Latest news with #TomThumb
The Age
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Age
Focusing on the younger set
'Don't let anyone tell you that oldies are not technically minded,' says Nola Scott of Estella. 'I, aged 90-plus, taught my masseuse, aged 20-something, how to use Google camera on her smartphone.' All these bangin' takes on cracker night (C8) have led to numerous recollections of folks getting inventive with one's fireworks, which will be today's focus, starting with Joan Hayward of Narrawallee: 'My father provided the highlight of cracker night for the neighbourhood kids. He'd fill a balloon with oxyacetylene, tape a row of Tom Thumbs to it, then as it slowly rose into the air, he'd light the lowest Tom Thumb. The result? Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! KABOOM! I swear the whole landscape shook.' Peter Nelson of Moss Vale recalls that 'when holidaying in Coffs Harbour in 1960, friends I was staying with showed me how to put a marble in a four-foot steel rod with a tuppenny bunger and watch the marble fly out at lightning speed. Could have killed someone.' 'Choko projectiles (C8) remind me of the 1950s when we Kogarah kids had an airgun but couldn't afford the pellets,' says Rhonda Ellis of Lismore. 'We'd shoot at each other using the berries from a privet hedge. Yes, it hurt.' 'Some 65 years ago, I discovered that toaster element wire wound around the fuse of a double bunger and connected to a car battery would light the bunger,' writes Peter Crowfoot of Normanhurst. 'A friend and I buried a number of these wired bungers along both sides of a local forest walking path and ran wires from each one back to a hiding place. When suitable (i.e. non-adult) test subjects appeared and were in position, we connected the wires to a battery in random order. The result was pandemonium, as we had hoped. Note: no person was injured by this experiment.' 'Wendy Illingworth and her Madeiran boomerangs (C8) has provided proof, once again, of the adage that once you can fake authenticity, you're on the road to success,' declares Marcus Daniel of Bellingen. 'The next challenge is to fake sincerity, then you've really got it made.' Regarding the possibility of aliens watching from above (C8) as we carry our dogs' deposits around in little bags, Jack Dikian of Mosman thinks 'should they be able to read our companions' mind -– it would be 'My name isn't Rover, and I am not specially a good boy'.'
Sydney Morning Herald
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Focusing on the younger set
'Don't let anyone tell you that oldies are not technically minded,' says Nola Scott of Estella. 'I, aged 90-plus, taught my masseuse, aged 20-something, how to use Google camera on her smartphone.' All these bangin' takes on cracker night (C8) have led to numerous recollections of folks getting inventive with one's fireworks, which will be today's focus, starting with Joan Hayward of Narrawallee: 'My father provided the highlight of cracker night for the neighbourhood kids. He'd fill a balloon with oxyacetylene, tape a row of Tom Thumbs to it, then as it slowly rose into the air, he'd light the lowest Tom Thumb. The result? Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! KABOOM! I swear the whole landscape shook.' Peter Nelson of Moss Vale recalls that 'when holidaying in Coffs Harbour in 1960, friends I was staying with showed me how to put a marble in a four-foot steel rod with a tuppenny bunger and watch the marble fly out at lightning speed. Could have killed someone.' 'Choko projectiles (C8) remind me of the 1950s when we Kogarah kids had an airgun but couldn't afford the pellets,' says Rhonda Ellis of Lismore. 'We'd shoot at each other using the berries from a privet hedge. Yes, it hurt.' 'Some 65 years ago, I discovered that toaster element wire wound around the fuse of a double bunger and connected to a car battery would light the bunger,' writes Peter Crowfoot of Normanhurst. 'A friend and I buried a number of these wired bungers along both sides of a local forest walking path and ran wires from each one back to a hiding place. When suitable (i.e. non-adult) test subjects appeared and were in position, we connected the wires to a battery in random order. The result was pandemonium, as we had hoped. Note: no person was injured by this experiment.' 'Wendy Illingworth and her Madeiran boomerangs (C8) has provided proof, once again, of the adage that once you can fake authenticity, you're on the road to success,' declares Marcus Daniel of Bellingen. 'The next challenge is to fake sincerity, then you've really got it made.' Regarding the possibility of aliens watching from above (C8) as we carry our dogs' deposits around in little bags, Jack Dikian of Mosman thinks 'should they be able to read our companions' mind -– it would be 'My name isn't Rover, and I am not specially a good boy'.'
CBS News
13-05-2025
- Business
- CBS News
North Texas union truck drivers threaten strike over fair wages and autonomous semi concerns
A strike is looming between Albertsons' truck drivers and the company. On Monday, the Teamsters Local Union 745, representing the majority of Albertsons truck drivers in the metroplex, voted to strike. The union represents over 90 drivers across Dallas and Fort Worth, which is about 90% of the company's local drivers' fleet. Michael Perez, an organizer, and assistant business representative with Local 745, said their drivers have been working without a contract since Saturday. Tom Thumb, Randall's, Albertsons union truck drivers preparing for strike The union is preparing for a potential strike against Albertsons and its banner companies, including Tom Thumb and Randall's, saying they've been trying to negotiate a fair contract with them since February. "Our drivers are very frustrated," Perez said. "Basically, they're not listening to their voice. These are hard-working men and women, and they just want to come to work and do their job and get a fair wage with fair benefits for their jobs going forward." Along with pushing for better benefits, Perez said union members want job security amid the rise of driverless semis. Union leadership said Albertsons management is pushing to include contract language that would allow the use of autonomous trucks. "When you take the driver out of it, and you take the professional out of it, and you just leave it in the hands of a computer or something we're not fans of that, and I honestly don't feel that anyone who drives a vehicle or has a family shouldn't want that," he said. "That is a big concern for the community, but I don't know about y'all, but I don't want my family, my wife, and my kids, and my grandkids, on the same road as a truck, an 80,000-pound vehicle, without a driver involved." CBS News Texas contacted Alberton's corporate office to ask about its use of autonomous drivers; they declined to comment. We also asked what their plan is to get groceries to stores if a strike happens; the company did not reply. "There could definitely be a delay in food getting to the grocery store and to your table," Perez said. "They would probably hire subcontractors, which are inexperienced drivers." In a statement, a spokesperson for the company said, "At Albertsons companies, we are committed to productive discussions with Teamsters Local 745. We respect the rights of workers to engage in collective bargaining and are negotiating in good faith to reach an agreement that is fair to our employees, good for our customers and allows our company to remain competitive." But these truck drivers aren't standing down. "We're not going to stop until we get what we're after, and what these men and women that drive for them deserve," said Perez. Union leadership said much of what they're asking for are job protections that other unions at Albertsons locations across the country already have. With the union authorizing a strike, it could come at any time.
NZ Herald
03-05-2025
- General
- NZ Herald
Kem Ormond's vegetable garden: Lettuce soup - don't knock it until you try it
I am quite sure there will be a few screwed up noses, but if you have never tried it, be brave and give it a go, you may get a real surprise. Lettuce soup is part of French and Chinese cuisine. Of course, while it may be called lettuce soup, it often has the addition of such vegetables as onions, garlic, coriander, and potato, although the main ingredient is lettuce leaves. Croutons are also a terrific addition, adding a touch of crunch, as is a splash of olive oil and a dollop of sour cream. It can be served cool in summer, but oh so nice in winter, steaming hot! While I don't have my own recipe, there are plenty of tasty ones you will find online, and I have often used them when I have had an overabundance of lettuce. A lot of you have probably already planted your winter vegetable crops such as broad beans, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, garlic, kale, silver beet, and spinach. I have just planted some more spring onion seedlings, and I have even planted a few lettuces. Now, a lot of people think of lettuce as a summer crop, but some do fine being grown in winter. Some of the hardy winter lettuce varieties are Cos, Tom Thumb, Little Gem, Lamb's Ear lettuce, and Corn Salad. Then there are the loose-leaf varieties such as oak leaf green and red, mesclun winter greens, and there is a great hearting variety called Imperial Triumph that is cold tolerant, great for down south. And please don't forget Miner's lettuce. This is an absolute treasure come winter, and as the leaves are, what I call, a little bit more meaty than other lettuces, perfect for lettuce soup. Winter is when the ground gets cold, and the slugs and snails are after something rather tasty to eat, so keep an eye out for these cheeky critters and remember if it is particularly cold where you live, your lettuces will enjoy being covered by a cloche or a cold frame. They also enjoy being snuggled up with a bit of pea straw or any dried plant material left over from summer. So, while we all think of winter as the time for casseroles and comfort food, soup can be an economical change on a Sunday night with lovely homemade bread. So, why not give the humble lettuce a shot in the pot?
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Pub reopens with unearthed Victorian features after £200k refurb
A city centre pub dating back to the 1800s has officially re-opened after an eight-week refurbishment. The venue, which is located off Bold Street, has undergone an extensive transformation. Newington Temple pub is the latest acquisition from Ma Boyles Pub Group - the team behind Tempest on Tithebarn, Nova Scotia and Ma Boyle's Alehouse and Eatery. They say the £200,000 renovation has seen original features which were previously hidden unearthed and revived. The pub has also received a fresh paint job to match the ceiling green which was revealed after stripping back the roof. READ MORE: Drunk woman assaulted two people on Ryanair Tenerife to Liverpool flight READ MORE: £80,000 'Nike' and 'North Face' items seized as pensioner arrested Items dating back more than 100 years found in storage in rooms on the upper floors have also been incorporated into the pub's decor, including the original pub telephone which has been rehung. Newington Temple boasts a 'cabinet of savoury curiosities' back bar display featuring more than 20 large glass jars holding a rotating selection of snacks. Newington Temple will also screen Premier League football and sports on several TVs around the venue. Iain Hoskins, director of Ma Pub Group said: "It's been a labour of love over the past couple of months as the building was in quite a bad way. "Like with domestic renovations of period buildings, 8 Newington threw up a number of unforeseen surprises and challenges along the way. It reminds me of the work we did with Ma Boyle's and before that Ma Egerton's here in the city, both of which had reached the end of the road and the future for them looked bleak prior to the work we did with restoring them and giving them a fresh purpose. "With Newington Temple, I'm very pleased with what we've achieved; the place is stunning, we've done justice to its rich history and preserved the pub and the building for future generations to enjoy. "Digging into Newington's background, it's been illuminating understanding what used to go on here, especially the performance side. The pub, in its various name changes across the decades has outlived every other business on Bold Street over the last two centuries." The building's early era saw it used as a vaudeville performance space, hosting the debut UK performance of circus performer Tom Thumb in 1844. Managed by circus impresario PT Barnum, Tom Thumb was booked for a week-long engagement in February 1844 at No 8 Newington, where he performed in costumes such a Napoleon and the Greek Gods for the price of 6p entrance fee. As a dedication to No 8 Newington being Tom Thumb's debut performance on British soil, the lounge area of the pub has now been named the Tom Thumb Lounge with their own branded lager also being named after the legendary diminutive performer.
