Bank Holidays are British public holidays when the banks are closed. They are New Year's Day, EasterMonday, May Day (the first Monday in May), Spring Bank Holiday (the last Monday in May), August Bank Holiday (last Monday in August), and Boxing Day. In Scotland, EasterMonday is replaced by the 2nd of January and the August Bank Holiday is on the first Monday in August. In Northern IrelandSaint Patrick's Day (the 17th of March) is added. In the Channel Islands Liberation Day (the 9th of May) is included.
Bank Holidays have a similar status to Sundays in that bills of exchange falling due on a Bank Holiday are postponed until the following day and also they do not count in working out days of grace. Good Friday and Christmas Day are also public holidays, but payments falling due (including bills of exchange) on these days are payable on the preceding day. When Bank Holidays fall on a Sunday, the following day becomes the Bank Holiday. Research Bank Holiday
In law, battery is the intentional or reckless application of physical force to someone without his consent.
Battery is a form of trespass to the person and is a summary offence (punishable with a fine of up to 2000 pounds and/or six months' imprisonment) as well as a tort, even if no actual harm results. If actual harm does result, however, the consent of the victim may not prevent the act from being criminal, except when the injury is inflicted in the course of properly conducted sports or games (e.g. rugby or boxing) or as a result of reasonable surgical intervention, for example in the 'Spanner Case' a group of consenting adults were convicted for indulging in sado-masochistic sex acts. Research Battery
Boxing Day is the day following Christmas day. It has long been a holiday in England, and is so named from the custom of bestowing Christmas-boxes which arose in the early days of the church, when boxes were placed in the churches for the reception of offerings. These boxes were opened on Christmas day, and their contents distributed by the priests on the next day, (boxing day). Research Boxing Day
Christmas-boxes are boxes in which presents were deposited at Christmas; hence a Christmas gift. The custom of bestowing Christmas-boxes arose in the early days of the church, when boxes were placed in the churches for the reception of offerings;
these boxes were opened on Christmas day, and their contents distributed by the priests the next day (boxing day). Research Christmas-Boxes
Sado-masochism is a form of sexual activity involving actual or simulated pain so as to enhance sexual pleasure. Various forms are common, including at the gentle end of the spectrum back scratching during intercourse, through corporal punishment (spanking) and flagellation, ranging to the use of devices such as nipple clamps, whips, and more severe forms of pain. It should be emphasised that the whole point of sado-masochism is not of pain, but of pleasure for all (usually two) parties involved. The popular misconception that sado-masochism is about hurting one's partner is a naive fallacy. Rather, due to the complex nature of the relationship between pain and pleasure centres in the brain, many people find a little pain during sexual intercourse enhances their pleasure - for example having their back scratched. Generally, parties involved in sado-masochistic sexual activities enjoy both the dominant and receptive roles, and may also partake of other associated sexual activities such as bondage, slave and master games, humiliation and so on. Flagellation as a means of sexual activity, either solo for masturbation or with other parties has been practised for thousands of years, and was formerly (and may still be) very popular with religious recluses and monks. Under current UK law, any form of sado-masochistic sexual activity partaken of between consenting adults, in private or otherwise is illegal, and constitutes assault (the law stating that one cannot consent to assault unless in a sports scenario, such as boxing). Research Sado-masochism
A tsunami or tidal wave as they are popularly known, is a seismic sea wave originating from any one of several submarine geological phenomena, such as volcanic explosions or earthquakes. They travel in the open ocean at speeds up to 640 kmh. On Boxing Day 2004, (the 26th December 2004) an earthquake measuring 9.0 on the Richter Scale occurred under the sea off the coast of Sumatra. The resultant tsunami or tidal waves killed over 125,000 people throughout the entire Indian Ocean area extending from Burma, Indonesia and Malaysia in the east, west to Sri Lanka, India, the Maldives, Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania and the Seychelles. Research Tsunami
Daniel Mendoza (nicknamed 'Light of Israel')was an English boxer. He was born in 1764 and died in 1836. He won the English prize-ring championship in 1795. He is remarkable for being the first boxer to realise the value of publicity, and of being the first to concentrate on defence, introducing side-stepping and quick movements of the feet to avoid his opponents blows. He was also the first boxer to give exhibitions before audiences which included women and members of the royal family. In 1791 he opened the Lyceum in the Strand as a boxing school. Research Daniel Mendoza
Gene Tunney was an American boxer. He was born in 1900 and out fought Jack Dempsey for the World Heavyweight Championship in 1926 and again in 1927. He retired from boxing in 1928 and married Josephine Lauder, an American heiress. Research Gene Tunney
Henry Cooper is a British former boxer. He was born in 1934 at London. He was Amateur Boxing Association light-heavyweight champion in 1952 and 1953 before turning professional. In 1959 he won the British heavyweight title, beating Brian London, which he subsequently held apart from a brief spell until 1971 when he lost it to Joe Bugner in a controversial decision, and subsequently announced his retirement. In 1963 he floored Cassius Clay (later known as Muhammed Ali), though he didn't go on to win the fight. In 1966 he again fought Cassius Clay for the World Heavyweight title, and lost again. Since retiring from boxing he has been a popular figure in advertising and as a guest on television shows in the UK. Research Henry Cooper
Jem Belcher was an English boxer. He was born in 1781 and died in 1811. He won the English bare-fist boxing championship in 1800 and in 1803 lost an eye playing rackets. He was the first to introduce refined footwork into boxing. Research Jem Belcher
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Bank Holiday
