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July Chester Times ChesterChester TimesTimes July 2021 Musings from the chair is for memories. Scientific findings point to memories of activities we hope will please us. This is us going through three stages of memory where the u3a comes in. M before they become one or more of the three types of long term memory. In addition, we can Chester u3a has many groups with activities that are deliberately evoke memories through photographs of stimulating for the mind, hands and body. At the last people and of holidays, and through music, voices, count, at least 33 of them were accepting new smell and video recordings of interaction with others, members. There is information on the website which e.g. through WhatsApp and similar applications. provides an update on the current status of all our Some of these recordings are still going to be around groups (Chester u3a Groups). For instance, the and traceable long after we are gone. Cycling group has returned to action and would welcome new members. See their webpage for ‘Memories are made of this’ was a popular song in more details and for a brand new video about the the late 50s sung by Dean Martin. It speaks of an group (Cycling Easyriders). idyllic relationship full of happy memories. We try to provide our children with memories which we hope When I am right, no one remembers, when I am will be pleasant for them, knowing that not all of them wrong no one forgets Larry Goetz (1895-1965) are. What we can do for ourselves is to make new American baseball umpire Membership Renewal 2021-2022 As you know, our membership year ends at the end of August. Because we will not be able to meet in August to renew in person, we are inviting all members to renew online. Although you will not be able to renew your membership until the 21st July, we would like to remind you now about how to do this. We are asking all our members to renew through the Members’ Portal wherever possible. There is a video available through this link to the membership renewal page, Chester u3a Membership Renewals, that shows you exactly what to do. You may renew through the membership portal by credit card, debit card or PayPal. To log in through the Members’ Portal you need to enter the following information: Membership Number, Forename, Surname, Postcode, and Email Address. Be careful not to enter additional spaces before or after the entries. Contents: Monthly meetings 2-3 Bird of the Month 7 Social Events 3 Digital Photography 8 Groups 4 Review of talk on Thomas Brassey 9 Explore the Tidal Dee 5 Gardening 10 Amblers Group 6 My Life Less Plastic 11 Book Review 7 Nerdal’s Nook 12 1 CHESTER TIMES July 2021 Tuesday Monthly Meetings (Online) (You should receive an email with a link to sign up for each of the talks. ) 6th July Art Forgery - the Sincerest Form of Theft by Frank Vigon The whole issue of Art is mired in debate about worth and interpretation. How do we know what is good art? How do we know what it means? How can we compare one artist with another? And how do we know when we are being fooled? In the end it all comes down to worth…aesthetic and monetary. In the gap between the two creeps in the joker in the pack….the forger. This talk attempts to examine some of the key issues: Why do forgers forge? What is their methodology? The history of forgery. How responsible are the galleries, auctioneers and dealers? The forger as celebrity. Are forgers thwarted artists or are they geniuses gone astray? The status of forgers is similar to the antihero or Robin Hood. Somehow, we do not re- gard their deception as worthy of harsh punishment and a little bit us wants to see those with the enormous sums of conspicuous and doubtfully obtained wealth, punished by being duped. But theft is still theft… An example of a forged picture: Portrait of a Woman, attributed to Goya (1746-1828). X-ray images taken of this painting in 1954 revealed a portrait of another woman beneath the surface. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed the presence of zinc white paint, invented after Goya 3rd August The Lower Mekong, Water, Watts, War by Jim Holmes Follow one of the world’s mightiest rivers as it flows through Laos, Thailand and Cambodia and then out into the Sea from Vietnam. Home to the largest freshwater fish in the world, this beautiful river flows past the UNESCO heritage site of Luang Prabang, and provides a lifeline for numerous remote ethnic minority groups. For those of you who watched the Tuesday Talk last month, and maybe also followed his progress, Garfield Southall retired from the Montane Spine Race after running for 16 hours. He sent this message out on FaceBook: Spine Race: Thanks for all your messages! The 45 miles to Checkpoint One cover some of toughest terrain in the UK; Kinder Scout, Bleaklow, Laddow Rocks, Black Hill, Standedge, Blackstone Edge - linked by end- less moorland tracks. But it's a beautiful and magic landscape and a privilege to be able to run through it, knowing that eyes in the sky are supporting you. The run across Kinder, in the late evening sunshine, was fabulous, and Bleaklow was in a benevolent mood, but things changed over Laddow (where I twisted my knee 18 months ago). The wind increased to very strong, and the rain started. It wasn't heavy but it was whipped around by the wind. Still, I have great gear and made good progress. Blackstone Edge seemed to pass quickly. Then comes a 9 mile, flat, section by the reservoirs leading to Stoodley Pike. The wind had dropped and the rain ceased, and the day was warming up, but I just seemed to have used up my 'drive' overnight and I just trudged on. I'd eaten enough, but my spark had gone. Just as in ‘the hundred’ a few weeks ago, I lacked the stamina to push on - and this is just lack of training. I just need to get on with it! Age has nothing to do with it! Thanks again 2 CHESTER TIMES July 2021 Thursday 8th July 10.00 for 10.30am ‘It’s a funny way to make a living’ Dr Michael Leach is a wildlife author and photographer, it's the only job he's ever had. He's written 38 books, translated into 28 languages. Michael spent many years as a freelance television cam- eraman, working on more than 200 wildlife films. He has travelled to all 7 continents and has worked with many of the world's most iconic animals, such as gorillas, polar bears, dolphins, big cats and many others. Michael's talk is a revealing, humorous introduction to the realities of professional wildlife filming. This is definitely NOT a technical talk, it explains how to coax animals into the right spot and convince them that no-one is watching. We uncover cunning, underhand tricks-of-the-trade that produce amazing photographs. Be prepared to have some illusions shattered! https://zoom.us/j/6813033801?pwd=bXk3Zzg5emI1dkF0Szd0eEt0NUEwdz09 Thursday 22nd July 10am – 12.00 Virtual Café The virtual u3a Café, is open today. This is an open invitation to all members and anyone else who would like to know about the u3a. Pop in and out as you please just like a real cafe. It is an opportunity to find out about planned social events and ‘have your say’ about your u3a, which we can always feed back to the committee. If you are a new member and would like to know more it is a great way to meet fellow members in a relaxed atmosphere, just as a new member did at the last session. Come along with any question or topic you would like to discuss or listen to – all contributions appreciated. Please bring your own coffee and cake!! If you would like to invite a friend, please send them the link – all are welcome. The Zoom link will be e-mailed to you close to the meeting date so that you do not lose it!. Please join us https://zoom.us/j/6813033801?pwd=bXk3Zzg5emI1dkF0Szd0eEt0NUEwdz09 Social Events Thursday 2nd December “Great Days Out” Christmas Lunch with 70s entertainment at The Queens Hotel, Chester. £29. 10.30am – 3 pm. Deposit £5 + £24 due by end of August. Includes three-course meal. Contact Sue Proctor to book (01244 335943) or email the Social Committee: [email protected] 3 CHESTER TIMES July 2021 Groups The last bumper edition of our Chester Times gave Explore the Tidal Dee short programme, some great insights into the range of different September to December 2021 activities enjoyed by our groups. So are you feeling more confident about joining or re-joining activities We are planning to run a short programme of that have been more difficult to enjoy during the activities under the title of ‘Explore the Tidal Dee’ Covid times? and the flyer (which you can see on the following page) gives an idea of the range of activities that will Status of Groups be included. Any suggestions or contributions that Chester u3a has at least 30 groups that are meeting members might wish to make would also be regularly and are happy to welcome new members. welcome. There may also be some overlap with the Some have not yet been able to restart for a number different programmes of activities already being of reasons, and some others are currently not able planned or followed by our groups.
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