Dateline

Edinburgh

The Dalmore Oculus Fetches £27,000

[caption id="Dateline_img1" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] The water of life, indeed, at £27,000 a decanter.[/caption]

THE WORLD’S MOST valuable whisky, a decanter of a completely unique blend called The Dalmore Oculus, was sold this winter to an anonymous bidder for more than $40,000. Created by Glasgow-based distillers Whyte & Mackay from some of the most acclaimed whiskies of the last 140 years, the one-of-a-kind blend included vintage single malts from 1868, 1878, 1922, 1926, 1939 and 1951. The decanter was put on the block at Edinburgh arts auction house Bonham’s to help celebrate its 20th anniversary of whisky auctions. The pricey tipple is said to contain notes of dried fruits, treacle toffee, ripe bananas, almonds, coffee, orange zest and bitter chocolate. We’ll never know.

High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire

Ministry of Defense Closes UFO Office

THE MOD OFFICE at RAF Command, High Wycombe that was established in 1950 to investigate all credible reports of UFOs and assess their threat to Britain has been closed—after investigating more than 12,000 reports over the years. Though UFO experts and aficionados have decried the move, MoD chiefs have decided they have more important things to do. The official statement said that in more than 50 years “no UFO report has revealed any evidence of a potential threat to the United Kingdom.” The UFO hotline and email address are defunct.

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There’s just nothing out there.[/caption]

And Just in Passing

England Celebrates World Cup Draw

The draw for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa has found England one of eight seeded teams. They headline Group C, which includes Slovenia, Algeria and the United States (considered by many to be the strongest team in the group). With the U.S. and England both expected to advance, the teams meet in their first game on Saturday, June 12, in Rustenberg.

Sir Isaac Newton First in His Class

Students at Cambridge University have elected Sir Isaac Newton the greatest Cantabrigian of all times. A poll by the student newspaper Varsity gave the mathematician and physicist (and Trinity College alum) 23.6 per cent of the vote. Charles Darwin and Lord Byron finished second and third respectively.

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The prime Cantabrigian[/caption]

And Just in Passing

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A one-year-old UK Red Kite[/caption]

Kites and Bitterns on the Wing

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds has announced that the red kite and the bittern are their overwhelming success stories of the decade. Both birds, once endangered in the wild in Britain, are now thriving and breeding apace.

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Curling on the Lake of Menteith[/caption]

Frozen Lakes Mean Outdoor Curling

For Scottish curling enthusiasts, the unusual winter freeze meant the chance to engage in the sport outdoors. At Bush Moss near Gatehouse of Fleet, more than 250 curlers competed for the John Russell Trophy – last held at the outdoor venue in 1969. On the Lake of Menteith, some 5,000 turned up on a weekend to curl and skate in a festival atmosphere.

Bracknell, Berkshire

Britain’s Coldest Winter in Decades

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Snow dapples the Christmas Brussels sprouts.[/caption]

FROM MID-DECEMBER well into the New Year, Britain was plagued by freezing temperatures and repeatedly buffeted with snow and ice storms. Temperatures below 0 F were recorded in the Scottish highlands, and many parts of the island saw wintery conditions for weeks that are more common in Lapland or Minnesota. Supplies of road salt and grit ran out; trains, airports and highways were disrupted time and again; schools were closed for days at a time and hospital casualty departments stretched to the breaking point. The unusual winter weather cost the economy billions of pounds as some days fewer than half the workforce actually made it to work. Yes, the thaw finally arrived.

Edinburgh

Stolen Da Vinci Displayed in Edinburgh

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“The Madonna of the Yarnwinder” at the National Gallery of Scotland.[/caption]

THE ONLY ONE of 15 confirmed paintings of Leonardo Da Vinci still surviving that exists in Scotland was stolen six years ago from Drumlanrig Castle, home of the Duke of Buccleuch. After an international search, the painting was recovered in Glasgow in 2007. “The Madonna of the Yarn-winder” has now been put on temporary display at the National Gallery of Scotland. It will be there for at least the next two years. The Duke wants the painting, worth an estimated £30 million, to be seen by as many people as possible. Eight men charged with the theft will stand trial in the coming months.

Buckingham Palace, London

Victoria & Albert in Love

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Franz Winterhalter’s “The Royal Family in 1846” is part of the Royal Collection that reflexively illustrates Albert and Victoria’s shared love of art.[/caption]

A MAJOR exhibition at The Queen’s Gallery in 2010 focuses on the relationship between Queen Victoria and Prince Albert as it was expressed through their shared enthusiasm for art. More than 400 items from the Royal Collection have been gathered, many of them gifts the royal couple gave to each other, and others they purchased together at the annual Royal Academy exhibition. The most sumptuous of Queen Victoria’s surviving dresses, acquisitions from the Great Exhibition of 1851, porcelain, sculpture and jewelry are woven into the display as well. The result gives a new look at a younger, artistically vital young woman rather than the serious matron and widower Victoria is more often portrayed as. The exhibition runs March 19-October 31 at the Queen’s Gallery.

Edinburgh

Scotland’s Oldest Book First Displayed

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The hand-written Latin manuscript is believed to have originated in the monastic community of Iona.[/caption]

A POCKET-SIZED Celtic psalter believed to have come from the monastery at Iona went on display this winter in the library of the University of Edinburgh. The 11th-century, hand-written Latin manuscript, adjudged Scotland’s oldest book, is decorated with colorful, still-vivid illustrations. Rare book librarian Joseph Marshall confirms: “It is a riot of color. You would think someone had gone over it with a felt tip pen.” Though the book previously had only been seen by scholars, it now enjoys its “first public outing in 1,000 years.” Better hurry, the book will be “out” on display only through March.

And Just in Passing

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A polyglot auld acquaintance[/caption]

Singing “Auld Lang Syne” in Glasgow

In a fitting conclusion to Scotland’s year of Homecoming, students and staff at Glasgow University gathered at a unique world record attempt: the greatest number of people simultaneously singing the same song in different languages. Latin, Esperanto, Estonian and Thai are a few of the 41 languages heard belting out Burns’ anthem.

London

English Campaign Awards Bloviation

BRITAIN’S Plain English Campaign gave its annual “Foot in Mouth” prize to Business Secretary Peter Mandelson for his observation: “Perhaps we need not more people looking round more corners, but the same people looking round more corners more thoroughly to avoid the small things detracting from the big things the prime minister is getting right.” Just what was that exactly?
The Golden Bull award went to the Department of Health for its curious statement reading: “Primary prevention includes health promotion and requires action on the detriments of health to prevent disease occurring. It has been described as refocusing upstream to stop people falling in the waters of disease.” Say which?

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An endangered historic house, Seaton Delaval Hall hasn’t looked this happy in years.[/caption]

Seaton Sluice, Northumberland

Saving Seaton Delaval Hall

THE NATIONAL TRUST is celebrating the success of its campaign to save Seaton Delaval Hall, having raised more than £3 million since the appeal began last year, when the Grade I listed hall, gardens and parkland near Seaton Sluice, Northumberland, was put up for sale by its owner, Lord Hastings. Built by Sir John Vanbrugh, the architect of Castle Howard and Blenheim Palace, between 1718-1731, Seaton Delaval is considered the finest English Baroque mansion and one of England’s most important historical houses. The NT now plans to open the hall to the public this spring.

And Just in Passing

No Cheques, Please, We’re British

The UK Payments Council has announced that cheques will be phased out from the British banking system. October 2018 is the target date for the elimination of cheques as a form of payment and money transfer—after 350 years of use.

And Just in Passing

Health and Safety Zealots Strike Again!

Residents of St. George’s Estate in Basildon, Essex, most of whom are disabled or elderly, have been ordered to tear down their much-loved communal greenhouse. The housing association that manages the property is afraid that someone might be injured … falling off the roof.

FOR THE RECORD

So much wine under one roof

Constellation Park, at Avonmouth, Bristol, opened this year as Europe’s largest wine warehouse. The 858,000 sq. ft. building has a roof large enough to park 4,000 cars, and holds 57 million bottles. Wine arrives in tankers; the plant bottles it at a rate of 800 bottles a minute and stores 9.5 million gallons. Every day some 550 lorries pull up for loads of wine to be delivered to supermarkets across the country.

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That’s 57 million bottles.[/caption]

King’s Cross, London

Her Majesty Just Another Commuter

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Don’t look now, but that’s The Queen boarding the 10:45.[/caption]

WHEN THE Queen headed to Sandringham for the Christmas holidays this year, she traveled First Class. Leaving behind the Royal train, however, the Queen took an ordinary train service to Norfolk, opting for a seat on the 10:45 First Capital Connect service from London King’s Cross to King’s Lynn. She arrived to little fanfare and walked the platform to her carriage accompanied only by a single royal protection officer. A first class ticket for the journey cost £44.40—considerably less than taking her own rolling stock for the ride.

Birmingham

Beer Drinkers Getting Short Measure

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It just isn’t a full pint unless the beer sugar is spilling all over your hands.[/caption]

THE FAMED BRITISH 20-ounce pint of beer is under sneak attack. Trading standards watchdogs have been “shocked” to find that nine out of 10 pint drinkers are receiving short measure in their local pub. A clandestine survey of 30 pubs and restaurants in Birmingham found an average shortfall of 3.94 per cent, with the worst pint lacking almost 12 per cent of full measure. Both the law and public acclamation demand that a pint of beer should be a full pint of beer. A Birmingham city council spokesman has confirmed, “We are considering formal action in some of the worst cases.”