Plenty of Nothing

Chateau Clair

As incongruous as it may seem, one of Canada's earliest wine-growing regions was in the centre of Mississauga. Clair House Winery operated from about 1865 to 1925 and had vineyards at the present corner of Dundas and Confederation Parkway. Source.

Momofuku's Work Shed

A faithful reproduction of Ando Momofuku's work shed, where instant ramen was invented, at the Cup Noodles Museum in Yokohama. Source.

Toddy Tapper

A toddy tapper in Tamil Nadu, 1785. Source.

Tokugawa Era Confectionary Catalogues

These catalogues of the Toyaea Confectionary Company are dated 1695, 1707 and 1824. Source.

Alfred Morton 1918

Alfred Morton Cognac, 1918. Source.

Morton launch their eighth consecutive season in the Scottish Championship. In the time since the Scottish League reorganized into four divisions Morton have spent more years in this division than anybody else. (See D below.)

This year's Championship has seven teams in common with last year's: Arbroath, Inverness CT, Partick Thistle, Raith Rovers, Hamilton Accies, Morton and Ayr United. Killie, Dunfermline and Queen of the South are gone, replaced by Dundee, Cove Rangers and Queen's Park. Those last two have never played in this division before, though Queen's Park did play in the second tier in the three-division times and in the top tier in the two-division days. And in the years before the SFL they were the top club in Scotland.

This is the first time since 2013-14 that the Championship doesn't include a bigtime Premiership club. Dundee, Hamilton Accies, Partick Thistle and ICT sometimes play in the Premiership but you wouldn't call them huge. They’ll all be lucky to get past Arbroath, who won their League Cup group and appear to be carrying on from where they finished last season.

Morton have not been in the top division since 1988.

Today Morton visit Hamilton Accies at New Douglas Park.

Hamilton earned 8 points in the League Cup group stage on two wins, a shootout win and a loss, with 9 goals scored and 6 allowed.

Hamilton have had John Rankin as their head coach for one month. It's his first gig.

Morton visited Hamilton on August 7th last year and won 0 - 1.

Starting XI: [Schwake, Pignatiello, Strapp, O'Connor, Baird, Kabia, Blues, Muirhead, Quitongo, Gillespie, Lyon.]

Compare last year: Hamilton, Ledger, Strapp, Jacobs, Oliver, Blues, Muirhead, Ugwu, Hynes, McGregor, Lithgow.

The SPFL is bringing back the Reserve League. Rangers, Celtic and Hearts won’t be in it because their reserves are in the Lowland League. Participating clubs are: Dundee United, Hibs, Killie, Livi and Motherwell from the Premiership, Ayr, Dundee, Hamilton and Queen’s Park from the Championship, and Queen of the South from League 1.

Morton have signed 18-year-old striker Josh Gemmell and loaned him out to Broomhill of the Lowland League. Kyle Jacobs has been loaned out to FC Edinburgh.

[Hamilton Academical 1 - 1 Morton. Morton goal by Gillespie.]

Other Championship matches:

Ayr United [0 - 0] Arbroath

Cove Rangers [2 - 0] Raith Rovers

Dundee [2 - 3] Partick Thistle

Inverness CT [1 - 1] Queen's Park

Other matches:

Civil Service Strollers 1 - 3 Gala Fairydean Rovers (July 26)

Cowdenbeath [1 - 2] Gala Fairydean Rovers (today)

Forres Mechanics [0 - 1] Brechin City

Largs Thistle [1 - 1] Glenafton Athletic

FC Isle of Man [0 - 1] Lower Breck

Mito HollyHock [1 - 0] Omiya Ardija

Tohoku: Bogolle.D.Tsugaru [0 - 8] Cobaltore Onagawa (tomorrow)

PEC Zwolle [2 - 1] Dordrecht (friendly)

Winterthur [1 - 4] Lugano (tomorrow)

FAI Cup, Round One: UCD 3 - 0 Cockhill Celtic (yesterday)

Canadian Championship final (July 26):

Vancouver Whitecaps 1 - 1 Toronto FC (Vancouver win on PK.)

League1 Ontario: North Mississauga 0 - 6 Vaughan Azzurri (yesterday)

Vaughan Azzurri played HFX Wanderers in the first round of the 2019 Canadian Championship. Wanderers were impressed by Duran Lee's play for Azzurri and signed him for the remainder of 2019. Matthew Arnone and Tomasz Skublak have also played for Vaughan Azzurri.

PLSQ: FC Laval [2 - 1] Royal-Sélect de Beauport (tomorrow)

CSL: BGHC 1 [1 - 10] Serbian White Eagles

HFX Wanderers [2 - 4] York United (Monday) [Halifax goals by Santos and Garcia.]

[HFX Wanderers have signed Ludwig Kodjo-Amla from CS St-Hubert.]

HFX Wanderers U23 2 - 3 CS St-Hubert (friendly) (July 27)

UEFA Champions League 2QR, second leg:

Bodo/Glimt 8 - 0 Linfield (July 27)

Shamrock Rovers 2 - 1 Ludogorets Razgrad (July 26)

Linfield and Shamrock Rovers both drop down to the Europa League.

UEFA Europa Conference 2QR, second leg (mostly July 28):

The New Saints 0 - 0 Vikingur Reykjavik (July 26)

Sligo Rovers 2 - 0 Motherwell

Mura 0 - 0 Saint Patrick’s Athletic    (Saint Patrick’s win on PK.)

Crusaders 1 - 1 Basel

Newtown 1 - 2 Spartan Trnava

Saint Patrick’s advance. Motherwell, Crusaders, TNS and Newtown are out.

Concacaf League, preliminary round, first leg (July 26):

Waterhouse FC 0 - 0 Pacific FC

Plenty of Nothing's objectives for Morton in 2022-23:

1)    Make the Premiership playoffs.

2)    Make the final of any cup. (See E below.)

3)    Get a win off each Championship opponent.

4)    Sweep an opponent.

5)    Play a Premiership side at Cappielow.

6)    Score on Aberdeen.

7)    Play Kelty Hearts.

8)    Have a top scorer with at least 10 goals.

Appendices:

A) When did everyone find out they were in the 2022-23 Scottish Championship?

April 16        Hamilton Academical

April 23        Greenock Morton

April 23        Cove Rangers

April 29        Raith Rovers

April 29        Ayr United

May 6          Partick Thistle

May 11        Dundee

May 13        Arbroath

May 15        Queen's Park

May 23        Inverness CT

B) When did they most recently get into the Championship, and was it from above or below?

2022    Dundee (above)

2022    Cove Rangers (below)

2022    Queen's Park (below)

2021    Hamilton Accies (above)

2021    Partick Thistle (below)

2020    Raith Rovers (below)

2019    Arbroath (below)

2018    Ayr United (below)

2017    Inverness CT (above)

2015    Morton (below)

C) In which divisions have the 2022-23 Championship clubs played since 1994?

Dundee              BBBBAA     AAAAABBBBB     BBABAAAAAB    BAB

Inverness CT     DDDCCB    BBBBAAAAAB     AAAAAAABBB    BBB

Hamilton            BBCBBC    DCCCBBBBAA    ABBBAAAAAA     ABB

Partick Thistle    AABBCC    CBAABCBBBB     BBBAAAAABB    CBB

Raith Rovers     BAABBB    BBCBBCCCCB     BBBBBBBCCC    BBB

Morton               CBBBBB    BCDCCCCBBB    BBBBCBBBBB     BBB

Ayr Utd              BCCBBB    BBBBCCCCCB    CBCCCCBCBB    BBB

Arbroath            DDDDCC    CBBCCDDDCC   DCCCDDDCCB    BBB

Queen's Park    DDDDDD    CDDDDDDCCD   DDDDDDCCDD   DCB

Cove Rangers   HHHHHH   HHHHHHHHHH   HHHHHHHHHD    CCB

(A = tier I; B = tier II; etc.; H = Highland League)

D) Since 1994, which clubs have spent at least half of the time in tier II, including this season?

21 years        Greenock Morton

19 years        Queen of the South

19 years        Raith Rovers

18 years        Falkirk

16 years        Ayr United

15 years        Dundee

E) Morton's cup finals:

1915/12/8      Morton 2 - 1 Rangers    War Fund Shield

1918/5/4        Celtic 1 - 0 Morton          War Fund Shield

1922/4/15      Morton 1 - 0 Rangers    Scottish Cup

1942/5/9        Morton 0 - 1 Rangers     Southern League Cup

1948/4/21      Rangers 1 - 0 Morton     Scottish Cup

1963/10/26    Rangers 5 - 0 Morton     League Cup

1992/12/13    Morton 2 - 3 Hamilton    Challenge Cup

(Not counting 84 Renfrewshire Cup finals.)

Sauerbraten from Saarbrücken

Source.

Cranes versus Free Blades

Hokkaido zangi courtesy East Hokkaido Cranes and 7-11. Source.

Tohoku Free Blades visit East Hokkaido Cranes at Kushiro Ice Arena.

The Cranes are a continuation of Jūjō Paper Kushiro Ice Hockey Club, which was founded in 1949. In 1993 Jūjō Paper merged with Sanyō Kokusaku Pulp to form Nippon Paper, and the team was renamed Nippon Paper Cranes, accidentally creating the only origami hockey team in the world. In 2019 Nippon Paper got out of the hockey business and the team was renamed East Hokkaido Cranes, with the same rink and players as before.

[Cranes 3 - 4 Free Blades]

Seasons of East Hokkaido Cranes:

(As Jūjō IHC)

                  G      W   T     L       F       A      GD      P    Pos

1974-75    10      1    0      9      20      76    -56      2    5th, JIHL

1975-76    15      3    0    12      34    106    -72      6    5th, JIHL

1976-77    15      2    0    13      40    105    -65      4    6th, JIHL

1977-78    15      1    1    13      28    101    -73      3    6th, JIHL

1978-79    20      2    1    17      46    115    -69      5    6th, JIHL

1979-80    15      6    3      6      55      66    -11    15    4th, JIHL

1980-81    20      7    0    13      68    100    -32    14    4th, JIHL

1981-82    30      8    4    18    134    169    -35    20    5th, JIHL

1982-83    30      6    6    18    113    169    -56    18    5th, JIHL

1983-84    30      7    3    20    108    146    -38    17    5th, JIHL

1984-85    30      7    3    20      88    165    -77    17    5th, JIHL

1985-86    30    10    3    17    101    128    -27    23    5th, JIHL

1986-87    30      4    5    21      68    146    -78    13    6th, JIHL

1987-88    30      6    3    21      77    127    -50    15    5th, JIHL

1988-89    30      8    3    18      86    136    -50    19    5th, JIHL

1989-90    30    12    5    13      93    105    -12    29    3rd, JIHL

1990-91    30    16    1    13    106    102     +4    33    3rd, JIHL

1991-92    30    10    1    19    102    128    -26    21    5th, JIHL

1992-93    30    10    2    18      79    117    -38    22    4th, JIHL

(As Nippon Paper Cranes)

1993-94    30    12    1    17      95    121    -26    25    4th, JIHL

1994-95    30    14    1    15    103    109      -6    29    4th, JIHL

1995-96    40      9    2    29    140    171    -31    18    5th, JIHL    (deducted?)

1996-97    30      8    3    19      83    125    -42    19    5th, JIHL

1997-98    40    11    2    27    120    167    -47    24    6th, JIHL

1998-99    40    18    4    18    138    147      -9    40    4th, JIHL

1999-00    30    14    3    13      94      88     +6    31    3rd, JIHL

2000-01    40    20    3    17    126    115    +11    43    4th, JIHL

                  G     W    a    b    c    d     L      F        A      GD      P       Pos

2001-02    40    25    2    1    3    1     8    162    105    +57    59.5    1st, JIHL

2002-03    32    14    1    1    3         13    104    100      +4    34.5    3rd, JIHL

2003-04    12      3    1          1           7      37      37        0      8.5    3rd, R1, JIHL

                 12      6    1          1           4      56      51      +5    14.5    3rd, R2, JIHL

                  G     W  OW  T  OL     L      F      A       GD      P     Pos

2003-04    16    13    0    0    0      3      80    49      +31    39    1st, ALIH    X

2004-05    40    31    0    5    0      6    216    85    +121    98    1st, ALIH

2005-06    38    30    2    1    0      5    240    66    +174    95    1st, ALIH

2006-07    34    27    1    1    2      3    198    79    +119    86    1st, ALIH    XO

2007-08    30    15    1    2    1    11      97    85      +12    50    4th, ALIH    O

                   G    W    a    b    c    d     L      F        A       GD     P     Pos

2008-09    36    18    3    2    2    3      8    129      95    +25    69    4th, ALIH    X

2009-10    36    18    3    3    2    0    10    128    101    +27    68    3rd, ALIH

2010-11    36    21    2    1    3    2      7    141      95    +46    74    2nd, ALIH    O

2011-12    36    16    1    3    1    1    14    128    110    +18    58    4th, ALIH     O

2012-13    42    17    4    6    3    3      9    176    130    +46    77    3rd, ALIH    O

2013-14    42    22    2    2    1    0    15    168    126    +42    75    3rd, ALIH    XO

2014-15    48    15    3    6    4    2    18    160    157      +3    69    6th, ALIH

2015-16    48    25    2    2    3    2    14    166    125    +41    88    3rd, ALIH    O

2016-17    48    23    1    1    3    3    17    169    153    +16    79    5th, ALIH

2017-18    28      9    1    1    3    1    13      79      91     -12    35    7th, ALIH

2018-19    34    13    3    3    4    1    10      93      77    +16    56    4th, ALIH

(As East Hokkaido Cranes)

2019-20    36    12    2          2          17      73    104     -31    46    5th, ALIH

2020-21    22    11    0          5            6      62      50    +12    38    3rd, JCup    O

a    b    c    d    = various loser points

ALIH = Asia League Ice Hockey

JCup = Japan Cup

JIHL = Japan Ice Hockey League

X = ALIH Champion

O = All Japan Champion

(Sources: English, German and Japanese Wikipedia; flashscores for 2020-21)

Udon versus Soba

Source.

Contre le Gel

Aerial view of French vineyards being heated against a late frost, April 2021. Source.

Tire de la Sainte-Catherine

In Quebec they pull taffy on Saint Catherine's Day. Source.