Frequently (relatively speaking) Asked Questions

How did you make such a stunning site?

Well (blushing)...it did take a lot of effort. But here are some links that will help a lot:

First, learning HTML is useful, rather than using an editor, since you can retain more control over your page, and you can easily alter the layout of a page with nothing more than a text editor. Most of the pages here were created using Notepad (ok, and it shows too). Great sites to learn about HTML, and CSS are:

• Introduction to HTML - Somewhat dated, informal site for beginners.
• Web Authoring FAQ - Useful FAQ on HTML and general web page design.
• CSS Quick Tutorial - Apparently they make your site more stylish or something.

Also, there are various cheap/shareware/freeware tools you can use to help you in your quest (remember most will run out after 30 days). These are:

• Jasc Paint Shop Pro - Very useful for creating and editing images. Now part of Corel's range, but you can redirect yourself once you get to the site.
• Xara 3D - Good for making 3D text, which I've used for titles and buttons.
• Macromedia Dreamweaver - Not really shareware & not essential. Nonetheless, useful and probably the best HTML editor around (after Notepad naturally).

What ever happened to Mr T?

He seemed to have faded from view after his unfortunate cartoon series. But this was probably because in 1995 he was diagnosed with T-cell lymphoma. Now after visiting countless children with cancer in hospitals, he himself was a victim. Fortunately, the cancer went into remission, and he is fine now. He did appear in Spy Hard in 1996, and the (again, unfortunate) Inspector Gadget in 1999. Since then, unconfirmed reports on the internet suggest Mr T has been overly active in duels against almost anyone including: Anthrax, Mr Bean, John Wilkes Booth, Hamlet, KC and the Sunshine Band, Ronald McDonald and Saved By The Bell. For details click here.

What is Pi to one hundred digits?

3.1415926535897932384626433832795028841971693993751058209749445923078164062862089986280348253421170679

Who were the funny men who once entertained kings and queens at court?

'Lepers' according to one contestant on the Big Quiz, a London radio station's general knowledge quiz. The answer is 'jester' if you are that contestant. That was taken from 'Dumb Britain' in Private Eye, as are the following classic responses:

How many wheels are there in a unicycle?
Three

In which direction do the hands of a clock travel?
Anti-clockwise

If you are eating a baklava, are you having a main course or dessert?
A starter

Where do you think Cambridge University is?
Geography isn't my strong point
There's a clue in the title
Leicester?

Bob Hope was the fifth of how many sons?
Four

What 'T' are people who live in a house paying rent to a landlord?
Terrorists

Oscar Wilde, Adolf Hitler & Jeffrey Archer have all written books about their experiences in what: prison or the Conservative party?
The Conservative party

Who played '007' in the 1989 film 'Licence to Kill'?
Er...James Bond

What is '4' in Roman numverals?

Most people would say 'IV'. However most clocks and watches still use 'IIII'.

There are a number of theories as to why this is the case:

• The Romans never used 'subtractive notation' as much as it is used now ie. they would use 'IIII' more often than 'IV'. 'IV' probably gained more acceptance in the medieval era.
• IVPITER is 'Jupiter' in the old Latin alphabet (I for J, V for U). Therefore 'IV' may have been considered disrespectful.
• It may have been easier to manufacture the clocks with 'IIII' instead of 'IV'. This is because with 'IIII', only 4 impressions from one mould are needed to create all the digits, with no wastage. With 'IV' it is not as simple to make all the digits from moulds. The mould would be for the characters 'V I I I I I X'. The casts would be grouped together from the 4 impressions as follows:

  
   V/ I  I  I  I/ I  X (IX turned around to make XI)
   V  I/ I  I/ I  I  X (IIX turned around to make XII)
   V  I  I/ I  I  I/ X
   V  I  I  I/ I/ I  X
  
  

• Aesthetic reasons are probably most to blame nowadays. 'IV' is difficult to read as it is sideways and nearly upside-down. 'IIII' has a symmetry with the corresponding 'VIII' on the other side. Also, this way, the first 4 hours are only represented with the symbol 'I'. 'V' only appears in the next four, and then 'X' only appears in the last four.
  
  

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