Why does history get written? I think we’d all agree that the motives for creating history are mixed, and just as complex as the uses it gets put to after it’s written. Though most of Tibet’s histories are histories of religion, it would surely be naive to imagine that the motives of their authors were wholly religious. After all, the union of religion and politics (chösi zungdrel in Tibetan) was not just a fact of life in Tibet, it was an ideal, a dearly-held expression of the uniqueness of Tibet’s culture.
So how does this apply to the story of the great debate between Chinese and Indian Buddhism that is supposed to have taken place at Samyé monastery under the aegis of the emperor Tri Song Detsen? The debate is certainly presented in religious terms, as a battle between two interpretations of the Buddhist scriptures. On the Chinese side, the Chan approach of the single method: the realization of the nature of mind leading to instant enlightenment. On the Indian side, the gradual approach of the six perfections leading to a gradual awakening in ten stages.
The classic account of the debate and the source for all later Tibetan historians, is the Testament of Ba. And this, even in the earliest form available to us, is clearly not a disinterested account. It gives the proponent of the Chinese view a brief paragraph to defend his position, followed by pages and pages of the proponents of the Indian view. And most of the refutation of the Chinese approach is spoken by a Tibetan nobleman from the Ba clan. But hang on, isn’t the Testament of Ba all about the Ba clan? Well, it certainly seems to have been put together by people from that clan, and it certainly places the Ba clan in the middle of the action in the story of how Buddhism came to Tibet.
I don’t think it’s much of an exaggeration to say that the story of early Tibetan history is the story of the Tibetan clans. Before Tibetan history began to be recorded, the clans were contesting with each other. During the Tibetan empire, the clans were in theory united under the emperors, but in truth, they continued to contest with each other, and this was one of the major factors in the ultimate failure of the empire. And after the empire fell, the fighting between the clans created what the historians called “the age of fragmentation.”
As for the Ba clan, they were deeply involved in the imperial court and often in competition with the Bro clan for the top ministerial positions. They seem to have played some part in the conspiracy against the Buddhist emperor Ralpachen, leading to his assassination and the enthronement of the deeply unpopular Langdarma. Given that Langdarma came to be blamed for the collapse of monastic Buddhism in Tibet, and the inception of the age of fragmentation, it seems that the Ba clan had some PR work to do if they wanted to demonstrate their credentials as supporters of the revered Buddhist emperors. And that’s what the Testament of Ba does, quite successfully.
* * *
So where does the story of the debate fit into this? Obviously it puts the representatives of the Ba clan at the side of the greatest Buddhist emperor. It may also be a not-so-subtle attack on another major clan, the Dro, the clan that most frequently crops up in the Ba clan’s power struggles. And as the empire began to fall apart the first civil war was between the governor of Tibet’s northeastern territories (who was from the Dro clan) and a general who wanted to set himself up as a local warlord (from the Ba clan). The governor sided with the new Chinese power in the region, and the general was, after committing some appalling brutalities, eventually executed. For more about this see here and here.
So we shouldn’t be surprised if the old enmity between Ba and Dro finds expression somewhere in the Testament of Ba. Perhaps in the story of the debate? Consider the evidence:
1. There’s a Chinese manuscript from Dunhuang (Pelliot chinois 4646) that tells another debate story. As in Testament of Ba, the Chinese side is represented by the Chinese monk Moheyan, but the proponents of the other view are only mentioned as “Brahmin monks.” This manuscript also talks about “discussions” by letter over several months, rather than a staged debate. And the biggest difference is that it ends with the Tibetan emperor giving his seal of approval to the Chinese teaching:
The Chan doctrine taught by Mahayana is a fully-justified development based on the text of the sutras; it is without error. From now on the monks and laity are permitted to practise and train in it under this edict.
But what is most relevant to us is that it mentions that Moheyan was invited by one of Tri Song Detsen’s queens, the one from the Dro clan. The Chinese author of the text makes this quite clear.
The master Artenhwer, an instructor who knew the path of the sameness of all phenomena travelled to Anxi from India, for the sake of sentient beings. There he gathered three hundred students, and taught them how to enter the Mahāyāna. He received divine food offerings from the sky, which satiated his three hundred students. At over a hundred years old he passed away in the posture of nirvana. Then the king of Anxi struck the body and said “If the master came to explain the dharma to multitudes of sentient beings, why did he only teach a few words?” And, having died, the master rose again for three days and taught the dharma to the king of Anxi and the Chinese prince of Gazhou.
The lineage of this Artenhwer gets passed down to a Chinese monk called Man Heshang. And he is supported by Trisumjé, the delön (the minister responsible for the northeastern marches of the Tibetan empire) — this is almost certainly a famous Tibetan minister from the Dro clan who lead the negotations for to the 823 Sino-Tibetan peace treaty. Later in this Chan lineage there’s a Tibetan master called Puk Yeshé Yang, who is supported by a monk from, once again, the Dro clan.
So, is it reasonable to suggest that the Chan teachers like Moheyan were known to have the patronage of the Dro clan? That would certainly make the story of the debate in the Testament of Ba very useful in their struggle with the Dro. Not only does it place them at the centre of the narrative of the transmission of Buddhism to Tibet, it’s also one in the eye for the Dro clan and their favourite Chan teacher.
* * *
This rivalry might answer a question posed by Matthew Kapstein: why is Testament of Ba generally well disposed towards Chinese Buddhism, except in the story of the debate? Earlier in the Testament of Ba we hear about a member of the Ba clan travelling to China receiving teachings from the Korean Chan teacher known as the Reverend Kim. While later Tibetan historians tended to present the debate as a rejection of Chinese Buddhism per se, the Testament of Ba, especially in its earliest known forms, suggests more specifically a rejection of Moheyan’s brand of meditation practice.
That’s enough for now. I won’t go into the question of whether the debate actually happened, although the very different version in the Chinese text certainly suggests that we might be better off thinking of a series of discussions, mostly by exchanges of letters, rather than a debate. And the author of 10th century Lamp for the Eyes of Meditation, which is all about how to rank the simultaneous and gradual methods, fails to mention any debate. And many, if not all, of the Tibetan Chan manuscripts from Dunhuang date from after the Tibetan empire, and thus well after when the debate was supposed to have happened, suggesting that the decline of Chan in Tibet happened slowly, and for other reasons.
* * *
Tibetan Chan I: The Emperor’s Chan
Tibetan Chan II: The teachings of Heshang Moheyan
Tibetan Chan III: More teachings of Heshang Moheyan
* * *
A note on places and people…
So where is Anxi (An se in the Tibetan text)? Most people, following Lalou, have identified it with the great northern Silk Route city of Kucha. But this might not be right. Anxi was the name of the Chinese command centre for its western territories. This was in Kucha until the late 680s, when that city was taken by the Tibetan army, and the Chinese moved the Anxi commandery to Qocho (Ch. Gaochang). By my calculations, separating each member of the lineage by 25 years, Artenhwer should have been around in the first half of the 8th century, by which time Anxi may have referred to Qocho.
As for Artenhwer (A rtan hwer), this looks like a Tibetan transliteration of a Chinese transliteration of a foreign name, so finding the original may be a hopeless task. Flemming Faber identified it as the popular Persian name Ardasir, but as far as we know, there was no Buddhism in Persia by this time. It certainly doesn’t sound particularly Indian. Turkic perhaps? Any informed answers or wild guesses great appreciated…
And Dro Trisumjé? Hugh Richardson considers the identification of Pelliot tibétain 996’s Trisumjé with the army commander Dro Trisumjé doubtful. But it doesn’t seem at all unlikely to me that bde blon Trisumjé mentioned in Pelliot tibétain 996 might have later held the role of army commander (dmag gi mchog). His involvement in the Sino-Tibetan treaty involves the same region that fell under the rule of the bde blon. A letter written by a Chinese officer to a Zhang Khri sum rje (Pelliot tibétain 1070 — see Demiéville’s Concile de Lhasa, pp.280-290) says that he chose Dunhuang as his residence and founded a temple there. Roberto Vitali has argued that this is Dro Trisumjé, and that he must have lived in Dunhuang before 810, when, due to a promotion to the rank of minister and general of the northeast army, he would have moved to a major prefecture like Guazhou. Though Vitali didn’t consider Pelliot tibétain 996, the fact that Trisumjé held the post of bde blon only strengthens his case.
* * *
And some Tibetan…
From the beginning of Pelliot tibétain 996 (f.1r):
$//mkhan po nam ka’I snying po’i dge ba’i bshes nyen gyI rgyud mdor bshad pa// dge ba’I bshes nyen yang/ chos mnaym pa nyId kyI lam rIg pa’/ mkhanpo a rtan hwer/ sems can gyI don du rgya gar yul nas/ yul an ser gshegs te/ slob ma sum brgya bsdus nas/ theg pa chen po’i don la cI ltar ‘jug pa’I sgo bshad/ lha’I zhal zas nam ka las blangs te/ slobs sum brgya tshIm bar byas so/ lo brgya lon nas/ ner ban thabs su dus las ‘das so/ de nas an se’I rgyal pos lus brda+bs te/ mkhan pos sems can de snyed la chos bshad na/ bdag la tshIg ‘ga’ yang ma bstan par gshegs sam zhes smras pa dang/ tshe ‘das te zhag gsum lon ba slar bzhengs te/ an se’I rgyal po kwa c[u’]I wang chos bshad nas dus la ‘das so/
* * *
Hugh Richardson wrote about the rivalry between Dro and Ba as a background to the debate in:
1. Hugh Richardson. 1998. “Political Rivalry and the Great Debate at Bsam-yas.” In High Peaks, Pure Earth. London: Serindia: 203-206. (Unlike most articles in this collection, this one had not previosly been published.)
This is the earliest extant version of the Testament of Ba is the Dba’ bzhed:
2. Pasang Wangdu and Hildegard Diemberger. 2000. The Royal Narrative Concerning the Bringing of Buddha’s Doctrine to Tibet. Wien: Verlag der Osterreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften.
That is, apart from a manuscript fragment from the 9th or 10th century:
3. Sam van Schaik and Kazushi Iwao. “Fragments of the Testament of Ba from Dunhuang”. Journal of the American Oriental Society 128.3 (2008 ): 477–487.
The classic work on the Chinese text on the debate (or discussions), the Dunwu dacheng zhenglie jue 頓悟大乘政理決 is:
4. Paul Demiéville. 1958 (republished in 2006). Le Concile de Lhasa. Paris: Institute des hautes études chinoises.
Later Demiéville found another version of the text in the Stein collection, Or.8210/S.2647. As for the Tibetan Chan lineage in Pelliot tibétain 996, this was studied and published even earlier, in 1939, by Marcelle Lalou (surely the first person to discover the existence of Tibetan Chan among the Dunhuang manuscripts):
5. Marcelle Lalou. 1939. “Document tibétain sur l’expansion du Dhyāna chinois.” In Journal Asiatique October-December 1939: 505-523.
On the involvement of the Ba clan with the assassination of Ralpachen (or, if you follow his ingenious argument, actually of Langdarma) see:
6. Zuiho Yamaguchi. 1996. “The Fiction of King Dar-ma’s Persecution of Buddhism”. In De Dunhuang au Japon. Geneva: Librairie Droz. 231-258.
On the battle between two members of Dro and Ba in Amdo/Hexi, see:
7. Luciano Petech. 1994. “The Disintegration of the Tibetan Kingdom”. In Tibetan Studies, edited by Per Kværne. Oslo: The Institute for Comparative Research in Human Culture.
On Dro Trisumjé, and other aspects of clan rivalry during the Tibetan empire, see pages 18, 21-22 of:
8. Roberto Vitali. 1990. Early Temples of Central Tibet. London: Serindia Publications
and this too:
9. Roberto Vitali. 2004. “The role of clan power in the establishment of religion (from the kheng log of the 9-10 century to the instances of the dByil of La stod and gNyos of Kha rag).” In The Relationship between Religion and State : (chos srid zung ‘brel), in Traditional Tibet, edited by Christoph Cuppers. Nepal, Lumbini International Research Institute.
And finally, Matthew Kapstein’s discussion of the attitude towards Chinese Buddhists in the Testament of Ba is on pages 34-35 of:
10. Matthew Kapstein. 2000. The Tibetan Assimilation of Buddhism. Oxford University Press, 2000.


Chula Vista Bail Bonds: In the face of legal challenges, the residents of Chula Vista have found a beacon of hope in bail bonds, a system that offers a temporary escape from incarceration and a chance to prepare for court proceedings. This article goes beyond the mechanics of bail bonds, delving into the emotional and community impact through personal stories from those who've navigated these turbulent waters.
The Emotional Journey of Securing a Bail Bond
The arrest of a loved one is a startling event, plunging families into a whirlpool of confusion and distress. Bail bonds offer a lifeline, yet securing one is often an emotional journey marked by uncertainty and relief.
- Initial Shock and Confusion: For many, the news of an arrest comes as a shock. Understanding the process of securing a bail bond often adds to the initial confusion.
- Relief in Securing Release: Securing a bail bond can bring immense relief, providing the accused and their loved ones precious time to strategize and seek legal counsel.
- Anxiety over Financial Commitments: The financial burden of bail bonds, often involving large sums of money or valuable assets as collateral, can lead to significant stress and anxiety.
Personal Stories from Chula Vista Residents
- Maria's Tale: Maria recounts the night her son was arrested and how the bail bond provided not just a release, but time to gather evidence and build a strong defense.
- John's Experience: John shares his story of how a bail bond agent became his guide through the process, offering not just a financial service but moral support during his toughest times.
The Financial Implications of Bail Bonds
Bail bonds, while a pathway to temporary freedom, come with financial strings attached. This section explores the cost of bail bonds and the decisions families must make.
- Understanding Fees and Collateral: An explanation of the standard fees and types of collateral required for securing a bail bond in Chula Vista.
- Making Informed Financial Decisions: Tips on evaluating your financial situation and making informed decisions when considering a bail bond.
Impact on Families and the Chula Vista Community
The impact of bail bonds extends beyond the individual; it ripples through families and the broader community.
- Families in Limbo: Families often find themselves in a state of limbo, balancing hope and fear as they await the trial and its outcome.
- Community Support Systems: Stories of how community groups and local resources in Chula Vista provide support and guidance to those dealing with bail bonds.
Choosing the Right Bail Bond Service in Chula Vista
Not all bail bond services are created equal. This section offers guidance on choosing a reliable and supportive service during these trying times.
- Reputation and Reliability: The importance of selecting a bail bond service with a solid reputation and track record in Chula Vista.
- Looking for Empathy and Understanding: Choosing an agent who shows empathy and understands the emotional weight carried by the accused and their families.
Bail bonds in Chula Vista are more than a financial transaction; they are a complex emotional journey that affects individuals, families, and the community. Through personal stories and insights, this article sheds light on the multifaceted impact of bail bonds, offering guidance and support to those who find themselves navigating these challenging waters.


In the grand tapestry of academia, dissertations stand as towering monuments of knowledge, representing the culmination of years of dedication and research. To weave a brilliant dissertation, accuracy and reliability form the golden threads that bind it together.
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The Research Process
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Utilizing Fact-Checking Tools and Resources
In the digital age, where information flows like a rushing river, writers wield a powerful ally: online fact-checking platforms and databases. These digital sanctuaries provide refuge from the tempests of misinformation, offering a haven of verified truths.
Prominent fact-checking websites stand as bastions of accuracy, guiding writers through the labyrinth of claims and counterclaims. Databases and archives serve as treasure troves of authenticated knowledge, lending credibility to their writing.
Within the halls of academia lie reservoirs of wisdom, eagerly waiting to nourish the minds of diligent writers. Journals, academic databases, and research libraries are the fonts from which knowledge springs forth.
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Documenting and Citing Sources
In the scholarly world, accuracy is not confined solely to the content of a dissertation but also extends to the manner in which sources are acknowledged. Accurate citations serve as a tribute to the intellectual giants who came before us, illuminating the paths we tread.
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The art of citation dances to the rhythm of established guidelines and styles, harmonizing form and substance. Just as a symphony adheres to a meticulously crafted composition, our citations must adhere to the prescribed formats of the academic world.
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Within the vast expanse of knowledge, every claim we make must find its anchor in the words of others. Properly referencing sources allows us to build a robust scaffold of evidence, supporting our arguments and enriching our discourse.
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Proper referencing is not merely an act of citation; it is a tribute to the collaborative nature of academia, where ideas are exchanged, nurtured, and advanced.
Ethical Considerations in Fact-Checking
At the heart of fact-checking lies an unwavering commitment to honesty and transparency. As writers, we bear the responsibility of presenting information faithfully and accurately. We must resist the allure of embellishment or manipulation, allowing truth to guide our words.
Honesty in research goes beyond the act of fact-checking; it permeates every aspect of our work, fostering a culture of integrity and trust.
Fact-checking demands that we confront the inherent biases that may color our perspectives. We must be vigilant in recognizing and acknowledging our own biases, striving to approach research with an open mind.
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Within the dimension of fact-checking, contradictions and controversies lie like treacherous crossroads, challenging our commitment to truth. In such moments, we must navigate these intellectual battlegrounds with intellectual humility and diligence.
We seek to understand the complexities of differing viewpoints, engaging in rigorous analysis and critical thinking. By addressing contradictory information and controversies head-on, we contribute to the advancement of knowledge, fostering an environment of intellectual discourse and growth.
Fact-Checking Tips for Specific Disciplines
In the realm of scientific inquiry, fact-checking takes on a meticulous and rigorous form. Researchers must pay attention to the intricacies of experimental design, statistical analyses, and replication. Rigorous peer review and replication studies serve as the gatekeepers of scientific truth, ensuring the reliability and validity of findings.
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In the dynamic domain of the social sciences, fact-checking entails navigating the complexities of human behavior and societal structures. Researchers must scrutinize the methods used in data collection, surveys, and interviews.
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Within the rich tapestry of the humanities, fact-checking takes on a multifaceted form. Writers delve into the worlds of literature, philosophy, history, and cultural studies, seeking to unravel the intricacies of human expression and experience.
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Fact-checking stands as an unyielding pillar, upholding the values of accuracy and reliability. It serves as a beacon of intellectual integrity, guiding writers through the labyrinth of knowledge and ensuring the veracity of their claims.
As we conclude this journey, let us reiterate the vital importance of fact-checking in a dissertation. It is not merely a technicality; it is the very essence of scholarly pursuit. Let us embrace the power of fact-checking, incorporating it into our writing practice, and elevating the standards of academic research.
Through the lens of accuracy and reliability, our dissertations become beacons of knowledge, illuminating the minds of readers and leaving an indelible mark on the scholarly landscape.


Children are susceptible to everything they are exposed in their early stages. Whatever they see, consume or read will impact them and results for which may be shown in the future. So, lesson 1 should be to be careful of what is shown to our children especially with the different gadgets that are made available for everyone. To stray away from the negative side of impact children can be taught to read, by exposing them to pure classics that are never too old for anyone.
School helps your children read, but it’s you who has to get them reading these classics. These classics are known to make the vocabulary of your children greater than most. And these being such classics, need to be read. These books help your children stay the way they are for their age while also simultaneously increasing their vocabulary.
Here are a few books that help your children:
1.Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland
Such a classic one for the books. A story everyone knows and will have to know. The story is about a young Alice, who encounters characters in a new world and the adventures she encounters trying to get back home. Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland helps your child with
2.Green Eggs and Ham
No article is complete without mentioning at least 2-3 Dr. Suess books. These books are most favoured by parents when they want their children to cultivate a reading habit. Green Eggs and Ham is probably one of the most famous novels by Dr. Suess. With its intelligent puns and rhymes, your child will definitely have a fun time reading and learning.
3.The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Most popularly known as Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe for avid movie watchers was adapted from this book. The story revolves over 4 orphaned children entering the world of Narnia and encountering different characters that shape them to be the person they get to be. This one is a classic that everyone will learn to love and need for their lives. It teaches many lessons that the child could learn from as well as words to build up the vocab.
4.Cat in the Hat
Another Dr. Suess book that should not go unread. It tells the story of a whimsical cat that interrupts the lives of two siblings and their mother. Reading this book is a real whirlwind, and your child will definitely learn some whimsical words.
5.Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
This Roald Dahl classic cannot be missed! Any Roald Dahl book should not be missed for its imaginative and genius storytelling moments. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is one such book that could hook your children in right at the end beginning to the very end. The story revolves around a poor boy who wins a Golden Ticket to visit a Chocolate Factory, and the various lessons he learns and the people he meets through that. This movie has many popular adaptations, one such being the movie that was a major blockbuster.
6.The Enchanted Wood
This book by the famous and amazing Enid Blyton is the story revolving three girls who enter the magical woods and encounter the Faraway Tree. They meet very interesting and unique characters that teach them various things. This story lets your child’s imagination run wild while learning some whimsical words as well.
This story is for the more mature lot of readers. It revolves around a pig and a spider whose friendship blossoms and grows stronger and helps each other out from many obstacles. This story teaches you lessons of friendship and loyalty while learning some big impactful words as well.
These stories are just a few of the many stories authors have written that could increase your child’s vocabulary. Whether it is night time before bed, or during study time, reading these books will teach your children various life lessons apart from the words they might learn as well. If you have any children books that your child loves, let us know in the comments below!
Stay Safe! Stay Home!


b. The gods are just, and of our pleasant vices / Make instruments to plague us.
-Edgar (5.3.173-174), King Lear
1. “Mock me, would you!” cried the witch of Kerr Forest. “I’ll turn you into a toad, or give you boils, or…yes, I have it!” Crowing in delight, the witch dug into a pouch at her side.
Frozen in fear, the boy watched as the witch pulled forth a feather, a rotten egg, and a worm. She crushed the worm in her hand, then taking the feather, punctured the egg and threw it at the boy’s feet.
“Now, a mockingbird’s voice you shall have, until you learn some manners. Or forever!” With a cackle, she flew away through the trees.
a. Be not afraid of greatness. Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon 'em.
-Letter (2.5.141-143), Twelfth Night
2. Only able to mimic the speech of others, the boy grew hateful to all. Their lies came back to them, their broken songs and words spoken in anger. He was driven out of town.
The boy vowed to break his curse, but how! He could not be courteous because he had only vulgarity to imitate. He decided to seek out someone truly noble, for this person could give him the words he so longed to speak.
First, he had to become noble, in deeds and appearance; no one is courteous to a peasant. He set off, looking for his opportunity.
c. Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow / Creeps in this petty pace from day to day / To the last syllable of recorded time, / And all our yesterdays have lighted fools / The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
-Macbeth (5.5.19-23), Macbeth
3. A thin man ran past, leading three soldiers. The boy quickly followed. In a clearing, an ogre had captured a beautiful maiden.
The three fought bravely, but in turn were smashed and killed. The thin man cried out, a stone was thrown, catching his shoulder. He fell and was caught, tied up in the clearing.
The boy picked up a rock, throwing it at the ogre. It roared and rushed into the trees. With four more rocks, the boy lead the ogre away, staying hidden. He ran back, freeing the man and the girl, a mute! Was this fate’s hand?


Here’s a delight to all the bibliophiles out there! This article will provide you all the information about this amazing book written by Dan Brown. I personally have read this book and liked it really much!
So, the book is a mystery-detective novel based on symbols and codes. The main characters are Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveu who are a symbologist and cryptologist respectively. A murder takes place in the Louvre Museum in Paris and the clues left behind point fingers at Robert Langdon. The story revolves around Sophie and Langdon escaping the police and collecting clues to find a treasure i.e. the ‘Holy Grail’. In this process they come across various people, obstacles, and mysteries which keep the reader indulged. I used to spend hours reading this book and at some point I had to force myself to stop reading!
This book will make you familiar with the history of Christianity (Which the author claims, is true). This book made me study and research about Christianity and I got to know some astonishing facts!
Trust me I was the saddest person on earth to finish this novel. It is amazing beyond words and I would highly recommend all the book lovers out there to definitely give it a try!
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BRFF is now indexed in Index CopernicusRead more about Index Copernicus
Bussecon Review of Finance & Banking (2687-2501) is an open access international journal that promotes international academic studies in Finance & Banking. BRFB is an international academic journal reviews topics in finance, banking, and accounting. Peer-reviewed and the refereed journal is published quarterly in English by Busssecon International Academy. BRFB is an indexed journal. BRFB is indexed in Index Copernicus, RePEc, Econpapers, IDEAS, BASE, Scilit , Google Scholar, Asos Index, and OAI.
BRFF is now indexed in Index CopernicusRead More Read more about Index Copernicus
Bussecon Review of Finance & Banking (2687-2501) by Bussecon International Academy is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.


When Zoe and Isaac were little, we had a Ladybird book of nursery rhymes in which appeared Goosey Goosey Gander - do you remember it? - "Where shall I wander?.....There I met an old man who wouldn't say his prayers so I took him by the left leg and threw him down the stairs." I so disapproved of that last sentence, on so many levels, that I glued the pages together.
Last year I came across a well-reviewed picture book called The Worst Princess by Kemp and Ogilvie. Readers on Amazon loved its feminist message so I bought a copy to give to Lux and Cece. But when it arrived in the post I was disappointed. It was funny and the pictures were good, and I loved the story of the princess ditching the male chauvinist prince and flying away with the dragon. But then in the last few pages the princess sets the prince's shorts alight and goes on to make mischief with the dragon, mischief wrought on "royal twits and naughty knights." It was a let-down. I wanted the princess to fly off with the dragon and be courageous, not to behave badly. She turned out to be just as bad as the prince, but in a different way. I didn't give the girls the book. It sits on my shelf, unwanted and unloved.
Lately I've been reading Allan Ahlberg's learn-to-read Happy Families books to Lux and Cece. If you haven't come across them, seek them out. They are wonderful. My favourites are Mrs Lather's Laundry, Mrs Wobble the Waitress, and Mrs Vole the Vet. The children and I laugh every time we read that last one (which is a LOT of times) and catchphrases from the book now pepper our conversation.
After I got home I wanted to check something about the book and went on Amazon and found myself reading the reviews and was amazed and appalled. Readers found the book to be a BAD THING. They thought its messages were that professional women can't get by without a boyfriend, that absent parents should be forgotten about, and that having a lot of money is a necessary requirement of a good boyfriend. None of this had occurred to me. I felt challenged, but after careful thought I have decided that the problem is that these reviewers have no sense of humour and are not reading the book with sufficient subtlety. (I asked a children's-book-loving friend what she thought of the book and she said she loved it because of the way the children do their best to look after their mum.)
Let me set the scene. Mrs Vole has one son, two daughters, three cats, four dogs and no husband. She is a vet who works day and night in every season, and her three children worry about her constantly because she works so hard. When she comes home exhausted they look after her. They also decide that what she needs is a boyfriend. The absent Mr Vole (who appears on the second page only) has three stepsons and (I think) eleven rabbits and after telling us this, the author says "We will forget about him." He is obviously too busy to help the beleaguered Mrs Vole, even if he wanted to. He is therefore irrelevant to what happens next. The children say to Mrs Vole "What you need is a boyfriend, Mum." Then they give their spec of the ideal boyfriend.
Suitors then appear and are dismissed for various reasons, some of which are hilarious. The greengrocer, for example, is deemed by the kids to be "too cabbagey." Mr Aargh the Actor (who is pictured talking to a cucumber) is seen as too embarrassing. Mrs Vole ends up happily with Mr Lamp the Lighthouse Keeper.
The messages I draw from the book are that the kids love their mother a lot, do practical things to look after her such as getting her breakfast, making her cups of tea, and finding her slippers (I am working from memory here as the book is now in Boulder) and in trying to find her a boyfriend. The children's requirements of a good boyfriend are possibly questionable but they are children's requirements. Who can take seriously the requirement of good football boots? That sets the whole thing up as a joke. One of the Amazon reviewers is appalled by the book, and one reason is because the children dismiss "unsatisfactory candidates for the most arbitrary reasons, in a rather judgmental manner." Oh dear.
I feel very sorry that such a wonderful book has been given such dire ratings. Authors are at the mercy of every reader who chooses to express an opinion online. Shall I write a review of The Worst Princess? Perhaps.


Community-based giving: This is a weekly blog post that highlights some of the various ways in which Compassion Coalition serves our community. Check back every Monday for new posts.
Here’s an incredible thank you note we just received from a teacher who recently came to shop at Equipped to Teach:
I wanted to personally thank you for all of the amazing books and other supplies I received. I left with six boxes filled to the brim. I only have a handful of novels in my classroom, that have not been checked out by students. There are over a hundred in the hands of kids! It is such fun to see the excitement of the students, when they are choosing brand new books to take home and read. While I buy books routinely for my classroom, this was so far above and beyond anything I could have afforded to do. There is even a wait list for some of the titles, with kids waiting for other kids to return them so that they can have a turn. Every pair of gloves, coloring book, and miscellaneous supply has found a home with a student. I used the coloring books as prizes for a writing contest I held- it injected some much needed fun and levity into the school day. I felt gluttonous taking so many supplies novels and supplies, and was shocked at how quickly it was dispersed, and I was left with a few books and post it notes 🙂 I could not be more thankful for your generosity.


Get Coach Vaughn’s entire ebook series at %25 OFF. All four ebooks combined add up to 160 workouts with over 600+ exercises on how to utilize kettlebells (for both singles & doubles), steel maces, rings, indian clubs, and steel clubs. All with educational in-depth tutorial chapters breaking down the safety standards, set up positions, and techniques with each tool. Each ebook has a preview video below for more details.
GADA SWING: Guide for Kettlebell & Steel Mace Strength Training
GADA SWING Volume 2: Guide for Kettlebell Doubles & Heavy Mace Strength Training
GADA CLUB: Guide for Indian & Steel Club Strength Training
Reinventing The Steel Mace: Guide for Steel Mace & Bodyweight Strength Training


You are currently browsing the tag archive for the ‘banned books’ tag.
My Uncle Andrew asked “to see a table that matches the reason for the banning to an individual book, and in what countries the book is banned”. I did some digging and look what I found:
What this is, is basically a website that keeps track of [major] book censorship worldwide. Like, extreme cases, like people going crazy and burning books (http://www.cd.sc.ehu.es/FileRoom/documents/Cases/90slaughterhouseFive.html). If you click on “Archive of Cases” it breaks it down into Dates, Locations, Grounds for Censorship, and Mediums. Quite interesting.
Also, I found http://www.oclc.org/research/top1000/banned.htm. This website it basically an ad for the 4 volumes in the Banned Books: Censorship Histories of World Literature series, which include
Banned Books: Literature Suppressed on Political Grounds, on Religious Grounds, on Sexual Grounds, and on Social Grounds (all seperate books). The website also includes 112 Banned Books, the Bible being #1. I also found http://worldcat.org/ow/a7b0cefedb5fe028a19afeb4da09e526.html, which helps you find books in libraries all around. The current setting is for Banned Books: Literature Suppressed on on Religious Grounds.
Neat-o stuff. Check it out! And also check out SICKO, by Michael Moore, it was tres tres TRES bien!
It’s a while off, but just keep it in mind: Banned Books Week is September 29 through October 6 of this year (2007). Check out 100 Most Frequently Banned Books (1990-2000) to help you build up your to-read banned book list. You’d be surprised what’s on there. A Wrinkle In Time?? The Giver?? Captain Underpants?? Where’s Waldo?? C’mon people!!


I’m going to show you how to optimise bid success with a content library.
To some people, a content library is also called a “knowledge library” and it’s. become every bid team’s staple tool for improving both time efficiency and key messaging.
But what separates a good and bad content library?
Well, if you’ve been working in bid management for a while like me, you realise that as soon as you amass a large amount of repetitive content the way you set your library up in the first instance can make all the difference between having a searchable database of current and relevant content at your fingertips versus a messy repository of random files or hundreds of similar answers that can be a minefield to work through.
When a content library becomes nothing more than a content dumping ground this is where companies are at the greatest risk of sourcing out of date or low quality content, or worse – making cutting and pasting from old bids more tempting.
To reduce the time and effort involved in recreating content each time while keeping a tight rein on quality and accuracy of information, content libraries serve a purpose where content is repeatable.
We’ve set up the Bidhive content library as a best practice single source of truth where you can build a content library branch structure; tag it; and prepare best practice baseline – or boilerplate – content that is factually correct and importantly, current.
Let’s show you how.
Your content library will be blank when you first set it up, so now might be a good time to set one up or to clean out or update any old content libraries that you have.
And don’t feel you need to do it all at once. I’m going to show you how you can still reference your old material while you’re setting up your new library.
The content library structures are very easy to set up – it has a top level parent, and child branches, as well as an editing area, and a side drawer for you to tag, make notes and attach relevant files that you might want to bring over to your bids.
Files such as insurance certificates or licenses can be kept here.
Once this content has been added to your content library you can then set a content owner to maintain it, and you can also set expiry dates and even star rate it.
Content can then be inserted directly into a bid with a simple search, point and click.
Anytime you insert content into a bid the platform will automatically assign the related bid section to your content library to improve the search experience.
Despite the obvious benefits of having a centralised library, often a problem that emerges over time is the duplication of content – and this can typically happen if you set up your library as questions and answers rather than by topic.
The problem with having a library that only searches questions and answers is that you can lose control over having a single source of truth for company.
What we strongly advocate for is a content library that aligns to common evaluation criteria specific to your sector and which aligns to your core business lines and go to market structure.
What we did was audit thousands of tender documents and we identified a number of common topics that we then mapped to evaluation criterion that worked for virtually any sector, and you can see it here on screen.
In the orange boxes you can see broadly, the high level selection or evaluation criteria that are common across bids.
We’ve then mapped this to the frequently asked questions linked to these criteria which we’ve highlighted in grey; and we’ve group them into common factors or topics which are shown in the light blue in the middle.
Following the headings in the middle section makes for a very clear and logical architecture for your content library and now you can begin crafting your boilerplate information across the common dimensions of management, your related experience, past projects and track record, your approach to working with customers, key personnel, safety, quality and price.
If you have multiple business lines you can map the categories or topics in a couple of different ways. One is to make your business line the parent branch, and then add the sections or topics underneath, OR, you could run your sections or topics as the parent branch, with business line-specific information underneath.
The approach you take I think really depends on whether you have an integrated business, or if you operate each of your business lines mostly as separate business units or entities.
If it’s the latter then within the Content Library you can still set up a branch for your corporate information as a shared resource, and then your business lines can be locked down to only those who need to access and view them.
Here are a few examples of different structures to give you some ideas.
We’ve put this same information in the top level branch of your Content Library as reference to get you started. Once you’ve established your structure you delete our content.


Springer 刚刚推出了 2010 年出版的 “The Abel Prize 2003–2007” 的续集 “The Abel Prize 2008–2012“.
Covering the years 2008-2012, this book profiles the life and work of recent winners of the Abel Prize: John G. Thompson and Jacques Tits, 2008; Mikhail Gromov, 2009; John T. Tate Jr., 2010; John W. Milnor, 2011; Endre Szemerédi, 2012.
The profiles feature autobiographical information as well as a description of each mathematician’s work. In addition, each profile contains a complete bibliography, a curriculum vitae, as well as photos — old and new. As an added feature, interviews with the Laureates can be streamed from the Abel Prize web site.
The book also presents a history of the Abel Prize written by the historian Kim Helsvig, and includes a facsimile of a letter from Niels Henrik Abel, which is transcribed, translated into English, and placed into historical perspective by Christian Skau.


I have just started reading Daniel Pink’s novel Drive. Although the book is focused on motivation, it was the introduction that caught my attention. In it, Pink stated that the value of intrinsic rewards far outweigh those of extrinsic motivators. As many of us are driven by capitalism and the cost of living, we have little choice but to recognize that external motivators are captivating. What we fail to realize however is that internal goals are much different. We want to be appreciated, acknowledged, and valued. Unfortunately both our perception and our attitude is driven by what we own, the titles we adone, and the wealth and power behind these values. Notwithstanding, these are achievements in their own rigbt after many years of hard work and a result of a focus on personal skill development and business savvy.
I have been doing some research into poverty in communities recently and through dialogue with individuals and their experiences I have recognized a few things. First of all, individuals who live in poverty have every bit of an intrinsic desire to succeed and find achievement. Unfortunately due to many unforeseen and often uncontrollable events in their life, motivation holds little value. Motivation in their life comes from the desire to survive. They live their life with very little hope for external motivation but when it arrives, it comes in the form of natural supports, encouragement, and the value that developing resiliency can bring.
As we reflect on what motivates us: the desire to be successful, the need to be acknowledged, or the safety of equity, I think that intrinsic and extrinsic rewards are not the motivator. I think the motivator is to navigate barriers in our life that prevent us from achieving a quality of life. Without the life skills of resiliency, passion, and dedication, rewards can be meaningless. What do you think?
Pink, D. H. (2009). Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us. New York, NY: Riverhood Books.


GIRANGAON: THE VILLAGE OF MILLS
Perhaps no other space is as visually evocative of Mumbai’s transformation as the mill area, which has been integral to its financial and cultural growth. Mythologies of Mumbai, a seven-year project of Partners of Urban Knowledge and Action Research (PUKAR), is an extensive archive of the former mill lands of Girangaon documented through the eyes of the people who lived and worked there. PUKAR’s ‘right to research’ methodology democratizes research and uses it as a tool for alternative pedagogy, advocacy, intervention, and transformation.
Designed by HELM Studio and based on the work of PUKAR, this interactive documentary uses 360-degree multimedia production techniques, photography, and video alongside personal interviews, urban maps, and vast historical records to bring new interpretations and perspectives of Girangaon’s past, present, and future. The final presentation includes 50+ short videos, 300+ 360° images and 2000+ images.


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- MySQL Database Wizard
cPanel can guide you through the process of setting up a MySQL database, along with the requisite accounts and privileges, step by step. To set up a database using the MySQL Database Wizard: In the New Database field, enter a name for the database. Click Next Step. In the Username field, ent ...
- MySQL Databases
Databases offer a method for managing large amounts of information easily over the web. They are necessary to run many web-based applications such as bulletin boards, content management systems, and online retail shops. If you need to create a database as well as the account that will access it ...
phpMyAdmin is a third-party tool included with cPanel, used for maniuplating MySQL databases over the Internet. Using phpMyAdmin, you can add and drop databases, create, alter, and delete tables, add, edit, and delete fields, execute SQL statements, and manage users, keys, and permissions. For ...


History like you've never seen it
Most of us have only seen a part of our history, The Great Depression, in one way. Like this:
But now, we can see that part of American History as it has never been seen before. Seeing that time period in color, figuratively and literally, has personally changed my perception and understanding of that era. The only pictures we've seen that look remotely like this, have been recreations-- but this is the real deal.
"These images, by photographers of the Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information, are some of the only color photographs taken of the effects of the Depression on America’s rural and small town populations. The photographs are the property of the Library of Congress and were included in a 2006 exhibit Bound for Glory: America in Color."
To see the rest of this remarkable gallery click here.
Submitted by Sicari and Dave Trachtenberg


Milkweed, butterflies and my Mama, a story of letting go.
Milkweed grows in my untamed garden.
I discovered a single plant in my garden several years ago and made a silent promise to nurture it, to help it spread amongst the wild black raspberry bushes.
In the shortening days of Autumn I blow their seeds to the wind in hopes they will find safe harbor to grow when the warmth returns to the land.
There is magick in milkweed plants.
Their unassuming green stalks steadfastly advancing through the green undergrowth of spring into summer. You could easily overlook them or pull them in a weeding session, missing out on the richness they offer. One of those precious gifts is monarch butterflies which cannot survive without milkweed.
Early one morning, July
I imagined how the milkweed and the black raspberries plant spirits exchange whispered conversations, hidden in leaves and blossoms, as they drunk up sunshine.
Standing in my garden, picking raspberries, with summer sun on my skin, I saw the first monarch I have seen in years.
In some secret miracle of synchronicity, at the very moment I saw the monarch, a hummingbird circled my head, so close I could hear its wings.
In an instant, my senses collided in a living symphony of the scent of summer, purple stains of raspberries on my fingers, sunlight, butterflies and hummingbirds.
I thought of my Mama and how I would tell her of this moment if she were still alive.
Summer exhaled into Autumn.
I stood in my garden with the full moon on the rise and the milkweed plant an explosion of seedpods before me. And it struck me, how the milkweed tells the story of motherhood, reflected in the delicate seed pods.
I was the wild, untamed plant that grew in my mother’s well tended garden.
My Mama and I were incredibly different yet incredibly similar. She craved a tidy home, order and cleanliness. I craved adventure and dirt beneath my feet. At times our different natures railed against each other and the friction was palpable, but always my mother loved me fiercely. She transferred her indomitable will and nurtured my sense of self. I imagine her inner struggle to raise me to be an independent woman yet wanting to shelter me as her little girl. There were times she tried desperately to corral me, anxious that the winds of life would blow me to inhospitable soil, worried I would flounder to find solid ground. I fought against the confines of expectations and properness.
But then we reached a hard won point of grace.
Somewhere along the way, she understood the hidden gifts that would emerge if she released her grip and let me fly. She understood that the better course was to encourage me to soar on favorable winds and to trust that she taught me to land upright. Eventually, I did.
As a mother myself these many years, I understand the duality of my mother’s position.
Like a partially closed pod, I held onto my little seedlings, a secret dream in the dark, allowing just a peak at the greater world.
Yet, I knew that a baby must push itself forth from the womb at the right moment, and so must my children emerge to live their own lives. I wanted to both hang on and let go. It is a theme whose thread is woven through the journey of motherhood.
I prayed that when it came time to finally let go, that a favorable wind takes them gently on their journey. I realized I was not so different from my own mother.
My Mama merely wanted to hold on to her precious cargo til the last possible moment, just like I did.
Two years ago my beloved Mama passed away.
Like the milkweed pod releasing its seeds, the dreaded moment came when it was finally time to let her go. I watched as she struggled to hang on and I, too, wanted to hang on.
But I knew it was time to let go.
I was there with her when she crossed that silvery threshold between worlds. And I grasped a deeper level of the mysterious tides of life. Motherhood taught me to respect the gateway between life and death, and to walk in the liminal places between the worlds. This tide ebbs and flows connecting me to all the mothers and grandmothers, stretching backwards and forwards through time. I was born and thus I was the child of my mother. I brought forth life and I became the mother. Death deepened the teaching when I sat and midwifed my sweet Mama back across the threshold. Inhalation, exhalation. The tides of life.
Loving means holding on and letting go.
My Mama let me go, to evolve and grow into the woman I have become. Now it was my turn to let her go and trust. To allow the ancient winds of destiny gently lift her to the sky. Trust that the seed knows how to take flight on a favorable wind. Trust that the seed will arrive safely on the other side of the crossing.
To trust even though I can no longer touch the seed.
The milkweed plants are readying for winter. The last of the seeds drift across the yard. I think back on the monarch butterfly I saw. It still remains the only one I have seen in years. Much like the seeds, I may never know its fate. Did it succeed in creating a fourth generation? Did any of its descendants make the flight to Mexico? If so, will they arrive safely to find their winter habitat still intact? And what of our mutual fate on the planet in these times of change?
I envision the threads that connect us into one great tapestry of life on Earth; the milkweed, the butterflies, the mothers, the grandmothers and our collective seven generations.
I release a prayer for all the beings of earth with the last milkweed seed:
May we know the wisdom of love, when to hold on and when to let go.


Genuine Briggs & Stratton Small Engines Text Book - CE8020
By R. Bruce Radcliff, Dann L. Roark
Small Engines is a comprehensive full-color textbook that presents fundamental small engine operation and service principles using concise text, detailed illustrations, and practical applications. The book goes beyond the steps in a repair manual to present the "why" in engine design and operation fundamentals. This new edition includes updated and expanded coverage of the following:
The CD-ROM includes Quick Quizzes, an Illustrated Glossary, Media Clips, and Reference Material.
Full color, 318 pages, 321 illustrations, hard cover
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Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is dedicated to inspiring a love of reading by gifting books free of charge to children from birth to age five, through funding shared by Dolly Parton and local community partners in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia and Republic of Ireland.
All children in Wichita Falls ages 0 - 5 are eligible for these free books. Please see the online application form to confirm your address falls within the Wichita Falls district.
“Reams of research tout the many benefits of reading aloud to your children. In fact, I remember reading somewhere that it is the number one modifiable factor we as parents can work on to improve our children’s intelligence. Personally, my children and I cherish the special close quiet time of reading aloud, and the Imagination Library books add such fun, age-appropriate variety to our recreation. My children excitedly retrieve the books from the mailbox themselves (it’s such a treat to get their own mail!). Each book is so thoughtfully chosen, and we have discovered some real treasures in our time with the Imagination Library, like “Miss Maple’s Seeds”. Special stories like this become part of the family mythology, and shape the new generation into literate, curious, and capable beings.” ~Wichita Falls doctor
“Recently I helped my daughter sign up my youngest granddaughter for Imagination Library. She was so excited to receive her first book in the mail and see her name on the package! She instantly wanted to read the book and continued choosing it for the next several weeks. She has been given books as gifts since she was born and during her lengthy stay in the NICU. She hasn’t had many doctor appointments that she didn’t leave with a book. Although she had a rough time her first year of birth, she is very good at comprehension and has a huge imagination! This program will continue to grow her imagination and love of books.” ~Wichita Falls grandparent
“I am a mother to two biological children and I am also a foster parent. The number of kids in my home is often changing, but the one thing that doesn’t change in my home is a love for reading! Every child that comes through my home, including my own, loves to read and look through books. I have seen how helpful they can be in language development, expression of creativity, and even in forming identity. We are so excited for the Imagination Library program in Wichita Falls! Every time we get a new book, all of my kids light up! This program would continue to encourage the joy and love for reading that my kids have and I desire for them!” ~Wichita Falls foster parent
We want to thank our core business partners who have provided operational support to the Imagination Library of Wichita Falls!
James N. McCoy Foundation
If you are interested in partnering with us as a core business partner or a champion, please reach out to Jordan at [email protected] or (940) 767-2787 ext. 120 to learn more.


The Man Behind the Pictures
Tom Curr (1887-1958) is a name largely unknown to the general public, but as one of Scotland’s most successful commercial artists and cartoonists, his work – most famously the original Scott's Porage Oats shot putter - has been seen by millions of people. Born in Edinburgh in 1887, he started his apprenticeship as a lithographic artist with the Edinburgh printers McLagan & Cumming in 1903. Required to attend classes and sit exams at the School of Art (later the Edinburgh College of Art), he proved himself a gifted student achieving first class in almost all of his exams, and by winning a King's Prize, two scholarships and an appointment as assistant (part time) teacher in Anatomical Setting.
Commissioned into the 3/9th Battalion of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders in September 1915, Tom spent many months at Ripon Training Camp, being posted to France in 1916. He fought on the front line at Passchendaele in July 1917, after which he was seconded to the Royal Engineers' 2nd Field Survey Company, playing a vital role in their map-printing operations. Subsequently sent to Padua, Italy in December 1917 to take charge of the printing team of the newly established 6th Field Survey Company, he was promoted to Captain when he returned to GHQ Montreuil, France in July 1918, where he was in charge of the Printing Company for the duration of the war. His painting of the Highland Soldier, displayed in the National Museum of Scotland, is testimony to his continued remembrance of fallen comrades.
After demobilisation in February 1919, Tom began work at the prestigious Carlton Studio in London, returning to McLagan & Cumming as Art Manager in April 1920. He contributed sporting cartoons for the Edinburgh Evening News for over thirty years, designed posters for the Cunard White Star shipping line, and for Scottish regiments, he illustrated advertisements for PESCO (Peter Scott Co. of Hawick) underwear, Thornton's sports equipment, Halton's toffees, Younger's beer, shortbread biscuits and Chamber's book jackets, among many other Scottish brands. In later life, his paintings of Clydesdale horses at work in Alyth, Strathmore and Ruthven, were exhibited at the Royal Scottish Academy, many of which are now held in both private and public collections.
Tom was from a generation for whom faith was expressed through deeds as much as words; a generation whose survival of the slaughter of the Great War contributed to a personal commitment to use that life for the betterment of their fellow human beings. Public service was central to his philosophy and he served his city in many roles, including town councillor, Bailie, magistrate, and organiser of the messenger cyclists during WW2, (for which he was awarded an MBE). He was a member of many organisations and committees, including the original Lady Haig Poppy Factory, the Rotary Club, and the YMCA. He was a founding member of the Scottish Advisory Council of the BBC, as well as a radio and television broadcaster. But it is for his work for the youth of Edinburgh, specifically his leadership of the 46th Company of the Edinburgh Battalion of the Boys’ Brigade that he would have wished to be remembered.
Edinburgh Rock is shaped as much by the pictures Tom left behind, as it is by his documented life history. Consequently, some chapters depart from the usual linear narrative associated with biographies, this is to facilitate the inclusion of as many photographs and illustrations of his work as possible.
Just as Tom's life encompassed so much, the book will appeal to a wide audience, including those with an interest in the histories of advertising, art, the Boys' Brigade, cartoons, the ARP in Edinburgh during WW2, the Edinburgh printing industry, Scottish sport, Scottish brands, Sunday school pictures in the UK and USA, and the development of map making in WW1. But more generally it provides a cultural history of how one man's life in the first half of the last century touched – and was touched by – so many others. To that end, it is informed by interviews with people who knew Tom well, including his close friend, the actor and broadcaster, the late Tom Fleming CVO, MBE, FRSAMD.
About the Author:
Sandy Brewer is a Research Associate of the Oxford Centre for Methodism and Church History at Oxford Brookes University, and an internationally published researcher. Her work focuses on the material and visual culture of religion in the UK and the USA, specifically printed pictures produced for children.
Prior to her many years of teaching undergraduates at the University of East London, she worked as a craftswoman making patchwork quilts, and also banners for a variety of organisations ranging from football club supporters to environmental groups.
Edinburgh Rock - The Many Lives of Tom Curr is now available for purchase directly from this site via PayPal.
Click on the 'Buy Now' button below and you will be transferred to PayPal to complete the transaction.
If for any reason you have trouble purchasing or have any questions please contact us at:
Copyright © 2022 Sandy Brewer All Rights Reserved
All images used in this website are copyright of the Artist's Estate.


If you’re facing challenges that affect your life, there is assistance available. You’re not alone. VA has a variety of mental health resources, information, treatment options, and more — all accessible to veterans, and those family members, caregivers, individuals, and/or organizations who support and advocate for them.
Please join VetsFirst, a program of United Spinal Association, as we host a webinar to explore the various mental health resources available to veterans.
Date: Tuesday, May 10, 2022
Time: 2:00-2:30 PM Eastern Time
Link for Zoom Webinar registration: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ygJ_fF3ZT8eermd7CveenQ


I hadn’t had the chance to read something of Salman Rushdie, I have miss it for so long… but now I will try to find more books of him so I can enter his worlds. Salman Rushdie is a story teller and he makes you fly through the skies on a flying carpet to the world of imagination. Yes, he is pure imagination.
Rushdie use the words like they should be use, in a simple way but -yet- you get caught, and you have to repeat what you just read because of the wonderfulness that you just hear inside your head. How great it is.
Luka and the Fire of Life tells the story of a boy named Luka who must enter the magical world created by his father to save him from a deep sleep that will lead him to death. Within this, he must get through the levels and take the “fire of life”. In his adventure he will be accompanied by his dog named Bear and his bear named Dog. You will meet new people, jump through unknown places, fought with gods and prove himself for the love of his father.
What I underline:
-An adventure of my very own.
-He always was a dreamer, and now he’s gone and decided he prefers his dreams to me.
-The world was not always what it seemed to be.
-You have already achieve something extraordinary -by crossing the line, I mean- so perhaps you are capable of further extraordinary things.
-Eliminate the impossible, and what remains, however improbable, is the truth.
-I can’t see the future, and that feels right.
-Life is a flame […] life burns.
-It would be outrageous, and wonderful.
-This blindness was different, though; it felt, well, absolute.
-They were what there was before there were any words at all.
-Maybe dying was always like this: an argument between death and life.
-The gods in whom nobody believed any longer, except as stories that people once liked to tell. ‘They don’t have any power in the Real World anymore’.
-And these supposed almighties are sort of sleepwalkers, or echoes of themselves.
-No wonder she can’t see anyone Real. She has eyes only for herself.
-The adventure is over. It’s time to go home.
-I am exploiting their love and loyalty.
-Nothing must deflect me from my chosen course.
-He felt as is something more powerful than his own nature had taken control of him, some will stronger than his own that was refusing to accept the worst.
-Their time is a prison, they are the jailers, and the seconds and minutes are its walls.
-We know that when we fall in love, Time ceases to exist.
-Knowledge is both a delight and an explosive minefield; both a liberation and a trap.
-We want to be divine.
-The winds of change are blowing.
-There’s nothing ordinary about you.
-Sometimes the stars start dancing, and then anything can happen.


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Cultural identity is strengthened and preserved through Bible translation
Translated Scripture is not the only benefit from a Bible translation program. Language assessment and development, literacy work, and the production of print and audio/visual materials in the local language—all parts of the Bible translation process—provide a number of community benefits.
One benefit is cultural preservation. When an alphabet is created for a minority people group, and their language is developed, speakers of the language have the tools for survival—a way to preserve their culture. Their history can be written and therefore documented. A dictionary and other books can be produced. Their ethnic identity can grow as they gain more confidence interacting with other people groups. And their written language can be recognized by their country’s government and speakers of majority languages.
- Pray for speakers of the world’s minority languages who do not yet have a writing system. Ask God to call people from these language communities, and those who can partner with them to begin translation projects that lead to changed lives and the ability to preserve their cultures.
Please Take a moment to watch this short video about the preservation of cultures as an effect of Bible translation.
Resource: Wycliffe Pray Today Blog
Recently I made friend with a girl whom I met on Wycliffe Next Generation community website. She asked some questions about Indonesia because she will be moving there with her family soon for ministry. I remember some of the books that my husband got for himself in getting ready to go to Indonesia.
In your getting to know and preparation to go overseas (short term or long term), one thing among the others things on your preparation list is learning basic language and culture of the country. So here I would like to suggest you books that you can use to prepare your self and get some taste of Indonesian.
First book is Basic Indonesian, An Introduction Coursebook. You can try to order online from Barnes and Noble bookstore where we got it for my husband to learn Indonesian. This book comes with a Audio CD which will be helpful for you to listen and practice the pronunciation.
Pada hari ke-4 dalam 40 Hari Mengasihi Bangsa Dalam Doa ini, kita belajar bahwa hubungan antara Injil dan Budaya. Kedua elemen ini tidak dapat dipisahkan. Dalam kehidupan seseorang, kemanapun dia pergi, atau dimanapun dia tinggal, budaya pribadi tidak dapat dipisahkan. Budaya dapat dikembangkan mungkin, tapi ditidak dapat dirubah.
Cara hidup seseorang dipengaruhi oleh budayanya sendiri. Tuhan menciptakan budaya dan menjadikan bagian hidup manusia ciptaan-Nya untuk menghormati dan menyembah-Nya, sebagai Sang Pencipta, tetapi karen korupsi dosa dalam hidup manusia, budaya pun tercemar dan dibengkokkan oleh pengaruh Iblis. Tapi Allah tidak kalah akal, Allah menyediakan jalan untuk menembus manusia, termasuk budaya, lewat pengorbanan Kristus di Kayu Salib. Rencana Allah adalah segala suku, budaya, bahasa, dan bahasa akan berdiri di hadapan tahta-Nya yang kudus untuk menyembah-Nya.


Taylor Swift and the melodrama
My undergraduate thesis for McMaster University. An examination of narrative and stylistic elements of 19th Century Melodrama that are present in the 2011 Speak Now! World Tour by Taylor Swift. Included is an analysis of the structure of songs and how they speak to an implied narrative journey using stock characters such as the heroine, the villain and the faithful servant. How did these characters come about and why have they endured for so long?
A Small town girl
A small town in Southern Ontario is shaken up when startling revelations about one of their classmates is brought to light.
Part of an anthology I was writing circa 2012, and probably the only story from it I'm actually happy with.
Pedagogy at it's best
My first published article back in 2011. Originally published in Insight Magazine.
What is the role of the Humanities? How can the humanities survive in a world dominated by results? How vital are the Humanities in education?


A dog is found murdered at the hunting club in Cone City, a fictional locale on the central California coast. 19 hours ago · The woman behind the controversial right-wing Twitter account Libs of TikTok is releasing a children’s book about a predatory teacher who is literally a wolf in sheep’s clothing. The Beast of Bray Road, also known as the Bray Road Beast and the Wisconsin Werewolf, is a purported humanoid wolf-like creature allegedly witnessed in or near the rural community of Elkhorn, Walworth County, Wisconsin.
Part One of the novel shows two men, Henry and Bill, struggling to bring the corpse of Lord Alfred back to civilization. “There would be a huge public interest in a totally unknown werewolf novel by one of the best-known, most read American writers of the 20th century,” said Professor Gavin Jones, a specialist. Werewolf fiction. However, Karl wouldn’t possibly listen to such foolish advice. She wasn't supposed to be watching them. The Wolf’s Hour by Robert R. Title: Behind the Trees Author: Kittykatt023 Publisher: iReader Ratings: 8. First, pin down everything you can remember about the book, plot, character names, time period in which the book may have been published, genre, etc.
He joins us now from South Pasadena, Calif. Novels online. She wasn't supposed to be out here. Rejected In this adult werewolf romance book, the main character, Brianna, has been booted out of the Dawson wolf pack. 7 Others. . She wasn't supposed to be out here. There were two fangs, one was claimed by the Mysticals, the other creatures who suffered through the crossfire of the war, and the second fang was claimed by Cornelia Beverly, of the werewolf race. . . . May 27, 2021 · By Heather Murphy.
She certainly. Behind Blue Eyes (The Last Werewolf Hunter, Book 2) [Woodall, William] on Amazon. . Chapter 1 My heart beat pounded in my chest, my breath caught in my throat. . The Were-Wolf by Clemence. During the early 1940s, Warren Griffith was a werewolf who served within a special military unit. Part of the Discworld series, bestselling fantasy author Terry Pratchett dips into the world of werewolves, trolls, vampires, and other mythical beings in this book, following Commander Vimes as he investigates an attempted murder and a theft. 7. . The Poison Tree is a novel for Werewolf: The Apocalypse, released as part of the Werewolf: The Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition Kickstarter. Alejandro Rossi. May 27, 2021 · By Heather Murphy. Like Jake Marlowe, Michael has had years to embrace and except his otherness, and he is never ashamed of his wolf side. Alpha Eric hated and rejected his mate the very day he set his eyes on her, and would do anything to get her out of his life, but everything changed when he met her in a BDSM. The Last Werewolf by Glen Duncan. Sep 21, 2001 · Elena Michaels is the world’s only female werewolf.
. . The werewolf king's hunger for power leads him to destroy his own. Sayan takes the werewolf story and places it in the medieval era in Spain, where the village Abadosos have been plagued by werewolves. The Wolf Gift Chronicles. One yellow-eyed wolf—her wolf—is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. 50 The Werewolf Handbook: An Essential Guide to Werewolves and, More Importantly, How to Avoid Them by Robert Curran Hardcover $16. She wasn't supposed to be watching them. 8 (Very Good) Genre: Werewolf Language: English How to Read Novel Behind the Trees Full Episode The novel entitled Behind the Trees is very exciting to read. We also recruit writers and provide them with a platform to create their own stories!.


As a general unrest in Palestine fomented outright rebellion in the mid to late 60’s A.D., Eusebius tells us that the disciples and apostles abandoned Jerusalem and Judea. According to Eusebius, the Apostle John went to Ephesus where he spent much of the remainder of his life. Eusebius quotes from both Irenaeus and Clement of Alexandria as proof. Concerning the fourth gospel, Irenaeus writes:
“John, the disciple of the Lord, the same who reclined upon His breast, himself also published his Gospel, when he was living in Ephesus in Asia.”
Irenaeus is one of the most important external witnesses to the authorship of this fourth gospel since he was a student of Polycarp who in turn was a student of John. To Clement and Irenaeus, one can add Theophilus of Antioch, Tertullian of Carthage, and the Gnostic Heracleon (who wrote the earliest commentary on the book of John). These writers uniformly testify that the gospel account of John was written while the apostle lived in Ephesus.
Scholars have suggested other alternatives such as Antioch, Northern Syria, Alexandria, and Palestine. For example, some have argued that the gospel account was originally written in Aramaic and later translated into Greek (which would point toward Syria or Palestine). However, the evidence for this rests strongly on quotations from Jesus and His disciples whose native language was Aramaic. FF Bruce observed, “the Greek style of the Gospel as a whole could well be that of someone who had a good command of Greek but whose native language was Aramaic” (The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable?, page 52). The alternatives suggested do, for the most part, share something in common — with the exception of Palestine, all of the alternatives lie outside the country where the events reported by the author took place.
So far as the timing of the gospel’s composition, most scholars agree that it was written in the last 20 years of the first century. Early dates such as the 60’s A.D. have been presented but lack the external and internal proof possessed by the later date. The credit card sized scrap of John’s gospel held in the John Rylands collection rules out a later second century date — this papyrus dates from 90-150 A.D. Thus, a late first century composition is a reasonable estimate and is accepted by most New Testament scholars.
As I left off in the last blog, while these factors certainly support John’s authorship, they by no means satisfy a burden of proof. In the next few blogs, I plan to look at some of the internal evidence that further solidifies John as the author.


Please note that the exchange rates shown here are for guidance purposes only.
The fascination of printing
...at Motel One Frankfurt-Römer
Located between the Römer city hall and skyscrapers, our Motel One Frankfurt-Römer is part of the well-known Kornmarkt Arkaden with the adjoining Buchgasse. Did you know that book printing with moveable type was invented in Frankfurt
and made books accessible to the masses for the first time? The fascination of printing inspired us to dedicate our interior to the topic - and there´s a lot waiting to be discovered.
Arrive and prepare for take-off
Hundreds of flying pages welcome guests to Motel One Frankfurt-Römer, leading the way into a world of books and printing. Floating above the reception counter is the ´Leaves´ light by Cordula Kafka that is made up of approximately 350 wafer-thin porcelain sheets. Just 1 mm thin, the sheets were made by hand at the artist´s Berlin atelier and then fired and polished several times. A total of 700 stainless steel rods, 350 porcelain sheets and 70 LED lights make up Kafka´s latest artwork.
Our One Lounge conveys a library vibe and is the perfect spot for quiet contemplation or losing yourself in a good book. You are spoilt for choice with great places made for reading. Take your pick: ´My Beautiful Backside´, ´Smock´ or ´Bohemian´ by Moroso all offer great views of the flying porcelain artwork above the reception counter opposite. Another perfect spot for bookworms is our petrol-coloured ´Chester´ leather sofa under the ´Calypso Antiqua Pendant Lamp´ by Contardi.
"Mirror images and reflecitons give a space completely new and fascinating dimensions and play with the positive-negative effects of printing."
Once upon a time, there was a bar...
Some bars are so fascinating that you never want to leave. You might feel the same about this Motel One Bar after reading the quotes by important writers like Mark Twain, Hermann Hesse or Orson Welles - who knew how to influence the outcome of any story: "If you want a happy ending, that depends, of course, on where you stop your story." So it's basically up to you when you tear yourself away from the golden bar, the ´Double Zero´ bar stools and the ´Orion´ pendant lights by Quasar, which look like they are floating within the space.
Hendrik Zimmer - observer and artist
The two 4x4-metre artworks´Habitat & Hospital´, filling the corner niche of the bar, represent the current living enviroment and hospitality in general - and allow the visitor become a part of the surrounding art while enjoying his drink. Created with collage and painting techniques, the artworks have also been reproduced as limited-edition prints for all rooms using the highest quality photography. "The torn surfaces of the pictures reveal what lies underneath," says Hendrik Zimmer. "My art is about searching for the identity of the work." Hendrik Zimmer has long since found his inspiration - in the conflicting areas and interaction between things, pictures and people.


21 Feb Joy: Jewish, Poet, Seeker, and the Woman Who Captivated C.S. Lewis
Joy Davidman was the wife of C. S. Lewis. Their marriage was memorialized in the film Shadowlands and Lewis’s memoir, A Grief Observed. Davidman was a poet and radical and an active member of New York literary circles in the 1930s and 40s. After growing up Jewish in the Bronx, she became an atheist, then a practitioner of Dianetics. She eventually became a believer in Jesus. She was known as an animated, demanding and intelligent woman. Davidman was the scholarly and spiritual partner of CS Lewis.
“In a sense, the converted Jew is the only normal human being in the world…”
These words were written by CS Lewis in the introduction to Davidman’s book, Smoke on the Mountain. I was captivated. Lewis went on to say, in speaking about Jewish people:
“… to him, in the first instance, the promises were made, and he has availed himself of them. He calls Abraham his father by hereditary right as well as by divine courtesy. He has taken the whole syllabus in order, as it was set; eaten the dinner according to the menu. Everyone else is, from one point of view, a special case, dealt with under emergency regulations. To us Christians the unconverted Jew (I mean no offense) must appear as a Christian manqué; someone very carefully prepared for a certain destiny and then missing it. And we ourselves, we christened gentiles, are after all the graft, the wild vine, possessing ‘joys not promised to our birth’; though perhaps we do not think of this so often as we might. And when the Jew does come in, he brings with him into the fold dispositions different from, and complementary of ours.”
I wanted to know more about Davidman’s own Jewish identity, but there is very little about how Joy came to terms with her Jewishness after believing in Jesus. In Joy: Poet, Seeker, and the Woman Who Captivated C.S. Lewis, Abigail Santamaria writes: “Joy had no intention of becoming a Christian. For one thing, the idea of it was excessively uncomfortable, given her heritage. ‘The Jew who enters Christianity is always haunted by ghosts,’ she would write years later. ‘Voices out of his past assure him that he is making a fool of himself, betraying his traditions and his ancestry; he must keep arguing constantly, defending the truth of his new faith against the jeering shadows in his mind.’ Yet Lewis earned her trust, and she wanted to learn from his theist perspective.
She began to use Lewis’ books as ‘constant reference points.’ She said that ‘Lewis’s clear and vivid statement of Christian principles served as a standard by which to measure the other religions we studied.’ When she became a Jewish believer in Jesus in 1946 she said “I must have been the world’s most astonished atheist.”
Her biographer mentions that Joy was asked to speak at a London church about being a Jewish believer. It would be very interesting to read what she said at that church. But the book does not include it and I cannot find it. I have written to two of Joy’s biographers in the hope of finding the transcript. One told me that he fears it has not survived. I’m still looking for that message as Davidman continues to inspire me with her wit and intelligence. I encourage you to read her poetry and books and her biographies.
Written by Andrew Barron, Director of Jews for Jesus Canada.
Email him at [email protected]. You can also suggest topics for future blog posts.


During the course of his decades of research into Paleoindian archaeology, C. Vance Haynes amassed a remarkable collection of acrylic casts of Paleoindian artifacts. This collection is one of the largest (~1000 pieces) and most comprehensive sets of its kind in North America. It includes casts of key projectile point styles and assemblages as well as other lithic and non-lithic artifacts from well-known (as well as unreported) sites throughout the continent. In the Fall of 2002, Dr. Haynes donated this important collection to AARF. From then through 2003, UA graduate students Kanani Paraso, Jesse Ballenger, James Mayer, and Edmund Gaines inventoried and organized the collection. The result is a database available to other researchers. The database currently catalogues more than 800 casts from North and South America and includes information on provenience, artifact type, and complex. It also includes comments by C. Vance Haynes and reference information. The casts, displayed in Riker mounts, are housed in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Arizona and are available to other researchers.


This week’s giveaway includes something for practically everyone.
First is a signed copy of my new book I Am a Church Member. Based on an idea originally taken from this blog, I Am a Church Member discusses the attitudes and responsibilities of church members. I address in detail what congregations should really be focusing on—praying for church leaders, being a functioning member, treasuring church membership, and more.
Six chapters with these titles include study questions to guide the discussion:
- I Will Be a Unifying Church Member
- I Will Not Let the Church Be About My Preferences and Desires
- I Will Pray for My Church Leaders
- I Will Lead My Family to Be Healthy Church Members
- I Will Be a Functioning Member
- I Will Treasure Church Membership as a Gift
Next is the DVD leader kit for Samson: A Life Well Wasted, a new study by Chip Henderson. Samson explores the life of Samson in Judges 13-16 and offers six ways we can waste our lives if we’re not focused on our God-given purpose. Hot-button cultural issues from dishonesty and anger to daddy-issues and sex are discussed. Samson offers encouragement and practical ideas for making God-honoring decisions and avoiding regret for what could have been. The leader kit includes:
- Member Book
- Leader Guide with step-by-step instructions to leading discussion, including insightful questions that will help encourage authentic community
- DVD-ROM with 6 discussion-starting videos
- Promo Video
- E-mailable biblical articles to dig deeper
- A playlist of music to accompany the study
The final item this week is another DVD leader kit. Nehemiah: A Heart That Can Break by Kelly Minter is a 7-session Bible study for women. Nehemiah’s heart was so broken for those in need that he left the comfort of his Persian palace to help them. Like Kelly’s other studies in the Living Room Series, you’ll find authentic Bible teaching, recipes, and a relational approach. Nehemiah also includes 7 video sessions and real-life ways to put feet to your faith. Are you ready to let God break your heart for a hurting, lost world and move you in compassion to be the hands and feet of Jesus? The kit includes:
- Member Book with recipes and leader helps
- DVDs for 7 group sessions averaging 20 minutes in length and including short interviews with people living out what God has put in their hearts to do
To enter the giveaway, tell us about your favorite moment so far of 2013.
The deadline to enter is midnight CDT this Saturday. We will draw one winner from the entries on Monday morning.
Special Note: Both Chip Henderson and Kelly Minter were instrumental in the development of Bible Studies for Life, a new curriculum line launching this fall. You are invited to join us on Wednesday, May 8, from 12:00—12:30 p.m. CDT as four pastors share their hope for how small groups can play a big part in addressing needs in the church and how LifeWay’s new series, Bible Studies for Life, can help.
By entering, you acknowledge and accept the terms of the promotion.


"The Dybbuk at 100?"
The centennial of one of the most influential secular Jewish-themed plays of all time, The Dybbuk, written by S. An-sky will be celebrated in Santa Fe from June-November 2020. It has influenced works by Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland, Ofer Ben-Amots, and the Coen Brothers, among others.
"The Dybbuk at 100" feature lectures, chamber music, films, and more in this centennial exploration.
a timeless story of star-crossed lovers and spirit possession
"haunting & atmospheric ... a privileged glimpse into the past"
Kenneth Turan, NPR and Los Angeles Times Film Critic