I see that Steve Jobs, chief executive and mentor of the giant computer firm Apple, is taking six months extended medical leave. It is feared his medical problems may be related to a previous pancreatic cancer condition. Jobs' rise to fame has been dramatic. Having dropped out of college Jobs and his friend Steve Wazniac started Apple in 1976 from his parents garage in Silicon Valley, California. Jobs left Apple in 1985, following a power struggle, returning in 1997 as chief executive. Apple then went on to achieve spectacular success with it's iPod digital music player. The state of Steve Jobs' health will remain a matter of real concern for the Apple organisation.
Footnote
So much for the old adage "An apple a day keeps the doctor away"
Sunday, 18 January 2009
Car Number Plates
The amount of traffic using the B1188 road, that runs through Blankney, connecting Lincoln and Sleaford, is becoming horrendous. It is now pretty much continual throughout the day and most of the evening. How different it was, when as teenagers, we would cycle over to Blankney on a Sunday afternoon. Armed with a pocket full of pennies (old pennies that is, 240 to the pound, some even had Queen Victoria's head on the back) we would first go to the Golf Club and buy half a dozen one penny chews. We would then take up our positions on the school corner and proceed to play a game based on car number plates. The idea was that each person would choose a different number between 0 and 9. When a car came along if the number you chose was on the number plate you received a penny from all the other players. For example, if you had chosen number 4 and the number plate was RDA 446 you would receive two pence from each player but if someone else had chosen 6 you would have to pay them a penny. The point of all this is that in those days a car only came along about every five minutes, if two happened to come along close together that was unusual. On a good day you could make about enough to buy five woodbine cigarettes. Playing the same game today, always assuming you could keep up with the number of cars flashing past, you would probably make enough to buy a mansion.
Saturday, 17 January 2009
Today's Smile - Spreading The Word
A bookseller placed an advert in the paper looking for a salesman to sell copies of the Bible. Three men applied for the job and were called for interviews. The bookseller asked the first man to step into his office.
Bookseller: "Tell me, why do you think I should give you the job?"
First Man: "Well, I am a devout Christian, I go to Church every Sunday and I have been a successful salesman for over thirty years."
Bookseller: "Excellent! You sound like just the man I'm looking for, however I have two other applicants to see. Please wait outside."
The bookseller then asked the second man to step into his office.
Bookseller: "Take a seat, now tell me why I should give you the job."
Second Man: "I think I am an ideal candidate, I read the scriptures every night and I have had a successful career in selling all my life"
Bookseller: "Marvelous! You sound ideal, however I have one other applicant to see. Please wait outside."
The bookseller then called the third man, who had a bad stutter, into his office.
Bookseller: "Good morning. Take a seat. Now, tell why you think I should give you the job."
Third Man: " Wwwell I ddd'ont reeeally kkknow. I'm ooout of a jjjob and ttthought I'd gggive it a tttry.
Bookseller: "Have you ever worked in sales before."
Third Man: "nnno."
By this time the bookseller felt sorry for him and asked him to wait outside. He then called all three men back into his office.
Bookseller: "Well gentlemen, this is what I am going to do. I am going to give you all one weeks trial. I want you to come back next Monday at ten o'clock and we'll see how you got on."
The men arrived back the following Monday morning, and the first man was called in.
Bookseller: "How did you get on?"
First Man: "Not very well, people just did not want to know, I think they are turning away from religion, I only managed to sell one Bible."
The second man was then called in.
Bookseller: "Tell me, how did you get on?"
Second Man: "It was tough, people either were not interested or they already had a Bible. I only managed to sell two Bibles."
The third man was called in.
Bookseller: "Hello again, how did you get on?
Third Man: "Nnnot tttoo bbbad. I mmmanaged to sssell fiifty fffour cccopies."
Bookseller: "Fifty four copies! How the hell did you manage that."
Third Man: "I kkknocked on the dddoor and sssaid, do you wwwant to bbbuy a Bbbible or ssshall I rrread it ttto you.
My spellchecker has gone for a lie down!!!
Bookseller: "Tell me, why do you think I should give you the job?"
First Man: "Well, I am a devout Christian, I go to Church every Sunday and I have been a successful salesman for over thirty years."
Bookseller: "Excellent! You sound like just the man I'm looking for, however I have two other applicants to see. Please wait outside."
The bookseller then asked the second man to step into his office.
Bookseller: "Take a seat, now tell me why I should give you the job."
Second Man: "I think I am an ideal candidate, I read the scriptures every night and I have had a successful career in selling all my life"
Bookseller: "Marvelous! You sound ideal, however I have one other applicant to see. Please wait outside."
The bookseller then called the third man, who had a bad stutter, into his office.
Bookseller: "Good morning. Take a seat. Now, tell why you think I should give you the job."
Third Man: " Wwwell I ddd'ont reeeally kkknow. I'm ooout of a jjjob and ttthought I'd gggive it a tttry.
Bookseller: "Have you ever worked in sales before."
Third Man: "nnno."
By this time the bookseller felt sorry for him and asked him to wait outside. He then called all three men back into his office.
Bookseller: "Well gentlemen, this is what I am going to do. I am going to give you all one weeks trial. I want you to come back next Monday at ten o'clock and we'll see how you got on."
The men arrived back the following Monday morning, and the first man was called in.
Bookseller: "How did you get on?"
First Man: "Not very well, people just did not want to know, I think they are turning away from religion, I only managed to sell one Bible."
The second man was then called in.
Bookseller: "Tell me, how did you get on?"
Second Man: "It was tough, people either were not interested or they already had a Bible. I only managed to sell two Bibles."
The third man was called in.
Bookseller: "Hello again, how did you get on?
Third Man: "Nnnot tttoo bbbad. I mmmanaged to sssell fiifty fffour cccopies."
Bookseller: "Fifty four copies! How the hell did you manage that."
Third Man: "I kkknocked on the dddoor and sssaid, do you wwwant to bbbuy a Bbbible or ssshall I rrread it ttto you.
My spellchecker has gone for a lie down!!!
John Cartwright (1862-1944) - Part 5
Today we publish the fifth and final part of John Cartwright's story. In this final part John talks about the Blankney Flower Show, the parade of the stud, finding gold and two bonny fine boys.
The Life of John Cartwright of Blankney Fen from the age of twelve
Now for a reference to the wonderful Blankney Flower Show - one of the best in England. It was estimated we had 21,000 people there the second year. So many got in without paying: was nearly one o'clock in the morning before they got the last train away from the station. As well as having a wonderful show of flowers, we had splendid bicycle races; some of the best riders in England attended; also had some of the best trotting horses, and jumping and pony racing as well. Then came the parade of the stud - Hermit, Galopin (both Derby winners), Friars Balsam, never beaten as a two-year-old, but did not race after, Bendigo winner of the Lincoln Handicap and the Cambridgeshire, also Lord Nelson, the horse got one eye knocked out and did not race. I was the secretary for all horses. When we gave the show up we had about £600 in hand, which we divided between the County Hospital and the Farmer's Benevolent Fund. For the latter I have had nineteen votes ever since and I understand they don't run out until 1954.
About sixty years ago one of our men in the Fen, named Flatters, digging a trench to put some pipes into the home field pond, found a gold sword hilt which father got £50 for from Mr. J.D. Fisher, Lincoln.. Flatters got the money. Some years later when digging a rat out of a hole just below the top Fen gate in the dyke end, we found a gold bracelet, which Mr. Fisher gave us £64.10.0 for. The same bracelet is now in the British Museum in London. Another piece of gold was found in the Car Dike side against Linwood Hall about the same time. As the tide came up to the Car Dike many years ago we are still wondering if these gold finds have anything to do with King John's treasure which was lost in the Wash.
Just to finish this rigmarole, I knew a farmer with two bonny fine boys, both of them with a lot of good in them, but they seemed to be dissatisfied that their father had not made better use of his time, telling their mother they should make pounds where their father made pence, but up to now the pence have not been made.
I hope you have enjoyed reading John Cartwright's story as much as I have enjoyed writing it. I think you will agree he was indeed a remarkable man.
Footnote
In the bell tower of Blankney church, on the left as you look at the font, there is a plaque which reads as follows:
To the glory of God. After doing service for 100 years the five bell wooden frame in this tower was replaced by an eight bell iron frame, in which the bells were re-hung and quarter turned (No.1 being cast). At the same time a treble bell was given by the farmers of the parish as a thank you offering for the restoration of peace, and was dedicated by the Lord Bishop of Lincoln on March 14th 1920
Charles Henry Sibthorp. Rector.
John Cartwright)
William Maltby ) Churchwardens
St. Oswalsds Blankney
The Life of John Cartwright of Blankney Fen from the age of twelve
Now for a reference to the wonderful Blankney Flower Show - one of the best in England. It was estimated we had 21,000 people there the second year. So many got in without paying: was nearly one o'clock in the morning before they got the last train away from the station. As well as having a wonderful show of flowers, we had splendid bicycle races; some of the best riders in England attended; also had some of the best trotting horses, and jumping and pony racing as well. Then came the parade of the stud - Hermit, Galopin (both Derby winners), Friars Balsam, never beaten as a two-year-old, but did not race after, Bendigo winner of the Lincoln Handicap and the Cambridgeshire, also Lord Nelson, the horse got one eye knocked out and did not race. I was the secretary for all horses. When we gave the show up we had about £600 in hand, which we divided between the County Hospital and the Farmer's Benevolent Fund. For the latter I have had nineteen votes ever since and I understand they don't run out until 1954.
About sixty years ago one of our men in the Fen, named Flatters, digging a trench to put some pipes into the home field pond, found a gold sword hilt which father got £50 for from Mr. J.D. Fisher, Lincoln.. Flatters got the money. Some years later when digging a rat out of a hole just below the top Fen gate in the dyke end, we found a gold bracelet, which Mr. Fisher gave us £64.10.0 for. The same bracelet is now in the British Museum in London. Another piece of gold was found in the Car Dike side against Linwood Hall about the same time. As the tide came up to the Car Dike many years ago we are still wondering if these gold finds have anything to do with King John's treasure which was lost in the Wash.
Just to finish this rigmarole, I knew a farmer with two bonny fine boys, both of them with a lot of good in them, but they seemed to be dissatisfied that their father had not made better use of his time, telling their mother they should make pounds where their father made pence, but up to now the pence have not been made.
I hope you have enjoyed reading John Cartwright's story as much as I have enjoyed writing it. I think you will agree he was indeed a remarkable man.
Footnote
In the bell tower of Blankney church, on the left as you look at the font, there is a plaque which reads as follows:
To the glory of God. After doing service for 100 years the five bell wooden frame in this tower was replaced by an eight bell iron frame, in which the bells were re-hung and quarter turned (No.1 being cast). At the same time a treble bell was given by the farmers of the parish as a thank you offering for the restoration of peace, and was dedicated by the Lord Bishop of Lincoln on March 14th 1920
Charles Henry Sibthorp. Rector.
John Cartwright)
William Maltby ) Churchwardens
St. Oswalsds Blankney
Mind Reading - No Simple Maths
Lets have a bit of interactive fun. This works with any number but if you think of a fairly small number the maths will be easier. Ready. OK lets try it.
Think of a number
Double it
Add 6
Half it
Take away the number you first thought of
The answers 3
Let's have another go.
Think of a different number
Double it
Add 10
Half it
Take away the number you first thought of
The answers 5
Got it? If not e-mail me at garlant@btinternet.com I will tell you.
Think of a number
Double it
Add 6
Half it
Take away the number you first thought of
The answers 3
Let's have another go.
Think of a different number
Double it
Add 10
Half it
Take away the number you first thought of
The answers 5
Got it? If not e-mail me at garlant@btinternet.com I will tell you.
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