Cambridge faces up to drought

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The east of England, including Cambridge, is officially in a drought. This comes as incredible news to those many people who imagine the UK as trapped in a perpetual rainstorm. For the record, here are mean annual rainfall amounts (mm) … Continued

The United Republic

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On Monday 6 February 2012, Queen Elizabeth the Second will celebrate her diamond jubilee – 60 years on the throne (though she was actually crowned in June 1952). The main practical significance of this is that we get an extra … Continued

Merry Christmas

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It’s customary in Britain to wish people a merry Christmas and a happy new year. This greeting is used by everyone and has no religious connotations. I know that in North America people often say “happy holidays” for fear of … Continued

The frogs strike back

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In the interests of full disclosure and admiration for a good joke, here is the cover of the latest edition of Charlie Hebdo, a satirical French magazine. It’s interesting to see how the French (and perhaps others) see the contemporary … Continued