Britannia in Brief

Prince Philip, a man without an editor

2011-06-06T10:58:00.001-04:00

Britain has no more, eh, forthright representative than old Phil the Greek, aka Prince Philip. Born without an editor, the man has spent the last six decades spewing forth the profound, the inappropriate, the offensive and the hilarious. Here at the Independent, in celebration of Prince Philip's upcoming 90th birthday, a fabulous list of the greatest, most outrageous statements to come from this one-man-Political-Correctness-destroying-machine.

A small selection of our favourites:

"People think there's a rigid class system here, but dukes have even been known to marry chorus girls. Some have even married Americans."

"And what exotic part of the world do you come from?" Asked in 1999 of Tory politician Lord Taylor of Warwick, whose parents are Jamaican. He replied: "Birmingham."

In response to a comment at a small-business lunch about how difficult it is in Britain to get rich: "What about Tom Jones? He's made a million and he's a bloody awful singer."

Royal Wedding Mania! Or Not?

2011-04-28T09:49:00.001-04:00

The big one is tomorrow and the UK (and US) are gripped with Royal Wedding fever. Or not. Whilst we wish the newlyweds all the best, the question did occur to us what the significant Republican minority in the UK might be doing during this blitz of monarchical madness.

The BBC had an article about an interesting YouGov poll showing that whilst 35% of Britain planned on plopping themselves in front of the telly and indulging themselves in Wills-And-Kate mania, an equal amount have planning on ignoring the whole thing.

Curiously, 47% of women plan to watch the grand event but, according to another YouGov poll 66% of British women "if they were single and of an appropriate age, and, clearly, in possession of a proposal" from Prince William, would decline.

Those who are really down on the whole thing but want to have some fun can attend events like the Republican sponsored "Not The Royal Wedding" street party.

Beatlemania

2011-04-04T16:11:00.000-04:00

On this day, April 4th, in 1964 the Beatles made history by holding the top five five spots on the Billboard Hot 100. Beatlemania was on. And the top five songs were....

The Billboard Hot 100, April 4, 1964
Position, Title
No. 1, "Can't Buy Me Love"
No. 2, "Twist and Shout"
No. 3, "She Loves You"
No. 4, "I Want to Hold Your Hand"
No. 5, "Please Please Me"

Read more here at Billboard.

Here's What Makes Britain Great

2011-02-23T10:41:00.001-05:00

Stumbled on this vintage piece from the Independent, a decidedly modern take on the grandiose question of what it is that put the Great in Britain. It's a great mix. There's the traditional but beloved - crumpets, the Archers, bandstands, Morris dancing and such. There's the modern and less "Masterpiece Theater" type entries, like alcopops, Wimpy and sovereign rings. Being Britain, there's also the smutty bits, like Reader's Wife's, rude vegetables and "dogging". Best of all though are the little details, both the good and the bad. What would Britain be without allotments, picnic blankets, garden gnomes and caravanning? Well worth a read.

Britain's top selling pop songs?

2011-01-27T19:06:00.000-05:00


Elton John. Photo: AP from the Telegraph

And what do they say about the UK? In today's Telegraph Neil McCormick argues, quite justifiably, that the top selling albums and songs in the UK show a proclivity towards cheesiness. Look at the lists here. The top-selling song is Candle in the Wind '97 by Elton John which sold 4.9 million copies. Let's just say perhaps the most surprising info is that the song Mull of Kintyre by Wings (1977, sold 2.1 million) ranked as the number four top-selling song in all of Britain 1956 to 2009--outperforming any Beatles single.

Who knew Paul McCartney would find his biggest hit with Wings? Maybe Alan Partridge (played by British comedian Steve Coogan) was right when he opined: "Wings, the band the Beatles could have been."

Best English Comic Novels

2010-12-13T12:19:00.002-05:00

Kingsley Amis--author of comic novel Lucky Jim

In today's Guardian, Robert McCrumb makes a list of his favorite English literary comedies. He excludes Mark Twain (American) and P.G. Wodehouse (because he is a "special case"). The full article here and the list of books below:

Lawrence Sterne: The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy
Jane Austen: Northanger Abbey
Thomas Love Peacock: Headlong Hall
Charles Dickens: The Pickwick Papers
RL Stevenson: The Wrong Box
Jerome K Jerome: Three Men in a Boat
Evelyn Waugh: Decline and Fall
Graham Greene: Travels with My Aunt
Kingsley Amis: Lucky Jim
Hanif Kureishi: The Buddha of Suburbia

Not a bad reading list to get cracking on--some old favorites and, for me, a couple I haven't gotten to yet. What do you think? Would you add or change any of these titles?

Best Restaurants in the UK

2010-11-01T20:30:00.000-04:00

Will there ever be time to get to all 100 of them?

See the list here.

A note about number 5 on the list of best restaurants in the UK--the Waterside Inn. William tells me that as a child he had a pet pig which he loved dearly. After a certain time the pig grew quite large and it had to move to a different pasture of a bacony sort of nature. It was with some sadness and some pride that William turned his pig over to diners at the Michelin-starred Waterside Inn. This was a long time ago, but hey, if you go to the Waterside Inn raise your glass to Peter the pig who graced the plates some time around the height of disco fever. I guess "stayin alive" wasn't his anthem after all.

Bloody Sunday 38 years Later

2010-06-15T20:08:00.005-04:00

The 1972 "Bloody Sunday" shootings in Derry, Northern Ireland--where 14 civilians were shot dead by British military--was one of the least proud moments in British history. And, a report that came out today brings it again to the forefront. The Saville Report exonerates the victims and leaves open the question of whether the British troops will be prosecuted.

Northern Ireland is for good reason a touchy subject. And that a crowd of up to 10,000 people gathered (as reported in the Guardian) in Derry today to watch British Prime Minister David Cameron announce the findings and apologize shows how deeply the tragedy is still felt.

Learn more about Bloody Sunday here.

UK Universities

2010-06-08T20:06:00.002-04:00

In case you're wondering which universities in the UK to be most impressed by....the Guardian has its University league table. See it here. I guess it's no shock that Oxford is rated #1.

Gorillaz Headline Glastonbury

2010-05-26T12:43:00.002-04:00

Following emergency back surgery, Bono thus U2, had to drop out of the headliner spot for this year's Glastonbury festival in late June. So in steps Gorillaz, a "virtual band" created by Blur's Damon Albarn and cartoonist Jamie Hewlett of Tank Girl. Basically, the musicians are cartoon characters 2D, Murdoc Niccals, Noodle, and Russel Hobbs. More here about Gorillaz.

Kiss and Tell

2010-05-19T13:13:00.002-04:00

The UK has always been good at sex scandals. For starters, there's the famous Profumo Affair (full of international intrigue) that was the inspiration for the 1989 movie Scandal starring Ian McKellen, John Hurt and Joanne Whalley. The Independent today has a round up of famous kiss-and-tell scandals that inquiring minds will want to know about.

Ian Curtis of Joy Division

2010-05-18T19:21:00.003-04:00

Music buffs will take note that it's 30 years since Joy Division front man Ian Curtis died (the remaining band members became New Order). In the Guardian today there's this blog post and info on this exhibition about his life and work. The movie 24 Hour Party People is a good look at the rise of Joy Division and the Hacienda/Madchester scene.

iPhone App

2010-05-11T12:11:00.002-04:00

Britannia in Brief is now also available as an iPhone (iPad, iTouch, etc.) App. For a trip to the UK, or reading while traveling this seems like a very good idea. Get it here.

UK Election 2010

2010-05-05T11:49:00.002-04:00

As voters get ready to go to the polls in the UK tomorrow, the race remains tight with one in four voters reportedly still undecided. The Guardian has a live blog of election news here. And The Telegraph is live blogging the election here. With three main parties, Conservative, Labour, and Lib Dem, along with many independents, it's possible that no party wins a majority of seats in parliament, which would result in a hung parliament. Read more about hung parliaments here and here.

Stay tuned for more, but chances are that the majority Labour has held for the past 13 years could be in its final hours.

Bite Size History

2010-04-05T12:11:00.003-04:00

A little bit hokey but informative and bite-sized, the videos on aspects of ancient London at Heritage Key are worth a visit. They're definitely going for the "yoof" angle, but if that's what it takes to bring people around to incredible Roman legacy of the capitol, then so be it. For example, the Boudicca episode - long by the series standards at 8 minutes - featured fascinating detail on the warrior queen but also a "reenactment" Boudicca far too young pretty to be the same woman being described by the concurrently read Roman texts. Anyway, we enjoyed.

London in 1903

2010-02-11T11:46:00.002-05:00

Check out this footage of London from 1903. They had double-decker horse drawn carriages! Then, almost at the end, a car weaves its way though...the modern age arrives. We saw it here.

Who Knew?

2010-01-13T12:05:00.003-05:00

BBC Magazine Monitor has an interesting list of surprising tidbits culled from news stories. Who knew that Franco only had one testicle? Or that one-third of England's coastline is inaccessible? See the list here.

Americans vs. Brits

2010-01-04T20:35:00.002-05:00

There was an interesting article by Geoff Dyer in this Sunday's NY Times about Americans vs. Britains. We yanks come out pretty well! Read it here.

Make Love (Loudly), Not War

2009-12-30T15:28:00.003-05:00

Sometimes, it seems, the neighbours would prefer you made war and not love. At least that's the case for Caroline Cartwright whose loud and frequent lovemaking with husband Steve earned her an Asbo (Anti-Social Behaviour Order) and now conviction on multiple charges of breaching this "Anti-Social Behaviour Order".

Mrs. Cartwright's cries of love - variously described in court as "unnatural" and "murder" - were clocked at 47 decibels, 50% above World Health Organization guidelines for an undisturbed night's sleep, Newcastle Crown Court was told. Sentencing is 18 January.

Khadambi Asalache

2009-12-22T12:10:00.003-05:00

In the recent Royal Oak newsletter there's an interesting article about Khadambi Asalache, a Kenyan who came to London and created, among other works of art, an incredible interior to his house. The detail of his carving is exquisite and simply beautiful. It's all pine, all carved by hand. See photos here. He left his house to the National Trust, which is trying to raise the money necessary to take care of it.

As a footnote, the Royal Oak is selling autographed copies of Britannia in Brief. See more here.

Terry Wogan Calls It Quits

2009-12-18T11:24:00.003-05:00

Forget the end of Oprah - Terry Wogan's packed up his morning show. "There'll be no senior moments and no blubbing," Terry Wogan promised his eight million listeners this morning at the start of the final broadcast of "Wake Up With Wogan", the most popular radio show in the UK. Little doubt though there was more than one moist eye among the millions of TOGs - "Terry's Old Geezers and Girls" - listening. Even those who don't quite qualify as TOGs should perhaps be a little saddened, if only because Chris Evans will be replacing him with a talk show starting in the New Year.

Tributes were received from "Mr. G. Brown" of Downing Street, London and one "Mr. D. Cameron," celebrating Terry's longevity and upbeat outlook in turn, among others. The reaction of famous TOG, Mrs. E. Windsor of Windsor, Berks, is so far unrecorded.

Rumours that Sir Terry decided to call it quits after realizing he could never top his mentioning of Britannia In Brief on the air this summer are completely unfounded.

UK Libel Law Review

2009-12-11T09:51:00.003-05:00

Sarah Lyall has an article in today's NY Times about a possible change in the UK libel laws, which would be a good thing for many writers, publishers, and others out there. Read more about it here.

One well-known libel case in the UK was Oscar Wilde's. In Britannia in Brief we say:

"If only he'd just let it be...Oscar Wilde, a successful Irish-born novelist, poet, and playwright of the second half of the nineteenth century, was known for his long hair, eccentric manner of dressing, and bon mots. Wilde's close friendship (read: affair) with Lord Alfred Douglas cause Lord Alfred Douglas's father, the Marquess of Queensbury, a lot of concern. When the Marquess of Queensbury left a card for Wilde at his club, addressed to "Oscar Wilde...somdomite" [sic], Wilde made the mistake of suing him for libel.

When the evidence against Wilde was trotted out, he was arrested and found guilty of "gross indecency." Had Wilde just left it alone and not filed the libel suit, he wouldn't have gone to prison."

Head In The Clouds?

2009-12-06T20:48:00.004-05:00

I think everyone can agree the Millennium Dome was one of the dafter ideas of recent times, (though at least they've found a good use for it now,) and Richard Rodgers wobbly bridge was something of a shaky idea. I know lots of people love the London Eye, though I've always found it sort of trivializing to have a giant fun-fair ride towering over the seat of government. Topping all of these, literally, is the idea being currently "floated" for a Digital Cloud over the East End to mark the Olympics,

What is "The Cloud"? A cluster of 120m (400ft) mesh towers supporting "a series of interconnected plastic bubbles that can be used to display images and data." From the drawings available the structure looks like a straw with bubbles blowing out the end. Like the Eye and the Millennium Bridge and so many other recent monuments it all seems rather flimsy and unlikely to survive a single good storm or change in taste. Of course, I could be wrong and The Cloud, should it ever be built, will be a thing of beauty to be cherished across the ages.

Parrish Presents this Friday

2009-11-23T14:13:00.002-05:00

This Friday we're looking forward to signing books at the Parrish Presents--a fun and festive annual event to benefit the Parrish Art Museum in Southampton. More about it here.

NME's Top 50 List

2009-11-18T12:44:00.002-05:00

NME has come out with it's list of the top 50 albums of the noughties and taking first place is the American band the Strokes with British indie band the Libertines taking the second spot. More about it in today's Guardian.

English Man Cave

2009-11-12T14:16:00.002-05:00

I like the idea of an English Man Cave (this is, by the way, Leslie writing, I have no idea what William will think of an English Man Cave or Union Jack sofas). In today's NY Times there's this article about Timothy Oulton, who's an English furniture maker setting up shop at ABC Carpet in NYC. I like the end of the article where Oulton says he'd tell Ricky Gervais he had to get a Union Jack sofa--like there's no choice.

Fantastic Mr. Fox

2009-11-11T14:07:00.006-05:00

Fantastic Mr. Fox was one of my all time favorite books when I was a kid. I can't wait to see Wes Anderson's movie of it, but am also sort of nervous. What if it's not as good as Roald Dahl's original?

Dahl, born in Wales, was the author of basically all of my other favorite childhood books: James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and some dark short stories that kind of freaked me out. More about him here.

2009-11-05T21:24:00.004-05:00

Remember, remember the fifth of November,
The gunpowder treason and plot,
I know of no reason,
Why the gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot.

Today is Guy Fawkes' Day, also known as Bonfire Night, when all across the land bonfires are lit, fireworks fired and pedestrians accosted by snotty-kids demanding a "penny for the guy", all in celebration of the capture and public disembowlment of one Guy Fawkes, a Catholic plotter who attempted to blow up Parliament back in 1605. As a child I loved the bonfires and sparklers; as a Catholic I felt a little sheepish about being on the same side as Fawkes, a religiously inspired terrorist. Nowadays of course its mostly politicians and such burned in effigy on top of the bonfires, there being little if any anti-Catholicism in modern Britian, (beyond the decidedly unmodern laws of succession.)

In fact, that there are still those who get all worked up about the religious roots of the holiday just adds to the fun. Witness the silliness of one comment left on a blog item at Reuters about the holiday pronouncing "It is the greatest display of anti-catholicism in all of Britian. Of course it should be banned!!!" My personal favourite is the utter inanity of the Catholic Leage For Religious & Civil Rights (Except Gay Marriage) which was so outraged by the 1995 plans for Plimoth Plantation, a living museum of the Mayflower Colony in Massachusetts, to "celebrate it like a Halloween-type festival, irrespective of the historical context" that they organized protests and screamed persecution until the event was called off. I sincerely hope these prigs never refer to anyone as a "guy", the etymology of the word stemming from the effigies burnt on Guy Fawkes night!

World Champions?

2009-11-05T07:21:00.003-05:00

It seems presumptuous that the Yankees, after winning the World Series, are now "World Champions." I mean, they only played other teams from the US. As far as I know, other teams from other hemispheres or continents aren't invited to join the World Series. Anyway, at least in the football (soccer) World Cup different countries play each other to claim title of "World Champion."

Amis vs. Price

2009-10-28T12:55:00.003-04:00

I was struck by this Books Blog post in the Guardian. I guess I never thought of Martin Amis and Katie Price (a.k.a. Jordan) in the same breath.

Parlez-Vous Wegee?

2009-10-27T10:05:00.001-04:00

I suppose the biggest surprise is that it took someone so long to fill an obvious market gap. London based translation services provider Today Translations is advertising in the Glasgow Herald for Glaswegian-English interpreters, or, as they put it, speakers of "Glaswegian English". Apparently, there is some demand for language assistance by Sassenachs and such conducting business in the Scottish city.

According to the BBC, Today Translations' Mick Thorburn described the peculiarity of the position: "Usually, the role would involve translating documents but in this case its more likely to be assisting foreign visitors to the city whose 'business English' is not good enough to understand the local dialect." Smart fellow Mr. Thorburn, casting the blame on the visitors' "business English" rather than the thick Glaswegian dialect.

How to Offend a British Person

2009-10-15T09:12:00.002-04:00

On page 50 of our book, Britannia in Brief, we have a cautionary list of how to offend a British person. Video below illustrates some of these offensive little tidbits.

Sex Pistols Pissed

2009-10-14T10:07:00.003-04:00

Seems the Sex Pistols don't see the humor in the Icecreamists, a boutique ice cream brand, riffing on their famous cover image and title and have filed a lawsuit. More about it here in today's Guardian. I guess there's something to be said for there being no such thing as bad press. Now we know who the Icecreamists are.

Tea Cup Pigs

2009-10-13T11:13:00.002-04:00

The latest animal craze sweeping the UK is tea cup pigs and oh my goodness are they cute. Read more about it here and see the video from the Telegraph below. Seriously want a piggie.

Big Apple Brits

2009-10-02T10:07:00.002-04:00

We're looking forward to being with the Big Apple Brits tomorrow at the Stone Creek Lounge--140 East 27th Street--from 2 to 5PM. See more about it here.

Liberty Department Store

2009-10-01T06:48:00.004-04:00

I'm not a huge shopper, but have found myself pining for a trip to the recently relaunched Liberty department store in London. Ronnie Wood has a line of t-shirts, they've got those old Liberty prints that I love so much, and well, how much longer till we can go??

Turfed Out At Ninety-Eight

2009-09-27T19:00:00.001-04:00

The BBC reports on the story of ninety-eight year yobbo-granny Mary Plaisted, recently given an eviction from her council flat. Bothersome biddy Plaisted has lived in the same flat in the seaside town of Southampton for the last twenty-eight years, but it seems that recently affairs have reached an impasse.

Ms. Plaisted's malefactions include allegations of assulting her care-givers and council staff and banging on her neighbours' windows. Oh yes, she also hit her panic button 563 times in the space of a month and has called the police 264 times in the past two years. "The council is left with no alternative when anti-social behaviour by one tenant leads to other residents' lives being made a misery" says Southampton City Council.

Vera Lynn rides the charts again

2009-09-21T19:04:00.002-04:00

Vera Lynn, 92, was a British music sensation over 50 years ago in the days of World War II. So, it's a funny thing that she's back at the top of the charts in Britain. There's an interesting article in today's New York Times about why this might be. It draws parallels between then and now in Britain: a war, economic pressures, and whatnot. Anyway, while I'm sorry tough times are back, I do feel happy for Vera Lynn and her latest round of success.

The Longest Lasting Marriage

2009-09-10T10:43:00.002-04:00

It's sweet but sad, the husband in Britain's longest lasting marriage died last week. Frank Milford, age 101, had been married to Anita, also age 101, for 81 years. Anita, who is still going, told one tabloid the secret to such a long marriage was "to argue every day."

2009-08-20T20:54:00.001-04:00

Perhaps the children of England, Wales and Northern Ireland really are getting smarter, or else the A-Level examinations they sit to gain admission to university are getting easier. This year's results were just published, and for the twenty-seventh year in a row overall grades have improved. So much so, that this year that a remarkable 26.7% papers received A grades, and only 2.5% failed. In Northern Ireland over one in three received the top grade. It's amazing what peace can achieve!

It is interesting to note that 50% of private school entries passed, 40% from selective state schools, (i.e. the remaining grammar schools and such,) and 22% from the non-selective state comprehensive system.

These grades are going to be a nightmare for universities who will have already made offers to students based on their A-level results, which will now likely result in more students than expected hitting their targets. Coupled with a rise of 60,000 students applying to uni from last year, classrooms and halls (dormitories) are going to be packed. (The government has responded with extra funding for 10,000 places.)

conservatives vs. Conservatives and the NHS

2009-08-20T20:51:00.001-04:00

Interesting to note that whilst the conservatives, (with a small "c",) in the U.S. attack government controlled healthcare, the big "c" Conservatives in the U.K. are presenting themselves as the champions of the National Health Service, Britain's government run single-payer health system. Tory leader David Cameron describes his Conservative party as the "party of the NHS", pledging "real-terms increases in NHS spending."

The recent spate was kicked-off by U.S. paper Investor's Business Daily's spectacularly dumb editorial comments about how Stephen Hawking "wouldn't have a chance in the UK", apparently ignorant of the fact that Hawking was born and lives in the UK. Hawking's response on a trip to Washington? "I wouldn't be here today if it were not for the NHS".

Tempting Special Offer

2009-08-19T09:16:00.004-04:00

Amazon is having a promotion whereby if you spend $25 or more on travel books--such as Britannia in Brief--in one order you can get a year's subscription to Conde Nast Traveler for free. See here under the "Special Offers".

The Brits Abroad - Burned In Crete

2009-08-13T11:39:00.002-04:00

Ah, the Brits abroad. There was a time when the Greeks held the English in a special regard, remembering how Lord Byron had helped them free their country from the Turks. No more. We couldn't but chuckle at this story, telling how one young man from Swindon's drunken harassment of the local ladies in the Cretan resort of Malia ended up with him being burned - literally. Fed up with Stuart Feltham of Swindon's behaviour, which reportedly included him fondling and dropping trou in front of the Greek ladies, local lass Maria Fanoudaki allegedly tossed her sambuca at his private parts and lit it.

Whilst Mr. Feltham wound up in hospital with second degree burns to his chest and stomach, Ms. Fanoudaki has both been charged with assault and become a local hero. Mr. Feltham is now back in England whilst her trial has been adjourned for now.

Terry Wogan & Us

2009-08-04T10:06:00.004-04:00

A week or so ago we received a call from William's sister who had just received a call from a friend in the UK who had been listening to Terry Wogan on BBC 2 radio while driving to Heathrow when Terry Wogan happened to mention our book, Britannia in Brief. This was, of course, deeply thrilling.

We were trying to think of the American equivalent--he's sort of like Imus though Terry Wogan and Imus are very different. Click here to hear the snipet on Wake Up With Wogan. And let us know who you think is an American equivalent of Terry Wogan.

Here's what we said about Terry Wogan in Britannia in Brief:

A beloved legend of light entertainment, Terry Wogan has been a major presence over the British radio and television air waves since the 1970s. His first regular show on BBC Radio was Midday Spin. His BBC Radio 2 program Wake up with Wogan has approximately 8 million listeners. Born in Limerick, Ireland, Wogan affectionately calls his listeners "TOGs," which stands for Terry's Old Geezers or Gals. Wogan received an honorary knighthood in 2005 and has since become a British citizen, so now he can be called Sir Terry Wogan.

More about Terry Wogan here.

Tragedy Stalks The Land: Only 53,466 Pubs Remain!

2009-08-02T16:58:00.005-04:00

To start with, a big thank you to guest blogger Mike Harling for his great posting. We loved his book, (read our review here, ) and encourage you all to check it out, along with his regular blog.

Now for more serious matters. Pubs are disappearing faster than ever. An average of fifty-two a week died off in the first half of 2009, up by a third from the same period in 2008 and almost double the rate in 2007. According to the BBC, "The number of pubs has dropped by 2,377 in the past year, to a total of 53,466". The the British Beer & Pub Association cites the recession, the smoking ban and the rising tax on beer. The tax on a pint of beer has gone up over a third in the past decade to almost 50p.

To add insult to injury, new "branded pubs and cafe-style bars" are sprouting at a rate of two a week. These are the chain store equivalent of pubs, what McDonald's is to your local greasy spoon, Starbucks is to a unique neighbourhood coffee shop and the Gap to a fun, one-off clothing shop. And besides, "A pint of beer is better for you after a workout than water, say scientists", or so says the Daily Mail!

Charleston City Paper Book Review

2009-07-31T10:01:00.002-04:00

Summer treats for Anglophiles

The British Beach Read

by Jon Santiago

...Unrepentant gongoozlers need not entirely despair, however. The splendid Britannia in Brief by Leslie Banker and William Mullins is a genuine transatlantic treat. She's a New Yorker, and he's a Londoner who discovered that their first trip to Britain together underscored George Bernard Shaw's observation — "England and America are two countries separated by a common language." Britannia in Brief is the couple's remedy for the cultural divide.

Witty and companionable, this brisk read bills itself as a crash course in all things British. From descriptions of London neighborhoods to the mysteries of cricket, pub etiquette, and British celebrities you've never heard of, Banker and Mullins provide much more than the typical travel guide gloss on our mutual muddle. They delve into history, society, culture, politics, and daily life, providing irreverent but very useful intelligence for the otherwise clueless Yank.

Even if your appreciation of Monty Python, British rock, and Weetabix is unrivalled, Britannia in Brief may fill in some hitherto unrecognized blank spots for you.

They shed light on such cultural touchstones as Blue Peter, The Wombles, and Terry Wogan. They explain the "gap year" and "A levels." Puzzled over salad cream or Branston pickles? They've got you covered.

And there's much more in this surprisingly wide-ranging, informative, and entertaining little book.

A Postcard from Michael Harling

2009-07-27T20:44:00.004-04:00

Not too long ago, we wrote this review of Michael Harling's book Postcards from Across the Pond. Now we are pleased to welcome him to Britannia in Brief, the blog, for our very own postcard from across the pond. Without further ado , we'd like to introduce Michael Harling who writes the following:

Postcards Tour – Rhode Island in Brief

Back in the US after a quick jaunt Down Under where I camped out with fellow author Vicky. I was there for such a short time I didn’t get a chance to catch jet-lag, and now I’m being hosted by fellow-co-authors Leslie Banker and William Mullins. Since this is their blog, you’re probably aware that they wrote “Britannia in Brief,” but you might not know they live in Rhode Island, which, as states go, is also quite brief. (I’ve been sitting here for ten minutes trying to come up with a joke about them writing a book with “brief” in the title while living in the smallest state in America but haven’t managed to compose anything that doesn’t deserve a rim-shot, so if you can think of something, send it to me and I’ll have Lesley post it retroactively.)

I’m relatively familiar with Rhode Island, having driven through it several times en route to other New England destinations. It may be small, but a drive along the coast is an experience you will never forget—it is simply lovely and there are some unbelievably stunning houses to gawk at. I also remember Rhode Island for a bar I visited during an ill-advised quest for beer while driving from the ferry at Hyannis Port back to Albany. It was Sunday so no alcohol could be sold in stores but bars could still serve beer and if you found a disreputable enough establishment you might be able to convince the bartender to sell you a six-pack. This resulted in us travelling to seedier and seedier joints on our single-minded quest until we ended up at the scariest bar I have ever been in.

But that’s a story for another day.

In preparing for this visit, I did a quick wiki-search and discovered that the official name of Rhode Island is “Rhode Island and Providence Plantations,” a title derived—according to the Encyclopaedia of the Screamingly Obvious—from the merging of two colonies, Providence Plantations and Rhode Island. I was, however, surprised to discover that Roger Williams, after being chucked out of the Massachusetts Bay Colony for the sin of independent thought, actually founded Providence Plantations, not Rhode Island, as I was taught in school. The nearby colony of Rhode Island was founded by other dissident zealots.

Those wacky fundamentalist, eh? You can’t put three of them in a room together for twenty minutes without one of them striding off in a huff to found their own version of “The One True Religion.” I know how they are; I used to be one of them. But that’s a story for another day.

The story for this day is my book. I’ve got a copy of it here somewhere…ah, here it is: “Postcards From Across the Pond.” Unlike Leslie and William’s book, mine is not a fountain of useful facts that might be handy to know before moving to an alien culture, it’s what happens after you get there without having read such a book. My move to the UK was so sudden, it never occurred to me to swot up on the local customs so I arrived comically unprepared. Faced with no other obvious options, I wrote a book about it. It’s a really funny read; think Bill Bryson, but without the hassle of a bestselling book, media appearances and all that pesky money.

I’d love to ramble on about my book some more, but Leslie and William have promised to take me on a drive along the coast so I can gape at the expensive houses. I think that’s a fine idea, as long as they don’t take me to any scary bars.

Michael Harling is the author of “Postcards From Across the Pond – dispatches from an accidental expat”

“Laugh out loud funny regardless of which side of the pond you call home. Bill Bryson move over, there’s a new American expat in town with a keen sense of humor.”
-- Jeff Yeager, author of “The Ultimate Cheapskate”

Buy the Book
Follow the Tour
Visit the Home Page

Pavee Superstar

2009-07-22T20:12:00.003-04:00

Remember Brad Pitt in Guy Ritchie's film Snatch? He played the Irish "piker" boxer Mickey O'Neil, a man more articulate with his fists than his mouth. Well sometimes, in someways, truth imitates fiction: in April, 23 year-old John O'Donnell, an Irish "Pavee", as travellers are also called, won the Commonwealth welterweight boxing title. Even though he's now made some money, O'Donnell and his family choose to remain living in their caravan in an encampment under the Westway in West London. "A house is like a prison" he says.

My understanding is that "Piker" is considered derogatory and that Irish Travellers refer to themselves as Pavees. When I was growing up we called them Tinkers, which I don't think is a bad term, (characters in Richard Thompson's folk song refer to them as that a number of times).

The BBC has an interesting article on O'Donnell and the Pavees' nomadic way of life.

Brit Gal Review & Contest

2009-07-15T14:49:00.003-04:00

Thanks to Brit Gal in the USA for reviewing Britannia in Brief! More importantly, you can leave a comment on her blog, click here, and enter a contest to win a free copy of the book. Free is good!

goodbye London

2009-07-14T11:19:00.002-04:00

This video of Luke Jackson's is fun with lots of views of London. We checked in with him and he indeed did leave London and is now living in Toronto. More about him here.

Brit Fancy Recommendation

2009-07-14T10:02:00.002-04:00

Many thanks to Brit Fancy for recommending Britannia in Brief! See it here.

Singing In The Rain

2009-07-12T19:54:00.001-04:00

Saw this great feature on CBS about a project which has put thirty pianos out across London - Soho Square, Carnaby Street, etc. - for passers by to play. What a brilliant idea!

Watch CBS Videos Online

Winning Limerick

2009-07-09T07:02:00.002-04:00

The winning limerick on Separated by a Common Language (the prize in the contest was a copy of Britannia in Brief) was meant to illustrate a US/UK cultural misunderstanding in a preferably humorous way. And this by Richard English succeeds on all fronts:

My girl has a fine pair of hooters
Attractive to gentleman suitors.
But don't rush too far
They're both on her car
And she toots them to warn slow commuters.

Brilliant! And check out the many other close contenders here in the comments section.

Book Party with Bunch of Grapes

2009-07-08T20:10:00.003-04:00

Last year on the 4th of July we were visiting Martha's Vineyard and were so sad to hear the news that the amazing independent bookstore Bunch of Grapes in Vineyard Haven had been seriously damaged in a fire that started in the restaurant next door.

So it was a particularly happy event this past Monday (one of the few sunny days in the last month) to have a book party on the Vineyard and have the new owner of Bunch of Grapes, Dawn Braasch, there selling books and telling us how they've moved back into the old space with a full summer of events planned.

Many thanks to everyone who made our event such a success and if you're on the Vineyard be sure to stop by a Bunch of Grapes where you'll find copies of Britannia in Brief among many other great selections.

Smitten by Britain Review

2009-07-07T15:42:00.003-04:00

We were thrilled to see this review of Britannia in Brief at Smitten by Britain!

Ronnie Biggs Stays in Jail

2009-07-01T18:56:00.002-04:00

What's most notable, to me at least, about this story in today's Independent about Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs being denied parole is that it doesn't say until the third to last paragraph what the Great Train Robbery was and who Ronnie Biggs really is. It's one of those things that if you've lived in the UK you know the details and there's no need for explanation.

For those who don't know, here's what we say about it in Britannia in Brief:

One of Britain's most spectacular crimes, the Great Train Robbery took place on the Glasgow-to-London mail train on August 8, 1963. In a well-coordinated ambush, about fifteen robbers stopped the train outside of London and stole approximately 2.6 million pounds in cash. The engineer received serious blows to his head, but no one else was injured. A record 260,000 pound reward for information was offered the next day. The robbers fled to a farmhouse in Buckinghamshire, where police later found fingerprints and started making arrests. One of the robbers arrested, Ronnie Biggs, was sentenced to thirty years in jail but escaped from Wandsworth prison in 1965 and fled the country. He ended up in Brazil, where he eluded extradition for decades. He voluntarily returned to the UK for medical treatment in 2001 and was promptly arrested. While living in Brazil, Ronnie Biggs wrote his memoir and even recorded a song, "No One Is Innocent," with the Sex Pistols, who traveled to South America to meet him.

Staycation with Britannia in Brief

2009-06-28T15:41:00.003-04:00

We loved seeing that Mary Shustack at The Journal News included Britannia in Brief in her staycation article about Europy things to do in Westchester County if you're deciding to forego a trip abroad this summer. We must say that we agree the book is well suited for a staycation. Load up twiglets and Smarties, queue up your favorite British films and TV shows, grab your copy of Britannia in Brief and take a mini-trip to the UK.

Football (Soccer) in America

2009-06-26T09:57:00.002-04:00

The US soccer (er...football?) team's 2-0 defeat over Spain in the semi-finals of the Confederation's Cup in South Africa yesterday has American soccer fans a twitter and was a great victory for the underdog. The Guardian today has an interesting article about it. According to this article, in the NYTimes, around the world only $51 was bet on the US winning the tournament at 999-1 odds. Who knows, maybe this is the beginning of soccer in America for real. Let's see what happens in the finals and boy are the people who bet those 51 dollars going to be happy if the US Team wins.

Postcards from Across the Pond

2009-06-24T19:48:00.005-04:00

Two disclosures before I tell you how much I enjoyed Mike Harling's book of short essays Postcards From Across The Pond: first, I spent five very happy years of my childhood down the road from the author's home of Horsham, in Washington, West Sussex; second, Harling recently wrote up our book, Britannia In Brief, on his own blog.

A yank who moved to England for love of a lady and not love of the country, Harling's short essays, adapted from the posts on his blog, are humorous, lucid snapshots of his life in England, unblurred by sentiment or self-importance. He has definitely come to love his adopted country, and is at his best when addressing how living in the UK has helped expand his own worldview. Coming from the US, he had never envisioned a world without guns, St. Patrick's Day and customer service, (his travails with the local privatized bus company are some of the funniest chapters of the book).

The jacket describes the book as being in the vein of Bill Bryson, and while I see where that's coming from - if you enjoy Bill Bryson you'll definitely enjoy this - Harling has his own style and angle. In fact, his sense of humour has a very British sensibility, reveling in self-deprecation and the absurdities of everyday life. What he does share with Bryson is the ability to write about Britain in a way that Americans and natives will both enjoy. Postcards From Across the Pond is a really fun read, as insightful as it is funny.

Leslie wants me to point out that the bite-size chapters make the book particularly readable and that Michael's blog provides an on-going sampling of his writing. See here about where to purchase Postcards From Across the Pond.

Glastonbury '09

2009-06-24T10:09:00.004-04:00

I'm having a bit of an identity crisis. The line-up at Glastonbury looks so great I'd love to pack up and go this weekend to the Eavis's Worthy Farm in southwest England. Thing is, my nearly 40-year-old self chickens out when thinking about camping in the mud, port-o-potties all weekend, and probably no hot shower. There was a time when if I could have I would have.

Bruce Springsteen, Blur, Ray Davies and so many other great artists are playing. The BBC is covering it, follow updates here. If you don't know why one stage at Glastonbury is called the John Peel stage, then we suggest you get your copy of Britannia in Brief out and turn to page 123 to find out.

Britain's Most Glamorous Insect

2009-06-23T13:32:00.002-04:00

An article in today's Independent tells how they tracked down Britain's largest (and reportedly most glamorous) butterfly, the swallowtail pictured above, in Norfolk. Two obvious observations about Britain to make, one is they do love animals, and the other is that because the country is so much smaller than the US their idea of a big road trip is a much shorter distance than the American idea of a big road trip.

Sedaris in London

2009-06-22T10:50:00.003-04:00

I didn't realize David Sedaris lived in London part-time. Here's an interview with him in today's Guardian.

The End of the Booze Cruise

2009-06-18T09:35:00.004-04:00

In today's Guardian is an article on how the weak pound, the economy in general, the reducing of booze prices at supermarkets in the UK, and the end of cheap ferry fares have all contributed to the demise (temporary perhaps) of the traditional British quick trip to France on the ferry for cheap booze. Darn this economy.

Get Your Limericks Ready

2009-06-17T19:16:00.002-04:00

Lynne Murphy at Separated by a Common Language is holding a contest to give away a copy of Britannia in Brief. To enter you must write a limerick illustrating a US/UK misunderstanding. There are already some funny ones in the running, read them here.

Postcards from Across the Pond

2009-06-17T10:28:00.005-04:00

Thanks to Mike Harling at Postcards from Across the Pond for the review of Britannia in Brief! His "postcards" aka blog posts are very funny and well worth checking out. We're just finishing up his book, also titled Postcards from Across the Pond and will post more info about it shortly. And, we're looking forward to having Mike do a guest post for us here. Very exciting.

Win a Free Book

2009-06-15T21:41:00.003-04:00

Great news that at Ticking to a Different Tock there's a contest to win a free copy of Britannia in Brief. It's easy, all you've got to do is leave a comment. Brilliant!

Britannia in Brief at Anglo Addict

2009-06-13T19:40:00.003-04:00

Thanks to Lisa at angloaddict.com for reviewing Britannia in Brief! We were thrilled to see she gave it a five gherkin review.

Ticking to a Different Tock

2009-06-09T11:14:00.003-04:00

We were delighted to see such a nice write up about Britannia in Brief over at Ticking to a Different Tock! Thanks to Groovy Yank and stay tuned to her site as there's going to be a contest shortly to give away a copy of the book.

Gordon's Dark Days

2009-06-08T21:24:00.004-04:00

And so it looks like Gordon Brown remains at the wheel ... for now. With a string of resignations among his ministers and then the disastarous results of the local and European elections his hold is at best tenous. After all, he's being blamed for the extremist right-wing British National Party (BNP) winning a European Parliamentary seat. (As a fellow Edinburgh graduate, I have to admit to a non-reality based fondness for the man.)

Of course, none of this new. When we were writing our book on British life, Britannia In Brief, last summer, Gordon's survival didn't seem a sure thing. Along with the Queen, references were made to the office rather than the occupant. Ah well, it looks as though "the monarch" will outlast another "prime minister".

Boris Gets Soaked

2009-06-04T21:19:00.002-04:00

While I really do hate to laugh at someone's expense (really truly), I couldn't help but be amused by the bumbling Boris Johnson, mayor of London, taking an accidental dip in a river in London. What seemed particularly funny was the tittering laugh of the newscaster in the background and her colleague's "classic." Boris gets a 10 for the comeback line though.

Signing Books in NYC

2009-06-03T13:29:00.005-04:00

Last Wednesday we had great book signing in New York at the Grolier Club. Thanks to the many friends and family who were there and to the Corner Bookstore for selling books. For those who find themselves on the Upper East Side of NYC, stop into the Corner Bookstore at 93rd Street and Madison to find Britannia in Brief and also to visit a terrific independent bookstore.

For anyone in the Newport RI area, we were very happy to see Britannia in Brief in the window at the Royal Male at 104 Spring Street (they also have a shop on Bowen's Wharf) and also at Island Books. Buying your copies of Britannia in Brief at one of these stores is a great way to support your local shops and your local authors!

11 Songs That Sum Up the Essence of Life in Britain

2009-05-30T21:50:00.005-04:00

This list is from our book, Britannia in Brief, and I was looking at it while making a playlist on my iPod. Any additions or disagreements?

The Village Green Preservation Society – The Kinks
That’s Entertainment – The Jam
Park Life – Blur
Dedicated Follower of Fashion – The Kinks
Penny Lane – The Beatles
God Save the Queen – Sex Pistols
Baggy Trousers – Madness
London Calling – The Clash
Nothing Ever Happens – Del Amitri
Common People – Pulp
Up the Junction – Squeeze

Do's and Don't's at the Pub.

2009-05-29T11:18:00.005-04:00

Don't be a pillock at the pub! Pillock, by the way, means idiot (I had to ask). William wrote a list of guidelines for proper pub etiquette over at Anglotopia.net. From don't order frou frou drinks like a slippery nipple to do order drinks at the bar instead of expecting table service. Check it out here.

Britannia In Brief at the Royal Oak Foundation

2009-05-28T22:33:00.005-04:00

The Royal Oak Foundation, the U.S. arm of the National Trust and their members have been wonderfully enthusiastic about the book. We spent a morning in their offices signing hundreds of copies that members had already ordered and others that are available on their online shop ($15 including p&p).

The National Trust is the lead organisation preserving British culture both grand and small, from Carlyle's house to John Lennon's childhood home. The Royal Oak Foundation is specifically designed for U.S. residents who want to contribute and be involved in the National Trust's work.

Hilarious Wedding Video

2009-05-22T15:56:00.003-04:00

Brian & Eileen's Wedding Music Video. from LOCKDOWN projects on Vimeo.

I just saw this video at A Cup of Jo. Hilarious. If we'd had a wedding video, I'd have wanted it to be like this one.

Win a Free Copy of Britannia in Brief

2009-05-22T11:17:00.002-04:00

It's your last chance to enter the contest at Anglotopia.net to win a free copy of Britannia in Brief. It's very easy, you just have to leave a comment. Who doesn't love free stuff?

Interviews at Anglotopia.net

2009-05-21T13:21:00.003-04:00

As part of "Britannia in Brief week" at Anglotopia.net William and I answered interview questions on subjects such as how we met, our favorite neighborhoods in London, and what William misses most about the UK. Click here and here to read scintillating tidbits on these subjects and more.

Five Favorite British movies

2009-05-20T13:53:00.003-04:00

Today I posted over at Anglotopia.net my five favorite British movies. See if you agree!

Here's the trailer for one pick, Withnail and I.

In the Window Seat

2009-05-20T11:28:00.003-04:00

Read more about the best rock and roll sites of London at Travelocity's Window Seat blog! It's our guest blog post.

Chelsea Flower Show

2009-05-19T12:53:00.004-04:00

I've never been to the Chelsea Flower Show, but would like to go one day soon. This year's show, which kicks off today and runs through May 23rd is sold out. There are still two more RHS flower shows to come this summer though, the Hampton Court Palace flower show and RHS Show Tatton Park. Who know, maybe we'll make it this year or sometime soon.

I've been looking through their web-site wishing our garden looked like some of their photos. Our garden is looking a bit overgrown and disorganized and it's not even June yet.

Britannia in Brief week at Anglotopia.net

2009-05-17T19:57:00.004-04:00

We're delighted that Jonathan over at Anglotopia.net is hosting Britannia in Brief week starting today. We'll be doing interviews, guest posts and there's a contest to win a free copy of the book. So be sure to check out Anglotopia all week!

Amusing Accents

2009-05-13T21:15:00.001-04:00

Katie Price and Peter Andre Split

2009-05-12T16:41:00.002-04:00

For a blow by blow of Katie Price, aka Jordan, and Peter Andre's relationship in precisely 15 pictures (with quite funny text) see this from today's Guardian. It's sad when any marriage crumbles, so does it sound terribly cynical to wonder whether Katie Price will wring another memoir out of the break up? I'm guessing yes on both counts.

Anyway, Katie Price (Jordan) and Peter Andre sure could do celebrity well together.

True confession: The text in the Guardian about the Katie/Peter relationship says "...that Benedick and Beatrice-like badinage, a love story so predictable it was actually endearing..." I had to look up who Benedick and Beatrice were/are. Is that a British thing that you'd just catch what turns out to be a Shakespearean reference or perhaps my cultural literacy needs further beefing up.

Top Ten Classic TV Theme Tunes - They're All American!

2009-05-08T08:01:00.002-04:00

The Independent has an listing of the "Top Ten Classic TV Theme Tunes". Sounds like the sort of thing to get peoples' goat; the first comment does read "WHAT ABOUT THE PROFESSIONALS YOU MORONS", yes, all in caps.

1. Only Fools and Horses
2. Saved By The Bell
3. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
4. Happy Days
5. The Addams Family
6. Cheers
7. Baywatch
8. The A-Team
9. Neighbours
10. Byker Grove

The interesting thing to note is that only the first and last are actually British shows. Doesn't the tune from Coronation Street make the cut?

The Septic's Companion

2009-05-06T21:37:00.007-04:00

To those without a passing knowledge of Cockney rhyming slang, Chris Rae's The Septic's Companion might sound more like a plumber's manual rather than an extremely funny dictionary of British English. Those who get the title will already know that a Septic is an American (Sceptic Tank = Yank), and may think they don't really need a book that tells them that plonker, pillock, berk, barmpot and gormless all mean "idiot." They would however, be missing out on a real treat.

The Septic's Companion's not all dictionary. The first thirty pages overlap some of the same ground covered in our book, Britannia In Brief, giving a brief 101 on pub etiquette and the British education system as well as a hilarious comparison of British and American street layouts. The pub bit was right on the mark in describing the unspoken rules of the bar at UK drinking establishments.

The dictionary gets right to the essence of the British language. Take the word "twat," for example, Rae shows us the various meanings with the sentence: "some twat in the pub accused me of having been near his bird's twat, so I twatted him." This and much more make it a very useful and hilarious book. As a Scot living in Seattle, Rae understands the cultural divide and The Septic's Companion is a fun rolic through the language that divides us. We loved it.

Judge for yourself: read excerpts here and check out the author's blog too.

May Day Celebrations

2009-05-01T19:57:00.004-04:00

"The Japanese tourists were comparing their videos."

That would be videos of the couple bonking on the lawn of Windsor Castle today. What would the Queen say? Wonder if Prince Philip was watching with binoculars? More about it here.

It is, of course, the first of May, May Day, an ancient pagan fertility festival and a bank holiday in the UK.

Of Loos And Language

2009-04-30T22:28:00.001-04:00

I was perhaps vaguely aware that the New York Times columnist Roger Cohen was originally from the UK, but his column today draws an evocatively nostalgic portrait of England in the 70s. This was England before the boom - more akin to a developing world country of today with strikes and limited hot water.

Contrasting the inertia of England with the energy of America, he writes "England, having seen everything go pear-shaped, relieved of the burden of running a ropey world, boozes and says it’s sorry and prefers a lie-in." Perfect!

Home Boozing Is Killing Music!

2009-04-29T22:14:00.003-04:00

A very sad story in the Guardian today - the ongoing slow decline of the pub has turned into a rout. All of which has resulted in the first ever drop in the amount music royalty payments pubs and clubs pay for the the music they play.

Pubs are closing at the rate of six a day and the amount of beer served in those that remain has fallen by about 20% in the last eighteen months. Only so many of those shutting can be awful theme pubs, so get down to your local NOW!

Scotland's Other National Drink

2009-04-21T09:09:00.007-04:00

Well, I think we all can name one beverage associated with Scotland. But are you familiar with Scotland's self-described "other national drink"? That would be Irn-Bru (pronouced pretty much as it's spelt: "Iron Brew" in a thick, gutteral Scots accent), "the not-so-soft" soft drink that's "Bru'd in Scotland from girders" and reputedly outsells both Coke and Pepsi in its native land. Electric orange in color and chock full of sugar, irn-bru has a sort of citrus, vanilla, bubblegum flavor. Being neither Scottish nor weaned on the stuff, I find it a bit sickly (try it yourself from here). But even a Sassenach has to love it sheerly on the brilliance of its advertising.

Brit Stuff NYC

2009-04-20T11:52:00.004-04:00

Manhattan Users Guide (MUG) today has a great round up of things British in NYC including details on a St. George Day celebration in the Meatpacking district.

Hillsborough Tragedy Remembered

2009-04-15T09:16:00.007-04:00

Photograph: David Giles/PA

Today marks the 20th anniversary of Britain's worst football stadium catastrophe where 96 Liverpool fans died, and 766 were injured, at Hillsborough stadium in a match--the FA Cup semi-final-- between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest. While hooliganism has been blamed for other football tragedies, in this case it was a matter of crowd control gone awry. The victims were trampled while trying to escape the area they were watching the game from. Since the Hillsborough disaster, the fencing and barriers at stadiums have come down and fans each have a seat. Today, memorial services and tributes have been held around England.

Nuts for Noddy

2009-04-13T12:42:00.002-04:00

Enid Blyton's beloved Noddy is set to debut his modern self next week on British TV station Five. The famously big-eared Noddy has been around since 1949 and on TV in the UK since 1955. So, needless to say, he's a fixture not just of Toyland, but for generations of British children. I'm trying to think of the American equivilent, maybe Raggedy Ann?

Beatlemania 45 Years Later

2009-04-09T09:20:00.004-04:00

Forty five years ago, the week of April 4th, the Beatles held the top five spots on the Billboard Hot 100--as well as another 7 spots on the list. The top five songs were: 1) Can't Buy Me Love 2)Twist and Shout 3)She Loves You 4)I Want to Hold Your Hand and 5) Please Please Me. This has never been replicated since and surely marked the height of Beatlemania.

And so it seems appropriate that Paul and Ringo reunited this year on April 4th at Radio City Music Hall for a charity event singing "I Get By With a Little Help From My Friends"

Wackiest Dresser in Britain

2009-04-07T09:49:00.004-04:00

Meet Su Pollard, the self declared wackiest dresser in Britain. Read more about it here.

Quidditch: Fact Follows Fiction

2009-04-06T13:46:00.003-04:00

The lines between fact and fiction blur as a school in Wales plays a "muggle" form of Quidditch--need we say, it's the game made famous in the Harry Potter series. The students of the Ferndale comprehensive school in Rhondda Cynon Taf will be dodging bludgers though not quite on flying broomsticks.

They are not the first. Students at Middlebury College in Vermont have put on "exhibition" matches of quidditch which entailed students wearing capes and running around with a broom between their legs. Sounds kind of fun, and burnt.

A Pop Band By Any Other Name...

2009-04-03T08:39:00.004-04:00

A few weeks ago we touched on the peculair - and usually patronizing - way in which books and films are occassionally given seperate titles in the US and the UK. Well, it doesn't stop there. Sometimes pop bands have to change their names, usually for legal reasons. Going back a bit, the Beat, Yazoo, the Charlatans and Suede became the English Beat, Yaz, the Charlatans UK and the London Suede respectively for the American market to differentiate themselves from similiarly named US groups. This seems to be a one way street - Seattle's Nirvana were able to pay off an obscure '60's British psychedelic band with the same name without having to become Nirvana US.

And sometimes albums come out with different titles and tracklists. The Beatles, supposedly, slapped the short-lived and notorious "butcher cover" on their Yesterday & Today LP to protest how hacked up their albums were for the American market. The funniest is the renaming of Brummie prog rockers E.L.O's debut album from its UK title The Electric Light Orchestra to its American title, No Answer. When the group's American record company called the band's manager to ask what the album should be titled in the US, his secretary was unable to get through to him and replied "No Answer", which the American caller misunderstood to be the LP's title.

Don't Touch the Queen!!!

2009-04-02T11:16:00.009-04:00

One particular quality that we like about Michelle Obama is how warm and friendly she seems...though apparently these qualities were in over abundance when meeting the Queen of England. In what the right wing Daily Mail described as an "extraordinary scene" Michelle put her arm around Queen Elizabeth II only after the Queen put her hand on Michelle Obama's back while they were chatting. All's well that ends well though, the Queen didn't seem to mind and it was clearly a lot better than George W. Bush winking at her.

Us in Cookie Magazine

2009-04-02T09:56:00.003-04:00

Here's Cookie Magazine's House Tour of our nest in their Nesting blog.

Gwyneth's London Tips

2009-04-01T11:40:00.004-04:00

From her Goop.com Gwyneth Paltrow details her favorite spots in London. The Daily Mail today takes a stab at her tips for being expensive and elitist. A girl can dream though: budget permitting I'd love to take these tips and run with them.

Ye Olde Executive Branch Struggles and Counter-Terrorism Methodes

2009-03-27T18:26:00.003-04:00

Nowadays, when some new division arises between the White House and the Congress or another bomb plot is uncovered we tend to look back longingly to a past when cooperation and peace ruled. Needless to say, there never was such a time. To see vestiges of past power struggles look at the odd traditions attending the State Opening of Parliament by the monarch, usually undertaken in November or shortly after a general election.

Prior to the queen's arrival, a bunch of beefeaters search the cellars beneath parliament by candlelight. This seemingly quaint exercise goes back to 1605 when religiously inspired terrorists, led by Guy Fawkes, came close to blowing the whole place up during the State Opening. When the Queen arrives, in full regalia, she is enthroned in the House Of Lords and sends her messenger, the wonderfully named Black Rod, to summon the MP's. Equally wonderfully, Black Rod is greeted at the House Of Commons chamber by having the door slammed in his face. This is considered a very weighty symbol of Parliament's right to tell the monarch to bugger off, (though after this, Black Rod need only knock three times to gain admittance). That the current government has now fastened on modernizing" the office of Black Rod could be taken as a further sign that they've run out of big ideas after twelve years in power.

The Speaker of the House nowadays moderates debate, but historically held the unpleasant and potentially life-threatening duty of acting as Parliament's emissary to the Monarch. Hence the tradition whereby a newly appointed Speaker is ceremonially "dragged" to the Speaker's Chair by a couple of MP's.