I think we have all, at some point in our lives, experienced the sense of knowing something before we know it, even if we can't explain how.
When I began my training to become a naturopathic colonic hydrotherapist, I had feeling that I was embarking on something much bigger. I didn't know what it would lead to, but I knew that I was on a path towards something that aligned perfectly with who I was and what I believed in. It was, for want of a better expression, a true gut feeling.
From day one of my training, I knew that I was in the right place at the right time, with the right person – the wonderful late Dr. Milo Siewert, the founding father of modern colon hydrotherapy in the UK. I was training in a therapy that would change my life and potentially the lives of millions of people. It was such a strong and profound feeling, and it still is.
I had no idea, at that time, what huge problems we had in the UK and indeed the western world with digestive and gut disorders/disease. Over the years since qualifying, I have embraced every opportunity to learn; I strive continually to increase my knowledge – simply put, I am a lifelong learner. However busy my days are, I can always create time to educate myself. Pursuit of knowledge is easier than it has ever been before; it is a most enjoyable privilege to take this convenience and utilise it to develop and expand my vision.
When I set up my digestive and gut disorders clinic, I started to truly understand the extent of the digestive and gut health problems we were faced with then, and still are today. I got very busy, very quickly; there was an astonishing number of people booking in for digestive/gut consultations and colon hydrotherapy treatments. In those days, I was still working three days a week giving physiotherapy and acupuncture treatments. It soon became apparent that the other three days I dedicated to digestive/gut consultations and colonics simply weren't enough, so I stopped all my physio work and became a full-time naturopathic colon hydrotherapist. I also took up a role, sitting on the Advisory Board of the UK's IBS charity, The IBS Network, which gave me more insights into the problem we have with IBS alone – around 20% of the population diagnosed with it, and that's not including the millions who suffer in silence, afraid to seek help due to shame and embarrassment. Attending conferences and exhibitions on digestive/gut health, with a focus on the important role the gut microbiome and probiotics play in our overall health and wellbeing, gave me further knowledge and impetus to make a difference.
When my appointment book at the clinic became fully booked four to six months in advance, I found myself recommending digestive/gut health food supplements, probiotics, digestive enzymes, omega 3s etc., so people could at least try and get some relief from their bloating, abdominal pain, constipation and so on until they could get in to see me.
So I did. It took 2 years from that idea to launching the Just For Tummies website in August 2015. I must admit that the timing was good, as I was looking for a challenge. I wasn't, however, quite prepared for the enormity of the challenge! I had other commitments, including being Vice-Chair for The Association of Registered Colon Hydrotherapists, as well as my role with The IBS Network. My clinic was also very busy, and both my elderly parents needed support, and continue to do so.
I don't think the time is ever right to start something like this. But you follow your passions, you dive in, keep your head down, plough through and hope you come out alive the other end! My ambition was to produce a range of probiotics and supplements that would help the millions of people in the UK and beyond have a much better quality of life.
I knew exactly what strains of bacteria I wanted in my Live Bacteria probiotic capsules, strains including lactobacillus rhamnosus that in studies have been shown to reduce bloating and abdominal pain, and for my new For Women probiotic capsules, the strain lactobacillus reuteri, shown to reduce UTIs. My plant-based Digestive Enzymes contain papain from the papaya fruit, known to help break down animal protein, in particular red meat, so avoiding excessive putrefaction in the stomach and gut, and helping improve transit time, meaning fewer problems with constipation.
It has been a real thrill and a privilege to develop my range. I can't say it's been easy. In fact, it's been tough, working six days a week in my clinic from 9am-7pm, then coming home, grabbing a quick bite to eat, before working on my Just For Tummies business. For over two years, it consumed my every waking hour, and my sleep, as I would dream about it too. However, I now work two days a week in the clinic so I have a much better balance.
I receive so many wonderful emails and messages via my Facebook pages about how people's lives have changed for the better after taking my Just For Tummies products, in particular the Live Bacteria probiotics. It makes all the hard work worth it.
My vision is to develop more strain-specific probiotics, from cradle to grave, so there will be probiotics for newborns up to centenarians. I want to make Just For Tummies a nationwide brand, not just for the quality and efficacy of the supplements, but also for education, awareness and support. Our gut microbiome is our 'root system'. If we neglect it, we will pay for it with declining health, premature ageing and early death. I don't mind getting older, but I do mind feeling old.
I'm excited to see how the rest of this journey unfolds. I don't know where my motivation comes from. It's just something at the very core of me. I see a huge unmet need, people suffering, and I know there are safe, natural probiotics, supplements and other therapies to help them. I want to make a difference, and I can make a difference, or at least the probiotics and other Just For Tummies supplements can – it's as simple as that really.


Peruvian Chanchamayo coffee is a USDA organically certified coffee from the western slopes of the Andes in Peru. This organic Peruvian coffee is shade grown at high altitudes around of 5600 feet in the valley around the Chanchamayu river. The taste is characterized by bright acidity and has a well-balanced, medium body. Smooth and delicate, it has a slightly nutty flavour in conjunction with the classic South American brightness.
This organic Peruvian coffee is sold in 12 ounce bags, or choose a 5-pound bag and save.
Great prices and quick service. Also love my Jura at office, getting one soon for home!
The problem with your Peruvian coffee is this. It is by far the most flavorful coffee I have ever had, if you like a sweet, robust , knock your socks off coffee, this Peruvian has no equal. But be warned other coffees will pale in comparison and you will find yourself craving its rich flavor every morning if you happen to run out.
Organic Peruvian coffee from 1st In Coffee is by far the best coffee on the market and our personal favorite. With its deep rich aroma and smooth texture it has created a class for itself. We buy 5 lb. bags for ourself and 12 oz. bags for gifts. Spoil yourself with Organic Peruvian and you will likely be disappointed with anything else!


Napier sits on the Pacific coast of NZ in Hawke's bay. Captain James Cook landed here in 1769 and named it in honour of Admiral Edward Hawke who decisively defeated the French in 1759 at the Battle of Quiberon Bay. It is now famous in the UK for its fine wines. "Napier", says the Lonely Planet Guide, "is a charismatic, sunny, composed city with the air of an affluent sea-side resort. It was largely rebuilt after the devastating 1931 earth-quake in the popular architectural styles of the time and has a unique concentration of Art Deco buildings". It reminds me of old UK cinemas, the Hoover building on the Great West Road, Boots' grand factory in Nottingham and numerous block of flats. None of those are as good as this.
There is a good supply of elegantly restored cars of the 1930s vintage that serve as dial-a-ride taxi experiences. The place has the air of a film set and we are the "extras". We coat-tail a couple of English speaking groups for a while, then slink off to savour the experience for ourselves. It really is quite charming. Napier has the café culture characteristic of warm climate cities and its streets are generously laid out with pedestrian-only open spaces and handsome public art – and nice coffee shops. It is a good place to be and we like it.
We drive south along Hawke's bay towards Cape Kidnappers named in honour of the place where the Maoris tried unsuccessfully to kidnap Captain Cook's Tahitian servant boy. Now it is a colony of nesting gannets – equally voracious but only accessible by tractor or 4×4 vehicle, neither of which we possess. I guess it is also accessible by air if you happen to be a gannet.
We withdraw and drift along the lovely continuous village of low-rise houses which comprise the village of Clearview. What a pleasant surprise! There is a winery, The Clearview Estate, just by. We roll up to their cellar door and spend a delightful half hour tasting some of their delicious wines, including a Gewurtztraminer, two sumptuous dessert wines, a noble late harvest and a red which we buy. Sadly, their output is not to be found in the UK. Now there's a thought for an import business, David.
Sue is on a mission to visit Mission Winery in Napier. We book for dinner, get togged up (for we are living in shorts and T-shirt order) and drive to their grand estate. Mission Estate is the oldest (1851) winery in NZ and is named for a catholic seminary who still own the property. The French founder monks imported their wine-making prowess so that Hawke's bay wineries generally produce excellent Bordeaux style reds, Syrahs and Chardonnays. The famous fruity Savignon Blancs are mainly found around the Marlborough district in South Island. It starts to rain and a complete 180° double rainbow greets us as we arrive. Is this a portent?
We dine under a pergola of grape vines (of course), sip enormous Gerwurtz and Chardonnay aperitifs and share a bottle of Mission Gimblett Gravels Syrah with our delicious entrees. I can't think of a nicer way to share a table, a glass or two, and an evening with my lovely Sue.
We drive carefully back to our hotel and fall sound asleep. Tomorrow we journey another 320 km to Wellington and our ferry to South Island.
This entry was posted in New Zealand 2018 on 21 February, 2018 by David.


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Probably, Wroclaw possesses the most turbulent and convoluted past amongst all other cities in Poland.
Wroclaw was amongst the most architecturally and culturally diverse town in the Central part of the Europe prior to being ruined only 65 years ago. As the town steadily restored itself, the period after the war saw a fresh wave of immigrants from the present western Ukraine improve not only the city's ethnic look, but its traditional wealth as well as various cultural resources from Lwów were moved here. After taking off its communist outfit in the year 1989 & being 'revived" by the west, the city has strongly established itself amongst Kraków & Prague as amongst the best tourist places in of Eastern part of the Europe & one major highlight of the country.
There are 3 major regions that travelers shouldn't miss. First on this list is clearly the Old Town, having the marvelously reestablished Market Square in its center & its network of cobbled ways, canals, church spires, etc. Fundamentally bound by Odra River towards its north while the Fosa Miejska towards its south, this region which was formerly encircled by the town's primitive defensive walls, you will encounter the majority of Wroclaw's historical museums & monuments, in addition to several beautiful University constructions, the town's infamous gnomes & soaring churches. In addition, the Old Town has 'The Mutual Respect District', which is a unique neighborhood south west of the market square that comprises nearly side by side the sites of worship of 4 distinct denominations, which includes the town's lone existing Jewish synagogue.
You may call the Old Town Wroclaw's heart, however its soul lies in Ostrów Tumski. This was the first place of the city to be established by Slavic communities during the ninth century. As a bishopric was constructed there during 1000 AD it has continued to be a major site of religious & royal significance & a house to the most significant Cathedral of the city.
To end with, no holiday to Wroclaw is complete without a journey towards the Centennial Hall. It was erected as per the plans of Max Berg during the period of 1911 to 1913, when Wroclaw was a province of the German Territory. This is the only UNESCO World Heritage place of the city. Surrounded by exceptional gardens & parks, which includes the city zoo & a remarkable multimedia fountain, the Centennial Hall completed its 100 years in 2013.


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Winchester 5°c
Main stories
Winchester Town
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Police operation at house as murder probe continues
Police operation at house in Stanmore as probe continues into murder of Gurinderjit Rai
By Andrew Napier @andrew_napier
The police operation on Battery Hill, Stanmore. Photo: Harvey Arber
AN UNPRECEDENTED police operation is continuing in Winchester.
Officers have been searching a property in Battery Hill, Stanmore, for several weeks as part of Operation Coach, the investigation into the death of Gurinderjit Rai.
Mr Rai was found in a car in a remote layby on Shepherds Farm Lane, Corhampton, in the Meon Valley, on July 13.
Thirteen arrests, the most recent on Wednesday, have now been made by detectives probing the death of father-of-two who suffered gunshot wounds to the head and neck.
It is believed to be the highest number in a Winchester-centred murder enquiry in decades, if not ever.
Most recently, a 38-year-old man from Winchester was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder. He has been released but remains under investigation.
Last Saturday, detectives arrested a 51-year-old man from South Wales on the same allegation. He was released on bail, pending further enquiries.
It was unclear for how long the forensic investigation of the house and garden in Battery Hill will continue.
On Friday September 20, officers arrested a man, aged 66, and a 42-year-old man on suspicion of conspiracy to murder. On the previous day, a man, aged 20 had been arrested for the same offence. A 39-year-old man had been arrested on conspiracy to commit murder on Tuesday August 20.
All four, all from Winchester, have been given police bail, pending further enquiries. Seven other men had previously been arrested and released on police bail.
DI Roger Wood said: "This is a complex murder investigation and we would like to thank everyone who has contacted us so far. We are still appealing for people with information on what happened to call us.This can be done by calling 101, and quoting Operation Coach. Information, including dashcam footage, can also be sent via this link: https://mipp.police.uk/operation/44HC19N02-PO1.
"Alternatively, people can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, where information can be left anonymously."
As previously reported, Aston Hannis, 28, of Winchester, was jailed for 12 months after he refused to hand over the passcode to his phone to police as part of their investigation.
An inquest into Mr Rai's death was opened in July. Acting area coroner Samantha Marsh said a postmortem found he died of "shotgun wounds to the head and neck".
Ms Marsh adjourned the inquest to January 24 2020, although that date may change due to the ongoing police investigation.
Political party comes under fire over wealth of election leaflets
New festival given £20k by council to help launch
Lucky escape for taxi driver after car bursts into flames
Trees felled in flood prevention scheme by city council
County council pays respects for Holocaust Memorial Day
Labour condemn plan to close libraries across Hampshire
Southampton Airport expansion special meeting
'I will be using every ounce of my experience to ensure our voice is heard in Westminster,' says MP
Lorry driver's manoeuvre causes more damage

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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The Nintendo Switch Pro release date could land in September
A seven-inch, 720p OLED Switch is on the way, according to Bloomberg
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD
Nintendo could release its new Switch model in September or October, according to a report by Bloomberg. Nintendo will seemingly begin assembly of the updated hardware in July, with a formal announcement possibly occurring before June 12, allowing publishers to show off their latest Switch games ahead of E3.
If you are interested in the enhanced version of the four-year-old console, just know that it may set you back more than the vanilla version's original $299/£279.99 asking price. However, the Switch Pro's rumoured bigger screen and 4K graphics might justify the price hike, provided that a seven-inch Samsung OLED screen and other quality-of-life improvements sound appealing.
Since its initial release, the Switch has proved to be a hugely popular console, competing with Xbox and PlayStation. However, it has now entered the middle of its lifecycle, so a new model could help to keep sales and interest in the hardware high.
The Switch Pro will seemingly land ahead of BOTW 2 and the Pokémon Legends: Arceus release date – two of Nintendo's most-hyped games. You may find it difficult to decide which way to play. Do you keep it docked, or is portable the way to go? One thing is certain, however –these games would benefit greatly from an improved display.
While we wait for the fresh hardware to arrive, you might want to check out our guides on the best Switch multiplayer games and the best Switch MMORPGs to keep yourself entertained.
Zelda wallpapers
Nintendo (finally) details QOL changes in Skyward Sword HD


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Hunt's advisors claim seven-day NHS might not cut weekend deaths
By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor Even the Health Secretary's team can't pin point evidence that extra staffing over the weekend period will cut deaths on Saturday and Sunday. A leaked document has admits that his trusted advisors can't prove that his seven-day demands are going to work. This would drastically his argument for ensuring junior […]
in News, Politics
By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor
Even the Health Secretary's team can't pin point evidence that extra staffing over the weekend period will cut deaths on Saturday and Sunday.
A leaked document has admits that his trusted advisors can't prove that his seven-day demands are going to work. This would drastically his argument for ensuring junior doctors accept his new contract.
The document says the department: "cannot evidence the mechanism by which increased consultant presence and diagnostic tests at weekends will translate into lower mortality and reduced length of stay."
The leaked Department of Health report, handed to the Guardian, also thinks that community and social services would not be able to cope with increased numbers of hospital discharges at weekends.
The Health Secretary was also warned he would require 11,000 new staff to make hospitals run in the same way over weekends as they do every day – at a cost £900m more a year to the public purse.
Critics have accused Mr Hunt of frequently misrepresenting reports that say increased staffing on weekends would lower death rates.
Recently, he misquoted NHS chief Sir Bruce Keogh twice during an interview on the BBC's Andrew Marr show. Numerous doctors have said Mr Hunt has misrepresented a paper written by Sir Bruce for the British Medical Journal which, he claims, supports up his argument.
A Department of Health spokesperson told the Guardian said: "There is clear, independent clinical evidence of variation in the quality of care across the week and, working together with the NHS, we are determined to tackle this problem. Making sure the right staff and support is available for all patients seven days a week is a key part of our approach."
Alongside these accusations against Mr Hunt, an NHS whistleblower told MPs that Hospitals are coming under pressure to hide the funding black holes in their accounts.
Anonymous evidence discussed concern that national regulators were pressuring NHS providers to "potentially mislead the public and government departments" over financial performance of their health services.


The panoramas on this web site are for your enjoyment. I hope to add many more during the coming months.
Views of Branch Brook Road area White Plains NY. Late winter storm and mid-spring.
The Brick Hotel on the Circle, Georgetown Delaware.
The train world in White Plains NY.
How would you like to play here!
Views of Manor Park in Larchmont NY.
February 14, 2009. This dessert party has become a yearly event at our neighbors house. Each year there are more choices and more friends. Lets see what 2009 brings.
February 14, 2008. This dessert party has become a yearly event at our neighbors house. Each year there are more choices and more friends. Lets see what 2009 brings.
Isabell, Maya and Lucy in the backyard.
This series of pictures were taken during a three month period during the construction of Ten Twenty Post.


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Jennifer Lopez Unfollows Ex Alex Rodriguez - Removes All Photos Of Him From Instagram
Jennifer Lopez Unfollows Ex Alex Rodriguez – Removes All Photos Of Him From Instagram
Four months after Jennifer Lopez called off her engagement from former baseball star Alex Rodriguez, she has unfollowed him on Instagram and removed all photos of him from the social media site. This comes after she moved on from their relationship by rekindling her romance with her ex-fiancé Ben Affleck.
Entertainment Tonight reported that while traces of Rodriguez appear on Lopez's IGTV videos, there are no longer any photos of him on her page, and she is not following him. Rodriguez still follows Lopez, however, and still has photos of her on his page.
Lopez and Rodriguez announced their breakup back in April after a two year engagement and four years of dating.
"We have realized we are better as friends and look forward to remaining so," the former couple said at the time. "We will continue to work together and support each other on our shared businesses and projects."
"We wish the best for each other and one another's children," they added of Lopez's 13-year-old twins, Emme and Max, and Rodriguez's daughters, Natasha, 16, and Ella, 13. "Out of respect for them, the only other comment we have to say is thank you to every one who has sent kind words and support."
Lopez rekindled her romance with Affleck one month later, with a source saying that their "relationship is serious."
"They have insane, on another level, chemistry. They are both super passionate and are head over heels with each other, just like they once were," the source said. "This time around, however, they both really feel like this is it."
The insider went on to say that "everything feels 100 percent natural with them. Once they rekindled, it was like no time had passed."
Another source said that Rodriguez was "surprised" by Lopez reuniting with Affleck.
"Jennifer and Alex have remained in contact after breaking up and have even seen each other since the split. The two plan to remain friends and are also in business together," this source said back in June. "Alex understands that Jennifer is single, but felt shocked by [her and Affleck's] quick meetup. At the end of the day, Alex wants Jennifer to be happy, but the way everything has unfolded doesn't sit well with him."


Written in the 1950s and banned until after the author's death, Vasily Grossman's autobiographical epic Life and Fate surveys the horrors in the Soviet Union during the Second World War with an extraordinarily wide lens.
In Lev Dodin's audacious adaptation for the Maly Drama Theatre of St Petersburg, Viktor Strum, a Jewish nuclear physicist, attempts to continue working as war ravages the continent. While the family faces rationing, Soviet dogma and anti-Semitic abuse in Moscow, that's nothing compared with the obscenities experienced on the Eastern front, in Soviet and Nazi camps for political dissidents and the soon-to-be-liquidated ghettos.
Throughout, the action is framed by a letter from Strum's mother Anna – a heart-rending performance from Tatiana Shestakova. She knows it is her last before being sent to her death.
Yet while Sergey Kuryshev is on commanding form as Strum, the production's greatness comes down to its magnificent ensemble, whose unwavering focus ensures the complex narrative is clearly delineated. Rich characterisations allow these soldiers, prisoners and scientists to paint a detailed, unvarnished portrait of humanity.
Even in its darkest moments, the piece is freighted with sardonic humour: when Strum receives a call from comrade Stalin, it represents a reprieve. His joy is palpable but short-lived, as it isn't long before he is forced to denounce others to protect the motherland.
Alexey Poray-Koshits' ingenious, all-purpose set, initially shrouded in acres of Pravda newsprint, accommodates overlapping scenes to depict a shabby Moscow flat, concentration camps, and the front at Stalingrad. Intermittently, cast members toss a ball between them in the air, visualising the fortuity of fate.
Though Anna's letter shows that unfounded hope is an irrational if necessary comfort, Grossman's overriding message is that whatever horrors befall us, life somehow stutters on.


Q. Why do Research Areas include the school names? They are also very broad and do not seem comprehensive.
Research Areas are in a tree structure with 4-7 research areas for each school. The school name appears as the parent of the research area, e.g. Finance is under Lee Kong Chian School of Business.
We are using only the top level research area at this time. This could be reviewed in the future based on the needs of SMU.


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[274 results]
24293_2112 Barbra Streisand in "Funny Girl" 1968 Columbia ** B.D.M.
24383_0998 "Saboteur" 1942 ** I.V.
7191_0009 "I Could Go on Singing" Judy Garland, director Ronald Neame 1962 © 1978 Bob Willoughby
24383_0184 "Abraham Lincoln" Ian Keith, Kay Hammond, Walter Huston 1930 United Artists ** I.V.
3457_0500 "Gone with the Wind" Protesters 1939 ** I.V.
5872_0061 Jim "Motorhead" Sherwood of The Mothers of Invention prior to a performance in Fall River, Massachusetts 18 February 1968 © 2020 Ed Lefkowicz
5872_0057 Jimmy Carl Black, Ray Collins and Ian Underwood of The Mothers of Invention prior to a performance in Fall River, Massachusetts 18 February 1968 © 2020 Ed Lefkowicz
5872_0051 John Leon "Bunk" Garder (left) and Jimmy Carl Black of The Mothers of Invention prior to a performance in Fall River, Massachusetts 18 February 1968 © 2020 Ed Lefkowicz
5872_0050 Frank Zappa (foreground) and Ian Underwood of The Mothers of Invention prior to a performance in Fall River, Massachusetts 18 February 1968 © 2020 Ed Lefkowicz
5872_0054 Frank Zappa of The Mothers of Invention prior to a performance in Fall River, Massachusetts 18 February 1968 © 2020 Ed Lefkowicz
5872_0064 Jimmy Carl Black of The Mothers of Invention prior to a performance in Fall River, Massachusetts 18 February 1968 © 2020 Ed Lefkowicz
5872_0070 Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention in performance at the Durfee Theater in Fall River, Massachusetts (behind Zappa is Ray Collins) 18 February 1968 © 2020 Ed Lefkowicz
9575_0200 "Jaws" (marquee) 1975 ** I.V.
5872_0067 Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention in performance at the Durfee Theater in Fall River, Massachusetts 18 February 1968 © 2020 Ed Lefkowicz
5872_0056 Jimmy Carl Black and Ray Collins of The Mothers of Invention prior to a performance in Fall River, Massachusetts 18 February 1968 © 2020 Ed Lefkowicz
5872_0063 Ian Underwood and Jim "Motorhead" Sherwood of The Mothers of Invention prior to a performance in Fall River, Massachusetts 18 February 1968 © 2020 Ed Lefkowicz
5872_0071 Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention in performance at the Durfee Theater in Fall River, Massachusetts (from left to right: John Leon "Bunk" Gardner, Ian Underwood, Jimmy Carl Black, Frank Zappa, Ray Collins, Roy Estrada) 18 February 1968 © 2020 Ed Lefkowicz
0019_1172 Steve McQueen and Ali MacGraw at a screening of "The Getaway" 1972 © 1978 Gary Lewis
3868_0007 Movie premiere "Trapeze" at the Fox Wilshire in Los Angeles 1956 © 1978 Sid Avery
3250_0026 Hollywood Landmarks 1977 © 1978 Ulvis Alberts
24356_0004 Norman and Dorothy Chandler at the opening of the Mark Taper Forum 1967 © 1978 Bob Willoughby
24356_0001 Howard Ahmanson and his wife, Caroline Leonetti, at the opening of the Mark Taper Forum 1967 © 1978 Bob Willoughby
3250_0038 Christmas on Hollywood Blvd. 1977 © 1978 Ulvis Alberts
0022_1594 Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis circa 1950 © 1978 Barry Kramer
0022_1595 Jerry Lewis circa 1950 © 1978 Barry Kramer
0968_1109 Jane Fonda with Roger Vadim at the screening of "Goodbye, Columbus" at the Directors Guild Theatre, 1969. © 1978 Joe Shere
0965_0011 Maggie Smith in "Hedda Gabler" 1970 play production. **I.V.
0733_2226 Judy Garland and with her kids, Lorna and Joey Luft, outside the Palace Theatre in New York 1967 ** I.V.
0758_0809 Marilyn Monroe, Jane Russell Grauman Chinese Theater, June 26, 1953.
0733_2179 Judy Garland, at the Palace Theatre in New York 1951 ** I.V.
0716_1210 Jean Harlow signing her name in cement in front of Grauman's Chinese Theater circa 1933 ** R.C.
0645_0145 "Breakfast at Tiffany's" (stage version) Mary Tyler Moore, Michael Kidd 1966 ** B.D.M.


Holiday Fair at Morbid Anatomy where you'll be able to see my work in person!
Newly acquired bones for the next few works...Really looking forward to it!
Almost complete for "Ecstatic Raptures and Immaculate Corpses: Visions of Death Made Beautiful in Italy"
I will be participating in Joanna Ebenstein's exhibition this September at Viktor Wynd Fine Art Inc.
Looking forward to finishing this piece!
Saint Anne Catherine Emmerich and Saint Lucia on the bench.....To be finished by Weds!
Installed piece on the first trial run..


Zero s Kickstand is now up one of the 20 or so engineers and designers calls out in the design studio. Ok a few respond in near unison. Half of them are holding their phones in the air pointed at the F at an event in midtown manhattan on monday. Its the companys most advanced bike in its 13 year history Zero motorycles the company thats been pioneering mainstream electric motorcycles for the last 13 years has updated its entire lineup for 2019 with refreshed looks and more range and power across.
Zero s If one thing is clear about the future of motorcycles its that theyre getting smarter. Electric motorcycle purveyor zero unveiled the newest addition to its slate of connected bikes on monday and Yet thats exactly what jaguar classic did in creating what it calls the e type zero. We first told you about the e type zero last year. Since then the car has made a guest appearance at the recent Ive been getting into car hacking with my spare 2010 zero s electric motorcycle. I recommend you start reading at part 1 research and planning. Dont do any of this on your own equipment unless you.
Zero s Having become acquainted with the tiny but mighty zero fx and struggled through a thorough technology briefing at the zero factory it was time to try the quotbase modelsquot of the 2015 zero range. The Emails provided to refinery29 from minus zero fests ticketing vendor tixr seemingly confirm that the event went smoothly from their perspective. J dubs event management the festivals vending Law enforcement vehicles in hot pursuit traditionally involve sirens and loud straining engines. When you hear a siren without the roar of piston driven engines now however watch the road carefully.
Youtube shah rukh khans much awaited.
It's possible to get or download caterpillar-wiring diagram from several websites. If you take a close look at the diagram you will observe the circuit includes the battery, relay, temperature sensor, wire, and a control, normally the engine control module. With an extensive collection of electronic symbols and components, it's been used among the most completed, easy and useful wiring diagram drawing program. Zero S. The wiring diagram on the opposite hand is particularly beneficial to an outside electrician. Sometimes wiring diagram may also refer to the architectural wiring program. The simplest approach to read a home wiring diagram is to begin at the source, or the major power supply. Basically, the home wiring diagram is simply utilized to reveal the DIYer where the wires are.
In a parallel circuit, each unit is directly linked to the power supply, so each system gets the exact voltage. There are 3 basic sorts of standard light switches. The circuit needs to be checked with a volt tester whatsoever points. Zero S. Each circuit displays a distinctive voltage condition. You are able to easily step up the voltage to the necessary level utilizing an inexpensive buck-boost transformer and steer clear of such issues. The voltage is the sum of electrical power produced by the battery. Be sure that the new fuse isn't blown, and carries the very same amperage.
The control box may have over three terminals. After you have the correct size box and have fed the cable to it, you're almost prepared to permit the wiring begin. Then there's also a fuse box that's for the body controls that is situated under the dash. Zero S. You will find that every circuit has to have a load and every load has to have a power side and a ground side. Make certain that the transformer nameplate power is enough to supply the load that you're connecting.
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text:
Q: Is it possible for a non-domain administrator to verify AD replication, with only Powershell? Assume that no administrative tools are installed, and a users rights are limited to running Powershell, and standard user access to Active Directory.

*

*Is it possible for a user in this limited situation to verify AD replication? (repadmin is not available)

*In theory, what would a Powershell script need to inspect AD replication relevant for GPO processing and account replication?

A: This is not really possible, depending on what you are trying to achive. A (default) user is missing read access rights to nearly all the important objects and APIs, even when the toolchain was installed.
A user could verify the replication of his own object (change passowrd, verify credentials against DCs), but access to replication protocols, wmi dsquery (which will be missing without RSAT), the complete \root\microsoftdfs namespace and all the necessary rpc endpoints ace ACL'd against such access.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Oakley, Inc. filed a trademark infringement case in the Northern District of Illinois against hundreds of partnerships and unincorporated associations in the Federal District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The partnerships and unincorporated associations are located in the People's Republic of China and other foreign jurisdictions. Oakley alleges Trademark Infringement and Counterfeiting, False Designation of Origin, a Claim for Injunctive Relief Under The Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act as to the Defendants Operating a Defendant Domain Name Incorporating the Oakley Trademarks, and violation of Illinois Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act against the partnerships and unincorporated associations.
The case number is 2015-CV-2315.
Calvin Klein Trademark Trust filed a trademark infringement case in the Northern District of Illinois against hundreds of partnerships and unincorporated associations in the Federal District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The partnerships and unincorporated associations are located in the People's Republic of China and other foreign jurisdictions. Calvin Klein alleges Trademark Infringement and Counterfeiting, False Designation of Origin, a Claim for Injunctive Relief Under The Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act as to the Defendants Operating a Defendant Domain Name Incorporating the Calvin Klein Trademarks, and violation of Illinois Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act against the partnerships and unincorporated associations.
The case number is 2015-CV-2224.
River Light V, L.P. and Tory Burch LLC filed a trademark infringement case in the Northern District of Illinois against hundreds of partnerships and unincorporated associations in the Federal District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The partnerships and unincorporated associations are located in the People's Republic of China and other foreign jurisdictions. Tory Burch and River Light allege Trademark Infringement and Counterfeiting, False Designation of Origin, a Claim for Injunctive Relief Under The Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act as to the Defendants Operating a Defendant Domain Name Incorporating the Tory Burch Trademarks, and violation of Illinois Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act against the partnerships and unincorporated associations.
The case number is 2015-CV-1812.
Dallas Buyers Club's enforcement campaign is certainly the largest BitTorrent campaign in Illinois since Prenda ceased operating.


text:
Roncus birsteini est une espèce de pseudoscorpions de la famille des Neobisiidae.

Distribution
Cette espèce est endémique de Abkhazie en Géorgie. Elle se rencontre sur le mont Khipsta dans la grotte Snezhnaya.

Description
Le mâle holotype mesure .

Étymologie
Cette espèce est nommée en l'honneur de Yakov Avadievich Birstein.

Publication originale
 Krumpál, 1986 : Pseudoscorpione (Arachnida) aus Höhlen der UdSSR. Über Pseudoscorpioniden-Fauna der UdSSR V. Biologia (Bratislava), , , .

Liens externes

Notes et références

Neobisiidae
Espèce de pseudoscorpions (nom scientifique)
Faune endémique de Géorgie

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


It's exciting and a little scary to finally have video recordings of my classes that I can share with you. These recordings are actual classes filmed on location with students in class. Deciding how to record my classes has been a dilemma for me for many years. There are many approaches for recording and I didn't have a good location, the right tools, or the expertise to edit. I finally met Ariel White, the right person to help me and we decided to simply video what I do and upload it for you to use as a guide at home in your practice. Ariel has been instrumental in recording and editing the classes and I am forever grateful! Please visit my YouTube channel and subscribe so you will always get the latest and newest classes as they are uploaded. I welcome your "thumbs up" and comments and please know the more you watch and comment, the bigger my channel grows and more students will find me. As you know, YOU Matter, to me most of all and I hope you enjoy the classes.


text:
A Phuulish Fellow
Daniel Stride's blog
Wise Phuul
Baldwin Street Dethroned
It's one of those things only a very few people care about. In particular, it's a Dunedin thing: this small, strange little city, genteelly decaying from its past glories, has lost yet another claim to significance: Baldwin Street is no longer the World's Steepest Street.
As a background, Dunedin's initial Scottish settlers were very keen on reinventing Edinburgh in the South Pacific, so they not only borrowed the names of Edinburgh streets (George Street, et al), but they actually borrowed the layout. This latter point ignored one small problem… the geography. Due to the hilly sides of North East Valley, Baldwin Street ended up as one of the steepest streets on the planet.
Back when I lived in that part of town, I used to walk to the top and back in the evenings as a decent exercise. And it is a decent exercise – the lower part is flat enough, but further along the street basically turns into a ski ramp. There's a park bench and a drinking fountain at the top too, which is much appreciated (I wouldn't take a car up there, ever). It's much busier during the daytime, of course… tourists taking pictures, and everything. I can understand why the residents are a bit grumpy.
Ah well. The people who run these things can always reclaim it as the steepest street in the Southern Hemisphere.
Random silliness, Real Life
The World Cup Final
I have never before commented on sports on this blog, and am unlikely to again any time soon, but today I feel I rather have to.
The overnight World Cup cricket final between New Zealand and England resulted in one of the most heart-breaking finales ever seen in the one-day game. Or in any sport, to be honest.
For those unversed in cricket, a one-day match is about which team can score the most runs in fifty overs (i.e. three hundred deliveries). The two teams in the final were New Zealand (who had never won the Cup before, and who had beaten the red-hot favourites India in the semi-final), and England (who had also never won the Cup either). The match was played at Lord's, the "home" of cricket in London, and England were the favourites, having beaten Australia in their semi-final.
Anyway, New Zealand managed 241 runs in their turn at bat (with eight wickets down). At the end of the batting, I went to bed, figuring that England would beat that easily – 241 is not a great score in modern one-day cricket, and England has a formidable batting line-up. Besides, I had things to do in the morning.
Then I got up this morning, heard the news, and realised what I'd missed. England, it turned out, had also managed 241 runs (with all ten wickets down) – a tie. That's rare in one-day cricket, and has never happened in a World Cup final. So they wheeled out a crass little tie-break – a Super Over, where the team that scores the most runs in six deliveries wins. England got 15 runs in the Super Over… and then so did New Zealand. So they wheeled out a second, arbitrary tie-breaker… which team had scored the most boundaries in the match. Which was England (if the tie-break had been fewest wickets, it would be New Zealand).
Honestly, the only fair result would have been for the two teams to share the trophy (an Australian bookie has refunded bets on New Zealand). That said, I am honestly pleased that the other side here was England. They had never won the Cup before, genuinely appreciate it when they do win, and come across as very decent people. So congrats, England. 🙂
Edit: The game is now being cited as the greatest cricket match ever played. Certainly in one-day matches – whether it outdoes the famous test matches is up for debate. It is still painful as hell for someone in this part of the world.
On the Depiction of Women in Beowulf
Well, well – quite the blast from the past. Fiddling around with an old computer has yielded quite the treasure trove of old documents and university essays of mine, most of which I had thought lost forever. Today, I thought I would share one of them, an essay on Beowulf that was pretty well-received at the time (2008, or thereabouts I believe), and which potentially acts as a companion post to my series on female characters in Tolkien.
Alas, I have been unable to save the footnotes. Apologies in advance for that – the essay as submitted was not lacking in them, and the Bibliography was more detailed. The salvageable version reproduced here seems to have been a late draft, before the references were put in – there was certainly no plagiarism. And, no, notwithstanding the cited sections below, I can't actually read Old English. My method with this essay was to read the text in modern translation, note the appropriate line(s), and then find the equivalent in the original Beowulf text.
Discuss the depiction of women in Beowulf (not forgetting Grendel's mother!).
The depiction of women in Beowulf has been the focus of serious scholarship only in the last few decades, a situation that is hardly surprising given the overtly masculine focus of the poem's central action, and the comparatively few women who actually appear. It is no accident that J.R.R. Tolkien's famous 1936 article 'Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics,' arguably one of the most important single pieces of Beowulf literary criticism ever written, does not mention a single female character until the appendices; Wealhtheow and company, as side characters of the human world, are pushed to one side by the monster-centric nature of the article, and, as for Grendel's Mother, Tolkien treats her female status as being subsumed by her status as a monster: Tolkien already has Grendel and the unnamed dragon to reference – why mention the other monster when thematically she serves much the same cosmic purpose as her son? This scholarly neglect of women in Beowulf has been somewhat rectified since around 1970, even if it is only to note, like G.R. Overing does, that Beowulf's female contingent are somewhat background figures.
Background figures or not, the depictions of the named women in Beowulf: Wealhtheow, Hygd, Hildeburh, Thryth, and Freawaru, as well as that of Grendel's Mother, and various unnamed and alluded-to side characters, nevertheless make for an interesting series of literary snapshots, with D.C. Porter's enthusiastic, if flawed, attempt at enhancing the social importance of women in the poem providing a useful starting point. Put simply, in Porter's view, they each fulfil one of three broad literary functions: that of generous hostess, that of political 'peace-weaver,' or that of social saboteur. To these categorisations of Porter's might be added a number of other roles played by females throughout the poem, such as funeral mourning, being active political players in their own right, being an object of male affection, being part of the Queen's retinue, or merely being a household servant. Beowulf's women thus fulfil a role other than being mere decorative wallflowers to the masculine action: they have their own designated spheres of occasionally not inconsiderable influence, with arguably much of the social saboteur issues arising from females who simply cross the line over into the male domain (Thryth being the classic example, but Grendel's Mother being also being a possibility, depending on how one views her).
In looking at the depiction of the woman as hostess, and indeed the depiction of socially acceptable human women in general, by far the most important character is Wealhtheow. While debate has long raged about the implications of her apparently peculiar name (it does seem odd that an highly respected Queen should have a name whose standard translation is 'foreign slave'), Wealhtheow provides us with a portrait of a female character following her social duties to the letter, and in doing so providing a feminine 'gold standard' for her counterparts. We first encounter Wealhtheow when she is passing the mead-cup around the hall, letting each warrior drink in turn (612-630):
… Eode Wealhþeow forð,
cwen Hroðgares, cynna gemyndig,
grette goldhroden guman on healle,
ond þa freolic wif ful gesealde
ærest Eastdena eþelwearde,
bæd hine bliðne æt þære beorþege,
leodum leofne. He on lust geþeah
symbel ond seleful, sigerof kyning.
Ymbeode þa ides Helminga
duguþe ond geogoþe dæl æghwylcne,
sincfato sealde, oþþæt sæl alamp
þæt hio Beowulfe, beaghroden cwen
mode geþungen, medoful ætbær;
grette Geata leod, gode þancode
wisfæst wordum þæs ðe hire se willa gelamp
þæt heo on ænigne eorl gelyfde
fyrena frofre. He þæt ful geþeah,
wælreow wiga, æt Wealhþeon,
ond þa gyddode guþe gefysed
There is a very ceremonial flavour to Wealhtheow's actions here, which is made explicit by the poet when he tells us that she is cynna gemyndig: mindful of ceremony. As various commentators, such as M. Enright, point out, Wealhtheow's order of movement is also very deliberate: she starts off giving the cup to her husband, Hrothgar the King, then moves among the various other Danes on the mead benches, before finally going over to the foreign visitor, Beowulf. Clearly Wealhtheow is more than a simple cheerleader who walks around handing out drink: as Queen she has clearly delineated duties as a hostess, and is very well aware of customary practice and procedure. For his part, Beowulf also knows how the game is played; his reply greatly pleases the Queen, who, having completed her circuit with the cup, goes back to sit with her husband (639-641):
ðam wife þa word wel licodon,
gilpcwide Geates; eode goldhroden
freolicu folccwen to hire frean sittan.
Wealhtheow also plays the gracious hostess role to Beowulf a second time – after Beowulf defeats Grendel. Here the first thing she does after giving the cup to Hrothgar is to take it over to Beowulf, where in the best traditions of the popular Dark Age Germanic aristocrat, she proceeds to lavish him with generous gifts (1192-1196):
Beowulf Geata, be þæm gebroðrum twæm.
Him wæs ful boren ond freondlaþu
wordum bewægned, ond wunden gold
estum geeawed, earmreade twa,
hrægl ond hringas, healsbeaga mæst
þara þe ic on foldan gefrægen hæbbe.
Gift-giving (and gift-displaying: Wealhtheow is adorned with rings, as compared with the poor hapless Queen of the Swedes, who has all her jewellery taken from her) was a critical social customs among these people, since it reinforced social bonding. Once again the depiction of Wealhtheow is as a Queen who does what is expected of her, in terms of being a generous hostess, and in rewarding the heroism of her visitor, who has certainly been bumped up the list of mead-cup recipients after his exploits.
Apart from Wealhtheow, we also encounter two other females playing an active role as hostess: Hygelac's Queen, Hygd, and Hrothgar's daughter, Freawaru. We first encounter Hygd when Beowulf arrives back at Hygelac's hall after his Danish adventures (1926-1931):
… Hygd swiðe geong,
wis, welþungen, þeah ðe wintra lyt
under burhlocan gebiden hæbbe,
Hæreþes dohtor; næs hio hnah swa þeah,
ne to gneað gifa Geata leodum,
maþmgestreona.
This summation of the Geat Queen makes her sound like a Wealhtheow in training; despite her young age and comparative inexperience, Hygd is depicted as discerning, versed in courtly customs, and generous. Later it will also be seen that the similarities do not end there: Hygd, like Wealhtheow, is quite capable of playing the politics game. At the moment, however, the reader is presented with Hygd the courteous courtly hostess, who naturally does the obligatory mead-cup circuit (1980-1983):
… Meoduscencum hwearf
geond þæt healreced Hæreðes dohtor,
lufode ða leode, liðwæge bær
hæleðum to handa. …
Carrying mead-cups around the hall, speaking kindly to the warriors, and handing out wine: all very familiar. It is a similar case of déjà vu all over again when Beowulf recounts to Hygelac the behaviour of Freawaru (2020-2024):
Hwilum for duguðe dohtor Hroðgares
eorlum on ende ealuwæge bær;
þa ic Freaware fletsittende
nemnan hyrde, þær hio nægled sinc
hæleðum sealde.
Freawaru's major interest to the reader is, however, not so much as yet another depiction of the female hostess wandering around with the ale-horn and providing drink for thirsty warriors, but rather as one of the poem's two major examples of the female as inter-tribal 'peace-weaver'. The idea behind the concept of the peace-weaver is that marrying a high-ranking woman of one tribe to a high-ranking man of another is a good way of burying the hatchet between those two tribes. In his speech to Hygelac, Beowulf starts off giving a description of Hrothgar's plan to marry Freawaru off to Ingeld, in order to settle strife between the Danes and the Heathobards (2025-2029):
… Sio gehaten is,
geong, goldhroden, gladum suna Frodan;
hafað þæs geworden wine Scyldinga,
rices hyrde, ond þæt ræd talað,
þæt he mid ðy wife wælfæhða dæl,
sæcca gesette.
However, Beowulf then expresses his lack of confidence in peace-weaving as a concept; he believes, not without reason, that tribal feuds are very hard to overcome (2029-2031):
… Oft seldan hwær
æfter leodhryre lytle hwile
bongar bugeð, þeah seo bryd duge!
Beowulf then goes on to present us with a hypothetical scenario where Heathobard/Dane conflict would completely ruin Freawaru's future marriage. All this, of course, only adds to our admiration for Wealhtheow, whom in passing is referred to as a famed, successful, peace-weaver (2016-2019):
… Hwilum mæru cwen,
friðusibb folca, flet eall geondhwearf,
bædde byre geonge; oft hio beahwriðan
secge sealde, ær hie to setle geong.
We might, of course, just be dealing with peace-weaver here as a generic kenning for women (Thryth, before marriage, is referred to as a peace-weaver), but given Wealhtheow's 'foreign' name, it is certainly possible that she is the real deal. In any case, Freawaru is not alone in the poem in being depicted as a (probably) 'failed' peace-weaver. There is also Hildeburh, the poor unfortunate creature whose tale is sung by Hrothgar's poet after Beowulf defeats Grendel, and who is subject to a struggle between the Frisians and the Danes. Hildeburh's depiction as peace-weaver is particularly interesting from a sociological angle, since it seems implied that such women, given a conflict, are still expected to side with their blood relatives over their new in-laws:
Ne huru Hildeburh herian þorfte
Eotena treowe; unsynnum wearð
beloren leofum æt þam lindplegan,
bearnum ond broðrum; hie on gebyrd hruron,
gare wunde. þæt wæs geomuru ides!
Nalles holinga Hoces dohtor
meotodsceaft bemearn, syþðan morgen com,
ða heo under swegle geseon meahte
morþorbealo maga, þær heo ær mæste heold
worolde wynne. (1071-1080)
Het ða Hildeburh æt Hnæfes ade
hire selfre sunu sweoloðe befæstan,
banfatu bærnan ond on bæl don
eame on eaxle. Ides gnornode,
geomrode giddum. (1114-1118)
The people Hildeburh is mourning are her son and brother, and the shared funeral pyre is all about shared kinship. The fact that her brother fell fighting the people of which she is now ostensibly Queen does not influence her feelings. There is also no corresponding mention of Hildeburh mourning the death of her new husband, the Frisian King, Finn, with whom she has had her son. Indeed all we get is a brief reference to Hildeburh being taken back to her own people by the triumphant Danes (1157-1159):
… Hie on sælade
drihtlice wif to Denum feredon,
læddon to leodum.
No wonder Beowulf is so negative about Freawaru's chances with the Heathobards: this is a world where ties of marriage are fragile things compared with the bonds and obligations of actual blood relationships. It takes a rare individual indeed (possibly Wealhtheow) to transcend those sorts of obstacles and become a true weaver of peace between two conflicting peoples. It is also noteworthy that these descriptions of Hildeburh depict her wailing at her brother and son's funeral pyre: a probably deliberate parallel with the unnamed woman who wails at Beowulf's funeral.
Having discussed two of Porter's categorisations of Beowulfian women, there is also the third, darker, category to consider: the two non-conformist, social saboteur females of the poem, Thryth and Grendel's Mother. We encounter Thryth in a digression that is clearly aimed at contrasting her with the admirable figure of Hygd, and providing an historical lesson on not what to do as Queen (in much the same way as Heremod serves as an historical example of not what to do as King)(1931-1943):
… Mod þryðo wæg,
fremu folces cwen, firen ondrysne.
Nænig þæt dorste deor geneþan
swæsra gesiða, nefne sinfrea,
þæt hire an dæges eagum starede,
ac him wælbende weotode tealde
handgewriþene; hraþe seoþðan wæs
æfter mundgripe mece geþinged,
þæt hit sceadenmæl scyran moste,
cwealmbealu cyðan. Ne bið swylc cwenlic þeaw
idese to efnanne, þeah ðe hio ænlicu sy,
þætte freoðuwebbe feores onsæce
æfter ligetorne leofne mannan.
Whereas Hygd is taking the Wealhtheowian route of achieving social respectability through generosity and courtesy, Thryth goes down the path of tyranny. Proud, perverse, and pernicious, to quote Crossley-Holland's translation, Thryth turns peace-weaving into trouble-stirring with her high-handed cruelty towards men; as the poet explicitly notes, such behaviour is simply not acceptable from females in this society. Fortunately, from the point of view of social normality, Thryth then subsequently mends her ways after being shipped off to marry Offa (1944-1957):
Huru þæt onhohsnode Hemminges mæg;
ealodrincende oðer sædan,
þæt hio leodbealewa læs gefremede,
inwitniða, syððan ærest wearð
gyfen goldhroden geongum cempan,
æðelum diore, syððan hio Offan flet
ofer fealone flod be fæder lare
siðe gesohte; ðær hio syððan well
in gumstole, gode, mære,
lifgesceafta lifigende breac,
hiold heahlufan wið hæleþa brego,
ealles moncynnes mine gefræge
þone selestan bi sæm tweonum,
eormencynnes.
While there is an element of the female being put in her place, it should also be pointed out that the newly virtuous Thryth is said to have ruled with vision. Or, in other words, being socially acceptable does not necessarily imply sacrificing all one's brains or ability on the altar of conformity.
And then, of course, there is Grendel's Mother. She, like her monstrous cannibal son, is very much outside society in any conventional sense, living at the bottom of a lake. But, on the other hand, she is arguably not completely alien: her desire for vengeance is all-too understandable in the context of a Germanic society, so much so that it has been seriously suggested that one major reason she puts up such a fight (in spite of being demonstrably weaker than her son) is because the poet semi-sympathises with her predicament. Counter-balancing this, however, is the notion that, monstrousness aside, vengeance is very much a man's game in this society. Grendel's Mother, as a female effecting vengeance, and also one who has ruled her own little domain for many a year, is intruding on the twin masculine domains of violence and leadership. Thryth was unacceptably violent, yet the murders she committed were not done with her own hand, nor did she ever aspire to pseudo-kingship. Grendel's Mother thus goes even further than Thryth in terms of perverting acceptable gender roles. And, as with Thryth, this situation cannot endure: Thryth is tamed by marriage, whereas Grendel's Mother is tamed by death.
If there is indeed a gender-role 'line' that female characters are not permitted to cross, where does this leave Wealhtheow, Hygd, and company? Are they merely coat hangers for pretty jewellery, political pawns for their husbands and fathers, and polite hostesses fulfilling niceties while their male counterparts go about ruling and fighting? The answer appears to be no. Even ignoring the previously mentioned reference to a redeemed Thryth ruling with vision, both Wealhtheow and Hygd appear to wield some hefty political influence, influence that seems largely directed at working in the best interests of their sons. Consider Wealhtheow's speech to Beowulf after the latter's defeat of Grendel (1215-1232):
Wealhðeo maþelode, heo fore þæm werede spræc:
"Bruc ðisses beages, Beowulf leofa,
hyse, mid hæle, ond þisses hrægles neot,
þeodgestreona, ond geþeoh tela,
cen þec mid cræfte ond þyssum cnyhtum wes
lara liðe; ic þe þæs lean geman.
Hafast þu gefered þæt ðe feor ond neah
ealne wideferhþ weras ehtigað,
efne swa side swa sæ bebugeð,
windgeard, weallas. Wes þenden þu lifige,
æþeling, eadig. Ic þe an tela
sincgestreona. Beo þu suna minum
dædum gedefe, dreamhealdende.
Her is æghwylc eorl oþrum getrywe,
modes milde, mandrihtne hold;
þegnas syndon geþwære, þeod ealgearo,
druncne dryhtguman doð swa ic bidde."
Eode þa to setle.
Wealhtheow has noted that Beowulf is sitting next to her two sons, and has noticed that Hrothgar's nephew, Hrothulf, the greatest political threat to their future, is sitting next to Hrothgar. She correspondingly attempts to enlist Beowulf in support of her endangered sons, while at the same time making it very clear (doð swa ic bidde) that her 'side' of the succession battle is not without support – Wealhtheow is someone Hrothgar's thanes listen to, trust, and (apparently) obey. Hrothgar's Queen has thus gone from being a mere dispenser of ceremonies, gifts, and alcohol to an active participant in Danish politics; while she herself may not personally lead the Kingdom, she can exert a fair amount of influence over the ascension of those who will.
Similarly, in the Geatish crisis following the death of Hygelac in the ill-fated Frisian raid, Hygd starts playing kingmaker, offering the throne to Beowulf. Unlike Wealhtheow, Hygd is actively trying to avoid her son's ascension to the throne, but she is doing so for the best possible reasons: fearing that her young son will be unable to hold it in response to outside pressures, she is simultaneously trying to avoid trouble for her son, while at the same time trying to ensure that the Geats have a strong and effective leader on the throne. The most interesting aspect of all this, however, is not so much why Hygd might offer the throne to Beowulf, but the fact that she is in a position to play kingmaker at all. Since, as Porter points out, there is no reason to suspect that Hygd is suffering from delusions of grandeur, once again we are confronted with an example of a female playing power politics without slipping into Thryth (or Grendel's Mother!) territory. Were the poem more social-focused and less monster-focused, these individuals might have had a better chance of avoiding their long marginalisation at the hands of literary critics (albeit that a Beowulf without the monster-focus would be entirely lacking a raison d'etre!).
In conclusion, the depiction of women in Beowulf is limited – we are really only dealing with four Queens, a Queen-to-be, and a monster – and something of a thematic backwater. Beowulf is, first and foremost, and despite the reinterpretive efforts of the likes of Porter, a man's world. That said, it would be altogether wrongheaded to dismiss the female characters who do appear as utter irrelevancies; this overlooks the social context of characters such as Wealhtheow, Queen and ceremonial hostess extraordinaire, Hildeburh, ill-fated peace-weaver, or Thryth and Grendel's Mother, socially unacceptable females on the inside and outside of society respectively. Moreover, it ignores the fact that individuals such as Wealhtheow and Hygd have fairly shrewd political brains in their own right (arguably shrewder than their respective husbands), and are in a position to use that intelligence to further the cause of their own bloodline. Beowulf's female characters may be facing rigidly delineated social spheres, but within these spheres (and outside them, if we consider Grendel's Mother), they wield a degree of power and social purpose that is not to be ignored.
Overing G.R., "The Women of Beowulf: A Context for Interpretation," in Beowulf: Basic Readings, Peter S. Baker, ed., 1995, pp.219-260.
Porter, D.C., "The Social Centrality of Women in Beowulf: A New Context," in The Heroic Age, Issue 5, Summer/Autumn 2001.
Puhvel, M., "The Might of Grendel's Mother," in Folklore, Vol. 80, Issue 2, 1969, pp.81-88.
Poetry, Reading
Not Leaving Well Enough Alone: The Return of Blackadder?
If you heard a loud "Noooooo!!!" off in the distance recently, chances are that was me, reacting to the news of a fifth Blackadder series.
To be fair, my immediate reaction on seeing the article was to check the date. Nope, not 1st April. 1st July, depressingly enough. Apparently the original source is The Sun, which renders it of still questionable veracity, but to see the New Zealand Herald pick up the story gives it some credence (on the other hand, the Penguin cheerfully cites the Daily Mail without irony. Maybe some New Zealanders just don't understand how the British newspaper system works?).
Having had some time to digest the news, I have decided that I am not against a fifth series in principle. There is, after all, plenty of scope for exploring Blackadder's trademark black comedy in a post-1917 setting, whether it be in the context of Second World War, the Cold War, or during the dying days of British colonialism. The problem is, the closer it gets to the modern day, the less the Blackadder formula works – at its heart, it is a piss-take of Britain's historical narratives, with part of the fun being the allusions to events and characters from another age, and seeing shadowy resonances with our own. There's a safety in history too – events outside living memory can be mined for bad-taste comedy without stirring up half your audience, or (ironically) making them feel dated. Jokes about Elizabeth I are, in a sense, timeless, precisely because none of us can remember her. Jokes about Margaret Thatcher less so.
The danger is that a fifth series, apparently focused on the modern day, with Blackadder as a university lecturer, goes against what made the original four series so great and so special. No history to explore, or deconstruct? What's the point – snarky contemporary sitcoms are a dime a dozen. Plus, there's less sense of "secondary world" immersion to be found here. One of the big weaknesses of Back and Forth (1999) is that it did not give the historical episodes time to breathe – we never got a chance to truly meet the character incarnations before rushing off to a different time. Sure, a full fifth series will give us immersion… but it will be immersion in "our" world, and "our" time, rather than the alien-yet-familiar weirdness of Medieval, Tudor, Regency, and early twentieth century Blackadder.
There's another problem too. The ending to Blackadder Goes Forth (1989) remains a monumentally powerful bit of television. Following on after that is a tough ask, which is another reason Back and Forth didn't work (and why I like to pretend it never happened). Why on earth should a fifth Blackadder series, shorn of what made its predecessors so unique, come across as anything other than a weak little epilogue to twenty-four episodes of solid gold? At some point, one ought to leave well enough alone, and while I will still watch the fifth series if or when it comes out, I do not have my hopes up.
2019 Reading More: June
Completed reads for June:
The Winter's Tale, by William Shakespeare
Much Ado About Nothing, by William Shakespeare
The Republic, by Plato
The Symposium, by Plato
Utopia, by Sir Thomas More
The Taming of the Shrew, by William Shakespeare
R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots), by Karel Čapek
Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens
The Last of the Mohicans, by James Fenimore Cooper
The Man Who Was Thursday, by G.K. Chesterton
The Last Dragonslayer, by Jasper Fforde
The Story of Burnt Njal (Njál's Saga), by Anonymous
The Song of the Quarkbeast, by Jasper Fforde
The Tao Teh Ching, by Lao Tzu
Plato's Republic is the Ferrari/Griffith edition, while Symposium is Gill's. More's Utopia is Turner's translation. R.U.R. is the Selver/Playfair edition. Njál's Saga is Dasent's translation. The Tao is Legge's translation.
Yay for reading more – fourteen completed reads in a calendar month is my best effort since I started this blog, surpassing the twelve in March 2016. That said, four of the reads were plays, so I suppose there's an asterisk here.
2019 Reading More, Reading
Review: Tolkien [Film] (2019)
So… I went to see the Tolkien biopic yesterday evening. Yes, it's belated, but then the film only came out in New Zealand on 6th June (a month behind everyone else), and the screening times were decidedly inconvenient. Would it have killed Dunedin cinemas to show it at night or on Sundays? As it was, I ended up going by myself – inconvenient time for friends – and the theatre was choc-full of old people. Make of that what you will.
The Tolkien biopic seems to have been dividing opinions. The actual critics have been, well, critical, with accusations of it being unimaginative, and suggestions that the fantasy elements are a bit on-the-nose. The audiences themselves, however, genuinely seem to like it. This was borne out anecdotally: as I was leaving the theatre, I heard several of my fellow audience members expressing sentiments that "they'd really enjoyed that," and that it was "definitely worthwhile." One of the few non-elderly people – he had a hat and a beard – was remarking that it would only have made sense to someone familiar with The Lord of the Rings. Well, yes. Why else would someone watch a Tolkien biopic? For the Beowulf scholarship?
Myself… I'll confess. I did enjoy it. It's far from perfect – we'll get to that – and I kept comparing events to what I remembered of Tolkien's early life from Carpenter's biography, and from the man's own letters. But here's the thing – is the primary job of a biopic to be a biography or a film? A portrait of the artist (as a young man!) or a dramatised fiction inspired by the author's life? In a strange way, I found myself reliving the Purist vs Revisionist argument all over again. While, again, I am at heart a Revisionist – what matters is the quality of the movie – it occurred to me that there is even a 'B-52 over Mordor' red-line to be drawn here. Would I have accepted a movie (even a very good movie) that had Tolkien as, say, Jack the Ripper? Well, no. I wouldn't have. Details and accuracy still matter, at least to some degree, and it is the absence of those details here that left a slightly sour taste in my mouth.
Don't get me wrong – it's a very fun movie, with some lovely Edwardian sets (the film focuses entirely on Tolkien's early life, up until the mid-1930s). The acting is good too, with Tolkien portrayed very much as a Norse-loving introvert. We get his invented languages, and his personal relationships – his mother, Father Francis, the T.C.B.S., Joseph Wright, and, of course, Edith. We get his theory that languages ought to have meaning and resonance via the power of story. This was a moment that made me smile, even if they play a little bit fast and loose with the source of that idea. And the film includes some amusing anecdotes that actually did happen – the throwing of sugar cubes at hats, and the commandeering of the bus – together with Tolkien's rugby experiences. The best moment of all though was the playful stab at Peter Jackson – "it shouldn't take six hours to tell a story about a magic ring."
The centrepiece of the film is the Battle of the Somme, however. Which is portrayed appropriately gruesomely, with corpses, mud, madness, and Tolkien's own personal loss of his friends. This is where the film introduces fantasy elements, via the hallucinations of trench fever, and, well, there has been some criticism of that in the wider media. As though Tolkien's later work can be explained allegorically by his earlier experiences – a tick-box of influences, with little room for imagination. While I can see that argument, I would point out that Tolkien's very first Middle-earth story, The Fall of Gondolin, envisaged mechanical dragons attacking a city, and, however heavy-handed the film may be, the desolation of No Man's Land clearly affected him. Plus, as far as influences go, it is more cinematic than a geeky introvert stumbling across Kirby's translation of Kalevala and trying to teach himself Finnish.
As I have suggested, there are some liberties taken. They have intellectualised-up Edith (she is now the source of the idea about words and resonance of meaning), and given her a passion for Wagner (I don't recall her having one in real-life, though I might be wrong). The Wagner thing – which obviously plays up the magic ring – is a bit curious, since we know that Tolkien in later years hated the comparison, though I do recall it coming out that Tolkien had written an essay on Wagner in his younger years. Artistic licence, maybe? And were Ronald and Edith really intending to sit through all fourteen hours of the four Ring Cycle Operas? Furthermore, Tolkien is portrayed as an enthusiastic maker of myths well before the War, and, yes, he was writing his William Morris-inspired retelling of Kullervo… but the original prose (rather than retellings or poetry) came later than the movie suggests. But that's a quibble: they were jumbling up the timeline for drama.
The biggest and most questionable liberty is the handling of religion. Tolkien's Catholicism was an integral part of his life, and his discussions with C.S. Lewis were famous, but one would not know it from the biopic, not least because we never get to the point where he meets Lewis. Sure, there are bits and pieces – notably Ronald's chats with Father Francis, and the comment that Edith is "not even a Catholic," and it is undoubtedly more difficult to portray Tolkien's personal faith than to show him in a War, but… Tolkien without his Catholicism isn't really Tolkien. Apparently they filmed (and cut) a Communion scene, but a later line of Ronald talking to Father Francis about Edith's conversion would have been nice. To be fair though, Tolkien apparently went through a less religious period of his life, so while it might have been misleading in portraying Tolkien's life as a whole, that particular slice can potentially be regarded as unrepresentative. If you squint.
For myself, I would have also preferred some references to Lord Dunsany and William Morris, and, yes, Kalevala. It would not have needed to be lengthy either – just a scene of Tolkien gushing about it, and noting that England has lost its own mythology (there is no reference at all to Tolkien's youthful dream of a Mythology for England). Same with Beowulf, whose influence on Tolkien the writer – never mind Tolkien the scholar – was profound, but which is not referenced in the biopic. I'd have loved a scene where some academics are discussing the various approaches to analysing Beowulf, whereupon Tolkien stands up and delivers his famous allegory about the stone tower. Oh, and I kept waiting for Joseph Wright to tell Tolkien "go in for the Celtic, lad. There's money in it." But it never happened. Oh well.
Thinking about the movie as a whole, I would say it is certainly worth watching – the good definitely outweighs the bad, and my sympathies are certainly more with the run-of-the-mill audiences than with the critics. The biopic also occupies a curious half-way house in terms of its intended audience. On one hand, someone not familiar with at least the Peter Jackson movies would have no time for this one, but on the other hand, one suspects its intended audience isn't supposed to know more about J.R.R. Tolkien than that he wrote fantasy and loved language. There are holes (both religious and literary shaped), and there are curious add-ons (Wagner), but as far as trying to adapt this source material goes, it's not a bad effort.
Reviews, Tolkien essays, Watching
Of Cab Ranks and Terrorists
The legal system of New Zealand operates according to what is known as the Cab Rank Rule. Barristers – the lawyers who represent you in court – are tasked with representing anyone who comes to them and is willing to pay their (normal) fee. It doesn't matter if you think the client is a terrible waste of space who is guilty as Hell – you have to represent them to the best of your abilities, with the strongest possible defence (or at least strongest possible defence that is consistent with your additional role as Officer of the Court. No lying).
Public misunderstanding of the Cab Rank Rule has led to prominent defence lawyers being the target of (misplaced) abuse. They get pelted with outrage and cries of "how could you possibly represent that monster?!" In reality, of course, they are simply performing an important social role – that of ensuring that everyone gets a fair trial. The job of a defence lawyer isn't actually to get people off, but rather to make sure that the System and the Prosecution have done their job correctly, and that any defence is pursued with the utmost vigour. If this results in guilty people walking free, then so be it – the failure rests with the Prosecution to make the case, not the Defence.
The Cab Rank Rule is, understandably, drilled into law students… which is why my local University of Otago decided to ask a question on it in a recent examination.
The question asked about the ethics of a lawyer (via the Cab Rank Rule) having to represent a terrorist who attacked their place of worship.
Now, I can understand both sides of the issue here. On one hand, the Cab Rank Rule is a cruel mistress – if it means you have to represent the Christchurch shooter, then so be it. Law is law, and all that, and the very worst scum are entitled to the same legal rights as any other accused – it is for the jury to decide guilt, not the lawyer. On the other hand, I don't think testing the Cab Rank Rule in an examination necessarily requires such a close conformity to March's events. One could concoct a question that draws on older (and thus less sensitive) events, or maybe something out of fiction. Asking such a topical question plays into the very real trauma of those with close family connections to the March attack (one student apparently lost their cousin) – and, quite apart from the morality of putting someone through that, it would also impact their ability to answer the rest of the examination. Which is an added level of unfairness.
One may then raise a couple of counter-arguments. A prospective defence lawyer won't be dealing with old or fictional events in the real world – they will be dealing with current events, no matter how raw they may be. Moreover, if one seeks to avoid student trauma in examining the Cab Rank Rule, where does one stop? For all the examiner knows, their hypothetical might match someone's reality.
In answering these points, I would point out that the chance of one of these students ever having to represent someone like the Christchurch shooter is minimal – in that sense, such a question does less to prepare a law student for the real world than (the far more likely) case of having to defend a repeat drunk driver. Sure, one (or more) students may have lost family members to a drunk driver – but they would be aware (via lectures and tutorial examples) that drink driving is a common go-to question. It is within the bounds of the normal, and can be prepared for – a student distressed at the subject will have raised their issue with teaching staff long before the final examination. Asking terror victims about defending a terrorist in a country where such an event is profoundly abnormal… that is a nasty shock to find in your examination paper, where you are encountering it for the first time.
(I should also note that, in practice, there are a couple of work-arounds for the Cab Rank Rule: one can excuse oneself from the case on the basis that you are busy, or lack the appropriate expertise. In a real-world situation, if emotions are simply too much, one or other of these excuses can get trotted out).
On balance, while I understand what the examiner was trying to do – they certainly weren't trying to be malicious – I think it was a mistake to ask this sort of question in an examination, and the formal apology was probably warranted. Contrary to what some may think, this is not a matter of "snowflakes" having their feelings hurt, but a very complicated issue that could have been avoided with a more tactful choice of question. The Cab Rank Rule does apply to the Christchurch shooter too, of course, but an examination is about testing knowledge in a formal setting, not about screwing with students' emotions.
Law stuff, Real Life
2019: Dunedin Midwinter Carnival
This evening, I attended the annual Dunedin midwinter carnival: one of those lovely little local traditions, where people gather around the city centre, buy themselves some hot food and/or mulled wine, and watch the lantern parade. Yay for the Winter Solstice! Since my photos last year weren't that great, I decided to try and capture the parade with a video clip from my phone, as the lanterns and marchers passed down Lower Stuart Street into the Octagon (I had a good viewing location). Unfortunately, as I now realise, any clip longer than a few seconds is too big for my phone to send. Bugger.
On the other hand, a friend of mine took a much better photo from George Street/Moray Place, looking down to the Octagon:
The weather was pretty warm for mid-June, but then we have had a series of mild winters in this part of the world (the last nasty one being 2015). Climate change strikes again.
Oh, and since it's the Winter Solstice, here is an old poem of mine, published in 2016 at Heroic Fantasy Quarterly.
Elven Hair Colour: The Data
On one old internet forum I used to frequent, I once made an attempt at compiling available information about that most important of subjects – the hair colours of Tolkien's Elves. It's a surprisingly contentious issue – in fact, one of the great unanswered questions of the Tolkien fandom concerns the colour of Legolas' hair, which is never specified in the books.
In the interests of posterity, this is that grand compilation of Elven hair colour information. In case you ever need it.
Abbreviations used:
HoME = History of Middle-earth series (the number refers to the relevant volume)
Sil = The Silmarillion (1977)
UT = Unfinished Tales (1980)
LOTR = Lord of the Rings (1954-1955)
Pic = Pictures by JRR Tolkien (1979)
Section I: Individual Elves:
This is a list of those individual Elves for whom I think we have sufficiently 'specific' information. Where I feel the evidence is not completely definitive (Amroth, Daeron, and Turgon), I have put a question mark next to the proposed colour.
There is an the issue of canon here – Tolkien describes Celegorm as having golden hair in his earlier work, but later seems to imply that he had dark hair. There are also problems with the relevance of obsolete references (Rumil).
In categorising by People, I have put Elves under their father's grouping (so Maeglin goes under Teleri/Sindar, rather than Noldor). I have put Elrond's family under the "Peredhil" category.
In categorising parentage and children, I have used Tolkien's later ideas about Orodreth's and Gil-galad's parentage (i.e. that Gil-galad was the son of Orodreth, son of Angrod), rather than the published Silmarillion, where Gil-galad is the son of Fingon.
Name: Aegnor
People: Noldor
Parents: Finarfin/Earwen
Reference: HoME XII p.347.
Notes: Aegnor's hair was "'strong and stiff', rising above his head like flames"" (XII p.347.)
Name: Amras
Hair: Red-Brown
Parents: Feanor/Nerdanel
Name: Amrod
Notes: Amrod's hair grew darker with age (XII p.355.)
Name: Amroth
People: Sindar
Hair: Golden?
Parents: Amdir/Unknown
Reference: U.T., p.313.
Notes: "… the rising sun… lit his bright hair like a spark of gold." (UT, p.313.). Amroth is a Sindarin Elf (UT p.540.).
Name: Angrod
Children: Orodreth
Name: Aredhel
Hair: Dark
Parents: Fingolfin/Anaire
Children: Maeglin
Reference: Sil p.71.
Name: Arwen
People: Peredhil
Parents: Elrond/Celebrian
Children: Eldarion
Reference: LOTR p.243.
Name: Beleg
People: Teleri/Sindar
Parents: Unknown
Reference: Pic no.37
Name: Caranthir
Notes: Black-haired as his grandfather (XII p.353.). Dark (brown) hair (XII p.353.)
Name: Celeborn
Parents: Galadhon/Unknown
Children: Celebrian
Notes: Great-nephew of Elwe (UT p.301.)
Name: Celegorm
Hair: Dark or Golden (a matter of canon)
Notes: His hair was golden in the 1937 Silmarillion (hence Celegorm the Fair). Edited from the published Silmarillion (see V pp.299-300.)
Name: Cirdan
Hair: Silver/grey
Reference: HoME XI p.384.
Notes: Related to Elwe (XI p.384.)
Name: Curufin
Children: Celebrimbor
Name: Daeron
Hair: Dark?
Reference: HoME III p.174.
Notes: This is a reference to "Dairon the dark". However, given the context – the poem then refers to his "ferny crown" – I suspect this refers to his hair colour.
Name: Earwen
People: Teleri
Parents: Olwe/Unknown
Children: Aegnor, Angrod, Finrod, Galadriel
Name: Elenwe
People: Vanyar
Children: Idril
Reference: Sil p.164.
Name: Elladan
Name: Elrohir
Name: Elrond
Parents: Earendil/Elwing
Children: Arwen, Elladan, Elrohir
Name: Elwe (Thingol)
Children: Luthien
Notes: Olwe's brother (X p.257.)
Name: Eol
Name: Feanor
Parents: Finwe/Miriel
Children: Maedhros, Maglor, Celegorm, Curufin, Caranthir, Amrod, Amras
Notes: Hair "raven dark" (Sil p.74.)
Name: Finarfin
Parents: Finwe/Indis
Name: Finduilas
Parents: Orodreth/Unknown
Reference: UT p.202.
Notes: Her mother was Sindarin (XII p.350.)
Name: Fingolfin
Children: Fingon, Turgon, Aredhel, Arakano
Name: Fingon
Parents: Fingolfin/Anarie
Notes: He wore his long dark hair in great plaits braided with gold (XII p.345.)
Name: Finrod
Name: Finwe
Children: Feanor, Fingolfin, Finarfin, Findis, Lalwen
Notes: Tolkien writes "there is no reference to Finwe having hair of exceptional length or abundance" (XII pp.340-341.)
Name: Galadriel
Notes: Her hair had traces of silver (XII p.337.)
Name: Glorfindel
Notes: A Noldo (XII p.379.). Of the House of the Golden Flower (Sil p.293.)
Name: Gwindor
Parents: Guilin/Unknown
Name: Idril
Parents: Turgon/Elenwe
Children: Earendil
Name: Indis
Children: Fingolfin, Finarfin, Findis, Lalwen
Notes: She was Ingwe's niece (XII p.343.)
Name: Luthien
Parents: Elwe/Melian
Children: Dior
Name: Maedhros
Notes: He was nicknamed Russandol, 'copper top' (XII p.353.)
Name: Maeglin
Parents: Eol/Aredhel
Name: Maglor
Name: Mahtan
Children: Nerdanel
Notes: His hair was brown with coppery glints. (XII p.366.). Maedhros, Amrod, amd Amras "had hair of this kind" (XII p.366.)
Name: Miriel
Children: Feanor
Reference: HoME X p.163.
Name: Nerdanel
Parents: Mahtan/Unknown
Reference: Vinyar Tengwar. Edited by Carl F. Hostetter. Volume 41.
Notes: See here for further discussion. Nerdanel's hair is not explicitly red like her father's or her sons'.
Name: Olwe
Hair: White
Children: Earwen
Notes: Elwe's brother (X p.257.)
Name: Rumil
Hair: Grey
Reference: HoME I p.47.
Notes: Rumil's hair was grey with age (I p.46.). However, this represents Tolkien's very early ideas.
Name: Thranduil
Parents: Oropher/Unknown
Children: Legolas
Reference: The Hobbit p.134.
Name: Turgon
Note: Idril inherited her golden hair from her mother, which arguably implies that Turgon (her father) is dark haired. A debatable point, however.
Section II: Generalisations
Vanyar:
'Nearly all' had yellow or deep golden hair. (XI, p.382.)
Noldor:
"Mostly dark haired" (XI, p.382.) . This is before the Finwe/Indis marriage.
At least 36 of the original 56 Tata companions (i.e. the future Noldor) were dark haired (XI, p.422.). This, however, depends on taking a particular reference literally.
Red-brown hair was rare (XII p.353.)
Sindar:
"In general the Sindar appear to have very closely resembled the Exiles, being dark haired…" (XI, p.384.)
Silver hair was not common among the Sindar, but was occasionally found among Elwe's relatives (XI, p.384.)
From LOTR, Appendix F:
"they were a race high and beautiful, and among them the Eldar were as kings, who are now gone: the People of the Great Journey, the People of the Stars. They were tall, fair of skin, and grey-eyed, though their locks were dark, save in the golden house of Finrod…"
However Christopher Tolkien notes:
In the last paragraph of Appendix F as published the reference to 'Gnomes' [Noldor] was removed, and replaced by a passage explaining the use of the word Elves to translate Quendi and Eldar despite the diminishing of the English word. This passage – referring to the Quendi as a whole – continues however with the same words as in the draft: "they were a race high and beautiful, and among them the Eldar were as kings, who are now gone: the People of the Great Journey, the People of the Stars. They were tall, fair of skin, and grey-eyed, though their locks were dark, save in the golden house of Finrod…" Thus these words describing characters of face and hair were actually written of the Noldor only, and not of all the Eldar…
(Book of Lost Tales Volume I, p.44.)
Section III: Miscellaneous Notes
An anonymous Elf in Lothlorien has golden hair (LOTR p.365.)
Thranduil's people have 'gleaming hair' (The Hobbit, p.134.). However, this description is used of both dark-haired and golden-haired Elves.
Tolkien says that "Humans and Elves are evidently one people biologically" (Letter 153). This is a reference to the fact that humans and Elves can intermarry.
There is a reference to Legolas' "dark head" (LOTR p.407.), but the scene was at night and Legolas may have been wearing a hood.
Reading, Tolkien essays
Party Like It's 1894: Reforming the Hobbit Law [New Zealand Politics]
So our Labour Government has backtracked on its promise to repeal the vile Hobbit Law (which, you may remember, was Peter Jackson and John Key ending the rights of film-workers to collectively bargain). Instead, it's given us something else… something that may be very good, or very horrid, depending on the details.
Film-workers will now be contractors with the right to collectively bargain.
On the surface, this is confusing as hell. How can independent contractors – by definition, not employees – negotiate a collective contract? There are two possible answers:
(1) That collective contract here really means "standard contract" – that is, these film-workers will all be subject to the same conditions, on a take it or leave it basis. This is the interpretation being put forward by the Penguin, who is positively squawking with delight at the defeat of those evil, evil unions. Because let's face it, David Farrar and the National Party have never met an employer whose abuses they didn't want to defend (the New Zealand National Party – the country's most determined and sincere class warriors. If only one could say the same about Labour).
(2) That this is a strange, modern, revival of New Zealand's grand old Industrial Arbitration system from 1894. The one that outlawed union strikes, and replaced it with a system whereby the unions and employers both put their cases before an Arbitrator, and were then bound by the decision. This new system for film-workers (which explicitly prohibits strikes) may be something similar, given that there is this little paragraph from the Stuff article:
The policy will also prohibit industrial action, removing strikes from the collective bargaining toolbox. An arbitration system and a requirement that parties act in "good faith" appears to be the replacement.
So these "contractors" – who certainly, certainly, aren't employees – may be subject to what amounts to a de facto return to the old National Awards system. Sure, they don't have the right to strike, but then neither did the unions under the 1894 system, and that was (correctly) considered a gigantic step forward for worker rights. Other employee-level protections (which are statutory in employee cases) can be negotiated and expanded upon through the process. Yes, David Farrar is celebrating… but if you read the article, so are the unions.
It's an odd question: "independent contractors" negotiating "collective contracts" requires one of two things. Either these are contractors in name only (i.e. this is a film industry version of 1894, and the unions have achieved something they probably could not have managed even with the right to strike), or these are collective contracts in name only (i.e. Farrar is right, and these are just standard contracts by another name). It's one or the other.
We will see when the legislation is introduced.
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Clothing recycler USAgain (pronounced use-again) is offering four easy, eco-friendly tips this year to change the way parents and students approach back-to-school: Recycle, Reuse, Shop Smart and Create a Plan.
If your children have outgrown their clothes from last fall, parents should think about the recycling bin instead of the trash can as recycling is no longer limited to just paper and plastic materials. Textile recycling has become increasingly more popular, but Americans still toss 85 percent of their unwanted clothing and shoes into the garbage, according to the U.S. EPA.
It's estimated that 75 percent of parents will send their children to school in new clothes. But before embarking on a shopping spree, take time to determine which items can be reused from last year. If your children have outgrown their wardrobes, see if clothes can be passed down to siblings, relatives, or friends. Additionally, backpacks and gently used school supplies can carry over.
USAgain is also urging parents to shop smart when buying back-to-school materials. Shopping is stressful, but try to focus on reducing purchases and avoiding impulse decisions. The vast majority of parents buy all of their child's school supplies before the first day of school. Waiting to purchase until your child knows exactly what he or she needs saves money and reduces waste.
Back-to-school is a great time to create a plan for practicing eco-friendly habits throughout the year. Whether packing lunch in sustainable and reusable material, carpooling to school, or keeping school supplies in good condition, implementing green habits shows a commitment to preserving the environment for future generations.
Back-to-school is an exciting time full of new opportunities for students and parents to put an eco-friendly twist on the upcoming year.