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Showing posts from February, 2012

And the award for the highest mountain goes to...

Ben Nevis! Ben Nevis is situated  at the western end of the Grampian Mountains in the Lochaber area of the Scottish Highlands, close to the town of Fort William. The summit is 1,344 metres (4,409 ft) above sea level, and at the tops are the ruins of an observatory, which was continuously staffed between 1883 and 1904.  Ben Nevis comprises mainly igneous rock from the Devonian period - around 400 million years ago. According to the observations carried out at the summit observatory (while it was in use, from 1883–1904) fog was present on the summit for almost 80% of the time between November and January, and 55% of the time in May and June. While the average winter temperature was around −5 °C and the mean monthly temperature for the year was −0.5 °C. Lucky

New presenter for next year's Oscars already announced!

After such a thrilling performance on last night's red carpet, it has been decided that Sacha Baron Cohen will be presenting next year's Oscars! Here he is, in character, giving some insight into what may take place at next year! Lucky Today's fact: I'm fairly certain that Sacha B-C will NOT be presenting next year's awards!

The strength of a baby

When a little cousin of mine was born I was told that babies - when born - are able to hang on to a pole if 'attached' to one. In fact they are rather resilient and cunning little creatures. An abandoned baby soon learns to conserve energy and stop crying, while those with over-doting parents quickly recognise an easy target! So with that in mind, I thought I'd have a look into some of the other baby-facts that you may or may-not have known: According to The Nurse Nut : Your teeth are growing before birth : Even though it takes months after you are born to see teeth , they start growing about six months before you are born. Babies are stronger than oxen : On a pound for pound basis, that is. For their size, babies are quite powerful and strong . Babies always have blue eyes when they are born :  Melanin  and exposure to ultraviolet light are needed to bring out the true colour of babies’ eyes. Until then they all have blue eyes. Just in case you were wonderi

Let there be light!

Today, for the first time this year, Ameba and I played tennis. And it was fantastic - we were outside, on the courts, in T-shirts, the sky was blue and the sun was out - and even warm  (our tennis is coming along too!) Which brings me to today's fact: the sun makes people happier. Fact.  Working it's magic According to howstuffworks.com the following is what happens when the sun shines: One area where humans may not be able to escape the sun's biological effects is on their moods. It all comes down to a complex relationship among sunlight, melatonin and serotonin that we're only just starting to understand. Melatonin is a hormone that controls sleep, and serotonin in a neurotransmitter that is tied to states of wakefulness and being in a "good mood." Serotonin is the chemical targeted by a class of anti-depressants called SSRIs, which keep higher levels of serotonin in the bloodstream to help elevate mood. The web connecting sunlight, melatonin an

Engagements & weddings

Two very good friends of mine are getting married in a month from today. I'll be there for the wedding, but wasn't for the engagement announcement. Actually I wasn't around for the announcement of today's fact either: It was on this day in February 1981 that Prince Charles announced his engagement to Lady Diana Spencer. Badge & Boytjie is this how you guys looked? Hope you kids both have a fantastic hens / bachelors - I cannot wait for the photo's :) Lucky

First published weather report

In keeping with yesterday's first facts, and given how very much the British love to talk about it, I thought today could also be about... the weather! The first ever published weather report was printed in The Times in 1861. Compiled by Robert FitzRoy, a Captain in the Royal Navy and a pioneer meteorologist, who headed up the department that later became the Met Office. The Times, 1 August 1861 Lucky

40 Days, 40 Facts... Beginning with the weather!

Last Lent I attempted, and succeeded at writing 40 posts in 40 days - this sometimes involved leaving a night out early so that I could rush home before midnight, when I would have been lumped with defeat and a pumpkin! This year it will be a bit more taxing, because for some of those days I'll be in the air and others in that remote African country of South Africa, lounging about on a beach. But I shall do my utmost to bring you 40 facts over the 40 days.  Considering that I live in the UK, I thought I'd look for the facts in and around Britain... So what better a way, than to start with the weather! The warmest day in England was in August 2003 in Faversham, Kent: 38.5 ° C The coldest day was in January 1982 in Newport, Shropshire: -26.1 °C The sunniest English month was in July 1911, in Eastbourne, Sussex, with 383.9 hours of sunshine The highest wind speed was recorded at Gwennap Head, Cornwall in December 1979: 118mph The wettest day in England was in July 1955 in Ma