This is Northumberland Calling 21.06.24

The Summer Solstice is a stretch and SEEN in Publishing launches edition

Hello American (Particularly Central Ohio) this is Northumberland Calling

It is the Summer Solstice. The druids were at Stonehenge to mark the sunset yesterday and the sunrise this morning. There is a school of thought that it is the Winter Solstice which matters because then one can tell how many days until planting etc, but the weather is better in summer…

It remains to be seen what charges will be brought against the JSO idiots who defaced Stonehenge earlier this week. They may be charged with a ‘hate crime’ an aggravating feature as they did their little stunt just before the solstice. They did succeed in uniting people – against them. Among their demands is to put Sunak on trial for genocide.

SEEN in Publishing has launched today. SEEN in Publishing is the latest branch of the Sex Equality & Equity Network and seeks to give a voice to Gender Critical voices in Publishing and serve as a counterweight to certain other staff networks.

  It contains articles about some of the silencings GC people have endured in publishing and why the Network is vital to maintain freedom of expression within the industry.

The most likely winner of the UK election will be Labour. A recent poll showed a near-wipe out of the Tory Party. The Times have done an interview with Rachel Reeves who should be the next chancellor of the exchequer. She would be the first female to hold the role. She is Jewish and leads the Labour Friends of Israel (something not mentioned in the interview)  https://www.thetimes.com/magazines/the-times-magazine/article/rachel-reeves-interview-labour-chancellor-election-lvkk7v07j or https://archive.ph/https://www.thetimes.com/magazines/the-times-magazine/article/rachel-reeves-interview-labour-chancellor-election-lvkk7v07j

Because it is supposed to be the great Tory Wipeout, the thoughts of newspapers are already turning to who would be the next Tory leader. Tom Tugendhat has already indicated that he will stand (he is in a supposed safe seat) and of course there is Kemi Badenoch who is now considered to be a Conservative Big Beast  (vaguely assuming because two years ago people were going Kemi who?) It is more than likely given the projected size of the Tory wipe out, the next Tory leader will not be able to win a General Election, but no one thought Starmer would where he is either.  This is the profile of Badenoch which was published earlier in the week. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/06/20/the-unstoppable-rise-of-conservative-party-kemi-badenoch/  or https://archive.ph/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/06/20/the-unstoppable-rise-of-conservative-party-kemi-badenoch/

Starmer has suddenly discovered that he knows what a woman is. He echoed Sir Tony Blair in saying that biologically a woman has a vagina and a man has a penis. Labour continue to say that they will provide ‘safe spaces’ not single sex spaces in hospitals. Apparently his inability to say this is down to the ‘toxicity’ of the debate and people lost sight of the individuals. <massive eyeroll> https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/06/18/keir-starmer-agrees-wth-tony-blair-on-gender-stance/ or https://archive.ph/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/06/18/keir-starmer-agrees-wth-tony-blair-on-gender-stance/

I have discovered why no Reform in the Hexham constituency  -- they have an electoral pact with the SDP and the leader of the SDP William Coulson is standing in Hexham. The pact also includes the seat in Middlesbrough where the columnist Rod Liddle is standing.  As I remain undecided, I listened to him speak, I remain undecided as the SDP’s views on national defence do not align with mine. https://www.hexham-courant.co.uk/news/24391742.social-democratic-party-william-clouston-hexham-seat/

Further to the Post Office scandal, the lawyers who advised the Post Office to take its course of action are now being investigated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority for misconduct. It is about whether or not the solicitors behaved ethically. The investigation is hugely complex but at least it is happening. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/06/21/post-office-scandal-lawyers-horizon-watchdog-investigation/ or https://archive.ph/CJU0p

The Pitt Rivers Museum and the Great North: Hancock museum have decided to hide certain formerly ritualized objects from the feminine gaze – namely a mask from Igbo tribe (unclear if it would still be used in the ritual) and the shoes which were used in ritual executions by Aboriginals in Australia (current me if I am wrong but I don’t think Australia does executions any more ritualized or not). Should certain things be kept from the public gaze? Is there a respectful way to show human remains? The shrunken heads may have been taken out of view at Pitt Rivers, but what about the bog bodies (I know there are several in the National Museum in Ireland) some of which appear to have been ritually sacrificed? Should people be allowed to gaze at St Teresa of Avila’s hand (an object of devotion which was kept at Franco’s bedside?) if they are not devout Roman Catholics?  Should paintings be altered to be amenable to modern day sensibilities as was done with Rubens The Judgement of Paris ? This essay  by David Abulafia is good and touches on some of these points. https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/why-wont-the-pitt-rivers-let-women-see-its-igbo-mask/ or https://archive.ph/hNBTY

Pitt Rivers have relented and the mask is now back on the internet (complete with warning)  in case anyone wishes to see it. https://www.prm.ox.ac.uk/collections-online#/item/prm-object-179286

The Bronte Museum decided to ‘queer’ the Bronte sisters because they used male pen names. <eyeroll> There is no evidence that any of the sisters were LGBTQIA+ and it seems a bit of a stretch. They used the names as they wanted their books to be taken seriously. Much like Roger Sanderson used the pen name Gill Sanderson (his wife’s name) to write his medical romances for Mills & Boon. Before that he wrote Combat comics and felt the two genres had distinct similarities. Roger used the pen name for expedient’s sake. It is better now for male novelists writing women’s fiction but there was a small but significant proportion prior to about a decade ago who used female names. It is part of the reason why JK Rowling used her initials – so that boys would pick up Harry Potter rather than thinking it was ‘for girls’.  When people stretch too far, ideas break down. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/06/20/bronte-sisters-lgbt-gender-identity-androgynous-names/ or https://archive.ph/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/06/20/bronte-sisters-lgbt-gender-identity-androgynous-names/

My box of books

Here my author copies of Tempted by Her Forbidden Warrior arrived yesterday. Always an exciting moment to hold the actual book in my hands. Never gets old.

My revisions have arrived and they are all about going deeper and bringing out the emotional tension to really create a page turning read. I owe Allison Bull an essay about creating characters for the modern reader. Luckily my editor has inadvertently helped with this. It is always about polishing the clockface of skills.

Paddy prefers walks to reading…

Paddy had a good session at the gun dog class. We are working on heel with a dropped lead. I had to do with walking backwards with a treat, then in a crab position and finally front ways. He was decent but several times he decided the dogs next to him were more interesting. I had to step on the lead to prevent him from going over. They are all friends but… And he does appear to better at walking to heel. Little steps as he matures…

Hopefully everyone else’s week was a good one. I look forward to seeing you in the comments.

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