#cbe international

[progressofthepilgrim]

I'm a huge fan of CBE International and I seriously love that they give women a voice in the Church. So you can imagine how disappointed I was to see them speak poorly of two films that have had huge impact on my formative years and influenced my love of storytelling and the animated medium in general. I couldn't resist emailing the writer to explain what I thought she got wrong, and I'll post it here if anyone is curious.

I greatly admire this blog and all the good it's done. I get excited to read every new Thread and just discovered the blog by Kelly. However, I was sorely disappointed to read the article about Desiring God's writer Greg Morse and Kelly's response to it. I politely suggest that Kelly gets as much wrong about the heroines from Sleeping Beauty and Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs as Desiring God did about Captain Marvel.

Aurora LITERALLY has a magical voice. She is not voiceless [as the article states]. It was one of her magical gifts at birth and what connects her initially to the prince who ends up helping to save the kingdom along with the fairies. Having little screentime is an odd reason to dismiss her as a character (Jasmine and Elsa barely have more minutes on screen in Aladdin and Frozen, by the way, and nobody is condemning them as "voiceless"). The writer also seems to have never actually seen the film considering the three good fairies are the heroes- the film starts with them offering their gifts to the baby, continues with them figuring out a way to protect their foster daughter, and ends with them helping Prince Phillip (as remarkable a man as could be found in animation who both risks his life to save Aurora and shows kindness and consideration for her when she sings earlier on).

Phillip is not the main character. If anything, HE is the voiceless one. Once "Once Upon a Dream" ends he literally talks no more; he exists for the women of the film, not the other way around. The point of the film is that true love can defeat any evil, and we don't only see this in Phillip's selfless actions, but in the fairies' entire story. They are driven by their love for their adopted daughter, and go to great lengths to protect her. They grieve having to let her return to the castle. The entire film is inherently female-driven, much more so than almost any animated film that came after it, making it quite ahead of its time. I respectfully have to say that I find ignoring this aspect of it to be grossly inappropriate for a feminist writer. Pop culture matters. Representation matters.

Snow White is a more active heroine, too. This is a teenage girl who's never known love, only neglect and abuse. She still manages to refrain from succumbing to the same level of bitterness and resentment that so obviously drives Queen Grimhilde. She is forced to flee through the terrifying forest to make a new life for herself, which she happily does until she's able to be safe with the prince. But let's back up. After a frightening night in the woods, she finds comfort with the animals, scolds herself for making a fuss, and picks herself right back up. She finds a cottage that she believes houses orphans, and decides to clean up the place and cook a hot meal for the poor "children" in exchange for shelter. She's proactively trying to make a place for herself when she has every reason to sit, cry, and feel sorry for herself. When she realized it's actually the dwarfs' home, she quickly offers her skills as a former scullery maid so as to not just take free shelter because Snow White is a hardworking person with a good heart who doesn't believe in taking without giving. Even though as princess of the land, she could easily invoke her royal status to demand protection and a roof. She works hard to be useful and makes herself a new family, showing that family comes in many forms and your abusers do not define you. The dwarfs stop the Queen because Snow White has earned their loyalty and love, the same way she's earned it from the Prince and the animals. Snow White is a good person who inspires goodness in others; it's why the huntsman cannot bear to kill her and puts his own life on the line by letting her go. This says volumes about Snow as a person and a role model.

The Prince has very little to do with her.

By the way, ignoring that women can hurt other women is NOT helping the cause. Women regularly suffer from internalized misogyny, as Snow White's mother clearly did. Cinderella's stepmother abused her too. Women hurt women sometimes. It's a fact. Walt did not have some evil misogynistic agenda either, this is just what happens in the fairy tales these films are based on.

Women should be allowed to come in all forms. It is deeply misogynistic to strip away women's worth and dismiss them as role models simply because they don't carry weapons. I'm curious how Kelly just feel about Biblical women like Esther, Ruth, Rahab, and both Mary's, since they're ordinary women who never fight. Ruth especially reminds me of the old Disney Princesses, who went through trials with dignity and inner strength, allowing themselves to feel sorrow or anger at times but never letting it break them down into something they're not.

I do not write this to offend or even condemn. These films have a special place with me, and as someone who relates to the women in these films both in personality and as a fellow abuse survivor, it pains me to see these iconic women brushed off as anti feminist, especially from a Christian writer I deeply admire. I would ask that you consider that Aurora and Snow can't read your blog and have their feelings hurt, but real women just like them can. Is it feminist to uphold only a certain type of womanhood? I don't believe so. It's why I abandoned my Complementarian beliefs. I think putting down traditionally feminine women is one side of the coin, and putting down warrior women is on the other. We don't need to pit women against each other.

[saxafimedianetwork]

UK Parliament Boosts Support For Somaliland Aspirations.

#UKParliament boosts support for #Somaliland's aspirations for #InternationalRecognition! Members of both #HousesOfCommons & #Lords emphasize the need for official recognition to support stability, economic growth & regional diplomacy.

Continue reading UK Parliament Boosts Support For Somaliland Aspirations.

[x-heesy]

ᴏʜ ᴍʏ ғᴜᴄᴋɪɴɢ ɢᴏsʜ

Alexander McQueen Fall/Winter 2009–2010 Menswear

Lee Alexander McQueen CBE (17 March 1969 – 11 February 2010) was a British fashion designer and couturier. He founded his own Alexander McQueen label in 1992, and was chief designer at Givenchy from 1996 to 2001. His achievements in fashion earned him four British Designer of the Year awards (1996, 1997, 2001 and 2003), as well as the Council of Fashion Designers of America International Designer of the Year award in 2003. McQueen died by suicide in 2010 at the age of 40, at his home in Mayfair, London, shortly after the death of his mother.

Watch It Burn by QZB, Charli Brix 🎶

[nohara-rin-dot-mp3]

was kakashi a good teacher? a CBE analysis that misses the fucking point

among the myriad discourses around the topic, i feel that most fans have avoided looking at the most fundamental aspect of kakashi's teaching: his teaching. today i am going to disregard every notion of child soliderism, pseudo-family dynamics, and emotional distance to discuss the really important question about kakashi's time as a teacher: did he effectively use a competency based education model to teach team 7?

what is CBE? competency based education replaces traditional grading with competencies- a simple yes/no binary. true CBE is time-variable, which means that students continue to work on competencies until they are competent. there are of course intervention points if the learning process takes longer than probable. it fixes a *lot* of problems inherent to traditional grading, and when implemented properly results in a significantly higher degree of competency in students. i don't really wanna give a whole rundown of it for. a fucking naruto meta post so i'll point you towards alfie kohn who has a blog with lots of free articles that explain a lot of the concepts around this in accessible terms. or just like. google CBE education. it's a whole thing.

before we get into kakashi, i'd like to look at the academy's teaching, as this will help us understand what he had to work with. education is a process, and poor education in student's formative years can negatively impact their ability to learn throughout their entire life. the academy overall has very poor teaching. although the final exam does seem to be competency-based, as students can pass it regardless of their prior grades, it is far from comprehensive. it needs a serious overhaul to ensure that graduating students have all the skills they need for their jounin-senseis to be able to continue their education without having to re-teach them the basics.

the academy also disregards the time-variable aspect of CBE. naruto is obviously missing fundamental information that prevents him from becoming competent in other areas, which suggests that he was pushed along the curriculum regardless of whether he displayed competency in a subject or not. this is a serious problem that makes kakashi's job a lot harder.

the academy also utilizes a public ranking system. this is very bad. traditional grades- especially when made public- create extrinsic motivation in students and limits their ability to use intrinsic motivation. systems like this hurt all students- both ones who seem to be succeeding, like sasuke and sakura, and students who seem to be failing, like naruto. they are not receiving accurate assessments of their abilities, which can lead to them internalizing harmful academic processes. the academy also lacks informational feedback and proper home integration.

to summarize: kakashi is receiving students who have been taught very poorly both in terms of information and educational habits. now let's get into the important question: is kakashi going to help or hurt them?

i'm going to break down three moments in the original naruto series where kakashi is acting as a teacher: the bell test, all of the d-ranks, and tree walking/water walking in wave. i will then give an overall analysis of his teaching.

the bell test: 0/10 kakashi what were you thinking

there are several problems with this assessment. the biggest and most obvious is that kakashi is not upfront about the nature of it. clear communication is very important in education. by not telling team 7 what the real goal of the test was, he handicapped their ability severely. he also takes several measures to make team 7 more anxious about the assessment, which is generally frowned upon. teachers should minimize student's apprehension about assessments- especially in CBE, where assessments should be repeated regularly to measure student progress. it's also not time-variable. one time assessments suck and don't make any sense. they punish failure and decrease intrinsic motivation.

however, it isn't a completely terrible exercise. for one, both the fake goal and the real goal are competencies, which is good. the open-ended nature of his instructions (when taken at face value) is also actually very good. they allow team 7 space to use critical thinking, allowing kakashi to not just understand their base skills and competencies, but their abilities to apply them. he also does a very good job of providing active feedback as the test goes on. still fucking sucks though "look underneath the underneath" my ass that's not how assessments fucking work

d-ranks: 4/10 mostly just busywork

the idea of d-ranks is to get genin used to the bureaucratic system konoha uses. busy work has a place. unfortunately, kakashi does not balance it out with other, more engaging activities, and fails to extrinsically reward team 7 when they complete d-ranks, both of which are critical pieces of effectively helping students with competencies that don't require actual learning.

tree walking/water walking: 10/10 kakashi effectively utilizes CBE. like to a scary degree. like better than some actual teachers i've had to work with. what the fuck

kakashi sets out clear expectations for competency: being able to tree walk. he gives a demonstration and then leaves team 7 to experiment and begin learning. he provides advice when asked, but does not take away their agency in their learning process. he allows them to fail in a safe environment where they can effectively learn from it. he also holds the lesson to CBE's time-variable element. when sakura figures tree walking out earlier than naruto and sasuke, he moves her on to a more advanced competency that builds on the previous skill.

i've seen some critiques of this, mostly saying that kakashi didn't actively teach them, but i disagree. an important part of education is knowing when to step back and let students struggle. although i think he could have been more active in offering encouragement (both naruto and sasuke could have benefited from positive language through the lesson), that's pretty much the only thing i can think of that would have improved this. awesome teaching moments. i guess.

all in all, i think that kakashi provided team 7 with a better education experience than the academy did. but the bar was really fucking low. i can't call him a good teacher, because he's really inconsistent. he does have the benefit of having a small class size, which theoretically should allow him to customize his curriculum for each student- which he does do when he's actually teaching. however, his classroom management skills suck and most of the time he isn't actually teaching.

i don't think he's a good teacher. i ...do think he's better than most teachers in naruto? so. take that how you will.

[fashionbooksmilano]

McQueen The Fashion Icons Unofficial and unauthorised

Michael O'Neill

Sona Books, Knowle, Solihull, West Midlands 2023, 144 pages, 21,5x27,5, ISBN 978-1-915343-32-1

euro 35,00

email if you want to buy booksinprogressmilano@yahoo.it

“Alexander McQueen - Redefining Beauty” is magnificently adorned with some of Lee Alexander McQueen’s most riveting designs, and the narrative illuminates the personal and professional struggles of a man who dared to defy accepted norms in the cavernous halls of fashion and give the world a new sense of the grandeur of which human creativity is capable. From conflicted gay teenager, aggressive and remote young man, through to his lonely suicide, the book charts Alexander McQueen’s ascent to couturier par excellence, highlighting his spectacular shows and showing how his confrontational, streetwise manner was simply a shield that protected and masked a very shy, sensitive and insecure man who hailed from the wrong side of the high fashion tracks. “Alexander McQueen - Redefining Beauty” will imprint upon the reader never to be forgotten images of his explosive designs, illuminate his talent and delve into the mind of a man who was Britain’s most unpredictable, tormented and spectacular fashion designer.

Awarded British Fashion Designer of the Year 1996, 1997, 2001 & 2003. Awarded CBE, Council of Fashion Designers of America - International Designer of the Year 2003, Chief Designer of Givenchy,Creative Director of Gucci. Gucci Group acquired the McQueen fashion label, Designed wardrobe for David Bowie tours and Bjork and Bowie Albums, Patrons included Nicole Kidman, Penelope Cruz, Rihanna & Lady Gaga, McQueen stores in London, Paris, Milan, New York & Las Vegas. Hugely successful exhibition at Museum of Metropolitan of Art New York – Savage Beauty in 2011 V & A Exhibition runs in London - March until August 15th 2015

01/12/24

[justforbooks]

Michael Longley

Belfast poet of exceptional poise and eloquence – but with a sardonic streak to temper his technical accomplishment

In 1994, when rumours of an IRA ceasefire began to circulate, Michael Longley sat down and wrote what came to be regarded as one of the most prescient and significant poems of the Troubles era. Called Ceasefire, it was published originally in the Irish Times and had an immediate impact, with its much-quoted final couplet standing as a symbol of hope and reconciliation in fraught times: “I get down on my knees and do what must be done / And kiss Achilles’ hand, the killer of my son.”

In this poem, Longley, who has died aged 85, drew on his classical background: a constant source of inspiration, along with the first world war, the flora and fauna of the west of Ireland, the Holocaust, love and friendship, and – obliquely – the conflict in Northern Ireland. His range was wide, and his approach distinctive. With his first collection, No Continuing City (1969), Longley showed himself to be a poet of exceptional poise and eloquence – but with a sardonic streak to temper his technical accomplishment.

What has been called a northern renaissance in literature was just getting under way at the time, and Longley, together with his friends and contemporaries Seamus Heaney and Derek Mahon, was there at the centre of it. These three in particular succeeded in revolutionising perceptions of Northern Irish poetry in the world at large, as well as fulfilling the role of guiding spirits to the slightly younger generation, including Paul Muldoon, Ciaran Carson and Medbh McGuckian.

For more than half a century, Longley was an exemplary practitioner of the art of poetry, and, in his later years, something of a “grand old man” of letters. He was a member of the Irish Association of Artists, Aosdána, and in 2010 was appointed CBE. In November 2021, a special room at Queen’s University Belfast was named the Longley Room in honour of the poet and his wife, Edna; and the Michael Longley scholarship fund was established, with two scholarships to be awarded annually to outstanding poetry students.

Longley was born in Belfast, “followed half an hour later by my twin, Peter” (as he put it in his 1994 autobiographical fragment Tuppenny Stung). The twins and their elder sister, Wendy, were the children of English parents who had settled in Northern Ireland, Maj Richard Longley and his wife, Constance (nee Longworth). Longley senior, a commercial traveller, first world war veteran and recipient of the Military Cross, is a recurrent and revered presence in his son’s poetry, beginning with the luminous In Memoriam – even if his attitude at the start fell short of encouragement. “Michael, it’s not worth the paper it’s written on,” he said when shown an early effort called Marigolds. Unfortunately the major did not live to witness his son’s triumphs in the literary world, with his honours and awards including the TS Eliot prize, the Whitbread poetry award, the Hawthornden prize, the International Griffin prize, and the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry.

After attending a local elementary school, Longley went on to the Belfast Royal Academical Institution and then to Trinity College Dublin, where he read classics but spent most of his time “inhaling” the poetry of others, and beginning to write his own. The story of his first encounter with Mahon in Trinity’s Front Square is well known. “Are you Longley? Can I borrow your typewriter?” demanded the unabashed newcomer. It was the prelude to a lasting friendship. When Longley married his fellow Trinity student, Edna Broderick, in 1964, Mahon was best man.

The following year, Longley returned to Belfast where Edna had secured a lectureship at Queen’s University, and there he remained for the rest of his life, though with frequent trips abroad, for poetry readings, conferences, or to collect awards. (On one occasion, when his shoes were stolen from the steps of a temple in Japan, his mortified hosts took Longley on a trawl of all the shoe shops in Tokyo, until, in the end, a pair was found to fit the size 12 feet of their guest.)

In the mid-1960s, Longley met Heaney, and another productive, but not frictionless, literary friendship began. “It was combative and no-holds-barred and in no sense an alliance,” Longley insisted in an interview in 1985, including Mahon in the count. He always disliked the idea of a fellowship of poets, preferring to attribute the outbreak of literary virtuosity in the north to “a coincidence of talent���. Nevertheless, the Heaney-Longley-Mahon conjunction marked a pivotal moment in cultural history.

After holding a couple of not very rewarding teaching posts, Longley joined the Arts Council of Northern Ireland in 1970. In his role as literature officer he was responsible for organising poetry-reading tours, arranging subsidies for new publishing houses such as Blackstaff Press, and generally promoting appreciation of the arts. He proved to be an adept arts administrator during his 21-year stint, aiming to “replace political belligerence with cultural pride”; but, eventually, worn down by bureaucracy, conflicts with advisory committees and endless red tape, he opted for early retirement.

Coincidentally – perhaps – the 12-year hiatus between The Echo Gate (1979) and Gorse Fires (1991) ended with the latter collection, just as Longley’s struggles with an increasingly arid administrative system were over. Questioned about the long silence, when the poems came sparingly, if at all, Longley replied: “If you’ve got nothing to say, say nothing.”

The true note was back with a vengeance in the nine full-length collections appearing between 1991 and 2022, all displaying an increasing mastery and depth of feeling (alongside a robust repudiation of what the poet labelled “mad dog shite”, in work or in life). Each new collection drew a round of applause for its continuing “subtlety, emotional power and rhythmic and musical resource”, among other virtues.

For his old friend and rival Heaney, Longley stood as “a keeper of the artistic estate, a custodian of griefs and wonders”. Wit and playfulness enlivened Longley’s work whenever the poet’s mood was buoyant. “My one remaining ambition is to be / The last poet in Europe to find a rhyme,” he wrote in 1972, tongue-in-cheek; and for the rest of his life he practised the virtue of not taking himself too seriously.

Ash Keys: New Selected Poems was published in 2024 to coincide with his 85th birthday: frail but indomitable, and leaning on a stick, he took part in all the brouhaha surrounding the occasion, and continued to joke: “If I knew where the poems came from, I’d go there.” The phrase Where Poems Come From forms the title of a 2024 BBC film about Longley. Ash Keys includes his best, most characteristic and most enduring work, from the early, resonant In Memoriam to the beautiful Wild Orchids of 2020, with its litany of plants and placenames.

Longley’s final collection, The Slain Birds (2022), exemplifies his undying preoccupation with nature and natural forces, with botany and ornithology and animal life, from which a sense of the skull beneath the skin is not excluded: “the otter that drowned in an eel-trap”; “the ewes and spring lambs buried deep in the snow”. When his granddaughters in Scotland find a dead tawny owl, the small event engenders a couple of poems envisaging an afterlife for the bird: “Maisie sketches in charcoal its underside, / Amelia hugs to herself all the feathers …” And later in the same collection, the poet wonders:

… Where are the tree-pegs now That held together my oblivion-boat At the edge of the surf among sanderlings? At spring tide where will my soul be going?

He is survived by Edna, their children, Rebecca, Daniel and Sarah, and seven grandchildren.

🔔 Michael George Longley, born 27 July 1939; died 22 January 2025

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at Just for Books…?

[science-lover33]

Genetic engineering: CRISPR and beyond

In genetic engineering, we find ourselves amidst a scientific revolution with the advent of revolutionary technologies like CRISPR-Cas9. However, our journey into the intricate landscape of genetic manipulation is far from complete. This post delves into the nuanced world of genetic engineering, exploring cutting-edge technologies and their remarkable potential in shaping the future of medicine and biotechnology.

CRISPR-Cas9: Precision at the Molecular Level

CRISPR-Cas9, a revolutionary genome editing tool, stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats and CRISPR-associated protein 9. It utilizes a guide RNA (gRNA) to target specific DNA sequences, and the Cas9 protein acts as molecular scissors to cut the DNA at precisely defined locations. This break in the DNA prompts the cell's natural repair machinery to make changes, either through non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) or homology-directed repair (HDR). CRISPR-Cas9's precision allows for gene knockout, modification, or insertion with remarkable accuracy.

Beyond CRISPR: Emerging Technologies

While CRISPR-Cas9 has dominated the field of genetic engineering, numerous promising technologies have emerged on the horizon. These include CRISPR-Cas variants like CRISPR-Cas12 and CRISPR-Cas13, which offer unique advantages such as smaller size, increased specificity, and targeting of RNA. Additionally, base editing techniques, such as adenine base editors (ABEs) and cytosine base editors (CBEs), enable the direct conversion of one DNA base into another without causing double-strand breaks, expanding the range of genetic modifications possible.

Applications in Medicine

The implications of these advancements are profound, particularly in medicine. Genetic engineering can potentially treat various genetic disorders, from cystic fibrosis to sickle cell anemia, by correcting disease-causing mutations at their source. Precision medicine, tailored to an individual's genetic makeup, is becoming increasingly feasible, allowing for personalized therapies with minimal side effects.

Ethical Considerations and Regulation

As we venture further into the genetic frontier, we must acknowledge the ethical considerations surrounding genetic engineering. The ability to modify the human germline, with implications for future generations, raises ethical dilemmas that necessitate rigorous oversight and regulation. The international community is developing guidelines to ensure responsible use of these powerful tools.

Future Directions and Challenges

While genetic engineering offers immense promise, it is not without its challenges. Off-target effects, unintended consequences, and the potential for creating designer babies are among the issues that demand careful consideration. Researchers and ethicists must work in tandem to navigate this uncharted territory.

References

Doudna, J. A., & Charpentier, E. (2014). The new frontier of genome engineering with CRISPR-Cas9. Science, 346(6213), 1258096.

Anzalone, A. V., Randolph, P. B., Davis, J. R., Sousa, A. A., Koblan, L. W., Levy, J. M., … & Liu, D. R. (2019). Search-and-replace genome editing without double-strand breaks or donor DNA. Nature, 576(7785), 149-157.

Kime, E. (2021). CRISPR and the ethics of gene editing. Nature Reviews Genetics, 22(1), 3-4.

This post only scratches the surface of the profound transformations occurring in genetic engineering. The relentless pursuit of knowledge and ethical exploration will shape the future of this field as we continue to unlock the intricate secrets of our genetic code.

[aimeedaisies]

Great Western Railway celebrates The Princess Royal’s lifetime of dedicated service by naming train in her honour

Great Western Railway has named a train after HRH The Princess Royal in recognition of her support for more than 300 charities, organisations and military regiments in the UK and overseas.

Representatives from a host of those organisations joined guests at London Paddington on Thursday 2nd May as Intercity Express Train 800024 was named in honour of Her Royal Highness.

Her Royal Highness was joined at London Paddington by husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, a member of the GWR Advisory Board.

After the unveiling, The Princess Royal was introduced to guests including the Secretary of State for Transport, Mark Harper MP, former Prime Minister Theresa May and Transport for London Commissioner Andrew Lord.

Mark Hopwood, Great Western Railway Managing Director, said: “Naming trains has been a tradition on the railway, and especially on the Great Western Railway, since the earliest days of train travel.”

“Today GWR proudly continues this tradition, recognising and celebrating inspirational individuals who have shaped the communities and the nation. Her Royal Highness has dedicated a large part of her working life to official engagements and visits and we are delighted to recognise this immense contribution by carrying her name on the side of this Intercity Express Train.”

Transport Secretary, Rt Hon Mark Harper MP, said: “I’m delighted to see one of GWR’s trains named after Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal in recognition of her remarkable commitment to public service.

“Her Royal Highness has made a significant contribution to so many important charities, events and public services so it gives me great pride to celebrate this through one of the greatest traditions on our railways.”

Inspired by the heritage of GWR’s King George V locomotive, two sides of a coin appear on the side of GWR’s named Intercity Express Trains.

With the Coat of Arms of the GWR on one side of coin, the other will include an illustration of The Princess competing at the 1976 Montreal Olympics. Seated on the Queen’s horse, Goodwill, Her Royal Highness was taking part in the equestrian three-day event – the first member of the Royal Family to feature in the Olympics.

HRH went on to play a part in London’s successful bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games and today brings insight and experience to her role as a British member of the International Olympic Committee, as well as being President of the British Olympic Association.

Annamarie Phelps CBE, Vice-Chairman of the British Olympic Association, said: “HRH The Princess Royal is synonymous with British Olympic sport and the British Olympic Association. Having competed as an Olympian, she also holds the unique record of being an IOC member, having led an international sport federation and, of course, being the mother to another Olympian, Zara Tindall. We are delighted to join her today to celebrate the naming of this train in her honour.”

The Princess has been President of Save the Children UK since 1970, visiting projects in many countries including China, Cambodia, Botswana, Madagascar and The Philippines.

Gemma Sherrington, Interim Chief Executive of Save the Children, said: “We are delighted that Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal is being honoured by Great Western Railway for her lifelong charitable commitments. The Princess Royal has supported the work of Save the Children for over 50 years and as our Patron has worked tirelessly to support us, visiting teams in the UK and around the world and regularly meeting with our inspirational fundraisers and volunteers.

“We continue to be incredibly grateful for The Princess Royal’s support to help us continue to deliver lasting change for children and their families in the UK and across the globe.”

HRH has been closely involved with the creation of several charities, including The Princess Royal’s Trust for Carers (now Carers Trust), Transaid and Riders for Health, and has been Patron of the Motor Neurone Disease Association since 2008.

Tanya Curry, chief executive of the MND Association, said, “HRH The Princess Royal has offered steadfast support to the MND Association for more than 16 years and is a remarkable advocate for people with motor neurone disease, a terminal illness which affects more than 5000 people in the UK at any one time.

“We are incredibly grateful to Her Royal Highness for her unwavering dedication throughout her time as Royal Patron of the MND Association, and we are delighted her commitment to charitable causes is being recognised in this way.”

[world-of-wales]

Happy International Women’s Day! Celebrating the impact of amazing women today, and every day. Here are just a few of the brilliant women we’ve been inspired by over the past 12 months. #IWD2024

After her daughter Brodie's death by suicide in 2020, Emma Webb launched a suicide prevention campaign. Brodie was a talented equestrian, which is what inspired @thewebstermwebb’s challenge pulling a life-size resin horse 160 miles from Chepstow to London.

Sarah Goldson has directed the @Wimbledon Ball Boy and Girl training since the 2012 Championships. The training helps develop life skills among young people, with 280 BBGs selected from local schools.

Vaitea Cowan is a co-founder of @Enapter, a company aiming to account for 10% of the world's green hydrogen by 2050. Enapter won the Fix Our Climate category at the 2021 Earthshot Prize and continues to thrive.

Bianca Sakol is the founder and CEO of @Sebbys_Corner, a shop-style baby bank which believes no child should go without the basic essentials they need to thrive. They provide a warm, welcoming environment and gives families choice and dignity to choose the items they need.

Mother and daughter, Jennifer and Emilia Clarke, were awarded MBEs for their brain injury charity work. They are co-founders of @SameYouOrg, a charity which develops better mental health recovery treatment for survivors and raises awareness around rehabilitation.

Dr. Gubby Ayida has been the CEO of @EvelinaLondon since May 2023 and oversaw its opening of the new Children’s Day Surgery Unit last year.

Wendy Simm was born and raised in Moss Side, Manchester and founded ‘Keeping It Real 24/7.’ The food bank focuses on delivering culturally important foods to those in need, such as yams and sweet potatoes, which generally are not provided by other food banks.

Captain Preet Chandi is a British Army Captain who holds three world records for polar trekking, most recently in December 2023 for becoming the world's fastest woman to complete a solo South Pole ski expedition.

Barbara Smith is a psychotherapist who has served over 16 years with @BritishRedCross, offering psychosocial support in disaster and war zones, aiding those in trauma.

Sarina Weigman began her role as England Women’s Head Coach in September 2021, leading The @Lionesses to Euro 2022 victory. She was presented with an Honorary CBE in June last year.

Renee Salt is a Holocaust survivor who was born in Zdunska Wola, Poland in 1929. She survived both Auschwitz and Belsen, but her family did not. Renee has spoken to thousands of young people as part of @HolocaustUK's programmes.

Professor Uzo Iwobi founded @rcccymru to boost art, heritage, and culture for minority groups in Wales. She empowers African Caribbean elders through learning initiatives and mentors young people to fulfil their aspirations.

In 2024, @hmsoardacious will be represented by Team Valkyrie, the first all-serving women's military team to row across the Atlantic. The @toughestrow challenge raises money for military charities and organisations that support veterans and their families.

- The Prince and Princess of Wales

[maximumwobblerbanditdonut]

2024 Paralympics 🇫🇷 Versatility is the mantra of wheelchair fencing 🤺

Unlike their able-bodied counterparts, fencers at the Paralympic Games switch between weapons to compete in multiple disciplines, an aspect that presents various challenges. There are three different weapons used in fencing: the foil, épée and sabre - each of which has different compositions, techniques and scoring target areas. All weapons in general, are based on the same basic set of rules making it relatively easy to switch between foil, épée and sabre.

Why is everyone speaking French? 🇫🇷

Like its Olympic equivalent, the official language of wheelchair fencing is French. The referee will say “En garde” ( On Guard, come to the start line), “Prete”(or “Ready” if English), then “Allez” (literally “Go!”; or “Fence if English) to start bouts.🗡️ 🤺 ⚔️

The use of French dates back to the 19th century when Napoleon established fencing as a mandatory discipline in the military. Fencing grew in popularity in France and made its way to the first modern Olympic Games in 1896.

Wheelchair fencing was pioneered about half a century later by Ludwig Guttmann at the Stoke Mandeville Hospital in England UK 🇬🇧 after World War II as part of rehabilitation for patients with spinal cord injuries. It made its Paralympic debut at the inaugural Games in 1960.

Historical, Stoke mandeville games, 1955 two female competitors in wheelchairs taking part in the fencing competition, Stoke Mandeville hospital, Aylesbury, Bucks, England, UK.

Sir Ludwig Guttmann CBE* FRS** (3 July 1899 – 18 March 1980) was a German-British neurologist who established the Stoke Mandeville Games. In September 1943, the British government asked Guttmann to establish the National Spinal Injuries Centre at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Buckinghamshire. The initiative came from the Royal Air Force (RAF) to ensure the treatment and rehabilitation of pilots with spine injuries, "who often crashed on approach with their bombers damaged".

When the centre opened on 1 February 1944, the United Kingdom's first specialist unit for treating spinal injuries, appointed Guttmann its director (a position he held until 1966). He believed that sport was an important method of therapy for the rehabilitation of injured military personnel, helping them build up physical strength and self-respect.

Sir Ludwig Guttmann and the birth of the Paralympics.

An ever-present in the Paralympic sports programme since Rome 1960, wheelchair fencing is governed by the International Wheelchair & Amputee Sports Federation (IWAS).

The wheelchair fencing competition at the Paralympic Games is in full swing, taking place under the prestigious glass dome of the Grand Palais in the heart of Paris.

📹 Behind the scenes: the process of getting ready for wheelchair fencing 🤺 And yes, well done to the volunteers, well done to the technical Teams.

📹 Passage en coulisses: les détails de la préparation d'une compétition d'escrime fauteuil🤺 Et oui bravo aux Volontaires. Bravo aux Équipes techniques

*CBE Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE)

**FRS Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS) is an award granted by the Fellows of the Royal Society of London.

#Paris2024 #wheelchairfencing #Paralympics #escrimepourfauteuil #SirLudwigGuttmann #NationalSpinalInjuries #Buckinghamshire #CentreatStokeMandevilleHospital

Posted 6th September 2024

[head-post]

King Charles’s New Year Honours 2025 celebrates extraordinary contributions

The UK government has published a list of 1,200 citizens honoured on New Year’s Eve.

By decree of Charles III, former England football coach Gareth Southgate, actor Stephen Fry and London mayor Sadiq Khan, among others, received knighthoods.

Among those being honoured today is former England manager Sir Gareth Southgate, who receives a Knighthood for services to Association Football. Beyond the pitch, Southgate has been actively involved in charitable work including supporting the Prince’s Trust, a youth charity that helps young people get into education, training, and employment.

The List awards a Companion of Honour, of which there are only 65 recipients at any time, to author and screenwriter Sir Kazuo Ishiguro; and a Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire for author Dame Jacqueline Wilson, and a Knight Grand Cross for Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz lately Chair of Cancer Research.

Damehoods are being awarded to Professor Alison Fuller for her work in Higher Education and Ruth Cairnie, Chair of Babcock International. Notable CBE recipients include Alan Titchmarsh, and actors Sarah Lancashire and Carey Mulligan.

The oldest recipient, World War Two Mosquito pilot Colin Bell, is 103 years old and receives a BEM for his charitable fundraising and public speaking about WWII Bomber Command.

In the UK, the title of knight or dame is awarded for achievements in various fields, including the arts, sports, and education. After receiving the title, men are usually called “sir” and women -“lady.”

Read more HERE

[saxafimedianetwork]

Lord Polak's Insights: The Significance of the Ethiopia-Somaliland MoU for Regional Stability

@Lord Polak praises historic #Ethiopia-#Somaliland MoU, highlighting its significance for #RegionalStability & economic growth. The deal addresses crucial economic & security needs, setting a new path for regional diplomacy & international recognition.

Continue reading Lord Polak’s Insights: The Significance of the Ethiopia-Somaliland MoU for Regional Stability

[georgefairbrother]

Remembering British film director and writer Sir Alan Parker CBE, who passed away July 31st, 2020, aged 76.

Born to a working class family in Islington, North London he made his early reputation as a pioneer of creativity in television advertising. He formed a creative partnership with David Puttnam and went on to become one of his generation’s most accomplished film directors.

He directed Jack Rosenthal’s television play, The Evacuees, for the BBC (BAFTA and International Emmy), and his first international cinema success was Bugsy Malone (1976), a musical gangster pastiche featuring a cast of children, including Jodie Foster, Scott Baio, Andrew Paul (The Bill), Bonnie Langford and an uncredited Phil Daniels. He said that he wrote Bugsy Malone out of frustration, as his work was constantly being rejected on the grounds of being 'too parochial'.

He went on to create a commercially successful, diverse and at times controversial body of work, including Midnight Express (written by Oliver Stone: they didn’t get on), Fame, Pink Floyd-The Wall, Mississippi Burning, The Commitments, Evita and Angela's Ashes. His final feature film was The Life of David Gale in 2003.

According to his official website;

"...In all, his films have won nineteen BAFTA awards, ten Golden Globes and ten Oscars...In January 1998, Parker took up his post as Chairman of the Board of Governors of the British Film Institute and in August, 1999 he was appointed first Chairman of the UK Film Council; a position he held for five years...In November, 1995, Parker was awarded with a CBE by Queen Elizabeth II for services to the British film industry and he received a knighthood in 2002. He is also an Officier des Arts et des Lettres, awarded by the French Government..."

He was also fascinating to listen to on the subject of the film industry generally, and gave a number of entertainingly grumpy interviews over the years. In the mid 1980s, his Thames TV documentary, A Turnip Head’s Guide to the British Film Industry, which according to his own website ‘lambasted the British film establishment and film critics’, seemed to upset just about everyone but won the British Press Guild award for the year’s best documentary.

He was interviewed by Warner Brothers executives as a potential director for the first Harry Potter, however during a teleconference (from his kitchen table at home) didn’t seem to express enough interest or gratitude at being asked. When a Warner exec told him that lots of directors would just love to do it, Parker said, 'Well go and ask them, then', and that was the end of that.

In conversation with David Puttnam for a BFI function, Alan Parker explained why he gave up making films, and talked a little about his art and drawing.

"…I’m out of it, I’ve had enough, I think it’s time for someone else to do it. I get more pleasure out of doing my art…I’ve been directing since I was 24, and every day was a battle, every day it was difficult, whether you’re fighting the producer who has opinions that you don’t agree with, the studios or whoever it is, because film, unlike art, pure art, film is hugely expensive, and the moment it gets expensive, you have people you have to serve…I’ve been punching out, all my life…to fight for the work…for our right to make our movie, the way we want to do it, and that’s hugely difficult, because it seems that you’re forever punching out. There comes a time, when you think, I don’t want to do that…I showed (a friend) one of my art works, and he said, who’s your audience here? Because that’s what film people think. I said the audience is me, and that’s all I care about, if someone likes my art, fine, if they don’t, fine…If they don’t like my movies, I want to kill ‘em…"

He was Michael Parkinson's first guest on Desert Island Discs in 1986, (a great interview) and featured once again 14 years later talking to Sue Lawley.

[maaarine]

MBTI & Directors

Christopher Nolan: INTJ

"Christopher Edward Nolan CBE (born 30 July 1970) is a British and American filmmaker.

Known for his Hollywood blockbusters with complex storytelling, Nolan is considered a leading filmmaker of the 21st century. (…)

Nolan gained international recognition with his second film, Memento (2000), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.

He transitioned from independent to studio filmmaking with Insomnia (2002), and found further critical and commercial success with The Dark Knight Trilogy (2005–2012), The Prestige (2006) and Inception (2010); the last of these earned Nolan two Oscar nominations—Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay.

This was followed by Interstellar (2014), Dunkirk (2017), Tenet (2020), and Oppenheimer (2023)."

Sources: video, wiki/Christopher_Nolan

[justforbooks]

Sir Roger George Moore,

KBE (14 October 1927 – 23 May 2017) was an English actor. He was the third actor to portray fictional secret agent James Bond in the Eon Productions/MGM Studios film series, playing the character in seven feature films: Live and Let Die (1973), The Man with the Golden Gun (1974), The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), Moonraker (1979), For Your Eyes Only (1981), Octopussy (1983), and A View to a Kill (1985). Moore's seven appearances as Bond are the most of any actor in the Eon-produced entries.

On television, Moore played the lead role of Simon Templar, the title character in the British mystery thriller series The Saint (1962–1969). He also had roles in American series, including Beau Maverick on the Western Maverick (1960–1961), in which he replaced James Garner as the lead, and a co-lead, with Tony Curtis, in the action-comedy The Persuaders! (1971–1972). Continuing to act on screen in the decades after his retirement from the Bond franchise, Moore's final appearance was in a pilot for a new Saint series that became a 2017 television film.

Moore was appointed a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 1991 and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2003 for services to charity. In 2007, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to the film industry. He was made a Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French government in 2008.

Moore was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1999 New Year Honours and was promoted to Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in the 2003 Birthday Honours for charitable services, especially UNICEF and latterly Kiwanis International, which had dominated his public life for more than a decade. On being knighted, Moore said that the citation "meant far more to me than if I had got it for acting... I was proud because I received it on behalf of UNICEF as a whole and for all it has achieved over the years".

On 11 October 2007, three days before he turned 80, Moore was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his work on television and in film. Attending the ceremony were family, friends, and Richard Kiel, with whom he had acted in The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker. Moore's star was the 2,350th star installed, and is appropriately located at 7007 Hollywood Boulevard.

On 28 October 2008, the French government appointed Moore a Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. On 21 November 2012, Moore was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Hertfordshire for his outstanding contributions to the UK film and television industry for over 50 years, in particular film and television productions in Hertfordshire.

After his death, the Roger Moore Stage was opened at Pinewood Studios at a ceremony held in October 2017 to celebrate his life and work. His wife and family were in attendance along with Bond producers Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, and guests at the event included Joan Collins, Michael Caine, Stephen Fry, Tim Rice and Stefanie Powers.

In the 2018 film My Dinner with Hervé, Moore was portrayed by actor Mark Umbers.

Moore became a tax exile from the United Kingdom in 1978, originally to Switzerland, and divided his year between his four homes: an apartment in Monte Carlo, a holiday house in the coastal Tuscan town of Castiglione della Pescaia, a chalet in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, and a home in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France. Moore became a resident of Monaco, having been appointed a Goodwill Ambassador of Monaco by Prince Albert II for his efforts in internationally promoting and publicising the principality. Moore was scathing of the Russian population in Monaco, saying, "I'm afraid we're overstuffed with Russians. All the restaurant menus are in Russian now."

Moore was vocal in his defence of his tax exile status, saying that in the 1970s, with taxes levied on top earners under the Labour government of James Callaghan, he had been urged by his "accountants, agents, and lawyers" to move abroad because, "At that point we were taxed up to 98% on unearned income, so you would never be able to save enough to ensure that you had any sort of livelihood if you didn't work." Moore said in 2011 that his decision to live abroad was "not about tax. That's a serious part of it. I come back to England often enough not to miss it, to see the changes, to find some of the changes good...I paid my taxes at the time that I was earning a decent income, so I've paid my due".

✔ Roger Moore is contentiously credited with inspiring the Walls Magnum ice cream. In the 1960s, he reportedly said that his one wish would be for a choc ice on a stick. Walls created this product and sent one to Moore. They later launched the Magnum in 1989, which is now the world's top-selling ice cream brand.

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at Just for Books…?

[servants-hall]

ACGAS S4 Press Release & Article Round Up

PBS: All Creatures Great and Small Season 4 New and Returning Cast

Radio Times: All Creatures Great and Small casts Shetland and Doctor Who star for season 4

TV Line: All Creatures Great and Small Season 4 Cast: Who’s Returning? Who’s Not? And Who’s New at Skeldale?

What to Watch: All Creatures drops huge hint major character isn't in new series

Deadline: ‘All Creatures Great And Small’ On Masterpiece Announces Return, New & Returning Cast Members

Yorkshire Post: All Creatures Great and Small Series 4: Star cast returns without Tristan actor Callum Woodhouse - but new vet Richard Carmody joins the team

Primetimer: All Creatures Great and Small Season 4: Everything We Know So Far

PBS’s press release is copied below:

PBS: All Creatures Great and Small Season 4 New and Returning Cast

Boston, MA; June 27, 2023: MASTERPIECE on PBS, Channel 5, and BAFTA and Golden Globe®-winning production company Playground (Howards End, Wolf Hall) today announce the casting of the much-loved drama All Creatures Great and Small as it gears up for its fourth season.

Based on the cherished collection of stories by best-selling author James Herriot, the critically acclaimed adaptation returns to the beautiful Yorkshire Dales for a fourth season of timeless and heart-warming stories, picking up in 1940 as Churchill takes office and Europe is under serious threat. The seven new episodes (including a Christmas Special) will air on MASTERPIECE on PBS in early 2024 and Channel 5 this autumn with All3Media International as the global partner.

MASTERPIECE Executive Producer Susanne Simpson adds, “I can’t wait for our MASTERPIECE audience to see this new season of All Creatures Great and Small. It continues to be full of the warmth and humor that has made it one of our most successful series ever.” MASTERPIECE is presented on PBS by GBH Boston.

Sir Colin Callender CBE, Executive Producer and CEO of Playground said: “We are thrilled to be back in the glorious Yorkshire Dales for a fourth season of family, community and, of course, animal hijinks. Our wonderful cast and crew are all delighted to be returning to adapt more of James Herriot’s joyful and life-affirming stories.”

Season 4 sees Nicholas Ralph reprise his role as young country vet James Herriot, now happily married to Helen Herriot, played by Rachel Shenton (White Gold, For Her Sins). Samuel West (Slow Horses, Small Axe) returns as James’ capricious and erratic mentor Siegfried Farnon while Anna Madeley (Time, Patrick Melrose) continues as Mrs. Hall, matriarch of Skeldale House. Patricia Hodge (Miranda, A Very English Scandal) also reprises her role as the wonderfully eccentric Mrs. Pumphrey, and Derek as her adored and pampered Pekingese Tricki.

With Tristan away serving in the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, Siegfried and James bring in some extra hands to help around the practice. Neve McIntosh (Shetland) joins the cast as highly efficient bookkeeper Miss Harbottle, alongside James Anthony-Rose (Slow Horses, Pennyworth) as studious undergraduate vet student Richard Carmody who arrives at Skeldale as part of his placement under the guidance of James.

A colorful ensemble of farmers, animals and townsfolk living in the Yorkshire Dales in the 1940s will also star, including Tony Pitts and Imogen Clawson as Helen’s father and sister, Richard and Jenny Alderson, Paul Copley as Ned Clough, Cleo Sylvestre MBE as Anne Chapman, James Bolam MBE as Mr. Dakin and Will Thorp as Gerald Hammond and Sam Retford as FO Woodham.

Louise Pedersen, CEO of All3Media International, commented: “Over three seasons All Creatures Great and Small has offered heartwarming, escapist viewing that has connected with audiences and become a firm fan favorite all around the world, and as Playground’s wonderful series enters its fourth season I am delighted to continue to build the brand globally.”

Returning for Season 4 is Executive Producer Ben Vanstone (A Gentleman in Moscow, The Last Kingdom) who will write the Christmas special. Writer Jamie Crichton (Three Pines, Grantchester) also returns, this time as lead writer and Executive Producer. Joining them for season four are writers Maxine Alderton (Emmerdale Farm, Doctor Who) and Helen Raynor (A Discovery of Witches, Call the Midwife).

Andy Hay (The Last Kingdom, Jamestown) is Lead Director and will direct episodes 1 and 2. Stewart Svaasand (Tin Star, Death in Paradise) will direct episodes 3, 4 and 6, while BAFTA winner Jordan Hogg (Ralph and Katie, Screw) will direct episode 5 and the Christmas Special.

All Creatures Great and Small is a timeless classic that continues to be much loved by generations. Never out of print, the books have sold 60 million copies internationally becoming a global cultural phenomenon with devoted fans around the world. With a sharp focus on community and its importance in our lives, Herriot’s world and spirit is a very much needed antidote to the challenges of modernity and reminds us all that belonging to a community makes us part of something greater than ourselves.

Season 4 is currently filming on location in Yorkshire.

All Creatures Great and Small is a Playground production for Channel 5 and MASTERPIECE in association with All3Media International. Executive Producers are: Colin Callender, Melissa Gallant, Jamie Crichton and Ben Vanstone for Playground, Susanne Simpson and Rebecca Eaton for MASTERPIECE, and Louise Pedersen and David Swetman for All3Media International.