To many, the red telephone box is something rather unique on England’s streets. In a modern England where everyone is well equipped with mobile phones, there really isn’t much need to visit a little cubicle and search the pocket for 30p. However, in its heyday the fast disappearing red telephone box was a real beacon of comfort provided you didn’t have to queue for too long.
In the past, it was a true life-saver for people who had no home telephone, and it also offered not only privacy but also shelter for users. Many old English people I know often say it was a kind of public amenity in which you didn’t mind waiting for the rain to stop. Some people also claim to have had their very first kiss in one, much to the entertainment of curious passers-by of course.
There is no doubt that these red boxes are well recognised and appreciated by all countries and they reflect England’s historic development in both architectural achievements and communications. As far as many are concerned, the famous red phone box does play a vital role in English culture and heritage, and has done so for many past decades.
Fortunately enough, the charming red boxes can be found all over England. They have also appeared in countless films and while they are disappearing fast due to new communication technology, an increasing number of people are still preserving them.
As a foreigner, the red telephone box well represents England in many respects to me. I used to live in England and even though I hardly used the phone boxes at all, I spent so much time admiring and appreciating them from a creative point of view. For me, it all started with a red phone box on the beach in Brighton during my half-term visit. The brilliant contrast of the shiny red colour against the beautiful seaside of the Southern English town made a fantastic photo opportunity.
Now back home in Bangkok I’ve still got loads and loads of red telephone box photos on my computer, in the beautiful snow, among green trees, taken from many different angles, mostly with mates crammed inside. To be fair, it’s such a good reminder of my time spent in England as I still remember precisely where and with whom I was, when each picture was taken.
The red phone box is definitely not only a gorgeous piece of English street furniture, globally recognised, it was and till these days still is a priceless life-saver for many people. I reckon that British Telecom should be praised for maintaining all these gorgeous red boxes. I’m certain everyone still remembers the tragedy of the London bombings back in 2005 when all the mobile phones technically went down but good old red phone box worked perfectly fine and helped put many people’s minds at rest.
The London Underground (locally known as the Tube) is the biggest and oldest metro system in the world. It’s also one of the most convenient, serving about 20 hours on a daily basis. Each of the Underground lines has a different name and colour. This helps you easily follow your route on the map.
Upon your arrival at a station, you should have a look at the colour-coded signs that will direct you to the line you’re looking for. The London Underground system is divided into 6 different fare zones. The London city centre is of course in Zone 1. Your ticket price depends on the number of zones through which you travel. You can easily buy your ticket from an automatic ticket machine or alternatively at the ticket office at any station. Both single and return tickets are available and they are valid only on the date shown.
If you know where you want to go, I recommend you should use the ticket machines because they can save a lot of your time. The instructions are easy to follow. The ticket machines usually give change, but I would suggest that you use the correct money if possible. By doing this, you will help keep change for other passengers who really need it.
Most London Underground stations have ticket gates. You need to pass through them quite a few times throughout your journey. Upon your arrival, just insert your ticket into the slot of the machine through which the ticket will pass. You can then take it from a slot at the top and the gates will open to let you through. When you have completed your last journey, the gates will open and let you through but your ticket will be retained by the machine.
As far as I’m concerned, London’s Tube is probably one of the most famous in the world. However, I feel that there is something about being underground I am not very keen on. For instance, the massive crowds swarm towards the train platforms, rushing up and down stairs, following the signs and the annoying ‘Mind the gap’ thing. Based on my experience, the trains are also absolutely packed. I have so many times been pushed up against someone really stinky. It’s never easy to find yourself a seat, and you can hardly see anything. Having said that, I still believe it is the cheapest and quickest way to get around London though.
To sum up, The London Underground is really easy to use so long as you are equipped with a map. To avoid wasting your time, simply validate your ticket and pass through the gates, stand on the right hand side of the steep escalators, or just walk down on the left if you are in a rush. The Tube normally arrives every few minutes so you don’t need to run. In summer the tube can be really hot and smelly, but again it is another part of travelling around the capital of England.
Serials have a way of coming and going with the changing of the times, yet there are certain publications that seem to have a lasting value; proven and tested over time. One of these is definitely Reader’s Digest. For many generations, this publication has been a staple. From doctors’ offices to family coffee tables to libraries – copies of Reader’s Digest can be had for reading pleasure. All over the world, Reader’s Digest has become known as a reliable source of information. The United Kingdom is no exception.
Recently, however, the British arm of Reader’s Digest experienced serious problems. On the 17th of February, the business went under. This was a mere half a year after the United States arm filed for bankruptcy. As can be expected, a considerable number of buyers expressed their interest in buying the company.
Early this month, Jon Moulton’s Better Capital gave the British Reader’s Digest the helping hand that it sorely needed. Moulton bought the publication, with the present management keeping 35 per cent stake.
More than keeping its 500,000 subscribers happy about continuing to receive editions on a regular basis, the move by Moulton has other implications. Reader’s Digest in Britain employs a little over a hundred employees. While the number may not be that huge as compared to other companies, these people’s lives are greatly impacted by the saving of the company. With the £13 million that Moulton’s company is investing in Reader’s Digest, their lives just might be changed for the better despite the bleak economic times.
Young people today probably do not know who P.T. Barnum is, but those from an older generation will still remember how he thrilled America AND England with his freak shows. P.T. Barnum made a name for himself in both countries by showcasing the most freakish things you’ve ever seen – during those times, at least. The funny thing is that many – if not most – of his “features” were merely tricks!
No one can deny his genius, though. And, to celebrate his life and work, an exhibit is being held at the Western Bank Library Exhibition Gallery until the 27th of May. More information from the Seattle PI blog:
The exhibit, Humbug! Celebrating 200 Years of P.T Barnum, showcases original posters, handbills, and memorabilia used by the famed entertainer to promote his shows over 100 years ago. It celebrates the trickster who took America and England by storm with his collection of real and invented freakish attractions. The curator of the exhibit, Professor Vanessa Toulmin, Director of the NFA, is pleased to have the chance to show off many one-of-a-kind items from her collection: “The archive material on display is usually all in boxes behind the scenes, so it’s a fantastic opportunity to see around 100 items from the depths of our archive.” When asked to explain the magic of Barnum she replies: “He’s probably the world’s greatest showman. He created what we know today as PR/marketing and showmanship. Everything I’ve ever thought of, he did it!”
Indeed, P.T. Barnum’s skill and talent as a showman has probably not been surpassed by anyone in this century. Taking the era and the extent of his achievements into consideration, this is no mean feat! So if you find yourself in the area between now and May, do go and take a look at the collection; and, discover P.T. Barnum and why he captured the people of his time.
This is a big thing in the world of libraries: none other than The British Library has joined in the fray of making the most of the World Wide Web! On February 25, culture minister Margaret Hodge announced the launch of National Web Archive. This online archive is to hold ALL of the free web sites of the UK including such material as the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the 2009 swine flu outbreak advice, and more.
The Web Archive has been developed – and is being developed – in conjunction with other entities such as IBM, the national libraries of Scotland and Wales, Jisc, and the Wellcome Library. Information Week tells us more:
According to the British Library, the average life expectancy of a Web site is between 44 and 75 days and every six months, 10% of .uk Web pages vanish or are replaced by new material.
“With so much material now published online, and considering the growing influence of the Internet on British culture and society, the Web is now a key part of the nation’s memory,” said Margaret Hodge, the U.K.’s Minister of Culture and Tourism, in a statement. “A failure to record and preserve the UK domain would not just be detrimental to future research but leave a significant gap in our digital heritage.”
The .uk Internet domain currently consists of about 8 million Web pages and is expected to reach 11 million by 2011. The British Library currently has 10 people manually archiving the 5 terabytes of U.K. Web page data.
It is comforting to know that our children – and their children – will be able to access the very same web pages that we are accessing today. Or, NOT. 
You have to admit it – when it comes to fine cuisine, London is usually not the first city to come to mind. Indeed, even the experts have not given this city as much recognition as they have given to different locations worldwide. And Chef Alain Ducasse totally disagrees with this.
Alain Ducasse has a total of 19 Michelin stars to his name, and knows what he is talking about when it comes to food. He has boldly proclaimed that London is the gastronomic capital of the world and that the city is being sorely overlooked. And despite the number of stars that Michelin has awarded him, Ducasse is not shy to point out their mistake in overlooking London.
In an interview with The Telegraph, the chef shares his sentiments:
There has been a revolution in London in the last 10 years. The restaurant scene is very interesting. Michelin should give it more stars; it’s mean. You should interview the editor and ask him why [he doesn’t]. London is the most important city in the world for restaurants. It was level with New York, but the product has developed more here in the last five years. I think Michelin is a bit conservative.
He points out that there are countless restaurants in London which offer the best in the world. He also highlights the fact that the variety of food that you can find in the city is comparable to none. He even went as far as to compare Paris and London based on this point – and guess which came out on top?
I wonder what the people at Michelin are thinking right now…
Things are about to change big time for Bradley Cooper, a 16-year-old British boy from Hull, East Yorkshire. Hold your horses – it’s definitely not the Bradley Cooper that has made it big in Hollywood. This Bradley Cooper actually calls himself Ria, and he has been dressing (and behaving) like a girl since he was 12 years old.
Recently, he was informed that he can undergo a sex change operation costing £10,000. Even better news for the teenager is that the local NHS trust will be paying for the whole thing. The operation will take place anytime in the next year and a half, and this will make Bradley (Ria) they youngest patient in Britain to undergo the procedure. Prior to him, the youngest case was Angel Paris-Jordan, who was almost 18 when she had the procedure done.
Naturally, this decision by the NHS has given rise to a lot of controversy. For one, the issue of sex change has never been widely accepted. There are still a lot of camps who are thoroughly opposed to the idea of homosexuality, much more sex change. Another reason that this story has ruffled a lot of feathers is that the government will be paying for the operation. It is not surprising to hear opinions such as that NHS money can be put to better use.
And what does Ria have to say about that? “I know people might say horrible things like the money could be better spent on other things. But this is my life, and it won’t be worth living unless I have that operation.”
If you’ve ever celebrated Christmas in Britain, or with a British family, then you probably have had some experience with Christmas crackers. These are traditionally part of the Christmas dinner. These days, Christmas crackers comes in various designs but in the simplest form, a cracker is made of a cardboard tube with festive wrapping twisted in such a way that there are two ends. Two people have to pull at each end, and then it pops (cracks) to reveal the surprise inside. The pop is due to some chemically treated strip of paper inside the tube; the surprise usually a party hat or some other treat. The aim is to get the longer end of the cracker in order to “win” the treat.
Obviously, people would be wanting to get the longer end of the Christmas cracker all the time. This has led British researchers to come up with a formula that will ensure success at the table. AFP reports:
Diners are guaranteed success if they follow the formula O=11xC/L+5xQ which is based on the angle, grip and quality of the cracker. You must first multiply the circumference of the cracker in inches (C) by 11 before dividing that number by the length (L) of the barrel.
Take that total and add it to the figure you get when you multiply the quality (Q) — either 1, 2 or 3 depending on whether the cracker is cheap, standard or premium — by five, the Daily Mail said. The formula ought to produce a figure between 20 and 55 degrees, which is the optimum pulling angle (O). The cracker should also be pulled one inch from the end of the tail, newspapers said.
Too much trouble, don’t you think? Then again, if you want bragging rights, it wouldn’t hurt to practice and get it perfect for next year!
Every year, the British Royal Family spends Christmas Day walking – no, strolling – to church and back. This year, it was no different. The whole family went to St. Mary Magdalene, which is located in their estate in Norfolk. Naturally, a crowd gathered to see the nobles with their own eyes.
Tradition dictates that the entire family gather at this time of the year in Sandringham, Queen Elizabeth II’s private estate. As they walked to church, around a thousand onlookers extended their Christmas greetings to the Royal Family – either expressly or silently. Some, like Debbie Barlett, got an extra treat. Barlett is a 51-year-old carer who lives near the estate. She got a hug and a kiss from Prince William, who is third in line to the throne.
After church, the family had lunch, which is traditionally served at 1:00 pm. The traditional meal usually features a turkey (the huge kind, of course), which is raised in the estate. After lunch, everyone sits back and relaxes to watch Queen Elizabeth’s Christmas Day broadcast, which is aired at 3:00pm.
Opening of gifts do not happen on Christmas Day but Christmas Eve. This is another thing that the Royal Family does differently from the rest of the nation, which opens gifts on 25 December. Instead, the Royal Family follows in the footsteps of the Germans and open their gifts on Christmas Eve.
Sounds idyllic, doesn’t it? I wonder if they have any secret parties that common folk like us do not hear about?
I don’t know if you have noticed it, but Google’s home page is showing some really cute images. I think they started doing it yesterday or the day before. What are these cute images? Everyone recognises them – character from Sesame Street!
People of all ages around the world are joining forces to celebrate the 40th anniversary of iconic children’s show, but would you believe that Britons are not as excited as the rest of the world? The BBC recently ran a feature on why Britain fell out of love with the show, and the reason is that because it is “dangerous:”
The show crossed the Atlantic 18 months after its US launch, but the BBC rejected it because of its “authoritarian aims” in trying to change children’s behaviour. “This sounds like indoctrination, and a dangerous extension of the use of television,” said the head of children’s programmes at the time, Monica Sims.
TV critic Barry Norman, writing in The Times in November 1971, said it was “neither good enough nor bad enough” to justify all the fuss, adding that the BBC had no need for it because it already broadcast Blue Peter and Play School.
Indeed, cultural differences may play a big role in the story. With successful children’s shows being shown in the UK, Sesame Street has a lot of competition. We also have to consider the bias that the British have for their cousins across the sea. Still, the show is shown on Five.
So today, while Sesame Street continues to be shown in more than a hundred countries, the children of Britain are not particularly affected by the hullaballoo. That does not mean that they are not getting the “telly education” that other children are not getting, though, does it?
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Posted on Jun 21, 2010 by