After a decade of debate regarding the viability of cloud services as a strategic alternative to traditional, on-premise legacy systems and software, the war of words is over. Now nearly every SMB and enterprise is looking at how to incorporate cloud alternatives into their business operations.
However, in many cases these organizations are also discovering that today's cloud services are adding a new layer of complexity to their existing IT environment rather than simplifying their situations.
Click here to read our latest commentary in Datamation about the escalating challenges associated with migrating corporate workloads to today's widening array of cloud service alternatives and moving to a multi-cloud sourcing model.
There's been a lot written recently about how artificial intelligence, machine learning and automation are going to displace millions of workers. However, these powerful new technologies already have spawned a surge in demand for a new wave of highly skilled consultants to help organizations capitalize on the added business opportunities resulting from the latest innovations.
Although the potential business benefits that can be derived from AI, ML and automation are obvious, attaining these benefits requires highly specialized skills that most organizations currently lack. Salesforce sees the demand for this unique set of consulting skills rising and has launched a new US$50 million SI (system integrator) Trailblazer Fund and SI Trailblazer Alliance Initiative to fill the void.
One of the cornerstones of a successful software business has been to build as big a partner ecosystem as possible. In the world of the cloud, showcasing the partner ecosystem in an online marketplace also has become an imperative.
Salesforce.com has been in the vanguard of this trend. Since its inception in 2005, the AppExchange has grown to include more than 3,000 partner solutions that augment Salesforce's growing portfolio of cloud services. AppExchange has strengthened significantly Salesforce's position in the marketplace by cataloging the company's rapidly expanding ecosystem of independent software vendor and consulting partners.
However, the tremendous success of the AppExchange has made it a bit overwhelming for customers to find and easily implement the right third-party solutions to best meet their needs.
Organizations of all sizes – but especially large scale enterprises – are facing unprecedented business challenges that require a better end-to-end revenue management approach and platform. I'd like to identify some of the specific ways enterprises can employ revenue management to augment their customer relationship management (CRM) capabilities and maximize their revenue opportunities and performance.
Many enterprises are putting aside their legacy applications in favor of a new generation of Cloud-based applications, also known as Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). A large number of these migrations center around Salesforce.com's Sales, Marketing and Service Cloud offerings. While these solutions provide a slew of powerful features to help businesses connect with their customers, in many cases they don't go far enough to meet the specific needs of many enterprises to help them drive revenue growth.
Although nearly every research study and industry survey suggests the Internet of Things (IoT) market is growing rapidly, plenty of companies are holding back from pursuing IoT opportunities, for a variety of reasons.
Underlying all of the concerns and challenges regarding IoT is uncertainty about the immediate economic return on today's IoT investments. Ironically, the possibility of a long-overdue financial downturn in the next few years could force executives to put aside their apprehensions and finally launch new IoT initiatives.
Click here to read THINKstrategies' analysis in E-Commerce Times about how a variety of new technologies and delivery models were born during the recessions of the past 50 years and what it means for the IoT marketplace.
What Do the Academy Awards, AWS and AI Have in Common?
Posted by thinkstrategies in Uncategorized. Comments Off on What Do the Academy Awards, AWS and AI Have in Common?
As the tug of war between humans and machines escalates, we've become witnesses on nearly a daily basis to events that suggest there won't be an ultimate winner or loser in this existential battle for survival and supremacy.
Two little human mistakes at the Academy Awards ceremony and within Amazon Web Services (AWS) recently received worldwide attention because of the power of today's technology to magnify their impacts on a global scale. These events added more fuel to the argument that automation is a good thing that can eliminate human error and make our daily lives better and less susceptible to costly mistakes. However, there have been a series of snafus involving artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and automated system deployment that are calling into question whether the accelerated innovations in these areas are going to outpace the usefulness of mere mortals.


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Biz Carson
Image: Malte Mueller/Getty Images
Planet-friendly investing is hot right now. Just don't call it cleantech.
Hello and welcome to Pipeline. This week: Planet-friendly investing makes a comeback, the most-loved investors and the VC who hired Cambridge Analytica's data team.
If you were forwarded this email, be sure to sign up here.
Overheard
Nothing ruffles investor feathers like a popularity contest. This week, TechCrunch published a list of 11 investors who "founders love the most" as part of a larger directory of around 400 founder-recommended investors. While publicly it's been all applause, some investors grumbled to me about their exclusion and having to play a new game of convincing founders to love them more.
Cambridge Analytica's team has a new job … working with a VC. Investor Bill Tai told Protocol that he's starting a new company with Cambridge Analytica's core data team. No word on what it is, but he says it has "huge potential". Let's just hope they've learned their lesson.
"There's definitely a herd mentality of investors," DialUp co-founder and CEO Danielle Baskin told me. She played this to her advantage when her "lucky pitch deck" viral email reached over 500 VCs. More than a creative pitch, the email is also an interesting study on how the venture capital industry often relies more on who you know than what you do.
Need to close a deal? Try TikTok. A sales rep for marketing platform #Paid turned a mundane "following up on payments" emails into a funny TikTok video. It worked: 30 minutes after he sent it, the brand paid and the deal was sealed. (Just please — don't send me "following up on this pitch" messages this way.)
Biz on Biz
Goodbye cleantech. It's all about 'planet-friendly' investing now.
After a boom in the late 2000s, cleantech became a bit of a dirty word in investment circles. But that's starting to change — only this time, call it "planet-friendly" or "planet-healing" investing.
Amazon launched a $2 billion climate pledge fund in June. It's a tag-teamed effort led by Matt Peterson on its corporate development team along with Kara Hurst, who runs its sustainability team, Amazon told me. So far the company's mum on any investments, though.
Chris Sacca also came out of retirement last month with Lowercarbon Capital. He's running it along with his wife, Crystal Sacca, and former Lowercase investor Clay Dumas. It's specifically focused on tech to "to reduce CO2 emissions, remove carbon from the atmosphere, and actively cool the planet."
Just this week, Mayfield hired IndieBio founder Arvind Gupta to start the Genesis Consortium, a group of funds and companies "to promote human and planetary evolution."
Even more generalist funds are making it a focus. Sequoia has been actively soliciting climate change investments, and has since made a few, although all in stealth.
Meanwhile, the final round of Bill Tai's Extreme Tech Challenge accelerator program took place this week, and it was built around the U.N.'s Sustainable Development Goals. The winner from over 2,400 applicants, Genecis, turns a company's organic waste in biodegradable plastics that can be reused within their operations.
That's a lot of money and interest in the space after a years-long cleantech investing lull.
VC firms spent over $25 billion in cleantech investments from 2006 to 2011 — but lost over half of it, according to an MIT study (although one could argue that's the point of venture capital). Still, investors continue to feel plenty of heartache over it.
But Gupta, the new Mayfield partner, told me that planet- or climate-friendly investing is a very different promise. "The entire cleantech industry was pinned literally to the price of a barrel of oil. And as soon as the price of the barrel of oil cratered, so did the entire industry," he said. "Planetary health is pinned to the amount of carbon dioxide in the air. … The entire goal of this industry is to bring that number down."
The breakthrough moment for the resurgence, at least to Gupta, was Beyond Meat's IPO. "… Everyone saw for the first time, in essence, a proxy for climate or planetary health companies taking off in the public markets," he said.
Now, venture capitalists are pushing founders to start companies in what Vinod Khosla called a "desperately needed" area.
Khosla has been one of the longest believers in the climate tech space, having not lost faith after the first cleantech investing spree. "People think climate investing didn't work out well, but it did," he told me, citing companies like Tesla, QuantumScape, View, LanzaTech and Mainspring Energy. "Climate investments do take longer to mature, but people are realizing that they can be good investments."
There's a flood of interest, but the investors will have to be patient if they want to see returns. "You gotta have persistence in this market," he said. "You can't do fashion investing in this area." Breakthrough Energy Ventures, one of the biggest players established by Bill Gates and a gaggle of other high-net-worth individuals (Khosla is a board member), is one example of a firm that set up a 20-year return horizon to take the long view.
In a new climate tech opus, Khosla broke down where he sees a lot of activity, and also the few technologies he's looking for but hasn't seen great efforts in yet: steel, HVAC and hydrogen for industrial processes, as some examples.
The investments may take longer, like a timeline of six or seven years of initial R&D work, but the outcomes are so outsized it can be worth it, Khosla believes. "These are all markets where you have a company worth tens of billions or $100 billion easily if you win the market," he said.
So is this time really different? Gupta thinks so, arguing that "planet-friendly" investment is fertile ground. A lot of the first cleantech era startups were based on businesses selling to each other and tied to the price of oil. This time, these are technologies that are being demanded by the consumer for the health of the planet as a whole.
"The next trillion-dollar companies come from the entire world voting that there's a better way to consume everything that we're used to consuming, but to do it in a sustainable way," he said. "Otherwise, we ruin the planet that we have."
Still, easier said than done. It's only our planet at stake.
Do you think climate tech investing is the next breakout category or another venture failure? Email your thoughts to biz@protocol.com, and I may publish some answers in next week's newsletter.
A MESSAGE FROM THE FIVE NETWORK
The world's first Mentor Operating System
Picture the mentor(s) in your life. You likely wouldn't be reading Protocol without their influence. We've democratized opportunity and scaled mentoring by addressing the network gap. FIVE Mentoring: powered by tech, amplified by humans.
Ethics hotlines are not enough. January Ventures' Maren Thomas Bannon broke down the tech solutions that are helping companies handle sexism and racism.
Developer-focused businesses could be the next trillion-dollar companies, but GGV's Glenn Solomon says companies will have to win developers' hearts and minds first.
Former Shasta Ventures partner Nikhil Basu Trivedi says there is a segmentation happening in venture capital with firms either becoming agglomerators or specialists.
Only 40% of VC firms have done a remote deal, according to Omers Ventures, which surveyed over 150 firms. Also interesting: There's a preference for doing deals with founders who were met in-person before the pandemic, and reference-checking is through the roof.
A tech CEO and investor was killed. Gokada CEO Fahim Saleh, who was 33, was found dismembered in his Manhattan condo, and his former personal assistant was taken into custody on Friday.
Airbnb may actually IPO this year. Its gross bookings have rebounded, so an IPO is back on the table, according to The New York Times. Remember: Some of Airbnb's early employee shares expire as early as November, so it's a tight window.
Investors are teaming up for a VC Diversity Pledge. The Information reported that some VCs are organizing an effort to push firms to take on HBCUs as LPs. Sequoia, in a separate move, committed to diversifying its LP base.
This week in VC experiments: Contrary Capital is investing up to $100k in students who want to take a gap year to build a company.
Adam Neumann is back investing. The former CEO of WeWork was known for his eyebrow-raising investments, from a fake wave company to medical marijuana. Now he's paid $10 million for a reported 33% stake in Israeli mobility startup GoTo Global.
From Protocol: Startups are risky, so should you buy insurance?
This week in VC history: In 2012, tech was mourning the (quasi) death of Digg, the social media aggregator, after it was sold in pieces to Betaworks, LinkedIn and The Washington Post. The site is still somewhat around, having been sold again to BuySellAds in 2018.
And your weekend reading: Governments turned to technology as part of the pandemic response (contact-tracing apps, anyone?). But that may just be another act of "technology theater" that makes it look like technology will solve all the problems without really doing anything.
Five Questions For …
Kleiner Perkins' Bucky Moore
What's one of your new quarantine habits?
Visiting different parks and public spaces in San Francisco.
What's one startup or product that failed or was shut down that you wish was still here today?
Google Inbox. No question.
What was your first check?
Propeller Aero's seed in the Fall 2016. At the time, it was obvious that drones were on a path to transforming the construction industry. What was less obvious was who would be best positioned to benefit from this transformation. What stood out to me about the founding team was their shared ability to tune out the hype of drones and focus on the practical value that they could deliver. Their vision — to build the analytics cloud for the construction industry — remains steadfast to this day.
What's one of the worst predictions you've ever made?
Predicting the mass availability of L5 autonomy by the end of 2022, in 2016. Our worst predictions tend to be rooted in over-optimism about "the future we want." This one does not appear to be aging well.
What's one problem you wish an entrepreneur would solve?
Unifying all the messaging services we use into one common interface. If anyone reading is working on this problem, reach out!
Thanks for reading this week's Protocol Pipeline. If you like what you're reading, sign up here to get it in your inbox. Send story tips and newsletter feedback to biz@protocol.com.
The challenge of zombie startups
Blake Masters, J.D. Vance campaigns benefit from VC ties
Sequoia's Sonya Huang: Generative AI hype is 'absolutely justified'
Small is the new black in climate tech VC
Bessemer wants to put venture scouting on the blockchain
VCs rethink the office

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Starting a preschool business is a lucrative option for several reasons. Once settled, this business does not give you the stress like recessions and low impacts. Preschools have easy working hours and can be set up at an economical package without having you to invest a fortune. Once you adhere to quality set up and consistently good delivery, you can relax into a business that provides you good cash and a considerable growth.
When you plan to start your own preschool in Mumbai or in India, you have an option for opting for a franchise opportunity. With this kind of opportunity you get legally authorized to utilize the brand recognition and the ready to use business plan of the host institute.
You get the professional support from the institute in all the stages of setting up the school and also managing it. When you enter the business with a franchise opportunity, you also get market recognition and can easily lure your audience by the advantage of the brand name. As the rules for the infrastructure, staff and administration are already defined, you just need to follow the framework. We offer you for low investment playschool franchise in Mumbai.
However, in spite of all the benefits, there are some disadvantages with immediate effect as well as in the long run. You are expected to strictly follow the norms and the terms and conditions lain down by the franchisor. Any violation can result in the termination of contract or fines. Several franchise opportunities attract you with an offer of a low finance and limited conditions but actually come up with hidden costs and several other terms at a later stage. After all the investment of time, money and efforts, you realize that you are working for a brand that is not your own.
We are expert consultants for low investment preschool franchise in Mumbai. We guide you in developing your own preschool brand. If you wish to go in for a franchise opportunity, we advise for best preschool chains in India.
UNBEATABLE Preschool Packages ( no hidden costs ) : When you finally decide to start your own preschool in Mumbai, it seems to be a long process. There are several formalities that need to be completed meticulously. Apart from the investment of money and space, there is time and there are a lot of efforts that are required. You also have several tasks like planning and finalizing the curriculum, setting up the administration and infrastructure based on the norms and rules defined by the type of curriculum and much more.
We are consultants who specialize in curriculum development while some groups can help you steer your way through the documentation process. We have our own expert panels that consist of experienced individuals from the education field.
We also offer school kits and supplies that are required often including books and toys for the tiny tots. Once you tie up with us, it saves a lot of trouble for the time to time purchases and replacements of items that are essential for your school.
We are education consultants and offer complete preschool solutions in low investment. Our professional expertise helps you with curriculum packages for preschools in India and also assists you in designing innovative preschool curriculum programs.
This entry was posted in business and tagged advice for best preschool chains in India, low investment preschool franchise, Playschool Franchise in Mumbai on September 3, 2014 by startaplayschool.


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Lynda Troup Elected as 100th President of The Law Society of Manitoba
Thompson Dorfman Sweatman LLP (TDS) congratulates  Lynda Troup on her election as the 100th President of The Law Society of Manitoba. The Law Society of Manitoba is the governing body for the legal profession in Manitoba and its purpose is to uphold and protect the public interest in the delivery of legal services with competence, integrity and independence.
Lynda has served on a variety of committees at the Law Society of Manitoba since 2009, and was elected as a Bencher in 2014 in the Winnipeg Electoral District. Most recently, Lynda acted as Vice-President to The Law Society of Manitoba in 2019.
Lynda will continue to serve her clients, practising in the areas of civil and commercial litigation and administrative law.
E: lkt@tdslaw.com
This article is presented for informational purposes only. The content does not constitute legal advice or solicitation and does not create a solicitor client relationship. The views expressed are solely the authors' and should not be attributed to any other party, including Thompson Dorfman Sweatman LLP (TDS), its affiliate companies or its clients. The authors make no guarantees regarding the accuracy or adequacy of the information contained herein or linked to via this article. The authors are not able to provide free legal advice. If you are seeking advice on specific matters, please contact Keith LaBossiere, CEO & Managing Partner at kdl@tdslaw.com, or 204.934.2587. Please be aware that any unsolicited information sent to the author(s) cannot be considered to be solicitor-client privileged.
While care is taken to ensure the accuracy for the purposes stated, before relying upon these articles, you should seek and be guided by legal advice based on your specific circumstances. We would be pleased to provide you with our assistance on any of the issues raised in these articles.
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February Walk: Around Etruria
Saturday 1 February 2020. Start at 10.30am, finish by 4.00pm
Covering a concise area around Etruria in Stoke-on-Trent, taking-in the CRT Open Weekend for the Bedford Street staircase
OS 118 Stoke-on-Trent & Macclesfield (Old) Pathfinder 809/SJ 84/94 Stoke-on-Trent
Parking & start: Etruria Industrial Museum car park B5046 Etruria Vale Road SJ873469 what3words: simple.humans.super
The walk will be short in distance but long in interest! We shall be looking at:
CRT's work on the staircase flight
the Caldon canal through Hanley Park, where Stoke-on-Trent City Council is close to completing a multi-million pounds restoration scheme
Etruria Park
the Trent & Mersey canal and the site of the 1986 National Garden Festival
Etruria Bone Mill*
This is an area where steel making and pottery production, notably where Josiah Wedgwood built his home and first major works, have influenced and shaped the landscape. There's mystery and intrigue around every corner!
The area boasts one of North Staffordshire's finest proper pubs – The Holy Inadequate – and it's a great place en-route for a pint and a pie.
* We shall be having a guided tour of the Mill, £4 per head, in the afternoon. The volunteers there would appreciate knowing the number to be expected so please advise us by Monday 27 January if you expect to be coming.
The route is generally good but, as always, stout shoes etc
November Walk – The Chesterfield Canal
The original intention had been to walk the stretch of the Chesterfield Canal from Retford to Clayworth, however, shortly before the walk was scheduled it was decided to finish after lunch at the Gate Inn, Clarborough as it was thought that the towpath from Clarborough to Clayworth might prove to be a bit tricky in the reduced length of daylight once the clocks had gone back.
A very select band of walkers met at the Gate Inn, Clarborough and transferred in one car to travel to the Churchgate Visitor Car Park in Retford. It started to rain as we pulled into the car park so we all climbed into full waterproof gear before making our way into Kings Park. Once in the park we walked along side the River Idle and as we neared the canal we crossed the river on a footbridge and had a good view of the three arch aqueduct which carries the canal over the river. We then continued a further short distance through the park to join the canal at Inkerman footbridge.
The three arched canal aquaduct crossing the River Idle as viewed from Kings Park
The iron lattice Inkermans footbridge
Once on the towpath we turned left and proceeded in the direction of Retford Town Lock. In a short distance on the canal side opposite we saw a former warehouse which still bears the name Fletcher and Sons in faded letters. It turned out that the couple who converted the building into a private house were friends of Dave and Izzie's who had visited the property before conversion had started.
The group pauses on the towpath, possibly to acclimatise to the very wet conditions, whilst Paul is already exhibiting significant signs of shrinkage
We then crossed the three arched aquaduct over the River Idle we had first viewed from Kings Park. The next noticeable feature we encountered was Retford Town lock which is the first narrow lock on the canal since the navigation left the River Trent at West Stockwith.
Just below the lock and just beside the towpath we came across The Bay Tree Cafe Bar, since we had by then already been walking for almost twenty minutes and it was extremely wet we thought we would set what we believe may be a IWPS/BBHT walks precedent by stopping for a morning hot drinks, snacks and a temporary dry. Teas, coffees and toasted tea cakes were ordered and thoroughly enjoyed.
A morning stop for teas, coffees and toasted tea cakes an BBHT walks game changer?
The shelter offered by The Bay Tree allowed an extract from James Roffery's excellent book on the Chesterfield Canal to be consulted. The cafe is situated on what was originally the Corporation Wharf and the book recounts the story of how, in the late 19th century, the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway Company erected gates across the towpath, to prevent pilfering from its warehouse on the wharf, and kept them locked. Retford Corporation brought an injunction for obstruction against the railway company and a legal wrangle began; the Corporation claiming the towpath had always previously been open and the railway claiming they had always had the right to refuse access. The Corporation produced evidence that the local baptists had regularly held open-air baptisms near Town lock. Apparently those being baptised were totally immersed in the canal, after which they were taken into the lock keeper's cottage to get dry and have a hot drink. The Corporation won the case and the towpath has remained open ever since but apparently according to Roffery "The open-air baptisms were brought to an end by boatmen, who expressed their annoyance if they were delayed in language that did not suit the occasion."
After we departed The Bay Tree we found, close by, one of the excellent information boards we had spotted previously along the towpath. This board included an explanation of how it was largely thanks to the actions of the Reverend Seth Ellis Stevenson that the final route of the Chesterfield Canal came through Retford. The original route planned for the canal in 1768, did not include Retford but instead it was to go to Bawtry. However, when Seth Ellis Stevenson learnt of the plans he began to work hard to bring the canal to Retford including, writing a promotional pamphlet, visiting influential land owners, talking to engineers and after many public meeting the route of the canal via Retford was agreed in June 1770.
The white building on the far side of the bridge is the Packet Inn and the imposing brick building in the foreground is Grove Mill
The Packet Inn was the terminus for the weekly packet boat from Clayworth that brought villagers and their produce to Retford Market. The Grove Mill building was originally used as a malthouse but was converted to a flour mill around 1900. The canal provided fuel for the boilers, the grain and then took the finished flour to West Stockwith for onward transport.
In 1978 British Waterways were carrying out dredging work close to the mill when a chain was dredged from the bed of the canal and attached to the chain was the wooden lid of a culvert. The water in the canal between Retford Town Lock and the Whitsunday Pie Lock poured out leaving several boats high and dry. The incident received wide coverage in the media and caused some embarrassment to British Waterways who became known as the organisation 'Who Had Pulled the Plug Out"
Whitsunday Pie Lock is the last wide lock on the journey up the canal from West Stockwith and is possible the most well known lock on the canal because of its unusual name. There are various theories regarding the origin of the name including a neighbouring farmer's wife baking a huge pie on Whitsunday to celebrate either the completion of the lock or the end of a long stoppage but more recent research has shown the name existed before the lock was built.
Whitsunday Pie Lock (photographed on the recce walk when it was not raining)
Bridge 61 Bone Mill bridge has a slightly flattened and distorted shape to its arch but we were puzzled by the additional courses of brick which had been added to the parapets on both sides of the bridge.
Bridge 61 Bone Mill bridge (again photographed on the recce walk)
The Gate Inn was the end of our short walk where we were very pleased to meet up with Ian Edgar who had joined us for a pleasant lunch and interesting discussions on canal walks and the people who go on them.
Many thanks to Mark and Ruth for organising the walk and for writing this article.
November Walk: Chesterfield Canal
THE CHESTERFIELD CANAL
SATURDAY 2nd November 2019
10 a.m. start
Firstly, we must apologise to all those recipients of the "Walks Programme 2019" who were for the past 9 months have been eagerly awaiting details of the advertised November walk on the Thames, Berks & Andover but unfortunately this was a cruel hoax perpetrated by Jan & Vern because in December of last year Ruth and Mark had, as usual, no flippin' idea where they were going to walk, however, we have now decided that what you walkers want, what you really, really want is a walk on the Chesterfield Canal from Retford to Clayworth so that is precisely what we are offering. The total distance of this walk is approximately 6 miles with the lunch stop pretty much at half distance at The Gate Inn, Clarborough.
We will meet at 10.00 at the Retford and Worksop Boat Club in Clayworth (see map attached), who have kindly agreed to allow us to use their car park and we will then take the minimum number of cars necessary to convey the group to the Churchgate Visitor Car Park* in Retford. *Note: This is a pay and display car park and the charge for the maximum stay of over 4 hours is £3.50, the machines only accept cash and no change is given. So those drivers unlucky enough to draw the short straws and drive group members from Clayworth to Retford are strongly advised to extract cash contributions from their passengers for the parking charges prior to allowing them to leave their vehicles (Information on the location of the car park will be available on the day).
When we have all regrouped in the Churchgate Visitor Car Park we will make our way through Kings Park to join the canal at Inkerman footbridge where we turn left onto the towpath and proceed towards Retford Town Lock and eventually to Clayworth.
When we did our recce walk in early September the majority of the towpath surface was reasonable but unfortunately the last couple of miles to Clayworth was the most uneven stretch so stout footwear / wellies are strongly recommended as are sticks for those that use them.
Lunch is at the Gate Inn. If you are joining us and wish to eat at the Gate Inn please ring us for menu choices, we need to have your menu choices by Saturday 19th October. Otherwise email or ring by Friday 1st November.
Email: ruthandmark123@btinternet.com or phone: 0114 2661353, if there are any last minute panics on the day then we should be contactable on our mobiles Mark: 07380925599 and Ruth: 07804217597.
Lancaster Canal Weekend Away
Our weekend started with an interesting illustrated talk on the Friday evening by the Lancaster Canal Trust about the history of the canal and the restoration.
Running from Preston to Kendal, by 1797 the Lancaster Canal was operating as far as Tewitfield. Work started north of Tewitfield in 1813 and reached Kendal in 1819. This was much needed in Kendal and was of immediate benefit to the town which thrived from then on. Known as the 'Black and White Canal' because coal was brought in and limestone taken out, a passenger service also ran between Preston and Kendal – the boats managed an amazing 10 mph – loyal customers using it even after the advent of the railways.
In 1941/42 the LMS railway, who owned the canal, closed the top half mile of the canal in Kendal , the LMS tried to close the remainder but as the canal still served the gas works in Kendal this failed. However this supply was transferred to road in 1944 and commercial traffic ceased in 1947. The canal officially closed in 1955. It had always suffered leakage due to the underlying limestone and due to the leakage it was drained north of Stainton with the two miles into Kendal being filled in. A section at Burton was also drained with a pipe taking water down to Tewitfield.
The Lancaster Canal Trust formed in 1963 with the aim of preventing the northern extension of the M6 closing the navigation north of Carnforth. When this failed the aim of the society became to re-open the canal between Tewitsfield and Kendal. The M6 cuts across the canal at 3 points but it is possible to take the canal underneath, one could be done as a bore but the other two would need excavating and piling, this would have to be done one lane at a time. This would be a multi million pound project.
Saturday's walk started in Holme. Holme is one of a number of places along the Lancaster Canal where coal was once brought by canal barge to a wharf and then converted to coke for use locally. The Coke ovens are now in a garden on the offside of the canal and the owner allowed the group into his garden to view these early beehive shaped ovens.
From Holme it was a pleasant mornings walk to Crooklands. This section of the canal is in water, running through open countryside although the M6 inevitably runs close by. After stopping at Crooklands for lunch David Gibson, secretary of the LCT, joined us as guide for the afternoon. At Crooklands Wakefield Wharf served the gunpowder factory C.W.H. Wakefield and Co. at nearby Gatebeck, a small horse drawn tramway was built to link the factory with the wharf and thence to Milnthorpe Station. From here the canal continues through pleasant countryside for another couple of miles to Stainton aqueduct.
Unfortunately, the towing path here is closed as CRT are still working on the aqueduct which was damaged in the floods of 2015 (hopefully this will soon be reopened) and the group had to detour via the road. However Mark and I had an unscheduled detour and were at least able to view the aqueduct from the river below.
Stainton aqueduct after the floods of 2015 and today
Soon after this we reached the 'first furlong', running between bridges 172 and 173, where the society are currently lining the canal with a sandwich of geotextile and a high grade pond liner in between, covered in concrete blocks as a physical barrier to damage from above and to hold the liner in place against groundwater pressure. As can be seen the volunteers are having some problems with water getting underneath at the moment.
The start of the first furlong
The canal ran out as we reached Well Head Lane, this farm road runs under the A590 which cuts across the line of the canal. David explained that as this is a little used road mainly used by farm vehicles they are looking at the possibility of the canal using the bridge or sharing the access under the bridge, but both options are unlikely to be practical.
The path from the canal on the left, the A590 cuts across the canal corridor
Passing under the A590 we regained the towpath and were soon at Hincaster tunnel. The 378 yard long tunnel is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, the first ten yards at each end and the underwater section are all built of limestone, the rest is lined with approximately 4 million locally made bricks. The engineers were loath to use brick, believing that the structure wouldn't be strong enough, it was pointed out that brick had been used successfully in tunnels further south and the tunnel became the first major brick-built civil engineering project north of the Mersey at that time.
Inside the tunnel you can still see the fixings for a chain or rope – allowing boats to be pulled through as an alternative to legging. To the left of the tunnel is the horse path with an impressive series of horse tunnels, two at this end and one at the far end, presumably to give farm access over them.
Approaching Hincaster tunnel
The horse tunnels
Continuing towards Sedgewick, it's possible to follow the line of the canal for a good part of the way but part of the canal has been lost to farmland and a detour has to be made. Sedgewick Aqueduct proved to be a bit far for Saturday's walk but we visited it later, it's a fine example of a skew aqueduct, extensive repairs having been carried out by WRG and local volunteers in 1991. This is also a Scheduled Ancient Monument, it was one of five road aqueducts built on the canal – there are also 12 aqueducts built over rivers and streams, all but one still survive.
Sedgewick aqueduct
On Sunday morning we met our guide for the morning, John Bateson of the Kendal Civic Society and former Mayor of Kendal, on Natland Beck Mill Road on the outskirts of Kendal. Natland Beck Mill Road forms the border between two councils, going into Kendal the canal is owned by Kendal town council, but going out of Kendal there are several land owners including councils and farmers, inevitably making things more complicated. The canal is currently regarded as a pathway and there are plans to improve this. Going into Kendal there have been ideas about restoring an isolated length but funding and upkeep is a problem. We joined the canal at Natland Mill Beck Bridge admiring the unique rope handrail that had been installed by the civic society.
The canal corridor still exists a good way through Kendal, the towpath being tarmacked and the canal itself infilled and grassed over, you can see how easy it would be to restore and make a feature of this section.
The unusual rope handrail and the canal corridor in Kendal
However where the A65 crossed the canal the bridge has been infilled and buried, which is another obstacle for restoration. The next bridge, before the canal becomes a bit more industrial, is a change bridge, the only turnover bridge in Cumbria. After this is the site of the former gasworks. The tarmacked towing path continues but the canal corridor becomes less well defined. Yet another impressive bridge follows, the original stone bridge having been extended for road widening with riveted wrought iron.
Change bridge and the widened bridge
At the end of the canal there are railings on the left through which is a recycling centre. This is the site of the canal basin.
The recycling centre on the site of the canal basin
The basin ran parallel to Canal Head North, there were warehouses, wharves, stabling and workers cottages. The map below also shows an ironworks at the end of the basin.
The canal ticket office remains on Canal Head North, as does the canal manager's house across the road from the head of navigation.
Canal ticket office and canal manager's house
This was the end of the canal walking for the weekend and we headed off to the Windermere Steamboat Museum. The group spent a very enjoyable time in the museum, the highlight being the trip on the steam launch, Osprey. Built in 1902 in Bowness, Osprey has always sailed on Windermere, although at times she has been fitted with diesel engines the museum converted her back to steam fitting a Sissons Steam Compound engine, with its obviously polished but sadly unused Windermere kettle.
This was a very informative, interesting and enjoyable weekend and I know several walkers have expressed a wish to return and explore more of the canal. Many thanks to Pauline for her organisation of the weekend and to all those Pauline arranged to speak/act as guides.
Next time out: Saturday 2nd November. The Chesterfield Canal (Retford to Clayworth)
The Lancaster Canal Weekend Away: 5th/6th October
https://www.lancasterguardian.co.uk/news/isolated-14-mile-northern-reaches-of-lancaster-canal-will-re-open-say-campaigners-1-9857143
Friday Evening 7.00 FOR 7.30
There will be an illustrated talk by the Lancaster Canal Trust about the restoration of the canal, in the dining room of the Cross Keys Hotel at Milnthorpe – grid ref: SD 497815, postcode LA7 7AD. The car park is round the back, dining room at the front. The hotel are letting us have the room free of charge in return for us buying drinks. We will be having a collection for the society.
Saturday 10.a.m.
Meet at Holme Square next to the Spar shop – postcode LA6 1PS, grid ref: SD 524 789. We will start with a guided tour of the coke ovens on the canal at Holme by Geoff Pegg, the Archivist for the Holme and District Local History Society, after which we'll walk to Crooklands (3½ miles). This is an attractive, rural stretch of canal in water with the odd diversion, which should be very pleasant if the weather plays ball!
The lunch stop will be at Crooklands with the choice of either taking your own sandwiches or eating at the Crooklands Hotel.
http://www.crooklands.com/files/uploaded/menu2019/Cottage%20menu%20internet.pdf
If you wish to pre-order a meal at the hotel please give your order to Pauline (details at end)
In the afternoon a member of the canal society will join us to walk the unrestored section of the canal towards Sedgewick, which includes 'the first furlong', Stainton Aqueduct and Stainton Tunnel. There is a convenient bus to take us back to Holme.
We return to the Cross Keys at Milnthorpe. Arrive from 7pm to eat at 7.30. Again food orders to Pauline please.
Sunday 10 a.m.
During the morning the final mile of the canal into Kendal will be explored with John Bateson of the Kendal Civic Society (past mayor of Kendal). He is extremely knowledgeable and this should be an interesting morning. Details of parking and meeting place will be given on Saturday.
At midday we will head to Weatherspoon's for lunch (or sandwiches if preferred)
https://www.jdwetherspoon.com/pubs/all-pubs/england/cumbria/the-miles-thompson-kendal?utm_source=google&utm_medium=maps&utm_campaign=gmb
before we drive to Bowness to spend the afternoon at the Steamboat Museum, with a steamboat trip for those who have already booked a place.
We will need payment for this by Saturday 14th September. The museum will only keep the seats on the steamboat that have already been paid for:
Museum and boat trip: £18.10
Museum only: £8.10
Cheques to be made payable to J. Brown. 22, Brightholmlee Lane, Sheffield S35 0DD (if you no longer use cheques please contact me).
Please ring Pauline on 01524781136 to let her know if you will be attending all or part of the weekend.
Food orders to Pauline please by Wednesday 25th September.
If anyone is staying on after the weekend we are planning a further walk on the canal.
August Walk: The Huddersfield Canal
The second of our Huddersfield Canal walks, this time we tackled the west side starting at Portland Basin and finishing at Standedge tunnel. Portland Basin is the junction of the Ashton and Peak Forest Canals and site of the big dig of 1972 which some of our walkers were involved in. Now a very attractive site, Portland Basin Industrial Museum, in the rebuilt nineteenth century Ashton Canal Warehouse with working boats outside, dominates.
Crossing the footbridge from the Museum to the towpath
Although the Huddersfield Narrow is often thought of as starting at Portland basin, the Ashton continues for almost half a mile towards Stalybridge to the start of the Huddersfield. Only a few minutes up the canal is the Asda tunnel. Built on the site of a cotton mill Asda was built over the canal, the tunnel that goes under it has no towing path so it is necessary to divert up to Cavendish Street where the imposing Cavendish Mill has been converted into flats. After crossing this very busy main road and walking through Asda car park we regained the towing path where a railway viaduct passes overhead. In 1845, 15 navvies were killed here when several arches of the viaduct collapsed. A short way from here the Huddersfield Narrow starts at Whitelands Bridge where a horse tunnel leads to lock 1W.
The start of the Huddersfield and the horse tunnel leading to lock 1W
Immediately after lock 1W is Whitelands tunnel. This was originally 150 yards long, but was opened out in the 1850's leaving a cutting with three bridges, the top one appears to be part of the original tunnel.
The start of Whiteland Tunnel and the last section which is probably original
The stretch of canal from Ashton to Stalybridge was at one time lined with Mills, now many are gone or derelict. This very industrial area is being reclaimed by nature and we were pleased to see a variety of wildlife.
Our first stop was at Stakes aqueduct (also known as Stalybridge Aqueduct and Tame Aqueduct). The origin 4 arch stone structure was destroyed in the floods of 1799 when Tunnel End reservoir partially collapsed; it was replaced by a cast iron trough with a separate stone hump back bridge alongside carrying the towpath. This is grade II listed and can claim to be the worlds oldest working navigable iron aqueduct. The trough was assembled from flanged cast iron plates and was reinforced in 1875 due to concern about it's strength. On the offside, wrought iron trusses were fitted and connected to a support beam mid span, the other end of this beam is supported from the hump back bridge by a tie rod and spreader plate.
Left: Stakes aqueduct showing the construction and strengthening trusses. Right: The spreader plate can just be seen beyond Vern's foot.
We were now approaching Staley Wharf and Carolyn Street in Stalybridge, head of navigation until 2001. Stalybridge centre was one of the last sections of the canal to be restored, work starting in 2000. There had been an idea previously to divert the canal around Stalybridge using the River Tame. Armentieres square , the site of lock 6, was a car park and Stalybridge Sport centre had been built across the line of the canal and lock 5. However the sports centre was demolished in March 2000 and it was decided to reinstate the original line of the canal.
A new bridge had to be constructed under Carolyn Street, with lock 4 immediately beyond. Here a new lock had to be constructed slightly to the south of the original as a garage site extended over part of the lock.
Left: Carolyn Street bridge tunnel under construction with the chamber of lock 4W beyond
Right: Looking back to lock 4W the head of the original lock can be seen to the right of the new lock
Much of lock 5 was found to be intact, it had been infilled to make a small car park at the rear of the indoor sports centre, even an original sluice paddle gate had survived being buried for 30 years. Beyond here the canal had been infilled to the level of Back Melbourne Street and this had to be excavated and a new bridge built. Next is Melbourne Street Bridge, an original bridge which had been infilled, here the infill was removed and a new concrete channel laid. Immediately beyond this a new bridge was constructed leading to Armentieres Square and the new lock 6W.
Left: Walking through the 3 bridges that lead to Armentieres Square
Right: Testing the seats at the side of lock 6W in Armentieres Square structure beyond the lock is a lock gate sun dial
We continued through Stalybridge, past Tesco to lock 7 where we left the canal to reclaim the cars and drive to the Allotment Café at Mossley. Previously the Flying Teapot this is a hidden gem producing delicious food, some of which is grown on site, and was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone. It is also conveniently next to Woodend Mill, a great place to start the afternoon walk.
Enjoying lunch at the allotment cafe and Woodend Mill next to lock 14W
Built circa 1830-40 Woodend Mill is a near complete example of a first generation integrated cotton mill site, where both weaving and spinning processes took place, previously the two processes had been done on separate sites. Beyond here the canal becomes rural, quite a contrast to the morning's walk.
After crossing the restored Royal George Aqueduct we passed the Royal George Mills. Built in 1786 the Mills had latterly specialised in producing taper hammer and technical felt but closed in 1999 and were converted into an attractive housing complex.
A pub now stands on the site of the next mill, Frenches Mill. By perusing old maps and a painting of the mills we worked out that the marina at the side of the pub is on the site of the old mill dam.
Frenches Mill site, now a pub and marina, and a 19th century painting of the Mill. The artist has not painted the canal, presumably it would spoil his rural scene
Approaching Uppermill High Street Bridge, which leads to lock 21, had to be lengthened because of road widening. This is another bridge with no towpath so walkers have to cross the main road to regain the canal. Uppermill was the first section of the canal to be restored, rejuvenation of the canal and town went hand in hand and it is now a very popular tourist destination. At the far end of the town the impressive Saddleworth Viaduct crosses the canal. Beneath this the canal crosses the River Tame on Old Sag aqueduct. This developed a sag soon after construction. During restoration it was relined with a lightweight concrete channel to make it safe but the sag was left untouched.
Saddleworth Viaduct
Next is Wool Road Basin with it's transhipment warehouse (now the home of the Huddersfield Canal Society) that served the woollen mill behind (now converted to housing). Passing under the new road bridge and excavated Wool Road bridge we climbed Diggle locks, stopping after lock 28 to find the unusual pedestrian tunnel that was built under the canal to allow mill workers to cross from their cottages on the south side of the canal. The tunnel has a 90 degree turn in it giving very little light at the corner. With stone underfoot this can make it quite treacherous and due to the rain prior to the walk it was unfortunately deemed unsafe to explore on the day.
Wool Road transhipment warehouse
Refreshments were now calling and we hastened to Grandpa Greene's Ice cream parlour next to lock 31 for a welcome break before the short walk to Standedge tunnel.
Left: The highpoint of the day. Right: the entrance to Standedge Tunnel at the end of the walk
We had seen just 3 boats moving on a sunny day in August, it is a shame that so many boaters are put off cruising this beautiful canal because of the number of locks, but it was great to see the large number of people walking and enjoying the open areas alongside the canal.
Many thanks to those who turned out early to ease a fairly complicated day of car shuffling!
Huddersfield Canal Walk Saturday 3rd August
Walk on the Huddersfield Canal West 10 a.m. start
As everyone enjoyed the walk on the Huddersfield East so much last year we decided we should finish off the Huddersfield this year with the west side. The group last walked this in 2001, the year it re-opened. We weren't on that walk as we were struggling over with the boat, facing dry pounds, faulty lock gear and a delay at the tunnel due to a sunken boat. Things have improved somewhat since then and although we have boated it several times since it has been surprising how many features we found when walking that we'd completely missed from the boat.
We'll be following a similar pattern to last year, a short walk on the more industrial bit in the morning from Portland Basin to Stalybridge, a short car journey to the lunch stop at Mossley and a longer walk from Mossley into the hills in the afternoon to tunnel end, with the possibility of a couple of ice-cream stops on the way.
We will meet in Huddersfield Road car park at Stalybridge. On the B6175, close to the canal and just off the A6018, Ashton the Stalybridge road (map attached). OS ref 968987. For Sat navs SK15 2QA appears to cover that end of Huddersfield Road.
From here we will take a minimum number of cars to the start of the walk at Portland Basin on the Ashton Canal. The mornings walk includes the Asda tunnel (toilets at Asda), Whitelands 'tunnel', the oldest navigable cast iron aqueduct and of course Stalybridge where major restoration took place. We will then drive to Mossley for lunch. We have booked lunch at the allotment café which is next to Woodend Mill on the canal and serves excellent food.
The Allotment Cafe
There is the option of a pint at the Roaches Inn which is 10 minutes walk up the canal.
We rejoin the canal at Woodend Mill for the very pleasant walk past Royal George, Uppermill, Wool Road transhipment warehouse and Saddleworth Viaduct to Diggle locks and tunnel end where we will have a couple of cars in place to run drivers back to Mossley.
If you are joining us and wish to eat at the café please contact Jan & Vern with your menu choices by Saturday 27th July. Otherwise email or ring by Friday 2nd August.
janandvernbrown@gmail.com 07443834997
Posted on 2 June 2019 3 June 2019
June Walk: The Bradley Branch and surroundings
This walk was dedicated to the memory of Ian McKim Thompson MBChB, a much missed friend of the BCN and BBHT.
What is now the Bradley branch was originally part of Brindley's Main Line (now called 'The Old Main Line') of 1772. When the line was straightened with the building of Coseley Tunnel it became the Bradley arm and a new section was also built with 9 locks taking it down to the Walsall Canal. It is currently navigable as far as the Bradley workshops, from there it is a restoration project. Dave Pearson, the local IWA branch deputy chairman and BCNS representative kindly accompanied us on the walk, explaining the restoration along the way.
Before heading for the canal Paul and Kathy presented us all with a map of the canals/lost canals in the area which helped immensely in understanding all the loops and arms, some of which can still be seen, and interesting details of the walk. They also set the challenge of finding as many different makers marks on clay capping stones as possible (with prizes).
We joined the Bradley Canal at Glasshouse Bridge, part way along the navigable section of the canal. A few years ago it was a struggle to boat here because of weed growth. Much work has now been done to improve it, dredging (including lifting out a flattened, but complete Ford Escort), clearing the banks, installing Nicospan on the offside and seeding with wildflowers behind it to create an attractive bank and improving the towpath. Mooring rings are also planned to be installed. In the heyday of the canals this whole area was full of industry—Paul had counted 12 iron works and 128 coal mines and shafts! There is now much new housing and redevelopment in the area.
Contrast of the old and new at Glass House Bridge—the further end of the factory site is also earmarked for housing
Looking in the opposite direction, the canal is completely lined with new houses
After passing under Pot House bridge, a blanked off section of canal can be seen ahead, this was the original line of the canal, a loop which served Wilkinsons Ironworks, which was subsequently straightened. Beyond this section Bradley Pumping Engine stood. This pumped water from local mines into the canal, electric pumps still do this, a mutually beneficial agreement with the successors of the NCB.
A coot's nest at the bottom of the parapet of the blocked off loop with an unusually large brood of chicks. The BCN is becoming a haven for wildlife
Immediately after Bradley workshop is the major obstacle of restoration. Across a busy road, on the line of the canal stand large factory units owned by CRT. The lease is nearing the end on these so there is the possibility of knocking these down and restoring the original route of the canal. Failing this there is an area of open land to the side which the canal could be diverted through, however this would entail building an embankment which would be very costly.
The factories across the road from the Bradley workshops which stand on the line of the canal
From the back of the factory the line of the canal runs through what is now an open green area, although it has previously been an area of mining, industrial wasteland and a council tip. It is known to be contaminated, another problem for restoration. Here there had been another loop in the original main line, we followed the later straightened line to the top of the 9 locks which led down to the Walsall Canal.
Bradley top lock then………… ………..and now
The top flight of 6 locks can't be seen but were simply buried and are thought to be in quite good condition, prior to restoration the chambers would have to be dug out, inspected then filled in again to maintain stability whilst awaiting water and lock gates.
Another problem in this area is local resistance to the restoration as some residents have 'extended' their gardens into the canal corridor.
After these locks is a partly buried bridge, which carries a busy A road. This has recently been inspected, it is fairly certain that the abutments are still good and the arch may be serviceable. Below the bridge the canal is overgrown but intact, with the bottom three locks intact and culverted.
The buried bridge
One of the three bottom locks with safety rails
This final section of the Bradley Arm is tree lined and feels surprisingly rural, it joins the Walsall Canal at Moorcroft Junction. After a bit of clay capping stone inspection by the more competitive members of the group we set off south towards the Gospel Oak branch.
Looking for makers names on the capping stones
The Gospel Oak branch leaves the Walsall on the offside and is still in water (not navigable) for the first part of it's length. It is hoped that residential moorings can be provided on this length. A path then follows the approximate line to the branch end through a green corridor. This brought us out close to the Gospel Oak pub where we stopped for an amazingly generous lunch deal.
Heading down the Walsall Canal The start of the Gospel Oak Branch
Happily replete we headed back to the Wednesbury Oak loop and then retraced our steps back to the start of the walk, seven out of the possible eight capping stones having been found along the way.
This is a fascinating area, full of history and we were very fortunate to have two such knowledgeable guides in Paul and Dave. It would be nice to see more boats venturing onto the arm, which with the recent improvements should be an absolute doddle compared to a few years ago. Even better would be to travel down a restored link to the Walsall canal which we hope to see come to fruition. Hopefully this would also lead to improvements along the Walsall canal, which has a surprisingly green and well kept towing path but suffers badly from weed growth in the channel.
Many thanks to Dave for accompanying us for the day and being a font of knowledge and to Paul and Kathy for their organisation and detailed research of the area and making the day so interesting.
Dave Pearson talking to the group
WORKING PARTY DAYS
We have had the first working party of the year on the 19th May 2019. It was an amazing success with twelve new volunteers enlisting to help. Fantastic to see a family come along and children getting involved.
The next working party will be Sunday 16th June from 10am til 1pm and every third Sunday of each month, If the weather is good we can light a BBQ.
Bradley Canal Walk Saturday 1st June
Walk majoring on the Bradley Branch Canal 10.30am start
OS Landranger 139 Explorer 219 (Wolverhampton & Dudley) (Old Pathfinder 912 Wolverhampton (South) (SO 89/99) Godfrey Edition maps 62.16 (Bilston), 67.04 (Bradley), 68.01 (Wednesbury)
The walk takes-in parts of Brindley's Old Main Line, most of the Wednesbury Oak Loop/Bradley Branch, a bit of the Walsall Canal and all that's left of the Gospel Oak Branch.
This is a six mile circular walk: 3½ miles before lunch, 2½ after lunch.
It comprises, roughly-speaking: ⅓ operational canal, ⅓ line lost but obvious, ⅓ line lost and subject to guesswork and/or imagination.
Start 10.30 am in Bath Street, SO 951962, WV14 0ST: a straight road on the eastern perimeter of Morrisons supermarket in Black Country Route, Bilston, WV14 0DZ (the dual-carriageway A463).
Travelling west on the A463 from Oxford Street Island, there are signs for Brooklands Sheds & Fencing and Meadwood Industrial Estate. Turn left immediately before the Morrisons supermarket building and keep left into Bath Street. Park here – there are no yellow lines.
Bilston bus station and Bilston Central Metro station are on the north side of the Black Country Route and easily accessible to both the town and our start point.
Anyone wanting to come by boat could moor close to Glasshouse Bridge, the point where we begin our walk on the canal. No doubt C&RT at Bradley Workshops can advise.
Lunch will be taken at 1.00pm at the Gospel Oak, 1 Bilston Road, Tipton see https://www.gospeloakpub.co.uk/
It's a big Marston's pub with a large seating capacity, inside and out. Range of ales by Marston's and Banks, ciders & lagers.
Extensive menu (note, sandwiches on the Lunch Club menu). In order to be as efficient as possible, the pub will appreciate an advance order. If you are coming and plan to eat at the pub, please let the Nibletts know your choices before Saturday 25 May.
Regardless of whether you wish to order food, if you are planning to come on the walk, please ring Kathy & Paul Niblett on 01782 641967 (answerphone available), any time before the 29 May.
Stout shoes etc as usual. We don't expect mud: most of the route is on towpath, public footpath or street pavement.


text:
Detroit dance pioneer Mike Huckaby dead at 54
April 26, 2020 Giorgia Whyte Entertainment
Mike Huckaby, a leading figure in Detroit's house and techno circles, died on April 24 in Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak at the age of 54. Huckaby's brother, Craig Huckaby, said the late producer had been hospitalized on March 7 after suffering a mild stroke on March 6.
During his time at a rehabilitation facility following his hospitalization, Huckaby's health initially appeared to improve but declined when he developed sweats and a cough. These symptoms prompted Huckaby to be readmitted to Beaumont Hospital, where he was placed on a ventilator. Shortly before his death, Huckaby tested positive for coronavirus.
Huckaby's legacy will live on in underground electronic circles, where the producer first cut his teeth in the 1980s. Huckaby carved a niche for himself in Detroit and beyond through live performances, stints as an on-air radio host, producing and releasing his own music, and his management and buying responsibilities at Detroit's famed record store, Record Time. Huckaby also instructed DJ software courses at Red Bull Music Academy and appeared annually at Detroit Electronic Music Festival, known today as Movement.
H/T: Detroit Free Press
Featured image: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
Tags: coronavirusdeathDetroithouseMike Huckabytechno
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Tom just wanted to say good-bye to everyone.
Does anybody else get really cold after eating?
This seems to have gotten worse the last year or so. By the way I am a C for quad, nine years post injury. I don't really understand it, but especially after a lunch,, I get so cold! I usually have to put on an electric blanket and drink hot water to stop shivering. Quite annoying.
I'm with you in spirit, Pal!
My wife is gone for ten days and I'm on the loose.........when it's a little cold to galavant much!
The furnace in the garage is running and running because the furnace bozo replaced the old mercury switched thermostat that I had rotated so it didn't come one until ~33*F.
Now it's trying to maintain something north of 45*! So I found a 35* thermostat on Amazon. WTF! Its for use in GARAGES! And it will be in my mailbox tomorrow.
Nice read. I can relate to a lot of it.
It's been 39 years for me & I just turned 60 too!


CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Tap at Illinois – a semesterlong celebration of tap dancing by Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, the University of Illinois dance department and Lyric Theatre at Illinois – kicks off next week with a screening of the film "American Tap." The screening is part of the dance department's Flatlands Dance Film Festival.
"American Tap" looks at tap dancing as an American art form, tracing it from its origins through its heyday in the Big Band era to its current resurgence. It features many of the greatest tap dancers throughout history, including Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, The Copasetics, Gregory Hines, Savion Glover and Michelle Dorrance. Shown at 7 p.m. Jan. 16 at The Art Theater, 126 W. Church St., Champaign, the screening is free and open to the public.
"Tap dance holds a nostalgic value for many people who recognize it as America's most popular art form during the golden age of movie musicals and vaudeville performances. It also has become linked with the youth culture of hip-hop because of Savion Glover's popularity over the last 30 years," said Rebecca Ferrell, the director of the Flatlands Dance Film Festival, and the director of public relations and engagement and a lecturer in the dance department.
Dorrance Dance will perform at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts this spring. The company is led by choreographer Michelle Dorrance, a MacArthur Fellowship recipient.
Contemporary tap artists Glover and Dorranceare featured in the documentary, and both will perform at Krannert Center this semester. Glover will perform Jan. 26 with jazz drummer Marcus Gilmore.
Dorrance, a former member of STOMP and Savion's company Ti Dii, is the founder and artistic director of Dorrance Dance. She and her company will perform three pieces on March 14: "Myelination," an ensemble piece with original live music; the Bessie Award-winning "Three to One"; and "Jungle Blues," with a score by Branford Marsalis.
"Michelle Dorrance is the first tap dancer to be awarded a MacArthur Fellowship and has quickly become one of the most sought-after choreographers of her generation. Her imaginative style upholds tap traditions while propelling the form forward rhythmically and technically with visually enticing performances," Lee-Calfas said.
The dance department's Studiodance I performances Feb. 28-March 2 will feature Charlie Maybee, a tap dancer, choreographer and graduate student in dance at Illinois. He'll present his master's thesis, "The Promise of Stormy Weather." The performance will include four alumni of the dance department.
In April, Lyric Theatre at Illinois will present George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin's Tony Award-winning musical "Crazy for You" – the show that spawned such memorable Gershwin tunes as "I Got Rhythm," "They Can't Take That Away from Me," "Embraceable You" and "Someone to Watch Over Me." The performances are April 25-28.
Should we worry about ticks this summer?


I Can't Wait Quit Playing With This App!
I was over at http://www.Ramblingsofasuburbanmom.com today and read about this app called Waterlogue. I downloaded it and I have been playing with my phone ever since! It's the best 3 bucks I've ever spent! I'm driving my hubby crazy with it! So, instead of constantly saying, "Hey Baby, look at this!", I will share this awesomeness with you!
This is my Bass Catching Babe!
This is me and my Momma!
Delbert and one W…. The grumpy one, Wendell.
This was our first selfie. And my kids are going to die laughing over the fact that I just wrote that!
Spending the day at Dinosaur Valley in Glen Rose, Texas.
And yes, I will retire that shirt.


Gina returns with her Belles and taking on chaos theory. With comedy, escapology and postmodern jazz this night is sure to create a few hurricanes.
The dancers and dances were good as was orcestra. It was quite amazing . I was left breathless at several points. You should still be able to see, no matter which ticket you've paid for. I think I will come there again.
Get quick answers from The Gina Cabaret staff and past visitors.


1. What happens if I become ill?
We are a residential home and cannot offer full nursing care. However if any of our Residents become ill they can be cared for at The Little Oyster unless their doctor decides differently.
2. Can I bring my own furniture with me to The Little Oyster?
The only limit placed on Residents wishing to bring their own furniture is the size of their room and safety regulations. The Little Oyster actively encourages Residents to bring their own small items of furniture and ornaments as it helps them to settle in. We will be happy to discuss with you the feasibility of bringing your own special items into the room you have chosen. We try to please.
3. What activities does The Little Oyster offer?
The Little Oyster offers a range of activities from outings, entertainment in the Home, bingo, quizzes, etc. There is a Hairdresser on site and a Chiropodist visits every six weeks. Our activities vary depending on each Resident's requests and wishes. We do everything possible to meet your individual choice of activities.
4. When can my family and friends visit?
As the Little Oyster is your home, there are no restrictions and visitors are welcome at anytime although we do ask where possible to avoid mealtimes.
5. Can I come and go as I please?
Residents are free to come and go as they please. All we ask is that you let us know that you are going out and if possible, your planned destination and what time you expect to return to the Home.
Smoking can be a danger as an accident with a match, lighter or cigarette could lead to fire in the Home. Those Residents who wish to smoke may do so in our designated smoking rooms and outside. Residents may not smoke in their rooms. Smoking is subject to an on-going risk assessment. Due to the new smoking laws (July 2007) staff and visitors may not smoke anywhere inside the Home but they may smoke outside in our extensive grounds. Please be aware it is now illegal to drop cigarettes on the ground. Please use bins provided.
7. What is not included in the weekly fees?
Hairdresser, Chiropodist, Aromatherapy, Reiki, Toiletries, Clothes, Alcohol, Cigarettes, Pub lunches, Transport. Residents are charged £5.00 per week (£260 per year) towards transport costs, which includes all trips on minibuses eg: Trips organised by the Home. Residents may choose to opt out of paying for Transport if they do not require this service from the Home.
Little Oyster Residential Home is the trading name of Little Oyster Limited. Registered in England & Wales, Registered Number 7154099.


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text:
Q: How to prevent extension to be exported to Swift header for Objective-C? I made this simple extension in Swift:
extension DispatchQueue {
    func asyncAfter(delay: TimeInterval, block: @escaping ()->()) {
        DispatchQueue.main.asyncAfter(deadline: DispatchTime.now() + Double(Int64(delay * Double(NSEC_PER_SEC))) / Double(NSEC_PER_SEC), execute: block)
    }
}

In Project-Swift.h header it reports error at this line:
@interface OS_dispatch_queue (SWIFT_EXTENSION(...))
- (void)asyncAfterDelay:(NSTimeInterval)delay block:(void (^ _Nonnull)(void))block;
@end

Error is: Cannot find interface declaration for 'OS_dispatch_queue'

Is there a way to prevent extension being exported for Objective-C? Or is there a way to fix the error?

A: I know this is not an answer per say, but i encounter the same problem using the public extension DispatchQueue on:
dispatch_once after the Swift 3 GCD API changes
So on my case using the solution from Vlad helped me avoiding this constant problem:
https://stackoverflow.com/a/41570198/1672521

A: You can use @objc before the func or method to prevent being exported for objective-C like below.
extension DispatchQueue {
    @objc func asyncAfter(delay: TimeInterval, block: @escaping ()->()) {
        DispatchQueue.main.asyncAfter(deadline: DispatchTime.now() + Double(Int64(delay * Double(NSEC_PER_SEC))) / Double(NSEC_PER_SEC), execute: block)
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Q: Accessing Word API from an Excel add-in or vice-versa In VBA, It's posssible to reference an open instance of word (using GetObject(Class:="Word.Application") in order to manipulate documents (.Documents) using the word object reference, even when the macro itself is running in excel.
Is it possible to do anything similar in office.js? I've noticed that by simply adding a Document host to the manifest file, an addin can be freely reconfigured to run in word or excel, with only one library (Word or Excel) loaded at a time. Executing Word.Run from within an excel taskpane or vice-versa will fail as the Word object itself is missing.

A: In VBA you can automate Office applications. In Office web add-ins not.


Come out and join the Ventura County Search and Rescue Dive Team and its First Responder friends!
This popular event allows kids to have fun kicking the tires, honking the horns, and climbing up into the driver's seat of their favorite trucks and construction vehicles, such as a garbage truck, an Army truck, stretch limousine, tractor, excavator, dump truck, school bus, fire engine, ambulance, monster truck, bulldozer, police cruiser, SWAT vehicle, K-9 and Search & Rescue vehicles, motorcycles, and more!
In addition to dozens of trucks and vehicles of all shapes and sizes, there are tons of fun activities, including arts & crafts, a kids' construction zone, jolly jumps, and motorized train ride. Plus water balloons dropped from a cherry picker, beach balls unloaded from a dump truck, and even a *helicopter landing! The parking lot fills up quickly, so be prepared to park at the Thousand Oaks high school parking lot. Admission is free for all ages. Refreshments available via a number of food vendors. For information, call 805-381-2793 or email toc@crpd.org.
*Helicopter and other first-responder vehicles may depart at any time.


* 46 players of 150 qualified for the playoffs.
* The average player played 7.2 matches.
* A less than normal 7 players got free seasons for playing 20 or more matches in a season. But we still played as many matches as last season so more players played more matches!
Score : 6-4; 4-5 Ret.
Score : 7-6; 3-1 Ret.
231,260 matches played nationwide and 14+ years of service.


Publication information: Article title: Cochlear Implants and Bacterial Meningitis. Contributors: Not available. Magazine title: FDA Consumer. Volume: 37. Issue: 6 Publication date: November-December 2003. Page number: 35. © U.S. Government Printing Office. COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group.


The Leather bed, shown here in dark brown leather, features a deep base with solid wooden feet, and is upholstered in high-grade leather. The sumptuously padded headboard is gently angled for comfort when resting against it.
The Leather bed, supplied with sprung slats, is available in king and superking sizes as standard. Bespoke sizes and alternative colour options are available by quotation.


With teams in approximately 100 locations across Australia, this organization is a major regional employer in the utility sector, servicing over 800,000 regional, rural and remote homes and businesses. Their systems and the data within are critical and maximum uptime is essential for them to operate effectively. Using ditno's Network Firewall they were able to secure and manage their hybrid environments.
The client's IT team had an urgent need to efficiently utilize hybrid environments (internal plus AWS, Azure and Google) in order to enable agility for the business. They had adopted cloud in order to enable workloads to be moved around based on business need.


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Las aldeas con iglesias fortificadas de Transilvania están situadas en Transilvania meridional y oriental, y tienen la particularidad de estar organizadas alrededor de una iglesia fortificada.

Lista

Actualmente, un grupo de siete antiguos pueblos (seis sajones y uno székely) están inscritos en el lista del Patrimonio de la Humanidad de la Unesco:

Historia
Los pueblos székely y sajones de Transilvania nacieron durante los siglos XI-XIII. Los reyes de Hungría instalaron colonos alemanes en la región en el siglo XIII. Obtuvieron un estatuto específico entre las minorías de la provincia y su civilización llegó a sobrevivir formando una fuerte comunidad de agricultores, de artesanos y de mercaderes. Estaban situados en una región constantemente bajo la amenaza de las invasiones otomanas y tártaras y para defenderse construyeron fortificaciones de diferente importancia. Las ciudades más importantes se fortificaron completamente y las comunidades más pequeñas crearon fortificaciones en torno a su iglesia, a la cual añadieron torres defensivas y almacenes que les permitieran conservar sus bienes y les ayudaran a sostener largos asedios.

Descripción

Transilvania meridional es una meseta cortada por los valles de numerosos y pequeños ríos que desembocan en otros más largos, tales como el Olt, el Mureş, el Târnava y el Târnava Mare. Los pueblos se adaptaron a la topografía de la región para conseguir la mejor situación defensiva posible; por eso los pueblos situados en un valle se desarrollaron alrededor de una calle central y a veces de algunas calles secundarias, mientras que los situados en un terreno más llano siguieron un modelo más radial. Debido a la preocupación por la seguridad y a la tradición de los Sajones, los pueblos son compactos. El elemento principal es la iglesia, situada siempre en el centro del pueblo. Se pueden observar distintos tipos de fortificaciones: un pequeño recinto en torno a la iglesia, una hilera de fortificaciones en torno a la iglesia o una verdadera fortaleza con múltiples muros y fortificaciones rodeando la iglesia. Las iglesias se adaptaron a sus funciones defensivas; todas, ya sean basílicas de arquitectura románica o iglesias con una única nave de arquitectura gótica tardía.

Las iglesias tienen numerosos añadidos, desde la Edad Media tardía cuando nació la edificación, hasta el siglo XVI. Muchas iglesias tienen también elementos del período barroco, debido a que este estilo era muy popular en la región.

En la mayoría de los casos, la iglesia se sitúa en una posición fácilmente defendible, en general en la cumbre de una colina. Los elementos de fortificaciones encontrados en las ciudades principales de la región fueron adaptaron a los pueblos campesinos, viéndose en ellos un testimonio de las técnicas de construcción utilizadas a lo largo de estos años por la comunidad de los Sajones de Transilvania. Algunas fortificaciones tienen torres de observación, otras era torres de iglesia adaptadas a las necesidades de una fortaleza. Los materiales utilizados son tradicionalmente la piedra y el ladrillo rojo, con arcilla roja para cubrir las tejas, lo que constituye una especificidad de la región.

Cerca de la iglesia se encuentra la plaza principal del pueblo o Tanzplaz (Lugar de danza), en torno al cual gira la vida social. Solamente las construcciones situadas cerca de las fortificaciones son edificios comunes: la escuela o el ayuntamiento. El presbiterio, así como las casas de los campesinos más ricos se sitúan alrededor de esta plaza. Por otro lado, en la mayoría de los pueblos se habían construido algunos graneros para el almacenamiento del granos, situados cerca del centro del pueblo.

Referencias

Enlaces externos

 Descripción en el sitio de la Unesco
 (en) (de) (ro) (hu) Iglesias fortificadas de Transilvania
 Lista de los pueblos con iglesias fortificadas en el sitio del Instituto para la memoria cultural
 Iglesias fortificadas y ciudadelas de Transilvania
 Mihai Eminescu Trust
 (alemán) Lista completa de los pueblos alemanes en Transilvania
 Descripción de los sitios en Worldheritagesite.org

Iglesias de Rumania
Patrimonio de la Humanidad en Rumania
Transilvania
Historia de Transilvania

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Rolex Day Date Bark Finish
Solid 18K yellow gold oyster case with factory bark finish is approximately 36mm (excluding the crown). Calibre 3055 automatic movement. Circa 1978.
Overall Condition: Case is in excellent condition overall with original bark finish and sharp lugs, showing only minimal signs of wear from age and use. Luminous gold tone dial is in excellent condition with beautifully aged Tritium plots. Luminous handset shows matching patination. Signed crown.
Includes solid 18K hidden clasp 'Presidential' bracelet with factory bark finish.
So we all love icons. But in an expanding community of vintage enthusiasts, how do you maintain your individuality while also seeking to acquire some of the 'standard fare' iconic timepieces?
Enter the special finishes.
From "honeycomb" or "waffle" dials to Florentine or Morellis pattern on the cases, Rolex has employed a variety of special finishes throughout the years. Found mostly on dress watches like the Datejust or the Day-Date, they bring an extra element of depth to each piece. Make no mistake, these 'something extra' pieces stand out in a field of solid gold Rolex dressers, so be prepared for some well-deserved attention.
Take this jaw-dropping Reference 18078 for example. It features an absolutely pristine solid 18K yellow gold Oyster case with a factory bark finished bezel and bracelet. The gold tone dial and hands are almost perfectly intact, making it a stunning time capsule from circa 1978.
Hyperbole aside, our entire staff was taken aback the moment it landed at the Analog/Shift HQ - a unique Day Date in this condition is a special find.
A standout piece in this condition won't last long, be quick!
When you've got a good thing going, sometimes you just know. Such is the case with the Rolex Day-Date. At the time of the Day-Date's release in 1956, it was Rolex's only complicated wristwatch: all previous attempts had failed to resonate with consumers.
But as soon as Rolex secured the patent in July of 1955, production of the Day-Date was rushed for a debut at the Basel Fair the following spring.
Although early Day-Dates were plagued by technical problems resulting from the complexity of the automatic movement, those were soon resolved. After President Eisenhower sported one (a gift from the manufacture), its success was secured. The model would be tweaked and improved throughout the 1950s and on into the 60s, which ultimately leads to the later version of the model, the five-digit Reference 18XXX from the mid 1970s.
For a watch known as the "President," (due to the fact that several U.S. presidents have worn one), it certainly lives up to its dignified nickname. In warm yellow gold, it resonates with style. Elegant and sophisticated, it remains a classic worthy of its reputation.
Ref. 56175 Quartz Circa 2000s


The role of the People Lead is simply put, to bring the people. This critical role serves as the recruitment and engagement expert of the Event Leadership Team.
Individuals in this role lead the recruitment and engagement of Relay For Life teams and participants, survivors and caregivers, as well as the Relay For Life Event Leadership Team members. Individuals in this role possess strong leadership and mentoring skills. They are comfortable developing and cultivating relationships within the community while representing the American Cancer Society and the Relay For Life event.
* Work with the Relay For Life Community Manager to ensure that training of role and resources takes place.
* Assist Event Lead and Relay For Life Community Manager in recruiting Event Leadership Team members.
* Assist and mentor Community Champions and the Survivors and Caregivers Lead.
* Provide guidance and support in recruitment of event participants and volunteers.
* Regularly communicate with Team Ambassadors regarding event-specific information.
* Work with the Event Leader and Relay For Life Community Manager to create and execute development strategies to grow the participation and quality of the event with utilization of benchmarking strategies.
* Making the ask of individuals, organizations, and local leaders to get involved with the Relay For Life event.
* Discuss fundraising goals with the Event Leader, Fund the Cure Leader, and Relay For Life Community Manager to ensure that recruitment is helping achieve those goals.
* Review recruitment benchmarks on a monthly or bi-monthly basis with the Event Leader and Relay For Life Community Manager to ensure goals are being met.


We cover Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, providing a round-the-clock service for your emergency plumbing repairs.
We have a wealth of experience working with locally-based customers across Leicestershire, Derbyshire & Nottinghamshire. We have built a good rapport with our clients, with many advising that they would use us again. Speak to our friendly team today for a free, non-obligatory quote.
Our team have a wealth of experience working with local customers across Leicestershire, Derbyshire & Nottinghamshire. We have built a good rapport with our clients, with many advising that they would use us again and recommend us to family & friends.
Our easy-to-use booking service operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, providing you with peace of mind. Many people tend to hold off on small leaks/maintenance repairs, however the longer you leave it, the more costly it can become for you.
Our costs are competitive and fixed, unlike our competitors. So if you're looking for a plumber who is both local and affordable, speak with us today. We always aim to reach you within the hour and will always advise on any unexpected delays.
Came at promised time. Quickly established and demonstrated cause of a leak that has been digging me for months despite previous visits from other plumbers involving taking up of carpets and floorboards. Then also fixed up two radiators with faulty taps. Whole visit under an hour and zero disruption. Very pleased with work and advice received. Strongly recommended.
The plumber came promptly as arranged & did a really good job. He cleaned all his tools & He clean up my bathroom so I could use it. He was cheerful, polite & I can highly recommend them to anyone in an emergency.
We contacted Stuart, our Advance Plumber to our old central heating system which we were told needed replacing. He came out immediately, identified the problem, replaced some pipework and cleared a blockage. It now works perfectly. Stuart always answers his phone, returns calls & is reliable and genuine. I fully recommend him for all types of plumbing work.


Symplio today announced a partnership with Sisteplant to collaborate on joint product development using new Internet of Things technologies. This agreement aims to create Smart Factory 4.0 solutions for improving operational efficiency covering further issues relating to the safety of the workers in manufacturing plants.
The new solutions created by the collaboration between Sisteplant & Symplio will be available before the end 2016.


On this tour you will visit The Falkirk Wheel, the world's only rotatating boatlift. It is usually possible to experience this attraction for youself by taking a boat trip from the Forth / Clyde Canal Basin to the Union Canal and back and the Visitor Centre is also well worth a visit.
Following your time at the Falkirk Wheel a short drive will take us to The Helix, on the edge of Falkirk, where we will find The Kelpies towering over the surrounding area.. These are the largest equine sculptures in the world and their construction was completed in November, 2013. Each of The Kelpies stands up to 30 metres tall and weighs over 300 tonnes. The sculptor who designed them was the Glasgow based Andy Scott. The guided tour is fascinating where you will get an insight into the myths surrounding these creatures, learn more about their construction and even go inside one of the sculptures.
After leaving The Kelpies we will drive to the ancient village of Culross, crossing the Firth of Forth at Kincardine on route. The Royal Burgh of Culross is a unique survival, a town that time has passed by. It is the most complete example in Scotland today of a Burgh of the 17th and 18th centuries. The Town House was built in 1626 and was the administrative centre of Culross with a tollbooth and witches' prison. The old buildings and cobbled streets create a fascinating time warp for visitors. Close your eyes and you can almost hear the calls of medieval street vendors selling their wares and the clang of hammers on metal as the Hammermen of Culross fashioned the famous girdles. Explore the beautiful refurbished Palace which dates from 1597 - imagine what it would have been like to live within the splendid interiors, featuring painted woodwork, and 17th- and 18th-century furniture. Take a wander around the reconstructed early 17th-century palace garden, perhaps meeting the Scots Dumpy hens. The most recent claim to fame for Culross is that it was mainly used as the fictional Cranesmuir in Outlander with the area around the Mercat cross being the most recognisable.
Our route then takes us further along the northern side of The Firth of Forth before we cross the Forth Road Bridge and view The Forth Rail Bridge. This bridge, which was completed in 1890, was given World Heritage Site Status in 2015.
You can then choose from a number of routes back to Glasgow visiting some very interesting towns on route such as Linlithgow and Bo'ness or, alternatively take a faster route, on a motorway.


I beg you, Camillo, stop being so persistent. It's terrible to deny you anything, but it would be death to grant this.
It's been sixteen years since I've seen my country. Although I've lived abroad so long, I want to be buried at home. Besides, my master, the king, regrets his actions and has sent for me. Perhaps I can ease his grief, if I'm not too presumptuous in thinking I might, and that makes my departure all the more urgent.
25and children are even now to be afresh lamented.
If you love me, Camillo, don't renounce the rest of your service to me by leaving me now. It's your own excellence that makes me need you so much. It would have been better not to have known you at all than to miss you. Since you've managed matters here in a way that no one can do without you, you must either stay and see them through or take them with you. If I haven't been thankful enough—and I can't be too thankful—I'll apply myself to it even more and find my profit in your great friendship. Please don't speak of that deadly country, Sicilia, anymore. Its very name hurts by making me remember that remorseful—as you call him—and reconciled king, whose loss of his precious queen and children should be mourned anew even now. Tell me, when did you last see my son, Prince Florizel? Kings are just as unhappy when their children are not virtuous as when they lose them after they've proved their virtues.


text:
Fossil's Revenue Beats Estimate on Digital Sales and China Growth
Watchmaker Fossil reports third-quarter revenue that beat its own expectations.
Dan Weil
Fossil Group's (FOSL) - Get Report shares skyrocketed higher Thursday after the watchmaker reported revenue that beat its own expectations in the third quarter.
"We outperformed our top-line expectations in the third quarter, reflecting ongoing momentum in our digital channels and strong growth in mainland China, as well as trend improvement in the wholesale channel globally," said Fossil CEO Kosta Kartsotis.
"In addition, we are making good progress on our strategic priorities, with accelerated initiatives around our digital expansion programs and structural cost reduction efforts."
Fossil traded at $7.61, up 27.47% on Thursday. The stock has dipped 3% year to date.
The company's third-quarter revenue slid 19% to $436 million from $540 million in the year-ago quarter. Fossil had estimated a drop of 35% to 45%. Net income was $16 million, or 31 cents a share, swinging from a loss of $25.9 million, or 51 cents a share, a year earlier.
Gross margin rose 1.2 percentage points to 52.8%. Fossil said it expects to generate $100 million in costs savings for all of this year.
The company said in a press release that it reduced operating expenses by $75 million, or 26%, from a year earlier.
Fossil said it anticipates that impacts from Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, will "continue to pressure sales in the fourth quarter of 2020, with ongoing strength in e-commerce channels offset by contraction in Fossil retail stores and the wholesale channel."
The company said worldwide net sales are expected to decline in the range of 40% to 30%.
RetailEarningsEarnings PreviewChinaLuxury Goods
Dan is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Barron's, Institutional Investor, The Washington Post and other publications.


A product I've been loving at the moment is the Rimmel Stay Matte foundation. I got it a few weeks ago now when I went into my local Superdrug and noticed a stand advertising it and since I suffer from oily skin, I thought I would give it a try. Most matte foundations I've tried in the past normally wear off after a few hours and my skin ends up looking really shiny so I honestly didn't expect too much different from this one.
On my face with no concealer and no powder!
When I was in the store buying this product, I was really unsure of what shade to buy. I found the Porcelain and the Ivory was far too pale for my skin tone and I thought I had found the perfect match with Soft Beige but since getting home and trying it on without the bright lights in Superdrug, I think I might have brought a shade too dark.
The product itself I really have fallen in love with. The liquid mousse formula is so soft and easy to apply, it takes mere minutes to apply all over my face. It felt very lightweight but also gave me perfect coverage throughout the day. Even at the end of the day of being at work, I found most of the foundation was still on with only a little shininess around my nose which for someone with oily skin, I'd call a success!
Luckily, going back to shades, when I went to the Clothes Show in December, in the Cosmopolitan goodie bag, they were giving away a small sample tube of this foundation but in the Ivory shade, which after trying did end up being too light for me which I predicted. Next time I went into Superdrug, I brought myself another tube but in the True Ivory shade, a little bit darker than Ivory and a little lighter than Soft Beige = Perfect Match for me!
The foundation is on sale at Superdrug, Boots and many other retailers for £5.99 which isn't too expensive considering you don't need that much of the product to cover your whole face. Also Superdrug currently have it on a 3 for 2 offer which I made use of and brought the Stay Matte Blusher and the Scandaleyes Lyra Flexi Mascara.


There is only one person responsible for this, King Obama. Once the morally bankrupt King leaves, maybe then Justice can be served.
So much for the Constitutional Law professor as President.
Just as Big Pharma, Big Oil, and the NRA have silenced politicians with their bribes, so has the private prison industry. Follow the money….


Always known as a great gift-giver, Scotty Cameron continued the tradition with his 13th My Girl putter - a glamorous Select Newport 2 all wrapped up in a pretty bow. Ladies and Collectors alike will love this high performance putter, inspired by his own girls, with a design aesthetic focused on elegance. This mid-milled masterpiece done up in stunning Robin's Egg Blue and White accents shows that Scotty's heart and mind are Always and Forever in the right place. We're also quite sure it's the first putter to employ an expertly engraved bow as the flange line.


text:
Bobby D. Willis, 51, of Fair Grove was booked into jail on warrants for failure to appear.
Travis L. Ruengert, 24, of Lebanon was booked into jail on court commit for driving while intoxicated.
William J. Powell, 36, of Springfield was booked into jail on a warrant for a probation violation.
Jonathon L. Townsend, 19, of Bolivar was booked into jail on a warrant for a parole violation.
Theft was reported on South Springfield Ave in Bolivar.
Theft was reported at the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
Burglary was reported at the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
Theft was reported on Highway 13 in Brighton.