Other Miscellaneous Topics Archives - Page 2 of 5

Race report feedback, Run The Track, Dubai (UAE) Autodrome, 16 March 2019

By Elbert Loubser in Other Miscellaneous Topics 15 August 2019 0 Comment

The document title ‘let’s the cat out of the bag’, so to speak. So how does it transpire that one ends up doing a 5 (Elise) and a 10 kilometre (Elbert) race on the Dubai Autodrome circuit . Well, concern on being able to not sacrifice too many kilometres (1000 KM Challenge related) whilst visiting our eldest son (Hannes-Ras), his wife (Arina) and first granddaughter (Sofia-Mejé), was a splendid reason. The Dubai visit was planned for 7 – 23 March 2019. This would also be the first occasion on which Elise and I would be flying together internationally. Yip, so we did some ‘ground breaking’ firsts here. :-)

The Cussedness of Inanimate Objects: The Case of a Missing TV Remote

By Dean McCleland in Other Miscellaneous Topics 11 April 2019 0 Comment

What a strange adage. More like the title of a PhD thesis in Philosophy than a high-falutin term for the seemingly intentional behaviours or happenings with non-sentient objects.

To pass time whilst jogging, runners often engage in inane conversations about the most frivolous topics. It was one such runner, Elbert Loubser, who introduced me to this concept.

Main picture: The remote that flumoxed the Loubser household

YENTA breathlessly chasing mills

Passionata, my enthralment with mills. I was terribly disappointed last year when I was unable to join the Border Historical Society, in East London as an invited speaker, on the subject of my passion, ‘mills’.

‘Raised’ in my formative years, in the NE Transvaal, by my beloved grandfather, {and orphan, escapee from Estonia 1917} he indulged my interest, as a true Rabbi by searching for mills while was away at boarding school. On my return, there would be an adventure to a farm in the district, to visit, that had a mill.

Main picture: Bradshaw’s Mill

CO2 Emissions: Glimmer of hope?

By Blaine McCleland in Other Miscellaneous Topics 26 August 2018 0 Comment

There is a glimmer of hope for humanity as the UK reduced its CO2 emission levels to below that of 1894 when Karl Benz patented the petrol vehicle.

Unfortunately the outlook for the world is not good as the UK is responsible for only 1.2% of emissions and the whole of the EU 9.6%

Main picture: CO2 Emissions in the UK from 1850 to 2016

Mill Wheels Grinding: Pyott’s Mill

By Bev Young in Other Miscellaneous Topics, Port Elizabeth of Yore 29 June 2018 4 Comments

Mill Wheels Grinding- aka {Yenta searching for mills- like any good Jewish Donna Quixote would do} even if its chasing biscuits.

PORT ELIZABETH EC Biscuits- circa 1862- am copying this here, as I found it whilst looking for mills, and I had saved the mill pics months ago. Not quite the mills I was looking for, however, as fascinating, as there was similar factory, in East London EC.

“Remember PYOTT’S BISCUITS – makers of Salticrax, Romany Creams, Iced Zoo and many other SA favourites? Today they’re all branded under the Bakers label and the Pyott name is all but lost forever.

Main picture: Original Pyott’s factory in Port Elizabeth

Port Elizabeth of Yore: King’s Beach over the Years

By Dean McCleland in Other Miscellaneous Topics 24 June 2018 0 Comment

Prior to the construction of the harbour wall in the 1920s, the beach from the Baakens River to the Shark River was largely unusable for swimming purposes. This is the reason why the first beach south of the Baakens River to gain popularity was Humewood.

Yet after the erection of the harbour wall, there was a steady accumulation of sea sand against the sea wall to the point where the accumulated sand now stretches along the whole length of the wall.

Main picture: Sand dunes covering the whole of what was to become Humewood and Summerstrand. Even though it is unclear, there is no beach along the coast

Mill Wheels Grinding Part 2: Cock’s Mill

By Bev Young in Other Miscellaneous Topics 24 June 2018 0 Comment

Mill Wheels Grinding. {aka Yenta searching for mills- like any good Jewish Donna Quixote would do}

Cock’s Mill. Circa 1850, a grist mill-big wheel on the side ne? Built as a cotton mill, originally, the need for flour over shadowed this fanciful notion. {William Cock, an English entrepreneur of stature, hurriedly altered the building, to suit, and he was open for business in no time}

Main picture: Cock’s Mill 38 – West Bank (Truscott)

Mill Wheels Grinding

By Bev Young in Other Miscellaneous Topics 21 June 2018 0 Comment

{aka Yenta searching for mills} like any good Jewish Donna Quixote would do.

What began as a mild interest, seeing that I live near historical mills, has become an abiding passion. One of amazement and learning, to a degree that has me searching via the internet, physically looking for old mills, and listening to many, many stories, from farmers or ‘mill families’.

Main picture: Horse Mill

The History of the Pongola 146 Dining Car

By Dean McCleland in Other Miscellaneous Topics 30 March 2017 0 Comment

The CSAR existed from 1902-1910 and was well-known for its extremely luxurious suburban and main-line trains which were generally regarded as the most well appointed in South Africa and compared well to the best in the rest of the world. One of these four A-17’s was named the Pongola and became car No. 146 in 1911, and saw service until 1926 as a type A-17.
Main picture: Dining car of the Pongola 146 in its heyday

Two Heroes, Two Divergent Tales but Inextricably Linked