bipolarbear's New Writeups

wankpaddles (thing)

2006-04-02T18:54:21Z

Wank"pad"dles (?) n. pl. [ Brit. colloq; En. to wank Prob. for pattle, and a dim. of pat, v.; cf. also E. pad to tread, Prov. G. paddeln, padden, to walk with short steps, to paddle, G. patschen to splash, dash, dabble, F. patouiller to dabble, splash, fr. patte a paw. .]

Hands

Oars that perform insufficiently

[Prov. Eng.]

Clipping chicken wings (thing)

2006-03-11T23:00:06Z

Chickens are great. They like to lay eggs, make comforting clucking noises, scritch in dirt, and, occasionally, fly about a bit.

If you own chickens and keep them free range, it is usually only the latter of these characteristics which can present a problem. You want eggs: you get hens, you build henhouse, you provide feed, and the bastards want to fly away! 'No bloody chance', I hear you say, 'I want those damn eggs!'.

The humane way to stop your precious hens departing your lovingly crafted henhome (eglu, if you're rich) is to clip their wings. This may sound harsh, akin to docking lambs' tails (when I was small, I used to think clipping wings meant using a paperclip to attach the wings to the bird's body - but that's another node...), however, done correctly, clipping your birds' wings causes them no more than a little inconvenience, and saves you no end of trouble. Clipping the wings involves removing the tips of the primary (flight) feathers from one of the hen's wings,…

Cornish nationalism (thing)

2004-11-05T12:10:35Z

The Cornish are nationalist??

Cornish nationalism, much like Welsh and Scottish nationalism, experienced a revival throughout the last century â particularly since WWII. It has manifested itself in many ways:

The Cornish Constitutional Convention (also known as 'Senedh Kernow') and Mebyon Kernow reflect the organised political face of Cornish nationalism. Senedh Kernow campaigns and outlines proposals for Cornish devolution. Mebyon Kernow - literally "Sons of Cornwall" - is the only Cornish political party. It stands in general, local and European elections, and campaigns within government institutions for Cornish autonomy.
There is also campaigning outside of official political channels: direct action such as physically removing English Heritage logos from Cornish signposts, marches and demonstrations in London.
The cultural facet of Cornish nationalism is just as strong as the political aspect. In the last fifty years there has been an enormous

…

vinegar (thing)

2004-09-07T13:28:02Z

Using vinegar around the house

Vinegar is incredibly useful around the house. It is non-toxic, environmentally friendly, and economical. I find white vinegar to be the best for household use, as it is strong and cheap. However, a note of caution: like many other cleaning products, vinegar can remove colour from fabric and wax and varnish from floors. Patch test your vinegar solution first if you are at all unsure of the results!

Cleaning and descaling

In hard water areas limescale can build up on kitchen equipment, bathroom fittings, tiles, and generally anywhere where water passes regularly. Remove limescale from kettles by covering the element with equal parts water and vinegar. Boil the kettle and then leave it overnight. Give a quick scrub and then wash clean. The same process can be used on aluminium pots and pans, and will remove burnt on grease and food as well as lime deposits.…

Neroli (thing)

2004-08-23T13:52:43Z

Citrus amara: Neroli (Orange Blossom) Oil

With its haunting, heady, floral scent, neroli oil is widely used in aromatherapy and perfumery. It is the extract of flowers of the bitter orange tree: a small evergreen with dark leaves, small fruit and waxy white fragrant flowers. The tree is native to South East Asia and the subcontinent, but spread over 2000 years ago to the Mediterranean and Middle East. It is now also found in the Americas.

Neroli was first used in Chinese medicine to cure a variety of ills, but was first used in Europe in French folk tradition to symbolise love, joy, courage and purity. The flowers from which neroli is extracted were used to make bridal wreaths, and the oil sprinkled on the marriage bed in order to calm nervous brides. This tradition spread throughout Europe, and neroli began to be used in perfumery in the nineteenth century. It is said that neroli was named after Anna Maria de la Tremoille, a princess…

white poppy (thing)

2004-07-27T13:52:34Z

"Wear a White poppy for peace this Remembrance Day"

The White Poppy is an alternative to the British Legion's red Poppy Appeal poppy, worn on and around November 11th each year. Due to its origins and associations, it is controversial - however is growing in popularity since its creation in 1933. To those who wear it the White Poppy is a symbol of peace and an expression of the desire to prevent future wars: "the White Poppy symbolises that there are better ways to resolve conflicts than killing strangers".

The origins of the White Poppy

The White Poppy was first thought of in 1926 when members of the No More War movement suggested that the red poppies should have a pacifist inscription in the centre, or that pacifists should wear a different symbol as red poppies seemed to glorify past wars. The idea was not really taken up until the Women's Cooperative Guild decided to embark on a peace and nonviolence campaign, having lost…