MetaFilter posts tagged with england

London Transport Museum

netbros — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 07:01:39 -0800

The Future Generator at the London Transport Museum is a forecasting look at the effect of transport on climate change in London. But you can get a sense of history as well. The museum's collection originated in the 1920s, when the London General Omnibus Company decided to preserve two Victorian horse buses and an early motorbus for future generations. They moved to the present location in 1980. Londoners can take a trip back in time on the Metropolitan line and enjoy a special day out in Metro-land as two historic electric trains run special excursions on Sunday 14 September 2008. You can browse the museum online or visit the physical location at Covent Garden Piazza. Explore the collection of over 16,000 photographs. Search via location, themes or dates over a century of photographs. London Transport Museum has more than 80 road and rail vehicles in its collection representing public transport in the city and its suburban and country areas over the last two centuries. The 20 vehicles on display at Covent Garden are all featured here.

Cramp Free

netbros — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 08:26:35 -0800

They're everywhere; languishing on doorsteps, hanging out in the middle of the road, dangling off street signs, peeking out of piles of garbage, reclining in the middle of the sidewalk, riding the bus for free. London Bananas.

"Hear angel trumpets and devil trombones!"

chuckdarwin — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 12:46:20 -0800

"A valley frozen in time."

amyms — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 11:11:15 -0800

In November 1943, the village of Tyneham in Dorset, England, received an unexpected letter from the War Department, informing residents that the area would soon be "cleared of all civilians" to make way for Army weapons training. A month later, the displaced villagers left a note on their church door: Please treat the church and houses with care; we have given up our homes where many of us lived for generations to help win the war to keep men free. We shall return one day and thank you for treating the village kindly. Residents were told they would be allowed to reclaim their homes after the war, but that didn't happen, and Tyneham became a ghost village. Though most of the cottages have been damaged or fallen into disrepair, the church and school have been preserved and restored. Photo galleries 1, 2, 3, 4. Panoramic tour [Java required]. Video: Death of a Village [YouTube, 9 mins.]

Product Placement Banned in U.K.

jeremy b — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 10:26:32 -0800

Product Placement Banned in U.K. Minister says it 'contaminates programs'.

"How wonderfully Gothic!"

msalt — Fri, 23 May 2008 18:39:02 -0800

Heated controversy over cousin marriages in Britain. The Guardian argues it's fine, legal in the UK for centuries, done by Darwin, HG Wells and Queen Victoria; and a 2002 study (prev) found little increased risk. But in Bradford, England, where half of babies born are to ethnically Pakistani parents, cousin marriage is very common -- as high as 70% in that community. Bradford, with 1% of British population, has 70 youths with terminal disorders which lead to dementia-type illnesses – eight per cent of the UK total. Should the government ban cousin marriage? Encourage genetic testing? Or keep its mouth shut? The fact that consanguineous marriages are most common among Muslim Pakistani immigrants makes the discussion more contentious. The Environment Minister Woolas was rebuked in February for expressing concerns intemperately. According to a 2005 BBC investigation, British Pakistanis account for 3.4% of all births but have 30% of all British children with recessive disorders, and the Birmingham Primary Care Trust estimates that one in ten of all children born to first cousin marriages in Birmingham's large Pakistani community either dies in infancy or goes on to suffer serious disability as a result of recessive genetic disorders. The 2002 study may have underestimated risk by ignoring the compounding effect -- i.e. the risk for two cousins whose family hasn't previously mixed may be very different from that in an extended family (e.g. the Windsors) who mix repeatedly for generations. And professor Alan Bittles, a leading expert, notes that within some communities even non-cousin marriages carry higher risks of these rare genetic disorders because those involved are from the same "biraderi" or clan. Better data is on the way from the Born in Bradford study (wiki), now a year old. It's the largest children's health study in the world, aiming to track all babies born in the city from autumn 2006 to early 2008 (approx. 10,000 children) until age 16. They have found 150 different genetic disorders among those children, where 20-30 would be expected in a comparable city.

HM The Queen v Associated Forces of Xenu

East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 — Wed, 21 May 2008 07:12:49 -0800

A 15-year-old in London is being prosecuted for holding a sign calling Scientology a "cult", during a peaceful demonstration (0:55-1:40). The teenager refused to back down, quoting a 1984 high court ruling from Mr Justice Latey, in which he described the Church of Scientology as a "cult" ... The City of London police came under fire two years ago when it emerged that more than 20 officers, ranging from constable to chief superintendent, had accepted gifts worth thousands of pounds from the Church of Scientology. The City of London Chief Superintendent, Kevin Hurley, praised Scientology for "raising the spiritual wealth of society" during the opening of its headquarters in 2006. Last year a video praising Scientology emerged featuring Ken Stewart, another of the City of London's chief superintendents via

Get down with the Kersal Massive

w0mbat — Sat, 17 May 2008 20:59:44 -0800

As previously mentioned on Metafilter, in 2006, the Kersal Massive, 3 English chavs from Kersal near Manchester made a 44 second rap video on a cell phone (click this one first).
Once it hit YouTube, it inspired parodies and mashups ranging from heavy metal to alternative to dancefloor, an acoustic cover version, a conspiracy theory video, a Kevin Powder interview , and best of all this version. But this one is my favourite. Apologies to people for who this is old news, but I enjoyed discovering this phenomenon today and wanted to share.

See? Forts!

dersins — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 10:04:22 -0800

Britain's Maunsell Sea Forts [wiki] were built during WWII as part of the coastal defense system. They were decommissioned in the 1950's, but many of them remain in use for non-military purposes (this is arguably the most famous). Some great photos here. [previously on metafilter]

If this young fellow be right, then we have all been wrong

thomas j wise — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 19:27:55 -0800

David Garrick (1717-1779) revolutionized acting technique in the eighteenth century. One of England's most influential actor-managers, he operated the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and exerted a profound influence on Shakespearean texts and performances alike; in fact, Garrick's Jubilee Celebration of 1769 is the ancestor of the modern Shakespeare festival (and inspired some fakery as well). Read some of Garrick's Shakespeare adaptations: Florizel and Perdita; Romeo and Juliet; The Taming of the Shrew. Try to decipher Garrick's handwriting. Mary Darby Robinson's "Elegy." Visit Garrick's Temple to Shakespeare, which remains open for business. (More at The Twickenham Museum.) See many portraits of Garrick at the National Portrait Gallery. And a bust of Garrick by Richard Westmacott. Search the collections of the Garrick Club, founded in 1831.