Biker, Happy Joan of Arc Day!
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Biker! Happy Battle of Largs Day!
Biker, on this day in 1263 - The battle of Largs fought between Norwegians and Scots took place.
The Battle of Largs (2 October 1263) was an indecisive engagement between the kingdoms of Norway and Scotland near Largs, Scotland. The conflict formed part of the Norwegian expedition against Scotland in 1263, in which Hakon Hakonarson, King of Norway attempted to reassert Norwegian sovereignty over the western seaboard of Scotland. Since the beginning of the 12th century this region had lain within the Norwegian realm, ruled by magnates who recognised the overlordship of the Kings of Norway. However, in the mid-13th century, two Scottish kings, Alexander II and his son Alexander III, attempted to incorporate the region into their own realm. Following failed attempts to purchase the islands from the Norwegian king, the Scots launched military operations. Hakon responded to the Scottish aggression by leading a massive fleet from Norway, which reached the Hebrides in the summer of 1263. By the end of September, Hakon's fleet occupied the Firth of Clyde, and when negotiations between the kingdoms broke down, he brought the bulk of his fleet to anchor off The Cumbraes.
On the night of 30 September, during a bout of particularly stormy weather, several Norwegian vessels were driven aground on the Ayrshire coast, near the present-day town of Largs. On 2 October, while the Norwegians were salvaging their vessels, the main Scottish army arrived on the scene. Composed of infantry and cavalry, the Scottish force was commanded by Alexander of Dundonald, Steward of Scotland. The Norwegians were gathered in two groups: the larger main force on the beach and a small contingent atop a nearby mound. The advance of the Scots threatened to divide the Norwegian forces, so the contingent upon the mound ran to re-join their comrades on the beach below. Seeing them running from the mound, the Norwegians on the beach believed they were retreating, and fled back towards the ships. Fierce fighting took place on the beach, and the Scots took up a position on the mound formerly held by the Norwegians. Late in the day, after several hours of skirmishing, the Norwegians were able to recapture the mound. The Scots withdrew from the scene and the Norwegians were able to reboard their ships. They returned the next morning to collect their dead.
The weather was deteriorating, and Hakon's demoralised forces turned for home. Hakon's campaign had failed to maintain Norwegian overlordship of the seaboard, and his native magnates, left to fend for themselves, were soon forced to submit to the Scots. Three years after the battle, with the conclusion of the Treaty of Perth, Magnus Hakonarson, King of Norway ceded Scotland's western seaboard to Alexander III, and thus the centuries-old territorial dispute between the consolidating kingdoms was at last settled.
Although the Battle of Largs was apparently not considered a significant event by contemporaries, later partisan historians transformed it into an event of international importance. Today, most scholars no longer subscribe to such a view, and instead accord it just an important place in the failed Norwegian campaign.
The battle is commemorated in Largs in the form of an early 20th-century monument and the festivities which have been held there annually since the 1980s.
According to a legend, an invading Norse army was attempting to sneak up at night upon a Scottish army's encampment. During this operation one barefoot Norseman had the misfortune to step upon a thistle, causing him to cry out in pain, thus alerting Scots to the presence of the Norse invaders. Some sources suggest the specific occasion was the Battle of Largs.
Todays quote is from?
You can always count on Americans to do the right thing - after they've tried everything else.
Did you notice that the archer in the pic looks vaguely Japanese.
I thought he was getting directions home.
Archer.. Please, which way Kyoto.
Knight.. Och, awae oer yon.
Archer.. That way east?
Knight.. Aye, Keep yer heed doon.
Archer.. Domo Arigato.
Archer.. Please, which way Kyoto.
Knight.. Och, awae oer yon.
Archer.. That way east?
Knight.. Aye, Keep yer heed doon.
Archer.. Domo Arigato.
Ahh but it's fun tosh and I for one appreciate it. Thanks boys (and Aunt Sally, where is she anyway?)
No idea what the answers are to those two questions. Didn't know Shakespeare had a son, so that means I learnt something already.
The lamentations quote was obviously Conan, got that straight away. Very happy about that in fact. Right got some drawing to get on with some I'm outta here (like the Norwegians in West Scotland). Happy Battle of Largs day to you too
Yup was obviously Conan for the quote.
William and Anne Shakespeare had three children. Their first child was Susanna, born a mere six months after the wedding of her parents. She was christened on May 26, 1583, and twins arrived in January, 1585. They were baptized on February 2 of that year and named ?????? and Judith, after two very close friends of William: the Stratford baker, ?????? Sadler and his wife, Judith. Tragically, ?????? Shakespeare died of unknown causes in August 1596, at the age of eleven. The events of his short life are unrecorded.
The Life of Susanna Shakespeare (Hall)
Witty beyond her sex, but thats not all,
Wise to salvation was good Mistress Hall.
(Susanna Halls Epitaph)
On June 5, 1607, Susanna married the famed and prosperous Stratford physician John Hall. Susanna's marriage to Dr. Hall must have pleased Shakespeare tremendously, for Shakespeare appointed John and Susanna executors of his will. Susanna moved into John's home (Hall's Croft) and on February 21, 1608 gave birth to a baby girl. Shakespeare's granddaughter, Elizabeth Hall, was baptized at Holy Trinity Church in Stratford. Shakespeare left the clever and business savvy Susanna most of his property upon his death in 1616, and she and John left Hall's Croft to live at Shakespeares home, known as New Place, where they oversaw the affairs of Susannas mother. With respect to her literacy, we know that Susanna could sign her own name and, if we also consider her reputation as a highly intelligent woman, it is plausible that she could have enjoyed the printed work of both her father and husband, the two most celebrated men in Stratford.
Dr. Hall left detailed records of his medical practice which reveal that, astonishingly, he had developed a treatment for scurvy made from local grasses and plants high in ascorbic acid, over one hundred years before James Linds discovery that the disease could be treated with citrus fruit. When Susanna herself contracted scurvy, Johns treatment was a complete success.
John Hall died suddenly in 1635 and was buried close to Shakespeare at Holy Trinity Church. Susanna died in 1649, at the good age of sixty-six, with comfort knowing that her only child was a remarkable success.
Elizabeth Hall lived a noteworthy life indeed. John and Susanna made sure Elizabeth was well educated and we have evidence that her handwriting was well formed and clear like that of her father . Her first husband was the wealthy barrister Thomas Nash, son of Shakespeares good friend, Anthony Nash. They were wed in 1626 and moved into New Place, where Nash died in 1645. Four years later Elizabeth married her second husband, John Barnard, who was knighted in 1661 by Charles II. Sir and Lady Bernard took up primary residence at Abington Manor, Johns sprawling estate in Northamptonshire, with his eight children from a previous marriage. Elizabeth herself had no children and was Shakespeare's last descendant. She died in 1670, just days short of her sixty-second birthday.
The Life of Judith Shakespeare (Quiney)
Shakespeares daughter Judith appears to have had a gloomy and tragic life. Unlike her sister's marriage to the upstanding Dr. Hall, Judith's marriage to a vintner named Thomas Quiney in February 1616 caused Shakespeare no end of scandal. Quiney did not receive the license necessary for a wedding during Lent before his marriage, and thus the couple were excommunicated a month later. Moreover, Quiney was prosecuted for 'carnal copulation' with a local woman named Margaret Wheeler, who had died in March along with her baby by Quiney. He confessed, and was sentenced to perform public penance. His penalty, however, was commuted to a small fine and private penance. "It has been speculated that this scandal may have hastened Shakespeare's death, for he died a few weeks later, after changing his will to protect Judith's inheritance from Quiney."
No-one else having a pop at the quiz?
You mean R.E. Howards greatest creation isn't high literature? Bummer there goes my thesis on him then.
Spicy-Adventure Stories (September 1936) featuring "The Dragon of Kao Tse" by Sam Walser (a.k.a. Robert E. Howard).
More of a Gent from Bear Creek kinda guy myself. Maybe with a bit of Solomon Kane thrown in when I'm feeling high-brow.
Like Rekib, I didn't know WS had children. Shame on me, but I blame the Teacher who took my class, aged 13, to see Orson Welles "McBeth". Dire is not the word for
this unintelligible, under lighted rubbish. This is through the eyes of a fairly bright 13 year old. It put me off WS for decades.
this unintelligible, under lighted rubbish. This is through the eyes of a fairly bright 13 year old. It put me off WS for decades.
Bill Bryson did a great wee book about WS that's very much worth a read. LINK
Must admit I loved English as a subject and thoroughly enjoyed WS plays. There have been some horrible representations though and it's no wonder folk get put off. Also been some stunners. Love the song ( Non Nobis and Te Deum ) at the end here, makes the heart swell.
[video=youtube;hPXXuEel0fU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPXXuEel0fU[/video]
Well it was a toss up between my initial inspiration of Grace Jones, but the then neurons fired and I thought of Frances de la Tour. We all love her.
This is my point, If they had taken us to see say, Oliviers Henry v, I may have been more receptive to WS. By the way I enjoyed ( Non Nobis and Te Deum ) while answering this.
Biker! Sad Far Side Day!On this day in 1994 - Gary Larson, announced he is retiring from doing "Far Side" cartoon.
The Far Side is a single-panel comic created by Gary Larson and syndicated by Universal Press Syndicate, which ran from January 1, 1980 to January 1, 1995. Its surrealistic humour is often based on uncomfortable social situations, improbable events, an anthropomorphic view of the world, logical fallacies, impending bizarre disasters, or the search for meaning in life. Larson's frequent use of animals and nature in the comic is popularly attributed to his background in biology. Reruns are still printed in many newspapers.
The Far Side was ultimately carried by more than 1,900 daily newspapers, translated into 17 languages, and collected into calendars and 22 compilation books.
The series was preceded by a similar panel called Nature's Way, also by Larson.
Most The Far Side cartoons are a single rectangular panel, occasionally split into small sections of four, six, or eight for the purposes of a storyline. A caption or dialogue usually appears under the panel as typed text, although word-balloons are sometimes used for conversations. Sunday comics were double-sized, done in watercolour or coloured pencils, with captions handwritten in Larson's own hand. Most of Larson's comics relied on some combination of a visual and verbal gag, rather than just one or the other. Some recurring themes in the comic include people being stranded on desert islands, aliens, heaven, hell and the life of cavemen. Many cartoons focused on animals, especially cows, bears, dogs, flies and ducks. Notably, virtually all characters portrayed in the comic were overweight or obese, and usually wearing glasses. In addition, unless needed for a facial or comic expression, eyes are almost never drawn and characters usually show only a brow ridge.
Larson was recognized for his work on the strip with the National Cartoonist Society Newspaper Panel Cartoon Award for 1985 and 1988, and their Reuben Award for 1990 and 1994.
The Complete Far Side and The Prehistory of The Far Side include letters from angry readers alongside the comics. The letters were written to newspaper publishers and often demanded the removal of The Far Side. Despite these protests, The Far Side remained popular and continued to run in many newspapers. Larson himself often laughs at the controversies as evidenced in The Prehistory of The Far Side, in which he writes that the people complaining have usually misunderstood the cartoon.
Gary Larson produced 23 The Far Side books, which were all on the New York Times bestseller list. The cartoons were first collected in small books, and some were then republished in larger best-of collections such as The Far Side Galleries. Additional best-of collections were published, such as The Prehistory of The Far Side, culminating in the final publication, The Complete Far Side in 2003.
