Inside the Frozen Deep: Mail on Sunday man is first to be pictured in Britain's biggest cave recently discovered below Cheddar Gorge

• Journalist David Rose descends hundreds of feet below ground into the Frozen Deep at Cheddar Gorge, Somerset
• Explorers smash through boulders to find previously undiscovered chamber
• It features country's longest stalactite column which stands at 20ft tall

By David Rose
PUBLISHED: 22:13, 29 December 2012 | UPDATED: 22:43, 29 December 2012

By the gloomy light of our caving headlamps, it looks like a geological rubbish dump: a brown, muddy chaos of shadowy crevices and boulders – some the size of buses – that fell from the roof. Welcome to The Frozen Deep, the biggest cave chamber in Britain, which has recently been discovered below Cheddar Gorge in Somerset.
By the way, I’m the tiny figure in the middle of the photo standing in the distant white glow at the far wall.
Lit properly for the first time by underground photography specialist Gavin Newman, with five of our team spread out across its vastness holding synchronised flashguns, The Frozen Deep is a wonderland featuring pure white stalactite columns – the 20ft one on the left of the picture is the country’s longest.

Spot me if you can: David Rose's silhouette can be seen at the back of the recently discovered Frozen Deep chamber beneath Somerset's Cheddar Gorge. The white 20ft stalactite on the left is the largest in Britain

Quite a feat: David Rose in the breakthrough dig in Reservoir Hole Cave, Cheddar Gorge, Somerset. Beyond this tight section of passage, explorers found the Frozen Deep Chamber

The Frozen Deep is at the far end of a cave system known as Reservoir Hole. It has been explored by cavers since 1951, but no one had ventured beyond an apparently impenetrable rockfall at the end of its main tunnel, which is called the Grand Gallery.

 

However, a strong draught blowing from the cracks between the boulders suggested that if a way through could somehow be found, there must be more open cavern.
In early 2008, Dr Pete Glanvill, 61, a retired GP and a doyen of the local caving scene, put a team together to take up the challenge.
Armed with hammers, crowbars, drills, explosives and a large quantity of scaffolding, the team probed various blind alleys in search of the elusive chamber.
Finally they began to push at the right spot. With a series of successive breakthroughs starting earlier this year, they reached the end of a squirm they dubbed Hard Times to became the first humans to enter Resurrection, a massive open rift.

Seen from the side: A graphic shows the journey taken to the Frozen Deep

The Frozen Deep – which could be accessed from a passage 30ft above the floor – was by now just around the corner.
That week Glanvill happened to be on holiday. ‘They waited for me to get back before they went down into the chamber,’ he said.  ‘I thought that was pretty decent of them.’
It takes a little time to appreciate just how big this chamber is.
To get from one end to the other takes close to ten minutes, in part because one has to follow a circuitous route laid between strips of fluorescent tape in order to avoid damaging the unique crystals and cracked mud floors. 
The floor area is almost 32,291 square feet – big enough to fit in about six of the naves  of nearby Wells Cathedral. Measured by  volume, The Frozen Deep is almost 1,412  million cubic feet, against the cathedral’s 388,000 cubic feet.
Its discovery may not be the end of Reservoir Hole’s secrets. At the lowest part of the chamber, a small stream flows down a muddy passage that the team called Dingley Dell  and into a pit, where the roof dips beneath the water’s surface.

Vast: Explorers believe the cave could turn out to be even bigger as they think it is linked to other known underground chambers

Preliminary dives have established that the passage continues underwater, and appears to join a much bigger  tunnel. At this point, Reservoir Hole is very close to Cheddar’s ‘lost river’ – the massive borehole bearing the River Yeo, a major underground watercourse that emerges at the bottom of the gorge.
In the Nineties, cave divers explored it  for more than half a mile, but eventually reached a blockage. ‘The hope now is to get back to the river upstream of that point via Reservoir Hole,’ said team member Martin Grass, 57.
If that happens, perhaps in the next few weeks, it may well be possible to find links with some of the other already-known underground chambers and caves on top of the Mendip Hills, some of them miles away.
Potentially, The Frozen Deep may turn out  to be just a part of one of the greatest cave systems in Europe.

Was there a church in Mecca? Chiselled stonework with 'Christian figure' discovered at holy site in Yemen

• Stone carving found in Zafar, some 581 miles to the south of Mecca
• Thought to have been made in the era of the Prophet Muhammad, in 530AD
• Archaeologist Paul Yule concluded that Zafar was centre of a 772,000 sq mile Arab territory that exerted influence all the way to Mecca

By Daily Mail Reporter
PUBLISHED: 19:44, 29 December 2012 | UPDATED: 23:59, 29 December 2012

An Archaeologist has discovered what he believes to be the ruins of a buried Christian empire in the highlands of Yemen.
The find has led to theories that there may have once been a Christian church in Mecca.
A stone carving of a Christian figure was found in Zafar, some 581 miles south of the Holy City, and is thought to have been made in the era of the Prophet Muhammad.

Remains: This stone carving was found in Yemen and suggests the surrounding area was once under Christian rule

Paul Yule, an archaeologist from Heidelberg in Germany, has dated the 5ft 7in relief - which shows a man with chains of jewellery, curls and spherical eyes - to around 530AD.
After excavating sites in Yemen, the German archaeologist concluded that Zafar was the centre of an Arab tribal confederation, an area that covered 772,000 sq miles and exerted its influence all the way to Mecca.
The figure is barefoot, a pose typical of Coptic saints. He is holding a bundle of twigs, a symbol of peace, in his left hand, and there is a crossbar on his staff, making it look like a cross.

 

The crown on his head is similar to the ones worn by the Christian rulers of ancient Ethiopia, reported ABC News.
All this led Mr Yule to believe the statue depicted the descendant of conquerors from Africa who came to the region in 525AD to spread Christianity.
Led by the King of Aksum, these warriors travelled across the Red Sea to capture large parts of Arabia.

Zafar was the centre of an Arab tribal confederation which exerted its influence all the way to Mecca (pictured)

According to Mr Yule, the confederation became a superpower between the 3rd and 5th centuries.
It controlled the port of Aden, where precious commodities including Indian spices were traded.
Mr Yule found wine amphorae, the remains of precious fish condiments and palaces decorated with sphinxes and lions - suggesting it was a place with a taste for luxury.
Zafar had a large Jewish community as well as Christian and Arab residents.
But the peaceful, multicultural community that lived there descended into conflict as tensions mounted in the 5th century.
To stop the advance of Christianity, Arab kings converted to Judaism and the ruling class of the realm followed suit.
Then in around 520AD, they attacked the Christian colony of Najran.
The relief of the man from Zafar is thought to have been created during this period of unrest.
There is also historical evidence, in the form of a rock inscription, that raids were conducted against defiant Arab tribes near Mecca in 552AD – thought by a few western historians to be the year of Muhammad’s birth.
The rock inscriptions could be interpreted to mean that the tribe of Kuraish, to which the Prophet belonged, sometimes fought for the Christians.
Mr Yule claimed there are indications this could be true, but added that many aspects of the find remain unclear.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2254657/Was-church-Mecca-Chiselled-stonework-Christian-figure-discovered-holy-site-Yemen.html#ixzz2GY18RksX
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Year of the Water Snake: What to Expect in 2013.

The year of the water snake begins February 4, 2013.

It happens once every 60 years! The last time was in 1953. The following energies in the eight directions will be felt by occupants, this year, if you are: sleeping to any of the directions described below, walking in and out of doors facing those directions, work facing those directions, your stove knobs face that direction and you cook a lot, spending long periods of time sitting down facing these directions and if your home or business faces that direction.
This year all the energies that are visiting in their respective directions are right at home so the effect will be doubly indicated. In the southeast the annual “4″ energy visits, indicating lots of romance, traveling, moving, publicity, writing and publishing. In the south, the “9″ energy visits, indicating, great diplomacy, promotions, celebrations, weddings, good for spiritual development, mind power, meditation; great for jewelry designers, chefs, restaurant owners, interior designer and people in cosmetics.
In the southwest, the “2″ energy visits, indicating, health problems, particularly in the stomach, digestive organs, reproductive organs and mid-section of the body. It can also indicate people experiencing depression, difficulty in pregnancy, children being ill, skin problems and an overly aggressive females. If you’re utilizing this direction in the ways mentioned above and begin experiencing these issues, consider moving your bed, placing a metal wind chime at the door, or changing directions that you face when working or sitting down.
The West is visited by the “7″ energy, indicating, business deals falling through at the last minute, people owing you money and not paying you back, things being taken away, people stealing ideas and/or intellectual property and can also literally steal from you. If you begin to experience any of the above consider moving your bed, using different doors or facing different directions to mitigate the negative effects.
The Northeast is visited by the “8″ energy which is amazing for money, noble people, honor, loyalty, good behavior, wealth and accumulation of assets. If you have a front door that faces this direction or another heavily used door and/or sleeping to this direction, it’ll be a fantastic year for money!
The North is visited by the “1″ energy, indicating, intelligence, money, wisdom, academic success, sensuality, and success in writing. If you have a front door or sleeping to this direction it’ll be a good year for money too.
The Northwest is visited by the “6″ energy, indicating, a year of working hard for your money, good for career and authority, and will receive the needed support. This energy is benevolent.

Dogs!

Barking Blondes: That Dog Can Dance, Paul O’Grady and wet pooches in cars

• By Joanne Good and Anna Webb
• Sunday, 30 December 2012 at 4:00 am

Whoever would have thought that in the fight for top TV Christmas ratings, two dog-themed programmes would have been placed so prominently in the schedule?
That Dog Can Dance and Paul O’Grady’s Christmas at Battersea Dogs Home showed how mainstream owning a dog has become. To transmit a programme about rescuing dogs on prime time Christmas Day television would have been a risk had it not been for O’Grady. This was the culmination of his already successful series and was a real emotional roller coaster, leaving you as was intended, wanting to reach out and help animals.
The bonus of having O’Grady at the helm was that with his sharp wit and good humour it never for one moment felt “worthy”.
We wonder how many will actually act on this goodwill once we sink into the January blues? Strictly fever as well as Ashleigh and Pudsey’s landslide victory on this year’s Britain’s Got Talent, inevitably led to a show about doggy dancing. This doggy sport has been around for years thanks to the likes of Mary Ray who started a doggy disco at the Crufts finals.
However, That Dog Can Dance took on the format of the now familiar reality talent show with a Simon Cowell-inspired panel and for anyone who decided to sit through it, it really delivered the wow factor. Lucy Heath’s routine with Inde was an amazing achievement. Did either of these programmes  manage to attract non-dog lovers? Well, apparently East Enders won over the dancing dogs but given that we are a nation of animal lovers with 27 per cent of families owning a dog, we think it was a risk worth taking.

***

There were some very amusing sights over the rather wet holidays on how to deal with getting a wet dog into the back of the car. In Sussex, deep within St Leonard’s Forest, we followed a very wet and muddy springer spaniel and its owner back to the car park. Along with other drenched owners, we stood with the boot open whilst deliberating on whether it was best to dry the dog or risk the upholstery. The answer was in front of us.
We watched with admiration as the spaniel’s owner took out, what looked like a toweling draw string bag. She then placed the obliging dog into it, leaving his neck free and placed him on the back seat. Then drove off with him looking out the window, seated in a bag. Brilliant.
As they drove off we turned our attention to a middle aged couple, dealing with a caked in mud golden Labrador. Whilst the dog stood on a towel on the ground, the wife brought out a washing up bowl from the boot. The husband filled it with warm water from a flask and they then proceeded to scrub their dog from head to paws. Having wrapped him in a towel, each car mat was then removed, vacuumed with a hand held appliance, replaced and then dog, still in towel, placed on back seat.
So it’s a big cheer for The Spaniards inn in Hampstead. Being directly opposite the Heath, they have in their car park the only automated dogwash in Europe. It works along the same lines as a car wash. The dog is shampooed, conditioned and blow dried all for a small fee.
Not only do we recommend giving Fido a try we also suggest you give it a go yourself. Boxing Day saw both of us, along with our dogs, emerging, coiffed like two Farrah Fawcett Majors, prior to a pub lunch.
HAPPY NEW YEAR AND WOOF! WOOF!

Talk about best friends! Adorable dog bolts to owner's work to tell him his house is on fire after firefighters rescue pet from blaze

By Daily Mail Reporter
PUBLISHED: 04:48, 29 December 2012 | UPDATED: 04:55, 29 December 2012

Firefighters in St Louis, Missouri, rescued a dog from a house fire yesterday.
And the loyal pet bolted straight to its owner's work to inform him of the blaze.
According to witnesses, Colby, an adorable caramel-coloured hound, burst out of the house as soon as fire crews kicked down the front door of the property.

Best friends: Colby the dog, pictured, watches firefighters put out a blaze in his home after running to fetch his owner

But the dog didn't just relax when he got to safety. He ran to get the attention of his owner, Jamal Arnold. And he knew exactly where to go.

 

The pair's red townhouse is located along the 1900 block of Coleman St and Arnold was four blocks away, picking up a paycheck from his work.
Colby rocked up, barking and yapping suspiciously, according to the St Louis Post-Dispatch.
He managed to drag Arnold back home, where the 49-year-old was met with firefighters climbing a ladder to extinguish the blaze engulfing his house.

Here boy: St. Louis firefighter Bob Maguire, pictured, pets Colby as he extinguishes the blaze at the Coleman St home

The inferno broke out after Arnold had left the house, though it is unclear what set it off or who called the fire brigade.
The fire appeared to have started on the first floor.
Once he arrived at the burning property, Arnold stood with his loyal, and very lucky, dog and watched, as firefighters put out the remaining flames.
With big grins, the firemen affectionately petted the dog, whose life they had saved, as they went about their work.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2254482/Colby-dog-bolts-owners-work-tell-house-firefighters-rescue-pet-blaze.html#ixzz2GXrs7Yq2
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The Twelve Days of Publishing

Friday, December 28th, 2012

How long before sales of e-birds overtake sales of physical birds?

It’s a favourite for parodies, and I’m afraid I couldn’t resist. We’re still within the ’12 Days of Christmas’, so here it is. Hope you enjoy!

I’d much rather have some of these things than others, and pretty much all of them over a houseful of birds, milkmaids, pipe bands and aristocrats enjoying a second childhood. (I’m not the only one, either…)

The Twelve Days of a Publisher’s Christmas

On the twelfth day of Christmas the publishing fairy* gave to me:
12 authors tweeting
11 agents blogging
10 social experts
9 50 Shades knockoffs
8 debut authors
7 sexy vampires
6 cosy mysteries
5 sta-ar reviews*
4 Kindle Fires
3 for 2 on paperbacks
2 IP debates
And a bestseller in ‘dead tree’***

* * *

* I am agnostic about fairies, but wish this one existed. If she did, though, she’d have to have a few rivals to give everyone in the biz what they want, what they really really want (yes, I grew up in the 90s).
** Nice work if you can get it…
*** See ** – though I’d be happy to have one of these in ‘silicon tree’ (ie ebook) format as well.

 http://www.atticabooks.com/attica/?page_id=5