M's New Writeups

Ian Fleming (person)

2000-06-28T10:24:44Z

Ian Fleming was an English writer, known mainly for his James Bond novels. He was a friend of Noel Coward, lived in Jamaica in house called Goldeneye (inspiration for the 1995 Bond film title) and had been involved in British Intelligence during the Second World War as an officer in the Royal Naval Reserve. While on detachment to America, he co-wrote the charter of the OSS (Office of Strategic Studies) which was the predecessor to the CIA.

To an extent (thing)

2000-06-27T18:16:15Z

This phrase has multiple purposes:

1. Allows qualified agreement to a statement made by another person.

2. Allows the speaker to pretend he or she is listening to a complex argument when it is too boring for them to fully understand.

3. Allows the speaker to feign intelligence in a social situation where stupidity would be a kiss of death.

4. Makes the speaker seem thoughtful, if moderately indecisive.

5. A useful phrase when yeah, nah and uhhh are inappropriate.

Balsamic vinaigrette (thing)

2000-06-27T18:04:25Z

Despite not being an accomplished cook, may I suggest that you add two small items to an otherwise superb recipe? Firstly, a little lemon juice (juice of quarter of a lemon). Secondly, specifying salt as sea salt (not table salt).
I find that the lemon tends to pick the vinaigrette up a little and balances some of the mustard. I suppose it's a matter of taste.

Suede (person)

2000-06-27T14:42:39Z

English indie band, which broke up in 2003, led by Brett Anderson on vocals, with Simon Gilbert on drums and Mat Osman on electric bass. The original line-up comprised these three and guitarist Bernard Butler. These four produced the albums Suede, a raw. emotive LP dealing with the finer aspects of Englishness, failure and depression (which won them a Mercury Music Award) and the seminal Dog Man Star, which ranks among the finest albums ever to come out of the UK. During the preparations to tour after the release of Dog Man Star, Bernard Butler left the band, citing the usual excuse of "creative differences". In order to complete the tour, Bernard was replaced by Richard Oakes on guitar. For example, the single New Generation was one of the last 45s taken from Dog Man Star, but the b-sides Together and Bentswood Boys are co-written by Anderson and Oakes.

After the tour was completed, the band took some time off, recruited a new member - Neil Codling on keyboards -…

Sean Connery (person)

2000-06-27T13:59:36Z

Sean Connery, or Thomas Sean Connery to give him his full name, is one of the best-known actors to come out of Scotland (if not the only one). Generally acknowledged to be the best actor to portray Ian Fleming's James Bond, he was the one who kick-started Bondmania by appearing the first film Dr No. He went on to make From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball and You Only Live Twice before bowing out of the series. After George Lazenby took over the role for one film, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, which was disastrous, Connery reprised the role for Diamonds Are Forever. He did, it has to be said, look a little too old for the part, however. Roger Moore took over the role and Connery moved on.

He was lured back to the Bond franchise in 1983 with the production of Never Say Never Again, a rival Bond film to the official release of that year Octopussy. Connery has won an Oscar for his role as an Irish flatfoot in The Untouchables and is renowned for his…

English (idea)

2000-06-27T13:37:38Z

Concept of identity peculiar to those from England. We like to think that this means we are more intelligent, reserved and cultured than the rest of the world. However, we probably come across as purely cold and arrogant. Americans generally stereotype us as butlers or as "tally-ho, old bean" types. The French think we are utterly without civilisation, the Italians think we have no romance or passion in our lives, the Scots hate us and the Irish hate us even more. Despite such hostility, we have had the luck to be born in a place teeming with history and traditions of literature, art, music and creativity. Liberal Englishmen and women attempt to forget about our oppression during the days of the British Empire, whereas the more conservative right-wingers look back on those days as when we had power and therefore think it good. In short, Englishness is probably best summed up in one word: irony.