The madness of 2020 finally sees some normality return today as legendary rockers AC/DC release their first single since 2014.
Fans are reassured the classic guitar riff sound is as strong as ever – and allows us all to forget about COVID-19, politics, jobs and Donald Trump for three minutes and five seconds.
More if you play it on loop.
AC/DC biographer Lorraine Fisher, 34, said: “We’ve waited since 2014 for a new AC/DC single. Shot in the Dark is the band at its best. Listen now, with the volume up high, and forget about what a sh*t time we’re all having.”
Guitarist Angus Young used the song’s launch to pay tribute to musician Eddie Van Halen, who died yesterday.
Shot in the Dark is the first single since Angus’ elder brother, Malcolm Young, who had been with the band since launching in 1973, died in 2017.
Sort some early Christmas gifts
Why not get one or two Christmas gifts in early with our DirtyOldGoat.com mugs? Visit the website direct or buy from one of the beauties below…
For over 40 years, Belle Vue Stadium stood proudly as the home of greyhound racing in Greater Manchester – ever since the Albion Greyhound Racecourse in Salford was forced to close in 1976.
But sadly, in what has been a difficult year for many industries, Belle Vue has had to follow suit and shut its doors.
A statement from the Arena Racing Company said: “As a stadium that relies heavily on attendance, catering and hospitality, the national lockdown has had a particularly negative effect on Belle Vue, with racing behind closed doors simply unable to sustain the business.
“The significant uncertainty over the return of crowds to live sporting venues means that, despite exploring every avenue, there is no choice but to confirm closure.”
Punters can no longer expect to see the stadium and its races listed on bet exchange sites – and for those in the North West, there is nowhere to go to see the dogs, with White City and Bolton also no longer in existence for some time. It was the first purpose-built dog track in the country – and was considered the biggest, too.
A long history
Belle Vue opened in 1926 when more than 1,700 people were in attendance at the first meeting. That day, six races took place, each featuring seven dogs. A greyhound called Mistley won the opening race – and 50 years later, a stand was named after the historic winner.
The following year, the stadium began to attract many more fans – as many as 70,000 a week. That same time, the Northern Flat was introduced as the first major event – and Belle Vue went on to host many more important races and competitions over the years. Post-war, the stadium hosted the Greyhound Derby for the first time in 1964. Before also becoming home to the classic race, Cesarewitch.
Iconic races
The Scurry Gold Cup was hosted at Belle Vue for a decade between 2009 and 2019, having been raced at various stadia over the years. Winner of last year’s Trainers Championship, Angela Gorton was also successful at Belle Vue, with Droopys Reel winning the Gold Cup, over a distance of 260m. It has since been moved to Harlow.
The Laurels is an original classic competition, that too has been raced in numerous stadia. It moved to Belle Vue in 1998 and remained there until 2017 when it was then transferred to Newcastle. The Laurels has been raced at various distances – from as short as 460m, up to 480m, as it raced today. Having first been run in 1930, it is one of the earliest competitions, and thus, is very prestigious.
The Oaks was originally raced in 1927 at White City – and it wasn’t until 1939 that it gained classic status, becoming the seventh classic. It was moved to Belle Vue in 2013, but sadly the Manchester stadium only held five editions of the race, before it was moved to Swindon, following the closure of Towcester Racecourse. To this day, it’s an iconic race, only open to bitches.
The future?
At the end of last year, it was announced that the land would be demolished and a housing estate would be built on the site. It would be a sorry end for years of history and what is such a big part of the community. However, it’s believed that campaigners are battling to save Belle Vue. Chair of the Friends of Belle Vue Stadium, Simon Walmsley told the Manchester Evening News: “Whilst it is very early days in the process, it is encouraging to know that there is keen interest in seeing the stadium continue which is what we’ve worked hard to protect”.
He continued: “This is one of the best-situated tracks in the country in terms of bringing in crowds – we were still very busy pre-lockdown as the crowds were good.”
North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un thinks President Trump is taking his illness stage management to realms of make-believe.
He has sent an urgent dispatch to the White House advising him to tone down the staged appearances because they are simply too unbelievable.
Mr Jong-un, a world expert on making things seem marvelous, was stunned to watch Mr Trump’s performances in hospital, followed by his balcony appearance on the White House.
A North Korean regime insider said: “Our glorious leader makes everything in North Korea look perfect, even when he’s supposedly dead.
“Hundreds of minions hanging on his every word, writing everything he says down in little notebooks, sets just the right image.
“But these Trump appearances are beyond parody. Glorious leader has advised his to dial back on it a bit.”
White House insider Lorraine Fisher, 34, replied: “The President is very well and in complete control. You did not notice him struggling to breathe on the balcony, being unsteady on his feet, looking worried or, er, trying to suppress a cough.”
Meanwhile, mug sales are going well
The Suffolk Gazette economy continues to grow as readers snap up early Christmas gifts from our store. Visit DirtyOldGoat.com mugs for the full seleciton, or buy a topical mug from the ones below…
There are plenty of reasons people love custom number plates, and it seems to be a continuously popular trend that car enthusiasts gush over.
Adding a custom number plate to your vehicle can add a lot of class or uniqueness that is difficult to do without spending a lot of money elsewhere. It can also bring added value to your automobile along with these other benefits.
They’re affordable and easy to obtain
Number plates are really affordable and can often cost less than $100 dollars if you’re looking for a registration that hasn’t already been bought. As another positive, getting a number plate is easy because you can get one when you renew your licence or online on websites that usually have hundreds of private number plates. Online retailers often have rare plates you can’t find anywhere else, so they’re worth a look if you want a unique piece for your vehicle.
Keeps your vehicle original
The most attractive thing that pulled enthusiasts to number plates is their originality. Once a private number plate is registered, there can’t be another one like it. Someone else may try to mimic your licence plate by using a number that looks like a letter (1 for L, or 5 for S), but there will never be another plate precisely like yours. On top of that, you can look at your licence plate as an investment. Since your car will be original with that licence plate on it, you can sell your vehicle at a higher price than what you initially would without it.
You’ll always remember your plate number
As much as some of us would like to remember our plate number, it seems to always slip our minds when we need it. Paying for parking can be frustrating if you have to constantly run back to your vehicle or write down your plate so you won’t forget it by the time you reach the machine. With a unique licence plate number, you’ll never forget it when you need to renew your licence, pay for parking, or handle any other transaction related to your car.
Makes your car look new
Before you know it, your car will start to show its age. Your licence plate will likely look older faster than the rest of your vehicle because they can be difficult to clean, or the paint might start to chip off as time goes on. On top of that, those registration stickers will begin to add up – making it look like you’ve owned the car for ages. A new number plate will effectively remove multiple years off your car, and make it look well-taken care of.
A creative way to show your brand
If you have your own business, it can be difficult to market it while you’re not on the internet. Many companies have started to incorporate their branding with their private number plates, which is a cheap and effective way to draw attention to your product. Now all you need to do is add a few stickers to your window or bumper to fully market whatever you’re selling, and you’re golden. Just don’t overdo it!
Innovations in technology have allowed for more games online than you could ever find in a brick and mortar establishment.
Thanks to software developers there are new slots, table games and live dealer games which can be played anytime with just a few clicks, including play on a mobile. What is surprising is that the top five software developers in the gaming industry are rarely mentioned even though they are largely responsible for the fun of online casino play.
Playtech
Founded in Tartu, Estonia in 1999, Playtech now has 140 global licensees working across 20 regulated jurisdictions administered through offices in 19 countries and around 6,000 employees focused on the continuing development of great gaming products and content.
Playtech has become the most successful iGaming supplier in the world today, thanks to casino software developers and other specialists working in what is colloquially known as the “University of Gaming”. Whilst Mobenga, Geneity and BGT have become Playtech Sports, companies including Quickspin, Rarestone Gaming and Eyecon have retained their identities within Playtech.
Microgaming
Based on the Isle of Man, Microgaming launched in 1994, one of the first in the business, and is most famous for Mega Moolah, the most played online slot machine on the market today.
With over 1200 different casino titles over the years, they are best known for popular branded blockbusters including Jurassic World, Game of Thrones and Lara Croft (2005), with new titles across desktop and mobile launched each month. Many games feature pooled jackpots which allow multiple licensees to pool their jackpots together into one giant pot.
Net Entertainment
NetEnt publ AB, formerly Net Entertainment NE AB, is based in Sweden where it was launched in 1996. They employ more than 1,000 employees worldwide and its games are used by over 200 clients, including some of the largest gaming operators in the world like Betsson, Unibet and Bet-At-Home.
Some of their most popular games include The Invisible Man, Gonzo’s Quest, Warlords: Crystals of Power, Starburst, Dracula, and South Park. New games and product enhancements continue each year through improvement in UIs, graphics and usability.
International Gaming Technology (IGT)
International Gaming Technology (IGT) was founded in 1971 as a gaming hardware and tech solutions business for land-based companies. Now it is one of the top software developers with 12,000 employees.
Its most popular titles are Wheel of Fortune, Ghostbusters, CSI and Family Guy. In October 2020, IGT was awarded responsible gaming re-accreditation by the Global Gambling Guidance Group (“G4”) for its IGT Gaming and PlayDigital operations, making it the first gaming supplier to be re-certified by G4 for both its digital and gaming operations across 100+ countries.
Evolution Gaming
Founded in 2006, Evolution Gaming is best known for its award-winning live dealer casino games in poker, roulette, baccarat, blackjack and others. They were the first to market in new jurisdictions such as Italy, Spain and Denmark as well as New Jersey, USA and in 2020, a licence in the South African market.
In 2020, Evolution won the Online Casino Supplier of the Year prize at the Global Gaming Awards; Casino Content Supplier of the Year at the EGR Nordics Awards; and Live Casino Supplier of the Year for the eleventh year in a row at the EGR B2B Awards.
President Trump is expected to be released from hospital after seemingly overcoming COVID-19 with no problems at all. Here is the Suffolk Gazette’s President Trump guide to surviving the virus, even if you are 74.
1 Announce your condition to the world on social media, then casually walk to a helicopter if you have one and fly to hospital.
2 Take over a whole floor of said hospital.
3 Pack a few white shirts and blue suits.
4 And a photographer.
5 Pretend to do some work and get the photographer to take some pictures.
6 Remember next time to bring a Photoshop expert to do a better job.
7 Tell everyone on Twitter how well you are doing (remember to mention the wife).
8 Take the opportunity to do a couple of videos to show how well you are.
9 Remember next time to take your make-up bag for orange powder.
10 Release another video, this time with an orange face because you have got your colour back.
11 Take a car trip to wave at people outside the hospital.
12 Hire new security personnel because the others just went down with COVID.
13 Prepare for your victorious release from hospital.
14 Tell the world how strong you are and that you are ready to Make America Great Again.
15 Call for Presidential election to be scrapped when it becomes clear you are going to lose it to Sleepy Joe.
Why not buy a topical mug?
All sales support the Suffolk Gazette. Visit our partner DirtyOldGoat.com for the full collection, or buy one below…
A woman is recovering after being locked in a portable toilet for three days, it has emerged.
She nipped into the loo on a building site after being caught short on a night out in Ipswich.
But she was horrified to find the lock became stuck behind her – and she could not get out.
No one heard her cries for help or banging on the walls because the incident happened on a Friday night and no one was due to turn up for work on the site until Monday morning.
But things got worse when, instead of being found, a lorry arrived on Monday to collect the toilet and take it back to the supplier.
The 34-year-old victim, named only as Lorraine, felt a crane lift her onto the back of the vehicle, and she then had to sit tight on a 25-mile journey from Ipswich to the portable toilet business outside Bury St Edmunds.
It was only when shocked staff forced open the door to empty and clean the blue lavatory that the tearful woman was discovered.
A spokesman for Pleasure Dome Toilets said: “You can imagine our surprise to find this poor woman sitting on the toilet.
“She was in a state of distress and was feeling a little under the weather from being subjected to the smell of chemicals for so long.
“But once she had had a drink and something to eat, she saw the funny side.
“Her phone battery had long died while she was out on Friday, so she could not even ring for help. Her family was very pleased to hear she was ok.”
Just like any other machine, a furnace is subject to wear and tear. Ensuring that you service your furnace often helps to slow down the wear and tear process. Thus helping the furnace to last longer. A long-lasting furnace saves you a lot of money in furnace repair costs or the cost of buying and installing a new one.
There are many things that can be done to ensure the furnace operates efficiently and prolong the lifespan of a furnace. The following are the top ten simple maintenance tips that save costly furnace repairs or replacement.
1. Ensure the filter is clean
A furnace filter does the crucial job of filtering incoming air. The filter ensures that no dust or hair particles clog the furnace. The filter accumulates a lot of debris that is trapped in the mesh. This can cause the filter to malfunction as it is hard for air to go through. This places a lot of stress in the filter as well as other mechanisms in the furnace.
Therefore, the filter has to be regularly cleaned to ensure that all the debris has been removed. After the filet is cleaned, air can pass through freely, and the filter is able to clean out the air. This ensures that the furnace works efficiently.
How regular you clean and replace the filter depends on several things. If you live in an environment with a lot of dust, the filter is likely to clog often. Homeowners with pets and dogs need to clean their filters often due to the hairs shed by the animals.
2. Use a programmable thermostat
One of the easiest ways to avoid constant furnace repair is by investing in a programmable thermostat. The thermostat controls when the furnace goes on or off. A programmable thermostat can be set in a schedule to ensure that the furnace is only utilized when needed.
Most programmable thermostats are relatively cheap, and most people can afford them. The thermostat allows one to set the temperature depending on the need. This helps to lower the gas or electric bill since the furnace is left on for lesser hours. Lesser hours of operation mean that the furnace wears lesser and this prolongs its lifespan and lowers furnace repair costs.
3. Ensure all registers are debris-free and open
A furnace functions effectively when it can freely circulate the air around the home. If any of the registers are blocked by debris or a piece of furniture, the furnace may not function well. This can cause lower or unequal distribution of air in the building.
If any of the registers has debris in it, you should clean off the debris and ensure that air flows freely throughout the building. When purchasing a register, you should be careful about buying decorative registers as most of them hinder proper airflow due to their design.
4. Ensure the area surrounding the furnace is clean
Most furnaces are kept in the basement. In most homes, the basement serves as the areas where extra or less useful things are stored. It’s crucial to ensure that there is a space of three to five feet between the furnace and the adjacent things.
This helps to create airflow enabling the furnace to work efficiently. This lowers furnace repairs cost. Keeping the areas around a furnace clean also helps to promote the safety of equipment and any other people in the room.
5. Use curtains in doors and windows
The use of Curtains is a great way of lowering your monthly energy bill. Curtains help to prevent cold air from entering through small openings in the doors and windows. Since less cold air penetrates the building, the furnace doesn’t need to run hot for longer to maintain warmth. Curtains on the south or west-facing windows should be opened during the day to let the warm sunshine in.
6. Ensure regular furnace tune-ups
Ensure that your furnace is inspected and tuned up by a professional annually. This helps in ensuring that the furnace operates at peak efficiency. This reduces regular breakdown and lowers furnace repairs costs.
7. Utilize ceiling fans
Heat naturally rises up; a ceiling fan can help to redistribute warmth in the house. The fan should be on low setting for its efficiency. This works well in rooms with a vaulted ceiling.
8. Used decorative insulation
One of the smartest ways to decorate your home and keep people warm is by using carpet and rugs. Carpets and rugs help to insulate people from cold floors and keeping them warm.
9. Always close the garage door
Ensuring that a garage door is always closed. Closing the garage door helps to lower energy loss.
10. Maintain good humidity levels
A humidifier helps to increase humidity levels. High humidity level helps to transfer heat; therefore, it warms up faster.
