Welcome to the first monthly edition of Fifteen Minutes where you will find 8 interesting facts that will blow your mind and, as the title suggests, won’t take more than fifteen minutes to read. Hopefully, they will be new facts to you and therefore by spending a minimum time reading you’ll expand your knowledge, learn new stuff to impress your mates with and at the same time become a humdinger, a whizz, a maestro or quite simply a crackerjack.
What is the definition of a crackerjack?
A person or thing of exceptional quality or ability. (19th-century slang) Cambridge Dictionary
Words
Janus Words
Wicked, sick, and bad are all examples of Janus words.
A Janus word is a term that has two diametrically opposed meanings, also known as a contronym.
Other examples include:
Fast: Firmly fixed; very quick
Sanction: approval; (economic) disapproval
Cleave: to split; to adhere firmly
Clip: to attach something; to cut off
Custom: usual; specially made
Left: went away from; remained
Fun Fact
The month of January is named after the Roman deity Janus, the god of beginnings, transitions, and doorways. He is traditionally depicted as having two faces, one that looks to the future, and one that looks back on the past. Janus was viewed as a protector of the state in times of war; the doors of his temple in the Roman forum would be opened in times of battle and closed in times of peace. He was also regarded as the doorkeeper of all entrances, including the one to heaven.
Source: Word Perfect by Susie Dent
Poem
You Must Never Bath in an Irish Stew by Spike Milligan
You must never bath in an Irish Stew
It’s a most illogical thing to do
But should you persist against my reasoning
Don’t fail to add the appropriate seasoning.
Source: A Poet for Every Day of the Year edited by Allie Esiri
Spike Milligan (1918 – 2002)
Terence Alan “Spike” Milligan KBE was an Irish actor, comedian, writer, musician, poet, and playwright. The son of an English mother and Irish father, he was born in British Colonial India, where he spent his childhood before relocating in 1931 to England, where he lived and worked for the majority of his life. Disliking his first name, he began to call himself “Spike” after hearing the band Spike Jones and his City Slickers.
Milligan was the co-creator, main writer, and a principal cast member of the British radio comedy programme The Goon Show. He wrote and edited many books, including Puckoon (1963) and a seven-volume autobiographical account of his time serving during the Second World War, beginning with Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall (1971). He also wrote comical verse, with much of his poetry written for children, including Silly Verse for Kids (1959). An expert in the genre of literary nonsense.
Source: Wikipedia
Music
Joseph Haydn (1732 – 1809)
Franz Joseph Haydn was one of the greatest composers of the classical period and almost single-handedly established the formats on which classical music would be based for more than a century.
Often referred to as the ‘Father of the Symphony’ or ‘Father of the String Quartet’ his influence also covered concerto, the piano sonata and the piano trio.
He was a prolific composer. His works include 104 symphonies, over 20 concertos, 60 piano sonatas and 83 string quartets.
Haydn spent much of his career as a court musician for the wealthy Esterházy family yet his music circulated widely, and he became the most celebrated composer in Europe.
Source: Discover Music
Listen to his piece Winter below. Does it make you think of winter?
Inspirational people
Steve Jobs (Feb 24, 1955 – October 5, 2011)
Steve Jobs was an American businessman and inventor who played a key role in the success of Apple computers and the development of revolutionary new technology such as the iPod, iPad, and MacBook.
“I was worth over $1,000,000 when I was 23, and over $10,000,000 when I was 24, and over $100,000,000 when I was 25, and it wasn’t that important because I never did it for the money.”
– Steve Jobs
Steven was adopted by Paul and Clara Jobs. His father, Paul, encouraged him to experiment with electronics in their garage leading to a lifelong interest in electronics and design.
Although he got excellent test results at school and showed potential, he struggled with formal education and his teachers reported he was a handful to teach.
In 1976, Wozniak invented the first Apple I computer. Steve Jobs, Wozniak and Ronald Wayne then set up Apple computers. In the very beginning, Apple computers were sold from Jobs parents’ garage.
In 1984, Jobs designed the first Macintosh. It was the first commercially successful home computer to use a graphical user interface. This was an important milestone in home computing and the principle has become key in later home computers.
Jobs founded NeXT computers. This was never particularly successful, failing to gain mass sales. However, in the 1990s, NeXT software was used as a framework in WebObjects used in Apple Store and iTunes store.
In 1996, Apple bought NeXT for $429 million.
Jobs worked at Pixar, a computer graphic film production company was more successful. Disney contracted Pixar to create films such as Toy Story, A Bug’s Life and Finding Nemo. These animation movies were highly successful and profitable – giving Jobs respect and success.
In 1996, the purchase of NeXT brought Jobs back to Apple. He was given the post of chief executive. At the time, Apple had fallen way behind rivals such as Microsoft, and Apple was struggling to even make a profit.
Jobs launched Apple in a new direction. He promoted the development of a new wave of products which focused on accessibility, appealing design and innovative features. The iPod was a revolutionary product in that it built on existing portable music devices and set the standard for portable digital music.
In 2007, Apple successfully entered the mobile phone market, with the iPhone. This used features of the iPod to offer a multi-functional and touchscreen device to become one of the best-selling electronic products. In 2010, he introduced the iPad – a revolutionary new style of tablet computers.
Source: Biography online https://www.biographyonline.net/people.html
Art
Roy Lichtenstein (1923 – 1997)
Roy decided to become a painter when he was in college. At first, he tried many different painting styles, but none seemed quite right. In 1960, he started to make paintings that looked like his childhood comic books. This style became known as Pop Art.
Lichtenstein coloured his paintings in the same way as comic book makers did. He placed tiny dots close together on the canvas. When you stand back, the dots appear to make unbroken colours.
You can see Whaam! At the Tate Modern in London
Source: Tate https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/lichtenstein-whaam-t00897
Architecture
Brutalist Architecture – The Barbican, London
Lakeside Terrace restaurant Barbican Centre_CREDIT Max Colson.jpg
Working on a vast bomb site abandoned after the Second World War, the Barbican’s architects, Chamberlain, Powell and Bon, seized the opportunity to propose a radical transformation of how we live in buildings and cities.
Aerial view of the Barbican Centre, CREDIT Sidd Khajuria.jpg
A prime example of brutalist architecture, the Barbican has two theatres, two art galleries, a concert hall and a library. Home to some 4,000 residents across 2,000 flats, organised around schools, a church, a library, an artificial lake, conservatory and an entire arts centre, no detail was left unconsidered, from the top of the 40 storey towers to the basement theatre and cinemas.
The result is one of London’s most ambitious and unique architectural achievements: a city within a city that is raised above street level and draws on a rich palette of references, from ancient Roman fortresses and French Modernism to Mediterranean holidays and Scandinavian design.
In 2001 the entire complex received Grade II listed status. Today you can explore the site freely, from the Centre’s many public spaces, cafes and restaurants to the highwalks and estate gardens.
Stop at the cafe for a drink, eat a sandwich on one of the lakeside benches or visit the Conservatory and discover London’s finest indoor oasis.
Source: Barbican.org https://www.barbican.org.uk/our-story/our-building/our-architecture
Book
The Eternal Return of Clara Hart by Louise Finch
This was one of my favourite Young Adult books that I read last year. Here’s the blurb…
Wake up. Friday. Clara Hart hits my car. Go to class. Anthony rates the girls. House party. Anthony goes upstairs with Clara. Drink. Clara dies. Wake up. Friday again. Clara Hart hits my car. Why can’t I break this loop?
A flicker in the fabric of time gives Spence a second chance. And a third. How many times will he watch the same girl die?
My Review
A powerful YA novel (14+). Spencer is an ordinary teenage boy. Anthony, his best mate, is an obnoxious idiot. Anthony holds a party whilst his parents are away and Spencer witnesses the horrific and disturbing death of Clara Hart, a girl from his school. Spencer finds himself stuck in a repetitive loop reliving that day over and over. He is desperate to find a way out of the loop and also to save Clara from such a dreadful fate. This means facing his own traumas, speaking up and realising that his silence when witnessing gender-based violence is being complicit in it and therefore part of the issue. This book takes a strong stance against toxic masculinity.
Fun Fact
Mount Everest
The peak of Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world, is 8,848 m above sea level.
Everest is ten times taller than the world’s tallest building in Dubai, the Burj Khalifa.
Everest is not Earth’s tallest mountain. Measured from its base on the ocean floor, Mauna Kea in Hawaii is taller.
However, both are dwarfed by Olympus Mons on Mars which is 22 km (14 miles) high.
I hope you enjoyed the first volume of facts. I’m not entirely sure what to call it yet so leaving it as Fifteen Minutes for now. See you in February for another one.
