text:
Lincoln and the Occult
Charles J. Colchester also warned Lincoln. He was no solicitous friend, like Swett or Cole. Indeed, Lincoln hardly knew Colchester. But he was important to Mary Todd Lincoln, the president's wife, and had become a regular visitor to the White House. Oddly, this strange character, a spiritualist and medium, was the one person Lincoln should have heeded. Colchester needed none of his prophetic powers to realize the president was in danger. His information likely came from the best of earthly sources—his friend John Wilkes Booth.
The story of Lincoln, Booth and Colchester—which has been overlooked in the considerable literature on the president's assassination—began, in a sense, on the afternoon of February 20, 1862. About 5 p.m. that day, the Lincolns' son Willie died at age 11, apparently of typhoid fever. Sweet-tempered Willie was the most intelligent and best-looking of the four Lincoln boys, and the one most like his father in personality. Both parents idolized him. Having lost their son Eddie 12 years earlier, when he was 3, they were devastated to be revisited by this peculiarly cruel sort of tragedy.
"His death was the most crushing affliction Mr. Lincoln had ever been called upon to pass through," recalled the artist Francis Carpenter, who lived in the White House for six months while he painted the famous portrait of the president and his cabinet at the first reading of the Emancipation Proclamation. Willie had died on a Thursday. The following Thursday, Lincoln shut himself up in the Green Room to grieve, and he began a routine of withdrawing there each succeeding Thursday. Mary and her older sister Elizabeth Todd Edwards became alarmed over his state of mind, so they arranged for the Rev. Francis Vinton of Trinity Church in New York City to visit the president. Imperious and opinionated, Vinton, a lawyer and soldier by education, told Lincoln he was fighting with God by indulging his grief in this manner.
Lincoln heard Vinton out as if he were in a stupor until the minister said, "Your son is alive."
"Alive! Alive!" Lincoln repeated, jumping up from a sofa. "Surely you mock me."
"My dear sir," Vinton responded as he placed an arm around the president. "Seek not your son among the dead. He is not there. He lives today in Paradise." Vinton's hopeful words notwithstanding, the cold comfort of the president's fatalism was his chief solace. As he explained to his former law partner, William Herndon: "Things were to be, and they came, irresistibly came, doomed to come." (Read more.)
Labels: Land of the Free, The Mystery of Iniquity, The Old South
The Imperial Family of Russia, 1902
From Tiny-Librarian. Share
Labels: Art, Holy Russia, Princesses
The Racism of Margaret Sanger
As a eugenicist, Sanger encouraged the sterilization of persons with less desirable qualities, and strongly encouraged the reproduction of groups with more desirable qualities. Sanger's disdain for blacks, minority groups, and the diseased and disabled spawned the birth of an abortion corporation that profits off the killing of the weakest and most vulnerable. From its conception, Planned Parenthood was built upon the roots of exterminating individuals deemed "unfit" for the human family.
Today, the spirit of Sanger lives on. According to the Guttmacher Institute, the former pro-abortion research division of Planned Parenthood, African-American women are five times more likely to choose abortion over white women. Planned Parenthood clinics are strategically planted in minority communities, targeting blacks and impoverished minority groups, and abortion remains the leading cause of death for the black community....
In 1926, Sanger spoke at a Ku Klux Klan rally in 1926 in Silver Lake, New Jersey. Following the invitation, Sanger describes her elation after receiving multiple speaking requests from white supremacy groups. She writes of the experience on page 366 of her book, An Autobiography:
I accepted an invitation to talk to the women's branch of the Ku Klux Klan … I saw through the door dim figures parading with banners and illuminated crosses … I was escorted to the platform, was introduced, and began to speak … In the end, through simple illustrations I believed I had accomplished my purpose. A dozen invitations to speak to similar groups were proffered.
Labels: Land of the Free, Motherhood, Tyrants
The "Arrival Gown"
Reading Treasure studies the costumes of the 1938 film Marie Antoinette. To quote:
The "arrival gown" is the gown worn by Marie Antoinette when she first arrives at Versailles. The dress is directly inspired by a portrait of a young Marie Antoinette created shortly after she became the dauphine of France. Like the other 'early' gowns worn by Marie Antoinette in the film, the dress is very youthful and innocent.
According to the notes on the concept design for the dress, the "arrival gown" is pink organdy with blue ribbons and flower embellishments. (Read more.)
Labels: At the Movies, Classic Films, Marie-Antoinette, Princesses, Queens of France, Style
Interview with an Exorcist
An exorcist discusses that dreadful film. From Aleteia:
Recreation is supposed to re-create us, but this desecrates. The movie makes a mockery of what God created. It is the spirit of irony that the main character is named Christian Grey. He acts in another way, not as a Christian. And grey? There cannot be shades of Christianity; it's all or nothing. It is the devil that tries to convince us there is a grey area of right and wrong, and it is the devil that mocks.
In the Mass, we celebrate the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ and his divinity. But in a black mass, everything is upside down and mocked. The holy is made unholy. Just as sex in marriage is a holy gift, in the movie it is against virtue and chastity and against God's creation. That is what the devil does. (Read more.)
Labels: At the Movies, The Mystery of Iniquity, The Revolution, Tyrants
A Van Gogh Retrospective
From Architectural Digest:
The drawings from this period are rough compared with Van Gogh's later works, but they offer a lens through which to view the immortal paintings he produced over the decade to come. Simple charcoal sketches of miners' cottages drawn in 1879, for example, are linked to his later Farmhouse with Two Figures or Street in Auvers-sur-Oise (both completed in 1890, the year of his untimely death). The exhibition also sheds light on the passions and struggles of Van Gogh's early years. "You can see then that I'm working like mad, but for the moment it isn't giving very heartening results," he wrote to Theo. "But I have hopes that these thorns will bear white flowers in their time, and that this apparently sterile struggle is nothing other than a labour of giving birth. First pain, then joy afterwards." (Read more.)
Labels: Art
The New Coptic Martyrs
From Abbey Roads:
The Coptic Orthodox Church has announced that the murder of the 21 Egyptian Christians killed by the so-called Islamic State in Libya will be commemorated in its Church calendar. Pope Tawadros II announced that the names of the martyrs will be inserted into the Coptic Synaxarium, the Oriental Church's equivalent to the Roman Martyrology. This procedure is also equivalent to canonization in the Latin Church. - Vatican Radio
The blood of the Coptic martyrs stains the sea in Libya
"And the second angel sounded the trumpet: and as it were a great mountain, burning with fire, was cast into the sea, and the third part of the sea became blood...." Apocalypse 8:8 Share
Labels: Africa, Apocalypse, Scripture, The Persecuted Church, Tyrants
Traveling with Slaves
American Creation quotes Thomas Jefferson:
I have made enquiries on the subject of the negro boy you have brought, and find that the laws of France give him freedom if he claims it, and that it will be difficult, if not impossible, to interrupt the course of the law. Nevertheless I have known an instance where a person bringing in a slave, and saying nothing about it, has not been disturbed in his possession. I think it will be easier in your case to pursue the same plan, as the boy is so young that it is not probable he will think of claiming freedom. (Read more.)
Labels: Africa, Enfants de France, Land of the Free
An Architectural Treasure
Virginia of the Chartreuse Life visits the charming village of New Windsor, Maryland. To quote:
I have long loved New Windsor, Maryland for its exceptional collection of early 19th century homes. I first discovered it during my college years – my then-boyfriend (now husband), Chip, attended college in Westminster, Maryland, and the best route there from Frederick was Rt. 26 to Libertytown, and then a left onto Rt 31 (which has some beautiful homes. Have someone else drive so you don't miss any of them!). Rt 31 takes you right into the small, but charming town of New Windsor. (Read more.)
Labels: Architecture, Land of the Free, My Family, The Old Line State
Modernity, Myth and the Scapegoat
From Histories of Things to Come:
It is too simplistic to dismiss Heidegger's thoughts on being and time as aspects of the Nazi narrative. But it is also wrong to say that his ideas can be read separately from their Nazi context. Heidegger was in the same ballpark, and that demands a serious reappraisal of his ideas.
In building their Aryan mythology against the Jews, the Nazis ironically appropriated the Hebraic concept of scapegoating. The scapegoat was originally an early Archaic, pre-Classical improvement (dating from around the seventh century BCE) on the sacrificial rites of other ancient societies. Scapegoating, a mental gambit which is alive and well today, occurs when one projects one's sins onto a goat and sends it off into the desert to die; this leaves one free from blame and responsibility, and able to get on with life without feeling guilty for one's wrongdoings.
The Nazis had a love-hate affair with modernization. In part, they were extremely advanced, yet their advancement demanded a scary divestment of older agrarian views which they held dear. In the assimilated Jews of Europe, they found an easy scapegoat for the angst and moral inconsistencies which arose from going too far, too fast.
The conflict between an embattled and fading traditional way of life and a modern international capitalism or communism informed the central narrative of the 19th and 20th centuries. At this point, several thinkers, not just Heidegger, grappled with the West's rapid advancement and loss of innocence. The West split into factions, which went to war with one another over precisely this problem. For all the profits that came out of the Great Depression - advancements in business, medicine, education and public health - the 20th century West endured a so-called Hemoclysm, or flood of blood. Genocide. Apartheid. The unspeakable disappearances in South America. Clutch your beast of a tablet if you must, but understand that it arrived in your hands at a terrible price.
The divided West spawned many reactionaries who devised different responses to the struggle between modernization (and postmodernization) and tradition. While German Naziism partly informed Heidegger's recipe for Authentic 'rooted' Being, a contending outlook came from a contemporary, also a professor, who saw how industry challenged the European soul. This alternative came from J. R. R. Tolkien (1892-1973), whose study of early medieval languages and sagas laid the groundwork for his Middle Earth stories, including The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.
A friend sniffily dismissed Tolkien's works as "children's stories," but this view completely misrepresents their significance. In England, Tolkien and his friend, C. S. Lewis (1898-1963) - like Heidegger in Germany - worried about the damage inflicted by industrialization on Western society. Both Tolkien and Lewis recognized the eternal human power of story-telling. While Lewis merged Christianity with fantasy and science fiction, Tolkien's central aim was to provide the West with a lost origin Ur-saga, a core common myth, using his scholarly study of Scandanavian early medieval sagas as his 'later' model. In a very modern way, Tolkien created an faux ancient myth suitable for modern times, based on the prehistoric memory of Atlantis, source of the "legendary West, a place of lost lands and mystery." Tolkien's Middle Earth stories were a form of modern Humanism, to help his readers cope with the fears and confusion sparked by industrial and technological alienation. Having fought in the First World War, Tolkien was aware of the devastation caused when western countries lost their common narrative through modernization. (Read more.)
Labels: Apocalypse, Books, Fairy-tales, Germany, Politics, Queens of England, The House of Israel, The Revolution, Tyrants
The First Born of Maria Theresa
The first born child of Emperor Francis and Empress Maria Theresa. To quote:
On this day in history, February 5th, in 1737, Archduchess Maria Elisabeth Amalia Antonia Josepha Gabriele Johanna Agathe of Austria was born. Known as Maria Elisabeth, she was the first of many children born to Maria Theresa and Francis I, and was born only a week before their first wedding anniversary.
Initially they were disappointed at the lack of a son, but the lively child soon became a favourite of her parents and her grandfather, Charles VI.
On June 7, 1740, at the age of just three years old, she began to suffer from stomach cramps and vomiting and died in her father's arms. Elisabeth was buried in Tomb 48 in the Imperial Crypt. A younger sister, born three years after her death, would be named in her honour.
Labels: Marie-Antoinette, Motherhood, Princesses, The House of Austria
British Queens and the Virgin Mary
From Confessions of a Ci-devant:
Marie de Guise, the statuesque French widow who famously rejected Henry VIII's clumsy proposal of marriage by making a thinly-veiled quip about poor Anne Boleyn, went on to marry Henry's estranged nephew, King James V of Scotland, a man torn between his twin desires for flesh and faith. Marie had just given birth to their only surviving child, Mary, on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception 1542, when James sickened and died, apparently broken by Scotland's defeat at the hands of the English army. Threatened by Henry VIII, Marie sent her daughter to France to live with her French family, the Guises, arguably the most powerful non-reigning clan in Europe at the time. Eventually, a marriage was arranged with the young girl to the French Dauphin. Back in Scotland, Marie held on to the reins of government in her daughter's name. It was a thankless task for which she was vilified by the new Protestant sect known as Presbyterianism, which originated in Scotland and which viewed the French-born Catholic queen regent as an evil strumpet. Pious and dignified, Marie died at Edinburgh Castle of oedema at the age of forty-four. (Read more.)
Labels: Chivalry, Our Lady, Politics, Princesses, Queens of England
Ribbon à l'inoculation
Here is a picture of the style which encouraged the French to inoculate against smallpox. To quote:
A 1785 fashion plate depicting an ensemble with a hat trimmed in 'ribbon à l'inoculation,' a reference to the smallpox vaccinations which became popular after Louis XV died from smallpox in 1774. Note the spots on the ribbon, which likely reference the pustules experienced by sufferers of the disease.
Read more about vaccination's influence on 18th century fashion (and vice versa) in Kimberly Chrisman-Cambpell's article, How Fashion Helped Defeat 18th-Century Anti-Vaxxers
Labels: Health, Marie-Antoinette, Style
The Last Days of Anne Neville
From The Tudor Society:
Anne and her husband, King Richard III, were together for the Christmas celebrations of 1484. Her attendants now included the former King Edward IV's daughter Elizabeth and perhaps a few of her younger sisters, such as Cecily, who had been freed from sanctuary by her mother the previous March. We are not sure of Anne's feelings about having the Woodville girls with her at Christmas, perhaps she found it pleasant having their company, or maybe she was wary of their motives. Alison Weir remarks in her book The Princes in the Tower that the Princess Elizabeth 'was ranked familiarly in the queens favour, who treated her as a sister." Anne was ten years Elizabeth's senior and had experienced the trials of queenship, which Elizabeth had grown up being prepared for. The Crowland Chronicler states that at the Christmas feast 'far too much attention was given to dancing and gaiety' and to frequent changes of matching clothes by Queen Anne and the Lady Elizabeth. Rumors had already started to circulate that Richard wished to marry his niece, Elizabeth. After the favour shown to the vivacious York princess at Christmas, The Crowland Chronicler continues, a tale spread that the king was determined to marry her either after Anne's death 'or by means of a divorce for which he believed he had sufficient grounds.' However, the chronicler offers no suggestion as to what these grounds may have been, and this was probably no more than popular gossip throughout court. These rumors undoubtedly found their way back to Anne and must have made her question their reliability. The queen was well aware of her inability to produce any more children, and Princess Elizabeth was the daughter of a woman who had produced at least twelve children with many surviving infancy. A marriage to his niece would more than likely produce an heir for Richard if Elizabeth had inherited her mother's fertility.
By the late winter of 1484 Anne was suffering from a 'mortal illness.' There are few clues as to the identification of Anne's illness. All we know is that its duration was two months and that Richard was advised by his physicians to avoid her bed. From this piece of information, a number of illnesses can be considered. Anne may have been suffering from tuberculosis, a common airborne illness which in the medieval period had a high mortality rate. Another possibility could be an attack of influenza, which combined with a weak immune system and other ailments could be fatal. There was even vicious gossip that Richard wished to poison Anne so he could finally marry his niece. However, there is no evidence to prove this rumour's authenticity.
During this time, a marriage deal involving Elizabeth was being considered for Richard's widowhood. It was to be a double marriage between Richard and the Portuguese Princess Joanna, and Elizabeth and the Portuguese Prince Manuel. Joanna was a highly pious woman and had already vehemently refused several marriage propositions, but these plans came to nothing anyway because Richard died in 1485. It would have been virtually impossible for Richard to marry Elizabeth due to opposition in the North, where much of his property lay and where Anne was much admired by the people, being the last surviving daughter of Warwick the Kingmaker. (Read more.)
Labels: Books, Chivalry, Princesses, Queens of England
How to Walk Down the Stairs
Advice from Miss Janice. To quote:
I was taught that you stand at the top of the stairs with your head held high and shoulders back. Turn your body at slight angle away from the stair rail and place your hand on the rail. Don't grip the rail unless you start to fall. If there is no rail, you are on your own. Glide down the stairs gracefully. This takes practice, practice, practice y'all. (Read more.)
Labels: Etiquette
The Neurochemistry of Positive Conversations
From Harvard Business Review:
Why do negative comments and conversations stick with us so much longer than positive ones?
A critique from a boss, a disagreement with a colleague, a fight with a friend – the sting from any of these can make you forget a month's worth of praise or accord. If you've been called lazy, careless, or a disappointment, you're likely to remember and internalize it. It's somehow easier to forget, or discount, all the times people have said you're talented or conscientious or that you make them proud.
Chemistry plays a big role in this phenomenon. When we face criticism, rejection or fear, when we feel marginalized or minimized, our bodies produce higher levels of cortisol, a hormone that shuts down the thinking center of our brains and activates conflict aversion and protection behaviors. We become more reactive and sensitive. We often perceive even greater judgment and negativity than actually exists. And these effects can last for 26 hours or more, imprinting the interaction on our memories and magnifying the impact it has on our future behavior. Cortisol functions like a sustained-release tablet – the more we ruminate about our fear, the longer the impact.
Positive comments and conversations produce a chemical reaction too. They spur the production of oxytocin, a feel-good hormone that elevates our ability to communicate, collaborate and trust others by activating networks in our prefrontal cortex. But oxytocin metabolizes more quickly than cortisol, so its effects are less dramatic and long-lasting.
This "chemistry of conversations" is why it's so critical for all of us -especially managers – to be more mindful about our interactions. Behaviors that increase cortisol levels reduce what I call "Conversational Intelligence" or "C-IQ," or a person's ability to connect and think innovatively, empathetically, creatively and strategically with others. Behaviors that spark oxytocin, by contrast, raise C-IQ. (Read more.)
Labels: Health, Science
Gluck at the Trianon
Gluck playing for Marie-Antoinette and her ladies. Via Vive la Reine. Share
Labels: Marie-Antoinette, Music
Celtic Round Houses
How the British Celts lived. To quote:
The British Celts lived in roundhouses. We know this from the archaeological remains that have been excavated and dated to the Iron Age. The size of the roundhouses can be seen from the rain ditches which surround the houses. From those ditches we know that some of the roundhouses in the hill fort were quite big and that there was room for a lot of people inside.
The archaeological record for these roundhouses is incomplete due to the decomposition of organic materials and the removal and reuse of their contents elsewhere. However, Castell Henllys Iron Age Hill Fort probably provides the most authentic reconstruction of Iron Age roundhouses in Britain. (Read more.)
Labels: Archaeology, Architecture
The Doors of Paris
From The Chartreuse Life:
I have always had a love of architecture, and doors in particular. They are the life-line to the space within, and as such have far more impact than we often give them credit for. As I strolled through the extraordinarily beautiful streets of Paris, it was the seemingly infinite variety of portals – size, shape, color, embellishment – one right after the other. (Read more.)
Labels: Architecture, Beauty, Enfants de France
What ISIS Really Wants
From The Atlantic:
The Islamic State, also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), follows a distinctive variety of Islam whose beliefs about the path to the Day of Judgment matter to its strategy, and can help the West know its enemy and predict its behavior. Its rise to power is less like the triumph of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt (a group whose leaders the Islamic State considers apostates) than like the realization of a dystopian alternate reality in which David Koresh or Jim Jones survived to wield absolute power over not just a few hundred people, but some 8 million.
We have misunderstood the nature of the Islamic State in at least two ways. First, we tend to see jihadism as monolithic, and to apply the logic of al‑Qaeda to an organization that has decisively eclipsed it. The Islamic State supporters I spoke with still refer to Osama bin Laden as "Sheikh Osama," a title of honor. But jihadism has evolved since al-Qaeda's heyday, from about 1998 to 2003, and many jihadists disdain the group's priorities and current leadership.
Bin Laden viewed his terrorism as a prologue to a caliphate he did not expect to see in his lifetime. His organization was flexible, operating as a geographically diffuse network of autonomous cells. The Islamic State, by contrast, requires territory to remain legitimate, and a top-down structure to rule it. (Its bureaucracy is divided into civil and military arms, and its territory into provinces.)
We are misled in a second way, by a well-intentioned but dishonest campaign to deny the Islamic State's medieval religious nature. Peter Bergen, who produced the first interview with bin Laden in 1997, titled his first book Holy War, Inc. in part to acknowledge bin Laden as a creature of the modern secular world. Bin Laden corporatized terror and franchised it out. He requested specific political concessions, such as the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Saudi Arabia. His foot soldiers navigated the modern world confidently. On Mohammad Atta's last full day of life, he shopped at Walmart and ate dinner at Pizza Hut. (Read more.)
Labels: Apocalypse, Land of the Free, The Mystery of Iniquity, The Persecuted Church, The Revolution, Tyrants
Television producer George Lerner's debut novel The Ambassadors tells the turbulent story of a Mossad operative who in his determination to save the world loses his family. Traumatized by witnessing the Holocaust and other World War II experiences, Jacob Furman must also face a family tragedy, which proves to him that, even in America, Jews are not safe. He becomes an agent for the Mossad and spends his life traveling around the world trying rescue Jewish communities in crisis.
He marries a Shoah survivor, a brilliant anthropologist named Susanna, whom he leaves late in her pregnancy in order to go on a mission. She must bear her son alone. Later, when he travels with her to Ethiopia and abandons her in a dangerous situation, she decides to divorce him. Although he continues to live in the basement of their house, Jacob becomes more and more estranged from his son Shalom. His last mission takes him to Rwanda which is in the throes of a genocidal civil war. In the meantime, Shalom goes out of his way to disappoint both of his parents, abusing drugs, alcohol and women along the way.
The narrative is told from the point of view of all three characters, Jacob, Susanna, and Shalom, leading very different lives, until illness unites them at last. The novel is full of international intrigue as well as quiet human pathos and inner transformation.
This review originally appeared in the February 2015 edition of the Historical Novels Review.
(*NOTE: The Ambassadors was sent to me by the Historical Novel Society in exchange for my honest opinion.)
Labels: Books, The House of Israel, The Revolution
Prince Henry Frederick Stuart
The first Prince of Wales from the House of Stuart was named for his grandfather, Lord Darnley. (Yes, the Lord Darnley.) To quote author Linda Root:
Many historians wrongly refer to Henry Frederick Stuart as the Prince of Wales from the time he arrived in England in 1603. This is incorrect. He was not invested with that title until 1610. His predecessor was Edward Tudor, the boy king Edward VI (1537-1553) Upon Henry Frederick's birth in Scotland he was given the customary title of a male Scottish heir apparent, Duke of Rothesay, as well as several lesser grants appropriate to the Scottish heir. However, when he arrived in England he was also conferred the English title Duke of Cornwall. He had to wait seven more years to become Prince of Wales. Referring to him as Prince of Wales during his early childhood should be a cause of embarrassment to a any historian or historical novelist who refers to him as Wales prior to 1610 and yet, it is a common mistake. It is the way he is most often remembered although he only lived two years to enjoy the title. (Read more.)
Labels: Art, Mary Stuart, Princesses, Queens of England, The Scots
The Beautiful Struggle
From Mary Victrix:
In the immortal masterpiece, Don Quixote by the Spanish king of poets, Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, we see the complete opposite embodied in the figure of a middle-aged gentleman from the region of La Mancha. Don Quixote befuddles his imagination with the tales of knightly derring-do and fantastic deeds of chivalry. He decides that his world needs such a knight-errant and that he is just the man. Due to his mistreatment of the imagination, Don Quixote too lives in a sort of "never never land," where he is paradoxically a self-appointed hero who constantly disturbs the peace. We read in chapter 18, that he often saw "in his imagination what he did not see and what did not exist."
Far from lampooning genuine knighthood, what Cervantes fluently describes and brands with such mordant satire is a degenerated knighthood, stemming from a presumptive use of the imagination—the good old "art for art's sake." In consequence, the factor that originally sparks Don Quixote's wild adventures, namely, an uncontrolled imagination, results in persistent misinterpretations of ordinary events he encounters on the road. The aftermath is only natural. He mistakes the windmills for giants. A funeral procession becomes a troop of devils carrying off a princess. A barber's basin becomes the miraculous Helmet of Bambrino. We are told of how his unsanctified imagination "immediately conjured all this to him vividly as one of the adventures of his books." The attempt to live chivalry, while failing to tame the "madman of the house," only ends in humiliation and suffering.
In all this, the power of the Cervantes' narrative lies in illustrating the gradual transformation of Don Quixote as he regains the balance of his imagination. In Don Quixote we have an eloquent proof of one thing: reality will always be a salutary kryptonite for those who imagine themselves to be superman. (Read more.)
An Illustrated Introduction to The Tudors
With all the sundry costume dramas about the Tudors that are available on DVD, cable and streaming, it is easy to become confused about who the major characters are in the various portrayals. Not to mention the dozens of historical novels, both old and new, telling of the rise and fall of kings and queens in sixteenth century England. Gareth Russell's An Illustrated Introduction to The Tudors is therefore indispensable, and can serve as a guide for Tudor novices as well as a refresher course for Tudor aficionados.
I have enjoyed internet debates over the years with Mr. Russell over some of the points brought up in the book. I have agreed with many of his interpretations; he has certainly changed my opinion about Anne Boleyn. I used to see Anne as a heartless opportunist and hussy. Now I see her as a witty, glamorous and highly-intelligent woman who played a ruthless game of chess and lost.
The author's style is as engaging and entertaining as readers have come to expect from his plays, his novels, his Confessions of a Ci-Devant blog, and his book on World War One called The Emperors. The Tudors is Mr. Russell's second non-fiction work and will be followed next year by a biography of Katherine Howard. The volume includes magnificent images of historic persons and sites, together with the author's thorough mastery of his subject. The Tudor era is vivified in a concise and cogent manner.
Mr. Russell tries to be as balanced as possible, although he leans just a little bit to the Protestant side. I do not agree with his statement about Queen Katherine of Aragon resisting an annulment and refusing to go to a convent just in order to save her title. (p.74) An annulment was, and is, a matter of conscience. If one party sincerely feels that the marriage is valid then it is right for them to contest the annulment, as the Queen did. Also, if a woman does not feel a call to the convent, then she should not go. Sometimes women who misbehaved were sent to monasteries but Queen Katherine had never misbehaved.
Mr. Russell looks at the strengths and weaknesses of every reign of the Tudor family, including Henry VII and his parsimony; Henry VIII and his megalomania; Edward VI and his priggish reforms; Lady Jane Grey and her fervent devotion to Protestantism; Mary I and her burnings of heretics, and finally, the most politically successful Tudor monarch, Elizabeth I. I find the analysis between the popular image of Lady Jane Grey versus the image of Mary I to be intriguing. "While Jane Grey was immortalized in paint as Delaroche's virgin-pure martyr, in 2010 the London Dungeons advertised their tours with a portrait of Mary morphing into a blood-drinking zombie." (p.79) This is, of course, because Mary had people burned at the stake, while Jane ruled for only nine days, and later was beheaded, and so became a martyr of the New Religion. Nevertheless, if Jane had reigned long, she may have made life as difficult for Catholics as her cousin Elizabeth did. Elizabeth's political astuteness, as well as her fear of marriage, is shown. It is possible that she reigned so successfully because she remained single, and so she was able to avoid the entanglements that came with having a consort.
I heartily recommend this short, readable history as both an introduction and a review. It is the perfect book to have on hand for quick consultation. For those who love English history, it makes an important addition to any library.
*NOTE: The book was sent to me by the author's representative in exchange for my honest opinion.
Labels: Books, Princesses, Queens of England, The Persecuted Church, Tyrants
More Coptic Martyrs
From Abbey-Roads: "Whoever loses his life for my sake, will find it in eternity, says the Lord."- Common for Martyrs
From Vultus Christi: "Their only words: 'Jesus, help me!'"
Let us have courage like our brothers in faith. The assassins who killed them have accomplished nothing but increase the number of saints in Heaven. Every Christian in the world will look upon those brave martyrs and find strength and fortitude. In trying to destroy us, the enemy had made us strong.
But the souls of the just are in the hand of God, and the torment of death shall not touch them. In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die: and their departure was taken for misery: And their going away from us, for utter destruction: but they are in peace. And though in the sight of men they suffered torments, their hope is full of immortality. Afflicted in few things, in many they shall be well rewarded: because God hath tried them, and found them worthy of himself. ~Wisdom 3: 1-5
Labels: Apocalypse, Martyrs, Scripture, The Persecuted Church, Tyrants
Many books have been written about the Shoah, and many more will be in the future. Few, however, are as haunting and utterly heart-wrenching as The Wall, which takes the reader inside the head of a man who has survived the hell on earth of the Nazi death camps. The Wall is not only a literary masterpiece, but literary history is made as well. Translated by Peter Filkins, this edition is the first English version of the magnum opus of H. G. Adler, scholar and Holocaust survivor. The novel is the continuous stream of consciousness of its protagonist, Arthur Landau, a former professor, who returns to his native city like one come back from the dead. He is overwhelmed by the feeling that he himself no longer exists as he stumbles into people he used to know as well as new acquaintances, who try ineffectually to help him. Written without chapter breaks, the story veers from reality to dreams to memories and back to reality again, as Arthur tries to absorb everything he has survived as well as the basic fact that he is still alive. While few experiences compare to the horrors of a concentration camp, many who have suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder will identify with the main character's sense of alienation and dissociation. It is only through the healing relationship with his loving wife, Joanna, and having the courage to start a family does Arthur begin to find a foothold in the world, and see life as a gift instead of a curse.
(*NOTE: The Wall was sent to me by the Historical Novel Society in exchange for my honest opinion.)
Labels: Apocalypse, Books, Germany, The House of Israel, The Mystery of Iniquity
Comtesse d'Artois
Wife of Comte d'Artois and Marie-Antoinette's sister-in-law. Mother of the Duc de Berry and Louis XIX. Via Vive la Reine. Share
Labels: Enfants de France, Italy, Louis XVI, Marie-Antoinette, Princesses, Queens of France
Dressing Like a Lady
A brave girl makes a bold statement:
"If you dress like a lady you will be treated like a lady. A short skirt or perhaps more a see-through top, encourages a man to come and take advantage, it encourages unwanted attention.
"I go to nightclubs like other girls my age and when I do I'm always struck by the same thing.
"You walk into a room all the guys are looking at you, just up and down like you're a piece of meat and I think if girls had longer skirts they would feel more confident and safe.
"I think there is a certain element of responsibility that comes with designing clothes and an element of responsibility when it comes to wearing them.
"I don't believe anyone under any circumstances should be taken advantage of, however when it comes to clothes, young women have to take responsibility for their look if they do not wish to be left in a vulnerable position." (Read more.)
Labels: Beauty, Etiquette, Style
The Princesse de Lamballe as a Child
Via Tiny-Librarian. A childhood portrait of the lovely Marie-Louise-Thérèse de Savoie-Carignan, who was to become the sweet widowed friend of Marie-Antoinette, and died at the hands of the revolutionary mob. Share
Labels: Italy, Marie-Antoinette, Princesses, The Mystery of Iniquity, The Revolution
Secrets to Creativity
From the HuffPost:
Creativity works in mysterious and often paradoxical ways. Creative thinking is a stable, defining characteristic in some personalities, but it may also change based on situation and context. Inspiration and ideas often arise seemingly out of nowhere and then fail to show up when we most need them, and creative thinking requires complex cognition yet is completely distinct from the thinking process.
Neuroscience paints a complicated picture of creativity. As scientists now understand it, creativity is far more complex than the right-left brain distinction would have us think (the theory being that left brain = rational and analytical, right brain = creative and emotional). In fact, creativity is thought to involve a number of cognitive processes, neural pathways and emotions, and we still don't have the full picture of how the imaginative mind works.
And psychologically speaking, creative personality types are difficult to pin down, largely because they're complex, paradoxical and tend to avoid habit or routine. And it's not just a stereotype of the "tortured artist" -- artists really may be more complicated people. Research has suggested that creativity involves the coming together of a multitude of traits, behaviors and social influences in a single person.
"It's actually hard for creative people to know themselves because the creative self is more complex than the non-creative self," Scott Barry Kaufman, a psychologist at New York University who has spent years researching creativity, told The Huffington Post. "The things that stand out the most are the paradoxes of the creative self ... Imaginative people have messier minds." (Read more.)
Labels: Art, Beauty
A Soldier's Fare
Even before a food supply system was organized, on June 10, 1775, the Massachusetts Provincial Council set the daily allowance or ration for its troops in Boston as:
One pound of bread
Half a pound of beef and half a pound of pork; and if pork cannot be had, one pound and a quarter of beef; and one day in seven they shall have one pound and one quarter of salt fish, instead of one day's allowance of meat
One pint of milk, or if milk cannot be had, one gill [half a cup] of rice
One quart of good spruce or malt beer
One gill of peas or beans, or other sauce equivalent
Six ounces of good butter per week
One pound of good common soap for six men per week
Half a pint of vinegar per week per man, if it can be had.
Labels: Drink, Food, Land of the Free
From the Brownings.
"I love your verses with all my heart, dear Miss Barrett..."
So begins the first love letter to 19th century poet Elizabeth Barrett from her future husband, fellow poet Robert Browning. Their 573 love letters, which capture their courtship, their blossoming love and their forbidden marriage, have long fascinated scholars and poetry fans. Though transcriptions of their correspondence have been published in the past, the handwritten letters could only be seen at Wellesley College, where the collection has been kept since 1930. But beginning Tuesday, Valentine's Day, their famous love letters will become available online where readers can see them — just as they were written — with creased paper, fading ink, quill pen cross outs, and even the envelopes the two poets used.
The digitization project is a collaboration between Wellesley and Baylor University in Waco, Texas, which houses the world's largest collection of books, letters and other items related to the Brownings. Wellesley administrators hope the project will expose students, romantics, poetry lovers and others to their love story. Barrett, one of the most well-known poets of the Victorian era, suffered from chronic illness and was in her late 30s when Browning first wrote her in 1845 to tell her he admired her work. In their fifth month of corresponding, they met for the first time, introduced by Barrett's cousin.
After more than a year of almost daily letters between them, the couple married in secret in September 1846, defying her father's prohibition against her ever marrying. They fled from London to Italy, where doctors had told Barrett her health might improve. Her father disinherited her and never spoke to her again.
"It's the fact that she defied her father, she was in ill health, they fell in love through letters, she left with hardly anything," said Ruth Rogers, Wellesley's curator of special collections. "If you want a perfect romance, just read the letters," she said. (Read entire post.)
The Vaccine Debate
From Dr. Lina Abujamra:
#1 This debate is not about vaccines at all. It's about control.
No matter how hard we try, we can't make safe happen. We will always have only a small measure of control over the outcome of our kids health. That doesn't mean you get to check your brain at the door, but sooner or later, you are going to have to trust your children's health to the God who created them.
#2 This debate is not driven by science. It's driven by fear.
Don't get me wrong. There's certainly a lot of science involved in the vaccine debate, but what has motivated the fisticuffs over this issue has little to do with science and everything to do with fear. We are afraid of what might happen to our kids to the point of exhaustion. God's peace overcomes our deepest fears if we'll turn to Him for comfort.
#3 This debate puts personal opinion in the drivers seat. It's forgotten about love.
We live in a country where we're blessed with the freedom of speech and opinion. That's awesome. But as followers of Jesus, we ought to rather be known by our love for one another. Let's not lose sight of people in our quest to be right. Let's not get arrogant and think we know better than whoever is our villain for the day. Let's first and foremost be known by our love.
#4 This debate has created an "Us vs. Them" mentality. It's a lose lose for all.
We've picked sides, drawn lines in the sand, and made our decisions. Some of us have even quit talking to others because of our disdain over their decisions about vaccines and diaper choices. May God forgive us our petty disregard for each other, and our desire to "win" the battles that don't matter in eternity.
#5 When it comes to public forums for debate, social media gets a big fat F.
If there's anything I'm learning it's that the idea that we can rule the world from our desks via Facebook and Twitter is plain wrong. Nothing will destroy our relationships faster than our wielding our so called power of opinion via social media. What if we were to sit with each other over a meal and talk about our differences? What if we were to hear what's behind our words and opinions and see the root of our fears?
We might just find that we have a whole lot in common with each other than we initially thought. (Read more.)
And here is an article on the grim realities from The Washington Examiner:
Those framing the issue in such absolutist terms need to get a grip. This is still America, where parents have always been responsible for their own children. One cannot simply deploy the SWAT Team to administer forced vaccinations or remove the offspring of those who resist science and common sense.
The state has an interest in vaccinating as many people as possible. A failure to do so affects more than just the children of anti-vaccine zealots. Some people simply cannot be immunized — infants, children suffering certain diseases, and a small number of vaccine recipients for whom it is ineffective. When parents refuse to vaccinate their children, they are also endangering all of these people as well. The recent incident at Disneyland, in which at least four dozen children were infected with the measles, illustrates this.
As every parent knows, schools cause diseases to spread through even the healthiest communities. Children bring them to school, and children bring them home to their families. There is thus an enormous state interest in making sure children who do not get vaccinations are barred from attending them with other children.
In Marin County, California, where vaccination opt-out rates are extremely high, some pediatric practices simply refuse to see unvaccinated children, lest their offices become breeding grounds for dangerous diseases. These are both legitimate ways of dissuading parents from foolishness without resorting to fascism.
Parents have the natural and legal right to make most decisions for their young children. It would set a terrible precedent to criminalize decisions like this one and create an individual vaccination mandate. (Read more.)
Labels: Health, Motherhood
From Popsugar:
Coconut oil is the It oil right now, and the good news is that there is no harm in getting your little one in on the amazing potential this oil has to offer. While we appreciate coconut oil as a beauty must-have, your child may also benefit from its antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties. Any time we can ditch those chemicals on our baby, we're all ears, so check out these wonderful uses for coconut oil on your baby. Just be sure to stick to an organic version. (Read more.)
Labels: Food, Health, Motherhood
Tudor Dining
From History Extra:
In Tudor England, maintaining the difference between ranks was so important to the concept of a well-ordered society that efforts were made to enshrine the distinctions between the classes in 'sumptuary' laws. These laws tried to control what you ate and wore, according to your position in the God-given hierarchy, which stretched from the king at the top, down through the numerous grades of nobility and clergy, to the gentry, yeomen and finally the labourers at the bottom of the heap.
Of course, for the poorest, sumptuary laws were not terribly relevant. Labourers would not often be able to afford more than pottage – the staple dish – and you could eat as much of that as your budget would allow. The rich ate pottage too, but instead of what was basically cabbage soup with some barley or oats – and a sniff of bacon if you were lucky – a nobleman's pottage might contain almonds, ginger and saffron, as well as wine.
However, for aspiring courtiers who spent fortunes trying to outdo one other in lavish display, the sumptuary law was very relevant indeed. Failure to obey it could earn you a fine, as well as contempt for trying to 'ape your betters'. In theory, even the nobles were supposed to limit the amount spent on food each year to about 10 per cent of their capital, although that was for their immediate family, and did not include the amount to be spent on the household.
The other rule to take into account was the strict observance of fasting on Fridays, Saturdays and, sometimes, Wednesdays too. Fasting did not mean going without food altogether, just eschewing flesh, and, in Lent, butter, eggs and dairy foods as well. Children, pregnant women and the elderly were not expected to fast, however, and it was possible to obtain a dispensation from fasting, but this was exceptional.
Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, was hauled before the King's Council and severely reprimanded in 1543 for flagrantly eating meat during Lent. He was either deliberately risking an accusation of heresy (the reformed church being inclined to see fasting as superstitious), or he actively disliked fish.
Pocket permitting, meat was replaced by an extraordinary array of fish and other seafoods, including seal and porpoise, the latter apparently a great favourite of Katharine of Aragon.
Monarchs, although strictly observing the rules of fasting, were, of course, unlimited in what they could eat, or provide for their guests and courtiers. On flesh days at Henry VIII's court, a staggering range of meats and fowl would be enjoyed, including brawn, beef, mutton, bacon, goose, veal and lamb. Kid, hens, capons and peacocks also featured, as did cygnet, mallard, teal, woodcock, ousels, thrush, robins, cranes, bitterns, buzzards and venison of all sorts. Venison was the king of meats – not available to buy, it was hunted in the deer parks of the king and his nobles, and frequently given as a present. Henry VIII sent a hart to Anne Boleyn as a symbol of courtship. (Read more.)
Labels: Chivalry, Drink, Food, Gardens, Princesses, Queens of England, The Good Old Days
Will a Future Pope Flee Rome?
From Catholic World Report:
Where will the Pope live when Rome falls to Islam?
It's not an idle question. For one thing, there is historical precedent. Popes have been forced from Rome in the past. For another thing, numerous Islamic authorities have explicitly targeted Rome for conquest.
Rome may be the Eternal City, but it has seen rough times. In 846, for instance, Pope Leo IV had to briefly flee Rome when it was attacked by an Arab fleet. The following year, he ordered the construction of a great wall around the Vatican to protect it from marauding Muslims. Even as recently as the 1940s, Rome was occupied by a foreign army. Although the Nazis left the pope alone, there is no guarantee that that situation would have continued had the Germans been able to keep the Allied forces at bay.
If Rome ever falls to Islam, the pope—whoever he may be at that time—may choose to remain in Rome and suffer the almost certain martyrdom that would follow. That is up to him and the Holy Spirit. However, in light of the escalating Islamization of Europe, it would seem prudent for Vatican officials to draw up some contingency plans. If the pope chooses exile, it would probably have to be in North or South American since it's unlikely there will be any safe havens in Europe. In fact, Italy is currently a safer place than many other European nations. Although many Muslim immigrants pass through Italy, it is not their first choice of residence. Other European countries offer much more generous welfare incentives than does Italy. Countries such as England, Belgium, France, Sweden, and Germany are likely to fall first.
By "fall," I don't mean that these countries will fall to Muslim armies. That probably won't be necessary. What we will see—what we are already witnessing—is a slow, steady process of submission. Well, slow and steady up to a point—and then, a rapid acceleration.
Some places in Europe seem already to be in the rapid acceleration phase. Birmingham, England now has more Muslim than Christian children. "That means," as Mark Steyn observes, "that absent any countervailing dynamic, its future is Muslim." What will that future look like? Steyn comments:
If you're a Muslim girl, the authorities will systematically turn a blind eye to forced marriages and honor violence and, if you're a lower-class infidel girl, to "grooming." If you're boorish enough to draw attention to such unpleasantness, you'll be committing a hate crime…
It's not necessary to consult a crystal ball to see the future of Birmingham (England's second largest city). The forced marriages of Muslim girls and the grooming of lower-class girls is already a reality in England. And so is the blind eye response. Most Americans don't know about it, but it was recently revealed that over a sixteen-year period, 1400 girls in the city of Rotherham had been groomed, gang-raped, and traded by Muslim gangs—and all with the full knowledge of police, city officials, and child protection agencies. No one in authority did anything about it because no one wanted to be charged with "committing a hate crime" by singling out Muslims. (Read more.)
It is interesting speculation because there have been prophecies about the Pope fleeing Rome. According to Unveiling the Apocalypse:
Pope St. Pius X (1903-14): "Will I be the one, or will it be a successor? What is certain is that the Pope will leave Rome and, in leaving the Vatican, he will have to pass over the dead bodies of his priests!"(Before his death) "I have seen one of my successors, of the same name, who was fleeing over the bodies of his brethren. He will take refuge in some hiding place; but after a brief respite, he will die a cruel death. Respect for God has disappeared from human hearts. They wish to efface even God's memory. This perversity is nothing less than the beginning of the last days of the world." (Read more.)
Labels: Italy, Politics, Queens of England, The Holy Father, The Mystery of Iniquity
The Twins of Auschwitz
From the BBC:
Vera Kriegel and her twin sister Olga were just five years old when they were taken from their village in Czechoslovakia to Auschwitz. Transported in cattle cars which were so tightly packed that the dead were still standing, she recalls the "sheer terror" of arriving at the camp and treading on "dead people like steps" as she left the train.
New arrivals at the camp were sorted into the weak, who would be gassed straight away, and the strong, who would be made to work. But Mengele and his assistants were there too, looking for twins. Vera, her sister, and her mother were taken straight to SS Captain Josef Mengele. He was intrigued, she says, by what he described as her mother's "perfect Aryan features" and blue eyes, while Vera's and her sister's were brown.
Mengele selected them for experimentation.
Another woman who remembers her arrival at the camp is Jona Laks, who was taken as a teenager from the Lodz ghetto. She was not immediately recognised as a twin and was initially sent off in the direction of the gas chamber - when her sister told Mengele they were twins he had her brought to his laboratory.
Josef Mengele was an assistant to a well-known researcher who studied twins at the Institute for Heredity Biology and Racial Hygiene in Frankfurt - he started working at Auschwitz in May 1943.
There he had an unlimited supply of twins to study, and he wouldn't get in trouble if they died. According to Prof Paul Weindling of Oxford Brookes University, author of Victims and Survivors of Nazi Human Experiments, hundreds of children were used in Mengele's experiments.
"I found a record of a prisoner doctor and bacteriologist who was forced to work for Mengele that there were 732 pairs of twins," he says, and suggests the doctor was interested in genetics. "I think Mengele might have been interested in the inheritance of the propensity to having twins."
He believes many of the twins survived Auschwitz, although he thinks Roma twins were almost certainly killed. (Read more.)
Labels: Germany, Poland, The House of Israel, The Mystery of Iniquity, Tyrants
An Altar in Tobolsk
Via Tiny-Librarian. "The Christmas altar of the Imperial Family in Tobolsk, 1917." Share
Labels: Apocalypse, Communism, Holy Russia, Jesus, Martyrs, Princesses, The Persecuted Church, The Revolution
Mystery of the Newport Tower
Via Joshua Snyder:
The mystery of the Newport Tower may have been solved — Ancient Lime Kiln found at Newport, RI. From the article:Extensive Internet research regarding lime kilns, masonry styles, and arches in Colonial America and Medieval Europe confirms the probable time of construction for the Old Stone Tower as being the late 14th century. The masons were most-likely Norman-Scottish – that is, they were trained in masonry traditions of Northern Scotland (which at the time was still regarded as a Nordic Province). Between 1365 and 1410, agents of Denmark and the Kalmar Union were involved in the resettlement of refugees from the Eastern Settlement of Greenland. The Settlement was a Western Province of Norway (and hence also of the Kalmar Union that consisted of Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and the Western Province of Landanu – that is, the "New Land"). (Read more.)
Labels: Architecture, Chivalry, Land of the Free, The Scots
Death by Quill
Author Beth von Staats writes on the parliamentary Act of Attainder. To quote:
Common Law in medieval and early modern English and Welsh history could be quite a convenient tool for monarchs and their supporting ministers. With the stroke of the quill onto parchment and Parliamentary approval, not only could the riches and properties of "treasonous" nobility be easily converted to the crown, but most prominently during the reign of King Henry VIII, an attainder could also arrange for swift judicial murder.
Just how did this work? The Act of Attainder was a handy procedure of Parliamentary Law that swiftly enabled Parliament to pass judicial sentence upon an accused person, whether justified or not irrelevant, as if it was a court of law. The concept when actualized enabled Parliament to act as judge and jury, with the Act of Attainder submitted for review replacing a judicial verdict. Thus, the accused was condemned by statute rather than judged by a jury of peers. Literally speaking, the condemned was determined by legislative action to have "tainted blood" that needed to be "destroyed".
Think about that for a moment. With ink and quill a minister acting on behalf of a monarch could propose a law and demonstrate that an individual violated the said law, thus punishment levied -- often retroactively. The minister could bi-pass the potential of subject revolt based on questionable actions, a clever individual demonstrating his innocence, and the risk of trial and judgment by peers. An attainder could even be brought for Parliamentary consideration after an offender's death in battle or revolt. Nifty, eh? What a convenient stroke of genius!
Although the use of Acts of Attainder began in the 14th century, first to depose the DeSpensers, allies and favorites of King Edward II, they were initially limited to garnishing the riches and lands of men who rivaled the security of the monarch or who were defeated in battle. During King Henry VIII's reign, however, the Act of Attainder became a far more ominous tool, as for many unfortunate souls, it resulted in a death sentence, a convenient and expedient way to exact justice through judicial murder. In all cases, whether execution was exacted or not, the condemned lost nobility status if applicable with all property reverted to the crown, obviously leaving the condemned, family and heirs destitute.
Let's now look at some of the famous and infamous who became victims of 16th century Parliamentary Acts of Attainder...(Read more.)
Labels: Politics, Queens of England, The Persecuted Church, Tyrants
Geography of the House
Mimi Thorisson, author of A Kitchen in France, shares the story of her family's new house, as well as some wonderful recipes. To quote:
Our new house has had many lives, it used to be a wine-making château and then later a hotel & restaurant. When we bought it the previous owner left us quite a bit of beautiful furniture that we've been cleaning and restoring but since it's a big house we needed many more pieces. After spending a few afternoons in my new kitchen earlier this winter (before we moved in) I started thinking about a perfect table for the room. I found some photos that looked like what I wanted, a sturdy oak table with drawers for cutlery and Oddur and I searched for something similar around the local antique stores. One day he was driving past a little shop, popped in, liked what he saw and after I had approved by sms (technology can be so useful) he brought home exactly the table I wanted. Now this isn't really that interesting, people find tables every day, but wait, there's more. A few days after, the previous owner, Monsieur Ladra, stopped by to give us some guidance regarding the plumbing (a labyrinth comes to mind) and when he entered the kitchen his jaw dropped to the floor. "Where did you find that table he said, his voice almost shaking". It had been in our house for over 80 years before he sold it to and antiques dealer some months before we bought the house and now the table had found its way home. It may just be a simple little coincidence but typing this gives me goosebumps. (Read more.)
Labels: Architecture, Books, Enfants de France, Food, Motherhood
800th Anniversary of the Magna Carta
Magna Carta outlined basic rights with the principle that no-one was above the law, including the king
It charted the right to a fair trial, and limits on taxation without representation
It inspired a number of other documents, including the US Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Only three clauses are still valid - the one guaranteeing the liberties of the English Church; the clause confirming the privileges of the City of London and other towns; and the clause that states that no free man shall be imprisoned without the lawful judgement of his equals
Labels: Politics, Queens of England
How to Draw Out an Extrovert
From Verily:
Opposites attract, right? While that may be true in magnetics, when it comes to the finer points of friendship, mixing introverts and not-so-introverts can be harder than it looks.
This is especially true for extroverts looking to be there for an introvert friend. If you're of the extroverted variety, a simple "how was your day?" might launch a 30-minute blow-by-blow of insanity. Your introverted friend, however, may be more inclined to just say, "good." We may think that they don't have much to say since we gave them a chance, but really, introverts need to be drawn out by further probing and gentle encouragement.
Your extroverted ways don't mean you're incapable of having good introvert friends. Jennifer B. Kahnweiler Ph.D., author of Quiet Influence: The Introvert's Guide to Making a Difference, explains that, contrary to popular belief, "Extroverts can be incredible listeners, because they draw people out by their open-ended questions and paraphrasing. Extroverts are able to develop rapport with others and know how to make people comfortable."
So really, you're a natural! But you do need a different strategy than "treat others as you want to be treated." Introverts require a different script. So if you're grabbing your favorite introverted friend for drinks tonight and are hoping to get her out of her shell, here are six tips to help you do just that. (Read more.)
Louis XV as Dauphin
From Tiny-Librarian. It is said that Marie-Antoinette's second son, Louis XVII, resembled his great-grandfather.
Labels: Art, Enfants de France, Louis XVI, Louis XVII, Madame Royale, Marie-Antoinette
Why Does God Alllow Suffering?
From author Karl Erickson:
Are all types of pain and suffering, then, because of the Fall of Man? The simple answer is Yes. The choice of Adam and Eve, already created in the image of God, to disobey their Creator in a tragically misguided attempt to be "like God," led to evil being allowed to enter the world, permanently changing every facet and dimension of our lives. With the barrier of sin now present between us and our Heavenly Father, however, God never gave up on mankind, but He continually sought to give us the means to seek and receive redemption and freedom from the sin. While the sin weakens us, the suffering may build spiritual strength and endurance.
The simple answer to Why does God allow suffering? is really impossible until we first have a solid understanding of the nature of sin and evil. Once that is understood, we can say that suffering allows us to become the people God created us to be, refined by fire as it were. As previously mentioned, God allows our broken world to run its course. When my grandmother lay dying in a coma some years ago in a small hospital room overlooking the brilliant fall tapestry of the Yakima Valley below, I remarked to my grandfather "that it wasn't ever supposed to be this way." By that statement, I was trying to say that God had other plans for us--even though his omniscient nature was fully aware that we would fail. If there was no free will, we could not truly say that we could independently love God; we would be automatons, machines. Likewise, suffering may also be tied to this free will. We are held accountable for our bad choices and decisions--sin being the worst.
Along our journey, it's important to remember that every person we meet within our hectic daily schedules is someone for whom Christ's blood was spilled, and, therefore, a fellow member or potential member, of the Body of Christ. As C.S. Lewis reminds us in The Weight of Glory, there aren't "ordinary people." We all have everlasting souls.
We are familiar perhaps with the idea of redemptive suffering, offering our pains and struggles up to God. If we can apply this kind of internal reverence to our daily lives, we are offering these routine activities up to Christ. In this way, we are also acknowledging that we our identity is greater than what our daily life may trick us to believe. That is, our identity should not necessarily be tied so closely to our work or vocation. We are more than what we do from 8-5; our jobs should not define us. When we understand this, we are transforming the mundane to the eternal as we strive to live Paul's words from 1 Corinthians 10:31: "whatever you do, do for the glory of God." (Read more.)
Labels: Jesus, Scripture
From Dynamic Women of Faith:
There was a terrible fire at the parish. Most of the church was damaged or destroyed. I went to Adoration (held in the gym of the school) the next morning in the frigid cold, wondering what I would find.
I shouldn't have wondered at all… there they were, the warriors wearing veils, winter coats and thick boots. Warriors holding rosaries, and praying in earnest. They didn't fret, or cry, they just hunkered down to fight the good fight. They were, as they always are, the church ladies.
Some people think of the Blessed Virgin Mary as timid, but not me. I see her following her Son, heart breaking, body aching and fighting her way up to Calvary. Others turn away in grief or fear, but Our Dear Mother looks upon her Son, sharing in His suffering. She never gives in to fear, but fights on. (Read more.)
Labels: Motherhood, Our Lady
Son of Louis XV
Portrait of Louis, Grand Dauphin of France by Louis Tocqué. 1739.Via Vive la Reine. He was also the father of Louis XVI. Share
Labels: Art, Enfants de France, Louis XVI
Africans in Tudor and Stuart England by Conor Byrne
The Tournament World
Those Bad Christians
The New First Lady of Maryland
The Art of Non-Fiction
Pastel Portraits of the Archduchesses
Mary I and Religion
A Romantic Deformation of Charity
Provence in 1790
True Chastity
The Many Homes of Marie-Thérèse-Charlotte
Dead from Smallpox
A Novel Obsession
Sir Thomas Bodley and the Bodleian Library
Hoover's FBI
Vaccines and Poufs
The Death of Henry VIII
Baritones Begone
An Epidemic of Mental Illness
Mary Queen of Scots and the Murder of David Rizzio
Cary Grant Style
Crockpots
The Real Thomas More
Adolf Eichmann in South America
A Raclette Dinner in New York


text:
============
Contributors
============

.. include:: ../../THANKS

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
DoDonPachi Resurrection
Degica, CAVE Interactive CO.
Oct 13, 2016 - PC
Destructoid
God is a Geek
Everyeye.it
Rice Digital
Cubed3
View All 11 Critic Reviews
DoDonPachi Resurrection Media
Dodonpachi Resurrection Trailer
Critic Reviews for DoDonPachi Resurrection
If you're thinking about picking up DoDonPachi Resurrection, you're staring down the barrel of one of the best shoot-'em-ups of our time. Don't hesitate, just grab this one first, then get Mushihimesama, followed by Deathsmiles.
DoDonPachi Resurrectiuon is aAnother brilliantly packaged Cave classic lands on Switch. Bullet hell is bullet heaven.
Kerry Brunskill
Resurrection is arguably one of the best of its genre even after all these years and a lot of competition (plenty of it coming from developer Cave themselves). It's relentlessly challenging, breathlessly inventive and exhilarating to play; an essential purchase for confirmed shmup fans. But it's also one that needs you to do a lot of homework to get anything meaningful out of it.
Nicolò Pellegatta
Rising Star releases DoDonPachi Resurrection, Cave's futuristic 2d shooter, in its Deluxe version, enriched by the soundtrack and a very explanatory manual. The Xbox 360 conversion is well done, thanks to a competitive leaderboard system and a couple of well-made Arrange modes.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Jeffrey L. Wilson
Not for the faint of heart, DoDonPachi Resurrection is a classic, tough-as-nails shoot 'em up that boasts a complex but incredibly satisfying combat system for single or two-player alien-blasting action.
James Cunningham
DoDonPachi Resurrection is a monster of an arcade shooter.
All in all playing Dodonpachi Resurrection is a lot of fun and any serious lover of shmups shouldn't miss out on.
Gabriel Jones
DoDonPachi Resurrection is a thoroughly fascinating 2D shooter. Its various systems compound onto one another to create a unique and very addictive experience. However, it takes a long time just to make sense of everything, let alone make it work to the player's advantage. At any moment, there's just so much that can go wrong, and even the best strategies are undone by the tiniest movements. Getting the most out of this game's many flavours will take a seemingly endless number of retries. It's a vicious cycle, but some gamers wouldn't have it any other way.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Robert M. Keese
Robert M. Keese specializes in the areas of bad faith insurance, professional liability, intellectual property litigation, toxic torts, and road design. He is first and foremost a trial lawyer. He has served as lead trial counsel in well over 100 trials in state and federal courts and over 200 arbitrations during his 37 year career. He has served pro bono as a court-appointed or private mediator for hundreds of lawsuits.
PUBLICATIONS/MEDIA:
Los Angeles Daily Journal, "Jurors Award $25 Million to Bilked Inventor" - 2003
Selected Verdicts
Robert M. Keese has obtained more than 10 verdicts of $1 million or more and has handled more than 40 settlements of $1 million or more.
$25.75 million, Verdict – B. Braun held liable for Misappropriation of Trade Secrets and Fraud. B. Braun v. Bobby Rogers, USDC Case No. 98 CV 0250 B
Selected Settlements
$200 million, Settlement – Northridge earthquake litigation against Farmers Insurance. In Re Northridge earthquake litigation.
U.S. Federal Courts, 1970
Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, California
Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, California
American Board of Trial Advocates
Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles
"AV" Peer Review Rating by Martindale-Hubbell (martindale.com's highest rating)
Best Lawyers publication, "Best Lawyers in America", 1987 - Present
Los Angeles Magazine, "Southern California Super Lawyer", 2004 - 2007
Lawdragon Magazine, "The Lawdragon 3000: Leading Lawyers in America", 2007
Learn More About GK
California Law Today
The airline industry has changed significantly over the decades. Airlines function to get you where you want to go quickly and in the most efficient way possible. Seats have gotten smaller and so have the in-flight meals. Flying seems to...
Whether you had time to see it coming or not, when the accident happened, your life changed in those precious seconds. It can be difficult to forget the sounds and smells that accompanied the crash. Just getting back into a...
Everyone has bad days. From the moment you wake up in the morning, you just know. You just want to go back to bed, go back to sleep and start over at another time. Sadly, few people have the luxury...
© 2020 by Girardi | Keese. All rights reserved. Disclaimer | Site Map


Revenue in the Sauces & Condiments (without ketchup) segment amounts to US$34,338m in 2019. The market is expected to grow annually by 1.9% (CAGR 2019-2023).
In relation to total population figures, per person revenues of US$104.34 are generated in 2019.
The average per capita consumption stands at 22.0 kg in 2019.
Reading Support Revenue in the Sauces & Condiments (without ketchup) segment amounts to US$34,338m in 2019. Reading Support The Sauces & Condiments (without ketchup) segment is expected to show a revenue growth of 2.3% in 2020.
Reading Support The average revenue per person in the market for Sauces & Condiments (without ketchup) amounts to US$104.34 in 2019.
Reading Support In the market for Sauces & Condiments (without ketchup), volume is expected to amount to 7,425.4 mkg by 2023. Reading Support The market for Sauces & Condiments (without ketchup) is expected to show a volume growth of 0.5% in 2020.
Reading Support The average volume per person in the market for Sauces & Condiments (without ketchup) amounts to 22.0 kg in 2019.
Reading Support The average price per unit in the market for Sauces & Condiments (without ketchup) amounts to US$4.74 in 2019.


Karpathos has the beauty of natural landscapes and endless beaches with crystal clear blue waters. "Kavos" in Karpathos is called the front land part of a cape. From this apartment one can see the "Cavo of Patella".
The apartment "KaVoS" is located at the eastern part of Althea Boutique Hotel. It has its own entrance.
It is an elegant and cozy apartment, divided into two levels. On the ground level is a closed spacious bedroom, from which one can see the sea of Ammoopi. On the lower level is the spacious living room with two sofa-beds and with a fully equipped kitchen. In front is the large courtyard with sea view. The apartment can accommodate a family of up to five (5) individuals.
The design and the decorations are handmade from sea wood, the decorations transport into the apartment the saltiness and energy of the Karpathos sea.


Small business success depends on many things, but marketing is the most important thing. Here are some ways you can effectively evaluate your small business to grow and succeed.
does not mean that you have to spend a lot of money. You can use the resources you already have. The laptop, the car and the phone are more than enough in the office. If you have a tool or resource that you just need, you'll have to work until you save it so you can buy it. It's never a good idea to go deep into debt before your business has begun. Success means you take advantage of it as long as you can afford to get more.
If you sell something, "Take some time to get to know the customer and find out more about what he wants and need . Small business success depends on customer relationships. Satisfied customers are a free spokesperson to advertise. Plus, they'll definitely come back for the repetitive business. Never sell hard and never be intrusive.
Manage your clients well and understand that they are yours in your life. Keep in mind that an unhappy client can simply go online and moan about your social network and your business can enter the mouth. For the success of your organization, build strong relationships with your customers.
Small business success depends on brand development. There are topics that are closely related to the company's brands. Such strong associations will take a long time to build and begin this first rather than later. Focusing is important and you should never lose the result you want to achieve. Build your brand slowly but surely.


Serial Key Daemon Tools Lite 10.10.0 [Crack] ~Keygen + License Key!
Daemon Tools Lite 10.10.0 Crack is a virtual DVD-ROM emulator tool. This amazing software helps to create disk pictures, copying files to CD, Blue-Ray and DVDs. Furthermore, You can also mount the media files and pictures in many formats like MDX, MDF, MDS, ISO, VHD< VMDK, ISZ, and others. This Daemon Tools Lite tool lets you create images in the visual disks for easy access.
Furthermore, Daemon Tools Lite 10.10.0 Crack will compress your images in a password protected file. This tool provides the best security options for your data. This tool contains a bulk of features in free to use. You can get window and iOS setup. This is the lightweight and fast application that do not slow down your PC. Therefore, This tool gives you smart security for your data. Copy and burn the files onto blank disks. Make your bootable USB drives easily. You can also extend iSCSI.
Daemon Tools 10.10.0 Keygen is an extra setup in the package. This will help you to register your application for all features. In addition, Run the keygen and get free activation material. And use keys to activate the tool. After that, You can use limited features easily. You can also mount your images. Create VHD disks. Keep your images safe in your hand. Daemon Tools Lite Keygen is totally free for you. And it provides a pretty interface for your interactions.
Nice interface for the users.
You can copy files and make Bootable USB disks.
You can Mount images, VHDs, and ZIP archives easily.
Nice to Grab discs to ISO, MDX, MDS & APE files here.
You can also create audio CD images.
Convert and edit the images easily.
You can use TrueCrypt File for data security.
Burn the images, data files and bootable USB's.
Copy and Erase the disks.
Protect the USB Sticks easily.
Easy switching from Optical Discs.
Download and extract to a folder.
Run Keygen, generate activation material.


The intense BlackBerry JamHack 2012 held last weekend closed its doors after 40-hours of non-stop hacking. It's the first-ever simultaneous regional hackathon held by BlackBerry. The team of developers from Websmith ATP Sdn Bhd ("Team Websmith") took the crown and will be representing Malaysia at the BlackBerry Jam Asia hackathon in Bangkok.
We visited BlackBerry JamHack 2012 at University of Management and Technology in Petaling Jaya on the first night (12 October) and the venue buzzed with excitement and engaged hackers comprising of developers, students and BlackBerry enthusiasts. The event saw participation of some 70 people divided into 12 teams.
Teams were given 40 hours to conceptualise, design and build a working app for the BlackBerry 10 platform using frameworks such as the BlackBerry 10 Adobe AIR SDK, BlackBerry 10 Native SDK or BlackBerry 10 WebWorks SDK.
Eventual winner Team Websmith wowed the crowd with their clever implementation of augmented reality in their app called 1BB.
1BB is built with the BlackBerry 10 Native SDK and is a directory- and location-based app that lists out various Kedai Runcit 1Malaysia (grocery stores) and Klinik 1Malaysia (clinics) around Malaysia. The app utilises GPS and AR to allow users to find locations through the device's camera.
With BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha devices to test on, Team Websmith is confident that the 1BB app will be available on BlackBerry App World soon.
Three-man developer team Highlight was the runners-up, who only formed their team on Friday night after initially entering JamHack as individuals. The first time developers on BlackBerry used the graphical-rich environment of development platform Cascades to develop their app.
The winning team from Websmith ATP walked away with an all-expense paid trip to BlackBerry Jam Asia in Bangkok, where they will be pitting against nine other teams from the region for the title of Asia Pacific champion.
BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha devices spotted at BlackBerry JamHack 2012, Kuala Lumpur. Can we have one, pretty please RIM???
BlackBerry JamHack 2012 closed its doors today after 40 furious hours, and marked its place in history as BlackBerry's first simultaneous regional hackathon. The winner from this weekend will be representing Malaysia during BlackBerry Jam Asia in Bangkok.
Opened to the public, BlackBerry JamHack 2012 in Malaysia kicked off at the University of Management and Technology in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, on Friday (12 October) and saw the participation of twelve teams.
Comprising of professional developers, student teams, and BlackBerry enthusiasts, the teams were given 40 hours to conceptualize and build a working application for the BlackBerry 10 platform using frameworks such as the BlackBerry 10 Adobe AIR SDK, BlackBerry 10 Native SDK or BlackBerry 10 WebWorks SDK.
When it came to pitching, the team of developers from Websmith ATP Sdn Bhd wowed the crowd with their clever implementation of augmented reality in their winning application called 1BB.
Built with the BlackBerry 10 Native SDK, 1BB is a directory based application which lists out the details of the various Kedai Runcit 1Malaysia (1Malaysia Grocery Stores) and Klinik 1Malaysia (1Malaysia Clinics) around Malaysia.
Besides listing out core details such as the address, opening hours and contact details, the application makes use of GPS and augmented reality, allowing users to find the nearest 1Malaysia outlets through the device's camera.
BlackBerry JamHack also proved that the BlackBerry 10 Native SDK is an easily accessible framework, as proven by the runner up team, Highlight. Comprising of three developers who formed their team on Friday after entering BlackBerry JamHack as individuals, Highlight took advantage of the easily programmable rich graphical interface from Cascades.
Highlight is a social event listing application, and pulls content from the web about local happenings in the surrounding area. Besides receiving information on these events, the application also has built in sharing functionalities which allow the user to push out interesting events to their contacts via BBM.
Webe 4G LTE is live: How does MYR79/month for unlimited everything sound?


text:
Discover Top Employers
View company profile in:
Imperial Tobacco CR, s.r.o.
Consumer Good and Services, Retail
Imperial Tobacco CR, s.r.o. was awarded the Top Employers Czech Republic and Top Employers Europe certification.
Also certified in
Imperial Tobacco CR is one of the best distributors of tobacco products on the Czech market since 1993. As a part of global Imperial Brands PLC, which employs more than 30.000 people in 160 countries, we want to provide something better to the world's smokers. We are proud on our tobacco product portfolio which contains such a brands like Davidoff, West, P&S or Gauloises Blondes.
Number of active countries: 1
Our comprehensive independent research revealed that Imperial Tobacco CR, s.r.o. provides exceptional employee conditions, nurtures and develops talent throughout all levels of the organisation and has demonstrated its leadership status in the HR environment, always striving to optimise its employment practices and to develop its employees.
Radlická 3201/14,15000 Praha, Czech Republic
https://www.imperial-tobacco.cz/
How was Imperial Tobacco CR, s.r.o. certified
HR Best practice survey
A comprehensive analysis of the organisation's employee conditions.
Validation & Audit
Internal and external review ensuring validity of information, and data accuracy.
Reached the Top Employers certification benchmark
Our site uses cookies to provide you with an improved user experience. By continuing to browse our site you consent to the use of cookies. Please visit our privacy statement and our cookie policy.


Do you need a privacy fence that is expertly installed and will not break the bank? Maybe you are looking for a simple privacy fence that will accent your home in a beautiful way. San Jose Fence Builders offers a variety of expert fence installation services, and a selection of privacy fence materials to meet all of your fencing needs.
Privacy fences offer optimum privacy and security for your home, especially in popular neighborhoods. Privacy fences are also built to keep intruders from climbing into or out of your property, which allows you to relax knowing your children and/ or pets are safe.
At San Jose Fence Builders, all of our fences are budget friendly, but the most budget friendly privacy fence that we offer is a wooden privacy fence. Wood fences offer a very classic look, and have been around for quite a few decades. They are very cost efficient for all of our customers—including residential and commercial properties—and can also be painted with any color that you want.
San Jose Fence Builders offers expert fencing services to all of San Jose, CA—including residential customers and commercial customers. Our professional fence company offers the highest quality wood fences to San Jose as well. Not only will you be receiving an expert fence installation service, but you will also be receiving a high quality wooden fence.
Our high quality wood fences last between 4-30 years, depending on upkeep and what type of wood you choose. San Jose Fence Builders offers wood fences that are made with cedar, spruce, or pine, and all of our wood fences are treated with a solution to help the wooden fence last longer. Wood fences do require regular maintenance, even with the wood being treated, but they do hold their value well. We treat the wood for our wood fences in this way so that all of our customers are getting the wood fence that meets all of their fencing needs.
When it comes to our expert fencing services and our customers, San Jose Fence Builders will make sure that you are getting the best wooden fence possible. We even offer wood samples to bring to our initial consultation with you, if you are unsure of what wood would be best—or even if you want a wood fence. Our customers are important to us, and our professional fence company wants to make sure you are getting the best wooden fence possible.
Wooden fences are very economical for all customers, and they are quite simple compared to other fence materials. San Jose Fence Builders will make sure that the wooden fence installation process is very simple and thorough, but always stress free for our customers. This allows us to meet all of our customer's wood fencing needs. If you are looking to have a wood fence installed, feel free to contact San Jose Fence Builders. We are always happy to help!


The used IMF foam of the Starpro S90 claw, takes the properties of the upholstery and fit to a whole new level. The grip ball, the soft inner material, the light wrist support and the ergonomically adapted form are in perfect harmony and ensure that you feel comfortable from the beginning. The high-quality PU5G synthetic leather gives the S90 IMF claw an unbeatable quality. The Starpro S90 Pratze is the professional trainer equipment for the ambitious coach!


Have you ever looked at the circumstances of your life and said, "What's up God? Why are you not coming through for me?" If we are honest, all of us have said or thought these things at one time or another. Much of the time, God doesn't make sense to us. He works in ways we can't see and don't understand, but He is always working on our behalf. This booklet is based on the greatest miracle Jesus ever performed - the raising of Lazarus from the dead. From this great story in John 11, we can learn what to do when God doesn't make sense ... and how to see His glory even in the worst of circumstances.


text:
John Varvatos V371
Brand: John Varvatos
Model: V371
for Frame: 2 years
John Varvatos' early obsession with rock 'n' roll paved the way for his interest in fashion, particularly the fashion of musicians. John Varvatos outfits men in eyeglasses that combine classic and iconic styles with modern notions. Whether it's business or pleasure, John Varvatos Eyeglasses provide a perfect fit, a masculine look, and a modern appeal. John Varvatos Eyeglasses provide essential styling for everyday use. The subtle detailing and stylishly subdued coloring of the frames add to the fashion built into all of John Varvatos' collection.
John Varvatos V371 is a Full Rim frame for Men, which is made of Metal.
Most metal frames are made out of Monel. Monel has a copper and nickel base. This metal can be corrosion resistant, strong, and easily adjusted. It retains its stability and shape.
This frame features regular hinges, which are durable and are easy to repair.
John Varvatos V371 Eyeglasses come with a cleaning cloth and protective carrying case.
See all John Varvatos Eyeglasses


At Pragnell, our name is our bond. We know that our reputation and integrity rest on the quality of our diamonds. This is why we employ experts in the field of gemmology. They ensure that each and every one of our diamonds is not only of the highest standard, but also responsibly and ethically sourced.
All diamonds from Pragnell are certificated by one of the world's leading independent gemmological laboratories. Certification is a strictly administered process for evaluating and grading diamonds based on the 4Cs, along with further detailed characteristics. The top four organisations to be internationally recognised for their superior professional expertise in the field of diamond grading are GIA, AGSL, HRD and IGI.
Our Graduate Gemmologists hold one of the most respected qualifications in the precious gemstone industry. They view many diamonds, but only select the most brilliant and liveliest stones that perform to an equal or better colour and clarity grade than stated on the certificate. They also assess the distinctive, individual attributes of each stone. This process is particularly important at Pragnell, due to the range of diamond cuts used in our jewellery, whether it is rough diamonds, rose cuts, old cuts or the modern brilliant.
Every diamond we have ever dealt with, and will ever deal with, is 100% conflict free.All Pragnell diamonds adhere to the Kimberley process; an international monitoring system that eliminates the trade in conflict diamonds by controlling the movement of rough diamonds. Thanks to careful tracking of each diamond throughout its journey, you can rest assured that your diamond is natural, untreated and conflict free.
The original source of all diamonds lies deep beneath the earth's crust, where rough diamonds are formed from carbon.However, these natural products and processes must be respected if we are to look after our planet for future generations. Responsible diamond-mining companies are therefore committed to the preservation and protection of wild habitats, their species and the wider natural world through long-term environmental management programmes.
The support provided to developing nations involved in the diamond industry is vital to their social and economic development. This includes the advancement of women, who must be allowed to participate fully – and equally – in their community. Many diamond-mining companies provide career opportunities and professional training for men and women entrepreneurs, together with good healthcare and free education for all their employees, their families and surrounding communities. As a result, the whole local economy benefits and thrives.


Gather round, fiber friends. Jump up and microwave a mug of cold coffee, and then settle in for a spell. It may still feel like summer where you are (and as Ann points out, summer's official end is still weeks away), but September has blown in, with even more than its usual bounty of books that are of interest to knitters.
I've gotten the chance to lay eyes on a few of these titles, and others have blipped onto my radar more recently, but are Very! Intriguing! As always, there may be a title here or there that has been out for a while, but escaped my notice until now.
Honestly, I need a moment. Rowan means so much. Here's to the next 40 years.
Here's an incredible fact: Norah Gaughan has been designing for Vogue Knitting magazine for 30 years, in which time she has contributed over 120 designs. That would be plenty impressive even if they were conventional knitting patterns, but they're not. The inventiveness packed into those 120 patterns causes the knitterly mind to perform gymnastics. Producing a single volume gathering up 40 of these designs is a gift to knitters from the editors of Vogue Knitting. Thank you, VK!
In her first-ever book, Melanie Berg collects the wildly popular shawls and wraps for which she is known, and adds in a few new ones. The book is bilingual (German and English), so you can tücher stricken mit stil in addition to knitting shawls with style. I hope this is a trend: books that collect patterns by beloved designers in one volume. Back to the future!
Not About Knitting But . . .
If your Instagram feed strays from Strictly Knitting into other beautiful areas of handmade endeavor as much as mine does, here are two recent titles that may make your fingertips tingle.
You may not think you know Jen Hewett, but if you've coveted a special-edition print Fringe Field Bag, you've coveted Jen Hewett's beautiful block-printed work. My own Fringe Field Bag is plain vanilla canvas, but one year I succumbed to Jen's tea towel of the month club, an indulgence in beauty that I do not regret. (Yes I'm saving them in their cello sleeves for an Epic Textile Project. They spark joy!) This book is an introduction into how Jen Hewett does what she does, so you can try your hand at it, and get some cool wardrobe pieces in the process.
featured IMAGE (top): LOUISE TIFFANY, READING, LOUIS COMFORT TIFFANY, PASTEL ON BUFF-COLORED WOVE PAPER, 1888, METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART.
Knitters and books are like peas and carrots.
Ooooh, you should definitely get a kick-back from the sales of these beauties. The original Gansey book taught me so much! Back in THE NINETIES. I must get the update.
I still have the tiny sample-gansey that Brown-Reinsel's book walked me through making. What a wonderful approach (one shared by Jacqueline Fee's equally-gratifying _Sweater Workshop_). Thanks for the heads-up about the new version!
It's so clever! I just saw a sewing tutorial where the teacher copied the patterns at a smaller size and made wee versions of adult clothing, and thought of the ganseys!
Love the Rowan book! I was a Rowan fan with issue #1, but stopped in the past five years. I must purchase this one immediately.
I took an embroidery class with Jessica a year or so ago. She is an excellent teacher – clear and caring. I wish her the best with her new book.
Norah Gaughan is interviewed in this week's Fruity Knitting podcast. Great episode.
Thank you so much for including our book on this list. We are honored, and thrilled to be with such other prestigious authors.
Thanks, these all look good books to peruse on a hot summer day or a cold winter one. I will check my library… maybe give them a hint to add something new to their inventory.
These look like books to check out of the library and look through. The mending one looks interesting. Years ago I stopped buying books in order to get one or two patterns, but they're certainly worth a look-through.
As a fan of Jen Hewett – and one who shares her surname (no relation) – I feel obligated point out that she is a Hewett, not a Hewitt.
Thank you! We need all the help we can get!
Wow, what a round up. I owned the original gansey book and made 2 or 3 of them, learning a lot of technique in the process. I would recommend the new one to any novice to mid range knitter. Thanks for the the Make and Mend mention; I hate sewing machines but would like to do a little sewing, not to mention mending, and the projects are beautiful.
SO MANY TEMPTATIONS!! I'm so going to…well, at least go to Amazon and drool. I am especially drawn to the sashiko book, like I have time, and the Rowan book, and the Nora Gaughan book, and and and. Eesh.
I spy a couple that have me interested! My work pants were out in the bum, not an area I want to pull focus. I am still going to try a sashiko type mend!
I love Beth's book so much that I've taken the companion workshop at least twice, although I can't find either of the tiny little sweaters I knit. It sits on the shelf next to "Patterns for Guernseys, Jerseys & Arans" by Gladys Thompson, where it will reside until I break up housekeeping here and they haul me off to the nursing home.
I've had the Beth Brown-Reinsel's new gansey book for some time now. I haven't studied it but I did go through page by page and I love it. I desperately want to make a gansey but keep getting distracted by other knitting. I'll definitely use this book when I design and knit my gansey. Highly recommended.
I'm psyched to see the updated gansey book. The original is iconic and crucial and important but I admit to being distracted by the dated fit and styling!
The other trend – besides that of collecting designs by a single creator – that I hope will flourish is that of the bilingual craft book. I have the Swedish and English "Bohus Knitting – the Revival", and it's outstanding. So much fun to try to learn at least a bit of another language with the side-by-side text. Now I'll look forward to Melanie Berg's collection with doubled interest. (As for Gaughan's collection, I have the entire run of VK since 1982, so I'm covered there).
Exactly what I was thinking – I love the idea of a dual language craft book. It's fun to expand your vocabulary in another language to include craft terms, or be able to follow a pattern in another language. Looking forward to seeing the Berg book, and finding the Bohus book you mentioned.
I have to confess the Rowan book left me a bit cold. I was looking forward to it, but when I flipped through it at the bookstore, I really didn't see much I would want to make.
Had to face the true fact that I am more of "A Yorkshire Fable" fan than an "Iconic Rowan" knitter. But happily, Yorkshire Fable is in my collection, and iconic Rowan remains at the shop for some other happy knitter to take home.
TRUTH! My jeans never need mending in a cute place, either!
Mine either! And I have gone to the trouble of learning to do all these beautiful mending stitches…..
Using sashiko stitching, I've mended two pairs of jeans for a dear friend. And in places not cute! Only she and I know where these beautiful patches are. But that's okay. She couldn't bear to part with them and now they have a new life!
Thanks for this, Kay. Nora, Melanie, Jan–all very inspiring. I've sworn off adding more knitting books to my library, but I might break my own rule for one or three of these.
I've been doing the same for the Santa Clara County Library. Win-win, for the authors, myself and local crafters.