Big bong theory
Big Ben, otherwise known as the Great Bell, is due to fall silent on Monday for renovations to be carried out on the Palace of Westminster’s Elizabeth Tower, in which it is housed. Why is it called Big Ben?
—According to one version, Sir Benjamin Hall, who oversaw the installation of the bell in 1859, also happened to be nicknamed Big Ben. He made a long and rambling speech on what the bell should be called, whereupon another MP interjected: ‘Why not call it Big Ben and be done with it?’ The comment is not, however, recorded in Hansard.
Inside left
Pressure groups representing the left-handed held an international left-handedness day. How does the percentage of reported left-handedness vary?
| Netherlands | 13.2 |
| UK | 12.2 |
| New York State | 12.0 |
| France | 11.1 |
| Italy | 10.5 |
| Germany | 9.8 |
| Russia | 6.0 |
| India | 5.2 |
| Japan | 4.7 |
Source: The History and Geography of Human Handedness by I.C. McManus
Trump stake
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