Formerly of Borrodale Road, Kingsford
Any association with current residents of Borrodale College is purely coincidental. Please don't pester them for the sins of their forebears.

Monday, June 25, 2007

Issue 17 - Strong Christians

Howdy y'all,

It is said that there is no rest for the wicked. We are truly wicked here at Borrodale Asylum and so naturally we have remained restless in order to bring you this, our 17th edition!

Some facts:

  • 17 is the atomic number of chlorine
  • 17 is an Eisenstein prime, the third Fermat prime, the third Stern prime, and is not a Higgs prime
  • 17 is the age at which a person may drive a car in Ireland
  • 17 is the age of the "Dancing Queen"
  • 17 is the number most likely to be picked by people asked to select a random number less than 20 (according to an MIT study)
  • 17 AD was the year that Livy published his "History of Rome Since Its Foundation" in 142 volumes

Armed with this knowledge, you are now ready to tackle a most singular publication that is sure to add to Wikipedia's entry on the number 17. Perhaps.

Another fact before you go: any reader able to refer 17 new subscribers over the winter recess will earn themselves an all expenses paid (limited to the cost of a blue student travel ten) dinner for two at the prestigious Maison de Borrodale. The Borrodalian will soon come of age reaching our 18th issue. At last we can leave behind the angsty teen issues that have annoyed you all lately and get back to our relatively mature and post-adolescent selves. Who knows, we may even break out the champagne to celebrate!

Until next time, gentle reader, adieu

Y'all come back now, y'hear?

The Borrodalian Team

Note that as a result of the university's winter recess The Borrodalian may be entering into its own creative hiatus for a while. Depends on how enthusiastic we're feeling, really. Stay tuned...

Sunday, June 17, 2007

Issue 16 - Time

Good morning to you, reader or friend,

At risk of being sued for copyright infringement, this edition is entitled 'Time'. This is not an intentional reference to the well known weekly magazine, although it might get a few more readers to open the email by accident.

There have been suggestions that some parts of this week's Borrodalian are out of place, perhaps deserving their own edition. This may well be so. However, if one of our dedicated readers could point out the link between the welcome paragraph and the essay, we would be greatly obliged, and Irish would have his name cleared once and for all.

Treasure the next 7 days, or time will steal them from you,
The Borrodalian Team

Monday, June 11, 2007

Issue 15 - The Power of an Idea

Good morning to you, reader and friend,

At least one of our editors at The Borrodalian has undergone the somewhat trialling experience of being part of an audience addressed by a representative from a firm involved in, of all things, concrete manufacture. This esteemed ambassador of all things cement-and-conglomerate-based managed to keep a crowd of teenagers entertained (and I use the term loosely) for an hour and a half, enlightening us all on the finer points of concrete. During that experience*, thoughts arose in the particular editor's mind that drinking molten tree sap would be more fun than remaining in his seat, but common sense, and the lack of nearby forestation prevented him from acting upon those impulses.

We here at The Borrodalian love talking concrete at great length, though mostly in the abstract, so here to brighten your Monday morning is yet another edition of our humble publication. This week we report on the climate change situation at some length (a whole paragraph) and delve into the philosophy surrounding humanity's rejection of God.

We advise that you should avoid reading this issue of The Borrodalian nearby any plant material that may emit sap. If driven to insanity, stop reading, take three deep breaths, count to ten and say "King's afford Kingsford Kingswoods" seven times quickly. Then calmly explain to the people staring at you that it's OK because you're not an editor. If this happens and you are an editor, then please find the nearest sappy tree.

Until next quarter-orbit of the moon around the earth,
The Borrodalian Team

*The experience in question being at nothing less than the NYSF for those readers for whom that means something other than the New York Sportfishing Association

Monday, June 4, 2007

Issue 14 - The Numbers Game

G'day, ni hao, Howdy y'all, ciao buon giorno, konnichiwa, buenos dias, goeie dag, bonjour, ahnyounghasaeyo,

Warm greetings from the International Desk of Borrodale Press. This edition is dedicated to our international subscribers, growing in number with each edition. Like a delicately flavoured meal, this issue combines rare spices from our subscribers around the world, presenting a vivid insight into our world.

We also bring you a witty missive from our resident number cruncher that we hope to hear back from you on.

So grab your bags...and don't forget a thining cap.

Ever yours,

The Borrodalian Team