Canada?You cant see much of Canada in American films like in the 1953 film 'Niagara' (1953). For me, Canada is a place that starts somewhere on the other side of that enormous waterfall. Like most people I suppose, I know the USA from watching Americ...
Weatherby Mike RaynerIt's hardly surprising that weather is a favourite topic for so many people around the world - it affects where we choose to live, what we wear, our moods, and perhaps even our national characteristics. A sunny day can relieve th...
Rock'n'roll grandadsby Chris RoseIn 2005 The Rolling Stones released an album called A Bigger Bang. Many critics, as usual, chose it as their favourite of the year. This isnt very surprising, but if you think that A Bigger Bang was their 25th album n...
It's all been done beforeby Linda BaxterToday's amazing newspaper headline! First family of four to walk to the South Pole wearing Mickey Mouse ears and clown's shoes. No, not really. It isn't true. I invented it. But I wouldn't be surprised to see i...
Archaeologyby Paul MillardArchaeology, like many academic words, comes from Greek and means, more or less, the study of old things. So, it is really a part of the study of history. However, most historians use paper evidence, such as letters, documen...
Grameen BankBy Linda BaxterIf we are looking for one single action which will enable the poor to overcome their poverty, I would focus on credit. (Dr Muhammad Yunus) The beginningTwenty five years ago, Muhammed Yunus, a Bangladeshi economics teacher,...
Ice-cream and bankingBy John KutiRussian ice-cream is great. Any shop or street seller can offer a choice of different ones for less than ten roubles, thats about 20p in British money, which I think is a fair price. They have natural fruit flavours a...
The Funniest Jokes in the World by Chris RoseRecently, a group of scientists and psychologists decided to try and find out what the funniest joke in the world was. This was obviously going to be a difficult task, as no two people ever really agree ab...
Flea circusesby Nik PeacheyA good circus has always built its reputation on its ability to amaze and entertain and what could be more amazing than a flea circus? But does such a thing really exist and can fleas really be taught to perform circus tric...
Consumer societyby Julie BrayThere is enough on earth for everybodys need, but not for everyones greed. Gandhi If we only bought things we needed, there would be enough for everybody. What do we need? What you need depends on how old you are and your...
Ecotourismby Linda BaxterImagine the scene. You're sitting in the hot sunshine beside the swimming pool of your international luxury hotel, drinking your imported gin and tonic. In front of you is the beach, reserved for hotel guests with motor boats...
Amelia Earhartby Linda BaxterAmelia Earhart was born in 1897, in Kansas, USA. Even as a child she didn't behave in a conventionally 'feminine' way. She climbed trees and hunted rats with her rifle - but she wasn't particularly interested in flying. S...
Linus Paulingby Linda BaxterLinus Pauling was the only person who has ever won two (unshared) Nobel Prizes: for Chemistry in 1954, and a Nobel Peace Prize in 1962. He is also known as the vitamin C man. Who was Linus Pauling and what did he do?Linus...
The Kernewek success storyby Linda BaxterIn the first lesson of any language course you'll probably learn a mini dialogue like this. You'll find the translation at the end of this article, but can you guess what it means? A: Dydh da! Fatla genes? B:...
Wormholesby Linda BaxterHave you ever read Carl Sagan's 1985 science fiction novel 'Contact'? Or have you seen the film of the same name starring Jodie Foster? If you have, then you will remember the scene near the end of the film, when the heroine t...
