“You have to crack a few eggs to make an omlette”.

This afternoon; I decided to take some autumn photographs which I could use for weather reports when creating television packages at university. The weather has been pretty erratic today and so I put on my wellies & wandered down to South Hill Park. I am aware of the current restoration project which is taking place and with this in mind; I had my eye out looking for updates…

I was expecting to get some good photographs illustrating the autumn colours and the autumn weather – the blustery winds and the heavy rain… I was definitely not prepared for the dangerous scene which I was confronted with… A large section of the panels which had been used by the contractors to cordon off an area had been blown over. Fortunately inwards, as the path alongside on which I was walking is used by local school children.

Whilst taking some photographs; I could see a man walking towards me, he was checking the panels… It turns out he is the Restoration Project Manager at South Hill Park. He was inspecting the damage.

Whilst chatting, a construction worker came over, shovel in hand – I can only assume this was to restore the fence panels and attempt to weigh them down. He commented that some other fencing had also fallen down further round the lake, by the Italian Gardens.

Project Manager Richard Scrivener was explaining why so many trees have had to be removed and that the restoration project has required researching the original Ordinance Survey Maps from around the 1860’s. The restoration project has received £4.4million lottery funding in order to restore South Hill Park grounds to its former state… With this is mind; a number of established trees have had to be removed. I got the impression that there has been a fair amount of opposition with regards to the removal of the trees, but he assured us: “You have to crack a few eggs to make an omlette”.

With this in mind, I trust that the restoration project will be worthwhile and not detrimental to South Hill Park and its surrounding areas.

As the sky blackened; I made a quick dart across the muddy field to the Italian Gardens just to check it; I managed to get some shots just as the heavens were opening.

If you’d like to find out more; check out this link:

Personally, I'm going to keep an eye on this.

Slipknot's Paul Gray Died Of Morphine Overdose- 21.06.2010

An autopsy has concluded that the death of Paul gray, bassist for US metal band Slipknot was due to an accidental overdose.

Gray's body was discovered about 10.50am, May 24th by an employee at a hotel in Des Moines, Iowa.

According to the 911 call: a hypodermic needle lay near the bed and 'all kinds of pills' surrounded him.

Polk County Medical Examiner Dr. Gregory Schmunk said today that "it was two injected drugs — fentanyl is a synthetic form of morphine — that killed Gray... The pills did not contribute to his death." He added: "Gray also suffered from significant heart disease."

A spokesman for the Urbandale police said they were trying to find out how Gray obtained the drugs as they had not been prescribed. He added that charges were possible.

"He was everything that was wonderful about this band and about this group of people," Corey Taylor said. "The only way I can sum up Paul Gray is 'love.' Everything he did, he did for everyone around him whether he knew you or not ... and that's what he's left behind for us: absolute love. I will miss him with every fiber of my heart, as will everybody at this table and everyone who knew him. He was the best of us."

"It's very important that everybody on the outside of us understands that Paul Gray was the essence of the band SLIPKNOT. ... Paul was there from the very, very beginning, and none of us would be on the path that we're on now in life or have the sorts of life that we have without him," percussionist Shawn "Clown" Crahan added. "Paul loved the fans. He was kind of the person in the band that really wanted everybody in the band to always get along and just concentrate on the band. He was a really great friend and a really great person. He's going to be sadly missed, and the world is going to be a different place without him."

"It's very hard for me right now," added drummer Joey Jordison. "I just want to say that I love you, Paul, very much. You'll be sorely missed by the world over."

Sid Wilson, the band's DJ, credited Gray with introducing him to the band, which he described as a family.

"To me, that's the most important thing," Wilson said. "That in everyone he met there was a change in their life. He was so good at giving everyone a different perspective, and I love him for that."

Percussionist Chris Fehn said when Gray called "you just felt good," and he remembered the bass player as giving "the best hugs out of everyone I ever hugged. When he grabbed on to you, you could feel the love he had for you."

Brenna Gray spoke last, mentioning the couple's unborn child while discussing her husband.

"Paul was my husband, an amazing person, and I want people to remember him for that," Brenna said. "And his daughter will remember him for the way he was."

It was reported that Paul and his wife were expecting their first child in September.

Sources:

BBC News:

Blabbermouth.net

Rest In Peace:

~ Rest In Peace Spongebob who died in an oil spill because of B.P

Chain D.L.K

★ Established in 1994, Chain D.L.K. is one of the longest-running and biggest online music communities for electronic, industrial, ambient, dark, experimental & new music. Daily updated news, reviews, interviews & community message boards to stay up to date on what’s going on… ★

Taken from their website

★ It all began in 1994, when musician & music lover Marc Urselli decided that he wanted to do something to support the electronic music scene. He began by writing letters, contacting networkers, musicians, labels, individuals & the link & then in 1995, the name D.L.K was chosen & the first issue was published.

★ After a while, original founder Marc Urselli & veteran musician Maurizio Pustianaz became friends; their friendship led to combining their separate works: Chain The Door & D.L.K to create the master force of Chain D.L.K.

★ In 2000, after 5 years & 8 printed issues; CHAIN D.L.K ceased all paper publications & embraced the era of the internet... Their website address is: www.chaindlk.com

Today:

★ Chain D.L.K counts over 30,000 unique visitors per month.

★ The site publishes daily updates:

★★ News

★★ Interviews

★★ Reviews

★ Chain D.L.K provides an active community forum

★★★ Chain D.L.K is the biggest

electronic music website of its kind! ★★★

Links:

★ www.chaindlk.com

★ twitter.com/chaindlk

★ Chain D.L.K on Facebook

Face Your Fears ~ SAW Alive..

Thrill seekers will experience the ultimate terror at Thorpe Park from March 18. Working in conjunction with Lionsgate & Twisted Pictures, Thorpe Park aims to create the worlds first realistic and most extreme horror maze.

Thorpe Park promises an ‘atmosphere of fear’ and the attraction has been designed to make the participant feel as if they’re in a real life horror scenario; navigating through six traps depicting the most grisly and iconic torture scenes realistically reinacted from the 18 certificate horror movie series SAW, according to a spokesperson for the park.

The park advises the attraction isn’t suitable for under 12s. However, with heated discussion already underway about the certification and content of video games and films and their effects on children it is suggested that ‘the links may be stronger with this interactive experience’, said clinical psychologist Dr Angela Wright.

Laura Sinclair, Thorpe Parks Entertainments Manager said: ‘We want SAW Alive to be as authentic and terrifying as possible.’

Alongside the reenactments, the attraction will feature a shock-emitting electric corridor and lighting and audio effects which simulate gun fire and create the fear of being decapitated by a swinging razor sharp pendulum. The attraction will also incorporate vibrating floors, strobe lighting and most controversially, putrid, nerve-wrenching stenches of urine, burnt hair, rotting meat and embalming fluid throughout, said a spokesperson for the park.

Brendan Walker who studies the changing physiology of a person during high-adrenaline forms of entertainment, added: ‘Smell is a very powerful sensory stimulant that can elicit unexpected emotions, and violently change human experiences and will, therefore, play a crucial role in an attraction like SAW Alive.'

As with any attraction, it’s up to the individual as to whether or not they choose to participate. In this instance, if all the hype is to be believed, this attraction should only be suitable for adults. On the other hand, if the age restrictions are merely advisory, how realistic can it be? There’s only one way to find out…