Price of coal has ironers in a tiff

From the archives of All things Ironing - Ironing in India

We have many options in Melbourne when it comes to ironing. There are ironing services, dry cleaners and laundries we can call on to help us. If we are brave, we may venture to the nearest home appliance store and choose one of dozens of models of irons, bring it home, plug it into the power socket and do it our selves.

Running an ironing business in Australia, I often wonder how lucky we are to have a dependable supply of electricity. Well, not so everywhere in our world as a recent story from New Indian Express reminded me.

According to the article by Sruthisagar Yamunan (13/11/2013), ironing shops are being forced to increase their tariffs by some '3 rupees for a single cloth' due to the premium coal price doubling in the last 12 months.

Man ironing clothes with a flat iron on the road from Ranthambore National Park to Karauli

Owners of these shops say they are reeling under heavy losses, owing to high prices of coal over the last few months.

 

According to them, there are two varieties of coal available in the market. There is first grade coal, which produces more heat and requires a lesser quantity, which now costs around 65 rupees per kg. Last year during Deepavali, the same cost 35 to 40 rupees per kg.



The traditional irons are heated by placing burning coal in the iron chamber.

The Dhobhi of Punjab are said to have immigrated
from the ancient city of Kannauj in Uttar Pradesh,
and are now found throughout Punjab.

 The Dhobi community are still involved in the traditional
occupations of washing and ironing of clothes.

 

Handmade Dhobhi iron replica

The original Dhobhi (Washerman) design dates from

the 19th century and is still in popular use to this day in India.

 

The Dhobhi ironers prefer these to the modern electric models for several reasons.

They iron particularly well due to the heavy weight and extremely polished surface

that they acquire over time. They are also portable and do not rely on electricity

which is erratic in most parts of the countryside.

 

The Dhobhi carry these beautiful irons on hand pushed carts as they go

from door to door ironing garments for customers.

“The cost has become double. And the supply is also lower. We are having a hard time with our business,” says Jagir Hussain, who runs an ironing shop in Triplicane. On an average, his shop requires four kilograms of coal.

Low quality coal, usually referred to by these men as kaatu kari, has also seen an appreciation in price with a kilogram now costing 40 rupees from about 25 rupees that it cost last year. Such increases in price of a crucial component of their business means that many such shops have already begun to increase prices. While they had been charging 15 for pressing a saree, some have now increased it by 5 rupees.

But it is not just the coal price that has resulted in higher charges for the service. Shop owners say the labour cost for the person ironing the clothes has touched 700 rupees (AUD 11.50) per day.

 

“Labour is now too costly. Small shops like us are affected even though we employ only one person for the job. I pick up and drop off clothes from the apartments and so I cannot do the ironing. An extra man is a necessity.

Quote of the week

"You had better live your best and act your best
and think your best today;
for today is the sure preparation for tomorrow
and all the other tomorrows that follow."

 

                                                                                                    - Harriet Martineau

Customer Service

Opinion
 

What exactly is customer service?

Innately, we all seem to know or feel when we receive it or not, yet trying to define service or quantify it, remains elusive.

A Wikipedia definition goes some way to explaining the concept of Customer Service:

"Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. A series of activities designed to enhance the level of customer satisfaction – that is, the feeling that a product or service has met the customer expectation."

Others try to explain the concept of service by defining it in Marketing terms. The 4 P's of Marketing have been more or less defined over the years as Product, Price, Placement and Promotion and are still accepted as valid today. However, there is a lot more to providing a service than having a great product at an affordable price at a convenient location and then telling everyone about it.

With global competition and production being increasingly centralised in locations that offer a more economically favourable balance between price and product, has come the loss of diversity. Making it increasingly difficult for a company to define its self by the product it delivers. Service has never been more important.

According to the Forrester website, the 4P's of service can be defined as:

Pain - or lack of. Customers want effortless service. They want to receive an accurate, relevant and complete answer to their question upon first contact with the company.

Personalisation - Customers are no longer satisfied with the 'one size fits all' service experience. Today, they want the product and service that they purchase to be individually tailored to their specific needs, wishes and wants.

Productivity - Customer service organizations must pragmatically walk the balance between customer satisfaction and cost. A reliable and efficient service experience gets positive customer satisfaction.

Proactivity - Customers want to feel like the company has their best interests at heart and that the company is partnering with its customers to keep them satisfied and loyal throughout their engagement lifetime.

In Australia, the debate about customer service, or the perceived lack of it has been pursued for as long as Osca has been in existence. And there is still no clear concept available do define it. About the only thing all the experts agree on is that it is very important to the success of any business.

OSCA SERVICE

We realised that Customer Service was going to be at the core of everything we do right at the beginning and started developing our own tools within the first 6 months of operation. The clue being in the word Ironing Service. Or to put it more clearly, we came to the conclusion that we are a Service company and our product is Ironing. Ironing is what we do, Service is what we deliver.

Most businesses look at service from the top down. Service strategies are developed through demographics, marketing, research and tested with focus groups before they are implemented through systems and training and passed on all the way down to the point of contact staff . "Will you have fries with that?" is a good example. The customer is considered but not consulted.

At Osca, we have adopted a service philosophy that starts from the bottom up. The needs and wishes of the customer come first and the service is developed organically, depending on each customers individual circumstances. As the service develops, it becomes clear that some aspects are more common than others and those are adopted more widely for the benefit of all the customers whilst the focus remains on the individual customer.

In the last five to ten years, the thinking about service has turned towards the 'Customer Experience'.

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

 

Customer Experience as defined on Wikipedia is the sum of all experiences a customer has with a supplier of goods and/or services, over the duration of their relationship with that supplier. From awareness, discovery, attraction, interaction, purchase, use, cultivation and advocacy.

In short, customer experience meaning a customer journey which makes the customer feel happy, satisfied, justified, with a sense of being respected, served and cared for, according to his or her expectations or standard, starts from first contact and develops through the whole relationship.

 

"Loyalty," says Jessica Debor, "is now driven primarily by a company's interaction with its customers and how well it delivers on their wants and needs." (2008)

 

"A company's ability to deliver an experience that sets it apart in the eyes of its customers serves to increase their spend with the company and, optimally, inspire loyalty to its brand."

 

A 2009 Strativity Group study of over 860 corporate executives revealed that companies that have increased their investment in customer experience management over the past three years report higher customer referral rates and customer satisfaction.

The customer experience has emerged as the single most important aspect in achieving success for companies across all industries Peppers and Rogers.

 

Ultimately, service is about perception and perception is shaped more by feelings than facts. So service can not be truly defined from the top down if perception is a progression that leads to a conclusion.

 

Service must be defined from the self. Understanding that every customer has their own perception, reached through their own experiences and feelings just as each and every one of us do, is key to providing a good service.

 

Being in the service industry, I pay particular attention every time I engage a service provider and I am always on the lookout for excellence. What can I learn from what they do, that can help my company improve the service we offer to our customers. My experiences fall into four basic groups.

 

NO SERVICE

We all know the feeling. We engage a service provider and by the time our experience concludes, we feel underwhelmed. A good example is making a call and being put 'on hold' while an audio message repeats "Your call is very important to us, please hold." Well, if it is so important, Why don't you answer it?

 

THE NORM

We go to a restaurant. A pleasant waiter arrives, takes our order in a competent manner, remembers who ordered what, brings the meals out on time and takes care of any requests we may have. Exactly what one would expect. How things should be all the time. A level of service we expect and should get every time.

 

GENUINE SERVICE

It's the service we want to tell our friends about. "I went to a greengrocer, they packed the vegetables in a recyclable cardboard box and offered to carry the box to the car with me." We feel that the service provider has gone that extra step (pardon the pun), gone out of their way, did something that wasn't entirely necessary, but appreciated.  

OVER THE TOP SERVICE

 

We arrive at a hotel, the service is professional and flawless. From the doorman, the concierge through to the room service and cleaning staff. Everyone is super polite and helpful and offer any assistance needed while our account is open. On our way out, business concluded, we are ushered into a waiting taxi, but if the taxi driver takes too long inputting our destination into the GPS,  the same doorman who was all over us when we arrived hassles the driver to move on because he is taking too long - seemingly without any concern for the passengers. We've given you our best, you've paid, now get out. Somehow at the end of it all, we feel like we've been had and a potentially exceptional experience invites a different type of conversation with our friends. 

 

We have engaged the service provider and by the time our experience concluded we feel that although the service was faultless, it lacked any real relevance to our own individual needs.

 

Service is not just about a rational experience. How quickly a phone is answered, what are the opening hours, delivery times, etc. It is much more about how a customer feels. It is about how a customer consciously and subconsciously sees his or her experience.
 

Service is a selfless act. Genuine Selfless Service has nothing to do with WHAT we are doing; and everything to do with HOW we do it.

 

research :

 

Over 25 years of striving to give the best service possible,

considering the customer as the number one priority in everything we do.

 

other research links

 

Harnessing Happiness Foundation

 

Customer Experience Professionals Association

Beyond Philosophy

Wikipedia

Forrester

Quote of the week

 

 The pessimist complains about the wind,

the optimist expects it to change,

the realist adjusts the sails.

 

                                                                                              - William Arthur Ward

Pocket Ironer

From the archives of All things Ironing - Ironing Gadgets.

You are about to go in for that important interview and notice the crease on your sleeve isn’t quite razor sharp. The impressive tie you chose just for this occasion could be just a bit flatter.

 

No problem. Just reach into your pocket and activate your Pocket Ironer. Your personal standby ironer is ready to spring into action to make sure you put your best wrinkle-free foot forward.
 

The Pocket Ironer is compact.

The Pocket Ironer is versatile and easy to use.

Battery powered, the Pocket Ironer can be conveniently charged with a USB cable directly from your computer and comes with a clip attachment to hold the crease for easier ironing. 

 

The Pocket Ironer measures just 100mm x 60mm x 18mm and weighs in at only 60 grams.

The manufacturer claims that anything you wear that folds and can use a little extra ironing can be put right at a moment's notice.

Product Page

 

17 billion dollars

Opinion
 

Yesterday, I posted my thoughts about the 12 billion dollar hole in the government's budget. This morning, the finance minister Penny Wong announced that the estimated budget shortfall is now going to be 16 to 17 billion.
 

Finance Minister Penny Wong announcing the good news

At this rate, Paul Keating's prediction of a Banana Republic so many years ago seems like paradise.

 

Obviously, not being the first person to ask them selves this question, I followed a few links on the internet to find some graphics to illustrate just what a billion dollars looks like. To illustrate, I found these graphics courtesy of The Society Pages.

 

This is what 1 Million Dollars looks like.

  

 

This is what 100 Million Dollars looks like.

  

  

This is what 1 Billion Dollars looks like.

 

 

 

and this is what 17 Billion Dollars looks like.

 

 

 

" I think we need a bigger hole..."

Osca

12 billion dollars

Opinion.

 

Recently, our Prime Minister announced a 12 billion dollar shortfall in the government budget and it got me thinking. Just how much is 12 billion dollars exactly?

 

$12,000,000,000.00

 

"It's here somewhere..."

 

It is such a large number, one finds it difficult to wrap one's brain around.

 

Depending on the industry, some people earn less then or close to $20.00 an hour. At 12 billion dollars, such a person could have a job for 480,000 years. That's almost seven thousand lifetimes.

 

Even at $100,000.00 a year, considered to be a good income that most of the population only dream of, one could earn such income for 120,000 years.

 

or

 

a hundred and twenty thousand jobs for a year. Gone !

 

It seems incredible to me that such numbers can be announced by our government so casually, as if everything is just fine. Oh, we made a mistake in our calculations a half a year ago. Oh, it's not really our fault, the dollar is too high. But we want your vote in September. Trust us, we know what we are doing.

Osca.

Armand Gautier (1825-1894)

From the archives of All things Ironing - Ironers in oils.

Amand Gautier (1825-1894), a French painter and lithographer, he began as an apprentice lithographer but displayed such a talent for drawing that in 1845 his parents enrolled him at the Académie in Lille, where he studied under the sculptor Augustin-Phidias Cadet de Beaupré.



Armand Gautier - A woman ironing - etching
from Eaux Fortes Modernes 1864.

Armand Gautier - A woman ironing - oil on canvas
Musee des Beaux-Arts, Caen, France

In 1847–50 he worked in the studio of the Neo-classical painter François Souchon (1787–1857).

 

In 1852 he received a scholarship to study at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris with Léon Cogniet.



He frequented the Brasserie Andler where he met many of the artists who exhibited at the Salon, particularly the Realists.

 

Gautier himself made his début at the Salon in 1853 with Thursday Promenade. He shared living-quarters with Paul Gachet, a close friend whom he had known from his days in Lille. Gachet, who was a doctor, introduced Gautier to the environment of such hospitals as La Salpêtrière, and this influenced the direction his art was to take.



Armand Gautier - Salpetriere - lithograph 1857
showing personifications of dementia, megalomania, acute mania,
melancholia, idiocy, hallucination, erotomania and paralysis.
in the gardens of the Hospice de la Salpêtrière.

He was authorized to execute a large number of studies of lunatics in the specialized asylum, continuing the tradition begun some 30 years earlier by Gericault with his scientifically realistic series of monomaniacs.

 

Gautier was fascinated by this experience and, as a result, painted his best-known work, the Madwomen of La Salpêtrière (destr. 1870). When the painting was exhibited in 1857 at the Salon in Paris, it was a resounding success, acclaimed not only by Maxime Du Camp but also by Jules-Antoine Castagnary, Théophile Gautier and Charles Baudelaire.

The originality of its conception and the virtuosity of its technique made the painting a significant example of Realism, worthy of being placed in the same category as the works of his master and friend Courbet. Their friendship was such that in 1867 Courbet painted Gautier’s portrait (Lille, Mus. B.-A.).

 

Jean Desire Gustave Courbet (1819–1877) - Gautier Portrait - oil

During this time he actively sought a patron, and eventually found one in Louis-Joachim Gaudibert (1838–70), a wealthy shipowner from Le Havre who had already helped Monet and Eugène Boudin.

Gautier became friends with these artists who were interested in unconventional ways of painting; he was particularly close to Monet, whom he advised early in the latter’s career.

 

He took part in the first Salon des Refusés in 1863, exhibiting The Adulteress (1860; untraced). During this time financial needs prompted him to paint portraits for the Salons, where they were favourably reviewed by critics, who compared him to Carolus-Duran. Along with Courbet, he was a member of the revolutionary movement of the Commune and because of his activities was arrested and sentenced in June 1871.

 

He began exhibiting again at the Salon from 1874, showing portraits, still-lifes and religious scenes, and continued to do so until 1888, but these works did not have the conviction of his earlier ones. In his last years he became a recluse in the village of Ecouen and was eventually put in a retirement home by friends.

 

Research Links 

 

Strawberige

Art Fact

National Gallery of Australia - Art Search

 Scholars Resource

 

All images contained on this website are copyrighted property of their respective owners.

All rights reserved.

Sunbeam Verve 68 Iron Review

From the archives of All things Ironing - an Iron review.

A long time ago, we have made the choice for environment versus productivity when selecting our ironing equipment.  Having used commercial ironing machines for a decade, we decided to switch to much more environmentally friendly domestic irons about twelve years ago.

For one, domestic irons use a miniscule amount of electricity in comparison to the bulky, commercial, almost industrial machines and it is a lot easier and cheaper to replace a small iron in a matter of minutes than to have to be without an iron for up to two weeks sometimes, to have the commercial equipment repaired. Usually at great expense. 

Having tested all the domestic models available at the time, we settled on the Sunbeam range of Irons for quite a few reasons. The top of the range Sunbeam irons offer :

 

• Excellent 2400 watts initial heat-up, the iron is ready faster.
• Faster heat recovery during ironing, and therefore better, consistent quality.
• An excellent, more even spread of steam through the sole plate (172 steam holes) and a powerful shot of steam.
• Ergonomic design. This is particularly important in the case of using the irons on a semi commercial basis as we do for instance where the ironer is using the iron for 4 hours or more at a time. The weight distribution, rest position, water filling position are all important in reducing repetitive straining from a full time ironer's point of view.
• Full length button groove seems to have been almost forgotten by other manufacturers, yet is vital in reducing damage to buttons and allowing for a much smoother finish, especially to the important bodice and placket areas of a shirt.
• Resilium, durable scratch free base plate that truly does glide better than others.

Sunbeam Verve features
sunbeam verve pdf

 

In addition, the Sunbeam irons are closer to Australian made than any other brand and we always prefer to choose and use Australian made products. Although no longer made in Australia, according to the Sunbeam website, the design team and administration is still based in Australia and New Zealand.

During the last 10 years, Sunbeam has upgraded and re-designed their range a number of times and unfortunately, our experience has been that with each new model, the irons last a little less time.

Admittedly, we put the irons through their paces, with each iron ironing between 4 and 7 hours a day and Sunbeam makes a clear distinction in the warranty between domestic use (2 years) and commercial use (3 months). However, where the irons made 10 years ago mostly lasted over a year, the latest models hardly make it through two weeks of ironing on average (20 to 35 hours of ironing) before some component fails.

 

Yes, plainly we are within our rights to claim warranty each time the iron fails within the three month warranty period that applies to commercial use, however, it just seems plain silly to just pass this problem onto the retail supplier that we buy our irons from.

 

As it is usually one or other small component which makes the irons unusable, the next obvious step was to try and have the irons repaired by an authorised ironing equipment repair shop.

 

Unfortunately, this avenue failed also as we were assured by more than one repair specialist that Sunbeam does not provide spare parts and as such the iron can not be repaired and we should claim warranty. Back to square one.

 

Just to clarify, I have no way of confirming whether Sunbeam does or does not supply spare parts.

 

I have personally tried to communicate with Sunbeam about these issues on a number of occasions, considering we currently use 20 or more irons a year and can probably offer excellent feedback, but to no avail. My emails remain unanswered.

 

Continually returning the irons to our supplier (Good Guys) who have never refused a warranty claim, just seems an awkward waste of time and effort on everyone's behalf.

 

By now, you are probably wondering why we don't simply use another brand.

 

Simply, because the Sunbeam Verve iron is still the best on the market (when it works) in my opinion, having recently again gone through the exercise of testing the other available brands.

 

So where to from here?

 

I have decided to see if I can fix the irons my self.

 

The main problems we encounter are :

 

• Loss of the shot of steam. There have been instances when this feature does not work at all on a brand new, just plugged in iron. Odd, considering it is the most prominent feature highlighted in advertising of the Sunbeam irons. Mostly though, the released steam gets weaker and weaker over a period of hours of ironing and eventually stops all together or just water comes through making it impossible to use the iron to iron.

 

• The buttons used for the shot of steam and water spray sometimes just pop out. This is either a problem with the design or a poorly made component because the small plastic tab breaks too easily.

 Shot of steam button and clip holding it in place

• Water fill inlet cover locking tab which is in place to stop water splashing out from the water chamber during ironing eventually snaps off regardless of how careful we are using it. Same reason as above I suspect.

 Water fill inlet cover locking tab

• The shot of steam or water spray assembly comes apart. I have discovered this on one occasion when the button popped out and the rubber seal was still inside the spray chamber. In fact, it was this discovery that has led me to have the confidence of attempting some minor repairs my self.

 

Water spray button assembly 

 

• On several occasions, when an iron gets older, water starts to seep from somewhere between the iron water tank assembly and the base plate. This can cause a short circuit and usually blows the fuse on our electrical board.

 

• Of course, any time water starts to leak out of the iron in any manor, it becomes useless as an ironing tool.  

 

• Rarely, in fact only once in all the years that we have used Sunbeam irons does it happen that a new iron refuses to heat up once plugged in.

 

• With a test sample of at least 50 Sunbeam Verve irons, it is seldom for an iron last more than 3 months ( 250 to 400 ironing hours ) in our semi-commercial setting unless helped with some easy repairs.  

To be fair to Sunbeam, I suspect these small, yet vital breakdowns are more to do with the manufacturing process and materials used than the design its self. More a symptom of the consumer desire for cheaper products which has seen most Australian manufacturing outsourced off shore where I guess there are not as many strict quality checks that I would expect if the manufacturing was done locally.

 

Sunbeam Verve 68 Iron Quick Review

Test sample - over 50 Sunbeam Verve 68 Irons. Testing period for each iron - about three months (250 to 400 ironing hours)

Problems encountered                                                    Frequency

New iron not heating up                                                      Only once

Shot of steam stops working                                               Most
(have found a way of repairing)

Shot of steam button breaks off                                           Many

Water fill inlet cover locking tab breaks off                            Most
(able to repair some by using parts from old irons)

Thermostat failing or not working                                         Never

Water leaking from within the assembly                               Rare              

Attempting safe minor repairs

 

I have taken one iron apart to see which old components can be kept from the failed irons and used for repairs.

 

Sunbeam Verve iron disassembled

You can see that I have stopped when I got to the heating element assembly (top left). For one, it appears fused and there might be a good reason. I suspect that asbestos is used quite often to insulate heating elements as I was able to confirm with a quick search of the internet - even in hair dryers.

 

All up, around 100 components. A good reason for Sunbeam not to be supplying every appliance repairer with spare parts.

 

But as I said above, most of the new irons don't make it through three months without a breakdown so I have taken to keeping the dysfunctional irons for spare parts and attempted some repairs my self, extending the useful life of an iron well past the three month period specified in the warranty.

 

The other measure we have taken is to build into the price of our product a lifespan of 3 months per iron along with a guarantee that our irons are kept in peak condition and replaced every three months which avoids other problems such as rust and scale build-up within the iron its self which occur with any iron despite us using only filtered water.

 

To be fair, the cost incurred if an iron does last the three months is around $100.00 per iron which is as little as $0.25 per ironing hour or a couple of cents per item ironed so it is no big deal.

 

Shot of steam stops working

 

There are three reasons for the shot of steam to stop working.

 

A      The button clip holding it in place breaks and the button pops out.

 

 Shot of steam button and clip holding it in place

 

 

Gently ease a spare button into the spray chamber until it clicks into position. making sure the rubber stopper is not dislodged in the process.

 

Do not ad oil based lubricant as it may seep into the steam and leave marks on the ironing. 

 

B      The button becomes difficult to press and only very little steam shot is produced.

 

 

Sometimes, the rubber stopper (3) separates from the button and becomes lodged in the spray chamber. Also, the wire mesh filter (5) could have become clogged with impurities in the water used to fill the water tank.

 

Figure 1

Using a small flat head screwdriver, gently press the holding clip in until the button becomes loose. remove the button. You should see the rubber stopper (3) inside the chamber and a small washer (2).

 

Remove these from the chamber by gently sliding them out with a thin screwdriver. Do not scratch the wall of the chamber. If you decide to turn the iron upside down, ensure there is no water in the water tank.

 

Place the washer (2) into the button (1) so it is flat. Then replace the rubber stopper firmly (make sure the button and the inside button chamber are dry), checking that it is firmly in place. Once the assembly is complete, the spring will hold the rubber stopper in place.

 

(The design could be improved, as there is nothing holding the rubber stopper in place other than a narrowing of the button chamber)

 

If the spring (4), filter (5) and the steel ball (6) have come out in the process, replace the steel ball first (the steam chamber has a small indentation at the bottom that it fits into). Clean the filter if necessary and place it flat into the steam chamber. Insert the spring (4). You may want to stretch the spring a little to create more resistance and pressure on the rubber stopper to hold it in place.

 

Follow the instructions (A) in replacing the button.

 

C     If the above methods do not resolve the problem, chances are the fault lies in the iron assembly its self or an electronic component. You'll need to get a new iron.

 

.    .    .

 

Water fill inlet cover locking tab breaks off   

 

 

If you have a spare door, it is quite easy to replace.

 

1     Remove the steam buttons as above (Figure 1).

 

2     Remove the two screws using a small phillips screwdriver.

 

 

3     Remove the cover.

 

 

4     At this point you can easily remove the fill inlet cover and replace it.

 

 

5     Re-assemble the iron and happy ironing.

 

 

(Sunbeam has been approached to offer comment 7 days prior to the publishing of this article but has not responded to my invitation at this time.)

               

Mary Shelley - American folk artist

From the archives of All things Ironing - An iron in pine and acrylics.

Mary's art works are entirely carved in white pine, painted with acrylics and each piece is unique and original.

Mary says about her self on her web page that she is untaught and untrained as a visual artist, but has learned a number of useful skills by building her own house and during her work in the trades as a sign painter and carpenter.

 

Mary Shelley -  A carving of a lady ironing from 2003

Mary's artwork has been described as primitive, traditional, untrained, Americana, whimsical, naive, eccentric, outsider, visionary or carved craft.

In Mary's words, she is best known for carved folk art paintings of waitresses, diners, animals, cows, farms, sailboats, central New York regional themes, and special order commissions.

 

Mary Michael Shelley - An American folk artist

Like so many artists that are unstoppably driven to express them selves, Mary uses art to explore and make sense of life events, dreams and emotions, sometimes calling her artwork a "picture diary" or "picture story".

 

According to Mary's website, since 1974 Mary has completed approximately 1500 carved and painted wood pictures. For fourteen of those years supplementing her art income by working as a sign painter and carpenter.

 

Since 1990 Mary has worked as a psychotherapist, and thus, in her words, "You might notice a focus in my work on people - their faces, suffering, hopes, endurance and beauty."

You can find Mary carving every summer Saturday at the Ithaca Farmers' Market.

Ithaca Farmers Market

Mary Shelley's website

Smile

From the archives of the Osca delivery run.

The pick up and delivery run isn't always about trying to stay calm while negotiating Melbourne's traffic. Ocassionally, something just jumps out and puts a smile on one's face and it is worth taking a picture to share with you.



 

 

"A smile is happiness you will find right under your nose"

Meanwhile, the debate continues about the future of printed newspapers and the reasons for declining readership. A sign next to a pile of neatly arranged newspapers on a nature strip perhaps offers a clue.

Johnny Depp Ironing

From the archives of All things Ironing - Johnny Depp Ironing.

In the movie Benny & Joon, Sam (Johnny Depp) and Juniper "Joon" (Mary Stuart Masterson), find each other and fall in love.

Filmed in 1993, this romantic comedy is perhaps best known for Depp's humorous physical comedy routines based on silent film comics Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin.

Johnny Depp on set of Benny & Joon

Johnny Depp, clad in a ric-rac-trimmed apron, is an appealing figure as he cooks a stack of grilled cheese sandwiches using an iron.

Scene from Benny & Joon

 

But would this technique actually work ?

 

This Web site illustrates one couple's adventures in making grilled cheese sandwiches with an iron "the Benny and Joon way." They discovered that the film may have taken some liberties in cooking accuracy, perhaps for the sake of comedy.

 

One caution though. Whilst it may be fun to iron your toast in the morning, consider using a protective layer of foil or waxed paper, lest you want burnt-cheese flavoured shirts to wear to the office.

 

research links

 

youtube

wikipedia

northwest south philly

Monopoly Iron gone for ever

From the archives of All things Ironing - History in the making.

Today we farewell one of the iconic Monopoly pieces, the iron.



Iron out, Cat in

In a marketing coup, Monopoly has had the internet world abuzz for weeks while anyone with access and the desire has had their say in determining which of the iconic pieces is to be replaced.

People from 185 countries (Monopoly is being sold in 111), have taken part.

 



Considered options for a new Monopoly token

 

The choice was clear. A toy robot, a guitar, a helicopter a diamond ring and a cat, all vying for the opportunity to pass 'Go'  for the first time.

"While we're a bit sad to see the iron go, the cat token is a fantastic choice by the fans and we have no doubt it will become just as iconic as the original tokens," said Eric Nyman, from game maker Hasbro.

The cat, which has no name, received 31% of votes for new tokens.

"We know that cat lovers around the world will be happy to welcome the new cat token into the Monopoly game."

So what of the history of the Monopoly tokens.





Here's the official line straight from Hasbro, current copyright holder for Monopoly:



Hasbro Toys Australia

With the tokens serving as such an important part of the game experience, it's hard to imagine the game without them. However, the first game produced in 1935 did not include tokens. Charles Darrow, who originally brought the game to Parker Brothers, recommended that players use household items like buttons and pennies to move around the board.

Parker Brothers decided to include mover-tokens in the game. The edition produced from 1935-36 included four small wax wood pieces, or pawns. In 1937 Parker Brothers, determined to preserve the game''s tradition, decided to produce die-cast metal tokens that were reminiscent of objects found in households across America. This decision marked the introduction of the flatiron, purse, lantern, car, thimble, shoe, top hat, and the rocking horse. The top hat was modeled after the chapeau of the game's Chairman of the Board, Mr. Monopoly, and the car, his 1930s roadster.

Two additional tokens, the battleship and the cannon, were also added in 1937. They were used at the time, in another Parker Brothers game called Conflict, which made it easy to add this pair to the Monopoly game. These 10 tokens--flatiron, purse, lantern, car, thimble, shoe, top hat, rocking horse, battleship and cannon--were used until 1942.

With World War II came a metal shortage in the United States. As a result, during the years 1943-47, Monopoly games contained tokens made out of wood. Shortly after the end of World War II the metal tokens were brought back to the game.

The early 1950s brought the addition of three new tokens and the departure of three original tokens. The lantern, purse and rocking horse were replaced by the dog (Mr. Monopoly's dog, Scotty), the wheelbarrow and the horse and rider. These three MONOPOLY game tokens still exist in the classic edition.

From February 5, 2013, the iron will no longer be included among the playing pieces.

So the tokens were not designed to signify anything by the game's designer who wanted people to use tokens from around the house. Many people carry out this tradition, either by using coins for missing tokens or borrowing tokens from other games.

 

research links

abc article
hasbrotoys
straightdope