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Obamacare: Compare the Best Plans at America's #1 Health Insurance Site
Hire Pediatric Nurses, Pre-School or Special Needs Teachers at $11.30/h incl. health care.


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- Dora the Explorer (2)
- Team Umizoomi (2)
- Bubble Guppies (3)
- Max & Ruby (1)
- Ni Hao, Kai-lan (1)
- The Backyardigans (3)
- Wonder Pets! (3)
- Yo Gabba Gabba! (1)
- More Shows (3)
- Seasonal (146)
Miss Spider's in the house! Paint an egg yellow, glue or draw on facial details as instructed, add black pipe cleaners as legs.
Catch Miss Spider only on Nick Jr.
Cut an individual cell from a cardboard egg carton, turn the cell upside down, and cut an opening in the top just big enough to secure the small end of the egg. While kids paint the stand yellow and dye (or paint) the egg, prepare the nose, eyelashes and legs.
Cut the tip off the yellow crayon with a serrated knife and set it aside. Cut out the black-felt eyelashes (freehand about half-inch long) and show kids how to glue a wiggle eye to each. Snip the pipe cleaners into four 2 1/2-inch lengths.
When the egg is dry, glue the tuft of red fun fur or feather to the top of the egg's wide end. Or, if you are using a feather, parents can bore a small hole into the top of the egg with a sewing needle, then insert the feather and trim it with scissors.
Glue the crayon tip "nose" to the center of the egg. Glue the eyes to the egg above the nose. (They should be quite far apart, almost to the sides of the egg.)
With the green marker, make "freckles" over Miss Spider's nose. With red marker, make a smile.
Parents can poke two holes on either side of the painted egg stand through which the pipe cleaner legs can be inserted. Kids can put the pipe cleaners in. Bend each one slightly. Place Miss Spider's head on top of the stand.
Your own Miss Spider!
Create this simple paper basket and make it a Hoppy Easter!
Make this simple cut-and fold-card before Easter!
Kids will eat up the idea of dinosaur eggs resting in this sweet nest
Kids will love wearing this easy-to-make hare accessory!
Turn an egg into the Guppies' playful puppy!
Transform an egg into a bubbly Guppy, using our printable template!
Kids will crack up when they see their funny Guppy friend looking like an egg
A tisket, a tasket, a Dora Easter basket!
Bot's belly belly Easter egg adds up to a bunch of cheery fun
Shape up this Easter with a Team Umizoomi decorative egg
Calling all UmiFriends! Have we got a craft for you!
Let's make some BIG music with Jack's colorful Easter egg
Say "ni hao" with the el-egg-ant springtime craft from Kai-lan
Decorate with some egg-cellent Diego decor
A happy Easter is about to hatch!
Come out of your shells to make this one terrific Turtle Tuck
This guinea pig sure is egg-cited for spring!
Bring home a little bit of Brobee with this super springtime craft!
It just wouldn't be Easter without this colorful family craft!
Make any egg more festive with a little help from Foofa!
Orange ya gonna put Tyrone the moose together?
Pablo's looking eggscellent.
For a fantástico time, decorate a Dora egg with your little explorers
Uniqua's a good egg and a fun do-together craft.
Add a touch of Blue to your home decor
Kids beam with pride when they scramble up some springtime fun with Nick Jr.'s stylish star.
Steal the time away with this easy-to-make, fun family craft, but no swiping!
Go, tiger! Step it up with a craft from Kai-lan's best friend

subset: commoncrawl


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This and That About One Thing and Another
Jan Chait
May 5, 2009
I knew exactly what I was going to write about this week and even got a good start. But I realized I needed some questions answered first. So for this week, you're getting a stream-of-consciousness potpourri.
Sorry, but it's nothing exciting. Frankly, it's a bit boring around here. Due to a torn Achilles tendon and the subsequent surgery, I still can't get around very well and am using crutches, walkers, canes, wheelchairs, and whatever else I can hang on to to get from one place to another. I've gotten to the point where I can go up and down some steps, but feel more comfortable doing so with a spotter (or two). With my husband at work and the grandchildren in school, spotters can be few and far between.
One thing I do to amuse myself is sit on the front porch and watch the cats as they stalk birds and squirrels that are outside and, therefore, beyond their reach. Smaller things do get onto the porch, however. On Monday, all four of them were trying to catch a flying critter that couldn't figure out there was a screen between it and the great outdoors. The critter? A wasp. What a sight it would have been had one of the cats succeeded in catching it. Such is the brain trust around here during the day.
Speaking of brain trusts, one of the student workers at the university library here had an asthma attack while at work the other day. Her wheezing panicked another student, who was convinced the worker had the swine flu. Or whatever the government is calling it in an attempt to confuse the public. With the media's help, they've managed to scare the bygolly out of all kinds of people. The hapless student worker was yelled at and the student doing the yelling even wrote to the dean complaining about a sick person being allowed to go to work.
I won't even comment on how the media hypes whatever the story du jour is beyond all reason. Don't they know that even our common, "ordinary" flus cause plenty of deaths?
Anyway, the last I knew, asthma wasn't contagious. Or even dangerous to anybody except the person having the attack. (I once passed out during an asthma attack and landed on my nose on the floor, so I'm pretty sure I know what I'm talking about. Also, noses sure do bleed a lot.)
Because of the flu scare, we now have people sloshing hand sanitizer all over themselves. Since that's one of my asthma triggers, maybe it's a good thing I'm pretty much confined to the house. There is no hand sanitizer in this house. We tend to use an apparently outdated method: soap and water.
It is, however, spring in the great American agricultural Midwest. It's a time when I gravitate outdoors and face pollen and other things that aggravate my asthma. I had been out of my allergy meds for awhile, thanks to an expired prescription and a disconnect between my family practice doctor's office, which said it had called in a prescription and the pharmacy, which said it hadn't heard from the doc. It finally got straightened out, but not before I had problems breathing one day. And no, I did not have a rescue inhaler. Thanks to my meds, I hadn't needed one for at least two years, so I let my prescription lapse.
I called my husband, said I was having trouble breathing, and asked him to get me an over-the-counter inhaler. He wanted me to go to the hospital. I refused. He was hopping mad, remembering a few years ago when he broke his ankle and had a pulmonary embolism. I could understand his concern (I thought I was watching him die the night the clot hit his lungs), but knew what an asthma attack was like. One whiff and I was fine.
Actually, I get angry with him for not taking care of his Type 2 diabetes. Maybe that would have been a good time to bring up my own concerns about his health.
Now that I've brought up diabetes, I'll make a confession: I haven't been taking care of mine very well. My last HbA1c was 8.2%. Like many people, I get tired of dealing with diabetes all of the time. But time I had plenty of. After all, I wasn't having surgery or anything.
So then I get caught with an 8.2% HbA1c…and surgery. Oops! Since then, I've really cracked down on myself, using the "better late than never" justification. I'm continuing to make adjustments, trying to keep myself in a much better range without having to resort to a breakfast appetizer of glucose tabs or jelly beans too often. I don't know why, but my glucose levels plummeted after I had surgery. I've been lowering my insulin a bit at a time, but I've not found the magic levels yet. In fact, I had two glucose tabs and a tube of glucose gel as a prebreakfast appetizer this morning.
I must start stocking doughnuts in this house!
I have a question on carbs, when I was first diagnosed with Type 2 some 16 years ago I was told to have 36 grams of carbs at each meal. now I know that is not good. My last ACi was 7 not great. What should my carb count be per meal? per day? Thanks
Posted by: Vie | May 06, 2009 12:25 PM
Well hopefully, with the summer coming up, I'll be around more to make you proper breakfasts and lunches while Grandfather is at his office. Then perhaps you won't have to worry about your pre and post-breakfast appetizers of what are essentially sugar pills. I also have to agree that Grandfather needs to worry a bit more about his own health.
Posted by: Oliver Chait | May 07, 2009 03:10 PM
I can't help it, Jan... the post from Oliver made me laugh out loud and I had to tell you how lucky you are to have people in your life who look after you like that.
Posted by: Ephrenia | May 11, 2009 08:14 AM
vie in order to manage your carb intake correctly and without a headache, you can get a book titled, "Diabetes Meal Planning Made Easy: How to Put the food Pyramid to work for You", by hope Warshaw, MMSc, RD, CDE. This has been some help. It will tell you how to spread out your carb totals throughout the day.Good counting!
Posted by: mag | Jun 04, 2009 03:23 PM
Disclaimer of Medical Advice:You understand that the blogs posts and comments to such blog posts (whether posted by us, our agents, bloggers, or by users) do not constitute medical advice or recommendation of any kind and you should not rely on any information contained on such posts or comments to replace consultations with your qualified health care professionals to meet your individual needs. The opinions and other information contained in the blog posts and comments do not reflect the opinions or positions of the Site Proprietor.


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Find out about exhibitions, activities, tours and talks at Birmingham Museums
Aston Hall, Blakesley Hall and Soho House provide a choice of spectacular and elegant locations for your dream wedding.
28th August 2013
Enjoy a Manufactories and Mansions open-top bus tour and discover Birmingham's unique Heritage Sites this Sunday 1st September. The bus will be visiting Aston Hall, Soho House Museum and the Pen Room.
Big Brum History Buz tours take place on the first Sunday of the month from May to October 2013.
£5.00 adults and free for children under 16. Have your change ready and pay on the bus! Admission to all the participating museums is free of charge on these days.
Manufactories and Mansions - Sunday 1st September
Aston Hall 11.45 13.30 15.10 16.10
The Pen Room 12.15 14.00 15.20 16.30
Tolkien and Tudors - Sunday 6th October
Visiting Sarehole Mill and Blakesley Hall
Sarehole Mill 11.50 13.35 14.50 16.10
Blakesley Hall 12.10 13.55 15.10 16.30
Please note the last bus is pick up only. The museums close at 4pm.
No pre-booking available. First come first served.
The bus is open-top- please dress appropriately!
Museum car parks at Blakesley Hall and
Bus maximum capacity of 75.
Bus operated by Birmingham Tours
You can follow news from this museum through the RSS 2.0 feed.


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Glover extends Zurich lead to 2 shotsApril 28,2013
AVONDALE, La. Lucas Glover increased his lead to two strokes in the Zurich Classic to remain in position for his first victory in two years.
The 2009 U.S. Open winner shot a 2-under 70 on Saturday to reach 14 under at TPC Louisiana.
Kyle Stanley, Jimmy Walker, Billy Horschel and D.A. Points were tied for second. Stanley had a 65, Walker and Horschel shot 66, and Points had a 70.
Guan Tianlang, the 14-year-old Chinese amateur, shot a 77 to drop to 2 over last among the 71 players who made the cut. He tied for 58th two weeks ago in the Masters after becoming the youngest player to make the cut at Augusta National, and will play in a U.S. Open qualifier in two weeks in Dallas.
Kevin Stadler was 11 under after a 65 matching Stanley for the best round of the day.
Boo Weekley, a stroke behind Glover entering the round, salvaged a 73 with a two-putt birdie on the 18th to finish at 10 under.
Ernie Els, who entered the day in a tie for fifth, also shot 72 to drop to a tie for 17th at 8 under.
Bubba Watson, the 201 winner, was 6 under after a 72.
Glover birdied the eighth and ninth holes to get to 14 under, and opened a three-stroke lead at 15 under with a short birdie putt on the par-5 11th. But he failed to make par from the fringe on the par-3 14th to drop back to 14 under. He missed a 10-foot eagle putt on the 18th hole and tapped in for birdie.
The players will be grouped in threesomes and will tee off early because of expected stormy weather Sunday on the course already softened by heavy rain Wednesday.MORE IN Sports WireMIAMI Dwyane Wade scored 24 of his 31 points in the first half, Luol Deng finished with 25... Full StoryCINCINNATI The Bengals are back in the playoffs, and so many of their fans are wondering... Full Story
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Lesson learned the hard way: don't drink and driveLambton County, Lambton Shores, St. Clair — By JD Booth on December 19, 2011 at 5:24 pm
Two more instances of drinking and driving are reported by Lambton OPP, who say stops on Saturday, Dec. 17 resulted in charges of being over the legal limited.
In the first instance, which occurred in St. Clair Township around 3:30 a.m., a 21-year-old St. Clair Township man was stopped on Ladysmith Road. Police determined he had been drinking and laid charges. He will appear in a Sarnia court on Jan. 9, 2012.
A second incident, at the same time but in Forest, resulted in an 18-year-old male from Forest being charged with being over the legal limit. He also faces charges of possession of a controlled substance (cannabis resin). The driver will appear in Sarnia court on Jan. 16, 2012.
Tags: charges laid, drinking and driving, Forest, OPP, St. Clair Township
Tags: charges laid, drinking and driving, Forest, OPP, St. Clair Township
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From the Director's Desk
Dec 29, 2012
New trails opened last night
Dear Ski Friends
In addition to all the trails we groomed yesterday, we opened up the Maple Mtn Loop and East Pasture Loop with the big machines overnight. We are also grooming the village trails today with the big machine. All trails are open. The Zoom Zone is open and rockin. Powder skiing at its best.
Drive safe on your way,


text:
Animators unite to create a unique superhero
London is getting a new superhero, thanks some of the capital's most talented animation studios
A group of leading animators has joined forces to create a superhero London can call its very own. The unique event, taking place at a popup art space in Soho, unites some of the capital's leading motion studios for an ambitious character design project.
Last week, teams from Blackmeal and Mummu created the hero's childhood years. They've handed the baton over to Animade, Fred & Eric, Golden Wolf and Territory Studio to animate the character as a young adult, hitting middle age and, finally, as a pensioner.
Each studio completes a 10-second segment of the superhero's life story – see some of the first sketches below:
The HP-sponsored event, which got underway today and runs until 16 October, is being held at the Vinyl Factory. All animators are working on Z-series Workstations. Anyone is welcome to head down, grab a beer and create their own hero.
Follow #Londonshero on Twitter to see what people are saying about the project. Check out the ZED website for more info, including screenings and expert sessions by the Mill, Framestore and more.


text:
NOTE: The products listed are for use by eligible State of Texas entities ONLY and are not for personal purchase or purchase by commercial entities.
Search for Contracts
Enter keywords or NIGP codes to find state contracts:
Contract Terms and Instructions
Start Date: 09/2010
End Date: 08/2013
Section 1 - Special Instructions and Conditions 1.1 DESCRIPTION OF CONTRACT: CONTRACT NO. 393-G0 FOOD - STAPLES - TDCJ TRUCKLOAD QUANTITIES 1.2 PURCHASE ORDERS: Only contract purchase orders issued through the TxSmartBuy on-line ordering system are eligible for contract pricing. The Contractor agrees not to ship any materials until issuance of a Purchase Order by the authorized ordering entity (State Agency, Higher Education, or Cooperative members). 1.3 TERM OF CONTRACT: September 1, 2009 - August 31, 2010 Renewal Period: September 1, 2010 - August 31, 2011 Renewal Period: September 1, 2011 – August 31, 2012 Renewal Period: September 1, 2012 - August 31, 2013 1.4 SPOT PURCHASE OPTION: NONE 1.5 DELIVERY AFTER RECEIPT OF ORDER: 30 Days 1.6 SHIPPING (FREIGHT) INFORMATION: FOB Destination, prepaid and included in Unit price. 1.7 SUBSTITUTIONS: During the Contract term, the Contractor shall not substitute a product or brand unless the Contractor has obtained prior written approval from the CPA Contract Manager in coordination with the Customer. The Contractor must have written confirmation from the CPA Contract Manager of the substitution before making delivery. 1.8 CPA CONTRACT MANAGEMENT: Questions regarding contract management issues, price changes, amendments or other post-award concerns should be directed to: TPASS Contract Management Office (TCMO) Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts (CPA) Fax: (512) 936-0040 E-mail: email@example.com 1.9 TPASS CONTACT: Questions concerning technical specifications should be directed to: Dee Dorsey, CTPM Texas Procurement and Support Services Phone: (512) 475-2459 E-mail: email@example.com 1.11 ADDING NEW PRODUCTS TO THE CONTRACT: Following the contract award, additional products of the same general category that could have been encompassed in the award of this contract, and that are not already on the contract, may be added. Customers are encouraged to request additional items by contacting the TPASS contract manager. 1.12 CONTRACTOR PERFORMANCE: The Comptroller of Public Accounts (CPA) administers a vendor performance program for use by all ordering entities per Texas Government Code, Title 10, Subtitle D, Section 2155.077. The Vendor Performance and Debarment Program relies on the ordering entity's participation in gathering information on vendor performance. Ordering Entities shall report vendor performance on purchases over $25,000 from contracts administered by the commission or any other purchase over $25,000 made through delegated authority granted by CPA (TAC 20.108). Agencies are additionally encouraged to report vendor performance on purchases under $25,000. Vendor Performance shall be reported through the CPA VENDOR PERFORMANCE TRACKING SYSTEM. The purpose of the Vendor Performance Tracking System is to: -Identify vendors that have exceptional performance. -Aid purchasers in making a best value determination based on vendor past performance. -Protect the state from vendors with unethical business practices. -Provide performance scores in four measurable categories for the CMBL vendors. -Track vendor performance for delegated and exempt purchases.


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Ewok Video Blog 75 feat. Reds
This article was posted by Senior Editor 1 year, 11 months, 1 week, 3 days, 23 hours, 27 minutes ago.
Yesterday we posted Ewok's Video Blog 76 featuring Aloy MSK and SP.One in Miami and noticed that the 75th episode had been passed over like a jewish holiday. This clip, also shot in MIA, features Ewok doing one of his signature pieces from start to finish complimented by a flamingo character executed by Reds.
- Tags:
- Ewok,
- Reds,
- Miami,
- Graffiti,
- Ewok Video Blog,
© Senior Editor & 12ozProphet - Thursday January 10, 2013 at 02:00 PM


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He was angry, emotional. He felt disrespected. He was ready to assert his position as the best cornerback in the National Football League. And that he did. In front of millions of sports fans, Richard Sherman stared fiercely into the camera and gave notice not to test his coverage skills with a "sorry receiver".
By now Sherman's outburst is old news. Sports fans witnessed Sherman's athletic prowess, as he helped the Seattle Seahawks close out their dramatic victory over the San Francisco 49ers in mid-January. We have since watched the Seahawks' Super Bowl blowout over the Denver Broncos.
And we have read the commentary about Sherman - the high school athletic and intellectual standout, the Stanford graduate now pursuing a postgraduate degree - an African American male athlete playing a violent sport who was pigeon held to a narrowly defined identity grounded simultaneously in racism and sexism. In the aftermath of Sherman's well-known January 19 interview, he was labelled by many across social media in criminogenic form, "thug," simply because he was emotionally expressive on, of all places, a football field.
Never one to shy away from public discussion, Sherman unveiled what should have been obvious for everyone else. Since we now live in a time where overt racism is socially unacceptable, less inflammatory words and phrases are used by sectors of society to perpetuate racism in ways that protect the perpetrators. No doubt Sherman was correct in proclaiming that "thug" is "the accepted way of calling somebody the N-word nowadays."
Code words and everyday racism
In short, "thug" is a code word that in itself has no inherent tie to social understandings of race, but when used in a particular social context is very much racially charged. However, because words that have clearer connections to racism are not used (e.g., the N-word), those who tag big, aggressive, black men "thugs", can declare themselves racially unbiased.
In 1991, Philomena Essed expanded our understanding of the ways that racism operates in contemporary society. Relying on extensive interviews with black women in the Netherlands and United States, Essed illustrated how modern day racism frequently functions in ways that only become apparent if we pay attention to patterns, if we are more conscious of the repeated questions and statements directed towards ethnic minorities that insinuate - but don't overtly state - incompetence, inferiority, distrust and/or criminality.
Essed called this phenomenon everyday racism, defined more specifically as "practices that infiltrate everyday life and become part of what is seen as 'normal' by the dominant group". In many cases, everyday racism is so normalised that perpetrators of it are unaware of their racialised attitudes and behaviours, view themselves as colour-blind, and therefore become defensive when they are alerted to their biased actions. Sometimes perpetrators of everyday racism may even use code words in racialised contexts without realising the racially charged elements that their statements carry.
But everyday racism, including the use of code words, has grave consequences. The repeated, normalised association of big, black men with a "thuggish" identity preserves racist and sexist stereotypes, along with public policies that rely on those discriminatory narratives. As Khaled A Beydoun writes, these tropes serve as a "brand of gendered discrimination targeting men of colour that includes: singling out by airport authorities, removal from airplanes, phone-tapping, increased rates of incarceration, and mass murder."
Clearly, everyday racism is not unique to sporting contexts or the United States. In Aotearoa New Zealand, students from particular ethnic backgrounds are forced to reconcile their aspirations for higher education with experiences of everyday racism on a regular basis.
Maori students are indigenous specifically to New Zealand, while an ethnically diverse array of Pacific students are also well represented across New Zealand universities, whose indigenous ancestries are tied to neighbouring countries across the Pacific: the Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, and Vanuatu. Since the 1940s, larger waves of Pacific migrants have moved to New Zealand to fill gaps in the working-class labour sector and provide a better life for their children.
Everyday colonialism
Although distinct and important diversity exists across and within Maori and Pacific student groups, what these students share are varying experiences of modern-day colonisation and racialisation. In light of the colonial histories that Maori and Pacific people share, coming to university is an important achievement not only for many Maori and Pacific students, but also for their families. With that said, coping with these historical circumstances puts added pressure on Maori and Pacific students who often times also juggle heavy cultural commitments, work obligations, and religious responsibilities as they study to make themselves, their parents and families proud.
In somewhat similar fashion to standout student Richard Sherman, Maori and Pacific students must navigate holding personal educational aspirations with patronising colonial expectations from others, who assume they are a step or two behind their Pakeha (New Zealand European) and Asian peers, only good as rugby players, loud "fob's" (fresh off the boat), or were only admitted into certain disciplines, such as law and medicine, through ethnic-specific admissions programmes.
It is hardly uncommon for Maori and Pacific students to witness their peers' judgemental stares, eye rolling, and disparaging remarks that they "only got in because they're Maori or Pacific".
Adding a further layer of complexity, Maori and Pacific cultures typically share similar values of collectiveness and community that are rarely demonstrated within western universities' Eurocentric, competitive, and individualistic pedagogy. Facing this barrage of neo-colonial challenges, some in the mainstream suggest that for Maori and Pacific young people to succeed in the whitestream world, they must shed their indigenous cultural identities.
To extend Philomena Essed's concept of everyday racism, this is the everyday colonialism that Maori and Pacific students, and indigenous peoples worldwide, face on a regular basis.
Across New Zealand universities, culturally-based counterspacesthat promote collective, interdependent learning, provide indigenous role models, include non-indigenous allies, and offer safe spaces to offset the array of institutional challenges that Maori and Pacific students face. These counterspaces are critical in advancing decolonisation. On the other hand, they are a decentred response to the everyday colonialism that emanates from the centred whitestream.
A true push for decolonisation would also entail whitestream centres relinquishing their privilege and centring indigeneity. A true push for decolonisation would not simply leave the problem on the side and burden indigenous peoples and their allies with creating marginalised counterspaces for indigenous learning, but instead would call on majority group members to alter their curricula in ways that are more inclusive of indigenous cultures.
A true commitment to decolonisation would involve resource redistribution that adequately supports indigenous interests and thwarts everyday colonialism.
This is not to argue that a numerical majority of those within New Zealand institutes of higher learning hold racial biases or enact everyday colonialism.
In fact, New Zealand tertiary institutions have many non-indigenous staff and student groups who support Maori and Pacific decolonising efforts. Unfortunately, those fighting the battle against whitestream culture feel like they are incessantly paddling upstream.
David Mayeda is a lecturer at the University of Auckland in the Department of Sociology. He also blogs at SociologyInFocus and TheCrankySociologists.
Robyn Janine Antoinette Sieni Aniva Lesatele is a Samoan third year undergraduate student undergoing a Bachelor of Law and Arts, majoring in Pacific Studies and Sociology at the University of Auckland.
The views expressed in this article are the authors' own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera's editorial policy.
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Great Britain
The New York Times
News about Great Britain, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times.
Chronology of Coverage
Dec. 18, 2014
Official British investigation concludes that nine Iraqis captured by British soldiers after 2004 battle during Iraq war were mistreated at times, but that allegations of murder and torture are false; report clears British forces of worst charges against them. MORE
Dec. 17, 2014
Controversy over size of annual catering subsidy for Britain's House of Lords, which covered nearly 17,000 bottles of Champagne, is heightened by report on widespread hunger in the country and plans for deep budget cuts. MORE
Dec. 17, 2014
British Prime Min David Cameron's government lays out some options for answering question of who should have say on measures that exclusively concern England; announcement is opening move in wrangle that is likely to color general election in May 2015. MORE
Dec. 13, 2014
British Prime Min David Cameron make surprise exit from negotiations on future of Northern Ireland, saying there had been no breakthrough on various issues that continue to trouble region after decades of violent sectarian battles. MORE
Dec. 12, 2014
British Prime Min David Cameron and Irish Prime Min Enda Kenny arrive in Belfast to press rival parties in Northern Ireland to sustain their five-party coalition. MORE
Dec. 11, 2014
Roger Bird, senior party official in UK Independence party, has been accused of sexually harassing prospective parliamentary candidate Natasha Bolter; scandal threatens UKIP's efforts to brand itself as defender of traditional British habits and values. MORE
Dec. 8, 2014
Balwant Bains, former principal of British public school made up mostly of Muslim students, gives first interview since stepping down in face of relentless criticism from Muslim-dominated school board; Bains's experience has helped illustrate highly contentious conflicts unearthed by government investigation into whether organized groups of conservative Muslims were having undue influence on public schools. MORE
Dec. 8, 2014
Great Britain's Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, arrive in New York City for a three-day visit; scores of people gather outside the Carlyle Hotel on Madison Avenue to catch a glimpse of the royal couple, some traveling from as far as Wisconsin or North Carolina. MORE
Dec. 7, 2014
London Journal; Great Britain has the world's highest known density of urban foxes, and there are now more foxes in London than double-decker buses; schools, farms and families with small children and pets hire 'fox snipers' to kill them but subject is controversial; country has world's longest tradition of animal rights, and many in London are working to save the animals from harm. MORE
Dec. 7, 2014
News analysis; three episodes of nastiness on part of current and former British politicians have spurred discussions about snobbery and class in the country; persistence of class markers and exigencies of etiquette seem ingrained in the country. MORE
Dec. 6, 2014
British court overseeing intelligence agencies rules that electronic mass surveillance of people's online communications and cellphones is legal, like Prism program revealed by Edward Snowden; Amnesty International and other privacy rights, which brought on complaint, say they will appeal at European Court of Human rights, as Internet privacy rights are generally given greater protection on Continent. MORE
Dec. 6, 2014
Mohammed Ahmed and Yusuf Sarwar, British citizens who fought in Syria, are both sentenced to 12 year prison terms; men were arrested in January upon their return to Great Britain for acts of terrorism after their families cooperated with police; case has incited debate over how to reduce risk posed by returning jihadists without discouraging families from cooperating with authorities. MORE
Dec. 6, 2014
British Justice Lawrence Collins strikes down ban on sending books to prisoners, policy opposed by country's poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy and others. MORE
Dec. 4, 2014
Britain's national health service advises healthy women that it is safer to have their babies at home, or in a birth center, than in hospital, reversing generation of guidance on childbirth; data shows that women with uncomplicated births, 45 percent of total, are more likely to be given cesarean sections in hospital. MORE
Dec. 4, 2014
British researchers have produced a detailed plan of 11th-century town of Old Sarum, located near Stonehenge, using highly sophisticated sensors instead of digging. MORE
Dec. 3, 2014
George Osborne, the British chancellor of the Exchequer, proposed a new 25 percent tax on the local profits of some international companies, including tech giants like Google. MORE
Dec. 3, 2014
Ireland accuses Britain of torturing 14 Irish Republican Army suspects in Northern Ireland in 1971 and formally asks European Court of Human Rights to review its original findings in case; court ruled in 1978 that while British soldiers' interrogation tactics were inhumane, they fell short of torture. MORE
Nov. 29, 2014
British Prime Min David Cameron outlines measures to make nation less appealing to migrants, including four-year waiting period for social and welfare benefits; admits that measures, inspired by growing anti-immigration sentiment, will require difficult negotiations with European Union partners. MORE
Nov. 29, 2014
Edward Rothstein reviews Bletchley Park museum of British wartime code-breaking, which has completed first stage of planned renovation; exhibitions are experiencing surge of interest thanks to many recent movies, television shows and books on subject. MORE
Nov. 28, 2014
Scotland commission, made up of country's main political parties, proposes deal that will allow Scottish Parliament powers over taxation and welfare spending in biggest shake-up of its relationship with Great Britain in fifteen years; vote on legislation to enact changes is not expected until 2015 after new government is elected; British leaders promised Scots more autonomy if they rejected secession in referendum in September. MORE
Nov. 27, 2014
The divorce award between Chris Hohn and Jamie Cooper-Hohn underscores the immense wealth Mr. Hohn has accumulated at the helm of the Children's Investment Fund. MORE
Nov. 27, 2014
Vincent Tchenguiz contends that the accounting firm Grant Thornton, the Icelandic bank Kaupthing and three individuals were behind a flawed criminal inquiry into the bank's collapse. MORE
Nov. 27, 2014
Cheyne Capital is setting up a new fund to buy property that it will then rent to organizations that deliver services through the National Health Service. MORE
Nov. 27, 2014
Valerie Amos resigns as the top relief official at United Nations, paving way for potential political showdown over her successor; criticism has come over political patronage in post, long held by Britons, with some saying that Sec Gen Ban Ki Moon should be free to choose right person for the job without pressure from a powerful member state. MORE
Nov. 27, 2014
British brothers Hamza and Mohommod Nawaz are jailed for conspiring to attend terrorist training camp in Syria and unlawfully possessing ammunition; sentences are handed down as British government introduces new counterterrorism law to increase surveillance of people suspected of involvement in jihad. MORE
Nov. 26, 2014
British Parliamentary committee investigating the 2013 killing of soldier Lee Rigby lists numerous failings by intelligence agencies in lead-up to event, but nonetheless concludes that they were not in position to prevent the murder; assailants Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale had figured in seven British investigations before the attack. MORE
Nov. 25, 2014
British government plans to introduce legislation giving police authority to seize passports of British and foreign citizens suspected of traveling to participate in terrorism-related activities; proposed measure would make it easier for security services to track suspects online, and bar British insurance companies from reimbursing ransom payments for hostage releases. MORE
Nov. 24, 2014
British-Iranian woman Ghoncheh Ghavami, activist who has dual citizenship, is released on $30,000 bail after arrest for trying to attend all-male vollyeball match, but is not allowed to leave Iran; charges are unclear, but she was arrested week after attending protest for women's rights; her family is appealing one-year sentence. MORE
Nov. 22, 2014
British government bars American dating seminar company executive Julien Blanc from entering the country for a series of scheduled speaking events; move comes amid public outcry over Blanc's abusive techniques, which some say promote sexual harassment and violence against women; officials say denial of entry is rare power usually reserved for terrorism suspects. MORE
Nov. 22, 2014
Islamic State releases video featuring captured British journalist John Cantlie, in effort to persuade United States and Britain to either pay ransoms or negotiate prisoner swaps rather than continue military attempts to free captives held by ISIS. MORE
Nov. 21, 2014
Populist UK Independence Party wins its second seat in British parliament in by-election victory in contest sparked by defection of lawmaker Mark Reckless from Conservative Party of Prime Min David Cameron. MORE
Nov. 20, 2014
Cartagena Journal; Colombians have reacted angrily to Great Britain's placement of plaque in Cartagena commemorating British and American soldiers' valor in 1741 battle there; story takes strange turn when rights activist Jaime Rendon attacks plaque with hammer, breaking it in several places and becoming local folk hero. MORE
Nov. 20, 2014
British court rules that Yunus Rahmatullah, Pakistani man detained by British troops in Iraq in 2004 on suspicion of links to terrorism, can sue British government over his treatment; Rahmatullah says he was tortured on and off for a decade by British and American troops; case is second in less than month in which former terrorism suspect has been granted chance to seek damages. MORE
Nov. 20, 2014
Former British Sun reporter Mazher Mahmood, who for three decades posed as wealthy sheikh in order to uncover prostitution, drug trade and other crimes, has come under public scrutiny with release of BBC documentary; Mahmood, long a star in Rupert Murdoch's British tabloid stable, has come to represent Britain's journalistic excesses. MORE
Nov. 19, 2014
Britain's populist, anti-European Union Independence Party is poised to gain a second seat in Parliament; shift would send further shudders through governing Conservatives, who fear losing crucial support on nationalist right; party has nonetheless lost the support of founder Alan Sked, who has expressed disdain for its xenophobic anti-immigration focus. MORE
Nov. 18, 2014
Briton and Frenchman are tentatively identified among group of executioners seen in video clips released by Islamic State militant group that announced beheading of American aid worker Peter Kassig. MORE
Nov. 18, 2014
Health officials move to combat outbreaks of bird flu at poultry farms in Britain and the Netherlands, culling thousands of chickens and ducks to avert spread of infection. MORE
Nov. 15, 2014
Nicola Sturgeon moves into the top job of the pro-independence Scottish National Party and immediately suggests party might seek another referendum on separation from United Kingdom. MORE
Nov. 15, 2014
British royals Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Catherine, plan to visit New York City for three days beginning Dec 7; announcement on couple's official website notes visit is their first to the city. MORE
Nov. 9, 2014
British government says that it will establish sovereign wealth fund with proceeds from extracting natural gas from shale; move is another step by government of Prime Min David Cameron to encourage development of shale gas industry and overcome opposition to hydraulic fracturing. MORE
Nov. 8, 2014
European Union authorities craft deal, involving change to European law that will require approval from member governments, allowing Great Britain to defer payment of 2.1 billion euros, or about $2.6 billion, to EU. MORE
Nov. 7, 2014
Confidential documents released by Britain's domestic intelligence service reveal that British spies have authority to intercept privileged communications between lawyers and their clients, and may have illegally exploited that access. MORE
Nov. 5, 2014
Robert Hannigan, newly appointed director of Britain's electronic intelligence agency, castigates American internet companies for inadvertently providing terrorists with communication networks, and charges them to strike a better balance between privacy and security; comments are most virulent amid campaign by intelligence community against pressure to rein in their digital surveillance. MORE
Nov. 4, 2014
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has indicated that she is prepared to contemplate future for European Union without Great Britain, if British Prime Min David Cameron insists on new measures to limit rights of Europeans to live and work there. MORE
Nov. 2, 2014
Case of Shabir Ahmed, delivery driver in Rochdale, England, who was charged, tried and convicted of rape and abetting rape of at least 47 British girls, focuses attention on issues of race and ethnicity; his case and other similar cases shed light on how grooming gangs work and how they have contributed to a broader pattern of sexual abuse of children often by powerful and influential citizens. MORE
Nov. 2, 2014
Ed Miliband, leader of Britain's opposition Labour Party, proposes replacing the House of Lords, which traces its roots to the 14th century, with an American-style elected Senate; stresses that the House of Lords is not geographically representative of the United Kingdom, with London having more members than Wales, Northern Ireland, East and West Midland and Yorkshire combined. MORE
Nov. 2, 2014
Nicholas Gill travel article notes that more than a dozen high-profile Peruvian restaurants have emerged on London's dining scene, with more on the way. MORE
Oct. 30, 2014
Britain's Serious Fraud Office opens criminal investigation into accounting regularities at Tesco, adding to woes of country's largest retailer; investigation replaces inquiry by the Financial Conduct Authority into overstated profits. MORE
Oct. 28, 2014
Britain's National Archives release documents that suggest British colonial governors who ran Hong Kong repeatedly sought to introduce popular elections starting in the 1950s, but abandoned efforts in face of pressure by Communist Party leaders in China; documents offer rebuttal to those opposed to pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, who have asked where were champions of universal suffrage under British rule. MORE
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General Information on Great Britain
Official Name: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Capital: London (Current local time)
Government Type: Constitutional monarchy
Chief of State: David Cameron, Prime Minister
Population: 60.8 million
Area: 93,000 square miles; slightly smaller than Oregon.
Languages: English, Welsh, Irish Gaelic, Scottish Gaelic.
Literacy: Total population: 99%; Male: 99%; Female: 99%
GDP Per Capita: $31,800
Web site: Pm.gov.uk
Articles About Great Britain
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December 22, 2014, Monday
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Ready and Waiting for the Moment to Unfold
In the run-up to the Iraq invasion, Ruby Washington went to the United Nations hoping to find a different kind of image. She found it when Secretary of State Colin Powell was handed a note.
December 22, 2014, Monday
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UKIP Is the Real Scandal in British Politics
The party has declared war on modernity, pragmatic decency and pluralism.
December 18, 2014, Thursday
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1939: Empire Air Accord Is Signed
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December 18, 2014, Thursday
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Nine Iraqis Were Mistreated in British Custody, Report Says
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December 18, 2014, Thursday
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For Britons, Austerity Can Be Relative
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December 17, 2014, Wednesday
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From the Tate Archive, an Online Peek Into Lives of British Artists
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December 17, 2014, Wednesday
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British Government to Further Reduce Lloyds Banking Stake
Under a prearranged trading plan, Morgan Stanley will gradually sell a portion of the British government's holdings in Lloyds over the next six months, in an orderly and measured way.
December 17, 2014, Wednesday
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1914: 79 Die in Brutal German Raid
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December 17, 2014, Wednesday
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Save a Few Pennies on Champagne? Lawmakers in Britain's House of Lords Are Aghast
Members of the upper house of Parliament are facing outrage over reports that they rejected a proposal to save money on lawmakers' bubbly.
December 17, 2014, Wednesday
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Briton Cleared in South Africa Killing
A spokesman for the South African National Prosecution Authority spoke after a judge on Monday acquitted a British businessman accused of arranging for his wife to be murdered on their honeymoon.
British Premier on Curbing Immigration
As a general election neared in Britain, Prime Minister David Cameron said the country must be able to control immigration while it upholds the idea of freedom of movement within the European Union.
Report on the Intelligence Relating to the Murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby
A British parliamentary committee investigating the killing of Lee Rigby pointed to mistakes by British intelligence but laid much of the blame on an American technology company.
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Britain Refuses to Pay E.U. Bill
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text:
''Anchorman'' is a summer movie we can't wait to see
RELEASE DATE July 9
WHY WE CAN'T WAIT Will Ferrell's on a roll. After ''Old School'' and ''Elf,'' we bet he could make us laugh just by reading the news.
THE PREMISE Ferrell (far right) is a top TV news anchor in 1970s San Diego, whose boys' club (including Paul Rudd, David Koechner, and Steve Carell) is disrupted by the arrival of a competent newswoman (Christina Applegate, center).
SOURCE An original idea by Ferrell and director Adam McKay
THE BACK STORY Here's how you know it's 1973: ''All the clothes are brown,'' says Ferrell. Also, says McKay, everyone smokes all the time. Back then, he notes, ''when you heard 'cigarettes,' you didn't think of cancer. You thought of a cowboy.''
BURNING QUESTION Is this story too retro for Ferrell's young-ish audience?
COME FOR Ferrell's foolery
STAY FOR Scene stealer Carell, whose faux-newsman résumé includes his correspondent gig on ''The Daily Show'' and his babbling broadcaster in ''Bruce Almighty''


text: Ecclestone says Vettel will drive for Ferrari 2 February, 2011 Sebastian Vettel with Bernie Ecclestone Feb.2 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone has fueled speculation about Sebastian Vettel's future by predicting a switch to Ferrari for the new world champion. The F1 chief executive is famously close to 23-year-old Vettel, who at Valencia on Tuesday worked hard to ease the rumours about his Red Bull contract and links to Ferrari and Mercedes. "Yes, Sebastian will drive for Ferrari one day," Ecclestone told the Italian newspaper La Repubblica. The 80-year-old Briton denied that his prediction was merely to appeal to the newspaper's Italian readers. "No, I really think so," he insisted. "Ferrari is really something special — it's like an opera singer who wants to sing in the best and biggest theatre." Team boss Christian Horner said on Tuesday that he hopes Red Bull and Vettel stay together for "years to come", but Vettel did not want to look too far ahead. "If you're asked where you see yourself in five or ten years then for all of us it's a difficult question," he told reporters. It has been reported that if Red Bull finishes outside the top three this year, he will be free to switch to another team. Horner refused to confirm those reports, but Michael Schumacher told a German newspaper this week that Mercedes would be mad not to consider an approach. "Firmly, there are no negotiations in place whatsoever," insisted the German marque's Norbert Haug. "What will happen in a couple of years' time? Who knows." Tweet


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11. Rivendell
"Gandalf," I gasped. A wizard! Not a tramp, but a wizard. "But what did you do in Germany?" I asked, confusion growing in my mind. What had he been doing that day on the hill? Why had he sent me here? Would he send me back now? My heart skipped a beat at the thought. Panic swept through me. Although I was nearly constantly worrying why I was here, and what I should do, especially with the things I knew about this world and its story, I realized that the thought of going back to earth filled me with terror.
Kind blue eyes studied my face. I almost felt as if the wizard reached out an invisible hand to soothe my anxious, agitated thoughts.
"Your knowledge is already a heavy burden for you, Lothíriel," the wizard told me, his voice soft and comforting. "Please, forgive me if I don't add to this burden. For now, just accept that there is a reason for you to be here."
But can I stay? May I stay? I thought wildly, sudden tears stinging in my eyes. And when had it happened that I felt so close to this place, this world? Not to a person, though I liked my companions very much and admired Aragorn, but this world: the muddy roads, the clear air, and the wide lands we had travelled through on our way to Rivendell…
Gandalf smiled at me. His gaze was full of understanding. Suddenly I felt enveloped in a quick embrace. I noticed that the wizard was half a head taller than I was and quite powerfully built. A spicy scent clung to his robes and his beard was soft as silk.
"I told you, you would find your place somewhere, didn't I?"
Then he released me, and I felt myself blushing hotly. I quickly rubbed my eyes, trying to hide the tears, which had overflowed with an unbelievable feeling of relief at Gandalf's reassurance. I felt an absolutely silly smile spread on my face.
My place. My world.
Suddenly the door slammed open and Merry and Pippin raced inside. They spotted me, and suddenly I felt myself being choked by hobbity embraces. "Hey, Lothy, we thought you'd never wake! Why did you sleep so long?" Merry asked. Pippin rudely elbowed his friend in the side. "It's because she's that big. If you belong to the big people, everything you do is big: you eat big, you sleep big, you…" He could not go on, but doubled over with laughter.
Merry shook his head in mock annoyance. "You have to excuse my cousin, my lords. He is not of age yet. Don't take any notice. He's just a foolish youngster!"
"But you're not of age either," Pippin objected. "Where's the food?" he added, looking hungrily at the table. Turning their attention to the most important matter at hand, dinner, the hobbits calmed down and chose seats next to each other, close to the door – evidently hoping to be served first in those strategically chosen places.
With the young hobbits settled down, I noticed that they were not alone, when they entered the room. A very old hobbit had accompanied them; he was now talking to Gandalf, their faces full of worry. Bilbo, I thought, this has to be Bilbo. And they are worried about Frodo. Bilbo had obviously noticed that I was watching him because he turned and walked over to me, politely extending his hand. He was small with age and his head was approximately at the level of my elbow. His hair was white and wispy, his face lined with wrinkles, but his eyes were the same bright blue I knew from Frodo.
"My name is Bilbo Baggins, formerly of Bagend, Hobbiton. Nice to meet you, at last! Aragorn and Gandalf have told me about your courage. Thank you for helping my nephew."
I swallowed nervously, unsure how to respond to such unexpected praise. "Thank you. I am honoured to meet you. I am Lothíriel." For the first time I did not feel the need to add a surname. I was Lothíriel. That was enough. The hobbit smiled up at me, the thousands of tiny lines around his eyes and mouth bunching together. I smiled back at Bilbo. He was really nice! And in his own way, he appeared to be just as ancient and full of wisdom as Gandalf.
I looked up and noticed that Glorfindel was watching us a smile on his beautiful elvish face. Then he looked straight at me, and I felt a thought touch my mind that was not my own. It is a wisdom of little things. But it is wisdom nonetheless. I stared at the elf who inclined his head towards me in a graceful bow. Speaking from mind to mind. I shivered, recalling the feeling of power, which had radiated from Glorfindel at the ford. Elves… I had never been able to imagine just how different from mortals they could be, just how different, how awesome, they would be. It was something that simply could not be explained, could not be described; you had to see them, meet them for yourself to understand that they were really an altogether different race from human beings. In fact, I felt a closer connection to the hobbits than I felt to the elves.
The hobbits, the little folk, were kin to the big folk, men, but the elves were… different, no matter what Glorfindel had said to overcome my initial nervousness at meeting one of the firstborn on our way to Rivendell.
The sound of the door opening again interrupted my musings. Aragorn entered the room, followed by an elvish woman. I could only stare at them in wonder and admiration.
Gone was the shabby ranger from the dangerous road to Rivendell. It was Aragorn, Isildur's heir, who entered the room, not Strider, an unknown ranger from the North, but a lord of a most proud and noble lineage. He wore tight pants of black leather, supple boots of black leather, which went up to his knees, a black silk shirt and a tunic of black and silver stripes. The sombre clothing brought out the lustre in his dark hair, which was subtly streaked with silver. The beard, which had grown during our days on the road, was neatly trimmed, and his face looked younger than it had on the road, many lines of worry and hardship smoothed away by happiness. Where this happiness came from was easy to see, too. He smiled swiftly at his companion, and his eyes simply blazed with the light of love. Arwen's eyes lit up in return.
Then she turned towards me, and I felt instantly like a small and grubby child.
Beautiful does not even begin to describe her. Her skin was pearly white, her face clear, untouched by age or sorrow. If I had ever wondered, how an angel might look like, now I knew. Her hair flowed in long, dark waves down to her hips. It was not black or brown, but shadowy like the twilight in the woods, and it gleamed like precious silver. Her eyes were silver, too. They were not grey; they were lit with the silver light of the first stars in a grey summer evening. Her gaze was more subtle than Glorfindel's but just as powerful. She was a queen of her people; her knowledge was deep, and her courage great.
Her gown was made of three layers of white, silver and grey, but she was slender as a willow wand and moving swiftly and gracefully like a young girl nevertheless.
I let go of the breath I had been holding in a soft sigh.
She extended her hand to me in the gesture of mortal greeting. I reached for her hand with my trembling right hand. Her grip was surprisingly strong and firm for such a slim hand.
"I am Arwen. I am happy to meet you. Aragorn tells me you were an invaluable help on the road." I blushed hotly and mumbled something like 'not at all'. Aragorn smiled at me and gave me a wink, a gesture, which helped me to regain at least some composure.
"Now that everyone is here, how about some dinner?" Bilbo asked.
"Dinner should be here any moment now," Glorfindel told us. Then the elf turned to me. "Would you allow me to ask you to be my dinner partner?" he asked courteously.
I felt myself blush once again, or at least my cheeks felt unaccountably hot. "Of course. Thank you, my lord, it's an honour!"
Glorfindel extended his arm and led me to the square table. Arwen and Aragorn sat down at the head of the table, Gandalf and Bilbo at the other end. This put Glorfindel and me opposite of Merry and Pippin, who were still staring at Arwen, completely enraptured.
Only when elvish servants placed bowls of steaming soup in front of them, they managed to draw their attention away from the elvish beauty.
The soup was a light green vegetable broth, broccoli, green asparagus, and something else I did not recognize.
After the soup fish was served, lightly sprinkled with fresh herbs, and a white sauce, which tasted faintly sweet, almost like chocolate.
A glass of pale golden wine went with the soup.
I concentrated on eating daintily, trying to display perfect table manners in such exalted company. The hobbits had no such compunctions; they just ate and talked, cheerfully, noisily, obviously enjoying themselves immensely.
The meat course was venison, served with potatoes.
The way the food was prepared, seasoned and presented reminded me of French cuisine. And the simple fact that elves did actually eat just the same way as humans do, and enjoy their food just the same way as humans do, including good wine, reassured me a lot.
When the dessert arrived, a sorbet of red fruits, I felt almost at ease again.
After dinner Glorfindel led our party into a comfortable living room with several easy chairs and small tables, arranged in a circle around a large fireplace, where already a fire was crackling cosily. We were served a reddish liquor, which reminded me of sherry, but tasted intensely of berries, and small cups of a hot beverage, which was not coffee and not cocoa, but something in between.
Bilbo favoured us with a rendition of a poem about sitting by the fireside. I recalled reading that poem, but only here and now I understood its meaning, listening to the sweet, wavering old voice of the hobbit. I sat, lost in thought, gazing into the fire.
Suddenly a noise made me look up. The door opened, and another elf entered the room. He looked very much like Arwen, tall and noble, with shadowy dark hair, which was braided to the back of his neck. He had silvery-grey eyes, just like Arwen. But he looked old, even though there was not a single line of age or weariness visible in his clear face. He looked ancient, tired, and sad, I thought confused. Glorfindel's blue gaze met mine; for a moment the elf looked at me full of surprise, and then I felt again the soft touch of thoughts which did not belong to my mind. You have keen eyes, Lothíriel. Lord Elrond of Rivendell is full of sorrow, a sorrow that will never lift in this age.
So this was Elrond Half-Elven, the Lord of Rivendell and mighty among both Elves and Men.
"I have good news I wanted to bring to you personally," Elrond said, addressing Gandalf, who had risen from his chair, undisguised anxiety in his bright blue eyes. I could see how the old wizard exhaled slowly, his tense shoulders sagging with relief. "An hour ago I discovered the piece of the Morgul blade, which was left in Frodo's wound," Elrond continued. "It had almost reached the hobbit's heart. I removed it, and he is sleeping peacefully now. He will recover in a few days."
Merry and Pippin jumped up at that and shouted hooray, their bright, high voices echoing in the room. Elrond smiled at them wearily, his eyes lighting up as he watched the joy of the two young hobbits. Arwen rose from the couch, where she had been sitting with Aragorn.
She went over to her father and took his hand in hers. "You should go to bed now and rest, Ada. You have not slept at all, since the hobbit was carried here."
Elrond inclined his head and laid a tender kiss on the dark crown of his daughter's head.
His eyes were almost black with grief, but he smiled, and his voice did not betray his feelings.
"Always taking care of me, aren't you, íëll-nîn, my daughter?" Then he straightened up and gave the room a slight bow. "But I think my daughter is right. If you will excuse me; there will be other evenings we can spend together to discuss your voyage."
Arwen walked with her father back to the door and exchanged a few whispered words in Sindarin with him. Then he was gone and Arwen returned to her seat next to Aragorn. Her expression was tinged with sorrow, too, and Aragorn's face was tense, his eyes clouded with internal pain.
I felt like an intruder on this private grief and wished myself out of this room. Glorfindel smiled at me sympathetically, but I could see a reflection of this sorrow in his bright blue eyes as well. I recalled the brightness of Arwen's eyes meeting Aragorn's gaze, how both their faces lit up with love, when they had entered the dining room tonight. I swallowed hard. I experienced a sudden, sharp stab of pain at seeing a love as great as theirs inevitably connected with grief and sorrow.
A few days later a feast was held in Frodo's honour. It was the first time that I entered the great hall, and I felt at once intimidated by its splendour. The vaulted ceiling looked like the hull of an enormous ship, huge beams of wood gilded with gold swept in wide arcs across the expanse of the hall. Large golden chandeliers alight with thousands of white candles, which smelled lightly of honey, were suspended from those beams, and in the huge fireplaces at the ends of the hall great fires were roaring. The walls were covered with exquisite tapestries, which showed scenes of elvish history or mythology. They were more beautiful and extravagantly crafted than any of the precious pieces of medieval Brussels that I had ever seen in a museum back on earth.
On a dais a long white table had been set up for the guests of honour and the nobility of the elves of Rivendell. Elrond sat in a throne-like chair at the head of the table. Glorfindel sat next to Elrond to the right and Gandalf to the left.
Frodo was a few seats down the table, sitting next a venerable looking dwarf. There were so many people to observe… most were elves, but there were some men and even several dwarves. Arwen was there as well, sitting at the centre of the long table, exactly opposite of the great golden doors, which led into the hall. A kind of canopy was suspended from the walls above her, emphasizing her exalted position. But she looked worried, and Aragorn was nowhere in sight.
To my discomfiture I had been given the place of honour at one of the side tables. Merry and Pippin were seated to my right, Sam and a dwarf with an unruly red beard to my left.
Reluctantly I turned my eyes from the grandeur of the long table back to my companions.
The dwarf, who had obviously waited to catch my attention, promptly rose from his seat and bowed very low.
"Gimli, son of Glóin, at you service," he said in a deep, grumbling voice, and bowed again.
My heart skipped a beat, as I quickly shoved back my chair and rose, extending my hand politely. Gimli! "My name is Lothíriel. I am honoured to meet you."
He looked a bit confused at the proffered hand but shook it vigorously all the same.
Gimli was as tall as the hobbits, perhaps half a hand taller, but he was much more powerfully built, he was positively burly. A force of nature. "It is an honour to meet you, my lady. I heard tell that you accompanied Aragorn and the hobbits from Bree to Rivendell. A dangerous road for a lady. You are truly valiant," he said respectfully.
I smiled at him, feeling heat creep into my cheeks. I had done nothing but trudging along wearily, and everyone was so full of praise. This was getting really embarrassing. "I don't really know," I said. "But tell me, if you may, why you are here, and where do you come from."
Gimli answered that they had come for the council, bringing messages of their king, and that he was not at liberty to discuss any details. But he was liberal with stories about his home, the city of Dale and Under-the-Mountain.
As the feast drew to its end the hobbits and I knew intricate details about the architecture of Dale, about what kinds of metals and jewels could be found in which mountains of Middle Earth and about the complicated hierarchy of dwarfish society.
I was almost relieved, when Elrond finally rose and walked over to his daughter to signal the end of the feast. He extended his arm to his daughter and led the company through the wide golden doors of the Great Hall down a wide passage and into another hall. We followed behind, keeping to the order arranged by the position of the tables of the Great Hall.
This second hall had a comparatively low, cross-vaulted ceiling supported by Romanesque columns. Walls and ceiling were made of finely grained sandstone, which shimmered with a subtle golden hue in the light of the fire that was burning in a great hearth, which was set between two intricately carved pillars. The design showed spiralling flowering vines bearing leaves, blooms and fruit, which looked absolutely life-like. There were no tables in this hall but long, comfortable benches at the walls and around the columns, and many easy chairs arranged in small groups around the fireside. Next to the hearth an area had been cleared for a group of elvish musicians. They had just finished preparing their instruments and now they launched into a hauntingly beautiful melody.
Sitting on a stool with his back to one of the columns in the shadow, I spotted Bilbo. He seemed to have dozed off, and only then I realized that he had not been at the feast. Elrond, with Frodo at his side, walked over to the old hobbit and talked to him. Bilbo slowly raised his head, and then was almost thrown off his seat by Frodo's enthusiastic embrace. Even from my position at the back of the hall I could see the tears of joy in Frodo's eyes. Frodo still looked incredibly fragile and pale, but his eyes were bright again and free of that horrible pained expression.
Elrond left Frodo with Bilbo and walked back to the two chairs, which had been obviously prepared for the lord of Rivendell and his daughter in the best position in front of the fire and the musicians. I found a place in the company of Merry and Pippin on a bench at the wall opposite of the elvish musicians.
Within minutes I was lost in the magic of elvish music.
Later in the evening Bilbo recited a long, beautiful ballad about Eärendil, the mariner. Although it had not quite the musical quality of the elvish poems, which had been presented in the course of the evening, it touched something deep in my heart.
But what really moved me to tears was the hymn to Elbereth Gilthoniel, in which all the elves joined in. It was the hymn, which had first made me try to learn Sindarin years ago, the first Sindarin words I had learned by heart.
A Elbereth Gilthoniel, sillivren penna míriel…
When I finally retired to my room, the beauty of the elvish voices raised in song to praise Elbereth the Fair still echoed in my heart. Listening to this song of prayer I felt as if my soul had been touched by a blessing from way above.
As I curled up in the soft white covers of my bed, I recalled a quotation of a poem by Wordsworth that I had read a long time ago:
And as I mounted up the hill,
The music in my heart I bore,
Long after it was heard no more.
And all at once I had the feeling that I would bear this hymn of elvish prayer and blessing forever in my heart – wherever I might go from here.
I fell asleep within seconds, feeling perfectly at peace with the world.
This is a work of fan fiction, written because the author has an abiding love for the works of J R R Tolkien. The characters, settings, places, and languages used in this work are the property of the Tolkien Estate, Tolkien Enterprises, and possibly New Line Cinema, except for certain original characters who belong to the author of the said work. The author will not receive any money or other remuneration for presenting the work on this archive site. The work is the intellectual property of the author, is available solely for the enjoyment of Henneth Annûn Story Archive readers, and may not be copied or redistributed by any means without the explicit written consent of the author.