Latest news with #Bull
Daily Mirror
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Cotswolds locals issue warning to JD Vance as VP set to arrive for holiday
The expected arrival of Donald Trump's unpopular deputy has caused a stir in Charlbury - with rumours rife among residents speculating on his choice of accommodation Amused locals in a Cotswolds town where unpopular US Vice President JD Vance is planning a family holiday have warned he'll have 'nowhere to park' - and believe he'll stay in one of several stunning mansions. The expected arrival of Donald Trump's deputy has caused a stir in Charlbury - with rumours rife among residents speculating on his choice of accommodation. Some believe he might stay in Lee Place, a Grade II* estate in the area built in 1640 with old links to Blenheim Palace, or in a mansion owned by the billionaire Bamford family. Others predict the VP will need the security and space offered by the nearby Cornbury Park, which will host Wilderness Festival this weekend. But all warned Vance his biggest problem will be navigating the narrow streets and finding suitable parking in and around the town during his expected stay in August. Neighbouring Clarkson's Farm, Charlbury is the 'checkpoint Charlie' of the sprawling Cotswolds, the town's vicar said. The community often sees high-profile visitors - including Kamala Harris, who visited the local Bull pub last week during Steve Jobs' daughter Eve's wedding. But news that Trump's VP is expected to stay for a summer holiday in town has caused a stir among locals. Fergus Butler-Gallie, the town's vicar who has lived in the area for 19 months, said: 'I'm just hoping they bring us Al Gore and Dick Cheney next, we've almost completed the set. 'We get all sorts of people here – we've got Mr Clarkson up the road. It's noticeably got busier in the time I've been here.' It's nice to be visited, and it's good the town can maintain two pubs and several shops. There are a lot of places like ours which wouldn't be able to keep that up. 'We can, and of course that's because of tourism. We do get a lot of tourists who have no idea where they are, really - they'll come in and ask how to get to somewhere two counties across, because they seem to think the Cotswolds is some sort of theme park rather than a large region. 'But I suspect Mr Vance's people will be pretty thoroughly briefed.' The 33-year-old clergyman heads the town's community centre programme, where locals donate excess food and outgrown school uniforms for members of the community in need. Mark Jones, a 67-year-old retired programme volunteer, said: 'It's a strong community in an interesting town. You get mostly locals during the week and lots of tourists coming from everywhere at the weekends. And there are lots of festivals every summer. 'There's so much going on in the community. I hope his visit goes well. I haven't heard anything about protests - and I wouldn't join them, either. When Kamala Harris visited last week, it seemed to go very quietly. Hopefully the same will happen again. The vice-president's wife Usha found the country cottage they're expected to settle in after visiting London in mid-August, the Telegraph reports. A local business owner said: 'It's the talk of the town. They've locked our local website forum so people can't say any more about it. 'If they come into my shop, I won't bat an eyelid. I serve my customers. I'm just worried about the parking, all those secret service cars! Good luck to him - getting round these roads is no joke. They'll have some fun with these lanes, getting around in a big car.' Currently cars are parked on both sides of the narrow streets, with residents saying Charlbury gets very easily congested - particularly during the summer season, when tourists come through the town to and from festivals and countryside retreats. A one-way system implemented for the last decade has been the only way of moving around the town centre, the locals added. Elizabeth Sparks, a local secondary school cover teacher who has lived in the area for 16 years, said: 'I'm not worried about people like that. I don't really think about it. The only thing I'm worried about are the cars. The other day, the bus driver came into the pub and said, 'who drives the car with this particular number plate? You need to move it.' He couldn't drive past. 'The bus gets stuck, it gets very hard to park. The residential parking makes that even harder - good luck to him.' Zena McGreavey, a 57-year-old exhibition officer at a museum in Oxford, has lived in the area for 18 months. She said: 'There does seem to be a lot happening around here nowadays. It's surprising they find us - Charlbury is such a hidden gem. People are talking about it in The Bull pub, it's caused a stir - but I don't think people mind him coming. There was a bit of confusion about where he's going to be staying, people want to know.'
The Independent
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Bull Burford: How a 16th-century coaching inn became the Cotswolds' hottest hotel
The warning is in plain sight on a sign outside Bull: 'a curious coaching inn'. And indeed, this is no everyday pub quietly hidden in the heart of the Cotswolds. As Alice might have noted of this new hospitality wonderland, it does actually get curiouser and curiouser the moment you step over the threshold. Don't for a minute think 'quaint', in spite of the ancient heritage, when you pull up at this pub in Burford, quite possibly the most beautiful town in the Cotswolds; this 18-room hotel turns the concept of an English pub on its head. Matthew Freud, the PR tycoon and commercial strategist turned pub landlord, adds much zen, zip and zaniness to his modern reinvention of the country pub hotel. The result is 50 shades of cosmopolitan luxury. But be warned: it's distinctly anti-loner, the kind of place where you're encouraged to integrate, not isolate; to break bread with other guests over dinner and share in new experiences. Along with the communal dining, where guests are instructed to sit together and (shock horror!) talk to one another, there's also a holistic programme offering activities including yoga, meditation, photography workshops, chess, flower picking and a book club. Mixers are not just drinks to accompany spirits, but are how Freud defines his guests. He wants them to embrace the community spirit and throw themselves into making connections over dinner. Bull also has more of a modern art gallery vibe than that of a traditional boozer, partly because Damien Hirst and Harland Miller works adorn the walls. Housed in such an old building but with such modern, on-trend interiors, it's the hotel version of a Warhol portrait in an old gilt frame. And there's no dinging brass bell or indifferent receptionist either; here you'll find Californian sunshine service with zippy friendliness. The wobbly stairs and corridors lead through a labyrinth of newly carpeted landings and corridors to the 24/7 pantry, full to bursting with gourmet goodies. This is midnight feast territory (or perfect for greedy elevenses). A tap on the state of the art fridge illuminates a light behind the glass door to show chocolate cakes and cans of drink so shiny they could be sculptures rather than thirst-quenchers. This pub may have 16th-century vernacular, with oak beams and wattled plaster, but its rooms are more Dr. No, a 21st-century Bond boozer. When Bull opened in 1536, it was a basic coaching inn, a place for tired horses to recover and prepare themselves for the next long ride. The mantra of the new Bull aspires 'to offer the same service to anyone on a journey who might need a moment to catch their breath'. This is more private home in feel than public bar. Marble mosaic tiles in the bathroom have been individually selected. Photographs in black and white of Mick Jagger and Vivienne Westwood stare out from the corridors, and equally famous living guests are not unusual either (Bob Geldoff and a slew of star actors among them). This is a deceptively spacious rural retreat; oddly Tardis-like, it makes you feel as if you're sneaking into someone's private, tycoonish home. The food, meanwhile, is simple and delicious – think Soho House chic twisted with modern Brit cuisine. Breakfast ham and eggs straight from a nearby farm sit alongside avocado mash, while staff seem more like they've been plucked from a Netflix series than catering central casting. But then again, it is all spun together by Freud, a master image maker. The laird has his own lord-of-the-manor mansion down the road. As you slope up to bed, there are dozens of slim volumes of single short stories to choose from; Sonos for your music; lemon, a sharp knife, ice and gin for that final nightcap... The only downer? You may never want to move out.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
'Always and Forever' — NBA legend Dennis Rodman pours heartfelt tribute to WWE icon Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan and Dennis Rodman. Image via: WWE Basketball icon Dennis Rodman has joined the global outpouring of grief following the death of professional wrestling legend Hulk Hogan , who passed away at the age of 71. Rodman, who famously teamed up with Hogan during their New World Order (nWo) days in WCW, posted a moving tribute on Instagram, honoring the bond they shared inside and outside the ring. His message, filled with emotion, echoed what fans across generations are feeling, it is the end of an unforgettable era. Dennis Rodman gives a heartfelt tribute to Hulk Hogan Dennis Rodman's connection with Hulk Hogan wasn't just a celebrity crossover—it was chemistry that lit up arenas. Long before today's athletes juggled careers across sports and entertainment, Rodman dove headfirst into the squared circle with unapologetic flair. In the mid-1990s, fresh off NBA championships and controversy, Rodman found his wrestling home alongside Hogan in WCW's hottest faction, the nWo. After Hogan's passing, Rodman posted a series of photos capturing their iconic moments together and wrote– "N.W.O. 4 Life Brother @hulkhogan Always and Forever Thank you for the Memories we Created History Great Friend indeed 🙏🏾🙏🏾 Keep his family in prayers #toosweet #hulk" Rodman also shared a few photos on his Instagram story with the WWE legend relieving their nWo moment. On the March 10, 1997, episode of Monday Nitro, Hogan officially welcomed Rodman to the nWo, declaring, 'Big bruh, you've earned the colors, my friend. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Doctor: '10-Second Morning Method Helps Drain Swollen Legs" (See How) goldentree Learn More Undo It's your style. 4-life!' From there, Rodman wasn't just a basketball legend stepping into the ring—he became part of wrestling history. At Bash at the Beach 1997, Rodman made his in-ring debut alongside Hogan against Lex Luger and The Giant. Chants of 'Rodman sucks!' filled the arena, but the former Bull responded by surprising fans with legitimate athleticism. He landed arm drags, leapfrogs, and even gained the admiration of 'Macho Man' Randy Savage at ringside. Hulk Hogan's death leaves a void Hogan, born Terry Bollea, died Thursday in Clearwater, Florida. Emergency responders arrived after a call reporting cardiac arrest. He was later pronounced dead at Morton Plant Hospital. The WWE confirmed the news, stating: "One of pop culture's most recognizable figures, Hogan helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s." Wrestling legends to sports figures like Rodman, the tributes reflect just how far Hogan's reach extended. He was a bridge between sports, entertainment, and astonishing fandom. Also Read: Ciara and Russell Wilson's son gets love from Vanessa Bryant in a touching birthday tribute on Instagram FAQs What did Dennis Rodman say about Hulk Hogan's death? Rodman shared an emotional Instagram tribute, thanking Hogan for their history and calling him a great friend. When did Dennis Rodman and Hulk Hogan team up in wrestling? They formed a tag team as part of the nWo in WCW during the late 1990s. How did Hulk Hogan die? He reportedly suffered cardiac arrest at his Florida home; an official cause is still being investigated. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Indian Express
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Painting the rain: How Indian art obsesses with the monsoons
'áchā vada tavásam gīrbhír ābhí stuhí parjányam námasâ vivāsa / kánikradad vrsabhó jīrádānū réto dadhāty ósadhīsu gárbham / … ájījana ósadhīr bhójanāya kám utá prajâbhyo 'vido manīsâm' (Sing with these songs thy welcome to the Mighty, with adoration praise and call Parjanya/ The Bull, loud roaring, swift to send his bounty, lays in the plants the seed for germination/ Thou hast made herbs to grow for our enjoyment: yea, thou hast won thee praisefrom living creatures) –Parjanya Sukta, Rigveda The rain motif has always reigned supreme in Indian cultural productions. It has inspired poets and artists alike, while also being the subject of Vedic hymns sung to propitiate the rain gods to send in timely showers. The cultural significance of the monsoons is also rooted in their influence on the Indian economy. The phrase 'the Indian budget is a gamble on the monsoon' has often been repeated by economists and finance ministers in India, ever since senior British official, Guy Fleetwood Wilson, made it popular in 1909. At first glance, the representation of monsoons in South Asian art would appear to be dominated by a specific set of motifs and symbolic structures—passionate lovers in the rain, young women braving clouds and lightning to meet their loved one, peacocks, lush greenery and playful animals. In their book, Monsoon Feelings: A History of Emotions in Rain (2018), historians Imke Rajamani, Margrit Pernau, and Katherine Butler Schofield write that although these recurring themes and symbols in Indian art would lead one to assume that the monsoons elicited the same kind of emotions across time and region, that, in fact, was not true. 'Monsoon feelings have a history, which encompasses both continuity and change,' they write. They also point to the rise and decline of the Indus Valley Civilisation, which they write is attributed to changing patterns of monsoons. The monsoons, the emotions associated with them, as well as their representation in the arts, are influenced by where and when one experiences them. They are also affected by processes of migration, integration and transcultural conflations. Take, for instance, the kingdom of Bikaner, which has historically been one of the driest states of India. However, as noted by art historian Molly Emma Aitken in her article, 'Dark, Overwhelming, yet Joyful: The Monsoon in Rajput Painting', 'the ceilings and walls of its Junagadh Fort burst with monsoon clouds and driving lines of rain, with white cranes flying across wall panels of monsoon black.' Here, monsoon was celebrated for being auspicious and bearing the promise of fertility. Yet there are other paintings from North India that serve as reminders of the despair that too much rain can bring and the need for divine interventions in such situations. An example is a 16th century folio from the Harivamsa showing Lord Krishna holding up Mount Govardhan to shelter the villagers of Braj. Abhisarika Nayika braving the rains A favourite figure in monsoon art is that of Abhisarika Nayika, one of the ashtanayikas or the eight types of heroines in classical Indian aesthetics. In paintings, Abhisarika Nayika is depicted as the fearless woman venturing into the stormy night to meet with her lover. She is shown as a pale figure in a dark, rainy, demon-infested night, mindless of the obstacles on her way, including that of vipers entangled around her legs. The rain and lightning in these paintings are the symbol of an obstacle to love, but also of the heroine's boldness and passion. The coming together of lovers in the rains Yet another popular monsoon scene in medieval Indian paintings is that of lovers embracing each other to find safety, while rains break out all around them. They frequently featured the devotional imagery of Lord Krishna and his consort Radha. Ragamala paintings The monsoons went on to have a far more permeating presence in the 17th-century paintings of musical modes that came to be called Ragamala paintings. This style of painting that originated in 17th-century Rajasthan depicted variations of Indian musical modes or ragas. Accordingly, in these paintings, each raga is personified by a colour and a mood, and illustrates the season of the year or the time of the day when the raga is supposed to be sung. The monsoon was associated with several ragas, and it was believed that singing them well could bring on the rain. 'Over the course of the 17th century, the ragamala painting became a favourite among Mughal and Rajput connoisseurs,' writes Aitken in her article, adding that among these, it was the Raag Megh Malhar, depicting the monsoons, which went on to become an important precursor to a radical shift in the way Rajput and Mughal painters dealt with aesthetics. Barahmasa painting The Barahmasa is a poetic tradition that emerged in medieval North India. It usually revolved around the theme of a woman longing for her lover, and described her emotional state in context of the season of the year. The Barahmasa, as the name suggests, refers to the '12 months'. With time, the genre lent itself to other forms of art, including dance, music and paintings. The Barahmasa paintings began developing during the Mughal rule and were at their peak during the 18th and 19th centuries. Among these paintings, the ones depicting the monsoon months are known to be the most evocative, with passionate rendering of colours and textures to show young lovers staring at clouds, or the lush countryside. Kalidasa's Meghaduta The classical Sanskrit poem, Meghaduta, by Kalidasa has lent itself as a theme to artists painting the monsoon. The poem tells the story of a yaksha who longs for his wife and uses a cloud as a messenger. In Kalidasa's poetic description, the beauty of the Himalayan landscape comes to life in the rainy season, with rivers flowing gracefully and elephants playing in the forests. Kalidasa's Meghaduta was particularly popular among artists of the late 20th century. As noted by Rajamani, Pernau and Schofield in their book, 'since the late 19th century, monsoon arts became increasingly nationalised.' Kalidasa's Meghaduta was increasingly applied in these arts to evoke national pride. A 1960 stamp, for instance, depicts the yaksha instructing the messenger cloud. He releases flower petals in the monsoon winds, which are shown to be collected by a group of cranes who carry the message towards the cloud. Notable among the painted works depicting Meghdoot are those of Ramgopal Vijaivargiya, Shailendranath De, and Harihar Lal Mead. Adrija Roychowdhury leads the research section at She writes long features on history, culture and politics. She uses a unique form of journalism to make academic research available and appealing to a wide audience. She has mastered skills of archival research, conducting interviews with historians and social scientists, oral history interviews and secondary research. During her free time she loves to read, especially historical fiction. ... Read More
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
See Venus, the moon and fiery star Aldebaran form a dawn triangle this weekend
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. One of the brightest and most colorful stars in the sky and the most brilliant planet are on stage in the early morning dawn sky this weekend and will be joined by the moon on Monday morning. The star in question is Aldebaran, a first-magnitude star that shines with a distinct orange hue and marks the right eye of Taurus, the Bull. The brilliant planet is, of course, Venus, which outshines Aldebaran by almost five magnitudes or a light ratio difference of almost 100-fold. At this particular moment in time, both star and planet can be seen roughly one-quarter of the way up from the eastern horizon, roughly 45 minutes before sunrise. Venus, a dazzling morning "star," rises about an hour prior to the first light of dawn and shines low in the east-northeast as dawn brightens. On Monday morning, you'll also see a delicately thin (14 percent illuminated) crescent moon hovering approximately 8 degrees above Venus. Your clenched fist held at arm's length measures roughly 10 degrees in width, so on Monday morning, the slender lunar sliver will appear almost "one fist" above Venus. In a telescope, Venus is a disappointment: just a tiny, gibbous blob, 72 percent illuminated by the sun. It has shrunk and become more nearly round in recent months as it has swung far around to the back side of the sun as seen from Earth. TOP TELESCOPE PICK Want to see Venus, the moon, and Aldebaran together? The Celestron NexStar 8SE is ideal for beginners wanting quality, reliable and quick views of celestial objects. For a more in-depth look at our Celestron NexStar 8SE review. And situated well to the right of both Venus and the moon will be Aldebaran. The trio will appear to form a broad isosceles triangle with Venus marking the vertex angle, while Aldebaran and the moon form the base of the triangle. It will not be a particularly "tight" array, but still should be attractive enough to catch the attention of early risers. With the reappearance of Aldebaran, it is also a gentle reminder that while we are not yet at the midpoint of summer, the colder nights of fall and winter will be looming in the months to come. Aldebaran is crossing the meridian at midnight around Thanksgiving ... and at around 9 p.m. in mid-January. Who knows? By then, some of you might be shoveling snow. So take advantage of this week's opportunity to see not only an out-of-season winter star, but Venus as well, while they both "flirt" with a waning crescent moon. Joe Rao serves as an instructor and guest lecturer at New York's Hayden Planetarium. He writes about astronomy for Natural History magazine, Sky and Telescope and other publications.
