Britain
Mockingbird spotted for first time in 30 years: Britain’s rarest birds listed
MOCKINGBIRDS have not been spotted in Britain for some 30 years but one lucky Devon man was delighted to have had the chance to catch a glimpse of the North American bird. But mockingbirds aren’t the only rare birds you can spot in the UK – here’s a full list.
The last time a mockingbird was spotted in the UK was in the 1980s – the first in 1982 at Saltash, Cornwall, and the second in 1988 at Horsey Island, in Essex. Northern mockingbirds are the only mockingbird commonly found in North America. While they’re predominantly a ‘home bird’, some may move south in the harsh winters – so been spotted as far away as Europe is a pretty huge feat. But now Chris Biddle, from Devon, claims to have made an incredible sighting at the weekend in Exmouth, Devon.
Posting images of the bird on Twitter, he questioned whether he had in fact spotted a northern mockingbird. Continue reading
‘It’s Still Getting Worse.’ Inside Britain’s Vicious Second Wave.
One hundred thousand people dead. A new, more contagious strain. The toll is close to unbearable.
Nearly a year into the pandemic, the situation in Britain is dire. A vicious first wave has given way to an even more deadly second one. On Tuesday, the country passed a milestone of 100,000 deaths from the coronavirus — which amounts to one of the worst fatality rates in the world. A national lockdown, in place since Jan. 4, has only recently begun to lower the eye-wateringly high number of cases, fueled in part by the emergence of a new, apparently more contagious strain of the virus. The toll on the National Health Service is close to unbearable: Nearly 40,000 Covid-19 patients are in hospitals, almost double the peak last year. [ . . .]
Continue at NYTIMES: Opinion | ‘It’s Still Getting Worse.’ Inside Britain’s Vicious Second Wave.
The Woman In Black: why did Britain’s scariest horror film disappear?
Herbert Wise’s 1989 TV gem wowed critics, inspired Oscar-winners and ruined Christmas for a generation. Then it was never seen again … until now
“I saw it when it was first shown,” says the film critic Kim Newman. “Christmas Eve with my mum and dad. We all just wanted to watch a spooky ghost story. But there were after-effects, a mood that carried on after the film ended. You wake up next morning, Christmas Day, you’re still scared …”
He laughs darkly. “The Woman in Black ruined Christmas.”
Few horror films have acquired the cult reputation of Herbert Wise’s TV production of The Woman in Black. Adapted by visionary British sci-fi screenwriter Nigel Kneale from Susan Hill’s 1983 novella,
Continue readingBrit Bizspeak: The 50 most irritating office jargon terms
A study conducted by Londonoffices.com has revealed that using clichés and jargon like ‘results driven’ or ‘low hanging fruit’ will drive your co-workers into a frenzy of irritation.
A study conducted by Londonoffices.com also revealed that clichéd remarks like ‘results driven’ and ‘low hanging fruit’ drive workers into a frenzy of irritation.
However, one staff member who took part in the survey admitted they just can’t help dropping hackneyed phrases into conversation despite ‘loathing’ it themselves.
Often the amount of irritating jargon I use goes up during important presentations and meetings,’ they confessed.
‘As soon as my mouth opens I just can’t seem to hold back on clichéd phrases, and I always find myself thinking about how much of an idiot I must sound.’
THE 50 MOST ANNOYING OFFICE JARGON TERMS
1. Blue-sky thinking
2. Idea shower
3. To ‘action’ a project
4. Going forward
5. Brainstorm
Continue reading