in the Middle Ages, Knights would have a sprig of thyme embroidered on their scarves by their lady as a sign of their bravery.
Its use is recorded yet earlier, by the Sumerians who used it as an antiseptic. The Egyptians used it their mummification brew.


The sweet smell of thyme was enjoyed by the ancient Greeks and Romans to whom it was a compliment to “smell of thyme”. It was recorded by the Greeks that it produced the best honey in Athens
Sprigs of thyme were placed on coffins of the dead. It was thought that the spirit would then take up residence in the flowers of thyme plants.


Our thanks for this information go to the vastly informative ‘Herb Spiral’ website (http://www.theherbspiral.com) which is listed in our Herbal Medicine category (see http://www.webwatch2000.com/portal/Health-Fitness/Alternative-Medicine/ as well as our Home Cooking category (see http://www.webwatch2000.com/portal/Food-Drink/Home-Cooking/)

Friday 30 September 2011

Scroll On Down!

In 1947, a young Beduin boy in Khirbet Qumran on the northwest shore of the Dead Sea, discovered a desert cave in which were hidden a collection of documents, hand written in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek, mostly on parchment, but with some written on papyrus.
 

These documents and others discovered a little later, which together became known as the Dead Sea Scrolls, sparked huge interest among religious scholars, historians and archaeologists – partly because of their historical significance and partly because of their possible relevance to existing biblical texts.   However, the task of deciphering them presented considerable technical problems because of the age and fragility of the material on which they were written.


Sixty years on, after much painstaking work, the contents of the scrolls have finally been revealed and translated.  And with specialist technical assistance and funding, provided notably by Google, the scrolls have also been digitised and are available online for access by a worldwide readership.


And so, as Dr Johnson might have said, (but probably didn’t!), “What has all that got to do with the price of fish?”  Well, you may, or may not, be surprised to learn that the WebWatch2000 ‘ Reference’category (http://www.webwatch2000.com/portal/reference/) contains a convenient link to the scrolls in the Israel Museum and also to additional background information on their provenance, as provided by Wikipedia. 

Thursday 29 September 2011

Do Unto Others!


The cynical version of this saying goes:

                   ‘Do unto others,
                    Before they do unto you.’

We should, however, make it perfectly clear that we prefer the original version, sometimes known as the Golden Rule (Pace Gordon Brown, in another context!):

                   ‘Do unto others,
                    As you would that they
                    would do unto you.’

This isn’t quite ‘turn the other cheek’ but it is a sensible and civilised philosophy for this day and age.  On the other hand, it does not, we would suggest, represent a business model that many captains of industry would recognise.

Their reading matter might lean more towards Machiavelli’s ‘The Prince’ or Sun Tzu’s ‘Art of War’ both of which we would recommend to you for intellectual stimulation if not for guidance on the conduct of your everyday life.

You can find these and many other classics in the WebWatch2000
There you will also find the somewhat formulaic and now rather neglected Dale Carnegie classic ‘How to Win Friends and Influence People’.  This was the definitive self-help book of its age, and is still notable for its wisdom and understanding of human nature.  We commend it to you.

We reflected on the current relevance of this book during some recent dealings with British Telecom - from whom we have now parted company.  We were reminded of a maxim that may not have come from Dale Carnegie himself, but of which he could have felt proud. 

‘No-one ever won an argument with a customer’.  (Think about it!)

Wednesday 28 September 2011

Et tu, Brute!


(More of that Welsh language stuff - apologies!)

The reason for this post is that, despite the obvious advantages of Facebook, some analysts are currently suggesting that your favourite social networking site could be a threat to your online security.

The WebProNews online newsletter argues that the way Facebook uses cookies is not as transparent as you might think, and your Web activity might continue to be tracked even when you are logged out of Facebook.

Take a look at this article and ask yourself if you are not being just a little naive!  (The intentions of Facebook itself are, we are sure, entirely honourable but, as you know very well, the criminal world is not populated entirely by idiots, and creative thinking is not the exclusive preserve of the law-abiding!)

Cast no Nasturtiums!


Just a thought on that last subject:  Whatever it says in the Press, I suggest to you that you never, ever, say anything bad about nurses.  You don’t know when you might need them - or what they might be doing to you when you do need them!  Believe me, I know this!  Twitter ye not!  

Back in the Saddle


So, here we are again, after an absence of a couple of weeks -  quite an eventful couple of weeks, as it happens - comprising a few broadband problems, a major hardware failure and a short spell in hospital for what is jokingly called a ‘rebore’.  Still, we are glad to be back in the saddle now.  (Ouch!)

Tuesday 27 September 2011

Trouble & Strife


So what do you know about London Cockneys - apart from what you’ve seen on BBC1’s  Eastenders?   Not a lot?

Well, for the absolutely, totally, abysmally uninitiated, a Cockney is a person from the East End of London  -  traditionally someone born ‘within the sound of Bow Bells’  (Bow Bells being the bells of  the church of St Mary le Bow in London’s Cheapside.)   So there are lots of people who might call themselves Eastenders but not so many who could genuinely claim to be Cockneys.  (‘Quelle domage’, as absolutely nobody would say, down at the Dog & Duck!)

One of the main things that Cockneys are noted for (jellied eels and Pearly Kings apart!) is their particular brand of rhyming slang.   Originally designed as a kind of private language to exclude the uninitiated, rhyming slang at its very simplest level can be pretty obvious in meaning – once you have grasped the basic idea.  But its supporters often go to extreme lengths to make it totally baffling to strangers.

For example,‘porkies’ is short for ‘pork pies’ which rhymes with ‘lies’ so a porky is a lie.   Not so difficult.    Similarly, a ‘butcher’s’ is short for a ‘butcher’s hook’ which rhymes with ‘look’ so a butcher’s is a look.   Less salubriously a ‘tom’ is a lady of the night, ‘tom’ being short for ‘tom cat’, with the rhyme here being best left to your imagination.

On the other hand if you are down at the pub, knocking out a few tunes on the piano, and someone describes you as ‘a bit Brahms’ you may feel that this is a tribute to your musical skills.  It isn’t.   Brahms is short for ‘Brahms and Listz’ which sort of rhymes with pissed! 

So, what does all this have to do with WebWatch2000?   Well, you probably won’t find much of the above in the Oxford English Dictionary – which  you can find online in our reference category.  But in the same category, amongst a very useful range of other reference works, you will find a Dictionary of Cockney Rhyming Slang.   (To check it out, visit our reference category at http://www.webwatch2000.com/portal/reference/)

And, in case you haven’t worked it out yet, ‘trouble and strife’ means ‘wife’ (but we can’t think why!)

Now that that’s all clear, watch out for next week’s gripping instalment, entitled  ‘Useful Phrases in Medieval Croatian’!  (Don’t hold your breath!)

Monday 29 August 2011

Clock This!

According to the popular George Formby song of the 1930s: “If you want to know the time, ask a Policeman”. Today, of course, in our vastly more cosmopolitan age, you might well be addressing a ‘gendarme’, a ‘guardia’, a ‘politziotto’ or even a ‘ New York cop’. And, language difficulties apart, you might well get a different answer from each.

The time of course depends on where you are in the world and, while your American grandma might normally be delighted for you to telephone her at 4.30 in the afternoon, she might find it less of a pleasure at 4.30 in the morning! So, to avoid an ear-bashing (and perhaps also to safeguard your future inheritance), why not check out precisely what time it is in her neck of the woods.

A quick and accurate way of doing this is to visit our handy Reference section (http://www.webwatch2000.com/portal/reference/) where the wealth of useful information includes timeanddate.com’s ‘world clock’ site which gives accurate information for different time zones and major cities across the world.

Sunday 28 August 2011

Celebrity Watch

No, we aren’t talking about the Rolex Oyster, the Patek Philippe, or the Tag Heuer. We are referring rather to the peculiar hobby of tracking the lives and fortunes of well-known strangers - people who, for no very good reason, we love to love (or sometimes love to hate).

A celebrity, it is sometimes said, is like an elephant - hard to define but recognisable on sight. At WebWatch2000, on the other hand, we prefer to think of a celebrity as more of an anchovy - to some people a delicious treat but to others a serious abomination!

At the last count we didn’t have any listings for anchovies - or elephants even - but celebrities are a different kettle of fish! So, if celebrity watching is your thing, take a look at the Celebrities section of the directory (http://www.webwatch2000.com/portal/celebrities/)

Happy surfing

Saturday 27 August 2011

Caveat Emptor

So you don’t speak Welsh? Well, that doesn’t really matter, because Caveat Emptor is Latin - and nobody speaks that (well, obviously the Pope, and a few other folk at the Vatican!)

What ‘Caveat Emptor’ means is ‘let the buyer beware’ and it is one of the reasons (together with ‘prenuptial agreement’ and a few other handy legal phrases) why there are very few poor lawyers in the world!

As far as we are concerned, it is only relevant because we would like you to know that we do not (cannot!) check the ‘bona fides’ (more of that Welsh stuff) of all the people and organisations whose websites are listed in our directory.

The fact that someone has a smart website does not mean that they have the moral scruples of Mother Teresa - nor, to be fair, those of Attila the Hun! (To be absolutely fair, we don’t believe either of those people had a website, so you can disregard that bit.) 

Our advice then, like that of your old headmaster at Eaton or Harrow (OK, the local comprehensive) is ‘do your homework’ (or your ‘prep’, even) especially if there is hard-earned money involved!  Check websites out carefully, and look out for physical address locations, user comments, feedback and personal recommendations.

Happy surfing!

Friday 26 August 2011

It’s a Living Thing


Web directories grow, develop and evolve in a variety of ways. We would like this one to develop in ways that reflect the views of its user community, as well as the changeable times in which we live.

We have tried to make the site as interactive as possible – with links to social media, news feeds and links to other interesting sites that might otherwise escape your attention.

Do let us have your views on the structure and content of the site - particularly your suggestions for new directory categories or listings. (We believe in free speech, but we also like to keep things legal, clean, civilised and polite, so most aspects of the site are moderated!)

If you are promoting your own site, we would of course appreciate a reciprocal listing for WebWatch2000.com.

Thursday 25 August 2011

Getting this Blog on the Road

You are invited to take a look at our new WebWatch2000 guide to the web (http://www.WebWatch2000.com/portal/) – still in its early stages but growing rapidly day-by- day. We believe that this new “handy UK classified guide to the Web” will significantly enhance your surfing experience.

While search engines have transformed all of our lives, the vast volume of results they offer can sometimes be overwhelming. On such occasions you may find your requirements better served by a less comprehensive but more structured view of the world.

We hope that, in this way, you will find your use of WebWatch2000.com both helpful and enjoyable.