Now, Here's An Idea I Can Really Support...

As much as I love my cars, this is an idea I can handle. According to an article on the BBC, the city of Bologna, in an effort curb car traffic and the attendant emissions, has developed a plan where one gets rewards for walking, using a bike, etc… to get around parts of the city. Called “Bella Mossa” (Good Job), it is a smart phone app that tracks your journey, and then rewards you wiht points for your effort. These points can be redeemed at local businesses for things like a pint of beer. Brilliant!
Here’s the link.

Helping the American Serviceman Pay For His British Beer - circa 1954

Helping the American Serviceman Pay For His British Beer - circa 1954

The following is a page from a U.S. Department of the Army pamphlet given to Army soldiers who were going to be stationed in the United Kingdom back in the early 1950. It was to help these soldiers make heads or tails (no pun intended) of the British monetary system. A wise thing to know before ordering your round of beer.

Want to know how much a British florin was worth back in the 1950 - well here you go.

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Another "Best Of" List - Great Photos, Anyway...

I have never been a really big fan of”Award Winning” or “Best Of” lists. You know - The Best Beer, The Best Burger, The Best Whatever. The trouble is that many “Best Of” lists concern tastes that are highly personal. Let’s face it, if you don’t like IPAs, the “The Best IPA’ is not something you care about.

Also, considering that most “Best Of” lists are highly subjective, arguments tend to be the result. So, I saw this list on the Daily Mail, and I only post it here because of the great photos. I think all of these places look great, and I would like to visit them all.

So, click here, and try no to get too worked up if your favorite local is not on the list. Cheers!

Here it is - Scientific Proof That Going to a Pub is Good For You...

Yes, well we all knew it, but now there is scientific proof that going to a pub is actually good for you. Here is a brief except from the study:

The survey data suggest that respondents who have a ‘local’ that they visit on a regular basis are more socially engaged, feel more contented in their lives, and are more likely to trust other members of their community. On some, but not all of our social measures, those who drink ‘casually’ were more socially engaged than those who didn’t drink at all, suggesting that there are independent effects due to being a drinker and having a regular drinking venue.

The study is called: Functional Benefits of (Modest) Alcohol Consumption, and was published by in December 2016 by a number of learned individuals. To read the entire paper, please click here. 

So, finish your home work and head down to the pub.

The Old Queen's Head Tavern - is it still there?

From the book "National History and Views of London and Its Environs," by C.F. Partington - published in 1857. Located "in the Lower Street" of Islington, legend has it that the Old Queen's Head Tavern was named for, and in honor of, Queen Elizabeth. It is noted as a "strong wood and plaster building," so I wonder if it still exists.

Drop me a line if you know whether or not the Old Queen's Head Tavern is still in business. Cheers!

Who Invented the French Fry? Read On...

Was it the French or the Belgians? Who makes the most authentic fries - can an authentic fry even be defined? And, if you really want to start an argument - who makes the best fry -  French with their frites, the Belgians with their frieten, maybe the British with their chips, could it even be the Americans or the Canadians.
A great article from Emily Monaco, at the BBC.  Click Here