https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Kath#Personal_life_and_death

In my teens I acquired my grandad's old (1940sish?) West Midlands A-Z road atlas which was so old it just had an anonymous green leathery cover. On its almost hand-drawn maps it showed quaint landmarks and used ancient terms long gone from newer A-Zs, such as "demesne" and "duck decoy". I've always wondered what both of these were and finally decided to look them up the other day.

Duck decoy is very interesting! If a little tl;dr

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A duck decoy is a device to capture wild ducks or other species of waterfowl. Decoys had an advantage over hunting ducks with shotguns as the duck meat did not contain lead shot. Consequently, a higher price could be charged for it.

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The word decoy is derived from the Dutch word eendenkooi, which means "duck-cage"

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the decoy consisted of a pool of water leading from which are from one to eight curving, tapering, water-filled ditches. Over each ditch is a series of hoops, initially made from wood, later from iron, which diminish in size as the ditch tapers. The hoops are covered in netting. The combination of ditch and net-covered hoop is known as a pipe. On the outside curve of the pipe, for two-thirds of its length, are overlapping screens.

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Wild ducks fly in to settle on the central pool; the decoy operator might maintain a resident population of tame ducks to encourage them to do this. When a sufficient number have gathered, they are encouraged to swim down one of the pipes leading from the pool, where they are trapped. If the decoy has several pipes, then wind direction determines which one is used - it is important for the wind to be blowing approximately up the pipe so the decoyman remains downwind of the ducks.

Ducks are encouraged to swim up the pipe using a dog, by feeding them, or a combination of both.

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Ducks are naturally curious and when they see a predator, such as a fox, they will keep it at a distance, but tend to follow it. The decoyman uses a dog, preferably a breed similar in appearance to a fox, to lure the ducks along the pipes.

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The dog appears between a gap in the screens and the ducks approach. It then appears at the next gap further along the pipe, and so on until the ducks are trapped at the end of the pipe. For a dog to be suitable for this task, it must not bark, and must be completely obedient to the decoyman. The decoy man quietly directs the dog using hand gestures while watching the progress of the ducks using peep-holes in the screens.

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In the mid-1880s there were 41 decoys still in operation in England, and 145 which were no longer in use. Today there are only a few remaining duck decoys in England. These include Hale Duck Decoy in Cheshire, administered by Halton Borough Council, Boarstall Duck Decoy near Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, owned and administered by the National Trust, and a decoy in Abbotsbury Swannery, Dorset.

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Evidence of former duck decoys can be found. At Swanpool near Lincoln, cropmarks revealed in aerial photographs show the outlines of a decoy. In Somerset, west of Nyland Hill there is evidence of a pond with three pipes, and in Westbury there is a decoy with possibly six pipes.

An 1886 illustration showing a decoy-man and his dog at work




One of the pipes of Hale Duck Decoy (2005)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duck_decoy_(structure)

Oh, and "demesne".

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A demesne (/dɪˈmeɪn/ di-MAYN) or domain was all the land retained and managed by a lord of the manor under the feudal system for his own use, occupation, or support. This distinguished it from land sub-enfeoffed by him to others as sub-tenants. The concept originated in the Kingdom of France and found its way to foreign lands influenced by it or its fiefdoms.

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, royal demesne is the land held by the Crown, and ancient demesne is the legal term for the land held by the king at the time of the Domesday Book.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demesne

I had no idea that old road atlases would include demesnes.

I've got a good sample of old road maps I bought cheap from second-hand book shops. I love to look at them and daydream about the days when we'd join the motorway network at M1 J14 and it was just a simple little diamond, rather than the two-roundabout, two-flyover monster of today.

Butterfield wrote:

One of the pipes of Hale Duck Decoy (2005)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duck_decoy_(structure)

Looks more like Hell's Gate Road AMIRITE?

Matches up.

I remember coming across the same demesne article, and being upset that it wasn't pronounced as written. Demeznay sounds so much more romantic than domain.

That duck trap looks elaborately sadistic. The product of a sick mind. I bet the person who came up with that idea spent their childhood merrily torturing small animals.

If I was to have a little bungalow, I'd consider calling it 'Demeznay', and having that carved onto a sign by the front door.

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Dave Matthews Band Chicago River incident

On August 8, 2004, over the Kinzie Street Bridge in Chicago, a tour bus belonging to the Dave Matthews Band dumped an estimated 800 pounds of human waste from the bus's septic tank onto the passenger sightseeing boat Chicago's Little Lady sailing in the Chicago River below.

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The liquid waste was brownish yellow in color, and had a foul, offensive odor. The liquid human waste went into passengers' eyes, mouths, hair, and onto clothing and personal belongings, many of which were soaked. Some of the passengers suffered nausea and vomiting as a result of exposure to the human waste.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Matthews_Band_Chicago_River_incident

Still less polluting than their albums.

John Barrowman was filled with envy.

Butterfield wrote:

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Dave Matthews Band Chicago River incident

On August 8, 2004, over the Kinzie Street Bridge in Chicago, a tour bus belonging to the Dave Matthews Band dumped an estimated 800 pounds of human waste from the bus's septic tank onto the passenger sightseeing boat Chicago's Little Lady sailing in the Chicago River below.

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The liquid waste was brownish yellow in color, and had a foul, offensive odor. The liquid human waste went into passengers' eyes, mouths, hair, and onto clothing and personal belongings, many of which were soaked. Some of the passengers suffered nausea and vomiting as a result of exposure to the human waste.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Matthews_Band_Chicago_River_incident

Well at least they got a good story out of their trip. And the relatives could've legitimately received 'My dad went to Chicago and all I got was this sh*tty t-shirt' t-shirts.

This is pleasant night time reading.

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List of creepypastas

Creepypastas are horror-related legends or images that have been copied and pasted around the Internet. These Internet entries are often brief, user-generated, paranormal stories intended to scare, frighten, or discomfort readers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_creepypastas

I was just checking out to see if Rod 'The Mod' Stewart really was a professional footballer, if only for 2 weeks for some 4th division plodders, and he wasn't, but I did find this gem:

"His parents are buried on the eastern side of Highgate Cemetery, on the main north–south path, opposite the grave of Malcolm McLaren."

Spoiler:

Just to be pedantic to Rod and family - and whoever did the inscription on the headstone - I notice the missing comma and apostrophe in each of the quotes.