Ciarán Ryan notebook

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buy_Nothing_Day

John Emmanuel Roberts, sculptor and teacher: born Neath, Glamorgan 18 March 1946; died Friston Forest, East Sussex 1 November 2002.

“JOHN ROBERTS produced some of the finest modern carving on English ecclesiastical buildings, but died unknown to the general public. “

See his figure of Manche Masemola - west front of Westminster abbey and Oscar Romero and Duchess Elizabeth of Russia.

Romanesque friezes and panels - Lincoln cathedral - and a replacement angel

Figure of St Bartholomew for Failand church, near Bristol

Tympanum detail for the replacement pediment at Woburn Abbey (large and prize winning)

“Roberts was employed for two years as a stone-carver at Westminster Abbey. He also did work at Wells Cathedral and Chichester market cross.

And contributed two striking heads, of the playwright Samuel Beckett and of a student, Frances Kells, in a Society of Portrait Sculptors exhibition in Cork Street in 1999 and a head of Christ, inspired by the Turin Shroud, the following year.

Further commissions followed in 1999. There was an exquisite, sensitive marble Pieta for the church at Coleorton, Leicestershire; also the Angel on the Green, a stylised 9ft bronze for a development in Islington.

Two final commissions came from Sands, a charity concerned with the stillborn child. The first was of a sleeping baby for the National Memorial Arboretum, Lichfield. The second Sands piece, a huge hand with a baby nestling in it, in Sheen Cemetery.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20021121/ai_n12654787/pg_1

Sleeping baby sculpture, The society’s director, Neal Long, remembers its impact: “There was a general gasp when it was unveiled, and you could see that parents present were identifying it with their own babies.”

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article838231.ece

He regretted not doing more abstract work - see his minator in marble (Guardian obit has a photo of it)

Expert on Gardeners Question Time said the Delphi oracles would eat six bay leaves before giving their speeches.

http://www.theepicentre.com/Spices/bay.html

According to legend the Delphi oracle chewed bay leaves, or sniffed the smoke of burning leaves to promote her visionary trances. Bay, or laurel, was famed in ancient Greece and Rome. Emperors, heroes and poets wore wreaths of laurel leaves.

Been excavating ancient city of Alexandria. He found a famous lighthouse and a Roman palace?

http://www.jeremy-deller.co.uk

Filmed a recreation of the Battle of Orgreave (using retired miners) - 2002.

Marine, William Edward Sparks - born sep 5 1922. Died Nov 30 2002.

Guardian obit December 9 2002.

He was one of 12 who attempted to raid the German occupied French port of Bordeaux - 1942 - in canoes.

Sounds like a war film. Very dangerous. Only two lived to tell the tale. Sparks and Hasler.

They had to paddle 85 miles in their fragile kayaks up a river at night (hiding during day) .

Four men including Sparks managed to attach limpet mines to German ships.

In civilian life he became a bus driver - and had to sell his medals to keep his retirement home.

Motivation: Guardian says Sparks was deeply affected by the death of his brother during war. So he applied for ‘hazardous duty’.

Imperial War Museum has a photo of Sparks.

TICKETS FOR JONATHAN RICHMAN

Where: Shepherds Bush Empire, London
When: FRIDAY, 09/05/2008, doors at 19:00, starts at 19:30

In 1999 it was reported that St John’s Wort Tortilla Chips were to be sold in the UK.

What happened to them?

Does St John’s Wort help depression? Is it still popular in Germany? (St John’s Wort that is,  not depression)