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WOLCOTT – Call it the ultimate place to buy a gift for the person who seemingly has everything. If you can foot the $2,500 to $40,000 price and are willing to stick out the one- to three-year waiting list, you can buy a custom sword from Dragon’s Breath Forge at 10 Swiss Lane. Or, if you’re looking for something a little more modest and utilitarian, there are the custom knives that are on sale for less, but can be used in the kitchen and are so well made, they’ll likely outlive you. If you’re really into the experience, you can even take a weekend class and make your own knife. Those classes are limited to six people at a time and are popular, said Matt Parkinson, one of the forge’s three owners. The forge is owned by Parkinson, Matt Berry and Jamie Lundell, all of whom fell in love with the art of making knives and swords at relatively early ages. Berry, for example, found his passion in seventh-grade shop class in Middlefield. Parkinson, now 48, said he’s been making knives since he was 17 years old. The three came together doing a combination of railing work and Renaissance fairs back in 2005. They moved into their 6,000-square-foot shop in Wolcott about 2011 and developed a reputation for high-quality work. Indeed, Parkinson won the first competition of the History Channel’s “Forged in Fire,” and Berry has appeared on the show twice and won once. And while they all went through their token Tolkien phases, they don’t typically make swords from television shows, films or video games. There’s a copyright issue to contend with, but also those swords are props. The swords the trio make require “a lot of research, a lot of understanding of physics of swords,” Parkinson said. “Our swords aren’t just shaped objects. They’re swords.” “Matt, Jamie and I have also studied originals,” Berry said. “We’ve handled original swords from the eighth-century on. And we know what they feel like when we understand the harmonics, the flex, the thicknesses, the waves, the balance, how they rotate in the hands. ... The originals, you make like racing cars. They need to be as light as possible, as fast as possible. They have to be strong enough. They have to be functional. Because sword fighting, the first to get there, it wins. So if your sword’s a little slower, you don’t make the parry...” Parkinson and Berry said people order from all over the world – including China and Australia – artwork and re-enactments. “I would say it’s a subsegment of the art market now,” Berry said. “We’re still trying to make them like the originals.” Parkinson said his clients have moved away from “the fantasy stuff.” “I’m making a lot of high-end culinary knives now,” he said, showing a book of his work, which includes a knife with the Hanalei, Hawaii, carved into it. Plus, Parkinson said the process of making swords “hurts more.” A knife can be forged in 20 minutes, a sword can take a couple of hours just to forge, and requires far more physical work, Berry and Parkinson said. As the two talked, Lundell gave a demonstration to several onlookers on how a knife is forged. Lundell, the youngest of the three, mostly makes swords and got his start in the early 2000s while in college in Boston. “I took a class up in fine metal working in Boston at the Museum School of Fine Arts,” he said. “And I just fell in love with metal at that point. ... And then I found Peter Burke, who was a bladesmith right near here. And I started working with him over my breaks from school. And then I learned that I could make swords and knives. And I was like, this is what I’m going to do for the rest of my life.” Lundell said he has a waiting list out to at least 2026 for his swords, but people can take classes at Dragon’s Breath to learn how to forge their own wares. “The classes are great,” he said. “People just really enjoy that experience, you know, it’s a one day class, you know, and, you know, in one day we make a knife. And so you have the experience of coming here, forging, kind of feeling what it’s like and having the experience of what a blacksmith kind of actually does. “And then also in the end, you know, you have this thing that you make.” For information on Dragon’s Breath Forge, visit dragonsbreathforge.com.
To lure Juan Soto, Mets created a video of his statue outside Citi Field next to Tom Seaver'sJ-K: Sajad Lone terms CM Omar Abdullah Delhi’s ‘best bet in Kashmir’s destruction’
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NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Mets wanted Juan Soto to know his future with them could be set in stone. When the free agent outfielder traveled to owner Steve Cohen's house in Beverly Hills, California, for a presentation last month, the team unveiled a video that included an image of a future Soto statue outside Citi Field, next to the one erected of franchise great Tom Seaver . “Everything that they showed me, what they have, what they want to do, it was incredible,” Soto said. “But my favorite part was the video.” Soto was introduced at Citi Field on Thursday, a day after his record $765 million, 15-year contract was finalized. Speaking in the Piazza 31 Club, he was flanked by Mets owner Steve Cohen, president of baseball operations David Stearns and agent Scott Boras. Security men in gray suits wearing earpieces were off to the side. The slugger walked in led by Boras, wearing a dark suit, black turtle neck shirt and gold chain with his No. 22. Soto picked the Mets over the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays. His deal includes a luxury suite and four premium tickets for home games , all for free, and personal team security for the four-time All-Star and his family at the team’s expense for all spring training and regular-season home and road games. “My family is really important for me. Without them, I probably wouldn't have been here,” Soto said. “It's one of the biggest things.” Boras had asked for those sweeteners. “We included it at the beginning," Cohen said. “He made a request and we were happy to provide.” The crosstown Yankees, who reached the World Series for the first time since 2009 in part because of Soto, refused to consider the concept. “Some high-end players that make a lot of money for us, if they want suites, they buy them,” general manager Brian Cashman said. Cohen purchased the Mets ahead of the 2021 season and has boosted them to baseball's highest payroll in search of the team's first title since 1986 — when the World Series MVP, like Soto, wore No. 22 — Ray Knight. The owner thanked his son, Josh, for helping create the video and commended his 93-year-old father-in-law Ralph for attending the first get-together with Soto. While other teams met Soto at the Pendry Newport Beach, a hotel just a five-minute drive from Boras Corp.'s office, Cohen asked to host the session at one of his homes. “If we’re going to some restaurant, I didn’t know what the atmosphere would be,” Cohen said. “Food's better at my house.” Cohen and Soto met again Friday at another of the owner's homes in Boca Raton, Florida. Soto wanted to know how many championships Cohen expects over the next decade? “I said I’d like to win two to four,” the owner recalled. The value of Soto's contract eclipsed Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million, 10-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers last December. Its length topped Fernando Tatis Jr.’s $340 million, 14-year agreement with San Diego that runs through 2034. The 26-year-old Soto batted .288 with 41 homers, 109 RBIs and 129 walks this year and has a .285 career average with 201 homers, 592 RBIs and 769 walks over seven seasons with Washington, San Diego and the Yankees. Boras wouldn't discuss who finished second in the bidding in Soto's mind. “When you’re at a wedding, you don’t talk about the bridesmaids," he said. Soto made the decision Sunday while at home with his family. Boras referred to the group as the “Soto Supreme Court" defined as “mother, sister, father — he’s got a wide group. I think he may have eight or nine uncles.” “My information requests and such were rather unique,” Boras said, detailing that his team asked for OPS by ballpark. Soto's 1.175 at Citi Field is his highest at any stadium where he's played 15 or more games. Soto cited Cohen's relationship with Mets stars Francisco Lindor and Edwin Díaz as a factor in his mind. “They are kind of like (a tight) family, a family that wants to win but they definitely want to take care of their players and their families,” Soto said. Cohen had his wife Alex and father-in-law attend the initial meeting to emphasize kinship. “My father-in-law is at every game, every home game,” Cohen said. “I wanted him to see how important baseball is to this family. And Alex grew up with one TV in an apartment and that Met game was on every night.” Cohen relishes owning the Mets. He spoke earlier in the day to a town hall at his hedge fund. “Whenever you meet somebody, they want to talk about the Mets before they talk about financial markets,” he said. Soto's success will be determined by World Series titles. The Yankees have 27, the Mets two. “It's such a big city, right? There's plenty of room for both of us,” Cohen said. Soto had a more direct definition. "Championships is going to tell you if it's a Yankees or Mets town at the end of the day," he said. AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlbKnight stops 20 shots, Florida rolls past Carolina 6-0 for 2nd win over 'Canes in as many daysCanadiens' Mike Matheson out against Utah with lower-body injury MONTREAL — Montreal Canadiens defenceman Mike Matheson was not available for Tuesday's game against the Utah Hockey Club due to a lower-body injury. The Canadiens announced his injury half an hour before puck drop. Canadian Press Nov 26, 2024 3:55 PM Nov 26, 2024 4:05 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Montreal Canadiens defenceman Mike Matheson (8) lines up for a faceoff during the second period of an NHL game against the Buffalo Sabres on Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, in Buffalo, N.Y. Matheson was out for Tuesday night's game against the Utah Hockey Club with a lower-body injury. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Jeffrey T. Barnes MONTREAL — Montreal Canadiens defenceman Mike Matheson was not available for Tuesday's game against the Utah Hockey Club due to a lower-body injury. The Canadiens announced his injury half an hour before puck drop. Jayden Struble took his place in the lineup as Montreal (7-11-2) faced Utah (8-10-3) for the first time. Matheson participated in the morning skate but missed practice on Monday. The 30-year-old from nearby Pointe-Claire, Que., leads all Montreal blueliners with 13 points (one goal, 12 assists) in 20 games as the lone defenceman on the team's top power-play unit. Struble has one goal and three assists in 15 games this season. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 26, 2024. The Canadian Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Health Nebraska judge's ruling moves the state closer to legalizing medical marijuana Nov 26, 2024 3:59 PM Australia's House of Representatives passes bill that would ban young children from social media Nov 26, 2024 3:59 PM Australia's House of Representatives passes bill that would ban young children from social media Nov 26, 2024 3:47 PM
According to Wong, the assessment test would lead to competition among the good top students to reach a faster and higher level of learning. — Bernama photo KUCHING (Dec 1): Former secondary school teacher, James Wong Hua Kiong, fully supports Sarawak’s decision to go ahead with its standardised assessment for Year 6 pupils and Form 3 students, meant to evaluate their academic performance. In voicing this out, he also emphasised that the assessment tests would help to determine the individual levels achieved by each student. He said at the same time, it would help guide the teachers on the standards that had been achieved by the learning students, which should make teaching a lot easier when they knew the strengths and weaknesses of their students. “This (assessment test) would lead to competition among the good top students to reach a faster and higher level of learning. “The old system has proven that the students learn and improve faster and achieve better results due to hard work competing with each other, and the poor students who failed in various subjects will try their best to overcome their weaknesses, mistakes, shortcomings and failures,” he said in a statement. Wong previously taught English, Mathematics and Science subjects in SMK Tinggi Sarikei and also in SMK Lundu. Adding on, he said retired and senior teachers could testify that past experience and records of academic performance and achievements had proven that the assessment tests ‘are very critical and of utmost importance’. “As a former teacher, I dare to confirm that our Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg and our Education, Innovation and Talent Development Minister Dato Sri Roland Sagah, as well as Senior Education Advisor Datuk Amar Michael Manyin, are leading in the right path and direction. “They themselves have gone through the examinations, and have attained the academic achievements, confidence and satisfaction as the examination results reflect the true picture and the progress achieved.” Wong also believed that such assessment tests would prepare Sarawak’s new generation of students to develop themselves into skilled professionals in the fields of digital economy, astronomy and green energy. James Wong Hua Kiong Thanking the Premier for being adaptive to the views suggested by Sarawakians, Wong also said Sarawak must follow the policies implemented by other successful countries including the use of English as official language, while encouraging more students to learn Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects. He added that Sarawak must have good trade relationships with developing and advanced countries. “Besides, we have also formed government investment arms and also set up a Trade and Tourism Centre in Singapore to attract more investors from Singapore, China as well as Western European countries. “A good development strategy and a brighter future for Sarawak is already ascertained by our GPS (Gabungan Parti Sarawak) government,” he pointed out.
Tweet Facebook Mail More than 17,000 childcare workers will take home more pay this week after the government's 15 per cent wage increase. Workers at more than 650 Goodstart centres across Australia are among the first to benefit, with pay rises of 10 per cent above the award rate beginning this week, followed by a further five per cent increase in December next year. This means a typical early childhood carer or educator who is paid at the award rate will receive a pay rise of at least $103 per week, increasing to at least $155 per week from December 2025. READ MORE: Millions brace for scorching heat with mercury tipped to hit 40s A typical early childhood carer or educator who is paid at the award rate will receive a pay rise of at least $103 per week, increasing to at least $155 per week from December 2025. (iStock) A typical early childhood teacher will get an additional $166 a week from December this year, increasing to $249 from December of next year. The 15 per cent wage rise is available to up to 200,000 early childhood workers across the country. Eligibility for the it is tied to a requirement for services to limit fee increases, to stop them passing the costs on to families. Early learning providers can now apply for funding to deliver the pay rise online , with successful applications up until June 30 next year to receive funding backdated to December 2 this year. READ MORE: Little girl floats alone for three days after shipwreck The 10 most in-demand jobs for 2025 View Gallery Education Minister Jason Clare said early childhood educators were some of the most underpaid workers in Australia. "We are changing that, and this initial pay rise will mean an extra $100 in their before tax pay every week from this month," he said. "It will help to encourage more people to stay in the job they love, and for those who may have recently left the sector, it will help attract them back." DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP : Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play .
BROSSARD, Quebec (AP) — The Montreal Canadiens might be getting some reinforcements soon after Patrik Laine practiced with his teammates Wednesday for the first time since suffering a left knee sprain. Laine skated alone before joining the team for the first few drills at practice. He wore a noncontact jersey and left the ice after about 15 minutes. “It’s nice to have him back with us,” defenseman David Savard said. “It can feel like a long time when you’re not practicing with the team, you don’t see the guys as much. We’ve made an effort to keep him involved as much as possible during team meetings, but it’s tougher when we’re on the road. “But it’s great to see him and to know he’s close to returning to play.” Laine was injured after a collision with Cédric Paré during a preseason game against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sept. 28. He opted not to undergo surgery. The Canadiens announced on Oct. 1 that he would be sidelined for two to three months . He resumed skating on his own on Nov. 6. At this point, he’s expected to make his official debut in a Canadiens uniform sometime in December. The 26-year-old Finn hasn’t played in the NHL since Dec. 14 as a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets . He was sidelined with a fractured clavicle and later entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program to focus on his mental health. Laine will likely need some time to get back into game rhythm. “Will it take one game? Two weeks? I don’t know, we’ll see,” Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis said. The Canadiens are riding a two-game winning streak and next play the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday at the Bell Centre. ___ A previous version of this story was published with a photo of Adam Boqvist, not Patrik Laine. The incorrect photo has been removed. ___ AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL The Associated Press