The Strange History of Funny Surnames Around the World
Some surnames mean ‘born nude’, ‘nobody’, and ‘big butt’. By why? Surnames are ubiquitous now, but that wasn’t always the case. Sometimes people made them up on the spot and … Read More
Melting Roads, Strikes And Escaped Tigers: Disneyland’s Opening Was Disastrous
Broken rides, 15000 gatecrashers, plumbing issues, and a tiger getting loose made for a memorable start When Disneyland opened on July 17, 1955, it was broadcast live on the ABC … Read More
Birthdays around the world can weird, fun, and unexpected
Getting older is universal, but how people celebrate the inevitable joys of ageing and birthdays varies widely from culture to culture. Some traditions are purely fun, while others reveal deeper … Read More
New Year productivity and a shift in focus
Happy New Year, everyone! Lots of people I know seemed to have had a pretty crap 2025 – I hope you aren’t one of them – but I think we … Read More
Happy Christmas! Free book: ‘Haunted Thailand: Ghosts and spirits in the Land of Smiles’
Happy whatever you celebrate this winter period – here is a free book called: “Haunted Thailand: Ghosts and spirits in the Land of Smiles”. You can get it here free … Read More
The Secret Of Secrets By Dan Brown – Fun, Preposterous, And Exciting But More Of The Same
Dan Brown’s The Secret of Secrets came out a couple of months ago, and I finally got around to reading it. I’ve read all his books and enjoy them, but … Read More
Inside The Fascinating World Of AI Poker Tournaments – Apparently AI Can Now Bluff
AI poker is here and having tournaments devoid of humans. Apart from feeling weirdly left out, it has left me questioning the wisdom of teaching entities smarter than us, how … Read More
The Studio: Brilliant Cast, Big Laughs And Hollywood Meltdowns
Hollywood loves telling stories about itself. Some are nostalgic love letters, others are cynical autopsies. The Studio, the new Apple TV+ comedy created by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, tries … Read More
Science Advises Playing Chess. Here’s A Great Way To Begin
People have been playing chess for around 1500 years and it has never been as popular as now. The reasons are obvious – first there was the internet, then mobile … Read More
Short stories are back – here’s why that’s great for writers
Every Writer Should Spend Time on Short Stories Short stories have always waxed and waned in popularity. Their earliest incarnations were myths, fables, and fireside legends, but the modern short … Read More
Substack Vs Medium – It Doesn’t Need To Be Either Or…
I’ve been writing on Medium and Substack for a while now. There is quite a lot of overlap in terms of content, but they are slightly different. Especially in the … Read More
The Potsdam Giants: How A Prussian King’s Obsession Led To Kidnapping, Torture, And Eugenics
The true but dark story of an incredibly tall regiment This post originally came from my Substack – Intriguing Times. But it’s now behind a paywall, and is such a … Read More
Perth, Rottnest Island, And Ridiculously Cute Quokkas. All You Need To Know
I am currently in Perth, Australia, and recently went to Rottnest Island to see the quokkas. There was information I would have liked to have known in advance, and I … Read More
The Gorilla Who Was Brought up as a Boy in an English Village
This is the incredible true story of John Daniel, who was no ordinary gorilla John Daniel was a young gorilla who was adopted by an English family in 1918 and … Read More
The Loose End by Dwonch and Hymel is a fun, Tarantino-esque comic caper
The Loose End graphic novel collects issues 1-4 of this new crime comic and is a lot of fun. Written by Dave Dwonch, with art by Travis Hymel, The Loose … Read More
Tree Spirits And Good Fortune: The Beautiful Ghosts Who Protect Thailand’s Forests
I wrote recently about an angry Thai ghost with a detachable head, so it is time to look at some beautfiul tree spirits that protect native trees. Thailand’s spiritual world … Read More
What Did People Wipe With In The Past And Why Is The World Moving Beyond Toilet Paper?
Toilet paper is modern and isn’t the best option There was a weird focus on toilet paper at the start of the Covid pandemic, with lots of people panic-buying and … Read More
The Strange And Hopefully Fun Future Of AI NPCs – Is Gaming Getting Interactive?
I love computer games and am cautiously optimistic about the upcoming inevitability of AI NPCs and AI stories. But there will be weirdness and ethical quandaries by pixel-load over the … Read More
Black, Rudd And A Colossal Snake: The New Anaconda Trailer Looks Meta Fun
Sony Pictures has just released the first trailer for Anaconda, a comedy re-imagining of the 1997 giant-snake thriller. The original is a classic and I remember it fondly, although I advise … Read More
The Paper Review: A New Office-Style Sitcom About Newspapers
The Paper is a new sitcom set in the same universe as The Office. (Obviously, that’s our world too, but you know what I mean.) It’s made by some of … Read More