Old Pond publishing days

Robots herding sheep?

An item in the news caught my eye today as it talks about how sheep dogs could be replaced by robots in a threat to one of the last remaining farming traditions in our country!  Scientists from the University of Swansea have discovered an algorithm which they believe would enable them to programme robots to do the job of sheep dogs, thus making the border collies redundant!

It seems that rounding up sheep is a simple process, following basic mathematical rules: one causes the sheepdog to close any gaps it sees, the other to drive sheep forward once the gaps are closed.  When scientists used computer simulation, they found that simply following these rules allowed a single shepherd or sheepdog to control a flock of more than 100.

So what does this mean for our sheep farmers and their faithful canine companions? Well sheep dogs are just that, companions and friends.  Would robots be able to emanate that bond? Put simply, no. So whilst science and technology might say that our four legged friends are replaceable, hopefully this will not materialise in reality.

For those sheep dog enthusiasts amongst you, have a look at the range of sheep dog related titles in the Old Pond store.  If you’re not already convinced of the irreplaceability of sheep dogs, we think these will do the trick!

For more details about the scientific study, read this article on The Telegraph online.

Living through the World Wars

In 2014 we are remembering the World Wars as days which were challenging to those who lived through them. Many memories and stories are being retold within our media and we are being encouraged to look back on our country’s history and to talk to those who remember what are often described as terrible times. Interestingly though there are happier and more light-hearted takes on the stories which we hear and Old Pond customers can read some fresh and entertaining accounts about the Land Girls in 3 Old Pond Titles:

Irene Grimwood’s “Land Girls at the Old Rectory”

Pat Peter’s “Land Girls Gang Up” 

Joan Snelling’s “A Land Girl’s War” 

The Women’s Land Army was created during WW1 when there was a real gap in farm workers as the men were called up. Similarly this was the case during WW2 when the government resurrected the WLA to help farms to function normally.

For a different flavour of our country at war, why not check out these publications today?

Old Pond Publishing joins 5m Publishing

International media business, 5m Publishing – part of Benchmark Holdings plc – today announced their successful acquisition of Suffolk-based agriculture and machinery specialist Old Pond Publishing. The acquisition sees Benchmark continue to strengthen its position as an established leader in the supply of knowledge transfer, market analysis and e-commerce to the global food chain.

Old Pond Publishing specialise in DVDs and books focusing on land-based industries. OP Publishing will be incorporated into Benchmark’s Technical Publishing division, strengthening the range and scale of the company’s publishing service.

Commenting on the development, Benchmark’s Managing Director of Technical Publishing, James Banfield, said:

“We are thrilled to announce our acquisition of Old Pond Publishing to the Benchmark group. Our Technical Publishing division serves over 6 million users across three continents. We are constantly looking for ways to build and expand the service we offer our customers. Today’s acquisition increases our digital catalogue and ecommerce service and brings the potential for further growth.”