David L. Atkinson's Blog, page 48
April 27, 2016
Poetry Thursday 210 - Special lives
We have been reminded of the sacredness of life with the closure of the inquest 27 years after the Hillsborough - surely an intolerable wait. It spurred me to write the first poem.
[image error]
Timetable
The train now arriving at platform 66is the latest option towards Glory.Calling at Scotland, Seaburn and London,proceeding to platform 67 - hopefully.
Services provided en route include,music, words and home-cooked meals.It should be noted that this is the steady option.Seats may be reserved – just ask – no special deals.
The train’s progress may be slowed by all kinds of snow,or possibly leaves on the track.Just relax, come with me and you will arrive,but there are no guarantees of coming back.
Too early to produce the next schedule,no certainty that the train will be running.Please try again at the turn of the year,when we’ll see if maintenance is still working.© David L Atkinson April 2016
This second poem sprang from two sources, the celebration's of the Queen's 90th birthday and a poetry competition.
Our Gracious Queen
God bless our gracious Queen,long lived is our glorious Queen,thank God for the Queen.
Alternatively a republic,rulers picked by the public,selecting a fiscal despotic.
A figurehead from history,preferred to an elected mystery,safer future for the country.© David L Atkinson April 2016
God Bless
[image error]
Timetable
The train now arriving at platform 66is the latest option towards Glory.Calling at Scotland, Seaburn and London,proceeding to platform 67 - hopefully.
Services provided en route include,music, words and home-cooked meals.It should be noted that this is the steady option.Seats may be reserved – just ask – no special deals.
The train’s progress may be slowed by all kinds of snow,or possibly leaves on the track.Just relax, come with me and you will arrive,but there are no guarantees of coming back.
Too early to produce the next schedule,no certainty that the train will be running.Please try again at the turn of the year,when we’ll see if maintenance is still working.© David L Atkinson April 2016
This second poem sprang from two sources, the celebration's of the Queen's 90th birthday and a poetry competition.
Our Gracious Queen
God bless our gracious Queen,long lived is our glorious Queen,thank God for the Queen.
Alternatively a republic,rulers picked by the public,selecting a fiscal despotic.
A figurehead from history,preferred to an elected mystery,safer future for the country.© David L Atkinson April 2016
God Bless
April 26, 2016
Writing - Utopia
As I get older, another year will pass by this Friday, I am finding more value in mine and our history. I remember questions such as 'what use is history?' and 'what sort of job will history qualify you for?' when I was a student. In my opinion, comments such as those are naive. If it were possible to encapsulate the value of history into one statement I would say,
history is a vast resource from which we should be brave enough to learn
I believe that it is the 'learning' that we fail at and today's blog is something of an example.
[image error]Thomas More
Thomas More, depending who you read, is either hero or villain but one thing he did do was to write a book in 1516, about an idealised island society. Apparently it is one of the most important works of political philosophy and gave us the word 'Utopian'. The latter I knew! What is important are the lessons it teaches us about Tudor England and I believe that we should examine those lessons more closely.
[image error]
1. Private property is dangerous
Wow! In the book all property was held in common whereas in Tudor England society was built upon individual property ownership. The issue arose because of the enclosure of what was common land and More mounted a critique both of the practice of enclosure and the greed that underpinned it.
In my mind some things haven't changed in 500 years.
2. Women should know their place.
In this case I believe that More was incorrect and the actions in the support and correction of the place of women in society shows that. In a sense it shows how unequivocal the attitude was towards women all those years ago. In fact More went further and suggested that equality for women was implying anarchy. However, he did introduce in Utopia a measure that would have eventually have led to equality and that was the education of girls and boys together and in the same way.
The last point would surely have led to questioning by the people being educated about why women were treated differently to men and why opportunities weren't the same. Equality would have won out in the end.
3. Only animals wage war.
The Utopians condemned war as fit only for beasts. More's humanist friends people ought to be united by common bonds of humanity and Christianity, not torn apart by greed and self-interest. In Utopia he criticised warring kings and their ability to rule effectively.
The bottom line in this section is about greed and self-interest. If you have considered the reasons for wars going on at present it is often about the acquisition of territories and commodities at the expense of human lives.
4 Don't be a slave to trinkets.
This leads quite neatly into the commandment about not coveting thy neighbour's ass. In Utopia they devalue the things that others covet such as precious metals and gems and they did this by making their chamber pots from gold and silver and the like. They are given to children to play with and used for the chains of the slaves.
More saw the greed in Henry VIII's court as an anethema as the king sported large gems rings gold chains and in the book would have been a slave.
5. The people know best.
More's Utopia is a republic with an elected 'prince' working alongside an elected council. There is no hereditary monarch or any concept of the divine right of kings, which is almost directly opposed to how Tudor England was ruled then and to a degree nowadays.
In fact More acknowledged that real political power rested with the people but the only way he could convey that was in the creation of his fantastic island: Utopia.
There are many lessons to learn from the above.
God Bless
history is a vast resource from which we should be brave enough to learn
I believe that it is the 'learning' that we fail at and today's blog is something of an example.
[image error]Thomas More
Thomas More, depending who you read, is either hero or villain but one thing he did do was to write a book in 1516, about an idealised island society. Apparently it is one of the most important works of political philosophy and gave us the word 'Utopian'. The latter I knew! What is important are the lessons it teaches us about Tudor England and I believe that we should examine those lessons more closely.
[image error]
1. Private property is dangerous
Wow! In the book all property was held in common whereas in Tudor England society was built upon individual property ownership. The issue arose because of the enclosure of what was common land and More mounted a critique both of the practice of enclosure and the greed that underpinned it.
In my mind some things haven't changed in 500 years.
2. Women should know their place.
In this case I believe that More was incorrect and the actions in the support and correction of the place of women in society shows that. In a sense it shows how unequivocal the attitude was towards women all those years ago. In fact More went further and suggested that equality for women was implying anarchy. However, he did introduce in Utopia a measure that would have eventually have led to equality and that was the education of girls and boys together and in the same way.
The last point would surely have led to questioning by the people being educated about why women were treated differently to men and why opportunities weren't the same. Equality would have won out in the end.
3. Only animals wage war.
The Utopians condemned war as fit only for beasts. More's humanist friends people ought to be united by common bonds of humanity and Christianity, not torn apart by greed and self-interest. In Utopia he criticised warring kings and their ability to rule effectively.
The bottom line in this section is about greed and self-interest. If you have considered the reasons for wars going on at present it is often about the acquisition of territories and commodities at the expense of human lives.
4 Don't be a slave to trinkets.
This leads quite neatly into the commandment about not coveting thy neighbour's ass. In Utopia they devalue the things that others covet such as precious metals and gems and they did this by making their chamber pots from gold and silver and the like. They are given to children to play with and used for the chains of the slaves.
More saw the greed in Henry VIII's court as an anethema as the king sported large gems rings gold chains and in the book would have been a slave.
5. The people know best.
More's Utopia is a republic with an elected 'prince' working alongside an elected council. There is no hereditary monarch or any concept of the divine right of kings, which is almost directly opposed to how Tudor England was ruled then and to a degree nowadays.
In fact More acknowledged that real political power rested with the people but the only way he could convey that was in the creation of his fantastic island: Utopia.
There are many lessons to learn from the above.
God Bless
April 25, 2016
Tuesday Food Blog - Steak and Ale Pie, tap water, eating disorders and gorillas
My excuse for another pie was the fact that I had another roll of frozen pastry left over from last week. After considering various sorts I settled for Steak and Ale which was actually not a million miles away from last week's effort.
Steak and Ale Pie
It should be noted that the pie is finished off with greater smoothness than last week as I used the 'pastry brushes' that God provided me with!There are some differences between last week's pie and the above. Firstly, there is the beer:-
Marston's Stout
Last week I used Idiot Juice, Rockin' Pop or Dog, produced by Scottish and Newcastle Breweries and more normally called Newcastle Brown Ale. Although it has brown in its title it is not a heavy beer. Marston's which I used this week is darker and heavier but it made cracking good gravy.
In some ways this was an easier meal to produce, less preparation time because there were no potatoes in the pie. Quite simple for a ham-fisted blunderer like myself.
Dished up.
I served the pie with glazed carrots and crushed new potatoes which are easy enough to produce. In the photograph above I love the glistening gravy, it was rich, thick and flavoursome and was simply the juices in which the meat was cooked. There was no water involved, just the meat juices, the de-glazing of the pan the onions were cooked in and a couple of teaspoons of gravy browning. For your information the onion was chopped and cooked in olive oil, butter, garlic and oregano.
The cut of meat I chose was brisket and with plenty of marbling as, although it takes longer to cook and tenderise, it gives out more goodness and flavour. It is ideal for slow cooking in casseroles and similar.
Food Bollocks
I make no excuse for the title. There is so much utter rubbish talked about food these days I feel for anyone bringing up a family. As a member of the baby boomer generation who had to buy fresh, seasonal and grow our own vegetables, I despair at times on the advice coming from so-called experts on what we should or, more frequently, should not eat. This week has been no exception.
[image error]
First was the idea that restaurants should offer tap water as opposed to sugar laden drinks with their meals. I personally haven't been in a restaurant that has refused to serve tap water if asked.
Then from Japan,
[image error]
they are failing to cope with people suffering from eating disorders. I know eating disorders are a problem but once again they are very modern. Perhaps if we spent more time feeling good about themselves there would be fewer problems with what we eat and fewer cosmetic alterations to our bodies which cost nations millions.
Finally, overweight gorillas:-
[image error]
A gorilla gave birth in Prague Zoo which astounded keepers as she had miscarriages and was overweight. Perhaps she was just pregnant! Besides if she was overweight whose fault is that? Who feeds her?
God Bless
Steak and Ale Pie
It should be noted that the pie is finished off with greater smoothness than last week as I used the 'pastry brushes' that God provided me with!There are some differences between last week's pie and the above. Firstly, there is the beer:-
Marston's Stout
Last week I used Idiot Juice, Rockin' Pop or Dog, produced by Scottish and Newcastle Breweries and more normally called Newcastle Brown Ale. Although it has brown in its title it is not a heavy beer. Marston's which I used this week is darker and heavier but it made cracking good gravy.
In some ways this was an easier meal to produce, less preparation time because there were no potatoes in the pie. Quite simple for a ham-fisted blunderer like myself.
Dished up.
I served the pie with glazed carrots and crushed new potatoes which are easy enough to produce. In the photograph above I love the glistening gravy, it was rich, thick and flavoursome and was simply the juices in which the meat was cooked. There was no water involved, just the meat juices, the de-glazing of the pan the onions were cooked in and a couple of teaspoons of gravy browning. For your information the onion was chopped and cooked in olive oil, butter, garlic and oregano.
The cut of meat I chose was brisket and with plenty of marbling as, although it takes longer to cook and tenderise, it gives out more goodness and flavour. It is ideal for slow cooking in casseroles and similar.
Food Bollocks
I make no excuse for the title. There is so much utter rubbish talked about food these days I feel for anyone bringing up a family. As a member of the baby boomer generation who had to buy fresh, seasonal and grow our own vegetables, I despair at times on the advice coming from so-called experts on what we should or, more frequently, should not eat. This week has been no exception.
[image error]
First was the idea that restaurants should offer tap water as opposed to sugar laden drinks with their meals. I personally haven't been in a restaurant that has refused to serve tap water if asked.
Then from Japan,
[image error]
they are failing to cope with people suffering from eating disorders. I know eating disorders are a problem but once again they are very modern. Perhaps if we spent more time feeling good about themselves there would be fewer problems with what we eat and fewer cosmetic alterations to our bodies which cost nations millions.
Finally, overweight gorillas:-
[image error]
A gorilla gave birth in Prague Zoo which astounded keepers as she had miscarriages and was overweight. Perhaps she was just pregnant! Besides if she was overweight whose fault is that? Who feeds her?
God Bless
April 24, 2016
Writing - Story longevity
There was an article written a few weeks ago about stories being traced back to the Bronze Age. A similar article has arisen this week so I thought that I'd take a look.
[image error]Rumplestiltskin
The Brothers Grimm guessed 200 years ago that tales such as Beauty and the Beast, Jack and the Beanstalk and Rumplestiltskin can be traced back to the Bronze Age and the spread of the Indo-European languages. Many of our favourite Marvel Comics movies like, Batman, Lord of the Rings and Star Wars are rooted in the fight of good against evil, a heroes quest and fighting some mythical super-powered beast. So we are still thinking like the ancient myths. Scientists studying human anthropology have traced story types geographically and linked with human movement according to the suitability of the land for sustaining lives. There seems to be groups of stories, the earliest from around 60 000 years ago that had similarities but which didn't have a creation story. The Earth was taken for granted and people were made from clay.
[image error]
The tranche of stories discovered to have began around 40 000 years ago have a creation story; stories of how heaven and Earth became separated; the killing of the dragon; overthrow of the older generation of Gods; humanity's primordial misdeed; and, a trickster deity that brought fire and culture. Both of these cycles have story have one thing in common - a great flood.
[image error]
Many of these stories have generated religions worshipping one god as well as the more secular stories. These more recent stories were the subject of many pictorial representations in cave drawings and the like.
[image error]The Cosmos
The stories seemingly originated in Africa and were brought out when modern man migrated from that continent. There purpose was principally to explain man's relationship with the Earth and the Cosmos.The earliest layer of stories was the cosmology of the hunter-gatherers. The salvational stories with their deities came later and became dominant as urbanisation increased which 6 000 years ago was superceded by monotheism which is the root of many religions.
[image error]
I find it slightly scary that our current obsession with superhero stories is over 40 000 years old but at the same time it is rather Marvellous (pardon the pun).
God Bless
[image error]Rumplestiltskin
The Brothers Grimm guessed 200 years ago that tales such as Beauty and the Beast, Jack and the Beanstalk and Rumplestiltskin can be traced back to the Bronze Age and the spread of the Indo-European languages. Many of our favourite Marvel Comics movies like, Batman, Lord of the Rings and Star Wars are rooted in the fight of good against evil, a heroes quest and fighting some mythical super-powered beast. So we are still thinking like the ancient myths. Scientists studying human anthropology have traced story types geographically and linked with human movement according to the suitability of the land for sustaining lives. There seems to be groups of stories, the earliest from around 60 000 years ago that had similarities but which didn't have a creation story. The Earth was taken for granted and people were made from clay.
[image error]
The tranche of stories discovered to have began around 40 000 years ago have a creation story; stories of how heaven and Earth became separated; the killing of the dragon; overthrow of the older generation of Gods; humanity's primordial misdeed; and, a trickster deity that brought fire and culture. Both of these cycles have story have one thing in common - a great flood.
[image error]
Many of these stories have generated religions worshipping one god as well as the more secular stories. These more recent stories were the subject of many pictorial representations in cave drawings and the like.
[image error]The Cosmos
The stories seemingly originated in Africa and were brought out when modern man migrated from that continent. There purpose was principally to explain man's relationship with the Earth and the Cosmos.The earliest layer of stories was the cosmology of the hunter-gatherers. The salvational stories with their deities came later and became dominant as urbanisation increased which 6 000 years ago was superceded by monotheism which is the root of many religions.
[image error]
I find it slightly scary that our current obsession with superhero stories is over 40 000 years old but at the same time it is rather Marvellous (pardon the pun).
God Bless
April 23, 2016
Writing - Shakespeare and Obama
Alas poor Barack I knew him well. Why doesn't he just go home and mind his own business as opposed at issuing thinly veiled threats against those who are supposedly in a special relationship with him?
[image error]
What light from yonder window breaks? It is the sun and Obama is the moon. He is on the wane and should mind his own business. In making his speech he is not connecting with ordinary people but with big business which seems to be against what his presidency has stood for.To be or not to be socialising democrat with great intentions but now taking up arms against a sea of troubles which he should have done against the NRA and for Obamacare.
[image error]
The road to hell is paved with good intentions and it may be that Barack's intentions are to further the cause of TTIP backed by big business that will be paying for his lecture tour once he has left the Presidential Office.
[image error]
If Obama wants to be great he must not be afraid as some are born great some achieve greatness and others have greatness thrust upon them. He will not achieve greatness by interfering in the politics of others.
[image error]
The President is possibly guilty of being too bold in his speeches when sometimes it is better to have more than thou showest and speak less than thou knowest. By taking the side of big business he is more likely to alienate the other half of the special relationship.
[image error]
Boris Johnson criticised the President for being hypocritical and I would agree as certainly men should be what they seem and Obama and America would be the last country to ally themselves with another country to the point where their sovereignty would be threatened.
So soon to be Mr Obama, thank you for the respect you show to our monarch and I hope you have a safe journey home. Please remember love all, trust a few do wrong to none.
God Bless
[image error]
What light from yonder window breaks? It is the sun and Obama is the moon. He is on the wane and should mind his own business. In making his speech he is not connecting with ordinary people but with big business which seems to be against what his presidency has stood for.To be or not to be socialising democrat with great intentions but now taking up arms against a sea of troubles which he should have done against the NRA and for Obamacare.
[image error]
The road to hell is paved with good intentions and it may be that Barack's intentions are to further the cause of TTIP backed by big business that will be paying for his lecture tour once he has left the Presidential Office.
[image error]
If Obama wants to be great he must not be afraid as some are born great some achieve greatness and others have greatness thrust upon them. He will not achieve greatness by interfering in the politics of others.
[image error]
The President is possibly guilty of being too bold in his speeches when sometimes it is better to have more than thou showest and speak less than thou knowest. By taking the side of big business he is more likely to alienate the other half of the special relationship.
[image error]
Boris Johnson criticised the President for being hypocritical and I would agree as certainly men should be what they seem and Obama and America would be the last country to ally themselves with another country to the point where their sovereignty would be threatened.
So soon to be Mr Obama, thank you for the respect you show to our monarch and I hope you have a safe journey home. Please remember love all, trust a few do wrong to none.
God Bless
April 22, 2016
Writing - The persistent value of words
The 21st April was Queen Elizabeth's 90th birthday. There were amazing scenes around the UK and a plethora of good wishes. At the end of the day 1000 beacons were left around the country. However, there was one very special moment that matched up with the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare's death, and celebrated the Queen's birthday - a quote from a play by the bard given by Prince Charles.
[image error]Prince Charles
Charles chose an extract from a speech by Archbishop Thomas Cranmer to King Henry VIII after the birth of the future Queen Elizabeth I.The reading from act 5, scene 5 (edited) begins: “Let me speak, sir.For heaven now bids me; and the words I utterLet none think flattery, for they’ll find ’em truth”.It ends:“She shall be, to the happiness of England,An aged princess; many days shall see her,And yet no day without a deed to crown it”It was this latter part of the quotation that the Prince used.
How wonderful for your words to be of value.
December 2015
Steele My hero was created post recession and so has no concept of how 'good' things were pre-2008. In 'I Have To Get It Right' when he began to flex his muscles he was working in an accountant's office. Then after the Gurentai took him under their wing and removed all of his financial worries, it was justice that was his major concern. He did become involved in international relations in 'The 51st State' but it was for the maintenance of a respectful distance between countries, rather than economic reasons. His trips into the USA had repercussions which can be read about in 'The Biter Bit' but then by the time things began to change in 2011 and the recession was really biting, Steele was trying to make sense of the state of the nation in 'A Changed Reality' and coming up against some really nasty people taking advantage of the shortage of money. By the time the USA are out of their recession Steele's steps are still being dogged by an unknown enemy from the same country. In 'Inceptus' we also find out more about what makes the man tick. The most recent Steele book 'Castled' where Steele is once again at risk from unseen enemies. It would seem that he has become quite recession proof!The most recent addition to the Steele family is Earth plc in which our hero is concerned with political and emotional issues in this crime fighting adventure.
All books are available in paperback or ebook through Amazon, Smashwords and all good book shop websites.
Cessation
This is a dystopian story that hinges directly on the state of the nation as a result of fiscal mismanagement. Having said that it is more a story of human relations, privations, love and loss.
Poetry - there are also two thoughtful collections of poetry available solely through Amazon.
The Musings of a Confused Mind
and
Words from the Raindrops
God Bless
[image error]Prince Charles
Charles chose an extract from a speech by Archbishop Thomas Cranmer to King Henry VIII after the birth of the future Queen Elizabeth I.The reading from act 5, scene 5 (edited) begins: “Let me speak, sir.For heaven now bids me; and the words I utterLet none think flattery, for they’ll find ’em truth”.It ends:“She shall be, to the happiness of England,An aged princess; many days shall see her,And yet no day without a deed to crown it”It was this latter part of the quotation that the Prince used.
How wonderful for your words to be of value.
December 2015Steele My hero was created post recession and so has no concept of how 'good' things were pre-2008. In 'I Have To Get It Right' when he began to flex his muscles he was working in an accountant's office. Then after the Gurentai took him under their wing and removed all of his financial worries, it was justice that was his major concern. He did become involved in international relations in 'The 51st State' but it was for the maintenance of a respectful distance between countries, rather than economic reasons. His trips into the USA had repercussions which can be read about in 'The Biter Bit' but then by the time things began to change in 2011 and the recession was really biting, Steele was trying to make sense of the state of the nation in 'A Changed Reality' and coming up against some really nasty people taking advantage of the shortage of money. By the time the USA are out of their recession Steele's steps are still being dogged by an unknown enemy from the same country. In 'Inceptus' we also find out more about what makes the man tick. The most recent Steele book 'Castled' where Steele is once again at risk from unseen enemies. It would seem that he has become quite recession proof!The most recent addition to the Steele family is Earth plc in which our hero is concerned with political and emotional issues in this crime fighting adventure.
All books are available in paperback or ebook through Amazon, Smashwords and all good book shop websites.
Cessation
This is a dystopian story that hinges directly on the state of the nation as a result of fiscal mismanagement. Having said that it is more a story of human relations, privations, love and loss.
Poetry - there are also two thoughtful collections of poetry available solely through Amazon.
The Musings of a Confused Mind
and
Words from the Raindrops
God Bless
April 21, 2016
Writing - Brontes and their influence
Charlotte Bronte was born 200 years ago today. Her and her sisters have had a great influence on literature but also on the lives of women.
[image error]Charlotte Bronte (1816 - 1855)
The Brontës are remarkable for being three successful authors from one family. But, more remarkably, Charlotte, Emily and Anne were all women who were successful at a time when women didn't have much freedom, either at home or in society.
Charlotte was the eldest and published her books, including Jane Eyre, under the pen name of Currer Bell. Charlotte was born in Thornton in the west of Bradford, the third of six children to Maria and Patrick Bronte. In 1820 the family moved to Haworth but a year later tragedy struck when Maria died of cancer leaving five girls and the son, Branwell, to be brought up by her sister Elizabeth Branwell. Patrick was the permanent curate at the church of St Michael and All Angels.
[image error]
Charlotte and her sisters wrote books filled with strong female characters and may well have generated the energy for future feminist activists. However, in spite of the characters they wrote breaking convention, Charlotte wasn't that keen on votes for women.
The Brontës’ novels often revolved around the female characters finding deserving husbands, rather than breaking completely free of social conventions. However a lot of their ideas were radical for their time.
For many women reading their books in the 19th and 20th Centuries, the Brontë sisters and their characters epitomised women who weren't afraid to stand up for their rights. Although some of the concerns raised in their books have been partially addressed, the sisters’ contributions to women’s rights are still celebrated by those who continue to fight for equality.
[image error]
Jane Eyre was an instant success when published in 1847 and has never been out of print since that time. When the text is looked into beyond the restraints of it being a Victorian novel there is much more to discover.
Jane Eyre ceases to be a distant Victorian classic, but a woman whose messages about equality and independence have yet to be taken on board properly. Her famous speech to Rochester, "I am no bird, and no net ensnares me", was never meant to be just a motto on a commemorative mug.
You can't blame readers for being massively diverted by Jane and Rochester's epic love story and the gripping melodrama surrounding it of dark secrets, mad women and creepy old houses on fire.But there's another kind of fire in Jane Eyre, too, of righteous anger, stringent morals and passionate advocacy. It's the inflammatory nature of Jane's 'rebel slave' outbursts against authority and rage at her own powerlessness that scandalised some of the novel's first readers in 1847 and made them mark the book down as dangerously subversive.
I wish I had as many £5 notes as I've heard author's criticised as being subversive, but as I keep banging on about, writers have a duty as the public's conscience to keep nudging the politicians and society in the right direction appropriate to the age. Charlotte Bronte was one such author even though she may not have been recognised by all as such over the years.
God Bless
[image error]Charlotte Bronte (1816 - 1855)
The Brontës are remarkable for being three successful authors from one family. But, more remarkably, Charlotte, Emily and Anne were all women who were successful at a time when women didn't have much freedom, either at home or in society.
Charlotte was the eldest and published her books, including Jane Eyre, under the pen name of Currer Bell. Charlotte was born in Thornton in the west of Bradford, the third of six children to Maria and Patrick Bronte. In 1820 the family moved to Haworth but a year later tragedy struck when Maria died of cancer leaving five girls and the son, Branwell, to be brought up by her sister Elizabeth Branwell. Patrick was the permanent curate at the church of St Michael and All Angels.
[image error]
Charlotte and her sisters wrote books filled with strong female characters and may well have generated the energy for future feminist activists. However, in spite of the characters they wrote breaking convention, Charlotte wasn't that keen on votes for women.
The Brontës’ novels often revolved around the female characters finding deserving husbands, rather than breaking completely free of social conventions. However a lot of their ideas were radical for their time.
For many women reading their books in the 19th and 20th Centuries, the Brontë sisters and their characters epitomised women who weren't afraid to stand up for their rights. Although some of the concerns raised in their books have been partially addressed, the sisters’ contributions to women’s rights are still celebrated by those who continue to fight for equality.
[image error]
Jane Eyre was an instant success when published in 1847 and has never been out of print since that time. When the text is looked into beyond the restraints of it being a Victorian novel there is much more to discover.
Jane Eyre ceases to be a distant Victorian classic, but a woman whose messages about equality and independence have yet to be taken on board properly. Her famous speech to Rochester, "I am no bird, and no net ensnares me", was never meant to be just a motto on a commemorative mug.
You can't blame readers for being massively diverted by Jane and Rochester's epic love story and the gripping melodrama surrounding it of dark secrets, mad women and creepy old houses on fire.But there's another kind of fire in Jane Eyre, too, of righteous anger, stringent morals and passionate advocacy. It's the inflammatory nature of Jane's 'rebel slave' outbursts against authority and rage at her own powerlessness that scandalised some of the novel's first readers in 1847 and made them mark the book down as dangerously subversive.
I wish I had as many £5 notes as I've heard author's criticised as being subversive, but as I keep banging on about, writers have a duty as the public's conscience to keep nudging the politicians and society in the right direction appropriate to the age. Charlotte Bronte was one such author even though she may not have been recognised by all as such over the years.
God Bless
April 20, 2016
Poetry Thursday 209 - What man maketh
I was brought up with the phrase 'manners maketh a man' ringing in my clipped ears when I forgot to give up my seat on the bus or failed to open a door for a lady.
I was inspired to write the first poem, which reminded me of the above, by the fact that a section of towpath by the canal in Marsden in Yorkshire has been dubbed a 'polite section'.
[image error]
Manners
It costs us nothing to show respectand to pass the time of day.A kind word can give cause to reflecton the manners of olden ways.
In a materialistic world with little time,one’s place in the scheme under question,you are not exactly putting life on the line,by a nice comment or polite reflection.
So as your day passes look for opportunitiesto express kindness as you are able,worry less about your own sensitivities,and make someone’s day more palatable.
© David L Atkinson April 2016
[image error]
Made by Man
The walls are made with bricks,the fences of post and wire,an arena for human tricks,the treatment from poor to dire.
In One there are places for tests,rooms filled with wires and knives.A playground without fun or jests,but for stretching the human lives.
In the bright sun are shady places,not for relaxing or somewhere less hot,not to indulge in sporting races,no – somewhere for them to be shot.
One is the place for non-workers,where bodies are put to last use,not a haven for idle shirkers,but for evil to extract final juice.
The memorial display of possessions,the barrels filled with teeth’s gold,humanity brought down to life’s blessings,extracted from the young and the old.
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Then Two is a different matter,a vast acreage with a legion of sheds,cramped places to house hosts of workers,rooms filled at three to the beds.
Two is a place made for choices,arriving in the sidings they’re sorted,some go to One,some to the showers,the lucky to the sheds - workers billeted.
Then showers held many poor lives,but not the place for a cleaning,not for washing the children and wives,but providing a poisonous ending.
Yet this hell was constructed by man,terrified and jealous of difference,arrogance that they have the right plan,imposing cruel intentions on innocence.© David L Atkinson April 2016
I was inspired to write the first poem, which reminded me of the above, by the fact that a section of towpath by the canal in Marsden in Yorkshire has been dubbed a 'polite section'.
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Manners
It costs us nothing to show respectand to pass the time of day.A kind word can give cause to reflecton the manners of olden ways.
In a materialistic world with little time,one’s place in the scheme under question,you are not exactly putting life on the line,by a nice comment or polite reflection.
So as your day passes look for opportunitiesto express kindness as you are able,worry less about your own sensitivities,and make someone’s day more palatable.
© David L Atkinson April 2016
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Made by Man
The walls are made with bricks,the fences of post and wire,an arena for human tricks,the treatment from poor to dire.
In One there are places for tests,rooms filled with wires and knives.A playground without fun or jests,but for stretching the human lives.
In the bright sun are shady places,not for relaxing or somewhere less hot,not to indulge in sporting races,no – somewhere for them to be shot.
One is the place for non-workers,where bodies are put to last use,not a haven for idle shirkers,but for evil to extract final juice.
The memorial display of possessions,the barrels filled with teeth’s gold,humanity brought down to life’s blessings,extracted from the young and the old.
[image error]
Then Two is a different matter,a vast acreage with a legion of sheds,cramped places to house hosts of workers,rooms filled at three to the beds.
Two is a place made for choices,arriving in the sidings they’re sorted,some go to One,some to the showers,the lucky to the sheds - workers billeted.
Then showers held many poor lives,but not the place for a cleaning,not for washing the children and wives,but providing a poisonous ending.
Yet this hell was constructed by man,terrified and jealous of difference,arrogance that they have the right plan,imposing cruel intentions on innocence.© David L Atkinson April 2016
April 19, 2016
Writing - For the love of books
I don't think anyone really knows the answer to why books have such power over people - but they do. In fact so much power that dictators have had books banned and even burned. They were afraid of what books could do, and that was get inside people's heads and give them different views of the world.
Books perform a myriad of functions because they are received differently by every individual, so reactions to books are as numerous as the billions of people on the Earth. Of course people do band together in loose groups according to the types of books they enjoy. They may not hold meetings or have formal agendas but they talk to each other about what they have read. I know people who chat about certain authors and even exchange books.
[image error]Bernard Cornwell
Bernard Cornwell is one such author in my circle of friends. Fortunately for us, he is a prolific author who is unafraid to switch genre, and so there is plenty to talk about.
Of course it has to be remembered that this is a relaxed social activity that provides entertainment and even food for thought.
Christ the King, Battyeford
At the above church we hold an annual Christmas Fair and of course there is the obligatory second hand book stall. (I was really pleased to see one of my own books on there last year.) However, there is always a romance section with plenty of stories published by Mills & Boon and the like. Well now there is a bookshop been opened selling only romance books.
Leah and Bea Koch
Romance novels are a billion dollar industry, vastly outselling science fiction, mystery and literary books.And there's only one rule for writing a romance - it has to have a happy ending.
Yet the romance genre has long been dismissed as smut or trashy by many in, and out, of the publishing world - a fact that mystifies sisters Bea and Leah Koch, who last month opened the US's first exclusively romantic fiction bookstore.
Their shop in Los Angeles is called The Ripped Bodice, and the store's motto is "smart girls read romance".
"The fact that up until now the best-selling genre in America didn't have its own bookstore honestly didn't seem fair to us," says Leah Koch.
"You have comic book stores, and science fiction bookstores, and mystery bookstores - probably all of which combined romance sells more than. We deserve our own book store, too."
The fact is there is a market for every book written; there are fashions in reading that influence sales; there is an old boys' network that controls publishing and book awards; but, if you write a book someone will read it and the chances are that they will want more. So whether the bookstore is for romance or SF or whatever else, there will be a readership.
Bets of luck to the Koch girls.
God Bless
Books perform a myriad of functions because they are received differently by every individual, so reactions to books are as numerous as the billions of people on the Earth. Of course people do band together in loose groups according to the types of books they enjoy. They may not hold meetings or have formal agendas but they talk to each other about what they have read. I know people who chat about certain authors and even exchange books.
[image error]Bernard Cornwell
Bernard Cornwell is one such author in my circle of friends. Fortunately for us, he is a prolific author who is unafraid to switch genre, and so there is plenty to talk about.
Of course it has to be remembered that this is a relaxed social activity that provides entertainment and even food for thought.
Christ the King, Battyeford
At the above church we hold an annual Christmas Fair and of course there is the obligatory second hand book stall. (I was really pleased to see one of my own books on there last year.) However, there is always a romance section with plenty of stories published by Mills & Boon and the like. Well now there is a bookshop been opened selling only romance books.
Leah and Bea Koch
Romance novels are a billion dollar industry, vastly outselling science fiction, mystery and literary books.And there's only one rule for writing a romance - it has to have a happy ending.
Yet the romance genre has long been dismissed as smut or trashy by many in, and out, of the publishing world - a fact that mystifies sisters Bea and Leah Koch, who last month opened the US's first exclusively romantic fiction bookstore.
Their shop in Los Angeles is called The Ripped Bodice, and the store's motto is "smart girls read romance".
"The fact that up until now the best-selling genre in America didn't have its own bookstore honestly didn't seem fair to us," says Leah Koch.
"You have comic book stores, and science fiction bookstores, and mystery bookstores - probably all of which combined romance sells more than. We deserve our own book store, too."
The fact is there is a market for every book written; there are fashions in reading that influence sales; there is an old boys' network that controls publishing and book awards; but, if you write a book someone will read it and the chances are that they will want more. So whether the bookstore is for romance or SF or whatever else, there will be a readership.
Bets of luck to the Koch girls.
God Bless
April 18, 2016
Tuesday Food Blog - Meat 'n' tatie pie
I began looking for recipes for last weekend around Thursday and came upon the standard minced beef and onion pie but ended up creating, (well its what we writers do isn't it?), a meat and potato pie of my own design.
Meat 'n' Tatie Pie
The upshot of my experimentation is in the photo above, fresh from the oven. Anyone wish to send me a quality pastry brush, as opposed to the grotty nylon one that I bought from the supermarket, will be much appreciated and will result in the beaten egg covering the top of the pie more evenly!
As a design point it should be pretty obvious that nylon is harder than pastry and has a tendency to tear holes in the pie crust if one isn't careful!
Back to the pie. In an ordinary beef mince pie one will end up with beef mince, onion, gravy and pastry and that was the intention originally but I modified it as you will see below.
Ingredients
500g beef mince1 onion finely choppeda handful of frozen peashandful of new potatoes cut into bite size pieces2 tbsp tomato puree2 cloves of garlic, chopped1 tbsp oregano (basil would be good also)1 bottle Newcastle Brown Ale1 pack of frozen short crust pastry1 tbsp plain flour2 tbsp olive oil1 beaten eggsalt and black pepper
Method
1. Heat the oil in a pan and fry off the mince. When browned add the onion and stir together for 2 - 3 minutes until the onion clarifies.2. Stir in the garlic, herbs and tomato puree and season. Stir in the flour to promote the thickening of the gravy.3. Pour in the bottle of brown ale and bring to the boil.4. Once simmering add the peas and potatoes and keep simmering for 20 minutes.5. I cheat because irrespective of how easy making pastry is supposed to be I just end up covered in flour and with pastry that is full of holes. Roll out the pastry so that it is large enough to cover your pie dish.6. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C.7. Pour the meat filling into your ovenproof pie dish and cover with the pastry. Cut 2 or 3 slits in the pastry to allow the steam to escape and brush with beaten egg. Cook for 25 - 30 minutes.
There are already vegetables in the pie so you could eat this on its own or with some green vegetables. The quantities and types of vegetables are up to individual preference but I recommend the new potatoes because they maintain their shape and don't turn puddingy. I have eaten meat and potato pie on numerous other occasions and the recommended type of potato is the floury type, but it goes soft adheres to the underside of the pastry and creates a blotting paper type of layer that I find unappetising.
The pie (there is potato - honest)
Overall this comes out pretty and I'd be more than happy tp produce it on another occasion. It is also the sort of dish that you could use an Italian type of meat filling but beware it becoming too sloppy. If you try this recipe enjoy!
God Bless
Meat 'n' Tatie Pie
The upshot of my experimentation is in the photo above, fresh from the oven. Anyone wish to send me a quality pastry brush, as opposed to the grotty nylon one that I bought from the supermarket, will be much appreciated and will result in the beaten egg covering the top of the pie more evenly!
As a design point it should be pretty obvious that nylon is harder than pastry and has a tendency to tear holes in the pie crust if one isn't careful!
Back to the pie. In an ordinary beef mince pie one will end up with beef mince, onion, gravy and pastry and that was the intention originally but I modified it as you will see below.
Ingredients
500g beef mince1 onion finely choppeda handful of frozen peashandful of new potatoes cut into bite size pieces2 tbsp tomato puree2 cloves of garlic, chopped1 tbsp oregano (basil would be good also)1 bottle Newcastle Brown Ale1 pack of frozen short crust pastry1 tbsp plain flour2 tbsp olive oil1 beaten eggsalt and black pepper
Method
1. Heat the oil in a pan and fry off the mince. When browned add the onion and stir together for 2 - 3 minutes until the onion clarifies.2. Stir in the garlic, herbs and tomato puree and season. Stir in the flour to promote the thickening of the gravy.3. Pour in the bottle of brown ale and bring to the boil.4. Once simmering add the peas and potatoes and keep simmering for 20 minutes.5. I cheat because irrespective of how easy making pastry is supposed to be I just end up covered in flour and with pastry that is full of holes. Roll out the pastry so that it is large enough to cover your pie dish.6. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C.7. Pour the meat filling into your ovenproof pie dish and cover with the pastry. Cut 2 or 3 slits in the pastry to allow the steam to escape and brush with beaten egg. Cook for 25 - 30 minutes.
There are already vegetables in the pie so you could eat this on its own or with some green vegetables. The quantities and types of vegetables are up to individual preference but I recommend the new potatoes because they maintain their shape and don't turn puddingy. I have eaten meat and potato pie on numerous other occasions and the recommended type of potato is the floury type, but it goes soft adheres to the underside of the pastry and creates a blotting paper type of layer that I find unappetising.
The pie (there is potato - honest)
Overall this comes out pretty and I'd be more than happy tp produce it on another occasion. It is also the sort of dish that you could use an Italian type of meat filling but beware it becoming too sloppy. If you try this recipe enjoy!
God Bless
