Tipss content aug 13

Content Catalogue August 2013

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Content Articles Special 1: 1 August 1834 Special 2: Self-Publishing Facts The Better Life: A Chicken And Egg Story Beauty: Looking Good - How To Look Great In Every Photograph The Life List: Overspending? Help Is At Hand Book Reviews: Seeing Double Finance: Holiday Spending - Making Your Money Go Further Gardening Feature: Hot Favourites Health: Beat The BBQ Bugs Home & Interiors: Using Neutral Colours Trivia: Around Britain - 5 Inventions & Discoveries Humour: What Makes Them Beautiful...?

Life Begins: Does Everybody Need Good Neighbours?

Motoring Feature: Living With A Renault Twizy Seasonal Recipe: Peach Melba Shortcakes Short Story: The Art Competition Tech Review: A Better Reception Travel Feature: India - The Golden Temple of Amritsar

Puzzles

Cartoon 1 Cartoon 2 Children’s Page Cryptic Crossword Codeword General Knowledge Crossword Mini Cryptic Crossword Sudoku - Easy & Hard Super Duper Science Facts Hidato Pictogram Quiz 1: Title Characters Quiz 2: Currencies Simple Crossword Spot the Difference Two Minute Trial Word Ladder Wordsearch: Summer

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Articles Special 1

1st August 1834 Abolition of Slavery Act Passed August 1st is the anniversary of one of the few occasions when a great nation performed an act that was difficult and expensive for no better reason than that it was right.

During its 250 years, the trade in West African slaves was an enormous industry. Some 20 million Africans were crammed into ships; maybe 12 million survived the crossing and in the mid-18th century there were about 15,000 slaves in England.

Then in a celebrated courtcase in 1772 the Master of the Rolls, Lord Mansfield, ruled that a slave who had escaped and been recaptured in England could not be shipped to the Caribbean against his will: Mansfield stopped short of ruling slavery illegal, but inspired the growing band of abolitionists to create an entirely new political class.

In 1783 the Quakers launched an abolitionist petition, but were barred from Parliament until the mixed-denomination Society for the Abolition of the Slave Trade was formed in 1787. It succeeded, after a long struggle, because it mobilised a wide swathe of opinion among classes who had previously not been part of the political establishment: Evangelical Christians, merchants, industrialists and bourgeois; classes whose moral principles differed sharply from the landed ruling elite, and their very exclusion made them all the more determined to succeed.

An important patron was Admiral Sir Charles Middleton, a prominent man, but only the

son of a customs collector. He and his former ship’s chaplain, James Ramsay, became fervent abolitionists having seen the horrors of the trade for themselves while serving in the West Indies. The group that gathered round them were mostly Evangelicals; many, like the independent MP William Wilberforce and the researcher and pamphleteer Thomas Clarkson, had been born again; some, like the banker Samuel Hoare and the industrialist Josiah Wedgwood, were self-made men of wealth; and they included many influential women such as the religious writer Hannah Moore.

After four years of campaigning, having faced fierce hostility, Wilberforce put a Bill before Parliament that was beaten by 163 votes to 88. Following another 16 years of public meetings, petitions, lecture tours, pamphlets, relentless social networking, and the formation of a pressure group of MPs dubbed “The Saints”, another Bill was introduced. The hard work paid off: the campaigners had learned how to change opinions, and the Slave Trade Act 1807 forbidding the trade among British possessions was passed by 283 votes to 16. Treaties were signed with 50 African rulers who agreed to not to sell captives into slavery; and over the next decade the other colonial powers including America also abolished the trade.

But the work wasn’t done while slavery itself was still legal. It took a revolt in Jamaica on Christmas Day 1831 to bring the issue back

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Memorial statue of William Wilberforce in Westminster Abbey, London.

Credit Richard F Muth

to centre-stage: it started as a strike led by the Baptist minister Samuel Sharpe but was violently suppressed by the plantation-owners’ militia. In England there was outrage. A Parliamentary enquiry followed; and on August 1st 1834 the Act that abolished slavery was passed.

Wilberforce, alas, didn’t live to see it through – he had died the previous year.

It came at a price: 5,000 slave owners shared £20 million in compensation, 40% of the Government’s annual budget.

And it took years to implement and enforce. But August 1st remains the key anniversary and should be celebrated not only for the righting of a vast injustice, but because it was a day of triumph for democracy: a group of British progressives, though not at the outset powerful, would not take no for an answer... and in the end, led the world.

By Ted Bruning

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Special 2

Self-Publishing Facts Everyone’s doing it, but what’s involved in self-publishing?

You’re packing your bags after two weeks in the sun, and with a few hours to spare before leaving for the airport, you finish the last few pages of that 500-page novel. It called itself a ‘thriller’, but it was more of a yawn than a pageturner, so you discretely leave it on the bedside dresser for the next holidaymaker to battle through. And a little later on the aircraft, you wonder: can I do better?

Indeed, there are many writers doing better via the process of self-publishing. Some literary agents and publishers baulk at the notion of this disruptive new kid on the block stirring up trouble. But like the digital revolution in music, these intermediaries must adapt and innovate, or simply go out of business.

Literary agents are no longer necessarily the gatekeepers to publishing success. The doors have opened for everyday people to reach the masses with their writing and recent established successes have proved that self-publishing is credible and here to stay.

To start, you need access to a computer and the Internet and be able to format your book for upload to a publishing website. This may sound quite technical, but there is plenty of information and help

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longer 1½ pcan agalways e available, and you ask friends, relatives or even f o r mattheajoblsforo freelancers to do you. a vail Good material able

No matter how wonderful or ground-breaking your idea, you must present it as a well-written story with a good structure in order to give you the best chance of success.

Hone the craft of writing to your best ability; this will afford you respect amongst your readership. As with all creative endeavours, you will be open to the critics, so at least tackle the technical side of writing to deter them from attacking you on a basic level.

Proofreading and editing Ask people outside of your circle of friends and family to read and comment on your work. It’s not easy to invite opinion, but just watch how views differ. You may, however, discover a consistent thread within their comments from which you can learn and adjust the prose accordingly.

One of the wisest investments is to hire an experienced proofreader to check for grammatical and typing errors, and to provide editing suggestions on style. There are many freelance services available on the Internet, so do some research and obtain a number of estimates from the

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James Smith @jsmithwriter professionals.

Formatting Once you have the manuscript on your computer in a program such as Microsoft Word, you will need to have it formatted for upload to a site like Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) or Smashwords. There are guidelines on these websites, and free books that you can download, explaining the step-by-step process. It’s very important that the formatting is correct and there are freelance professionals that will oblige for a small fee.

Designing the cover Unless you are a graphic designer and have a talent for this type of work, then hire someone who can represent your work professionally. Often the cover is the first thing people will see on the Internet, so it must shine above the abundant competition.

Publishing The KDP and Smashwords sites enable you to prepare your material in the form of a draft via a ‘dashboard’, and when you’re ready, you can the set your price for various territories around the globe and submit it for publication.

People of all backgrounds and ages are self-publishing, so if you have a great story, be sure to put it out to the world.

The Better Life

The Better Life A Chicken and Egg Story

by Derek Thompson

Every household has its traditions and one of ours is that bad things tend to happen when I’m in charge.

Like when Anne popped up to Scotland, to see the rellies, and I was promoted from Deputy Chicken Keeper.

On days one and two, all was well and the cat spent more time with her nose pressed against the chicken fence, keeping guard. Day three, all was not well at all. “Is it me, or is Pepperami acting a little strange?” The cat ignored me, so I asked a neighbour (who’d once had her own brood) to cast an expert eye.

“Yes,” she said, “Pepperami is definitely waddling. She’s probably egg-bound.” My polite inquiry determined that: a) Any finger and petroleum jelly treatment was best left to the professionals. b) The vet would be unlikely to make a house call for a chicken.

Twenty minutes later, we were in the vet’s waiting room - me, Pepperami in the cat box and our neighbour offering support - surrounded by dogs and cats, who thought I’d brought them chicken in a basket. Eventually the veterinary nurse called out, “Pepperami,” and we went through to a chorus of laughter.

The vet examined Pepperami with the utmost care and

attention, and gave her a scan.

“Hmm...looks more like egg peritonitis,” she concluded, “but I’d like to consult a colleague just to be sure.” We left Pepperami there and I returned home to keep Sweet Pea company.

The veterinary poultry expert telephoned me an hour later.

He’d examined Pepperami again and confirmed the egg peritonitis. Having drawn off as much fluid as he could, he was ringing to discuss the options.

“Options?” I heard my voice waver. “Well, you see,” the vet said softly, “Pepperami is very poorly indeed. And while we could try antibiotics, I think the kindest thing...”

He didn’t need to finish the sentence. I looked out the window at Sweet Pea, who was wandering around the pen in search of her companion, and gave my consent.

“Don’t become too attached to them,” we’d been told when we first bought the chickens from a poultry farmer. But isn’t that the point? A Better Life for everyone involved, including the chickens.

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On the way back from the vet’s I glanced at the empty cat box beside me and thought about what a difference the chickens had made to our lives. Sweet Pea and Pepperami had marked a milestone in our desire to live greener, and nearly every neighbour had been keen to share their own chicken story.

Anne and I discussed whether to buy more pointof-lay chickens, but, mindful of Sweet Pea’s probable lifespan and the size of the coop, we decided to retire her.

Not in any mafia sense, you understand.

We quickly found Sweet Pea a new home at a local animal sanctuary, where - tentatively at first - she joined a small flock. When we visited her a couple of weeks later, she didn’t seem to recognise us, but she certainly recognised the raisins on offer. Old habits die hard, I suppose. Apparently she doesn’t put up with any funny business from the rooster - so it seems you can’t teach an old hen new tricks either.

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Beauty

Beauty

Looking Good - How to look great in every photograph

Let’s face it, we have all seen less-than-flattering pictures of ourselves turn up on a friend’s Facebook page at some point and cringed. Nowadays it’s more important than ever to look good in all of your photos, because you don’t know just how public they will turn out to be.

So, to guarantee that you will always look gorgeous whenever there’s a camera pointed in your direction, follow our tips, tricks and make-up hints and you’ll never ever have to worry about a bad photo again.

The Perfect Profile Pic Okay, so you want to impress your friends with

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Shopicture a pretty profile rter that doesn’t look too ‘posy’ but 1 payou which captures gelooking your best. formaneed t atolstake Firstly, you’ll oa lot ofa ‘test shots’ so that you v aimost labflattering can find the le angle for your individual

face shape. Generally it’s a good idea to focus your eyes onto the camera, move your face forward a bit, and tilt your chin downwards.

Take inspiration from how celebrities and models pose - because they have looking gorgeous down to a fine art.

Great hair and well applied make-up are essential for ensuring that you look your best on camera. Choose a light-reflecting foundation, in a full coverage variety to

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Image courtesy of Estee Lauder

even out your skin tone and help to create a flawless look.

Sweep bronzer over your entire face and neck to avoid that washed out look that is so common in photographs.

Sculpt your cheekbones by using a pinky blusher - make sure you apply it in the right place by leaving the width of two fingers on either side of your nose.

Define your eyes by using three different shades of eye shadow to contour your eyelids. Use the lightest shade on your brow bone as well as on the inner part of your eye, then sweep the medium colour on the natural crease, to add depth, before using the darkest shade on

the outer part of the eye and extending it all the way across your lash line to add definition.

Using black eyeliner, carefully line your eyes. the outer part of the eye Remember that using a and extending it all the way white eyeliner on the inner across your lash line to add rim, creates a wide-eyed definition. look. Next, curl your lashes Using with a black good eyeliner, quality eyelash carefully lineapply yourthe eyes. curlier and first Remember that using coat of mascara.

Applya a white the inner pair ofeyeliner ‘naturalon looking’ false rim, createsand a wide-eyed eyelashes finish with look.

Next, curl lashes another coat of your mascara to with a them good seamlessly quality eyelash blend with curlier and apply the first your natural lashes. coat of mascara. Apply a You will be amazed at the pair of ‘natural looking’ false difference that the false eyelashes and finish with eyelashes make to your another coat of mascara to photo - they immediately blend them seamlessly with open up your eyes and draw your natural lashes. attention to them, whilst You will you be amazed the making appear at younger difference that the false and more youthful. eyelashes make to your photo - they immediately open up your eyes and draw attention to them, whilst making you appear younger and more youthful.

If you choose to dye your hair, make sure that your eyebrows match your hair colour. Poorly defined eyebrows which are too light compared to your hair Ifcolour you choose to dye will make youryour facial hair, make sure that your features look unbalanced eyebrows your hair - but don’tmatch be tempted to colour.

Poorly make them toodefined dark either, eyebrows too as that canwhich resultare in you light compared to your hair looking bad-tempered. colour will make your facial To make your teeth appear features look unbalanced whiter, choose a lipstick - but don’t be tempted to shade which has a blue make them too dark either, undertone to the colour - this as that can result in you could be a pink or red hue. A looking bad-tempered. lot of cosmetic brands have To yournow teeth lip make products on appear sale whiter, choose a lipstick which have been designed shade which has a blue with this in mind. undertone toto the coloura - this Use lip liner create could be a pink or redLine hue. A perfect cupid’s bow. lot of cosmetic brands have your lips with a shade which lip products now on sale matches the lipstick you will which have been designed be using. Keep to feather with this in mind.

Use lip liner to create a perfect cupid’s bow. Line your lips with a shade which matches the lipstick you will be using. Keep to feather

The Life List Overspending?

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like strokes as you apply and gently fill in the lips with your pencil, so that there are no visible unnatural lines. Using a lip brush, coat your lips with your lipstick like you apply andstrokes finish byasapplying a and gentlydab fill inofthe with generous lip lips gloss to your pencil,ofsoyour thatlips there the centre for a are no visible unnatural lovely, full look. lines. Using a lip brush, coat Here’s a top tip for getting your lips with your lipstick a perfect smile - put your and finish by applying a tongue behind your teeth. generous dab of lip gloss to This relaxes the whole face the centre of your lips for a and results in a completely lovely, full look. natural smile being captured Here’s a top tip for getting on camera. aMost perfect smile - put importantly, beyour tongue behind your teeth. confident and enjoy creating This relaxes the whole face some fantastic photographs and results in a completely which will no doubt be the natural smile being captured envy of all of your Facebook on camera. friends.

Most importantly, be Taylor

By Helen confident and enjoy creating some fantastic photographs which will no doubt be the envy of all of your Facebook friends.

By Helen Taylor

Life List

take your cards out, they’ll probably stink too.

Sharpen the edges of your credit cards and you’ll draw blood every time you take them out. Do not combine this strategy with options 2 or 3.

Write ‘You are an idiot’ on all the banknotes in your wallet or purse. You’ll think twice about taking them out to spend them.

Change all your money into stamps and try to use them as legal currency. If you aren’t arrested or assaulted before you’ve completed the transaction, I’d be very surprised.

Change all your cash into coins. Even simple purchases will take forever and you’ll have the added benefit of a free workout on the way to the shops.

And if all else fails, how about only buying what you can afford?

Portrait form5.at also There have been key conversations It’s important to manage your debts, but howavaila ble about avoiding them in the first place? Here Help is at hand

are some extremely creative solutions to overspending.

1. Post your credit cards to yourself, second-class. Not only will you have a week free of temptation, you might never see your cards again.

2. If standing in a shopping queue, drop your credit card down the trousers of the person in front of you (baggy jeans have their uses). Now, how desperate are you for your cards?

3. Put your credit cards in your socks, under your feet, before you leave the house. Not only will it be an ordeal to

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© Derek Thompson www.alongthewritelines.blogspot.com

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Book Reviews

Seeing Double

The Girls Lori Lansens Rose and Ruby Darlen are conjoined twins who narrate their own story of what it’s like to quite literally grow up, together. Joined at their heads, Rose carries her smaller sister Ruby around on her hip. Set in a small town in Ontario, Canada, the Darlen twins give us a rare glimpse into their lives. Learning about how the two young women cope with the ordinary, while being very much an extraordinary pair makes for an amazing read.

I know This Much is True Wally Lamb In an act of protest over war in the Middle East, paranoid schizophrenic Thomas Birdsey cuts off his hand in a public library. As Thomas decides not to reattach his hand, his twin brother, Dominick decides to help him escape the confines of his mental institution. The novel draws emotional parallels between the lives of the two twins and the internal struggles of the one ‘normal’ twin who certainly has more than his fair share of demons to contend with.

Twelfth Night William Shakespeare It all begins with a shipwreck and Viola, having been washed up on the coastline of

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In August we celebrate twinning. I’m not talking Swanage with Rudesheim…more Arnie and Danny De Vito. It’s Twins Festival Day on the fourth and we’ve managed to find some fantastic books that feature not one, but two great protagonists.

Illyria, believes that her twin brother Sebastian is lost to the tempestuous sea. Viola is rescued by a sea captain, disguises herself as a young man (as you do) and starts working for the Duke, Orsino who thinks he’s in love with Olivia. Viola acts as a gobetween to convey the Duke’s love for Olivia, who herself promptly falls in love with the disguised Viola. Meanwhile, Viola falls in love with Orsino.

Confused? You should be. It has everything we’ve come to know and love about the Bard: mistaken identity, unrequited love, buffoons and a girl pretending she’s a boy.

Her Fearful Symmetry Audrey Niffenegger Identical twins Julie and Valentina live in America but have just inherited a flat near Highgate Cemetery from their mum’s estranged twin sister, Elspeth. In fact, that’s the one stipulation of the will: that their mother is never allowed to cross the threshold of the apartment. The rift has never been explained and the girls are keen to find out why. It’s a strange and intriguing tale centring round not one but two sets of slightly ethereal twins.

Identical Elen Hopkins Standing out when you’re an

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identical twin is never going to be easy. 16 year olds Kaeleigh and Raeanne are both desperate for their parents’ attention but their father is a District Court Judge and mother’s running for Congress.

So they both play their separate roles: one’s a goody two-shoes and the other’s a real rebel, hell-bent on self-destruction.

Daddy’s little girls are growing up a little twisted and these two very different halves are both trying to work out how to be whole again….but not in a saccharine Atomic Kitten-type way.

The Memory Keeper’s Daughter Kim Edwards It’s the mid-sixties and, during a freak Kentucky snowstorm, Norah Henry goes into labour.

Her doctor husband delivers the healthy baby boy with the aid of a nurse, Caroline Gill.

But there’s another little life following quickly behind him, a girl with Down’s syndrome.

Dr David Henry tells his wife that she was stillborn and then instructs Caroline to take the baby to a mental institution.

Instead, Caroline escapes with the baby and raises her as her own. The two twins grow up, not knowing of the other’s existence, until one night in a blizzard, numerous lives are turned upside down.

Finance

Holiday Spending Making your money go further Affording a family holiday isn’t easy in these cash-strapped times. According to recent research by the Office for National Statistics, nearly a third of Britons don’t have the money to afford a week-long break.

So, if you’ve managed to stretch your finances and save up for a holiday this summer, you want to make sure your hard-earned cash goes as far as possible. After all, you want your money to be spent on creating memorable moments rather than paying out for avoidable charges:

Think ahead

Don’t buy your currency at the airport or you’ll be stung with poor rates and big commission fees. A Which? investigation looking at rates on changing £500 in 10 places across the country found a difference of 13 euros. That could easily buy you a lunchtime menu du jour or a couple of Tequila Sunrises.

The best idea is to order your money online in advance. You usually have to exchange a minimum of £100 to avoid delivery fees, but that’s a lot less than you’d need on your family holiday anyway. ICE, Travelex, the Post Office and The Currency Club consistently have good rates and you can order and pick up at the airport.

If you’re changing a small amount, the high street can still be a good option. Try the Post Office or M&S for 0% deals.

Card or cash?

If you’re just nipping out of the country for a long weekend, you might like to rely on hard cash alone but most people don’t want to carry wads of money around with them.

That’s where plastic comes in. But it’s important to make sure you have the right card otherwise you could be hit with hefty withdrawal and transaction fees.

Pre-paid cards can help you to budget more effectively as you load them with money before you go. There are various types available, so make sure you choose one that doesn’t charge you fees to load, spend or withdraw cash. ICE and My Travel Cash often have extra incentives like free Hi-Life diner cards or cashback on purchases too.

If you’d rather take a debit or credit card, then check the charges with your bank before you travel. It might pay you to switch. Spend on most credit cards and you face an exchange or commission fee on transactions you make abroad, usually around three per cent of your purchase.

The Halifax Clarity Credit Card

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is widely recommended as it doesn’t charge for overseas use and you can withdraw up to £500 a day without incurring ATM charges.

Remember that for debit cards, most banks charge a foreign exchange fee of around three per cent, just like credit cards.

Then, add on withdrawal fees of around two per cent and extra charges every time you use your card and you could soon end up spending a small fortune.

When in Rome…

Do what the locals do and eat out at lunch time rather than going to a restaurant for dinner. You can usually enjoy a three-course meal, including local wine for a snip. Shop in the local markets, rather than supermarkets designed for tourists, and you’ll pick up fresh produce at bargain prices.

And, if you’re planning any excursions during your trip, whether that’s a day out at a waterpark or a visit to the zoo, then search for web vouchers before you go. Once you arrive, pick up free leaflets and newspapers to find money-off coupons.

With a bit of forward planning, you can make sure your euros, dollars or lira go the extra mile.

By Liz Hands

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Gardening

Hot Favourites

by Pippa Greenwood Lychnis chalcedonica Our summer weather isn’t usually unbearably warm; in fact it is often pretty cool and a little bit of extra heat would be very welcome. With a little bit of planning and some careful planting, you could turn your garden into the hottest site out, regardless of the real weather.

You can plant to create a mass of hot colours. All you have to do is plant beds, borders or containers full of hot reds, screaming yellows and glowing oranges. True, most of the planting is best done in the autumn, but a visit to a garden centre at this time of year will reveal a fabulous display of plants which can be put to good use in your garden now.

For real energy and vibrancy, choose plenty of yellows and golds, including some of the golden rods (Solidago), which should be flowering well into September.

I am a great fan of coreopsis, including the various forms of Coreopsis verticillata, which flowers well into the autumn and is unlikely to need staking.

If you like to see flat looking flower heads in your garden then take a closer peep at some of the achilleas, including ‘Coronation Gold’.

No late summer border is complete without the cone

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longer flowers1 or½ rudbekias with their p daisy-like ge deliciously bright,a flowers -rm these should last you f o at also through October. avascreaming For some ilab scarlets e and other shades of lred,

consider growing the dahlia ‘Bishop of Llandaff’, Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’, Lychnis chalcedonica.

In damper areas you could use Lobelia ‘Queen Victoria’ or many of the other moistureloving types of lobelia which produce huge spires of red flowers, so different from those tiny blue, pink and white bedding lobelias which are more widely grown.

To make sure that your summer time plantings do well, take heed of the following tips: • If it’s a hot day, try to plant in early evening or at least late afternoon when the main heat of the sun has died down.

• Always make sure that plants are really well watered before you put them in the ground.

• Soak the compost thoroughly and make sure that it’s wetted right to the base before you begin.

• Incorporate plenty of bulky organic matter, such as garden compost, well-rotted manure or some proprietary

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compost from your garden centre, as this will help to retain moisture.

• Once the plants are in position, water them in thoroughly - the water needs to go right down to where the plant needs it, at its roots.

• Once the soil is moist, apply a good, deep mulch of 2–3 inches (5–7.5 cm), all around the soil surface. This will help to keep moisture in, protect the plant roots from the heat of the sun and at the same time keep weeds at bay.

Don’t forget to tend to your hot border again in the autumn, when you will find small versions of many of these plants readily available in garden centres, often at only a couple of pounds per pot and when you will also be able to plant some more warming oranges and reds using bulbs and corms.

Visit Pippa’s website www. pippagreenwood.com for her ‘Winter thru’ Spring’ vegetable collection, great plants for September planting and regular advice emails from Pippa. Buy a great range of gardening products including Nemasys caterpillar, slug, ant and other biological controls, Enviromesh and Envirofleece.

Health

Beat the BBQ Bugs

By Julia Faulks cramps, vomiting, diarrhoea, fever and headaches.

It’s even more important to be careful of food contamination if you’re pregnant, young, elderly, or have a chronic illness. If you’re worried about how well the food is cooking, then there’s nothing wrong with bringing your own meat to cook indoors first, to avoid it altogether, or stick to the safer food options instead.

Cooking raw meat safely

If reports are to be believed summer 2013 will not be quite the washout we experienced last year, which means it’s finally time to dust off our barbecues. Here’s how to make sure you don’t fall victim to food poisoning while dining al fresco…

Once the person manning the BBQ has a bottle of beer in one hand and a fly swat in the other it can be all too easy to become complacent while trying to please hungry guests.

When it comes to cooking outdoors and maintaining good food hygiene, it’s important to remember a few basic rules to keep those bugs away - and we’re not just talking about flies and midges. Warm weather is the perfect breeding ground for bugs such as E. coli, Salmonella and Campylobacter to grow, which can lead to nausea, stomach

When we cook raw meat on a BBQ it can be hard to tell if it’s actually cooked properly charred may be tasty, but that doesn’t mean it’s well done.

There’s also a risk to your health if you spread germs from raw meat onto food that is ready to eat.

It’s also worth remembering that just because chicken is hot on the outside, it doesn’t mean it’s safe, so make sure it’s not pink, the juices run clear and it’s steaming hot all the way through.

BBQ fans also need to be careful when it comes to food bugs in side dishes. Coleslaw, mayonnaise and rice dishes are perfect breeding grounds for bacteria and are just as much of a risk when it comes to causing food poisoning.

Follow these top 10 BBQ safety rules: 1. Wash your hands before you start cooking or preparing food and thoroughly after handling raw meat.

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2. Cook meat first in the oven then put it on the BBQ to add to the flavour.

3. Use separate utensils for raw and cooked meat.

4. Keep plates or raw meat separate to cooked food.

5. Make sure the coals are glowing red with a powdery grey surface before you start cooking – this means that they are hot enough to cook on. If they are still flickering then it’s not quite ready.

6. Don’t cook meat from frozen – make sure it’s properly thawed beforehand.

7. Turn the meat regularly and move it around the BBQ to make sure it cooks evenly.

8. Don’t add sauces or marinades to cooked food if it’s already been mixed with raw meat.

9. You can eat steaks and joints of beef or lamb (not cooked in the middle) as long as the outside has been properly cooked, but this does not include food made from minced meat, such as sausages and burgers.

10.Make sure that salads, dips, desserts, deli meats, sandwiches and cooked rice are not kept out of the fridge for any more than a couple of hours. Instead, keep them cool, covered, and out of the sun.

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Home & Interiors

Using Neutral Colours

ter 1 page format a harmonious, calm andlso aNeutrals vailawork inviting. blewell in both old and new houses,

Walls in Maiden Voyage, £36.50 for 2.5l super emulsion, Fired Earth (0845 293 8798; firedearth.com)

Watch any property development show and the expert’s advice is always to paint walls a neutral colour.

Estate agents tend to agree, and for good reason. Unless a potential buyer shares your exact taste, they will be put off by rooms painted in vibrant colours. So if you’re thinking of selling your home, go for neutrals every time. But what if you’re building or renovating a home that you plan to stay in? Aren’t neutrals just a little boring?

The answer is that yes, they can be. But only when you get it wrong. Get it right and you’ll find that this is a truly sophisticated way to decorate. A well-planned neutral scheme is goodlooking yet understated,

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With an almost infinite range of colours from pure white to earthy tones of grey and beige, neutrals are timelessly fashionable. In fact, says Katherine Sorrell, they’re the little black dresses of interior design, flattering in every light and good-looking for all Shoccasions. or

small or large spaces and are brilliant at providing cohesion between rooms.

Let’s start with white. Rooms painted pure white can appear bigger and brighter, thanks to the way the colour reflects light around. A clean white wall is a great background for vibrant paintings, for the coloured spines of books, or simply for a jug of flowers. On the other hand, though, white can appear cold, stark and unwelcoming, especially when a room is north- or east-facing and doesn’t have the benefit of direct sunlight.

A white with an added touch of yellow or pink can warm up such a space. White

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By Katherine Sorrell can also look odd in period homes. Slightly muddier off-whites are often a better choice for an old cottage, Georgian terrace or a barn conversion. The lesson is to use pure white with care.

Beyond white, neutrals vary in hue from cream to sand, through beige to stone.

Some are more greyish, some more yellowish, others more pinkish or brownish.

How do you choose? The best advice is to start by eliminating any neutrals that you simply don’t like. Next, discard those that wouldn’t work with the architecture of your house or colours of your furniture.

Then, it’s time to try out some tester pots. Paint at least two coats on a large

piece of white card, or better still, on several pieces of card, and stick them on every wall around the room.

Observe the colours at the times of day when you’ll usually be in the room, and with your lights both on and off.

Having chosen your favourite colour, avoid using it everywhere. Even the nicest neutral can be boring if used indiscriminately.

In fact, over-use of one neutral alone is probably the biggest mistake you can make. Be careful, however, when combining neutrals: another big mistake is to use different hues that are all of the same tone (slightly different colours but the same degree of lightness or darkness). The clash can be

awful. The solution to both these problems is to take a colour chart and go up or down (dark to light) within the same colour family, rather than working across from colour to colour. Use darker tones for woodwork, with lighter ones for walls or, if you have features such as cornices and dadoes, you may wish to vary the wall tones with lighter ones above and darker ones below the divisions. You can also use different neutrals to provide a gentle visual link from room to room: perhaps a very pale colour in a narrow hallway, with slightly darker hues in a living room and a warm tone in a dining room.

Finally, bear in mind that the plainer the colours, the more

important texture becomes, so choose your finishes with as much care as you do your colours. You can choose from flat or modern (shiny) emulsion, eggshell, satinwood and gloss, not to mention suede effects, shimmers and high gloss clear top coats. The shinier the finish, the paler the colour will appear, so you may need to compensate by choosing a slightly darker shade.

So there you have it – a huge variety of colours, shades and textures with which to play around, and, by following some basic rules, the results should be stylish and easy to live with, as well as adding value to your property. Now who said neutrals were boring?

Trivia

Around Britain 5 Inventions & Discoveries 1. Belfast, Northern Ireland - Professor Northern Ireland Professor Frank Pantridge of Belfast’s Queens University used two car batteries to invent the portable defibrillator, used to administer an electric shock to cardiac patients, in the 1960s. Weighing 70kg/154lb, the first device was installed in an ambulance in 1965.

2. Crowmarsh Gifford, Oxfordshire It was while living at Crowmarsh 2. Crowmarsh Gifford, Oxfordshire - It Gifford in Oxfordshire in the late 17th century that Jethro Tull invented the seed drill, a simple wheeled device used to plant seeds at regular intervals and depths. His invention paved the way for the agricultural revolution.

Yarmouth, Norfolk - Comprising a copper cylinder containing three gallons of 3. Great Yarmouth, Norfolk - Comprising potash solution, the first fire extinguisher was invented by Captain George Manby, Master of the Great Yarmouth Barracks, in 1813. Manby also invented a type of harpoon and a device for rescuing people who had fallen through ice.

Powys When the Welsh entrepreneur Sir Pryce Pryce-Jones began selling 4. Newtown, Powys - When homemade Welsh flannel through the mail in the 1830s, he became the inventor of what is now mail-order shopping. His clients included Queen Victoria and Florence Nightingale.

Lancashire The spinning jenny was invented by James Hargreaves, a weaver 5. Stanhill, Lancashire - The working in Stanhill in Lancashire, in 1764. The device vastly increased the amount of fir developments of yarn a single weaver could produce, and is considered one of the first Britain’s industrial revolution. © Taken from The British Isles: A Trivia Gazetteer by Paul Anthony Jones, out now.

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Humour

What Makes Them Beautiful...?

One Direction - why have one Justin Bieber when you could have five?

I am ever so slightly obsessed with One Direction.

Not in a creepy way, you understand (in as un-creepy a way as it’s possible for a 32 year-old man to be unduly interested in a boyband). I don’t actually listen to their music, or buy their merchandise, and I won’t be going out of my way to visit their waxworks at Madame Tussauds - but as a musical phenomenon, I find them completely fascinating.

I should probably put this in a wee bit of context. A few months ago I secured a new writing contract providing gossip updates for a One Direction fan club. When I applied for the job, I didn’t know it was 1D (if you’re hip you call them 1D), but when I eventually found out the identity of the act in question I didn’t see it as any reason to turn down the contract. One Direction are a band and I am a musician and music writer.

The fact that they happen to be aimed at teenage girls didn’t seem to me a valid reason to pass on a perfectly decent freelancing job.

And so now, every day, I tap away on my computer about the world’s hottest boystars. Which older woman does Harry Styles currently

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have his eye on? I know the answer. Who do the bookies say is most likely to turn out to be ‘the gay one’? I know the answer. Which member of One Direction has the worst flatulence? I know the answer (it’s Niall, by the way).

I know all their surnames. I know which football teams they played for at school. I know that Harry Styles worked in the W Mandeville bakery in Holmes Chapel before going on X Factor. Indeed, I am fast approaching the point at which the Mastermind chair - special subject Harry, Niall, Liam, Louis and Zayn - is easily within my grasp.

And this has led me somewhere unexpected. I find myself experiencing just a teaser of what it must be like to be an adolescent caught in the grip of 1D fever. They play on my mind all the time.

‘Should I have joined a boyband when I was 19?’ I find myself wondering, for the first time ever. How would I have fared at the X Factor boot camp? You must understand this is quite unusual for me, as I’ve been a professional musician for ten years now and have always maintained that it’s about the music, not the fame (just as well in my case). I still think that… it’s

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by Chris Russell just now there is also the teeniest part of me that would like to be in One Direction for a day.

So there you have it. I shunned boy-bands when I was a teenager because I wanted to be cool. I shunned boy-bands when I was in my twenties because, well, obviously I did. But now I am embracing them - or at least, this particular one - and I felt it was time for me to come out of the closet.

So, I love One Direction. Not in a creepy way (that warrants a second mention), but… well… just because they’re, like, SO SUPER AWESOME, and OHMYGODHARRY OHMYGODHARRYSTYLESHASTHEBESTHAIR etc.

Please don’t tell anyone.

Chris is a freelance writer and musician with internationallyrenowned rock band The Lightyears. The Lightyears, voted the UK’s BEST POP/ROCK ACT at the Indy Awards, have played Wembley Stadium, toured across four continents and released a record with Sting’s producer. Chris has recently completed his first book, “Mockstars”, based on The Lightyears’ tour diaries. www.

MockstarsTheNovel.com.

Life Begins

Life Begins Does everybody need good neighbours?

In search of a radical change of lifestyle, my partner and I recently moved from the secluded, detached town house where we had lived for fifteen years to a tiny terraced cottage in a village street. One of the greatest contrasts between the old life and the new was that we found ourselves completely surrounded by neighbours.

It soon became clear to us that our street was blessed with a particularly strong community spirit. As soon as we arrived, several people knocked on our door to welcome us to the neighbourhood and we received a number of drinks invitations. As the old song goes: “That’s when neighbours become good friends.”

Or is it? Although we enjoyed all this social interaction, as time passed the things we learned about our neighbours’ personalities made us wonder whether we would be wise to hold back a little…

There was Marianne (or “Saint Marianne” as we subsequently named her) whose chief mission in life was to save the neighbourhood from

Longer 1into ½urban degenerating pachaos: ge drop a sweet wrapper in the ormbeaoutt there road andfshe’d also with her bin bag and rubber gloves. avai lable Then there was Sandra, the Santa Claus of the gardening world, who would drop round with gifts of various cuttings and plants. However, her visits were inevitably followed by anxious requests for us to deal with our dandelions before their seeds spread to her garden.

Billy was the jolliest neighbour on the street, but when he’d had a couple of pints at the local pub he would feel inspired to sing opera at the top of his voice. Then there was Maggie with her chickens and Joe with his tendency to tell off-colour jokes whenever his wife was out of earshot.

We liked them all, of course – but our former lives had not prepared us to live within such close proximity to other people. Were we really cut out for community life? We called on some old friends for advice.

Our research turned up a variety of viewpoints. Some treated their neighbours as

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By Kate McLelland

an extension of their own families, whereas others simply exchanged pleasantries over the garden fence. Others told us chilling stories about noisy parties, barking dogs, overgrown trees, unregulated extensions – all delivered in a tone which suggested: “You watch out – it could happen to you.”

We are all vulnerable when it comes to antisocial behaviour, but useful guidance is available from the Citizens Advice Bureau, who offer a handy guide entitled “Neighbour Disputes” (www. adviceguide.org.uk). Here you’ll also find contact details for Environmental Protection UK, who publish an excellent series of leaflets on dealing with noise pollution.

Web forums are full of tales about “Neighbours from Hell” and it’s a sobering experience to read how badly things can go wrong when territorial disputes arise. Strangely enough, however, it was those very horror stories that provided the greatest reassurance to us in relation to our own neighbours.

In spite of all their small eccentricities we agreed that we were lucky to share our street with such a group of community-minded individuals: they not only added colour and character to the neighbourhood, they worked hard to make sure that it remained an attractive place to live.

The kind of place, in fact, that even cynical old ‘townies’ like us might be proud to call home.

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Motoring

Living with a Renault Twizy Renault’s mad electric car turns heads everywhere it goes, but what’s it like to live with?

Let me make some formal introductions to our newest long-term test fleet member – the Renault Twizy.

This full EV can do around 60 miles on a charge, which takes about four hours and costs less than £1. It’ll do 50mph, doors are optional extras and it looks like a turbo-charged mobility scooter.

I’ve been driving the bonkers Renault for a month now, to and from the office, which is about two miles away, and I absolutely love it.

There is no other car available anywhere in the world that attracts so much attention yet costs so little. Starting at £7k, and with a monthly rental charge for the batteries (which facilitates replacement if they go wrong) that starts from £45 a month, it’s an absolute magnet for attention.

I’m not people would be so excited about a Leaf or Zoe – because it’s the Twizy’s mad looks that really has people interested. I still can’t quite believe that Renault built it. I’m sure glad they did, though.

So, what’s it like to live with?

Well, surprisingly easy. I can commute for 10 days before I need to run a cable out of our office window and charge

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it up. The plug is in the front and only reaches about three metres so it’s a bit of a faff to recharge. It involves security guard bothering extension cables and a dry day, but in a month I’ve only had to do it three times.

throw them open, and the fact you can get out either side has meant I can park within inches of my colleagues’ drivers side doors, so they have to climb in the passenger side. I don’t think that joke will ever grow old – for me at least.

Inside, space is best described as cosy. For the driver it’s not too bad, although the seat could do with the ability to tilt the back-rest. The passenger, who sits pillion style behind the driver, is a little more cramped and in wet weather becomes a bit damp. The Twizy doesn’t come with doors or windows, although we do have both.

I think part of my love for the Twizy comes from being a biker. It has some of the fun of being out in the open, but you don’t get wet and there’s no time wasted putting on a load of protective equipment.

Renault sent a man to fit some windows for us a week after the car arrived. These are made from plastic with metal edges that slot into two brackets on the doors, a bit like putting up a tent. To be honest I prefer the Twizy without them.

On the road it’s great fun. It’s comfortably quick enough to keep up with town traffic, it handles well and although the suspension crashes a little, it’s bearable. Our car has a retrofit Bluetooth system fitted with two speakers in the roof.

The scissor style doors look seriously smart when you

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I have another 6 months to look forward to in the Twizy and I’m already seriously considering buying one at the end.

The Knowledge Model: Renault Twizy Colour Price: £8,810 as tested Engine: Asynchronous electric motor Power: 17bhp Max Speed: 50mph 0-28mph: 6.1s MPG: N/A Emissions: Zero Costs this month: 99p (cloth to wipe the seats when it rains)

By James Baggott, managing director of BlackballMedia.co.uk, an automotive services specilaist

Recipe

Peach Melba Shortcakes Serves 8

Ready in 35 minutes, plus cooling These shortcakes are perfect for a speedy summer dessert.

They take just minutes to make and bake and can be filled with whatever seasonal fruit you have to hand. Here they are filled with a rich and sweet mascarpone cream with juicy peaches and fresh raspberries but a simple dollop of extra thick cream and some sliced strawberries will be just as impressive.

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4.

Lightly grease a large baking sheet.

Ingredients: • • • •

175g self-raising flour 1/2 tsp baking powder 75g butter, chilled and diced 55g caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling • 1 large egg, beaten • 1 tbsp milk

Filling • • • • •

125g mascarpone cheese 2 tbsp icing sugar 6 tbsp single cream 175g fresh raspberries 2 ripe peaches, stoned and sliced

Tip The shortcakes can be made a day in advance and stored in an airtight container. Fill with the cream and fruit 1-2 hours before serving.

Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Add the diced butter and rub into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar then add the beaten egg and milk and mix to a soft dough.

Knead the dough lightly on a floured surface and roll out to a 1cm thickness. Using an 8cm round cookie cutter stamp out 8 rounds, gently re-rolling the trimmings as necessary.

Place on the prepared baking sheet, prick the top of each round lightly with a fork then sprinkle with a little caster sugar.

Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until risen and pale golden.

Carefully transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.

To make the filling, beat the mascarpone cheese with the icing sugar and cream until smooth. Push half the raspberries through a fine-holed sieve to make a puree.

Slice each shortcake in half horizontally and top the bottom halves with the cream mixture, peach slices and remaining raspberries.

Drizzle over the raspberry puree and top with remaining shortcake halves.

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Short Story

Short Story The Art Competition Mayoress Wendy Wimpole climbed nervously onto the podium, clutching her handwritten speech. She glanced over the roomful of expectant faces towards the exit, and calculated how quickly she could reach it once she’d finished speaking. She cleared her throat.

“Firstly, I must thank Club Chairman, Mr Eugene Greatorex, for inviting me to announce the winner of this year’s Erewash Society of Artists’ art competition. It’s a pleasure and an honour to support our local arts.

Secondly, I would also like to thank members of the Visually Impaired Support Group for stepping in at the last minute to judge the competition. As you know, the local Genealogy Society were originally judging but had to drop out once they discovered they were related to over half of the competitors.

Though this year’s competition has received a record number of submissions, several pieces didn’t make it to the final judging. A competition like this thrives thanks to the artists who support it, so it is worth taking time to acknowledge every artwork, regardless of whether it was deemed eligible of winning.

For example, when the caretaker, Mr Fealty, who you will know as Mr Greatorex’s brother-in-law, was found slumped over his Henry vacuum cleaner as a result of fumes given off by a certain brand of spray glue, drastic action was needed. The pictures which

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had been mounted with this glue were hastily removed and disqualified. I believe a strong letter to the glue manufacturers is already in draft.

Four further paintings were suspected of being ‘paint by numbers’. As Mr Greatorex says, this may be acceptable in some art competitions, but not Erewash Society’s. These artworks have been removed pending inspection by a forensics expert - once the society has found one.

Another unfortunate disqualification was a lovely landscape submitted by Vince Goring, our famous local miniature artist. The painting did not meet the minimum size specified in the competition entry form fine print. And to quote Mr Greatorex, ‘Goring, of all people, should be used to looking at small things’.

One artist made the decision to remove her painting from the competition on the discovery that it had been hung upsidedown. I thought this was a huge shame, as I found Amanda Down’s portrait of her late mother particularly moving - once I’d seen it the right way round.

Now I come to last night’s unfortunate incident. The society’s heartfelt apologies go out to the artist, who prefers to remain anonymous - though I can reveal has recently been referred to by the local press as ‘Erewash’s answer

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to Bansky’. Again, the society cannot stress enough that if Mr Fealty had realised the canvas was in fact a work of art, and not graffiti, he would never have scrubbed it quite so vigorously with bleach.

After furious debate, as last year’s winner was Moira Doughty’s evocative painting of a tiger, the society felt a painting of a tiger shouldn’t win two years in a row. This was a last minute change to the rules. Controversially, the decision meant that twelve of the thirteen remaining paintings were out of the running, and caused twelve society members to suddenly resign.

So, finally, it is with great pleasure I pronounce the winner. While the winning painting was in fact the only artwork left in the competition, it is no less worthy. With his painting entitled, ‘Self Portrait with a Shelf of Trophies’, I think we all agree, given the huge effort he has put in, there is no one more deserving. Please give a warm, round of applause to our winner, Mr Eugene Greatorex.”

By Jackie Brewster

Technology Review

A Better Reception The upgrades that can feed your high-tech TV

TV’s been around for a long time and we’re all familiar with the standard roof aerial’s coaxial cable. But what happens when an old-style aerial isn’t enough? It might be because your Freeview reception isn’t up to scratch, or because you want to upgrade to Freesat - or it might be because you have a Smart TV that’s just begging to be connected to your broadband, or because you want to have TVs in multiple rooms.

Freeview boxes can be particularly prone to reception problems, especially if they’re the fairly cheap ones you can buy in supermarkets. If the signal isn’t strong enough you’ll encounter picture freezes and the picture degrading into a series of large blocks.

Upgrading your aerial to a better one can help address this: the better the signal going in, the better the experience you’re going to get from your TV. Remember too that aerials can benefit more than just your TV: you can also buy dedicated aerials for FM radio and DAB radio.

If the signal’s good enough, you can run the aerial to multiple rooms and install extra points without having to install a new aerial. The process is fairly straightforward - your aerial has

a box called a splitter, which provides multiple connections for the cables to your new points – but it’s important to use the right cable: cheap cables can suffer from interference and poor signal quality. If in doubt, ask a professional installer.

Another popular option is Freesat, which offers all the benefits of satellite TV without the expensive monthly subscriptions. With over 150 channels including six free HD ones it’s a great service, but of course you’ll also need a satellite dish so you can receive it. You’ll need a dedicated Freesat SD or Freesat HD box, too, although if you’re an ex-Sky customer you should be able to use your existing dish with your new Freesat box.

Freesat isn’t the only satellite service you can access.

Many European channels are broadcast by satellites, and while many are scrambled plenty aren’t; in most cases, accessing them requires a slightly different kind of satellite dish to the one you’d use for Sky. If you’ve bought a TV in the last few years there’s a very good chance it’s a smart TV with some kind of internet features: even relatively affordable sets such as Finlux’s

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£269 32F8030-T comes with internet services including BBC iPlayer, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. While some such TVs include wireless network connections, including the Finlux we’ve just mentioned, home wireless networks aren’t usually up to the job of streaming HD TV - especially if other family members are using the same network for their laptops, tablets or smartphones. For best results we’d recommend a wired broadband connection, which connects to your TV via an Ethernet cable - and we’d make the same recommendation for smart Blu-Ray players with internet features as well as games consoles such as PlayStations and Xboxes.

The problem for many households is that the TV, games console or smart BluRay player is nowhere near the internet router, and while you can run Ethernet cabling over door frames and around skirting boards to connect your device to the router the results can be rather unsightly. A professional installer can run the cabling and make it invisible, and we think it’s well worth doing: not only will you have the best possible speeds from your internet connection, but you won’t have to look at any unsightly cabling.

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Travel

India The Golden Temple of Amritsar

By Solange Hando Sparkling gold leaf, glistening water, cloisters, domes and shrines, the Golden Temple is as stunning as the Taj Mahal but it is no mere mausoleum.

Set in Amritsar, in north-west India, ‘Harmandir Sahib’ is a living place, beautifully mirrored in a sacred lake, a once in a lifetime pilgrimage for most Sikhs though everyone is welcome, regardless of creed.

Step through the gate and the temple takes your breath away, rising at the far end of a marble pathway followed by myriads of pilgrims from dawn to dusk. Women in colourful saris, gurus in bright blue turbans, young men with orange headscarves symbolising the Sikh flag, barefoot visitors, it’s a hive of activity yet an oasis of peace at the heart of town, just a few miles from the Pakistan border. Some meditate at the water’s edge, others sprinkle rose petals around the holy trees, men take a ritual bath in the designated area, holding on to dangling chains for safety. Then all make their way along the causeway to the inner sanctum, quietly joining the queues clutching prayer books. Beyond the silver gates, the holy

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scriptures are read aloud throughout the day before being returned ceremoniously at night to the safety of the Akal Takhat.

Holy men had gathered on this spot long before Guru Nanak founded Sikhism around 1499 but Amritsar, the ‘pool of nectar’ which gave the town its name, was later extended and a temple was built on land donated by the great Mughal Emperor Akbar. Centuries later, the upper floors were covered in gold leaf by Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the ‘Lion of Punjab’ and founder of the Sikh Empire.

When the sun sets, the Golden Temple comes into its own But despite a troubled past at times, Sikhism remains true to the gurus’ teachings, a way of life based on worship, equality between all human beings and volunteering in the service of others, three principles which shine in Amritsar as brightly as the dazzling layers of gold leaf. Here, in the world’s largest communal kitchen, up to 100,000 visitors a day receive free meals prepared by volunteers. Chopping,

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cooking, serving or cleaning, everyone can help, though there is no pressure, and in the dining hall, people of all castes, men, women and children, sit together to eat in silence. Beggar or Head of State, all are equal and even the great Akbar pushed aside the rich rugs laid out for him to sit on the floor like everyone else. Food is donated and volunteers may be visitors or locals happy to give a few hours of their time, the latter often on a daily basis.

Outside, the midday sun blazes down on the steps, the shrines, the lake, a flock of parakeets screeches high up in the sky while half way along the path, volunteers hand out cold water to the never ending flow of pilgrims. Many come to celebrate a special occasion, birthday, wedding or the birth of a child, hoping for auspicious times, but festivals draw the largest crowds, be it a Guru’s birthday, Diwali or the anniversary of the Holy Book. There are prayers and prostrations, tinsel garlands and marigolds and when the sun sets, the Golden Temple comes into its own, garlanded in festive lights, resplendent in the moonlight.

Puzzles, Quizzes & Cartoons Cartoon 1

Cartoon 2

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Children’s Page

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Cryptic Crossword Cryptic Crossword 1

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Across 1 Choose the French preserve (6) 4 Same rude way to be well-thought-out (8) 9 Vainer sort of gully (6) 10 Decisive leader with an Asian, prime minister (8) 12 None left? That’s okay (3,5) 13 Not certain we can run Sue about (6) 15 Boss abandoned by one cook (4) 16 Plead to change a swimmer (7) 20 Country that’s all about regalia (7) 21 Tree with first male company (4) 25 Unwilling to change as ever (6) 26 Slender monarch meditating (8) 28 Excellent ball due a change (8) 29 Marina’s other name? (6) 30 Deviant brat near jumble (8) 31 Dane we switched to solid food (6)

olution

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Down 1 Level man’s language (8) 2 Offhand sort of soldier? (8) 3 Advanced little Illinois seed (6) 5 Time to go back to send forth? (4) 6 Odd coating containing little left to kill! (8) 7 Rushes about for a monkey (6) 8 Impel before initial line that’s rubbish (6) 11 Deer has another way to be fleeced (7) 14 Decent raise entitlement (7) 17 Lariat is twisted for a man (8) 18 Cop with foresight being split (8) 19 Novel midge in a thought (8) 22 Spanish dish made with ale, pal (6) 23 Rupees scattered to read carefully (6) 24 Mad twins an earl may hold (6) 27 Board cut short to leave a detailed proposal (4)

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Codeword CODEWORD

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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.

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General Knowledge Crossword

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star (4) General Knowledge Crossword 22. Neckband (6) 1 2 3 4 5 6 23. Mature female deer (3) 7 24. Summons to attend a court of law (8) 25. Gains points in a 9 10 game (6) Down 1. Thick cushion used 11 12 13 as a seat (6) 14 2. Hanging, tapering spike of frozen 15 16 17 18 19 water (6) 20 3. English explorer said to have 21 22 been saved by 23 Pocahontas (5) 4. Cut of beef from 24 the chest (7) 25 5. Fairground game of ring throwing (4-2) Jules Verne’s Twenty lobsters or Dublin Bay 6. Extremely Thousand Leagues prawns (6) poisonous, under the Sea (8) 18. Food store (6) especially by bite 14. Tall fern with coarse 19. Mother superior (6) or sting (8) lobed fronds (7) 20. Name that has been 12. Name of the 16. Crustaceans also assumed temporarily submarine in known as Norway (5)

Only f or sub scriber paying s for tw o or more p ostcod es exclus ivity

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©Puzzlepress.co.uk

Across 1. Gripping hand tool with two hinged arms (6) 7. South American monkey with claws instead of nails (8) 8. Canton located in the centre of Switzerland, home to William Tell (3) 9. Succulent plant with a thick fleshy stem which typically bears spines (6) 10. Front part of a vessel or aircraft (4) 11. Agent which assists colonic irrigation (5) 13. Ten-sided shape (7) 15. Place for young plants (7) 17. Strong, lightweight wood (5) 21. Female operatic

Mini Cryptic Mini Cryptic Crossword Across 1 2 3 4 5 6 3. Rose who walks for pleasure? (7) 7 7. Corn that sounds like a labyrinth (5) 8 8. Body region from a bad omen (7) 9. Bush colour (5) 9 10. Form of transport with two points for the apprentice (7) 10 11 12. Sticks to twisted headers (7) 16. Planet soil (5) 17. Dragon I formed into a type of knot 12 13 14 15 (7) 19. Change undone later (5) 16 20. Are lent around without end (7) Down 17 18 1. Emil’s changing grin (5) 19 2. Little William is such a goat! (5) 3. Trace or form of nuclear plant (7) 20 4. Crazy dame went back without a point (3) Špuzzlepress.co.uk 5. Fruit grown from a melon (5) 13. Beast sounding perhaps (5) 6. Siren moved around clean (5) throaty (5) 18. Electrically-charged 11. Learns with a London football club 14. Sounds like a particle found in (7) wonderful fireplace (5) potions (3) 12. Fish at a slant? (5) 15. Portion of hares,

Sudoku - Easy

Sudoku - Hard

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Super Science Facts

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Hidato

Pictograms

HIDATO Starting at 1 and finishing at 34, track your way from one hexagon to another (touching) hexagon, placing consecutive numbers into the empty shapes as you go. Some numbers are already given.

TV Show Pictograms TB EIFEL NC EESS RRT T AAAA T TRR SSEE sx sx

sx sx

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Quiz 1 Title Characters 1. What word from the NATO phonetic alphabet is also the first name of the title character from the novel Frankenstein?

2. Which title characters “danced by the light of the moon” at the end of a famous poem?

3. The title character in which 2004 film at one point asks for a White Russian with no vodka, no ice and no Kahlúa?

4. Who provided the voice of the title character in the Disney film Dumbo?

5. First published in a book by the Brothers Grimm, in which fairy tale does a queen have to guess the name of the title character within three days to be allowed to keep her child?

6. The local Reverend in the TV show The Simpsons has the same surname as the title character from a BBC TV show that ran from 1986 to 1994. What is it?

7. In Shakespeare’s famous play, what was the name of The Merchant Of Venice?

8. In which 1970s TV series did the title characters travel in a two-door Ford Torino that was nicknamed the “striped tomato”?

9. In the Beatrix Potter novel The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle, what type of animal was the title character?

10. In which 1960s film does the title character fly to a fictional European region called Vulgaria?

Quiz 2 Currencies Choosing from the list on the right, can you give the units of currency for the countries on the left?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Czech Republic Hungary Only f or sub Australia scriber p s aying Switzerland for tw o o r more p Costa Rica ostcod es Albania e xclusiv i t Malta y Iraq South Africa Brazil

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also available as a Colón quarter page Dinar

Dollar Euro Forint Franc Koruna Lek Rand Real

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Simple Crossword QUICK CROSSWORD

1

2

3

4

7

Across

5

6

8

7 Take away (6) 8 Irish lochs (6)

9

10

9 Couch (4) 11

10 Wraps around (8)

12

13 14

11 Disregarded (7)

15

13 Hard, strong alloy (5)

16

17

18

19

15 Hints (5)

20

17 Supply (7) 20 Easy going (8)

23

21

22

24

21 Ashen (4) 23 Heavy mass (6)

3 Umpire (7)

14 Authors (7)

4 Drudge (5)

16 Power, stamina (6)

1 Nothing (4)

5 Type of fish (6)

18 Gas (6)

2 Vegetable (6)

6 Tends sheep (8)

19 Prickly plants (5)

24 Woken up (6) Down

12 Ran very fast (8)

Spot the Difference

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22 Untruths (4)

Two Minute Trial

Word Ladder Word Ladder

RAD G N E

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.

F O U R

3 letters: 15 4 letters: 19 5 letters: 5 6 letters: 2

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F I V E

Wordsearch Summer Ants August Barbeque Beach Bees Bicycle Blue Sky Boating Breeze Camping Flies Flowers Golf Grass Hat Hiking Hot

Picnic Sunburn Sunscreen Sunshine Suntan Sweat Swimming U V Rays Wasps

Find the names related to summer in the grid and the remaining letters will spell out a related phrase

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