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I thought I'd begin by reading a poem by Shakespeare, but then I thought, why should I? He never reads any of mine.
Spike Milligan

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Written by Eugene Jordan

Users are invited to contribute articles in the subject area of history. These articles should be of an essay type and may contain links to content on other sites. Other types of articles can be published on the forum and may in turn be published in this section by the administrators. You must create an account before you can publish here or to be able to access the forum.

Written by Eugene Jordan

That's a load of Bull

The consequences of writing people off as crackpots!

When new knowledge is presented to us we have a tendency to dismiss it out of hand. This is especially true of information that contradicts our current opinions. It is true of us all regardless of our intellectual ability or educational achievement. This phenomenon has been name after Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis who is also know to history as the “Savior of Mothers”. Ignaz made one of the biggest discoveries in medical history yet his fellow doctors and medical colleagues dismissed his theory out of hand without ever thinking about it or testing it out. Consequently thousands of lives were lost needlessly and all their deaths were caused by Doctors.

The Arts: Welfare for the Wealthy?

(This is a reprint of an article first published in the Journal of Music in Ireland, the JMi).

Art may be defined in many ways. It means different things to different people. It serves different purposes, or no purpose at all, depending on who you speak to. What constitutes art is a matter of some debate. But one thing is clear about art in this country, and that is that it is hugely unpopular, especially when compared with the various forms of popular entertainment – soap operas, reality TV, pop music and so on. Compared with these activities, the arts, whether visual arts, opera, classical music, contemporary music or sculpture, appeal to and are enjoyed by a very small section of the population. The vast bulk of society consistently and repeatedly shows little or no interest in the world which so animates and inspires this small select group.

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Written by Eugene Jordan

Ever wondered why the Irish were reluctant to wear a Kilt. I came across this article some years ago and I think you might find it interesting.

The Prince Consort's New Clothes

On the Kilt and the Internet

By Marc Holthof

A picture by Carl Haag dated 1854 exhibited in Windsor Castle's Royal Library, shows us "An Evening at Balmoral". The prince consort, Albert, offers up a freshly killed deer to his young bride Queen Victoria on the steps of the Scottish castle. The scene is illuminated by torch light. Just like the little boy at Queen Victoria's side, Prince Albert is wearing a short dress: he is wearing a kilt. His knee-high stockings are decorated with the typical Scottish plaid, the so-called "Tartan".

A chain of lies

Even today Edinburgh still entices tourists from all corners of the world with images of plaided bagpipe-players doing what they do best during the traditional tattoo.