Opinion

Five years ago, I visited the most magical theme park ever. At least that is what I thought. It was SeaWorld in Florida, a place where whales, dolphins and seals jumped, danced and performed astonishing tricks to entertain a laughing crowd.

Chris Ingham previews the best jazz gigs around the eastern region this week (December 4-11).

Having seen Thy Last Drop at the Bury St Edmunds Folk Festival this year I was keen to listen to their latest album. The band, which takes its name supposedly from the very last refreshment which the condemned prisoner receives, have produced a series of macabre offerings revolving around the device (the triple tree) on which the said prisoner is hanged... you get the picture. Romantic it is not, unless one includes cadavers, carrion, crows and other forms of underworld spectre as the subject of ones affection.

I had planned for this month’s column to focus on the festive period, which as well as being the season to be jolly has gained notoriety as the season of most waste.

In this increasingly frenzied world, people find all kinds of ways to relax. We might buy an overpriced bath bomb to melt into our tub one evening or simply take the dog for a brisk winter’s walk. But here’s an idea – have you ever considered art as a form of relaxation?

There are many aspects to website design and particularly to Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). SEO itself is the process of getting traffic from the ‘free’, ‘organic’, ‘editorial’ or ‘natural’ search results on search engines.

Chris Ingham previews the best jazz gigs around the eastern region this week (November 27 - December 4).

Apologies to John O’Kane whose article last week (November 20 20) was unfortunately attributed to Peter Twitchett. Peter’s contribution will be coming shortly.

When something appalling happens, like last Friday’s events in Paris, how should those of us working in schools respond?

We must be getting close to December 25th if the only thing I can see on my newsfeed is a bizarre story about a man on the moon. Of course, I’m talking about the new John Lewis commercial, but that’s only one of many more.

There are more songs about the sea then there are barnacles on the bottom of Blackbeard’s boat. Probably more songs than barnacles on Nelson’s entire fleet! We also know that melancholy songs of the sea can often be metaphors for many other states of the human condition – essentially escapism and running away from difficult areas of life. But I will leave this notion for another article.

Like most people of my age, I love to have some cash in my pocket. Naturally, I ask the internet on how to succeed in a job interview. Whilst exploring Google I discovered a recent case-study by the employment company Monster. It concluded that ‘over half of employers judge a candidate based on the firmness of their handshake’.

It all worked out rather well, actually.

Chris Ingham previews the best jazz gigs around the eastern region this week (November 13-20).

I’m writing this on All Hallows Eve where night has drawn in early after a cement grey day. Tiny witches with stick-on warty noses, black gowns and feet still in school shoes are roaming the streets whilst pumpkin costumed babes in arms accompany them. They are watched over by tired looking parents who look, quite frankly, as if they would prefer to be sat at home in their favourite chair with a glass of the devils brew after another long day. But instead they keep a careful eye on their offspring as they go a haunting in streets which have taken on the glassy and unfamiliar patina of a rainy evening.

For the first time in 35 years freedom is being restored to women across China. They now have reproductive rights and choices over the number of children they choose to have. This appears to be a social breakthrough but the Chinese government are trying to control society yet again for economic reasons to do with the ageing population.

Times change. My children meet potential partners online, whereas my wife and I met in the good old-fashioned way – through an ad in the personal columns of a local newspaper. You know the sort of thing: Good looking hunk seeks short-sighted woman. And it worked, reader – it worked! (Like some things you will read in those personal ads, there is of course an element of fiction here.)

Chris Ingham previews the best jazz gigs around the region this week (November 6-13).

Rich, flavoursome dishes based on game are in season right now. When pairing wines with game, consider the intensity of flavour in the meat, this often depends on how long the game’s hung and matured. Full-bodied, savoury red wines and occasionally a characterful white wine fit the bill.

Medicine courses at university have some of the most competitive and gruelling entry requirements. I know, because I am currently applying.