Continuing my reading of tales of terror and Gothic fiction generally, I just stumbled through Ambrose Bierce’s Devil’s Dictionary. Here are a few favourite entries: OVERWORK, n. A dangerous disorder affecting high public functionaries who want to go...

It must be time for a bit of a running update, as my 2009 target race approaches. It seems wierd targetting a 10k, such a small distance! But the challenge is to run it at approximately 6:05 minutes per mile and knock a good minute off my PB from...

There are tree sounds on the BBC home page today. The artist, Alex Metcalfe, has exhibited his tree headphones at various venues already since 2007, so it’s not really news, but you can view it now at Harlow Carr Gardens near Harrogate until September...

Just back from holidays. Our trip through Bavaria and Austria coincided with the Ars Electronica festival in Linz for one night. We took pot luck and visited the OK Offenes Kulturhaus OÖ cinema to catch the free Animation Festival, after a few beers...

I’ve just spent a fantastic hour in the Tawharanui Regional Park, New Zealand courtesy of Grant Finlay. I really recommend you put headphones on and listen to the following podcast, especially if you’re not leaving the country this year for your...