Big Ben will bong to welcome in 2022, the Houses of Parliament has confirmed.
The bell will be struck 12 times as it hits midnight on New Year’s Eve, despite other celebrations in the capital being cancelled.
It will be the first time in nearly four years that the clock face of Elizabeth Tower will be on show for the event, following years of restoration.
And it will be the last time a temporary mechanism will be used to sound the bell.
Restoration of the tower and its famous clock began in 2017, meaning the exterior was covered in scaffolding and the bell itself was silenced.
The clock was designed by Edmund Beckett Denison and installed by Edward John Dent in 1859.
Its mechanism, which weighs eleven-and-a-half tonnes, was removed and taken to clock specialists the Cumbria Clock Company in the Lake District, where more than 1,000 separate parts were cleaned and repaired.
The pieces have now been returned to Westminster and are being reinstalled over the coming months.
But the clock face – restored to its original colours – is now on show, and from spring next year, Big Ben and the four quarter bells will once again play the “Westminster Quarters” melody and bong on the hour throughout the day.
One of Parliament’s team of clock mechanics, Ian Westworth, said: “It’s iconic – it’s probably the world’s most famous clock, and to have had our hands on every single nut and bolt is a huge privilege.
“It’s going to be quite emotional when it’s all over – there will be sadness that the project has finished, but happiness that we have got it back and everything’s up and running again.”
Posted inHistory, Holidays|Comments Off on Big Ben will bong again to see in the new year
In 1871, Chicago was largely destroyed by fire. During reconstruction, Mr. H. G. Spafford sent his wife and four daughters on a trip to Europe, but the ship on which his family sailed never reached further than half way across the Atlantic, when in the middle of a November night the ship was rammed by a sailing vessel and cut in two. Mrs. Spafford saw all four of her daughters swept away by angry waves. A falling mast knocked her unconscious. She was rescued and taken to Wales, from there she cabled two words to her husband…. saved… alone. Mr. Spafford took the first ship available and asked the Captain to notify him when they reached the spot where his daughters lay. It was 3 am when the skipper knocked at his door and said “in ten minutes,…. we’ll be at your spot.” Mr. Spafford dressed and went to the bow. As the ship passed over the watery graves of his daughters,….. he wrote on the back of an envelope,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, these words…. When peace like a river attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll, whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,,, it is well ,, it is well, with my soul.
4 PM Sunday, Jan 9, 2022 at Trinity Episcopal Church
Complimentary admission – donations encouraged
Thanks to Ann M.
Join us as we honor patrons Frank and Joan Conlon for their enduring support and long-standing service to Pacific MusicWorks. Program highlights include diverse selections by Monteverdi as well as vocal and choral selections from Carissimi’s Jepthe performed alongside special guests Maxine Eilander, Daniel Reutter-Harrah, and the University of Washington Chamber Singers, Dr. Geoffrey Boers, conductor. Enjoy a delightful afternoon of music and consider helping PMW honor Frank and Joan’s legacy with a gift in their name.
Capacity is 110 people with mask and proof of vaccination required.
Trinity Episcopal is located at 609 8th Ave, Seattle, WA 98104.
Despite the stormy afternoon, we were once again treated to the incredible Firelight Chorale in the new Performing Arts Center in the Olympic Tower at Skyline
Posted inHolidays, Music|Comments Off on Firelight Chorale “Repeat the Sounding Joy”
Bob P. says, “Ran across this article today (at Eat This, not That) listing the best delis in each state. Our local deli George’s was the pick for Washington. I would agree!”
George’s Sausage and Delicatessen has been in Seattle for nearly four decades, but this tiny deli is considered a well-kept secret even among locals. It specializes in Polish and other eastern European deli foods.
“My goodness is this place amazing! Tons of condiments and Polish snacks to choose from, but the SANDWICHES!!! They are made with LOVE!” wrote a reviewer, adding that “the customer service is unmatched.”
Posted inFood, In the Neighborhood|Comments Off on The best deli in Washington State – right nearby
Conservative Republican Liz Cheney states, “These texts leave no doubt: the White House knew exactly what was happening at the Capitol. Members of Congress, the press, and others wrote to Mark Meadows as the attack was underway.”
Ed note: Skyliners might note that Dr. Eric Larson is a co-author of this study and the lead researcher of Group Health’s, now Kaiser’s ACT (Adult Changes in Thought) study. Some of you are participants in this largest study of its kind looking at the aging and the brain. Dr. Larson has spoken here in the past and he is willing to speak here once again. Hope it’s soon in the new year.
From Science Alert
Cataract surgery is often undertaken to reverse the natural decline in vision as we get older. Now, a new association study underscores the wider benefits such a procedure can have on one’s health – especially when it comes to reducing dementia risk.
Cataracts are cloudy areas that develop in the lens of the eye as we get older, causing colors to fade and vision to become more blurry. A cataract surgery replaces this cloudy lens with an artificial one to improve sight again.
On first glance, it may seem strange that this could have anything to do with the risk of developing dementia, but sensory impairment and loss of vision in particular is known to affect cognitive functioning in older adults.
Thus, the team behind this study, led by ophthalmologist Cecilia Lee from the University of Washington, hypothesized that “older adults with cataract who undergo cataract extraction may have a lower risk of developing dementia” compared to people who don’t receive such procedures.
To test their hypothesis, the researchers analyzed data gathered as part of the ongoing Adult Changes in Thought study, a long-term, prospective cohort study started back in 1994 designed to study the development of dementia.
Their data pool included 3,038 dementia-free participants over 65 years of age diagnosed with either cataracts or glaucoma. Of those participants, 853 developed dementia, with 709 of those cases being Alzheimer’s disease.
Those who underwent cataract surgery were almost 30 percent less likely to develop dementia for the next 10 years at least, with a similar reduction in risk when it came to Alzheimer’s disease specifically.
However, there was no change in risk for developing dementia amongst those who did or did not undergo glaucoma surgery across the same period – a procedure that can help halt further vision impairment, but does not improve it in the same way that cataract surgery does.
“These results are consistent with the notion that sensory input to the brain is important to brain health,” says study co-author Eric Larson, a senior investigator at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute.
The results were adjusted for a variety of health-related factors, including smoking habits, diabetes, a history of heart disease, and hypertension – but the strong association between cataract surgery and a reduced risk of developing dementia remained.
There’s a swathe of potential reasons why this may be the case. Dealing with visual impairment in old age may lead to social difficulties, and the person can withdraw from life and friends, reducing their activity and exercise, “all of which are associated with cognitive decline”, the team writes.
Alternatively, the way cataracts impair vision could lead to specific changes in the brain, speeding up some of the mechanisms that cause the neurons to work less efficiently and lead to increased cognitive issues in old age.
Furthermore, the team also hypothesizes that it may have something to do with better quality sensory input traveling from the eyes to the brain after surgery has been carried out.
“Some special cells in the retina are associated with cognition and regulate sleep cycles, and these cells respond well to blue light,” says Lee. “Cataracts specifically block blue light, and cataract surgery could reactivate those cells.”
While the connection between poor vision and an increased risk of dementia is already on the research radar, this is the first study to assess dementia risk while comparing cataract surgery to another surgical eye procedure.
With dementia affecting some 50 million people worldwide, and no effective treatment or cure available, anything we can learn about prevention is a truly valuable avenue of inquiry.
The researchers are hoping their work can prompt more investigations into the link between vision impairment in old age and dementia risk.
“This kind of evidence is as good as it gets in epidemiology,” says Lee. “This is really exciting because no other medical intervention has shown such a strong association with lessening dementia risk in older individuals.”
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Join us for a community paint day! 
We’re restoring Sunlight Over First Hill, the gorgeous public art on the columns under I-5 and James Street, designed by @nwatkins.art. We are looking for support this Friday, December 10th from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm and would love your help! Click the link below for more information and to sign up for a slot. Please help us spread the word!
