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The House Where I Was Born |
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Written by derek smith
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Monday, 14 September 2009 06:00 |
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I was born at 91 Clipstone street in the Highfields district of Leicester, England. The street was one of many terraces of Victorian railway worker’s cottages. The street no longer exists it was demolished to make way for a new road. I have always wondered why the street was named ‘Clipstone’ and what the word clipstone meant. Various searches revealed much. The name dates back to at least the 12th century or earlier. Many landowners have claimed to be ‘de clipstone’, from or of clipstone (clepson). The name has also been applied to grand houses, palaces, villages, forests and collieries. The actual meaning of the word remains unknown to me. I have began searching a new source (Google Books), which contains many references to the name. I will continue searching for the illusive meaning. |
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Alzheimer's II - The Avalanche |
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Written by derek
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Wednesday, 09 September 2009 06:01 |
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With news that Australia is facing an avalanche of dementia sufferers in the next decades come the results of a study which indicates that Alzheimer’s will be with us for many years. Australian researchers believe they have discovered why foods high in saturated fat increase the likelihood of developing Alzheimer's disease. Researchers from Curtin University of Technology in Perth found that saturated dietary fat damages the lining of blood vessels in the brains of mice, allowing a protein called amyloid to enter the brain. A key feature of Alzheimer's disease is amyloid deposits in the brain, which cause inflammation and nerve cell death. Amyloid is produced in the small intestine, and secreted into the blood where it attacks the blood-brain-barrier. When the blood vessel lining gets disrupted and deregulated you get delivery of amyloid into the brain. Past research has shown that saturated dietary fats increase the production of amyloid in the small intestine. More details here: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/09/08/2680057.htm |
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The Scorpion and The Turtle |
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Written by Derek
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Tuesday, 18 August 2009 05:10 |
| As usual the Scorpion felt the urge to cross the river, he didn’t understand why, he just wanted to. Meeting one of the rapidly depleting turtle crowd on the riverbank the usual arguments and promises ensued. The scorpion climbed on the turtle’s back and they began to swim across.As the turtle’s body drifted away the scorpion pondered his fate once again but then a swimmer chanced by and the usual arguments and promises were made.As the swimmer’s body floated away the scorpion thought he might not make it this time but as he drifted back the way he had come close to the shore a fisherman waded out to meet him. The usual arguments and promises passed.As the fisherman’s body floated downstream his waders rapidly filling with water the scorpion again pondered both his fate and his chances of survival. But the fisherman had carried him close enough to the bank and he washed up pretty much back where he had started.And the moral to this tale?Don’t go fishing or swimming in the river there’s animal carcasses and dead bodies floating in it! |
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Military & Public Servant Pensioners Angry |
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Written by derek
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Saturday, 22 August 2009 03:33 |
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Finance Minister Lindsay Tanner issued the Matthews report August 21 stating the Government supported its main finding that the consumer price index should still be used to index public service and military pensions. The report’s author, Trevor Mathews said employers were not required to update former employees retirement income in line with changes in living standard only to maintain its purchasing power. He also rejected claims that these pensions were being unfairly treated compared with age pensions that were linked to the higher wage indexation. The age pension is a safety net benefit that guarantees all qualifying Australians a minimum income level if they do not have adequate superannuation. On the other hand superannuation pensions are related to prior employment and those pensions are not based on need. The decision affects about 300k people covering those in the CSS, PSS, DFRDB, DFRB and MSBS. The Superannuated Commonwealth Officers Association, Defence Force Welfare Association and other super groups had argued that member’s pensions should rise each year in line with the higher average weekly earnings index because the cost of living was increasing more quickly than inflation. Spokespersons for these groups have expressed anger and outrage at the decision. Tanner claimed he understood those concerned would be disappointed but change was not warranted and would be a significant tax cost. During the 07 election campaign Labour promised to review the indexation. This has been an ongoing concern for those involved. Naturally, the promised review was anticipated to bring the required change. As this has not happened the pensioners are still being treated unfairly when all they were seeking was equality. Other pensioners should see with alarm Mathew’s view of pensions – ‘safety nets’ and ‘minimum income levels’. Tanner and the Government realise of course that these pensioners have no choice but to accept the decision because, despite continuing multi-billion dollar international trade deals, they can claim fixing the inequality costs too much in difficult times. The decision will not affect the Government because there is no viable alternative. Previous Liberal Government’s took exactly the same view anyway. |
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Written by derek
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Monday, 03 August 2009 01:07 |
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It was cute and cuddly in Robot World this week. At a gathering of new technolgy enthusiasts in Spain there was a robot that is learning to cook - so far only a ham omelette. A robot called Nao who dances - to Michael Jackson's Bilie Jean (cheap shot!). A 3 legged one that emits a sound when approaching an object - he's a guide for the blind. And, a robot covered in artifical white fur called Paro that's supossed to be a seal pup. It reacts when spoken to or stroked and is desinged to help with problems such as autism and dementia. The seal model is not available in Canada. Presumably the Japanese desgners chose seal over whale for the domestic market. |
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