I came across an interesting snippet of information a while back.
It concerned recruitment for Far East posting by British institutions during the 1920's and 30's.
I am told by a very reliable source that those recruited for government posts were expected to hold a degree.
If however the applicant was being recruited for a business organisation the most important considerations were being good at team games, a public school background and the ability to mix well.
So much for the superiority of the private sector over the public.
Thursday, 28 June 2007
SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE
We are, no doubt all familiar with the European love of curry.
This is nothing new. Medieval Europeans were among the greatest curry eaters the world has ever known. No, there were not whole roads of Indian restaurants. The truth is much more down to earth.
Due to the cost of winter feed for their animals, the people used to kill them in the autumn and salt the meat.
If you have ever eaten salt beef, you will understand that after a few weeks it loses its appeal.
Enter the spices of the orient.
Suddenly salted meat was varied in flavour and quite pallatable.
All was made possible by a chance meeting between Vasco de Gama and the great arab seaman,
Ahmed Ibn Majid in the late 1490's.
This is nothing new. Medieval Europeans were among the greatest curry eaters the world has ever known. No, there were not whole roads of Indian restaurants. The truth is much more down to earth.
Due to the cost of winter feed for their animals, the people used to kill them in the autumn and salt the meat.
If you have ever eaten salt beef, you will understand that after a few weeks it loses its appeal.
Enter the spices of the orient.
Suddenly salted meat was varied in flavour and quite pallatable.
All was made possible by a chance meeting between Vasco de Gama and the great arab seaman,
Ahmed Ibn Majid in the late 1490's.
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