José Soler

José Soler was known by friends and family for speaking truth to power — and never forgetting to weave humor into his speeches.

Born in New York City in 1945, the proud Puerto Rican Soler was a photographer, labor journalist and academic who dedicated his life to an array of social justice causes. For two decades he headed the Labor Education Center at UMass Dartmouth.

Soler died in late April of respiratory failure. A COVID-19 test came up negative, but Soler's children say it’s clear that his care was impacted by the outbreak. According to family, a week before he died, Soler called his doctor for an appointment and a COVID-19 test, and the doctor told him to stay home. A week later, Soler could barely breathe, and by the time he got to the hospital, it was too late to save him.

He was 74. His death was attributed to pneumonia.

NOT 1 MORE

A beret-clad young woman stands with purpose as she stares into the camera. Her hands hold a poster with a strong call-to-action. Behind her, an altar is being taken down and people are lingering following a rally. 

Except for the hashtag on her sign, the black-and-white image, taken by photographer Rafael Cardenas, could have been taken nearly 50 years ago at the Chicano Moratorium march against the Vietnam War. The tag on her poster is linked to social media activism, a public refusal to witness more deaths caused by police brutality, but the phrase has also been used nationwide to denounce deportations. In actuality, the photo was shot in Los Angeles after a vigil for Trayvon Martin. The ceremony, which saw hundreds of youth gathering in solidarity, was replicated across the United States. In 2017, Los Angeles youth are still walking out, only now they’re protesting the xenophobia and misogyny that surged during the 2016 presidential election. Then and now, for youth, there are so many reasons to say “no.”

Patrick Larcebal (2)

Following yesterday's post on Patrick Larcebal, here another series of his paintings.

Berets feature prominently in his works, typically depicting Basque settings. 

Patrick Larcebal

Patrick Larcebal was born in Bayonne (French Basque Country) in 1956 and discovered painting in 1998.

His first steps were at the drawing school of Bayonne and am doing watercolor courses.

He participated in many painting competitions “in the street”.

Two years later, Larcebal made painting his job and quickly shared his passion by giving lessons and organizing internships.

He has exhibited in many places in the Basque Country as well as in Bordeaux, Paris and San Sebastian. Larcebal won many prizes and competitions, including Le Brouillarta des Artistes Basques.

Joe Loizzo

Joe Loizzo, M.D., Ph.D. is a contemplative psychotherapist, stress researcher and meditation instructor who integrates Tibetan contemplative science with current breakthroughs in neuroscience and optimal health. 

After training in medicine and psychiatry at Harvard and completing a Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies at Columbia, he founded Nalanda Institute for Contemplative Science, a contemplative learning community that weaves timeless tools of self-healing and interdependence for today’s complex world.

Over 40% Off - The New Weekly SPECIAL!

The Czech Service Star has been in production for decades, but is now only made on special order. South Pacific Berets has done so and stocks the Service Star in black, navy, winter-green and "mammoth" (the last two not available anywhere else, not even in the Czech Republic). 

This is a hybrid beret; with the size of a large diameter Basque beret in 11.5" or 29.2cm, while having a military style leather rim with drawstring and three air vents on the side. A very well finished beret with an exceptional tartan lining.

The Service Star is a seriously comfortable and pleasant beret to wear; the leather headband can be worn "military style" with the rim outwards, or "Basque style", with the rim folded inwards.
All orders will be shipped again within 24 hours, but still, the standard target delivery times have to be forgotten, as postal services around the globe struggle with deliveries at present. Your purchase will arrive, but no guarantee as to when.

One week only, over 40% off at $29.95 only, as long as stock lasts!

Stephen Joe Payne

When author and boinero Stephen Joe Payne was working on organizing a Pawhuska All-School Reunion, those who had read his essays about his childhood in a small Western town in the 1950s and ‘60s encouraged him to take his collection of reminiscences and turn them into a book: Pawhuska Kids' Stuff.

Ex navy man Payne is an activist, championing equal rights and active in the Black Rights Matter movement. 

You can follow this fellow boinero on Twitter. 

I copy one post here: "I'm sorry. Of course, we were racist when we were younger. We were raised so, if not by parents by society. The movies, advertising, restaurants--all of it, everything made us so. I'm sorry and I try to be better".

Wilbur Dorsey "Buck" Clayton

Wilbur Dorsey "Buck" Clayton (1911 – 1991) was an American jazz trumpet player who was a leading member of Count Basie's "Old Testament" orchestra and a leader of mainstream-oriented jam session recordings in the 1950s. His principal influence was Louis Armstrong. 

The Penguin Guide to Jazz says that he “synthesized much of the history of jazz trumpet up to his own time, with a bright brassy tone and an apparently limitless facility for melodic improvisation”. Clayton worked closely with Li Jinhui, father of Chinese popular music in Shanghai. His contributions helped change musical history in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Bien Jolie - with the French Accent

Bien Jolie was an American manufacturer of women’s underwear and lingerie.

The company was set up early 20^th century by Benjamin and Johnes, who coined the brand name (meaning “very pretty” in French) to replace their frumpy sounding trademark La Walohn.

Catalogs mailed to rural women in the US typically used French names such as La Petite, La Tour and Bonaire, implying that their owners were French, skilled in creating chic, beautifully crafted foundation garments.

To amplify this perceived French origin, ads and paraphernalia drew attention to “The French Accent” and of course, the French beret.

Wendy Andreu's Beret Designs

Wendy Andreu was born in 1990 in Oloron-Ste-Marie, France - the very heartlands of the beret.

Wendy Andreu is a craft designer who aims to communicate through the materials she is using. By experimenting with them, she finds surprising outcomes that can be translated into functional design proposals. 

Wendy graduated Cum Laude from the (Dutch) Design Academy Eindhoven.

‘Functional Emblems’ are variations on the traditional wool felt head gear, to suit the many different circumstances in which soldiers work. Made in collaboration with the oldest beret manufacturer in France, Laulhère, the range offers protection from different sorts of climates and contexts, and includes one with a rain cover, one for use in wintry surroundings and one made of lighter material in hot climates. 

While preserving the uniform’s look and with the expertise at Laulhère, Wendy has augmented her designs with contemporary materials, broadening the scope of the soldier’s uniform.

La Guardia Indígena

In response to a history of violence on Colombian indigenous communities and threats to their resources such as water and land use, an indigenous guard was set up and is legally recognized to act as a security force for the indigenous communities. 

Colombia has suffered grave armed conflicts for more than 50 years, which have left an untold number of victims among the civil populations. These conflicts were the result of events involving the army, guerrillas, and the paramilitary groups. 

The indigenous population is the biggest victim of this conflict, particularly since it has been attacked by all actors in the conflict; the guerrillas are responsible for kidnappings of its youth in order to make them members of their group or massacre them; the paramilitary and army kills them, accusing them of supporting the guerrilla.

On April 14, 1998, the FARC attacked an indigenous town belonging to the Nasa tribe. The attack left 2200 displaced, 21 injured, and led to the death of a small girl. This situation led the members of all of indigenous tribes in one department in the south of Colombia, known as Cauca, to immediately start a discussion on these security issues, eventually forming the Guardia Indigena (with distinctive colourful berets).

Ostrich Eggs

This video was sent to me by my Anglo-French friend Thomas.

True cholesterol bombs the French way, and with beret, naturally!

Biscuiterie Pierre

In the French countryside of Normandy, Pierre has been making cookies since the 19th century.

Pierre Biscuiterie is a family-owned business, offering tasty cookies made from premium and natural ingredients that are carefully sourced from local suppliers as much as they can. 

Not just in France; Pierre sells his cookies USA-wide too! Bon appétit!

Thanks Bill

How To Play Spoons

A new hobby you can enjoy in your kitchen, or take on the road! Jamie Wylde gives basic instruction for how to play spoons, in a style of percussion designed to accompany traditional old time music. Includes demos for playing along with popular jam songs Arkansas Traveler and Whiskey Before Breakfast (videotaped live during a recording session for Celtic band Charmas).

The Order of Malta

The Sovereign Military Order of Malta (SMOM), officially the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta, commonly known as the Order of Malta, is a Catholic lay religious order, traditionally of military, chivalric and noble nature. It has been called "the smallest sovereign state in the world", though it is not recognized as one by the United Nations.

SMOM claims continuity with the Knights Hospitaller, a chivalric order that was founded c. 1099 by the Blessed Gerard in medieval Jerusalem. In terms of international law, it is an establishment of the 19th century, recognized at the Congress of Verona of 1822, and since 1834 headquartered in Palazzo Malta in Rome. The order is led by an elected Prince and Grand Master. Its motto is Tuitio fidei et obsequium pauperum ('defence of the faith and assistance to the poor'). The order venerates the Virgin Mary as its patroness, under the title of Our Lady of Mount Philermos.

It maintains diplomatic relations with 107 states, has permanent observer status at the United Nations, enters into treaties and issues its own passports, coins and postage stamps. Its two headquarters buildings in Rome enjoy extraterritoriality, like embassies, and it maintains embassies in other countries. The three principal officers are counted as citizens.

The Order has 13,500 Knights, Dames and auxiliary members. A few dozen of these are professed religious. Until the 1990s, the highest classes of membership, including officers, required proof of noble lineage. More recently, a path was created for Knights and Dames of the lowest class (of whom proof of aristocratic lineage is not required) to be specially elevated to the highest class, making them eligible for office in the order.