Visit the Most Haunted Pub in England and Many More…

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One of the great attractions of visiting York is the change to see some of the many historical pubs in the city. They provide a fascinating experience for those interested in York's rich and varied past, as well as being ideal places for a relaxing and enjoyable drink or meal. In some of them, there could be a surprise in store for visitors, in the form of ghostly presences from history.

The Life Story of Beatrix Potter

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Whether a woman of nobility or firmly ensconced in the working classes, Victorian England was not the most encouraging time. For women finding their feet in academia, the frustrations were incredible. This is certainly true for Beatrix Potter.


Her early life
Beatrix Potter's family were wealthy, and were able to provide governesses of high degree to educate her. It was normal for girls born to families of note to be tutored privately, and this system of education was incredibly rewarding for the young Beatrix. Able to absorb languages and sciences, along with the artistic bent of her family, Potter excelled at many different subjects.


It was the natural world that captured Beatrix Potter's imagination, however. She would spend hours studying animals and insects, keeping many for study at home. The natural world truly became a way out for this young woman, who was becoming an avid student of art and science. Everything about the countryside and nature fascinated her, which led to an interest in mycology, the study of fungus.

Why Star Trek Villains Are Better Than Star Wars Villains

I feel the whole world needs to know why Star Trek is superior to Star Wars. One of the reasons that Star Trek is so much better is because of the villains. Here’s why:


Motivation
Villains on Star Trek are much better-developed than those on Star Wars. What exactly is the motivation of Emperor Palpatine? Why does he hate the Jedi? Why did Darth Maul become a Jedi-killer? Did his mother get hit by a drunk Jedi going over the speed limit in his speeder? Darth Vader obviously motivated by wanting the power to keep his wife alive, but his switch was laughably sudden. He went from being best buds with Obi-Wan Kenobi to being a Jedi-baby killer in less than five minutes of screen time. Talk about good character development!


If we take a look at villains in Star Trek, you’ll see a lot better motivation. Kahn was motivated by revenge by the death of his wife. The whale probe wanted to figure out what went wrong with its humpback whale friends. The Borg were obsessive-compulsive freaks seeking perfection. The Founders of the Dominion summed their motivation this way, “What you control can’t hurt you.”

Scotland The Ideal Touring Destination For All

 

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The prospect of lying on a sun-kissed beach for a week or two in the summer is something that helps many people to stay focused during the winter months. Whenever the frost is at its hardest and the snow is causing chaos on the roads, it’s the thought of an ice cold drink and a vacant sun lounger that enables many of us to get through the period unscathed. 


However, a growing number of tourists are turning their backs on the traditional hot-spots of Spain, Portugal and Greece to explore other regions instead. They will arrive at a specific airport, hire a car and set off on the open road to see what can be discovered, and what adventures they are likely to encounter along the way.

UK: Let's Stop Murdoch's BBC Robbery Now!

Dear friends across the UK, 


The BBC is being forced to hand over tens of millions of pounds every year to line Rupert Murdoch’s pockets. Murdoch’s cronies in government are determined to save this scheme -- but together we can stop this outrage. 


These unbelievable regulations cost our public broadcasters up to £100 million a year. Rather than being paid for their valuable content, they actually have to pay BSkyB to show their programmes. This extortion is unprecedented in any other Western country -- and a sign of Murdoch’s shocking power.


In coming days, Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt will decide whether to renew this dreadful deal -- and Murdoch's scandals have put him on the back foot. Our pressure can stop this BBC robbery. 

>> Click here to send your message to Hunt now. <<

The Lowdown on Doctor Who Season 7

Fans of the beloved show will be waiting extra-long this year before The Doctor returns to work more of his magic. The new season is scheduled for fall of 2012 and will be split in two parts, the second to air early in 2013. Producer Steven Moffat says that this delay is due to the fact that he does not wish to risk rushing the production and messing up this important 50th anniversary season. The season will include the 2012 Christmas special, though whether this is part of the reported 14-episode run or an addition to that is unknown. The airing of the Christmas special in the middle of a standard season will certainly present some interesting opportunities for the writers to make dynamic moves in the story arc.

From Books to The Big Screen: Novels as Movies

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Many people don’t like reading. Some think it is boring or too time-consuming. One of my favorite parts of reading is when they make a book I love into a movie. For all of you who haven’t heard the news, they are remaking the movie, The Great Gatsby. This book and the original movie are both classics. The new movie is starring Leonardo Dicaprio and Tobey Macguire. Books are not just boring literature. They are actually great stories that make good movies too.

12 Beautiful Places You've Never Heard Of

What with all the travel deal search engines and the number of travel blogs that abound, one might think all the unknown exotic places are commonplace already. Not these 12 – we’ve put together THE list of the most beautiful locales you’ve not heard of that have not been explored to death.

Four Alan Moore Comics That'll Knock Your Head Back

Alan Moore is a comic book writer often referred to as the best in history. Although a subjective statement this may be few can deny his talents, penning some of the most critically acclaimed and influential comic titles of the last 30 years. His revered status as an author isn't limited to inside the world of graphic story telling either, with Ethan Doyle-White, editor of Pentacle magazine stating that Moore is one of the 'most important British writers of the last 50 years'. 

Although Moore's work is extensive we'll begin with four of his more famous titles that will give you a feeling for scope and flair of his work.

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The Top 5 Worst Fictional Locations To Have An Office

Having an office space to rent office is something that a lot of businesses have to have and this doesn’t matter if it is an office based in London or something like an office in Sunderland, they are needed for a successful business. Although there are some parts of the real world where a business would not like to have an office situated, there are many more locations in the world of fiction that people would hate to have an office, here are just 5 of my favourites.

Top Five Movies I Watched Over The Holidays

With Christmas a distant memory and the remnants of candied yam just about shifted from the baking dish, I want to tell you about some of the all-important movies that I watched over the holidays.


The five crackers below are all a little off-center but represent the essence of fun, humor and excitement that can often be found severely lacking come the big day itself.


So, sit back with a glass of something warming and peruse the following fare that I can guarantee will have you laughing, crying and smiling wider than the Tim Burton balloons at the 2011 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Tracking Jack Bauer On An African Gap Year

Jack’s back!  At least he will be soon. Jack Bauer, the hero, or anti-hero depending on which way you look at it (but I know which way I look at it!) of hit TV series 24 will be returning to our screens in the not too distant future. This year, shooting for the long promised film version of the addictive series will finally begin. And I’ve finally worked out that if I’m going to find him in the meantime I will have to volunteer abroad.  It makes perfect sense.  Last time we saw Jack he was given a chance to disappear – again - so where will he go?  He’ll go and hide and assume a new identity, silly.

 If your grip on reality isn’t quite as tenuous as mine you might still consider the options of travelling abroad and taking part in voluntary projects. You can absorb the culture, broaden your horizons and grow as a person, and if you happen to come across a certain ex-CTU operative while doing so, all the better.