13 July 2009

Daily Chat 13/07/09

Apparently 13 July has been a fairly uneventful day in the annals of history. The seven month Siege of Haarlem came to an end on this day in 1573. The British airship R34 completed the first east-to-west transAtlantic crossing in 1919. It took 182 hours to fly from Norfolk to Minneola, New York. There was no in-flight movie. And in 1923, the Hollywood sign first appeared. At that time, the sign was actually 'Hollywoodland' and served as an advertisement for a housing development. Celebrating birthdays today: Wole Soyinka, Patrick Stewart, Harrison Ford, Roger McGuinn, Erno Rubik, and Ian Hislop. It is Statehood Day in Montenegro. Engage.

70 comments:

  1. The London-raised actress Peg Entwistle jumped off the Hollywood sign in 1932: Dory Previn wrote one of her great songs about Peg's suicide, 'Mary C Brown and the Hollywood Sign'. The invaluable findadeath site gives an intriguing list of sponsors for the Hollywood sign's renovation in 1978 (the 'Land' suffix had been removed earlier )


    H - Terrence Donnelly, Publisher Hollywood Independent Newspaper

    O - Giovanni Mazza, Italian movie producer

    L - Les Kelley - Originator of the Kelley Blue Book

    L - Gene Autrey - With his pioneer television station KTLA

    Y - Hugh Hefner - Creator of Playboy Enterprises

    W - Andy Williams - Singer

    O - Warner Brothers Records

    O - Alice Cooper - In memory of Groucho Marx

    D - Dennis Lidtke

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  2. Right then peeps, I wonder if anyone could help me out with something. I'm looking for an alternative day/weekend out this summer..the more unusual/quirkier the better but nothing hugely serious.

    Mendoza

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  3. @mendoza:

    Music? History? Morris dancing? What do you like doing?

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  4. Mendoza,

    I'm off to the Polo on Sunday, I'll report back next week.........

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  5. Anythings a go. Me and the new missus have got kind of a bet on, to find the weirdest (but fun!) weekend out there.
    The only criteria I have is, it must have a beer tent plus hot food stall.
    Morris dancing could be in the right direction but I reckon I'll have to go further leftfield than that.

    Mendoza

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  6. @Mendoza:

    http://www.farncombeestate.com/courseslist.asp?fac=55

    Looks like fun. My sis and her best friend had a girlie weekend in the Cotswolds (sans families/kids etc) for sis' 40th. They spent as much time pissing themselves laughing at the other participants as they did actually taking part in the course.

    They loved it (and did a bit of singing too).

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  7. Brilliant Swiftyboy!
    There's a course on there covering Recorder Jazz!?
    However, I've just come across a noseflute festival, so I could be onto a winner.

    Mendoza

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  8. Oh, and happy birthday Roger McGuinn.

    Don't You Write Her Off

    I've always loved The Byrds, got to see McGuinn a few years ago in West Sussex, great musician.

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  9. Mendoza

    1st/2nd August Winsborough Green - 12 Hour Lawn Mower Race?

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  10. Mendoza

    http://lawnmowerworld.co.uk/lawnmowerracing.htm

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  11. Mendoza
    This link will take you to a site thats offering quiet weekend breaks in a disused arsenic mine amongst other places.

    http://www.ivillage.co.uk/travel/uktravel/articles/0,,563203_631362,00.html

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  12. .Swifty

    Wisborough Green is down your way (West Sussex)? You ever been for a day out at the lawnmower races?

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  13. @Mendoza:

    Or you could do this instead:

    http://www.timetravel-britain.com/articles/travel/hedges.shtml

    And while we're at it, a weekend volunteering at an archaeological dig might be fun:

    http://www.britarch.ac.uk/taxonomy/term/162

    Lots of stuff to do out there, mate.

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  14. Horn Dancing!

    Crap at doing links but this and wikipedia should enlighten you....

    Well worth a visit.

    http://www.timetravel-britain.com/articles/history/horndance.shtml

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  15. Montana

    The airship R34 was more properly known as HMA R34.

    His Majesty's Airship R34.

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  16. and anonymous is more properly known as anonymous the pedantic...........

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  17. Hedges and archaelogy aren't promising from a beer tent point of view though, bet that's key to the whole day...

    I went to a carnival the other week, lured by the prospect of a beer tent, can't tell you how gutted I was when none materialised. A warm panda pop dosn't really cut it in those circumstances.

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  18. @Vari:

    "aren't promising from a beer tent point of view though"

    True dat. I'd forgotten "beer and fun" was a requirement.

    Hmm. http://steam-up.co.uk/

    Always loads of beer at the Great British Steam Engine Rally. I used to get dragged to loads of them by my grandad when I was a nipper, never understood it until I went to one as a teenager, then the scales well and truly fell from my eyes, amazing to see these pissed blokes in flat caps and boiler suits quaffing gallons of ale and pounds of pies, then clambering onto their machines and toot-tooting around a big field to admiring glances from fellow afficionados.

    They seemed to be having fun, at any rate.

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  19. Thanks, Dot. Did you figure out how to do the "hide" on the odious sister-in-law on FB?

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  20. The horndancing look intriguing and cheers for the up on the arsenic mine Sheffpixie, I'll remember that un for future purpose.

    Mendoza

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  21. Its a great shame that you've missed Glastonbudget - Leicestershires very own answer to Glastonbury, but with tribute acts....

    Some might disagree, but I reckon that's pure genius.

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  22. Montana

    You're welcome, and yes, I saw your suggestion and have just tried it and it worked, thanks!

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  23. CIF very quiet today, not many comments...

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  24. @Jay:

    Because it's dull. Not even the usual spiteful ramblings from The Norfolk Librarian, or the psephological thoughts of Sticks out of Blur, can elevate the day's proceedings above the mundane.

    We need a truly mental rip snorter from BiBuBiBu soon, or I'm going to stop going over there, I really am.

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  25. 'Morris dancing could be in the right direction but I reckon I'll have to go further leftfield than that.'

    My wife's cousin occasionally goes off to do Morris dancing in Cornwall - and he lives on Skye!

    Swifty's suggestions are good - don't know if you have kids Mendoza, but if you're near Hadrian's Wall, Vindolanda is a superb day out - lots of kids are hooked on the Rotten Romans book and there are plenty of good pubs not far off.

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  26. Swifty - i did see a classic in the Sun - Harman wants equality quotas for Northerners, apparently they're getting a raw deal. The usual parodies are going to have to work overtime to keep ahead of the game at this rate. Now you have to be a *southern* white, able bodied, atheist, straight etc etc...

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  27. Jay,

    What happens to me? I'm mixed race: Dad's northern, Mum's southern........

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  28. @Dot:

    You get the best of both worlds. You have the innate superiority bred into generations of Northerners and thus already hold the winning ticket in the lottery of life, yet, should you wish, you are also a shoe-in for any soft Southern job you might reasonably apply for, for example, shandy taster, or perhaps jellied eel salesman.

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  29. Then you're Northern, Dot, any tainting of the Southern gene is essentially Northern full stop. So you could be in luck if old Harriet gets her way.

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  30. @ Dotterel

    CiF's without pedantry - Chips without salt.

    The University of the Untrusted is all the better for a little vinegar though ...

    Regards.

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  31. @Jay

    Ha, I'll tell my brother that: he's adamant that despite our Dad's roots he (my brother) is not a "Northern Monkey"

    @Swifty

    Perhaps I should clarify: Mum's West Country, so it's cider by the bucket, not shandy and jellied eels.

    Which leads me on to anon:

    I think you'll find I didn't say there was anything wrong with pedantry........

    I used to BE a pedant, however I no longer find that description quite accurate enough....

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  32. Nothing finer than an ex pedant.

    xx

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  33. @Anonymous:

    Shouldn't that be "ex-pedant"?

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  34. So it should our kid. Or least I think so.

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  35. Is that a whiff of dogs and baccy I'm getting, Anonymous?

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  36. I am found out - time to take Mungo for a walk.

    I stopped smoking after 50 years a while back. But my sometime wife has just been prescribed the NHS equivalent to cannabis - I'm going round for dinner soon!

    I keep forgetting to sign deano30.

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  37. SwiftyBoy may have someone else in mind -

    Colinthestoat and Bitterweed haven't been around for a while. And they were smoking dog guys too if I recall a recent thread correctly.

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  38. Mendoza - re your day out. It depends how far you are prepared to travel, but you could always give the Langholm Common Riding a try. I shall be attending at the end of the month because I have family up there, but it is amazing. Starts at 5am with a flute band going round the town to wake people up, then a hound trail on the hills, then much silliness with horses, pipe bands, parades and pubs open at 7am, horseracing and athletics in the afternoon (in fact, Eric Liddle of Chariots of Fire used to run the events there), scottish dancing competitions, all rounded off with a polka through the town ending at 9pm. Bloody brilliant.

    Link to some pics.

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  39. Isn't that the stuff thats had all the 'fun' taken out of it?

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  40. annetan - do you mean the cannabis substitute?

    If so I don't know much about it.

    The lass has severe arthritis pain in the spine etc. She goes to a specialist NHS Pain Clinic where the Consultant is very open minded to all forms of pain relief - acupuncture etc. They are working their way through all the options.

    She said she was thinking of getting some cannabis and baking some cookies - he said try this first.

    She's not started the course yet so I can't report on what it is or if any fun or even if of any use to her.

    Dr simply said if it doesn't have a significant impact on the pain please to say so - cos evidently it costs the NHS a lot of money to get a pharma equiv of the weed!

    deano.

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  41. Bitterweed is travelling. Colinthestoat is, I think, just away from us.

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  42. Deano: sorry to hear about your ex-missus.

    Maybe Jonathan Myerson’s son can put her in touch with some good skunk, though that may have some effects she’s better off without, if some of the in-patients in my local psych hospital were anything to go by.

    Actually, a serious suggestion for pain relief might be meditation, not medication. Doesn’t work for everyone, but lots of people find it useful for all sorts of things.

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  43. freespeechoneach is the cif expert on the medicinal uses of draw.. although I swear by it for all sorts myself...

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  44. @ andysays

    Yea it's our inability to determine the strength of the modern stuff that's of concern with street bought stuff. We lack the knowledge so to speak and our kids all moved away from it years ago.

    Still if the trial shows any promise I thought I might treat her/us to a long investigative trip to Amsterdam where I understand you can sample all sorts a la carte.

    She's into meditation/yoga type things and I think she finds it some help. She's the type of lass who battles on with it says little in public and then goes home and weeps in private.

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  45. Kiz - freespeechoneach? Can't find a CiF profile of same.

    Is it a new moniker of someone who visits the untrusted perchance?

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  46. No... he's bin about for years... Can't you find it? Surely they cant have banned him?

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  47. It's freespeechoneeach (free-speech-one-each) and he's still very much active - latest comment earlier today.

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  48. Kiz/Deano - there's an e missing, I think - try freespeechoneeach!

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  49. Oh, I see Andy got there first!

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  50. Freespeechoneeach is still alive and well. Just have to get the right number of 'e's in the name...

    Mendoza could you please e-mail me via my profile here? Thanks.

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  51. Oh, sure, Andy and Thauma might have beaten me to it, but I linked to his profile! :-P

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  52. Montana, we bow, as always, to your superiority.

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  53. Bloody show off yanks, always having to go one better...

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  54. Thanks guys - have added her/him to my bookmarks.

    At first sight an interesting collection of posts. I think I like what herm has to say about the world in which herm finds her/himself.

    I know I will enjoy reading through the back catalogue on a rainy day.

    Has Montana et al invited the Kiz nominated world expert on weed (medicinal) to call by this place??

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  55. 'Herm', Deano - I like that and shall steal it!

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  56. He's fine about the weed.. positively evangelical.. just DON'T mention the demon sauce... he tends to froth a bit... same with feminists (although he's fine with me)and has had major run ins with the you-know-who-fiery one (aka known as Jay's ex before he got engaged to Jess)

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  57. OMFG - I've just watched Sarah Palin's resignation announcement. I can well believe she's been stressed as she looks a lot thinner and clearly has a lot of barely-concealed anger - but what an odd tirade!

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  58. @ thauma - it's my gift to you girl. Can't remember who gave it me. I doubt I coined it but who knows or cares.

    Whilst you were away I thought I would award you a seat in deano's Frederick Furnivall's boat. That's four taken already. I'm a sucker for a little flattery.

    @ Kiz

    Cheers girl - I kinda sensed the profile you provide from a quick read of the first three pages of his collected works. But I enjoyed what I read.

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  59. Deano: According to a Ms “MontanaWildhack” (CiF, WDYWTTA? 09 Jul 09, 8:19pm), The Untrusted is a public blog.

    My interpretation of that is that anyone (including you) is entitled to invite anyone else (including freespeechoneeach) to come over for a visit.

    One word of warning – sometimes the Moderators on CiF appear to interpret such invites as being off topic, inflammatory or otherwise out of order, so be a little careful.

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  60. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  61. @ andy

    Cheers Bro - I'm learning half bake as I still am. Watch me.

    How goes the reading of the Wobb's. ?

    I do so want to see Montana adopt the flag .................a hurt to the one

    What wonderful collective silliness we have here - I enjoy.

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  62. Reports of my death are, as you say , previous.

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  63. previous say you as - why not.

    Welcome back young stout.

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  64. Ok Stoat there was an "a" missing. But that's no reason for umpharage.

    .Hank is by definition a confusion. It's how it happens.

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  65. Stoaty -

    Stay by kiddo you like anOther have so much to give - an take.

    deano.

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  66. Oh discordant god - anOther have. -------------Should have read any other than............but shit even when it read as intended it still don't make any sense.

    If only I could put Tuesday before Monday - what bliss/

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  67. Hello All! (Hello sun, hello sky, hello birdies, hello weeds in the garden- fotherington- thomas)
    Finally got sick of the stench of bull in the other place and came over. Nice to see everyone who's good here...
    Sorry about all the e's in the name. It's something Roy Harper yelled at gigs- happy daze.

    The important thing when using cannabis medicinally is to get the dose right. You're trying to get the anti- inflammatory and analgesic benefit, not necessarily the stone. Eating and drinking rather than smoking is best- BUT- it's easy to take much too much and end up with a bad case of paranoia.
    To avoid this: make your cannabis cakes/ flapjacks/ milk/ salad dressing WEAK, and take gradually over a number of hours. You can always have more, but if you take too much you're lumbered with the nasties.
    (In this event- just try relax! It will pass in a few hours. Do not take any huge decisions or make rush judgements while you're suffering overdose: you will regret them.)
    I reckon a heaped tablespoon of good powdered grass, (use a coffee blender- dry the weed first if necessary) will make 24 excellent flapjacks. (with 1 egg, a cup of sugar, 3 cups of porridge oats, a tablespoon of hemp oil , salt and vanilla essence) It's much more cost- effective than smoking!!!
    Anyway, Kiz, I hope your mate finds some relief this way from her pain.

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