Page 739 - Monty Python News Today

Think you know the meaning of "silly" or "sad". Think again. The Old English meanings are wildly different from today's use.

EL-JEM, TUNISIA This huge and beautifully preserved 3rd-century amphitheatre is something of a celebrity, having been featured in Monty Pythons The Life of Brian, as well as the film The Gladiator, and even a Nike football commercial. Its easy to see what drew the location scouts: this 35,000-seat venue is in amazing condition. Its a UNESCO World Heritage site and, standing in its centre, its very easy to picture it in its Roman pomp. TEMPLE OF BACCHUS, LEBANON Photo: iStock This stunning tem...

It’s April Fools’ Day – Hand Me The Chicken Bladder April Fools Day is comedy’s religious holiday (and the Ukrainian city of Odessa’s actual holiday). It goes back 1500 years to the Feast of Fools. The Feast had plenty of pranks and tricks but also a lot more than that; it was a kind of medieval rave meant you could do anything (and, often, anyone) you ever wanted which meant drinking, dancing, rowdy revelry and, evidently, bowling (see below). “The Feast of Fools” – Pieter Brue...

Todays political landscape is looking more and more like the classic Monty Python Dead Parrot sketch. You know the one, John Cleese walks into the shop to complain about the parrot hed just been sold was dead and he wants his money back. The shopkeeper, Michael Palin, insists it isnt. Hilarity ensues. The Dead Parrot sketch is one of the high points of Pythons particular blend of absurdism and social commentary that transcends its time. Everywhere I look I see Michael Palins doing their best to...

From ‘Scientist’ to ‘Spam,’ the Surprisingly Playful Origins of English Words Time 1 hr ago © Getty Images: Nora Sahinun The history of words like blog is humorous and comic During an 1833 meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, a spirited discussion took place about what to call those who toiled in different branches of their profession. In keeping with the evening’s lively spirit, William Whewell suggested scientist. To make sure his colleagues reali...

The deadly devastation of global warming We’re sorry, this service is currently unavailable. Please try again later. Dismiss April 2, 2021 — 12.02am Normal text size Credit:Illustration: Cathy Wilcox To submit a letter to The Age, email letters@theage.com.au. Please include your home address and telephone number. THE ENVIRONMENT The deadly devastation of global warming The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s global warning canary in the coal mine, and it is dying (The Age, 1/4). Action ne...

In this bi-weekly series reviewing classic science fiction and fantasy books, Alan Brown looks at the front lines and frontiers of the field; books about soldiers and spacers, scientists and engineers, explorers and adventurers. Stories full of what Shakespeare used to refer to as “alarums and excursions”: battles, chases, clashes, and the stuff of excitement. Adventure is often presented as serious business, but also benefits from being treated with a light touch. Humor can go a long way t...

123RF El-Jem has been featured in Monty Pythons The Life of Brian, as well as the film Gladiator. Not all roads lead to Rome. The Romans roamed far and wide, leaving impressive structures beyond the borders of Italy. El-Jem, Tunisia This huge and beautifully preserved 3rd-century amphitheatre is something of a celebrity, having been featured in Monty Pythons The Life of Brian, as well as the film Gladiator, and even a Nike football commercial. Its easy to see what drew the location scouts: ...

Today’s political landscape is looking more and more like the classic Monty Python ‘Dead Parrot’ sketch. You know the one, John Cleese walks into the shop to complain about the parrot he’d just been sold was dead and he wants his money back.  The shopkeeper, Michael Palin, insists it isn’t. Hilarity ensues. The Dead Parrot sketch is one of the high points of Python’s particular blend of absurdism and social commentary that transcends its time. Everywhere I look I see Michael Palins...

“My father and mother were Irish, and I am Irish, too.” As Saint Patrick’s Day approaches, I keep remembering that song from our third-grade music book, which strove to examine music from an international perspective (WITHOUT a I am proud of my Scots-Irish heritage. But at the time, when I discussed the music assignments with my father, it was unsettling to hear him talk about the song’s link to where I came from. You mean the STORK is Irish? I thought storks FLEW around delivering bab...