text:
Great Golf Club
Northern Ireland Golf - Fine Courses and Liquid Sunshine
Posted: 22 Sep, 2016 13:27
For a country with a population slightly less than Qatar, Northern Ireland has contributed more major golf champions in the modern era than any other European country with three in the space of just 14 months, from the US Open in 2010 to the Open Championship in 2011. So what is the secret...
First published 2013
I have at various points in my life travelled around the UK. England, Scotland and Wales are locations that I know well. But Northern Ireland is uncharted territory, separated as it is from the rest of the UK by a bit of water known as the Irish Sea. So it was with great curiosity that I boarded a plane bound for Belfast last summer.
With a population of only just over 1.8 million people, it's staggering how many well-known golfers come from here. This corner of Ireland is home to Rory McIlroy, Darren Clarke and Graeme McDowell to name but a few. So why are there so many top golfers? According to Darren Clarke it's the Guinness, although if I drink too much of the dark liquid I don't have a hope in hell of being able to hit a small white ball, so I think that there is a little more to this phenomenon than just beer. Could it be that they have some fantastic golf courses?
Time for Guinness. I arrive at Belfast George Best Airport in brilliant sunshine after leaving a wet and dreary England behind. My taxi is waiting to take me to Roe Park Golf Resort which is located in the north of the country and not far from Londonderry. This is to be my centre of operations for the period of my visit.
I'm really not sure what I expected to find on arriving here but as I look out of the car, it could really be anywhere in the UK. After about half an hour I arrive at my destination. I check in, drop off my bags and retire to the bar for a cool Guinness, which I hasten to add I consider vital if I am to experience the true Ireland.
It's not long before I'm joined by various other members of the journalistic fraternity, who generally aren't known for their love of orange juice and Babycham. However, I am conscious of the fact that tomorrow we are all booked on a day trip to Derry, so after a couple of pints I decide to have an early night.
Irish humour. The next day we congregate in the lobby, some looking slightly worse for wear, and are introduced to our guide Lowell Courtney. Lowell runs a travel firm called Lynchpin Tours. He has the added skill of knowing his history inside out and also getting us in fits of laughter with his dry Irish humour.
If you want to know the history of Ireland in condensed form, he's your man. Of course if you want the long version, he's also your man!
Now, you cannot say that Derry is without problems, even today there is an on-going discussion as to whether this is Londonderry or Derry. This is still a city with a community learning to live together, but things have changed and there is no going back to the bad old days.
The wall. A walk along the old city walls on the banks of the river Foyle is a must and gives you views over the surrounding area. Built originally to defend the city from attack by various marauding Irish chieftains; it stands at 26 feet high and 30 feet thick in places and over a mile in length.
Completed in 1618, it proved to be a formidable barrier when in 1688 thirteen apprentice boys raised the bridge and closed the city gates against the Jacobite forces of King James. The Protestants held out for several months.
I would add a note of caution here, enter any bar in Londonderry at your own risk, the people are friendly and may insist on you staying for one too many. Several of our party returned flushed and glassy eyed.
Portrush and the Open. The following day we travel to the masters at Portrush, it's pouring with rain and none of us are overly confident that we are going to see much golf today, but we board the coach and head off. It's a short drive from Roe Park, but in the time that we are travelling the rain eases off.
There are two courses here but the main one is Dunluce links, a wonderfully dramatic course that will test a golfer of any standard. All I can say is if you land in the rough make sure that you have packed sandwiches and a tent!
The wind coming in off the North Atlantic seems to drop to nothing one moment, then a split second later it's howling in like a crazed banshee. The term banshee is Gaelic/Irish and refers to a wailing spirit warning of impending doom, quite apt in some cases.
I and several other journalists decide to head for a position near the tees on the sixth and the green on the fifth, a perfect place to watch some big names coming through.
The heavens open. It's worth noting that in 1982 this exact area had to be rescued from being washed into the sea. With the wind gusting around and sending several shots wayward, there are a few players that are rather hoping that this may still happen.
Soon enough Darren Clarke appears, followed by Rory McIlroy and Colin Montgomerie. But it's not long before the heavens open and play is stopped. Well there is a reason why it's so green here, and it does involve water. I believe the locals call it liquid sunshine!
Play does begin again much later but by that time we are all on the coach and heading back to the hotel. Oh well, there may just be time for me to try my hand back at Roe Park.
Roe Park Golf Resort. Roe Park Resort is located just 16 miles away from Londonderry and offers access to a wealth of tourist sites and other places of interest, including the "Giants Causeway", one of Irelands top tourist attractions.
Here you will find an area full of hexagon shaped columns of volcanic rock formed by the cooling of an ancient lava flow. At least that's the scientific version, we all know that it was really a bridge between Scotland and Ireland that was destroyed by the Scottish giant Benandonner while trying to escape from Irish folk hero Finn McCool.
Relax and enjoy. The resort is set not far from the causeway coast and has a backdrop of mountains to the south. This may be a less challenging course than Portrush, but just as enjoyable and enough to keep any golfer on their toes.
With the first five holes heading towards the river Roe and consisting of a nice gentle downhill par-4 to start things off, this is a course on which to relax and enjoy the views. The third hole is a par-3 with a well-positioned lake which might cause problems for those with an aversion to water.
Play safe. After the fifth hole the course moves to the opposite side of the hotel and meanders its way up the hill. Make sure that you have your game hat on when playing the sixth as it's overlooked from the Brassiere. Here perhaps it's best to play safe as you are almost guaranteed a critical audience.
Water again comes into play on the twelfth, a par-3 over a pond. The fifteenth, sixteenth and seventeenth I found to be particularly pleasant with wonderful views and wide fairways.
All I can say is that you are guaranteed a pleasant round on this course. And where better to sit after your game than in that Brassiere, have some excellent food and also become a critical spectator of the sixth hole.
Belfast and the Titanic Museum. In between the golf it's well worth taking a trip to Belfast and the Titanic Museum. It was here at the Holland & Wolfe Shipyards that the infamous vessel was built along with its sister ship Olympic.
Titanic was launched from here on the 31st May 1911 and we all know the story of its maiden voyage. The museum itself is a glistening work of modern art and I would personally recommend a visit.
The building which is called "Titanic Belfast" is influenced by various maritime themes including, quite obviously, ships hulls. It covers 14,000 square metres of exhibition space within which are nine interactive galleries complete with the "dark ride underwater exploration theatre" and recreations of the ship's decks and cabins.
Castle Rock. For my last day I had arranged to play Castle Rock but time was limited so Lowell kindly offered to give me a tour of the course. It's a real shame that I didn't get to play as this is a real gem, a truly classic links course set amid towering dunes.
Having two courses and only limited time we decided to take a tour of the eighteen hole Mussenden course. It starts off pleasant enough with a nice par-4 with a slight dogleg right. At the second, which is again a par-4, you have a chance to practice your uphill shots, all the way to the green in fact.
I particularly liked the fourth, aptly named "Leg O'Mutton", due to its shape I think rather than possibly what the golfers here like to eat. This is a tricky par-3 of 200 yards with bunkers on all side of the green.
The eighth is where it all seems to get rather interesting. This is an uphill par-4 with a long dogleg right. Following on is the ninth, aptly named "Quarry". This is a quirky par-3 with water to the left and just waiting to lure a lefty like me to his doom. I can almost hear the call of the banshee!
Time to leave. By the time you reach the fourteenth you will either be light with success or lighter still with the balls that you have lost. You end as you began, with a nice par-4 at which to make up for any loss of face over the previous holes.
Alas my time here is at an end and I am soon on my way back to London. If you are planning a golf trip don't forget this Northern realm, it really is worth the visit. There are many other great golf courses that I did not get time to visit, most notably Scrabo Golf Club near Newtownards.
It's a small country and you never know who you may meet while on the course, it could be the next Rory McIlroy or Darren Clarke, or it could be one of the great men themselves. I can definitely recommend the Guinness, but you may find that the only person who thinks that it improves your game is you and Mr Clarke.
"Sláinte"
Book your Ireland golf holiday at www.greatgolfholiday.com
Photos courtesy of golf courses and Irish Touristboard
By Mike Kaas-Stock
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Stagg Jam uses the freshest local tart cherries combined with the warming spices of Dona Chai to make this jam. With chunks of ripe cherries, it's reminiscent of a luscious cherry pie! We love it with some sharp cheddar or baked into a handpie.


The yellow goldenrod adds such lovely fall color to this scene of an old homestead barn at our local refuge with a portion of the Bitterroot Mountains in the background. Such wonderful autumn country scenes in Montana!
A wonderful note card to send to someone who appreciates the historical nature of old barns. Why not use this handmade card to send someone special a little note to let them know you are thinking of them? I'm sure they would be quite delighted!
Photo subject: old barn, wildflowers, goldenrod, mountains.


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Bahujan patriarchy? Savarna feminists 'over-state' gender rights in Dalit communities
By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*
Dr Manisha Bangar is a practicing senior consultant gastroenterologist and transplant hepatologist, with around 20 years of clinica-cum-research and teaching experience. In terms of her medical qualification, she completed MBBS, MD and DM. She was a governing council member of the Indian National Association for Study of the Liver (INASL), and member of the Task Force for Hepatitis B and Non-Alcoholic SteatoHepatitis (NASH) diseases of the South Asian Association for Study of the Liver (SAASL).
Dr Bangar, despite her professional occupations, has been actively engaged in social as well as political activities. She unsuccessfully contested from the Nagpur parliamentary constituency in 2019 on the People's Party of India ticket. She was appointed as the national vice-president of the People's Party of India in November 2018 and is also a former national vice-president of the All-India Backward and Minority Communities Employees Federation (BAMSCEF).
Though she hails from an illustrious family of Phule-Ambedkarite in Nagpur, the journey has not been comfortable as far as establishing herself as a leader at the top is concerned. She was born and brought up in Nagpur where she got to meet senior leaders and activists because of her family background. She devoted her time to strengthening her academics but also engaged with the activities of her parents and grandparents who were dedicated Ambedkarites.
She was made president of the Mulniwasi Mahila Sangh and vice-president of BAMSCEF 2007. After that she has been actively engaged in grassroots mobilisation of Bahujan women for their rights and conducted numerous workshops on women's health and nutritious issues in various parts of the country, particularly Madhya Pradesh and western Maharashtra. She has also spoken at various forums internationally.
She established a digital media platform, National India News Network, in 2017 to give voice to the issues of the indigenous population, especially on gender and health. Its subscription has exceeded one-and-a-half million, and attracts viewers from more than 30 countries. The impact of National India News in providing a platform to the voices of the indigenous peoples, women and other marginalized communities was presented in a symposium on caste and media at the Harvard University in February 2020.
It is ironic that despite all her competencies she still finds 'resistance' from men at the top. When she could become vice president of BAMSCEF for so long, what stopped the organisation or its leaders to give her the opportunity to lead? It is actually disappointing that the question here is not of 'finding credible, capable person' but of looking inward and using the services of those who are already there at the helm of affairs for so long.
Dr Bangar today is a well-known voice globally and her presence will only help strengthen the movement. She inherited Ambedkarism as a way of life. Her mother was a professor at the Nagpur University. Dr Ambedkar left a huge impression. "Ours was an open space for bidi mazdoors and working-class people", she told me. They have been living in Indora, in Nagpur, a locality where people faced discrimination which they fought. Her family was helping people in different ways. Struggle actually shaped her identity. She worked competently in her profession but never left the cause of Ambedkarism and issues of Bahujan women.
Her family inculcated strong discipline in her as she was determined to achieve professional success and hence time management was important for her. "I am a streamlined person and wanted to use my time in a very planned way but I did not want to waste my time in trial-and-error methods as I did not have. After marriage, I made it clear to my husband about my social commitment", she said.
According to her, the issue with a number of Bahujan people is that they have not acquainted with the body knowledge of Ambedkar-Phule-Periyar. They don't have their own way of thinking. Most of the knowledge is heresy and this results in following the same prejudiced pattern. She gives her own example as why things are so clear to her: The reason is that her approach to Buddhism was rationalist and not ritualistic.
Dr Ambedkar provided her the strength to understand manifestation of discrimination. It shows how people can actually embrace the Phule-Ambedkarite philosophy at the very personal level and get liberated. It is essential, as often it is found people speak about Phule-Ambedkarism, but at the personal level all the habits and behaviour remain enslaved to Brahmanical rituals.
"There was no discrimination in my house because it was part of a movement. If you don't get a husband but don't leave your jobs, remain independent, it isn't too much feminism. There was nothing about feminism about it. It was alien to us. Our life as Phule-Ambedkiartes was much beyond feminism. My father used to do all the work when my mother was working. My aunts were very strong. There was never any domestic violence. I was always given priority over my brother", she said.
Dr Bangar inherited the great legacy of her maternal aunt Sulochana Bai Dongre who presided over the first women's conference organised in Nagpur, under the auspices of All India Scheduled Caste Federation in 1942. "My maternal aunt used to visit other district places in and around Amarawati to make women aware about their rights. My nana, i.e., maternal grandfather, cooperated with her. Even during her pregnancy, she travelled and risked her life. They travelled to Pune, CP-Berar. She had an elementary knowledge of English but was very committed."
A historic women's conference of 1942 presided over by Sulochana Bai Dongre ensured that women become a deciding factor. Women spoke and passed resolutions which were so powerful and remarkable as they became the basis for the Hindu Code Bill later. They spoke of Inheritance right to maternity leaves and labour leaves. Dr Ambedkar ensured that all this happened, and told them, "You are going to lead and I will just sit." Indeed, it is the women who led, who spoke and passed the resolution. Dr Ambedkar just spoke at the end.
Dr Bangar felt that education is the most powerful weapon for Bahujan women to protect their identity, and through it they can fight their battle and would not allow themselves to be exploited by the savarna exploiters. Many a time, the issue of women's rights with in the Dalit community is over-stated by the savarna 'feminists' or 'liberals', she said, as most of them rarely speak about the atrocious male domination in their own spaces and families. Hence, Ambedkarites and Dalits become easy targets for them.
Her response to the issue of 'Bahujan patriarchy' is extremely important and needs to be understood. Bahujan patriarchy comes to play not at the base level. There is a big difference between savarna patriarchy and Bahujan patriarchy, she explained.
*Human rights defender. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vbrawat, twitter: @freetohumanity. This is the first part of a conversation with Dr Manisha Bangar
Caste Gender Health Human Rights Justice People Society
Labels: Caste Gender Health Human Rights Justice People Society
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Of course one of the more delicate and nerve-racking parts of servicing a watch after it has been cleaned is the re-assembly of all the intricate pieces. Not for the faint of heart, I have a number of watch movements like the one pictured in this blog I can practise and, um, screw up on.
There are no less than 45 different intricate parts all contributing to a choreographed dance of movement. They all have a specific function, and without one, the watch would not work.
A mechanical watch uses a spring for it's power source. When you wind a mechanical watch you are winding this spring. It is the springs power that gets transmitted through a series of gears that eventually powers a balance assembly. Check out the main spring above - it gets coiled up into that very small "barrel" in the middle of the picture.
If you checked out my last blog I talked about the cost of a single specialized tool. Well, the main spring can be wound by hand into that tiny barrel but I prefer a main spring winder (think more $).
The Balance Assembly (seen above) is one of the the more intricate parts to a mechanical watch made up of several individual parts including the "hair spring" the fine wire you see coiled around a wheel (with balancing weights) in the above picture. The balance assembly (or balance wheel or just balance) is like the pendulum in a grandfather clock. Each swing of the wheel allows the watch hands to move.
Parts to a mechanical watch are not like the parts of your Ikea furniture, there are no leftovers; leave no one behind.


text:
Мезокефа́лия (от  «средний, промежуточный» и  «голова»; также мезоцефалия, среднеголовость) — один из вариантов головного указателя, выраженный в средних значениях отношения поперечного и продольного диаметров головы человека (для черепного указателя применяется термин «мезокрания»). Характеризуется как умеренно широкая и умеренно длинная голова. Определяется при помощи кефалометрических и краниометрических измерений. Соотношение ширины к длине головы при мезокефалии составляет от 76,0 до 80,9 %, по другим данным — от 75,0 до 79,9 %. Различают головной указатель для женщин (77,0—81,9 %) и мужчин (76,0—80,9 %).

Мезокефалия занимает промежуточное положение между крайними значениями продольно-поперечного индекса (головного указателя) — брахикефалией (с формой головы, приближающейся к округлой) и долихокефалией (с длинной и узкой формой головы). В параметрах черепного указателя иногда выделяют также долихомезокранию со значениями, находящимися в промежутке между долихокранией и мезокранией, и мезобрахикранию, отражающую среднее значение между брахикранией и мезокранией.

Мезокефалия, как и остальные значения головного указателя, имеет важное значение в расоведении. Мезокефалия включается, в частности, в характеристику дальневосточной и южноазиатской монголоидных рас, а также в характеристику беломоро-балтийской европеоидной расы.

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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
BJP 'targeted' Bollywood star Khan for critical remarks
Party's ex-volunteer says IT Cell ran campaign to drop Aamir Khan as brand ambassador of e-commerce firm Snapdeal.
by Saif Khalid
India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party ran an online campaign against Bollywood star Aamir Khan for his comments on growing intolerance in the country, according to a former volunteer with the BJP's IT Cell.
Khan had to face the wrath of far-right Hindu groups for his comments late last year that were seen as critical of the government of Narendra Modi, who became prime minister after leading the BJP to a massive election victory in 2014.
Khan, 51, was later dropped as brand ambassador by Snapdeal, an Indian e-commerce firm.
Khan is one of Bollywood's biggest stars and his current film, Dangal, has been running to packed houses in cinemas across the country.
OPINION: Online Republic of Modi
Sadhavi Khosla, who volunteered for the BJP's social media team between 2013 and 2015, said that "malicious and sexist" campaigns were run online against opponents and prominent journalists.
"I have submitted proof of [the then] BJP IT Cell chief Arvind Gupta's message sent to me personally to boycott Snapdeal because Aamir Khan was its brand ambassador," she told Al Jazeera.
"When a message from IT Cell comes from the party, it automatically becomes official party line."
Khosla's account is being published in a book entitled I Am A Troll, written by journalist Swati Chaturvedi.
What's the relationship between the filth-, violence- & hate-spewing RW twitter army & the BJP? Read @bainjal's chilling book to find out pic.twitter.com/3YUsoFfzel
— Arunava Sinha (@arunava) December 27, 2016
Khan was also dropped as the face of India's tourism for the "Incredible India" campaign, but the government denied that his comments on the issue of growing intolerance were the reason.
However, Manohar Parrikar, India's defence minister and a senior BJP leader, suggested at a public function later that Khan was taught a lesson.
Khosla says that the two Khans - Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan - part of the triumvirate of Khans that also includes Salman Khan - were targeted for "whatever comments they made".
"For 25 years, I grew up watching their movies. For me they are my superstars, they are the biggest Bollywood stars," she said.
"Suddenly after Modi came to power I realised that they are being targeted as Muslim actors."
BJP official's version
Gupta has dismissed Khosla's allegations as "unsubstantiated" and told the Indian Express newspaper that the BJP never "encouraged trolling".
He denied that he "directly supervises social media activities since 2015 when the party structure was reorganised".
Amit Malviya, the current BJP IT Cell chief, also denied that the party "promoted such activities".
"Arvind [Gupta] is a valued colleague and his words are final. We have proper guidelines on the party website about these matters," Malviya told Al Jazeera.
BJP is a pioneer among the political parties in using the social media for political campaigning, and Modi was one of the earliest politicians to adopt online tools when he was the chief minister of Gujarat state.
During the 2014 elections, the party employed thousands of volunteers spread across the country as well as overseas on top of its more than 1,000 paid staff based in New Delhi.
On the allegations that anti-minorities messages were being pushed by supporters of BJP such as the Hindu Defence League (HDL), Malviya said: "You can speak to their spokespersons ... I cannot speak for them."
The Indian government has been accused of ignoring the army of trolls who zealously defend it and often engage in personalised attacks against journalists and political opponents.
Social media army
Modi has drawn criticism for personally meeting many of the so-called bloggers and social media volunteers, who have been accused of issuing threats of rape to activists and journalists, particularly women, on twitter.
India has a law against online hate messages but instead of acting against abusive trolls, governments in recent years have used it as a weapon against dissent.
Senior journalists such as Barkha Dutt and Sagarika Ghosh have been at the receiving end of the trolls that Indian media refers to as "bhakts" who push ultra-nationalistic narratives online.
"BJP runs a massive social media army. If you look at their entire campaign, it was based on fabricated lies. So you keep spinning the lies until the point it becomes the truth," Khosla said.
Khosla says she supported Modi in the 2014 parliamentary elections on the promise of creating jobs and improving living standards.
WATCH: Is India becoming increasingly intolerant?
"After six to eight months of his coming to power, I started feeling suffocated and disenchanted, and this was not the government and the leader that I wanted."
"But by the mid-2015, I had decided that it was mistake to support this party," said Khosla, adding that she stopped volunteering for the BJP at the end of last year.
Critics say Modi's silence has emboldened far-right Hindu groups, who have been running vigilante campaigns such as "Save cow" and "Love Jihad".
In September last year, a Muslim man near the capital, New Delhi, was bludgeoned to death by cow vigilantes over rumours that he ate beef. Later it turned out that he had not eaten beef.
"This was pretty shocking for me. I don't eat meat neither does my family, but I don't support killing a human being for eating beef," said Khosla.
"That is not the kind of India I had dreamed of."
SOURCE: Al Jazeera News