Why Tom Baker Was the Perfect Doctor Who: Memories of a 1970s Childhood

Everyone in the UK has their doctor and Tom Baker was mine.  When he took on the role of Doctor Who, I was nine years old.  I already loved the show but his appearance as the doctor took my appreciation to another level – one that would last for many years and still has its moments.  My parents did not have a colour TV (they were not badly off by any means, but having been brought up in the war, they made do with things until they fell apart).  My brother and I would ultimately pour enough water down the back of the television set for it not to be noticed but nevertheless be render it defunct – but that’s another story.  I was allowed to go and watch the show at the house next door – an elderly childless widower (Mr Taylor) in his late eighties, who enjoyed the company and who had – miracle of miracles – a very large colour TV.

His house was like a time capsule – he had bought it in the 1920s and it hadn’t really changed. No gas fire – coal.  Lamps used to light the rooms – dark, thick curtain, giant aspidistras.  You  get the idea – so going to watch Doctor Who there was like being in an episode of it myself, in many ways.  When the show had a slightly gothic turn, the setting was perfect, much better than my parents' house with its bright lights and modern furniture - Mr Taylor's house, with its low lighting and bygone-age decor, the old paintings on the wall - perfect.  Even the walk up his driveway was like a prologue to the episode – dark and more than a little spooky, with trees creaking overhead and the lights of his house shining dimly in the near-distance.

He (always dapper in a suit and tie, even at his age, and looking more than a little like the first doctor, William Harnell) positioned two high-backed chairs in front of the TV and always made sure that we didn’t miss a second. We kept the Saturday evening visits going for years – even after my parents had reluctantly had to buy their own colour TV, due to the mysterious demise of their black and white.

I would regularly stay for the next couple of Saturday night shows, and both of us were usually fast asleep by about 8pm – the only light in the room coming from the fire.  In the early days of my visitations, when it got a little late for a nine-year old, my father sometimes came and picked my recumbent form up from where I was dozing, carrying me home and depositing me safely on my bed.

The visits went on for a few years, until one day on my return home from school, I learned that Mr Taylor had had a fall.  He had stood on a kitchen stool to reach a tin from the top of a cupboard and had fallen.  He had managed to reach the tin – that was on the kitchen floor, but so was he. I was reassured by my mum that he wouldn’t have felt a thing, and it was a very speedy death – something the old man had always said he wanted anyway – no hanging around in hospitals waiting for the inevitable for him.

So, a nine year old and a ninety year old (rounding up) brought together by the love of Doctor Who (he had adored it since it began).  Of course, there were always three people in the room.  Mr Taylor, me and Tom Baker.  That brings me to this video.  Baker has always had a larger-than-life presence in anything he does, and coming across the video below in my feed was a nice bit of serendipity, so I thought I would share (it is made by Eat My Shorts).  It brought me back to those autumn and winter nights in the 1970s, sat in the chair next to the lovely Mr Taylor, scared out of my wits over the daleks, the wirrrn and other assorted monsters.  Not that I ever felt in any danger – Tom Baker (sorry, Doctor Who) would always triumph in the end.  And even if he didn’t, I suspected that Mr Taylor had a Tardis of his own secreted somewhere in his house…  Take a look at what made Tom Baker an amazing choice for Doctor Who.

The greatest gaming sites around the world

Some places are worth visiting for the games they offer, while others turn the experience into something much bigger. Around the world, casino resorts have become destinations in their own right, combining gaming with spectacular architecture, restaurants, entertainment, shopping and some seriously impressive hotels. From the bright lights of Las Vegas to the grand surroundings of Monaco, these physical gaming destinations have made a lasting impression.

For anyone looking for a casino experience with plenty happening beyond the gaming floor, Macau is difficult to overlook. The Venetian Macao is enormous, with its own canals, gondola rides, restaurants, shopping and extensive recreational facilities. Its casino features around 3,000 slot machines and 750 table games, while the resort itself covers almost 10.8 million square feet. For visitors who want something equally striking but more contemporary, the Morpheus Hotel at City of Dreams features the distinctive architecture associated with Zaha Hadid, along with restaurants, bars, a spa, an art gallery and a rooftop pool. Put simply, there is no doubt all your favourite casino games will be here.

Las Vegas naturally has several names that belong in any conversation about famous gaming destinations. Bellagio is instantly recognisable for its spectacular fountains, but inside it also has a casino with around 2,000 slot machines and high-end poker rooms. It has even appeared in films including Ocean's Eleven. MGM Grand offers another huge experience, with a 171,500-square-foot gaming floor containing 139 gaming tables and 2,500 slot machines. Then there is Caesars Palace, where Roman-inspired architecture, marble statues, fountains and an enormous gaming space create a very different atmosphere.

The Letters of Claudius Terentianus: A 2nd-Century Roman Soldier’s Life

Claudius Terentianus (imagined above) was a Roman soldier who lived almost two thousand years ago, but what did it take to become a part of the Roman legions?  Well, for a start, it was a hard life but because he couldn’t get a good enough letter of recommendation, poor old Claudius couldn’t get in except as an auxiliary – and then he had to write a begging letter to his father asking for equipment.  Amazingly, this letter - and others from the son - still survives to this day. 

The letters of Claudius Terentianus survived because they were written on papyrus and preserved by the unusually dry conditions of Roman Egypt (he was a Greek speaking Egyptian, not uncommon at the time).  They tell a story of a fairly miserable time, but because he could read and write, this was the key to his advancement.  His letters to his father were probably discarded at some point, buried in a rubbish heap among dry sands where the conditions allowed them to survive for almost two thousand years.

What's particularly interesting is that Terentianus' letters contain numerous spelling and grammatical mistakes, which gives historians evidence of how ordinary people actually wrote Latin, as opposed to the polished Latin found in literature.  And yes, he would have been called Terentianus rather than Claudius by his friends.  In the Roman naming system, Claudius was his nomen (clan or family name), while Terentianus was his cognomen (the more personal identifier). In everyday life, Romans were often known by their cognomen, especially when the nomen was very common.

His friends, when calling him would have cried Terentiane! (it’s the vocative form of his name, don’t you know).  Perhaps close friends would call him Tere – whether they did is certainly lost to history.  However, as many people who gained citizenship in Egypt were given the Latin name Claudius, we don’t know anything else about him except for the things he mentions (like getting himself a woman) in his letters.  Well, almost...

The video below is by the British Museum and features curators Richard Abdy and Carolina Rangel de Lima, who walk us through the life of Claudius Terentianus – and give some wonderful insight into what life was like as a Roman soldier at that time – as well as what ultimately happened to poor old Tere!

Confused by AI? 6 Key Concepts Explained in Plain English

If you are at a funny age, as I am, then you are probably not unaware of Artificial Intelligence (AI).  You probably even use it to one extent or another.  However, this area of technology – both attractive and scary as hell at the same time, develops so quickly that perhaps a lot of us simply shrug our shoulders and let the tsunami of terminology flow over us, nod knowingly (or give our best approximation of being fully savvy with it all) and carry on regardless.  If you are nodding knowingly right now, then perhaps it’s time to have a look at the video below, which compartmentalises AI into six core concepts and then continues by explaining them in words that most of us will understand.  It all boils down to trying to make a computer as smart or smarter than we are. 

The six core concepts covered are LLM, Model Training, RAG, Agents, MCP and System Prompt.  If these mean little or nothing to you, then hang around, perhaps.  Or, as my grandmother probably would have done, suck on a sherbet lemon, tut loudly, and walk away.

This video is presented by Jeff Crume of IBM, whose job title is apparently Distinguished Engineer.  I think I am going to start putting distinguished before my own job title – it seems like a good idea to me (in fact, an excellent one).  Crome uses an analogy (us!) to explain AI and I definitely felt a little the wiser by the end of it.  However, why did I keep on thinking Terminator as it played?  Watch the video explaining AI below.

Strictly Come Dancing 2026 Opener Review: A Bold New Era Begins in Series 24

The Strictly Come Dancing series opener for 2026 has now been broadcast – and it is something else.  The show, which is now in its 24^th season, opened with a launch show complete with celebrities, presenters, judges and professional dancers taking to the stage to present an opener which fans will be talking about for years to come.  Like another of the BBC’s flagship shows, Doctor Who, Strictly has just undergone something of a regeneration. For readers outside the UK, Strictly is the British format that inspired the American hit Dancing with the Stars.  This opener reflects the rebirth (renaissance?) of the show by introducing us (eventually) to the show’s new presenters, Emma Willis, Johannes Radebe and Josh Widdicombe.  This change was reflected in the sharing of presenting duties during the show, which created a distinctly new feel.

Back to the opener, a clapboard announces the show and the opening notes of Peter Gabriel’s Sledgehammer (was that chosen deliberately to indicate the sledgehammer that might be taken to the show’s format? Who can say!) and off we go into a dizzyingly colourful Hollywood set, where cast and crew are preparing to put on the show – and they’re already putting on the show. The opening number (well, numbers as it is a montage, after all) is kicked off by Motsi Mabuse, is a long-standing professional dancer and is part of the show's returning judging panel alongside Craig Revel Horwood, Shirley Ballas, and Anton Du Beke for this 24th series.

The focus quickly shifts to a vibrant, rhythmic musical production. The mood transitions from the news studio into a stylized, high-production performance space.  Then, of course, we have to have the elaborate ballroom dance sequences, to give a taste of the professional artistry, synchronization, and the scale of the production for the new series.  Some of the returning dancers are Dianne Buswell, Nikita Kuzmin, Katya Jones and Jowita Przystał who all strut their stuff in this remarkable opener. If this is anything to go by, this series will be the most expensive – my grandmother would have said “they’ve spent a bob or two on that” while she sucked on a sherbet lemon.

I doubt very much that she would have recognised many of the celebrities who have joined the show this year.  If there were any in the opener, they didn't register with me.  Perhaps I am not up enough on my Eastenders actors, ex-footballers and YouTubers - but I suspect that many will be seeing Strictlty as positive exposure for their not-so-glittering careers. OK, I'm sure they're all lovely people and I probably have been hiding under a rock!

The performance culminates in an enthusiastic, choreographed routine that confirms the start of the new series with the iconic show sign-off, now proclaimed by Emma Willis: "This is Strictly Come Dancing".    Loud, yes? Gorgeous? Absolutely? Is this regeneration going to satisfy the fans? Only time will tell, but the BBC isn’t going half-measures on the show, if this is anything to go by! Here is the entire opener for Season 24 (2026) of Strictly Come Dancing.

The Eight Biggest Dog Breeds in the World

Our sibling site, the Ark in Space, is today showcasing the biggest dogs on the planet.  Above you can see an Irish Wolfhound – what a glorious creature – a breed which does rank inside the top ten of the biggest dogs in the world.  Among them you will find the Great Dane, the Neapolitan Mastiff and the St Bernard.  You can find out which other dogs make the list over at the site - as well as a gorgeous gallery of pictures to accompany the article.  I have to say, if I were to choose a canine companion, it would probably be a smaller breed – my house isn’t large enough for anything bigger than a labrador and neither, I suspect, am I.  Picture

Glass Beach – Nature Corrects Another of Our Mistakes

No one would have believed in the last years of the nineteenth century that a rubbish dump being created would, in the space of a century, become a protected area.  Yet that is exactly what happened to what has come to be known as Glass Beach, just outside Fort Bragg in California.

Image Credit Flickr User mlhradio

The residents there had no refuse collection so, with the sea so close by the solution seemed obvious – throw the garbage over the edge of the cliffs above their local beach.  The burgeoning population of the town proceeded, with abandon reckless if not gleeful (after all, it must have been more fun than the usual taking out of the garbage) to do just that.

The Cat and the Camera - 묘와 카메라

A girl who lives on a small island shaped like a cat’s paw awakes to see her own cat kidnapped by a furry dragon.  Well, yes, you might say that’s a strange beginning to an animated short film, but that’s about the least odd thing about The Cat and the Camera.  Visually stunning, this story is one that that might leave you scratching your head at the end, but I for one can say that it was a satisfactory itch!

This animated short was created and directed by Park Jisoo for their thesis project at the Kongju National University Division of Comics and Animation in South Korea.  It is amazing that this is a single-person project – quite remarkable.  Although there has been debate on the comments about YouTube about when homage to creators like Studio Ghibli ends and plagiarism begins, I think there is a better approach.  Young creators often imitate a variety of sources in order to find their own style. I think as a work of juvenalia, we can look forward to seeing much greater and more original works from Park Jisoo.

Ian McKellen and Judi Dench Share Tea and Memories of Their Legendary Macbeth

Back in 1979, Judy Dench and Ian McKellen (then without the Dame and the Sir in front of their names) gave me one of life’s Uh huh moments, when I sat down to watch them star in a TV production of Macbeth.  I had studied the play at school and, frankly, it hadn’t lit my candle, let alone fire.  I think I struggled to relate to Macbeth and his wife – and although I didn’t find the text impenetrable, I think the fact that the “performances” were left to me and my classmates (we didn’t have a video player in my school) – not to mention my frazzled English teacher, the real power of the dialogue did not hit home. 

Shakespeare didn’t write his plays for them to be read, let alone by (fairly) bored schoolchildren many centuries later.  He wrote them to be performed, and so the experience of watching McKellen and Dench immerse themselves in these roles – accompanied by very few props – was transformative.  That uh huh moment was realising that not only were their performances brilliant, but the play was too.  Staged by the Royal Shakespeare Company with Trevor Nunn at the helm, the production began with all the characters sitting on blocks around a dark circle – immediately catching my attention.  From there, Dame Judy and Sir Ian took centre stage and the rest (along with my love of Shakespeare) is history.

Cut to today, and it’s great to see these two giants of acting sitting together for a cup of tea and a chat.  Watch the video below.

Oh, and if you are interested in watching the Shakespeare production that entirely changed my view of Shakespeare in two hours, here is the 1979 production of Macbeth, starring Ian McKellen and Judy Dench in its entirety – it was remastered this year.

Plus, here they are reminiscing about the prodction of Macbeth. THey are obviously the best of friends!

 

How Do You Restore a 600-Year-Old Painting? Jan van Eyck’s Portrait of a Man

 
Portrait of a Man by Jan van Eyk was painted in 1433, and it is believed to be a self-portrait.  If that is the case, then van Eyk would probably reject the idea of the filters we use on our everyday snaps – his painting is unsparing to say the least, stubble, wrinkles and bloodshot eyes all infer that Jan was probably not a vain man.  But the execution is exquisite – no wonder, then, that it has been prized for so long.

It is staggering, sometimes, to look at an old painting and come to the realisation that it is over 600 years old.  The very fact that it still exists is a triumph not only over time, but with the social changes it brings with it – so much stuff ends up in bins because it is out of fashion, but wait a few decades and it would probably bounce right back into our hearts and minds.  Then, of course, there are things like war, which make the likelihood of something surviving for so long even slimmer. 

Then there is the introduction of tobacco, the smoke from which has covered many a fine piece of art with a layer of dirt that is very difficult for an “amateur” to successfully remove.  Finally, there is the attempts at restoration – or even the decision to add elements to a painting – which often make things worse rather than better.  The infamous example of Ecce Homo (look it up!) serves as a warning to the well-meaning but effectively inept hand of the untrained.  Thank goodness, then, that there are people like conservator Jill Dunkerton, who works for The National Gallery in London.  Here, she takes us through the processes involved in restoring and conserving Jan van Eyk’s sublime Portrait of a Man (the painting has resided at The National since 1851). Watch the fascinating video below.

Pearl: A Moving Animated Short About Drag, Family Rejection and Finding Acceptance

Pearl is a drag queen – and a young one at that.  And even though she has managed to bloom into her drag persona there is still one thing that hurts inside.  That is the rejection that she has faced from her mother.   One night, during her performance, she notices a familiar face in the audience…

Parental rejection is still something that impacts a lot of young people, which is a great shame in this day and age.  This animated short from a group of students tells the story of just one young person – who fortunately seems to have created their own support network already.  It’s bright, gaudy and irrepressible in its depiction of the drag queen, but carries something of a sombre message below the bright lights and the makeup. Bravo to the students (Aurélien David, Lisa Soulie; Meïssan Couren, Sabine Fabbiani, Erwan Barhmi, Julien Commercon, Yaël Balanca, Thomas Corvalan, Emma Ohlicher) who directed the film and all the others involved in this entertaining and worthy project.

Visiting Skellig Michael: Tommy Tiernan Explores Ireland’s Ancient Monastery

We have “visited” Skellig Michael before at Kuriositas, but this video is a wonderful, personal tour of the island and its famous monastery (as featured in Star Wars!).  Nine miles off the coast of County Kerry in what most people would call the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, the island is home to lots and lots of birds and, of course, the monastery, which operated for 800 years.  Irish comedian, actor and writer Tommy Tiernan takes a trip to the island, and it has a profound effect on him.  One of the first things he realises is how steep the stairs up to the monastery are – and it’s not a pleasant walk up, but he is astounded by the sheer beauty of the place.  I can’t get over how cold the place must have been in the winter – I am unsure whether I could survive a day or tow there at any time of the year, but in the middle of our coldest season… it must have been brutal. image

Watch Tommy visit Skellig Michael below.

The Monument for a Dead Parrot and Other “Hidden” London Landmarks

London is quite big – and most people have heard of Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, the Tower of London – and so on.  Yet there are numerous other landmarks in London that often go unnoticed by the throngs of tourists.  Perhaps that isn’t such a bad thing, but some must be seen to be believed and others make you scratch your head about why they exist in the first place.  Take the Monument for a Dead Parrot, situated in the grounds of Devonport House in Greenwich.  It is thought to be a homage to Monty Python’s Dead Parrot sketch (look it up if you don’t know it), even though it is a sulfur-crested cockatoo rather than the entirely fictitious Norwegian Blue which featured in the infamous comedy sketch.  Created by artist Jon Reardon, it was placed in the grounds in 2009, with a short holiday away for the London Olympics in 2012. Image

YouTuber JackSucksAtLife gives us a tour of a number of strange, sometimes bewildering – even occasionally touching – London landmarks that you may not know exist.  They include the Cornhill Devils (the origins of which Jack explains in the video below), the stretcher railings, the grave of an unknown Roman girl, the dead parrot (of course) and many others.  Jack has a nice way of presenting, and if you want a guided tour of London’s more peculiar and less known landmarks and monuments, then Jack’s the lad for you…

Georgia’s Apkhazeti: Traditional Dance Meets Modern Music | Born from Culture

Born from Culture travels the world and tells stories of culture, told through movement. As part of its global film series created by James Fenwick, it recently travelled to Georgia, where this video was made.  It features the State Academic Song and Dance Ensemble “Apkhazeti” which is one of the most prominent folk ensembles associated with Abkhazia (part of Georgia, not part of Georgia – very much depends who you ask). The ensemble was founded in 1931 in Sukhumi and is dedicated to preserving and performing the traditional songs, dances, and folklore of the Abkhazian region. Following the conflict in Abkhazia in the early 1990s, the ensemble relocated to Tbilisi, Georgia. 

And it is Tbilisi where this remarkable film was made.  Combining the ancient traditions of Georgian dance with modern music, I love the way that this has been filmed.  It’s a great showcase for the spectacular folk dance performances of the country, featuring its trademark athletic leaps, precise footwork, and colourful traditional costumes - not to mention the Georgian dance acrobatic pyramid.  Have a watch below.

Godzilla Rocks

Do you see what I see? Utoro is a minor working fishing port on Japan’s second largest island, Hokkaido. It attracts a number of a tourists in its own right but for travellers it is best known as the principle access point for the beautiful Shiretoko Peninsula National Park.  However, as you can see from these pictures there is a rather large rock formation in the town which bears a close resemblance to an even larger creature of modern Japanese mythology – Godzilla.

Image Credit Flickr User alberth2

Jungle Race: A Blood-Soaked Planet of the Apes Meets Wacky Races

If you cross Planet of the Apes (featuring more simian species than usual) with Wacky Races and get Quentin Tarantino to direct, then I am pretty sure the result would be something like Jungle Race in all its blood and guts brilliance.  It is set at some point in the near future (love the city backdrops, overtaken by nature) where humanity has disappeared, leaving behind the ruins and a few parting gifts -cars that still work is the one the monkeys most prize (and there are even some motorbikes too).  There’s even a little homage to Herbie inside here – the Volkswagen one chimp character is driving has the number 53 painted on its rear (yay!).

This is gloriously gory stuff – please don’t watch it if you are of a delicate disposition.  Its mindless violence is something that will keep you up at night.  On the other hand, Jungle Race is also a fierce satire of our spectacle-driven society, where violence becomes entertainment, driven by an energetic, fast-paced edit, colourful art direction and a succession of spectacular action scenes.  Jungle Race was created by ten little monkeys from Brassart Grenoble (I spent a wonderful exchange visit there when I was 15), Nathan Stefen, Thomas Marsaudon, Tristan Forcheron, Justine Perrin, Loïc Noailhat, Charles Lardenois, Cyprien Cotton, Ezvin Manhes, Quentin Steinhilber, and Camille Tessier. Music is by Rémi Dutriez and Axel Leclère “Dogma”, with sound design by Coline ColombeT, Dan Ravot, and Benjamin Macé.

Titanic Recreated by Drones in Belfast to the Sound of “Nearer My God to Thee”

The Titanic tragedy continues to fascinate people around the world, and in March the ghost of the ship returned to Belfast – recreated by drones and a multitude of coloured lights.  This particular footage, which has only recently been released, allows us to witness the sheer scale of the Titanic as it was built.  It must have been a glorious sight, watching it sail out of Belfast Harbour on April 2, 1912.  The full-scale drone Titanic looks amazing in the video.  I am not sure how much this cost, or how many hours it collectively took to set this up, but bravo to everyone involved.

The drone display is accompanied by the complete performance of 'Nearer My God to Thee', arranged by Garth McConaghie, featuring Miadhachlughain (how do you pronounce that name?) O’Donnell on vocals and David McCann on cello. The hymn became strongly associated with the Titanic because of reports that the ship’s musicians played it as the vessel was sinking.  As such, it has become one of the most famous pieces of music connected with the disaster.  It is certainly a moving accompaniment to the drone display.

Radiohead’s Creep Covered by The Harvard-Radcliffe Veritones: Brilliant or Too Polished?

Radiohead’s Creep is one of my favourite songs, so when a cover pops up in my feed, I feel obliged to give it a listen (even though that word seems to have been permanently excised from the song, which makes it lose half its power).  Here’s another version by The Harvard-Radcliffe Veritones – it’s done a cappella and, well I’m not sure.  You make up your own mind.  I did enjoy it – I have to say, but perhaps it’s just a little too smooth for such an angsty song. There is no doubt that the execution of the song, from a technical perspective, is as near perfect as you can get.  The singers, too, are giving it all they have (and more), but I am not sure that the song’s lyrics lend themselves to this kind of style.  Still, I thought I would share it with you as it’s interesting.  My jury is out.  What do you think?

Unproductive: The AI Assistant That Takes Motivation Too Far

We all need a little prod, sometimes.  Motivation can wane, productivity can fall – and as for organisation – forget it.  So, when the hero of Unproductive, a science-fiction comedy short from Black Elk Films, discovers MOTIV AI, it seems like a panacea for all his human frailties (or at least his natural inclination to slob around the house).  Email – tick, exercise – tick, a glass of water – also a tick.  However, like that well-meaning friend who always seems to remind you of your shortcomings, MOTIV AI doesn’t quite know when to stop…

Written by and starring Jason Farries (who we last saw as an unhinged home-help android in Andy), this short has no pretension but a number of chuckles along the way.  The app is voiced by Ruby Izzard. If you feel under constant pressure to do more, feel more, be more, then Unproductive will quite likely resonate with you on a number of levels.  If you don’t feel motivated enough to watch it, then I think there may be an app to help you with that…

Go get yourself a glass of water and enjoy the film.

Football Picture Prompts & Story Scaffolds for GCSE English Language

I don’t really like football, to be honest – but many of my students do.  So much so, in fact, that I have been forced, coerced and badgered into creating a new resource about a soccer match and the final penalty shoot-out to get my reluctant creative writers to… write creatively!  Although you can see screenshots in this article, you can get hold of it here.

I created the resource a few months ago, and it has worked very well. Best of all – the learners have been very happy with the resulting complete stories that they have written.  Strangely, too, they have shown a much greater interest in reading each other’s work – even though they know what is going to happen in the story, they want to know how their friends have approached the writing of it.

Welcome to “The Final Kick”. This is an editable set of resources which, as you already know,  has gone down very well with my students, both male and female.  It is focused entirely on a few moments in a football match – the penalty shoot-out.  It may seem like it’s not going to go down too well with those who don’t like football, but I have found that these students have enjoyed it, and the soccer-mad boys and girls love it.

Sans-Souci – Carefree Palace of a Self-Made Monarch

The Haitian Revolution (1791 – 1804) had left Haiti independent from its old colonial master, France which itself had only recently felt the convulsions of civil insurgency itself. Yet it also left the country divided in to north and south. In the north, a remarkable yet despotic man came to be known as Henry I, King of Haiti (left) and held sway for a number of years. He decreed that a palace be constructed to be the centerpiece of his power. Sans-Souci, as it was named, was to be his Versailles.

This was a palace meant to display power, wealth and prestige – a slap in the face to the old colonial overlords. It was propaganda in the form of bricks and mortar. In modern day terms, you could even call it something of a spin palace.

Image Credit Flickr User AmbaFranceht

Image Credit Flickr User Le Corrigan

How Buffalo Slots Became a Casino Gaming Icon

For as long as we have had a casino culture – offline or online, animal-themed slot games have occupied a unique space there.  We could say that they combine our natural fascination with wildlife and the mythology that surrounds it – and of course there is the added excitement of the spinning reels.  Yes, modern slots feature so many different things – from outer space and its aliens to blockbuster movies but animal inspired games are among the most enduring motifs in the industry. At the risk of making a bad joke (too late!), animals have left a huge footprint on animal themed games.  The buffalo is, of course, at the forefront.

In North America, the buffalo is one of the most recognisable symbols in casino gaming – but its fame has spread around the world, too.  Long before today’s sophisticated graphic – not to mention things like bonus rounds – games designers looked for culturally relevant symbols.  The buffalo, of course, is something that people around the world saw in movies and TV shows – it represents strength and resilience – and the untamed spirit of the frontier.  Of course, this made it a great fit for slot machines as players are often drawn to symbols that they can associate with good fortune and abundance.

You Can Hide but You Can’t Run - The Brockley Cone Caper

 
My walk to work takes me through Brockley, in South East London. It’s quite a pleasant walk and I often notice the birds, the trees and the gentle turning of the seasons (OK, perhaps not so gentle these days).  However today, atop of the bus stop pictured above I noticed not one, two or three, but four traffic cones.  Perhaps they had heard that the Cone Catchers of Catford were making run-ins to their post code, and knowing full well that their ability to run was somewhat limited, decided to hide.  They say there is safety in numbers, after all.

Enough of the visual metaphor. Far more likely, perhaps, is that some local teeny mandem (I suspect they were probably male and had perhaps been squiffing or sniffing things not quite legal for their age) placed them there.  Now, I think the odds of chucking four traffic cones on top of a bus stop and all of them landing perfectly straight is slim.  So, I think that this coney caper must have involved one or more inebriate youngers climbing on top of the bus stop and having the cones passed up to them, proceeding to them arrange them in a rectangular pattern (milord).  However it was done, it must have taken some organisation and perhaps some kind of artistic statement is being made, after all?  Whoever planned and executed this installation have, I hope, done well in their GCSEs, as this shows initiative, spatial awareness, and a commendable commitment to seeing a project through to completion.

Now, of course, I am wondering how long they will be up there for!  I would place my bet on 30 days.

Postscipt: It was gone the next day.  Looks like it was just a pop-up exhibition!

The Web of Science: How Great Discoveries Build on Earlier Ideas

I suppose now we’re very used to the idea of the World Wide Web, that creating a title like that doesn’t demand a huge leap of the imagination, but the interconnectedness of ideas, theories and developments in science is something that could be overlooked, with the giants of science sometimes being considered as – metaphorically – isolated islands of genius with nothing coming before their great breakthroughs.  This couldn’t be further from the truth – without Nicolaus Copernicus, Galileo Galilei, and Johannes Kepler, for example, it would have been very difficult for Einstein to come up with his theories all on his own.

This fascinating video delves into this idea and shows – with some remarkable graphics – how four major Nobel Prize-winning scientific breakthroughs were connected to what went before. The video starts with Isaac Newton, whose idea that it was the same force that made apples fall and planets move was built on the works of the three gentlemen I mentioned previously.  And it builds from there.  The video examines carbon dating, the photoelectric effect, x-ray crystallography and microwaves.  That’s quite a lot to get through in eight minutes, so fasten your seatbelt and watch the video (a coproduction between the BBC and Nobel Prize Outreach) below.  It is narrated by Natashe Peach and written by Carol Olona. The outstanding motion design and SFX is by Kako Abraham 

Amirchik’s “Kyrgyzstan”: The Kyrgyz Pop Hit Celebrating Independence Day

If you have ever wondered what popular music sounds like in Kyrgyzstan, then look no further.  This track is called КЫРГЫЗСТАН, which is written in Kyrgyz and means – yes, you’ve guessed it – Kyrgyzstan.  It is sung by Amirchik, the stage name of Amirkhan Batabayev, a singer from the country who became immensely popular through TikTok and later with his hit song "Эта любовь" ("This Love"). He was born near Bishkek in 2003 and has gained fans across Central Asia and parts of Southeast Asia.  Perhaps it’s now his turn to appeal to countries much further west of Kyrgyzstan too.

The song was written to celebrate Kyrgyzstan’s Independence Day (31 August) as well as its people, national pride, and the artist's personal connection to the place where he grew up. The production involved a large team, including professional choreographers, dancers, and a dedicated filming crew, all working together to bring this creative vision to life.  To make it even more awesome, it is set against the backdrop of  Kyrgyzstan’s magnificent mountains. Like much of the contemporary Kyrgyz pop scene, the music blends upbeat rhythms and synthesized production with the emotional resonance of Kyrgyz oral musical traditions. This certainly allows the song to remain accessible to a global audience while maintaining a distinct local identity.  Happy Independence Day!

The Frida Kahlo Story: Joy, Pain, Colour and Courage

This animation, telling the life of artist Frida Kahlo, was created by Tate Kids for young viewers, but I love the way that it gets the story across without patronage – so making it ideal for viewers of all ages. Born in 1907, Frida Kahlo collected plants while her father painted.  Her mother taught her about Mexican indigenous culture.  When she was six, she contracted polio and although she recovered, her classmates teased her because she had one leg longer than another.  Her solution was to invent an imaginary friend and, encouraged by her father, she took on several sports to help in her recovery from the disease.

She got into one of the best schools in Mexico.  However, something terrible happened when she was 18 – resulting in a fractured spine and a plaster cast.  Learn more about Frida’s recovery and how her art developed because of the accident.  Kahlo would have over 30 operations over the course of her life, but painting stayed with her throughout.  Out of every evil some great good must come and we have her art forever – Frida continues to inspire artist and art lovers to this day.  Watch this rather lovely video below.

The Spiders That Decorate Their Own Webs

Spider webs – possibly the most beautiful and intricate animal structures of the natural world. However, some spiders are not content with a simple web. They go one step further.  They decorate their own webs and today they are featured on the Ark in Space.

These stabilimenta were the source of inspiration for EB White, who was struggling to come up with ideas for his second novel.  One day he noticed the additional decorations on the web of a Banded Garden Spider.  It was from this natural inspiration that he would come up with the idea of a writing spider and would go on to write one of the world’s most cherished children’s books, Charlotte’s Web.   Pop over to the Ark in Space for the full story of the spiders that decorate their own webs together with some amazing pictures.

Jurassic Ward: What Happens When a Sick Kid Gets a Real Dinosaur?

Just as old people who vociferously demand respect should never, ever receive it, so poorly children who expects the impossible from harassed employees of the Wishes Come True Foundation should never, ever get what they have wished for.  Or should they?  This very funny (although I did wince once or twice!) animated short features a sick kid who wants a dinosaur and despite being 66 million years too late will not take no for an answer.  Cue a quick suspension of disbelief and the harassed employee returns with a full-grown Utahraptor called Alan (in a sly nod to Dr Alan Grant from Jurassic Park).

Except – of course – the dinosaur isn’t going to behave.  Now if you are a little squeamish or offended by (a lot of) cartoon violence, I wouldn’t really, honestly, truly press the play button below. If, on the other hand, you can laugh out loud at blood, guts and the idea of therapy animals being eaten by a dinosaur, then definitely press that button.  Don’t say I didn’t warn you!  If Wednesday Addams went to animation school, this is the type of thing we might expect...

This most amusing animated short was created in 2026 by Amber Bellomio for her thesis project at Ringling College of art and Design.  Although I may be a little late to this particular party (this has been on YouTube since May and whatever algorithm shapes my feed failed to point this little gem out to me!), I’m very happy I finally made it.

Portugal’s Gate to Heaven

Porto Covo is a small coastal village, nestled in Portugal’s Alentejo region.  As well as its beautiful, whitewashed houses, little sandy coves and dramatic cliffs, it also has a gate to heaven (and as Michael Cane would probably say, not a lot of people know that).  The portas do ceu, as it is known in Portuguese, is a small wooden gate set into the coastal landscape.  You can reach it by a little stone path, but once through it you will quickly find it goes nowhere.  That’s why it is called the gate of heaven because it is the only possible place that the path (and gate) can possibly lead.  Of course, the combination of gate, flowers and the sweeping horizon above give it that particular “gateway to heaven” appearance. 

It could just as easily be seen as simply a piece of art. And since it has no call to be here, the art lies in the fact that it is here.  Image

half•alive’s Brilliant New EP Video (Billions, The Wolf, The Wonder) Is a Surreal Triptych of Music, Dance and Art

The American indie-pop band half•alive ( h•a to their friends) are not a band that you just simply listen to.  You really must watch them as well.  The video for their new EP (people still make them? Yay!) is a point in case.  The songs are Billions, The Wolf and The Wonder.  I was afraid that the sound on my device was malfunctioning to begin with, because the visuals of four office workers didn’t quite match up with the “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me” intro, but we segue elegantly into the heart of the first song Billions very quickly.  I love the dynamic movements here – a little reminiscent of Gener8ion’s Storm in the office scenes (that might just be me) but it was almost as if some of the boys from Storm had grown up (a little) and got themselves jobs!  Regardless, this is intensely clever choreography.

The YouTube commenters love it. From jokes about the choreography requiring the sacrifice of “several childhood core memories” to comparisons with Severance after a questionable trip to the bathroom, the reactions are overwhelmingly enthusiastic. Fans praise half•alive as much for their visual storytelling as their music, while newcomers are discovering the band for the first time. One longtime fan summed it up perfectly: “Three things are for certain. Death, taxes and half-alive consistently blowing us away.”

I’m pretty sure that someone is channelling a few Caravaggio paintings in here too – but make your own mind up by watching the video below.  The bonkers decision to place an ad in the middle of the song almost worked as part of the whole performance (if you see what I mean). The video was directed and produced by Josh Taylor & Courtney Coker with choreography by the JA Collective (with a nod or two to Philippe Decouflé?), performed by Anthony Dessables, Avery Jerome, J Tyler Johnson, Josh Taylor. Experimentally mainstream (or vice versa), this triptych is a real trip.

Enjoy!