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Separated by a Common Language
by Jon Brooks
Fri, July 13, 2007, 3:00 am PDT

As George Bernard Shaw once wrote, "England and America are two countries separated by a common language." And if you've ever followed one of those "Way Out" signs in the London tube in hopes of discovering something psychedelic, only to find an ordinary exit, you understand what this means. Read this blog and you'll be over the moon (ecstatic) delving into such linguistic differences as mind vs watch, badge vs button, and peanuts vs monkeynuts. And if you plan to do a little shopping while over there, you'll definitely want to review this post on English and American differences in women's clothing terminology. So if some British terms have always looked dodgy (suspicious) to you, don't get knackered (worn out). Just consult this blog and suss out (decipher) their meaning. Cheers. (Bye.)
Visit Separated by a Common Language

Filed under: Blogs, United States, Languages, United Kingdom

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British Trees
by Erik Gunther
Fri, June 08, 2007, 8:00 am PDT

Over the years, sites with flashy designs and dominant domain names have crashed and burned in spectacular fashion. That's why it's refreshing to come across a site like british-trees.com. This site dedicated to the deciduous has chugged along on the Web since 1994. It's not a spectacular site to behold, and it never received any special recognition from Yahoo! Picks up to now.

That said, there's something about the folks who were on the Web creating compelling content way back in '94. The man behind the genesis of this humble site is Bill Unsworth. He started the site as a reference point for U.K. native tree life. It never grew in scope beyond its roots, but the site lives on today without Bill at the helm. He graciously donated it to non-profit The Woodland Trust in 2004. We caught up with Bill to talk about the early days of the Web and his love of trees...

Hey Bill, when did you start your journey on the Web?

Well, a former business partner suggested in early 1994 that I take a look at this Internet thing and at first I was a bit skeptical. I got a modem and signed up to a service and as soon as a I realized what was really going on I was hooked. Read the full profile...

Filed under: Outdoors, United Kingdom, The Web, Yahoo! Picks Profiles

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Sea Your History
by Marty Gabel
Tue, May 15, 2007, 3:00 am PDT

Once the shining star of the British Empire, the Royal Navy can trace its routes back to the 16th century. Though it has lost some of its grandeur, it still exists as an important line of defense for the United Kingdom. Today's Pick examines the Royal Navy in the 20th century, giving readers the opportunity to experience the people and workings of the celebrated British fleet. With the opportunity to listen to an oral history from those who have lived and worked at sea their entire lives, the site offers a great deal of depth and detail. It tackles contemporary subjects such as women at sea and presents numerous photo galleries to illustrate the technology and themes these hard-working sailors encounter every day.
Visit Sea Your History

Filed under: History, United Kingdom, Oral History, U.K. History

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Tate Britain: Your Collection
by Jon Brooks
Sat, June 24, 2006, 3:00 am PDT

When some people hear the word "Tate," they immediately think of Darrin's boss Larry Tate from "Bewitched." Those people we do not address now. For those who think—just possibly—of the marvelous art gallery Tate Britain, read on. The Tate has set up an amusing page where you can create your own painting collection drawn from their holdings. They've built six as an example, featuring themes such as "I've Just Split Up" (includes JMW Turner's "Sunrise"), "Odd Faces" (includes this guy, who works in the bookstore), and "I'm an Animal Freak" (includes Hogarth's "The Painter and His Pug.") In creating your own, choose six works from roughly 70 provided, then send them off with a description to interested parties via email. Should you visit London, print out a leaflet to guide you as you traipse around the museum scrutinizing each of your chosen works.
Visit Tate Britain: Your Collection

Filed under: Museums, Art, United Kingdom, London

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Army on Everest
by Molly McCall
Tue, May 16, 2006, 3:00 am PDT

In 1976, two British military climbers scaled Mount Everest to stand at the tip of the world. Now, to mark the anniversary of the first summit by U.K. soldiers, three teams of British Army mountaineers are ascending the fearsome mountain once again. On this expedition, however, the main team tackles the icy slope through a more perilous route, and all three pack a spectacular array of wireless and digital tools. Follow their trek to the summit through the team members' blog posts, podcasts, photos (including 360-degree images), and video footage—all while keeping toasty warm in your own base camp.
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Filed under: Outdoors, United Kingdom, Mount Everest

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