shoes reports

On arrival in Oudtshoorn some 5 ½ hours (430km) later I checked into the lovely Thorntree Lodge 12km outside Oudtshoorn on the road towards the Cango Caves. Louis, the lodge owner, greeted me with a warm welcome and then checked me into my cosy luxury cottage in the rose garden. I took some time to freshen up and then headed out for some adventure. The Cango Caves was a further 17km out of Oudtshoorn and I decided to join a 90 minute guided adventure tour taking me through the depths of these world-renowned caves. Dripstone caverns, vast halls and towering formations of stalagmites and stalactites fascinated me. The tour took us through narrowing moist chambers where the air was heavy and our nerves started churning. The passage way forced us to a crawl as we made our way through “the tunnel of love”. We ended up on our stomachs crawling head first through “the devils postbox” only 45 cm in height only to pop out into large chamber, which eventually lead us out into the welcoming sunshine. With cave grime all over me, I returned to the lodge for a quick shower and then pre dinner drinks in the cosy fire lit pub and a fantastic dinner in the lodges’ restaurant.
 
The following day after breakfast I tried my hand at riding an ostrich. The Cango Ostrich Farm just down the road from Thorntree Lodge is a great place to experience ostrich riding and to learn all about the ostrich farming industry, which made Oudtshoorn famous. My ride was entertaining to say the least and meeting the family special, a very friendly female ostrich by the name of Betsie, was a pleasure!
 
It was another beautiful sunny day in the Little Karoo. The perfect day for a scenic drive.   From the ostrich farm I headed up and over the Swartberg Pass enjoying magnificent views of the little Karoo and continued to the quaint little town of Prince Albert and then on through the breathtaking gorge of Meiringspoort. At a waterfall, I enjoyed a tasty picnic lunch kindly packed for me by Thorntree Lodge. Towering cliffs with fascinating sandstone rock formations surrounded me. A 25 km tarred road winds along the floor of the gorge, crossing the Groot River 25 times.  Each crossing, or drift, has its own name and story and this is depicted on a plaque at the Waterfall information site. After spending time exploring the area, I continued via De Rust and returned to Thorntree for the night. Dinner was enjoyed at a very popular little restaurant in town called Jemimas.
 
After packing my gear and saying my farewells to all at Thorntree, I headed off to the Cango Wildlife Ranch, a wildlife sanctuary and endangered species breeding facility – a fascinating stop recommended for all. They offer a very informative guided tour of the ranch (45 min to 1 hour) where one can see and learn about crocodiles, alligators, tigers, jaguars, lions and cheetahs.   The Cheetah research sanctuary offers a cheetah encounter program, which enables one to touch the cheetahs. It’s a humbling experience with these incredible animals. After my encounter with the cheetahs, I took a quick look at their snake farm before heading out of Oudtshoorn towards the Garden Route.
 
I travelled over the beautiful Outeniqua Mountains into George then along the coast past the Wilderness lakes and on to the quaint little town of Knysna (approx 125km and 1h40 min drive). I drove down to the popular little Quays Waterfront to find some lunch and stopped in at 30 Degrees South for a tasty seafood dish. After a stroll around the Waterfront I made my way to another stunning lodge situated right up on the hill looking over the Knysna Lagoon across to Belvidere Estate and the Outenique Mountains in the distance. Elephant Hide Lodge is a favourite of mine, its lovely luxury suites all boosting spectacular views. The Utermark family welcomed me in and made me feel at home. Ryan, his brother Craig and good friend Mark took me out dining at a great Italian restaurant called Mama Persello’s and then we proceeded to check out Knysna’s nightlife. Knysna is rich in excellent restaurants but not so great when it comes to nightlife - pubs with live music and entertainment. It happened to be a good night of the week and we found some entertainment at Harry B’s with some locals playing good dancing music. Much fun was had!
 
The following day I was off to discover Knysna!  I joined a 4-hour Eco-Experience to Featherbed Nature Reserve, a South African Heritage site. This included a return ferry trip across the Knysna Lagoon, a nature drive and guided walk through the reserve ending with a scrumptious buffet lunch at the Food Forest restaurant.   Your local guide on board will share fascinating tales about the Lagoon, the early shipping industry and oyster cultivation. Featherbed Nature Reserve is home of a breeding programme of the rare Blue Duiker - one of the smallest antelope species in the world - the beautiful Knysna Loerie and the endangered Knysna Sea Horse. Visitors have the rare opportunity to view these creatures on the Reserve. The ferry returned home in the early afternoon.
 
More fun and adventure was to be had today! The Garden Route is renowned for its beautiful indigenous forests and spectacular coastal fynbos vegetation. It is imperative to get out and enjoy it! My afternoon was spent quad biking through the Featherbed Nature Reserve – a bit of an adrenalin rush mixed with some awesome views. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
 
Back at the lodge, I prepared for another evening out with the Utermark brothers and friends. Dinner was enjoyed at a top class restaurant on Thesens Island called Sirocco. Great food, superb views and good service was enjoyed by all!
 
Snug and warm in my cosy bed, I lay awake planning my day. After my choice of a healthy breakfast of the best muesli in town, topped with tasty Greek yoghurt and drizzled with honey, I headed off to Robberg Nature Reserve near Plettenberg Bay to enjoy a 2 hour hike. The Robberg peninsula is covered in rich fynbos vegetation and boosts spectacular views out to sea and across the Robben beach to Plettenberg Bay 8km away. The bird life is great and one gets a chance to spot a large seal colony.
 
There is such a myriad of things to do in this area that I struggled for choice. After my hike, I settled for lunch at a popular restaurant overlooking the Bitou River Valley. Emily Moon is beautiful lodge with 8 separate private suites decorated in contemporary African style.   The same style flows through to their lovely restaurant with cuisine to die for! After a relaxing superb lunch out on the deck, I continued to the Elephant Sanctuary out at the Crags where I enjoyed some interaction with a family of 6 well cared for African elephants.   A guided program took me on a 1 hour “trunk in hand” walk with the ellies followed by an elephant back ride of about 15 min always accompanied by experienced trainers and a qualified guide who constantly shared interesting facts, their passion for the ellies obvious – an experience I would recommend to anyone of any age!
 
Monkeyland and Birds of Eden are right next door to The Elephant Sanctuary and are also well worth a visit. Monkeyland is the worlds first free roaming multi-specie primate sanctuary. It is an enclosed indigenous forest area about 26 rugby fields in size and has numerous primate species from all over the world. Accompanied by an experienced qualified ranger, I joined an informative 1-hour guided tour through the sanctuary.
 
Birds of Eden is the largest free-flight aviary in the world and is home to about 150 species from various parts of the world. After buying a booklet from the ticket office listing the bird species, I then roamed around the aviary on the raised wooden walkways that took one through the canopy of the indigenous forest. A little tea garden on a lake looked attractive so I sat down for a cup of tea while watching swans and ducks of all kind peacefully sail past me.
 
It was a busy day for me and I looked forward to a bit of quiet time. Just across the valley from Monkeyland was my overnight stop. The Hog Hollow Country Lodge staff welcomed me cheerfully on my arrival and check my in to my luxury suite with its own private deck and stunning views across a valley of dense forest with the Outeniqua Mountains in the distance. Peace and quiet! Aaah!
 
Pre-dinner drinks were served from about 19h00 out on the main deck around a large bon fire and a superb 5 course dinner served from 19h30. All the guests sat at the same table and had a chance to mingle and chat about their days’ activities. Each course served was delicious, tantalising our taste buds! In retiring to my room I was welcomed back to a heated room, with a bed time story to read, my bed turned down and a small chocolate with a note saying “Good night, see in you in the morning”. This left a smile on my face!
 
After a good nights sleep, I joined the breakfast table and was pleasantly surprised at the large variety of things on the cold buffet. There was even champagne on the table! I didn’t even get to the hot breakfast! I looked forward to another night at Hog Hollow.
 
Booked for a boat cruise at 09h30 but rough seas called it off. It was pity! It would have been great to enjoy some dolphin encounters in the bay. Anyway I enjoyed a scenic drive along the old passes road via Natures Valley along the R102 to Tsitsikamma National Park. The road gently meanders through dense indigenous forest covering deep river gorges and steep mountain slopes. Storms River mouth in Tsitsikamma offered wild seas and a dramatic rocky coastline. I took at stroll to the waterfall on the first section of the famous 5 day Otter Trail which starts at Storms River Mouth. The waterfall dropped into a lovely big pool of coke coloured water before falling away into the sea. There was a chilly wind blowing in from the sea and a storm brewing so there was no swimming for me today. I scanned the coastline for the elusive Cape Clawless Otter endemic to this area but they were hiding today. Having enjoyed some fresh sea air and a bit of exercise I returned to my car to return to my lodge. En route, I stopped at the Bloukrans Bridge on the N2 to watch some extreme adrenalin junkies throw themselves off the bridge! Bloukrans Bridge offers the highest bungi jump in the world at 216m. Their screams said it all and made me feel happy to be standing where I was, watching.
 
Hog Hollow offered a different menu tonight, but just as delicious! Another great evening was enjoyed.
 
After an early breakfast I departed on my long journey back to Cape Town (approx 6 hours). Work was calling and my holiday was over!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Decorated evergreen trees are a beloved symbol of the Christian holiday of Christmas.   However, history tells us that conifer trees were worshipped by various societies long before Christians caught on to the idea.
Ancient Egyptians were one of the first known civilizations to treasure the conifer.   When the winter solstice arrived, the Egyptians used to move green date palm leaves inside to symbolize life over death.   When Romans celebrated their winter solstice festival, Saturnalia, they decorated their homes with greenery and lights as a way of giving thanks for a good season and praying for another upcoming season of plenty.   It is also said that the Druids used evergreens in their winter solstice rituals.   They positioned evergreen branches over doors to ward off evil spirits and prevent them from entering their homes.
The evergreen tree’s association with Christianity dates back about 500 years ago to the early 16th century.   As the story goes, St. Boniface was traveling through the woods of what is today northern Germany, when he came across a group of pagans that were worshipping an oak tree.   St. Boniface was so angered by this that he cut the oak tree down.   It is said that in the oak tree’s place, a conifer tree grew almost immediately.   In amazement, St. Bonifice declared that this was a divine symbol of the Christian faith, and from that time forward, conifer trees began to be associated with Christianity.   Eventually, German people began to bring coniferous trees indoors at Christmastime and decorate them with candles to celebrate the holiday.
When Prince Albert of Germany married Queen Victoria of England, he brought his German tradition of the Christmas tree to England.   The first year he was in England, he obtained a fir tree and had it decorated for his family.   The people of England were so impressed by this, that the idea caught on rapidly, and soon everyone in England wanted their own “Christmas tree” in their homes.
This custom slowly spread to the new world.   Originally, the Puritans who founded our country banned Christmas worldly celebrations.   In 1851, a Cleveland minister allowed a Christmas tree in his church and nearly lost his job because of it.   During that same year, the tradition became part of the free market economy when a farmer named Mark Carr harvested and hauled two sleds of evergreen trees to New York City.   In spite of the Puritans’ early resistance to the tradition, the idea of Christmas trees flourished in the United States.   By 1900, one in five American homes had a Christmas tree.   Christmas tree farms sprang up and farmers could barley meet the demand.
In 1890, a man by the name of F. W. Woolworth introduced to the United States the idea of decorating a tree with glass ornaments.   Blown glass ornaments had long been a tradition in Europe.   From 1870 to the 1930s, Germans made the finest glass ornaments of that time.   German glass blowers were reported to have had nearly 5,000 different molds for variations and different styles of Christmas ornaments.   At the turn of the century, there were over one hundred small glass blowing shops in Europe that were all producing Christmas ornaments.   Today there are only two German glass-blowing factories that are capable of producing the precision required for popular ornament collections such as Christopher Radko.
The popularity of the Christmas tree continues to grow.   The National Christmas Tree Association reports that in 2006, over 28 million live Christmas trees were sold in the United States.   The use of an evergreen tree has become such a traditional symbol of the holiday season that it sometimes transcends religious boundaries.   Today, many non-Christians choose to display decorated evergreen tree in their homes during the month of December.   Today, artificial Christmas trees have also become a popular choice for many families, which has even spawned a debate over which is better: real versus artificial.   Whatever your choice, decorate it well and enjoy it; you are taking part in a tradition that dates back hundreds of years.

Lewis Hamilton started this year’s Monaco Grand Prix in third position on the grid, behind the two Ferraris of Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen, and knew it would take a top drive to get between them, let alone win.
But after last year’s Monaco F1, when Lewis finished second when he could have won, nothing it seems was going to stop him - and in the process take the lead in the drivers championship too.
Unusually for Monaco the weather proved challenging, and rain for 20 minutes before and the first ten laps of the 2008 Monaco Grand Prix proved to be a real challenge for every driver on the circuit, and it was lap 20 before the sun really came out and the track dried.
With no traction control this year, the Monaco F1 was even more of a race of driving skill over car performance, and the Ferrari one-two earned in qualifying disappeared immediately from the start as Lewis Hamilton overtook current World Champion Kimi Raikkonen to slip into second place.
The unusually slow pace for the first ten laps still took its toll, with Monaco resident Jensen Button losing a front wing, and fellow Monaco resident David Coulthard crashing out shortly after, and Lewis Hamilton crashed into a barrier with a rear tyre puncture on the sixth lap at Tabac Corner but recovered after a pit stop.
Indeed it could have been the pit stop that helped Lewis to victory, as the McLaren team re-fuelled the car, enabling Lewis Hamilton to carry on with just one more pit stop necessary to the finish.
Other points of note for driver performance were the disappointing drives of Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen (involved in no less than four incidents) and Felipe Massa, while on the positive BMW’s Robert Kubica had an excellent Monaco Grand Prix to come second, picking up his trophy from Princess Caroline, and Force India’s Adrian Sutil who would have come fifth and picked up World Championship points but for Kimi Raikkonen crashing into him just before the final laps.
Hamilton had built up an impressive 30 second plus lead before his final pit stop, allowing him to re-join the race comfortably leading, but the safety car was called out for the second time in the race, leaving Hamilton’s lead in shreds.
Of all the Grand Prix, Monaco is the most testing for drivers by far around the streets of Monte Carlo, but Hamilton kept a cool head to win, with Prince Albert presenting Lewis with the winners’ trophy.
Lewis called in on his radio to the McLaren team on his victory lap that they would party tonight - and with the Pussycats Doll Nicole Scherzinger Lewis’ guest for the weekend, it should be a party Monaco will remember!
The final positions for the 2008 Monaco Grand Prix (the 2009 race is Sunday 24 May) are:
1 Lewis Hamilton (GB) McLaren-Mercedes two hours 0 minutes 42. 742 seconds
2 Robert Kubica (Pol) BMW Sauber 3. 064 secs behind
3 Felipe Massa (Brz) Ferrari +4. 811secs
4 Mark Webber (Aus) Red Bull-Renault +19. 295
5 Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Toro Rosso-Ferrari +24. 657
6 Rubens Barrichello (Brz) Honda +28. 408
7 Kazuki Nakajima (Jpn) Williams-Toyota +30. 180
8 Heikki Kovalainen (Fin) McLaren-Mercedes +33. 191
9 Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Ferrari +33. 792
10 Fernando Alonso (Spa) Renault one lap behind
11 Jenson Button (GB) Honda one lap
12 Timo Glock (Ger) Toyota one lap
13 Jarno Trulli (Ita) Toyota one lap
14 Nick Heidfeld (Ger) BMW Sauber four laps
R Adrian Sutil (Ger) Force India-Ferrari 67 laps completed
16 Nico Rosberg (Ger) Williams-Toyota 59 laps
17 Nelson Piquet Jr (Brz) Renault 47 laps
18 Giancarlo Fisichella (Ita) Force India-Ferrari 36 laps
19 David Coulthard (GB) Red Bull-Renault seven laps
20 Sebastien Bourdais (Fra) Toro Rosso-Ferrari seven laps

2006 NFC East Preview
In an eight-part series, sports handicapper Dwayne Bryant previews the 2006 NFL season. In Part One, Dwayne gives his thoughts and predictions on the NFC East.
Teams are listed in their predicted order of finish. 1. DALLAS COWBOYSOFFENSE: The biggest news in Big D this offseason is the addition of receiver Terrell Owens. Owens’ presence immediately makes the Cowboys offense extremely potent. His ability means single coverage for Terry Glenn and more space over the middle for tight end Jason Witten. It also means more running room for running backs Julius Jones and Marion Barber. The Cowboys drafted Notre Dame tight end Anthony Fasano with the plan to eliminate the fullback role and go with a two-tight-end offense. Bill Parcells likes the idea of being able to use that package on all three downs to keep the opposing defense guessing. The only question on this offense is whether or not the offensive line can protect quarterback Drew Bledsoe. Dallas added some depth along the line by signing tackle Jason Fabini and also added guard Kyle Kosier to replace Larry Allen. DEFENSE: Dallas’ switch to the 3-4 went rather well last season. The Dallas D ranked 12th in points allowed and 10th in yards allowed. OLB DeMarcus Ware, despite a mid-season slump, had a good rookie season, tallying eight sacks. Look for that number to improve in 2006. Second-year ends Marcus Spears and Chris Canty will rotate with Gregg Ellis to give the Cowboys good pass-rushing ability. Mammoth Jason Ferguson clogs the middle of the line. The LB corps will be improved by the additions of rookie OLB Bobby Carpenter and ILB Akin Ayodele. The secondary remains solid with cornerbacks Terence Newman and Anthony Henry and SS Roy Williams. SPECIAL TEAMS: With all the TO talk, many overlook the signing of kicker Mike Vanderjagt. Vanderjagt is currently the most accurate FG kicker in NFL history. He won’t be kicking indoors anymore, but his career statistics show him to be equally successful kicking outdoors. Speedster Tyson Thompson broke franchise records for kickoff returns (57) and yards (1,399), but has yet to take one all the way. PREDICTION: The offense will be more explosive and the young defense will show continued improvement in year two of the 3-4 scheme. The Cowboys are among the three best teams in the NFC and could very well end up in the NFC Championship game. 2. NEW YORK GIANTSOFFENSE: QB Eli Manning made great progress last season and should take yet another step forward in 2006. RB Tiki Barber had a fantastic 2005 season, leading the NFL with 2,390 yards from scrimmage. If Barber holds up (he’s a member of the “Over 30 RB Club”), the Giants offense should be lethal once again. WR Plaxico Burress had a good first season in the Big Apple, totaling 1,214 yards and seven TDs. Rookie Sinorice Moss could overtake Amani Toomer as the team’s #2 WR. And let’s not forget TE Jeremy Shockey, who accounted for seven TDs in 2005. If Shockey can stay healthy, which is a big “if”, he could reach double-digit TDs in 2006. DEFENSE: The Giants pass defense was poor in 2005, ranking 27th in passing yards allowed. One certainly can’t pin the blame on the defensive line. Ends Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora combined for 26 of the team’s 41 sacks. CBs Sam Madison and R. W. McQuarters and safety Will Demps have been brought in to help solidify the secondary. LB LaVar Arrington has also been added to improve the front seven. The Giants recorded 37 takeaways last season (3rd best in the league) and will look to improve on that number with the talent they’ve added. SPECIAL TEAMS: Forget the Seattle game, which is easy to do unless you’re a Giants fan. Jay Feely connected on 35 of 42 FG tries in 2005 with a long of 52 yards. Feely led all NFL kickers with 148 points last season and should see plenty of scoring chances this season as well. Chad Morton is a dangerous return man who can swing field position in the Giants’ favor every time he touches the ball. PREDICTION: Manning will continue to improve and the offense will continue to produce. The question is the defense. Even with the players they’ve added, it’ll take some time for that secondary to gel as a unit. Expect the G-men to battle for second place in the NFC East and also for a Wildcard spot. 3. WASHINGTON REDSKINSOFFENSE: Does QB Mark Brunell have anything left in the tank? After a great start to the 2005 season, Brunell faded badly and one has to wonder when the keys will be turned over to Jason Campbell. The ‘Skins brought in receivers Brandon Lloyd and Antwaan Randle El to take the heat off Santana Moss. TE Chris Cooley emerged as a red zone threat, scoring seven TDs last season. The focal point of the offense is RB Clinton Portis, who improved his numbers in year two as a Redskin. Portis rushed for 1,516 yards and scored 11 TDs last season. With even average QB play, this offense has some potential. DEFENSE: The ‘Skins added Andre Carter in an attempt to improve their pass rush. Carter, who played OLB in the 49ers 3-4 scheme, has great quickness and will be an upgrade to this unit. It’s unlikely that will be enough to generate a solid pass rush from the front four. Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams will still have to use aggressive play-calling to pressure opposing QBs. The LB corps will be minus LaVar Arrington, but is still a solid group that should keep the ‘Skins respectable defensively. The strength of this defense is in the secondary. Shawn Springs is a solid cover corner and the safety tandem of Sean Taylor and Adam Archuleta should keep Washington among the NFL leaders in pass defense. SPECIAL TEAMS: Kicker John Hall battled injuries last season, but still managed to make 12 of 14 FG tries. The ‘Skins were 11th in kickoff-return average last season and had two return TDs. They also ranked 28th in punt-return average. Expect Randle El to improve that phase of Washington’s special teams unit. PREDICTION: Everything comes down to QB play. Brunell’s best days are behind him and Campbell lacks experience, which is why I place them third in this division. 4. PHILADELPHIA EAGLESOFFENSE: With Terrell Owens out of the picture, look for the Eagles to return to their “spread the ball around” philosophy. There is no clear-cut #1 WR in this pass-happy offense. Reggie Brown had a good rookie campaign and shows great potential. Todd Pinkston and Greg Lewis are also viable options. The Eagles also have rookies Jason Avant and Jeremy Bloom in the fold. QB Donovan McNabb seemed to favor TE L. J. Smith (61 catches) last season. RB Brian Westbrook doesn’t get a ton of carries, but he’s a matchup nightmare in the passing game. If he and McNabb can stay healthy, this offense should produce quite nicely. DEFENSE: This once-powerful unit plummeted to 27th in points allowed and 23rd in yards allowed in 2005. Even more startling, Jimmie Johnson’s blitz-happy unit only recorded 29 sacks on the season. Philly signed DE Darren Howard to improve the pass rush and drafted DT Brodrick Bunkley to solidify the interior of the line. The Eagles have some talent at linebacker and the secondary should be play better this season with improved line play. SPECIAL TEAMS: David Akers battled an injury last season, but remains one of the league’s best kickers. Reno Mahe led the NFL with a 12. 8-yard punt return average in a half-season’s work. PREDICTION: I place the Eagles last in the NFC East, but they are capable of finishing much higher if all the pieces fall into place. In any other division, I’d have them placed above this spot. FINAL THOUGHTS
The Cowboys are my choice to win the NFC East, but any team in this division could win it if the cards fall their way. Dallas appears to be heading to the top of the NFC. The Giants will battle for the division title with an improving Eli Manning. The Redskins could win it too, but will need solid QB play. And I don’t see that happening. The Eagles have a shot with McNabb back under center, but need better play out of their defensive line. This is definitely the toughest division in my opinion. Even though they each play six division games, I don’t see any of them finishing worse than 7-9.

Although controversy has always surrounded the biological origins of the dog now known as the Dandie Dinmont, no one has ever queried the background to his strange name. It was from noble beginnings, in Sir Walter Scott’s ‘Guy Mannering’, that the name Dandie Dinmont first came to life. Here are ten more things you may not know about the Dandie Dinmont :
* James Davidson, a farmer from the Rule Water in the Scottish Borders, is believed to have inspired the character ‘Dandie Dinmont’ in Sir. Walter Scott’s book.
* In the early 1900s the little terriers that eventually became known as Dandie Dinmonts were more commonly called Pepper or Mustard Terriers or by the name of the farm where they were bred, e. g. Hindlee Terrier. Hindlee was the home of James Davidson who himself kept six Dandies, called: ‘Auld Pepper’, ‘Auld Mustard’, ‘Young Pepper’, ‘Young Mustard’, ‘Little Pepper’ and ‘Little Mustard’. Davidson was adamant that all Dandies descended from two of his own dogs named Tarr and Pepper.
* Sir Walter Scott also kept Dandie Dinmonts at Abbotsford alongside other popular breeds of the day.
* The Dandie may have been closely related to the Bedlington Terrier, both having the same pendulous ear, and a light top-knot. But the Dandie evolved into a long-bodied, short-legged dog and the Bedlington grew into a long-legged dog with short body. To illustrate the close relationship of the two breeds records show that Lord Antrim, in the early days of dog shows, exhibited two animals from the same litter, and with one obtained a prize or honourable mention in the Dandie classes, and with the other a like distinction in the Bedlington classes.
* At one time the Dandie was included in the general family of Scotch (Scottish) Terriers and was recognised as a separate breed in 1873. The Kennel Club of the UK was also formed in 1873 and just two years later, on 17th November 1875, a meeting was held at The Fleece Hotel, Selkirk, at which was formed The Dandie Dinmont Terrier Club.
* The breed standard of early Dandie enthusiasts was laid down by William Wardlaw Reed and other enthusiasts of the day. The meeting that established the standards which are very much similar to those used today was held at the Red Lion Hotel in Carlisle, England, in 1876. Apart from one minor amendment in 1921, when the weight range was changed from 14 - 24 lbs to 18 - 24 lbs, the Dandie standard in Great Britain remained unchanged for more than one hundred years.
* In the 1980s the Kennel Club of England asked breed Clubs to change the old judging standard to a new set and the original wording of the standard set in 1876 was amended. Now all countries use the standard as revised in 1987 except Canada which adhered to the original standard.
* The breed has been popular with gypsies and the aristocracy, thereby revealing this as a dog that really can mix in all social circles and, in the late 19th Century, devoted breeders Bradshaw-Smith of Blackwoodhouse and Gerald Leatham of Weatherby, presented a Dandie Dinmont to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.
* In his book ‘D is for Dog’ (various publishers), veterinary surgeon Frank Manolson described the Dandie as one “who looks and acts like a grizzled backwoodsman shopping in Tiffany’s. If you want a real individualist, you simply must consider the Dandie Dinmont. “
* The Dandie looks wise and thoughtful and according to an old Scottish saying: ‘A Dandie looks at you as though he’s forgotten more than you will ever know. ‘

Early Celebrations: For thousands of years people have held celebrations and festivals where they would have feasts and decorations. Some of the earliest celebrations in the northern hemisphere were the summer and winter solstice, but more especially the winter solstice as this marked the time of the days getting longer and the nights getting shorter. The winter solstice also coincided with other festivals which were celebrated from around mid December to early January. These festivals were decorated with items of the times, such as, garland and other greenery, candles, feasting and dancing. One of the other celebrations of this time was the Festival of Saturn or Saturnalia. For Christmas, the earliest reference is from the Calendar of 354, which mentions the celebration of Christmas for December 25. At the time no one knew the actual birth date of Jesus but it is assumed that early Christian leaders picked this date to coincide with many other pagan festivals as a means of facilitating their transition into Christianity. Although today many bible scholars believe that Christ was actually born in the early spring. This was a way of combining all the celebrations of this time frame into one celebration with all its accompanying decorations and merriment. In those days most of the decorations were outside and not inside, garland, candles, trees and food were set in the streets and hung on the outside of buildings. The Christmas tree was said to represent God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost because it was triangular in shape. The Spread of Christmas and its Decorations: As Christianity spread throughout Europe so to were the old festivals and decorations incorporated into the new Christian celebrations. The idea of using greenery as decorations was meant to signify rebirth or the birth of Christ. So items such as ivy, green boughs, garland and green trees were used to decorate towns and communities. Its believed that the Christmas tree and its decorations originated in Germany, where it was decorated with candles and then later tinsel and hand blown glass balls. Through royal marriage Queen Charlotte the wife of King George III brought the Christmas tree tradition from Germany and introduced it into England. This was later reinforced by Prince Albert during the time of Queen Victoria. And as German immigrants came to America they also brought with them, their Christmas traditions and decorations. Over time Christmas trees became a dominate symbol of the Christmas season and its accompanying decorations. Modern Outdoor Christmas Decorations: Today as people decorate they use real and artificial garland and greenery, including ivy, poinsettias and wreaths to bring a festive mood not only to the inside of the house but the outside as well. Many neighborhoods, communities or even whole towns get together to decorate for the Christmas season with life size nutcrackers, lights, giant wreaths and nativity scenes. Often communities give awards to homes for their outdoor decorations. A neighborhood in NW Houston, Texas has each street pick a theme and all or most of the homes on that street decorate for that theme, such as snowmen, Santa, Christmas carols and nativity scenes. From early December through Christmas Day people drive up and down those streets to see the wintery scenes of the season and to enjoy the beauty of the outdoor decorations. The same scene is played out in much of the world, even in nations that are typically non-Christian where the holiday is more of an economic event and less about celebrating the birth of Jesus.

2005 Overview:Rebounding from a truly disastrous 111 loss season in 2004, the Arizona Diamondbacks improved their 2005 season record to 77-85 including a final 8-2 record to finish the last 10 games of the year. Led by a balanced offense, the team was able to improve on their 2004 record thanks to the surprise performances supplied by 1st baseman Tony Clark (. 304 30 87) and Chad Tracy (. 308 27 72). The Diamondbacks also received much needed help from Troy Glaus (. 258 37 97), Luis Gonzalez (. 271 24 79) and outfielder Shawn Greene (. 286 22 73). Arizona’s starting pitching was spotty for much of the season with starters Brandon Webb (14-12 3. 54), Javier Vazquez (11-15 4. 42) and Brad Halsey (8-12 4. 61) providing the majority of the quality starts in 2005. Relievers Brandon Medders (4-1 1. 78) and Lance Cormier (7-3 5. 11) joined Brandon Lyon (0-2 6. 44 14 saves), Brian Burney (1-3 7. 43 12 saves) and Jose Val Verde (3-4 2. 44 15 saves) who combined to save 41 games in total.  Off Season Moves:Arizona moved aggressively in the off season by shipping Javier Vazquez to the White Sox for Orlando Hernandez (9-9 5. 12), and also trading power hitter Troy Glaus to the Blue Jays for closer Miguel Batista (5-8 4. 10 31 saves) as well as Gold Glove second baseman Orlando Hudson (. 271 10 63). The Diamondbacks also picked up catcher Johnny Estrada (. 261 4 39) in a off season trade with the Atlanta Braves. The team signed free agent center fielder Eric Byrnes (. 226 10 40) to help improve the as well. 2006 Analysis:The Diamondbacks addressed their need for a legitimate closer by dealing Glaus in an aggressive off season move. Although Glaus’ hitting will be greatly missed, the Diamondbacks will get far more reliability with Batista then any of the options they used last year. The team is relying on youngsters like Chad Trady and first baseman Conor Jackson to pick up the slack left by Glaus. Arizona also extended Webb’s deal for another 4 years which was a smart move. Webb is a solid workhorse type pitcher and is the ace of the staff. In 2005 he led the team in both ERA (3. 54) and Wins (14 ). The pickup of Orlando Hernandez will at a minimum eat up more innings in 2006. But fans shouldn’t expect many wins from him or this rotation. Eric Byrnes is another nice addition but offense really isn’t nor ever was this team’s problem. The lineup is solid and Luis Gonzalez and outfielder Shawn Greene should project to similar numbers in 2006 even without Glaus in the lineup. The biggest problem for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2006 will be their pitching. The team did very little to improve their starting rotation and in fact may have actually weakened it in order to improve their bullpen. Aside from Webb the starting pitching needs much more help. The team shouldn’t be considered as serious contenders for the NL West until the pitching receives a significant upgrade.

What do we envisage when we think of Christmas?  It is of course first and foremost a religious Christian celebration, marking the birth of Jesus Christ. For others without the religious penchant, Christmas brings a special time of sharing with family and friends.  One thing however is for sure; Christmas is a time for enjoying age old traditions such as decorating the tree and tucking into Christmas dinner. But where did these festive traditions come from? Here we explore some of the most popular seasonal customs:  The Date25th December: the day Jesus was born - allegedly. However, it is said that the real birth of Christ is more likely to have been in springtime. So why do we celebrate Christmas in mid- winter? One reason stems from the fourth century when Christians began celebrating Christmas in December because this was conveniently the time when pagans were observing the winter solstice, a time for new beginnings that evoked good spirit and family gatherings.   Oh Christmas tree!How we enjoy putting up the tree and adorning it with glittering decorations! The Christmas tree can be traced back to 16th century Germany from which point it spread across Europe. However in Britain it wasn’t until Queen Victoria and Prince Albert erected the first British Christmas tree at Windsor Castle in 1850 that it started to become a popular tradition.   Father ChristmasFather Christmas is thought to be the ghost of Saint Nicholas who was said to spend the eve of Christmas day delivering gifts to the poor. The modern portrayal of Father Christmas as a rotund, red-cheeked man wearing a red suit trimmed with white fur became popular in America in the 19th century due to cartoon-style advertising campaigns featuring Santa Claus. Various myths are attached to our jovial friend such as the airborne reindeer-led sleigh; the down-the-chimney tale and of course the legend of the endless sack of presents. These stories vary between countries, each having its own take.   Christmas Dinner Henry the VIII was the first in England to tuck into a turkey Christmas dinner. However, even by the start of the Victorian era this bird was still considered too expensive for most everyday people to enjoy. In northern England the traditional choice for Christmas dinner was roast beef whilst in the south the favourite was goose, or rabbit for those who couldn’t afford it. Turkey had become an affordable choice by the end of the 19th century and the trimmings: Brussels sprouts, Yorkshire puddings, stuffing and roast potatoes; followed soon after to make up the Christmas dinner in which we indulge with paper hat and crackers today.   Christmas is a time for bringing the family together; a time for indulging in traditions and the excitement that goes with them. The fact that the things we observe today go way back in history and the thought that generations of our ancestors were celebrating the very things we are enjoying today makes them even more poignant.

2006 NFC East Preview
In an eight-part series, sports handicapper Dwayne Bryant previews the 2006 NFL season. In Part One, Dwayne gives his thoughts and predictions on the NFC East.
Teams are listed in their predicted order of finish. 1. DALLAS COWBOYSOFFENSE: The biggest news in Big D this offseason is the addition of receiver Terrell Owens. Owens’ presence immediately makes the Cowboys offense extremely potent. His ability means single coverage for Terry Glenn and more space over the middle for tight end Jason Witten. It also means more running room for running backs Julius Jones and Marion Barber. The Cowboys drafted Notre Dame tight end Anthony Fasano with the plan to eliminate the fullback role and go with a two-tight-end offense. Bill Parcells likes the idea of being able to use that package on all three downs to keep the opposing defense guessing. The only question on this offense is whether or not the offensive line can protect quarterback Drew Bledsoe. Dallas added some depth along the line by signing tackle Jason Fabini and also added guard Kyle Kosier to replace Larry Allen. DEFENSE: Dallas’ switch to the 3-4 went rather well last season. The Dallas D ranked 12th in points allowed and 10th in yards allowed. OLB DeMarcus Ware, despite a mid-season slump, had a good rookie season, tallying eight sacks. Look for that number to improve in 2006. Second-year ends Marcus Spears and Chris Canty will rotate with Gregg Ellis to give the Cowboys good pass-rushing ability. Mammoth Jason Ferguson clogs the middle of the line. The LB corps will be improved by the additions of rookie OLB Bobby Carpenter and ILB Akin Ayodele. The secondary remains solid with cornerbacks Terence Newman and Anthony Henry and SS Roy Williams. SPECIAL TEAMS: With all the TO talk, many overlook the signing of kicker Mike Vanderjagt. Vanderjagt is currently the most accurate FG kicker in NFL history. He won’t be kicking indoors anymore, but his career statistics show him to be equally successful kicking outdoors. Speedster Tyson Thompson broke franchise records for kickoff returns (57) and yards (1,399), but has yet to take one all the way. PREDICTION: The offense will be more explosive and the young defense will show continued improvement in year two of the 3-4 scheme. The Cowboys are among the three best teams in the NFC and could very well end up in the NFC Championship game. 2. NEW YORK GIANTSOFFENSE: QB Eli Manning made great progress last season and should take yet another step forward in 2006. RB Tiki Barber had a fantastic 2005 season, leading the NFL with 2,390 yards from scrimmage. If Barber holds up (he’s a member of the “Over 30 RB Club”), the Giants offense should be lethal once again. WR Plaxico Burress had a good first season in the Big Apple, totaling 1,214 yards and seven TDs. Rookie Sinorice Moss could overtake Amani Toomer as the team’s #2 WR. And let’s not forget TE Jeremy Shockey, who accounted for seven TDs in 2005. If Shockey can stay healthy, which is a big “if”, he could reach double-digit TDs in 2006. DEFENSE: The Giants pass defense was poor in 2005, ranking 27th in passing yards allowed. One certainly can’t pin the blame on the defensive line. Ends Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora combined for 26 of the team’s 41 sacks. CBs Sam Madison and R. W. McQuarters and safety Will Demps have been brought in to help solidify the secondary. LB LaVar Arrington has also been added to improve the front seven. The Giants recorded 37 takeaways last season (3rd best in the league) and will look to improve on that number with the talent they’ve added. SPECIAL TEAMS: Forget the Seattle game, which is easy to do unless you’re a Giants fan. Jay Feely connected on 35 of 42 FG tries in 2005 with a long of 52 yards. Feely led all NFL kickers with 148 points last season and should see plenty of scoring chances this season as well. Chad Morton is a dangerous return man who can swing field position in the Giants’ favor every time he touches the ball. PREDICTION: Manning will continue to improve and the offense will continue to produce. The question is the defense. Even with the players they’ve added, it’ll take some time for that secondary to gel as a unit. Expect the G-men to battle for second place in the NFC East and also for a Wildcard spot. 3. WASHINGTON REDSKINSOFFENSE: Does QB Mark Brunell have anything left in the tank? After a great start to the 2005 season, Brunell faded badly and one has to wonder when the keys will be turned over to Jason Campbell. The ‘Skins brought in receivers Brandon Lloyd and Antwaan Randle El to take the heat off Santana Moss. TE Chris Cooley emerged as a red zone threat, scoring seven TDs last season. The focal point of the offense is RB Clinton Portis, who improved his numbers in year two as a Redskin. Portis rushed for 1,516 yards and scored 11 TDs last season. With even average QB play, this offense has some potential. DEFENSE: The ‘Skins added Andre Carter in an attempt to improve their pass rush. Carter, who played OLB in the 49ers 3-4 scheme, has great quickness and will be an upgrade to this unit. It’s unlikely that will be enough to generate a solid pass rush from the front four. Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams will still have to use aggressive play-calling to pressure opposing QBs. The LB corps will be minus LaVar Arrington, but is still a solid group that should keep the ‘Skins respectable defensively. The strength of this defense is in the secondary. Shawn Springs is a solid cover corner and the safety tandem of Sean Taylor and Adam Archuleta should keep Washington among the NFL leaders in pass defense. SPECIAL TEAMS: Kicker John Hall battled injuries last season, but still managed to make 12 of 14 FG tries. The ‘Skins were 11th in kickoff-return average last season and had two return TDs. They also ranked 28th in punt-return average. Expect Randle El to improve that phase of Washington’s special teams unit. PREDICTION: Everything comes down to QB play. Brunell’s best days are behind him and Campbell lacks experience, which is why I place them third in this division. 4. PHILADELPHIA EAGLESOFFENSE: With Terrell Owens out of the picture, look for the Eagles to return to their “spread the ball around” philosophy. There is no clear-cut #1 WR in this pass-happy offense. Reggie Brown had a good rookie campaign and shows great potential. Todd Pinkston and Greg Lewis are also viable options. The Eagles also have rookies Jason Avant and Jeremy Bloom in the fold. QB Donovan McNabb seemed to favor TE L. J. Smith (61 catches) last season. RB Brian Westbrook doesn’t get a ton of carries, but he’s a matchup nightmare in the passing game. If he and McNabb can stay healthy, this offense should produce quite nicely. DEFENSE: This once-powerful unit plummeted to 27th in points allowed and 23rd in yards allowed in 2005. Even more startling, Jimmie Johnson’s blitz-happy unit only recorded 29 sacks on the season. Philly signed DE Darren Howard to improve the pass rush and drafted DT Brodrick Bunkley to solidify the interior of the line. The Eagles have some talent at linebacker and the secondary should be play better this season with improved line play. SPECIAL TEAMS: David Akers battled an injury last season, but remains one of the league’s best kickers. Reno Mahe led the NFL with a 12. 8-yard punt return average in a half-season’s work. PREDICTION: I place the Eagles last in the NFC East, but they are capable of finishing much higher if all the pieces fall into place. In any other division, I’d have them placed above this spot. FINAL THOUGHTS
The Cowboys are my choice to win the NFC East, but any team in this division could win it if the cards fall their way. Dallas appears to be heading to the top of the NFC. The Giants will battle for the division title with an improving Eli Manning. The Redskins could win it too, but will need solid QB play. And I don’t see that happening. The Eagles have a shot with McNabb back under center, but need better play out of their defensive line. This is definitely the toughest division in my opinion. Even though they each play six division games, I don’t see any of them finishing worse than 7-9.

For the movie starring Fred Astaire, see Top Hat. For the theatrical lighting device, see Top hat (lighting). For the top hat roller coaster element, see Roller coaster elements. corset gownsA top hat, top-hat, cylinder hat, or plug hat[1] (sometimes also known by the nickname “topper”) is a tall, flat-crowned, broad-brimmed hat worn by men throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries. Now, it is usually worn only with morning dress or evening dress, or as a specific rock culture fashion statement, such as by guitarist Slash. Top hats started to take over from the tricorne at the end of the 18th century; an illustration by Charles Vernet, Un Incroyable de 1796, shows a French dandy (one of the Incroyables et Merveilleuses) wearing such a hat[2]. Its appearance in Britain is thought to be in the 1790s. Within 20 years top hats had become popular with all social classes, with even workmen wearing them. At that time those worn by members of the upper classes were usually made of felted beaver fur, while those worn by working men were made of rabbit fur; the generic name “stuff hat” was applied to hats made from fur. The hats became part of the uniforms worn by policemen (who could stand on them to look over walls) and postmen (to give them the appearance of authority); since these people spent most of their time outdoors, their hats were topped with black oilcloth. During the early part of the 19th century felted beaver fur was gradually replaced by silk “hatter’s plush”, though the silk topper met with resistance from those who preferred the beaver hat. A short-lived fad in the 1820s and 1830s was the “Wellington” style of top-hat with concave sides. The peak of the top hat’s popularity in the 1840s and the 1850s saw it reach its most extreme form, with ever higher crowns and narrow brims. The stovepipe hat was a variety with straight sides, while one with slightly convex sides was called the “chimney pot”. [4] The stovepipe hat was popularized in the US by Abraham Lincoln during his presidency; it is said that Lincoln would keep important letters inside the hat. During the middle part of the 19th century the top hat developed from a fashion into a symbol of urban respectability, and this was assured when Prince Albert started wearing them in 1850; the subsequent rise in popularity of the top hat led to a decline in beaver hats, sharply reducing the size of the beaver-trapping industry in North America. The nineteenth century is sometimes known as the Century of the Top Hat. The historian James Laver once made the observation that an assemblage of “toppers” looked like factory chimneys and thus added to the mood of the industrial era. In England, post-Brummel dandies went in for flared crowns and swooping brims. Their counterparts in France, known as the ??ncroyables,??wore top hats of such outlandish dimensions that there was no room for them in overcrowded cloakrooms until Antoine Gibus came along in 1823 and invented the collapsible top hat. Such hats are often called an “opera hat”, though the term can also be synonymous with any top hat, or any tall formal men’s hat. In the 1920s they were also often called “high hats”. Men wore top hats for business, pleasure and formal occasions ??pearl gray for daytime, black for day or night. At one point Top hat etiquette dictated a man should not wear it flat on his head. He should wear it tilted forward and to one side ??very slightly though, no more than 10 degrees in either direction ??about the same angle Lord Ribblesdale wore his in the famous portrait by John Singer Sargent. However, at its peak in popularity a reaction developed against the top hat, with the middle classes adopting bowler hats and soft felt hats such as fedoras, which were more convenient for city life, as well as being suitable for mass production. In comparison, a top hat needed to be handmade by a skilled hatter, with few young people willing to take up what was obviously a dying trade. The top hat became associated with the upper class, becoming a target for satirists and social critics. By the end of World War I it had become a rarity in everyday life. It continued to be used for formal wear, with a Morning dress in the daytime and with evening clothes (tailcoat) until the late 1930s. (The top hat is featured as one of the original tokens in the board game Monopoly. ) The top hat persisted in certain areas, such as politics and international diplomacy, for several more years. In the newly-formed Soviet Union, there was a fierce debate as to whether its diplomats should follow the international conventions and wear a top hat, with the pro-toppers winning the vote by a large majority. Top-hats are sometimes associated with stage magic. In 1814 a French magician named Louis Comte became the first conjurer on record to pull a white rabbit out of a top hat. They also appear as a form of party hat and are popular amongst persons in the gothic subculture. The structure underneath the felt or silk of a top hat was made of a material called goss. This was made from layers of calico covered in a hard glue. When gently heated over a flame, the glue softens, allowing the hat to be moulded or “blocked” into shape.