Thomas Friedman's October 10 Newsweek column challenged today's college students to break away from their 'Generation Q' - the quiet generation - stereotype and do more to effect change in our society. Many of his points are well-taken, especially comments about some being content to upload their concern, a so-called Facebook activism.
When I read his words about a month ago, I found myself agreeing with him. After all, my generation marched on Washington, joined the Peace Corps (one friend died while serving), and held peaceful and not-so-peaceful demonstrations against the injustices of our day.
Then we grew up, settled down, and lost our idealism and willingness to take risks on behalf of others. It's always harder to fight injustice when we're personally comfortable.
The more I've thought about it, the less I agree with Friedman. What we need is tikkun olam, repairing this old world. Give me slow and steady informed dissent any day, the kind of passion that still goes to football games and school dances, yet is deadly serious about doing whatever can be done to make our society whole. Especially when that passion lasts a lifetime.
I love seeing Naomi Iser and her Brandeis friends publicly declare their fast on behalf of Darfur relief ~ as one of many ways they have embraced that issue. Or Tim Hansen and Amy Samuelsen and their entourage at Brigham Young University agonizing over the Cambodian genocide of 1975-1979 and concluding: "We need to help the world."
But informed dissent cannot and should not be limited to the Big Things like genocide ~ although if images of Darfur now and Cambodia then don't elicit righteous indignation, a person is likely emotionally dead. Still, real activism has no heart if we can get upset about events halfway around the world while remaining numb to human rights abuses next door and wounds suffered by our neighbors.
So I am equally happy when I note that Robert Barton (also of BYU) noiselessly gives his time to volunteer, to help out in 'small spaces.' Or when I read that five Baylor University guys took their friend's close call with suicide to heart. And set out to do something about the epidemic of hopelessness.
This is the true message of the White Rose students and the adults who learned from them. Yes, they attempted grandiose things, noble feats of conscience. But all of that would have meant nothing if Willi Graf had not been willing to give up his seat on the streetcar to Russian women, forced laborers in Munich. If Alex Schmorell and Nikolai Nikolaeff-Hamasaspian had not taken food and clothing to POWs and more of those forced laborers, also in Munich. If Traute Lafrenz had not assisted her Jewish neighbors in Hamburg when the noose tightened.
Caring about the wrongs that are right in front of our face should ~ must ~ accompany activism and even attend acts of civil disobedience.
Informed dissent? Means caring more about integrity and about the powerless more than we care for our own comfort. Because once you start caring, actions follow.
It's a good thing I made no promises this time last year. Otherwise, I'd have some major apologizing to do!
To be painfully honest, White Rose work pretty much came to a standstill over the last twelve months. It didn't make sense any longer. I felt like - we all felt like - we were butting our heads up against a brick wall that had been reinforced with commercial-grade steel and topped off with barbed wire. Any time we tried to do anything that put "the truth" of the White Rose story out there, any time we bucked the system or took on the well-funded White Rose establishment in Munich, we ended up suffering the consequences. And made nary a dent in a well-oiled, corrupt machine.
I don't know about you, but I am not a person who relishes pain. Even the emotional kind.
So it was easier to put "White Rose" on hold and concentrate on things that made me and our family happy. We moved to Utah (because the unemployment rate out here is much lower than on the East Coast or in Texas, and it was easier to find a job unrelated to White Rose), stored our archives in the basement in unopened boxes, and did as little as possible.
Luckily, Dr. Igor Chramov in Orenburg, Russia is a persistent fellow. Although we didn't answer his initial 2007 email about the Schmorell conference in September, he followed up. And followed up. For reasons I don't understand to this day, we decided to go to Orenburg after all. It was not necessarily a "rational" decision. The trip was horribly expensive, I was unmotivated by the topic, and by the time the conference rolled around, I was up to my eyeballs in non-White Rose work. It seemed like a terrible choice to have made.
The Orenburg part of the trip was preceded by a week in Germany. We visited old friends in Bad Heilbrunn, people and place that serve as a favorite flannel nightgown or broken-in hiking shoes. For several days, we simply basked in the warmth that comes from that kind of friendship.
Equally important, we visited two of the White Rose women we hold dear. The first visit nearly didn't happen. Herta Probst is not well, and her family tends to protect her from people and things that would drag her down. Especially after the Probst family's awful experience with the recent Sophie Scholl movie - in which Christoph Probst was falsely portrayed as the weakling, when Hans Scholl was the one who almost fainted (and so on and so on) - they can hardly work up the strength to tackle anything related to the White Rose. It doesn't seem to matter how loudly or correctly they attempt to rectify history, to persuade writers to "get it right the first time." There's so much invested in The Official Legend that no one listens to them.
The plan therefore involved a ten-minute "hello" to Herta Probst, followed by dinner with one of her children.
Four hours later, we were still talking, eating cake and drinking coffee, laughing even at the ridiculousness of some of the pompous asses who put on a big White Rose show with no substance behind them.
This conversation began to effect a change inside me, reminding me why our work is important, why it's important not to give up even when the "pompous asses" seem to be winning. I saw anew the faces of the White Rose that make this story so personal, so very valid for the 21st century. When Herta recalled the shenanigans her beloved husband and Schurik had pulled, the silliness that had been heart and soul of a powerful friendship that eventually led both to give up their lives for freedom and justice, I saw and heard "my" BYU team in all their crazy glory, hearts of gold, yearning for a world where injustice is a thing of the past.
The next day, we sat across the table once again from Lilo Ramdohr, this time joined by her precious grandson. A new generation is joining the work of "keeping true memories alive". In Domenic's face, I could see the passion that once had been on Lilo's, when she was a young woman fresh out of college, caught up in an unwanted intrigue for the sake of her friend Schurik, and for the sake of Germany. Lilo's health is failing too - she turned 94 on October 11 - so it is important for Domenic and all the other grandchildren of these White Rose families to become actively involved in righting the record.
Yet as is so often the case, the "good guys" have largely kept silent over the past sixty years. For the most part, they have quietly gone about their lives, never seeking fame or fortune for their virtues, past or present. The 'new generation' is therefore under-informed about their grandparents' heroics. They know only that it's a topic that's hardly ever brought up, although "White Rose" in general often consumes the German media.
It's rarely these "good guys" who hog the media spotlight. I saw with Domenic that our work involves far more than merely recording an accurate history for scholars and young students to read. We can also fill in the gaps for children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren who badly need to know just how heroic some of their family was.
The Russian leg of the trip started off traumatically. We arrived on September 12. Moscow felt like it was under siege, almost a martial law mentality. Police on every street corner, Kremlin off limits, no one "able" to speak either German or English when we asked directions. We came oh-so-close to turning around and heading back to Bad Heilbrunn, where we felt safe. Our airport hotel in Moscow did not even have Internet service, so in the short space of a day, we began to feel cut off from the rest of the world. A scary place to be.
After an equally rough start in Orenburg - no Internet service there either, among other things - the change that began with the visit with Herta Probst blossomed into a full-fledged turning point. I cannot go into too many details, as I am still processing some of the conversations and conclusions.
What I can tell you: I saw firsthand the great White Rose dichotomy, up close and personal. At that memorial service on the occasion of what would have been Alexander Schmorell's ninetieth birthday, a decidedly motley crew had gathered.
Some had come because German and Russian television cameras showed up. They made sure they were front and center of photo ops. They tried to grab the best tables whenever we ate together (and we ate together a lot!). They genuflected before the graven image of fifteen minutes of fame. In short, they represent on a small scale the larger circle of would-be scholars who nearly drove me away from this topic that for so long has been my passion.
But there were others there as well, the "others" I felt comfortable with, "others" who gladdened my heart and renewed my hope for Truth. I changed my opinion about a couple of people whose work I had known about without knowing them - positive change. We discussed and debated our differing conclusions. It felt good to be among these "others" who care as much as I do about getting the story right - the first time.
We left Orenburg completely exhausted, but convinced we had to return to White Rose work full-time. Effective today, we are doing just that.
It's funny in some ways. We came to Utah, expecting to put the White Rose behind us. Over the past few years as we have sent out our newsletters, I've always felt like BYU - Brigham Young University - would be the last place that could ever be hospitable to the true White Rose story. LDS theology does not encourage civil disobedience. When I've seen Mormon missionaries in Texas, the East Coast, in Germany, I've always envisioned even Mormon young people as complete conformists who only do as they are told, without thinking, reflexively as it were.
Just as Orenburg renewed my vision for our White Rose efforts and changed my mind about some of the "players", living and working among BYU students has definitely changed my mind about BYU. True, LDS theology does not encourage civil disobedience. But "my" BYU team showed me that they care very much about right and wrong, about social justice, about values that matter. They subscribe to a very strict honor code, yet they are anything but conformists. I'm proud that some of them have become my friends. They have renewed my hope in students who are willing to be themselves, stand up for what is right, and in so doing, change the world.
Who knows? A year that started out one way may prove to end up completely different.
One thing is for certain. I am different.


text:
[![Gitter](https://badges.gitter.im/Join Chat.svg)](https://gitter.im/Unicon/cas-mfa?utm_source=badge&utm_medium=badge&utm_campaign=pr-badge&utm_content=badge)

This is a project to develop free and open source compatibly licensed extensions for the CAS server `v4.1.x` product implementing

* support for authenticating using multiple authentication factors
* support for relying parties (CAS-using applications) understanding how strongly the user authenticated from the
ticket validation response, and
* support for relying parties exerting authentication strength requirements.

## Requirements
* JDK 7+
* Apache Maven 3.3.x

## MultiFactor Support
* `duo-two-factor` (via DuoSecurity)

## Build Status
* [![Build Status](https://secure.travis-ci.org/Unicon/cas-mfa.png)](http://travis-ci.org/Unicon/cas-mfa)
* [ ![Codeship Status for Unicon/cas-mfa](https://www.codeship.io/projects/0bbd72d0-b74c-0130-d193-1eff452fc99e/status?branch=master)](https://www.codeship.io/projects/4315)

## Configuration

### Maven Overlay
Use [the following maven overlay](https://github.com/Unicon/cas-mfa/blob/master/cas-mfa-overlay/pom.xml) as an example.

### AuthN Methods
An `authn-methods.conf` file is expected to be found at `/etc/cas` with the following content:

```json
[ {
  "rank" : 1,
  "name" : "duo-two-factor"
} ]

```

### Messages
The following UI messages should be put into `messages.properties` file:

```properties
# Multifactor Authentication Messages
UNACCEPTABLE_AUTHENTICATION_METHOD=Ticket ''{0}'' did not fulfill the required authentication method ''{1}''.
UNRECOGNIZED_AUTHENTICATION_METHOD=This CAS server does not recognize the authentication method [''{0}''] specified on the validation request.
service.mfa.unrecognized.authn.method.header=Unrecognized Authentication Method
service.mfa.unrecognized.authn.method.message=You are trying to log in to <strong>''{0}''</strong> with a required authentication method of <strong>''{1}''</strong>. \
Unfortunately, CAS doesn't recognize that authentication method and so does not know how to require you to authenticate in that way.
service.mfa.service.requires.mfa.header=This service requires a specific authentication method in addition to username and password.
service.mfa.service.requires.mfa.message=The additional required authentication method is [''{0}'']. After successfully providing username and password, you will be prompted for this additional authentication factor.
service.mfa.service.mfa.inprogress.header=Multifactor Authentication is in progress...
service.mfa.service.mfa.inprogress.message=The additional required authentication method is [''{0}'']. The authentication is requested by [''{1}''].
screen.mfa.welcome.instructions=Enter your one-time password
screen.mfa.button.cancel=Not you?
screen.mfa.welcome.back=Welcome back, {0}!
service.mfa.unknown.principal.header=User not recognized
service.mfa.unknown.principal.message=CAS cannot establish an authentication context because it doesn't recognize one or more of the \
provided credentials. It is likely that the newly provided credentials are resolved in such a way that do not match at least one of the \
authenticated user ids (otherwise known as the 'Principal').

service.mfa.generic.error.heading=An authentication error has occurred!
service.mfa.generic.error.message=Additional information: {0}
```

### Properties
The following settings are required for MFA in `cas.properties`:

```properties
# mfa.method.userAttribute=
# mfa.destroy.prev.sso=
# mfa.default.authn.method=
# mfa.authn.methods.config.location=
# mfa.method.response.attribute=

duo.api.host=
duo.integration.key=
duo.secret.key=
duo.application.key=
```

### Per Application
Services that wish to declare their authentication method, must do so inside
the service registry configuration.

```json
{
  "@class" : "org.jasig.cas.services.RegexRegisteredService",
  "serviceId" : "^https://.*",
  "properties" : {
    "@class" : "java.util.HashMap",
    "authn_method" : {
      "@class" : "org.jasig.cas.services.DefaultRegisteredServiceProperty",
      "values" : [ "java.util.HashSet", [ "duo-two-factor" ] ]
    }
  }
}

```
### Per Attribute

CAS may aso initiate the sequence for a desired authentication method based on a configured principal attribute. Upon successful
authentication, the principal attributes that are constructed by CAS will be queried for the given attribute.
Its value will route the login flow to execute the appropriate authentication level.

```json
mfa.method.userAttribute=memberOf
```

The attribute value should be `duo-two-factor`.

### Per Application & Attribute
Activates MFA for a given application, only if the authenticated user carries
an attribute that matches the given pattern.

```json
{
  "@class" : "org.jasig.cas.services.RegexRegisteredService",
  "serviceId" : "^https://.*",
  "properties" : {
    "@class" : "java.util.HashMap",
    "authn_method" : {
      "@class" : "org.jasig.cas.services.DefaultRegisteredServiceProperty",
      "values" : [ "java.util.HashSet", [ "duo-two-factor" ] ]
    },
    "mfa_attribute_name" : {
      "@class" : "org.jasig.cas.services.DefaultRegisteredServiceProperty",
      "values" : [ "java.util.HashSet", [ "isMemberOf" ] ]
    },
    "mfa_attribute_pattern" : {
      "@class" : "org.jasig.cas.services.DefaultRegisteredServiceProperty",
      "values" : [ "java.util.HashSet", [ "faculty|staff" ] ]
    }
  }
}

```

### Opt-In
Opt-in mode requested by applications on demand when MFA is required:

```
https://<cas-server-url>/cas/login?service=xyz&authn_method=duo-two-factor
```

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
30 Awesome And Interesting Facts About Baruch Spinoza
Baruch Spinoza was a Jewish-Dutch philosopher of Portuguese Sephardi origin. By laying the groundwork for the 18th century Enlightenment and modern biblical criticism, including modern conceptions of the self and the universe, he came to be considered one of the great rationalists of 17th century philosophy. Take a look below for 30 more awesome and interesting facts about Baruch Spinoza.
1. Along with Rene Descartes, Spinoza was a leading philosophical figure of the Dutch Golden Age.
2. Spinoza's given name, which means "Blessed," varies among different languages.
3. Spinoza's magnum opus, the "Ethics," was published posthumously in 1677.
4. His work opposed Descartes' philosophy on mind-body dualism, and earned Spinoza recognition as one of Western philosophy's most important thinkers.
5. Spinoza was raised in a Portuguese Jewish community in Amsterdam.
6. He developed highly controversial ideas regarding the authenticity of the Hebrew Bible and the nature of the Divine.
7. Jewish religious authorities issues a "herem" against him, causing him to be effectively shunned by Jewish society at the age of 23.
8. His books were later put on the Catholic Church's "Index of Forbidden Books."
9. Spinoza lived an outwardly simple life as a lens grinder, turning down rewards and honors throughout his life, including prestigious teaching positions.
10. He died at the age of 44 allegedly of lung illness, perhaps tuberculosis or silicosis exacerbated by the inhalation of fine glass dust while grinding optical lenses.
11. He is buried in the churchyard of the Christian Nieuwe Kerk in The Hague.
12. Spinoza was the second son born to the couple Miguel de Espinoza and Ana Dbora in Amsterdam.
13. His father was a successful Portuguese Sephardic Jewish merchant.
14. His mother passed away when he was six years old.
15. Young Spinoza was proficient in many languages namely, Portuguese, Hebrew, Spanish, Dutch, French and Latin.
16. Raised in a traditional Jewish household, he attained his preliminary education from Keter Torah yeshiva.
17. Taught by both conventional and progressive-minded teachers, he achieved the best of both the line of thoughts.
18. He was a brilliant student, with the capabilities of becoming a rabbi. However, the ill-times and unfortunate death of his elder brother led him to give up education and instead get involved in the family business in 1650.
19. In 1653, he began studying Latin with Frances van den Ended. Frances was a free thinker, who introduced Spinoza to a new line of thought, opening up windows of scholastic and modern philosophy for him.
20. Upon the death of his father in 1654, he dedicated 11 months in reciting Kaddish, or the Jewish prayer of mourning.
21. He refused the inheritance and instead passed on everything to his sister, Rebekah.
22. For a short time, he ran the family importing business, which faced immense financial crisis during the First Anglo Dutch War.
23. In order to free himself from the creditors, he declared himself an orphan and was relinquished from the duties of the business.
24. He inherited his mother's estate and switched to devoting himself completely to philosophy and optics.
25. He adopted the Latin name, Benedictus de Spinoza and started working as teacher. This was an important phase in his life as he was exposed to rationalism by the anti-clerical sect of Remonstrants.
26. Spinoza witnessed anti-Church groups who rebelled against the traditional dogmas.
27. Exposure to a new line of thinking helped him form his own ideologies due to which he faced clashes with the authorities and those belonging to traditionalism.
28. He often raised a voice against the traditionalist due to which in 1656, he was banned by the Talmud Torah congregation for his radical theological views that he expressed in public and the danger of persecution or expulsion that the Amsterdam Jewish community faced due to their association with him.
29. He eventually stopped attending the synagogue and subsequently, vocally expressed his feelings of resentment and antagonism towards Judaism.
30. Post the ban and his expulsion from Amsterdam, he stayed in the village in Ouderkerk aan de Amstel briefly, returning shortly afterwards to Amsterdam.
baruch spinozahistorical figurejewishphilosopherportuguese
30 Fascinating And Interesting Facts About Rudyard Kipling
22 Amazing And Weird Facts About Choughs
30 Awesome And Interesting Facts About John Wayne
30 Fun And Interesting Facts About Ariana Grande

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


On the weekend I cooked a vegetarian roast dinner to share with E's family while we were in Edinburgh. It was a challenge but a pleasant one. I rose at 7am to get an early start. For an hour I did some blogging. Sometimes you need time to prepare mentally. ("I am one with the Christmas dinner!") Finally I began and by the time E came into the kitchen I was in tears. You see, I had just finely chopped 4 onions.
I firstly got the onions frying for the gravy. It was the first thing I got done. I wont give a recipe but it had butter, red onion, flour, stock cube, water, honey, red wine. Once set aside, I started on the cranberry chestnut stuffing balls. I just couldn't resist a recipe that used fresh cranberries (mine were frozen to keep them longer) and vaccum packed chestnuts, both being ingredients that are hard to find in Australia.
British supermarkets aren't great at offering food that is fresh and local. They are great at offering conveniently packaged food. I loved being able to buy a bundle of parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. They should call it the Scarborough Fair package.
The stuffing balls were a bit boring but really perked up with some gravy and cranberry sauce. They were a nice nut roast accompaniment, and a pretty addition to the table. Once cooked they didn't look like raw meat like the raw ones below. It is the first recipe I have made where the cranberries are not all sweet.
As well as getting the gravy underway early, I wanted to start roasting the potatoes and pumpkin early. Upon finding that I only had butter to roast the vegies, I sent E out to buy olive oil. I worried that if I used too much butter for the dinner, I would be held responsible for skyrocketing cholesterol levels.
Coordinating everything was a challenge while trying to get Sylvia to eat some breakfast. At one point I put a saucepan on the hotplate and forgot it while I was talking to Sylvia. I remembered it just as it started to smoke but before it was burning. E went out a second time with Sylvia to give me some peace.
The other challenge in making the nut roast was the lack of a food processor or blender for the nuts. I also discovered at the last moment that it was meant to have chestnuts. My amounts were quite different to the recipe and I didn't blend it all up as directed. I used some hemp seeds because they were so cheap compared to Australian prices, though I realised these were crunchy seeds, rather than the soft hemp hearts I had tried back home.
At the last moment I (wisely) decided I didn't have the energy for the filling of fried onion, courgette, and red pepper mixed with stilton. I was very pleased that, despite my changes, the nut roast sliced up very nicely and was very tasty. E was relieved that the stilton did not dominate.
Once the nut roast went in the oven I realised I had spent 3 hours cooking and needed a shower and to get the house in order. At least we haven't had too much time to make a lot of mess in a holiday flat. I had been relieved to find that the gatefold table in the corner opened up into a large table to accommodate everyone.
The flat had a beautiful dinner set, gorgeous serving dishes and even a gravy boat. My sister in law loaned us some Christmas linen. I'd bought cranberry sauce in Avoca in Dublin. A bit of tinsel, some crackers, and Sylvia's tealight holder that she made at the school fete all added to the festive feeling.
By the time E's family arrived, I had found a mismatch of chairs to put around the table, some rugs were under the table to protect the carpet, the table was set and our mess was cunningly hidden. The food was reheating in a low oven. I felt like a domestic goddess. Phew! Oops, I hadn't prepared the brussels sprouts and peas. That was easy enough.
Everyone was in good spirits. E's Aunty Anne was pleased to be able to taste a nut roast and E's dad and sister are big fans of the nut roast. HH has made a few nut roasts using the recipe I used on my last visit to Edinburgh. She was most helpful in getting all the food ready and on the table.
While we got everything into serving dishes, E served the Cairn O'Mohr sparkling strawberry wine (alcoholic) and sparkling elderberry wine (non-alcoholic) from the Edinburgh Farmers Market. We took the obligatory family photos, pulled our crackers, put on the silly hats and tucked into the Christmas dinner. Everyone was very appreciative of the meal.
After dinner, Sylvia put on her santa hat and santa jacket to help give out some presents. Barney got a game of battleship from Anne and had lots of fun playing against various people. Gabriel put on his t-shirt that we gave him and Sylvia had lots of fun with Florence's new play money fro Australia. Sylvia got a new George pig with a little hook so we hope she wont lose this one.
Then it was time for something sweet and a cuppa. E's nephew Barney had won a hamper in the school fete raffle. So his folks brought over Christmas cake and Christmas coffee from the hamper. I found some shortbread in the cupboards, and had bought some mince pies and brandy butter. At the last moment I wished I had some chocolate offerings and broke up a block of raspberry chocolate.
Before we knew it, Anne had to take the train home. Our flat has a lovely window over a wee burn. It was glorious when the sun was shining but the darkness falls so early here (3.30pm). After she left we kept drinking tea and coffee. Then we did the Observer Food Monthly quiz with E being a stern quizmaster. A great afternoon of good food and fun. We now feel well rehearsed for Christmas Day.
Grease a line a loaf tin (The recipe said 2lb or 900g) and preheat oven to 180 C (350 F).
Heat olive oil in a large frying pan. Fry up onion, garlic and celery for 5 to 10 minutes until cooked. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
Tip mixture into the prepared loaf tin. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes (I think I did more than this - probably 45 minutes.) Rest for about 5 minutes and turn out onto a serving plate. Serve in slices. It maybe crumble slightly but not too much.
my oh my - what a delicious feast!
Oh, you're amazing! And I'm excited by the stuffing balls; I keep buying bagged chestnuts here to cook with, but just keep snacking on them instead. And I can get real cranberries here too!
Well done for creating such a wonderful feast in an unfamiliar kitchen! I've been intrigued with stuffing recipes recently with all of the Thanksgiving posts going around but I think I like the sound of stuffing balls even more.
It must be wonderful to celebrate two Christmases with each of your families on opposite sides of the world.
So not only are you baking muffins on holiday, you are creating a full Christmas dinner! Oh, Johanna :-) Truly amazing - and I love the look of those stuffing balls, they sound quite wonderful.
Yay - it looks like a fabulous Christmas dinner so far from home.
Beautiful holiday dinner, and this post was such a pleasure to read. Hard to imagine how those stuffing balls tasted boring. The recipe seems to have all the makings of delicious, and the Stilton nut roast makes my mouth water.
All looks fantastic, we had strawberry sparkling wine at our wedding which was so delicious but haven't been able to find the same brand since.
Well done, that's quite a feat. I never feel at ease cooking anything complicated unless I'm in my own place. I've not put Stilton in a nut roast before, but it sounds quite appealing.


text:
// Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
// Licensed under the MIT License.
// Code generated by Microsoft (R) AutoRest Code Generator.

package com.azure.resourcemanager.eventhubs.generated;

import com.azure.core.util.Context;

/** Samples for Namespaces List. */
public final class NamespacesListSamples {
    /*
     * x-ms-original-file: specification/eventhub/resource-manager/Microsoft.EventHub/stable/2021-11-01/examples/NameSpaces/EHNameSpaceList.json
     */
    /**
     * Sample code: NamespacesListBySubscription.
     *
     * @param azure The entry point for accessing resource management APIs in Azure.
     */
    public static void namespacesListBySubscription(com.azure.resourcemanager.AzureResourceManager azure) {
        azure.eventHubs().manager().serviceClient().getNamespaces().list(Context.NONE);
    }
}


text:
An Angelic Lesson On Civility
An artist's rendition of the holy ark that was placed in the Mishkan (desert sanctuary) and the Temple in Jerusalem. Note the angelic-like Cherubim on the top.
Tonight, right after we light the Shabbat candles, we'll sing Shalom Aleichem – the perfect song to help us prepare for Shabbat. Shalom Aleichem means "peace unto you." On Shabbat, all we want is peace for ourselves, our family, our friends, our community and the world. So it makes sense to sing Shalom Aleichem as we seek the peace of Shabbat. But this isn't what makes Shalom Aleichem the perfect song to begin our day of rest. When we look closely at the words of Shalom Aleichem, we note that we're not singing about our desire to have peace surround us and our fellow singers – rather we're singing words of welcome to special guests that join us every Friday evening. These guests are not of the human variety. Rather, they're angels. Yes, Jewish angels, who descend from higher realms, carrying the peace of Shabbat with them and sharing it with us. With joy, every Friday night, we greet these angels, declaring "Shalom Aleichem," peace unto you, beautiful angels of peace.
If you're scratching your head thinking, "I didn't know Jews believe in angels," you're not alone. But, the fact is, angels and other holy, winged creatures are an integral part of our tradition. In addition to carrying the gift of peace that we're eager to embrace every Fridaynight, Jewish prayers, teachings and legends are filled with winged creatures who provide for and protect us. The invocation of the angels in the Shema that we're taught to say before we go to sleep captures the special power Judaism has given to our winged friends.
But, as I studied this week's Torah portion, which describes how Moses assembled the Mishkan, the first Israelite sanctuary located in the desert, I was reminded that Judaism doesn't simply view these winged creatures as our sacred security blankets. They're also extremely important teachers. Tomorrow morning, as we read from the Book of Exodus, we'll learn how Moses placed each ritual object into the Mishkan just as G-d commanded him to do. The most important part of the Mishkan (and the most important part of synagogues to this very day) was the Torah which was, at that time, inscribed on stone tablets. These tablets were housed in the holy ark which was placed in the Mishkan's most sacred section. The Torah teaches us that on top of the ark where two very special winged creatures called Cherubim. "The Cherubim shall have their wings spread upwards, shielding the ark cover with their wings, with their faces toward one another." (Exodus 24:18) It was between these winged Cherubim, the Torah says, that God would dwell and communicate with Moses, sharing sacred wisdom.
The whereabouts of the holy ark and its even holier contents remains a mystery. While Indiana Jones and many others have attempted to find the ark and its tablets, no one has been successful. Fortunately, in our synagogues today, we've built modern arks from which we can take our Torah scrolls, read them before our congregations and discover the ancient wisdom contained within our holy story. The Cherubim, however, have gotten lost over the centuries. But, from the words of Torah and other Jewish texts, these ancient winged creatures still have a powerful lesson to teach us. As I read about the Cherubim this week, I realized just how important it is for us to hear their lesson today.
The Talmud gives us great insight into the Cherubim, challenging those who might assert that these winged creatures were simply stone sculptures that sat on top of the ark. In Bava Batra, one of the sections of Talmud, we learn that the Cherubim had the ability to move! They faced each another when the Israelites treated each other with love and kindness, but, when our ancestors treated each other poorly, the Talmud teaches us that the Cherubim turned away from each other.
While we've no idea where the ark is, if it still exists and if the Cherubim are still there, defining the sacred spot from which God spoke to Moses, the legend of the Cherubim and their ability to look at or turn away from each other must be told today and incorporated into the continuously evolving sacred story of the Jewish people. In this chapter of our sacred story, the one we're experiencing right now, the Cherubim have turned away from each other because we've done exactly that, we've turned away from each other. Motivated by differences in opinions, beliefs and outlooks, we've dug in our heels and refused to look with kindness into each others eyes. With our backs turned to each other, we're incapable of listening to each other yet very good at making accusations about and spewing hatred at each other.
As we read this Shabbat about the placement of the ark and its Cherubim in the Mishkan, I can only imagine the divine lesson that would be shared from between these winged creatures today, a lesson I believe is captured by the words of Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch (1808-1888), the father of Modern Jewish Orthodoxy:
"The whole nation of Israel is represented not by one cherub but…by a pair of cherubs…Israel will become a pair of cherubim who, in mutual respect and consideration, are peacefully directed one to the other, each one there for the other, each a guarantor for the other, each entrusted to the other – in brotherly cooperation, a whole nation keeping and protecting the whole community…."
While we disagree on many things these days, may we hear the sacred lesson coming from between the Cherubim. May we remember that we as a people are not defined by one point of view, but by at least two very different points of view. And in order to move forward with strength, we need to care enough about each other that we're willing to hear and learn from those who stand in opposition to us. We need to appreciate that, just like the Cherubim, standing in opposition to each other doesn't mean that we can't face each other, look each other in the eyes and protect the whole community.
ark cherubim mishkancherubim Jewishcivil discourse Judaismcivility Jewish lessonsISHJewish angelsMoses ark Mishkanpolitical disagreement Judaismrabbi andrew jacobsRabbi Andrew Jacobs. Ramat Shalom


This month I have been given a few awards by some very wonderful bloggers. I would just like to say thank you, so much, for thinking of me, and I would also like to pass these awards on to other bloggers. I'm glad you enjoy my blog, and I enjoy reading all of yours just as much; there are some extremely inspiring blogs out there and it's wonderful of everyone to share the beautiful things that they find! Thank you all for the comments and kind words - it really makes blogging such a pleasant thing to do.
Thanks to Roz of Clothes, Cameras, and Coffee for tagging me. I love her blog because she has the most elegant sense of style and she is so gorgeous! Definitely check it out.
For this award, the blog author is supposed to write 7 interesting things that you may not know about them and then tag 7 other 'kreativ' bloggers.
I go to college in the US, but I spent the last year studying abroad in Norwich, England (although I spent the first month living in London). I wound up traveling around England a bit and also went to France, Germany, Ireland, and Sweden. I definitely miss every minute of it!
I would really love to be a graphic designer someday, but I am also interested in art history and American cultural studies (it's really interesting to try to observe my culture from an outsider's perspective and a critical eye).
Some of my favorite bands/artists are Belle & Sebastian, Nick Drake, The Smiths, Serge Gainsbourg, Beach House, Passion Pit, Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes, Joni Mitchell, and M. Ward.
My favorite thing to wear is my leather jacket.
I really love the blogging community. Everyone is so kind and positive, and always posts such inspiring things! Thank you so much for reading!
I really admire my younger sister, and sometimes look up to her as an older sister.
My favorite color is goldenrod yellow. I'm obsessed.
This award was given to me by Liss of Daydream Lily and Finie Ramos.
Daydream Lily is incredibly inspiring, and Liss posts so many lovely photos and works of art! In fact, I've printed out a lot of the pictures she posts and have taped them up on the wall in my apartment.
Finie Ramos also has a beautiful blog. She posts gorgeous photos and takes many lovely pictures of her own!
I am going to tag 12 other bloggers. I love what you post!
Again, I just wanted to say thank you to all those who read and comment on my posts. You make my day!
Congratulations on both the awards. Thanks for your lovely bit you wrote about me. It made me smile.
The facts aout you were interesting, so what did you think of London?
oh nice to get to know you some more, wow studying in England would of been amazing!! and love your music taste. i love my leather jacket too, i shopped around for ages to find the perfect one.
your answers are lovely. thank you so much for including me in your awards. i am very honored!
I love your blog so much you know that right?
i didnt know you have been in sweden! what did you think? did you think it was too cold?
A year abroad sounds like so much fun. Lucky you.
The photograph of the stars is just lovely.
Ahh, congratulations and THANK YOU for passing an award on to me, Lauren!


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Search in titles only Search in Movies / TV only
Rate the Last Movie You Saw
I enjoyed the Abyss. Haven't watched it an a while though.
I disagree with Siep yet again on Shirlock Holmes, I found that movie boring. I do believe it put me to sleep for some of it. To each his/her own though.
I agree on 21 jump street. I thought I was going to hate it because I liked the show and they were turning it into, well, a Jonah Hill movie. Don't get me wrong I love Jonah Hill, I think that "kid" is hilarious. I was annoyed with his weight loss to be honest. lol. sidetracked...they made it freaking hilarious and I loved it. I knew about the ending but managed to forget and still got a good laugh out of it. I give it a 9/10 for keeping me HIGHLY entertained and the only reason its not a 10 is because that is reserved for movies I watch over and over again and still love...although it may be yet. Excellent movie if you like this type of comedy. Highly recommended.
See I really enjoyed both the Sherlock Holmes movies, but then again I pretty much like anything that Robert Downey Jr has been lately.
I like Robert Downey, It was the story that sucked. It was very boring to me. I find that almost every guy I know who has seen it liked it though. that Kinda makes me surprised I didnt like it though. lol. Theres not alot of movies I hate because they have to completely bore me to death before I hate it but among these are Shirlock Holmes, Titanic, The Lord of The Rings and Harry Potter. One exception is a movie that didn't bore me per say but was too fucking stupid for me to ever like, Twilight.
Originally posted by Teriw View Post
Well I can agree with you on Titanic and Twilight.
I had a hard accepting SHerlock Holmes a rough and tumble action star. Downey made it watchable, but I'm too much of a traditionalist with SH.
I never saw either of these movies so I can't say.
Originally posted by Dan Hocker View Post
Hybrid these two and get Sinking Sparkly Frozen Vampiric Celine Dion Creatures <or some such shite>
Dark Shadows: The openning pre-title sequence is amazing; it provides background to the Collins family, the founding of Collinsport, and the raising of Collinwood Manor. It sets a dark gothic tone (which nobody does better than Burton) dripping with atmosphere and menace. And then...movie goes nowhere. There are it's good points: a typically bizarre and nuanced performance by Johnny Depp, wonderfully creepy gothic atmosphere, and a recitation of the lyrics to The Joker" by the Steve miller Band as if they were modern Shakespeare; but the movie doesn't seem to want to sink it's fangs into the mythic material it's taken as it's subject. Which is too bad. The perfect 70's song to describe this movie hadn't been written in 1972, but Meatloaf's "All Revved Up with No Place to Go" is apropo. This is a rental or Netflix movie.
You convinced me, Squire: no theatrical Dark Shadows for me. A shame, really, as I'm really hooked on the original soap, but from what I've seen, plus your words, I'll wait for the BD.
Sorry Siep, I couldn't let you spend money on it, tho. But like I said, the openning 5 minutes are outstanding!
Well...I kept going back to see Funny Girl for just the last five minutes....
Well the first 5 minutes ARE outstanding...
Bad Squire, you can't ruin my Johnny Depp movie! GRR! I will see it anyway, plus its not my money
Also....This means War, I can do chick flicks, I can do spy movies, I can watch almost anything but this movie couldnt really keep my attention. It still gets a 5/10 meaning "meh" from me but no wait fuck that. I didn't HATE it but I am still only gonna give it a 3. 3 meaning watch it only if your really bored. You'd expect more comedy from this kind of movie. There was some but, iunno. Its hard to explain. I feel like maybe they tried to hard to bring in a male audience while still making a chick flick. The Romance wasnt "felt" while watching it, the comedy was bland and rare, the "actions" scene were just pathetic. As I said in the past it takes alot for me to HATE a movie and this didn't quite take me that far but it was still pretty bad.
Jonny Depp is his usual terrific self in DS.


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Real Rome Tours
Real Rome Tours – Group, Private and Semi-Private Tours of Ancient Rome & Vatican City
The 7 Best Piazzas in Rome
Rome's piazzas are famous for their dazzling arrays of fine cuisine, spectacular fountains, ancient architecture and enticing atmospheres. Even in the modern era, Rome's piazzas are the centre of daily life.
Want to see the best Rome has to offer? Make sure you visit these 7 amazing piazzas.
Piazza del Campidoglio
Piazza del Campidoglio is a work of art in itself – as it was designed by Michelangelo, we wouldn't expect any less! The geometric design of the piazza faces St Peter's Basilica – which was the political centre of Rome in Michelangelo's time. Sadly, the piazza took so long to build and complete Michelangelo never got to see his work finished.
Attracting millions of visitors each year, this piazza is one of the most beautiful squares to visit within Rome. Situated on Capitoline Hill, the piazza is right next to the ever-popular Capitoline Museums, the Palazzo Nuovo and the Palazzo Senatorio.
The most striking artefact on the piazza is the full-size bronze replica of the Marcus Aurelius statue (now safely on display in Capitoline Museums). If you walk up the sweeping staircase and head towards the balcony at the rear of the piazza, you'll be rewarded with an unrivalled view across the Roman Forum to the Colosseum.
Right next to Basilica di San Pietro, St Peter's Square features two beautiful colonnades by Bernini. One of the world's most famous (and most photographed!) squares, this piazza is used by visitors to get a good view of the Pope when he is addressing his followers.
The piazza was designed to fit as many people in as possible for the Pope's appearances. In addition to Bernini's designs for the colonnades and the stunning granite fountain, there's an ancient Egyptian obelisk decorating the square. Originally standing at Heliopolis in Egypt, it was moved to its current position in 1586.
The best time to visit? Early evening – the tourists have left, and the piazza is beautifully illuminated with a warm light.
Home to one of Bernini's most famous masterpieces, Piazza Navona is in a class of its own.
The Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (or the Fountain of the Four Rivers) features Bernini's personifications of the major rivers of the four continents under papal control at the time: the Ganges (Asia), the Danube (Europe), the Nile (Africa) and the Río de la Plata (America). It was designed in 1651 for Pope Innocent X whose family palace, the Palazzo Pamphili, faced onto the piazza. The fountain also features the Pamphili family emblem.
The piazza gets its distinctive oval shape from the ruins of an ancient circus, still present underneath its foundations. As with Piazza San Pietro, this piazza is best visited in the evening time to truly appreciate the beautiful palazzi and fountains, perfectly lit to showcase their full splendour.
Campo de' Fiori is the only piazza in Rome without a church. What it lacks in places of worship, it makes up for in Rome's oldest and most colourful market.
The Campo de' Fiori market is an absolute must and is open Mon-Sat, 7am-1:30pm every week. Popular with tourists and locals alike, you can purchase fresh produce, cute trinkets and handmade crafts here.
Looking at this gorgeous square now, you'd have no clue that the original use for the site was a public execution area! Keep an eye out – there's a statue dedicated to the square's ominous past, showing Giordano Bruno, the heretic who was subsequently burned at the stake in 1600. Bruno was originally a Dominican Monk and known for his philosophical works. His bronze statue sits on the exact place of his execution – deliberately facing the Vatican.
Nowadays, Campo de' Fiori is a bustling nightspot full of trendy bars and popular eateries. There's something for everyone!
The most iconic piazza on this list, Piazza di Spagna is probably the most popular square for new visitors to Rome. Our favourite thing to do here? Grab some gelato, sit on the Spanish Steps and watch the world go by.
Looking for some high-end shopping? The piazza is lined with designer stores and exclusive boutiques – just don't expect to grab a bargain!
Want to enjoy the sights but avoid the crowds? Try and get to the piazza early in the morning before the usual crowds arrive.
If you don't mind sharing the sights with other tourists, we highly recommend getting to the top of the Spanish Steps for sundown. The views over Rome are simply breath-taking.
Piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere
Cross the Tiber River to get to this picturesque spot. We love stopping off here for a spot of lunch – the daytime sees Piazza di Santa Maria take on a very chilled out vibe with a friendly atmosphere.
For something more lively, pass by in the evening and rub shoulders with locals enjoying an Aperitivo and visitors-in-the-know sampling some of the best food Rome has to offer. There's plenty of free entertainment too – the square comes alive with street musicians and artists after hours.
Last, but definitely not least, on our list is the majestic Piazza della Rotunda.
Bordered by the awe-inspiring Pantheon, this piazza is the perfect place to take in Rome's amazing ancient architecture. As it's so popular with tourists, avoid the overpriced restaurants and just take in the wonderful ambience!
If you'd like to learn the fascinating history surrounding these stunning piazzas, consider booking in for our most popular tour: Rome In A Day Private Tour.
Where to Stay in Rome
Choosing where to stay in Rome can be a headache in itself – with 22 very different districts (rioni) to pick from, it can be tricky choosing where's best for you and your needs. Every district has a different price range and it's own unique atmosphere.
Rome, as always, has something to suit everyone – and everyone has a different idea of what the 'best hotel in Rome' is!
So, the team here at Real Rome Tours have written this helpful guide to the best accommodation in Rome, based on our years of experience in the Eternal City and our customers' recommendations.
The Best Area to Stay in Rome for First Time Visitors
The Historic Center
Nearby Landmarks: Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon & Piazza Navona
The historic centre of Rome is perfect if you want to leave your hotel's front door and be immersed in Rome's most popular sights. There are two compromises for the convenience of everything being within walking distance: crowds and cost. As it's one of the most popular sections of Rome, staying (and eating) in the city centre can be more expensive than some of the quieter districts on this list.
Where to Stay in Rome City Centre
Our Favourite Hotel in Rome's City Centre
Appia Antica Resort
Get a taste for the luxuries of modern Rome while staying amongst the ruins of Ancient Rome in this gorgeously stylish hotel. All apartments are air-conditioned and come with a welcome basket, a free bottle of Castello delle Regine wine and tranquil landscaped gardens to enjoy. Tired from a hard day of sight-seeing? Each room comes with free Wi-Fi, flat screen TV and a tablet.
The Colosseum is just a 15-minute drive away and buses to see the rest of Rome's treasures stop right in front of the hotel. When your vacation is over, there's even a free shuttle bus to the airport – what more could you ask for? Check out this amazing hotel here.
Our Favourite Hotel Near the Spanish Steps
This 5* hotel is simply legendary. Right at the top of the Spanish Steps, this hotel has unbeatable views over Rome's rooftops. It's rooms are elegant and stylish with free WiFi, satellite TV, air conditioning, DVD player and a smartphone to call home.
The rest of the hotel boasts a free gym, sauna and Turkish bath. Feeling peckish? You can choose from Michelin-starred Imàgo, super stylish Salone Eva or the impressive Palm Court. You can book in here.
Our Favourite Hotel Near the Trevi fountain
Palazzo Scanderbeg
Nestled away on a side alley beside the Trevi Fountain is this fifteenth century palace. Once home to an Albanian prince, the palace now offers international explorers a taste of the good life in pure luxury. Incredibly popular with couples, each room/apartment has the option to add a personal butler to serve your every whim! Check it out here.
Our Favourite Hotel Near Piazza Navona
Lifestyle Suites Rome
Built in 1440 and originally a noble palace, Lifestyle Suites Rome is an adult only destination designed with opulence and ultimate comfort in mind. Take in the breathtaking views over Piazza Navona from the terrace or take a stroll to the Pantheon (a five minute walk away).
All rooms are air-conditioned and have free WiFi, mini-bar and satellite flat-screen TV. Book early and request a room with a balcony facing the square and enjoy the bustle of Rome from the comfort of your own space. See full details here.
Our Favourite Airbnb Properties in Rome City Centre
Airbnb rentals are incredibly popular in Rome and standards are usually incredibly high across the city. Here are our choices for the best Airbnb properties in the historic centre of Rome.
Our family friendly choice
Our romantic choice
Our single traveller choice
Our budget choice
Our luxury choice
Make sure you see the best of Rome's historic city centre with our Heart of Rome tour.
The Best Area to Stay in Rome for Foodies
Travestere
Nearby Landmarks: The Jewish Ghetto, Teatro Marcello, The Basilica of Santa Maria & Orto Botanico
A firm favourite in the Real Rome Tours office, Travestere is like visiting a welcoming little country town – just in the middle of Rome! Picturesque cobbled streets are lined with the finest authentic restaurants Rome has to offer. Staying here gives you easy access to the Campo de' Fiori market, Piazza Farnese, the Teatro Marcello and the Bocca della Verità (the Mouth of Truth). Travestere is perfect for those looking to stay centrally but skip the large crowds associated with the historical city centre. Oh and did we mention the amazing food on offer here? You have more dining choices available for a more affordable budget than in other areas of Rome.
Where to stay in Rome's Trastevere area
Our Favourite Budget Hotel in Trastevere
Sotto La Cupola Guest House
Just 600 metres from Saint Peter's Square and the Vatican City, Sotto La Cupola offers guest rooms that are spacious and elegantly decorated with antique-style furnishings and parquet floors.
Each room features free wi-fi, a flat-screen TV, a hairdryer and free toiletries. An Italian breakfast is served daily in the common room is absolutely delicious. Helpful for those travelling with specific dietary requirements, guests can prepare their own meals in the shared kitchen.
Sotto La Cupola is 350 metres from Roma San Pietro Train Station. A bus, with links to the Colosseum and Rome's historic center, stops 50 metres from the property. There's also a free private airport shuttle available. Get more details here.
Our Favourite Hotel Near Piazza Santa Maria
Quietly stylish, Hotel Santa Maria is housed in a converted 16th-century convent. Wake up to gorgeous views of the hotel's landscaped grounds full of fragrant orange trees and Mediterranean flowers. You can even enjoy your breakfast on the grounds and soak up the famous Roman summer sun.
The perfect mix of modern and traditional, each guest room features terracotta floors, elegant wood furniture, air conditioning, an LCD satellite TV and free Wi-Fi. Get all the info here.
Our Favourite Hotel for Great Food & Service
Residenza San Calisto
This is one of the most popular places to stay in the whole of Rome on Booking.com! Set in a renovated historical building, you can choose between a room or an apartment. We absolutely love the traditional decor of this hotel – it's like staying in a gorgeous countryside villa – but in the middle of Rome!
Each guest rooms is completed with wooden furniture, wood-beamed ceilings, an LCD TV and free Wi-Fi access.
Breakfast is a must – a generous sweet and savory buffet breakfast – all served in an antique cellar restored into an elegant dining room. Find out more.
Our Favourite Airbnb Properties in Travestere
Make sure you see the best of Travestere with our Travestere tour
Best Area to Stay in Rome on a Budget
Termini Station (Esquilino)
Nearby Landmarks: Palazzo Massimo alle Terme, Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri & Sacro Cuore di Gesù a Castro Pretorio
There's not a huge amount to see within walking distance around Termini station, but staying here gives you so many inexpensive accommodation choices. You can easily access the big tourist spots via train, taxi or metro. The district around Termini Station is called Esquilino and is Rome's unofficial immigrant district. It's relatively chilled out and safe and is home to food delicacies from all over the world.
Where to Stay in Esquilino, Rome
Our Favourite Hotel Near Termini Station
Hotel Giuliana
A family-run B&B, Hotel Giuliana is just a 7-minute walk to Termini station. Classically decorated, each room has air conditioning and a private bathroom. The public areas of the hotel are relaxed and welcoming.
The staff here are very helpful and friendly and can recommend the best places to eat in the area. Check out full details here.
Our Favourite Guest House in Esquilino
Dada Suites
A simple, modern stylish guest house within walking distance of Santa Maria Maggiore and Domus Aurea.
Breakfast is served each morning and includes gluten-free options. The guest rooms all come with a toaster, fridge, coffee machine, free toiletries and tea-making facilities. Check in here.
Our Favourite Airbnb Properties in Esquilino
Best Area to Stay in Rome for Ancient Roman Ruins
Nearby Landmarks: Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill & Domus Aurea
Traditionally a residential neighbourhood, Celio is built around the Colosseum. During the day, this area of Rome can get very chaotic – but once the sun's gone down, prepare for beautiful views of Constantine's Arch and the Circus Maximus. Perfect for lovers of ancient Rome, Celio gives you a taste of suburban Rome.
Where to Stay in Celio
Our Favourite Hotel Near The Pantheon
Albergo del Senato
Simply amazing views. The views alone would make us stay in this hotel! But there's plenty more on offer here, the location is perfect for exploring, the service is perfect and the hotel is very child friendly. See more details here.
Our Favourite Hotel Near The Roman Forum
The Inn At The Roman Forum
Pure luxury located in the heart of ancient Rome, The Inn at the Roman Forum actually houses ruins inside the property. The Inn thinks of everything a visitor to Rome could possible want and serves it to you with a smile.
Rooms come with free WiFi, satellite flat-screen TV and an iPod docking station.
A rich breakfast buffet is served on the rooftop terrace with breathtaking views of Rome and is an absolute must while staying here. Book in here.
Our Favourite Hotel Near The Colosseum
Hotel Palazzo Manfredi – Relais & Chateaux
Unrivalled views of the Colosseum are combined with luxurious surroundings at the Hotel Palazzo Manfredi.
Rooms here are spacious, offer free Wi-Fi and Sky satellite TV and have a view of the ancient ruins along the Roman Forum. You can also opt for a self-catering option.
If you really want to see Rome in style, you can rent a Lamborghini from the front desk! Check out this amazing hotel here.
Our Favourite Airbnb Properties in Celio
Make sure you see the best of Ancient Rome with our Colosseum and Roman Forum tour
There's truly something for everyone in Rome, no matter what age or interest! For more information on any of the above, feel free to get in touch by phone: +39 0645236956 or via email: info@realrometours.com
The Best Books on Rome
The Best Books About Rome
Looking to fall in love with Rome all over again? Maybe you're visiting soon and want a taste of what to expect. Luckily for you, writers have been infatuated with the Eternal City for centuries.
We've picked out some of our favorite books about Rome to get you in the mood for the unique blend of history, romance, intrigue and vibrant culture that Rome has to offer.
Historical Novels About Rome
I, Claudius – Robert Graves
Going back to ancient Rome, this classic is widely considered one of the best novels of the 20th century. Graves writes as Roman Emperor Claudius. Covering Rome's imperial history up until Claudius' coronation in 41AD, I, Claudius paints a vivid picture of what ancient Rome was like under the rule of Augustus, Tiberius and Caligula.
Experience what ancient Rome was really like with our Ancient Rome Tour.
Lucrezia Borgia – Maria Bellonci
Published in 1939, this is an award-winning, factually-accurate novel about Lucrezia Borgia. Borgia certainly lives up to her family's reputation for controversy and cruelty, but Bellonci also highlights Lucrezia's more complex, human side in this riveting book.
The Woman of Rome – Alberto Moravia
Written by Rome native Moravia, The Woman of Rome was first published in 1947. This novel is centered on one of the most vivid female characters in Italian literature, Adriana, and her life under Mussolini's dictatorship. Definitely not one for younger readers, the novel follows Adriana as she looks to use her beauty better her life and escape poverty. Chronicling the seedy side of pre-war of Rome, Adriana comes against complex issues involving a failed revolutionary student, a deceitful chauffeur, a violent criminal and a secret police officer
Books About Modern Life in Rome
Four Seasons in Rome – Anthony Doerr
This short memoir by Pulitzer-Prize-winner Doerr chronicles his year-long stay in Rome for his fellowship at the American Academy. This is a great introduction to what modern life in Rome is actually like.
Rome Tales
There's something for everyone in this collection of 20 short stories from Italy's finest literary figures. Spanning hundreds of years, the Eternal City's many faces are showcased in a combination of comic, tragic and dramatic tales.
With such a wide variety of genres and time periods covered, this lovely little book is surprisingly easy to read. A fantastic introduction to Rome, the locals and Roman culture.
That Awful Mess On The Via Merulana – Carlo Emilio Gadda
One of the masterpieces of modern Italian literature! The multiple layers of language, imagery and irony lead this author's work to be compared with James Joyce. Gadda draws together different strands of Roman life in a detective story that focuses on the elusiveness of truth.
The plot revolves around Detective Ingravallo's investigation into a robbery and murder in an apartment building on the Via Merulana. Set during the fascist regime, this novel transports you back to a dark period of Rome's modern history.
Clash of Civilizations Over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio – Amara Lakhous
Set within an apartment building in Piazza Vittorio, Lakhous' novel is created from the testimonies of the building's inhabitants surrounding the death of a sinister character in the elevator. Despite the plot, this book is a delicately written comedy.
Lakhous paints an affectionate picture of modern Rome featuring modern Romans – 'Romans' from across the globe.
Explore the real, multi-cultural Rome on our Travestere and Jewish Ghetto Tour.
There's truly something for everyone in Rome, no matter what age or interest! For more information on visiting Rome, feel free to get in touch by phone: +39 0645236956 or via email: info@realrometours.com
The Top 10 Things to Do in Rome with Kids
Wondering what to do in Rome with kids?
Traveling with kids in Rome can be daunting – how do you keep young children's attention but still keep teenagers happy and enthusiastic?
It can be difficult finding age-appropriate sites to visit – there's nothing worse than trying to keep a screaming two-year-old quiet in the usually-silent Vatican museums! But Rome has something for everyone, young and young-at-heart alike.
Here's a list of our 10 favorite family-friendly things to do in Rome.
Ancient Rome for Kids
History comes alive on Rome's cobbled streets and a visit to Rome is the perfect chance to get your little ones interested in the past.
Two great options to visit are he Roman Forum and the Colosseum. They're next to each and right in the middle of the city – so no complex transport arrangements are needed – making your visit as stress-free as possible.
1. See Where the Lions Lived in the Colosseum
Kids of all ages love to go deep beneath the Colosseum's arena floor and walk where the gladiators once walked. Underneath the Colosseum, there's a maze of tunnels and the hypogeum (holding area). Animals held in this area included elephants, lions, leopards, bears and tigers!
2. Run Off Excess Energy at The Forum
Great for younger children, the forum is an open area full of ancient ruins and stunning scenery. Many families love to take some time out of their sightseeing schedule to simply sit and enjoy their beautiful surroundings here.
You can visit both the Forum and the Colosseum's underground on our VIP Ancient Rome Colosseum Underground Tour.
3. Learn to Be a Gladiator
If they loved the Colosseum, this is a great follow up! There are a few companies in Rome that now offer gladiator classes and diplomas – complete with real-life gladiators to show them how it's done. Run by historical re-enactors, kids get to dress up and learn authentic gladiator swordplay.
Running at two hours long, gladiator schools are suitable for kids six years and over. The class starts at Gruppo Storico Romano museum to see real gladiator artifacts and to try on realistic armor replicas.
Rome's Family-Friendly Parks
The perfect place to unwind and relax, Rome's parks are truly unique. Many were originally owned by wealthy and powerful Roman families and still have the splendor and grandeur to prove it. A lot of parks in Rome have restaurants, cafes, playgrounds and lakes to explore with your little ones – a perfect break from the sometimes-hectic inner city.
4. Row a Boat through the Borghese Gardens
Once owned by the famous Borghese family, this oasis in the city is now open to the public. Incredibly popular (without being overcrowded), there's plenty for kids to enjoy: pony rides, a zoo (with it's own little train!), a funfair and a number of playgrounds.
A favorite with locals, the Borghese gardens offer you the chance to explore the lake by rowboat, see the entire park on bike and even rent a Segway.
You can also visit the Gallery Borghese on-site, a wonderful collection of art and sculpture from the likes of Bernini, Caravaggio, Raphael, Canova and others. Book in for our private tour of the gallery and learn about the fascinating (and sometimes scandalous!) lives of the artists.
5. Relax in The Orange Garden
A beautiful little gated garden on top of Aventine Hill, the Orange Garden has spectacular views of the entire city. Filled with orange trees (hence the name!), the Orange Garden was created in honor of St. Domenico who is said to have planted the first orange tree in the area in 1222.
Explore Authentic Rome
There are some things every visitor to Rome simply must do!
6. Eat Gelato on the Spanish Steps
Gelato is the most delicious ice cream you will ever taste. Combine everyone's favorite food with a visit to one of the most iconic images of Rome – the Spanish Steps. The 138 historic steps are said to the widest in Europe and are an incredibly popular meeting place for tourists and locals alike.
7. Throw Money into the Trevi Fountain
Seen on the big screen in many Hollywood classics, the Trevi Fountain is another iconic image of Rome. The story goes that when you throw a coin into the fountain, you're destined to return to Rome. Kids love this tradition and the fountain collects around €3,000 a day! Where does all that cash go? It's divided up and donated to local charities – so feel free to keep throwing your pennies in.
Both the Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain are featured in our popular Heart Of Rome Tour
Children-Only Places to Visit in Rome
8. Explore The Children's Museum
If you're unlucky enough to get bad weather while you visit Rome, check out Explora – a museum dedicated to fun things for kids to do. Perfect for under-12s, there are a lot of interactive displays to enjoy including water features, role play areas and a life-sized model of Italy's fastest train's cab.
9. Go Toy Shopping
Well, if they've behaved through all the sightseeing, why not! A local favorite is Bartolucci near the Pantheon – a traditional toy shop stocked with old-fashioned colorful wooden toys. Al Sogno is also a popular choice (it's on Piazza Navona) – it's best known for its wonderful and extravagant window displays.
Only for the Older Kids!
10. Investigate the Catacombs
If your older children/teenagers are looking for something spooky, a visit to the Catacombs are a good choice – they're dark, creepy and full of skeletons. The catacombs are hidden deep under modern Rome's streets and are strictly by guided tour only.
Originally used to bury the dead by early Christian settlers, there are thousands of bodies displayed along 300km of catacombs – including some saints, popes and martyrs.
Must-See Holy Places in Rome
With over 600 churches, Rome is the perfect destination for lovers of holy art and architecture.
You don't need to be a Catholic to appreciate the breathtaking beauty and centuries of fascinating history housed within Rome's holy sites.
The tradition of visiting Rome's stunning holy places dates back to 1552 and what can be argued to be the first package tour guide from Filippo Neri. The Italian priest's circuit of the Seven Pilgrimage Churches of Rome attracted over 6,000 people each summer.
Whether you're looking to see some awe-inspiring art, worship during Holy Week or study the masters of Italian art – there's something for everyone within our top holy sites in Rome.
The good news? Many of the must-see holy places in Rome are easily accessible on foot. Many of them are within 10-20 blocks of each other!
Want to hear the full history and insider information? Check out this exclusive Basilicas of Rome tour.
St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City
Well of course we have to include St Peter's in this list!
St Peter's is the world's largest (and most visited) church and features a striking key-shaped courtyard designed by Bernini.
While you're here, stand on one of the colored pave stones by the fountain and check out the optical illusion of many rows of columns disappearing into one single column.
The basilica is the result of years of hard work from Bernini, Michelangelo, Raphael and Bramante. Michelangelo's masterpiece Pieta lives here too – complete with carved sash proclaiming "Michaela[n]gelus Bonarotus Florentin[us] Facieba[t]" or "Michelangelo Buonarroti of Florence Made It".
If you're not convinced that this is the world's largest church, lines on the floor mark where all the other major churches would fit inside St. Peter's.
Basilica of St. Mary Major
Often over-looked, the basilica of St. Mary Major is home to a miracle-working Virgin Mary image. This Virgin Mary was canonized and crowned in 1838 by Pope Gregory XVI.
The basilica also has The Holy Crib, complete with it's own gold reliquary.
Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem
Built in 325 by Constantine's mother St. Helena, this basilica was originally intended to house Christian relics.
The relic chapel is still the most popular feature, which includes: part of one of the Holy Nails; three fragments of the True Cross; two thorns from the Crown of Thorns and part of the Elogium, the panel hung on the cross above Jesus' head.
The Elogium reads, in Latin, Hebrew and Greek: "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews" and is considered to be a medieval forgery.
Basilica of Saint John Lateran
To give the basilica its full name: The Cathedral of the Most Holy Savior and of Saints John the Baptist and the Evangelist in the Lateran, this basilica was built under pope Melchiade (311-314) and is the most ancient church in the world.
It's also known as "Mother and head of all Churches on Earth" – which is much easier to remember.
This basilica is the seat of the bishop of Rome, who of course, is also the Pope.
For 11 centuries it was also the Popes' residence, until they moved to Avignon, France. After they moved back to Rome, they lived in Vatican City.
Now, the basilica holds the entombed remains of a few saints: Saints Cyprian, Secunda, Giustina and Rufina. As well as two popes: Pope Innocent IIIand Pope Leo XIII; who had the vision of Lucifer claiming that he could destroy God's church in 100 years. As a result of this vision, Leo XIII composed the Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel.
This Basilica also contains wood from the table used at the Last Supper. It is high above the altar above the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, to the left of the main Papal altar.
Want to experience these intriguing, fascinating holy places in person? Check out this exclusive Basilicas of Rome tour to get a private tour of the must-see holy places in Rome.
The Best Day Trips From Rome
As much as we love Rome, sometimes you just want to escape the noise and heat of the Eternal City and step into a more laid-back pace of life!
With something for everyone, here's our pick of the top 5 day trips from Rome.
Ostia Antica Day Trip
With preserved ancient remains to rival Pompeii, Ostia Antica is a delightful excursion from Rome's busy streets.
Ostia Antica was ancient Rome's vibrant sea port and is now an awe-inspiring archaeological showcase.
Prepare to be immersed in the 2nd-century world of ancient Rome. You can visit the public baths – Terme di Nettuno – and admire the artistic effort put into the stunning floor mosaic onsite.
After this, stop off at the awe-inspiring amphitheatre. There's also an ancient cafe – the Thermopolium – that still has traces of the frescoed menu on the walls.
Want to know the secrets hidden amongst the ruins of Ostia Antica? Book into a private tour today.
Visit the World Heritage Villas at Tivoli
You can take in not one, but TWO World Heritage Sites on this day trip to Tivoli!
Just 30km east of Rome, Tivoli is easily accessible by bus or car. Start your day out at Villa d'Este, a wonderful luxury villa and Renaissance gardens.
Look out for the Bernini-designed Fountain of the Organ, which uses a concealed organ powered by water pressure to play beautiful music. There's also the 130m-long Avenue of the Hundred Fountains to check out.
After taking in all that splendor, head to Villa Adriana – the ruins of an expansive country estate once belonging to Emperor Hadrian.
You'll need at least an afternoon to discover all the treasures hidden over the Villa's 40 acres.
Hadrian's personal refuge, Teatro Marittimo, was a mini-villa built on an island in an artificial pool, originally accessible only by swing bridges.
There's also the canopo (a landscaped canal overlooked by a nymphaeum – a shrine to the water nymph) several bath complexes, temples and barracks.
Pompeii and Amalfi Coast Private Tour
Of course we couldn't leave Pompeii off this list!
Witness 2000 years of perfectly preserved history at the site of one of the most significant natural disasters of all time.
This Unesco-listed site is huge and you'll need at least three hours set aside just to see the essentials.
Popular attractions include the Forum, Lupanare (an ancient brothel) and amphitheatre.
Out of the town's original 66 hectares, only 44 have been excavated, leaving plenty of new discoveries waiting to be uncovered.
Enjoy the awe-inspiring beauty of an infamously picturesque part of Italy on our Pompeii and Amalfi Coast Private Tour.
What To Do If You've Already Been To Rome Before
Ancient Roman tombs found near football stadium in Rome - Real Rome Tours on Mini Pompeii found in Rome
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Вацлав Ченек Бендль-Страницкий (; 24 октября 1833, Турнов — 27 июня 1870, Волынь) — австро-венгерский чешский священник, поэт, писатель, журналист, переводчик. Первым перевёл на чешский язык поэзию Пушкина и Лермонтова.

Родился на северо-востоке современной Чехии в семье священника. Учился в Пражской гимназии, где был редактором студенческого журнала. Гимназию окончил без учёной степени. Ещё будучи учеником гимназии, он вместе с Колларом и другими юношами принадлежал к кружку, имевшему целью изучить чешское и славянское прошлое и стремиться к развитию отечественной литературы. Потом, приблизительно с 1853 до 1857 года, вместе со своими товарищами был сотрудником в журнале «Lumir», издаваемом Миковцем; под именем Ченька Страницкого он помещал там свои оригинальные лирические стихотворения и переводы из русских и польских авторов. Кроме того, в «Časopis Сéskeho muzea» он поместил переводы стихотворений Пушкина и Лермонтова; потом, в 1859 и 1860 годах, он отдельно издал перевод эпических стихотворений Пушкина в двух томах. В 1854 и 1855 годах под псевдонимом Фабиана Чочки издавал сатирическо-юмористический журнал «Rachejtle».

С 1856 по 1860 год Бендл учился в духовной семинарии и в 1860 году был рукоположён в сан священника, став сотрудником журнала «Blagovest», издаваемого Штульцем. После получения сана он служил пастором в нескольких приходах на юге Чехии, а в последние годы жил в городе Волынь, где был катехетом, а позже директором школы. Умер и похоронен там же.

Примечания

Литература

 Dějiny české literatury. 2., Literatura národního obrození / Redaktor svazku Felix Vodička. 1. vyd. Praha : Československá akademie věd, 1960. 684 s. S. 604–605. (viz též 3. díl, s. 552).
 FORST, Vladimír, a kol. Lexikon české literatury : osobnosti, díla, instituce. 1. A–G. Praha: Academia, 1985. 900 s. ISBN 80-200-0797-0. S. 186–187.

Писатели Чехии

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Here are links to 5" square friendly projects. These posts are not meant to be a complete quilt. These posts are to give you ideas for units that you can combine with other fabric that you have in your stash to create great quilts that are uniquely yours. We all have beautiful quilts stuck in our stash waiting to make a beautiful quilt. I am a firm believer in use what you have....get those fabrics out of the stash....but buy what you truly need. Sometimes that quilt needs a different shade than what is in your stash. This is especially common on scrap quilts needing the outer borders. I also believe that things should look hard and not be hard. Most of these techniques are quick and time friendly.
Hope you find a unit that tickles your fancy.
This quilt is from our 5" pastel charm exchange. It includes 2 packs from our guild exchange to make 48-5" squares. The quilt has 1 1/2" strips on 2 sides that make the squares dance across the quilt.
The quilt hangs in the sew room. For each leaf are 2 Drunkards Path blocks. The background is all 5" pastel/light batiks from a guild swap.
This quilt is based on Snap Pop N Change from Moda Bake Shop. After running out of the fabrics, a design change was in order-applique in the middle to fill in the last block. A Ricky Timms Accuquilt dye provided a great center block.
From the Charm Box from Fat Quarter Shop pattern. This is altered to make it slightly larger.
5" squares are combined into a great pattern. Adapted by Tamarack Shack from a Missouri Star Quilt Co. pattern, this make a great option for the charms in your stash.


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Home Arts & Culture
Handcrafted haven
Shopping at local markets supports local makers
Irene Davies at the Prairie Loom Sisters table during the The Good Will Social Club "Good Tidings" event on December 2nd.
By Jen Doerksen
Image by Jen Doerksen January 10, 2018
From farmers' markets in the summer and fall, to holiday markets in the winter, buying local is easier than ever with these pop-up malls offering quality handmade and independently-produced wares.
On Aug. 23, Travel Manitoba released All roads lead to crafts, 2017 Manitoba craft shows list, that listed craft markets around the province from September to December.
Winnipeg hosted no fewer than 66 markets, with 14 taking place on Nov. 25 alone. Corey Lakusiak, a local jeweler, co-hosted her first market on Dec. 10, after over eight years of crafting and selling her work.
Lakusiak's market, "Whole: A Mindful Holiday Market," ran from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Dec. 10, and featured 18 crafters selling a variety of goods including honey, jewelry, beard oils, and pottery.
"My partner in this one, Kalee Mund, [of] Rasa Holistic, and I have been friends for a long time and we were actually at a sale together in November," Lakusiak said. "It was a really quiet sale so we had a lot of time to sit together and talk, and throughout that day we said we should put together a sale of our own of our friends and people we love and shop from all the time."
Lakusiak said the market was a success, after having some difficulty booking a venue in the week prior to the event when the initial space wsa double booked.
Lakusiak said she thinks the holidays brings out shoppers.
Hand-made jewelry made with semi-precious stones by Corey Lakusiak at her show "whole: a holiday market" at the Mitchell Block on December 10, 2017.
"Essentially, it's a handmade pop-up mall, so you may not know exactly what you're looking for, but if your vendors are varied, you'll be able to browse," Lakusiak said.
For Irene Davies, co-creator of Prairie Sisters Loom, this winter season brought her first experience of being a vendor. She and her sister Victoria Davies create woven wall decor. Irene Davies tabled at The Good Will Social Club on Dec. 2 for the Good Tidings market, which included handmade and vintage goods, and live music.
"I haven't done anything like this before, this is our first foray into selling our crafts," Davies said. "So, we made an Instagram account and got some custom orders through that, and that was the first sale we've ever done."
Davies said she wasn't sure the market at The Good Will Social Club was the right spot for her crafts, but also noted that she had sold a number of Christmas ornaments.
"I think if we had decided that we were going to do this earlier, we could have probably taken more orders and sold some more stuff, and even just marketing a bit longer before [the market]," she said. "We also could have gotten into some of those bigger markets."
Davies said she thinks bigger sales like the Luckygirl Pop Up Shop and Third + Bird would have been better places for her crafts.
Both crafters also prefer to shop local and buy handmade. "I try not to shop retail," Lakushiak said.
Davies said the personal touch of a handcrafted gift makes it all the more special.
"It's just nice to know that your gifts or anything came from someone, like you're supporting the makers directly and not, like, 'The Man,'" Davies said. "I find those are the most special presents and people really appreciate stuff like that."
At the same time, Davies recognizes that handcrafted items can have a higher price than similar products from a retail outlet.
"It's an expensive time of year, so it's sometimes hard to justify shopping local if they can get it cheaper somewhere else," she said. "And sort of pricing our stuff is where I learned the value of what something handmade is."


bitter sweet stamping: Call Me!!
Does everyone have that one friend that no matter how hard you try, you just can't get in touch with?? My friend Stephanie is that person for me! We live two time zones away from each other, her cell phone is never on, she doesn't have a home phone, and she doesn't have email!! We just live in 2 different worlds - until recently, she lived in a house with a generator and no running water!! There are times when I am ready to pitch my -100%-connected-you-can-always-get-in-touch-with-me-and-I-can't-ignore-a-ringing-phone life, and just go live in the mountains with Steph, but alas, life (or someone) calls! So, this card is for Steph - I thought this might be the only way to get a telephone in her hands!!
Details: Stamps by A Muse, CS from my stash, PP from the monster pack from Costco whose maker I can not remember this early in the morning!, bling & ribbon from A Muse!


A few weeks ago, one of my favorite baristas, that's what they call the person who makes your coffee at Starbucks, had a bump, cut and scab on her forehead.
During my younger years several of my bartender friends had injuries like that, but the environment for them was a little more dangerous than a coffee joint. Flying beer bottles and shot glasses can catch you off guard, but a flying paper cup with a protective cardboard sleeve shouldn't result in such a serious injury.
You have to imagine that someone as youthful as Beth had come upon this injury from doing something cool. Don't get me wrong, I've had some youth injuries that weren't that much fun, but generally they came from some activity that would now be considered perilous or quasi-illegal.
She went into a very sketchy tale of skipped words and deception until the head barista yelled out from behind her, "She fell off the quad when the deer ran in front of her." Wow, I thought, that probably did hurt. One other time in my life, someone told me that a neighbor of mine was coming down a mountain road on her bicycle when she actually hit a deer so hard that all of her fillings came out of her teeth, but this was my first quad deer calamity.
After being fully exposed by her boss, Beth explained that she was the rider, and that her friend panicked, swerved and it threw her off the now airborne quad. She went on to say that she was knocked unconscious and received a concussion.
We kidded about the scar, and how she would have to limit her tackle football playing for awhile or she could end up like one of those pro ball guys who can't even remember his name, let alone what play he is supposed to be calling.
Then, one night, I was supposed to go to a concert, and it was raining. My blazer was new, and the rain was coming down in buckets so I stood very close to the car to try to avoid being totally saturated. I opened the hatch on the back of the hybrid, reached in for an umbrella, and then enthusiastically closed that hatch with as much force as an out of shape 60-something guy could muster.
The next thing I knew, Tweetie was singing with two of his friends just above my head as my glasses were hanging from one ear and blood began dripping down across my right eye. Yes, the ole guy had meticulously smashed himself in the head with his own car door. As I struggled to keep from going out and made my way to the kitchen door, I knew that I was in cosmetic trouble. The goose egg was swelling quickly and the aspirin therapy was emptying my body of that red stuff we need so much.
After explaining to nearly 76 people why my head was swollen and bloody, and seeing that knowing look of "Yeah, sure, Nick, car door." I made my way to my coffee place only to see Beth behind the cash register. I'm sure she assumed that I had fallen in the bath tub, had worn only socks on the carpeted steps, or had smashed my head against the counter after falling asleep during a meal, but she carefully smiled, handed me my drink, took my $4 bucks and said, "Wow, now we have matching scars." How sweet.


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Reel Time
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Christmas Movie Advent Calendar, Specials & Events
24th December: It's a Wonderful Life
Image: RKO Pictures
The Reel Time Christmas Movie Advent Calendar is exactly what it says on the tin: a classic festive countdown, except instead of chocolate behind the windows it's my ramblings on a host of Christmas films. In true advent calendar style, films will not be announced in advance, but revealed at 6pm each day. Get involved by shouting abuse at me on Twitter and Facebook, or even just reading and sharing. I hope this can bring a little cheer at the end of a miserable year. Enjoy!
Writers: Frances Goodrich, Albert Hackett, Frank Capra, Jo Swerling, Phillip Van Doren Stern
Starring: James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell, Henry Travers
May contain spoilers.
I'd never really noticed it before, but James Stewart is a phenomenal actor. I mean he is one of the legends of American cinema, of course, someone for whom the outrageously overused term 'icon' could reasonably be applied. But I think I'd always kind of taken him for granted in It's a Wonderful Life, where he pretty much carries the whole film.
On this, my fourth watch, it was Stewart's performance that most caught my eye. As did the swooning romance at the film's centre, something that had previously passed me by a bit. I'll focus on these parts of It's a Wonderful Life here, because the rest of it is so famous and has been so talked about, that there's not much point me repeating it here. In short: It's a Wonderful Life is a joyous film, with a tearjerker ending that is thoroughly well-earned. It prioritises goodness and friendship above all else, and is surprisingly dark for most of its running time, making the final 15 minutes all the more elating.
But back to Stewart. What is immediately obvious about his performance is how well he embodies the 'good guy' archetype that the film uses for its hero George Bailey. Stewart's tall, thin frame is imposing, but he has a kind, non-threatening face and a softness to his distinctive voice that make him so easily likeable. What struck me most this time, however, is how magnetic Stewart is when things get rough. As George Bailey loses everything and contemplates suicide, the desperation on Stewart's face is palpable. When his guardian angel shows George what life would have been like without him, the leading man is equally good at bewilderment and horror.
Then, in those famous closing scenes that are all people really remember about this film, he makes George's joy at being reunited with his family so visceral, so authentic that he brings tears to my face as if through sheer force of will. There is a great physicality to Stewart's acting, like the way he hugs his children as if life depended on it. He so brilliantly conveys the desperation and need involved in love, something we instantly know he feels deeply.
Which brings us to the second thing that stuck out on this re-watch. Before, I thought of Donna Reed's Mary as an engaging and necessary part of George's story, but this time I realised just how much of the appeal of It's a Wonderful Life lies in her romance with George. Not only is there a lovely meet-cute at the wonderful Charleston competition set-piece, followed by the magnificently romantic 'I'll give you the moon' scene, but there's something deeper in there that drives the film.
A man as selfless as George Bailey cannot be sustained solely by feeling good about his deeds, he also needs to get something out of life for himself. But that's not money, it's love. Just watch the scene when he comes back from the Building & Loan having saved it from ruin to find his new bride asleep in bed. He's exhausted and run-down by the money-grabbing antics of Scrooge-like Mr. Potter, but as soon as he sees Mary everything is fine again on George's face. He remembers he's in love, and that's the best reward of all.
I will admit that I found the film a bit slower this year, but this is balanced out by the familiar warmth it imparts. The final minutes are so wonderful, that I got a little impatient waiting for them, making the build-up seem a little dragged-out. On reflection, though, there is very little in It's a Wonderful Life that doesn't feel necessary. It is scene after scene of captivating light drama delivered by fine filmmaking, with Stewart pulling us through it a performance for the ages.
Where it Ranks
I went into the Christmas Movie Advent Calendar thinking that It's a Wonderful Life was the best Christmas film around, but having seen few others. I put it at the end of the challenge here so I could experience everything else on offer, and then coming back to the old favourite at the end. To check if it's still top dog, mostly.
Having now watched 25 other Christmas, I can say that there have been some wonderful surprises (Happiest Season, Black Christmas), some films that probably trump It's a Wonderful Life for sheer sugary entertainment (Elf, Arthur Christmas) and even some that I'd rather watch again right now (The Muppet Christmas Carol). But nothing has quite got the same magic. Nothing else feels so far above formula, so very much its own kind of wonderful. Every other film feels like a riff on something we all know, varying in its degree of success. It's a Wonderful Life feels special, a film that has endured for so long and is still so beloved. Frank Capra's work is pretty much the dictionary definition of a timeless classic, and taps into Christmas spirit better than just about anything else.
Optimistic. Heartwarming. Undefeated.
The Best Man Holiday
Andrew Young
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