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Healey and other fine cars News Bulletin
This is the fifth in the Warwick Healey archive 'oral history' series of posts. As I have mentioned previously, the Warwickshire County Record Office (WCRO) bought the Healey Motor Company archive from Geoff Healey's family with money donated by individuals and charities such as the Heritage Lottery Trust.One of the terms of the latter's fundung was of that there should be an 'oral history' element to the project. Even though this was going to add workload to an already mamoth task of cataloguing the Healey archive the 'oral history' task was accepted with enthusiasm by the WCRO's staff and volunteers. Mainly the latter, of which I am one, set about recording the memories of former DHMCo. employees and Healey enthusiasts.
The recordings can be listened to, by prior appointmnet, at the Record Office in Warwick. Transcripts of the recodings were made and are also available on the "Warwickshire's past unlocked" website. However, because they have to be "verbatim" i.e. noting every and, but, "you know" and every cough etc., they are not easy to read; neither are they accompanied by any photographs. It is for those reasons that I embarked upon "tidying" the transcripts, to make them more readable and at the same time adding appropriate photos. I have published those "tidied" transcripts via the Healey News Bulletin. As I said earlier, this is the fifth one.
The orginal transcript can be read on line by visiting the Warwickshire Catalogues & Database website and entering AV040/5 into the search box.
The subject of this interview is Barrie Wills. In the interview Barrie tells us about the incredible experiences he had when working with De Lorean in Northern Ireland. He laso tells us how he almost worked for Jensen on the Jensen Healey project and how he was interviewed for that job by DMH himself. Sit back and be prepared to be taken on a journey involving high political stakes and several separate contacts with the Healey family. This is no casual read, you will need to set some time aside in order to do it justice and to get full enjoyment from it –
The interview
My name is Barrie Wills, I spent a somewhat chequered fifty years in the motor vehicle industry before I retired in 2007. I started my career as an apprentice at Jaguar in 1959. My links to Donald Healey and the Healey family started when I was given the opportunity to apply for the job of Chief Buyer of the Jensen Company in 1970, when they were about to kick off the Jensen-Healey Sports Car project. I had a first interview with their Personnel Chief at that time, which went reasonably well to the point where I was asked to go back for a second interview. In that second interview, to my utter amazement, I found myself, at the age of 28, sitting down with Donald Healey CBE, the great man, somebody I had admired as a hero from when I was a boy. Also at the interview was the then owner of Jensen, Kjell Qvale, a Norwegian-American who had been the importer of Jaguars and Austin Healeys into the west coast of America for some time. A third person at the interview was Alfred Vickers who was the then Managing Director of Jensen Motors. Donald Healey had either just been appointed Chairman or was about to be appointed Chairman, he was certainly acting at that stage at least as an advisor to Kjell Qvale.
To say it was an interview would be an overstatement, it was more like a fireside chat and I was in fact offered the job on the spot. Despite the glamour of the opportunity, I did have some misgivings about the project. I, therefore, took an opportunity to make a phone call to one of my mentors, the famous F.R.W. "Lofty" England who was then the Managing Director of Jaguar. He was the man who had taken Jaguar through a series of victories at the Le Mans 24 Hours races in the 1950s. Those Jaguar victories attracted me to joining the company. I arranged to meet Lofty at Jaguar's Browns Lane, Coventry, plant. His advice regarding the Jensen job was quite simple, "Don't touch it with a barge pole, it will fail". So, I took Lofty's advice seriously and with some considerable disappointment, I wrote a letter to thank them for their kind offer but turned the job down.
I went on instead to join, or rejoin, British Leyland, where I went to a very attractive greenfield site project to produce a new bus up in Cumbria. That kept me busy for a few years. As it turned out, of course, the Jensen project did fail. I think it was doomed to fail, not least because of the deal that Kjell Qvale did with Colin Chapman to buy the unproven Lotus 907 (2.0Ltr twin overhead camshaft) engine without warranty. I hope that as Chief Buyer, I would not have allowed that deal to take place. If ever there was a case of a bad sourcing decision, that was the one.
Interviewer: So were the problems because it was rushed, or they were trying to..
BW: Well, Lotus in those days, hardly developed anything. Chapman was a great designer and engineer of racing cars for Formula One, and of course had been very successful. His road cars were successful also but you remember Lotus, in automotive circles stands for 'Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious'. [Laughter] (I would ask readers to remember that the cars being referred to were produced nearly fifty years ago and any such comments are not intended to reflect upon current Lotus products. ed.) It certainly proved to be the case with what was an undeveloped engine. It had been engineered, it worked, it performed extremely well, but it was totally and utterly unreliable and, as a result, the warranty costs that Jensen had to incur, through the history of the Jensen-Healey project, had to be absorbed internally.
In normal cases, those warranty costs would have been passed on to the supplier of the engine. But not when there is no warranty in the contract. Colin Chapman was a very smart guy, I'm sure he arranged that perfectly, and of course, above all, he got a free development programme. It was a couple of years later before Chapman specified that same Lotus engine for his own vehicles. So what the Jensen-Healey project really did was to give him a free development project.
After Leyland I went on to join tiny Reliant Motor Company in Tamworth, as Supplies Manager originally. I joined them in January 1972 and my primary task was to lead the sourcing for the Reliant Robin (three wheeler with fibreglass body ed.) which was just about to appear on the scene. Of course Reliant was also producing the Scimitar GTE sports estate car, famous for being the vehicle desired by the Princess Royal, Princess Anne. She is now still driving her eighth version of that car – a very loyal supporter of Reliant indeed. I got to become Deputy Managing Director of that company by 1976.
Reliant was owned by the Hodge Banking Group, run and owned by Sir Julian Hodge, a financier based in Cardiff who was our Chairman. In the same year of 1976 he sold his company to Standard and Chartered Bank. I think, a few weeks later, Standard and Chartered looked through what they had bought with the main bank, which was their prime requirement, and of course found that, "heavens above, we've bought a little car company in Tamworth, what the hell are we going to do with that?". There was an immediate decision made that it would be disposed of, it would be sold on, but at that stage, we were right in the middle of the Edward Heath miners' strike three-day week. That crippled industry completely during that year and we went from being a twenty million pound turnover company making a million pounds profit (which at 5% of turnover net was remarkable in automotive terms in those days) to a loss maker. This was inevitable because of the lost production and the high cost of operating during that period.
Interviewer: Was that standard practice at the time for a financial institution to actually in fact own a car company?
BW: No, no, Julian was an opportunist. If Julian thought he could make money out of anything he'd buy it [laughter]. Reliant was a quoted company. He effectively controlled it and I think he had 74% to 75% of the equity, enough to have control. The rest of it was traded on the Stock Exchange and my Managing Director, the guy that I was Deputy to, Ray Wiggin, himself owned about 11% so he was the second largest shareholder. Anyway, once we had settled down after the three-day week the decision was made that we would be put up for sale. Sir Julian Hodge was given the responsibility by Standard and Chartered to oversee the sale and we and the Board of Directors came up with an idea that was virtually unknown in those days, today it would be called a Management Buyout. We said " let's see if we can buy it, let's re-mortgage our houses". This was when the average property was about ten thousand pounds, at that time you didn't raise much by remortgaging your house. Reliant shares were very, very, cheap in those days, particularly coming out of the three-day week period. The stock exchange was pretty low anyway and to buy the company the tidy sum of half a million pounds was necessary. It doesn't sound much today but it was quite a bit in those days, especially when you are talking about trying to do a Management Buyout.
Inevitably the amount that the Board could put together was insufficient so we started to look elsewhere. Ray Wiggin had formed a relationship with a guy called John Barber. John had been Finance Director at Ford Motor Company before he went into British Leyland as Finance Director. He was there after Donald Stokes became Chairman of that enlarged group and subsequently became Managing Director of British Leyland. Barber subsequently fell out with Stokes and left but was quite a wealthy man himself and was advising certain people on investments in the automotive sector. We also knew a guy called Tony Good who was the Chairman of probably the leading public relations firm in the U.K. in those days, called Good Relations.
This was a very convenient connection, Tony had also been a non-executive Director of Jensen Motor Company, in fact he had been there during the Jensen-Healey period. John Barber and Tony Good both knew Donald Healey and lo and behold they brought Donald Healey into the equation. So, now, we had not only more money added to the equation, but we also had some star names which was going to help us to raise money elsewhere. However, that didn't prove necessary because Lofty England, who I mentioned earlier, had now retired from Jaguar and was acting as a consultant to Reliant, based at his home in Austria where he had relocated to retire. He had been advising us on expanding the export network in Europe, for sales of Scimitar GTEs.
It was working very well. Lofty suggested that we met a guy called Jo Eerdmans, who was a Belgian, but more importantly had been Sir William Lyons's man in America. He had been the guy who had really developed the sale of Jaguars in America post-war and into the early '70s, before he retired. Really, so many people of skill and experience left after British Leyland was formed. Eerdmans was one of them. He was an extremely wealthy man, so the deal was that he would head this purchase of Reliant, supported by Donald Healey, John Barber, Tony Good and the existing management team. We got our half a million and the offer was made to Sir Julian. He came back two days later to say it had been turned down because Jo Eerdmans was not British. We were absolutely flabbergasted. A day later, Sir Julian announced that he had sold Reliant for three hundred and seventy five thousand pounds to a company called Nash Securities, a most unwelcome takeover and a great disappointment to us all, including I am sure, Donald Healey. There was no doubt that had that deal gone ahead, Scimitar would have gone into America, Eerdmans would have certainly been able to develop the contacts with the distribution network out there, the Healey name would have been linked with it, maybe becoming a Scimitar-Healey. We had also had an arrangement with BRM whereby they had designed and engineered an overhead cam version of the all aluminium Reliant engine.
We were always hankering over doing the two-seater sports car and of course the Healey link would have been perfect for that. I think that a Reliant-Healey Sprite, without doubt, would have sprung from that connection. We also had plans for a Dolomite replacement and for a Triumph Stag replacement. Reliant later did this but unfortunately, they did it off what was by then an aged Scimitar GTE platform so it didn't really succeed. We were planning a completely new car to be designed by Bertone in Italy with both a GTE sports estate version and a spin-off Triumph Stag type convertible version. So, that dream disappeared very, very quickly and so did the members of the Reliant Board that supported it, including me. Unfortunately, Reliant went on from one disaster after another and eventually disappeared. So that was a great missed opportunity.
Interviewer: And just remind me what the dates were for this again?
BW: It was September, I think, of 1977, when the deal with Nash was done, so the period that we were working on that project would have been really the summer into the autumn of 1977. Post Reliant I was approached to join what was probably the most exciting period of my career. John DeLorean the former Vice President of General Motors, who had been working on his own car project for about three to four years, was attracted by the investment opportunities in Northern Ireland. Remember, this was late 1978, right at the height of the "Troubles". The theory of the then Labour Government was to create jobs that could be distributed fairly amongst the factions as opposed to the situation that had existed for generations. Unfortunately, in Northern Ireland, at that time, the largest employers, in particular Harland and Wolff and Short Brothers, ship building and aircraft makers respectively, hired a near-100% Protestant 'Loyalist' workforce in their thousands. What Roy Mason, who was then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, was looking for was an opportunity to have a fairer employment policy.
So, with another guy, Charles Bennington, who had been my original Managing Director at DeLorean but had since left the company, we developed a business plan to take to British Leyland and say, hey, we think there is still life in this product at lower volume, so why don't you let us have it? We had no sooner opened those discussions than what seemed to have been successful efforts to bring DeLorean out of receivership came to a halt when the receivers, Sir Kenneth Cork and Paul Shewell, of Cork Gully, could not reach agreement with an investor that was being put forward by John DeLorean at that time. He was a wealthy property investor in Manhattan by the name of Peter Kalikow. I got somewhat emotional then and decided that maybe there was an opportunity to put our Triumph TR7/TR8 plan together with the DeLorean; maybe we had got an even better business plan and a route through which we might rescue the company and save the two thousand plus jobs that had been created in Northern Ireland.
I had put an awful lot of my time and effort into being a part of the team that created that of course. So we did just that and succeeded in attracting investment opportunities in the City of London through the Merchant Bank, Hill Samuel and the investment organisation ICFC, sometimes known as Finance for Industry which is now 3i. They were ready to do the deal. The point was made to us though, that, John DeLorean's name had been besmirched through the difficulties he had had in relating to the new Conservative Government, headed by Margaret Thatcher. That Government had been elected within six months of the project starting and certainly wasn't really in favour of public money going into what they thought should be a privately-owned company. So, we were not flavour of the month with the Lady. We needed a new brand and that's when I thought "what about Healey?" a brand that was still very alive and still very much admired in America, our primary market. The decision was made and agreement reached with Hill Samuel and ICFC that we would approach the Healey family again.
Donald, by now, was retired in Cornwall but I did know that Geoffrey was still around, he was still working, in fact, for British Leyland and had a home in Barford, Warwickshire. Through third parties in British Leyland that I knew, I was able to track him down and he invited me to his house to sit down with him and his wife Margot. I spelt out to him what we were trying to do, that we would like to use the Healey name. We would like to do a deal on the basis of a royalty arrangement per car; that we would want to use the name, not only on the TR8 and TR7s, as a Healey 3500 and a Healey 2000 respectively, but also on the DeLorean which would be renamed the Healey Gullwing. Of course, there was historically a Healey Gullwing that he'd raced in Le Mans much earlier (Healey SR 1968 &' 69 ed.). So, Geoffrey was very excited by the project and agreed to talk to his father and get back to us. That happened very quickly and we soon got the nod that the great man was quite happy to do the deal in principle. We didn't get to the stage of agreeing numbers because everything was moving so quickly, we really did it on a handshake that, at the appropriate time when the funding was raised, we would do the deal. We did in fact incorporate a royalty in our business plan that we assumed would be acceptable to the Healey family. I can't recall what it was unfortunately.
Everything was hunky dory. John DeLorean had almost given up on raising the money himself, so we were in competition but we were invisible. We were anonymous. It was very important to me that I was anonymous because by now I was Acting Chief Executive in Northern Ireland, overseeing what was left of the facility and the workforce there and the last thing I wanted was for John DeLorean to be aware that I was in fact in competition with him. The Press referred to us as the U.K. Consortium, Sir Kenneth Cork in all his dealings with John DeLorean referred to us as the 'U.K. Consortium'. Hill Samuel, as the lead investor, required an upfront fee. This was not necessarily beyond our means but they didn't know what to charge. They couldn't work out whether we were a tiny organisation trying to rescue the company, or whether we were in fact DeLorean Motor Company in Northern Ireland. The latter would be classified as a mid-range business; or whether we were in fact acting for Government. The important thing being that the Government were the main creditor in DeLorean because they had been the investors. That was important to Hill Samuel because they had a different rate of fee, depending on who their client was. It ranged from something like twenty thousand up to about eighty thousand maximum. Anyway, Sir Kenneth Cork said to us, don't worry about that, I'll fix it with my friend James Prior, who was the Minister of State for Northern Ireland in Thatcher's Government. They decided that we could forget about raising money to fund Hill Samuel because the Northern Ireland Office would guarantee it, whatever it was. Even if it was eighty thousand they would guarantee it.
Once we had raised the money, that chunk of money would be paid to Hill Samuel and if we didn't raise the money then the Northern Ireland Office would pay it. That was the deal. We didn't believe, based on what Prior had told Cork, that that would have to go to Cabinet, because it was such a small amount of money, it was well within Prior's ability to sanction. However, because the man, I think, was regarded as a 'Wet' by Mrs. Thatcher, I think he decided to cover his backside by not going to Cabinet with it because it was during the summer recess. My belief is that he met her in the corridor somewhere and said "oh by the way Margaret, blah blah blah blah blah, this is what I want to do, up to eighty thousand".She would have replied "There will be no more money for De Lorean. Tell the receivers to do their job" and off she went. Jim was well and truly handbagged. Complete confusion, we weren't asking for money, but we were thrown out with the bath water. Unfortunately, the whole project, the whole idea of using the TR7 and TR8, using the Healey name, came to a very rapid halt. Despite that, we were told that because Sir Kenneth Cork had reached an agreement with John DeLorean, that if we failed, he, John, could come back in and have another go to raise the money. Therefore we should step back and allow John that opportunity, on the assumption that he would fail. Then we could come back in and have another go. That was the Sir Kenneth Cork's proposal, sanctioned by James Prior, that came back to us. So, we stood back. The rest is history. John DeLorean did find the money and unfortunately, he found it through illegal means, involving cocaine, which was the subject of an FBI entrapment. Of course that was the end of his DeLorean project full stop. Bennington and I went on to do other things.
That then led us to the next Healey involvement which came in 1986 when I was approached by a group of financiers in Cambridge. Two companies called Active Technologies PLC and Metronex had links with the government of Poland through an interface by the name of Professor Janicki. He was close to the government of Poland and to FSO cars, the Fiat Polski organisation based in Warsaw. They were keen to produce a small sports car using Polski Fiat mechanicals. Charles Bennington, who I referred to earlier, had already developed a plan for a car along those lines called the i-car, this was before the Apple Corporation had introduced the i-Pad or i-Phone. We were able to pick up that plan more or less off the shelf and present to the Polish entities. Of course, once again, it needed a brand, so let's go back to Geoffrey and see if we can do another deal. We did that in the summer of 1986. This time, however, Geoffrey had learnt from his previous experiences, he wanted something up front, an upfront fee in addition to a royalty for using the Healey name. This was quite reasonable. That, therefore, became another integral part of the project.
Unfortunately, as was so often the case in Eastern Europe at that time, the Poles procrastinated. To us, they were clearly, playing off Fiat and Daihatsu at the same time. They were trying to develop a relationship for a new car with those two organisations and to some extent, the project that they had approached us about, or we had been approached about on their behalf, rather took second place. At the same time, I was being courted by another organisation to go to Malaysia and work for a lengthy period with Proton, the national car manufacturer, who at that time were only about two years old. That was a very attractive proposition both in terms of the work opportunity and the financial benefits. So, the Polish project really sort of drifted away and I can't really recall at this stage what it was that brought it to an end. I think it just drifted, and disappeared. I thought then that that was probably the last time I would ever be involved with Geoffrey and Donald Healey and of course they subsequently both passed away. Donald died in January 88 aged eighty nine and Geoffrey in April 1994 aged seventy two.
Anyway, being the entrepreneur that I turned out to be, I ran my own business for twenty-five years, half my career, I had been tracking the MG Rover project under the so-called Phoenix Four, very closely, not least because I knew John Towers and Nick Stephenson, the two ex-Rover members of the Four quite well, business-wise. I almost predicted the fact that they would enter administration, which they did in the late spring, early summer of 2005. As a result, I was ready to pounce, to go in there and see if I could lead a rescue of the MG brand in particular. This would have been an alternative to the whole thing going lock, stock and barrel to China. I certainly felt at that stage the prospect of MG, the beloved British MG, coming under the ownership of any Chinese entity, not to be in the U.K.'s best interests. The reason I could make that leap is that I had spotted another opportunity prior to that, to get into the small sports car business; something that I had tried to do at Reliant. I had tried again with the Healey project in conjunction with DeLorean, and I had tried to do it with the Polish exercise. This time it came through the decision by Daimler-Chrysler, as it was then called, Mercedes if you will, to cancel the second project that they kicked off under the Smart brand. This was a tiny two-seater sports car called the Smart Roadster.
They canned it because they couldn't make money out of it and because they had, in my view, overestimated the volumes that could be sold. My belief was that, if it was taken into a smaller organisation that didn't carry the huge overhead of the Daimler-Chrysler organisation and became something more akin to the Reliant Motor Company, who I knew and loved back in the '70s, you could make a nice little business out of it. This could be achieved by lowering the sights in terms of costs and volumes, If you then coupled that with the MG TF, which had still got a life to it, but needed a facelift, which could have been done relatively inexpensively, a business plan could be built around the two, the MG TF and the Smart Roadster (badged as an MG Midget). To cut another long story short, we pulled together a management team covering all the disciplines. I asked Lord David James, known in the Press then as the Company Doctor, to be our figurehead and we created what was called 'Project Kimber' by the Press. Again, you've got to have a tag for the Press, and we set out in competition with Nanjing Automobile to get all we wanted. Unfortunately, the administrators, Price Waterhouse Cooper did a very very quick, almost overnight, deal with Nanjing whilst we were sitting at the Metropole Hotel at the NEC waiting to be called in to do due diligence on behalf of our investor. Anyway, that having fallen apart, we had a Plan B, and Plan B was to do a new business plan using just the Smart Roadster, of course we had lost MG but we wanted another brand, so Healey came to mind again. I contacted Margot, Geoffrey's widow who was still living at the same address in Barford and she basically said to me, "Look we'd obviously be interested, but I've now handed all these affairs over to my daughters Cecilia and Kate and you really ought to talk to them".
In fact it was Cecilia that I finished talking to, over the telephone. That led to Lord James, David James, meeting her in London out of which came the proposal that I would meet with a lawyer that they had appointed, in London, to look after their affairs. I met this lawyer, frankly, I felt that the terms that he was suggesting were totally unrealistic, totally over-valuing the brand. As much as I valued the Healey name there was a limit to what a business plan could stand. I was more inclined to try to persuade him to do a small upfront payment with a generous royalty. You can afford a royalty, your royalties are based on car sales so that is more realistic. However, the upfront requirement was, I felt unrealistic. We walked away. That's a great shame because I think the Healey brand name was just about at its limit then in terms of recognition, particularly in the U.S. market.
Interviewer: So was this again aimed at the U.S. market?
BW: Yes, we were looking to the U.S. market. We would have had to federalise the Smart Roadster, in other words, re-engineer it in order for it to meet U.S. legislation. The plan was to drop the Daimler 0.9Ltr. three cylinder engine that was used and replace it by a Mitsubishi engine. Smart did that themselves for their little Smart Forone car anyway. Mercedes themselves were planning to put the Mitsubishi engine in the Smart Roadster and there was in fact a U.S. version of that engine available. We would have had to have done certain changes to the car to meet crash regulations but that's not difficult. We had the budget in the business plan to do that.
So, we walked away, effectively, from Healey at that stage and did a deal with the owner of the AC brand. The car would be called the AC Ace. All this was moving on, we were now into 2007 and we were rapidly approaching the global financial crisis and trying to raise money for anything around that time was, to say the least, difficult. We literally walked into the brick wall of that crisis. We called it a day and I retired. [Laughter] I was then 66 anyway so I felt perhaps the time was up. I was planning to retire at 70 but I think I made the right decision. And that was really the end of the Healey links until suddenly out of the blue through another third party, I got a call to say "I'd like to introduce you to the Warwick Healey Archive" and here we are.
Interviewer: Here we are, yes, excellent. Yes, I would just like to point out we've actually got some items out for you that related to the Polish plan.
BW: The Polish project. Yes, I'm amazed to see them still around in pristine condition with some lovely photographs of the sports car. This is the model of the sports car that was based on a car that Giorgetto Giugiaro had done. As a Renault, not as a sports car, as a little Gullwing Saloon because Giugiaro did the DeLorean so he was into Gullwings at that time. With his agreement, we borrowed that design and had somebody play with it and I'm looking at a photograph of the results of that now. It's quite an attractive little mid-engined sports car which is exactly what the Smart Roadster turned out to be a couple of decades later. Basically, the same concept and about the same size. I think it still represents a niche, under the Mazda MX5, that somebody ought to exploit one day but you know, my days are gone. [laughter]
Interviewer: Yes, and there is also a bit of correspondence here between yourself and Geoff Healey..
BW: Yes, I'm interested to see that. It confirms the plan of the royalty and of course granting the right to Geoffrey and his father to veto the project if there were any reasonable grounds for doing so; for instance, if they thought the use might be detrimental to the name. Of course, that is something that we would want to protect anyway. It's a great shame, there were so many attempts to re-establish the Healey name, our attempts are not the only ones. I know there were others, around the same period, people approaching, in fact probably too many people approached the family on and off to exploit the Healey name. They had eventually to become quite choosey as to what they pursued.
Interviewer: There is another correspondence in the collection about a Canadian project as well that..
BW: Ah, well that was nothing to do with Healey. No, the Canadian link was what took me to Malaysia. I had talked to the Bricklin organisation that was importing the Yugo into the U.S. very successfully and selling at a rate of fifty thousand per annum. They were planning to import the Proton into the U.S.A.. I had talked to Bricklin about the potential of them becoming the importer of the sports car into the USA. Yes, it is very interesting to see this correspondence again. I'm afraid my copies went AWOL some time ago.
Interviewer: And the other thing we have got in front of us is something that you very kindly donated subsequently. Perhaps you could just tell us about that.
BW: This is a photograph of the renderings of what we planned to become the Healey 3500 based on the TR8. I referred to this project earlier in this interview.The deal we reached with BL through Harold Musgrove, the then Managing Director. The deal was, A. understandably we couldn't use the Triumph name – we didn't want it anyway. B. we couldn't use the TR model name and C. we had to facelift the vehicle so that it was less obviously recognisable as a TR7/8. That was quite difficult. The thing we wanted to do above all, was to take that damn awful scooped scallop feature out of the sides of the car. There is a very interesting story that when the TR7 was first shown at the Geneva Motor Show, Giorgetto Giugiaro, an Italian from Turin, who was one of the world's greatest car designers, walked around it, he looked at one side, walked round the other side and exclaimed the equivalent of "my God, they've done it on both sides". [Laughter]. So we wanted to get rid of that feature anyway. We also gave it a new front end and a new rear end. The rendering shown in the photograph was done for us by a young man called Ed Peppall who I had known when I was Deputy MD of Reliant. He had come out of his apprenticeship at Fisher and Ludlow before Reliant and was a very, very able artist and designer. At the time of this project he was working for a company called IAD, based down in Worthing. They had done a lot of work on the Delorean programme. He did three renderings – a front quarter, a rear three-quarter and a side rendering and this is one thing that I did keep over the years and am very happy to be able to donate that to your collection.
Interviewer: Yes, thank you very much. So what would this have been called, just remind us again?
BW: In its V8 engine form it would have been the Healey 3500, because it was a V8 3.5 Ltr. litre and that flowed nicely because of the famous Austin Healey 3000. In its two litre Triumph engine form, it would be called the Healey 2000. Again, with that link to the Austin Healey 3000 in mind. We planned, longer term to replace the PRV (Peugeot/Renault/Volvo) V6 2.85 Ltr. Engine, that was in the DeLorean, with the same Rover engine so we got common engines. The Rover engine was a better engine anyway, better torque, better power. Yes, it was, like so many things in my life, a great plan that never quite made it.
Interviewer: Yes, it sounds like it, doesn't it? Well thank you very much for talking to us. It's been fascinating to hear from somebody who has been on the inside and can explain how things work because for an outsider like me, it can seem incredibly complicated and just to hear how things work or don't work, is interesting.
BW: Of course it is more complicated than I have described it. I've kept it brief. There is an awful lot of work that goes into developing a new car and bringing it into production, particularly when you are talking about, as was the case with DeLorean, a 'greenfield' project. It's very complex and you need a good team of people around you. Fortunately all the way through these various attempts, I was able to bring the right talent along to do the job. It's a great shame that we never quite made it.
Interviewer: Yes. At least people will be able to see the effort that went into some of the attempts to get the Healey name involved in some of these projects. Thank you very much. That is excellent, thank you.
** The name of Barrie's new book is "45+ Years Without John DeLorean – and a little more with" and should be published in time for Christmas via Amazon, Ebay and Waterstones bookshops.
Go to –
Part 2 'The Canadian Project' (click)
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This is the second part of my photographic report on the 2023 Classic Motor Show held at the Birmingham NEC. JAGUAR JENSEN-HEALEY LAMBORGHINI LANCIA MG MORRIS Riley ROCHDALE SINGER SUNBEAM SUNBEAM TALBOT SUNBEAM TIGER TATA HOT/STREET RODS https://www.carsceneinternational.com/classic-motor-show-birmingham-nec-2023-part-one/ Nick Privacy...
Sunbeam Tiger 60th Anniversary
Introduction The main purpose of this post is to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the Sunbeam Tiger's commencement of production in June 1964. This article...
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This year, CSI has been pleased to celebrate the esteemed MG marque's centenary together with thousands of MG enthusiasts around the world. We have...
MG100 Not Out at Abingdon
The MG100 Not Out event was held on Sunday 10th September 2023. It will probably be the last one, celebrating the centenary of the...
Jaguar At Gaydon 2023
The 2023 'Jaguars at Gaydon' day took place on Saturday 2 September. I was privileged to be able to attend this event for the...


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Rowen van Eeden
Rowen van Eeden
John Day Building: 1.02
Email: email@example.com
Rowen is a behavioural ecologist with a special interest on the use of miniaturized tags which relay or log information on animal movement, behaviour and environmental variables to understand where species go, the threats that they face and the interactions they have with their habitat. By decrypting the decisions animals make and by learning how they utilize their environment, Rowen's work aims to inform on how to conserve species by mitigating negative interactions with humans or by conserving their habitats and food resources.
His Masters from the University of Cape Town focused on the foraging ecology of African Penguins in relation to fine scale ocean physical process. The work demonstrated how African Penguins make informed decisions when foraging in relation to temperature cues such as sea surface temperature and sub surface thermal fronts, to locate cool nutrient rich waters where prey abundance is presumed to be higher in response to increased primary production.
He is now working towards his Doctorate on Martial Eagle conservation in the Kruger National Park to understand the causative agents that are responsible for a steep decline in the population. The work assess habitat use and breeding success of martial eagles in Kruger and has a sharp focus on a tracking study of sub-adult dispersal and habitat use, which is currently poorly understood. Outside of protected areas martial eagles are prone to persecution by farmers who perceive the birds to be a threat to small livestock. One aim of the project is to determine if increased un-natural mortality of sub-adult martial eagles, which may disperse out of the park and into neighbouring farmlands where they are at risk of persecution, are the reason that populations within Kruger are declining, as recruitment back into the breeding population is likely to decrease as a result of these mortalities.
Follow Rowen's field work on the Martial Eagle project's Facebook page here.
Thesis (Submitted Dec 2017)
Understanding the decline of Martial Eagles Polemaetus bellocosus in the Kruger National Park, South Africa (Supervisor: Arjun Amar).
Peer-reviewed publications
Van Eeden, R., Whitfield, D.P., Botha, A., and Amar, A. 2017. Ranging behavior and habitat preferences of the Martial Eagle: implications for the conservation of a declining apex predator. PLoS ONE 12: e0173956. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0173956
Van Eeden, R.B., Reid, T., Ryan, P.G. and Pichegru, L. 2016. Fine-scale foraging cues for African Penguins in a highly variable marine environment. Marine Ecology Progress Series 543: 257-271 (Abstract published online December 2015; Published online 03 February 2016). http://dx.doi.org/10.3354/meps11557
Pichegru, L., Ryan, P.G., van Eeden, R., Reid, T., Gremillet, D and Wanless, R. 2011. Industrial fishing, no-take zones and endangered penguins. Biological Conservation 156:117-125.
Kaplan, B.S., O'Riain, J.M., van Eeden, R. and King, A.J. 2011. A low-cost manipulation of food resources reduces spatial overlap between baboons (Papio ursinus) and human conflict. International Journal of Primatology 32:1397-1412.


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Build a Better Capsule Wardrobe—Organic. Fair-Trade. Functional.
We're sure you've heard of it by now, coined in the 1970s by a London boutique owner, the term "capsule wardrobe" was used to describe a new idea for a highly functional and compact collection of clothing. The capsule, according to its original creator, should consist of approximately 12 coordinating and interchangeable items. In today's world, where fast-fashion rules and consumer culture is at an all-time high, this sounds improbable to most of us. And in more recent years, the capsule has been adjusted for the modern times, now consisting of approximately 30 pieces—give or take a few, depending on its owner's needs and desires. However, this would include in its count shoes and accessories.
The thought is that each piece would, itself, be of high quality, versatile to style, and classically designed. You won't find any faux fur vests or floral statement stilettos in this minimal collection, only quality classic staples. The overall collection would be color coordinated and almost all pieces should be able to be worn together in a variety of combinations. While this may sound limiting, consider a selection such as this: 10 tops, 6 bottoms, 5 pairs of shoes, 3 outerwear options, and 6 staple accessories. Counting only tops and bottoms you have a total of 60 unique combinations.
The benefits of creating a capsule wardrobe are numerous. An obvious benefit is that you save money. Having less and keeping a cap on the number of items you have in your closet means buying less. This also keeps a checked and balanced system because you have to consider if your new purchase is worth sacrificing something you already own—if you have a wardrobe full of functional, versatile staple pieces, probably not. Put it back. A slightly less evident benefit is that it actually helps to solve the universally experienced quandary of seeing your closet as a room full of "nothing to wear." Yes, really, because everything in your closet will be one of your favorite things, every piece will fit impeccably, and every item will be wearable for multiple occasions (and seasons!)
There is all of this to love about a capsule wardrobe, and yet, we aren't satisfied by the current standars for a capsule. We love the idea of consuming less, putting quality over quantity, and drastically simplifying our daily ritual of getting dressed, but couldn't your clothing collection be even more? More than minimal, more than coordinated, and even more than functional and versatile, we believe your closet can be all off this and more. Our newest clothing collection, VivaTerra by Indigenous, is organic, fair trade, and artisan-made. It encompasses style, quality, and comfort with integrity. We believe your clothing should not only suit your life and style but reflect your values as well.
Our collection is the result of the work of fair trade artisans, organic farmers, and thoughtful designers who pour passion into their craft. Their passions have created the garments necessary to build a better capsule wardrobe and a closet full of clothing made the right way. We've selected 15 organic cotton pieces to lay the foundation for your ethical and super comfortable new closet.
The Basics
These are simple must-haves for any season. In spring and summer they are easy go-to tops and for fall and winter, they are your best base layers. Each piece is neutral and made from 100% soft organic cotton.
The Bottoms
These are the basics, but for your bottom half. A mini style but modest-hemmed skirt with edgy zipper details, a simple organic cotton dress, and supremely comfortable, never sheer, capri leggings (these we're going to let you get in all three colors... just count them as one!)
The Figure Flattering Classics
Fair trade, feminine and flattering styles no-one should go without. These classic & easy-to-wear styles flatter your figure and keep you comfortable all day long. Our wrap dress is the most comfortable LBD you'll ever own, guaranteed.
The Fashionables (Not The Trendies)
These pieces add bold style statements while still remaining versatile and timeless. They are ideal for layering over your basics and bottoms to add warmth and extra style.
The Outers & Extras
The last pieces you put on and the first pieces you see, these garments top off your look. Add on a vest for an extra layer of style and comfort, or a scarf to bring in a bit of minimal pattern.
The Daily-Worn Jewels
Our artisan-made hexagon jewelry collection, crafted right here in the USA, perfectly complements the VivaTerra by Indigenous line. These three every-day-wearable, simple, elegant accessories are a great addition to any capsule collection.
With these 18 beautiful, artisan-crafted pieces in place, the remaining 12 are up to you! Fill them in by prioritizing your current staple pieces, like your best blue jeans, favorite blouse, and most worn work & weekend shoes. From here, it's out with the old! Donate, give away, or sell your newfound nonessentials. If you have any holes left, shop the rest of our clothing collections (Just try not to go over 35 pieces, okay?)


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Howard Midstream Energy Partners (HEP) said on Thursday that it plans to significantly expand its bulk liquids terminal in Port Arthur, Texas, after executing a long-term terminal services agreement (TSA) with a third-party shipper.
Under the TSA, HEP will construct or install more than 15 new tanks adding more than 1 million bbl of storage for a variety of products, and construct new marine facilities for both blue water and inland marine vessels. Additionally, the company plans to construct a pipeline system to transport products between the HEP's Port Arthur facilities and other third-party supply points.
The facility is projected to take 18 months to construct, and operations are expected to begin in 2018. If warranted by future demand, HEP's Port Arthur Terminal can be expanded to include up to 24 million bbl of storage and multiple blue water and inland marine docks.
"HEP's Port Arthur facility is uniquely positioned to provide an efficient solution for shippers seeking alternatives to Houston facilities that continue to experience high volumes of marine traffic and subsequent demurrage," said Mark Helmke, HEP's senior vice president of terminals and transportation."Our proximity to over 1.4 million barrels of local refining capacity and significant refined product pipeline infrastructure, such as Explorer Pipeline and Colonial Pipeline, make this terminal a logical clearinghouse for refined products.
HEP's 450-acre Port Arthur facility sits only 13 miles off the Gulf of Mexico and provides access to numerous refineries, chemical plants and nearby pipelines, the company said. The site currently includes more than eight miles of rail with a unit-train loop track and railcar loading/unloading facilities, four storage tanks with a total capacity of 230,000 bbl, and more than 3,000 feet of deep-water frontage, it added.
San Antonio-based HEP is an independent midstream energy company, owning and operating natural gas gathering and transportation pipelines, natural gas liquids processing plants, rail facilities, liquid storage terminals, deep-water port facilities and other related midstream assets in Texas and Pennsylvania. The company has corporate offices in San Antonio, Houston and Mexico City.


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Liam arrived at
Dustin and my dad made trips back in forth between
I arrived at
Right now the Doctors are keeping Liam alive by giving him a drug called Prostin that keeps his PDA temporarily open until they have a plan for surgery.
We met with the surgeon, Dr. Eric Mendeloff, at 3:00 that afternoon, and he described Liam's condition and explained there will be two surgeries. The first surgery which will be Monday, October 5th at 7:30 am. His procedure first involves opening up his chest and putting in a BT Shunt so that they can take him off the medication that he is taking to keep the PDA open. This will then allow the PDA artery to close.
The second surgery will be done later next year when Liam is between 9 to 12 months old and has had time to grow and get stronger, so that his heart is ready for the larger surgery which will build the valve in his right ventricle that feeds his lungs and patch the hole between his left and right ventricle.


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Social media personality Thy Sovantha has filed an incitement complaint against fellow social media provocateur San Bunthoeun after her car was smashed up following a drunken rant posted to Facebook by Bunthoeun.
On June 3, he allegedly verbally attacked the former opposition supporter turned ruling party cheerleader via Facebook Live. Sovantha claims the destruction of her property was a direct result of Bunthoeun's threatening words.
"If she is a traitor, why not take action against her? Thy Sovantha! Just take her. Where is she driving to? Lexus 570, just besiege her! Do it! Don't let her cheat you again. You want to let her drive a 570 easily like that?" Bunthoeun is quoted as saying in the complaint.
Sovantha pressed charges in accordance with Article 495 of the Criminal Code, which deals with "incitement to commit a crime", and requested that Bunthoeun receive additional punishments as prescribed in Article 498. She could not be reached yesterday.
Bunthoeun returned to Facebook yesterday to acknowledge the lawsuit, but downplayed the situation. He also denied that his speech led to the incident.
"What incitement? I was drinking at the time. If it isn't true, we can file a complaint against her for defamation," he said in another live video.
"To be on the good side, both sides should drop the weapon and choose peace," he added.
Contact PhnomPenh Post for full articlePost Media Co Ltd
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Wan't to show you one of my favourite upcoming artists this year! Mumbai Science! Snippet from myspace: Meet Dr Lektroluvs newest acquisition: Mumbai Science, aka Jonas Kiesekoms and Maarten Elen, is taking the indie club-scene by storm. Supported by the green doctor himself,2010 promises big things. With a fresh and innovating view on contemporary dance music, they are one to watch this year!
After their first "Woof EP" (supported by LA Riots, Larry Tee, DJ Manaia,…) the question on everyone's mind was: Are they going to disappear in the Mumbai masses or are they more then just one in a billion…? With the new "Ancova EP" (June '10) comes the answer to that question: Mumbai Science is here to stay. While working in Dr. Lektroluv's underground lab for a few months now, they improved their sound to a whole new level. With dancefloorbangers like Ancova and Hoot, it's hard not to get cured… Already supported by Len Faki, Brodinski, Don Rimini and many others, this summer will be tropical hot. You say party, we say techno. What's next for Mumbai Science? The Nobel prize?
I heared theirs tracks in a lot of sets! Love them! Now show you some tracks! Enjoy it!
Mumbai Science – Woof EP preview
Mumbai Science – Ancova EP preview
Mumbai Science Mixtape March 2010
0. Intro
1. Harrison Crump – Gone (Bingo Players Remix)
2. Milton Channels – Hey You (Original Mix)
3. Milton Channels – Trip (Joeysuki Remix)
4. Zoo Brazil – Fancy (Popof Remix)
5. Mumbai Science – Hoot (Original Mix)
6. Yuri Alexeev – La Cabeza Loca (Original Mix)
7. Mind Electric – Rock Da House (Angger Dimas Rave Remix)
8. Oliver Twizt – Gangsterdam (Original Mix)
9. Mumbai Science – 3200 (Original Mix)
10. Sound of Stereo – Metric (Original Mix)
11. Mumbai Science – Woof (Original Mix)
12. DJ PP – Miami Vice (Original Mix)
Mumbai Science on Myspace | Twitter | Facebook | Soundcloud


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|The frame is about 2' thick.
|I like the simple white trim mantle with surround and raised hearth.
|Dimplex Sahara Sands
|Classic Flame 36" 36EB111-GRC
|You can adjust the colors around the rocks.
The actual insert is less than 8" thick, so we can definitely have a thinner frame. So, if this works with our budget, this might be our insert.
Next up, we have to decide about the mantle, surround (if we wanted one) and hearth.
I've been learning a lot of terminology through this whole process. I did not know that the mantle was the top part and the hearth was the bottom part. I had always used the two terms interchangeably, as do a lot of people out there in cyberland, I learned!
I knew I wanted a hearth. It's the traditionalist in me. I like the idea of a seat in front of the fireplace at Christmastime. I asked the guy at the store if they were going out of style because I saw so many more fireplaces without hearths. He saw that a lot of builders don't put them in to save money, but most people agree that they are nicer. Some parents don't want kids to hit their heads on a hearth, but D has always keep his distance from our current one, so that isn't a concern to me. I realized that I like a higher hearth, between 12" and 18" like this:
Hearths typically come out about 18" for a seat (at least, that seems to be standard around here). I love the one above, but the hearth would definitely need to be thicker.
I do want a mantle (to put a big family picture up in our house, at last!) And I want a surround with it, so the hearth and mantle are connected. I don't care for the hanging log look of surroundless-mantles.
As far as the design of the mantle, we both like clean lines without a lot of extra detail, like this:
|I like the espresso on on the right.
|But I keep coming back to this one. I wonder if we could have a concrete mantle made...
If we have a wood mantle made, we have to consider what kind of material we'll use in the surround and hearth. I think I'm drawn to a light colored limestone or marble, like this one.
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Recommended casinos for Craps in Las Vegas
Playing Craps and Testing your System on a Limited Budget
- Our Recommendation: JOKERS WILD
- You have to venture far from the Vegas Strip to get low minimums on craps, but ohhow low these minimums are! The Jokers Wild is near Henderson on the BoulderStrip, and at their lone craps table you can bet as little as $2 on the Pass orDon't Pass, and just $1 on Prop bets. This table is usually staffed by break-indealers and jammed with player bets ranging from 1$ to $25. The table odds are 10X,which give players a lot of range to test strategy using the FreeOdds bet. Prudent and patient players should be able to experiment withstrategies extensively with only $50 to $100. This is a great spot to test yoursystem within the constraints of a small bankroll.
On a recent visit The Bone Man faded his daughter Ashley with a little bankrolland after about two hours of play lady Ashley was a winner. The Jokers Wild is atidy and clean casino and the single craps table features a clean layout with fairlynew gaming cheques. There is an attractive cocktail lounge within listening distanceof the craps table, often featuring country and western music. There's also a smallsports book and cocktail service area on the south end of the casino.
LOCATION: 920 North Boulder Highway, Henderson, NV 89015
Phone: (702) 564-8100, website
Playing Craps in Downtown Vegas
- Our Recommendation: MAIN STREET STATION
- There is no Downtown casino that can match the table offerings at the Main StreetStation. The craps pit here features three clean tables, experienced dicecrew and generous 20X table odds. The table minimum is $5and maximum is $1,000. Serious players should be able to test strategies with a$500 to $1,000 bankroll.
The best access to Main Street Station from the Fremont mall is to walk throughthe Las Vegas Club casino, out the back door, cross the street and into the CaliforniaClub, the home of the World's Record Craps Roll.Take the escalator up to the second floor and walk through the pedestrian overpassto Main Street Station.
Main Street Station features an elegant Victorian Theme and has one of the bestMicro Breweries in Vegas.
You can pre-arrange your credit line by getting an application at Main Street's website.
LOCATION: 200 N. Main Street
Phone: 800-465-0711, website
Rolling the Bones on the Las Vegas Strip
- Our Recommendation: CASINO ROYALE
- The best craps deal in all of Las Vegas is located right in the middle of the worldfamous Las Vegas Strip, the often-overlooked Casino Royale. The Craps Pithere features two full tables and a sit-down crap shoot. The two full tables featurea $3 minimum and a $500 maximum on flat bets with a $2,500 maximum on Free Odds, which are a super-generous 100x, the absolute best offering inthe Las Vegas area, even better than downtown. The 100X odds formerly provided atSam's Town on the Boulder Highway and Downtown at Binion's Horseshoe no longer exist.
The sit-down table has limited options on maximums, so NextShooter recommends thatyou play on the full tables.
Casino Royale is located across the street from the Mirage and between the Venetianand Harrah's. As there is no major entertainment venue in Casino Royale, NextShootersuggests that you stroll through Harrah's to the south side and witness The CarnavalCourt venue. Most nights there is live music which can be seen from the exteriorof the complex. Watch the bartenders juggle spirits and mixers from the main bar.This is a great spot for people watching.
LOCATION: 3411 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, NV 89109
Phone: 800-854-7666, website
The Best Options in Vegas on The Boulder Highway
- Recommendation: EASTSIDE CANNERY
- The Eastside Cannery that opened in late 2008 is now offering $3 and $5 minimumson weekdays and posting 100X Free Odds. There are two tables, normally running weekendsand Holidays, one table usually running on weekdays and during graveyard shifts.The 100X Free Odds posting is matched in Vegas only by the Casino Royale propertyon The Strip. The facility also features an attractive cocktail lounge called Marilyn'sand often posts up attractive entertainment with a no-minimum requirement on cocktails.The sportsbook at this Cannery property is very much alligned to Horse action, thoughthere are many high definition television sets at the adjacent sports bar.
LOCATION: 5255 Boulder Highway, Henderson, NV 89122
Phone: 800-856-5300, website
- Our Recommendation: SAM'S TOWN HOTEL AND GAMBLING HALL
- Sam's Town Hotel and Gambling Hall is another solid option in Las Vegas on the BoulderHighway. This was one of the last bastions for 100X odds which were offeredfor a short while after Binion's Horseshoe (Downtown) discontinued its own 100xodds. In mid-2002 Sam's Town reduced its table odds to 20X which is still second-bestonly to Casino Royale in the Vegas vicinity.
The craps pit at Sam's Town features five tables. 20x Odds. $5 Minimum, and $3,000Maximum. Maximum on odds is $5,000. The casino was remodeled in early 2000. Forsports bettors there are nice 32″ TV screens directly over two of the craps tables.This is the best craps deal on The Boulder Highway.
At Sam's Town the Bone Man and daughter Ashley watched the dramatic laser show inThe Mystic Falls complex. Later on The Bone Man cornered a craps dealer to ask aboutthe roll that was rumored to have made the casino replace their former 100X oddsofferings with the current 20X odds posting, but the dealer said there wasn't anyparticular day or event that caused this change in policy, as many big-player winningdays had occurred a number of months prior to the changes in odds offerings.
You can sign up for credit at Sam's Town by filling out the application from their website. Once you have established a credit line atSam's Town you can also use their website to track your play for tax purposes.
LOCATION: 5111 Boulder Highway, Henderson, NV 89122
Phone: 800-897-8696, website
Best family of casinos
- Our Recommendation: STATION CASINOS
- The Station Casino properties are one of the fastest growing and best managed companiesin Vegas. All Station properties post 10X Odds in their craps pits withthe exception of the little Wild, Wild West property on Tropicana, and The GreenValley Ranch that posts 3-4-5x Odds. Barley's Casino on Sunset Road no longer hasa casino pit.
Their "Boarding Pass" comp. system and promotion is one of the best packages forplayers, and comps can be accrued in any property and applied at any other property.You can sign up for The Boarding Pass on their website.
Station Casinos has managed to corner the locals market by positioning their propertiesto encircle the whole of Las Vegas.
The Station Properties include:
- Texas Station
- Palace Station
- Sunset Station
- Green Valley Ranch
- Boulder Station
- Wild, Wild West
- Santa Fe Station
- Barley's Casino
- Fiesta – Henderson
- Fiesta – Rancho
- Red Rock Station
- Aliante Station
Check out their room rates and promotions, often featuring Internet Specials.
LOCATION: Various locations throughout Las Vegas, Henderson and Green Valley
Phone: 800-6-STATIONS, website
- Binion's Horseshoe (Downtown Las Vegas)
- We're sad to have had to remove Binion's Horshoe from our Recommended list. Overthe past couple of years they have reduced their table odds from 100X to 20X, againdown to 10X, and in recent years they've dropped the number of of craps tables from12 to 6. In addition at one time they were in heavy litigation for not paying theirfees for their participation in The Fremont Experience promotion, and many dealersthere were upset with the way that tokes were being handled during The World Seriesof Poker promotion. All we can say is that "The Shoe" has been going downhill fastthough attempts for upgrades are now being made in 2008 by the new Four Queens owner.For history buffs, you might want to take a walk through if you are downtown andjust try to picture what was once a craps shooters paradise.


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So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. (Acts 20:32)
But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 3:14-15)
Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. (James 1:21)
The Word of God brings us to salvation. It is called "the incorruptible seed" ( 1 Peter1:23). It is the truth about Jesus that washes us and makes us holy before the Lord (Ephesians 5:25; John 17:17). When we let God plant this word in our hearts it brings forth faith (Romans 10:17). It is "living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12). Because it is given by inspiration of God (literally, God-breathed), it is "profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
The Word of God is able to make us wise for salvation, to save and sanctify us, and to build us up and give us an inheritance through faith in Jesus Christ. Let the incorruptible seed of the Word of God be implanted in your heart and receive all the riches of this wonderful inheritance God has for you. It begins by receiving the Lord Jesus Christ.


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Richard H. Sikes (left), Frank Hannigan (center) and Joseph C. Dey Jr. examine the position of Sikes' ball during the 1963 U.S. Amateur at the Wakonda Club in Des Moines, Iowa. Sikes sought relief from a hole he thought was made by a burrowing animal. He was not granted relief and lost in the championship match to Deane Beman. (USGA Museum)
Frank Hannigan was perhaps the loudest voice of reason in golf. His wit and reasoned, straight forward discourse and writings are going to be missed. He could never have been accused of political correctness. Golf needed him but wouldn't listen.
But I'll also miss Frank Hannigan because he had a profound influence on my career. I met Frank, or Mr. Hannigan as I referred to him in those years, at Merion during the 1981 US Open. Frank needed to see a few things on the course and I was charged by Richie Valentine (Merion's Superintendent) to take him around. Now, in those days the Open was a much more intimate, championship centric event, so that I, as the Assistant Superintendent, got to spend one on one time with Mr. Hannigan, quite an honor.
Based on that little bit of time that we spent together chatting about golf, The Open and Merion, I called on Mr Hannigan in 1984 for a letter of reference for the Cherry Hills Country Club Superintendent position. And now, these 30 years later, I remember well, that conversation. I asked Mr. Hannigan if he remembered me and he said that he did. He asked me what I had been doing since The Open and I told him that I was the Superintendent at Rolling Green Golf Club. Frank got all excited as he talked about what a great golf course Rolling Green was and about the 1976 Women's Open that was held there. Then we talked about the Cherry Hills opportunity and he said that he would gladly write a letter of reference for me.
Well, I got the job at Cherry Hills at the ripe old age of 25 years old and I had no way of knowing what Frank had written in his letter until years later when Cherry Hill's General Manager, Joe Vincent, gave me a copy of the letter. Frank's letter to those of you that knew him was just so typical. I'm paraphrasing a bit; Frank wrote that he didn't know whether or not I could grow grass but that I ran the US Open at Merion.
Over the years, I kept in touch with Frank and we'd run into each other occasionally. Frank would have me laughing at his take on some of my exploits in the industry. I felt that we were kindred spirits, in that each of us stood up for what we believed in and called it the way we saw it. Golf will miss Mr. Hannigan.
Trees and Frank Hannigan: An interesting aside to many of you, Frank Hannigan was one of two men responsible for the tree removal movement, looking critically at the over-planting of trees on golf courses. This movement led to the rediscovery of more varied strategy, better turf conditions, improved vistas, and quite often, a return to the golf course architect's original intent.


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Photo Credit: Brian Sprout
There is so much to see and do here in Okanagan. Take a day trip and explore other communities in the area and then return to Vernon to enjoy our hospitality and fine amenities.
Armstrong, located 20 minutes north of Vernon, is known for its heritage buildings and charming old west downtown area. It is also home to the famous Interior Provincial Exhibition and Stampede.
Cherryville, about 40 minutes east of Vernon on Hwy. 6, is nestled at the base of the Monashee Mountains. Cherryville is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts and artisans alike.
Enderby can be found on the banks of the Shuswap River, in the shadow of the Enderby cliffs. You can spend the day at farm and garden markets, or take in a drive-in movie at the Starlight, where you'll find North America's largest drive-in movie screen.
Falkland is 40 minutes northwest of Vernon and is well known as an outdoorsy town. There are 10 lakes within 10 miles, and it is the home to the Falkland Stampede.
Kamloops is one of the larger cities in the area and is known as Canada's Tournament Capital. There you'll find an abundance of recreational opportunities all year round. It is located 80 minutes northwest of Vernon.
Kelowna is the largest and fastest growing city in the Okanagan. Located 45 minutes from Vernon, Kelowna is set against an impressive backdrop of mountains and lakes. It's also home to the Canadian Culinary Championships, held each year in February.
The District of Lake Country is near the centre of the Okanagan Valley and is made up of four distinct communities: Oyama, Winfield, Carr's Landing and Okanagan Centre. It is 20 minutes south of Vernon.
Salmon Arm, situated at the southern most point of Shuswap Lake, about 45 minutes north of Vernon, is a world-famous recreation area. Shuswap Lake is perfect for going on houseboat adventures.
Spallumcheen is north of Vernon, just before Armstrong. It is one of the oldest and largest municipalities in the southern Interior of BC and boasts a rich agricultural heritage.


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The search tool below will help you to identify court(s)/authority(ies) competent for a specific European legal instrument. Please note that although every effort has been made to ascertain the accuracy of the results, there may be some exceptional cases concerning the determination of competence that are not necessarily covered.
Article 18 (a)(i) - the authorities which are competent to order protection measures and issue certificates in accordance with Article 5
In Swedish law there are no civil law protection measures of the kind referred to in Regulation (EU) No 606/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 June 2013 on mutual recognition of protection measures in civil matters. There is consequently no authority with power to order such measures or to issue certificates in accordance with Article 5.
Article 18 (a)(ii) - the authorities before which a protection measure ordered in another Member State is to be invoked and/or which are competent to enforce such a measure
A protection measure ordered in another Member State can be invoked before the public prosecutor (åklagaren) of the place where the measure is to apply or is chiefly to apply.
Article 18 (a)(iii) - the authorities which are competent to effect the adjustment of protection measures in accordance with Article 11(1)
The public prosecutor of the place where the measure is to apply or is chiefly to apply is competent to effect the adjustment of protection measures in accordance with Article 11(1).
Article 18 (a)(iv) - the courts to which the application for refusal of recognition and, where applicable, enforcement is to be submitted in accordance with Article 13
An application for refusal of recognition in accordance with Article 13 should be brought in the District Court (tingsrätt) of Stockholm.
Article 18 (b) - the language or languages accepted for translations as referred to in Article 16(1)
The national language version of this page is maintained by the respective Member State. The translations have been done by the European Commission service. Possible changes introduced in the original by the competent national authority may not be yet reflected in the translations. The European Commission accepts no responsibility or liability whatsoever with regard to any information or data contained or referred to in this document. Please refer to the legal notice to see copyright rules for the Member State responsible for this page.


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Date: Tuesday, 02 October 2012
Posted by: Cycling Southland
Category: Club Notices
Stock up your freezer with cheese rolls now and help fundraise for Nick Kergozou to attend the Oceanias in Australia next month.
You can order from Michelle now - both white or brown are $6 a dozen.
Email: email@example.com


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In Requiem, book 3 in the bestselling Delirium trilogy by Lauren Oliver, the final showdown between the Invalids and the Cureds ensues. Who will triumph? Kidzworld has the book review.
The Invalids
Now that Alex has returned alive and well, Lena's heart is torn in two. She knows that she will never love Julian as much as she loves Alex. But now, even though Alex has joined forces with their group of Invalids, he wants nothing to do with Lena. Instead, his steady companion is Coral, a beautiful girl who they found unconscious in the woods. While the love triangle drama between Alex, Julian and Lena reaches an all time high, another loved one from Lena's past returns. The Invalids are planning an invasion, hoping to breach the wall surrounding Portland and take back their homes. Unfortunately, they have no idea how strong the Cureds are.
The Cureds
Inside the wall, Lena's old best friend Hana feels guilty for reporting Lena and Alex's relationship, and ultimately forcing Lena into the Wilds. But now her bad karma is earning her a tough lot in life as the wife of Fred, the new mayor. Fred seemed nice enough at first. But as their wedding day draws near, his dark side begins to surface. Hana wonders what happened to Cassie, Fred's previous wife of five years, and why she suddenly disappeared off the map. Meanwhile, Hana has noticed that her Cure isn't working the way it should. She's still having dreams and experiencing emotions - two things that the Cure is supposed to eliminate. Now that the Invalids are invading, which side will Hana support?
The Bottom Line
Requiem is the final book in Lauren Oliver's Delirium trilogy, a bestselling teen dystopian series. This book explores a new format: an alternating narrative between Lena in the Wilds and Hana in Portland. It's an exciting final installment in this beloved trilogy. While we recommend this book, we suggest you read the first two books in the series first: Delirium and Pandemonium.
Requiem Rating:
Have Your Say
Will you read The Delirium Trilogy by Lauren Oliver? Tell us in our comment section below!


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Now More Than Ever Huawei Is the Wrong Way
Huawei and the Chinese Embassy continue to try to mislead the people of Romania. The purported clarifications of Huawei's position distributed by the Chinese embassy, various authors with checkered pasts and Russian disinformation outlets are demonstrably false and unavailing. The Communist Chinese disdain freedom, the rule of law, human rights, and the truth. Huawei and ... Read More»


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Pauline Esparon plays with the notion of «rawness», a form of archaism, a primary state of materials before their standardization by industry. Forms from the vegetal, the animal or the mineral worlds become playful and can be intertwined. Her works always start with the investigation of materials, and slide from an instinctive research to a definite shape. Objects are plural, to constitute a collection, an ensemble, an atmosphere.
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The two great British heroes of the Napoleonic Wars will star in Sworders' October 20 Books and maps sale.
The two great British heroes of the Napoleonic Wars will star in Sworders' October 20 Books and maps sale. Four items associated with Horatio, 1st Viscount Nelson come together as one lot, including part of the lying-in-state drapery from the great man's funeral, which come mounted, framed and labelled.
They also include a mounted, framed and signed dispatch from the Admiral, also marked 'Bronte Nelson' to the side and dated 26 October 1799. It reads: 'Sir James St Clair-Erskine, best Commander in Chief of his majesty's forces'. Two prints, one of Nelson himself, complete the lot, which carries a guide of £400-600.
A panorama of The Funeral Procession of Arthur, Duke of Wellington, by Samuel Herny Gordon Alken and George Augustus Sala, published by Ackermann of London in 1852, carries hope of £1000-1500. It features a continuous strip hand-coloured aquatint panorama, on 56 sections with mourners and regiments listed at the foot.
A mighty 67.6ft (20m) long in one sheet, with a folding height extension to show the funeral carriage fully extended, the linen-backed panorama shows some browning, with occasional bubbling and creasing, but is nevertheless in good to very good condition. The whole folds into its original red cloth portfolio, the front cover embossed with Wellington's arms and title in gilt.
The panorama comes with an original sheet of Notices to persons going in the procession or holding tickets of admission to St. Paul's for the Funeral of the late Duke of Wellington, 18th Nov. 1852.
"In the year of the bicentenary of the Battle of Waterloo, these mementoes are timely reminders of just how important these two figures – Nelson and Wellington – are in the history of our nation," said Sworders' books and maps consultant Michael Kousah. "The stunning panorama, alone, instantly coveys the huge impact that the Duke of Wellington had on the public consciousness, and what his passing meant."
A fine commode, believed to be by John Cobb (1715-1778), arguably one of England's greatest furniture makers, comes up for sale in Dick Turpin | The Legend Lives On to be held on 25 January.
7 December 2023
Sworders are pleased to present a selection of antique and vintage textiles in our December Fine Interiors sale, including items from the collection of the late Hildegard Heygate.
4 December 2023
It is with great pleasure that we announce that Emma Barnett has been appointed as Head of Department with responsibility for the future development of our Homes and Interiors sales – Emma has been with Sworders for some time, but as she now moves into this pivotal role, we would like to take this opportunity to introduce her to you.
30 November 2023


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The Chinese consumer electronics company OPPO has launched OPPO F3 Barcelona Limited Edition in Kenya.
As the name suggests, the handset commemorates the partnership between the electronics company and the football club FC Barcelona.
The smartphone manufacturer has already released several Barcelona limited edition smartphones into the market.
This partnership gives a clear idea about the colors we would expect the smartphone to rock as was the case with the Camon CX Manchester City Limited Edition and Huawei KFC-branded smartphone.
The Barcelona Limited Edition does not disappoint our expectations since it rocks the club's colors and Barca logo on the back.
The launch comes just a few months after the launch of F3 the selfie expert in Kenya. The handset's nickname signals its ability to provide a good selfie experience thanks to its prominent dual front camera.
OPPO has promised that the handset would sport advanced technologies, innovative features, and a vibrant look. Is this the case with OPPO F3 Barcelona Limited Edition? Let's find out:
OPPO F3 Barcelona Limited Edition Specifications
- Display – 5 inches, 1080×1920 (401-PPI) FHD Super AMOLED display with Corning Gorilla Glass 5
- Chipset – Mediatek MT6750T
- CPU – Octa-core 1.5 GHz Cortex-A53
- GPU – Mali-T860MP2
- Memory – 64GB internal storage with microSD expandable storage (up to 256GB), 4GB RAM
- OS – Android 6.0 Marshmallow – based on ColorOS 3.0
- Primary Camera – 13 MP (1/3″ sensor size, 1.12 µm pixel size), f/2.2, with phase detection autofocus, LED flash
- Secondary Camera –Dual 16 MP (1/3.1″ sensor size, f/2.0) + 8 MP, f/2.4
- Battery – Non-removable Li-Ion 3200 mAh battery, VOOC fast charging
- Sensors – Fingerprint scanner, Accelerometer, proximity, ambient light
In case you were keen enough and have the memory of an elephant, the specifications remind us of the 'selfie expert'.
Perhaps, the only big difference is that the Barcelona Edition comes with a unique Barcelona backpack as a gift.
One of the most disappointing things is that while OPPO has talked of a software upgrade, this does not include the Android version platform since Android Marshmallow remains.
It is fair to say that the update is simply the Barcelona theme and a color OS.
OPPO F3 Barcelona Limited Edition Price
The device is retailing at Ksh. 39,990. According to OPPO, the handset sold out within 48 hours.
The price tag is definitely a lot higher than that of OPPO F3 but the company justifies this by pointing out the evident upgrades in software (eye rolls).
In case you are wondering where and how you can purchase an OPPO F3 Barcelona Limited Edition unit, you will be disappointed to learn that the company will not be bringing new units.
The Limited Barcelona edition is quite the looker. It does sport a premium look and thus perfectly suits Barcelona fans.
The OPPO-FC Barcelona partnership is definitely strategic especially since some die hard Barcelona fans would purchase the smartphone based on its connection to the football club.
Would you buy this handset just because it is associated with FC Barcelona? Talk to us in the comments section.


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Overview to Clubs in Soho, London
Page Content
If you fancy a night out in the capital, there are few places more perfect than Soho to cater to your night-owl needs. Every street in the area offers an abundance of restaurants, bars and, of course, the all-important clubs. Throughout Soho, lurking behind grand entrances and inconspicuous doorways you will find a playground of cocktails, dance floors and music. Whether you are gay or straight, young or old, you will find a whole plethora of nightclub options in Soho.
This page will provide an overview to the clubs in Soho. There is some advice on what to expect from a night out in Soho. There are also links to individual pages with descriptions of some of the most popular clubs in Soho.
Each individual page provides information on the location, contact details, what to expect and photos of each club. The club listed is accompanied by an individual description of what to expect when you head there.
If you would like to start your night out with a few drinks in the bars in Soho, you will not be short of ideas in Soho. Check out our Guide to Bars in Soho for details on some of Soho's popular bars and pubs.
What to expect from the clubs in Soho
If you are looking to have a complete night out in Soho, don't forget that Soho is the proud owner of some of the best restaurants in London. If you would like to begin your evening with some dinner, you will find a whole range of options in the area. In Soho, there are restaurants to suit you whether you are after glamour, a quick bite, something exotic or something affordable. For more information on the eating options in Soho, check out our Guide to Restaurants in Soho.
Soho is famed for its nightlife. It does not have any huge clubs like Fabric or Proud2. But what it lacks in size it makes up for in atmosphere, originality and variety.
One of the important clubbing areas in Soho is the gay quarter. This can be found in and around Old Compton Street. If you are hoping for a night of gay bars and clubs, simply head to Old Compton Street and take a wander around the small streets that surround it. You will find bars and clubs to suit all tastes.
That is not to say that Soho only offers gay clubbing - there is something for everybody in this part of town. If you are simply in search of a night out and are open to different styles of music and dress codes, you can simply head to streets such as Wardour Street, Greek Street and Brewer Street. Each evening you will find these streets and those surrounding them thronging with people who are out to eat, drink and dance.
If you are looking for something more specific, it is worth doing some research prior to your trip. Have a look at the websites of the different clubs (see below). They will generally provide you with a wealth of information regarding their nightly programming. In Soho, you can find anything from salsa dance classes to electro DJs to live burlesque and cabaret any night of the week. You can also find information on dress code, opening times and maybe even whether they are offering any drinks deals.
Clubs in Soho
Here we have provided links to detailed pages for some of Soho's popular clubs. These are a few examples of the many clubs that can be found throughout the area. As is the case with forward-thinking and cosmopolitan places, the clubs in Soho are in constant flux. Therefore, to keep a close eye on new clubs that are opening or closing, it is worth buying a weekly listings guide such as Time Out magazine.
Freedom Bar is a baroque style two-floored club space with a cocktail bar and an intimate club area. Freedom Bar offers live cabaret and burlesque performances on some nights of the week.
Club 49 Soho is a club that suits a wide range of tastes. It has a modern feel with blue lighting and long shared banquet seating areas. You will find a large dance floor area lurking at the back of the bar - perfect when you are ready to have a boogie.
Soho Comedy Club does exactly what it says on the tin. For four nights every week the company offers comedy nights featuring both up and coming new talent and more established acts. It is a fun idea if you are searching for an activity to keep a large group amused.
Soho is a good place to head for a night out. Once you are there you have everything that you need in one place - the restaurants for some dinner before the night starts, a whole host of pubs and cocktail bars to enjoy some pre-dinner drinks and the ever-important selection of clubs. There are enough clubs in the area to ensure that there is something to suit all tastes and budgets. So, get your glad rags on and get ready to party.


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Marni Market Playland in Milano
We, at Mimi Berlin, didn't attend the Salone del Mobile 2017 this year because we missed our flight. But that you now by now, if you follow our blog….. Well, this week we will be posting about venues, designs and other places we feel we really missed out on. Being the Fashion Angels that we are we feel sorry for missing Marni's Playland installation. Luckily there are lot's of pictures, gif's and what have you not, on the interweb. And Marni also created a mini-market online for us to buy stuff from. Like the bag pictured below; which is actually a 'Maxi geometric vase holder' or a "trapeze-shaped-PVC- Artefact-product-with-possible-mperfections"; LOL!
"On the occasion of Milan 2017 Salone del Mobile, Marni will be transforming its space at Viale Umbria 42 into one big playground: MARNI PLAYLAND.
Reflecting on the concept of play, Marni invites the public to forget predefined rules and structures and interact with the surrounding space and the intriguing elements it contains. The MARNI PLAYLAND is a stretch of sand which is the perfect backdrop for a series of extraordinary objects and furniture sculptures that have cast practicality aside to embrace their playful side, leaving them open to interpretation." (read more marni.com)
On Marni's Youtube channel you'll find more video's and more images are to be seen at dezeen.com


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Colette.com is a little hot website named after Colette, the sexy babe behind it. The site features the hottest girls in porn so don't get surprised to see girls like Tori Black, Riley Reid, Kacey Jordan or Caprice making appearance here and getting fucked like never before. All kinds of rock hard sex categories are included here. There are one- on-one scenes, interracial action, group sex, blow jobs, masturbation, bondage sex, lesbian sex and so many more.
The site is fairy small at the moment but with the regular updates that I saw, the amount of content will not be an issue in future. At the moment, there are about 47 movies and about 34 sets of pictures that members can enjoy. The materials should last you a month at least and in case you find yourself having nothing new to see at the site, you can always read her blog which has lots of sexy stuffs.
All their videos are available for playing at the site or downloading. For streaming, the embedded player will come in handy and for those who want to download, the different MP4 versions will help with that. There are different quality options to choose from, and the best has full HD specs. Once you log in to Colette.com, you come across the most popular scenes but you can also decide to view the most recent additions if you want. To see all the content, go to 'updates' section. To view the lineup of babes, you can use the model index.
The site also gives you lots of ways to interact with their girls. For instance, you can message the girl you like and send her some kisses using a button that works like the Facebook like button. You can also rate the girls and use other members rating to choose the episodes to view first.
Even though Colette.com is still small, they have some fresh content featuring the hottest girls in some really beautiful hardcore fucking movies. The quality is great and the website is very user friendly. If you want to be part of a great startup that will most likely become the next big thing in the industry, don't hesitate to grab your pass while the membership price is still low.


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Kirk Cousins has taken a new contract into this increasingly uncertain 2020 season, keeping his place as Minnesota's quarterback for what will likely be at least another three years.
Whenever he takes the field next with the Vikings, he'll have a lot of new teammates around him, too. An expected exodus of several mainstay players, prompted by a salary cap crunch, was accelerated when dissatisfied wide receiver Stefon Diggs was traded to Buffalo the same day – March 16 – Cousins agreed to the $66 million extension.
Roster turnover is an NFL reality, just as on the coaching staff. The appointment of Gary Kubiak to take over the job, following the departure of Kevin Stefanski, meant Cousins will play for a fifth offensive coordinator in five seasons.
"We've got to play the hand we're dealt," Cousins said on a video conference call he took part on Tuesday from his parents' house in the Orlando, Florida, area, where he and his wife, Julie, recently settled for extra help with their two young boys.
While Adam Thielen missed half of the season because of a hamstring injury, Diggs helped Cousins post career bests as a starter in passer rating, yards per attempt, touchdown percentage, interception percentage and, most importantly, wins. That included his first postseason victory, at New Orleans in the wild-card round.
"It became apparent that he wanted to play elsewhere, and I think it was smart of the Vikings to grant him that opportunity," Cousins said. "It wasn't a mystery, and that's OK. I wish him really well. I just so enjoyed playing with him. He's a special player."
Diggs has not been available to reporters since the deal that fetched the Vikings four draft picks, including an extra first-rounder for next week.
He has yet to fully elaborate on why he wanted a move, though the preference of coach Mike Zimmer and Kubiak to emphasize the run first in the offense surely did not help his outlook.
In an essay published recently by The Players' Tribune, Diggs expressed his appreciation of and respect for Cousins, quieting some of the speculation that he wasn't happy with his quarterback.
"My text message to him said something along the lines of, `You're as good as any receiver I've ever played with,"' Cousins said, adding: "There were a lot of games where his talent makes an enormous difference. I just wanted to let him know that, and I'm sure the Bills will be thrilled to have that."
Cousins described the deal as a "win-win" for what the Vikings were able to recoup, the same label he put on his new contract that stretches through the 2022 season.
He reduced his salary cap hit for 2020 by $10 million, gaining $31 million in newly guaranteed money and remaining among the league's highest-paid players.
"It was a no-brainer for me to want to be back with the Vikings and try to find a way to make it work," Cousins said, adding: "Whoever the quarterback is that delivers a world championship to the Minnesota Vikings is going to be welcome in the state of Minnesota for the rest of their lives. I certainly want to be that quarterback, and we're working really hard to do that."
In the meantime, Cousins has been relying on basement and driveway workouts – "surprisingly efficient," he said – during the COVID-19 pandemic that has shut down NFL facilities and kept players from training together.
He's been thinking about the importance of running more when pressure forces him out of the pocket, a weapon that most of the league's best quarterbacks use often these days.
He's been staying optimistic about putting the purple jersey on later this year.
"With the provision that people and their lives and their health will be intact and be safe, I think we can and should get back to football, and I believe there are creative and unique ways to do it if necessary," Cousins said.
"I think it would be great for our country, for football fans, to be able to watch games come the fall on the weekends."
Copyright © 2020
TTWN Media Networks Inc.


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We're officially through to the Sweet 16 and this first week of action did not disappoint. We saw buzzer-beaters and back-and-forth matchups, while also getting a chance to enjoy some thorough domination by top-flight teams. The final four games of this first weekend were not quite as entertaining as the rest of the weekend with three blowouts, although two of the blowouts were rather unexpected.
No. 3 Purdue vs. No. 11 VCU - Purdue was a nine-point favorite against VCU and I expected the Boilermakers to roll the Rams. Boy was I wrong. The Rams trailed 24-23 with 6:05 to play in the first half but they used a 13-0 run to take the lead and control of the game and never looked back. Purdue never cut the lead below eight from then on and VCU thoroughly dominated the Boilermakers en route to a 94-76 victory.
No. 3 Syracuse vs. No. 11 Marquette - Syracuse was a 4 ½-point favorite against Marquette and I had the Golden Eagles covering and winning. I hit this one on the head as Marquette sprung the upset to advance to the Sweet 16, winning 66-62. Syracuse looked strong early, but Marquette stormed back late in the first half to turn it into a close game. The two teams exchanged leads throughout the second half before Darius Johnson-Odom hit a monster three with 27 seconds left. Syracuse couldn't hit their own three and it was just about over from there.
No. 1 Kansas vs. No. 9 Illinois - Kansas was an 8 ½-point favorite against Illinois and I had the Jayhawks covering with ease. While Kansas pulled away easily late, the Illini did give them a bit of a fight into the final ten minutes of the game. The Illini hung about four points back and were five back with 6:35 to go. However, Kansas used a 10-0 run to build a sufficient cushion and cruise the rest of the way, winning 73-59.
No. 2 Notre Dame vs. No. 10 Florida State - Notre Dame was a 5 ½-point favorite against Florida State and I had the Irish covering. Another big time wrong in the vein of VCU-Purdue, although FSU had to work a little bit harder to nail down this win. The Seminoles defeated the Irish 71-57 in a game that was both closer than that and more of a blowout. FSU led big most of the game but Notre Dame made a mini-run late. However, the Seminoles withstood the barrage and pulled away for the victory.
Final Tally
I went 2-2 against the spread and 2-2 straight up as I was able to pick the Marquette upset and the Kansas victory. I did not see the VCU or Florida State victories coming, even after they went by with such ease. We now head into the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament with some interesting matchups. Kansas would seem to have a cakewalk into the Final Four, but this weekend has shown us that anything is possible.