2010年12月25日星期六

Leading writers condemn children's book funding cut

26 December 2010 Last updated at 02:19 GMT

Author Philip Pullman described the project as one of the most imaginative and generous ever conceived

Leading writers have condemned a government decision to withdraw funding from a charity that provides free books to children to encourage reading.

Booktrust will lose its £13m support for schemes in England from April.

Author Philip Pullman called it an "unforgiveable disgrace", and ex-poet laureate Sir Andrew Motion said it was an "act of gross cultural vandalism".

The Department for Education said ministers had to take "tough decisions in difficult economic times".

'National institution'

Children's writer Mr Pullman told the Observer: "Bookstart is one of the most imaginative and generous schemes ever conceived.

“Start Quote

The savings made by its abolition will be negligible, the damage done will be immense”

End Quote Sir Andrew Motion Former poet laureate

"To put a gift of books into the hands of new-born children and their parents is to help open the door into the great treasury of reading, which is the inheritance of every one of us, and the only road to improvement and development and intellectual delight in every field of life."

Sir Andrew said Booktrust had become a "national institution and the envy of the world".

"The savings made by its abolition will be negligible, the damage done will be immense," he said.

Bookstart provides packs to parents when their babies are first born and then further books at later stages in their development.

The project started in 1992 and has received money from the government since 2004.

It is funded separately by the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

'Joy of reading'

Co-founder Wendy Cooling was awarded the MBE in 2008 for services to children's literacy.

Bookstart chief executive Viv Bird said she was "immensely surprised and disappointed" to hear that funding would be withdrawn.

Labour leader Ed Miliband said: "The abolition of Bookstart will deprive children of an early opportunity to discover the joy of reading."

Ms Bird said the charity would be seeking other sources of support.

A Department for Education spokesman said: "We believe homes should be places that inspire a love of books and reading.

"However, in these difficult economic times ministers have to take tough decisions on spending and the particular fund managed by Booktrust will end at the end of this financial year."

pantomime during the Christmas season

Pantomime with a twist

Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: 19th century Cinderella - wood engraving after a painting by Lerius

What happens when Prince Charming has a foot fetish? We join the fun of Britain’s great pantomime tradition for a somewhat different performance of Cinderella.

The performance of pantomime during the Christmas season is one of Britain’s great traditions. But this season one of the annual favourites, Cinderella, is a ballet with a difference - set in London during the Blitz. Choreographer Matthew Bourne takes great leaps – pardon the pun - of imagination and has presented a war-time Cinderella, a bespectacled, shabbily-dressed and unloved mouse in a large family dominated by a murderous stepmother.

Report: Sylvia Smith

2010年12月20日星期一

Google 快訊 - 倫敦 12/20

倫敦大雪華航長榮班機轉降或取消
聯合新聞網
受到英國倫敦暴風雪影響，華航宣布，取消明天從台北飛往倫敦的CI069班機，今天原預計從倫敦飛回台北的CI070也因機場關閉而起飛。另外，華航昨天從台北飛倫敦的機班則是轉降維也納，將在倫敦機場開放後，依原來的時間帶降落。長榮方面，過去兩天，長榮也有兩班預計飛往 ...
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明年倫敦市長獎學金開始申請
聯合新聞網
英國貿易文化辦事處(BTCO)今天公布明年倫敦金融城市長獎學金，申請對象為台灣學生及金融服務業的年輕主管，申請截止日為明年2月7日。 BTCO說，申請人如欲攻讀學位，必須已取得英國大學的入學許可，申請短期課程或倫敦金融城企業訓練，也必須自行安排相關課程或訓練機會。
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英華裔作曲家為倫敦奧運譜曲創作素質獲認可
中國評論
中評社香港12月20日電／據英國BBC中文網消息，英國華裔青年音樂人梁啟浩和柳琪妍於近日入選倫敦奧運籌委會舉辦的“20x12新音樂”(New Music 20x12)項目，獲邀為倫敦2012奧林匹克文化計劃(London 2012 Cultural Olympia)譜曲。 “20x12新音樂”是英國表演專利協會(Performing ...
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國泰取消今日兩班本港往倫敦航班
新城電台
受到英國倫敦的惡劣天氣影響, 國泰航空宣布, 取消今日兩班編號CX257和CX253, 由香港前往倫敦希斯羅機場的航班. 國泰今日另一班前往倫敦的CX251航班, 和午夜後開出的CX255航班, 以及四班由倫敦返港的航班, 預期會如常運作, 有關航班的確實運作詳情, 會在下午公布, ...
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2010年12月17日星期五

Why education fails the poor

教育也嫌贫爱富？
Why education fails the poor

作者：英国《金融时报》专栏作家蒂姆•哈福德


Students took to the streets of London last month to protest against a stiff increase in course fees.	学生们上月走上伦敦街头，抗议学费不断上涨。
I can hardly blame them, but the fee increase is not the great injustice that they claim. In one sense it is unfair, of course: earlier generations of students paid less. Some paid nothing at all. My Oxford education was free – as was that of David Cameron, who did the same course in the same college less than a decade before me – and I am grateful.	我很难责怪他们，但学费上涨并不是他们所宣称的最大不公。从某种意义上说，这当然是不公平的：前几届学生付的费用较少。还有人根本就没有付费。戴维·卡梅伦(David Cameron)在牛津(Oxford)接受的教育是免费的；我也一样——我比他入学晚了近10年，在同一所学院学习了相同的课程。对此我很感激。
But was that free education an example of great social progress? Cameron’s family was hardly poor. He did well enough out of his Oxford education. Is it really outrageous to suggest that he, rather than taxpayers, should have paid for some of it?	但是不是免费教育就意味着巨大的社会进步？卡梅伦的家庭并不贫穷，而他的牛津教育背景也让他表现得足够出色。那么，认为卡梅伦本该支付自己的部分学费，而不应由纳税人来承担，这种观点是不是真的很过分？
And while the percentage of under-thirties attending university rose from 5 per cent to 35 per cent between 1960 and 2000 – with a surge during the early 1990s – it is still the preserve of relatively wealthy families. According to the economists Jo Blanden (University of Surrey and LSE) and Steve Machin (LSE and UCL) this expansion actually widened the participation gap between richer and poorer children. (To oversimplify, only kids from well-off families go to university, but whereas it was once just the bright boys, now the girls and the dim boys also get to go.)	虽然从1960年至2000年，英国30岁以下年轻人就读大学的比例从5%提高到了 35%——上世纪90年代初的升幅尤为迅猛，但高等教育依然是相对富裕家庭的专利。根据萨里大学(University of Surrey)和伦敦政治经济学院(LSE)经济学家乔•布莱登(Jo Blanden)，以及伦敦政治经济学院和伦敦大学(UCL)经济学家麦展勋(Steve Machin)的研究，这种扩张实际上拉大了贫富家庭子女就读大学的差距。（如果以过分简单的方式来讲，那就是只有富裕家庭的子女才能上大学，只不过以前只接收聪明的男孩，如今女孩和笨男孩也都能上大学了。）
In short, a university education is a valuable product, largely consumed by the sons and daughters of well-off families, which plays a major role in ensuring that the sons and daughters are themselves well off – and, helps them to marry each other. This is the perk that students demand that the taxpayer should provide.	简言之，大学教育是一种名贵产品，消费者主要是来自富裕家庭的子女。在确保富家子女自身也能富裕并且帮助他们联姻的过程中，大学教育扮演了重要角色。这就是学生们要求纳税人应该提供的补贴。
Of course, raising fees will discourage students a little. My reading of a recent study, commissioned by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills and conducted by researchers from the Institute for Fiscal Studies and the Institute for Education, is that adding an extra £5,000 of annual tuition fees, and funding that with an extra £5,000 of cheap loans, would dent higher education participation by about 6 percentage points. That is bad news (and subject to a high margin of error). But regressive? No.	当然，不断上涨的费用会让学生们有点灰心。我近期读到英国商业、创新和技术部 (BIS)授权、财政研究所(IFS)和教育研究所(Institute for Education)研究员实施的一项研究。研究显示，如果每年再增加5000英镑学费，以5000英镑额外的低息贷款作为资金来源，将使高等教育的参与度下挫6个百分点。虽然这是个坏消息（也存在很高的误差率），但这算是倒退吗？非也。
If you want something to get angry about, I wouldn’t look at tuition fees. I’d look at a little graph produced by Leon Feinstein of the Institute for Education, which shows tests of cognitive development given to almost 2,500 children at the age of 22 months, 42 months, five years and 10 years. The very brightest 22-month-old working-class kids were inexorably overhauled by the very dimmest children of professional or managerial parents – apparently by the age of about seven, and emphatically by the age of 10.	如果要对某些问题表达不满，我不会盯着学费，而会着眼于教育研究所的莱昂•范斯坦 (Leon Feinstein)制作的小图表，它展示了对近2500名儿童在22个月、42个月、5岁和10岁阶段进行的认知发展测试结果。在大约7岁时，22个月大的群体中最聪明的工薪阶层的孩子，就会明显地为父母是专业人士或管理阶层的最笨的孩子无情地超越——到10岁时更为显著。
Research by Jo Blanden and by Paul Gregg and Lindsey Macmillan of the University of Bristol, underlines this. We know that “income persistence” is high in the UK – that is, parents wealthier than average have kids who also grow up to be wealthier. In other words, social mobility is low. We also know that education seems to play a strong role in this: countries such as Denmark have egalitarian schools and low income persistence. Blanden, Gregg and Macmillan have found that you can predict much of this income persistence simply by looking at exam results at age 16. Higher education is the icing on the cake.	乔•布莱登以及布里斯托大学(Bristol University)的保罗•格雷格(Paul Gregg)和林赛•麦克米伦(Lindsey Macmillan)的研究凸显了这一点。我们知道，英国的“收入连续性”较高，即比平均水平更为富有的父母，其子女长大后也会更为富有。换言之，就是社会流动性低。我们还知道，教育似乎在其间扮演了重要角色——诸如丹麦这样的国家，教育比较公平，收入连续性也较低。布莱登、格雷格和麦克米伦发现，你只要看看16岁时的考试成绩，就可以大致对这种收入连续性做出预测。高等教育只是锦上添花。
The real problem in British education starts very early indeed. Subsidising tuition fees for relatively prosperous students is not the solution. Subsidising poorer kids to stay on at school after 16 might help – although even that is too late for many – but this is a policy which the coalition government is set to scrap. It’s the three- and four-year-olds from poor families who have for decades been let down by this country’s education system. But toddlers don’t take to the streets in protest, no matter how right their cause might be.	英国教育的真正问题始于低龄阶段。为相对富裕的学生补贴学费并非解决之道。资助相对贫穷的孩子，让他们在16岁之后仍然能接受教育，或许会有帮助——尽管这对许多人来说已经太晚了——然而，这项政策却是联合政府决心要废除的。这个国家的教育体制几十年来所耽误的，正是贫穷家庭3至4岁的孩子。但是，蹒跚学步的孩子们不会走上街头抗议，无论他们的理由多么正当。
	译者/麦可林

2010年12月9日星期四

英國上調大學學費

英國議會投票通過上調大學學費

抗議學生與警察發生衝突

英國議會以323票贊成、302票反對通過了上調大學學費的議案。

英格蘭大學生學費上限將從目前不到3200英鎊一年提高到9000英鎊一年。

此次投票被看作聯合政府執政以來面臨的最大的考驗。

聯合政府在議會中共有100多個席位的優勢。此次投票中僅獲得21票的微弱優勢，說明政府一方（保守黨和自民黨）議員中有數十人棄權或者投了反對票。

在大選競選階段明確表態反對漲學費的自民黨黨內產生嚴重分歧。

暴力示威

在議會就學費改革議案展開激烈辯論和投票的同時，大批英國學生在議會大廈外抗議示威。

學生試圖衝破警方的封鎖線，雙方發生激烈衝突。

抗議的學生投擲標語牌、燃燒物、木棍、油漆，造成數名警官受傷，部分傷者需要送往醫院救治。

一些學生被警方逮捕。

英國其他一些大學生集中的城市包括愛丁堡、斯旺西等，也發生學生抗議示威活動。

過去一段時間，英國已經發生多起學生抗議事件。

2010年12月6日星期一

英國合拍劇團（Complicite）

2010年12月6日星期一

complicit/complicity

兩年前英國合拍劇團（Complicite）融匯《春琴抄》與谷崎潤一郎散文《陰翳禮贊》，編創偶戲《春琴》，下周首度登台，女星深津繪里將親自操偶主演。合拍劇團有廿七年歷史，由藝術總監麥克伯尼（Simon McBurney）成立，目前是英國劇場界引領潮流的代表性團體。麥克伯尼畢業自法國賈克．樂寇戲劇學校，強調肢體劇場，並擅於運用肢體、物件、偶戲、多媒體等元素，創造出具有強烈視覺效果的想像空間，他和同樣擅長舞台視覺效果的加拿大導演羅伯．勒帕吉齊名。麥克伯尼在劇場外也曾參與電影《謊言對決》、《最後的蘇格蘭王》、《黃金羅盤》演出。

010-12-07
中國時報
【汪宜儒／台北報導】

　日本作家谷崎潤一郎的名作《春琴抄》，以優雅又變態的耽美風格道出一段主僕之愛。這部小說曾數度被改編成電影、電視劇與舞台劇。兩年前英國合拍劇團（Complicite）融匯《春琴抄》與谷崎潤一郎散文《陰翳禮贊》，編創偶戲《春琴》，下周首度登台，女星深津繪里將親自操偶主演。　合拍劇團有廿七年歷史，由藝術總監麥克伯尼（Simon McBurney）成立，目前是英國劇場界引領潮流的代表性團體。麥克伯尼畢業自法國賈克．樂寇戲劇學校，強調肢體劇場，並擅於運用肢體、物件、偶戲、多媒體等元素，創造出具有強烈視覺效果的想像空間，他和同樣擅長舞台視覺效果的加拿大導演羅伯．勒帕吉齊名。麥克伯尼在劇場外也曾參與電影《謊言對決》、《最後的蘇格蘭王》、《黃金羅盤》演出。　早在十二年前，日本的世田谷公立劇院就邀請麥克伯尼到日本開設工作坊，並提出由麥克伯尼執導《春琴》的計畫。但礙於谷崎潤一郎在文壇的重量級地位，擔心引起爭議，加上麥克伯尼當時提出的手法無法讓日本方面放心，演出計畫於是暫停。後來麥克伯尼在日本演出以作家村上春樹短篇小說《象的消失》改編的舞台劇，獲得好評，在各國巡演，這才奠定了世田公立劇院對於麥克伯尼製作《春琴》的信心。　其實，麥克伯尼改編經典相當有經驗，他曾改編過莎士比亞《一報還一報》、貝克特《終局》、布雷希特《高加索灰闌記》等。《春琴》在二○○八年首演，很是轟動，還得到日本讀賣戲劇獎與最佳導演獎。　《春琴》呈現《春琴抄》裡的主僕之愛，同時融入《陰翳禮贊》中傳統日本居所陰翳的視覺感受。故事女主角春琴是三絃琴老師，九歲因眼疾失明，年長她四歲的男主角佐助，成了替她引路的僕人。日日夜夜的相伴牽引下，兩人有了情愫，卻因階級差距而無法突破。加上春琴日漸乖戾的性情，這段感情多了隱晦的暴力感。後來，佐助為能貼近春琴的世界，刺瞎自己雙眼。　在麥克伯尼的處理之下，舞台畫面乾淨簡潔，僅有樸實的榻榻米，但靠著演員的快速位移與巧妙演出，靠著幾根竹竿排列組合就讓舞台上這一刻是森林、下一秒就成了有門窗的房間。小型物件的靈巧使用，加上演員靈巧的手法，那些暴力毆打濺血的畫面，在舞台上卻成了另一種創意。　麥克伯尼希望觀眾可以看到春琴從小一路成長的過程，因此選擇以戲偶代替真人演出兒時的春琴。這也是他閱讀谷崎潤一郎故事中對於春琴這個角色的感受：「一開始非常疏離，隨著故事發展，作者對她的描述越來越接近她的肉體。對我來說，使用木偶，一點一點地從木頭、布料到變形成有血有肉，也是一種模擬原作的方法。」　以電影《惡人》獲蒙特婁影展影后的深津繪里在這次演出中將親自操偶，並且演出長大後的春琴。《春琴》將於十二月十七至十九日在台北國家戲劇院演出。

The British experimental theatre company Complicite was founded in 1983 by Simon McBurney, Annabel Arden, and Marcello Magni. Its original name, Théâtre de Complicité, is French for Theatre of Complicity; the company wanted the audience to be involved, or complicit, in the production. The company's work—usually created jointly by the performers and directors—combines realistic and stylized acting with narrative text, movement, music, and visual art. Its work has been influenced by Jacques Lecoq and Vsevolod Meyerhold. The company produced their first work in 1983. In 1985 they won the Perrier Comedy Award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Their productions often involve dazzling use of technology, such as projection and cameras, as well as lyrical and philosophical contemplation of serious themes.

The company's lineup changes frequently, though McBurney continues to be the company's Artistic Director. Complicite is currently more active as an international touring company than within the UK.

Major productions include The Elephant Vanishes (2003, 2004) (performed in Japanese, adapted from the work of the writer Haruki Murakami), The Noise of Time (2000) (about the Russian composer Dimitri Shostakovich, title from the 1925 memoir and collected essays by the poet Osip Mandelstam, published in English in 1993); Mnemonic (1999); and The Street of Crocodiles (1992) (inspired by the life and works of Bruno Schulz).^[1]

A recent UK production was A Disappearing Number (2007, 2008) at the Barbican Theatre and Theatre Royal, Plymouth, a play about the mathematicians Ramanujan and G.H. Hardy, the study of pure mathematics, the concepts of infinity and string theory. It focuses on our "relentless compulsion to understand".^[2] The music was written by Nitin Sawhney and the dramaturg was Ben Power. The play won many awards, including the Laurence Olivier Award 2008 for Best New Play. It was produced at the Lincoln Center Festival in New York City in 2010.

Their most recent work is Shun-kin (2008), another Japanese play, adapted from Junichiro Tanizaki. It was first performed in Tokyo (February 2008) and then toured to London. It was revived in Tokyo in March 2009.

Their main principles of work are: "seeing what is most alive, integrating text, music, image and action to create surprising, disruptive theatre."

complicit[形]（…に）共謀の［した］, 共犯の［した］, 連座した((in ...)).

complicity
(kəm-plĭs'ĭ-tē) pronunciation

n., pl., -ties.
Involvement as an accomplice in a questionable act or a crime.

complicity in murder
殺人の共犯.

2010年11月30日星期二

"Rude language a la British"

a la British,

WikiLeaks: Prince Andrew's "Rude language a la British"
The royal's "cocky" behavior at a 2008 brunch surprised an American diplomat who relayed his assertion that "Americans don't understand geography. Never have."

à la a la (ä' lä, ä' lə, ăl'ə) pronunciation

also
prep.
In the style or manner of: a poem à la Ogden Nash.

[French, short for à la mode de, in the manner of.]

2010年11月29日星期一

Royal Society

Royal Society: long-lived UK scientific society was founded by learned men (1660)

藝術家要工作/學生上街

華人藝術家倫敦美術館抗議

旅英華人藝術家蔡元在倫敦泰德現代美術館進行抗議。他走上被禁止參觀者踐踏的艾未未「葵花子」作品。蔡元身上的T恤衫上寫著：「我是個真正的藝術家。我認識三個美術館負責人。我會說兩國語言。奮鬥了27年。有四個孩子。27年都沒工作了。可我只要一個工作。」 54歲的蔡元曾多次以著名藝術品作為其行為藝術的道具。
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觀點》倫敦大學生發飆了

■英國政府為削減赤字，計畫將大學學費調漲數倍，引發學生暴力示威，抗議不願為上一代的債務買單。 ■Ministers and protesters acknowledged that the demonstration - by far the largest and most dramatic yet in response to the government's austerity measures ...

由于利用騎警衝向示威公眾，倫敦警方正面臨巨大壓力。上周三，英國各大城市學生因為學費大幅上漲再度舉行大規模示威。兩天之後，一段出現在YouTube上的視頻顯示，倫敦警察策馬衝向示威公眾。據《衛報》報道，馬隊衝擊行動發生在倫敦市中心的特拉法加廣場的南側、與英國 ...

2010年11月27日星期六

Retailers ecstatic over Royal memorabilia mania

Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift:

Wedding fever has got a firm hold on Britain. But it's not just fans of the royals who have got something to look forward to next year. Tills are already ringing non-stop as fans of the Royal Family go on a souvenir spending spree.

Within hours of the wedding announcement, memorabilia manufactures were already making everything from upmarket copies of the engagement ring to china plates featuring Kate and William. Nik Martin reports from London.

Audios and videos on the topic

Retailers ecstatic over Royal memorabilia mania

2010年11月25日星期四

Star Carr

英國考古學家挖出萬年老宅

一株有1.1萬年歷史的巨大的樹幹樹皮依然保存完整。

考古學家們聲稱他們發現了已知的英國最古老的房子，迄今為止已經有大約1.1萬年的歷史。

這個圓形的建築位於英國北部北約克郡（North Yorkshire）斯卡伯勒市（Scarborough）附近的斯塔卡（Star Carr）考古遺址。

考古學家推測，這個直徑為3.5米的圓形建築建造於公元前8500年，比早先科學家們發現的英國最古老房屋還要早上500年。

來自曼徹斯特大學和約克大學的考古小組成員還在房屋附近發現了一個木製碼頭廢墟，他們一致認為這是在歐洲出現的最古老的木工作業。

約克大學的考古學家尼奇·米爾奈（Nicky Milner）表示，這一發現非常罕見，令人難以置信。最重要的是，這些考古證據改變了現代人對於古代獵人的一些固有認識。

他說，「這實在是個顛覆性的發現。之前我們認為古代獵人更像牧民，他們的移動性非常強。然而現在我們發現他們更樂於在某個地方長期居住下來，一代一代過著遠比我們想像的要複雜得多的生活。」

第一批定居者

考古學家認為，房屋的建造者是冰河世紀末期第一批來英國長期居住的定居者。研究人員還發現，這座房屋被拋棄前至少使用了200年到500年。另外，該房屋曾經被翻修過，在該建築附近也極有可能出現類似的建築。

這些考古證據意味著，這個時期的人類更願意在某地長期定居下來，而非經常性的「遷徙」到別處。

打獵生活

居住在斯塔卡的古代人靠打獵為生，他們在家犬的幫助下捕殺麋鹿和野豬等動物為食。研究人員還發現了一個巨大的樹幹，儘管經過1.1萬年的風吹雨淋，樹皮依然保存完整。

曼徹斯特大學的尚塔爾·柯奈勒（Chantal Conneller）說，「我們曾經以為古代人不樂意定居，幾乎沒留下什麼證據。現在我們知道他們曾經建造過大型建築，也非常樂意在某些特定的風景環境下長期居住下來。」

考古隊員們還收到了來自高等教育部長大衛·維萊茨（David Willetts）的祝賀。他說，「這個偉大的發現讓我們更清楚的認識到了現代和古代生活的相似與差異，也徹底地改變了我們的固有認識。」

Wikipedia:

Star Carr

Map showing the location of Star Carr within North Yorkshire.

Star Carr is a Mesolithic archaeological site in North Yorkshire, England. It is around five miles south of Scarborough (grid reference TA02798100).^[1]

Contents [hide]

Excavations

The site belongs to the early Mesolithic and was occupied from around 8770 BC until about 8460 BC, possibly with a period of abandonment between 8680 BC and 8580 BC.^[2] It was discovered in 1947 during the clearing of a field drain by John Moore, an archaeologist from Scarborough. It was then excavated from 1949-1951 by Professor Grahame Clark of the University of Cambridge.

Clark found what he called a brushwood platform which appeared on the edge of the former Lake Flixton.^[3] The platform would have been laid down to consolidate the boggy water's edge. Recent excavations have revealed that people would have lived on the dry land upslope of the lake and at the lake edge various activities would have been carried out.

There is much debate about when in the year it was occupied. Mesolithic people hunted a number of animals including red and roe deer, elk, aurochs and wild boar.^[2] but there are various seasonal assessments and as the site was occupied over several hundred years it is likely that seasonal practices varied over time.

The mud of the lake has preserved items dropped into it and flint, bone and antler tools and manufacturing debris have been found. The flint came from nearby beaches, which at time of occupation would have been about 10-20 km distant, and also from the Yorkshire Wolds immediately to the south of the site.

A fragment of a wooden oar implies that the people who occupied the site also built boats, probably coracles or simple canoes used to travel or fish. There was also occupation on some of the islands on the lake which confirms the use of boats. Beads made from stone and amber suggest personal adornment. Remains of a dog are indication of the animal's domestication during this period.

The most famous finds are the headdresses made from red deer skulls with the antlers still attached. The skull had two holes perforated in it and it has been suggested that it was used as a hunting disguise, or in some form of ritual practice. Recent work suggests that these, along with other objects made from red deer antler, appear to have been respectfully deposited at the lake edge due to the spiritual significance of red deer to the people who occupied the site.

Excavations at Star Carr are currently being undertaken by a team from the University of York and University of Manchester, led by leading experts Nicky Milner, Chantal Conneller and Barry Taylor.

Star Carr house

Main article: Star Carr house

In August 2010, the team announced that they had discovered the oldest known house in Britain, dated to 10,500 years before the present. The Star Carr house was comparable to an Iron Age roundhouse, about 3.5 metres (11 ft) wide and made of wood. It is believed to have been used for between 200-500 years after its construction.^[4]

References

^ "Star Carr". Pastscape.org.uk. http://www.pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=80206. Retrieved 2008-01-15.
^ ^a ^b Scarre (2005), p. 397.
^ Scarre (2005), p. 396.
^ Coughlan, Sean (10 August 2010). "Archaeologists discover Britain's 'oldest house'". BBC News. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-10929343.

Bibliography

Scarre, Chris (ed) (2005). The Human Past: World Prehistory & the Development of Human Societies. Thames & Hudson. ISBN 0-500-28531-4.

Legge, Anthony J.; Peter Rowley-Conwy (1988). Star Carr Revisited; a Re-analysis of the Large Mammals. Birkbeck College. ISBN 0-7187-0876-8.

External links

New Excavations at Star Carr, University of York
Star Carr, Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge
In The Beginning, From Dot to Domesday
Red deer antler head-dress from Star Carr, British Museum
Stone Age remains are Britain's earliest house, University of Manchester
Star Carr - The Otherside of the Antler, video about the excavations in 2006, Vale of Pickering Archaeological Trus

Syon House

大型古羅馬遺跡現形倫敦

在西倫敦的賽恩公園的羅馬人部分遺骸。

考古學家近日在西倫敦發現了古羅馬時期的重要文物，以及當時羅馬人的部分遺骸。

考古學家們在西倫敦的賽恩公園（Syon Park）發現了超過11,000件羅馬時期的文物，這些重要的文物只被埋在距地下半米的地方。

除此之外，科學家們還發現了一部分羅馬不列顛（Roman Britain）最重要的公路。

幸運之極

據初步統計，倫敦考古學博物館的專家們總共發現了11,500件文物、100多枚硬幣，以及一些珠寶首飾。對此，高級考古學家喬·里昂（Jo Lyon）表示，「能在離地面如此之近的位置發現這麼豐富的羅馬文物，對於我們來說可謂幸運之極。」里昂女士還說，「這些發現告訴我們當時的人們是如何在村莊中生活、工作，並死亡的。同時，這些文物還得以幫助我們了解當時的朗蒂尼亞姆（Londinium），即今天的倫敦是如何將羅馬不列顛的其他地方聯繫起來的。」

據了解，科學家們早在2008年就挖掘了此地，然而直到最近才取得了這些重大發現。

10名考古學家花了兩個月時間挖掘這個古羅馬遺址。

科學家們還發現了一部分羅馬不列顛最重要的公路——正是這條路，得以將當時的朗蒂尼亞姆，和位於如今英格蘭南部的羅馬城市西爾切斯特（Silchester），以及泰晤士河的一條古代支流緊密相連。

然而在所有發現中，最讓里昂女士激動的是那100多枚羅馬錢幣。她說，「能一下子發現這麼多的錢幣真是太好了。他們就被散落在羅馬路兩邊，最重要的是這些錢幣來自各個不同的時期。」

諾森伯蘭公爵（The Duke of Northumberland）家族的寓所就在賽恩公園，已有長達400多年的歷史。他說，「賽恩公園有著豐富輝煌的歷史。這無疑將成為古代英國歷史的重要地標。」

Syon House, with its 200-acre (80 hectare/800,000 m²) park, is situated in west London, England. It belongs to the Duke of Northumberland and is now his family's London residence. The family's traditional central London residence was Northumberland House.

Syon House 2010 West Aspect

Syon House 2010 East Aspect

Syon House Great Conservatory.

Side view of the conservatory

Contents [hide]

History

Syon House derives its name from Syon Abbey, a medieval monastery of the Bridgettine Order, founded in 1415 on a nearby site by King Henry V. The Abbey moved to the site now occupied by Syon House in 1431. In 1539, the abbey was closed by royal agents during the Dissolution of the Monasteries, and the monastic community was expelled.^[1]

In 1541 and part of the following year, Henry VIII's fifth wife, Catherine Howard, was brought to Syon for her long imprisonment. In February 1542, she was taken to the Tower of London and executed on charges of adultery.

In the late 17th century, Syon was in the possession of Charles Seymour, 6th Duke of Somerset, through his wife, Elizabeth Seymour (née Percy). After the future Queen Anne had a disagreement with her sister, Mary II (wife of William III, also known as William of Orange), over her friendship with Sarah Churchill, Countess of Marlborough, she was evicted from her court residence at the Palace of Whitehall and stayed at Syon with her close friends, the Somersets, in 1692. Anne gave birth to a stillborn child there. Shortly after the birth, Mary came to visit her, again demanding that Anne dismiss the Countess of Marlborough, and stormed out again when Anne flatly refused.

In the 18th century, Hugh Percy, 1st Duke of Northumberland, commissioned architect and interior designer Robert Adam and landscape designer Lancelot "Capability" Brown to redesign the house and estate. Work began on the interior reconstruction project in 1762. Five large rooms on the west, south and east sides of the House, were completed before work ceased in 1769. A central rotunda, which Adams had intended for the interior courtyard space, was not implemented, due to cost.^[2]

Syon Park

Syon Park borders the Thames, looking across the river to Kew Gardens, and near its banks is a tidal meadow flooded twice a day by the river. It contains more than 200 species of rare trees. Although the park and lake were designed by Capability Brown in 1760, their character today is nineteenth century. The circular pool has a copy of Giambologna's Mercury.

The Great Conservatory in the gardens, designed by Charles Fowler in 1828^[3] and completed in 1830, was the first conservatory to be built from metal and glass on a large scale. The conservatory was shown in a dream sequence in Meera Syal's 1993 film Bhaji on the Beach. It was also the setting for the music video to The Cure's 1984 single "The Caterpillar", directed by Tim Pope.

Henry Percy, 11th Duke of Northumberland, who was head of the family from 1988 to 1995, was noted for planting many trees in the grounds of Syon.

In 2002, the English poet Geoffrey Hill released a booklength poem, "The Orchards of Syon", to much acclaim. "The Orchards of Syon", focuses on the history of the region and in particular on the orchard of rare trees first planted in Syon Abbey.

Robert Altman's 2001 film Gosford Park was partly filmed at Syon House.

The London Butterfly House was based in the grounds of Syon Park until its closure on 28 October 2007 due to the Duke of Northumberland's plans to build a hotel complex on the land.^[4]

In 2004, planning permission was granted for the deluxe £35-million Radisson Edwardian Hotel^[5] but was never actually built. Work on a Hilton Hotel started in December 2008 and is expected to open mid-2010.^[6]

In November 2010, the results from an archaeological dig made two years before on the site of the new hotel were reported, with the excavations uncovering the remains of a Roman village that existed in what was then the rural outskirts of Londinium. Artifacts uncovered included 11,500 pottery fragments, 100 coins, and pieces of jewellery. Some of finds remain unexplained, such as the discovery of skeletons "buried in ditches placed on their side". Although the skeletons date from the Roman period, this burial practice was said by the senior archaeologist to be "more suggestive of unknown prehistoric rites than Roman practice".^[7]

Syon House was one of the wealthiest nunneries in the country and a local legend recalls that the monks of Shean had a Ley tunnel running to the nunnery at Syon.^[8]

References

Notes

^ Syon Park:History. Syon Park:The London Home of the Duke of Northumberland
^ Field, D. M.. The World's Greatest Architecture Past & Present. p. 207.
^ "Great Conservatory". Syon Park. http://www.syonpark.co.uk/tour_conservatory.asp. Retrieved 2008-07-18.
^ Brown, Ed; McGrath, Martin and Davis, Matt. "So Crosse As Butterflies Head North". News Associates. http://www.journalism-courses.com/Archive.aspx?Type=&ID=ebd7f936-446d-494f-ac99-2794462e4179. Retrieved 2008-07-18.
^ Malvern, Jack (2005-01-05). "Duke's hotel is a threat to butterflies' historic home". The Times. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article407450.ece. Retrieved 2008-07-18.
^ Lyons, Daniel (2008-12-05). "The Hilton comes to Syon Park". The Hounslow Chronicle. http://www.hounslowchronicle.co.uk/west-london-news/local-hounslow-news/2008/12/05/the-hilton-comes-to-syon-park-109642-22416150/. Retrieved 2009-05-11.
^ Entire Roman village is unearthed in Syon Park, Louise Jury, Chief Arts Correspondent, Evening Standard, 16 November 2010
^ Westwood, Jennifer (1985), Albion. A Guide to Legendary Britain. Pub. Grafton Books, London. ISBN 0-246-11789-3. P. 126.

Sources

Field, D. M. (2007). "Syon House". The World's Greatest Architecture Past & Present. New Jersey: Chartwell Books.
"Syon Park". Hidden London. Chambers. http://www.hidden-london.com/syonpark.htm. Retrieved 2008-09-16. ^{[dead link]}
"Syon Park:History". Syon Park:The London Home of the Duke of Northumberland. 2004. http://www.syonpark.co.uk/history.asp. Retrieved 2008-09-14.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Syon House

2010年11月24日星期三

London's superrich have been fleeing the U.K. to Switzerland

London's superrich have been fleeing the U.K. to Switzerland to escape the new 50% top rate of tax and a proposed bank levy. Hundreds of hedge-fund managers already have left. But will they soon be heading home again? The Swiss go to the polls this week to vote in a referendum on whether to introduce a new minimum 22% top rate of tax on income above 250,000 Swiss francs ($252,500) and a 0.5% levy on all assets above two million francs. That has prompted some of Switzerland's richest business figures to threaten to quit the country if the law is passed, among them Alfred Schindler, billionaire founder of the elevator company that carries his name. These threats may be hitting home, with the latest polls suggesting public opinion starting to swing against the plan. But for anxious City exiles looking for a Plan B, there's always Monaco.

2010年11月23日星期二

代某光通信部品與次系統台商徵高階品管主管

本刊版主剛從中國回來一周來未更新

代某光通信部品與次系統台商徵高階品管主管
請將履歷等資訊寄
hcsimonl@gmail.com

鍾漢清
Hanching Chung (or HC/ hc)
網址：http://www.deming.com.tw
台灣戴明圈: A Taiwanese Deming Circle
http://demingcircle.blogspot.com/
地址：台北市新生南路三段88號2樓
電話：（02） 23650127

2010年11月14日星期日

The Fourth Plinth

http://www.london.gov.uk/trafalgarsquare/around/4th_plinth.jsp

The Fourth Plinth

The Fourth Plinth, in the north-west of Trafalgar Square, was originally intended for an equestrian statue but was empty for many years. It is now the location for specially commissioned artworks.

Nelson's Ship in a Bottle

Nelson's Ship in a Bottle by Yinka Shonibare Nelson's Ship in a Bottle, by leading Anglo-Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare MBE, was unveiled in Trafalgar Square on Monday 24 May 2010.

It is the first commission on the Fourth Plinth to reflect specifically on the historical symbolism of Trafalgar Square, which commemorates the Battle of Trafalgar.

It is also the first commission by a black British artist.

Future works

Visit the Fourth Plinth website for information about the next art works that are proposed for the Fourth Plinth - and let us know what you think of them.

Previous works

One and Other From 6 July to 14 October 2009 the Fourth Plinth in the north west of the square was home to Antony Gormley's One & Other, an astonishing living monument. He asked the people of the UK to occupy the empty Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square, a space normally reserved for statues of kings and generals, in an image of themselves, and a representation of the whole of humanity.

The plinth was occupied by different people - chosen by ballot - every hour, 24 hours a day, for 100 days.

'What artwork has ever given 2,400 ordinary people the chance to become art itself?' (Alex Needham, The Guardian)

Model for a Hotel 2007, Trafalgar Square, photo by James O Jenkins Thomas Schütte’s Model for a Hotel, an architectural model constructed in specially engineered red, yellow and blue glass, was unveiled in November 2007 and occupied the plinth until the end of May 2009.

Marc Quinn's sculpture Alison Lapper Pregnant was the first new commission for the Fourth Plinth under the auspices of the Mayor of London’s Fourth Plinth Commissioning Group. It was in place in the square from September 2005 until October 2007.

The Fourth Plinth programme is part of the vision for Trafalgar Square to be a vibrant public space and to encourage debate about the place and value of public art in the built environment.

【聯合報╱本報記者／陳宛茜】

2010.11.14 02:51 am

倫敦特拉法加廣場上的第四基座，從古蹟變身當代藝術展場。
記者陳宛茜／攝影

請試著想像以下畫面：在中正紀念堂的蔣公銅像旁，出現周董或王建民的蠟像，甚至是裸男裸女，會是什麼光景？

此等風景在台灣就算沒引發政治風暴、也必然慘遭叩應節目道德圍勦，在倫敦卻是平常風景。倫敦地標特拉法加廣場裡矗立一根高齡160歲的巨柱「第四基座」，是藝術kuso歷史與偉人的歡樂舞台。

特拉法加廣場是為紀念1805年的特拉法加戰役而建。它在倫敦的地位，一如北京的天安門、台北的自由廣場。

廣場四角上有四個雕塑基座，其中三個放的都是將軍或國王雕像，唯西北角的第四基座懸缺。該基座原本計畫放上威廉四世國王的騎馬雕像，卻一拖150年都沒「到位」。直到1999年，皇家人文學會提議將此基座做為當代藝術舞台。由名流要人組成委員會，對外公開徵選藝術家針對第四基座設計作品，一兩年更換一次。

第一個登上寶座的是Mark Wallinger的「瞧！這個人。」他將一個市井小民的雕像戴上象徵耶穌的荊棘冠冕，象徵小人物在歷史上的地位，不遜於其他三座基座上的政治、軍事領袖。

2004年Marc Quinn在第四基座放上殘障藝術家Alison Lapper懷著八月身孕的裸體塑像，以殘缺、女性的形象對抗四周的男性歷史領袖，轟動一時。

去年中選的藝術家Antony Gorm，則讓人人都有機會登上歷史舞台。他邀請志願者登上第四基座，每人以一小時為限，可攜帶任何東西做任何想做的事。這次的展覽吸引了2400位「人體雕像」，第一位站上寶座的是一位家庭主婦，在基座上呼籲英國重視兒童保護組織。

第四基座曾因經費不足，空置了兩年。其間被粉絲偷偷放上足球金童貝克漢和英式橄欖球星Jonny Wilkinson的蠟像。歷經十年風風雨雨，「第四基座」從最早被認為「不倫不類」，逐步成為全城關注的重量級當代藝術展場，倫敦人也從中學會對歷史的批判反省與對不同意見的包容。

台灣藝術家也曾試著在蔣公雕像身旁放上五彩繽紛的風箏、或在景美人權園區放上純白的羽毛，這些藝術對歷史的探索，卻總在激情的政治風暴中轉瞬消失無蹤。什麼時候，我們也能擁有包容藝術與歷史、人人可表達意見的「第四基柱」呢？

2010年11月12日星期五

Christ Church,_Oxford

牛津基督聖殿學院:

　　摘訪問或遊覽，都可以體會到這裏真可謂每塊石頭都是一部編年史。

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ_Church,_Oxford

Christ Church (Latin: Ædes Christi, the temple (æděs) or house (ædēs) of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As well as being a college, Christ Church is also the cathedral church of the diocese of Oxford, namely Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford. It should never be referred to as "Christ Church College" or "Christchurch College," mistakes commonly made in the media and elsewhere.

2010年11月9日星期二

A Genius for Deception

A Genius for Deception
How Cunning Helped the British Win Two World Wars

cunning, deception

2010年11月5日星期五

Gunpowder Plot

Spotlight:


Finding Guy Fawkes

Did the Gunpowder Plot hit its target, or did it go up in smoke? November 5, 1605, was the date selected by a group of conspirators who intended to blow up the English Parliament and King James I, in retaliation for increasing severity of laws against Catholics. One of the members of the group tipped off his brother-in-law, a member of Parliament, suggesting that he stay away from the building the next day. He, in turn, notified the police, who searched the Parliament that night. A soldier in the conspirators' group, Guy Fawkes, was arrested as he entered the cellar where the gunpowder and supplies were hidden, and the Gunpowder Plot was aborted. Within days, the rest of the revolutionaries were either killed or arrested, and two months later, those in prison were executed for their role in the conspiracy. England (and some former British colonies, like New Zealand, South Africa and Newfoundland) celebrates November 5 as Guy Fawkes Day with bonfires, fireworks and the burning of effigies known as "guys."

Quote:

"Remember, remember the fifth of November,/Gunpowder treason and plot;/I see no reason why Gunpowder Treason/Should ever be forgot." — Guy Fawkes Day chant

2010年11月4日星期四

Google escapes fine for beaking data laws

By Kevin Rawlinson

Thursday, 4 November 2010

REUTERS

A Street View camera. Google gathered more than just images

enlarge

2010年12月25日 星期六

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Star Carr

Excavations

Star Carr house

References

Bibliography

External links

大型古羅馬遺跡現形倫敦

History

Syon Park

See also

References

Notes

Sources

Further reading

External links

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The Fourth Plinth

Nelson's Ship in a Bottle

Future works

Previous works

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