Nasty Romans

The Nazis weren't the first bunch of deranged, power-crazed rulers who believed that disability should be eliminated from society.

Chances are you've heard of the Tarpeian Rock in Rome - a high point from which traitors and murderers were flung to their deaths. But did you know that those nasty Romans also used to fling people with mental and physical disabilities from there? Not because they'd committed any crimes, but because they were thought to have been 'cursed by the gods'. Nice.

Talented Family

Matthew Corbett - the bearded man who presented the Sooty Show - is the great-nephew of HARRY RAMSDEN, the Fish and Chip Shop magnate.

I.E and E.G.

Just a quick one today:

i.e. stands for id est - meaning 'that is'.

e.g. stands for exempli gratia - meaning 'for example'.

Snot Fair

Nottingham was originally known as Snotta, or just Snot.

Its first recorded mention (in 1016) sees it called Snotinghamscir.

What next? London originally known as 'Bumdon'? Leicester originally dubbed 'Molester'? Truro's real name 'Big Sweaty Bollocks'? Madness.

Thespian Idiocy

Actors! As if they weren't already irritating enough - what with their propensity for tantrums, tears, and talking towering amounts of crap - they are also very superstitious people.

We all know the standard guff about Scottish plays and breaking legs, but did you know that the following are also thought to bring bad luck in theatres?

• Whistling
• Using real money onstage
• Having peacock feathers used in a production, either in a set or costume

I am now off to put the finishing touches to my gritty piece of theatre verité, WHISTLING PEACOCK BANK.

Christmas Hit That Wasn't

Roxette's trouser-busting power ballad "It Must Have Been Love" was originally a Christmas song (albeit quite a different beast to the likes of those from Wizzard and Slade).

It was called "Christmas For The Broken Hearted" and was released under this name. Virtually all the lyrics were the same apart from one Christmas-referencing line, which was changed when the song came to be re-released.

Trial by Sieve

What a jolly place the law courts would be if we still practised coscinomancy. This splendid, fair-minded, and totally rational procedure was used in ancient Greece to determine the guilty party in a criminal offence.

If you fancy having a crack at some coscinomancy, simply suspend a SIEVE (apparently it has to be a sieve - colanders are not welcome) from a thread. Then read out the names of all possible guilty parties. The sieve will quiver when the guilty party is named. Then inflict a punishment on them as you see fit. Hurrah!

In The Moody for Love

There is a town in Alabama called Moody, with a high school called MOODY JUNIOR HIGH.

Which is no doubt quite apt.