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Alistair Cook is the father of improvised theatre in Vancouver. That's not to say he descended from the heavens with improv in hand, ready to brighten up the lives of Vancouverites. No, Alistair Cook didn't introduce the form to our city. He does, however, look like the type of guy who sometimes goes to Home Depot and maybe talks about sports a lot, which are both important, fatherly qualities, and enough to earn him that title.
More importantly, Cook is the man in charge of Instant Theatre, a hilarious mainstay in the Vancouver theatre scene; and a producer of the Vancouver International Improv Festival, a world-class event that brings joy and laughter to the city just as the October weather makes us hate everything. After 20 years of working with improv in every way imaginable, there's a good chance he holds the answer to the important questions. So naturally, we asked him about sports and ghost mojitos. A full transcription of the interview can be found below.
First off, could I get you to introduce yourself?
Sure. I'm Alistair Cook, I'm the artistic director of Instant Theatre Company and the managing producer of Vancouver International Improv Festival, among other things.
Could you give us some background on Instant Theatre?
The past 20 years we've been producing improvisational theatre in Vancouver, touring all over North America and sometimes to Europe and Australia. Basically, we've been producing what we feel is great short-form and long-form improv.
What's the current cast you're working with like?
Well, we have two large casts. We have our company cast, which has all the veteran improvisers that we've been working with for quite a while, and then we have the StreetFight cast, who are our up-and-comers who perform regularly in our Sunday night show.
What's going on with Instant Theatre right now?
We have our Sunday shows, every week we put on StreetFight and the Late Show. We're presently in the midst of the Vancouver Fringe Festival, we're producing Starship Galaxy, which is an improvised space adventure. And we're gearing up as producers of the Vancouver International Improv Festival!
Can you do a ten second summary of the last Starship Galaxy show?
Yes, I can. I think the suggestion was microchip. The Starship Galaxy and its crew found themselves out in space next to a fully Amish planet that was being attacked by another race who were fully involved in technology. They wanted all planets to be covered in electrical objects. The crew assisted the Amish, through various horse-drawn cart escapades. They managed to fight off the techno-bots and save the Amish planet.
How do you go about designing a show like that?
When you're working with a genre as vast as science fiction, you have to look at all the sub-genres and map it all out. Then you simplify it down to the essential skeleton. What does the audience expect to see in an improvised piece about science fiction? Then you figure out what is a variable, and what needs to happen. For example, there always needs to be some heroic character who is going through space, finding adventures and doing good. Whether that's a captain, or a pirate, or just some fourteen-year-old kid in Dad's spaceship is up to the audience. In this particular show we wanted to work off the Firefly, Star Trek world.
What other elements do you need to focus on in a space epic?
Primarily, we were looking at the types of characters and the language. Like in Star Trek, just how people interact with each other, the hierarchy. [We looked at] the parallels between Guardians of the Galaxy and Firefly, Star Wars and the space opera or space western. We just watched a lot of movies and tried to figure out how to reinvent, not just revisit exact moments from those movies.
You're performing that at Havana, right?
It's at Havana, it's a Bring Your Own Venue show [for the Vancouver Fringe Festival].
Is there a spooky rumor that you'd like to start about Havana to motivate people to come watch?
Well, as you know, recently Fidel Castro has had some medical issues. And some say that every time he gets sick, his ghost transports itself to behind the bar at Havana. I've had one of his mojitos, and they are great.
Spooky. What's it been like working with Vancouver Fringe?
It's been great, they're a fantastic organization.
For people who haven't experienced improv, how is it different from regular theatre?
What's the difference between a soccer game and a football game? They're both sports, they're both exciting! But the content is a bit different. Improv and theatre are both theatrical entertainment. One is made up on that evening based on suggestions from the audience, the other has painstakingly been rehearsed down to the moment. Theatres these days aren't making as much money. People always say "Theatre is so live! You have to come down and see it!" But if you're doing another Shakespeare, another Death of a Salesman, sure, it could be an ingenious artwork, but it's being revisited. It's universally known. It might be a little stale. With improv, every single night is brand new and being discovered onstage as the audience sees it. Improvisation is the most live theatre there is. That's the difference.
Although, we're kind of the drunken uncle of theatre. Theatre people love having us at parties, but don't want to talk about us.
[Laughter]. What makes Instant Theatre unique amongst improv theatres?
Right now? We have a fantastic cast, we're doing great shows, and we're always looking for new experiences and new formats. However, I'd say a lot of groups do that. We copy great things from a lot of groups, and great groups in Vancouver copy things from us. What really differentiates our group?
We're more attractive?
I'll take that. Looking at the big picture, what makes for good improv?
Pure joy and discovery onstage. And groups that hold themselves to a high artistic bar, that want to achieve something new every night instead of revisiting comedic techniques. There are too many Hilarious Surfer characters. It might work for comedy's sake, but it's not exciting. If you're joyful, if you're discovering things, and if you're always trying to find something new, that's good improv.
What's up next for Instant Theatre?
Well, we're producing the Vancouver International Improv Festival. That's the biggest thing we're working on right now, even though the Fringe show is on. We have 30 shows, acts from all over North America, some of the greatest talent teaching workshops, and it's our 15th anniversary. We've been producing this festival for quite a while now and this year it's spread to a couple venues. We've always tried to keep it nice and small, so that everyone meets each other, but it's gotten to the point where we have so many people who want to be in the festival and see the festival that we just have to expand. I put my foot down at two [venues].
What are you most excited about in regards to producing the festival?
There's an improvised hip-hop long-form show called North Coast coming from New York. We've got friends of mine from Minneapolis, Mike and Joe from Ferrari McSpeedy, who are some of the best, least-known improvisers in North America. They're outstanding. Becky Johnson and Kayla at Sufferettes, one of the greatest duos out there. They've just toured extensively in Europe and all over Canada. I'm starting to just list off the whole festival, because it's all really good.
Is there anything you'd like to mention before we wrap up?
I think Vancouver has, for many years, been a place where improv comes and teaches Vancouver how to do it. Now we've reached a point where we have created a lot of great ideas and great new techniques. The next ten years is going to be about Vancouver going out and showing the world.
Final question: what's your favourite sports metaphor?
My favourite sports saying is "shoulders never lie." Basically, the linebacker, wherever the guy running with the ball is in football, the direction his shoulders are pointing is where he's going. Shoulders never lie. That's really just a thing to remember in life, isn't it?
That's right. Shoulders. They just…
They don't lie.
Starship Galaxy takes place at Havana Theatre as part of the Vancouver Fringe Festival. Tickets and more information can be found here.


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More Portland is Happening Now
Portland is Happening Now, but now more than ever, and in every mile of the city. For Travel Portland's winter campaign, we took that fact and the internet's love of lists, and combined the two.
Portland is 145sq. miles, so we made a list of
145 Things to do in Portland
, and designed an aggregate ultimate go-to guide for visitors.
Featuring custom art exclusively by Portland artists. Here's just a small sampling:
We launched the list with an Eames-referencing spot, and broadcast events and dispatches from the Rose City to the heart of Seattle with a squared shadowbox installation by Portland's own Bent Image Labs.
Eric Swanson
Creative Director:
Hal Curtis
W+K Motion, Chris Purdin
Cassandra Swan, Miyu Shirotsuka, Deirdre Mahon, &
zine makers

subset: commoncrawl


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Youth and Urbanization | Youth innovation is the clean fuel to light up world cities
"Today, 1.6 billion people live in inadequate housing, of which 1 billion live in slums and informal settlements. While millionsRead more
"Today, 1.6 billion people live in inadequate housing, of which 1 billion live in slums and informal settlements. While millionsRead more
Peace and Governance Good governance is a path to peace. Good governance is about the processes for making and implementing decisions.Read more
Courtesy of Rhoda Omenya, UN-Habitat Hacking. A word more often than not, heavy with negative connotations – specifically with referenceRead more
Great to see Ahmad Alhendawi, UN Youth Envoy to the Secretary General, visiting once again the Mathare Environmental Conservation Youth Group (M.E.C.Y.G). AsRead more
Image courtesy GE Young people at 1.8 billion (per UN) are some of the biggest contributors of human capitalRead more
'One machine can do the work of fifty ordinary men. No machine can do the work of one extraordinary man'.Read more
The Innovate Kenya programme is a partnership between UN-Habitat. Samsung and local communities to foster innovation in Kenyan youth. OneRead more
On April 17th this year in Nairobi, Kenya, UN-Habitat and Urban Youth Academy (UYA) met to discuss their mutual globalRead more
The 1st Global Urban Youth Exchange Program run from January 27 to February 10, 2015 under the theme "ideal urbanizationRead more
The growing number of young urban citizens, coupled with the explosion of electronic handheld devices is introducing new challenges andRead more


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by Hugh Frank Smith
People often ask me: "How were you able to cope with your wife Rachael's long illness with Alzheimer's?"
I hope my answer will help other caregivers.
It was, of course, traumatic and emotionally draining to watch my wife of 53 years fade away mentally, then physically, before she died in 1997. Still, there were many bright moments filled with laughter and fond reminiscences of our life together. My wife's infectious humor, for which she had always been noted, remained with her almost to the end, and did much to ease the burden of her illness.
As her condition worsened, we tried to focus on her remaining mental and physical abilities and adjust to her new limitations.
For example, my daughters, Sunde and Melanie, and I found that it was very important
to continue talking with her as if she understood everything we said. We might simplify our sentences, but we never left her out of the conversation, and we always kept eye contact. She was always placed in the middle of whatever activity was going on at the house.
At one point, we gathered Rachael's sister Ruth and my sister Nan, then in their late 80s, and taped a long conversation with the three of them about their years on farms in the early 1900s. You could just see Rachael's speech become more animated as she began to talk about all the animals and people that had populated that period in her life. This was before cars, airplanes, radios, even electricity in many areas. It is a treasured oral family history, especially since times changed so radically during their lifetimes.
I often regret now that I did not have similar conversations with my father, who lived into his mid-90s, and could have told me so much about a way of life in this country that has vanished.
We found it especially important for Rachael to continue her usual routine as much as possible for as long as possible. Until the last two years of her 14-year illness she dressed early every morning for her round of barnyard chores. She often selected rather quirky attire, which amused all of us, and would usually tuck feathers into her belt or cap. She scoured the farm daily for feathers our flock of geese might have shed, and arranged them in vases around the house. She had her special goose, Goosey Goosey Gander, that she had raised by hand and who would come running at the sound of her voice.
Her colony of cats included her special pet, Hans, who spent more time on her lap
than outdoors. She also fed her favorite palomino horse, Apollo, along with our
border collies, Mark and Joyce, and her Plymouth Rock laying hens. She would proudly
exclaim: "Look how many eggs I got today!"
Even as her memory faded, Rachael never seemed depressed, and often she would laugh at herself when she said something ridiculous or outrageous. Rather than correct her mistakes, many of them humorous, we just went along with them. I even kept a log. For example, one evening she looked at me and asked: "How did I happen to marry you? I didn't mean to." We both laughed. Another night, after arriving home from a party, she looked at our house and asked: "Didn't we once live here?" I laughed and she quickly joined me.
I really think she often made comments like that just to elicit a chuckle. When she couldn't get to sleep one night, I suggested: "Why don't you count sheep?" Her reply: "We only have three." That was true; we had three sheep.
Visitors sometimes were subjected to careful scrutiny from Rachael. She looked at
one lady and then frankly asked: "Are those your real teeth?"
Most important, she remained at the center of our farm and our family throughout it
all. We found ways to treasure as much of the end of life as possible. As it turned
out, Rachael's sunny disposition throughout her life was her final gift to us. It
made Alzheimer's "long goodbye" more bearable for my daughters and myself.
[This story was first published in The Memphis Commercial Appeal on March 26, 2004, and is reprinted with permission.]
If you hang a gourd, they'll come
Memphis storm
Growing up apart with Jimmy Carter
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AN INDUSTRIAL tribunal judging 650 equal pay claims against Coventry City Council heard from a top council boss yesterday.
Janet Sutton, human resources manager, was grilled over how much she knew about a £140-a-week bonus paid to binmen from 1999.
The case is to decide whether hundreds of low-paid women such as cleaners and care assistants were unfairly paid compared to men. They are claiming up to six years' back pay, on the basis their work was of "equal worth" but they didn't enjoy such generous perks.
Trade unions Unison and T&G are backing the cases.
Mrs Sutton admitted yesterday she was "incensed" when she learned the binmen had struck a deal with a new bonus.
She was a key part of a council team trying to construct a new pay structure to make sure jobs of equal worth got equal pay. They were going to sweep away all existing bonus schemes which historically had tended to go to male groups of workers.
So she was "cross" when she heard about a new bonus scheme.
She said: "They were all going (bonuses) in a couple of months' time, so why do it?"
Catherine Rayner, barrister for T&G union, produced a note Mrs Sutton had handwritten in 1999 which warned that the binmen's bonus could leave the council at risk of claims from female cleaners, caterers and home carers.
Under cross-examination, Mrs Sutton admitted: "This document was never completed and never sent. It's not even a complete document. My memory, and I won't change my mind on this, is I didn't want to be drawn into it (debate on binmen).
"I got so incensed all my thoughts poured on to paper there and then I decided I wasn't going to do this (send it). This was not a document I could have sent to anybody. It's a handwritten note."
The tribunal continues.


text:
A reward has been offered after a gang of balaclava-clad thieves raided a care home in Greater Manchester.
More than 50 residents, their families and staff were in Pendleton Court Care Home, Chaseley Road, Salford, when it was raided at 16:00 GMT on Monday.
One of the four men forced a member of staff to put cash and residents' jewellery in a bag while three employees were told to get down on the floor.
No-one was seriously injured.
Police said Crimestoppers would pay up to £3,000 to anyone who has information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the men who carried out the raid.
'Disgusting thugs'
The raiders pulled up outside the home in a VW Golf, which was reported stolen from the Salford area earlier this month.
They smashed a magnetic lock at the front of the care home to gain access before bursting into the office.
Det Insp Kenny Blain said: "This is an outrageous attack on a nursing home.
"Clearly a number of people were left very distressed and anxious because of all the loud noises and commotion."
Salford City Mayor Ian Stewart said: "Their right to live and work in peace has been shattered by these disgusting thugs.
"This despicable gang of low life scum must be caught.


text:
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NSG membership: The writing on the great wall
India is better served fashioning an appropriate strategy for the changing global order, rather than single-mindedly pursuing NSG membership.
The Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) meeting in Seoul last week ended with no decision on India's application to join the group as a full member. This outcome was widely expected ever since China took a public stand against a non-signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) being granted membership, since it felt this would undermine the international non-proliferation regime. It elaborated this position further by suggesting that the NSG thoroughly discuss the subject of membership of non-NPT states so that a set of objective criteria could be agreed upon and that no application was treated as an exceptional case.
Having taken this stance, China tried to prevent any formal discussion on India's application for membership, saying that the issue of agreed criteria for admitting non-NPT members had to be discussed and agreed upon first. When Chinese objections were overcome and a discussion on India's application was held eventually, this did not materially change the situation since China and a few other members continued to oppose a decision on the same procedural grounds.
Shyam Saran
The NSG outcome document is in line with Chinese insistence that what should remain on the agenda is the basis on which non-NPT countries could be considered for membership without undermining the NPT as a cornerstone of the international non-proliferation regime. Therefore, India's entry into the NSG as a unique and exceptional case may be extremely difficult even if a determined lobbying effort is launched in the coming weeks and months. The only practical possibility would be for India and Pakistan to be admitted together, which China has indicated it would be willing to support. The problem is that most NSG members will have to hold their noses to swallow and digest the Pakistani application, even if India has no objection. China has ensured that India and Pakistan are now joined at the hip as far as entry into the NSG is concerned.
Working around China
In 2008, India was able to get a waiver from the NSG as an exceptional case allowing it to engage in international commerce in civilian nuclear technology and equipment even though, as a nuclear weapon state, it did not have all its nuclear facilities under international safeguards as required by the group. China was opposed to the waiver but did not take a public stand on it. It encouraged countries like Ireland, New Zealand, Austria and Switzerland to oppose a consensus on the waiver for India, arguing that it would seriously undermine the NPT, that it would upset the nuclear balance in South Asia and trigger a nuclear arms race, and that a criteria-based rather than a country-specific approach should be adopted in order to avoid the charge of discriminatory practice. This was conveyed to me by the then New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark when I called on her to solicit her country's support at the NSG.
However, whenever the issue was raised with the Chinese in meetings between our top leaders or senior officials, the response was a standard mantra: China welcomes the opportunity to promote civil nuclear cooperation with India, but would not want to undermine in any way the international non-proliferation regime. This was ambiguous enough to give China tactical flexibility at the NSG. In light of this ambiguous public posture, our assessment was that if a broad consensus could be built on granting India a waiver, China would not be the one country to raise its hand and oppose the decision. And this is precisely what happened. On the morning of September 6, 2008, even before the last holdout countries like Ireland, New Zealand and Austria had formally dropped their opposition, China conveyed a message to the Indian delegation that it had decided to support the draft waiver decision.
Future-proofing the waiver
Eight years later the geopolitical backdrop against which the NSG meeting took place in Seoul has changed substantially and made it more difficult for India to obtain what should have been a very simple, straightforward decision on membership. The waiver in 2008 had involved very difficult and complex negotiations on the wording of the decision reconciling the different requirements posed by certain key member countries. India's current application for membership could have been approved by a simple reference to the waiver decision itself which spells out the basis on which it was granted. This may have been the reason for China to take a public stand opposing India's membership....
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text:
A Palm Beach County judge has denied a request by Dennis Dorsey, undertaker and former Lake Worth mayor, to prevent eviction of his funeral business from a building it has occupied for nearly 15 years.
Dorsey is manager and one-third owner of the funeral business bearing his name at 3525 S. Congress Ave. west of Lake Worth. Wallace Hickman and T.G. Brown, his partners in the venture, own the land and the building.
Hickman and Brown filed suit more than two years ago to dissolve the partnership, claiming that Dorsey's management style is "arbitrary and high- handed." As landlords, they followed the suit with notice that the lease on the property would not be renewed when it expires in May.
Dorsey, acting as manager of the business, says he has the right to exercise an option to renew the lease. He cites the partnership contract, tax returns and other documents to show that he has 51 percent, or controlling interest, in the venture.
Hickman and Brown say that when transactions of more than $500 are involved, each partner has one vote. Because the lease involves more than $500, they argue, Dorsey has no right to exercise the renewal option without their approval.
Dorsey filed his suit last year seeking to stop the expected eviction. In hearings Friday and Monday, he had asked Circuit Judge Richard Wennet to issue an injunction against the eviction until the partnership suit is resolved.


text:
OK….so it's January 3, 2014. I'm trying to correct my eating habits which will hopefully help with my weight and blood sugar maintenance. I've started running again with some new goals (<42:00 10k) which will put more stress on my 53 year old body if I continue to run as I always have.
After my last injury (knee and lower back pain), I decided to change my running style. Until now, I have always run with my front leg extended and landing with a heel strike. My body talks to me after about 6 months of running with pain in both my lower back and right knee. I don't know why I didn't check YouTube before, but it's chalk full of coaching for running…and ALL the coaches agree with these 4 important points:
1) Your foot should land directly under your hips
2) You should land on your mid-foot, not your heel
3) Your cadence should be about 180 steps per minute
4) Lean slightly forward AT THE ANKLES (not at the waist)
Well…. I started running this way. My first day Dec 26, 2013) I ran only 1 mile and my calves were screaming in pain. I rested a day, then ran 1.5 miles which was still harder than what I was used to, but easier than the first day. I'm only 8 days in by now, yesterday's run was 2 miles and I was comfortable always landing on my forefoot. I can already feel this will be both a more comfortable way to run AND much faster than my old heel strike method. I know, I'm only at the beginning of the trek, but I'm already feeling my goal of <42:00 10k is well within reach. And my long-term goal of running without injury is looking better also.
AND…this running thing is a superb motivator to keep my weight down where it should be.
Today's stats:
Weight – 207.4 lbs (same as yesterday)
Waking Blood Sugar – 5.7 (same as yesterday)
Resting Heart Rate – 42bpm (new parameter I'll try to measure throughout the year)


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Booze Banned at Campgrounds
Camping season is upon us and for some Maryland camp goers, they will be getting a different experience this year. As of November 1, 2009 the state of Maryland put a ban on alcohol consumption on campgrounds.
BobMacInnes, flickr
According to the Maryland Park Service they have stated the reason for this prohibition on alcohol is "to maintain and ensure a safe, family-oriented outdoor recreation experience for all park guests" and are hoping to reduce the "incidence of undesirable behaviors of park patrons who consume alcohol to excess". The only time alcohol can be consumed on Maryland campgrounds, is through park approved, designated shelters that have a permit for $35. Guests who break this rule will have to incur a $55 fine.
This ban is a sigh of relief for families who seek a peaceful outdoor experience but are often disrupted by loud neighbors who've had too much to drink. But for the campers who are looking to unwind with a beer in hand, they will have to find refuge elsewhere.
According to Woodall's Campground Management, Maryland Park Service official Chris Bushman, this ban has made state parks quieter and safer since it took effect last year. Bushman has also reported that there has been a sharp decline in fights and disorderly behavior in campgrounds as well as decline in the number of alcohol-related drownings and near-drownings at state parks.
Although the ban on alcohol has had some positive outcome, it could consequently have negative impact on local businesses and tourism in Maryland. USA Today states that John Boal, sales manager for Western Maryland Distributing Co "the forest service ban is likely to have a widespread local impact" especially to stores that are located near state parks. Most recently, a group of 40 campers decided to change the location of their annual trip just so that they can have a beer by the campfire elsewhere.
Alcohol is currently banned in 19 state park systems according to the Maryland Park Service:
New Jersey
North Carolina
Rhode Island


text:
Ideas, insights and inspiration.
Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring
Wednesday, 11 May 2011
Gorgeous on Wednesday...
Fun and Friendship...
One of the lovliest things about our shoots is watching our gorgeous girls just... being girls. Friendships are formed and re-made, fun is had, secrets shared...
What more can a girl want?
Posted by
Sophie Lucy
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
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Not available with current selections
You have until Feb 01, 2019 to return or exchange items bought after Nov 01, 2018. All other standard return policy conditions apply.
Product Highlights
Model: MA-CDJ2K19WBLKMA-CDI12W
Not available with current selections
This item is noncancelable and nonreturnable.
The black Marathon MA-CDJ2K19WBLK Flight Road Coffin Case for 2 CD Players and 19" Mixer is a hard case made to transport and protect 2 various brand, large format CD players and a 19" mixer. The case is made from vinyl covered, laminated 9.0mm plywood with adjustable modular foam lining. It has accessible front panels, a cable port, heavy-duty and powerful ball corners and dual anchor rivets. The case has spring-action handles and low-profile built-in wheels for easy transporting and includes mounting hardware.
Exterior: Vinyl-covered, laminated 9.0mm plywood
Interior: Adjustable modular foam lining
|Type of Closure
|Recessed butterfly latches
|Exterior Dimensions
|48.25 x 21.50 x 9.50" / 122.6 x 54.6 x 24.1 cm
|Interior Dimensions
Interior (CD): 12.75 x 18.75 x 3.13" / 32.4 x 47.6 x 7.9 cm
Interior (Mixer): 19.0 x 19.4 x 6.5" / 48.3 x 49.2 x 16.5 cm
|Two various brand, large format CD players and a 19" mixer
|Carrying/Transport Options
Spring-action handles
Built-in wheels


text:
Suffolk Chronicle 27th January 1877
"Many people were awoke from their sleep on Thursday night by the continuous sounding for a long time of the steam horn at Bramford manure works, the cause of the unusual roaring being a fire which had broken out there. The fire was fortunately, not in the main buildings of the works, but in the shed built over the dock by the side of the Gipping, in which barges of the firm are loaded, which was entirely destroyed, the fire, however, being confined to it.
This shed, which was 130 feet long, by 40 feet wide, was built principally of timber, and, of course, formed an easy prey to the flames when they had once got hold.
The fire was discovered about a quarter of an hour after midnight, when the men were away for their midnight meal, and it is thought to have originated from carelessness on the part of the workmen employed in the shed, who, contrary to orders, are supposed to have had a fire burning in the shed, and to have left it burning when they left at half past eleven for their meal.
Some sparks from this fire may have thus set fire to the building, but once alight, it may easily be imagined that the fire spread rapidly.
On its being discovered, the steam horn was sounded, plenty of men soon gathered, the fire engine belonging to the works was wheeled down and set to work, and hose was attached to various hydrants which are supplied from large tanks in the upper part of the works.
Being thus energetically taken in hand, the flames, which burnt fiercely, a strong wind blowing from the North West, were in the course of an hour stayed in their progress, and by soon after four o'clock the fire was virtually out, though the embers were played upon till daylight.
The shed was entirely destroyed, and the strong wind blowing directly towards the works caused some fears for them, but the iron casing round the acid chambers saved the timber from ignition.
Besides the shed, about 20 of the small trucks which are used on the tramways in the works which were standing in and near the shed were burnt, but there was no stock destroyed, as the shed is simply used for loading and unloading, and no stock was kept there.
Though the "bull" was heard in Ipswich, and Mr H. W. Packard went down to the fire, the fire engine from Ipswich did not attend, a telegram being sent after the works engine had been for some time in operation, stating that there was no necessity for them to come.
The fire engine belonging to the Great Eastern Railway at Ipswich was sent down but its services were not required.
The estimated amount of damage done is £300."
(Note: The factory siren or "bull" as it was known was a feature of village life into the 1950's and 60's at least. The lunchtime, or 1 o'clock, "bull" particularly being remembered.)
Suffolk Chronicle 27th January 1877


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Arlington Viking Fest
The heart of any town or city is its downtown. The Downtown Arlington Business Association exists to support and promote the members of the association through annual events, low cost advertising, networking and creation of community assets to enhance economic stimulus. DABA also puts on a car show in June, a street fair in July and helps with the Eagle Festival and Hometown Holidays. Please visit our website at www.arlingtonwa.org for more information.
Arlington was home to the largest Scandinavian settlement in the 1880's.
"America has often been called "The Melting Pot" of the world. The Pacific Northwest is certainly no exception. Among those "foreigners" who flocked to the states of Washington, Oregon and Idaho during the closing decades of the 1800's and early 1900's were first and second generation immigrants from Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland. "The Norwegians and Swedes have shaped thousands of frontier homes from rough lands of the Northwest; Finns are leaders in the fishing industry of the Pacific Northwest ... "(1) "Until the 1890's the majority (of immigrants) were peasants in search of land, and realized that to find cheap and good farms they would have to go west. Family groups in particular were apt to have a specific destination in the Middle West. The moves of Scandinavians still further west into Colorado, Montana and the Pacific states seem to have been secondary removals of dissatisfied settlers or their children from the Middle Border more than primary settlements immigrants fresh from Europe."(2) "They came west with the railroads to find land or jobs. "Most Scandinavians were engaged in agriculture, the woods industry, and fishing, with perhaps the majority on the farms."(3) By 1910 nearly 25 per cent of all residents of the State of Washington who were of foreign extraction were either Danes, Swedes or Norwegians. This amounted to more than 12 per cent of the state's population. Nearly one-fourth of them had come directly from Europe while the rest were "second stage" immigrants from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa. Primary industries for these groups of immigrants included railroad, logging, fishing, ship building and farming." Scandinavians in the Northwest. The Pacific Northwest Forum. Volume 5, Number 2, Pages 11-17 Spring, 1980. By Ray E. Osterberg.
Copyright 2017. Downtown Arlington Business Association. All Rights Reserved.


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Katy Perry labels Dr. Patricia Bragg the "Queen of Health!"
2017 is 'The Year of Healthy Children!'
SANTA BARBARA, Calif., Oct. 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Two worldwide stars came together on the Bragg Organic Farm near Santa Barbara, Ca., this week and proclaimed this the beginning of a new consciousness among young people to reject obesity and embrace healthy lifestyles! Katy Perry visited the Farm and called Dr. Patricia Bragg, who has made the health of the world's young people a top priority for 2017, the "Queen of Health."
Dr. Bragg has been a global Health Crusader for more than 50 years and is the author of ten best-selling health books. She is the CEO of Bragg Live Food Products, which offers healthy, organic foods including Katy's favorite, Apple Cider Vinegar. Dr. Bragg, who bought Katy her first guitar when she was 13 years old, says it is critical that attention be focused on the health of the world's youth. She has called for 2017 to be considered worldwide as "The Year of Healthy Children."
"Our hope for a healthy future lies in our young people making smart choices about their diet and self-designing a lifestyle of exercise and positive thinking!" says Dr. Bragg. "Their health is our wealth. Katy totally agrees with me. We are so excited that 2017 is the year we make healthy lifestyles cool to young people."
Dr. Bragg's declaration of 2017 as the "The Year of Healthy Children" comes on the heels of reports from a variety of news sources that childhood obesity has become endemic. Fortune Magazine recently called it a "Worldwide Crisis" and the World Health Organization found, in a global study, that at least 41 million children under the age of five are now obese.
"We must turn this around," says Dr. Bragg. "There can be no greater cause than the health of children. I am encouraged by the support of worldwide figures like Katy Perry, who can help convince young people that healthy lifestyles really do 'Roar!'"
Recently, Dr. Bragg expressed her philosophies behind the Bragg Healthy Lifestyle in an interview with WholeFoods Magazine Assistant Editor, Sebastian Krawiec. You can watch Katy Perry and Dr. Bragg together, and Dr. Bragg's entire interview, at: https://youtu.be/D2NkMmGZCOE.
SOURCE Bragg Live Food Products


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Commercial Photographer Wakefield – IR Product Photography Wakefield
If you happen to run a business in the Wakefield area and you regularly need to have products photographed then you could benefit greatly from using IR Product Photography.
As we are just a stones throw away in Huddersfield then you can safely assume that you will qualify for our free collection and drop-off service with each reasonably sized order. If you fall into any of the areas listed on our map then this service will be free. If you cannot see your area, don't panic, just give us a ring and we will confirm it! Our company Landrover will tackle the harshest of weather to collect and deliver your precious cargo.
If you are planning a photography or video shoot of your own let us provide the professional Arri HMI lighting kit as well as expert advice on using it.
Our Commercial Photography Services in Wakefield include:
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Call us today on 0771 228 4995 about our packshot and cutout photography deals.


text: rite you lot out there, i got me hands on a brand new yamaha ax-1 (1/2 price) outta my local richer sounds store. Took it home and got it set up for a 14 day trial (as i want to consider the cheaper Denon 3802) After 2 hours of hard graft in setting it up i turned it on, everything appeared to be working when i done the test feature. so i took hold of my region 1 gladiator dvd with DTS ES and put into my pioneer 717. went to the scene index and seleted chpt 3 ... WOW... AWSOME! The punch out of the speakers and the clarity of sound was light years ahead of my previous amp (yam a595a) got out of my speaker set up which is looking at getting upgraded (new fronts to begin with in the very near future). Now can anyone please tell me if i will notice further enhancement on sound quality from the Denon 3802 compared to this monster. this thing was originally priced @ 2k, is it possible that a 800 quid (rrp) amp is gonna compete with it??? Is PLII really that essential if you don't turn on yer amp to watch sky/video? Please tell me i'm wrong so that i can leave it back and wait abit longer for the 3802 (if it ever appears!) and save meself a few bob and perhaps get a set of front floorstanders sooner than expected. Someone please answer my question? By the way could someone recommend a good floorstander for fronts. i'm willin to spend in the region of 600 and i am currently think of LINN and the MISSION 782's. Any suggesstions would be greatly aprreciated. Obviously suited to the ax-1 or 3802 Cheers Andrew


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IPOH: The MARA Education and Entrepreneur Carnival that starts on April 7 is expected to benefit 37,500 students who aspire to further their studies at public, private or MARA's higher learning institutions.
Perak's MARA deputy director Zahari Aziz said the carnival organised by MARA would provide opportunities for those who did not achieve excellent Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) results, an opportunity to further their studies.
"63 higher learning institutions will take part in the carnival. There are also 125 GiatMara centres throughout the country and the 24 in Perak are also involved.
"Every GiatMara centre will accept 60 students per intake," he told reporters here today.
Apart from GiatMara, other institutions involved are Kolej Politech MARA (KPTM), Institut Kemahiran MARA (IKM), UniKl and Perak Royal Medicine College (PRMC), he said.
As for those who aspire to become entrepreneurs, they would also be able to take advantage of the many courses offered in the various sectors like automotive, electrical, air conditioning, food and beverage and other services, he said.
"Those who did not excel in their SPM can further their studies and become entrepreneurs through the assistance provided by the government," he said. --BERNAMA


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Jewelry Affairs
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This is why THEY are getting fat…and by they, I mean Politicians. And by FAT, I mean their bank accounts. They are zooming around in luxurious cars while you worry if your car is going to pass state inspection or while you try to squeeze the mileage out of your 5 year old car. They are living lavishly – spending 500 on haircuts while you sit in the discount hair salon. So many rules! So many bills! It's overwhelming. It's like dropping a 4 year old in the middle of Disney World and telling her to find her way out.
They waste your money by pretending to solve a problem with a new program. Those new programs? 385.000 dollars of tax payer money to study the penis's of Ducks! (just ONE example)
You can find more examples here: Citizens Against Government Waste
If you're just starting to wake up & "shape up" (exercising your Independence) – the best way to start is to find out who represents your area.
Step one: start with your local politics. Example, I live in Chalfont and I had to Google "Chalfont PA Government" Which led me to http://www.chalfontborough.com/borough-government/about.aspx –
Step two: Get to know your STATE Representative. Every state has a state legislature, which works with its respective governor (think of the Governor as the President of the your state and the representatives do in your state what the Congress does for the President of the United States (supposed to keep him in check and be the mouth pieces for the State) in creating laws and setting public policy. Every state except Nebraska has a bicameral (two-chamber) legislature — Nebraska has a unicameral (one-chamber) legislature. Most states refer to their upper chamber as the State Senate, and their lower chamber as House of Representatives, House of Delegates, State Assembly, or General Assembly.Many similarities exist between Congress and the state legislatures: They both represent and serve their constituents, work with executive leaders to pass laws, stand for election at regular intervals, and receive their power from a state constitution. More info click here. Here is a link to find out who represents you in both the House and Senate of your STATE Legislature. Google "state legislature for (put the state you live in). Example: I Googled: "State Legislature for PA and it returned several websites that I could simply put in my zipcode and it not only told me who my State Representatives are, but also how they voted!
Step three: Get to know your United States Representatives. Also known as Congress. The following sites will not only tell you who they are, but also how they voted and upcoming bills. Take a look at them and then pick the one that you find easiest to navigate and check it daily. Remember, a few minutes a day getting CLUED will stop you from getting SCREWED.
GovTrack.US – Most excellent resource! Just type in your zip code to find out who is representing you in Congress. Then you can click on your Rep's name, and it will show you what bills they voted for, what committees they sit on, if they vote with their party or stray from it… You can also use this site to read what bills are being presented and voted on (wayyyy too many!).
And this site: Open Congress . You can view the bills and if you like/dislike them, it will draft a letter for you and send it to your Representatives with one simple click. I've used it and I've gotten responses from my Reps' – so I know it works!
Both websites are free, though they do kindly ask for donations, and I feel if you take advantage of them, a donation is a good thing to keep these going!
The Calendars:
Are they working today? Click here for the 2013 U. S. Senate Legislation Calendar
Click here for the 2013 US House of Representative Legislation Calendar
http://votesmart.org/ – find your voting district and see how your Representatives have voted.


text: Little Free Libraries Local design competition encourages creation of tiny libraries By Katie Cook • Apr 9, 2015 Gina Sheridan In celebration of D.E.A.R., "Drop Everything And Read," day on April 12, we are taking a closer look at the importance of reading and getting books into the hands of children. Little Free Library is a nonprofit organization in Wisconsin that posts small mailbox-like structures in neighborhoods and fills them with free books. They've inspired a movement that has spread to cities throughout the country, including St. Louis.


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Take a look at the slide show from a the wedding of Chris and Christina on November 13th at The Palmetto Club. The bride carried a beautiful bouquet of assorted orchids while the ceremony and reception decor consisted of flowers in shades of mangos, burnt oranges, merlot, and touches of chartreuse green.
Wedding Coordinator: Ashly Olivier, Olivier Events
Venue: The Palmetto Club
Photography: Phillip Lloyd Photography
Floral Decor: Botanica International Design Studio
Lighting: MMD Events
Caterer: Catering By Design
DJ: Grant Hemond and Associates - Doug Decker
Cake: Chocolate Pi
Thank you Chris and Christina for allowing us to be a part of such a beautiful day!


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To be honest, I have never grown a totally successful garden. I've really only tried gardening a few times, so I blame my failed attempts on my lack of experience.
The idea of successful gardening still excites me, though. My memories of other people's successful gardens totally delight me, and when the seed catalogs come (in the middle of winter!), I begin to plan for spring.
I have some lofty gardening goals:
- Become a "Resilient Gardener."
- Learn to save seeds (without accidentally making hybrids).
- Grow a totally organic garden.
- Have a compost system that doesn't fail. (Maybe with worms?)
- Keep bees.
- Use the produce that results from my garden, instead of letting it rot.
These are all pretty big goals—each of them could take years to master! But, I like to keep them in mind as I decide what to grow, and how to [try to] grow it.
Each year I make a few mistakes, and learn from them. Last year, I got really excited about heirloom seeds. (That wasn't a mistake!) I got a lot of fun stuff, for sure. One of my most exciting things to try growing was a special melon ("Rich Sweetness 132") from Kazakhstan or somewhere—they are little melons that are striped bright red and yellow. They were supposed to be sweet, and they were, and they were supposed to be really productive, and that was basically true too. So those were fun.
I also got a bunch of stuff that didn't grow, or didn't produce anything. Unfortunately, when I was ordering seeds, I didn't pay close attention to where (or how) these plants were supposed to be grown. The pictures were just much more interesting, and anyway, growing information wasn't really highlighted. So, of course, the tropical varieties didn't grow, because Utah doesn't have a tropical climate. (Surprise, surprise!)
This year, I'm going to try to grow things that are well suited to the climate where I am. I think that will increase my odds of being able to harvest something.
It's a good year to start paying attention to this sort of thing, because it turns out 2012 is the first year in 22 years that the United States Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Map has been updated! Until now we've had a 1990 version, and for 2012, they've developed this new map to reflect climate changes that have occurred.
Years of research went into creating the updated map. It still shows average annual minimum temperatures, and has zones divided into 10-degree F sections. The main difference is that a lot of areas have become warmer. So, we may be able to grow new things! (But tropical fruits will probably still fail to grow in Utah.)
It's worth taking a look at, as you're planning your garden.
So, Readers, if your climate has changed a little, is there anything new you're going to try to grow?


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- high-level functional requirements should be identified within the initial requirements envisioning
- capture the details on a JIT basis throughout construction via short model storming sessions with stakeholders
- in addition to confirmatory testing to validate that you've built the system to your understanding of the requirements, an independant team should test a working build of the system on a regular basis from a higher level and attempt to break the system
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Capturing Non Functional Requirements and Constraints
How should we capture requirements and constraints that typically cross-cut functional requirements? For example accuracy, availability, concurrency, consumability (a superset of usability), environmental/green concerns, internationalization, operations issues, performance, regulatory concerns, reliability, security, serviceability, support, and timeliness.
at 11:32
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Hoi An
Where to begin with Hoi An? Well it's about 800 km south of Hanoi but it feels a world away. Smaller, much smaller, than Hanoi and I have to say, that after a few days in Hanoi, all the better for that. Hoi An's main street carries far less traffic than any street in Hanoi, but still enough to allow it to be a busy, bustling place. Despite its bustle. Hoi An has a relaxed, rather laid-back air. The same air that it must have once had before it grew into a far from 'touristy', tourist destination.
The hotels, shops, spas, restaurants and a thousand other small business that have grown up to feed it's new tourist industry are still locally owned. The money generated by these small businesses stays within Hoi An. And very efficient they are too. Despite it's tourism, Hoi An still has it's 'real place' feel. People still farm rice in and around the town. Water buffalo still provide the muscle for this work and appear to enjoy their right to roam amongst the traffic and tourists of Hoi An.
I'm feeling decidedly chilled. Hoi An is to be enjoyed for its own sake, enjoyed without the trappings of 'touristy' things to do. We rent a bike, that marvellous workhorse of South East Asia, the Honda 50 step-through. Not for something to do, but to provide assistance in doing very little; drinking coffee on the pavement, a light lunch on a side-of-the-road restaurant and calling in to do a little shopping, are all so much better when you've got a bike. I had of course brought my licence with me, not only that I also brought my international driving licence as well, as I had somehow thought that these may be needed when I was planning this trip back in Wales.
"300 000 Dong! Here key!" said the lady renting bikes.
And the bike was mine for twenty four hours.
For all the apparent chaos, the people who run the myriad of local business are remarkably efficient and competent; the young lady who owned one of the many spas, typified the entrepreneurial spirit. Her spa, that's a 3 x 3 metre shop with some comfy chairs and a table for massages was set back off the main street on one of the side roads. The slight lack of passing trade was more than made up for by her utterly charming, polite and ruthlessly effective marketing approach. She was also extremely good at what she did.
"Hello! You want massage lady?" She said to Alison in her bright cheery
"No thanks." replied Alison.
"Ok, so maybe you want pedicure?"
This line was delivered in such a beguiling way that it was hard to refuse. The subtle little glance down at Alison's feet which implied that to walk even walk one more step without such a treatment would be unthinkable.
"30% off all price today!"
That was the clincher. We were lead into her shop, the full width glass doors were opened and we sat there on very comfortable chairs, with a cool, if somewhat noisy, breeze wafting in from the street. And here we sat while she, and a friend squatted down in front of Alison's feet to commence work. The two of them when hunched up and squatting in the Asian manner, appeared to occupy the smallest possible volume that two human beings can possibly occupy and here they remained for thirty minutes intense work. Ten beautifully pedicured and painted toe nails were the result. All for less than £3.
How long Hoi An can retain its charm is hard to say. How long before big business moves in with the explicit intention of shipping money out of a developing country? Building 'palace' hotels, those dreadful all-in, providers of the Standardised Holiday Experience, an experience so awful that parachuted into any one of them, you'd be hard pressed to tell if you were in Vietnam, Thailand or Timbuktu; employing a few local people at minimal wages whilst simultaneously removing any sense of ownership or control from the people who most need it.
That maybe is in the future, a long way in the future I hope, for now it feels that you're in Vietnam, vibrant, buzzing and utterly delightful Vietnam.


text: Facts and Tips About Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer for a Transportation Accident In the advanced and modern world we live today, we have several choices when it comes to mode of transportation so we can go to our destination, but no matter how you safeguard your life from transportation accidents, they do happen. Many of us prefer to commute because this is also an environmentally friendly way to get to our destination, and although buses are generally reliable and safe, they're also prone to accidents. Bus accidents happen for several reasons such as poor vehicle maintenance, bus driver's negligence, or fault of another driver or pedestrian. You need to hire the services of a personal injury attorney you can trust if you're involved in a bus accident or any transportation accident. A personal injury lawyer can help auto accident injury victims involving transportation accidents. A personal injury attorney can help you to in getting the maximum compensation you deserve whether you're a victim of a transportation accident involved in a train accident or a privately owned bus accident. Your personal injury lawyer is your legal representative who will fight for your rights and your best interest by initiating a thorough investigation of the transportation accident and ensure you receive the proper medical treatment and negotiate so you can get the best compensation for your damages. A personal injury lawyer works with different types of tort including workplace accident, auto accident, boating accident, train accident, defective products, nursing home negligence and medical malpractice. A personal injury lawyer has the responsibility to gather evidence from the site, talk to police officers, interview witnesses, and submit required documents to help you in filing for your compensation benefit. There are physical and psychological damages involved in an accident such as spinal cord injury resulting in temporary or permanent disability, brain damage, loss of consortium and pain and suffering, and all of these should be properly compensated. Who are the potential victims of transportation accident? A victim of transportation accident can be a passenger in a public transportation vehicle, a bus, a train or another vehicle, a pedestrian or a cyclist. Transportation accidents are really life-changing, destroying lives of millions of families around the world every year because of serious injuries, loss of income and support. Time is an important element in any accident, so better contact a trusted and reputable personal injury law firm like Gill & Chamas to help you out. To learn more about their legal services, feel free to check their website or contact them directly. When it comes to personal injury cases, most especially transportation accidents, Gill & Chamas is the number one law firm you can depend on.The Essential Laws of Experts Explained


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Frazier to read at LAT Festival of Books
Coastline Pilot City Editor Cindy Frazier will read a sample of her writing during the Saturday morning portion of the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books at USC.
In an email to colleagues this week, Frazier announced that she has been invited to take part in "Dimestories," a three-minute prose reading event, scheduled for 11 a.m. at the festival's Etc. Stage.
"The piece, 'Bleeding Hearts,' was voted number one of all the pieces presented during the run up to the festival, so I'm pretty stoked about it," she said in her email.
Cindy's colleagues and the staff at the Coastline Pilot and its sister papers in the Times Community News group wish her the best of luck for Saturday.


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By KATHY CARVEY
It's possible that the building that housed the former Hicks and Deaton Hardware may find new life as a coffee shop/fabric and sewing machine repair shop. Cherie Hartman informed the town council that she and her husband Jim are looking into these retail options as they consider purchasing the building.
Hartman had several questions for the council concerning the possibility of running a drive-thru for a coffee shop in the alley that runs between the building and the neighboring Green Parrot building. She pointed out that the alley is potentially wider than before with this summer's removal of a small leaning building attached to the Green Parrot. A drive-thru would be one-way and exit onto to State Road 5, she said.
Hartman also brought up the possibility of blocking part of the alley that goes behind State Street to the car wash to allow construction of a deck for outdoor seating.
"People could sit outside, see the park and listen to music when there are concerts," she said.
Council president Joanne Eberhart was cautious.
"I believe people go through the alley to use the car wash," she said.
Town attorney Greg Hockemeyer laid out the steps involved in vacating a right-of-way. With this information, Hartman said she would be able to make further inquiries and develop ideas.
Councilwoman Tonya Warner relayed an update on the status of the Green Parrot from owner Randy Striggle. Striggle recently regained ownership after a contract sale of the business fell through. Adam Flores, current manager of the Green Parrot, will become the new owner and assume responsibility for repairs ordered to be done by November 29, 2010. In August, Striggle asked for and received a time extension until November for ordered building repairs.
Hockemeyer expressed some reservations about this plan.
"Are repairs being shoved off on a new owner?" he asked. "We gave an extension because we waited to clear the ownership situation. Frankly, I think it (the repairs) could be done before the next ownership change."
Council members agreed to ask both Striggle and Whitley County Building Inspector Craig Wagner to come to the next council meeting to discuss the situation.
Hockemeyer said representatives from Duke Energy, supplier of electric power to the town utility, will attend the next meeting to discuss rate increases. The council will also ask a representative from Umbaugh, a financial advisory and accounting firm, to be present. Warner added that business owners and employers such as Whitko Community Schools may want to attend as well.
Clerk-Treasurer Mitch Winger said that the police department will purchase two new radios at a cost of $4,714 each in order to stay compatible with the radio system used by the county sheriff department.
In other police business, it was noted that Chuck Lewallen is due to graduate from the police academy and return to his town duties.


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In the late 11th Century A.D. a band of Outlaws and Criminals were forgiven of their crimes, and released from prison under an Oath... To fight a Holy War for the name of their Faith. These Knights of the First Crusade would later become known as ...
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Walking up the lane I am crunching over crushed conkers. They are raining down from the trees now and the tractors are crushing them as they drive past.
It has come round again: the time when children gather under Horse Chestnut trees longing greedily for more and bigger and better conkers. If they do not come down voluntarily sticks and stones are thrown up into the branches to encourage them down.
Inside the spiky green outer casing lie the gorgeous, shiny, brown – almost iridescent fruit: then home to drill a hole through the middle, and depending on how virtuous one is, to allow them to dry naturally, soak them in vinegar first or paint them with colourless nail varnish.
Conker games are played at school most days where the practice still flourishes: we certainly did as a child. As an adult we keep the conkers to make indoor autumnal decorations or just to lie along window cills looking exotic.
A friend has an annual party towards the end of October to celebrate both Hallowe'en and Guy Fawkes: as well as the fireworks, bonfire, toasted marshmallows, cinder toffee and baked potatoes, there is usually a chilli and some spicy lentil soup, and games. Especially conkers. These are all prepared beforehand and handed out on their strings while we square up to each other, working round the pairs until we have fivers, sixers, etc. to the eventual winner.
I can do no better than to post the following from Wikipedia:
"Conkers or conker is a game traditionally played mostly by children in Britain, Ireland and some former British colonies using the seeds of horse-chestnut trees – the name conker is also applied to the seed and to the tree itself.
The game is played by two players, each with a conker threaded onto a piece of string: they take turns striking each other's conker until one breaks.
The game
- A hole is drilled in a large, hard conker using a nail, gimlet, or small screwdriver. A piece of string is threaded through it about 25 cm (10 inches) long (often a shoelace is used). A large knot at one or both ends of the string secures the conker.
- The game is played between two people, each with a conker.
- They take turns hitting each other's conker using their own. One player lets the conker dangle on the full length of the string while the other player swings their conker and hits.
- The conker eventually breaking the other's conker gains a point. This may be either the attacking conker or (more often) the defending one.
- A new conker is a none-er meaning that it has conquered none yet.
- If a none-er breaks another none-er then it becomes a one-er, if it was a one-er then it becomes a two-er etc. In some areas of Scotland, conker victories are counted using the terms bully-one, bully-two, etc. In some areas of the United States, conker victories are counted using the terms one-kinger, two-kinger, etc.
- The winning conker assimilates the previous score of the losing conker, as well as gaining the score from that particular game. For example, if a two-er plays a three-er, the surviving conker will become a six-er (the sum of the two previous scores plus one for the current game).
- A player is allowed to keep taking shots at the opponent's conkers until they miss. When the player misses, the roles swap. If a player just slices the opponent's conker (i.e. does not get a clean hit, often because wind causes the opponent's conker to sway), then both players quickly shout "tips" and the one who in the opinion of onlookers shouted it first, gets to take shots.
- The rules played at the World Conker Championships state that each player has three swings at the opponents conker before the roles are reversed.
- If a player should let go of the string when the hit occurs (which often results in the conker travelling quite some distance), whosoever gets to it first wins it (but not the lace).
- If a conker should come off the string, but is otherwise undamaged, the attacking player may shout "stampsies" and attempt to stamp on the defending player's conker before they are able to retrieve it.
- In some areas, a rule is played whereby if a player takes his shot and the two laces become tangled, the first player who shouts "clinks", "strings", "snags" or "jinks" (depending on the region), gets to take shots. In the Midlands in the 1950s the cry was tingle-tangle five knocks which allowed the fouled player five free knocks and in Dublin and Liverpool"tanglies tanglies one-two-three" allowed the first to take three free shots.
Hardening conkers
The hardest conkers usually win. Hardening conkers is often done by keeping them for a year (aged conkers are called laggies in many areas or seasoners in Ireland and Liverpool), baking them briefly, soaking or boiling in vinegar, or painting with clear nail varnish. Such hardening is, however, usually regarded as cheating. At the British Junior Conkers Championships on the Isle of Wight in October 2005, contestants were banned from bringing their own conkers due to fears that they might harden them. The Campaign For Real Conkers claimed this was an example of over-regulation which was causing a drop in interest in the game. In the World Conker Championship contestants are also restricted to using the conkers provided.
One factor affecting the strength of a conker is the shape of the hole. A clean cylindrical hole is stronger, as it has no notches or chips that can begin a crack or split.
Similar game
A similar Puerto Rican game (played with the smaller seed of the jatobá, Hymenaea courbaril) is called gallitos (meaning small roosters or cocks, as in cockfighting). The opponents face each other and the defending gallito is laid in the center of a circle drawn in the dirt. Not until the attacking player misses will the defending player take a turn. Upon missing, if the attacking player is quick enough, they will try to swing at the defending gallito before the defendant removes it from within the circle. If the defending gallito is struck it must remain in the circle until the attacker misses again. This move is called a "paso de paloma".
History of Conkers
The first recorded game of Conkers using horse chestnuts was on the Isle of Wight in 1848 – the horse chestnut tree is not native to Britain, but was introduced from the Balkans in the late 16th century; it was not widely planted until the early 19th century. Previously, children played with snail shells or hazelnuts.
In 1965 the World Conker Championships were set up in Ashton (near Oundle) Northamptonshire, England, and still take place on the second Sunday of October every year. In 2004, an audience of 5,000 turned up to watch more than 500 competitors from all over the world.
1976 was the first time that a non-British contestant won the Men's World Conker Championship. The Mexican Jorge Ramirez Carrillo took the place of a contestant that was unable to arrive on time at Ashton, and defeated the 1975 champion at the finals. The Men's champion has been British in every other year except 1998 when Helmut Kern from Nauort, Germany, won.
In 1993, Michael Palin, of Monty Python fame, was disqualified from a Conkers competition in the United Kingdom for baking his conker and soaking it in vinegar.
In 1999, the British charity ActionAid applied for a patent on hardening conkers, in protest at the patenting of life forms by large companies.
In 1999 the Irish Conker Championships began in Freshford Co.Kilkenny.
2000 saw the first Ladies' champion from outside the UK. Selma Becker, originally from Austria, to take the title. Again, the title of Queen of Conkers has remained in the UK, except in 2001 when Frenchwoman Celine Parachou won.
2001 Eamonn Dooley from Kilkenny, Ireland smashed the world record and broke an amazing 306 conkers in one hour.
In North America, the game currently has no official status or competitions. Its popularity has surely declined, but it is not thought to be an extinct game. It was played during the late 1940s and early 1950s in New York in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, and in the 1950s and early 1960s in the Amalgamated section of the Bronx and a winning chestnut was referred to as a "killer". It was also played in Queens, the upper West Side of Manhattan, in the Mohawk Valley area of upstate New York and in Westmount, Quebec and other English-speaking parts of Montreal into the 1970s. It was being played in the 1960s in Rhode Island and into the early 1980s in Smithfield, RI.
Origin of name
The name may come from the dialect word conker, meaning "hard" (perhaps related to French conque meaning a conch, as the game was originally played using snail shells. The name may also be influenced by the verb conquer, as the game has also been called conquerors, but this may be a back-formation. Another possibility is that it is onomatopoeia, representing the sound made by a horse chestnut as it hits another hard object, such as a skull (another children's "game", also called conkers, consists of simply throwing the seeds at one another over a fence or wall). Conkers are also known regionally as obblyonkers, cheggies or cheesers."
Finding ourselves right in the middle of the season I thought I would pass on a fact which I tell my students on a Woodland course I teach.
During the First World War Britain ran out of chordite. It was a desperate time. It was used in standard rifle cartridges and large weapons such as tank guns, artillery and naval guns.
A chemist and lecturer at Manchester University, Chaim Weizmann, offered to help the UK Government to make the necessary cordite. Weizmann was born in the small village of Motol (Motyli, now Motal) near Pinsk in Belarus (at that time part of the Russian Empire) and became a British subject in 1910. He helped to develop a new experimental form of cordite but still needed acetone and cellulose.
He used the proximity of a large gin factory to produce the acetone and children all over Britain were encouraged to gather their conkers as usual, but instead of playing with them, to send them to the cordite factories where they were used as a rich cellulose source. The Prime Minister was so impressed that he offered Weizmann a medal or some other form of recognition: but Weizmann said all he wanted was the assurance that Britain would support the idea of forming a Jewish homeland This led directly to the Balfour declaration of 1917.
The Balfour Declaration of 1917 (dated 2 November 1917) was a formal statement of policy by the British government stating that
- "His Majesty's government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country."
The declaration was made in a letter from Foreign Secretary Arthur James Balfour to Baron Rothschild a leader of the British Jewish community, for transmission to the Zionist Federation of Great Britain and Ireland, a Zionist organization. The letter reflected the position of the British Cabinet, as agreed upon in a meeting on 31 October 1917. It further stated that the declaration is a sign of "sympathy with Jewish Zionist aspirations."
The "Balfour Declaration" was later incorporated into the Sèvres peace treaty with Turkey and the Mandate for Palestine. The original document is kept at the British Library.
The anniversary of the declaration, 2 November, is widely commemorated in Israel and among Jews in the Jewish diaspora as Balfour Day. This day is also observed as a day of mourning in Arab countries still today."
So few, if any, games of conkers were played during that time in Britain in World War I but the conker collecting continued.
I still have a small collection that I picked up outside the Blue Mosque in Istanbul in the 1980s: painted with nail varnish they look lovely and are a vivid reminder of the trees, the smells, the heat, the day, and the holiday.
Old habits die hard.


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Sweet's Chem Dry
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Before and After
Our lead tech Kevin took these before and after pictures of a home he cleaned the other day. The customer was on the fence about replacing the carpets but with the magic of our exclusive cleaning system, we were able to improve it greatly! Some would thing that the carpets were simply too damaged or ruined to have cleaned, but with our unique hot carbonated cleaning system and with the help of our solution the "Natural", anything is possible. Are you on the fence? Call us and let us help you down!
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Thomas and Jamie have recently joined Gratnells Engineering as injection moulding apprentices, they have just completed their Engineering level two diploma at Harlow College and are looking forward to the start of their level three as apprentices at Gratnells.
They were both in agreement that they have taken a very interesting career path which they are finding very fun and diverse, they are keen to develop their skills and one day aspire to be able to fully operate the machinery and be able to completely understand and talk about the injection moulding processes.
Thomas is a keen footballer and loves nothing more than spending his spare time out in the field with his friends having a kick about where as Jamie is more of a rugby lad and very much enjoys the game.
We are keen to see how the boys develop and we will be keeping you up to date on what they are up to and what they have been learning about.


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MIDDLE EAST - Tensions in the Middle East are at boiling point after a series of fiery diplomatic disputes. A huge power play between Saudi Arabia and Iran looks set to draw their neighbours into a bitter conflict. Iran, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Lebanon, Bahrain and Qatar are all experiencing deteriorating relations in the region. Tensions have been simmering over recent months and are threatening to erupt over aggressive actions, including a missile fired at a Saudi airport over the weekend.
Saudi Arabia vs Iran
Saudi Arabia has accused Iran of an "act of war" after a missile was intercepted over the capital city Riyadh. The long-range ballistic rocket was fired by Houthi rebels in Yemen, however the Saudi ruling coalition claimed the missile launch was an aggressive act by Iran, who reportedly smuggled weapons to the Yemeni militias.
Saudi Arabia vs Yemen
There is growing tension between Yemen and the Saudis due to the same incident, as it was Yemeni Houthi militias who fired the missile. Saudi Arabia closed all ground, air and sea access to Yemen following the rocket attack. The kingdom said the closures would be temporary and take into account the work of humanitarian organisations. Yemen's Houthi rebels have been fighting against its internationally-recognised government in a civil war that started in 2015. The rebels, backed by Iran, have seized control of the capital Sanaa and forced the government into exile.
Saudi Arabia vs Lebanon
Saudi Arabia has accused Lebanon of declaring war against the kingdom over aggression by Lebanese group Hezbollah. Thamer al-Sabhan, the Saudi minister for Gulf affairs, said the Lebanese government would now "be dealt with as a government declaring war on Saudi Arabia" over "acts of agressionn" by Hezbollah.
Lebanon vs Iran
Lebanon is fully immersed in the regional power play between Saudi Arabia and Iran with key political figures playing into it. Now ex-prime minister Saas al-Hariri has blamed Iranian interference in Lebanon for his resignation over the weekend. He described Hezbollah - a political party with an allegedly terrorist military wing which was part of his "unity" government - as "Iran's arm" in Lebanon.
Bahrain vs Lebanon
Bahrain has ordered its citizens to leave Lebanon amid mounting tensions between regional powers and Iran. It will also ban its citizens from travelling to Lebanon amid fears for the country's stability after Mr al-Hariri's resignation.
Qatar vs Everyone
Several countries, including Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, have severed diplomatic ties with Qatar and imposed land, sea and air blockades. Qatar is accused of supporting terrorist groups, including Islamic State and Hezbollah - charges the oil-rich state strongly denies.
So don't be fooled by the mainstream media. They may be trying to convince you that everything is just wonderful, but that is not the reality that most people are facing at all.


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UK outsourcing firm Capita PLC (LON:CPI) has agreed to sell its parking management business as part of a turnaround plan that involves offloading non-core assets.
Capita will sell Parking Eye to a vehicle owned by Macquarie and funds advised by MML Capital Partners for £235mln in cash.
The company said it expects to raise more than £400mln from non-core disposals this year, ahead of its £300mln target.
"This transaction marks a further step in executing the strategy announced in April aimed at simplifying and strengthening the business to deliver future success," said Capita chief executive Jon Lewis.
Last year Parking Eye generated revenue of £40mln and operating profit of £14mln.
Restructuring plan
The disposal of Parking Eye comes a month after the group revealed it was selling its Supplier Assessment Services unit to funds affiliated with Warburg Pincus for £160mln.
READ: Capita jumps on MoD contract win, plus £160mln sale of non-core supplier assessment business
Lewis laid out his strategy to focus on core areas of the business in April after admitting the company was "too complex" and "too widely spread across multiple markets and services", making it challenging to maintain a competitive advantage in every business.
READ: Capita raises £681mln to help pay down debts
His plan was unveiled alongside the company's full-year results, which revealed a wider loss after contracts were terminated without securing new ones to replace them.
READ: Capita unveils £701mln rights issue as it reports wider annual loss
In May, Capita raised £681.4mln for its rights issue designed to pay down debts as well as plugging a pension deficit and boosting investment.
Capita wins £109mln contract
In a separate announcement on Thursday, Capita said it has been awarded a £109mln contract with the Department for Education's Standards and Testing Agency (STA).
Under the six-year contract, Capita will manage the administration, processing and support for all primary school national curriculum assessment (NCA) tests in England.
The group said the contract will cover the 2020 to 2024 test cycles and will begin in September 2019 after a "phased implementation and transition" from September of this year.
Capita will print, distribute and collate more than nine million test papers each year for key stage 1 and key stage 2 tests. It will also provide the phonics screening check and administer the marking of four million key stage 2 test papers annually.
Capita's digital service will be supplied to 16,000 schools and 4,000 test markers, allowing users access a secure portal to review the status of the test process, obtain results and update and download records in one place.
"Capita is an established and experienced partner to the education sector and this contract further reinforces our strategy," Lewis said.
"We look forward to using our technology and service management capabilities to identify and deliver efficiencies and improvements ensuring both value for money and a positive experience for schools across England."
Shares rose 4.5% to 168p in morning trading.
ShoreCap retains 'hold' rating
Shore Capital analyst Robin Speakman said the contract award is a "welcome win" for the company in the public sector.
"However, we still caution that the public sector market for contracts remains subdued and is likely to remain so for the immediate future; Capita's new contract flow still remains below its revenue and profit replacement rate and so continues to weigh on reported financials," the analyst said.
Speakman said the disposal of Parking Eye is also welcome news. ShoreCap left its rating at 'hold' and target price at 160p ahead of the group's interims on August 1.
"With financial results demonstrating a decline in financial results to present for a while yet, we retain a 'hold' stance for the present," Speakman said.


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Mississippi State University; Starkville, Mississippi
- B.A. of Business Administration; Marketing
- PGA Professional Golf Management
- Summa Cum Laude
Post Office Box 1250
Magee, Mississippi 39111
Born in Louisville (Kentucky) and raised in Indiana, Nathan knew at a young age that he wanted to design golf courses for a living. Though no one in his family played golf, he picked up the game at age 10 and (at the young age of 11) Nathan designed and built a three-hole par-3 golf course on his parents' land where--with the assistance of Jack Nicklaus's "Golf My Way" book--he taught himself how to play the game. After four years of varsity golf in high school, Nathan attended Mississippi State University where he earned a degree from the PGA of America's prestigious Professional Golf Management (PGM) program as well as a B.A. in Business Administration with a Major in Marketing.
Nathan has been designing new courses and renovating existing courses for more than two decades and has garnered a number of awards for his work, including Golf Digest's "Best New Affordable Public Course in America" for Copper Mill Golf Club north of Baton Rouge, Golf Inc Magazine's "#3 Best Public Renovation in America" for his renovation of Ole Miss Golf Club in Oxford, Mississippi, and a 2017 "Design Excellence Award" as voted on by his fellow ASGCA members for his design of the University of Southern Mississippi's Practice Facility at Hattiesburg CC. His clients cover a wide spectrum from municipalities, state agencies, and private clubs to PGA Tour stops, university courses, and even the US Air Force!
Nathan uses his experience in golf course management and design to continually exceed the expectations of his clients who are seeking to maximize the potential of their project--and their budget. He has been asked to speak at numerous golf and turf industry meetings and conferences, including an invitation from the GCSAA to speak at the 2018 GIS in San Antonio about creative ways to maximize golf course budgets and reduce wear. Nathan is also a published author, member of the Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA), and was the voice of the airline pilot in the independent film "Invisible World." He and his wife have three children and live north of the Mississippi Gulf Coast in beautiful south Mississippi, where Nathan serves clients throughout the southeast and beyond.
ASGCA members Crace, Quitno to serve Hurricane Harvey-affected course
Crace, ASGCA, includes Longleaf System as part of Refuge Golf Course renovation
Design Excellence profile: USM – 3.5 acre short-game facility incorporates wetlands
Designing/building a golf course at age 10? Crace, ASGCA, explains in GCI "Tartan Talks"
2016 Design Excellence Recognition Program honorees announced by ASGCA
Ole Miss Golf Club
Oxford, Mississippi
Hattiesburg Country Club
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Brookhaven Country Club
Brookhaven, Mississippi
Ormond Country Club
Destrehan, Louisiana
Whispering Pines Golf Club
Hurley, Mississippi


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According to a new report from The Warren Group, February single-family home sales in Massachusetts jumped 8.4 percent compared to a year earlier, marking the third consecutive month of year-over-year increases in prices. The median price for a single-family home jumped from $249,000 in February 2009 to $269,950 in 2010. In addition, the year-to-date median home price is up 9.8 percent. February condominium sales increased as well, marking the sixth consecutive month of year-over-year gains.There were 939 condo sales in February, up 8.9 percent from 862 the prior year. Year-to-date condo sales surged 15.7 percent to 1,931 from 1,669 last year.
It is easy to conclude that the Boston real estate market is improving. That said, it is important to note the reasons behind the upswing. The homebuyer tax credits are certainly giving some buyers and extra push to get their offers in by the end of April, and interest rates have been kept artificially low thanks to Uncle Sam. It will be interesting to see if prices and sales continue to increase in the summer months. Buyer confidence is improving, which is a solid improvement. Boston homebuyers who had been sitting on the fence for a few years have finally decided to put pen to paper. They are, however, purchasing homes with a longer time-frame in mind. Homebuyers who only a few years ago would have considered purchasing a studio in the Back Bay are now looking for a home they can live in for five or even seven years....just in case they need to stay longer than intended because of market fluctuations.


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It is more than certain that we want to remember our wedding day forever – after all it is one of the most important days in our whole life( some people even say there' s no other day as important as this one ). And of course there are many ways to immortalize the wedding day, and nowadays it is even easier than ever before thanks to us having smartphones with cameras and other devices capable of taking photographs and recording videos, but there' s no better option anyway than hiring a professional wedding photographer – below you' ll find out why.
First of all you surely know that taking an amazing wedding photograph requires more than a smartphone: it does require skill, experience and time, three things that are rathen uncommonly seen among typical wedding guests.
Foto: learnvest.global.ssl.fastly.net
Foto: oysterbayharbour.com
Even more importantly a good wedding photo will not only be a still image of some people dancing, smiling or having fun in some other way, it will be a precious memory of some important moment, filled with emotions and atmosphere.
And taking such a photograph does require…
And taking such a photograph does require a pro wedding photographer, who will become invisible to the guests – only by doing this such a person can be sure to take photos that are beautiful in their naturalness, where will be no posing and fake smiles. Maybe even they will contain some other emotions, as weddings are full of them. That' s why wedding photographers still are in high demand and if you plan your wedding, you should not forget about hiring one.


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Hello! Yes, yes I'm still alive. I apologize for my disappearance and for being completely MIA for the last month or so. I'm thankful for those of you who reached out and left comments on here, facebook and twitter to check in with me, see how I was doing and let me know that you missed my posts. Truth be told, I have been a having a rough time :-(
It was about two months ago, when I started feeling really....weird. My whole body felt extremely weak, tired and heavy. Working out became nearly impossible because I felt so fatigued. It got to the point where doing any physical activity totally wiped me out and I found myself needing to lay down in the middle of the day because I just couldn't keep my eyes open. Then other symptoms began to arise: swollen glands, tightness and soreness in my muscles and joints, tingly sensations in my arms and hands, headaches, lack of appetite, depression, moodiness, mental fog...the list goes on. I felt like my body was shutting down and just not operating properly!
I started doing tons of research and trying to self-diagnose. I tapped into my intuition and my herbal, nutritional and healing skills. I talked to my herbalist friends and other people I knew with healing knowledge. Nothing I did made me feel any better. I just kept wondering...what the heck is wrong with me??? I'm so accustomed to successfully healing myself whenever a health issue arises, but this was something I could not fix or even understand.
So, after feeling terrible for over a month, I decided it was finally time to see a doctor. I didn't even know where to begin. I hadn't seen a doctor in longer than I could remember. I started researching doctors and clinics in my area and asking people for recommendations. I finally settled on a clinic that practices Integrative Healthcare. The doctor I chose is actually someone who I learned about when I was in Herb School. He's the author of several awesome books including Staying Healthy with the Seasons (which I definitely recommend!) Anyway, he is trained in western medicine but also incorporates herbalism, nutrition, detox therapies, chinese medicine, acupuncture, etc into his practice. A holistic approach! Perfect. That's exactly what I was looking for.
To make a long story short, I went to see him and got some blood drawn to run some tests. It turns out I have severe Hypothyroidism! That means that I have an under active thyroid gland that doesn't produce enough of the thyroid hormone. This affects ALL functions of your body which totally explains all my symptoms and why I was feeling so awful in all levels of my being. My doctor thinks that since I have such a severe case of hypothyroidism, I've probably been walking around with it for a long time. If that's the case, it makes me wonder why the symptoms seemed to come on so suddenly and strongly. Maybe I've been feeling slightly sick for years and have never realized that I could be feeling better! All I know is that I am happy to finally have a name to what was going on with me and a way to treat it. My doctor was pretty excited that we found out what was wrong so quickly and he said that the treatment was probably going to totally change my life and make me feel better than I have in long time.
I was prescribed a natural thyroid hormone supplement to replace the hormone that my thyroid gland is not making on its own. I'm also doing everything I can to learn about the thyroid gland and ways I can support it with nutrition, herbs, etc. My healing process is just beginning.
As it says in Healing with the Seasons, "...illness can be a vehicle to enhance your personal communication and facilitate your evolution...illness represents an invitation to change....illness invites us to take a moment, sift through the many levels of our existence, and ask for understanding and be open to needed changes. When illness arises, stop, look and listen!...when we experience dis-ease, there is a message trying to come to us which we are not receiving."
I feel like this is all happening for a reason and I'm learning from it. It's giving me an opportunity to know myself better and to reevaluate my life and my health. I am listening and open to the messages my body is sending me and I am prepared for the evolution to begin!
In other news, I'm pretty much up to my usual tricks and treats! Ooo speaking of which, I hope you all had a fun Halloween! I did :-)
As for food, I've been eating a lot of my usual favorites.
And I've been baking too!
We'll have to do recipes in the next post though. This one is getting a bit long!
But, I can't end this post without mentioning the doggies! They are totally awesome, sweet and funny. Here, see for yourself:
Ok, that's all for now. Thank you for reading. Much love.