ethical gardening and green product reviews

Ah, denim, that wonderfully versatile fabric that can be worn by nearly anyone. From farm labourers to millionaire celebrities, there is no other material that comes close to crossing the economic and cultural boundaries. Over the decades the styles have changed, some for the worse and some for the better. Blue jeans have given way [...]

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When most of us think about owls, we think about the ‘hoot hoot’ on old cowboy films or a silent night stalker, swooping down to claim it’s next victim, virtually invisible in the darkness. But that is not true of all owls,  as some owls like the Barn Owl are often seen hunting along hedgerows [...]

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When it comes to collective nouns we’ve all heard of a flock of sheep and a herd of cows but why do we have words for groups of animals when the word ‘group’ would suffice? Apart from increasing the flexibility of the good old English language it comes down to history, hunting tradition and the [...]

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Sea monsters have been creatures of myth and mystery for hundreds and maybe even thousands of years. People telling tales of giant squid or octopus have been around for ages too, with olden day sailors terrified that they would encounter one of these huge beasts while on their epic round the world voyages. Even movies [...]

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At this present moment in time, there are approximately 196 UN declared countries in the world, each of which has its own unique National flag. Plus, with many countries having divisions and individual settlements, it has been estimated to be more in the region of 230 flags. Though we often see these designs with their [...]

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When I write music reviews I’m often asked how I judge a new track. I usually answer that it is more to do with how the music makes me feel rather than having to slavishly agree with the pundits. I’m also happy not to join the flock and have my own views on good music [...]

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What influences your decision when you look at buying a new car? For me, I do like my gadgets. MP3 player docks, self balancing headlights and electric packs are the basics I look for. It may not be fashionable to admit that these features inform my eventual choice when there are arguably better things like [...]

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There’s nothing quite like an outdoor gig is there? Mp3s, CDs and vinyl is all very well but seeing your favourite band in public is, after all, the real thing. When it comes to a really big open air musical extravaganza for this year your thoughts will probably turn to Virgin’s very own V Festival [...]

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If I told you that there are some customs in other countries that would, say, involve dropping babies off buildings you would probably think I am nuts. Either that or we live in an odd, barbaric world where stereotypical ‘natives’ carry out atrocious inhuman acts. Well, believe it or not, there are some ridiculously dangerous [...]

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Whilst planning a trip to America and going about the usual boring “must do’s” from the list, I got around to booking some transport through Florida Car Hire and as usual my mind deviated to the more fun aspects of going on holiday! I was thinking about a few of the touristy things I could [...]

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