Latest news with #Kipling
Epoch Times
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Epoch Times
Voices From the Graveyard: Rudyard Kipling's ‘Epitaphs of the War'
During World War I, more than 880,000 men fighting for Great Britain died, One of those who fell in this bloodbath of a war was John Kipling (1897–1915), the only son of writer and poet Rudyard Kipling and his American-born wife, Caroline Balestier. After both the Army and the Navy rejected John's attempts to enlist for reasons of shortsightedness, Kipling used his influence to place his son in the Army, where he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Irish Guards. In 1915, just after his 18th birthday, John died in the Battle of Loos in France. Though they conducted an extensive investigation, Kipling and his wife never located their son's body. Later, historians identified what they now believe to be his gravesite, though this issue remains a matter of debate. An ardent supporter of the Empire and the British military, the post-war Kipling was understandably more filled with grief than patriotism. 'As a public man, he became much more angry and bitter,' Portrait of Rudyard Kipling from the biography "Rudyard Kipling," 1895, by John Palmer. Public Domain Tombstone Verse From a Complicated Man During his lifetime and afterward, Rudyard Kipling's novels, stories, and verse have attracted both garlands and brickbats from critics. Though both sides generally recognize his command of the English language, his attackers have labeled him an imperialist, a jingoist, and a racist. These tags can easily be tailored to fit the poet. ' Unfortunately for his detractors, Kipling and his works are a jumble of contradictions. The imperialist penned 'The Man Who Would Be King,' which contains criticisms of the British Empire; the jingoist wrote 'Recessional,' a rebuke to boasting and chauvinistic flag-waving; the racist composed 'Gunga Din,' the poem about the Indian bhisti (water-carrier) who died a hero while saving the life of a British soldier and so won these words as his garland of honor: 'You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din!' Related Stories 8/31/2022 9/8/2021 A similar contradiction occurs with 'Epitaphs of the War.' Kipling was an early and ardent supporter of the war against Germany. He helped popularize the use of 'Hun' to describe the Germans in his poem ' A 1915 photograph of John Kipling, from the Rudyard Kipling papers, University of Sussex Library, England. Public Domain The Boys of War Here, for instance, are two voices: one belonging to a parent, the other to a dead son. Whether Kipling intended these as personal reflections on John's death will always be subject to debate. Surely the father who dearly loved his son and spent so much time trying to learn more about his final hours and the location of his body was at least thinking of John when he composed these two epitaphs: My son was killed while laughing at some jest. I would I knew What it was, and it might serve me in a time when jests are few. I have slain none except my Mother. She (Blessing her slayer) died of grief for me. In several of these verses, Kipling reminds readers that many of the dead, like his own son, were just steps away from childhood. In ' On the first hour of my first day In the front trench I fell. (Children in boxes at a play Stand up to watch it well.) In ' Laughing through clouds, his milk-teeth still unshed, Cities and men he smote from overhead. His deaths delivered, he returned to play Childlike, with childish things now put away. A file photo of a WWI-era plane. Shutterstock Misfits In this cemetery of sorrows, Kipling also made room for those who didn't fit into this world of artillery, guns, and gas. These people were separated by culture or temperament from the ravenous machine of battle and death that was WWI. Here were two who lost their lives to bullets fired by their comrades: I could not look on death, which being known, Men led me to him, blindfold and alone. Faithless the watch that I kept; now I have none to keep. I was slain because I slept; now I am slain I sleep. Let no man reproach me again, whatever watch is unkept— I sleep because I am slain. They slew me because I slept. Outlanders Other troops from the Empire fought and died in this conflict. In ' Prometheus brought down fire to men. This brought up water. The Gods are jealous—now, as then, Giving no quarter. Nor did the man who had spent so many years of his early life in India forget their troops who died on the Western Front: The man in his own country prayed we know not to what Powers. We pray Them to reward him for his bravery in ours. A Vanishing of Differences Class prejudices in Great Britain were still sharply practiced before the war, but as Kipling noted in ' A. 'I was a Have.' B. 'I was a 'have-not.'' (Together.) 'What hast thou given which I gave not.' Some British officers brought a servant from home to the Western Front, termed a 'batman' from the game of cricket. Often the relationship between the two became stronger during this time of duress. In many cases, it blossomed into true appreciation and even allowed the officer to better lead the men in his command. We learn of this arrangement in ' We were together since the War began. He was my servant—and the better man. Relevance The epitaphs of these combatants remind us of the costs of war. Two other poems Kipling included point to one of the perennial reasons for these wars and the accompanying suffering. Here is Kipling giving voice to ' I could not dig; I dared not rob; Therefore I lied to please the mob. Now all my lies are proved untrue And I must face the men I slew. What tale shall serve me here among Mine angry and defrauded young? One of the better-known inscriptions in this graveyard is ' If any question why we died, Tell them, because our fathers lied. In the excellent notes and commentary on 'Epitaphs of the War' A cemetery employee walks between graves of American servicemen killed during WWI ahead of celebrations of the WWI centenary at the American Cemetery in Suresnes, on the outskirts of Paris, France, on Nov. 9, 2018. Vadim Ghirda/AP Kipling published 'Epitaphs of the War' in 1919. By then, the appalling casualty lists of the dead, wounded, and missing were known. Some called the Great War 'the war to end all wars.' They couldn't foresee what lay ahead: another world war, a multitude of lesser wars, and a century of communism, fascism, and the collapse of empires. Kipling laments the personal costs of war. His 'Epitaphs' should act as a warning to all those who call for bombs and bullets instead of searching out every available option for peace. What arts and culture topics would you like us to cover? Please email ideas or feedback to
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Hovis and Kingsmill in merger talks as demand for sliced bread falls
Take-home volumes of sliced and wrapped bread like Kingsmill have fallen by about 15pc over the past five years - Phil Noble/Reuters Hovis and Kingsmill are exploring a merger as Britain's appetite for sliced bread wanes. Associated British Foods (ABF), the owner of Kingsmill, confirmed on Tuesday that it was in talks with Endless, the private equity owner of Hovis, over a 'potential transaction' after reports said they were exploring a combination of the historic brands. ABF owns Kingsmill through its Allied Bakeries division, which was founded in 1935. Endless has owned Hovis, which was founded in 1890, since 2020, having acquired it from Premier Foods, the owner of Mr Kipling owner. The merger talks come as bakers like Kingsmill battle to stave off a big decline in demand for sliced bread amid changing dietary trends and a backlash against so-called ultra-processed foods (UPFs). Take-home volumes of sliced and wrapped bread have fallen by about 15pc in the past five years, according to Kantar data, while ABF warned it faced 'a very challenging market' as it confirmed talks. Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at Kantar, said: 'People are not buying as often, and they're not buying as much.' He said people were seeking out alternatives to toast at breakfast because of concerns over carbohydrates. 'People are thinking a lot more about protein these days, which lends itself to Greek yoghurt, eggs, all those kinds of things.' At the same time, almost half (49pc) of UK consumers said they considered most bread available in supermarkets to be ultra-processed, according to a recent survey by the data firm Mintel. The term UPF has no official definition but is broadly used to refer to foods with artificial ingredients such as emulsifiers and preservatives, which have been linked by some studies to health issues like obesity and heart disease. 'About a third of food and drink items are chosen for reasons of health, and there's been a lot of noise about UPFs, so people are considering it,' Mr McKevitt said. Bakers have also had to grapple with soaring costs in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which sent the price of wheat soaring and heaped pressure on their operations. Competition issues The family-owned bakery Warburtons is currently the biggest player in British bread with just over a third of the market. However, while sliced bread sales have slumped, the Bolton-based company has spent recent years boosting its production of other types of baked products such as wraps, pittas, bagels and crumpets so it is less reliant on sales of loaves. Warburtons' profits soared from £5.1m to £34.3m in 2023, its last available accounts show.
Scroll.in
30-04-2025
- Scroll.in
In a new book, a young naturalist writes about helping clear an invasive weed from Bandipur forest
Bandipur Tiger Reserve is smack dab in the middle of Karnataka's southern stretch of forests, part of the world's largest bastion of tigers and elephants. It is an important part of India's wild spaces. Deciduous trees cover its hills, with water holes and patches of scrub jungle scattered about. All the characters from Kipling's Jungle Book dwell here. If you want to see big animals, this is where you go. Bandipur was where I had my early 'awakening', my wild initiation of sorts. It was deep in this forest as a child that I stared into the eyes of a tiger and realised my interest in the natural world. A memory blazingly vivid in my head, it's the butterfly wingbeat that set off my passion for the wild. In every sense, Bandipur is a spiritual home for me. In May 2022, after my first year at university, I flew back to Bangalore, where I quickly packed my bags and set off for the tiger reserve. I caught the first bus leaving for Mysore, trusting that I'd figure out the rest of the journey. It was a trip I'd done countless times with my family. I hopped from bus to bus as the scenery changed from coconut trees and sunflower fields to thick, impenetrable bushes. Several hours later, I found myself at the gates of the reserve. I was greeted by Mahesha, a tall, stringy man in his thirties. He was Junglescapes' coordinator on the ground and my primary contact. We exchanged pleasantries and then headed off into the reserve in his jeep. I observed the jungle as we wove along the highway, a road whose every curve I knew. The NGO Junglescapes aimed to curb the invasive plant growth in the reserve. An invasive species isn't native to the region but has been introduced from outside. Having evolved in distinct environments. With a set of natural predators, they pose harm to the region they are introduced to, growing unchecked with nothing to stop them. Take lantana, for example, a plant native to Central and South America. When the British colonised India in the 18th century, they brought lantana with them as an ornamental plant. Apparently, the plants on the mainland weren't enough to decorate their gardens. This plant has no natural predators in India. And so, freed from the environmental constraints that kept it in check in its original habitat, the invader outcompeted Indian flora for essential resources such as sunlight, water, and nutrients. Over a few centuries, this fast-growing shrub enveloped the landscape. Such invasions have cascading effects on the health of the forest ecosystem. Native plants, which evolved to coexist with specific. In turn, this impacts native animals that depend on various plants for sustenance. Bandipur is one place where this growth of disastrous proportions has occurred. Junglescapes was intent on tackling this menace. They partnered with the local Jenu Kuruba tribals to clear out this weed. The tribals had resided in these jungles for generations, sharing their homes with elephants and tigers. Originally honey collectors ('Jenu' means honey in Kannada), they were relocated outside these forests by the authorities when reserves came under government protection. The Jenu Kurubas know the ways of the forest. The NGO hired them for their innate skills and provided them a means of employment, since they belong to a low economic stratum. We drove around a bit as Mahesha explained the gist of what they were doing and what my role would be. I was supposed to photograph the tribals and write about their work for a report. It was late when I arrived at the reserve, so we decided to begin work the next day. He dropped me at a local guest house and said he'd pick me up the following morning for the trip into the jungle. We cruised through the forest the next morning. The sky held every kind of cloud as the calls of peacocks rang in the air. Herds of spotted deer (also called chital) grazed by the roadside while a crested serpent eagle soared overhead. We drove along for a bit, parked on the side, and walked into the forest in full view of all the park visitors. Considering the rigid bureaucracy controlling access to India's tiger reserves, this was a rare and singular honour. I saw the people in passing vehicles press their curious faces to the glass as they watched. As a young boy, I'd read any literature I could find about Bandipur. Having a good grasp of its geography, I knew we were walking into the GS Betta range, marked by large hills on the right side of the main road. I recalled the books by the esteemed naturalist AJT Johnsingh, who studied dholes (Indian wild dogs) in Bandipur. Now, I was walking along the same landscape he described. It was an unrivalled joy to see the tales of my childhood come alive. After walking for a kilometre, we reached where the tribals were clearing the lantana for the day. There were around twenty of them, armed with sharp sickles and sturdy wooden poles. Since lantana forms a dense thicket, it must be hacked off at the base. Then, using the poles, the bush is heaved off the ground and turned upside down. It is too heavy and thorny to move with just your hands. I asked if I could help them. Some smirked as they gave me a sickle and a wooden stick. Soon, I could see why. Great skill and strength are needed to wield these tools. I had none. From how I cut the lantana, it looked like I would take out someone's eye. Embarrassed, I stopped and did what I was assigned: converse with the tribals and take photographs. The air grew heavy with a noxious odour from the felled lantana. A stench no words can capture. My respect for the Jenu Kurubas rose. Soon, a routine formed. In the mornings, Mahesha would pick me up for transfer to the forest, where I spent the day with the tribals, learning from them and documenting their work, and returning to the guest house by sundown. I repeated it the next day at a different spot in the reserve. These trips taught me more about the Jenu Kurubas and their interactions with the wild. The intimacy with which they understood the jungle is admirable. They read the forest like a pianist reads sheet music, where each leaf, pugmark, and snapped twig was interpreted with incredible insight. For them, walking was a way of knowing and understanding. During their work, they picked out subtle signs in nature and deduced a whole story from them. They could identify the tracks of gaur and elephant faintly impressed in the soil. They demonstrated how grass bent over when an animal passed through and how it will stay like that for a few hours before springing erect. They taught me to analyse a chital's alarm call and tell whether it was for a leopard or a tiger. For them, the tiniest bit of disturbed foliage revealed a saga: a sambar deer grazed here, a mongoose used this path, and a pack of wild dogs made their kill here a few days ago. These nuggets of wild knowledge, honed over generations, hold a value that can't be captured in words. Their mentorship meant more to me than I could ever tell them. When I wasn't walking in the jungle, I spent time in the nearby villages, documenting other activities the NGO was involved in. In the village of Mangala, I met Jenu Kuruba women extracting seeds of native trees from their pods for reforestation projects around the reserve. A merry crowd, they were very shy as I took their photographs. Next to the guest house I was staying at was a small food joint run by a Malayali, where I had my meals. Vinayan, the owner, was surprised to find that I had a connection with his state and that I spoke his language. He and I soon became friends, bonding over our common heritage. When we weren't observing the lantana removal, we surveyed sections of the reserve already cleared of the weeds. We'd go into a patch of forest and assess each area with a GPS, checking where the invasive species was trying to make a comeback. This helped the NGO plan their lantana elimination efforts for the coming months. I knew that my task was to document the NGO's work, but there was no way I could gain such deep access into this jungle and not look out for animals. So, during the surveys, while we focused on analysing the lantana growth, I eagerly scanned the bush for the presence of wildlife. I was in one of the prime habitats in the world; I wasn't going to squander this opportunity. But since we trekked through the jungle in the noon hours, most of the larger wildlife would retreat to cooler havens. Spotting a tiger or leopard on foot soon became a vain dream. The odd eagle, monitor lizard, or star tortoise would glance at us, but for the most part, the wildlife slipped by undetected. On a survey, we were lucky to see a herd of chital at close range. They stopped to look at us, their heads upright and ears cocked. They sensed us from a mile away. Our best bet was to stay far enough for them not to get spooked and skip away. The chital is probably the most common deer in the Indian wilds. It is brown all over with white spots and is about as dangerous as a feather. I spotted a couple of stags in the midst of the herd before me. Their antlers were still in velvet, indicating the mating season hadn't begun.
Yahoo
13-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Why VF Corporation (VFC) Went Down On Friday?
We recently published a list of . In this article, we are going to take a look at where VF Corporation (NYSE:VFC) stands against other firms that suffer amid optimistic market environment. Wall Street's main indices recovered losses on Friday, as investors repositioned portfolios while digesting the ongoing trade tensions between the world's two largest economies. After a battering this week, the Nasdaq finished the day up 2.06 percent; the S&P 500 rose 1.81 percent; and the Dow Jones grew 1.56 percent. Ten companies, on the other hand, defied a wider market optimism, recording modest losses during the day. In this article, we have listed Friday's worst performers and detailed the reasons behind their declines. To come up with the list, we considered only the stocks with a $2 billion market capitalization and $5 million trading volume. A model walking down the runway wearing a fashionable and performance-based apparel designed by the company. VF Corporation declined for a second day on Friday, losing 2.88 percent to end at $11.11 apiece as investors continued to sell off positions in the company to minimize risks from the heightening US-China trade war. VFC designs, manufactures, and markets branded apparel such as The North Face, Timberland, Vans, Dickies, Jansport, and Kipling and has one of the largest international exposures with various facilities across the world, including China. With the ongoing trade war, VFC faces the risks of higher prices and, potentially, lower demand for its products after the US and China slapped more-than-double tax rates on each other's goods. In recent news, VFC said that it would continue to install new concept stores for its Kipling brand this year, which has been adapted for travel-retail gondolas. 'With Kipling, we are continuously expanding our international presence, with a steadily growing business in the Americas,' said VFC Director Thomas Falcy. 'Our presence in South American airports has been expanding significantly, and we will continue to fuel and strengthen this growth. We are also looking to enhance our presence in North American airports, as we see a major development opportunity there, driven by Kipling's domestic success and international appeal,' he added. Overall, VFC ranks 8th on our list of firms that suffer amid optimistic market environment. While we acknowledge the potential of VFC as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. There is an AI stock that went up since the beginning of 2025, while popular AI stocks lost around 25%. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than VFC but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock. READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Why VF Corporation (VFC) Went Up On Wednesday?
We recently published a list of . In this article, we are going to take a look at where VF Corporation (NYSE:VFC) stands against other stocks that bolstered by broader market cheer. The stock market bounced back from hefty losses on Wednesday, with all Wall Street indices finishing in the green territory after President Donald Trump announced that the US would pause the imposition of higher tariffs on 75 countries for 90 days. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said that more than 75 countries have called to negotiate and have not retaliated in any way. 'I have authorized a 90-day PAUSE, and a substantially lowered Reciprocal Tariff during this period, of 10%, also effective immediately,' he noted. Following the announcement, the Dow Jones jumped by 7.87 percent, the S&P 500 surged by 9.52 percent, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq soared by 12.16 percent. Indices aside, 10 companies led the charge, predominantly those with a high international trade exposure. In this article, we listed Wednesday's 10 best-performing stocks and detailed the reasons behind their gains. To come up with the list, we considered only the stocks with $2 billion market capitalization and $5 million in trading volume. A model walking down the runway wearing a fashionable and performance-based apparel designed by the company. VF Corporation jumped by 27.52 percent on Wednesday to end at $12.42 apiece as buying appetite was buoyed by overall market optimism. VFC designs, manufactures, and markets branded apparel such as The North Face, Timberland, Vans, Dickies, Jansport, and Kipling. It currently owns various facilities globally, including China, Mexico, and Canada, all of which have been slapped with higher taxes by President Donald Trump. On Wednesday, Trump decided to pause for 90 days the imposition of higher tariffs on 75 countries that reached out to renegotiate, fueling hopes for companies with international presence, including VFC. In recent news, VFC said that it would continue to install new concept stores for its Kipling brand this year, which has been adapted for travel-retail gondolas. 'With Kipling, we are continuously expanding our international presence, with a steadily growing business in the Americas,' said VFC Director Thomas Falcy. 'Our presence in South American airports has been expanding significantly, and we will continue to fuel and strengthen this growth. We are also looking to enhance our presence in North American airports, as we see a major development opportunity there, driven by Kipling's domestic success and international appeal,' he added. Overall, VFC ranks 2nd on our list of stocks that bolstered by broader market cheer. While we acknowledge the potential of VFC as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. There is an AI stock that went up since the beginning of 2025, while popular AI stocks lost around 25%. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than VFC but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock. READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
