Jean Lassalle

Jean Lassalle (1955) is a French Occitan politician and MoDem deputy in the National Assembly. 

Lassalle has served as mayor of the commune of Lourdios-Ichère since 21 March 1977, and has sat on the conseil général of the département ofPyrénées-Atlantiques since 22 March 1982. He was elected to the National Assembly in the 2002 election, and represents the 4th constituency of Pyrénées-Atlantiques. Since 2002 Lassalle has led the World Mountain People Association, an international network of mountain-dwellers active in more than 70 countries. He also leads a Haut-Béarn cultural association.

On 3 June 2003 Lassalle stood up in the National Assembly during questions to Minister of the Interior Nicolas Sarkozy and sang the Occitan anthem Se Canto in protest at an announcement by Sarkozy concerning the housing of 23 gendarmes tasked with guarding the Somport tunnel, which links France with Spain through the Pyrenees. The village closest to the French end of the tunnel is Urdos, but it was announced that the gendarmes would be housed in the nearby town of Oloron-Sainte-Marie, on the grounds that their wives would become bored in Urdos. 

As he explained in an interview with France 3 later that day, Lassalle took exception to what he saw as a slur on the Pyrenean village and decided to interrupt the minister with his song. The protest was met by laughter from other deputies, disapproval from the president of the Assembly, and bemusement from Sarkozy

The Spanish Gardener

The Spanish Gardener is a 1950 novel by A. J. Cronin which tells the story of an American consul, Harrington Brande, who is posted to San Jorge on the Costa Brava, Spain with his young son Nicholas. The novel relates how Nicholas’s innocent love for his father is destroyed by the latter’s jealousy and vindictiveness when Nicholas forms a friendship with the young Spanish gardener, José Santero.

The novel was adapted for both film and television.

Bad Penny, with Beret

Created by Leo Baxendale, Bad Penny debuted in the first issue of Smash! An exceptionally naughty school girl in the vein of Minnie the Minx (though having apparently borrowed at least some of her wardrobe from Dennis the Menace, based on her distinctive jumper and beret), the strip's title explicitly made the link between her nickname and the proverb about bad pennies, depicting her face on a 1 pence coin. 

Penny's strip, usually a single page enjoyed a lengthy run in Smash!, lasting from the first issue until 24th January 1970, a run of nearly four years.

Penny's long suffering parents were seen but not identified in Smash!, but years later a now adult Penny became one of the main protagonists in Albion, where it was revealed she was the daughter of scientist and adventurer Eric Dolmann (star of Valiant's House of Dolmann), who, along with most of Britain's other superhumans, had been wrongfully imprisoned by the government. Penny recruited the assistance of amnesiac wizard Danny Doom, the criminal Charlie Peace, a rebuilt Robot Archie, and her father's old robots, and led them on a rescue mission. 

However, though their raid helped free the prisoners, Penny learned to her sadness that her father had passed away some time earlier, and been buried in the prison graveyard.

Minnie the Minx, with Beret

Minnie the Minx is a fictional character in the British comic The Beano. Created and originally drawn by Leo Baxendale, she first appeared in issue 596, dated 19 December 1953, making her the third longest running Beano character, behind only Dennis the Menace and Roger the Dodger. She is considered to be from the golden age of British comics.

Minnie is known as a typical Tom-Boy, preferring mischievous and violent antics over that that would be normal to a typical ten year old girl. As opposed to Dennis' boisterous menacing methods, Minnie favours a more impish style of causing trouble which she refers to as 'Minxing'. Despite this, she is still keen to get into brawls much like her other fellow Beano characters. 

She also seems to have a distinct hatred for snob-like behaviour and spoilt children. Minnie can be deemed as hyperactive as evident in several strips which show her destroying furniture in her home or a shop whilst playing one of her games. She also considers herself to be a rebel citing she hates people telling her what to do.

Like Desperate Dan from The Dandy, she has a statue in Dundee.

Arne Skouen

Arne Skouen (1913 – 2003) was a Norwegian best known for his work as a film director and as a journalist. He was internationally famed for his 1957 film Ni Liv (Nine Lives) which also received an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film. 

His first film was released in 1949, titled Gategutter (Street Boys). His 1959 film The Master and His Servants was entered into the 9th Berlin International Film Festival. His 1962 film Cold Tracks was entered into the 3rd Moscow International Film Festival.

Skouens eye for injustice, ability to make commentary through storytelling and presenting actualities in dramatic form was the genius of Skouen as both a journalist and filmmaker, and it was also key to his success in his third career, as an author. He made his debut as an author with the novel Gymnasiast (translates as High School Student and/or Sixth Former) in 1932, and over the next seventy years, Skouen published over 30 novels, biographies (including his auto-biography) and anthologies - several of which he also turned into film.

Thanks, Arvid

Farmers Market & berets

Where better to buy your local produce than at the Farmers Market?

Vancouver Farmers Market

I sold goat's cheese in Pau (France) and our organic vegies in Motueka (NZ), but have no beret-related photographic evidence of the facts.

Wellington (NZ), Hill Street Farmers Market

But, it doesn't take long to spot a few berets at any Farmers Market, generally!

Fake Berets

Hotel Cason

 Rock formation, Spain

Cloud over Bilbao, Spanish Basque Country

Spy Pictures - the first for 2014

My dear brother and beret-spy Emile has been pretty active during my absence over the last couple of weeks. A good crop of beret-spy-pictures:

 Amsterdam, Netherlands, 14 December, 2013

 Brabants Museum, Netherlands, 4 January, 2013

 Brabants Museum, 4 January, 2013

Railway station Amersfoort, Netherlands, 7 January, 2014

 Not so much a "spy-photo"; the spy himself with name sake/son in law Emiel. French Alps, December 2013.

NEW: Special Editions for South Pacific Berets

Another two models, specially made for South Pacific Berets by Laulhère.

First, the Special Edition Béret Bayadère in 10p (280mm) with Hendaye lining and presented in a solid, black gift box. Laulhère's top quality beret in it's very best finishing. One of the best berets available, anywhere and some very fierce competition for both the Super Exposition and Boinas Elosegui's Limited Edition.

Only available here: http://southpacificberets.com/béret-bayadère.php 

And also new and specifically made for South Pacific Berets is the very special edition of the "Tarte Alpin": a 11.5p/12p edition carrying one of the world's most popular labels, the 'Basque Authentique'. 
Dark navy, top quality heavy weight merino wool beret, sized without headband.

Diameter 11.5p for sizes 57 and 58; 12p for sizes 59-61.
Only available here: http://southpacificberets.com/basque-authentique.php

Back in Town!

Yes, back in town - a few days earlier than planned and a real treat to find all these new berets waiting here for me! But first of all, hope you all had a good start in 2014!

DEER beret in grey wool at Tinopai, Kaipara Harbour

Meanwhile, all orders placed over the last 19 days have been posted this morning. Most customers will receive their parcel within the next 10 working days, customers across the Tasman a few days sooner.

DEER beret, mangrove forest Kerikeri

Beret-wise, there is much to anticipate over the next few weeks and as soon as I manage to find the time to compose the South Pacific Berets Newsletter, I'll share it all with you.

boina Tolosa Tupida in sun-washed green cotton

For now, just a few unashamed selfies from my time up North. Great weather, requiring mainly the small diameter DEER beret, cotton Tolosa Tupida (in sun-washed green) and, of course, my new favourite: the Auloronesa (with my beloved Citroen C8 in the background).

Summer Holidays 18

Summer Holidays 17

Shadow beret

Summer Holidays 16

Mirror

Summer Holidays 15

Castilian Elder

Summer Holidays 14

Composition of Beret and Cigar at Nr.4

Summer Holidays 13

Summer Holidays 12

Summer Holidays 11

Summer Holidays 10

Summer Holidays 9

Champagne cork cover

Summer Holidays 8

Party Outfit - Happy New Year!

Summer Holidays 7

Vaqueiro Manuel Garcia Anciano (82)

Summer Holidays 6

Summer Holidays 5

Homage to the International Brigades

Summer Holidays 4

Blacksmith - Asador