Eknath Easwaran

Eknath Easwaran (December 17, 1910 – October 26, 1999) was a spiritual teacher, an author of books on meditation and ways to lead a fulfilling life, a translator and interpreter of Indian literature, as well as a dedicated beret wearer.

In 1961 Easwaran founded the Blue Mountain Center of Meditation and Nilgiri Press, based in northern California. Nilgiri Press publishes over two dozen books he authored.

Easwaran was influenced by Mohandas K. Gandhi, whom he met when he was a young man. Easwaran developed a method of meditation – silent repetition in the mind of memorized inspirational passages from the world's great religions – which later came to be known as Passage Meditation.

Louie Bluie

Howard "Louie Bluie" Armstrong (March 4, 1909 – July 30, 2003) was an African American string band and country blues musician, who played fiddle, mandolin, and guitar and also sang. He was also a notable visual artist and raconteur.

As a young teenager he taught himself to play the fiddle, and joined a band led by Blind Roland Martin and his brother Carl. They toured the United States performing a wide range of music, from work songs and spirituals through popular Tin Pan Alley tunes and foreign language songs.

After serving in World War II, Armstrong moved to Detroit and worked in the auto industry until 1971. Around this time, Armstrong was contacted by Terry Zwigoff, a fan of his "State Street Rag" recording. Zwigoff's interest in Armstrong eventually blossomed into a one-hour documentary, Louie Bluie, released in 1985.

Armstrong was later the subject of another documentary, Sweet Old Song. He continued to perform with a younger generation of musicians, and released his first solo album Louie Bluie on Blue Suit Records in 1995, earning him a W.C. Handy Award nomination. He died in Boston, Massachusetts, aged 94, following a heart attack.

Dean Mullaney

Dean Mullaney (1954) is an American editor, publisher, and designer whose Eclipse Enterprises, founded in 1977, was one of the earliest independent comic book companies. Eclipse would publish some of the first graphic novels and was one of the first comics publishers to champion creators' rights. In the 2000s, he established the imprint The Library of American Comics at IDW Publishing, to publish hardcover collections of comic strips. Mullaney and his work have received six Eisner Awards.

David Ouellette

From the third floor of his house in northern St. Augustine, David Ouellette has a treetop view.

But his attention is more likely to be centered on a canvas lying flat on a table as he paints with liquid enamel, a medium that tends to run.

Propped against one wall is a proper studio easel that he pulls out when he uses oils. A workman-like bench runs against the other wall, loaded with paints, rags and brushes, with other tools of his trade hanging neatly above.

Over the polished and paint spattered floor hangs the odor of linseed oil. “I just love the smell of linseed oil,” Ouellette said.

He’s an artist, one who has been painting for decades. For more than 20 of those years, he worked as an instructor and gallery director for Florida School of the Arts.

The Christ inn's Bistrot

A lesson in "Bistrology" by a remarkable chef/bistro owner.

The Christ inn's Bistrot is located at rue Montmartre, quartier des Halles in Paris.

Enjoy!

Norma Shearer

Edith Norma Shearer (1902 –1983) was a Canadian-American actress, and a major Hollywood star from 1925 through 1942. 

Her early films cast her as a spunky ingenue, but in the Pre-Code film era, she played sexually liberated women. She excelled in drama, in comedy, and in period roles.

Shearer's fame declined after her early retirement in 1942. She was rediscovered in the late 1950s, when her films were sold to television, and in the 1970s, when her films enjoyed theatrical revivals, but by the time of her death in 1983, she was best known for "noble" roles in Marie Antoinette and The Women.

L’Univers Illustré

L’Univers Illustré was a Parisian weekly magazine, which on 25 April, 1896 displayed maneuvers on horseback by Chasseurs Alpin, wearing their Tarte Alpin. 

I haven't come across many documents of this period actually showing the Tarte so well. 

Karl Planeth

From 1946 to 1992, beret wearing Karl Planeth formed an integral part of Rostock city wall behind the St. Peter's Church. Coming from the turmoil of war, he did not need a contract of National Construction work; he sought out his own task.

First, the rubble and the debris had to be cleared away. In every free minute Karl Planeth laid paths and lawns of planted bushes and shrubs. With an ancient handcart he carted material like old bedsteads, rods, planks and bricks in order to build stairs. So it was again possible to enter the Slüterdenkmal to visit.

For the children of the city he created a toboggan slide for sledding in winter.

To honor the work of Karl Planeth and to keep the memory of him alive, the way along the ramparts between Petritor and the Am Bagehl Street will carry his name.

News from Laulhère

A large shipment from Oloron Sainte Marie arrived in Wellington yesterday with much news and all familiar Laulhère berets are well stocked again too!

Laulhère has been awarded the sole rights to supply the official beret for the XV rugby games by the French Rugby Federation. The beret proudly shows the finely embroidered Gallic rooster, the limited edition ‘XV DE FRANCE ‘ label and the Laulhère silver pin. These berets come in their own édition limitée XV de France giftbox.

The foulard Super Basque is Laulhère's oldest foulard label that has been continuously in production for decades. The Super Basque is a 10p/28cm diameter black beret of foulard quality merino wool (impermeable), fitted with a luxurious leather headband and black satin lining. This foulard comes in a Laulhère gift bag.

Also new is the field or winter version of the Tarte Alpin in black. A heavy weight beret of 210grams pure merino wool; the best, warmest and most comfortable protection from the elements you could possibly wish for!

And after a (too) long period of sold out sizes/colours, the bérets Mademoiselle, Vrai Basque – Chasseurs Ardennais and Basque Authentique are well restocked.

Van Hunt

Van Hunt (1970) is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer.

He released his debut album, Van Hunt, in 2004, and a follow-up, On the Jungle Floor, in 2006, both on Capitol Records. He won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for appearing on the tribute version of the Sly & the Family Stone song, "Family Affair", in 2007.

He transitioned to Blue Note Records where his 2008 album, Popular, was shelved and never released. He self-released the compilation album Use in Case of Emergency in 2009.

A charismatic and engaging live performer, Hunt has also attracted critical praise touring both as headliner as well as alongside such diverse acts as Kanye West, The Roots, Coldplay, Mary J. Blige, and Dave Matthews Band.

An avid beret wearer who, interestingly, seems to always wear a bandana underneath his beret…

The Goonies

The Goonies is a 1985 American adventure comedy film directed by Richard Donner. The screenplay was written by Chris Columbus from a story by executive producer Steven Spielberg. The film's premise features a band of pre-teens who live in the "Goon Docks" neighborhood of Astoria, Oregon attempting to save their homes from demolition, and in doing so, discover an old Spanish map that leads them on an adventure to unearth the long-lost fortune of One-Eyed Willy, a legendary 17th-century pirate. 

During the entire adventure, they are chased by a family of criminals, who also want the treasure for themselves.

The film grossed $61 million worldwide and has developed a cult following.

Red Dawn

Red Dawn is a 2012 American war film directed by Dan Bradley. The film centers on a group of young people who defend their hometown from a North Korean invasion.

An introductory montage shows the fallout of the economic crisis in the European Union and a weakened NATO alliance, amid increasing co-operation between an increasingly militant North Korea and ultranationalist-controlled Russia.

Originally scheduled to be released on November 24, 2010, the film was shelved due to MGM's financial troubles. While in post-production, the invading army and antagonists was changed from Chinese to North Korean including Chinese symbols to North Korean in order to maintain access to China's box office (its money that matters, of course).

Scar

Scar is a horror/crime thriller film. It stars actress Angela Bettis, known for starring in the remake of the horror classic horror film Carrie.

Joan Burrows (Bettis) returns to her hometown of Ovid, Colorado to attend her niece Olympia's (Blanton) high school graduation, but finds herself confronted by her past in the town. Before the graduation is to occur, a young couple goes missing and within a few days a mutilated body is found in the water during a town fish festival. This initiates flashbacks in which Joan's dark past is learned.

When Joan was 17, she and her best friend were kidnapped and tortured by a serial killer by the name of Bishop (Cotton). Bishop bound Joan and her friend to an autopsy table where one girl was tortured while the other had the power to make it stop simply by demanding the death of the friend.

Joan was able to escape and kill her captor, but was left as the sole survivor of the spree with a scar on her cheek. With the present day's body count rising, questions arise whether Bishop had evaded death or if a new copy cat killer has arisen.

New: The CZECH CLASSICS!

Thinking of a new line of quality mid-weight berets at an affordable price, South Pacific Berets teamed up with one of the oldest hat manufacturers in the world.

The Czech Classics is a line of berets that are specifically and exclusively made for South Pacific Berets by long time manufacturer FEZCO/TONAK in Nový Jičín, in the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains.

The aim was to develop a beret that is classic in its looks, very comfortable to wear, fitted with the traditional Czech tartan lining and at a competitive price. The result is a line of 29cm plateau berets in five colours that meet these parameters perfectly.

Available in black, navy-blue, brown, Bordeaux and winter-green at an introductory price of $36.00.

Fahmi Reza - Protest in Malaysia

In 1968, the AtelierPopulaire's striking posters captured the mood of French students agitating for change. Nearly 50 years later, the movement has inspired a whole new generation of activists, thousands of kilometres eastward in Malaysia.

38-year-old activist Fahmi Reza and the collective of artists who call themselves Grafik Rebel untuk Protes & Aktivisme (GRUPA), are motivated by outrage at a ballooning scandal over state investment firm, 1MDB, and hundreds of millions of dollars transferred into the private bank accounts of Prime Minister Najib Razak.

The allegations are still under investigation in the United States, Switzerland and Singapore, but Malaysia's own top prosecutor decided in January not to press charges because he said the money was a "gift" from Saudi Arabia, and the prime minister has denied any wrongdoing.

Outraged by the decision, Reza was inspired to draw a caricature of the prime minister as a clown and shared it with his 7,500 followers on Twitter. The image, shared widely across social media, was accompanied by a caption that read: "In a country full of corruption, we are all seditious."

His decision to depict Najib as an "evil clown" was designed to draw attention to "the level of absurdity that's used to cover up the scandal and corruption", Reza said in an email to Al Jazeera from Thailand, where he is working. "Our country is being governed by fools and crooks."

In recent months, authorities have issued warnings against those deemed to have gone too far, blocking websites, including Asia Sentinel and Sarawak Report, both of whom have been critical of the prime minister.

The blogging platform, Medium, was also blocked after the company refused to remove Sarawak Report from the site. The Malaysian Insider, a prominent news website, was also blocked and its editors questioned about a story related to the investigation into the allegations against the prime minister.

Thanks Wayne

Venice, the Moon and You

Venice, the Moon and You (Italian: Venezia, la luna e tu) is a 1958 Italian comedy film directed by Dino Risi.

Bepi is a gondolier and he wants to marry Nina. Bepi, however, likes exotic girls. So Nina, after a fight with Bepi, decides to marry Toni who is richer, who is liked by her family and who is the owner of a motor-boat. But when all the difficulties appear to be worked out and the marriage date is settled, a problem arises: Bepi is engaged at the same time to Nathalie, Janet and, of course, Nina. Will Bepi be able to wiggle out of his dangerous position, to marry the woman he really loves?

Marceline Loridan-Ivens

Marceline Rosenberg was born to Polish Jewish parents who immigrated to France in 1919. At the beginning of the Second World War, the family moved to the Vaucluse. Marceline and her father Szlama Rosenberg got captured by the Gestapo and were sent to Auschwitz-Birkenau in convoy 71 of 13 April 1944. Marceline later gets sent to Bergen-Belsen, and finally to Theresienstadt, until the liberation on 10 May 1945 by the Red Army .

The Rosenberg family; young Marceline left with ball

Her father does not return and her experiences in the camps and her life after are hauntingly matter-of-factly described in her book “But you did not come back”, a letter to her father (and one of the best and most moving books I have read).

Marceline joins the French Communist Party in 1955 and in 1963 she met and married the documentary film maker Joris Ivens. She assists him in his work and co-directed some of his films.

Joris Ivens, Ernest Hemingway, Ludwig Renn, 1936, Spain

From 1972 to 1976, during the Cultural Revolution launched by President Mao Zedong , Ivens and Loridan shoot numerous films in China. Criticized by Jiang Qing, Mao's wife, they have to hastily leave China.

Joris Ivens en Marceline Loridan during the filming of Une histoire de vent, 1988

In 2003, she directed a feature film: La Petite Prairie birches, with Anouk Aimée, inspired by her time in the camp (the title is a translation from Polish term Brzezinka, Germanized in Birkenau).