Category: Fun
7 books for book lovers for Valentine’s Day #LoveWeek
If you love someone who loves books, first of all, you’re making excellent choices. Second of all, the ideal way to show them how much they mean to you is to buy them a(nother) book. And not just any book. Here, we’ve selected seven of our favourite books about books for the ultimate book lover’s…
The Fire Brigade is dealing with more penis rings than ever before – and it’s all 50 Shades’ fault
There are plenty of reasons to dislike 50 Shades of Grey. The potentially abusive relationship between Christian and Anastasia, the standard of writing in the novels, and the proliferation of terrible, terrible brand promotions trying to capitalise on the series' success, to name just three. But here's a new one: it's bad for the fire brigade. Why?…
Researchers found the key to a successful online dating profile
Researchers have found the key to creating a successful online dating profile. And if you feel like you haven’t got much to boast about, you’re in luck. It turns out humility is more attractive than impressive life experiences or advanced qualifications. Professors from the University of Iowa’s Department of Communication Studies created eight fake profiles…
11 ways to celebrate Galentine’s Day just like Leslie Knope #LoveWeek
[nextpage title="Next"] No, we haven't made a spelling mistake in the headline. Galentine's Day is officially a thing, thanks to the amazing-but-fictional Leslie Knope. Parks and Recreation fans will be aware of the amazingness that is Galentine's Day, but for those of you who aren't, it falls on 13th February and is a day for 'ladies…
Chimps can be bilingual, too (who knew?)
We already knew that chimps can learn to use tools by copying each other. Now, for the first time, researchers have discovered that chimps have the ability to learn a new (chimp) language. Katie Slocombe and her colleagues at the University of York studied chimps that had been relocated from the Netherlands to Edinburgh zoo.…
2.9% Neanderthal and proud – exploring my genes with 23andMe #HealthAndFitnessWeek
When 23andMe launched in the UK late last year, the response was split between interest and concern. The opportunity to have your genes analysed, your ancestry traced and your health mapped through your DNA seemed irresistibly futuristic to some, and worryingly Orwellian to others. We took the former view, finding the idea of exploring our personal genome both fascinating…
Retrojam creates playlists of the popular music throughout your lifetime
Nostalgia and music are both wonderful things, so why not take a couple of minutes out of your day to experience them both? That's the point of Retrojam, a site that creates playlists of the most popular music from throughout your lifetime. All you need to do is enter your birthdate, and Retrojam will generate…
The 5 best uses for a selfie stick
We're big fans of the Wand of Narcissus at ShinyShiny, as you might have seen in our recent post 'In defence of the selfie stick'. If you've been wondering why you need one, want to get the best out of yours, or just need to justify your purchase to judgey friends, we've got you covered.…
Sexuality, family & Jeffrey Tambor: Why you need to start watching Transparent
Despite what the media may tell you, the most important take away from Sunday's Golden Globes ceremony wasn't the risky sartorial choices, it wasn't the proliferation of asymmetrical 'LOBs' and it wasn't even Poehler and Fey's unstoppable comedy duo that's hell-bent on smashing the sexism out of Hollywood. For me it was that Amazon show…
Will Bethenny Frankel really make ‘Skinnygirl Marijuana?’
You can’t accuse former Real Housewife Bethenny Frankel of letting business opportunities pass her by. Having created a successful brand with her ‘Skinnygirl’ range – because how can you enjoy yourself knowing your favourite cocktail has more than 1 calorie? – according to Us magazine, she’s now turned her attention to another intoxicating substance: marijuana.…
