Multicultural London

We have commented before on the joys of multi-culturalism. I was aware of it the other day when I had breakfast in the American chain McDonald's. I chose my breakfast in Welsh, as you can these days. I chose a bagel (an invention of Polish Jews). I added bacon (something first known to the Chinese and copied by the Romans from the middle east and no doubt first served in a bagel by New Yorkers). I was served by a lady in a hijab (an Arabic item worn by many Muslim women).

Xmas Foods Countdown 16 - Pigs in blankets

Pigs in blankets are little sausages wrapped in bacon - not to be confused with devils on horseback where tea soaked prunes are inside the bacon (or angels on horseback where the inner delight is an oyster) I only ever seem to get these on my plate at Christmas

Unusual words 05 Equipollent

I came across equipollent in Smeaton on the atonement. He speaks in a footnote of two Greek words "both referring to the idea of a sacrifice, and so nearly equipollent that the one involves the other". The word, as you may guess, simply means equal in force, power, effectiveness or significance.  Perhaps Smeaton has taken it from the world of logic.

Francis Bacon uses it in an essay "Only superstition is now so well advanced, that men of the first blood, are as firm as butchers by occupation; and votary resolution, is made equipollent to custom, even in matter of blood."