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they-are-not-just-stories · 6 years

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For She Had Eyes and Choose Me

A/N: Yes the title is from Othello (specifically somewhere in Act 3 not the exact quote but you get it). I thought it was fitting for this request and I happen to adore Shakespeare! *Original poem by me* Yay!

Request: The reader showing her boyfriend Tom Hiddleston how much she loves and appreciates him :’) sooo much fluff pls (Anonymous)

Pairing: Tom Hiddleston x Girlfriend!reader

Summary: You were lucky to find such a lover like Tom. And you made sure he knew how lucky you were to love every minute you spent together. (Horrible summary I am so sorry)

Warnings: All the fluff, grab a fluffy blanket and something savory to cut the sweetness!

Word Count: 1.9k

6:48 a.m.

The sweet scent of vanilla filled your little kitchen. The sizzling and popping of bacon on the stove making your stomach grumble loudly. The sweet sound of classical music in the background made you spin around happily and content as you prepared two cups of a very special kind tea for Tom. You carefully tiptoed your way back to your bedroom setting the tea cups on the night stand. You slowly crawled into the bed, under the covers and propping your head on your hand you just admired the sleeping man before you.

The sunlight hit his face just right it highlighted his perfect cheekbones. His sleeping form lifted so gently with every soft breath. The adorable way his feet slightly hung off the bed. You smiled at him, just admiring how peaceful he was. You smelled the pancakes floating into the room and saw his nose twitch a little. He gently fluttered his eyes open and looked at you with bright blue orbs. Letting out a small laugh, he smiled at you and propped his head on his hand to look at you.

“How long have you been staring, my love?”

“Not long enough.” You laughed. “Buuuuut...it’s a very big day for you! So I’m glad you’re up, I made food!” You poked at his stomach making him giggle and grab for you.

“My dear, you did not have to do that. But I appreciate it nonetheless.” He pulled you close to him and softly kissed your forehead.

You rolled over and reached for the tea you made and handed Tom a cup. He smelled it, closing his eyes and admiring the aroma. He grabbed the slice of lemon and stirred it into his tea. You watched as his eyes lit up when the blue tea turned a dark pink. He quickly took a sip and quietly moaned at the taste.

“Darling, what is this? It’s wonderful!”

“Well, I heard your mother talk about how much you wanted this tea when you went to Germany and considering it’s your birthday, I figured I should start your day with something special.”

He went to speak again, but just smiled at you brightly. He leaned in grabbing your arm and pulled you in for a kiss.

“I don’t deserve you.” He whispered leaning his forehead on yours.

You shook your head against his. “That’s not true. If anything I don’t deserve you, but enough with that, I made you breakfast and you have presents to open!” You grabbed his arm and nearly yanked him out of the bed making him almost spill his drink. He groaned at the loss of warmth, but couldn’t help but go anyway seeing how excited you were.

His eyes blew open at all the food you made for him and the stack of gifts you set on the table for him to open. He couldn’t believe you went through all this work just for a simple birthday!

You squeezed his hands and looked up at him as he continued to take in the room. “Sooo...what do you think? It’s a bit much I agree, but you my love deserve much more than this!”

He looked down at you, setting his cup down and letting go of your hand, he snaked them around your waist and rested his head on yours. “Y/N, it’s absolutely perfect. You are perfect. Thank you so much for this. I love you darling.” He grabbed your face and pulled you up to lock your lips in a soft, loving kiss.

Pushing up on your toes you kissed him harder, letting out a little laugh in between each one. You released the kiss first and just hugged him tight, smelling his scent and relishing in the moment. That’s when you heard whale calls coming form inside you again and knew it was time to eat.

You put a hand to your stomach and looked up at Tom innocently. “Guess I’m a little hungry?”

“A little?” He chuckled. You swatted his arm playfully and each grabbed a plate, piling them high with food.

You both finished eating more food than probably your weight combined and sat back in your chairs in some discomfort from being stuffed. You let out a sigh and than sat forward, resting your head on your hands and stared at Tom waiting for him to open his gifts.

He got the memo and shook his head at you. “Love, you didn’t need to get me anything you know? You are more than enough for me.” He reached for the first gift wrapped in simple blue paper with a white bow.

“Ok, to be fair not all of them are from me. But yes of course I have to get you something, what’s a birthday without gifts, don’t be silly!”

“Whatever you say my love.” He gently ripped open the paper and opened the box the gift was in, a small name card was in it reading: Happy Birthday my boy! Love, Mum. His mother had bought him a few new ties and goofy socks with tiny Loki’s on them. He laughed, his smile lighting up the room.

“Oh how cute! Little Loki’s!” You squealed.

“I’ll have to call mum after and thank her. These are wonderful, but something tells me you two were together when she got these.” He teased holding up the Loki socks.

“You can’t prove anything, now come on next one birthday boy!”

He grabbed a gift bag and pulled out the tissue paper to reveal a T-shirt that had the Lucky Charms cereal on it, but it instead had written on it, “Loki Charms.” He laughed loudly with his head swung back and his hand over his chest.

“Y/N! Where did you find this? Oh, I love it! Chris is going to love this! Thank you love it’s amazing!” He leaned over and kissed you on the cheek.

“I’m glad you like it babe! I made it form a website, but got the idea somewhere else! I saw the design and just knew I had to get it for you!” You said excitedly. He grabbed for another gift and the card attached was signed from his work colleagues. Inside the box was a container of band aids, but they were Shakespeare band aids with insults on them! You scrambled to stand next to Tom to look at the funny gift his friends got him as he sat their smiling at them, reading the different insults.

“Oh my god! These are perfect for you! This is hilarious!”

“I can’t believe this is what they got me, I mean I love it, but oh my goodness this is almost too perfect!” He looked up at you grinning widely. You both laughed softly and settled back down. You anticipated his last gift from you and you could barely sit still! He grabbed a larger bag reaching in to see the little note which said: To my love. He unwrapped the packaging to be greeted with a book. Flipping open the cover it had a picture of you and Tom smiling at each other. Underneath was fancy lettering that had said: Darling, I never experienced a love like this. These past few years with you were unforgettable, so I made sure to preserve them. Our love is a journey that starts with forever, but ends with never, I love you. ~Y/N

You sat there admiring the way he caressed the pages, looking through each memory and remembering the exact moment each picture had been captured. He smiled at the picture of when you two went to the petting zoo. You remembered how cute it was how he got so excited to hold a koala. He was like a little kid in a candy store. The next photo was of you two and he was looking at nothing in particular, but you were staring at him with so much love. You remember when that was taken, your heart was beating nervously for no reason. Your cheeks hurt from smiling so much at Tom. You were so captivated by him, there simply was no other way to explain it.

While you were off in your thoughts about him, Tom had finished going through the album full of candid photos of him on set or him being cute with out trying and many others of you two and your time together. There were tears threatening to fall from his beautiful stormy blue eyes. He smiled wide and let go of a breath. He looked up at you, taking your hand and pulled you into his lap. He held you close wrapping his arms snugly around you.

“Thank you Y/N. Thank you for everything. I love you so much I don’t know how you do it, but you do and whatever it is I love it. That was the best gift I could have received.” He whispered shakily into your ear. You held his face close to yours, gently wiping the small tears from his eyes, kissing each spot. You rested your forehead on his and just held him there for a moment.

“My love, you deserve the world. If I can give you only a small piece then you shall have it. The man I met just a couple years ago was wonderful, more than I ever thought I could have. But the man I have today, is incredible. He is the most kind, proper, respectful man I’ve ever met. I am so proud of him, I don’t say it enough either. Your work, the way you always see the good in people. How you effortlessly light up the room. When you read to me and shower me with words of love and heart ache from Shakespeare to Chaucer and everything in between. Everyday is something new with you and I am so lucky and proud to be yours because everyday I get to wake to another adventure with you and I wouldn’t have it any other way.” You smile sweetly and kiss him softly, making a silent promise of your love for him.

You look him straight in his eyes, memorizing the blue and flecks of gray that you have the pleasure to wake up to in the morning.

“A love sweeter than the fruits heaven rains upon us. A love stronger than the iron that binds us together. A love wiser than the books we explore. Every moment is a new adventure; into the void, we delve into the escapade, and we do not fear it. It sparks our imagination; it brightens our eyes and lifts the soul. To share such a moment with you, grant’s my untried life an expedition to somewhere with laughter, a radiance more glowing than the sun, but softer than the shimmer of the moon. Can it not be that we had met before? A time in which our souls had been joined in dance and song? To find you again my love was the greatest gift of all.” The grip on him grew softer, and tears trickled into your eyes when you saw his face. Tom had streaks on his cheeks, but a fondness in his eyes.

“I don’t deserve you, but I will never let you go Y/N. I love you so much. This was the greatest birthday yet and I am so lucky to have shared it with you. I am utterly speechless. You wrote that for me?” You nodded.

“You don’t have to say anything Tom. I love very much and you deserve something special.” He pulled you quickly into him, peppering your face with kisses, whispering his love into your ear and just bringing into a moment you would cherish forever.

With the one your soul would love forever.

A/N: I hoped you liked it because I’m kind on the fence about it! Anyway let me know what you think, or if there is something I need to work on!

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drrosannewelch · 5 years

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“When Women Wrote Hollywood” Panel at Denver Pop Culture Con [Video] (40 minutes 48 seconds)

On Saturday June 1, 2019 from 12:30 pm to 1:20 pm I had the great joy of hosting a panel at the Denver Popular Culture Con celebrating the work of 4 of the alumni of our Stephens College MFA in TV and Screenwriting – Sydney Haven, Amy Banks, Mikayla Daniels, Kelley Zinge – who themselves were celebrating the female screenwriters they each researched and wrote about in our book “When Women Wrote Hollywood”.

The audience enjoyed the comfortable style of our panel along with the stories they had to tell of women who ran their own studios, wrote/produced/directed and often starred in their own films which all came under the banner of the Con’s “Reel Heroes” track. Women such as Bess Meredyth, Fredericka Sagor Mass, Jane Murfin, and Lillian Hellman are heroes to the many female artists doing that same work today against the ridiculous comments about whether or not studios can risk loaning so much production monies to ‘untried’ talents. We need to tell these stories over and over so that those comments can be relegated to the historical trash heap on which they belong.

So enjoy listening to these newly-minted scholars and remember their names – along with the names of the women they honored with their writing. And many thanks to Sydney Haven for suggesting we submit a panel proposal! It was a great weekend! McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers Stephens College Stephens College MFA in TV and Screenwriting Semester in LA (Columbia College Chicago)

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quotespicture · 5 years

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New Post has been published on https://quoteswithpicture.com/90-success-quotes-you-ought-to-have-tattooed-on-your-arm/

90 Success Quotes You Ought to Have Tattooed On Your Arm!

Today we have 90 of the Beefiest Success & Motivation Quotes you should have tattooed on your body.

Add these quotes on your wallpaper, iPhone, or anywhere else you’d read through them and live by these religiously. Without a doubt these quotes are also ideal for tattoos to motivate you for extreme success!

Below are 90 Success Quotes You Should Have Tattooed On Your Arm:

1. “When it looks impossible and you are ready to quit, victory is near!” – Tony Robbins

2. “Today I will do what others won’t, so tomorrow I can accomplish what others can’t.” – Jerry Rice

3. “Losers quit when they’re tired. Winners quit when they’ve won.” – Unknown

4. “The Man Who Has Confidence In Himself Gains The Confidence Of Others.” – Hasidic Proverb

5. “To get something you never had, you have to do something you’ve never done.” – Unknown

6. “Some people dream of success… others stay awake to achieve it.” – Unknown

7. ”You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take” – Wayne Gretzky

8. “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” – Steve Jobs

9. “Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.” – Michael Jordan

10. “It took us so long to realize that a purpose of human life, no matter who is controlling it, is to love whoever is around to be loved.” – Kurt Vonnegut

11. “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” – Albert Einstein

12. “You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don’t try.” – Beverly Sills

13. “Do what you can with what you’ve got wherever you are.” – Theodore Roosevelt

14. “Use what talents you possess; the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except those that sang best.” – Henry Van Dyke

15. “It is not length of Life, but depth of life.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

16. “See the Invisible, Believe the Incredible, Achieve the Impossible.” – Joel Brown

17. “You build walls & boundaries when you give into your mind. Fear nothing & take control of who you are & who you are meant to be” – Joel Brown

18. “We all take different paths in life, but no matter where we go, we take a little of each other everywhere.” – Tim McGraw

19. “Laughter is the music of life.” – Sir William Osler

20. “In the province of the mind, what one believes to be true either is true or becomes true.” – John Lilly

21. “Experience is the hardest kind of teacher. It gives you the test first and the lesson afterward.” – Unknown

22. “Friendship makes prosperity more shining and lessens adversity by dividing and sharing it.” – Cicero

23. “In the giving-is the getting.” – David Matoc

24. “The impossible is often the untried.” – Jim Goodwin

25. “Anyone can become angry-that is easy, but to become angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose, and in the right way-that is not easy.” – Aristotle

26. “Character, in great and little things, means carrying through what you feel able to do.” – Goethe

27. “Don’t let yesterday use up too much of today.” – Will Rogers

28. “My religion is very simple, my religion is kindness.” – Dalai Lama

29. “The important thing is to not stop questioning.” – Albert Einstein

30. “It’s not your circumstances that shape you, it’s how you react to your circumstances.” – Anne Ortlund

31. “The best thing about the future is that it only comes one day at a time.” – Abraham Lincoln

32. “Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.” – Buddha

33. “It takes strength to be gentle and kind.” – Stephen Morrisey

34. “A hero is a person who does what he or she can.” – Roman Rolland

35. “What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matter compared to what lies within us.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

36. “Where there is unity there is always victory.” – Publilius Syrus

37. “The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one.” – E. Hubbard

38. “The only thing standing between you and your goal is the bullshit story you keep telling yourself as to why you can’t achieve it.” – Jordan Belfort

39. “Never regret. If it’s good, it’s wonderful. If it’s bad, it’s experience.” – Victoria Holt

40. “It’s not denial. I’m selective about the reality I accept.” – Calvin

41. “The great thing about getting older is that you don’t lose all the other ages you’ve been.” – Madeleine L’Engle

42. “We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.” – Mother Teresa

43. “I like nonsense,it wakens up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, it’s a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope and that enables you to laugh at life’s realities.” – Dr. Seuss

44. “A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort.” – Herm Albright

45. “Nothing is worth more than this day.” – Goethe

46. “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead

47. “If at first you don’t succeed, you’re running about average.” – M.H. Alderson

48. “Life is like a ten speed bike. Most of us have gears we never use.” – Charles Schultz

49. “There is nothing permanent except change.” – Heraditus

50. “The miracle is this; the more we share, the more we have.” – Leonard Nimoy

51. “Out of clutter, find simplicity; from discord, find harmony; in the middle of difficulty, lies opportunity.” – Albert Einstein

52. “Hope is like a road in the country. There never was a road; but, when many people walk together, the road comes into existence.” – From the National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.

53. “Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. Especially when that time will pass you by anyway.” – Unknown

54. “Dreams come true; without that possibility, nature would not incite us to have them.” – John Updike, 1989, U.S. author & critic

55. “Our greatest glory is not failing, but in rising every time we fail.” – Confucius

56. “Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.” – John Wooden

57. “Happiness is inward, and not outward; and so, it does not depend on what we have, but on what we are.” – Henry Van Dyke

58. “A wise man should have money in his head, but not in his heart.“ – Jonathan Swift

59. “The pain you feel today is the strength you feel tomorrow.” – Unknown

60. “Worry is as useless as a handle on a snowball.” – Mitzi Chandler

61. “The strongest oak of the forest is not the one that is protected from the storm and hidden from the sun. It;s the one that stands in the open where it is compelled to struggle for its existence against the wind and rains and the scorching sun.” – Napoleon Hill

62. “It’s not the load that breaks you down; it’s the way you carry it.” – Lena Horne

63. “Keep you face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow.” – Helen Keller

64. “If you don’t go after what you want, you’ll never have it. If you don’t ask, the answer is always no. If you don’t step forward your always in the same place.” – Nora Roberts

65. “A good hand and a good heart are always a formidable combination.” – Nelson Mandela

66. “There are two ways of exerting ones strength; one is pushing down, the other is pulling up.” – Booker T. Washington

67. “Life is 10% of what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it.” – John Maxwell

68. “A person that values it’s privileges above its principles soon loses both.” – Dwight Eisenhower

69. “It is difficult to say what is impossible, for the dream of yesterday is the hope of today and the reality of tomorrow.” – Robert H. Goddard

70. “Never deprive someone of hope; it may be all they have.” – H. Jackson Brown Jr.

71. “We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give.” – Sir Winston Churchill

72. “It is better to look ahead and prepare than to look back and regret” – Jackie Joyner-Kersee

73. “We all have a few failures under our belt. It’s what makes us ready for the successes.” – Randy K. Milholland

74. “Don’t count every hour in the day, make every hour in the day count.” – Anonymous

75. “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.” – The Dalai Lama

76. “A difficult time can be more readily endured if we retain the conviction that our existence holds a purpose – a cause to pursue, a person to love, a goal to achieve.” – John Maxwell

77. “Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.” – Albert Einstein

78. “The faintest ink is better than the best memory” – Unknown

79. “Every dog must have his day.“ – Jonathan Swift

80. “Dear tomorrow, do whatever you want to do. I have already lived my today and I am not afraid of you anymore .” – Unknown

81. “The Pessimist Sees Difficulty In Every Opportunity. The Optimist Sees Opportunity In Every Difficulty.” – Winston Churchill

82. “Don’t Let Yesterday Take Up Too Much Of Today.” – Will Rogers

83. “You Learn More From Failure Than From Success. Don’t Let It Stop You. Failure Builds Character.” – Unknown

84. “It’s Not Whether You Get Knocked Down, It’s Whether You Get Up.” – Vince Lombardi

85. “If You Are Working On Something That You Really Care About, You Don’t Have To Be Pushed. The Vision Pulls You.” – Steve Jobs

86. “People Who Are Crazy Enough To Think They Can Change The World, Are The Ones Who Do.” – Rob Siltanen

87. “Failure Will Never Overtake Me If My Determination To Succeed Is Strong Enough.” – Og Mandino

88. “Entrepreneurs Are Great At Dealing With Uncertainty And Also Very Good At Minimizing Risk. That’s The Classic Entrepreneur.” – Mohnish Pabrai

89. “We May Encounter Many Defeats But We Must Not Be Defeated.” – Maya Angelou

90. “Imagine Your Life Is Perfect In Every Respect; What Would It Look Like?” – Brian Tracy

Which one of these quotes do you like the most?

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derechointernacionalpublico · 7 years

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‘Terrorism’ at the World Court: Ukraine v Russia as an Opportunity for Greater Guidance on Relevant Obligations?

Recently, Ukraine instituted proceedings against Russia before the ICJ, alleging violations of both the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism (the ‘Convention’) and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (‘CERD’), followed up by a provisional measures request. This post is primarily concerned with the allegations formulated under the former instrument, including Russia’s alleged financing and support of illegal armed groups and terrorist activities in Ukraine, notably with respect to the downing of Flight MH17 (which the UNSC condemned in Resolution 2166 and demanded accountability). Given that a brief provisional measures overview has already been given on this blog, along with broader discussion of the case, I will highlight a few particular points of interest.

Shedding Light on the Convention

The Convention forms part of a series of multilateral conventions (the so-called ‘sectoral’ treaties) dealing specifically with terrorism-related offences and imposing obligations upon parties to criminalise relevant conduct domestically, falling short in many instruments of actually defining ‘terrorism’. The Convention is a notable exception, defining terrorism at Article 2(1) as:

‘[a]n act which constitutes an offence within the scope and as defined in one of the treaties listed in the annex; or…[a]ny other act intended to cause death or serious bodily injury to a civilian, or to any other person not taking an active part in the hostilities in a situation of armed conflict, when the purpose of such act, by its nature or context, is to intimidate a population, or to compel a government or an international organization to do or to abstain from doing any act’.

The ‘treaties listed’ limb refers to nine of the ‘sectoral’ treaties, including the 1971 Montreal Convention, which has relevance in this case.

Much of the content of these conventions is relatively untried and untested. Some contain compromissory clauses granting jurisdiction to the ICJ in the case of a dispute, including Article 24 of the Convention, on which Ukraine relies. While scholars have lobbied for greater resort to this jurisdictional avenue to bring terrorism cases to the Court, Ukraine’s case marks only the third instance of litigation involving a sectoral anti-terrorism treaty before the international judiciary, alongside the two Lokerbie cases. This is an important moment for the Court, but also for international law.

This collection of anti-terrorism conventions has been described in the most anti-cohesive fashion: a ‘patchwork’ of instruments, a ‘piecemeal’ approach, etc. This is a unique opportunity for the Court to provide helpful interpretive guidance on Article 2(1) and related issues, especially the notion of ‘intent’, a matter of considerable contention between the parties. There is no authoritative judicial pronouncement on this front, despite Ukraine’s efforts in tracking down an Italian Supreme Court of Cassation decision which weakens Russia’s argument by holding that:

‘an action against a military objective must also be regarded as terrorism if the particular circumstances show beyond any doubt that serious harm to the life and integrity of the civilian population are inevitable, creating fear and panic among the local people’ (CR/3, pp 39–40).

While there are many unresolved issues surrounding the legal concept of ‘terrorism’, Ukraine’s case shows that civilians have been targeted for purposes that include ‘intimidat[ing] a population’ and ‘compel[ling] a government or an international organization to do or abstain from doing any act’, with Russia’s support (CR/3, pp 40ff). And that is the essence of ‘terrorism’ under the Convention.

Jurisdiction, Prima Facie or Otherwise

Russia contends that the Court should not take jurisdiction given that the dispute pertains to questions of recourse to force, sovereignty, territorial integrity and self-determination. Where have we seen this movie before? Right: Georgia v Russia shares similarities with this case, not least for the fact that it gave Article 22 of CERD (the compromissory clause) its day in court. As pointed out by Judge Crawford in his recent dissenting opinions in the Marshall Island cases, in the Georgia v Russia case;

‘the doubt was whether that dispute really concerned racial discrimination…or whether Article 22 was being used as a device to bring a wider set of issues before the Court’.

In reviewing the parties’ respective pre- and post- application conduct, it is to be hoped that the Court will avoid relying on its recent jurisdictional formalism, which was criticised by judges writing separately in Marshall Islands (see, eg, Judges Bennouna, Robinson and Crawford). More interestingly, the Article 24 jurisdictional preconditions are not identical to those enshrined in Article 22 of CERD. While the former also requires an attempt to settle the dispute by negotiation, Article 24, upon the expiry of a ‘reasonable time’, then requires an attempt to settle the matter through arbitration, failing which after six months the case can be submitted to the ICJ. Ukraine suggested that constituting an ICJ ad hoc chamber could fulfil the arbitration requirement (CR/3, pp 32–34). This is a novel and interesting argument.

Russia took issue with this position (CR/4, pp 29–30), as did a contributor to this blog. However, it might not be that farfetched, as the Convention does not define the term ‘arbitration’. Of course, Judge Oda opined that an ICJ ad hoc chamber is ‘essentially an arbitral tribunal’. More recently, Judge Tomka emphasised ‘the limits of the Court’s function, resulting from the fact that it has evolved from international arbitration, which is traditionally focused on bilateral disputes’. Indeed, scholars have explored the similarities between the Court and international arbitration. Further, the Gulf of Maine case demonstrated that parties retain considerable control over both the chamber’s composition and the legal questions submitted to it.

Here, Ukraine’s proposal appeared to suggest that it was open to the parties to request the Court – presumably by way of special agreement – to constitute an ad hoc chamber to attempt arbitration prior to formally seizing the Court under Article 24 of the Convention. Ukraine put forth this proposal primarily because the Court’s ‘rules would be available, making it substantially easier to reach final agreement for parties that have had great difficulty reaching agreement’, as was the case between the present parties regarding the organization of an arbitration (CR/3, p 33). In that scenario, the parties would have been free to carefully tailor the scope of questions submitted to the chamber in that special agreement. Had this quasi-arbitral process before the ad hoc chamber failed, Ukraine would not have been barred from instituting proceedings before the Court, as it has now done, pursuant to Article 24 of the Convention at the expiration of the 6-month period. Granted, this might suggest a ‘2-kicks-at-the-can’ approach to ICJ jurisdiction, but it nonetheless raises interesting questions, chief amongst them whether constituting an ad hoc chamber can fulfil an ‘arbitration precondition’ to the seisin of the Court in a compromissory clause.

Moreover, Russia attempted to establish a lack of prima facie jurisdiction by arguing that State responsibility for sponsoring and/or funding terrorism is not captured by the Convention. This position appears somewhat disingenuous or divorced from the broader context. As stressed by Ukraine (CR/3, p 48), the Convention’s drafters reserved the question of ‘State terrorism’, but that is an entirely different question from State responsibility for sponsoring and/or funding terrorism. More importantly, treaty interpretation should not occur in a vacuum; context is everything. Endorsing an overly formalistic construction of the Convention would ignore the tremendous legal developments that have occurred since 9/11, starting with UNSC Resolution 1373 and the counterterrorism edifice erected subsequently. In a monograph, I argue that relevant State and institutional practice places a heightened burden of prevention and due diligence upon States, translating into an enhanced obligation to prevent terrorism. Therefore, some Russian claims conflict with the spirit of both this counterterrorism edifice and the Convention, if it is interpreted in an evolutionary light.

Resolution 1373 basically universalised as mandatory the Convention’s prescriptions for all States, adding that any support – direct or indirect – of terrorism or its financing is prohibited (see James Crawford, State Responsibility, p 160). This international practice also imposes clear obligations of cooperation and mutual assistance in preventing terrorism and its financing. Ukraine alleges various violations by Russia of the Convention, the obligation to cooperate under Article 18 being central (Application, pp 40–42). Therefore, Russia’s knowledge and support, irrespective of its form, of the downing of MH17, bombings in Kharkiv and the shelling of civilians in Ukraine should be regarded as captured by this instrument, provided the underlying acts conform to the Article 2(1) definition.

This case might also have implications for State responsibility for supporting terrorism, should the Court accept Ukraine’s arguments that Russia can be held legally responsible for violating the Convention’s prohibition of financing and sponsorship of terrorism through its own organs or agents (Application, pp 40–42). It is possible that Russia will raise a preliminary objection to challenge the idea that the Convention enshrines obligations requiring States parties not to support/finance terrorism themselves. But even at this stage, the parties have debated the scope and meaning of paragraph 166 of Bosnian Genocide. Ukraine essentially maintains that it would be ‘paradoxical’ for the Convention to obligate States to prevent the financing of terrorism carried out by individuals over which they exert control or influence, but not be themselves accountable for such conduct carried out by their organs or individuals whose actions are attributable to them. Russia entertains a contrary position (CR/2, pp 37ff). In light of the above context, that posture seems to run counter to the spirit of post-9/11 counterterrorism efforts, including a forward-looking and purposive interpretation of the Convention.

Granted, the Convention’s compromissory clause does not incorporate an express reference to State responsibility claims, as compared to Article IX of the Genocide Convention. However, Ukraine is right in stating that:

‘it would be a twisted reading indeed to assume that a State can simply look the other way if its own public organs and officials are engaged in the financing of terrorism’;

this signals that ‘the duty to prevent carries meaning only if the State is prohibited from doing the very thing it is meant to prevent’. This posture clearly aligns with the spirit of Resolution 1373 and subsequent resolutions, which constitute a prism through which the Court should interpret the Convention.

Failure to consider this broader context would be short-sighted, overly formalistic, and a disservice to the underlying cause. While there was a governing treaty on self-defence (UN Charter), in the Wall Advisory Opinion (p 194) the ICJ favoured a State-centric conception of self-defence, thereby failing to consider Resolutions 1368 and 1373 and the fact that non-State actors increasingly mount ‘armed attacks’. This was criticised by judges writing separately (see Judges Higgins, Kooijmans and Buergenthal). Granted, the inter-State dynamic was arguably not relevant in the Wall case, but the Court nonetheless acknowledged that criticism and left the question open subsequently in Armed Activities (para 147).

The Implausibility of Rejecting this Case: Shared Responsibility in Promoting Global Security

A careful review of the facts suggests a plausible claim under the Convention. Ukraine is right in qualifying the definition of ‘terrorism’ broadly, which is also informed by a broad definition of the term ‘funds’ in Article 1(1) (CR/1, pp 40ff). The Court will have to grapple with competing constructions of ‘intent’, but it should not lose sight of the broader context described above. Thus, Ukraine appears justified in emphasising the terms ‘by any means’ ‘provides…funds’, which militate in favour of recognising Russia’s provision of a Buk missile to fighters used in the MH17 incident as an offence under the Convention, for example. Equally sound is Ukraine’s resistance to Russia’s ‘multiple intent requirements…imposed on the Convention’s language’.

Finally, Russia urges the Court not to ‘interfere with, the Minsk II package of measures’ given that the ‘Security Council remains seised of the situation in east Ukraine’. This argument is not entirely convincing. As the ICJ has repeated, the Council’s responsibility in maintaining global security is not exclusive. Article 12 of the UN Charter does not establish a hierarchy between both organs. Rather, they can pursue complementary roles in promoting global security and address different aspects of a broader dispute (see my recent book, pp 143ff).

In Lockerbie, Judge Bedajoui stressed that:

‘the first dispute concern[ed] the extradition of two Libyan nationals and [was] being dealt with, legally, by the Court…whereas the second dispute concern[ed]…State terrorism as well as the international responsibility of the Libyan State and [was] being dealt with, politically, by the Security Council’.

Similar reasoning applies here. The first step towards fulfilling this complementary role for the Court is to seriously consider the pending provisional measures request and taking jurisdiction to provide much-needed clarity on an important anti-terrorism instrument.

[via EJIL: Talk!]

http://www.dipublico.org/105750/terrorism-at-the-world-court-ukraine-v-russia-as-an-opportunity-for-greater-guidance-on-relevant-obligations/

#Application #Article #Bosnian Genocide #Case #CERD #control #ICJ #Marshall Islands #Right Georgia #Russia #States #treaty #Ukraine #Wall Advisory Opinion #World Court

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shenzhenblog · 6 years

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50 Quotes to Spark a Culture of Change

An inspiring quote is a great tool for changing a mindset. I made a personal collection of 50 outstanding quotes on change and innovation. Use them to inspire others to start a culture of change, to think different and to prioritize change and innovation at the start of 2017.

1. Nothing is stronger than habit. [Ovid]

2. If you always do what you always did, you will always get what you always got. [Albert Einstein]

3. Status quo is Latin for, ‘The mess we’re in.’ [Ronald Reagan]

4. Change is inevitable. Except from a vending machine.[Robert C. Gallagher]

5. When the rate of change outside is more than what is inside, be sure that the end is near. [Azim Premji]

6. Details matter, it’s worth waiting to get it right. [Steve Jobs]

7. The future is already here — it’s just not very evenly distributed. [William Gibson]

8. It’s tough when markets change and your people within the company don’t. [Harvard Business Review]

9. Even if you are on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there. [Will Rogers]

10. They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself. [Andy Warhol]

11. We cannot solve a problem by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them. [A. Einstein]

12. Necessity is the mother of invention. [Anonymous]

13. Learning and innovation go hand in hand. The arrogance of success is to think that what you did yesterday will be sufficient for tomorrow. [William Pollard]

14. When all think alike, then no one is thinking. [Walter Lippmann]

15. The biggest room is the room for improvement. [Anonymous]

16. Minds are like parachutes; they work best when open. [T. Dewar]

17. He who sees things grow from the beginning will have the best view of them. [Aristotle]

18. The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man. [George Bernard Shaw]

19. The future is not what it used to be. [Anonymous]

20. There are no old roads to new directions. [The Boston Consulting Group]

21. You cannot discover new oceans unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore. [Andre Gide]

22. Innovation is anything, but business as usual. [Anonymous]

23. The best way to predict the future is to invent it. [Alan Kay]

24. Promotions may win quarters, innovation wins decades. [former P&G CEO Bob McDonald]

25. If at first the idea is not absurd, then there will be no hope for it. [A. Einstein]

26. The more original a discovery, the more obvious it seems afterwards. [Arthur Koestler]

27. An idea that is not dangerous is unworthy of being called an idea at all. [Oscar Wilde]

28. A discovery is said to be an accident meeting a prepared mind. [A. von Szent-Gyorgyi]

29. Managers say yes to innovation only if doing nothing is a bigger risk. [Gijs van Wulfen].

30. Innovation is the ability to convert ideas into invoices. [L. Duncan]

31. Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises. [Demosthenes]

32. Luck is where the crossroads of opportunity and preparation meet. [Seneca]

33. Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled by and that has made all the difference. [Robert Frost]

34. Stay hungry. Stay foolish. [Steve Jobs]

35. The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible. [A. Clarke]

36. The key to success is for you to make a habit throughout your life of doing the things you fear. [Vincent Van Gogh]

37. Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration. [Thomas Edison]

38. The impossible is often the untried. [J. Goodwin]

39. Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all. [Dale Carnegie]

40. The biggest risk in innovation lies in sticking too closely to your plans. [D. Hills, Walt Disney Company]

41. Ideas are useless unless used. [T. Levitt]

42. If you are not willing to risk the unusual, you will have to settle for the ordinary.[Jim Rohn]

43. It is not how many ideas you have. It’s how many you make happen. [Advertisement of Accenture]

44. The best ideas lose their owners and take on lives of their own. [N. Bushnell]

45. It’s kind of fun to do the impossible. [Walt Disney]

46. Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go. [T.S. Eliot]

47. If you want to go fast – go alone. But if you want to go far – go together. [African proverb]

48. Everything is possible. The impossible just takes longer. [Dan Brown]

49. The person who says it cannot be done, should not interrupt the person doing it. [Chinese saying].

50. You can invent alone, but you can’t innovate alone. [Gijs van Wulfen]

Note : This post was originally posted on LinkedIn

Gijs van Wulfen

Gijs van Wulfen is a recognised authority and keynote speaker on innovation and Design Thinking. He was chosen as one of the first LinkedIn Influencers and as of 2017, 300.000 people across the globe are following his notably engaging, prolific and insightful posts. In 2016 Gijs came number 2 in the international Top 40 Innovation Bloggers. In 2017 his book ‘The Innovation Maze’ was elected ‘Management Book of the Year’.

50 Quotes to Spark a Culture of Change was originally published on Shenzhen Blog

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bjornjernskjold-blog · 7 years

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Hávamál-The words of Odin the high one from the Elder or Poetic Edda(Sæmund's Edda) translated by Olive Bray

Wisdom for Wanderers and Counsel to Guests

1. At every door-way, ere one enters, one should spy round, one should pry round for uncertain is the witting that there be no foeman sitting, within, before one on the floor

2. Hail, ye Givers! a guest is come; say! where shall he sit within? Much pressed is he who fain on the hearth would seek for warmth and weal.

3. He hath need of fire, who now is come, numbed with cold to the knee; food and clothing the wanderer craves who has fared o'er the rimy fell.

4. He craves for water, who comes for refreshment, drying and friendly bidding, marks of good will, fair fame if 'tis won, and welcome once and again.

5. He hath need of his wits who wanders wide, aught simple will serve at home; but a gazing-stock is the fool who sits mid the wise, and nothing knows.

6. Let no man glory in the greatness of his mind, but rather keep watch o'er his wits. Cautious and silent let him enter a dwelling; to the heedful comes seldom harm, for none can find a more faithful friend than the wealth of mother wit.

7. Let the wary stranger who seeks refreshment keep silent with sharpened hearing; with his ears let him listen, and look with his eyes; thus each wise man spies out the way.

8. Happy is he who wins for himself fair fame and kindly words; but uneasy is that which a man doth own while it lies in another's breast.

9. Happy is he who hath in himself praise and wisdom in life; for oft doth a man ill counsel get when 'tis born in another's breast.

10. A better burden can no man bear on the way than his mother wit; 'tis the refuge of the poor, and richer it seems than wealth in a world untried.

11. A better burden can no man bear on the way than his mother wit: and no worse provision can he carry with him than too deep a draught of ale.

12. Less good than they say for the sons of men is the drinking oft of ale: for the more they drink, the less can they think and keep a watch o'er their wits.

13. A bird of Unmindfulness flutters o'er ale feasts, wiling away men's wits: with the feathers of that fowl I was fettered once in the garths of Gunnlos below.

14. Drunk was I then, I was over drunk in that crafty Jötun's court. But best is an ale feast when man is able to call back his wits at once.

15. Silent and thoughtful and bold in strife the prince's bairn should be. Joyous and generous let each man show him until he shall suffer death.

16. A coward believes he will ever live if he keep him safe from strife: but old age leaves him not long in peace though spears may spare his life.

17. A fool will gape when he goes to a friend, and mumble only, or mope; but pass him the ale cup and all in a moment the mind of that man is shown.

18. He knows alone who has wandered wide, and far has fared on the way, what manner of mind a man doth own who is wise of head and heart.

19. Keep not the mead cup but drink thy measure; speak needful words or none: none shall upbraid thee for lack of breeding if soon thou seek'st thy rest.

20. A greedy man, if he be not mindful, eats to his own life's hurt: oft the belly of the fool will bring him to scorn when he seeks the circle of the wise.

21. Herds know the hour of their going home and turn them again from the grass; but never is found a foolish man who knows the measure of his maw.

22. The miserable man and evil minded makes of all things mockery, and knows not that which he best should know, that he is not free from faults.

23. The unwise man is awake all night, and ponders everything over; when morning comes he is weary in mind, and all is a burden as ever.

24. The unwise man weens all who smile and flatter him are his friends, nor notes how oft they speak him ill when he sits in the circle of the wise.

25. The unwise man weens all who smile and flatter him are his friends; but when he shall come into court he shall find there are few to defend his cause.

26. The unwise man thinks all to know, while he sits in a sheltered nook; but he knows not one thing, what he shall answer, if men shall put him to proof.

27. For the unwise man 'tis best to be mute when he come amid the crowd, for none is aware of his lack of wit if he wastes not too many words; for he who lacks wit shall never learn though his words flow ne'er so fast.

28. Wise he is deemed who can question well, and also answer back: the sons of men can no secret make of the tidings told in their midst.

29. Too many unstable words are spoken by him who ne'er holds his peace; the hasty tongue sings its own mishap if it be not bridled in.

30. Let no man be held as a laughing-stock, though he come as guest for a meal: wise enough seem many while they sit dry-skinned and are not put to proof.

31. A guest thinks him witty who mocks at a guest and runs from his wrath away; but none can be sure who jests at a meal that he makes not fun among foes.

32. Oft, though their hearts lean towards one another, friends are divided at table; ever the source of strife 'twill be, that guest will anger guest.

33. A man should take always his meals betimes unless he visit a friend, or he sits and mopes, and half famished seems, and can ask or answer nought.

34. Long is the round to a false friend leading, e'en if he dwell on the way: but though far off fared, to a faithful friend straight are the roads and short.

35. A guest must depart again on his way, nor stay in the same place ever; if he bide too long on another's bench the loved one soon becomes loathed.

36. One's own house is best, though small it may be; each man is master at home; though he have but two goats and a bark-thatched hut 'tis better than craving a boon.

37. One's own house is best, though small it may be, each man is master at home; with a bleeding heart will he beg, who must, his meat at every meal.

38. Let a man never stir on his road a step without his weapons of war; for unsure is the knowing when need shall arise of a spear on the way without.

39. I found none so noble or free with his food, who was not gladdened with a gift, nor one who gave of his gifts such store but he loved reward, could he win it.

40. Let no man stint him and suffer need of the wealth he has won in life; oft is saved for a foe what was meant for a friend, and much goes worse than one weens.

41. With raiment and arms shall friends gladden each other, so has one proved oneself; for friends last longest, if fate be fair who give and give again.

42. To his friend a man should bear him as friend, and gift for gift bestow, laughter for laughter let him exchange, but leasing pay for a lie.

43. To his friend a man should bear him as friend, to him and a friend of his; but let him beware that he be not the friend of one who is friend to his foe.

44. Hast thou a friend whom thou trustest well, from whom thou cravest good? Share thy mind with him, gifts exchange with him, fare to find him oft.

45. But hast thou one whom thou trustest ill yet from whom thou cravest good? Thou shalt speak him fair, but falsely think, and leasing pay for a lie.

46. Yet further of him whom thou trusted ill, and whose mind thou dost misdoubt; thou shalt laugh with him but withhold thy thought, for gift with like gift should be paid.

47. Young was I once, I walked alone, and bewildered seemed in the way; then I found me another and rich I thought me, for man is the joy of man.

48. Most blest is he who lives free and bold and nurses never a grief, for the fearful man is dismayed by aught, and the mean one mourns over giving.

49. My garments once I gave in the field to two land-marks made as men; heroes they seemed when once they were clothed; 'tis the naked who suffer shame!

50. The pine tree wastes which is perched on the hill, nor bark nor needles shelter it; such is the man whom none doth love; for what should he longer live?

51. Fiercer than fire among ill friends for five days love will burn; bun anon 'tis quenched, when the sixth day comes, and all friendship soon is spoiled.

52. Not great things alone must one give to another, praise oft is earned for nought; with half a loaf and a tilted bowl I have found me many a friend.

53. Little the sand if little the seas, little are minds of men, for ne'er in the world were all equally wise, 'tis shared by the fools and the sage.

54. Wise in measure let each man be; but let him not wax too wise; for never the happiest of men is he who knows much of many things.

55. Wise in measure should each man be; but let him not wax too wise; seldom a heart will sing with joy if the owner be all too wise.

56. Wise in measure should each man be, but ne'er let him wax too wise: who looks not forward to learn his fate unburdened heart will bear.

57. Brand kindles from brand until it be burned, spark is kindled from spark, man unfolds him by speech with man, but grows over secret through silence.

58. He must rise betimes who fain of another or life or wealth would win; scarce falls the prey to sleeping wolves, or to slumberers victory in strife.

59. He must rise betimes who hath few to serve him, and see to his work himself; who sleeps at morning is hindered much, to the keen is wealth half-won.

60. Of dry logs saved and roof-bark stored a man can know the measure, of fire-wood too which should last him out quarter and half years to come.

61. Fed and washed should one ride to court though in garments none too new; thou shalt not shame thee for shoes or breeks, nor yet for a sorry steed.

62. Like an eagle swooping over old ocean, snatching after his prey, so comes a man into court who finds there are few to defend his cause.

63. Each man who is wise and would wise be called must ask and answer aright. Let one know thy secret, but never a second, -- if three a thousand shall know.

64. A wise counselled man will be mild in bearing and use his might in measure, lest when he come his fierce foes among he find others fiercer than he.

65. Each man should be watchful and wary in speech, and slow to put faith in a friend. for the words which one to another speaks he may win reward of ill.

66. At many a feast I was far too late, and much too soon at some; drunk was the ale or yet unserved: never hits he the joint who is hated.

67. Here and there to a home I had haply been asked had I needed no meat at my meals, or were two hams left hanging in the house of that friend where I had partaken of one.

68. Most dear is fire to the sons of men, most sweet the sight of the sun; good is health if one can but keep it, and to live a life without shame.

69. Not reft of all is he who is ill, for some are blest in their bairns, some in their kin and some in their wealth, and some in working well.

70. More blest are the living than the lifeless, 'tis the living who come by the cow; I saw the hearth-fire burn in the rich man's hall and himself lying dead at the door.

71. The lame can ride horse, the handless drive cattle, the deaf one can fight and prevail, 'tis happier for the blind than for him on the bale-fire, but no man hath care for a corpse.

72. Best have a son though he be late born and before him the father be dead: seldom are stones on the wayside raised save by kinsmen to kinsmen.

73. Two are hosts against one, the tongue is the head's bane, 'neath a rough hide a hand may be hid; he is glad at nightfall who knows of his lodging, short is the ship's berth, and changeful the autumn night, much veers the wind ere the fifth day and blows round yet more in a month.

74. He that learns nought will never know how one is the fool of another, for if one be rich another is poor and for that should bear no blame.

75. Cattle die and kinsmen die, thyself too soon must die, but one thing never, I ween, will die, -- fair fame of one who has earned.

76. Cattle die and kinsmen die, thyself too soon must die, but one thing never, I ween, will die, -- the doom on each one dead.

77. Full-stocked folds had the Fatling's sons, who bear now a beggar's staff: brief is wealth, as the winking of an eye, most faithless ever of friends.

78. If haply a fool should find for himself wealth or a woman's love, pride waxes in him but wisdom never and onward he fares in his folly.

79. All will prove true that thou askest of runes -- those that are come from the gods, which the high Powers wrought, and which Odin painted: then silence is surely best.

Maxims for All Men

81. Hew wood in wind, sail the seas in a breeze, woo a maid in the dark, -- for day's eyes are many, -- work a ship for its gliding, a shield for its shelter, a sword for its striking, a maid for her kiss;

82. Drink ale by the fire, but slide on the ice; buy a steed when 'tis lanky, a sword when 'tis rusty; feed thy horse neath a roof, and thy hound in the yard.

83. The speech of a maiden should no man trust nor the words which a woman says; for their hearts were shaped on a whirling wheel and falsehood fixed in their breasts.

84. Breaking bow, or flaring flame, ravening wolf, or croaking raven, routing swine, or rootless tree, waxing wave, or seething cauldron,

85. flying arrows, or falling billow, ice of a nighttime, coiling adder, woman's bed-talk, or broken blade, play of bears or a prince's child,

86. sickly calf or self-willed thrall, witch's flattery, new-slain foe, brother's slayer, though seen on the highway, half burned house, or horse too swift -- be never so trustful as these to trust.

87. Let none put faith in the first sown fruit nor yet in his son too soon; whim rules the child, and weather the field, each is open to chance.

88. Like the love of women whose thoughts are lies is the driving un-roughshod o'er slippery ice of a two year old, ill-tamed and gay; or in a wild wind steering a helmless ship, or the lame catching reindeer in the rime-thawed fell.

Lessons for Lovers

90. -- Let him speak soft words and offer wealth who longs for a woman's love, praise the shape of the shining maid -- he wins who thus doth woo.

91. -- Never a whit should one blame another whom love hath brought into bonds: oft a witching form will fetch the wise which holds not the heart of fools.

92. Never a whit should one blame another for a folly which many befalls; the might of love makes sons of men into fools who once were wise.

93. The mind knows alone what is nearest the heart and sees where the soul is turned: no sickness seems to the wise so sore as in nought to know content.

Odin's Love Quests

95. Billing's daughter I found on her bed, fairer than sunlight sleeping, and the sweets of lordship seemed to me nought, save I lived with that lovely form.

96. "Yet nearer evening come thou, Odin, if thou wilt woo a maiden: all were undone save two knew alone such a secret deed of shame."

97. So away I turned from my wise intent, and deemed my joy assured, for all her liking and all her love I weened that I yet should win.

98. When I came ere long the war troop bold were watching and waking all: with burning brands and torches borne they showed me my sorrowful way.

99. Yet nearer morning I went, once more, -- the housefolk slept in the hall, but soon I found a barking dog tied fast to that fair maid's couch.

100. Many a sweet maid when one knows her mind is fickle found towards men: I proved it well when that prudent lass I sought to lead astray: shrewd maid, she sought me with every insult and I won therewith no wife.

Odin's Quest after the Song Mead

102. I sought that old Jötun, now safe am I back, little served my silence there; but whispering many soft speeches I won my desire in Suttung's halls.

103. I bored me a road there with Rati's tusk and made room to pass through the rock; while the ways of the Jötuns stretched over and under, I dared my life for a draught.

104. 'Twas Gunnlod who gave me on a golden throne a draught of the glorious mead, but with poor reward did I pay her back for her true and troubled heart.

105. In a wily disguise I worked my will; little is lacking to the wise, for the Soul-stirrer now, sweet Mead of Song, is brought to men's earthly abode.

106. I misdoubt me if ever again I had come from the realms of the Jötun race, had I not served me of Gunnlod, sweet woman, her whom I held in mine arms.

107. Came forth, next day, the dread Frost Giants, and entered the High One's Hall: they asked -- was the Baleworker back mid the Powers, or had Suttung slain him below?

108. A ring-oath Odin I trow had taken -- how shall one trust his troth? 'twas he who stole the mead from Suttung, and Gunnlod caused to weep.

The Counseling of the Stray-Singer

110. Of runes they spoke, and the reading of runes was little withheld from their lips: at the High One's hall, in the High One's hall, I thus heard the High One say: --

111. I counsel thee, Stray-Singer, accept my counsels, they will be thy boon if thou obey'st them, they will work thy weal if thou win'st them: rise never at nighttime, except thou art spying or seekest a spot without.

112. I counsel thee, Stray-Singer, accept my counsels, they will be thy boon if thou obey'st them, they will work thy weal if thou win'st them: thou shalt never sleep in the arms of a sorceress, lest she should lock thy limbs;

113. So shall she charm that thou shalt not heed the council, or words of the king, nor care for thy food, or the joys of mankind, but fall into sorrowful sleep.

114. I counsel thee, Stray-Singer, accept my counsels, they will be thy boon if thou obey'st them, they will work thy weal if thou win'st them: seek not ever to draw to thyself in love-whispering another's wife.

115. I counsel thee, Stray-Singer, accept my counsels, they will be thy boon if thou obey'st them, they will work thy weal if thou win'st them: should thou long to fare over fell and firth provide thee well with food.

116. I counsel thee, Stray-Singer, accept my counsels, they will be thy boon if thou obey'st them, they will work thy weal if thou win'st them: tell not ever an evil man if misfortunes thee befall, from such ill friend thou needst never seek return for thy trustful mind.

117. Wounded to death, have I seen a man by the words of an evil woman; a lying tongue had bereft him of life, and all without reason of right.

118. I counsel thee, Stray-Singer, accept my counsels, they will be thy boon if thou obey'st them, they will work thy weal if thou win'st them: hast thou a friend whom thou trustest well, fare thou to find him oft; for with brushwood grows and with grasses high the path where no foot doth pass.

119. I counsel thee, Stray-Singer, accept my counsels, they will be thy boon if thou obey'st them, they will work thy weal if thou win'st them: in sweet converse call the righteous to thy side, learn a healing song while thou livest.

120. I counsel thee, Stray-Singer, accept my counsels, they will be thy boon if thou obey'st them, they will work thy weal if thou win'st them: be never the first with friend of thine to break the bond of fellowship; care shall gnaw thy heart if thou canst not tell all thy mind to another.

121. I counsel thee, Stray-Singer, accept my counsels, they will be thy boon if thou obey'st them, they will work thy weal if thou win'st them: never in speech with a foolish knave shouldst thou waste a single word.

122. From the lips of such thou needst not look for reward of thine own good will; but a righteous man by praise will render thee firm in favour and love.

123. There is mingling in friendship when man can utter all his whole mind to another; there is nought so vile as a fickle tongue; no friend is he who but flatters.

124. I counsel thee, Stray-Singer, accept my counsels, they will be thy boon if thou obey'st them, they will work thy weal if thou win'st them: oft the worst lays the best one low.

125. I counsel thee, Stray-Singer, accept my counsels, they will be thy boon if thou obey'st them, they will work thy weal if thou win'st them: be not a shoemaker nor yet a shaft maker save for thyself alone: let the shoe be misshapen, or crooked the shaft, and a curse on thy head will be called.

126. I counsel thee, Stray-Singer, accept my counsels, they will be thy boon if thou obey'st them, they will work thy weal if thou win'st them: when in peril thou seest thee, confess thee in peril, nor ever give peace to thy foes.

127. I counsel thee, Stray-Singer, accept my counsels, they will be thy boon if thou obey'st them, they will work thy weal if thou win'st them: rejoice not ever at tidings of ill, but glad let thy soul be in good.

128. I counsel thee, Stray-Singer, accept my counsels, they will be thy boon if thou obey'st them, they will work thy weal if thou win'st them: look not up in battle, when men are as beasts, lest the wights bewitch thee with spells.

129. I counsel thee, Stray-Singer, accept my counsels, they will be thy boon if thou obey'st them, they will work thy weal if thou win'st them: wouldst thou win joy of a gentle maiden, and lure to whispering of love, thou shalt make fair promise, and let it be fast, -- none will scorn their weal who can win it.

130. I counsel thee, Stray-Singer, accept my counsels, they will be thy boon if thou obey'st them, they will work thy weal if thou win'st them: I pray thee be wary, yet not too wary, be wariest of all with ale, with another's wife, and a third thing eke, that knaves outwit thee never.

131. I counsel thee, Stray-Singer, accept my counsels, they will be thy boon if thou obey'st them, they will work thy weal if thou win'st them: hold not in scorn, nor mock in thy halls a guest or wandering wight.

132. They know but unsurely who sit within what manner of man is come: none is found so good, but some fault attends him, or so ill but he serves for somewhat.

133. I counsel thee, Stray-Singer, accept my counsels, they will be thy boon if thou obey'st them, they will work thy weal if thou win'st them: hold never in scorn the hoary singer; oft the counsel of the old is good; come words of wisdom from the withered lips of him left to hang among hides, to rock with the rennets and swing with the skins.

134. I counsel thee, Stray-Singer, accept my counsels, they will be thy boon if thou obey'st them, they will work thy weal if thou win'st them: growl not at guests, nor drive them from the gate but show thyself gentle to the poor.

135. Mighty is the bar to be moved away for the entering in of all. Shower thy wealth, or men shall wish thee every ill in thy limbs.

136. I counsel thee, Stray-Singer, accept my counsels, they will be thy boon if thou obey'st them, they will work thy weal if thou win'st them: when ale thou quaffest, call upon earth's might -- 'tis earth drinks in the floods. Earth prevails o'er drink, but fire o'er sickness, the oak o'er binding, the earcorn o'er witchcraft, the rye spur o'er rupture, the moon o'er rages, herb o'er cattle plagues, runes o'er harm.

Odin's Quest after the Runes

138. None refreshed me ever with food or drink, I peered right down in the deep; crying aloud I lifted the Runes then back I fell from thence.

139. Nine mighty songs I learned from the great son of Bale-thorn, Bestla's sire; I drank a measure of the wondrous Mead, with the Soulstirrer's drops I was showered.

140. Ere long I bare fruit, and throve full well, I grew and waxed in wisdom; word following word, I found me words, deed following deed, I wrought deeds.

141. Hidden Runes shalt thou seek and interpreted signs, many symbols of might and power, by the great Singer painted, by the high Powers fashioned, graved by the Utterer of gods.

142. For gods graved Odin, for elves graved Daïn, Dvalin the Dallier for dwarfs, All-wise for Jötuns, and I, of myself, graved some for the sons of men.

143. Dost know how to write, dost know how to read, dost know how to paint, dost know how to prove, dost know how to ask, dost know how to offer, dost know how to send, dost know how to spend?

144. Better ask for too little than offer too much, like the gift should be the boon; better not to send than to overspend. ........ Thus Odin graved ere the world began; Then he rose from the deep, and came again.

The Song of Spells

146. A second I know, which the son of men must sing, who would heal the sick.

147. A third I know: if sore need should come of a spell to stay my foes; when I sing that song, which shall blunt their swords, nor their weapons nor staves can wound.

148. A fourth I know: if men make fast in chains the joints of my limbs, when I sing that song which shall set me free, spring the fetters from hands and feet.

149. A fifth I know: when I see, by foes shot, speeding a shaft through the host, flies it never so strongly I still can stay it, if I get but a glimpse of its flight.

150. A sixth I know: when some thane would harm me in runes on a moist tree's root, on his head alone shall light the ills of the curse that he called upon mine.

151. A seventh I know: if I see a hall high o'er the bench-mates blazing, flame it ne'er so fiercely I still can save it, -- I know how to sing that song.

152. An eighth I know: which all can sing for their weal if they learn it well; where hate shall wax 'mid the warrior sons, I can calm it soon with that song.

153. A ninth I know: when need befalls me to save my vessel afloat, I hush the wind on the stormy wave, and soothe all the sea to rest.

154. A tenth I know: when at night the witches ride and sport in the air, such spells I weave that they wander home out of skins and wits bewildered.

155. An eleventh I know: if haply I lead my old comrades out to war, I sing 'neath the shields, and they fare forth mightily safe into battle, safe out of battle, and safe return from the strife.

156. A twelfth I know: if I see in a tree a corpse from a halter hanging, such spells I write, and paint in runes, that the being descends and speaks.

157. A thirteenth I know: if the new-born son of a warrior I sprinkle with water, that youth will not fail when he fares to war, never slain shall he bow before sword.

158. A fourteenth I know: if I needs must number the Powers to the people of men, I know all the nature of gods and of elves which none can know untaught.

159. A fifteenth I know, which Folk-stirrer sang, the dwarf, at the gates of Dawn; he sang strength to the gods, and skill to the elves, and wisdom to Odin who utters.

160. A sixteenth I know: when all sweetness and love I would win from some artful wench, her heart I turn, and the whole mind change of that fair-armed lady I love.

161. A seventeenth I know: so that e'en the shy maiden is slow to shun my love.

162. These songs, Stray-Singer, which man's son knows not, long shalt thou lack in life, though thy weal if thou win'st them, thy boon if thou obey'st them thy good if haply thou gain'st them.

163. An eighteenth I know: which I ne'er shall tell to maiden or wife of man save alone to my sister, or haply to her who folds me fast in her arms; most safe are secrets known to but one- the songs are sung to an end.

164. Now the sayings of the High One are uttered in the hall for the weal of men, for the woe of Jötuns, Hail, thou who hast spoken! Hail, thou that knowest! Hail, ye that have hearkened! Use, thou who hast learned!

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