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Newsletter 168 – April 2011

——– MANTEX NEWSLETTER ——–

Number 168 – April 2011 – ISSN 1470-1863

Arts, Culture, and Technology as seen from
the digital hub of Media city Manchester UK

** 13,000+ subscribers will see your AD **

Easter Revision + Gothic Horror Special

0— It’s Easter – Time for Exam Revision!

Once Royal Wedding fever has subsided, it
will be time for revision and preparation for
those exams which come round at this time of year.

We’ve got just the thing to help you. It’s a
guide to all the revision and exam skills
you’ll need – for any subject. Only GBP 1.95

Full size book at ridiculous knock down price.
No postage, No waiting, Download it now!

Revision and Examinations

0— Pub Quiz Question #1

Which British bird was depicted on a farthing?

0— Gothic Horror – “Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde”

I don’t know what came over me. A Gothic horror
series suddenly seemed like a good idea.

This is one of the classics of course – a study
in split personality. But I had forgotten just how
amazingly compressed Robert Louis Stevenson makes
his tale.

It’s got everything – murder, mystery, drugs –
and all in the scope of a tight little novella.

Special bonus! You can also watch the full length
version of the 1920 film starring John Barrymore.

Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

0— Pub Quiz Question #2

By what name was Myanmar formerly know?

0— Helvetica – the everyday font

Neat little video about the ubiquity of this
much-used and still very popular font.

It was designed by Edouard Hoffmann in the
1950s, and given its name from the Latin
for Switzerland.

Helvetica – the video

0— Pub Quiz Question #3

In which ocean is the island of Tristan da Cunha?

0— Software for authors

Print on demand company Xlibris offers a list
of software resources for would-be authors.

It’s US-based and features programs for
screenplay and theatre writers, as well as
conventional fiction.

Software for Authors

0— Pub Quiz Question #4

Who issues ‘gilt-edged’ securities?

0— “WordPress 3.0 Complete” – new book

If you want to start a blog, develop your
own website, or even run a content management
system (CMS) – then WordPress is the way to go.

It’s free. It’s updated regularly. And it’s packed
with features. Believe me – it rocks.

But it comes without a guidance manual. So you’ll
need something like this guide to steer you through
the technicalities. This is the best one I’ve seen yet.

WordPress 3.0

0— Pub Quiz Question #5

How was the Canadian Max Aitken better known?

0— Gutenberg – the Video

Celebration of Johannes the Great done with
moveable type – mainly in Helvetica no less
(see above)

And comes with the bonus of a soundtrack of
Blondie’s “Sunday Girl” re-written and sung by
a Debby Harry sound-a-like

Gutenberg – the video

0— Pub Quiz Question #6

Which silvery white metal is more precious than gold?

0— More on Exams and Study Skills

Study skills and time management are covered
in detail here – along with detailed writing
skills for all purposes.

Best-selling software program for only GBP 4.95
Reading, writing, research, revision, exams,
and even presentations. Learn how to absorb
information quickly.

How to digest books and summarise their contents.
Latest version allows you to customise screen
fonts and background colour.

No postage, No waiting, Download it now!

Study Skills 2.0

0— Pub Quiz Question #7

Which is the largest peninsula in the world?

0— The Biggest (Indoor) Picture in the World

There’s quite a fad these days for megapixel
photos that record large spaces in amazing detail.
They are made by stitching together multiple shots.

This is the Strahov library in Prague. You can zoom
in to read hand-written titles on the book spines.

The Strahov Library

0— Pub Quiz Question #8

Of which fruit is ‘Pearmain’ a variety?

0— Literary Mashups – “The Awkward Age”

Henry James is one of my favourite writers, and
“The Awkward Age” is one of his lesser-known books.

It comes from his ‘late’ period, and was much
influenced by his attempts at writing for the
theatre. The ‘action’ all takes place in the form
of conversations between the characters.

This is another ‘mashup’ which gathers together
all the support materials you might need – plus
suggestions for further reading.

The Awkward Age

0— Pub Quiz Question #9

Who wrote ‘Uncle Vanya’?

0— “Coltrane: The Story of a Sound”

John Coltrane was the last great jazz musician –
somebody who pushed improvisation further than
it had ever been before – or has gone since.

He died very young, but fortunately (for us) left
behind a huge output of performance on record.

This book is both a biography that concentrates
on the development of his unique contribution,
and it’s a guide to what made him important
and how he has influenced others.

Coltrane: the story of a sound

0— Pub Quiz Question #10

What is a trebuchet?

0— Pub quiz – ANSWERS

#1. Which British bird was depicted on a farthing?
ANSWER: The wren

#2 By what name was Myanmar formerly know?
ANSWER: Burma

#3 In which ocean is the island of Tristan da Cunha?
ANSWER: South Atlantic

#4 Who issues ‘gilt-edged’ securities?
ANSWER: The British government

#5 How was the Canadian Max Aitken better known?
ANSWER: Lord Beaverbrook

#6 Which silvery white metal is more precious than gold?
ANSWER: Platinum

#7 Which is the largest peninsula in the world?
ANSWER: The Arabian peninsula

#8 Of which fruit is ‘Pearmain’ a variety?
ANSWER: The apple

#9 Who wrote ‘Uncle Vanya’?
ANSWER: Anton Chekhov

#10 What is a trebuchet?
ANSWER: A medieval siege engine

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News-168-April-2011
ISSN 1470-1863
The British Library