Signpost 38 (18 January)

Good afternoon,

The clocks don’t lie, and the days are definitely getting longer even if it doesn’t quite feel like it right now. We hope you are keeping well and staying busy. We have another exciting selection of links for your perusal and we hope there is something to interest everyone.

This week we look at the BBC MICRO home computer, Westbury Fields Resident Jill tells us about St. Wulfstan, and we have a very big list of trivia challenges for you!

99 years ago this week, insulin was first used in the treatment of diabetes, 86 years ago this week, canned beer was sold for the first time by the Gottfried Krueger Brewing Company, 45 years ago this week, Concorde carried its first commercial passengers.

REFLECT

During these dark months, many people turn to books and literature to nourish their minds and help reflect on the past 12 months and the forthcoming year. Why not enjoy Kurt Vonnegut’s letter to school children about creativity and art, Maya Angelou’s poem “Still I Rise” (you can also watch the author perform it here) or Professor Alice Oswald exploring the strange connection between water and grief.

CONNECT

In the 1980s, the BBC launched the ambitious “Computer Literacy Project” commissioning their own home computer and teaching viewers how to use it through a range of television programmes. Through the Computer Literacy Project Archive, you can find out more about the history of the project, watch over 200 programmes about the project or even test 166 pieces of software created for the BBC MICRO home computer.

LEARN

As it is the feast day for St Wulfstan on January 19^th, Westbury Fields resident Jill Cownie thought some people may be wondering who he was - particularly as he is the namesake of St. Wulfstans’ Avenue in Westbury fields. She has written this useful article to explain who he was and what he did.

David Attenborough’s new series “A Perfect Planet” has recently launched on the BBC, and centres around how our living planet operates. The five-part series shows how the forces of nature drive, shape and support earth’s great diversity of wildlife - and how we can ensure humans become a force for good. You can watch the whole series here.

Did you make any New Year's resolutions? This article offers 29 ideas for resolutions that could make 2021 your best year ever!

FUN

New Zealand website Stuff produces two daily trivia challenges that offer a range of excellent general knowledge questions. You can check the complete list of quizzes here.

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Don't forget that our online services of worship and contributions from the Pastoral Care Team can be found at https://vimeo.com/stmonicatrust.