Eastern Jhb Callies October 2008 newsletter
Patrick Craven
Eastern Johannesburg Caledonian Society
PO Box 15049 Farramere 1518
Chief: Fred Brokenshire - Secretary: Janette Pollock - Newsletter Editor: Patrick Craven
OCTOBER 2008 NEWSLETTER
DIARY
Saturday 25 October, 19h00. Hallowe'en Night. St Andrew's Church Hall, Ocean Street, Kensington. Tickets R35, Children R15. Please phone Jean on 011 849 1627.
Please come in fancy dress, based on someone in a fairy tale or nursery rhyme.
We are also encouraging you all, but especially the children, to do some 'guising', which is (according to Wikipedia) for those who may have missed it last month:
In Scotland and parts of northern England, there is a tradition called guising because of the disguise or costume worn by the children. Like trick-or-treating, it arose as a Halloween practice only in the twentieth century.
However there is a significant difference from the way the practice has developed in the United States. In Scotland, the children are only supposed to receive treats if they perform for the households they go to. This normally takes the form of singing a song or reciting a joke or a funny poem which the child has memorised before setting out. Occasionally a more talented child may do card tricks, play the mouth organ, or something even more impressive, but most children will earn plenty of treats even with something very simple.
However, guising is falling out of favour somewhat, being replaced in some parts
of the country with the American form of trick-or-treating. Such a practice is in use in certain regions of the United States, as well. Children of the St. Louis, Missouri area are expected to perform a joke before receiving any candy.
In modern Ireland there is neither the Scottish party-piece nor the American jocular threat, just "treats" — in the form of apples or nuts given out to the children. However, in 19th and early 20th century Ireland it was often much more extravagant — for example, slates were placed over the chimney-pots of houses filling the rooms with smoke and field gates were lifted off their hinges and hung from high tree branches.
Until the 1990s, Irish children said "Help the Halloween Party," but are now more inclined to use the American "Trick or treat" due to the influence of American popular culture, movies, and television. In Waterford, the phrase "attin far Halloween" is still commonly used, being the vernacular pronunciation of "anything for Halloween". In Quebec, Canada, children also go door to door on Halloween. However, in French speaking neighbourhoods, instead of "Trick or treat?", they will simply say "Halloween", though in tradition it used to be La charité s'il-vous-plaît (Charity, please).
Christmas/St Andrew's Night Party
Saturday 6 December 2008. Details to be announced in November newsletter
BEST WISHES
To Jack Lally, Lorna Stevenson (from St Andrew's Society) and Duncan Dick, who have not been at all well and Maureen Kuck, wife of our Hon Piper Rodney, who has been confined to a wheelchair after an operation.
CONGRATULATIONS
To Lyndall Bronkhorst on her forthcoming marriage.
Happy birthday this month to: Esme Johnston (84), Jemma Christie (regrettably omitted from last month!), Cameron Christie, Tristan Christie, Sandra Turton, Alan Turton, Jenny Hillcoat, Lucy Parkin, Beryl Sinclair, Margaret Horn, Bob Allester, Ron Stonebanks, Bill Neely, Helen Neely, Willie Thompson, Marian Martin, James Grant.
Happy anniversary to: Our Chief and Lady President, Fred and Heather Brokenshire on their 40th Wedding anniversary, and to Jean and Brian Christie, Eileen and Mervyn Hynd, Evelyn and Dick Hammond.
Bon voyage
To Jean MacGregor Hanley who really is off to Australia this month.
Caledonian Congress 2008
This year's Federation Congress was held at the Black Mountain Lodge, Taba Nchu, in the Free State. Although the turnout was down, all those in attendance agreed that it was a splendid and enjoyable weekend, for which we send sincere thanks to the Bloemfontein Caledonian Society for their hard work to make sure everything ran smoothly.
It was gratifying to learn that the federation has turned the corner financially and is now running at a modest profit.
The highlight of the weekend was the installation of our very own Past Chief Norma Craven as the new Federation Chief, (and your newsletter editor as her consort/driver), and Andrew and Jean Kelly as the new Highland Chieftain and Lady President.
I would like to wish them every success in their year of office and to thank the outgoing Provincial Chieftain and Lady President, John and Christie Hanley, for their untiring work over the last year.
Caledonian Congress 2009
Next year's Congress will be held here in Gauteng, from 9-11 October 2009. A committee chaired by Jean Kelly is already hard at work making plans. If you have any good ideas about venues, sponsors, fund-raising, etc or to volunteer to join the committee, please phone Jean on 072 352 5527.
D'ye ken?
1. Which Scottish engineer coined the term 'horsepower'? His name is still used as the measurement of power.
2. What important position is currently held by George Burley?
3. Who is Sir Fred Goodwin and why has he been in the news?
4. What and where is the House of Trousers?
5. For what did Chris Iwelumo become notorious on 11 October 2008?
Did ye ken?
1. What is the title of the chief criminal judge in Scotland? The Lord Justice General
2. Which Scottish comedian appeared in the 1983 film Gorky Park? Rikki Fulton
3. On which day did the old Celtic year begin? 31 October (Hallowe'en!)
4. After the Romans left, where did the Britons of Strathclyde establish their capital? Dumbarton
5. Which word, widely used in English is the Gaelic for "in plenty"? Galore
News from Scotland
Old Course 'may crumble into sea'
BBC, 13 October
An environmental expert in St Andrews has warned the year 2050 could see the town's famous golf course, the Old Course, crumble into the North Sea.
Professor Jan Bebbington, director of the St Andrews Sustainability Institute, has visualised the effect of climate change on Scotland in 50 years.
She was one of several commissioned by the David Hume Institute to predict what would happen in the future. Prof Bebbington was asked to write an imaginary speech based on the assumption that Scotland had attained an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in 2050.
Several authors, including St Andrews rector Simon Pepper, wrote as if they were delivering lectures at a world carbon forum to inspire countries which have fallen short of their targets.
Prof Bebbington, writes in her imaginary speech: "We are living in a time of profound change, given the broader carbon performance of the globe.
"Like many of your own countries we have had to adapt to more severe winter storms, to more flooding, coastal erosion and also rising sea levels.
"We limited the effects of some of these impacts by banning building in high risk areas (some 20 years before the actual impacts were felt), progressively investing in strengthening our infrastructure and making a managed retreat from vulnerable coastal locations.
"This was still a painful experience, especially as we lost many historical sites on coasts (for example, many of you will remember the sorrow at the last British Open played in St Andrews)."
Bat sightings point to recovery
BBC, 13 October
More than 1,000 bat passings have been recorded by the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) during a conservation project at its historic properties.
The NTS said the eight-week bat spotting study at 17 of its sites, showed signs some types of the endangered species were recovering.
The largest roost, with 350 bats, was found at the Hill of Tarvit in Fife. The mammals were also seen at Provan Hall in Easterhouse, Glasgow and Harmony Garden in Melrose.
More than three-quarters of the Trust's 129 properties are home to bats. Common species include Soprano and Bandit Pipistrelles, Brown Long-eared bats and the Natterer's bat.
The eight-week project was designed to allow NTS to locate bat habitats so they could avoid disturbing them while carrying out conservation work.
Bat detection experts were joined by volunteers to carry out "bat-watches" at dusk. Lindsay Mackinlay, nature conservation adviser at NTS, said the survey indicated their conservation approach was working.
"Bats are vulnerable creatures and need our care and protection to ensure that they survive and thrive," he said.
"Many bat populations have been in decline in Scotland for some time because of roost destruction and changes to their food supply, but there are now signs that some bat species are starting to recover.
"The results of our survey are very positive, showing that the trust cares for some very healthy populations of bats. In fact, many of the bats spotted were feeding so there is clearly a ready supply of insects for them to eat."
Porridge contest stirs up impressive final
Tristan Stewart-Robertson, Scotsman, 13 October 2008
HAD Goldilocks visited the Highlands, she would have found no difficulty picking a porridge that was "just right". It would have been made with medium, organic Highland oatmeal and water drawn from 100 feet below ground.
Those were the very qualities that allowed Ian Bishop to win the 15th annual World Porridge Making Championship yesterday.
Just 15 porridge makers from around the world were invited to compete this year, drawing a crowd of up to 1,000 to the Inverness-shire village of Carrbridge (population 708). Men and women of all ages and backgrounds came from far and wide to show off their skills, but it was local man Mr Bishop who took the coveted Golden Spurtle trophy for the best traditional porridge using just oatmeal and water.
A local mountain-bike guru and cross-country ski school proprietor, he said the secret was water from a bore hole he made 16 years ago, tapping 100ft down into an underground stream.
The 62-year-old father-of-two said: "It takes endurance for the event, enthusiasm and practice. I have porridge every day. Ten minutes, start to finish, and you're ready. Mine is as pure as pure would be."
This year's contest was judged by George McIvor, chairman of the Master Chefs of Great Britain; Colin Bussey, executive head chef of Cameron House Hotel, Loch Lomond; and Tom Lewis, head chef at the Monachyle Mhor Hotel in Perthshire.
Head judge George McIvor said: "We were really impressed by the five finalists. But Ian impressed us the most."
City set for 'super deluxe' hotel
BBC, 14 October
A Dubai-based hotel company has unveiled plans for a "five-star super deluxe" hotel in Glasgow. Jumeirah Group hopes to open the 25-storey development in the city's Argyle Street in 2011.
The hotel would have 160 guest rooms and suites and 85 serviced apartments. It would also feature a rooftop cocktail lounge, restaurants and bars.
Glasgow City Council leader Steven Purcell said: "Today's announcement is a resounding vote of confidence in Glasgow and its future ambitions.
"This is made all the sweeter by the fact that Jumeirah does not operate anywhere else in the United Kingdom outside London."
Simon Calder, the Independent's travel editor, said the new hotel would transform Glasgow's skyline and image. "The fact that the Jumeirah group have chosen to put Glasgow with London, New York and Shanghai as one of the locations for a new hotel speaks volumes for the city."
"It's also going to create a new dimension to Glasgow and Edinburgh's relationship - Edinburgh will certainly be looking to see how they can respond to it, maybe by going for the elusive seven-star hotel.
"Boutique hotels, which are offering a bit of class and individuality on a budget, are very popular - but a high-end six-star hotel has to be a good thing."
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Best wishes to you all. Patrick