What I've learned this week

1. The Wright brothers didn't just fly the first plane, but also caused the first fatal plane crash, killing one Thomas Selfridge.
2. Pierluigi Collina was once voted the sexiest man in Italy. This makes me very happy.
3. The steam engine was invented by Hero of Alexandria in the first century AD.
4. Joseph Schumpter once fought a duel with swords, albeit only against a librarian.
5. In the 1950s, the Isle of Wight was the centre of the UK space industry. Rockets were built in East Cowes.
6. The name Factory Records was devised not by Tony Wilson but by Alan Erasmus, who had earlier appeared in Coronation Street, thus giving him a claim to be one of the greatest Englishmen who ever lived.
7. Giraffe, though rarely eaten at Bar-Mitzvahs, is in fact a kosher meat.

Comments

[Joe Otten]

You can argue whether the aelopile was a true steam engine, considering it didn't use expansion.

Still, in the spirit, do you know the name and occupation of the first railway fatality, the locomotive involved and its driver?

[Bob B]

Further, and embarrassing detail on the Blue Streak programme to develop an independent British ballistic missile can be found here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Streak_missile

As the wikipedia entry explains, the eventual failure and cancellation of the Blue Streak programme led to the adoption of British-built nuclear powered submarines carrying Polaris missiles bought from America, which were later replaced in the 1980s by American made Trident missiles carrying British warheads.

Earlier this year: "The House of Commons has approved the British government's plans to update and replace the UK's Trident nuclear weapons system."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4805768.stm

[Tim Worstall]

Blue Streak and Black Knight: indeed, Grandpa Worstall worked on those. Happy days: there's still a huge chunk of concrete somewhere in Yorkshire that was to be the launch pad.

[Hi, my sites:]

Hi boys!e7a7c7b1ac77cc2125b4d9df9a76de36

[replica watches]

Think about the particular personality your hero and decide what style or style and design and style would suit him the best. In these days you will discover literally hundreds of options available. The big option has allowed for any much more personalized gift to be bought.Nomos replica watches