15 June: 166

On the 166^th day of the year, 10 fun facts about the number 166.

1. 166 Rhodope is an Asteroid in the central region of the asteroid belt, discovered in 1876, by Christian Peters at the Litchfield Observatory in Clinton, New York. The asteroid was named after Queen Rhodope from Greek mythology.

2. The A166 is a trunk road between the outskirts of York and Driffield in the county of Yorkshire.

3. It's the atomic number of a theoretical chemical element called Unhexhexium.

4. The British Rail Class 166 Networker Turbo is a fleet of diesel passenger trains, originally built for British Rail. They were designed as a faster, air-conditioned variant of the Class 165 Turbo, intended for longer-distance journeys.

5. The Ferrari 166 S was a sports racing car built by Ferrari between 1948 and 1953. The 166 Inter was a model adapted for use on public roads.

6. HD 166 or V439 Andromedae is a 6th magnitude star in the constellation Andromeda, approximately 45 light years away from Earth.

7. The London Transport Bus 166 runs between West Croydon Bus Station and Epsom Hospital.

8. 166 is written CLXVI in Roman numerals and 10100110 in Binary.

9. 166P/NEAT is a periodic comet in the outer Solar System. It was discovered by the Near Earth Asteroid Tracking (NEAT) project in 2001.

10. In numerology, 166 is methodical and pragmatic. People affected by the number work step by step towards their goals and tend not to consult others when making decisions, except perhaps close family members. Goals may well include building firm foundations for the future.

Beta

(Combat Team Series #2)

Steff was abducted by an evil alien race, the Orbs, at fourteen. Used as a weapon for years, he eventually escapes, but his problems are just beginning. How does a man support himself when his only work experience is a paper round and using an Orb bio-integrated gun?

Warlord is an alien soldier who knows little but war. When the centuries-old conflict which ravaged his planet ends, he seeks out another world where his skills are still relevant. There are always wars on Earth, it seems. However, none of Earth's powerful armies want him.

Natalie has always wanted to visit England and sees a chance to do so while using her martial arts skills, but there are sacrifices she must make in order to fulfil her dream. 

Maggie resorted to crime to fund her sister's medical care. She uses her genetic variant abilities to gain access to the rooms of wealthy hotel guests. The Ballards look like rich pickings, but they are not what they seem. When Maggie targets them, little does she know that she is walking into a trap.

Hotel owner Hamilton Lonsdale puts together a combat team to pit against those of other multi-millionaires. He recruits Warlord, Natalie, Maggie and Steff along with a trained gorilla, a probability-altering alien, a stockbroker whose work of art proved to be much more than he'd bargained for, a marketing officer who can create psionic forcefields, a teleporting member of the landed gentry, and a socially awkward fixer. This is Combat Team Beta.

Steff never talks about his time with the Orbs, until he finds a woman who lived through it, too. Steff believes he has finally found happiness, but it is destined to be short-lived. He is left with an unusual legacy which he and Team Beta struggle to comprehend; including why something out there seems determined to destroy it.

Paperback

E book

14 June: Sandpaper

On this date in 1834 Sandpaper was patented by Isaac Fischer Jr, Springfield, Vermont. 10 facts about sandpaper:

1. Sandpaper was around long before this, of course. The first recorded instance of sandpaper was in 13th-century China.

2. Not only that, but there’s evidence that the engineers who built The Pyramids used it, too.

3. Even before this, prehistoric people knew about abrasive action. They would sharpen their tools and weapons by rubbing them together.

4. Early sandpaper was made from crushed shells, seeds and Fish scales from Sharks and Coelacanth. Later on, sand and glass were used. Today it’s likely to be aluminium oxide or silicon carbide.

5. These abrasive items were stuck to parchment using natural gum. Today, the backing may be Paper, cloth, fibre or rubber.

6. The coarseness or fineness of sandpaper is known as its grit. The larger the number the finer the grit. The European measurement system is known as FEPA (Federation of European Producers of Abrasives).

7. A 1775 instruction for making sandpaper reads “To polish wood – Take brown paper, make it wet with glue, then scatter fine sand thereon, through a hair sifter – Sandpaper is equal to fish skins.”

8. The stuff that gets shaved off by sanding is called swarf. Some sandpapers have gaps between the grit particles which catch and hold the swarf so the item you’re sanding doesn’t get clogged up with it.

9. As well as grit size, another thing to take into account when selecting sandpaper is friability. This means the tendency of the grit material to break when exposed to heat and pressure. This is actually a good thing, as it creates new edges on the paper, so it lasts longer.

10. It’s also known as coated abrasive or emery paper.

Beta

(Combat Team Series #2)

Steff was abducted by an evil alien race, the Orbs, at fourteen. Used as a weapon for years, he eventually escapes, but his problems are just beginning. How does a man support himself when his only work experience is a paper round and using an Orb bio-integrated gun?

Warlord is an alien soldier who knows little but war. When the centuries-old conflict which ravaged his planet ends, he seeks out another world where his skills are still relevant. There are always wars on Earth, it seems. However, none of Earth's powerful armies want him.

Natalie has always wanted to visit England and sees a chance to do so while using her martial arts skills, but there are sacrifices she must make in order to fulfil her dream. 

Maggie resorted to crime to fund her sister's medical care. She uses her genetic variant abilities to gain access to the rooms of wealthy hotel guests. The Ballards look like rich pickings, but they are not what they seem. When Maggie targets them, little does she know that she is walking into a trap.

Hotel owner Hamilton Lonsdale puts together a combat team to pit against those of other multi-millionaires. He recruits Warlord, Natalie, Maggie and Steff along with a trained gorilla, a probability-altering alien, a stockbroker whose work of art proved to be much more than he'd bargained for, a marketing officer who can create psionic forcefields, a teleporting member of the landed gentry, and a socially awkward fixer. This is Combat Team Beta.

Steff never talks about his time with the Orbs, until he finds a woman who lived through it, too. Steff believes he has finally found happiness, but it is destined to be short-lived. He is left with an unusual legacy which he and Team Beta struggle to comprehend; including why something out there seems determined to destroy it.

Paperback

E book

13 June: Fanny Burney/Madame d’Arblay Quotes

Today, 10 quotes from Fanny Bumey Novelist and diarist, daughter of Dr. Charles Burney, music historian, known after her marriage as Madame d’Arblay. She was born on this date in 1752.

1. People who live together naturally catch the looks and air of one another and without having one feature alike, they contract a something in the whole countenance which strikes one as a resemblance.

2. O! how short a time does it take to put an end to a woman's liberty!

3. To diminish expectation is to increase enjoyment.

4. A little alarm now and then keeps life from stagnation.

5. Money is the source of the greatest vice, and that nation which is most rich, is most wicked.

6. We relate all our afflictions more frequently than we do our pleasures.

7. But authors before they write should read.

8. Wealth per se I never too much valued, and my acquaintance with its possessors has by no means increased my veneration for it.

9. To save the mind from preying inwardly upon itself, it must be encouraged to some outward pursuit.

10. Great joy is as restless as sorrow.

Beta

(Combat Team Series #2)

Steff was abducted by an evil alien race, the Orbs, at fourteen. Used as a weapon for years, he eventually escapes, but his problems are just beginning. How does a man support himself when his only work experience is a paper round and using an Orb bio-integrated gun?

Warlord is an alien soldier who knows little but war. When the centuries-old conflict which ravaged his planet ends, he seeks out another world where his skills are still relevant. There are always wars on Earth, it seems. However, none of Earth's powerful armies want him.

Natalie has always wanted to visit England and sees a chance to do so while using her martial arts skills, but there are sacrifices she must make in order to fulfil her dream. 

Maggie resorted to crime to fund her sister's medical care. She uses her genetic variant abilities to gain access to the rooms of wealthy hotel guests. The Ballards look like rich pickings, but they are not what they seem. When Maggie targets them, little does she know that she is walking into a trap.

Hotel owner Hamilton Lonsdale puts together a combat team to pit against those of other multi-millionaires. He recruits Warlord, Natalie, Maggie and Steff along with a trained gorilla, a probability-altering alien, a stockbroker whose work of art proved to be much more than he'd bargained for, a marketing officer who can create psionic forcefields, a teleporting member of the landed gentry, and a socially awkward fixer. This is Combat Team Beta.

Steff never talks about his time with the Orbs, until he finds a woman who lived through it, too. Steff believes he has finally found happiness, but it is destined to be short-lived. He is left with an unusual legacy which he and Team Beta struggle to comprehend; including why something out there seems determined to destroy it.

Paperback

E book

12 June: George Herbert Walker Bush

George Herbert Walker Bush, 41^st president of the United States was born on this date in 1924.

1. Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts. His father was Prescott Bush, a U.S. Senator from Connecticut and a prominent businessman.

2. He attended Phillips Academy in Andover where, he was senior class president, student council secretary and captain of both the varsity Baseball and Soccer teams.

3. Bush left school at 18 and rather than go to college, he joined the US Navy on his 18^th birthday and was the youngest pilot in the Navy in 1943. His service during WWII included 58 combat missions and he was shot down while on active duty in the Pacific in 1944. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross medal.

4. He left the Navy in 1945 and then went to university. He graduated from Yale in 1948 with a degree in economics.

5. While at Yale he was a member of the Yale cheerleading squad as his father had also been, and as his son, George W., would also be in due course. He was a captain of Yale’s baseball team during his senior year and in that capacity took part in a ceremony in which Babe Ruth presented him with a copy of his autobiography. Bush would later remember the event as a rather sombre one, as Ruth had looked so frail, and was to die just a few months later.

6. After graduating from Yale, Bush entered the oil business. He started his own firm in 1951 and did well in the business for 15 years.

7. He met Barbara Pierce at a Christmas dance in Greenwich in December 1941 when he was 21 and she was 16. They married in 1945 and stayed married until Barbara died, 73 years later. This makes them the longest married couple in presidential history.

8. In 1989, George H.W. Bush became the first sitting vice president to win a presidential election since Martin van Buren  in 1836.

9. In 2000, his eldest son, George W, was elected US president. This was the second time in history that a father and son had both been president, John Adams and John Quincy Adams being the first father and son to achieve it.

10. George H. W. Bush died at the age of 94 on Nov. 30, 2018. After his death, it was revealed that he’d secretly financed the education and food expenses of a schoolboy from the Philippines under the assumed name "George Walker" through the charity Compassion International.

Beta

(Combat Team Series #2)

Steff was abducted by an evil alien race, the Orbs, at fourteen. Used as a weapon for years, he eventually escapes, but his problems are just beginning. How does a man support himself when his only work experience is a paper round and using an Orb bio-integrated gun?

Warlord is an alien soldier who knows little but war. When the centuries-old conflict which ravaged his planet ends, he seeks out another world where his skills are still relevant. There are always wars on Earth, it seems. However, none of Earth's powerful armies want him.

Natalie has always wanted to visit England and sees a chance to do so while using her martial arts skills, but there are sacrifices she must make in order to fulfil her dream. 

Maggie resorted to crime to fund her sister's medical care. She uses her genetic variant abilities to gain access to the rooms of wealthy hotel guests. The Ballards look like rich pickings, but they are not what they seem. When Maggie targets them, little does she know that she is walking into a trap.

Hotel owner Hamilton Lonsdale puts together a combat team to pit against those of other multi-millionaires. He recruits Warlord, Natalie, Maggie and Steff along with a trained gorilla, a probability-altering alien, a stockbroker whose work of art proved to be much more than he'd bargained for, a marketing officer who can create psionic forcefields, a teleporting member of the landed gentry, and a socially awkward fixer. This is Combat Team Beta.

Steff never talks about his time with the Orbs, until he finds a woman who lived through it, too. Steff believes he has finally found happiness, but it is destined to be short-lived. He is left with an unusual legacy which he and Team Beta struggle to comprehend; including why something out there seems determined to destroy it.

Paperback

E book

11 June: 162

It’s day 162 of 2025. 10 fun facts about the number 162.

1. 162 Laurentia is a large Asteroid discovered by the French brothers Paul Henry and Prosper Henry in 1876, and named after Joseph Jean Pierre Laurent, an amateur astronomer who discovered asteroid 51 Nemausa.

2. Game 162 is a 2012 documentary about baseball starring Larry Andersen.

3. London bus route 162 runs from Beckenham Junction to Eltham Bus Station.

4. The Heinkel He 162 Volksjäger is a German single-engine, jet-powered fighter aircraft used by the Luftwaffe late in World War II.

5. 162 is the title of a 2003 short fantasy film written and directed by Gant Haverstick and starring Jeremiah Follis.

6. The Roman numeral for 162 is CLXII and in Binary it’s 10100010.

7. The A162 runs from Darrington to Tadcaster in Yorkshire.

8. In the year 162 AD Greek Historian Arrian of Nicomedia published Indica, a work on India and its people.

9. Many people believe that a songs with 162 beats per minute are the best to listen to while cycling, running or working out.

10. The number 162 is an abundant number, meaning that the sum of its divisors (excluding itself) is greater than the number itself. In this case, the sum is 186.

Beta

(Combat Team Series #2)

Steff was abducted by an evil alien race, the Orbs, at fourteen. Used as a weapon for years, he eventually escapes, but his problems are just beginning. How does a man support himself when his only work experience is a paper round and using an Orb bio-integrated gun?

Warlord is an alien soldier who knows little but war. When the centuries-old conflict which ravaged his planet ends, he seeks out another world where his skills are still relevant. There are always wars on Earth, it seems. However, none of Earth's powerful armies want him.

Natalie has always wanted to visit England and sees a chance to do so while using her martial arts skills, but there are sacrifices she must make in order to fulfil her dream. 

Maggie resorted to crime to fund her sister's medical care. She uses her genetic variant abilities to gain access to the rooms of wealthy hotel guests. The Ballards look like rich pickings, but they are not what they seem. When Maggie targets them, little does she know that she is walking into a trap.

Hotel owner Hamilton Lonsdale puts together a combat team to pit against those of other multi-millionaires. He recruits Warlord, Natalie, Maggie and Steff along with a trained gorilla, a probability-altering alien, a stockbroker whose work of art proved to be much more than he'd bargained for, a marketing officer who can create psionic forcefields, a teleporting member of the landed gentry, and a socially awkward fixer. This is Combat Team Beta.

Steff never talks about his time with the Orbs, until he finds a woman who lived through it, too. Steff believes he has finally found happiness, but it is destined to be short-lived. He is left with an unusual legacy which he and Team Beta struggle to comprehend; including why something out there seems determined to destroy it.

Paperback

E book

10 June: Koi

This week is Carp Week, so here are some facts about koi, a member of the carp family.

1. Koi are a brightly coloured form of the species Amur carp (Cyprinus rubrofuscus), which were selectively bred for their colours in Japan during the early 19^th century.

2. In Japan, they are called nishikigoi, which literally means "brocaded carp".

3. Koi is also similar in sound to the Japanese word for love, so they are a symbol of friendship in Japan. In Japanese symbolism koi have many more positive meanings including Luck, prosperity and perseverance in the face of adversity.

4. The colours they come in are White, Black, Red, Yellow, Blue, and cream. Metallic shades of gold and platinum in the scales have also been developed through selective breeding. A black koi is said to be especially lucky.

5. Butterfly koi, longfin koi, or dragon carp were developed in the 1980s and are notable for their long and flowing fins.

6. Koi are distant cousins of Goldfish and it can be hard to distinguish a young koi from a goldfish. They can even interbreed, although their offspring will be sterile.

7. The average lifespan of a koi is 40 years, although they have been known to live much longer. In 1974, studying the growth rings on the scales of a koi named Hanako revealed that she was 226 years old.

8. They can grow quite large as well. Koi enthusiast Geoff Lawton bought one which was four feet long, the largest koi ever recorded. He called her Big Girl.

9. If you want to keep koi as pets, you’ll need a deep pond. A pond at least 8 feet in depth is recommended so that the fish can experience different temperatures, and won’t completely freeze in winter. Each individual will need 250 gallons of Water. A deep pond will also mean that wading birds like herons can’t stand there and eat them. A high overhang will stop next door’s Cat or other predatory mammals from getting them. Also, koi can get sunburn, so you’ll need plants like Water lilies, water lettuce, and water hyacinth in the pond as well.

10. They are also highly intelligent and can be trained to ring a bell for food and eat from their owner’s hand. They’re clever enough to recognise the person who feeds them.

Beta

(Combat Team Series #2)

Steff was abducted by an evil alien race, the Orbs, at fourteen. Used as a weapon for years, he eventually escapes, but his problems are just beginning. How does a man support himself when his only work experience is a paper round and using an Orb bio-integrated gun?

Warlord is an alien soldier who knows little but war. When the centuries-old conflict which ravaged his planet ends, he seeks out another world where his skills are still relevant. There are always wars on Earth, it seems. However, none of Earth's powerful armies want him.

Natalie has always wanted to visit England and sees a chance to do so while using her martial arts skills, but there are sacrifices she must make in order to fulfil her dream. 

Maggie resorted to crime to fund her sister's medical care. She uses her genetic variant abilities to gain access to the rooms of wealthy hotel guests. The Ballards look like rich pickings, but they are not what they seem. When Maggie targets them, little does she know that she is walking into a trap.

Hotel owner Hamilton Lonsdale puts together a combat team to pit against those of other multi-millionaires. He recruits Warlord, Natalie, Maggie and Steff along with a trained gorilla, a probability-altering alien, a stockbroker whose work of art proved to be much more than he'd bargained for, a marketing officer who can create psionic forcefields, a teleporting member of the landed gentry, and a socially awkward fixer. This is Combat Team Beta.

Steff never talks about his time with the Orbs, until he finds a woman who lived through it, too. Steff believes he has finally found happiness, but it is destined to be short-lived. He is left with an unusual legacy which he and Team Beta struggle to comprehend; including why something out there seems determined to destroy it.

Paperback

E book

9 June: The Åland Islands

Today is Autonomy Day in the Åland Islands. So here are 10 facts about them.

1. What and where are the Åland Islands? They make up an autonomous and demilitarised region of Finland situated at the entrance to the Gulf of Bothnia in the Baltic Sea.

2. That said, the area is perhaps more Swedish than Finnish. The official language is Swedish and although Finnish is taught in schools, many of the people there prefer not to speak it. A tourist would be better off communicating in English, which is widely spoken. The main island, Fasta Åland, is 38 km (20+1⁄2 nautical miles) from Roslagen in Sweden. Åland's only land border is on the uninhabited skerry of Märket, which it shares with Sweden.

3. The Åland archipelago includes nearly three hundred habitable islands, of which about 60–80 are inhabited.

4. The name comes from ancient words for water, or river, even though there aren’t many rivers here. Another theory is that the name derived from the old name for perch, a type of fish.

5. The capital city is Mariehamn, which is on Fasta Åland. 90% of the population live on this island.

6. The highest point is Orrdalsklint or Orrdals Hill which is 129 metres above sea level or 423 feet in old money. There is an observation tower at the top.

7. Åland's Autonomy Day is celebrated on 9 June in memory of Åland County Council's first meeting on this date in 1922. Its demilitarised, neutral position dates back to the Paris Peace Treaty after the Åland War in the 1850s. This was affirmed by a decision made by the League of Nations in 1921 and by the treaty admitting Finland to the European Union. Residents are exempt from conscription to the Finnish Defence Forces.

8. That said, Åland is a member of The EU (decided by a separate referendum to that of Finland) and its currency is the Euro. Åland is not, however, part of the EU’s VAT area.

9. It has an extensive maritime history. The Åland Maritime Museum, at the West Harbour of Mariehamn, is the most visited museum in Åland. From the 19th century until World War II, Mariehamn served as the centre of a sailing fleet engaged in grain trade with Australia. Today, one of the main industries here is agriculture because of the mild climate and fertile soil.

10. The Åland coat of arms depicts a golden red Deer, even though these animals are not found on the islands. This occurred because of a medieval mix up between Åland and the Swedish island province of Öland, back in 1560. Öland was supposed to be the recipient of this coat of arms.

Beta

(Combat Team Series #2)

Steff was abducted by an evil alien race, the Orbs, at fourteen. Used as a weapon for years, he eventually escapes, but his problems are just beginning. How does a man support himself when his only work experience is a paper round and using an Orb bio-integrated gun?

Warlord is an alien soldier who knows little but war. When the centuries-old conflict which ravaged his planet ends, he seeks out another world where his skills are still relevant. There are always wars on Earth, it seems. However, none of Earth's powerful armies want him.

Natalie has always wanted to visit England and sees a chance to do so while using her martial arts skills, but there are sacrifices she must make in order to fulfil her dream. 

Maggie resorted to crime to fund her sister's medical care. She uses her genetic variant abilities to gain access to the rooms of wealthy hotel guests. The Ballards look like rich pickings, but they are not what they seem. When Maggie targets them, little does she know that she is walking into a trap.

Hotel owner Hamilton Lonsdale puts together a combat team to pit against those of other multi-millionaires. He recruits Warlord, Natalie, Maggie and Steff along with a trained gorilla, a probability-altering alien, a stockbroker whose work of art proved to be much more than he'd bargained for, a marketing officer who can create psionic forcefields, a teleporting member of the landed gentry, and a socially awkward fixer. This is Combat Team Beta.

Steff never talks about his time with the Orbs, until he finds a woman who lived through it, too. Steff believes he has finally found happiness, but it is destined to be short-lived. He is left with an unusual legacy which he and Team Beta struggle to comprehend; including why something out there seems determined to destroy it.

Paperback

E book