TIPSS Content Catalogue March 2014 by Tania Houston

Content Catalogue March 2014

Content Articles Special 1: 3 March 1938 Mallard enters service with LNER The Better Life: Green with Envy Beauty: Designer vs. Budget Beauty Buys The Life List: Internet Dating Cake & Bake: Apricot and Apple Strudel Book Reviews: March On Finance: Why Saving Doesn’t Have To Be Taxing Gardening Feature: A Touch of the Orient Health: Hiatus Hernias History: What Happened in...March 1994? Home & Interiors: 10 Ways To Save On Renovating Your Home Trivia: Around Britain - 5 Places Opened By Queen Victoria Life Begins: When Did You Last Do Something Impulsive Motoring Feature: First Drive: Infiniti Q50 S Hybrid Recipe: Easy Lamb Rogan Dhansak Short Story: Parma Violets Tech Review: Garden of Delights Travel Feature: Nancy City of Stanislas

Puzzles

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 18 19 20 21 22

Cartoon 1 23 Cartoon 2 23 Children’s Page 24 Cryptic Crossword 25 Codeword 26 General Knowledge Crossword 26 Mini Cryptic Crossword 27 Sudoku - Easy & Hard 27 Super Duper Science Facts 28 Hidato 28 Pictogram 28 Quiz 1: Mascots 29 Quiz 2: Roman Gods 29 Simple Crossword 30 Spot the Difference 30 Two Minute Trial 31 Word Ladder 31 Wordsearch: Fish 31

Articles Change of articles We’ve been running two ‘special’ articles each month for some years. However as the regular features have grown, many of the topics that might previously have been a one off now fit into some of the new categories e.g. finance, health. Also many of our regular articles tie in with the time of year too. So from this month onwards there will be only one ‘special’ feature. The good news is though that we are launching three more regular features from April onwards. Firstly a new full page feature on hobbies. The first month is about home-brewing together with a link to a directory of home brewing shops around the UK, so great for sponsorship if you have such a shop near you. May’s article will be on bee-keeping. Hen-keeping is also in the plans but if you have any other ideas for hobbies you’d like to see covered, your ideas are welcome. April’s Life Begins is also about hobbies covering stamp-collecting, coin-collecting, and thimble collecting in short form. The Life Begins article – in case you hadn’t realised this – is the sort of piece targeted at a slightly older audience. This is quite general so the articles cover a wide range of non-specific subjects. Secondly a new half page on beers. This is just a piece on the merits of various beers freely available in supermarkets and off-licences, although of course many will be available from pubs too. Thirdly a half page on alternative therapies. So far we have agreed to have articles on reiki, hypnotherapy, shiatsu, reflexology, aromatherapy and chiropractic. The TIPSS site does have a significant back catalogue. However I would recognise that the search isn’t great on the site so if you were looking for a particular topic it might not be easy to find. This archive is unique to TIPSS and I have even more pieces on file from earlier days which aren’t on the site. So I’m planning to address this within a couple of months so that you can find what you need more easily. Someone did ask me if I could tell you what you have and haven’t run before. I can’t do that however - even if I was able to say you’d downloaded an article, it doesn’t mean you used it. We’ve all dropped articles at the last minute in favour of an advertiser I know! Many thanks for your continued loyalty to TIPSS.

Tania Copyright TIPSS 2011

Special 1

3 March 1938 Mallard enters service with LNER

To many people, the story of the 1930s is dominated by images of The Road to Wigan Pier, the Jarrow Crusade, closed factories, crumbling back-to-backs, hungry children and the means test. But while all that is undeniably and horribly true, to most Britons life didn’t feel like that at the time. Britain in 1938 was the richest and technologically the most sophisticated country on earth, and by a long chalk at that. It had the world’s first national grid. It had the world’s first TV station. It teemed with brand-new factories turning out aeroplanes, cars, buses, tractors, lorries, radios, washing machines and vacuum cleaners surrounded by brandnew suburbs of convenient modern housing where well-dressed, well-fed families gathered round the wireless in a comforting fug of dad’s pipesmoke. That was the South. In the North there were still mills, mines, steelworks, and shipyards but wages were low, unemployment was high, much of the housing was shocking,

and the infant mortality rate was a national embarrassment. In Jarrow, where the shipyard had closed in 1933, unemployment stood at 73% by late 1935. To the southern technocrats the north must have seemed a frightening morass of decay, desperation, and red politics: even though the Jarrow hunger marchers of October 1936 wouldn’t let communists join them, Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin still refused to meet their leaders and the handing in of their petition to Parliament earned a single line in Hansard. It was into this context that Mallard – the most advanced of the LNER’s new fleet of 35 A4 locos – bravely puffed in its bright blue livery on March 3rd 1938. Exactly four months later it clambered up a slight incline near Grantham, cresting the rise at 75mph, and accelerated down the long, gentle slope of Stoke Bank, reaching 125.88mph 9½ miles later, when it had to decelerate for Essendine junction. It had comfortably beaten the 114mph set the previous year by its closest British rival – LMS’s Coronation – but it had also trumped the 124.5mph achieved by the German 05 002 in 1936. Beating the LMS was probably more important than beating the Germans to the Mallard’s

by Ted Bruning designer, Sir Nigel Gresley. But the reporting of the Mallard’s feat had a strongly nationalistic and patriotic tone because everybody knew that war was coming, and Britain’s technical and material superiority over Germany was the main element in the Government’s strategy. No bloody battle of attrition in the mud this time: the world’s most powerful navy would strangle Germany’s trade while the RAF’s strategic bombers would destroy its industry. Mallard’s speed record emphasised sensationally that Britain was better than Germany at everything – even trains – and would win. It was also important that Mallard was built in Doncaster and was a product of the northern heavy industry that so many had written off. When Mallard entered service Jarrow already had a new shipbreaking yard and engineering works; shortly it was to have a steelworks as well. Mallard was a powerful and dramatic symbol that heavy industry had regained its rightful place, that North and South were one again, and that we would face the foe together. Mallard was retired in 1963 and restored in the 1980s. Its resting place is the National Railway Museum in York. If you’re making the pilgrimage to see the world’s fastest-ever steam engine, remember – you’re looking at a whole lot more than just a train. Image: Mallard at the National Railway Museum, copyright Adrian Jones.

The Better Life

The Better Life Green with Envy

by Derek Thompson

made 48 litres of cider last autumn. By way of a contrast, we once harvested five sweet potatoes that wouldn’t fill a saucer and managed a mug of juice from a bag of foraged apples. We were given a whistlestop tour of several fruit bushes and raspberry canes, a nod to the concrete pond (rectangular) and a visit to the earthworks soon to become a solar array. They also showed us where the water butts will sit and how they plan to follow our example, by linking them to a Rainwater Hub up the wall under the main drainpipe. Our Better Life has always been about cooperation. We try to work with Nature and the seasons; we swap produce and ideas with neighbours and friends. It’s never about competition...usually. “You must come and see our new place,” a friend of ours simpered. “We’re still renovating, but the garden is looking lovely.” In fairness, they’ve been renovating for months and months now and there’s no sign of the house surrendering yet. Anne was very keen to go, principally because she likes looking around other people’s houses - when they’re in, I hasten to add. The garden was, to my emerald eyes, spectacular. They had six chickens, each one a different breed and with its own pedigree, a humungous vegetable plot with three types of potato already in the ground and enough fruit trees to have

I was quiet on the drive home, thinking about what we could do with more space. Anne, ever the practical one, knew just how to harness my ambitions. She drew up a list of things we need to do in March for our own little ecoparadise: 1. Take up more grass, so we can extend the minimeadow to make it a midimeadow. We’ll also need more fine sand for the 50 / 50 mix before we sow last year’s wildflower seeds and it’ll be a chance to delve into a traditional seed catalogue to diversify. 2. Spread the love by spreading the compost. Plus, this year I really want to look at doing something with seaweed. Incidentally, the ‘love’ does not extend to weeds. 3. Tend to the plants in the (world’s smallest) conservatory. I tend to think everything is pot-bound,

but sometimes I am right. It’s also a good time to check the drainage and keep a watchful eye on the temperature. It may only be March but it can be pretty toasty in there on a sunny day. 4. Generally, get busy. This covers a multitude of activities - everything from checking car boot sales for new old tools to turning over the veg patch and planting out onions and beans. Naturally, we popped into a garden centre on our way home - for tea and cake. “While you were looking at their wood store,” Anne caught me daydreaming, “Stephanie told me how much they’d been inspired by our garden.” I smiled then, remembering how we’d agreed a tomato growing competition: Gardner’s Delight vs. Sweet Million - our conservatory vs. their leaky greenhouse. And I recalled those words of Robert Louis Stevenson: “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.” Mainly, it had to be said, because it was written in the seed catalogue.

Derek Thompson is a writer and humourist based in the West Country. His writing blog can be found at www. alongthewritelines.blogspot.com and he is also a regular at www. strictlywriting.blogspot.com

Beauty

Beauty Designer vs. Budget Beauty Buys

By Helen Taylor Try Estee Lauder Double Wear £28.50.

Blusher - Save

Image: Courtesy of Estee Lauder

Do you love designer cosmetics? Or do you much prefer a bargain buy? Whatever your preference, it’s worth checking out our guide to when to splurge and when to save, so that you can get the best value - and results - from the products you spend your hard-earned cash on. Foundation - Splurge

Foundation literally provides the foundation for the rest of your make-up. It evens out your natural skin and covers up flaws - like blemishes and scars - to leave you with a perfect finish. So it’s very important to choose the right one for you. Cheap products just can’t beat their costly counterparts when it comes to this allimportant purchase, because poorer formulations don’t have the staying power and the true-to-skin colour of pricier versions.

Shorter 1 page format also To find ideal avtheaone iltoathat’s blenearest for you, head your department store and take advantage of some expert advice. Find a shade which matches your natural colouring and works best for your requirements - like skin type and coverage.

High-end foundations are formulated with all of these things in mind and come in a variety of true-to-life shades. Built to solve the problems presented by cheap foundations, these products really are a cut above the others.

Everyone needs a bit of colour in their cheeks; fortunately you don’t have to spend too much to find the one that’s perfect for you. Blusher is definitely one of those items that you can save on, because high-end products don’t differ too greatly from budget versions. Just make sure that you choose a natural shade, as cheaper colours can be a little more intense and unnatural if applied too heavily. Try No7 Natural Blush Tint Powder £8.00.

Mascara - Splurge

Full, long lashes really do make your eyes look more beautiful, so it’s worth investing in a quality mascara. Cheap mascara is often disappointing because its consistency doesn’t match that of more expensive products, and so leaves lashes looking sticky, clumpy and undefined. High-end cosmetic companies lead the way in developing the very best formulas and brushes for their mascara, so you can be sure that you’ll see the benefits when you upgrade from a budget brand. Try Givenchy Noir Couture Waterproof Mascara £22.50.

Eyeshadow - Save

Generally you can opt for wearing cheaper eyeshadow as there isn’t too much difference between budget and more costly versions; as long as you choose neutral shades, as stronger colours can be very harsh and unnatural looking. Cheap eyeshadow does have a tendency to be more glittery and shimmery though, so be careful using it if you’re a more mature lady because it will emphasise every line and crease around your eyes. Try Bourjois Little Round Pot Intense Eyeshadow £6.99.

Powder - Splurge

Like foundation, there is a real difference between budget and high-end face powder. Expensive products are finely milled, making their

texture extra soft and natural looking on the skin, whilst cheaper versions won’t last as long or match your skin tone well. A good powder sets your foundation and finishes your make-up look, so make sure you splurge and invest in a quality one. Try Guerlain Les Voilettes Compact Powder £35.

Lip-gloss - Save

Lip-gloss formulations are pretty similar, so save some money when you buy yours. There are literally hundreds of colours and flavours to choose from and all of them will instantly serve to plump up your lips. Try those with a brush rather than the rub on type as these are said to be gentler and less damaging on the lips.

Try Barry M Lip-gloss Wand £4.49.

Highlighter - Splurge

A good quality highlighter will perk up your complexion, accentuate your favourite features, and even camouflage aging skin. There are many different ones on the market - some are in powder form, others liquid – but find the right one and your face will be instantly lifted with a radiant and youthful glow. And if there’s one product that you really should splurge on, it’s YSL’s Touche Eclat Radiant Touch £25.

The Life List

3. I love football and I love children. I have nine kids, so I’m missing two for a full squad. 4. My pet names have included Dumpy and Let’s Just Cuddle Instead. 5. I think blood is pretty in the moonlight.

Internet PortrDating ait

Half Page Version als o available

The simple phrase ‘would like to meet...’ has never been more complicated. Gone are the days where you met someone and gradually found things in common; now you can choose your dates - or a computer does it for you - based upon a carefully completed checklist. And, by ‘carefully’, I mean ‘selectively’.

6. I enjoy documentaries: Jeremy Kyle, Judge Judy and Come Dine with Me. 7. If you have an off-licence and enjoy hosting small parties, we were made for one another. 8. Organ donor match preferred. 9. I believe deodorant damages the planet 10. Are you looking for someone to transform? Look no further; I’m the perfect slob. And while we’re on the subject: -

When it comes to dating profiles, it’s easy to let your guard down and allow your typing speed to outwit your common sense. However, some things should never be said.

GSOH means Good Sense of Humour and not Grabbed Someone’s Old Husband.

Outgoing doesn’t just mean to the pub.

‘Comfortable in own skin’ does not mean ‘tendency to go naked when inebriated’.

1. Soulmate wanted - no DSS or pets.

Good hunting!

2. I enjoy small spaces, like the inside of a wardrobe.

Cake & Bake

Cake and Bake Apricot and Apple Strudel Layers of light and crispy filo pastry wrapped around a sweet fruit filling makes a delicious pud that tastes just as good warm as cold. Serve with tangy crème fraiche, thick Greek yogurt or vanilla custard

Ingredients: • 2 large cooking apples • Finely grated zest of 1 lemon • 85g no-need-tosoak dried apricots, chopped • 50g fresh white breadcrumbs • 1 tsp ground mixed spice • 7 tbsp Demerara sugar • 6 large sheets filo pastry (approx 200g) • 50g unsalted butter, melted • Icing sugar, for dusting

Serves 4 - 6 8

1. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas Mark 5. Peel, core and finely chop the apples and place in a bowl with the lemon zest, apricots, breadcrumbs, mixed spice and 3 tbsp of the Demerara sugar. Mix well. 2. Place 2 sheets of the filo pastry, slightly overlapping, on a large greased baking tray. Brush them liberally with some of the melted butter then arrange 2 more sheets on top. Brush with more butter and top with the last 2 sheets. 3. Spoon the apple mixture along one long pastry edge, leaving a 3cm border. Sprinkle over another 3 tbsp of Demerara sugar. Fold in the two short ends of the pastry then roll up loosely from one long side to enclose the filling, making sure the seal is underneath. Brush the pastry all over with any remaining melted butter and sprinkle over the rest of the Demerara sugar. 4. Bake in the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes or until the pastry is crisp and golden. Check after 25 minutes and cover loosely with foil if the pastry begins to go too brown. Serve warm or cold dusted with icing sugar.

TIP

Adding breadcrumbs to the fruit mixture helps to soak up any juices and stop the pastry from becoming soggy. You can replace them with ground almonds, if liked. Copyright TIPSS 2011

Book Reviews

March On

A Walk in the Woods, Bill Bryson Far from being a stroll among the bluebells, the Appalachian Trail is a two thousand mile route that goes right the way along the East Coast of North America, from Georgia to Maine. Bill Bryson’s hilarious account of all the things that will kill you along the way will have you longing for a bit of adventure. This is a trek that’s a journey into the wild. Some don’t make it alive. Rest assured, if the bears don’t get you then the poison ivy will. Walking Home: A Poet’s Journey, Simon Armitage Most walkers complete the Pennine Way by going South to North but Simon Armitage decided it would be more poetic if he did it the other way around. He made the 256 mile journey from Kirk Yetholm on the Scottish border to his native Yorkshire, and the village where he was born. True to form, Armitage decided not to look like he was on a Duke of Edinburgh expedition but to wander as a lonely troubadour, penniless on the Pennine Way and give poetry readings in village halls, churches and pubs. It’s packed with Northern soul and would be best enjoyed with a pint of stout in a pub.

Now the weather’s improving and spring has almost sprung, it’s time to head outside and explore the great outdoors. OK, so this might be taking the month of March a tad literally, but how about taking it literary? Here are some of our top tips for great reads about epic journeys.

Walking, Henry David Thoreau According to Thoreau, in order to find happiness, we just need to spend more time outdoors. More specifically, not only do we need to constantly reconnect with nature but we need to be moving and discovering and taking long afternoon walks. As a writer he took inspiration from his surroundings and revelled in the wild and the free. Here he did his greatest thinking and he remains a hero among environmentalists and fans of American literature alike.

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, Rachel Joyce This is an extraordinary story that begins with the most ordinary of objects: a letter. Harold Fry receives a letter from old flame and dear friend Queenie, who is now in a hospice and facing her mortality. Harold writes her a reply but then on a whim, decides he must walk the 600 miles to hand deliver it to her, leaving his wife upstairs doing the housework. It’s such an amazing and heart-warming story. Will Harold reach Queenie in time?

Rabbit-Proof Fence, Doris Pilkington, Nugi Garimara In 1931 the Australian government dictated that all Aboriginal and mixed race children should be removed from their homes and put into settlements to assimilate into white culture. This is the true story of three little girls who followed the rabbit-proof fence 1000 miles across the harsh Australian outback, all the way back home. Doris Pilkington’s mother was one of those girls and here she tells her mother’s remarkable survival story. It’s an absolutely unbelievable account of the human spirit and its resilience.

The Hobbit, J R R Tolkien If there’s one thing in life that hobbits enjoy more than anything, it’s comfort. From the sanctuary of his hobbit-hole, Bilbo Baggins is plucked by the wizard Gandalf and taken off on an extraordinary and most unexpected journey, deep into Middle Earth. Accompanying Gandalf and his band of thirteen dwarves, the world’s most reluctant hero must help them raid the treasures of Smaug the Magnificent, a dangerous dragon. Written for Tolkien’s own grandchildren, it’s the prelude to The Lord of the Rings and a fantastic odyssey into the unknown.

Finance Why Saving Doesn’t Have To Be Taxing It’s that time of the year when financial talk is all about tax free savings and ISAs. It’s worth listening, because you’re really missing a trick if all your savings are being taxed – so here’s a quick introduction to saving tax-free.

Avoiding and Reducing Tax on Interest If you earn less than your annual tax allowance, you won’t have to pay tax on your savings interest (unless it pushes your income over your tax allowance). But most banks and building societies automatically tax your interest, so register as a non-taxpayer by filling in form R85, found here http://www.hmrc.gov. uk/forms/r85.pdf, for each institution you bank with. You can check your eligibility at http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/ helpsheets/r85-helpsheet.pdf. Don’t forget, children pay tax too – most won’t earn enough to go over their allowance, but parents must fill in an R85 on their behalf. Remember, if money given by a parent produces interest of over £100 a year, the interest is considered part of that parent’s income. If you or your partner pay different tax rates, consider putting savings in the name of whoever pays the lowest rate. Some couples aren’t happy with their savings in just one name, but if you are, it can make good financial sense, particularly if one of you is

Longer 1½ page fohigher rmaratet taxalofs paying the 40% or more while the other o ataxvaor inone pays basic labatlall.e Tax Free Savings Even if you’re a tax-payer, there are tax-free saving schemes sanctioned by the government which allow you to invest a limited amount each tax-year and receive your interest tax-free. An ISA (Individual Savings Account) allows you to save up to an overall maximum of £11,520 a year (in tax year 2013-14), either in a Stocks and Shares ISAs (annual limit £11,520) or a Cash ISA (annual limit only £5760 per year – so you may want to invest the rest of your allowance in a Stocks and Shares ISA). Many Cash ISAs now have instant access facilities - handy if you want to save but think that you might need to dip into your ISA. Junior ISAs are also available for children up to 18, but have a lower limit of just £3,720 per annum; those born between 1 Sep 2002 and 2 Jan 2011 aren’t eligible, as they have Child Trust Funds. Of course, most children won’t pay tax anyway, but one advantage of a Junior ISA is that savings automatically convert into an adult cash ISA when the child turns 18, and

then remain tax-free – even if the amount is over the adult ISA limit. The Government backed NSI (National Savings and Investments) sometimes offer Savings Certificates which give tax-free returns without affecting your ISA allowance. You can also save tax-free with a Friendly Society; their policies often have other features such as life or health insurance, but they are designed for long term saving and investing; charges can be severe if you end the policy early.

Pensions We should all save in a pension, and pension contributions accrue tax relief. You can usually pay extra voluntary contributions into your employer’s pension scheme, and can also pay into a personal pension scheme (either as a top-up or your sole pension). Some pensions will allow you to take early lump sums but pensions aren’t designed for short-term investment, so always check terms and conditions before deciding how much money to commit long term. By Alison Runham www.alison.runham.co.uk

Gardening

A Touch of the Orient by Pippa Greenwood

As the new gardening year is under way, is it time to embark on a new era in your garden? It can be really refreshing to have a change of style, not necessarily in your whole garden but perhaps you could create a different and contrasting feel in a small part of your plot to the rest of your well-loved garden? The Japanese style is largely very simplistic and aims to create a relaxed, calm environment. In any garden you’re going to need walls, fences, pathways and so forth, and if you use natural materials such as wood or of course bamboo, they blend in better with the surroundings of an existing or a newly planned garden and instantly help to create that oriental feel. Provided the surface is made relatively slip-proof, a small bridge can be created quite easily using a simple plank of wood, allowing you to cross over an existing or new pond or other water feature. Stain the wood an interesting colour: perhaps even bright Japanesestyle red if you’re feeling daring. Thinking of water, why not create your own ‘deer chase’? All you need to set up is a source of water powered by a pump, then allow the water to pour out from a bamboo spout and then into another hollowed out piece of bamboo. As the weight of the water increases

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in the hollowed out bamboo it causes it to tip and to swivel around slightly. Once filled up it then tilts downwards and pours its water into the basin or bowl beneath. When empty it clunks back into position. If you want something even simpler, then buy some wide diameter bamboo canes, hollow one out, cut the end at an angle and simply create a trickling water spout. Provided you fix everything up with a pump, the water can then be recycled around from the bowl or basin and back into the trickling pipe. Gravelled areas raked into simple patterns resembling waves or entire circles also help to create a Japanese feel. These can take up the majority of the garden space, be a relatively small area or perhaps link your existing garden into the Japanese ‘room’ that you have created. Concentric rings of raked gravel or sand look particularly dramatic if you place a sizeable, interestingly shaped boulder, stone or specimen plant in the centre of the middle circle. When it comes to plants there are several which instantly help to evoke that Japanese effect. The so-called Japanese maples with their intricately divided leaves epitomise Japanese gardens and many will turn brilliant shades in the autumn. Japanese azaleas too can be used to great effect and can

bring in some of those really bright colours which look so good for the relatively simple garden surrounding them. Pine trees may be too large for most gardens, but you can gradually bend the stems of a smaller one to create a bonsai effect. Of course, if you’re a collector of bonsai then most of these trees actually enjoy spending the summer outside in a garden and provided they are kept adequately maintained, will look great in your Japanese garden. A trip down to your local garden centre is bound to supply you with a few oriental-themed containers. Plant one or two of these up with a small acer, camellia, miniature azalea or miniature bamboo and you will really help to complete that oriental touch. Visit Pippa’s website www.pippagreenwood.com for a great range of gardening-related items including ‘Grow Your Own with Pippa Greenwood’ veg growing system, electronic cat and fox deterrents, lots of slug controls, Pippa’s favourite weeding tool, and many other useful garden items.

Health

Hiatus Hernias lon

A hernia occurs when part of the body bulges through a weakened or damaged wall of muscle or tissue. 1 in 10 people will suffer from a hiatus hernia, where the stomach is the culprit, bulging through the hiatus (a gap in the diaphragm that allows the oesophagus to pass through). If this area is weakened or damaged (herniated), the upper part of the stomach can sometimes bulge through and sit above the diaphragm, forming a hiatus hernia. But not all hiatus hernias are the same: Over 90% are sliding hiatus hernias - the upper stomach pushes up through the hiatus, under the oesophagus. Paraoesophageal (rolling) hiatus hernia - the upper stomach pushes up through the hiatus beside the oesophagus. It usually requires surgery and causes more pain than a sliding hiatus hernia. Mixed hiatus hernia both sliding and rolling characteristics are present. Extremely rare. Smokers, women, overweight people and over 50s are more prone to hiatus hernias and they’re more prevalent in the Western world, possibly due to unhealthy low fibre diets. There isn’t always an obvious cause, but common causes are: • Persistent / violent coughing or sneezing • Persistent / violent straining on the toilet or vomiting

ger 1½ page • Heavy folifting rmat also • Pregnancy / delivery • Sudden avbending ailaorbstraining le to reach something

Sometimes hiatus hernias are symptomless, but symptoms are: • pain in the left side of your chest or just under the ribs – this can be severe • acid reflux (heartburn) • physical sensation of your stomach pushing upwards • shortness of breath • sometimes nausea, belching, loss of appetite, discomfort when eating, difficulty passing stools Hiatus hernia symptoms can be mistaken for chest or heart problems and vice versa, and occasionally a hiatus hernia can become strangulated, requiring urgent attention. So if you have symptoms, always see a doctor – or visit A&E if you’re suddenly in great pain. Unless your doctor suspects a strangulated hernia, they usually won’t refer you for surgery immediately (if at all). Instead they’ll suggest ways to improve symptoms and prevent aggravating the hernia. Treatment • Lifestyle / Diet changes lose excess weight and give up smoking. Avoid eating late in the evening or before lying down. Small, light meals are best. Certain foods are inclined to cause heartburn,

so if affected avoid them: alcohol, caffeinated or fizzy drinks, peppermint, spicy or fatty foods, onions, garlic, citrus and tomatoes. • Sleeping – avoid sleeping flat, preferably by raising the head of your bed; using lots of pillows may put more pressure on the abdomen. • Painkillers – usually antiinflammatories e.g. ibuprofen, or opioids like co-codamol or co-dydramol, depending on your symptoms. • Antacids and alginates – to soothe the stomach and reduce acidity. • Proton Pump Inhibitors – e.g. Omeprazole, to reduce the production of stomach acid. • H2 receptor antagonists – e.g Ranitidine, to block histamine and so reduce stomach acid. If these steps fail, or there are concerns about damage to your stomach or oesophagus, then surgery will be recommended - usually by Laparoscopic Nissen Fundoplication (LNF). This is keyhole surgery carried out under general anaesthetic, which puts the stomach into the correct position and tightens the diaphragm around the oesophagus, using part of the upper stomach. It’s a common, simple, low-risk operation – so don’t be put off. If you suspect you have a hiatus hernia, visit your doctor. By Alison Runham

History

What happened in... ...March 1994? South Tower. This failed to happen but six people were killed and over 1,000 injured. 9th: The IRA fired five mortar bombs from a car in the car park of the Excelsior Hotel at Heathrow. Two of them landed on the northern runway, which was closed for ninety minutes. None of the bombs exploded.

During joint operations between the US Army and Air Force on the 24th March, two planes collided over a military airfield. A two-seater Fighting Falcon struck a Hercules transporter at an altitude of about 300 feet. The damaged Hercules managed to land safely and the fighter pilots ejected from their doomed aircraft, which crashed onto the runway causing massive damage, including the destruction of another transport plane. Twenty four men on the ground were killed and over eighty were injured.

12th: A photograph claimed by Marmaduke Wetherell to be proof of the existence of the Loch Ness Monster was proved to be a hoax.

4th: Nearly eight years before the Twin Towers were destroyed, four Muslim terrorists were convicted of bombing the World Trade Center. A truck bomb was detonated beneath the North Tower, with the intention of causing it to fall into the

23rd: Whilst flying a Russian Airbus over Siberia, pilot Yoroslav Kudrinsky thought it would

Average cost of a house was about £70,000 Petrol cost about 49p per litre

Three of the bestselling singles this year were:

be a good idea to let his twelve-year-old daughter have a drive, according to taped conversations on the flight deck. He then handed over the controls to his sixteen-year-old son, who accidentally turned off the automatic pilot and the plane crashed, killing all 75 people on board. 27th: The Eurofighter, named Typhoon, made its first flight in Manching, Germany. Development of this aircraft began in 1983 and it was designed to be in service until the midtwenty-first century. Initially a collaboration between the UK, Germany, France, Spain and Italy production was delayed by political issues and eventually France withdrew from the project. It was not used in combat until the intervention in the Libyan conflict in 2011. Controversial TV tycoon Silvio Berlusconi’s rightwing coalition won the Italian general election and he began the first of four terms as Prime Minister.

Bump N’ Grind - R. Kelly

28th: A church in Alabama was hit by a tornado, killing 22 people.

Without You/Never Forget You Mariah Carey

BBC Radio Five Live made its first broadcast.

The Sign - Ace Of Base

Patrick D Cousins is the author of Rainbows, Dreams and Angels, available from Amazon. This is a double novella with both stories set in east London, mainly during the 50s and 60s. Copyright TIPSS 2011

Home & Interiors 10 Ways To Save On Renovating Your Home Building work can be expensive, but if you’re canny you can keep costs down, says Katherine Sorrell By Katherine Sorrell 1. Use trade suppliers: they’re much cheaper than their high-street equivalents. If you’re embarking on a major project, open an account with your local builders merchant, or else try specialists such as Screwfix or Plumbase. Feel intimidated about going into a branch? Do your research beforehand (so you know what you’re talking about), wear appropriate clothing and act confident. If you need to ask advice, though, do – these guys are the specialists and will probably be only too happy to help. 2. Borrow rather than buy expensive tools that you’re unlikely to use very often. Ask friends – making sure their tools have been well maintained – or try a local hire shop. Before you start, though, make sure you know exactly how to use the tool safely. 3. Do as much work as you can yourself, and ask friends and family to help. You may be able to improve your DIY skills by studying a good manual, taking an evening

Shorter 1 page format also available

class or even attending a specialist course. Only tackle jobs you can manage safely, however. Painting, decorating, tiling, sanding floorboards are all fine. But complex or tricky jobs should be left to the professionals, as should anything that involves electricity, gas or working at a height. 4. Try to design fitted furniture such as shelves or cupboards with the dimensions of standard materials in mind. This will allow you to either buy off the shelf or will save on cuttingwaste, and therefore cost you less. 5. Grab the best bargains in sales and clearances, and at factory outlets, seconds shops and discount warehouses. This may mean planning your decorating around a oneoff sale, or waiting until you have acquired just the right discounted item, but your patience will pay off in the end. 6. How about second-hand? You never know what you might find if you scour the

right places, from auctions and junk shops to small ads in your local paper and salvage yards. The golden rule is to be prepared – if you’re out and about, write out a list of relevant dimensions and keep it, together with a mini tape measure, on your person at all times. And be aware of safety: if you do buy secondhand radiators, taps or electrical items, have them fitted by someone who’s qualified to check that they’re totally safe and functioning correctly. 7. Something for nothing? Some people swear by the fine art of ‘skip dipping’ – and it’s true that many a desirable item, from floorboards to kitchen cupboards, has been re-homed in this way. If you’re going to try this, never trespass, and ask the owner’s permission first. Much easier, though, is to sign up to an internet-based network such as Freecycle, which connects people who are giving things away with people who will happily take them off their hands. Don’t expect designer style, but

you may be surprised at the range of useful things on offer, and you can even post a ‘wanted’ ad if you’re after something in particular. 8. Buy wallpaper and fabric from ends-of-line and discount suppliers. And avoid paying extra for special colours from expensive paint companies – have your chosen colour mixed for you, in whatever finish you require. Johnstone’s and Dulux both offer this service. 9. Use decorating tricks to save money. If you can’t afford carpet, for example, either sand your floorboards or paint them, and add a simple rug for a clean, contemporary look. Instead of bespoke curtains, choose Roman or

roller blinds, which use much less fabric and are correspondingly a great deal cheaper (you may even be able to buy them off the peg or make them yourself). Can’t afford to have the glass in an overlooked window beautifully etched? Then buy some stick-on window film, which is easy to use and inexpensive. 10. Think laterally. In a bathroom, for example, you can completely transform the look and feel of the room by changing the taps, loo seat, bath panel, window treatment and shower curtain. In a kitchen, consider replacing either the cupboard doors and drawer fronts, or carefully repainting

them. A new worktop can also be relatively inexpensive, and will give the room a whole new look. Image on left: Roller blinds are smart and simple – and much less expensive than curtains. These rich brown blinds with an on-trend print start at £50 (60x60cm), Luxaflex Sunway (0800 652 7799; www.sunwayblinds.co.uk). Image above: Window film is an easy and inexpensive solution for overlooked windows. Etch-effect film, £20.85 for a 50cm square sheet, Purlfrost (020 8992 4024; www.purlfrost.com).

Trivia

Around Britain

5 Places Opened By Queen Victoria 1. Belfast - The main building of Belfast’s Queen’s University was officially opened by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1849 when, owing to a citywide outbreak of cholera, it was one of only a few buildings that the royal couple were permitted to enter during their trip. 2. Berwick-upon-Tweed - Berwick’s Royal Border Bridge was opened by Queen Victoria in 1850. Designed by Robert Stephenson, son of the engineer George Stephenson, the bridge took three years to build and still forms an integral part of the East Coast Mainline today. 3. London - After the sudden death of Prince Albert in 1861, his plan for a ‘Central Hall of Arts and Sciences’ in London was renamed in his honour. Queen Victoria officially opened what is now The Royal Albert Hall in March 1871 but is said to have been too distraught to speak at the inauguration ceremony, leaving her son Edward to instead announce that ‘the Queen declares this Hall now open’. 4. Manchester - Construction began on the 36-mile Manchester Ship Canal in 1887, overseen by the renowned engineer Edward Leader Williams, who was knighted by Queen Victoria at the official opening ceremony in 1894. 5. Newcastle-upon-Tyne - A remarkable dual-level road and rail bridge, Newcastle’s Grade I listed High Level Bridge was designed by Robert Stephenson and constructed between 1847 and 1849. At over 400m, it is the second-longest bridge spanning the Tyne and stands 80ft above the water. It was officially opened by Queen Victoria on September 27 1849, shortly after Stephenson turned down the offer of a knighthood.

Life Begins

Life Begins When did you last do something impulsive still working with Cirque du Soleil as a performer at their Florida base.

by Kate McLelland

primitive, emotional part of our brain makes rapid-fire decisions about things we like, dislike, hate, love, fear or want, the intellectual and more logical mind is geared to making deliberate and rational conclusions at a slightly slower pace. Therefore when you allow your emotional brain - known as the amygdala - to guide your actions, you’re likely to end up doing something that your rational self would prefer to avoid.

Shorter 1 page The link between f o these two rmat also individuals available is their willingness

It sometimes pays to follow your instincts. Author JK Rowling reportedly decided to write the first Harry Potter novel after an idea for the story occurred to her when she was travelling on a train from Manchester to London. Following a painful divorce, she completed the book as a struggling single mum on state benefits, becoming a multi-millionaire within a staggering five years. Yusuke Funaki had a good job as an engineer in Tokyo. By chance he saw a performance by the worldfamous circus company Cirque du Soleil and was so inspired by the performers that he decided to learn the gymnastic rope-skipping techniques he had seen in the show. After a few years of practice he abandoned engineering and literally ran away to join the circus. He is

to follow an impulse, taking up new activities that – given their backgrounds and relative inexperience in their chosen fields - were far from guaranteed to result in success.

It takes a certain kind of courage to risk everything in order to follow a dream, especially when we know it might fail. Most of us, at some stage in our lives, have done things that we have regretted at a later date - a new hairstyle or a tattoo, a weird auction lot that seemed too good to ignore… sometimes our spur-of-themoment choices seem so out of character it’s almost as though someone else has taken over our minds. “Did I really do that?” you ask. A study of the brain shows why we feel this way. The emotional mind, based in the limbic system, is separate from the intellectual mind, which is found in the prefrontal cortex. While the

We tend to associate impulsivity with youth and it’s true that young people are probably more likely to follow their impulses when making key decisions. In time, however, most people discover how to regulate these urges in order to function as an adult. Mature people tend to suppress their emotional responses, using the knowledge they have acquired, backed up by logic and reason, when considering a set of options. While no-one would doubt the benefits that knowledge and experience can bring, something is perhaps lost in this process. Impulse and risk-taking are closely linked with creativity, and there’s a danger that we may ignore the creative impulses that (as J.K. Rowling and Yusuke Funaki discovered) have the power to change the course of our lives. By middle-age, many of us

have ceased to follow our instincts, relying almost exclusively on the tried and trusted methods that we learned in our formative years. In order to stay safe and minimise risk we base our actions – including where we go, who we see, what we eat – on things that feel safe and familiar, but does sticking with what we know actually inhibit brain development? The Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives (www.dana. org) is a non-profitmaking organisation of more than 300 leading neuroscientists in America, committed to making the public aware of the progress and benefits of brain research. According to the Trust: “The brain wants to learn.

It wants to be engaged as a learning machine. That means stepping out of the same old routines and trying something new and different.” When individuals settle into routines that are repeated automatically from day to day, the brain activity required for those activities decreases. That means that we tend to carry out familiar actions on autopilot and consequently our minds receive very little stimulation. When the brain encounters something unfamiliar, it creates new neural pathways that help it to understand and master that

new object or challenge. The good news is that older people can reactivate their brains by undertaking new activities, or by approaching established routines in different ways. That can be as simple as taking a different route to work or as complex as taking a degree in later life. Whether you decide to join a choir, take up a musical instrument or volunteer for a local charity, it’s not really about the activity – it’s about rekindling the youthful spark that encouraged you to experiment and try new things. At the very least it will give your brain some exercise, at best it might be the key to a whole new life.

Motoring

First Drive: Infiniti Q50 S Hybrid By James Batchelor, editor of CarDealerMagazine.co.uk What is it? Remember the Infiniti G37? No, we didn’t think so. When it quietly appeared on the scene in 2009, it was one of the first Infiniti’s Brits could buy. But with, how should we say this, interesting styling, a thirsty 320bhp 3.7-litre V6 petrol under the bonnet and acres of switchgear poached from lowrent Nissans, it wasn’t terribly successful. But that was then and Infiniti now has a far more appealing proposition for the nation’s fleet managers used to buying 3 Series BMWs and Mercedes C-Classes. We’ve already driven this car abroad but now we’re one of the first to slip behind the wheel of a British car – and Infiniti UK is understandably proud of its latest product. “It’s a halo car for us,” a spokesperson told us on our test drive. “A real performance car with the added benefit of low running costs.” What’s under the bonnet? We have the all-wheel-drive Q50S Hybrid on test – you could opt for a version fitted with Infiniti’s new 2.2-litre diesel – and it sports a 364bhp 3.5-litre V6 petrol mated to a 50kW electric motor. It tops out at 155mph and reaches 60mph in 5.1 seconds. To put that into perspective, a BMW M5 will reach 60mph in 4.1 seconds but the Q50S will return a combined MPG of 41.5 and emit 159g/km

of CO2. It’s quick and punchy, but it won’t be the best-seller in the UK – that’ll be the diesel. What’s the spec like? It seems to have everything you could want from this type of saloon. The Q50S Hybrid retails at £41,635 and comes absolutely loaded with tech and electric wizardry. The headlines are: full leather upholstery, NASA-developed ‘fatigue free’ front seats, climate control, parking sensors, Bluetooth with streaming and Infiniti’s clever new infotainment system. The latter not only looks neat but works well too – although we weren’t behind the wheel for long so we can’t say how easy it would be to live with. The Q50S has another crafty little piece of tech too. Called Active Lane Control, the system reads the white lines on the road and keeps the car tracking safely between them. Any rivals? Well, it’s the three big guns that make up the biggest competition – namely, BMW’s 3 Series, the Mercedes-Benz CClass and the Audi A4. There’s no doubt the Infiniti matches the Bavarian threesome in many areas and it does have individuality up its sleeve too. For other left-field choices, there’s also the Volvo S60. What’s it like to drive? There’s no doubt it’s smooth and relaxing to drive.

Complaints have been aimed at the Q50S’s steering-by-wires system that can feel artificial. But on our admittedly short test drive, we had little complaint. While it doesn’t match the sheer precision of the 3 Series, the Q50S can be set up for the driver’s tastes – whether sporting or comfort – and is perfectly adequate. A hybrid saloon will spend most of its time navigating city streets and motorways – and for this the Q50 would seem to excel. The verdict This is a car with some of the tightest shut-lines in the business and seriously impressive build quality. Add in smooth driving dynamics and European styling, the Q50S is a fine car. Whether it’ll make a dent in the executive saloon car market is yet to be seen, but Infiniti deserves to do well with this car.

The Knowledge Model: Infiniti Q50S Hybrid AWD Price: £41,635 Engine: 3.5-litre V6, hybrid Power: 364bhp, 544Nm Max speed: 155mph (limited) 0-60mph: 5.1 seconds MPG: 41.5 mpg (combined) Emissions: 159g/km CO2

Recipe

Easy Lamb Rogan Dhansak Serves 4-6

Ready in 4 hours This recipe does use fresh ingredients but ‘cheats’ a little by using a jar of sauce rather than creating it from scratch which saves time, but still produces a delicious and authentic dish. Unlike many curry type dishes, the lentils make this very thick so there’s no need for rice. It reheats perfectly and so can be cooked the day before ready to eat at short notice the next day. Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas Mark 2. Add a splash of olive oil to a frying pan and cook the onions, carrot and celery until they take on a bit of colour, then put these into a large casserole pot.

Ingredients: • 800g diced leg of lamb or lamb steaks

• 3 whole peppers, red, green, yellow, sliced.

• 1 chopped and diced onion • 2 carrots peeled and finely diced

• 2 sticks of celery chopped and finely diced

• 2 jars of Rogan Josh sauce

(recommend Loyd Grosman)

• Half a teacup of dried red lentils

• 2 – 4 whole red chillies

Fry the peppers for a couple of minutes, then put them into casserole pot with a pinch of salt and a good grind of pepper. Add the chillies to taste – 4 chillies will give a medium heat but use fewer chillies and remove the seeds if you don’t like it too hot. Pour in the two jars of Rogan Josh, then add a bit of water to the jars, put the lid back on and shake. Chop half the coriander and add to the pot with the liquid from the jars and stir thoroughly. You need the casserole pot filled to near the top, so add water if necessary. Don’t worry if it looks a bit watery, the lentils at the end will thicken it all up. Put into the oven, giving it a stir after about 2 hours.

sliced

• Bunch of fresh coriander

6 After 3.5 hours sprinkle over lentils and stir in.

Put back into the oven for another 40 minutes.

• Olive oil

7 Just before serving sprinkle

• Salt and pepper • For serving, naan bread and sour cream

In the same pan put about half the diced lamb and fry until sealed, then put into casserole pot, repeat with the rest of the lamb.

the rest of the fresh coriander on top and then serve with naan bread, and sour cream.

Short Story

Short Story Parma Violets by Jackie Brewster “Can you be trusted to mind the café while I nip next door?” Aunt Carol asked solemnly as though she was leaving Becky in charge of the country. It was a big responsibility, and this was only Becky’s third day. The lunchtime rush was over, and there had been no customers for nearly an hour. While Becky was grateful to Carol for giving her a holiday job, she found that buttering cobs was not as easy as they made it look on television. She suspected Carol wasn’t convinced she had what it took to be a success in catering. “Whatever you do,” Carol warned her, ”don’t let that rat chap in.” Which seemed both a strange and reasonable request. Left alone, Becky practised folding napkins until she heard the café door open. An elderly gentleman, smartly dressed, sat down at the table by the window. Becky took a deep breath, picked up her order pad and walked briskly over to him. “What can I get you, sir?” she asked. He was wearing a jacket which appeared to be wriggling. A small furry nose popped up between the lapels. Becky nearly dropped her pencil. “Oh, don’t worry about him,” the man said. “He’s fine.” “Pets aren’t allowed in the café,” Becky said nervously. She was almost certain this was true because she’d read a sign in the window. “Roland’s not a pet,” the man

replied, browsing the menu. “He’s a guide dog, and they’re perfectly welcome everywhere.” “But you’re not blind,” Becky said, a little embarrassed. “Of course everyone immediately thinks of guide dogs for the blind.” He closed the menu as though he found nothing appetising within it. “Roland’s an allergy guide dog. Have you heard of that?” Becky confessed she had not. “I am allergic to parma violets,” the man continued confidentially. “Roland has to sniff my food to confirm it’s safe to eat.” “Allergic to parma violets?” Becky repeated blankly. “Dangerously.” The man nodded sagely and tapped the menu. “Can you recommend anything that doesn’t include parma violets?” Becky was confused. Parma violets were little purple sweets - she had no idea they were also a cooking ingredient. “I don’t think there’s any in the tea,” Becky said hopefully. The man frowned, “Can you guarantee it?” She shook her head. “In that case, it’s a good job I have Roland here.” He pulled Roland out of his jacket and sat him in his lap. He was a funny looking dog, with short legs, a pointy nose and a long body. “What type of dog is he?” Becky asked. “He’s an allergy dog, we’ve

been through this.” The man waved his hand dismissively. “Be quick with the tea dear, I’ve a plane to catch.” Becky hurried back behind the counter. Something didn’t feel right about the man and his allergy dog. She hoped he would drink up and go before her aunt returned. After all, the nearest airport was a two hour drive. She was not in luck. Carol bustled into the café carrying a box of crisps. “Any customers?” she asked. “Not really,” Becky lied as she overflowed the teacup. “So who’s that for?” Carol asked dubiously. “The gentleman over there.” Carol turned round and almost exploded. “Not you again,” she screamed. “Get that rat out of here!” The man scooped up Roland protectively. “He’s not a rat,” he said indignantly. “He’s a ferret, and they’re very clever animals.” “He sniffs parma violets,” Becky added to explain the situation. And with that, her fate in the world of catering was sealed.

Technology Review

Garden of Delights How tech can take the grunt out of gardening

It’s that time of year again: spring has sprung and the grass has started to rise. While robot lawnmowers haven’t quite reached bargain basement prices just yet - a robomower such as Husquvarna’s Automower 305G has an RRP of £1,399, and even the cheapest online shops charge around £850 - technology can still help: firms such as Bosch, Greenworks and Mountfield all offer battery-powered lawnmowers that offer the convenience of cable-free mowing without the noise, smell and hassle of petrol engines. Prices range from just over £200 to around £500. What’s even easier than a cordless mower? That’s right: grass that you don’t have to mow in the first place. Hi-tech turf (www.hitechturf.co.uk) looks like grass and feels like grass, but it’s entirely artificial - and if you have terrible memories of plasticky, jaggy artificial turf you’ll be relieved to discover that this is a very different proposition. For around £29 per square metre (for HT Luxury) you can lay a lawn that looks just like the real thing without any of the work. If your budget’s a bit more limited then there are more affordable options including a budget artificial turf at £7.99 per square metre.

Lawns aren’t the only places where technology can make life easier. Battery power has reached the point where it’s good enough for seriously demanding garden tasks. Black & Decker will happily sell you battery-powered chainsaws, pruning saws and loppers. The batteries deliver plenty of oomph - the chainsaw will power through up to 150 3.5cm branches before it runs out of puff - but boffins have yet to invent a device that ensures we remember to charge the power tools before we actually need them. More modest gardening can benefit from gadgetry too. Hozelock’s auto-watering system sticks a timer onto your tap, turning it on and off at the times you program, and options range from a simple sprinkler to an entire micro-irrigation system. Some timers even have rain sensors that mean they won’t turn on the tap if the weather forecast turned out to be overly optimistic. Not all gardening gadgets need electricity to function. The iconic Leatherman multi-tool isn’t exactly cheap, but its products - and their many imitators - offer a huge range of tools in one handy gadget. For example the Leatherman Charge AL includes two kinds of pliers,

a knife, a saw and a serrated knife, a wood and metal file, wire cutters and wire strippers. If you find gardening is, literally, a pain, it’s worth taking a look at the range of gardening tools made by Radius Garden, whose slogan is “Garden more. Hurt less.” The odd-looking tools have been designed with ergonomic grips to make them more comfortable and less likely to aggravate repetitive strain injuries, and the range includes trowels, forks, transplanters, weeders and cultivators. Expect to pay around £9 for each individual tool or around £30 for a set of four. If taking the grunting out of gardening sounds like something you’d like to do, you might also want to consider a device such as Fiskar’s Weed Puller (currently £25), which is designed to remove weeds without using chemicals or wrecking your lower back: it’s a long L-shaped stick containing deep-reaching stainless steel claws that effortlessly grab weeds by the roots. It might not be an exciting robot mower but anything that helps with a hard day’s weeding sounds like a great gadget to us. Images left to right: Black & Decker Cordless Lopper, WORX cordless lawn mower, Hozelock auto watering system with rain sensor, Radius ergonomic gardening tools

Travel

Nancy City of Stanislas By Solange Hando Just over an hour east of Paris by high speed rail, Nancy, the ancient capital of Lorraine, is one of the finest cities in France, all thanks to a deposed Polish King. In 1737, sixty year old Stanislas sought refuge at the French Court where his son in law, Louis XV, placed the newlyacquired Duchy of Lorraine in his care. Overwhelmed by gratitude, Stanislas devoted his personal fortune and the rest of his life to his new subjects, feeding the poor, encouraging the arts and planning an architectural showcase, a “royal town”, on former wasteland. He died aged 89 after falling in his fireplace. On that day, 23rd February 1766, the Duchy of Lorraine was returned to the French king. Today, Nancy owes to Stanislas one of Europe’s most dazzling squares, aptly named after him, lined with classical buildings, fountains and wrought iron gates covered in gold leaf. Relax on a café-terrace under the kindly gaze of the “Benefactor” and the view takes your breath away, the elegant City Hall, the TheatreOpera House, the Museum of Fine Arts, the Triumphal Arch bearing a medallion of

Louis XV. Yet this is just one of three world heritage sites in the heart of the town. Walk through the Arch and you are greeted by the lovely Place Carrière with its fountains and statues, antique gods and leafy avenue leading to the colonnaded crescent of the former Governor’s Palace. Alliance, the third UNESCO square, is a quiet little place tucked in the back streets around a gurgling Italian-style fountain and trees twittering with birds. But just steps away from the 18th century city, the old medieval district leads you through a jumble of winding lanes, old-fashioned shops, flower stalls and private mansions festooned in sculpted balustrades and stone staircases. The old ducal palace now houses the Lorraine Museum while the ‘Rue Gourmande’ beckons with the aroma of quiche Lorraine or traditional Mirabelle plum tart. King Stanislas would be pleased for he loved his food and is widely acclaimed for introducing the popular volau-vent and rum baba. Beyond its historical centre, Nancy is a modern city

of broad avenues and pedestrian lanes, colourful markets, pavement cafés, bright department stores and exclusive boutiques gleaming with designer fashion, jewellery and highly prized local crystal. In the early 1900s, this vibrant town gave birth to a new art movement, covering every discipline from painting and sculpture to craft and architecture. It began as Art Nouveau with soft flowing lines symbolising a return to nature and later evolved into the more sober Art Deco but whatever one’s preference, Nancy is a treasure trove of architectural wonders. Wide-eyed visitors gaze at the ornate villas sprinkled in the suburbs, or the opulent Brasserie Excelsior at the heart of town, before strolling down to the river Meurthe or enjoying a cruise on the canal. But when the sun sets over the hills, it’s time to return to the square where golden lights twinkle all around and the dark silhouette of Stanilas the Benefactor keeps watch over his flock. This is just as it should be, a unique and enchanting sight, for no other city in France owes so much to a Polish king.

Puzzles, Quizzes & Cartoons Cartoon 1

Cartoon 2

Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Page

Cryptic Crossword Cryptic Crossword 1

Across 8 Coins spin round a gambling place (6) 9 Stirred up about data I get (8) 10 Tips up to expectorate (4) 11 Eel to cater for those qualified to vote (10) 14 Lasso spun from a trial (6) 15 Hotels do provide a garden structure (4,4) 18 Country in Hesperus (4) 19 City held in comparison (5) 20 Bird’s home sent the wrong way (4) 22 Battle reconstructed later in court (8) 25 Lamps damaged with a vital fluid (6) 26 Decorative form Roman leant (10) 30 Make a rule about bait (4) 31 A sore but sorted vandal (8) 32 Mistreated, as bad Sue might be (6)

©puzzlepress.co.uk

Down 1 Aircraft built from a raw panel (8) 2 Dish out, but is tired out (10) 3 Gnawing animal lair in decay (6) 4 Came across culinary spice (4) 5 Herb that produces money (4) 6 Couple like a fruit, we hear (4) 7 Middle region after a recent change (6) 12 Composer formed of phonic letters (6) 13 Bird seen in a yellow light (3) 16 Christmas visitor from a class aunt attended (5,5) 17 Colour and leave on a desolate island (6) 21 County from which tree moss can be harvested (8) 23 One woman overseas (6) 24 Odd drink? (3) 25 Column all rip apart (6) 27 Star returning to an old county (4) 28 Pitcher we’re changing (4) 29 The sort of runt to change (4)

Solution Copyright TIPSS 2011 25 Across: 8 Casino, 9 Agitated, 10 Spit, 11 Electorate, 14 Lariat, 15 Tool shed, 18 Peru, 19 Paris, 20 Nest, 22 Waterloo, 25 Plasma, 26 Ornamental, 30 Lure, 31 Saboteur, 32 Abused.

Codeword CODEWORD

Each letter in this puzzle is represented by a number between 1 and 26. The codes for three letters are shown. As you find the letters enter them in the box below.

14 17

15 24

2 17

2 10

12 26

2 24

18 2

2 2

18 2

1 26

24 24

1 8

11 3

1 2

2 18

Across 1. Ornamental plaster used to cover walls (6) 4. Native North American tribe (6) 9. Pear-shaped fruit with green skin ripening to black (7) 10. Writing material (5) 11. Asian water lily (5) 12. Volatile liquid used chiefly as a solvent (7) 13. Narrow strip of rubber formed into a loop for holding objects together (7,4) 18. Book of the New Testament (7) 20. Long, narrow passageway (5) 22. Measuring stick (5) 23. Small guitar with four strings (7) 24. Agitated (6) 25. Insect which rests

with forelimbs General Knowledge Crossword raised as if in 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 prayer (6) Down 8 1. Building for housing horses (6) 9 10 2. German submarine in World War II (14) 11 12 3. Frame supporting the body of a car (7) 13 14 15 5. Appear suddenly or unexpectedly 16 17 (3,2) 18 19 20 21 6. Windlass used when weighing anchor (7) 7. Soft yellow 22 23 substance secreted by aural glands (6) 24 25 8. Expert in art, food or drink (11) assembled to sing (6) (6) 14. Blue-flowered 17. Mary ___, womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 19. Lofty nest of a bird of trailing plant (7) pentathlon gold prey (5) 15. Brilliant and showy medal winner in the 21. Mixture of rain and technical skill (7) 1972 Olympic Games snow (5) 16. Group of people

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General Knowledge Crossword

Mini Cryptic Mini Cryptic Crossword 1 2 3 4 5 Across 3. Lyrical epic to sabotage (6) 6 6. Picture taker arrived before artist (6) 7. Quantity men rub the wrong way (6) 7 8 9 10. Commercial break at sea (6) 11. City that shows the way, we hear (5) 10 14. Country that sounds cold (5) 18. Entertains when Sam and Sue are brought together (6) 19. Instrument for holding ice cream? (6) 12 13 14 15 16 21. Show clearly when Venice is wrecked 11 (6) 17 22. Planes deployed in Italian place (6) Down 18 1. Crawls round poor handwriting (6) 2. Come out when Ian leaves menagerie 19 20 (6) 3. Drawers and gasps for breath... (5) 21 4. ...But returns for a container (3) 5. Vehicle serviced by the RAC, perhaps 22 (3) ©puzzlepress.co.uk 8. Gloomy theatre contains legendary 15. Mentally deranged when 17. Goes out with palm tale (4) Anne is altered (6) fruits? (5) 9. Real kind of nobleman (4) 16. Teresa turns to a time of 19. Is able to keep food in (3) 12. Reflection in an Aztec house (4) celebration (6) 20. Mr Van Winkle’s tear? (3) 13. Girl who’s there at the break of day (4)

Sudoku - Easy

Sudoku - Hard

Super Science Facts

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Hidato

Pictograms

Hidato

Pictograms

Starting at 1 and finishing at 49, track your way from one square to another, either horizontally, vertically or diagonally, placing consecutive numbers into the empty squares as you go. Some numbers are already given.

32 38

CUT

3 words

22 14

1 to 10

34 13

CUT

29 30

CUT

21 18

3 words ÂŠpuzzlepress.co.uk

6 words

BE FAST D

Quiz 1 Mascots 1. Appearing on the bonnet of their cars and taking the form of a woman leaning forwards with her arms outstretched behind her, the Spirit of Ecstasy is the mascot for which car manufacturer? 2. Does Pudsey Bear, the mascot for Children in Need, wear a bandage over his left eye or his right eye? 3. In which 1990s film does a detective go in search of Snowflake, the missing mascot of the American football team the Miami Dolphins? 4. Underneath his overalls, Ronald McDonald wears a striped shirt and striped socks of which two colours? 5. With a black suit and bowler hat, Fred the Flour Grader is the mascot for which food brand? 6. What type of animal was World Cup Willie, the mascot for the 1966 World Cup? 7. Sonic the Hedgehog is the mascot of which video game developer? 8. What was the name of the robot mascot who would often appear in animations on the TV game show Catchphrase? 9. Which series of annual publications have a red cover with a mascot called Bibendum on them? 10. What product has three mascots, one of which wears a chefâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hat, one of which wears a stocking cap, and one of which wears a band leaderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hat?

Quiz 2 Roman Gods Choosing from the list on the right, can you match up the correct Roman Gods to things they were Gods of?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Sky and Thunder Only f Love or sub scriber The paSun s ying fo r tFinance Commerce and w o o r m re pthe Sea Wateroand ostcod es Fire exclu sivity Agriculture and Harvest War Wine The Underworld

Apollo Bacchus Cupid Jupiter Mars Mercury Neptune Pluto Saturn Vulcan

also available as a quarte r page

Simple Crossword QUICK CROSSWORD

Across

1 Money (4)

8 9

3 Used in board game (5,3) 9 Scold severely (7)

10 Electronic post (5) 11 Young cabbage plants (6,6)

13 14

14 To allow (3) 16 Type of drum (5)

17 Joint (3)

18 Seen in a rink (6-6)

21 Violent disturbances (5) 22 Stabbing weapon (7) 23 Supporting column (8) 24 Popular sport (4) Down 1 Advises (8) 2 Serious (5) 4 Stowed away (3)

5 Lock picks (8,4)

13 Alcoholic appetiser (8)

6 Loyal (7)

15 Twice as much (7)

7 Story (4)

19 South American dance (5)

8 Eats its own kind (12)

20 Hold tightly (4)

12 Doomed (5)

Spot the Difference

22 Type of snake (3)

Two Minute Trial

Word Ladder Word Ladder

R N P G S I

Change one letter at a time (but not the position of any letter) to make a new word - and move from the word at the top of the ladder to the word at the bottom, using the exact number of rungs provided.

You have two minutes to find all the words of three or more letters that can be made from the letters above. Plurals are allowed, proper nouns are not. The 6 letter word will always be just a normal everyday word.

R O C K

3 letters: 10 4 letters: 17 5 letters: 6 6 letters: 1

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R O L L

Wordsearch Fish Anchovy Barracuda Bass Bream Carp Catfish Cod Cuttle Dace Dolphin

Eel Flounder Fugu Guppy Hag Hake Herring Pike Piranha Pollack

Salmon Sardine Shark Skate Sole Tench Trout Turbot

Find the names of different fish in the grid and the remaining letters will spell out a related phrase