After being cooped up indoors all winter, the first thing we want to do when the skies clear and the weather warms, is get outdoors. The British are notorious for peeling off their clothes as soon as the temperatures hit double figures, so spring time gives us a national reason to celebrate. The easiest way to enjoy the weather is to get out into your garden. Whether it's an expansive country plot filled with lavender and box hedges or a city balcony with a single pot of herbs, there's plenty of ways to make the most of your outside space in spring.
You won't last long outside in the spring if you don't put precautions in place for the ever-changing British weather (even the hardiest of us, trying to tan in 12 degrees, get cold eventually). Have plenty of throws and cushions to scatter around and drape your outdoor furniture with, which you can then wrap around yourself when the evening chill settles.
You're much more likely to venture into the garden if you have a stunning set of furniture to relax on. Our extensive Garden Collection has something for every size of outside space. From clever compact balcony sets to tables that can seat all the neighbours you can count (and a few more that you can't) our collection is definitely worth investigating.
There's nothing that signifies the start of spring like the ever-increasing volume of bird song. You simply can't replicate it. Place plants and seeds in a bird-feeder near to where you'll be sat or close to a window so you can watch from indoors as birds of every feather fly in. If you're a true nature-lover, our menagerie of decorative animals bring the natural world indoors, giving any space a dose of character.
When the sun makes an appearance, spontaneously invite friends and family over for a garden (or balcony) picnic. It's not the size of your balcony that's important, it's what you put on it: make the space appealing with floor cushions, faux flowers and, of course, picnic food. Our melamine tableware looks just like the real thing but is very durable and is extremely easy to wash. The vibrant colours it comes in makes it even more appealing.
To bring nature inside, no matter what the weather looks like, take a look at our guide to using faux flowers in spring interiors.


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What We Can Learn from Starhub (Dividend Darling Turned Nightmare?)
Starhub used to be a darling stock for most dividend investors. With a generous track record over a decade of paying out a relatively high dividend yield, its business is also fairly defensive and recession-proof.
There have been a few good articles about Starhub's recent slash in dividends, which you can read here, here and here. In this post, I'll be looking at the red flags that signalled this impending dividend cut as well as whether this drop could present a buying opportunity for Starhub right now.
Here's Starhub's historical dividend payouts:
Dividends Paid (SGD)
*Dividend Yield(TTM) = 7.09%
You can see that for the past 7 years, they've been fairly consistent in paying out $0.20 in dividends (or 5 cents per quarter). Furthermore, if you had been lucky enough to have gotten Starhub shares at IPO ($1.15), you would have made a lot of money through capital gains and dividend payouts. Nice!
Up till 2015, it seemed as though Starhub could do no wrong, and that its share price could only go up and higher.
Until it all came tumbling down.
That was when IDA announced they would give a 60% discount to allow a fourth telco to bid for Singapore's airwaves. Starhub's share price (together with SingTel and M1), took a beating, and rightfully so. A fourth telco would eat into the profits made by the existing three providers in Singapore's oligopolistic market, and there could even be a potential price war breakout to try and win over / retain existing customers.
Today, Starhub's share price sits at $2.80...a far cry from its days of $4.71 (May 2013). Aside from the capital losses, they've also recently announced that they'll be slashing their dividends by 20%.
Jeng jeng jeng. What went wrong?
But BB, Starhub has been paying out regular dividends for the past 7 years leh. Even during the 2008 global financial crisis, they have been very consistent.
Yes, but who's to say a company cannot cut its dividends? When times are hard and companies are low on cash, they'll typically do one of three options:
(i) Take from their cash reserves to pay the dividends.
(ii) Borrow money to pay the dividends.
(iii) Cut dividends.
In this case, Starhub has chosen option (iii). Not necessarily a bad choice, as they would need to conserve money when times are hard, but of course this may lose them some favour among their shareholders who were hoping that the $0.20 dividend payouts would continue for a long, long time.
A fourth mobile operator will directly impact Starhub
Half of Starhub's revenue comes from its mobile business. If 20% of Starhub's subscribers were to switch to the fourth telco, or any other competitor due to the price attractiveness, they would almost immediately lose about 10% of their revenue. Just imagine the impact that will have on its profits.
We should note that there is little customer loyalty in the telco business and that the business is quite price-sensitive. Customers will easily jump ship if a competitor telco offers them bigger discounts or more incentives such as more GB of mobile data. Although I'm loyal to my telco now (due to my horrible experience with SingTel's customer service personnel), I may not hesitate to jump ship if a competitor telco can offer me better perks with cheaper pricing than what I'm currently paying every month.
Source: Starhub's 2015 Annual Report
Could one have known that a dividend cut was coming?
Yes, and no.
For every dollar of free cash flow generated, a company can do either of the following:
1. Reinvest into its business
2. Acquire a new business
3. Buy back shares
4. Grow its cash reserves
5. Pay out as dividend
6. Pay out as staff or management bonuses
Yet, Starhub's dividend payouts have outstripped its free cash flow for the past few years, so that was a sign that the company was struggling to keep up its dividend payments. It was, for this main reason, that I decided to avoid Starhub when I was analysing it as a potential dividend stock to add to my portfolio.
Chart credits: The Motley Fool
The shortage during this period has been funded largely by an increase in the company's borrowings (option ii) to keep up their dividend payouts.
But while there were warning signs, no one could have seen directly into management's mind to confirm whether or not a dividend cut was inevitable. Starhub's balance sheet is quite healthy with room for them to borrow more, so there was a chance that Starhub could have opted for (i) or (ii) above as well.
Is the dividend cut temporary? Could Starhub reinstate its 5c quarterly payouts again in the future?
Starhub's CFO said that Starhub may face a shortfall in funds this year, which could lead to more debt.
So, what happens in the future is uncertain. If Starhub recovers, I do not doubt that management could reinstate the dividend payouts back to 20c per annum as they've a track record for rewarding their shareholders. However, if times continue to be hard for Starhub and they're unable to navigate through this crisis period well, then shareholders may never see their dividend payouts returning to previous norms again, and there could even be a chance of further cuts.
Your guess is as good as mine.
What can we learn?
I wrote last January about how there's no guarantee that you will be getting your projected dividend yields when you invest in a dividend stock. Instead of looking at historical dividends as a guidance, we need to question whether the dividends are sustainable. To get an answer, we should be focusing on the company's fundamentals and the outlook ahead in order to ascertain whether our thesis for investing will continue to play out.
Is Starhub a good buy now?
At today's price of $2.83, the dividend yield now will be 5.65% if Starhub does not cut its 4c quarterly dividend any further. If you're investing for income, there are other stocks that offer higher than 5.65% dividend yield in contrast to Starhub.
I am personally unsure if Starhub will be able to sustain its dividends, and neither can I foresee the real impact of a fourth telco to its competitors' earnings, so the next 3 years will be a crucial time to watch.
In the meantime, I prefer to stay on the sidelines and watch without being invested.
Budget Babe
Good write up on Starhub as a good case study for the rise and fall as a dividend stock!
You got one key point right that the focus should be on dividend sustainability, not the yield or past dividends. We should pay attention to the company's current events affecting the stock's price. Nothing is certain from what we see here.
For Starhub, its share price took a huge beating due to poorer financials and the dividend cut. Can imagine the pain of investors who have Starhub stock now. I don't find Starhub this attractive due to the loss of its economic moat.
JW March 02, 2017 12:01 pm
I'm an investor of starhub since early 2009, and I still have the stock now. No, cannot imagine any pain. Purchase decision was based on dividend of 4c per quarter at <$2.
To me, even with a 4th telco, there is no loss of its moat. The telco sector is still protected. With the 4th telco, it just means there can be no 5th one.
In any case, Starhub is indeed unable to improve on its cash flow in the near term, which is a reason why I did not put in more cash after it rose past the $2 mark since.
Anyway, I bought into M1 at 1.91 instead. Just because of the simple reason that the 4th telco wasn't MyRepublic haha.
Ok my 2 cents ends here :x
ah bing March 03, 2017 1:34 pm
Hi all, just wondering on which data is more meaningful? Cash flow per share plot against dividend per share or total cash flow plot against total dividend payout.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Home / Smart Phone / How to receive your phone messages on the computer without using your mobile ?
On the off chance that you are one of those individuals who get a more of instant messages or do content discussions with your family and companions all the time, you might need to consider getting a SMS application or joining a SMS benefit that interfaces your telephone to the PC. That way, you get instant messages conveyed straightforwardly on your PC and you can rapidly read and answer to them, without losing excessively time. You likewise wind up sparing a more of cash – instant messages are costly, yet message informing applications are free!
To help you, we've collected some special Android applications and some Web services that you can use to send and receive messages and receive them or send them from your computer without a phone.
Even getting one of these apps will spare you a great deal of time and money. Also, you will control your messages from on your computer, so you can store and see basic Instant Messaging anytime you need.
Next How do you know your phone is hacked ?


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Darwin Dreamin'
By Kim Stringfellow
Artist Monty Brannigan poses with three of his celebrity portraits (Charlton Heston, Robert Redford, Tom Selleck). | Photo: Kim Stringfellow.
The Mojave Project is an experimental transmedia documentary by Kim Stringfellow exploring the physical, geological and cultural landscape of the Mojave Desert. The Mojave Project reconsiders and establishes multiple ways in which to interpret this unique and complex landscape, through association and connection of seemingly unrelated sites, themes, and subjects thus creating a speculative and immersive experience for its audience.
Darwin lies tucked away in a depression between the Argus and Coso Ranges in a desolate high desert scrubland still populated with freely wandering wild burros. The southern boundary is a stone's throw from the China Lake Naval Air Weapon Station and its only paved access is via California State Route 190 -- the main thoroughfare for tourists traveling from the Eastern Sierra into Death Valley proper. The road to Darwin is easy to miss unless you happen to stop to read the E Clampus Vitus interpretive monument at the pullout near the crest of the pass.
The southwestward six-mile drive into Darwin leads past a smattering of dilapidated but picturesque mining structures spread across the eastern slope. This is the old Anaconda Mine, of which the tailings feature the characteristic pastel hues of other extraction remains common to this region. Directly west of the mine is a large, playful arrangement of rocks forming the much-parodied Christian ichthys symbol complete with legs, sans the name Darwin within its body. The stone marker signals to the newcomer they are definitely entering a place off the beaten path.
This modified Christian ichthys stone marker greets visitors upon arriving in Darwin, CA. | Photo: Kim Stringfellow.
Just beyond the mine is a ramshackle collection of old buildings, misfit shacks, wind-ravaged double-wides, abandoned cars, homes featuring clever travel trailer additions, various junk piles of rusted tin cans, obsolete mining machinery and, curious enough, modern art.
At the end of the road is "downtown" Darwin. A first-time visitor surveying their surroundings is immediately drawn to the luminously white minimalist cast marble sculpture of a couple sensuously embracing. Placed in front of its creator's local retreat, this striking artwork was created by the renowned California sculptor Jim Hunolt. Directly across the street is Hunolt's vertically mounted pairing of two very impressive raw dolomite monoliths.
Jim Hunolt's cast marble sculpture of a couple embracing stands in Darwin, CA. | Photo: Kim Stringfellow.
Jim Hunolt's paired dolomite monoliths stand in Darwin, CA. | Photo: Kim Stringfellow.
Other architectural details, such as the adjacent geodesic dome with the door placard identifying the structure as the "Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics Systemwide Offices" suggest that Darwin is not your typical living desert ghost town.
Darwin began its life as a mining camp during the 1870s. It is known that the Paiute and Shoshone people have traveled through and occupied this area long before the camp came into existence. The settlement had been named after Dr. Erasmus Darwin French who was led into the spot in 1850 by a Native American guide while searching for the legendary Lost Gunsight lode -- which French and his expedition party failed to locate even after a second exploratory trip was conducted ten years later.
Prospecting had occurred in the Darwin area for many years prior to autumn of 1874 when a rich silver-lead ore called galena had been discovered leading to Darwin's founding shortly thereafter. The town's most productive mines -- The Defiance (named after questionable legal maneuvers landed an original Mexican American mining claim into the hands of its white investors)1 and associated mines are said to have produced up to $1,500,000 in revenue by the late 1870s when nearly 60 mines were operational with five smelters processing ores around the clock.
Although the Defiance closed its doors during the late 1880s the mine itself changed ownership several times over the last 100 years, first as Darwin Silver, Darwin Lead, Consolidated, American Metals, Signal Oil and, in 1945, as the Anaconda mine.
The Darwin Store run by Reynolds and Etcharren Partners, 1906. | Photo: Courtesy of the Eastern California Museum.
This extraction of mineral wealth resulted in explosive boom development early on -- first as a canvas tent city and then by the end of 1875 with permanent structures: a hotel, three restaurants, seven saloons, two butcher shops, and a livery stable plus several stores.2 Notably, Darwin has never had a church. At its highest count the town's population was believed to be at least 3,500 and likely higher, if one takes into account that census recorders often overlooked transient miners and many nonwhites living within the surrounding area.
Not surprisingly Darwin's rampant growth brought with it more than an occasional act of violence, earning the town a reputation as being rough and tumble. The Panamint News reported in March 1875 that robberies were occurring every few days on nearby roads leading to and from the encampment. Darwin also had its share of shootings, gun and knife fights, and outright murders -- at least 30 known and confirmed total incidents during the town's boom period between 1875-1879. Petty crimes including public drunkenness were the norm. Armed bandits robbed the Wells Fargo express numerous times between 1876 and 1880. During one of these stagecoach robberies, passenger Jack Lloyd was shot and killed, perhaps by accident, in 1877.
The most famous Darwin murder was of Nancy Williams, 45, on September 13, 1877. Williams was a well-liked "retired" madam running a boarding house at the time of her death. Also known as "Feather Legs," Williams was found bludgeoned to death by unknown assailants who were never brought to justice, although a substantial reward had been posted on her behalf. As a testament to her popularity, a prominently placed obelisk commemorating her stands in the center of the Darwin cemetery. The Coso Mining News attributed the positioning of the pillar to Williams being "one of the kindest, most liberal of women."
Nancy "Feather Legs" Williams' grave at the Darwin cemetery. Williams, a well-liked retired madam, was murdered in 1877. | Photo: Kim Stringfellow.
Oliver Roberts De La Fontaine -- Darwin resident during its heyday and author of "The Great Understander: True Life Story of the Last of the Wells Fargo Shotgun Express Messengers," once charged and acquitted of an unrelated murder in 1877 stated, "At one time there were more bad men and desperados in that town [Darwin] than in any of its size in the world."3 Indeed, compare Deadwood, South Dakota during 1876 -- considered the town's most violent year -- which had only four killings including that of "Wild Bill" Hickok.4
By 1878, mining profits and productivity had declined significantly causing labor strife and associated violence such as the shooting deaths of two striking miners that same year. New strikes in Bodie and Mammoth up north sent businesses and miners further away. The first of three devastating fires to hit Darwin occurred in 1879, destroying most of the original main business district. By summer 1880, only 85 people remained in Darwin.
Mining activity and prospecting in Darwin continued sporadically during the 20th century, on occasion at a larger scale. Over the years more than $29,000,000 in mineral wealth has been extracted from the Darwin area.5 During the 1940s, Darwin was considered to be California's largest lead supplier, producing two-thirds of the state's supply.6 Darwin area mines have also produced zinc, copper, talc and tungsten.
Children play jump rope outside the Darwin School, 1900. | Photo: Courtesy of the Eastern California Museum.
Darwin's fast pace growth during the 1870s could only be sustained if water was added to the mix for both household and industrial mining purposes. Back then and even today, Darwin's sole water source emanates from a pristine spring located about eight miles southwest of town within Naval Air Weapon Station China Lake protected borders.
Victor Beaudry was the entrepreneur who originally secured the water rights here, and laid pipes transporting water into town in 1875. Beaudry had previously set up the for-profit water distribution system at a nearby silver mine in Cerro Gordo. It is rather interesting to note that it was Victor, along with his brother Prudent, who acquired rights to the City of Los Angeles water system around the time that Prudent was mayor from 1874-1876. By the late 1880s, the water conveyance system was in the hands of "water mogul" Frank Carthery, who provided kept water barrels filled for $3 a month.
In 1962, a localized "water war" broke out when a group of Darwinites attempted to build a dam to provide water for a proposed swimming pool near the old Anaconda mine. The contested move created opposing alliances that were finally settled after gunshots had been fired, ensuring that no pool was to be constructed in Darwin.
Another contentious water disagreement occurred during the late 1970s when lines were drawn again for and against a proposed community effort to modernize and sanitize the water delivery system. One group believed doing water flows would improve chances for the development of some untouched privately owned parcels. The other group opposed the idea due in part to the cost, but mostly because they were outwardly anti-growth. The first group eventually won the new infrastructure but with a hefty price tag and no additional water for further development.
Today the spring's water is limited for distribution to no more than 35 full-time residents. The local water board must obtain permission to enter China Lake boundaries to manage the pipeline and clear the spring itself from excess willows and tules. The quality of the water is considered to be excellent and is actively protected from further exploitation.
A second unintended boom (this time for land and not silver) erupted during the summer of 1967 when an unknown person posted a flyer on a public bulletin board in Lone Pine stating that "free" lots were available in Darwin. Not long after the notice was posted people began inquiring at the Inyo County seat in Independence about acquiring the properties that measured 100-by-45-feet each. It was determined that Darwin had been "platted" for ownership many years earlier for a filing fee of $5 per lot to allow prospectors a piece of land where they could build a modest shack to habituate.
After looking into the matter, Inyo County Superior Judge John P. McMurray deemed that the purchase fee was indeed valid although he limited lot purchases to three per buyer. When the plots finally became available, scores of people mobbed the Inyo County Clerk's office and filed on the remaining 254 lots. Speculators purchased the majority of the properties and today many lots remain empty.
Hal Newell in his Darwin, CA home showing a photo of one of his father's sculptures in Big Sur. | Photo: Kim Stringfellow.
Around this time, Hal Newell and his wife Shelly made their way out to Death Valley from their home base in Big Sur. Hal had been encouraged to do so by his father Gordon Newell, the celebrated Monterey Peninsula sculptor noted for his striking midcentury stone forms. He is responsible for the twin granite Haupt Fountains that consciously frame the White House from the Ellipse Circle off Constitution Avenue in Washington D.C.7 Gordon had explored the more remote areas of Death Valley numerous times in the past, once with the famed photographer Brett Weston when they first explored Saline Valley Warm Springs and environs while heading down on a road trip to Baja California in the early 1960s.
Hal and Shelly ended up moving out to the old Ballarat ghost town in Panamint Valley on January 1, 1970, staying there for a couple of years while Hal did a variety of heavy labor jobs including stints at a few local mines. Hal's father came out to visit the couple and during one of their exploratory excursions the group discovered Darwin, feeling equally enamored with the town. By the mid-1970s, Hal and Shelly decided to move permanently to Darwin where they began building their partially buried passive solar home from local field stone, salvaged wood beams, concrete, when they could afford it, plus any scavenged materials they could get their hands on. Far more sophisticated than the local "troglodyte" dwellings, this unique home reflects the miner's original primitive earthen dugouts found in the washes west of town.
Hal Newell's memorial to his father, Gordon Newell. | Photo: Kim Stringfellow.
A few years later Gordon, too, moved his studio to Darwin because, as Hal commented, "He couldn't get any work done at his Monterey Sculpture Center on Cannery Row because it became so popular with the tourists." (The Cannery Row studio building was eventually destroyed in order to make way for another ubiquitous waterfront restaurant.) Gordon and his wife lived and worked primarily in Darwin, but continued to visit their home on the Central Coast until his death in 1998 at age 93. Hal later conceived and constructed a monumental 40-foot diameter, covered public memorial for his father, utilizing 12 massive dolomite slabs varying in height from six to eight feet, similar to the ones that Hunolt used for his sculpture pairing on Main Street. Each slab was purchased for $35 dollars apiece from a local quarry.
Monty Brannigan, born and raised in Los Angeles, is a 62-year resident of Darwin who first arrived in late 1953 via Gabbs, Nevada, where he had been employed at Basic Magnesium, Inc. Brannigan, now 88, lives with his wife Nancy in their home with two giant golden Buddhas stationed at the entry, that serve as a silent reminder of Darwin's large but overlooked Chinese population, which according to the 1880 census made up a quarter of the town's residents. Their house is constructed from a customized manufactured home (Nancy proudly showed me an old butcher knife used to cut the holes in the interior) with several additions that store Nancy's very extensive collection of eclectic brass knick-knacks and other fascinating objects.
Also featured are Monty's celebrity portraits of Western film personalities, American Indian chiefs, Elvis, and various country singer/songwriters. Scattered around them are his sculptural figures, like a marble egg that he seems technically most proud of because it resulted from a dare of sorts. Hunolt, who taught Monty stone sculpting techniques, commented that this shape was the most difficult one to coax out of stone so Monty stood up to the challenge. From the looks of it, he seems to have succeeded in doing just that.
Nancy Brannigan with her extensive collection of brass knick-knacks. | Photo: Kim Stringfellow.
Various paintings and sculptures by Monty Brannigan. | Photo: Kim Stringfellow.
Brannigan began painting in 1957 shortly after his sister passed away. During my visit, he reflected on how she had won several scholarships to art school and was destined for a successful career in commercial art when she died. Heartbroken and unemployed with too much time on his hands, Monty decided to pick up where she left off and taught himself to paint using house paints dulled with flour because he "didn't know any better and had no money to buy them anyhow."
While honing his artistic skills Brannigan continued labor at a variety of jobs throughout the area to support his family. He spent four years at the local Anaconda mine before he was hired by Inyo County where he worked as a park ranger for 18 years. He then retired with a pension.
The entrance to the Brannigan's Darwin, CA home. | Photo: Kim Stringfellow.
Besides his artwork, Monty has a passion for vintage automobiles and has customized several over the years, in particular Darwin's paddy wagon and its only fire truck. When asked about the Buddhas, Monty candidly responded, "If I was going to be anything, I would be a Buddhist -- I'm not a religious man. Religion don't turn the right way for me. I got nothing against any other man's religion or his way of life, but if he don't like me being a Buddhist, that is tough."
Over the years a number of artists have gravitated to Darwin, such as Kathy Goss, 74, a writer/musician and owner of the "Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics Systemwide Offices" geodesic dome (actually a unique design by a protégé of Buckminster Fuller), who moved here from San Francisco over two decades ago. Goss and other locals were responsible for creating the Darwin "ichthys" stone marker playfully documented in this video.
Painter John Hamilton, 85, made his way to Darwin from Northern California around the year 2000 to work as a caretaker at the old Anaconda mine and is now permanently settled here. The subjects of his paintings span contemplative vivid landscapes that represent the surrounding desert, mountains and ocean, and graphic geometric abstracts. Another full-time resident artist is a gentleman who carves Native American-inspired petroglyphs onto locally sourced stones and sells them in Lone Pine and Furnace Creek.
Painter John Hamilton in his home/studio. | Photo: Kim Stringfellow.
Paintings by John Hamilton in his home/studio. | Photo: Kim Stringfellow.
Other Bay Area expats include British semi-retired advertising executive turned visual artist Judyth Greenburgh, 51, and her French husband Pierre Valeille, 62, a retired San Francisco Bay ferry captain. The couple moved out from their houseboat in Sausalito to build a partially buried home in Darwin out of shipping containers. By doing so, and in similar fashion to Hal Newells' buried home, the interior temperature remains a comfortably stable mid-70 degrees regardless of exterior temperature. The structure is a colorful, funky assemblage with several travel trailer guest quarters among a communal outdoor cookout area. Greenburgh's art studio is set high above the buried containers. Like the others, they live an affordable, unstructured lifestyle against a remotely beautiful desert backdrop.
Time will tell if a new generation of miners, artists, or some other group will continue to occupy and breathe life into this unconventional desert community outpost.
Artist Judyth Greenburgh stands in front of one of her sculptures. | Photo: Kim Stringfellow.
"Can Dust" collected from Darwin, CA. The label reads: "Sprinkle to activate: The possibilities are endless." | Photo: Kim Stringfellow.
A corner of the Brannigan home with a sculpture of Monty's in the foreground. The framed text reads: "The knights pledge of the round table. May we all have long days and horny knights. So as life will tickle the shit out of all of us forever." | Photo: Kim Stringfellow.
The guest bedroom of the Brannigan home. | Photo: Kim Stringfellow.
Two of the Brannigan's customized vintage automobiles. | Photo: Kim Stringfellow.
Darwin's Black Metal Saloon, 1905. Another saloon was curiously named the "Hypolite Galerkin." | Photo: Courtesy of the Eastern California Museum.
A view of Darwin, CA in 1931. | Photo: Courtesy of the Eastern California Museum.
Visitors are welcome in Darwin, but please respect the privacy and property of the residents. There is no gas, food or lodging. The old Anaconda mine owned by Project Darwin is currently inactive and off-limits. The author graciously thanks the residents of Darwin for sharing their stories and Jon Klusmire of the Eastern California Museum in Independence, CA for providing the early photographs of Darwin from their collection.
1 For further reading see: Palazzo, Robert P. "Darwin, California." Western Places. 1996.
2 Palazzo. 15. Note that three devastating fires swept through Darwin in 1879, 1917 and 1918. One of the few original 1870s buildings said to survive is the old schoolhouse located directly across from the old post office.
3 Palazzo. 36.
5 Unrau, Harlan D. "Death Valley: A history of the lands added to the Death Valley National Monument" by the California Desert Protection Act of 1994 (Special Study History). U.S. Dept. of the Interior. National Park Service. September 1997. 63.
7 The Haupt Fountains are identical sculptural pools constructed from two 18-square-foot by 1-foot-deep blocks of 3.5-million-year-old granite sourced from Minnesota. The fountains were created as a collaboration between Gordon Newell and his then apprentice James Hunolt. The fountains were placed at their current location in 1967 as a gift from Enid Haupt.
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Q: How to count nonzeros per row in a diagonal block of CSR matrix I have a matrix in CSR format and need a c++ vector which contains the number of nonzero entries (count) per row limited to square, diagonal blocks of different sizes.
 // The matrix in CSR format
    std::vector<int> row_idx = {0,2,4,6,10,13}; // size n+1 where 0-n are the idx of the row starts in values and column_idx and n+1 the TOTAL number of values
    std::vector<int> values = {1,6,2,7,3,8,10,11,4,9,12,13,5}; // nonzero matrix values
    std::vector<int> column_idx = {0,3,1,3,2,4,0,1,3,4,2,3,4};  // column indices of the values

The example below has two blocks of different sizes A and B (blocks of interest are always square and on the diagonal).
The desired result for this example would be nnz_in_ranges[n] = {1,1,2,2,3} but as it needs to be embedded in another routine, I am primarily looking for a routine to compute individual blocks using c++. Something like this:
// block A
int rangeStart = 0;
int rangeEnd = 2;

// block B
//int rangeStart = 2;
//int rangeEnd = n;

for (int i = rangeStart; i<rangeEND; ++i)
{
    nnz_in_ranges[n] = ...
}

// desired result for block A: nnz_in_ranges[n] = {1,1,0,0,0}
// desired result for block B: nnz_in_ranges[n] = {0,0,2,2,3}

I tried to solve it using the std::count... function but I was not able to extend the code below, counting the nonzeros per row as I was not able to introduce a column range.
Does someone have an idea how to approach this problem?
#include <stdio.h>
#include <iostream>
#include <vector>
#include <algorithm>

int main()
{

// NxN matrix example

/*
index     0   1    2   3   4
        ______________________
     0  | 1   0  | 0   6   0 |
        |   A    |           |
     1  | 0   2  | 0   7   0 |
        |--------------------|
     2  | 0   0  | 3   0   8 |
        |        |   B       |
     3  | 10  11 | 0   4   9 |  expected result: nnz_in_ranges[n] = {1,1,2,2,3}
        |        |           |  here ranges are A and B
     4  | 0   0  |12  13   5 |
        ----------------------

*/

// matrix in CSR format

    int n = 5; // matrix size
    int nnz = 13; // number of nonzero values

    // The matrix in CSR format
    std::vector<int> row_idx = {0,2,4,6,10,13}; // size n+1 where 0-n are the idx of the row starts in values and column_idx and n+1 the TOTAL number of values
    std::vector<int> values = {1,6,2,7,3,8,10,11,4,9,12,13,5}; // nonzero matrix values
    std::vector<int> column_idx = {0,3,1,3,2,4,0,1,3,4,2,3,4};  // column indices of the values

    std::vector<int> tmp = {0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0};

    std::vector<int> sum(n);

    // count nonzeros per row  sum[] = {2,2,2,4,3}
    for(size_t i = 0; i < row_idx.size()-1; ++i) {
    sum[i] = std::count(tmp.begin() + row_idx[i], tmp.begin() + row_idx[i + 1], 0);
    }

    std::cout << "nnz_in_range = " << std::endl;
    for (int i=0; i<n; i++)
    {
    std::cout << ' ' << sum[i];
    }

return 0;

}

A: Sparse matrices can include zero entries explicitly. From your question it is not clear whether you want to count positions or the actual values. I will assume the former because your counting code does not use values.
Then we just follow the definition of CSR format and get something like this:
std::vector<int> count_positions_in_block(int block_begin, int block_size,
    const std::vector<int>& row_idx, const std::vector<int>& column_idx)
{
    std::vector<int> cnt(block_size, 0);

    const auto block_end = block_begin + block_size;
    assert(block_end < row_idx.size());

    for (auto row = block_begin; row < block_end; ++row)
    {
        auto first = row_idx[row];
        auto last = row_idx[row + 1];
        assert(first <= last);

        for (auto i = first; i < last; ++i)
            if (column_idx[i] >= block_begin && column_idx[i] < block_end)
                ++cnt[row - block_begin];
    }

    return cnt;
}

auto nnz1 = count_positions_in_block(0, 2, row_idx, column_idx);
// nnz1 = [1, 1]
auto nnz2 = count_positions_in_block(2, 3, row_idx, column_idx);
// nnz2 = [2, 2, 3]

It can be rewritten using std::count_if:
std::vector<int> count_positions_in_block(int block_begin, int block_size,
    const std::vector<int>& row_idx, const std::vector<int>& column_idx)
{
    std::vector<int> cnt(block_size, 0);

    const auto block_end = block_begin + block_size;
    assert(block_end < row_idx.size());

    const auto is_in_block = [&](auto col)
        { return (col >= block_begin && col < block_end); };

    for (auto row = block_begin; row < block_end; ++row)
    {
        auto first = row_idx[row];
        auto last = row_idx[row + 1];
        assert(first <= last);

        const auto cib = column_idx.begin();
        cnt[row - block_begin] = std::count_if(
            cib + first, cib + last, is_in_block);
    }

    return cnt;
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Telecom giant Bharti Airtel divests stake in Seynse Technologies
Over 50 flights delayed at Delhi airport as dense fog reduces visibility
'Very dense' fog lowers visibility to zero in Delhi, traffic movement hit
College basketball begins strange season in empty arenas
Washington: The strangest, most anticipated season in college basketball history kicked off with dozens of games at arenas across the country.
Like everything else in this pandemic world, it was odd and disjointed.
Cancellations, protests, quarantined players, piped-in crowd noise, masked cheerleaders, socially distanced bench seating the start of the season matched the chaotic build-up to it.
One day down, who knows how many more left.
"I'd like normalcy, I'd like a routine, but that's not what we have right now, North Carolina coach Roy Williams said on Wednesday.
"You can do everything you can possibly do and still have a slipup. But the process, you need to do everything you can possibly do and be prepared to handle everything as well."
College basketball, like the rest of the sports world, was thrown into disarray last March when the surging coronavirus pandemic shut down everything.
Cancelation of the NCAA Tournament cost the NCAA 375 million in revenue, so the organization that runs college sports was determined to get through the 2020-21 season.
The prelude to Wednesday's start followed the lead of a college football season filled with cancelations, shutdowns and last-minute replacement games.
Dozens of college basketball programs shut down for positive COVID-19 tests, big-name coaches like Tom Izzo, Scott Drew, Jim Boeheim among them. Games canceled almost hourly. Programs moved in and out of multi-team events like a game of whack-a-mole.
The first big event in Connecticut dubbed Bubbleville became more like Juggleville as teams dropped out, replacements moved in and crafting a schedule became like sorting through AAU brackets.
While gamblers socially distanced inside the Mohegan Sun casino, no fans were allowed in the 10,000-seat arena for the opening game between Virginia and Towson, a late replacement for coronavirus-affected Maine.
Cardboard cutouts filled the areas behind the baskets and recorded crowd noise was piped in to replace the full-throated roars of real fans. Yelling coaches and squeaking sneakers echoed off the empty seats, and seats on the benches were spread out for social distancing as they were in arenas across the country.
Ten members of the top-ranked South Carolina women's team followed the social justice lead of the NBA and WNBA by remaining seated for the national anthem before their 119-38 win over Charleston.
"We just wanted everyone to know we haven't forgotten about what's going on," guard Zia Cooke said.
"Of course, this is a basketball game, but we wanted to use our platform."
Numerous other teams sat or knelt during the anthem, including North Carolina State's women. The Virginia men's team had "UNITY" on their warm-up shirts and Towson's players had a raised fist on their backs.
Georgetown coach Patrick Ewing made a different kind of statement during the Hoyas' season-opening game against Maryland-Baltimore County, draping a white towel over his shoulder in memory of Hall of Famer John Thompson, who died in August at 78.
Some teams never made it to the floor.
Georgia's opener against Columbus State was canceled just hours before tipoff due to positive COVID-19 tests within the Division II team. Lipscomb's game against Campbellsville Harrodsburg also was canceled due to coronavirus issues.
"This is obviously a situation unlike any other I've had to deal with in my 31 seasons of coaching college basketball," Georgia coach Tom Crean said.
"This season already was a surreal experience all around. This is truly that." Oklahoma and Monmouth became the latest teams to pause all activities due to positive COVID-19 tests.
The game went on mostly as usual on the court.
Drake pulled off the first upset of the season, winning 80-70 at Kansas State. Illinois senior Ayo Dosunmu showed off why he was a preseason All-American, finishing with 28 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in a 122-60 win over North Carolina A&T.
Heralded Oklahoma State freshman Cade Cunningham, another preseason All-American, had a stellar debut, finishing with 21 points and 10 rebounds in a 75-68 win over Texas-Arlington.
The day before Thanksgiving, players, coaches and fans were thankful to have college basketball back. Where it goes from here, nobody knows.
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The Shade and other poems by Jienric I. Cajocon


text:
Coming Soon From a Foodie Filmmaker Near You
By Chelsea Morse Updated May 23, 2017
The star of the new film Charcuterie.
© Christian Remde
Filmmaker Christian Remde didn't exactly set out to chronicle Austin's artisanal food scene when he began the Twelve Films Project, but any foodie could recognize his passion right off the bat. His 2011 New Year's resolution was to create one film each month for the year, and so far it has yielded seven short pieces, ranging from a 90-second time-lapse homage to Austin's Pennybacker Bridge to a narrative portrait of a couple debating the merits of turkey bacon. His love for his adopted hometown's food scene really began to shine through in his May film, Farm to Trailer, which profiles 2011 Best New Chef Bryce Gilmore. "My wife and I moved to Austin from New York City a little over a year ago, and I really fell in love with Odd Duck," says Remde. "Seeing the amazing way Bryce fuses the food trailer scene with 100 percent locally sourced food sparked the idea for the documentary." Working on that documentary was so rewarding that Remde decided to make two more, starting with this month's simply titled Charcuterie. "Charcuterie is near and dear to my heart," he says, "and so I wanted to give people some insight into what it is, why it exists and why people love it." Later this year, he plans to release The New American Farm, a meditation on the return to small-scale family farming. Now that he's found his food-obsessed voice, we hope his 2012 resolutions will include another year of films. Click here to view each piece on his website.


text:
Q: The domino curve Consider a set of domino tiles with zero thickness evenly spaced apart. Now let them fall but hold the last one upright. The arangement could now look like this:

Call the distance between two tiles $d$ and the coordinates of the top of each domino $(p_n,q_n)$, so the $n$-th tile is described by $y_n=\frac{q_n(nd-x)}{nd-p_n}$. However, these equations get complicated fast:
$$y_1 = \sqrt{1-d^2}\left(1-\frac{x}{d}\right) \qquad
y_2 = \frac{ \sqrt{1-d^2} \left( d^2 - \sqrt{d^4-d^2+1} \right) (2d-x)}{d \left( d^2 - \sqrt{d^4-d^2+1} -1 \right)}$$

*

*Is there an easy formula for $(p_n,q_n)$?

Since they all have the same length and are equally spaced it might be easier to look at it from a point-slope perspective. I obtained $(p_n,q_n)$ by finding the intercept between $y_{n-1}$ and $y=\sqrt{1-(x-nd)}$. Maybe there is also a nice representation for the angle at the bottom of the $n$-th tile (depending on $d$) but I wasn't able to find it.

*

*What curve are all dominoes tangent to?

This also depends on $d$ and if it's too hard, consider only the case $\lim_\limits{d \to 0}$. Such a function would have the following properties:
$$\lim_\limits{x \to \infty} f(x) = \lim_\limits{x \to \infty} f'(x) = 0 \qquad
\lim_\limits{x \to 0^+} f(x) = 1 \qquad \lim_\limits{x \to 0^+} f'(x) = -\infty$$
Thanks in advance.

A: Let $\alpha_k$ and $\beta_k$ be the angles shown below ($\alpha_1=\pi/2$). From the sine rule one gets: $\sin\beta_k=d\sin\alpha_k$. In addition we also have $\alpha_{k+1}=\alpha_k+\beta_k$, which leads to a recursion for $\sin\alpha_k$:
$$
\sin\alpha_{k+1}=\sin\alpha_k
\left(\sqrt{1-d^2\sin^2\alpha_k}-d\sqrt{1-\sin^2\alpha_k}\right)
$$
The coordinates $(p_k,q_k)$ of the vertex of $\beta_k$
can then be expressed as a function of $\sin\alpha_k$:
$$
q_k=\sin\alpha_{k+1},\quad
p_k=kd+\cos\alpha_{k+1}=kd-\sqrt{1-\sin^2\alpha_{k+1}}.
$$


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Hayes, S. C. (2004). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Relational Frame Theory, and the third wave of behavior therapy. Behavior Therapy, 35, 639-665.
Argues that there is a third wave forming in the behavioral and cognitive therapies.


text:
Home > Sci-tech
All iPhones, iPads and Mac devices affected by 'Meltdown' and 'Spectre' bugs
| January 6, 2018, 18:15
Here's the issue: Modern processors are created to perform something called "speculative execution" to enhance performance. Meltdown and Spectre , the bugs affecting most chips have hit Apple as well. Apple Watch is not affected by Meltdown. ...
Reliance Jio revises existing plans, offers 1 Gb for Rs 149
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Intel Corporation (INTC) Analysts See $0.86 EPS
| January 6, 2018, 9:56
About 999,890 shares traded. Northern Technologies International Corporation (NASDAQ:NTIC) has risen 14.35% since January 5, 2017 and is uptrending. It has outperformed by 2.77% the S&P500. Acadian Asset Mgmt Ltd Limited Liability Company holds 0.01%...
Apple says all Macs and iOS devices affected by chip flaws
It said that Apple Watch is not affected. The company advised millions of customers to download software only from trusted sources after the security vulnerabilities, known as Meltdown and Spectre , were revealed on Wednesday. The company has sa...
Splatoon-Themed Joy-Cons Are Coming to the United States
Unfortunately, for those of us in the USA, the individual units (left or right) or the complete set were not released in America. Personally, I'm still waiting to get the red Super Mario Odyssey controllers, but these are a nice alternative.
New Nokia 6 2018 Edition Launched, Specs, Pricing and Bothie Camera Explained
While the Nokia 6 was a good phone with the 5.5-inch display, that aspect has not changed here but the company has made a decision to change a few things with the design as well as with the internal specs. One that can be charged up by means of a U...
Kesari first look: Akshay Kumar looks like a fierce Sikh warrior
It seems as if it is definitely going to be an fantastic year for Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar as he will be coming with quite a number of films this year. Going by the first look, it will be interesting to see how Akshay narrates this heroic story...
Samsung's Notebook 7 Spin refresh sneaks out ahead of CES
First there was the trio of Notebook 9 models announced last month, and now the company is talking up a new version of its Notebook 7 Spin . Like its predecessor, the device's screen can be flipped back to work in tablet mode. We're bound to recei...
Reliance Jio's new Revised Plans Discounts the 1GB Data Plans
The Rs 198 plan will offer 42 GB data instead of 28 GB, Rs 398 plan will give 105 GB data as compared to 70 GB earlier, Rs 448 pack will offer 126 GB in place of 84 GB and Rs 498 plan will give 136 GB instead of 91 GB. With the new plans, Jio brings ...
Google Has Sold a Google Home Every Second Since October 19
As pointed out by Android Police , the full list of devices and brands which work with Google Assistant has escalated quite a bit in the past few months . We brought the Google Assistant to a dozen countries, from France to Japan, offering help i...
Oceans losing oxygen, can damage marine life
Denise Breitburg , at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in the United States and who led the analysis, said: "Under the current trajectory that is where we would be headed". To keep low oxygen in check, the scientists said the world n...
Apple cuts battery price, apologizes for slowing iPhones
After admitting that they do, in fact, slow down older iPhones, the company has been dealing with a huge amount of negative press. "When I showed up with an appointment at my closest Apple store on January 3, there were so many others also trying...
We now have first direct proof that the ozone hole is shrinking
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Tiger & Prateik span Goa for 'Baaghi 2' action sequence
People have lots of expectation with this film since the first part of " Baaghi " was a hit. After delivering power-packed entertaining franchises like Housefull series and Judwaa , Sajid Nadiadwala is all set to treat the audience with Baaghi...
Nintendo's Switch Is The Fastest Selling Gaming Console Ever
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Elon Musk's SpaceX rocket causes multi-car crash in California
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CAD renders of new flagship phones leaked?
Based on the leaks , the 5.2-inch Xperia XA2 will be slightly larger than the original 5-inch XA, and it's getting full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution. On the specifications front, both the Xperia XA2 and Xperia XA2 Ultra will feature octa-core...
Watch A Blue Moon, Supermoon, And Lunar Eclipse On January 31
This rare coincidence of blue moon , supermoon and lunar eclipse is the first to grace our skies for over 150 years , Phys.org reports . It's true. Secondly, the moon will be a supermoon. In this 2011 image, looking over the snowy hills of t...
LawBreakers publisher blames PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds for their game's failure
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Microsoft Xbox One Kinect Adapter Has Been Discontinued
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The new NOKIA 6 is the midrange device you've been waiting for!
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US Social Networks Could Face Big Fines In Germany
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Sumo Digital has acquired the EVE Valkyrie studio
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Samsung Galaxy On Nxt 16GB launched in India, priced at Rs. 9999
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Имате въпрос към Tea Garden Homestay?
При посещение в Хой Aн, в Tea Garden Homestay ще се почувствате като у дома си, защото предлага квалитетно настаняване и отлично обслужване. Хотелът се намира на 0.4 km от центъра на града и осигурява достъп до важните места на града. С удобното си местоположение хотелът предлага лесен достъп до всички градски забележителности, които задължително трябва да се видят.
Съоръженията и услугите предлагани в Tea Garden Homestay гарантират Вашия приятен престой. Подбор на съоръжения от най-висока класа като съхраняване на багаж, Wi-Fi връзка в общите части, паркинг, летищен трансфер, семейна стая, са на разположение за Вас в хотела.
Хотелът се характеризира с 5 стилно обзаведени стаи за гости, в някои от които ще намерите телевизор с плосък екран, безжичен интернет достъп (безплатен), климатик, бюро, балкон/тераса. Пълният списък от съоръжения за отдих е достъпен в хотела и включва градина. Tea Garden Homestay е добър избор за всички посетители на Хой Aн, защото предлага спокойствие и безпроблемен престой.
This is a really wonderful little hotel. We had the family room on the top floor and they upgraded my sister to a family room even though she was alone, just so she could be on the same floor as us. The location is excellent. Easy walking distance to the heart of old town, even with 4 year olds. The staff was incredibly helpful and even found us a flight to Nha Trang for half the price we could find on our own. I'm sorry I don't remember the name of the woman who helped us but it started with a Q. She made our stay wonderful and arranged everything for our travels as well! I would happily stay here again and highly recommend it.
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay here. We can't say enough about the staff - all of them were helpful, efficient and kind. The room was very spacious, had a comfortable bed, had a large windowed double door and was cleaned daily. The bathroom was modern and clean. Everything we tried from the breakfast menu was delicious and we enjoyed eating them on the outdoor patio. We didn't go in the pool but it always looked clean and had crystal clear water . It is an easy 3 block walk to the 'Ancient Town'. Because it is just off the main street it is relatively quiet. The spring rolls at The Tea Garden Restaurant are great - they also do room service.
We loved it here, we actually wanted to stay longer the only thing stopping us was our intense itinerary for our trip. The staff are great - very accommodating and friendly, happy to help with recommendations for eating/clothes making. Our room was perfect very spacious, clean and comfortable. The pool is great - nice and cold perfect for the warm weather. We had breakfast included and this was also superb nice little selection of drinks smoothies and food all served very quickly. If we come back to Hoi An (we will) we will be staying here again!
The staff, the location and the beds.
This is our second visit here. We stayed here 6 months ago and absolutely loved the place. This time when we returned however the place looked a bit run down but was still very clean. Our air con didn't work properly, and so they offered to change us to another room the next morning and promptly brought us a fan. It seemed fixed the next morning but had problems again later. I had to use the fan the entire stay. My second issue was the breakfast was very average. The menu is sufficient but they need to understand how to cook pancakes...they also served the same sort of crusty bread roll every morning four days in a row which is difficult to eat for adults let alone kids. No bread slices were available. My bath gel wasn't replenished the entire four days for a family of four even though they cleaned the room everyday. On the upside the couple who own the place are fantastic!! They also have very polite and friendly staff. The wife speaks english fluently and her husband is always around, friendly and happy to help. They hire out a scooter and bicycles. They are the nicest hosts I have ever had living in a homestay. I believe they would do anything to help make your stay easier you just need to ask though.
Staff, room, and staff again!
We loved it! Our stay was made by the lovely Thanh and her friendly family who made us feel like part of their family. Nothing was too much trouble, and she even bought the kids presents when we left.
Great stay. Host family was so friendly and welcoming. The father keeps and trains eagles as a hobby and their six year old son also have a young eagle to hi own to train. Very interesting experience to see eagles swoop to their master's arms as you eat breakfast (banana pancakes). Location is pretty much in the middle of town but you don't quite hear all the noise. We could borrow bikes which we road to the beach across town. Excellent, highly recommend.


... of professional soccer history but lack of a current pro team, brothers Tom and Dave Fath knew the timing was finally right for soccer to make a triumphant return to the City of Champions.
Creating an eye-catching program commemorating FC Edmonton Pro Soccer Club's 2015 Wood Buffalo Cup.
Through collaboration with FC Edmonton, the team at Balsom Communications provided content, design, and print services. The result? A commemorative program that captured the excitement of this much-anticipated event!


text:
HomeNews2023: Policemen, Others To Take Oath Of Neutrality, Non-Bribe Taking – INEC
2023: Policemen, Others To Take Oath Of Neutrality, Non-Bribe Taking – INEC
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said on Thursday that police officers and other security personnel that would be deployed for duty in the 2023 general elections would swear to an oath of loyalty and neutrality in compliance with the Electoral Act, 2022.
The commission disclosed that such security officials would also, under oath, swear not to collect bribes or gratification and that they would carry out their electoral functions in the interest of Nigeria.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of INEC in Bayelsa State, Emmanuel Hart, stated this while presenting a paper titled, "The Electoral Act and the Role of Police on Election Duty" at a training workshop on the management of elections in Yenagoa.
The sensitisation forum with the theme, "Empowering Police Officers for Effective Management of Elections", was organised by the Bayelsa State Police Command in collaboration with the Bosinde Araikpe Global Peace Initiative.
Hart, who was represented by the head of legal services at the state INEC office, Ayi Obaseki, that any officer who contravened the oath as contained in Sections 26 and 120 of the Electoral Act would be slammed with a maximum fine of N500,000 or imprisoned for 12 months or both, upon conviction.
He said, "It is mandatory for security officials taking part in the conduct of an election to affirm or swear to an oath of Loyalty and Neutrality that they will not accept bribe or gratification and that they will perform their functions and duties as well as discharge same in the interest of the Federal Republic of Nigeria without fear or favour.
"Any officer who violates the provision of Section 26 (1) of the Electoral Act commits an offence of Dereliction of Duty and liable on conviction to a maximum fine of N500,000 or imprisonment of 12 months or both."
According to the REC, the advent of the Electoral Act 2023 introduced some novel provisions that had strengthened Nigeria's electoral process and the statutory role of the police before, during and after the conduct of elections.
He said the role of the police as the leading security agency in the electoral process was beyond voting and other activities that would take place on election day, including protection of the electoral umpire's materials and personnel.
Hart, while addressing the officers, said: "The most crucial and fundamental element in the duty of the Police Force is the protection of life and property of the citizens.
"As we move towards the 2023 general elections, it is important that you use your good offices to prevent electoral violence caused by political thugs in voting centres. Where there is widespread violence in the state, the Commission may not go ahead with the conduct of the election,"he said.
In his remarks, the Commissioner of Police, Ben Okolo, said the workshop was necessary to sensitise officers and stakeholders on the need to ensure violence-free and transparent polls and refresh their minds on ways to conduct themselves and manage electoral activities.
He said, "This is a very important process. We are going to do this and other activities to ensure that our officers will stick to the promise that the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, has made, that this election will be free, fair and credible; and the process will be transparent.
"In order to ensure that that happens, we want to begin to sensitise the people and other stakeholders."
2023: Policemen
Non-Bribe Taking
Others To Take Oath Of Neutrality
Scores Of Bandits Arrested In An Hotel In Masaka, Nasarawa
Lady Inserts Live Snake Head Inside Her Mouth
PVC Collection Begins Today, Moves To Ward Level – INEC
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Nearly 60,000 Personnel Needed In Lagos for 2023 Elections — INEC
Felix said the commission has started the process of recruiting adhoc staff. ads1 Light Dark WELCOME TO 9JAFLAVER Home MUSIC VIDEOS GOSPEL FREEBEATS PREMIUM BEATS | NEWS | BIG BROTHER TITANS | FUNNY PICTURES | […]
We Registered Over 93m Voters For 2023 Polls – INEC
The number of registered voters to participate in the 2023 election has been made public. This comes after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) revealed that it registered 93, 469,008 voters for the 2023 polls. […]


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Japanese Movie Theater Using PS3 To Play Movie [Japan]
Kotaku said:
There have been reports from Sendai, Japan that a theater showing horror anime Kara no Kyoukai - The Garden of Sinners has been using a PS3 to project the film.
In the theater, folks claim to have seen things like messages to charge the USB controller pop up on the screen.
According to one site, the Blu-ray version of the film is being screened, but Wired Vision confirmed this with the film's distributor and Sony subsidiary Aniplex that a data file of the movie is running off of a PS3. The film is in full HD, and there is apparently no noticeable difference between it playing from the PS3's hard drive and a digital projector hard drive.
This theater in Sendai is not alone in using the PS3's hard drive for this flick - though, many on the Japanese internet seem to think this is rather cheap on the part of the cinemas. But a hard drive is a hard drive. It's the quality of the digital projector that folks should be more concerned about.
Kara no Kyoukai ("Boundary of Emptiness") follows Mikiya as a series of strange, violent deaths begin occurring in his town.
劇場版「空の境界」は本当にPS3を使って上映していたようです [はちま起稿]
(Via Kotaku)
Is the PS3 capable of 1080p output? For some smaller theaters using cheaper digital setups, the PS3 with Blu-ray might result in even better quality of showings.
sammybaker
Well this is certainly a surprise if it proves to be true. I guess some parts of Japan arent as well of as their neighbors.
Telescope Launched on Japanese Observatory
Japanese Crew Member Available for Interviews
Space Japanese Experiment Module - Exposed Facility


In the process of renting a car through Carhirex.com it is very easy to find and understand the terms and conditions you are agreeing to by proceeding with the car rental purchase. The two most important things you are agreeing to can be found just before you click the big green button that says "Confirm Booking," and these are the Rental Conditions and Booking Engine Terms and Conditions.
Carhirex.com will never surprise you with a policy that is not clearly spelled out before you confirm your booking. All of our terms and conditions are clearly stated so that our customers can feel confident in their choice for cheap car rental from Carhirex.com.


Founded in 1926, Adderbury Bowls Club has been the home of good competitive bowling for 93 years.
We have a proud past and a fine future - and the present is pretty good, too.
2018 was the most successful season in our club's history.
We won the Hawker Cup, one of the OBA's most prestigious club competitions, and our coach Phil Gladden won the Longford Cup – a much sought-after OBA singles trophy.
The Hawker cup-winning team (pictured) is, back row (left to right) Phil Gladden, Darren Sharpe, Ted Eley, Paul Jelfs, Ian Dunn and Nigel Eley. Front, Mick Jelfs (left) and Chris Skidmore.
We finished top of the Oxford and District Bowls League Division Three – unbeaten and 18 points ahead of the team in second place.
Our Saturday and mid-week 'friendly' teams won the majority of their matches and the whole club is looking forward to 2019.
Success on the green hasn't changed the way we are off it.
Visitors receive a warm welcome and the club has a reputation for sportsmanship and friendship.
Adderbury is a thriving club with a full match fixture list and a busy social calendar.
In addition to our Oxford and District Bowls League matches we have a full programme of Saturday and mid-week non-league games.
We compete in national and county competitions and our own club championships are keenly contested.
Our green is maintained in first class condition to enable good bowling.
We have a comfortably furnished, spacious clubhouse and our well-stocked bar has drinks at club prices.
New men and women members, playing or social, of all ages, are welcome.
Off the green, we organise regular social events including monthly quiz nights, music/dance/comedian evenings and other occasions.
If you're looking for exercise, competitive or easy-going sport, friendship – and a great social life, Adderbury Bowls Club is the place to be.
First Saturday of every month. £1 per person to enter. First question at 8.30pm. Doors open 8pm. Prizes and raffle.


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Free Press Engine
Hong Kong's judges are its final line of defense from Beijing —
December 29, 2020 - by Jacob - Leave a Comment
When 12 Hong Kong democracy activists fled the city by boat to escape what they feared would be targeted prosecutions for their role in last year's protests, they ended up in a far worse situation: on trial in mainland China.
For months their families in Hong Kong have lobbied to bring the twelve back home to a judicial system that still commands a deep level of trust for its independence even as it's become ever clearer that the other institutions of Hong Kong's government—its executive and legislature—are now fully aligned with Beijing.
"I honestly never thought we would get to this stage," said one member of the legal community in November, declining to be named due to the sensitivity of the topic. "One month ago, I said to a colleague I didn't even imagine that after 2047 it would be like this."
"This" being the waves of arrests of activists and lawmakers; of chief executive Carrie Lam declaring that there is no separation of powers in Hong Kong; of a newsroom raid and new police rules redefining who's a journalist; of a teenager being charged with violating the national security law; of an activist charged with sedition for chanting anti-government slogans; of Beijing unilaterally engineering the expulsion of four democratically elected opposition lawmakers, followed days later by calls to "reform" and "perfect" the legal system.
Against this backdrop, the judiciary increasingly looks like Hong Kong's last line of defense. "For us, the judges really are the last bastion of trying to keep the government in check," said the legal professional.
In the battle that has begun over the future of Hong Kong's courts, on one side is the Chinese Communist Party, where Chinese leader Xi Jinping's conception of the rule of law prioritizes securing party rule over all else. On the other is Hong Kong's common law system, shaped by British colonial rule, which prizes due process, transparency, and the independence of courts and judges.
"The weakness of the other branches…has left the judiciary standing alone."
"The judiciary is very clearly under attack, and it's a multi-front attack," said Michael Davis, a global fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center in Washington. The need for judicial independence, he explained, has long been prominent "in part because of the weakness of the other branches [of government]… That has left the judiciary standing alone among the three branches of government as being able to resist what the government wants it to do."
'Making everything the national security law'
It was the fear of a breach of the firewall between Hong Kong's independent judicial system and China's opaque system that first sparked last year's protests—over a proposed extradition bill that would have allowed suspects to be extradited to the mainland. Despite the public opposition, the firewall between the two systems is steadily being dismantled.
The new national security law that Beijing imposed in June allows mainland Chinese security agents to operate in Hong Kong beyond the jurisdiction of local laws while carrying out "official duties," and put in place a committee to examine civil society for threats to national security, which is protected from judicial review. The law, which seeks to punish crimes such as "subversion" and "collusion with foreign forces," gives the government the discretion to swap out judges and to order closed trials—of the sort that the 12 Hong Kongers on trial in mainland China are facing—and even for Beijing to take direct control in certain cases. In other words, a parallel, more opaque system is being set up to focus on the prosecution of acts of speech and expression.
According to the police, 40 people including media mogul Jimmy Lai and activist Agnes Chow have been arrested under the national security law as of Dec. 7; a Bloomberg analysis showed that the bulk of the offenses related to political speech, and only one person has been charged with violence. In Chow's case, for example, her arrest for collusion with foreign forces may have been for helping to place an ad in Japanese newspapers calling for support for the protesters. While for Lai, the founder of independent newspaper Apple Daily, prosecutors have apparently been looking at social media activity and the fact the publication opened an English-language edition.
According to the local advocacy group Civil Rights Observer, there are at least seven people (pdf) who have been accused of offenses unrelated to the national security law, but whose cases were nevertheless investigated by the police's national security department. In one instance, an activist who was charged with "uttering seditious words" under an older law had his case transferred to a designated national security judge even though he was not charged under the national security law.
"They're trying to make everything the national security law," said the legal professional.
Nevertheless, most protest-related cases are being handled under existing laws, and some have looked to these processes for reassurance. Of the roughly 10,000 people arrested since protests erupted in June last year, less than a quarter had been prosecuted as of the end of October, according to the Hong Kong police. Of those, 695 have been charged with rioting, leading to two convictions, six guilty pleas, and 18 acquittals, according to the latest tally by local outlet the Stand News (link in Chinese). Numerous cases have been thrown out for lack of evidence, including instances where judges have found police testimony to be unreliable, contradictory, or outright false.
To some legal experts, these outcomes suggest that the courts are functioning as they should. "The judicial branch really hasn't changed much," said Simon Young, a professor at the University of Hong Kong's law faculty and a practicing barrister in the city. "Its role is to adjudicate cases, and that's what it's doing."
Young also pointed to successful legal challenges against the government, such as one filed by the Hong Kong Journalists Association over police officers' failure to display identification numbers, as evidence that the judiciary is continuing to fulfill its role of "flesh[ing] out the implications of the rights" that are protected under Hong Kong's mini-constitution, the Basic Law.
But what has changed is everything around the judiciary. The executive has always been appointed by the Chinese central government, but Carrie Lam's vocal support for Beijing's crackdown in Hong Kong has shown the city just how short the leash is. The partially elected legislative lost its opposition this year and it's unclear when elections, postponed during the pandemic will return, if ever. Now that those two branches are effectively controlled by Beijing, courts and judges are under unprecedented pressure.
In past months, Hong Kong's courts have been vehemently criticized by both opposition and pro-China figures, with accusations that judges have either been too lenient or too tough on demonstrators, making every decision highly likely to be contested, which will shake faith in the judiciary even as it tries to do its job as usual.
One judge faced heavy criticism for describing a man who stabbed three citizens as a "victim" and blaming the attack on the protest movement. The judge was later removed from protest-related cases over his remarks. In another instance, a judge who acquitted a local pro-democracy politician of assaulting police—video evidence showed officers tackling her as she live-streamed a peaceful public gathering—and accused the officers of telling "lie after lie," was pilloried by pro-China lawmakers and propaganda outlets, and was later removed from hearing cases. The criticism of judges grew so frequent and heated that Hong Kong's chief justice Geoffrey Ma issued a rare 18-page statement (pdf) in September warning against attacks on the judiciary.
In a statement responding to questions from , a department of justice spokesperson said that "it is fundamentally wrong to suggest that the Judiciary in Hong Kong is being pulled closer in line with Mainland's legal system."
A twin last line of defense
University of Birmingham legal scholar Fiona de Londras, who has co-edited a book on China's national security agenda in relation to Hong Kong, has argued that the individuals who make up Hong Kong's judiciary will have to walk a fine line between upholding legitimacy and becoming a tool of legitimation. They include the roughly 200 judges and magistrates who decide cases, bureaucrats at the department of justice, and prosecutors and defense lawyers.
"How robust and independent are those individuals?" asked the Hong Kong-based legal professional. "There's always that human element. But of course what the [Chinese Communist Party] is good at is getting to that human element."
He described the judge Anderson Chow—whose rulings have earned him blistering attacks from Chinese state media—as "fearless," but questioned whether more junior judges in lower courts will be as immune to pressure from Beijing.
There is also the future of the 14 foreign judges who sit on Hong Kong's highest court, and whose presence, beyond bringing expertise, has long been seen as a stamp of approval in the credibility of the city's judiciary. Since the national security law took force, an Australian judge has resigned citing concerns over the law, while the UK is now considering whether to remove British judges from Hong Kong. Foreign judges who continue to sit in Hong Kong courts "are an embarrassment to the legal systems of the jurisdictions of their home country," said Alvin Cheung, a postdoctoral fellow at McGill University whose research looks at how authoritarian regimes damage legal institutions.
Young lawyers early in their careers may also be reluctant to take on politically charged cases because those cases are "like a ship that you can't jump off of once you're on it," said one barrister, a type of lawyer in common law jurisdictions who can argue most cases in court.
Amid this charged atmosphere, Hong Kong's leader has done little to inspire much confidence in the city's legal system. This month, addressing a business summit, Lam pronounced that "taken as a totality it's basically still the rule of law" in Hong Kong. The US state department's travel advisory for Hong Kong, however, now explicitly warns people of the "arbitrary enforcement of local laws."
For Davis, the two pillars that remain capable of resisting the authoritarian capture of Hong Kong are the judiciary and civil society. "The judiciary, as the guardian of the rule of law and basic freedoms, is in some ways in a protective role for civil society, for people's rights and actions," he said. "So it's a sort of teamwork…a twin kind of last line of defense."
What employers risk getting wrong about mindfulness and mental health
成長を続ける男性用コスメ業界|先週と今週の Japan(1/18〜1/22) —
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Q: Download pdf file in angularjs ng-click function I use window.open in my ng-click function to download files.
Files can be of type .xls, .pdf, .doc .
Following is the sample code.
$scope.download = function(urls){
        angular.forEach(urls, function (value, key) {
            window.open(value,'_blank');
        });
    }

.xls and .doc files can be downloaded directly.But .pdf files opens in a new tab. Is there any solution?


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MoviesTV Shows
Check out these eight Disney+ titles to watch this January
Here are eight Disney+ titles that you'll want to add to your watch list.
By ungeek
January is here, and if you're looking for new shows and movies to watch in the new year, Disney+ has lots of titles to binge so you can start 2023 off in the right mood!
In case you nee some help choosing though, here are eight titles that you'll want to add to your watch list:
Pink Lie
In this intriguing Korean dating show, each contestant comes to the Pink House looking for that special connection all while hiding a secret about their lives and identities from their prospective partners.
An expansion of the National Treasure films, the series follows Jess (Lisette Olivera), a young woman on a mission to recover a lost Pan-American treasure while uncovering the secrets of her treasure-protecting family.
Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration (January 6)
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: A 30TH CELEBRATION – Presented by The Wonderful World of Disney, the two-hour reimagining of the beloved story of ÒBeauty and the BeastÓ will be taped in front of a live audience at Disney Studios and will air THURSDAY, DEC. 15 (8:00-10:00 p.m. EST), on ABC. (ABC/Christopher Willard)
H.E.R., JOSH GROBAN
Relive the magic of the much-loved Disney classic, Beauty and the Beast, in a very special musical featuring never-before-seen performances from H.E.R. as Belle and Josh Groban as the Beast.
SUPER JUNIOR THE LAST MAN STANDING (January 18)
SUPER JUNIOR talks about their past, present, and future as one of the most enduring K-Pop acts. With a career spanning almost two decades, the now nine-member group sheds light on its continued popularity in the ever-changing K-Pop landscape.
Disenchanted
(L-R): Amy Adams as Giselle and Maya Rudolph as Malvina Monroe in Disney's live-action DISENCHANTED, exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Jonathan Hession. © 2022 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
In this long-awaited follow-up to Enchanted, Giselle (Amy Adams) and her family move to Monroeville, a suburban paradise far from the hustle and bustle of Manhattan. In this new place, new house, and with a new baby, Giselle faces the age-old question: "what comes after happily ever after?"
Mickey: The Story of A Mouse
Directed by Jeffrey Malmberg, the documentary looks at the evolution of the iconic mouse and how it remains one of the most recognizable characters in history.
Follow the adventures of an unlikely group of friends as they find themselves at the center of one of history's most shocking political conspiracies in this crime epic set in the beautiful city of Amsterdam.
CRIMINAL MINDS: EVOLUTION- "Moose" : Episode 1603 – L-R: Adam Rodriguez as Luke Alvez, A.J. Cook as Jennifer 'JJ' Jareau, Kirsten Vangsness as Penelope Garcia, Paget Brewster as Emily Prentiss and Joe Mantegna as David Rossi in "Criminal Minds: Evolution," streaming on Paramount+, 2022. Photo Credit: Paramount+
Now back for its 16th season, the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) of the FBI faces a whole new set of challenges, including capturing a new set of serial killers in a world forever changed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Disney+ is available now in the Philippines, and you can subscribe now via Gcash on DisneyPlus.com and find new favorites to start January and the new year right.
Huawei announces its 2023 New Year Sale, with big discounts and freebies on select devices
Bandai Namco is taking over the former SEGA Arcade Building in Akihabara


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Bridgwater Heritage Group
Online Research for a Somerset Town
Dissenter Chapels
Historians of Bridgwater
Sydney Gardnor Jarman
Arthur Herbert Powell
Margaret Thompson Sturge
Thomas Bruce Dilks
Mary Chubb
John Chubb 1746-1818
Maps of Bridgwater
Building Stones of Bridgwater
Lost Bridgwater
Streets & Buildings
Reference Index
Further Reference Lists
Siege of Bridgwater, July, 1645
Coronation Celebrations
The First World War
Bridgwater's War Memorials
Descriptions of Bridgwater
Source Collections
External Links: Sources
External Links: Research
Lost Things
Memories of my grandfather: Thomas Bruce Dilks BA FHistS
By Katherine Dilks
Thomas Bruce Dilks 1945 from an oil painting by A B Connor
by kind permission Mrs Wendy Washington
I am the granddaughter of Thomas Bruce Dilks and Agnes Isabel Thompson. AIT, b. Bridgwater 1875 was the youngest daughter of William Thompson and Agnes Magdalen Fitzroy Stuart. WT, b. Street 1837, was the oldest son of Francis James Thompson and Rebecca Stephens. FJT b 1813 son of Joseph Thompson and Ann Clark.
Thomas Townsley Dilks, his wife Mary Eliza, and their eldest son Henry Lumley are all buried in one plot in Wembdon Road Cemetery, plot 838. TBD's wife, Isabel, is buried with her father William Thompson and her brother H Stuart Thompson, plot 482. TBD married AIT in 1901.
A sketch annotated in TBD's hand of the two tenements pulled down
to make way for the Eastover post office
I used to stay with my grandfather in Eastover, Bridgwater as a child and my memory of him is sitting over his manuscripts with a magnifying glass and a cupped hand as his sight had become so poor. He was agoraphobic and couldn't leave the house. Meetings of the Oldmixon Club used to be held in his drawing room once a month. Meetings of the Quakers also took place there. He could get to his garden, but somehow this entailed going through the baker's next door, so arrangements had to be made well in advance!
My home had an excellent portrait of him done by A B Connor of Burnham on Sea in 1945. The portrait of TBD hung in my parent's home after TBD had died and everyone pronounced it an excellent likeness. We also liked the fact that he was holding a manuscript and his glasses. By 1945 he had very little sight left and this is probably the time I remember him with magnifying glass and cupped hand in his effort to read.
The table and desk still exist and I have an octagonal table with the same Victorian "country" carving which must have come from that room. I was told the desk was made from a church pew – I'm not sure if that's at all relevant! My memory is that the table would be covered with his manuscripts rather than a vase of roses (which look as if they've seen better days!).
TBD's father was a Wesleyan Minister. Wesleyan Ministers would change location every three years during their ministry, so the family were constantly on the move, never settling anywhere.
Thomas Townsley Dilks is recorded in a directory of 19th century ministers as being in Bridgwater between 1888 and 1891.
1847 Lerwick
1852 Greenock
1855 Dumfries
1858 Ramsey, Isle of Man
1861 Douglas
1864 Penrith
1867 Ashton-Lyne
1870 Leek
1873 Plymouth, King St.
1876 London, St. Geo.
1879 London, Hinde-St.
1882 Norwich
1885 Manchester, Grosvenor-street
1888 Bridgwater
1891 Clapham, Sup.
1894 Taunton, do.
TBD's early life must have been shaped not only by his father's profession but also by his position in the family. The youngest of four sons, he was even 8 years younger than his youngest brother. TBD's older brothers, Henry Lumley, Christopher and Thomas Arthur, were all born in Scotland, whereas TBD was born in Penrith, just into England as his father worked his way South from preaching on the beaches in Shetland, via the Isle of Man and finally to Bridgwater.
TBD obtained the external London University degree of BA in 1884, and was a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.
In 1901,TBD moved into 63 Eastover, Bridgwater and lived "above the shop" for the rest of his years. The basement, which was ground floor at the back, housed the printing works. On the ground floor, the shop was at the front, a small office in the middle and the type setting room at the back. Then the living quarters were on three floors above with three rooms on each floor. The rooms I remember best were his drawing room at the front, the kitchen and the dining room. As one entered the drawing room, there was the chess board set out for a game in progress, an upright piano where I'd be asked to play my latest piece, and finally around the corner would be sitting my grandfather with a rug wrapped round his legs, a manuscript on his knee, a large magnifying glass in his right hand and his left hand cupped to help his very poor vision. He sat by the fire where there was a large ornamental Victorian overmantel, his desk near at hand and a small, ornately carved table covered in manuscripts.
63 Eastover in about 1910. It is unclear who the ladies are.
In the kitchen was a hay box. A stew was brought to simmering point after breakfast and buried under the hay. It was perfect at suppertime. Milk was delivered by horse and cart. The milkman had a large churn of unpasteurised milk. I would be sent down with two large jugs and would ask for an appropriate amount. The milk would be ladled in, sometimes still warm. However, all the milk had then to be boiled to sterilise it which took the edge off the flavour!
In the dining room was a blower instead of a bell, with whistle. It connected to the kitchen with one blow, and the shop with two!
The Printing works was run by a man was profoundly deaf and his speech was a series of grunts. I don't remember his name, but to a small child he was fascinating and I was shown how to communicate with him; this was not at all difficult. He set the type and ran the presses. They mostly printed church magazines and the like. And, whilst other poets struggled to see themselves in print, my grandfather printed his own!
Through the printing works one approached the garden. It was the one outdoor space that my grandfather could manage. However, it was not easy to reach and if he decided it was a nice day and he would like to visit the garden, arrangements had to be made. Out of the door of the print room, across the courtyard. Knock on the door of the baker's to seek permission. Walk through the bakery trying not to get covered in flour, across another courtyard, through a shed and we were in the garden. It was not large, but had four high brick walls and was beautifully kept with a lawn, flower beds and roses in abundance. This was where the only photos of him were taken, usually to mark some family occasion.
TBD was passionate about cricket and he had two cats named Eric and Alec after the Bedser twins. Both his sons shared this interest and played cricket, Jack being the more able. He batted for Somerset on a few occasions whilst my father bowled on fewer occasions for the minor County of Berkshire.
TBD's life was governed by his agoraphobia and I was told this was why he bought the shop. I don't know when he first became agoraphobic, or why. Was it because of the nomadic childhood or some more specific incident lost in the mist of time.
My father, Arthur Bruce, told me that once he announced he was better and thought he might visit a friend. My father was to go with him and they would go by taxi. However, the taxi had only started on its journey when panic set in and they returned home.
Another time he said he felt better and to everyone's amazement said he would like to go for a walk if my father went with him. They walked and eventually sat on a bench together. He sat there happily chatting. They returned home, the walk a complete success, but he never managed to go out again.
Then there was the visit to hospital to have a cataract removed. An ambulance was to collect him. However, he was quite unable to get into the ambulance and had to be sedated to make the journey.
This operation in 1938 is remembered in one of his verses:
To My Nurse
My children's love, the surgeon's wizard skill,
And your wise care, dear Nurse, by God's good will,
Have given me back my sight, and soon – ah ! soon
I shall once more behold a perfect moon,
Sunsets and stars and the prismatic rain,
And read my Keats and Wordsworth once again.
TBD's wife died in 1923 when she was only 48.
I am growing old and soon shall be
Nought but an infrequent memory
And then forgotten. Ere I sleep,
Take, friends, these songs of mine to keep,
Much have I loved and many a thing,
But she, for whom I used to sing,
Sleeps sound already,
Sound sleeps Isabel,
Sweet was she and incomparable,
And with her end my songs. Farewell.
And, round the nursery fire:
A Charming Young Maiden
A charming young maiden called Kate
Is standing before a green gate,
"Will you open it, please?
Cause they're all at their teas.
I'm afraid they will think that I'm – not coming, you know!"
His collection of poems were printed in four small volumes by the East Gate Press.
When I used to stay as a child, there was many an occasion when I was told to be quiet and was not allowed in the drawing room. Often a friend would be in playing a game of chess with TBD. At the age of 6, he patiently taught me the moves and we had many a game together. With the greatest of glee I sometimes won not knowing then that this was something grown-ups allow to happen!
TBD also taught me the Greek alphabet on one of my visits. I was surprised when I read Mathematics as part of my Education degree, to find not all students knew their Greek letters!
Although brought up as a Wesleyan, he probably converted to Quakerism when he met his wife in Bridgwater. As TBD was not able to leave the house, once a month on Sunday morning, Friends held Meeting in his drawing room.
Thomas Bruce Dilks was far more than the tradesman listed on the censuses. He was a classicist, a linguist, an historian, a poet, a chess player. He was passionate about cricket, natural sciences, the universe and a convinced Quaker. He had a keen sense of humour and was a loving and compassionate man.
St Mary's Churchyard
The Funeral Directions given to Messrs J R Gilbert & Son record that Thomas Bruce Dilks of 63 (sic) Eastover died February 7th, 1949, aged 83 years. After cremation in Bristol, Arnos Grove, his ashes were to be interred at Wembdon Road Cemetery, presumably at the grave of his wife, plot 482. For some reason, St Mary's churchyard was substitituted, where his ashes still lie, under a small slab bearing a small cross, unusually for a Quaker (see above). There are many of this pattern in that part of the churchyard, so maybe it was prescribed. Dilks left a bequest to the Society of Friends, or Quakers.
The Manse to the King Street Wesleyan Chapel is in Dampiet Street, Bridgwater.
Is this picture of members of the Dilks family, where Thomas Townsley Dilks was minister?
Thomas Bruce Dilks, Arthur Bruce Dilks, Agnes Isabel Dilks(née Thompson) about 1904
Standing: Christopher Dilks, Henry Lumley Dilks, Thomas Arthur Dilks
Thomas Bruce Dilks is the smallest standing just behind his mother
Front sitting, parents: Thomas Townsley Dilks, Mary Eliza Dilks (née Lumley)
Family Groups at 63 Eastover Bridgwater
L to R standing: Lilian, Bruce, Jack, Peggy
L to R sitting: Henry, Isabel, TBD
Lilian = Constance Mary Lilian, HLD's daughter
Bruce = Arthur Bruce, TBD's elder son
Jack = John Stuart, TBD's son
Peggy = TBD's daughter
Henry = Henry Lumley Dilks, TBD's brother
Isabel = Agnes Isabel Thompson, TBD's wife
TBD = Thomas Bruce Dilks
L to R standing: Peggy, Bruce, Irene, Leslie, Meg, Jack
L to R sitting: Arthur, Lilian, Henry, Jessie, TBD
Peggy = Margaret Isabel Dilks, TBD's daughter
Bruce = Arthur Bruce Dilks, TBD's elder son
Irene = Alice Irene Dilks, TAD's daughter
Leslie = Harcourt Leslie Dilks, HLD's son
Meg = Isabel Margarite O'Hanlon, Jack's wife (probably fiancée at this moment)
Jack = John Stuart Dilks, TBD's younger son
Arthur = Thomas Arthur Dilks, TBD's brother
Lilian = Constance Mary Lilian Dilks, HLD's daughter
Jessie = Jessie Poyser, Leslie's wife
Standing L to R: Arthur Bruce, Margaret Isabel Sherborne (ABD's wife),
John Stuart Dilks (served in RAF)
Sitting: TBD On ground: Isabel Katherine and Pamela Margaret (TBD's grandaughters) in 1939
L to R: Thomas Arthur (TBD's brother), Arthur Bruce (TBD's son), Alice Irene (TAD's daughter), TBD
All Content Copyright © Bridgwater Heritage Group 2020, unless otherwise stated.