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The Ascension Island Newspaper |
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The Ascension Island Newspaper |
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AIG PUBLIC NOTICE VOTE ON DEMOCRACY OPTIONS22/23 AUGUST 2002THE OUTCOME WILL BE AN IMPORTANT STEP ALONG THE ROAD TO THE CREATION OF A DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED BODY ON ASCENSION. PLEASE USE YOUR VOTE - IT IS IMPORTANT YOU ARE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE IF: A: YOU ARRIVED ON ASCENSION AT LEAST SIX MONTHS PRIOR TO 22 AUGUST B: YOU ARE LIABLE TO PAY INCOME TAX (YOU DO NOT ACTUALLY HAVE TO BE PAYING TAX) C: YOU ARE 18 OR OVER ON 22 AUGUST THE VOTERS LIST IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION AT THE ADMINISTRATOR'S OFFICE AND THE AIG FINANCE OFFICE - CHANGES CAN BE MADE IF DETAILS ARE RECEIVED BY FRIDAY 16. |
(see editorial for explanation)
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Dear Friends,
How was your week? I have found that whilst Cheryl has been away the days have flown by as there has been no one else to prepare and take the service so all week I have been getting ready for Sunday. I asked the young men that had been in Church on the 4th to do me a picture for the service on the 11th. I asked them to do a picture of how they imagined God, we have put them on the wall in the Church, they are wonderful; one had Jesus going up the mountain to talk to God, one had the world surrounded by people with the sun and the moon and one had a throne with the sun on the right hand side and the moon for the darkness on the left. I asked how the congregation might have drawn a picture, Rich said that it would be as a heart with the Holy Spirit shining out of it as love. It was Rich who bought us the new guitar which makes a beautiful noise, thanks to Rich and to Johnny for playing for us. Thanks also go to the Payne family who did the readings for Terry and I, Mary did a great job on the names in the Old Testament one!
We heard all about Elijah and his fight with the prophets of Baal, how his mountain top experience didn't last long that he was soon frightened and running away from the problems in his life. He found God on the mountain in "the sound of sheer silence". He had a message from God which he had to listen to, he had a job to do, as do we, we have to listen to the sound of the silence in our lives. Only we can hear the message that is meant for each one of us, we do not have to search high and low for it, it will come to us. We might find it in what people are saying to us, we might hear it in our prayers or we could find it in the message that comes to us as we read our Bibles. We have the Holy Spirit to help us as we pray and listen for the word that is for each of us. You might even hear it during one of our services, please come and see for yourselves.
Talking of our services, this Sunday, the 18th we will have an RAF Padre, Padre Adrian Gatrill here to celebrate the Eucharist with us. Padre Adrian is bringing his wife, Debbie and two of his three children, Ben and Rebecca with him, we look forward to sharing the Island hospitality with them for a week. They will be travelling to us on the aircraft with the guides and pray that they all reach us safely. We look forward to hearing all they have to tell us about their trip in the next few weeks.
Padre Adrian will also be conducting a Memorial Service for Andrew Bennett at the Chapel of Rest on Sunday 18th at 4pm.
Take care and keep listening,
Yours in Christ
Jane
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From the Editorial Team:- Julia, Jack, Angela & Adam Hello Everyone, We're back in the chair after a long break. A space on the front so we thought you'd enjoy the picture we received this week. 'Apparently' it's a real photo taken near the South African coast during a military exercise by the British Navy. We'll leave you to make your own minds up. It's a very warm welcome to all the new families that have arrived on the Island just recently and a sad farewell to those who are leaving. Bye Bye to Jack hope you have a great flight and see you at Christmas, also farewell to Tina and Paul who are en route to sunny England to settle down. Happy Birthday to Chris Cochran for Friday, so if you see him out at the VC don't forget to buy him a Brain Haemorrhage. Bye for now. Julia, Jack, Angela and Adam _______________________________________________________ Dear Editor of the Ascension Islander Newspaper: Greetings, as an outsider peering into your lovely slices of paradise and with the greatest respect for your distinct ways of life. I believe that many of the islands of the British South Atlantic share common struggles. Therefore in order to best achieve greater "democracy", there must be less dependency and a stronger degree of unity. By no means am I suggesting that the islands of the South Atlantic engage in the activities that my nation did in 1776. I do however propose that a Parliament for the South Atlantic be established with delegates from Ascension Island, the Falkland Islands, Saint Helena and Tristan da Cunha. Given the populations of the islands each of the four areas should be allowed to send two delegates to the Parliament which should be headed in Jamestown since Saint Helena is the most populous of the islands and seating a Parliament in Stanley may not be geopolitically secure given the recent tumultuous events in the Argentine Republic. Her Majesty should do as she does in many portions of the British realm and appoint a Governor General to act as her representative to the South Atlantic. The Governor General could also head the Parliament and act as a liaison between the islands and Westminster. The Parliament would allow for the interaction of the various islanders to share their experiences and offer solutions for regional issues. A greater voice could then be mounted to champion South Atlantic issues. Furthermore such a Parliament would allow local people to elect their peers to represent them and may just serve as a model for democratically elected local island councils. Among the powers of such a Parliament would be to improve upon the infrastructure of the islands by way of air, sea and telecommunications. Also it would be imperative to maintain local ways of live and the environment of the islands since both are matters of the utmost importance to the very survival of the islands. Now naturally there should be massive debate about such a proposal since it would have great ramifications through the region however due to the spatial constraints of a letter to the editor I shall pause and allow you all to absorb the idea. Feel free to contact me directly via E-mail at presjstarr@hotmail.com. Thank you for your time. Yours in Liberty, Julian Starr Huntington, New York, USA
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| Letters to
the Editor can be sent to editors@the-islander.org.ac |
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The Met Office Weather Report |
Statistics for the week ending Monday 12 August 2002
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Max (Celsius)
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Min (Celsius)
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Rainfall
(mm)
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AIRHEAD
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27.9
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22.4
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0.5
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TRAVELLERS
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26.1
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19.6
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2.1
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RESIDENCY
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24.5
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16.9
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1.9
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GEORGETOWN
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28.5
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22.0
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Trace
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ST. HELENA
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19.7
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13.2
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17.6
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| UK |
27.0
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4.0
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54.4
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FALKLANDS
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6.6
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-4.3
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5.2
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ASCENSION SEA SWELL FORECAST: - no forecast
ASCENSION ISLAND: Another nice week - for August. It was rather a shame that it returned to more typical conditions for the time of year on Sunday.
UK: More spells of rain and showers, locally heavy with thunder and leading to flooding in places again, notably parts of East and Northeast England.
FALKLANDS: Cold with snow showers at the start of the week, but high pressure made a (rare) appearance on Wednesday. Still cold though! The high didn't last long (they never do!) and strong northerlies on Thursday resulted in an earlier than usual return of the Tristar (didn't hear too many complaints though). Rain and low cloud followed for a while, then cold again. And windy (again).
Well, here we go with my penultimate Metchat. Yes, just ten days to go and I'm back to reality. Another six months passes by in a flash.
Hanging's too good for 'em I say. On second thoughts, hang for about three days to tenderise and give a bit of flavour then…. mint sauce, roast potatoes carrots and greens for accompaniment. I think they must have been waiting for that very moment, - when the Morning Glories were flowering a treat and the tomatoes ripening nicely on the vine. The tomatoes should have been safe though, - sheep don't like tomato plants. That may be true, they left the foliage but they nicked all the ripening fruits. So having been a firm supporter of the Rights for Sheep Society, I am now declaring my allegiance with the Better on a Plate with Gravy movement. I'm sure the tomatoes will bear more fruit, and the Morning Glories will probably recover to be glorious again, but by that time I'll be back home. So I hope my successor will cherish and nurture them and, when he sits in the sun, enjoying a ripe, home-grown tomato he will spare me a thought.
There has to be some kind of reason why we behave in one way one day, then, when confronted with the same situation a few days later, we choose to do things differently. There I was sitting in the office a couple of weeks ago when a mouse scurried across the floor and out the door (it was open at the time, - not a particularly able mouse in the door opening department). So without a second thought I fished the 'little nipper' humane mouse dispatcher out of the cupboard, set it with a tasty piece of biscuit for bait and placed it by the skirting board along which the mouse had run.
Now, a couple of days later I went into my BASHA after work and discovered a neat trail of mouse droppings across my bed covers. I peered under the bed and there, right in front of me was the offending rodent. Quick as a flash it was up and under the bedspread, - not a smart move, as there before my eyes was a mouse sized lump running across the bed under the cover. All I needed to do was plonk a beer glass over the lump, pull the bedspread out from under the glass to leave the mouse captured. Then sliding a beer mat under the glass I was able to take it outside and release it unharmed (honest), to live and breed another day.
Anyway, there I was in the office last evening, when what should appear but another (or even the same one as previous - they all look the same to me) mouse. It ran along the skirting past the 'little nipper', which I'd set a couple of weeks earlier, then immediately skidded to a halt. At this point I covered my eyes to await the inevitable. Sure enough, after a few moments,,,clack!! After a few more moments I risked peeping through my fingers half expecting to discover a bloodied corpse. Instead of which there was a neatly despatched rodent, it's neck reduced to the thickness of a sheet of paper - no mess at all. I decided to leave it a while before popping it in the bin - for no other reason than the sake of decency I suppose. After about five minutes to my utter astonishment and, I have to say, horror, I was aware of the hind legs starting up a mad scrabble and propelling the 'little nipper', complete with what I'd assumed to be humanely killed mouse on board, across the carpet. Fortunately, SMetO had left the remnants of a four iron which he uses as a pointer at briefings in the office, so with a pretty decent 120 yd drive, I was able to ensure all was put right and I really did have a corpse to deal with.
So there you have it, a quandary. When confronted with a pest that is rapidly getting out of control, how do you deal with it? The numbers of mice I come across on my rambles has risen exponentially in my six month tour. On my walk from Crystal Bay to Pillar Bay (thoroughly recommend it) on Friday, I must have seen well over fifty mice scurrying around, when a few months ago I'd seen but one or two. Having removed their main/only predators it's a problem that will very soon have to be addressed. How to deal with them and using what method. It's a similar quandary that is soon going to have to be faced in the UK when the fox population rises to an unacceptable level. I personally like seeing foxes around and see them as a vital part of the British countryside, but I'm also aware, having been raised a countryman, of how indiscriminately they kill when the opportunity arises. That leaves some pretty stark choices, shoot, hunt, gas or poison. What we think as a pretty swift and humane method of dispatch as per 'little nipper', doesn't always quite deliver as we hope and can cause more suffering than what we think of cruel and inefficient as per hunting. Answers on a postcard…..
My thanks to all those who supported my quiz night at the MVC on Friday which raised £150 for Operation Raleigh. To those who helped and those who donated prizes my special thanks. Wooden spoon of the night must go to SMetO who failed to realise that an 'Explosive expansion on gas caused by an electrical discharge in the free atmosphere' is in fact thunder. Eak- ack- OOPs!! Mrs SMeto knew though but failed to persuade him!
Hideous goings on down at the beach BBQ on Saturday. - apparently. Heard all about them but can't bring myself to soil the hallowed pages of Metchat. I can do innuendo and double entendre but draw the line at that kind of thing, - Steve and Andy.
Meanwhile, down by the riverbank…
'I'm really sorry about it Mole, I really am. I know we always have cake with our tea, but I thought it would be a nice gesture to give Granny's delicious fruitcake as a prize. If I'd known 216 Sqn would have received it with such derision I wouldn't have bothered.'
My final ramblings soon…..
HASH TRASH 
Hash #912
Venue: Lower Valley (Upwards and Beyond)
Hares: The Boneheads
Hounds: Skipper, Fluffy Bunnykins, Barry Tone, Billy Graham, The Grim Reaper, Private Benjamin, The Major, Eeyore, Bonehead, Mama 3 Bones, Uncle Fester, Thunderthighs, Wannabe, Fit Guy, Heidi Hardcore, 60 Watt, Richie, Dave, Oliver, Alex.
Aprés hashers: Crystal Tips, Lara Croft, Sheba.
'A hash with a historical theme', was the start of the briefing. 'This hash is not dangerous, just arduous, long and arduous'. So there it was, hills on three sides and the sea on the other side, where were we going to get the history lesson?
We were off, and all had guessed correctly, it wasn't seawards. The last two hashes, of training at altitude, was practice for the real thing. Onwards, upwards, onwards, upwards and eventually coming to a well earned rest at Upper Valley Crater. With purple faces, bulging eyes, exploding knees and steam coming out of every orifice the hashers looked down on the circle of what were now very small vehicles at the hash meet. 'That's a long way down', someone said. 'It is', said the Hare 'and guess what you're only one third up the hill. So now I've got your attention we'll have a history lesson'. Enlightened as to how the Portuguese had marked out a road to NE Cottage the hash moved on and upwards, following the Old Portuguese Road, to complete the other two thirds of the climb. 'I'll bet no-one has been here before', was a comment. But there it was, old hash. Could only hashers and, of course the Portuguese, have savoured the rarefied air and the spectacular (and perpendicular) views.
'It's downhill from now on', and it was. The race was on to the bottom of NE Cottage Road. For those that wanted it transport was available, those that wanted to run the extra mile back to the hash meet did so, only to find that they were now the hash fire lighters. So the BBQ was lit and the shadows lengthened and lengthened, the Knitting Circle arrived just as the shadows merged into darkness. The hash cook cooked, aching legs and lungs were forgotten, the Aprés Hash had begun.
In the stygian blackness of the evening the circle of friendship was drawn, after some discussion and prompts for intimate personal information two more Sorry Souls were annointed. Welcomed into Hashdom are Heidi Hardcore and Barry Tone. Praisial drinks were supped in their honour, frivolity and good humour reigned supreme.
Later that evening, around the BBQ, once again pyromania reared its head. Great hash Boneheads, great food. Now that the hash is altitude trained, next week will be a walk in the park clouds.
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Hash # 913
Venue: Grazing Valley
Hares: Private Benjamin & Major
Hounds: Eeyore, 60 watt, Crystal Tips, Island Boy, Uncle Fester, Wannabe, Shadow, Barry Tone, Lights Out, Chief Longpole, Hardcore Heidi, Fit Guy, The Major, Private Benjamin, The Grim Reaper, Fluffy Bunnykins, Thunderthighs, Twin Peaks, Mike, Judith, Alex, Siobhan, Lesley, George, Elliot, Bry, Sophie, Emily, Shylock, Oliver, Yvette, Lara Croft.
Schools out for summer, we knew found out this, this week, we were suddenly inundated with children ready to go hashing. A short briefing of hash rules to all the new-comers and we were off - at various paces, some fast some not so fast. Onwards and passed the Sugar Lumps to spectacular views at the top of Grazing Valley, where the local geography teacher showed the pack points of local interest and all visible letterboxes.
Onwards to the next circle, where the runners, unsure of the hares intentions or skulduggery reluctantly followed hoping that there was no back arrow. The walkers walked on, the runners suddenly found where their lungs were and re-joined the walkers further down the track after completing a circuitous loop. Passing palms sporting new coconuts the pack ended-up in a small copse of acacia, to be given another geography lesson, this time extolling the virtues of the views from Middletons. Off they went to enjoy the views only to find the back arrow. The curses thrown at the hares were quickly absorbed, and the pack ran over the hill and down into the valley below. Another circle and then a bit of fun scrambling down the rocks to the Bullocks Pond. Some of the pack were suitably stamped and the book was signed.
This is where the youngsters decided that it was time for them to show a turn of speed, a bar check where suddenly 60 Watt found himself alone half way up a hill and Thunderthighs found himself, as the lone FRB, was closely chased by the pack of youngsters, and indeed, if there hadn't been another circle check may have been overtaken by the youngsters. The pack split up, and the runners ran one way the walkers walked the other way, all arrived safely and the invasion of the cold boxes started.
The youngsters disappeared back the way they came, to play some unknown game, whilst the more serious hashers got on with what they do best. Welcome back Island Boy, good to see that you're still wearing your drinking head!
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WIDEAWAKE AIRFIELD British Government officials travelled to Washington for the fourth substantive talks on opening Wideawake Airfield to civilian charter aircraft on 29 and 30 July. This was the first formal discussion since the appalling events of 11 September 2001 and both sides agreed that it was necessary for a full review of the draft Agreement. Excellent progress was made on the outstanding issues and no further talks at official level are envisaged. The revised draft Agreement is currently being circulated to interested FCO and Whitehall Departments and the Ascension Island authorities.11 |
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Pregnancy and exercise - a good idea? Pregnancy isn't an illness. It's a normal, physiological process, and one your body was designed for. All mums-to-be want to give their babies the best start in life, and extensive research illustrates the best way to do this. Fit, healthy women produce healthy babies. Balanced nutrition and a sensible lifestyle, including exercise, will help you throughout your pregnancy. Women are no longer expected to spend the whole nine months resting or ' or eat for two' during pregnancy. For most of us, the chance would be a fine thing! But just how active should you be when you're expecting? Regular exercise Regular exercise can help relieve some of the most common discomforts of pregnancy, like backache, constipation and varicose veins. It can also help strengthen the muscles that are required during labour and delivery, and ensure that you don't feel too exhausted afterwards. Exercise produce 'endorphins', the feel good hormones that can lift depression and raise your spirits. These can pass through the placenta into your babies bloodstream which in turn will have a positive effect on the foetus. Gentle exercise is a good thing for most women in normal, stable pregnancies, says Gillian Fletcher of The National Childbirth Trust. 'Obviously, it isn't a good idea to embark on a strenuous fitness programme at this time. Listen to your body, it will tell you when you have had enough.' If you are not use to a great deal of exercise, try to incorporate a little into your daily routine. A brisk twenty-minute walk every day, or a swim once or twice a week can be very beneficial. If you are a sporty type, or used to exercising in a gym or classes, you can continue it, but it is important not to overdo things. The pregnancy hormones changes the nature of the ligaments in your spine and pelvis, effectively softening them to make it easier for the baby to be born. Therefore if you go to the gym, pay special attention to your posture and technique. Warming-up before and cooling-down after an exercise session, is especially important when you are pregnant. Pregnant women tend to feel warmer so be careful not to over-heat or become dehydrated. No contact sports It is best to avoid contact sports like hockey or squash. You can be bumped into, and sudden directional changes are not good for your joints. There are special exercise classes, books and videos for mums-to be, which explain what kind of exercises are most suitable. Double leg raising, curl-ups and sit-ups are not a good idea as your pregnancy advances, but regular gentle exercise is advisable. As soon as your pregnancy is confirm you should discuss the question of exercise with your doctor or midwife. For most women 'gently does it' is an acceptable maxim, although special care may be needed, and you could be advised not to exercise if: § You have a history of premature birth or miscarriage § You suffer from high blood-pressure in early pregnancy # § You are expecting twins, triplets or more § You have heart problems § You suffer from certain pregnancy related conditions like, pre-eclampsia or bleeding Obviously, as your pregnancy progresses, the bump will make some form of exercise uncomfortable or impossible. Top 10 Tips for exercising when pregnant 1. Aim to exercise three times a week for 20-30 minutes. Regular gentle movements are better than short, sharp bursts of activity. 2. Take five minutes to warm up beforehand and cool down afterwards 3. Warn loose comfortable clothes including a support bra 4. Drink plenty of water 5. Exercise in a well ventilated room or outdoors 6. Keep your pulse rate below 120 bpm 7. Dont exercise in humid weather 8. Don't get too hot - above 38 degrees centigrade. 9. Aim for 70 - 80 percent of your pre-pregnancy exercise level. Exercise will increase your baby's heart rate as well as your own, but this isn't a problem as long as you don't overdo it. 10. If you experience pain, bleeding, dizziness, palpitations, shortness of breath or backache, stop immediately Mums to be don't need any more calories during the first six months, and only about 200 extra calories a day during the last three. Don't allow yourself to get hungry though. When exercising eat something nutritious, like a banana. Baby and Toddler clinic will be held at Georgetown Hospital on Thursday afternoon, 22 August 2002, from 3pm. Shirley (midwife) |
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Nine teams took part in the 3 team Texas Scramble held on Sunday, 11th August. Two teams came in on 55 points each. Oliver O'Dean /Pat O'Dean /Norman Thomas and Ian Thomas /Errol Lawrence /Tris Moyce. Ian's team came out in first place by scoring the highest number of points over the Back Line ( 29 - 27 ). Seven Twos were scored by the following teams: Lyn Leo, Ian Thomas, Gary Thomas, Myrtle Whittaker and Dover's team with two 2s. The highlight of the day was a hole-in-one scored Norman Thomas on the 6th green ( Par 3 ). Norman kept up the old tradition by giving everyone a celebration drink. Well done Norman. Your trophy and one for Gary Thomas will be presented after the arrival of the RMS when all the trophies are expected. The half-yearly general meeting followed the presentation and the new committee stands as follows: |
| Club President | George Dover Thomas |
| Club Captain | Martin Cranfield |
| Vice Captain | Fiona Bennett |
| Secretary | Norma Dover Thomas |
| Treasurer | Prudence Peters |
| Bar Tender | Patrick Moyce |
| Handicaps | Martin Joshua |
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Vacancy for Temporary Cook Applications are invited to fill the post of temporary Cook at the Residency, Green Mountain for approximately seven weeks with effect from 20 September 2002. The rate of pay before tax is at £5,500 per annum. Interested persons can contact the Acting Senior Executive Officer, Administrator's Office on telephone no. 6311 for more details. |
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ADVERT FOR THE FOLLOWING VACANCY Solomon & Company currently has the following vacancy: - Wholesale Manager for the Malabar, Jamestown. The successful applicant will be required to manage the Company's food wholesale and cold store businesses, as well as providing a high standard of customer service. Applicants should have at least five years management or supervisory experience, a sound understanding of finance, good communication and leadership qualities. They should also be approachable, flexible, possess good interpersonal and business development skills. Interested persons can contact Mrs Linda Richards, General Manager (Mercantile) on telephone number 2104 or Mrs Elaine Arms on telephone number 2380 for further details. Applications are to be addressed to the Personnel Officer (e-mail address: Personnel@solomons.co.sh) and should reach Solomon's Offices by 4pm Monday,26 August 2002. Please include a contact number. |
EDITOR : Rchrd Wht
The New Islander Office, Fort Hayes, Georgetown, Ascension Island.
Tel/Fax 00 + 247 6327
E-Mail: editors@the-islander.org.ac
Internet Team: Richard Thomas, Laura & Mark Handley, Gavin Yon, Richard
White
Deadline for all contributions is 6.00pm on Monday
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