Links

Architecture: The buildings that would have been impossible - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-30438180

Language:

The link between bourbon biscuits and bourbon whiskey - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-30539196

Indian village where people speak in Sanskrit - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-30446917 Colleague is from Karnataka and speaks Sanskrit as well as Kannada, and it does indeed to be very much like German were knowing the rules is important and that once you know the rules the rest is reasonably gravy. I am very tempted to try and learn it some time in the future.

Miscellaneous:

Strange predictions for the future from 1930 - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-30379986 I don't think they did that badly actually.

The secret to the Uber economy is wealth inequality - http://qz.com/312537/the-secret-to-the-uber-economy-is-wealth-inequality/

NORAD's Santa Tracker Began With A Typo And A Good Sport - http://www.npr.org/2014/12/19/371647099/norads-santa-tracker-began-with-a-typo-and-a-good-sport?utm_source=tumblr.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_content=2045

The mystery of Chopin's death - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-29915863 My money is still on TB.

'Lost' grey seal rescued from field in St Helens - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-30575560 When my home town gets on the news for non-rugby-related reasons, it tends to be for weird stuff.

Good News You May Have Missed in 2014 - http://www.gatesnotes.com/About-Bill-Gates/Year-in-Review-2014

Music:

Fairytale of New York: the story behind the Pogues' classic Christmas anthem - http://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/dec/06/fairytale-new-york-pogues-christmas-anthem via nwhyte.

Politics:

Ricky Tomlinson: ‘I’m a whingeing scouser, and I will whinge until they’re made to pay’ - http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2014/dec/27/ricky-tomlinson-interview-im-a-whingeing-scouser In 1973, Ricky Tomlinson spent Christmas in prison after picketing a strike. More than 40 years later, one of our best-loved actors says that the fight to clear the names of the Shrewsbury 24 faces a final hurdle: government secrecy

Statistical test of 2118 fatalities involving law enforcement - http://rymarrr.wordpress.com/2015/01/03/statistical-test-of-2118-fatalities-involving-law-enforcement/

Science:

Constipated goldfish operated on by North Walsham vet - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-30655444 I'm really more interested in the science than the story and I wish they'd gone into that aspect more.

Nasa just emailed a wrench to space - http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2014-12/19/3d-printed-space-wrench We are living in the future.

Sony Hack/Hacking Related:

Reaction to the Sony Hack Is 'Beyond the Realm of Stupid' - http://motherboard.vice.com/read/reaction-to-the-sony-hack-is-beyond-the-realm-of-stupid?utm_source=mbtwitter

Hackers can't be stopped, but some of their crimes can - http://edition.cnn.com/2014/12/19/opinion/jillette-are-you-enabling-hackers/index.html

Sports:

Cycling:

The Secret Pro: Team Bonding, Astana, Unions, and the season - http://cyclingtips.com.au/2014/12/the-secret-pro-team-bonding-astana-unions-and-the-season/ Some interesting stuff in this.

Football:

Sir Alex Ferguson reveals secret behind 'Fergie Time' at Manchester United - https://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/early-doors/sir-alex-ferguson-reveals-secret-behind--fergie-time--at-manchester-united-081356143.html#more-id We knew it was just old fashioned mind games with the ref. And it remains glorious.

Liverpool beware - The Beast is coming for you - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/liverpool/11322842/Liverpool-beware-The-Beast-is-coming-for-you.html