Friday 31 May 2013

Marpessa by Stephen Phillips
Marpessa 
by Stephen Phillips 
Leather has been a common and traditional material used in bookbinding for centuries and centuries. It's pliable, can be stretched and cut easily, absorbs dye, and adds to the beauty and aesthetic appeal of a volume. While not without its problems - susceptibility to extreme temperatures, moisture and humidity, light exposure and more - leather is still often the binder's choice for fine jobs, though synthetic equivalents are popular as well as various cloths.

The most traditional leather bindings are sheep, roan (a thinner, cheap sheep leather), calf and goat, and goat leather is called morocco. Morocco is the most common type of leather used in the books on display here, which all boast exquisite examples of leather inlays. Inlaid leather is a style of binding decoration where the binder inserts pieces of leather - of a pre-determined color, cut, shape and size - into an existing leather binding to create a pattern, often mosaic or a quilt-like effect. The different colored leathers can be anything from abstract patterns and designs to nature scenes, floral decorations or portraits of people.

Any of these would make a fantastic and eye-catching addition to a collection, or a wonderful gift - especially if you know a couple celebrating their third wedding anniversary, as leather is the traditional gift.
Please note: quantity on rare books extremely limited; copies on display may sell quickly.

25 Lovely Leather Inlays

Engraved in the Wood: a collection of wood engravings by George Mackley
Engraved in the Wood 
George Mackley
As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner
As I Lay Dying 
William Faulkner
Shaw Gives Himself Away by George Bernard Shaw
Shaw Gives Himself Away 
George Bernard Shaw
Ramuntcho by Pierre Loti
Ramuntcho
Pierre Loti
Vent de Sable by Joseph Kessel
Vent de Sable 
Joseph Kessel
Shadowmancer by G.P. Taylor
Shadowmancer 
G.P. Taylor
Pamphlet Series One by Dudley Fitts. Key Boyle & Others
Pamphlet Series OneDudley Fitts. Key Boyle, et al.

May 06, 2013

It’s Not How They’re Raised, It’s How Dogs are Managed That Matters Most

How many times have you heard someone say about a dog, “It’s all how they’re raised”? Probably a lot. If you own a pit bull dog, probably a lot more.
I hear pit bull advocates saying it all the time, as a way to defend our dogs. I hear other saying it as a flippant remark about dogs in general. This phrase gets tossed around all the time, but no one seems to be aware of what they’re really saying….and how damaging it can be.
This saying does have a kernel of truth in it, of course, but ”how they’re raised” is just one of the factors that contributes to who our dogs are. It’s not the whole story.
When people believe that “It’s All How They’re Raised”, there are some real-life consequences for the dogs. So we need to check ourselves.
Here are a few ways our words hurt:
People refuse to adopt adult dogs. This idea, that how they’re raised determines who a dog is, makes adopting out adult and senior dogs a real challenge. Why would adopters take a chance on an adult dog, who has been raised by someone else, when they could adopt a puppy and raise it “right” themselves? Some folks really believe this. Seriously, shelter workers are constantly confronted by this way of thinking. It stinks.
Shelters won’t place victims of cruelty up for adoption. If a dog has survived an abusive or neglectful situation, such as dog fighting, animal hoarding, puppy mills, etc., then it is known they were “raised wrong”. Someorganizations use this as proof that the dogs aren’t safe or fit to be adopted out.The same thing goes for dogs that aresuspected of surviving these situations. If the assumption is made that a dog with cropped ears has been fought, that assumption of their past may wind up costing the dog his life if policies dictate that fight bust dogs are not adoptable because they were obviously “raised wrong.”
Responsible dog owners feel like failures. People who have raised their dogs since puppyhood beat themselves up when they’ve done everything right, but despite their very best efforts, their dogs still have behavioral issues. I hear from a lot of you through DINOS because you feel ashamed and guilty about your dog’s issues, despite having raised your dogs right. Let me just say it now: it’s not all how a dog is raised that matters. You guys have to stop beating yourselves up (even if you’re a dog trainer).
Here’s the reality – dogs are who they are due to many factors: training, breeding, socialization, management, genes, and environment. All of these things influence who our dogs are.
A dog’s past is a chapter, but it’s never the whole story. Let me show you:
“Raised Wrong”
Some dogs, neglected and abused their entire lives, are well-adjusted, social dogs. Anyone who has worked in rescue has met countless dogs who were not raised in the best circumstances, but despite this lack of early socialization or care (or worse) they turn out to be safe, family dogs. Many of us share our homes with dogs that were raised in less than ideal conditions, but are still wonderful pets.
One example of this scenario are the dogs rescued from fight busts or hoarding situations. Despite terrible beginnings, many of these victims of cruelty are ready to leave the past behind and enjoy family life. They may need training and structure to get used to living with a family in a house (what dog doesn’t?), but many of them are able to adjust to family life with relative ease. Their past didn’t help them do this, you dig?
Meet Jagger, the most handsome dog on Earth.
Raised Right”
Some dogs, purchased from responsible breeders and socialized properly from puppyhood, still wind up with behavioral problems. Many responsible dog owners, who have raised their dogs since they were puppies and did everything right, still find themselves with dogs who have a variety of behavioral issues. These dogs were “raised right”, but are still struggling.
One example of this is illustrated in an article written by a dog trainer who shared her problems with her own dog. Despite her very best professional efforts to raise him right, he has significant behavior issues, some of which may be caused by a medical condition. It’s not how he was raised that’s causing the problem. Read it here.
Puppies. It’s not just how you raise them.
In both of these cases, the common denominator that is actually determining the success of these dogs as family pets and their safety in the community isn’t how the dogs were raised: it’s responsible management.
Whether they were raised “right” or raised “wrong” in the past, no matter what behavioral problems a dog does or doesn’t have, when owners recognize their dog’s individual needs and provide them the right care and management tools, dogs have a chance to succeed in our crazy world.
More Present, Less Past
So, it’s not “how they’re raised” (what happened in the past) but rather, “how they’re managed” (what’s happening in the present) that needs to be our focus, if we want to help our dogs and create safe communities for us all to enjoy.
We can look to their past for clues and guidance, of course. I don’t mean ignore it all together. But we do more for our dogs when we look at them right now, without the haze of a bad (or good) past fogging up our thoughts. Who are they right now? What do they need to succeed today?
Whoever they are, dogs always exists and act in the context of human beings. They don’t live in a vacuum. They live with us. We need to recognize dogs as individuals, then determine what they need from us in order to succeed in the world.
What this means is that when dogs are properly managed by a human, a dog with or without behavior problems can be a safe, family dog. Dogs may need a variety of management tools, depending on what behavioral issues (if any) they have. Beyond training, various management tools might include: space management (crates, gates, etc.), muzzles, leashes, fences, proper supervision, etc. I’d also include medication in this category, if it’s necessary. When these tools are used, owners are setting dogs up to be successful.
This also means that any dog that is not managed properly can be a nuisance to the community or a danger to others. We see this often in the case of dogs that are running loose in neighborhoods. The dogs may be friendly (or not), but by allowing them to roam the streets or chase other dogs, their owners are setting these dogs up to get into trouble. They are not managing them. They are setting them up to fail.
side note: This is why I’m such a stickler for obeying leash laws. It’s a management tool. I just wish the laws were enforced.
I think that dogs are only as successful and safe as humans set them up to be – no matter what their past may be. When a dog gets in trouble or acts dangerously, somewhere along the line, a person has failed to make the right choice. But that’s not the same as “how they were raised”.
How they’re raised may be one factor that influences dogs, but it doesn’t determine the whole being of a dog. Perpetuating this idea only winds up hurting dogs with less than perfect pasts and shaming people who own dogs they’ve had since puppyhood.
The truth is that it’s how we currently manage dogs that determines how any dog interacts with the world. When we focus on managing them in the present, based on their individual needs, we can set dogs up for success despite what may have happened to them in the past.
So can we trash “it’s all how they’re raised” once and for all? It’s such a drag for dogs and their owners.
Let’s replace it with the truth:
It’s all how they’re managed. Dogs are only as successful as we set them up to be.
pdf version can be downloaded here: It’s Not How They’re Raised


Marc Jacobs’ Bull Terrier Neville is the Hottest Fashion Hound in Town

May 30, 2013 | By Sara Reply
It’s official – we’re obsessed with Marc Jacobs’ Bull Terrier, Neville. We love his slick style, big-a*s paws and devil-may-care attitude. As an ode to Nev, we compile a photographic love letter as he rocks aroundMarc Jacobs HQ and the streets of New York looking cool as hell. We salute you Nev!
Marc Jacob's Bull Terrier Neville
Neville Jacobs Marc Jacobs Dog
neville jacobs Marc Jacobs Dog
Neville Jacobs 7
Neville Jacobs Marc Jacobs Dog
Marc Jacobs dog NevilleMarc Jacobs Dog Neville
Neville Jacobs 4
Swooooooooooooooonfest


The happiest cub in the world! Little lion can't hide how much he loves cuddling his mother

This lion cub shared a cuddle with his loving mum during a break from playtime on the safari plain.
The youngster took time out from chasing his brothers and sisters through the long grass to snuggle up to his mother.
Wildlife photographers Juergen and Christine Sohns, both 54, took the shots on a two-day trip to the private Sabie Sands Reserve, South Africa.

I love you so much, mum! The cub cuddles up to his mother, who looks as if she can't resist a smile

I love you so much, mum! The cub cuddles up to his mother, who looks as if she can't resist a smile

This fluffy lion cub
This fluffy lion cub

Snuggling up: Mother lion proves an irresistible cushion for the cub to sink itself into
Mr Sohns said: 'This is the best place on Earth to watch the elegant cats at such close hand and we had a great time photographing this family of African lions.
'Sometimes it was hard to see the cubs in the tall grass amongst the parents and aunts.
 


    'The cubs were still at the age where they have to been suckled from the mother.
    'But they also tried begging for food by licking the mother and aunt's mouths to get food from them, so we realised they'll soon turn into real predators.
    'The mum and the aunts were really lovely and patient to all the cubs and played with them up to a half hour, before they got tired and slept for hours.'
    The couple live in Ellerstadt, Germany.

    This fluffy lion cub
    This fluffy lion cub

    Careful! Mum seems to have taken a bang to the head by her over-enthusiastic cub... who then bit her jaw!

    This fluffy lion cub
    This fluffy lion cub
    Bath time! Mum decides her cub smells a bit whiffy, but soon gets the little one clean using just her tongue


    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2333995/The-happiest-cub-world-Little-lion-hide-loves-cuddling-mother.html#ixzz2UuISZMoG
    Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook



    James Ellroy

    From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    Lee Earle "James" Ellroy (born March 4, 1948) is an American crime fiction writer and essayist. Ellroy has become
    known for a telegramatic prose style in his most recent work, wherein he frequently omits connecting words and uses 
    only short, staccatosentences,[1] and in particular for the novels The Black Dahlia (1987), The Big Nowhere (1988), 
    Rover (2009).




















    James Ellroy
    James Ellroy in Toulouse 9023 - January 2011.jpg
    Ellroy in 2011
    BornMarch 4, 1948 (age 65)
    Los Angeles, California,
    United States
    Occupationcrime writeressayist
    NationalityAmerican
    Genrescrime fictionhistoricalmystery,noir


    Wine Circle

    Being my turn again for being responsible for the food, here is what I prepared.

    Golden jubilee chicken salad


    This started off live as a reworking of “coronation chicken,” that mixture I can’t help liking, against all contemporary culinary strictures, of cold chicken, mayo, mango chutney, curry powder and apricot puree (or that’s how both my grandmothers made it). But still, I wanted to pare it down, make it lighter and fresher, and so this is it. Given the year of its inception, and its derivation, it seemed only historically right to rename it thus; believe me, no political affiliations are thereby intended.
    Ingredients
    • 1 mango, cut into approx. 1/2-inch cubes
    • 1 scallion, finely chopped
    • 1 - 2 red chillies (to taste), seeded and finely chopped
    • Juice of 1 - 2 limes (to taste)
    • 1 cold, cooked whole chicken breast, cut into chunks
    • 1 Little Gem or small Boston lettuce, sliced or shredded
    • 1 large handful fresh cilantro, chopped
    • 1 teaspoon peanut oil
    • Few drops toasted sesame oil
    Preparation
    Tumble the mango cubes, and any juice they make, into a bowl and, with your hands, mix in the chopped scallion and chilli and squeeze over the lime juice: use as much or as little as you want; frankly, the amount of juice you can get from a lime varies enormously from one to another.
    I tend to leave all these to steep while I get on with the rest of my shredding and chopping, but whatever way you do it, tumble in the chunked chicken and shredded lettuce and most of the cilantro and, using your hands, toss to combine. Add the oils and toss again, then decant onto a large serving plate and sprinkle over the remaining bit of cilantro.
    Serving Size
    Serves 2-3


    Broccoli, Grape, and Pasta Salad

    Broccoli, Grape, and Pasta Salad Recipeenlarge
    Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Buffy Hargett

    Ingredients


    • Preparation

    • 1 cup chopped pecans
    • 1/2 (16-oz.) package farfalle (bow-tie) pasta
    • 1 pound fresh broccoli
    • 1 cup mayonnaise
    • 1/3 cup sugar
    • 1/3 cup diced red onion
    • 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 2 cups seedless red grapes, halved
    • cooked bacon slices, crumbled
    1. 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through.
    2. 2. Prepare pasta according to package directions.
    3. 3. Meanwhile, cut broccoli florets from stems, and separate florets into small pieces using tip of a paring knife. Peel away tough outer layer of stems, and finely chop stems.
    4. 4. Whisk together mayonnaise and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl; add broccoli, hot cooked pasta, and grapes, and stir to coat. Cover and chill 3 hours. Stir bacon and pecans into salad just before serving.

    Antalya Bean Salad (Antalya Usulü Piyaz)

























    Piyaz
     is what we call bean salads in Turkey, but the term is actually Persian and means "onion." Piyaz is usually prepared with northern beans and kneaded onion; dressed with olive oil and vinegar; spiced up with pepper flakes; and decorated with tomatoes, parsley, and hard-boiled eggs. Depending on the region, piyaz might have green onions or sumac. However, in Antalya, a beautiful city with magnificent beaches and historical places on the Mediterranean coast, piyaz is made differently than the rest of Turkey. The difference is tahini and garlic, which, to my surprise since I'm not a great tahini fan, enriches the taste incredibly. In Tekirdag, my hometown, piyaz is served always with Tekirdag Meatballs. However, with tahini it can be a main dish as well.
    2 cups of cooked northern beans
    1 onion, cut finely in half-moons
    1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped
    1 tsp crushed pepper
    1 or two hard boiled eggs, sliced
    1 tomato, diced

    1/4 cup tahini
    1/4 cup vinegar
    1/4 cup lemon juice
    2 cloves of garlic, minced

    Bean and rice salad
    1 / 1Picture by:  larkspur
     

    Bean and rice salad

    Makes : 6 

    • 190g uncooked brown rice
    • 350ml water
    • 1 (400g) tin kidney beans, rinsed and drained
    • 4 tablespoons chopped red onion
    • 25g sliced fresh mushrooms
    • 25g bite-size broccoli florets
    • 35g chopped green pepper
    • 35g chopped red pepper
    • 35g chopped yellow pepper
    • 2 tablespoons chopped raw almonds
    • 1/4 teaspoon coarse black pepper
    • 2 tablespoons light Italian dressing
    • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

    Directions

    Prep:20min  ›  Cook:50min  ›  Extra time:1hr chilling  ›  Ready in:2hr10min 

    1. Combine the rice and water in a small saucepan; bring to the boil over high heat. Cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
    2. Place cooled rice in a large bowl. Stir in the kidney beans, red onions, mushrooms, broccoli, peppers and almonds; season with pepper. Toss salad with the Italian dressing and olive oil.
    3. Chill for at least one hour before serving.



    SPINACH & FETA PIE

    100g pine nuts
     5 eggs
    300g feta cheese
    50g Cheddar cheese
    dried oregano
    1 lemon
    a knob of butter
    400g prewashed baby spinach
    1 x 270g pack of filo pastry
    cayenne pepper
    1 whole nutmeg, for grating
    Next Crack 5 eggs into a mixing bowl and crumble in 300g of feta. Grate in 50g of Cheddar. Add a pinch of pepper, a couple of pinches of dried oregano, zest
    of 1 lemon and a lug of olive oil. Once the nuts are light golden, add them to the egg mixture and mix well.
    Put the empty frying pan back on the heat, add a little olive oil and a knob of butter and pile in half of the spinach. Gently push and move it around and add more as it wilts down.
    Meanwhile, take the pastry out of the fridge. Lay a large sheet of greaseproof paper, approximately 50cm long, on the worktop, rub a little olive oil all over it, then scrunch it up and lay it out flat again.
    Arrange 4 filo pastry sheets in a large rectangle, overlapping at the edges, so they almost cover the paper. Rub some olive oil over them. Sprinkle over a good pinch of salt & pepper and a pinch of cayenne. Repeat until you have 3 layers.
    Once the spinach is really nice and wilted, take the pan off the heat. Add the wilted spinach to the egg mixture and grate in ½ a nutmeg, mix well.
    Move the greaseproof paper and filo into the empty frying pan so the edges spill over. Push it down into the sides of the pan, then pour in the egg mixture and spread it out. Fold the filo sheet over.
    Put the pan back on a medium heat for a couple of minutes to get the bottom cooking, then put the pan into the oven on the top shelf to cook for 18 to 20 minutes, or until golden and crisp.