3rd February, 2000
The Noticeboard

WATCH THIS SPACE

Formation of the Moon
The Moon and the Earth formed at around the same time, 4.5 billion years ago. There are many different theories about how the Moon was formed. Here are the four main theories.

The Collision Theory is that a huge asteroid crashed into the Earth 4 billion years ago. The explosion was so intense that both objects became molten. The debris form the explosion formed the Moon.

The Separation Theory says the Earth was hot and molten. As it spun on its own axis a large bulge formed which broke away and went into orbit around the Earth. But this theory is now no longer regarded possible.

The Sibling Theory is that they were both formed at the same time from the cloud of gas and dust spinning around the Sun. Gravity has kept them together because they formed so close to eachother.

The Captive Theory says that because of the difference between the rocks on the Moon and the rocks on the Earth that they had to be formed at different places at different times. The Moon was passing and got caught in the Earth's gravitational pull and has stayed there ever since.

The Moon appears to have been molten at one period before a crust of lighter material formed. During its first 750 million years the Moon's crust was penetrated by a bombardment of large meteorites and comets. 3 billion years ago the bombardment slowed down and volcanic eruptions started to accur, which formed mountains and valley on the lunar surface. Today the Moon's surface has changed little in the past 1.6 billion years. The Moon has no atmosphere so therefore nothing shields it from space rocks heading towards it. It depends on the size of the flying object that hits the lunar surface and what physical effect it will have on it.

There are vast differences in the landscape on either side of the Moon. The near side has more lava filled basins that formed the Maria and less meteor impact craters than the far side. This could be because that the side of the Moon, which faces the Earth, has more protection because of the earth's atmosphere, which deflects large meteors back out into space. The far side is more open to attack by asteroids etc. Also the gravitational pull of the Earth on the Moon has caused more volcanic activity on the near side.

VALENTINES DAY

The candle burns, so raise your glass,
Let's dance across the sands of time,
When you my love, were but a lass,
And sent me my first Valentine
Oh! Happy days, when we so young,
Walked hand in hand, and summertime
Made dreams come true, and we were one,
Ah! Golden days, dear Valentine.
All long ago, and far away,
Another place, another time
My love! It seems like yesterday,
Since first you were my Valentine.
To all the bridges we have crossed,
A rose, a tear, a glass of wine,
For all we've gained, and all we've lost,
For you, my love, my Valentine.

Ronnie McGinn

Did you get a Computer for Christmas?

If the answer is yes, then you need to read on.

In this age of technology, many of us own our own computer, but how many of us actually know how to use one. Can you use it to type and print a letter, make a birthday card for someone or produce a newsletter for a club or group ? How about using your computer to balance your own monthly budgets by using a spreadsheet ? Yes indeed many of us have computers sitting at home, and the only people who use them are the kids: and even then just for playing games.

There are many courses on offer out there:- day classes, night classes etc. Some offer courses for 10 or 12 weeks while more offer a more intense 5 or 6 week course. The shorter courses suit a lot of people as they don't want to commit to a 10 week evening course when they can do it in half the time (albeit maybe 2 nights per week).

Whatever length course you decide to do, decide now and don't just let your £1,000 worth of equipment gather dust !

Mna Feasa

The Mna Feasa Domestic Violence Project are organising a one day conference as part our their Education and Public Awareness work, on Saturday 11th March to coincide with International Womens Day. The theme of the conference will be “Putting Domestic Violence on the Agenda in Communities.”
They plan to do this in a creative way, using drama as a medium, followed by workshops to discuss the issues that arise from the drama. A full programme will be available on booking.
No fees will be charged and lunch will be available for participants on the day.. Contact (021) 211757 for more details.

I'LL NEVER FORGET WHAT'S HIS NAME?

"They're going to hate me, " said the nervous young man with the guitar. He was making his first appearance on ' The Grand Ole Opry'. It was the biggest event of his life, he would be singing live on radio. Sensing the young man's insecurity, Marty Robbins patted him on the back and reassured him "You're going to be fine" he said. Just then the host of the show, Hank Snow announced the introduction of the young man from Memphis who had just made a hit record. The crowd applauded but unfortunately Hank could not remember the young man's name. As if on que, Elvis Presley bounced on to the stage and the world was never the same again. But Hank Snow was already a legend.
Hank Snow was born on May 9th 1914 in a small village called Brooklyn near Liverpool, Nova Scotia. Named Clarence Eugene Snow he learned at an early age what it takes to survive. His parents were divorced when he was eight and his stepfather, as he recalled himself "Treated me like a dog. I still carry scars across my body from his beatings" After much abuse and frequent trashings he was thrown out at the age of twelve. He went to work as a cabin boy on various Atlantic-fishing boats. It was a cruel education, but it was here that he learned to play the harmonica and to entertain his fellow crewmates.
After four years he was back working in his hometown. He did everything it took to survive, delivery boy, lumberjack, lobsterman, stevedore, he even tried his hand at being a brush salesman.
It was now the early 'thirties and he had become a Jimmy Rodgers fan. He even bought a guitar and practised playing and singing. He gradually began to establish a local following around Halifax. And then he got a break when he was asked to do his own radio show. The show was called 'Down on the Farm' and he was billed as 'Clarence Snow and his Guitar'. In 1936 RCA Canada asked him to make a record. He was now called "Hank the Yodelling Ranger" and his first record was 'Lonesome Blues Yodel / Prisoned Cowboy'. He celebrated by getting married to Minnie Blanch Aalders and she was to have a major influence on his life. In 1937 she gave birth to their son, Jimmy Rodgers Snow.
By 1944 he was well established in Canada but still unknown in the US, so he started making radio appearances in Philadelphia. By now his voice was changing and he could no longer yodel so he became "Hank the Singing Cowboy". After an unsuccessful attempt to make it as a singing cowboy in Hollywood, he met up with Ernst Tubb who re-launched him in Dallas with "Brand on my Heart" and "Marriage Vow". The record was a minor hit.
A year latter in 1950 he got a job with the "Grand Ole Opry". He released "Movin' On", and it went to number one in the charts and stayed in the charts for forty-nine weeks. Hank Snow had arrived. Throughout the 50's Hank had a string of hits. His next number 1 "I've been Everywhere" came in 1962 .He toured Europe and Japan and he even played in Vietnam in 1966. Hank Snow was now recognised as an international star. In 1972 he had another number 1 hit with "Hello Love". His album "Still Movin' On " made it to the charts in 1977 and in 1978 he was elected to the "Nashville Songwriters International Hall of Fame" and the following year to the "Country Music Hall OF Fame".
Then in 1981 he ended his RCA recording contract after an incredible 45 years. His autobiography, The Hank Snow Story appeared in 1994. In the meanwhile he was making videos, but he did not like the direction country music was taking, and made his views known. He founded the Hank Snow Foundation for the Prevention of Child Abuse. He wanted to stop other children from suffering the kind of abuse that he got as a child. He never forgot the depravity and the terror of his own childhood.
With over a hundred albums to his credit, including seven number ones, Hank's songs have been recorded by people as diverse as the Rolling Stones, Emmylou Harris, and Ray Charles and ironically by the kid whose name he couldn't remember, Elvis Presley.
Hank Snow died at his home in Tennessee on 20th December 1999. One of the last things he said was "I've done everything I wanted to do". Thanks for the songs Hank!