I have been using “cf.” wrongly for my entire life
Number theory was famously described as absolutely, gloriously useless by G H Hardy, but is now vital for encryption and therefore the digital economy (and all else “e”) While looking…
Category: oddly enough
“no longer did immediate this-worldly success have to be decisive”
From “God’s Gamble: The Gravitational Power of Crucified Love” by Gil Bailie: The Resurrection delivers men from the fear of death,” writes John Meyendorff, “and, therefore, also from the necessity…
Why hasn’t an earthquake toppled the Leaning Tower of Pisa?
I’m sure you’ve asked yourself the same question… well, here is the answer…. Basically, it’s all down to the soil: After studying available seismological, geotechnical and structural information, the research…
Cahir’s memorial to Crimean Bob, “a veteran troophorse”
This plaque is on display in the main square of Cahir, Co Tipperary: This article outlines the story of Crimean Bob and other Irish animals of the Crimean War. A…
Robert Louis Stevenson bequeaths his birthday to Annie Ide
I had read somewhere that Robert Louis Stevenson had bequeathed his birthday (13th November) to a girl who was born on Christmas Day. Lately I came across Katherine Miller’s poem…
“Thinking about the immortality of the crab”
Via the Wikipedia page devoted to Miguel de Unamono, I came across this wonderfully evocative Spanish idiom: Thinking about the immortality of the crab (Spanish: Pensar en la inmortalidad del cangrejo) is…
Textspeak in the 18th Century – the case of Pot-8-Os
Once, Prince’s use of “U” for “you” and “2” for “to” (or “too” or “two”) was seen as an example of his supposed eccentricity. Now, of course, it is all…
Ireland’s science Nobel Prize winners and Faith
Ireland has only two Nobel Laureates in Science – Ernest Walton and William C Campbell. I am working on a longer post on my perception that there was much more…
Séamus Sweeney 