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The top 10 Suffolk Gazette stories of 2020

The Editor
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The top 10 Suffolk Gazette stories of 2020

The world took a strange turn in 2020, and it wasn’t altogether pleasant. But, putting a global pandemic and political and social turmoil to one side for a moment, we did manage some humour. As your newspaper of record, we tried to bring you the real news as it happened, and we now unveil our Top 10 Suffolk Gazette stories of 2020.

So pour yourself a glass of sherry and recollect some scraps of fun in a really shit year. These are the most read stories by page views from our 1.5 million readers.

#10 There be dragons

This story was flying high and then took off to the stratosphere when Harry Potter author J K Rowling shared it to her millions of social media followers.

The story revealed how, because of the lack of air traffic during the first national lockdown, dragons had returned to the skies of Norfolk.

J K Rowling shared the story to 15 million followers

With hungry dragons on the hunt, Norfolk residents were told to keep an eye on their animals and small children.

#9 That’s handy, Andy

During the early stages of the coronavirus lockdown, flights to the United States were grounded.

The Suffolk Gazette reported how, for some inexplicable reason, the Duke of York warned it was far too early to resume US flights – and we should possibly wait another 25 years.

Prince Andrew, meanwhile, and by pure coincidence, is wanted for questioning by US cops over his alleged goings-on at the Jeffrey Epstein house of horrors.

#8 Evil seagulls plotting against us

Angry: Seagull chief Steve Walshe

During the lockdown, seagulls were furious that, with no visitors to the Suffolk coast, they had no chips to steal.

Seagull leader Steve Walshe said he and the other birds were plotting a terrible revenge for the lack of tasty chips.

#7 Greta Thunberg makes waves

Fiery teeny greeny Greta Thunberg was so disgusted by Lowestoft that she said perhaps sea levels should rise after all to wipe out the town.

She told shocked eco-activists at a meeting in the town: ““Lowestoft is an absolute tip. Hopefully, sea levels will rise a foot or two and wipe the place off the map.”

#6 Holy smoke, Batman returns

A story written and forgotten about four years ago made a dramatic return when newspapers in South America (of all places) started reporting it as truth. This, in turn, led to a Japanese news outlet, plus more in Spain, covering the story.

Back in 2016, the Suffolk Gazette told how the original Batman was a fat bearded bloke from Suffolk who emigrated to New York and turned vigilante.

Bill Smith began hunting down criminals when a thief ran off from his butcher shop with a leg of lamb over his shoulder.

#5 Cummings and goings

In yet another world exclusive, the Suffolk Gazette revealed in November how former Downing St chief advisor Dominic Cummings had quit his role to become the new CEO of Specsavers.

The news came months after Mr Cummings claimed he broke lockdown rules and drove his family to Barnard Castle simply to test his eyesight.

#4 Big Mac tailback

A14 queues for the Ipswich McDonalds drive thru

When at last the first lockdown ended in July, we revealed the huge queues that formed on the A14 as anxious Ipswich residents tried visit the reopened McDonalds drive thru.

Our exclusive photograph of the carnage near Nacton sparked some interesting debates on Facebook, where some people had the nerve to claim it was somehow fake. Many pointed out that the A14 did not have 18 lanes, but they were wrong.

#3 NHS cash on hold

We reported on an embarrassing moment in Downing Street when Boris Johnson’s pen ran out of ink, just as he was about to write out the first £350m Brexit cheque to the NHS.

Keeper of Government pens Lorraine Fisher, 34, said: “It perhaps doesn’t bode well, but presumably he will sign a cheque for £700 million next week to make up for it.”

#2 Ginger man turns to dust

Dust to dust: the remains for Steve Walshe

In July, it was our sad duty to report how ginger-haired Steve Walshe turned to dust and perished after ill-advisedly stepping outside on a hot, sunny day.

He only wanted to put some washing out, but got no further than the patio.

#1 Vanishing cream horror

girl disappears
Missing: Lilly Fisher

And so we come to the most-read Suffolk Gazette story of 2020. It was a piece that we actually published in 2018 but it took on a new lease of life, going viral again in January.

The story of how a nine-year-old girl disappeared after using cream that makes you ten years younger was shared across the world. Some gullible folks on Facebook (mainly from the US, it has to be said) said they hoped she would be found soon.

So, that’s it for another year. Let’s hope 2021 is much, much better. Thanks for reading!

New Year, new mugs

Put some new life in your kitchen cupboards with a mug or two from the Suffolk Gazette’s sister site, Dirty Old Goat.

Happy Christmas, dear readers

The Editor
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Happy Christmas, dear readers

After the year we’ve all had, it’s a relief just to be here and wish you a Merry Christmas. May you remain healthy and enjoy time with your loved ones. Unless you were already in Tier 4.

Let’s hope this time next year that we will all be living a normal life.

Meanwhile, thanks for your continued support of our factual, investigative journalism. Hopefully, we have given you some light relief.

2020, eh? You really couldn’t make it up.

One star, for sure

The weirdest casinos in the world

The Editor
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The weirdest casinos in the world

We all have heard of Las Vegas casinos or similar establishments all around the world. However, not all of them are ‘’ordinary’’ or designed in the same way.

Some casinos are special and weird to completely new levels. This is going to be the ultimate list where you can see all of those casinos and learn something about their minimum deposit, offers, and why they are so strange.

Desert Cave

Desert cave hotel is located in Australia. More precisely it is located in Coober Pedy, a small city that is located in a desert. The temperatures are very high and there is strong wind over the city most of the time. This made or better said forced inhabitants to develop establishments beneath the surface. Desert cave is an underground casino where players can enjoy 16 slots, play pool, use the restaurant or simply buy souvenirs. The casino is small but very appealing and comes with all the essentials you are going to need and you will want to enjoy. Technically, it is located inside a sandstone that has huge dimensions.

But not everyone will be able to visit this and other strange casinos. This can be hard due to so many reasons.  Not every gambler can spend enough money to visit such a casino. Many people want to play with minimal spending. In this case, everyone can play online casinos with low deposits. Thanks to $1 deposit casino Canada you can check out the review of the best low deposit online casinos and test your luck to the new limits. The site has been tested by experts and all features, offers and so much more is explained just for you.

North Cadbury court

This is commonly known as the world’s smallest casino and it can accommodate 30 players at the same time. The casino is located in the United Kingdom, in the obvious location, and can be found in a basement of a luxury house. In order to play here, you will need to rent the entire house. In that case scenario, you have access to poker, casino games, and more. You can also enjoy professional dealers and so much more. It is expensive but comes with impressive advantages. This definitely won’t be one of the most popular casinos in the near future, but it will remain one of the weirdest.

Casinò di Venezia

Here is a casino that is located on the water, literally. As you know, Venice is a special city so we wouldn’t expect anything less than amazing. The casino is one of the oldest establishments known to man and one that is so special that we cannot explain it. There are card games of various types, over a thousand slots and so much more. Keep in mind that here, players have been gambling for over 400 years which is stunning. If you like to gamble here, the good size of the deposit can help win big time and also have the best time in your life.

Virtual reality casino

Virtual reality casino is precisely as the name suggests. It is an online casino that requires from you VR headset to participate. It is developed by Slots Million and it is one of the best examples of what modern technology has to offer. Just to explain. This is an online casino but you need to use Virtual reality equipment such as VR Oculus system in order to access it. By using a joystick, you will move around a lobby, pick games you want to play and more. The best thing here is the fact you can access and play games literally at any given moment and from anywhere in the world. You don’t even have to wear an outfit. These casinos are gaining on popularity as we speak and it is likely we shall see many more in the near future. The benefits are obvious.

Esperanza Base

Esperanza Base is actually a base for scientists located at Hope Bay in Antarctica. Luckily for some, scientists from Argentina have created a small casino here. It is located in one of the houses and there are a few, basic games and slots. It may sound like a restricted casino for scientists who work there only, but it is far from that. It is a functional casino that comes with all the perks and all the essentials as any other, small casino. In other words, you can visit the place and gamble here. It is distant, cold and something you won’t be able to get anywhere in the world.

Prison casino

Try and guess where this casino is located. In Canada? No, it is located in Nevada, which sounds like an obvious answer. While many of Canadian casinos are elegant establishments, this one is truly located inside e a prison and reserved for prisoners and guards. Players (inmates) can enjoy Baccarat, Blackjack, Roulette, craps and even sports betting. The idea was to decrease the attacks inside a prison and to make inmates happier and more relaxed. Considering the fact this casino has been with us for over 30 years and we can deduce they did the right thing.

Conclusion

These were the weirdest casinos in our world. They are special, one of a kind and they come with features, offers, and locations a person cannot even imagine. In a nutshell, these are special locations that combine gambling with originality and so much more. Are they worthy of your time? Definitely yes, as soon as possible.

6 steps for reaching your career goals

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6 steps for reaching your career goals

Long-term career goals can easily feel out of reach for a lot of people or seem so far off in the distant future that it feels almost impossible to imagine it happening.

When reaching your career goals, it’s important to take one step at a time. The right steps you make today, no matter how small, can be vital to career success down the line — no matter how far away it might seem.

In knowing which the right steps are to take, you need to plan each step, and that’s where this guide can help you.

How to set your career goals

To start making the right steps towards achieving your dream career goals, you first need to understand what those goals are. It’s a good idea to make a list or keep a log of your relevant goals so that you can always check back and keep track of your goals.

  • Be honest with yourself
  • Set realistic goals
  • Set both short-term and long-term goals
  • Do your research to make sure you understand what steps you need to take
  • Speak to others and share your goals
  • Think about the big end goal, and break it down into smaller steps to get there
  • Know that your goals might change

6 steps for reaching your career goals

Step 1: Avoid unrealistic goals

Indeed, it would be best if you didn’t let anything stop you from achieving your dreams, especially when it comes to career goals. Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean that some goals may not be unrealistic. Setting unrealistic goals can risk wasting valuable time, as well as increasing the risk of disappointment in the long-term.

Also, chase those goals that you want to achieve, but also work within your own means and the realms of possibility. Through proper research and planning, you will be able to understand which goals are realistic, and which may be too far out of reach at this point.

Step 2: Break up your short-term goals from your long-term goals

These will often go hand in hand, as you will usually need to achieve your short-term goals to make the long-term goals happen for you. However, to reach your long-term goals, you first need to know which steps to take to get there.

You may therefore want to keep a separate list or log for the short-term and long-term.

As an idea, you may have a long-term goal of attaining a specific career position. Your short-term goals may therefore be to graduate from school with the right qualification to move on to the next step (a step which will be closer to that long-term goal of your intended career position).

Step 3: Avoid doing anything which takes you away from your focused long-term goals

You may find yourself up against an unexpected crossroads, or steps which you didn’t expect to take. When faced with new possibilities or a potential change to your short-term goals, always ask yourself whether this other step will bring you closer to your long-term goal, or further away. Even if it seems completely unrelated, it could better your chances of reaching that long-term goal, such as teaching you a valuable skill which you can use later.

If, however, this unexpected step can offer nothing beneficial for your long-term goal, even if it seems like a great choice, then you shouldn’t waste time on it.

Step 4: Gain the right qualifications

Not all jobs require qualifications and depending on what your specific career goals are; you may not need to have a degree or a specific educational background. That doesn’t mean that qualifications won’t be significantly helpful in achieving your career goals. If they’re needed for the career path you have in mind, then you’ll need to make sure you become qualified for what you want to do. If they’re not urgently needed, or if you’re not even sure which career you want to go into at this stage, you should still look to increase your chances as much as possible by building your resume.

For example, working to achieve an online DBA can set you up for many business avenues, and also help you to stand out significantly from any other professionals who have fewer qualifications, or perhaps none at all.

Not only that but earning a qualification will teach you valuable skills which you can apply to any professional circumstance, and which will help you strive towards your goals.

Step 5: Always set positive goals

If you’re in a career position which you don’t currently want to be in, you may think that all your goals need to focus on moving away from that. You may therefore be tempted to write goals such as ‘leave my job within the year’ or ‘make sure I never have a low salary’. While these are important realizations to have, you should switch your thinking and instead make only positive goals for yourself.

Instead of focusing on the negatives of any current job or circumstances, you don’t want to be in, think about a positive new situation which you want to create for yourself, and how you can get there. This can help to promote a more positive mentality for you when you’re reading your goals, too, as it will be optimistic language rather than pessimistic.

You could try ‘earn a higher salary’ as a more positive goal, and then research how you can increase the potential of your earnings.

Step 6: Share your goals with others

Goals can, of course, be personal and private, but when it comes to career goals, talking openly about what you’re trying to achieve with friends and family will help you to feel more motivated, as well as make your goals feel more authentic and real. It may even open up possibilities for others to offer advice and support for those steps where you need input from others.

Sharing your goals also makes it more possible to focus on them, as you can then let others know if you need time to work on them, or if you’re going to be busy concentrating on your career for a certain period.

Let these six steps help you to get started with planning — and succeeding in — your career goals.

LETTUCE PRAY: vegans and veggies could starve over Christmas

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LETTUCE PRAY: vegans and veggies could starve over Christmas

Panic buying of salads and veg will mean vegans and vegetarians could starve over Christmas, it has emerged.

With the evil French closing their border with the UK, there are warnings shelves will empty of tasty salad leaves, lettuces and even broccoli.

While the rest of us can still tuck into turkey, sausages, pigs in blankets and all the trimmings, unfortunately, there will be nothing to eat for any vegans or vegetarians in the family on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

However, if people stop panic buying at the supermarkets, then hopefully there will be a few choice radishes, turnips and onions to snack on.

Retail expert Lorraine Fisher, 34, said: “Unless France opens the border so food supplies can get moving again, there may be an unfortunate Christmas surprise for some.

“Lettuces and salad leaves are already in desperately short supply because idiots are clearing the shelves.

“However, the good news is that thanks to the recent heavy rain, the grass has grown nicely, so any veggies in the family can graze on that.”

How to implement citation and paraphrasing into the writing process

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How to implement citation and paraphrasing into the writing process

It’s no secret: college students are intimidated by writing assignments. Hate is a strong word that we’d only use in radical cases. It’s safe to say that if you ask a student how they feel about the academic writing aspect of education, they will use it. 

Some students hire academic writers, who teach them how to cope with the challenge. That’s a good idea; you could learn through experience. Others decide to find random online sources and paraphrase them into a “new” essay. That’s not a good thing to do.

In an academic context, paraphrasing is acceptable. However, it always has to be accompanied by appropriate references. Let’s discuss how you can implement paraphrasing and citation into the academic writing process.

What are citations?

Citations, also called references, indicate the source of information that inspired your writing. Their purpose is to enable the reader to learn more about the background of your arguments.

As a student, you’re expected to include references to academic or scientific sources. Books, journal articles, newspapers, and relevant interviews are also acceptable. It’s not recommended to include Wikipedia, blogs, and online articles as support for your arguments.

When used in a proper way, citations enrich your style. They prove that you’ve conducted thorough research on the topic, and your arguments are based on facts. Academic writing is not just about personal opinions. It’s about research, and the references must prove it.

What is paraphrasing?

Paraphrasing is putting someone else’s ideas into your own words. In education, paraphrasing is often misunderstood as plagiarism.

If you don’t reference your sources, then paraphrasing is the shadiest type of plagiarism there is. The content can run clean through plagiarism detection engines, since they are designed to identify only copied, not paraphrased content. But professors can still recognize the sources you’ve used. They do their research, too. If they notice an idea that you stole from another author and “forgot” to mention their name, they will consider this a plagiarised paper. The grade won’t be high.

But if you paraphrase another author’s ideas while providing references, you’re good. Paraphrasing is an effective tool that makes the content more interesting to read. If you provide quotations from other sources, they might not fit your style. With paraphrasing, you’ll make them suitable for the paper you’re writing.   

How to use paraphrasing and citations for writing papers

The main rule is: always include your references!

Now that we got that out of the way, you can follow these steps to make paraphrasing and citations easy:

  1. Use citation-generator software for proper references    

Students are overwhelmed by citation guidelines, simply because there are too many rules to follow. Your teacher may have asked you to use Harvard, MLA, APA, MHRA, Turabian, or another referencing style. You can’t master all those styles, so citation-generator software will be very useful. The MHRA citation machine will deliver clean references that you can immediately paste as footnotes. You can adjust the style you need, and you’ll provide basic information for the source you’re using. You’ll immediately get a properly formatted citation to include in your paper.

This will save you a lot of time. After the first two or three references provided by an automated generator, you’ll intuitively understand the formatting rules.                                                              

2 Your arguments are essential

This is a common mistake that students make: they rely on citations so much that they forget about the main purpose of academic writing. It’s all about presenting your point of view. The teacher is mostly interested in the things you learned and the opinions you formed during that process.

The paraphrased parts shouldn’t consume too much of the content. As a basic guideline you can follow, 3-4 references are enough for an essay of 1000 words. The paraphrased parts should only take a few sentences, and they should always be accompanied by your personal viewpoints.

Writing is easier than you think

Not everyone was born to become an exceptional writer. But you know what? You don’t have to become the best writer in the world. You only need to develop basic writing skills, which would take you through the educational process. Academic writing makes you a better researcher. The projects also help you learn how to express your thoughts and support your arguments with facts. That’s a skill that you can use in any career. Paraphrasing and citations enrich your writing, but you have to be careful with them. Follow the tips above and you’ll do just fine! 

Only four more u-turns before Christmas

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Only four more u-turns before Christmas
Boris Johnson u-turn
Boris Johnson, u-turn specialist (Photo: Estonian Presidency CC BY 2.0)

There are now only four more u-turns until Christmas, Britain has been warned.

The news will come as a shock as many believed there would be lots more Government u-turns than that.

But four it is, so they had better be big ones.

Political commentator Lorraine Fisher, 34, said: “It’s been such as fabulous year that the days have simply flown by.

“Now, without us realising, Christmas has crept up on us and will be here in just four u-turns time.

“We can’t be sure what those u-turns will be, but high on the list of potential u-turns is granting Scottish independence, cancelling Brexit, and making Donald Trump a Lord.”

Too late for Christmas

Unfortunately, it’s now probably too late to order a Suffolk Gazette mug and get it in time for Christmas. Instead, buy one to enjoy after Christmas…

Cancelled your trip to Vegas? How to recreate the experience at home

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Cancelled your trip to Vegas? How to recreate the experience at home

For most of us, the year 2020 has not planned out as we had hoped, and our travel plans, in particular, have been disrupted the most. Unless you have been living under a rock for the last few months, you will likely already be far too familiar with COVID-19 and the pandemic that has engulfed the globe this year.

However, if you have had to cancel a trip to the entertainment and gambling centre of the world, then do not panic. We are here to help you recreate the ultimate Las Vegas experience from the comfort of your own home. With the right games, company, food, and entertainment, you can enjoy a night at home while still feeling like you’re in the exciting state of Nevada!

Use online casinos

You simply cannot even attempt to recreate the Vegas experience from home without some games and gambling to get the night going. People travel from all over the world to visit the endless casinos in Vegas, but the beauty of recreating the experience from home is that you don’t have to go traipsing around looking for the best casino for you.

Instead, by making the most of the huge selection of online gambling platforms that have become available to us in recent years, you can play safely and securely from home. Finding the best online slots UK is made so much easier by online casino’s reviews sites that provides you with everything you need to know.

From the best online slots you can play to the free spins that are up for grabs, this site has listed the best online slots, as well as lots of other honest reviews. This means that whatever gaming interests you have, there will be an online casino for you that will help you recreate the ultimate Vegas experience and atmosphere at home. You may even experience some beginner’s luck!

Cook up a storm

A physical trip to Las Vegas would include some of the best cooked food in the world, so it is only right that you recreate this when bringing the Vegas experience to your own home. Food in Las Vegas is very diverse, and no matter what food you enjoy, you will find it in the thousands of bars and hotels that the city has to offer. Therefore, we recommend that you go for a buffet-style approach to the food you serve so that everyone involved can pick what they fancy.

While of course there are plenty of fine dining options in Vegas, we recommend that you stick to buffet food that can be eaten quickly so that you aren’t as restricted by rigid timing and are free to enjoy the games and entertainment. We suggest you cook up food such as chicken sliders, skewers, and waffle bites, to give you a taste of truly American food. 

Remember that you will be busy playing games online, so you don’t want to have greasy fingers. You may also want to give your food an overall Vegas theme by dishing up fast food and other dishes with a US theme.

Don’t forget the decorations

Las Vegas is well-known for its unique and glamourous décor, so it is crucial that you consider this when recreating the experience at home. From table games to giant dice and giant playing cards, you can buy a range of decorations, or if you fancy a challenge you could always get crafty and try to make decorations yourself.

However, if you want to go all out then you could draft in the professionals to help you take the decorations to the next level. Many event companies offer the ultimate ‘Vegas from home’ decoration packages, which include the perfect props and lighting to create the perfect atmosphere.

Just make sure that you don’t forget that the decorations won’t look anywhere near as good if you don’t have the right music to accompany them. An energising playlist is essential when creating the right atmosphere throughout the night and of course should feature some of the Vegas classics, such as Sinatra and Elvis. However, don’t be afraid to play whatever music gets the party going!

Have cocktails ready

A Las Vegas experience is also not complete without a range of delicious cocktails to enjoy, and you can enjoy these just as much from the comfort of your own home. Casino-themed cocktails are not as complicated as you might think and online you will find a range of Vegas cocktails, how to make them, and what ingredients you will need.

You may even want to add to the experience and create your very own Vegas-themed cocktail menu for yourself and your guests to choose from throughout the night. However, we do recommend that you have some pre-mixed cocktails at the ready so you can immerse yourself in the experience while always having a full glass in true Vegas fashion.

Dress code

Whether your Vegas at home experience is intended just for you and your family, or you plan to invite around some friends to share the fun, you could also consider a dress code to make it feel even more like you are in Vegas. While plenty of people keep it casual in Vegas, you could also go for the glitz and glam that has become synonymous with the Vegas strip. For the ultimate casino theme, you could set the dress code as formal wear, to add a bit of class to the experience.

However, if you want to keep it casual with just jeans and t-shirts then that’s fine as well. That’s the great thing about Vegas – it welcomes everyone!

By having the right decorations, music, and food on hand you can bring the Vegas experience to your own home while enjoying everything the world of online casinos has to offer and having a great night at the same time. Not even COVID-19 will get in the way of you experiencing everything that Las Vegas has to offer.

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