March 1979
Doggy Guard at the Library
The caretaker at Blackness Avenue Library, Dundee, found himself faced by an unexpected - and unfriendly - reception committee when he went to open the building yesterday morning. A snarling Alsation dog on the steps refused to let him pass.
Shortly before 8 am, Mr C. Potter, 150 Hilltown, Dundee, made his way to the library as usual to prepare for the 9 am opening. On arrival, he saw an Alsation sitting on the steps leading to the front door. As he approached it began snarling and growling, forcing Mr Potter to beat a hasty retreat.Having tried several times to get past, Mr Potter finally decided to get some help at the nearby police sub-station
Big Dundee Jute Blaze
Damage estimated at £1 million was caused last night in the most spectacular blaze seen in Dundee for many years. Rolls of jute and polypropylene carpet backing, stoked by 2,000 gallons of diesel fuel, erupted into a huge pall of smoke and flame in Erskine Works, belonging to Halley's of Broughty Ferry, shortly after 9 pm. The building is bound by Arthurstone Terrace, Erskine Street and Brown Constable Street.
At its peak the 100-foot centre section of the factory building exploded and crashed outwards into Arthurstone Terrace. 70 firemen manned 10 pumps, 2 turntable ladders, the hydraulic platform and foam tender. The fire raged fiercely for over an hour before firemen got it under control. But at 7 am this morning the shell of the building was still burning.
Nude Bathing for Monifieth
Dundee District Council has received a request from the Central Council for British Naturism - to allocate part of their beach area for naturism. The Council has certain bye-laws which make wilful exposure an offence on our beaches. This would have to be repealed if a beach was designated for naturist use.
A Council official has said that an area of beach at the east end of Monifieth, close to Angus District Council ground at Buddon, might be a suitable. But Dundee Council don't own the ground and could give permission in principle only. The request will be considered at the Recreation Services Committee next week.
Happy Tale of Two Dogs
The Alsation that had to be taken to Brown Street kennels, Dundee, after causing a disturbance outside Blackness Avenue Library, was claimed within a few hours.
The dog refused to let the caretaker pass to open up the building because it was guarding a bone on the steps. And as a direct result of the incident, the life of another dog has been saved.
Last week, Mr J. McIntosh, 11 Don's Road, found an affectionate young golden Labrador near his home. He took the animal in, fed her for two days. When no one claimed her, he was forced to call the police, who took her to Brown Street kennels. The Labrador was due to be put down tomorrow, but, when the Alsation's owners called to collect their pet, they were so taken by the Labrador they said they would take her as well..
Ran Off
When he returned with a police officer the animal barked at them both, decided not to risk "arrest" and ran off down Strawberrybank. It returned shortly afterwards. Meantime, Mr Potter had siezed his chance to hurry up the new unguarded steps into the library. The S.S.P.C.A. were called and managed to catch the Alsation with a pole and noose. It was removed to Brown Street Kennels.
Unknown to Mr Potter, the cause of the dog's hostility was the bone it had been chewing on the steps. Following its natural instincts, the Alsation was only protecting its property.
Computer Age School
The 6th year pupils at Linlathen High School, Dundee, have the best possible aid for learning about computers - a computer of their own. It is a desk-sized Elliott 903 computer which has been donated to the school from the faculty of medicine computer unit at Ninewells Hospital.
Computer Exhibition at Dundee
Tayside and Fife branch of the British Association for the Advancement of Science is to mount a major exhibition and series of lectures about computers. "The Computer and Your Future" will be opened at Dundee University's Bonar Hall on Wednesday March 21 by Lord Kearton, the president of the British Association and runs to Saturday March 24.
Space has been taken by manufacturers, users and researchers into computers in the field of communication, the aspect of the computer event will concentrate on. The exhibitions list such diverse applications as the control of a model train set, chess games between Dundee school pupils and a computer, and a fascinating link by British Airways, which will enable visitors to see their world-wide reservations / communications system, live from the central processor at London Airport.
Dundee-based companies and institutions are strongly represented at the exhibition, with NCR displaying their range of business computers and the new self-service mini-bank launched at the beginning of this year. The University's computing centre, the department of electrical engineering, the College of Technology and the College of Education all have stands demonstrating the use of the computer in research and teaching.
St Andrew's University brings a new computer language, S-ALGOL, developed at the university. Dundee University Library will show how computers are used to improve the services in libraries. For the miliary application Marconi Space and Defence System Ltd., show the computer in their master gunner simulator used in the training of forward artillery observers.
For Pupils
"Prestel" - The Post Officer's information service which, it is planned, will give access to business and general data, by a simple link with a TV set, will also be on show. Throughout the course of the exhibition a series of lectures for school children on "Machine Intelligence", and "Computing in Commerce" will be delivered. A lecture for the general public, "The Computer and Your Future" will be delivered by Professor T. Stonner from the School of Science and Society at Bradford University.
21,268 Items Lost by Taysiders
Absent-minded Taysiders managed to mislay 21,268 miscellaneous items during the course of the past year. That was the number handed in to police offices across the whole of the region and the Central Division alone accounted for 11,000 of that total. By far and away the most commonly lost items by Taysiders are keys, either individually or in bunches. Next on the list comes jewellery, with rings, watches and bracelets, in that order the most handed in to the offices.
Cleaner Bucket
Before putting emulsion or paste in a bucket, line it with a plastic carrier bag. This saves the work of cleaning the bucket later. You can throw out the bag.
Swimming Contest
Tayside Region, with 155 points, won the inter-region schools' swimming contest at the Dundee Leisure Centre. This was a good performance by the local swimmers who were minus Paul Marshall, Philip Gordon and Billy McGoldrick. They were swimming for Scotland in the German short-course championships in Bremen.
What's On - Cinema
Odeon - Damien, Omen II
ABC - Every Which Way But Loose / Jaws