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In honor of the late Leonard Nimoy, here's my vector rendition of Mr. Spock.
The Spock we all know and love could have been a very, very different character. When producer Gene Roddenberry first made his pitch for Star Trek in 1964, he described Spock as "probably half Martian," with "a slightly reddish complexion and semi-pointed ears." He also thought it would be a good idea if rather than eating, Spock would ingest energy through a plate in his stomach (!).
Fortunately, writer Samuel A. Peeples convinced Roddenberry that these traits would make Spock a little too alien, and suggested he be half-human in order to make him more relatable to audiences. Roddenberry agreed, and toned down Spock's alien-ness a bit. He also changed his home planet to the fictional Vulcan, because he worried that if Star Trek was a success, man might actually make it to Mars during the show's run (!!!).
Roddenberry was looking for an otherworldly name for the character, and eventually came up with the suitably alien-sounding "Spock." He claimed that at the time he hadn't heard of celebrity child expert Dr. Benjamin Spock. If he had, he no doubt would have chosen a different name, and we'd now be talking about Mr. Spork.
When it came to casting, Roddenberry inexplicably wanted DeForest Kelly for the role. Thankfully Kelly turned it down, and went on to play Dr. McCoy. Phew! Roddenberry's second choice was Adam West, but he was busy working on the film Robinson Crusoe On Mars. Phew again! The idea of Batman as Mr. Spock boggles the mind! Martin Landau was also considered for the role.
Around that time Nimoy made a guest appearance on the Roddenberry-produced series The Lieutenant. The minute Roddenberry saw Nimoy's thin, gaunt features, he knew he'd found his Spock. He approached him for the role, Nimoy agreed, and the rest is TV history.
When NBC saw the first pilot, they were less than pleased with Spock. They worried that his "satanic" appearance would offend viewers in the South. They even went so far as to airbrush out his slanted eyebrows and pointed ears in publicity shots. Once the pilot was picked up, NBC demanded Spock be dropped from the series, which just goes to prove that network executives have never known what the hell they're doing. Luckily for us, Roddenberry persevered and the network eventually allowed Spock to stay.
Spock went on to become the most popular character on the show, receiving up to ten thousand fan letters a week.
Many of Spock's characteristics were invented by Nimoy himself. The split-fingered Vulcan salute for example, was actually a Jewish ceremonial gesture Nimoy witnessed as a child during church, and utilized it for the show. Nimoy came up with the Vulcan neck pinch as well, saying that Spock wouldn't stoop to simply punching a bad guy in the nose, and would find a more efficient and logical way to incapacitate an enemy.
Nimoy was surprised when Spock became a sex symbol, reporting, "I've never had more female attention on a set before. And get this— they all want to touch the ears!" He believed Spock appealed to women because he was "tall, dark, thoughtful, alien and exotic."
Spock has been an inspiration to many scientists and engineers, especially at NASA. Nimoy said that when many scientists met him, they would breathlessly tell him about the projects they were working on as if he were their intellectual peer (and could understand the concepts they were going on about). He said that in these situations he had a standard response: "It certainly looks like you're headed in the right direction."
After Star Trek was canceled, Nimoy tried to distance himself from the character for many years, but eventually made his peace with Spock and embraced him. In a recent interview, Nimoy said, "Given the choice, if I had to be someone else, I would be Spock."
As for the drawing, Spock's "Live long and prosper" salute gave me a lot of trouble. I just couldn't get it to look right, and finally had to (gasp) trace over a photo of him making the gesture.
Most of the characters I draw have only three fingers, which is a tradition in the world of cartoon illustration. You may note that Spock here has four. He had to— the gesture wouldn't have worked with any less.
Please forgive the ugly watermark on the illustration. I swore I would never add one to my art, because I know that 99.99% of my readers would never even think of stealing it. However, it was recently brought to my attention that a particular person out there was not only stealing my art, but selling it as her own (!). Hence the watermark, in an attempt to foil this art thief. This is why we can't have nice things.
I'm toying with the idea of selling this image as a print, if there's any interest.
Mr. Spock is a vector drawing, done all in InDesign.
Want to see more? Check out my blog! All the cool kids are doing it!
Snow White and her Prince have now been fully deboxed. They are posed standing, supported by the built-in doll stands in the base of the display case.
This regular version of the Snow White and the Prince Disney Fairytale Designer Collection Doll Set has the same two base dolls as the D23 special edition dolls that I reviewed earlier. That is the dolls themselves are identical in every way (except for the serial numbers on the back of the Prince dolls). They also have outfits of almost identical designs, but made of different materials and with differing colors. So the dolls have different looks, especially the Snow Whites.
Snow White has the body of a 2012 Disney Store Classic Princess doll. That is, she has hard plastic legs, with hinged knee joints and ball jointed ankles. She is missing the usual manufacturer's marks printed on Disney limited edition dolls, including the part number and her edition size and serial number. She is also missing the twist waist joint of the previous Designer Princess and Designer Villain dolls. She has a pale complexion, the same as the 2012 Snow White, with whom she shares the same body. However, her neck joint has more freedom of movement, especially downward, and her painted on panties are deep golden yellow, much darker than the 2012 Snow White.
Her face mold appears to be the same as the 2012 and 2013 Classic Snow White, but with a considerably different face paint than either of them. She has large dark brown eyes that are glancing to her left, with four short thick lashes over each eye and four very short and thin lashes under each eye. Over her eyes is gold eyeshadow, and thin black eyebrows gently following the curve of her eyes. She also had short rooted eyelashes that are just barely curving upwards, and are even in length. She has a small button nose, a small mouth with blood red lips forming a charming open mouth smile. She has light pink rouge over most of her cheeks, and a round face with small chin. She is a very beautiful and faithful representation of the sweet and charming movie character.
Her hair is a considerable departure from the traditional short flip hairdo. Her jet black hair is parted to the left of her head, and pulled tightly over her head into a medium length braided ponytail that tapers down to a point and is secured by black rubberband, and is sewn to her collar on her right side. There is a small amount of hair product applied just above her forehead, to a thin strip of her hair. In my doll, that strip keeps on separating from the rest of her hair. I haven't been able to integrate it with the rest of her hair; perhaps I will have to apply more hair product to keep it place. There is a thin bright red satin ribbon around the top of her head that ends in a small bow at left side of her head.
Her outfit is a take on her traditional Princess gown. Her bodice and skirt are separate pieces. The bodice is dark blue velvet with gold piping and elaborate gold embroidery, and decorated with a bow made of metallic gold thread. The floral design is similar to the D23 doll, but differs in its details. She has puffy sleeves of the same dark blue velvet, with separate ribbons of bright red satin that float over the velvet. The sleeves have black lace cuffs decorated with gold hearts, and the oversized collar is pure white lace folded in a fan-like manner behind her neck and head. Her skirt is dark golden taffeta with gold embroidering incorporating fleur-de-lis, flowers and hearts. The embroidery in the skirt is identical to that of the D23 doll. The taffeta gives the skirt has a wrinkled, antique appearance. It has a thin pale tan satin lining. There are golden rhinestones scattered throughout the bodice and skirt of her dress. Under her dress is a floor length white satin slip with the lacey pattern at the hem showing below her skirt. It is sewn to her skirt at two spots at the hem, which I chose to leave alone for now. It is also sewn to the waist band of the skirt, so it is a permanent part of the skirt. She is wearing golden tan flat shoes (or slippers), the same as the D23 doll. It is a beautifully designed and beautifully made outfit that is a darker and more ornated version of the Princess outfit of the movie character.
The Prince appears to have the standard Disney Store Prince body, with articulation at the neck, shoulders, hinge jointed elbows, ball jointed hips, and internal knee joints with limited movement. His hands and feet are large, but his head is disproportionately small compared to Snow White. His face has a neutral expression, with small, narrow deep blue eyes, wide mouth and a straight nose. His molded dark brown hair looks okay. His face doesn't look that movie accurate to me; I actually prefer the playline Classic Prince. As with all Disney Prince dolls, he is sturdily built, and can free stand fairly stably. But for safe keeping, it is best to put him up in the included doll stand, which has a wide C-clamp that goes around his waist very snuggly.
The Prince's outfit is very well made and fitted to his body. It consists of a dark blue faux leather vest, a bright red velvet and satin cape with gold piping permanently attached at the shoulders of the vest, a dark blue faux leather belt with a gold metal buckle and a short black faux leather scabbard attached, white satin shirt, black pants and black boots with a worn look and creases. In the scabbard is a steel gray sword with a brown handle. The sword is thin and very flexible. It was slightly bent out of the box, but was easily bent back into shape. The D23 Prince's vest is much thicker, and feels much more like real leather than this Prince doll. But this Prince has an outfit that is much closer in color to the movie character. He looks great in his outfit, and very dashing, but I wish his expression had more emotion, and was more cheerful.
Snow White and the Prince - Limited Edition Doll Set
Disney Fairytale Designer Collection
US Disney Store
Released and purchased in store on August 20, 2013.
Released online August 21, 2013.
$129.95 US
#558 of 6000
First Look
I will photograph the set boxed, during the deboxing, and fully deboxed. I will also pose the dolls next to comparable dolls, for instance the Gold D23 Snow White doll set.
Product information from the US Disney Store website:
Snow White and the Prince Doll Set - Disney Fairytale Designer Collection
$129.95
Item No. 6070040900883P
Fairest two of all
With lips red as the rose and skin as white as snow, the Princess has never looked fairer. Paired with her handsome Prince, this stunning set of Disney Fairytale Designer Collection dolls will be cherished happily ever after.
Magic in the details...
Please Note: Each Guest will be limited to ordering a maximum of one of this item per order.
As part of the Disney Fairytale Designer Collection this pair of Snow White and Prince dolls were carefully crafted by artists inspired by Walt Disney's 1937 classic, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The original Disney Princess and her Prince have been reimagined in exquisite detail with these limited edition dolls. Brought to life with thoughtful attention, they uniquely capture the essence of the fairytale couple, creating a one of a kind set that will be a treasured keepsake of collectors, Disney fans and every princess at heart.
•Global Limited Editon of 6000
•Includes Certificate of Authenticity
•Romantic side-swept hair
•Dramatic lace collar
•Elaborately embroidered velvet bodice with puff sleeves with red satin detailing
•Layered gown ornately decorated with golden gemstones, taffeta, lace, and embroidered foliage
•Dramatic make-up and rooted eyelashes
•Red bow headband
•Prince features velvet cape
•Satin shirt with faux leather waistcoat and belt
•Boots and sword
•Dolls sold in a special keepsake display case with intricate details on the base, including a golden plate with the name of Snow White and the Prince
•Includes special Disney Fairytale Designer Collection Gift Bag
•Part of the Disney Fairytale Designer Collection
* Intended for adult collectors -- Not a child's toy.
The bare necessities
•Plastic / polyester
•Snow White: 11 1/2''
•Prince: 12'' H
•Imported
Snow White and her Prince have now been fully deboxed. They are posed standing, supported by the built-in doll stands in the base of the display case.
This regular version of the Snow White and the Prince Disney Fairytale Designer Collection Doll Set has the same two base dolls as the D23 special edition dolls that I reviewed earlier. That is the dolls themselves are identical in every way (except for the serial numbers on the back of the Prince dolls). They also have outfits of almost identical designs, but made of different materials and with differing colors. So the dolls have different looks, especially the Snow Whites.
Snow White has the body of a 2012 Disney Store Classic Princess doll. That is, she has hard plastic legs, with hinged knee joints and ball jointed ankles. She is missing the usual manufacturer's marks printed on Disney limited edition dolls, including the part number and her edition size and serial number. She is also missing the twist waist joint of the previous Designer Princess and Designer Villain dolls. She has a pale complexion, the same as the 2012 Snow White, with whom she shares the same body. However, her neck joint has more freedom of movement, especially downward, and her painted on panties are deep golden yellow, much darker than the 2012 Snow White.
Her face mold appears to be the same as the 2012 and 2013 Classic Snow White, but with a considerably different face paint than either of them. She has large dark brown eyes that are glancing to her left, with four short thick lashes over each eye and four very short and thin lashes under each eye. Over her eyes is gold eyeshadow, and thin black eyebrows gently following the curve of her eyes. She also had short rooted eyelashes that are just barely curving upwards, and are even in length. She has a small button nose, a small mouth with blood red lips forming a charming open mouth smile. She has light pink rouge over most of her cheeks, and a round face with small chin. She is a very beautiful and faithful representation of the sweet and charming movie character.
Her hair is a considerable departure from the traditional short flip hairdo. Her jet black hair is parted to the left of her head, and pulled tightly over her head into a medium length braided ponytail that tapers down to a point and is secured by black rubberband, and is sewn to her collar on her right side. There is a small amount of hair product applied just above her forehead, to a thin strip of her hair. In my doll, that strip keeps on separating from the rest of her hair. I haven't been able to integrate it with the rest of her hair; perhaps I will have to apply more hair product to keep it place. There is a thin bright red satin ribbon around the top of her head that ends in a small bow at left side of her head.
Her outfit is a take on her traditional Princess gown. Her bodice and skirt are separate pieces. The bodice is dark blue velvet with gold piping and elaborate gold embroidery, and decorated with a bow made of metallic gold thread. The floral design is similar to the D23 doll, but differs in its details. She has puffy sleeves of the same dark blue velvet, with separate ribbons of bright red satin that float over the velvet. The sleeves have black lace cuffs decorated with gold hearts, and the oversized collar is pure white lace folded in a fan-like manner behind her neck and head. Her skirt is dark golden taffeta with gold embroidering incorporating fleur-de-lis, flowers and hearts. The embroidery in the skirt is identical to that of the D23 doll. The taffeta gives the skirt has a wrinkled, antique appearance. It has a thin pale tan satin lining. There are golden rhinestones scattered throughout the bodice and skirt of her dress. Under her dress is a floor length white satin slip with the lacey pattern at the hem showing below her skirt. It is sewn to her skirt at two spots at the hem, which I chose to leave alone for now. It is also sewn to the waist band of the skirt, so it is a permanent part of the skirt. She is wearing golden tan flat shoes (or slippers), the same as the D23 doll. It is a beautifully designed and beautifully made outfit that is a darker and more ornated version of the Princess outfit of the movie character.
The Prince appears to have the standard Disney Store Prince body, with articulation at the neck, shoulders, hinge jointed elbows, ball jointed hips, and internal knee joints with limited movement. His hands and feet are large, but his head is disproportionately small compared to Snow White. His face has a neutral expression, with small, narrow deep blue eyes, wide mouth and a straight nose. His molded dark brown hair looks okay. His face doesn't look that movie accurate to me; I actually prefer the playline Classic Prince. As with all Disney Prince dolls, he is sturdily built, and can free stand fairly stably. But for safe keeping, it is best to put him up in the included doll stand, which has a wide C-clamp that goes around his waist very snuggly.
The Prince's outfit is very well made and fitted to his body. It consists of a dark blue faux leather vest, a bright red velvet and satin cape with gold piping permanently attached at the shoulders of the vest, a dark blue faux leather belt with a gold metal buckle and a short black faux leather scabbard attached, white satin shirt, black pants and black boots with a worn look and creases. In the scabbard is a steel gray sword with a brown handle. The sword is thin and very flexible. It was slightly bent out of the box, but was easily bent back into shape. The D23 Prince's vest is much thicker, and feels much more like real leather than this Prince doll. But this Prince has an outfit that is much closer in color to the movie character. He looks great in his outfit, and very dashing, but I wish his expression had more emotion, and was more cheerful.
Snow White and the Prince - Limited Edition Doll Set
Disney Fairytale Designer Collection
US Disney Store
Released and purchased in store on August 20, 2013.
Released online August 21, 2013.
$129.95 US
#558 of 6000
First Look
I will photograph the set boxed, during the deboxing, and fully deboxed. I will also pose the dolls next to comparable dolls, for instance the Gold D23 Snow White doll set.
Product information from the US Disney Store website:
Snow White and the Prince Doll Set - Disney Fairytale Designer Collection
$129.95
Item No. 6070040900883P
Fairest two of all
With lips red as the rose and skin as white as snow, the Princess has never looked fairer. Paired with her handsome Prince, this stunning set of Disney Fairytale Designer Collection dolls will be cherished happily ever after.
Magic in the details...
Please Note: Each Guest will be limited to ordering a maximum of one of this item per order.
As part of the Disney Fairytale Designer Collection this pair of Snow White and Prince dolls were carefully crafted by artists inspired by Walt Disney's 1937 classic, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The original Disney Princess and her Prince have been reimagined in exquisite detail with these limited edition dolls. Brought to life with thoughtful attention, they uniquely capture the essence of the fairytale couple, creating a one of a kind set that will be a treasured keepsake of collectors, Disney fans and every princess at heart.
•Global Limited Editon of 6000
•Includes Certificate of Authenticity
•Romantic side-swept hair
•Dramatic lace collar
•Elaborately embroidered velvet bodice with puff sleeves with red satin detailing
•Layered gown ornately decorated with golden gemstones, taffeta, lace, and embroidered foliage
•Dramatic make-up and rooted eyelashes
•Red bow headband
•Prince features velvet cape
•Satin shirt with faux leather waistcoat and belt
•Boots and sword
•Dolls sold in a special keepsake display case with intricate details on the base, including a golden plate with the name of Snow White and the Prince
•Includes special Disney Fairytale Designer Collection Gift Bag
•Part of the Disney Fairytale Designer Collection
* Intended for adult collectors -- Not a child's toy.
The bare necessities
•Plastic / polyester
•Snow White: 11 1/2''
•Prince: 12'' H
•Imported
Snow White and her Prince have now been fully deboxed. They are posed standing, supported by the built-in doll stands in the base of the display case.
This regular version of the Snow White and the Prince Disney Fairytale Designer Collection Doll Set has the same two base dolls as the D23 special edition dolls that I reviewed earlier. That is the dolls themselves are identical in every way (except for the serial numbers on the back of the Prince dolls). They also have outfits of almost identical designs, but made of different materials and with differing colors. So the dolls have different looks, especially the Snow Whites.
Snow White has the body of a 2012 Disney Store Classic Princess doll. That is, she has hard plastic legs, with hinged knee joints and ball jointed ankles. She is missing the usual manufacturer's marks printed on Disney limited edition dolls, including the part number and her edition size and serial number. She is also missing the twist waist joint of the previous Designer Princess and Designer Villain dolls. She has a pale complexion, the same as the 2012 Snow White, with whom she shares the same body. However, her neck joint has more freedom of movement, especially downward, and her painted on panties are deep golden yellow, much darker than the 2012 Snow White.
Her face mold appears to be the same as the 2012 and 2013 Classic Snow White, but with a considerably different face paint than either of them. She has large dark brown eyes that are glancing to her left, with four short thick lashes over each eye and four very short and thin lashes under each eye. Over her eyes is gold eyeshadow, and thin black eyebrows gently following the curve of her eyes. She also had short rooted eyelashes that are just barely curving upwards, and are even in length. She has a small button nose, a small mouth with blood red lips forming a charming open mouth smile. She has light pink rouge over most of her cheeks, and a round face with small chin. She is a very beautiful and faithful representation of the sweet and charming movie character.
Her hair is a considerable departure from the traditional short flip hairdo. Her jet black hair is parted to the left of her head, and pulled tightly over her head into a medium length braided ponytail that tapers down to a point and is secured by black rubberband, and is sewn to her collar on her right side. There is a small amount of hair product applied just above her forehead, to a thin strip of her hair. In my doll, that strip keeps on separating from the rest of her hair. I haven't been able to integrate it with the rest of her hair; perhaps I will have to apply more hair product to keep it place. There is a thin bright red satin ribbon around the top of her head that ends in a small bow at left side of her head.
Her outfit is a take on her traditional Princess gown. Her bodice and skirt are separate pieces. The bodice is dark blue velvet with gold piping and elaborate gold embroidery, and decorated with a bow made of metallic gold thread. The floral design is similar to the D23 doll, but differs in its details. She has puffy sleeves of the same dark blue velvet, with separate ribbons of bright red satin that float over the velvet. The sleeves have black lace cuffs decorated with gold hearts, and the oversized collar is pure white lace folded in a fan-like manner behind her neck and head. Her skirt is dark golden taffeta with gold embroidering incorporating fleur-de-lis, flowers and hearts. The embroidery in the skirt is identical to that of the D23 doll. The taffeta gives the skirt has a wrinkled, antique appearance. It has a thin pale tan satin lining. There are golden rhinestones scattered throughout the bodice and skirt of her dress. Under her dress is a floor length white satin slip with the lacey pattern at the hem showing below her skirt. It is sewn to her skirt at two spots at the hem, which I chose to leave alone for now. It is also sewn to the waist band of the skirt, so it is a permanent part of the skirt. She is wearing golden tan flat shoes (or slippers), the same as the D23 doll. It is a beautifully designed and beautifully made outfit that is a darker and more ornated version of the Princess outfit of the movie character.
The Prince appears to have the standard Disney Store Prince body, with articulation at the neck, shoulders, hinge jointed elbows, ball jointed hips, and internal knee joints with limited movement. His hands and feet are large, but his head is disproportionately small compared to Snow White. His face has a neutral expression, with small, narrow deep blue eyes, wide mouth and a straight nose. His molded dark brown hair looks okay. His face doesn't look that movie accurate to me; I actually prefer the playline Classic Prince. As with all Disney Prince dolls, he is sturdily built, and can free stand fairly stably. But for safe keeping, it is best to put him up in the included doll stand, which has a wide C-clamp that goes around his waist very snuggly.
The Prince's outfit is very well made and fitted to his body. It consists of a dark blue faux leather vest, a bright red velvet and satin cape with gold piping permanently attached at the shoulders of the vest, a dark blue faux leather belt with a gold metal buckle and a short black faux leather scabbard attached, white satin shirt, black pants and black boots with a worn look and creases. In the scabbard is a steel gray sword with a brown handle. The sword is thin and very flexible. It was slightly bent out of the box, but was easily bent back into shape. The D23 Prince's vest is much thicker, and feels much more like real leather than this Prince doll. But this Prince has an outfit that is much closer in color to the movie character. He looks great in his outfit, and very dashing, but I wish his expression had more emotion, and was more cheerful.
Snow White and the Prince - Limited Edition Doll Set
Disney Fairytale Designer Collection
US Disney Store
Released and purchased in store on August 20, 2013.
Released online August 21, 2013.
$129.95 US
#558 of 6000
First Look
I will photograph the set boxed, during the deboxing, and fully deboxed. I will also pose the dolls next to comparable dolls, for instance the Gold D23 Snow White doll set.
Product information from the US Disney Store website:
Snow White and the Prince Doll Set - Disney Fairytale Designer Collection
$129.95
Item No. 6070040900883P
Fairest two of all
With lips red as the rose and skin as white as snow, the Princess has never looked fairer. Paired with her handsome Prince, this stunning set of Disney Fairytale Designer Collection dolls will be cherished happily ever after.
Magic in the details...
Please Note: Each Guest will be limited to ordering a maximum of one of this item per order.
As part of the Disney Fairytale Designer Collection this pair of Snow White and Prince dolls were carefully crafted by artists inspired by Walt Disney's 1937 classic, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The original Disney Princess and her Prince have been reimagined in exquisite detail with these limited edition dolls. Brought to life with thoughtful attention, they uniquely capture the essence of the fairytale couple, creating a one of a kind set that will be a treasured keepsake of collectors, Disney fans and every princess at heart.
•Global Limited Editon of 6000
•Includes Certificate of Authenticity
•Romantic side-swept hair
•Dramatic lace collar
•Elaborately embroidered velvet bodice with puff sleeves with red satin detailing
•Layered gown ornately decorated with golden gemstones, taffeta, lace, and embroidered foliage
•Dramatic make-up and rooted eyelashes
•Red bow headband
•Prince features velvet cape
•Satin shirt with faux leather waistcoat and belt
•Boots and sword
•Dolls sold in a special keepsake display case with intricate details on the base, including a golden plate with the name of Snow White and the Prince
•Includes special Disney Fairytale Designer Collection Gift Bag
•Part of the Disney Fairytale Designer Collection
* Intended for adult collectors -- Not a child's toy.
The bare necessities
•Plastic / polyester
•Snow White: 11 1/2''
•Prince: 12'' H
•Imported
Me with my new Kenner! My husband is the best! He surprised me with a blonde Kenner with a peachy toned complexion!
- Proverb.
The red, the pale
Her frame, not frail.
Glossy, white
Sharp with bite.
Soft, and smooth
Something to prove.
Black, and bold
Her future, untold.
And her head?
Tightly padocked, chained and nailed together.
The darkness felt, trapped there forever.
Blackest of black,
Deepest of cuts,
Dirtiest road track,
Eventually she shuts...
Off.
Jerrycharlotte
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1. Join Us Mystic Sister / No More Sages, 2. winter complexion, 3. 80's, 4. Untitled, 5. my cigarette and I......., 6. Last witness, 7. "When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be..." Lao Tzu, 8. Nens pescant crancs, 9. 7 Years, 10. flickr.com/photos/29968028@N05/4444686392/, 11. W.T. Benda: Blonde girl with earrings, ca. 1924, 12. Stinginess shrinks the soul, 13. Paréntesis,, 14. mirar al cielo, 15. a trip to Lake Mary, 16. the traveler, 17. de esperanzas, ilusiones, tenacidad y emociones..., 18. La niña de sus secretos., 19. aviary mist, 20. The things I think when I think about nothing, 21. no more blind trust, 22. gulls|haiku [seva stylee], 23. The waiting, 24. Untitled, 25. avec papa 26. Morning Beach Posts, 27. Do the clouds, 28. Midnight in the Garden, 29. Diálogo con un retrato, 30. Winter Creeper
When I was a kid I wanted to be an astronomer, a ranger, a biologist and an oceanographer.
Now, I do not want to BE anything different any more, but want to DO what these people do.
Tried to make a smaller mosaic but cant decide who to leave out.
And there are so many missing that it is not funny.
Some are my contacts, others are not.
Some I couldnt add because of their copyright settings.
They are all special and do what I wish I could do.
4/6
Taken last night.
My baby girl Olivia.
She will be 4 months on Easter.
She's growing up too fast!
*See her holding her foot and looking at me? Almost like she's saying, "Look what I can do Mommy!!" :]
She has been grabbing everything that you put in front of her lately and she recently found her feet, she loves to play with them!
Isn't she just the most precious little one?
Every time that someone sees Olivia they always use the same two words, "baby doll".
Some people have even thought that we were carrying around a baby doll and that she wasn't a real baby. They have commented a lot on her porcelain complexion, perfect features and constant smile.
*You know what I think? Well you know what her proud Momma thinks.. [perfection!] However, I think she's going to be a great model for her Mommy as she grows.. and for many other photographers in the future. She loves the camera already.. she's a little "ham" and she's just gorgeous. I can see her going far in the future.. Especially since she'll have a ton of experience through me, she'll have a full portfolio and I know plenty of other photographers to help her build a lot of experience and confidence.
That is.. if she wants to be a model. If not, that's okay too.
But Mommy is going to give her a great opportunity, if she wants to take it that is up to her!
and never mind the electricity bill or your guests' complexions. classic 70s chrome and smoked glass furniture, classic 70s orange flowers kitchen, skirtings and architraves painted silver.
Street Portrait ~ Ocho Rios ~ Saint Ann Parish ~ Jamaica
Nikon D5100, Tamron 18-270, ISO 1000, f/6.3, 270mm, 1/125s
Poster,
Greenfield Village, Dearborn, Michigan
--------------
Kellogg's was founded in 1906, by Will Keith Kellogg in Battle Creek, Michigan. It was an outgrowth
of work with his brother John Harvey Kellogg at the Battle Creek Sanitarium. The company made the
hugely successful Kellogg's Toasted Corn Flakes.
-- Wikipedia
2,000 views on 29th November 2013
1,000 views on 3rd October 2013
Malcolm Macdonald - Chief Constable of Sutherland Constabulary from 1887 to 1906
On 7 June 1887, Malcolm Macdonald, then an Inspector in the Inverness-shire Constabulary, stationed at Portree on the Isle of Skye, was appointed as the new Chief Constable of Sutherland.
He had joined the Inverness-shire Constabulary as a 3rd Class Constable on 2 December 1874 at the age of 26 years. Previously a farm servant, he had also served 2 years in the City of Glasgow Police before joining Inverness-shire.
A native of the Island of Skye, Chief Constable Macdonald stood 6'1'' in height, had grey eyes and fresh complexion with dark and curly hair. He was a big man in all senses, with a considerable presence.
His promotion to Inspector came from the previous Chief Constable, William Murray, six months before Chief Constable McHardy went to Inverness-shire Constabulary from Dornoch.
In fact Mr MscDonald's advancement to Inspector had come quickly, only 13 months after being made up to Sergeant at Beauly with only 9 years Police Service, some 7 of them in Inverness-shire. Such a rapid (at least in terms of promotions in Inverness-shire) ascent would likely not have pleased some of his colleagues as it was upsetting the established order (“dead man’s shoes”).
That feeling of resentment would not apply however if his colleagues had identified, as they probably did in this case, that he was what was (and still is) termed a ‘flier’ (accelerated
promotion - such flight being both ‘upwards’ and ‘away’), and would be off to another force in a promoted rank soon enough, so that the previous order would resume with no harm done.
The new Chief, aged 39 on appointment, was awarded an initial salary of £200 per annum. He appeared to settle in very well in Sutherland, a land very similar in terrain and attitude to his own
home Island. That he made a lasting impression on the local population is not in dispute.
Sadly his wife died during his period in Dornoch, leaving the Chief to raise his family of six, three boys and three girls.
In November 1892 Mr Macdonald received a ten per cent rise in his salary, going up to £220, having served 5 years in the Force. The 15th of November seems to have been either the start or mid point of the Force's financial year. Almost all amalgamations of Forces occurred on 16 May or 16 November.
John Macdonald, eldest son of Malcolm, joined the City of Dundee Police in 1898 and had been promoted to Sergeant in the following year. He surely was a ‘flier’. With only 14 years of police service, he would reach the exalted rank of Superintendent (and be appointed Deputy Chief Constable) in Dundee by 1912, and then from 1931 to 1936 would be Chief Constable of the City of Dundee himself.
Chief Constable Malcolm Macdonald died suddenly at his home in Dornoch on the afternoon of Thursday 15 February 1906 and a sense of shock was experienced all around the County, as demonstrated by the obituary carried in the "Northern Times" newspaper:-
It came as a shock to the northern public on Thursday afternoon to hear of the sudden death at 4.40 p.m. on that day of Mr Malcolm Macdonald, Chief Constable of Sutherland, at his residence in Dornoch. The cause of death, it is understood, was heart failure supervening after a sharp attack of colic, which began about 10 a.m. on the morning of his death. He was at the curling on Loch-in-treel, and in excellent spirits the day before. He got up on Thursday morning as usual and breakfasted with his family, after which he went outside and did some work on his own premises. Returning to the house he complained of a feeling of being gripped as if some one had caught him by the throat, this gradually going down the chest to the abdomen when pain set in, which was at times very acute.
Dr Maclachlan was called about eleven o'clock, but no serious view was taken of the attack, and a prescription was given. Again at two o'clock the doctor saw Mr Macdonald, and, although he was still suffering nothing serious was apprehended; but unfortunately the unseen was at work, and he became alarmingly ill, and expired suddenly at the hour stated above, in the presence of his son and daughter and his sister-in-law. All the curlers, in view of the County Bonspiel, were out at Loch-in-treel, and when they heard the sad news on their return it could hardly be believed. The telegraph conveyed the news all over the county, and the sadness which it produced as it spread testified to the popularity of the deceased.
The "Chief," as he was popularly known, was 57 years of age and a widower. His eldest son is superintendent of police at Dundee, and there are two other sons and three daughters, six in all, mostly grown up. Mr Macdonald was Chief Constable of Sutherland for eighteen years, having succeeded the late Chief-Constable MacLean in July 1887. He was appointed from the post of inspector at Portree, which he had occupied under Mr McHardy, chief constable of Inverness-shire for about five years.
He was in Skye, of which he was a native, during the time of the crofter disturbances, and on one occasion he and the late Sergt Mackenzie, Kingussie, and four constables, visiting Glendale, encountered a violent mob, by whom the inspector was roughly handled, receiving injuries from the after effects of which he suffered for a long time. Mr Macdonald's connection with the Inverness-shire Constabulary began at Obbe, from which he transferred to Ardersier, afterwards becoming sergeant of police at Beauly.
Since he came into the County of Sutherland the Chief was one of the most popular public figures, and was welcomed wherever people gathered together. He was a man equally at home at a social gathering or at a public meeting, ever having an open eye to his duty, and ever ready to take his full share of public work.
It is a rare testimonial to a Chief Constable to say that he was one of the most popular men in the north and west of Scotland. From the nature of the duties falling to be executed by one in that position, people would naturally look for some enmity, at least on the part of those unfortunate enough to come on the wrong side of his official work. But the Chief had his own way of doing things. His official work never left the flesh raw or nor a feeling of revenge.
Everyone knew the big soft heart he carried in his big frame, and any unpleasant work that may have fallen to the Chief was done in the most pleasant manner possible. Therein lay his popularity. He never talked "shop". He never spoke anything but well of people, and where he could not do that he held his peace.
He gave a helping hand where he could, whether it was privately or in connection with public movements, either in the Burgh of Dornoch or in the County, or in his native island of Skye, and his death is mourned by a huge circle of friends all over the northern half of Scotland, who extend to the bereaved family every expression of sympathy.
The Chief was a fine specimen of the Highlander. Standing considerably over six feet in height, and huge of girth and limb he was an imposing figure, and the beau ideal in the public mind of what a chief constable should be. Coming from the misty Isle of Skye his knowledge of the Gaelic language was extensive, and he spoke with a correctness of tone and felicity of expression which often excited comment.
He was passionately fond of Gaelic song and story, and had an illimitable store of both, which, when it was tapped, was delightful. To see the fine erect figure, clad in real Highland dress, and to, at the same time hear him conversing in the Gaelic language, was to find the real embodiment of a Highlander, seemingly as far apart from English language and latter-day customs as the towering peaks of his native Cuchullins.
Although out of Skye for many years he always manifested a keen interest in the doings of the island, and was regularly a prominent figure at the annual "field-day" at Portree, renewing acquaintances with his many friends and following with zest the fortunes of the competitors at the cattle show and the Highland games, to the prize-lists of each of which he was a standing contributor.
Physically a strong man, he was naturally fond of the out-door life, although, within recent years, the attacks of rheumatism with which he was visited served to curtail his partaking in various games he played as much as he would have wished. Prominently, above all else, he was a golfer. Although he never tackled a club until he was about forty years of age, he worked himself down to "scratch" in a year or two, and for some years he held the record at the Dornoch course, and since then has always been reckoned as amongst the best five or six players the club possessed.
He was also a well-known figure on the Tain, Brora, and Golspie courses, and his style of play - so easy, confident, and sure with clubs remarkable for their lightness and shortness - was always much admired. Then, as a curler - and golf and curling are the two premier games of Scotland - he was as keen and hearty a man as ever "sooped a stone into the house" and none watched the counting of points with keener interest.
In all respects he was an ideal man for his position and the "good old chief" - decent soul that he was" - will long live in the memories of those to whom he was known. It will be many long years ere he has been forgotten, and there will always be those for half a century to come who will remember with softening of the heart and a dimming of the eyes the admirable Chief who they loved so well. Requiescat in pace.
The funeral took place to Dornoch Churchyard on Monday amid every appearance of mourning and sincere sympathy. It was largely attended by representatives from practically every corner of the county, and by all the officials and Constabulary. The remains were laid beside those of his wife and daughter, the coffin bearing the age of 57.
(The newspaper cutting was preserved by the late Kenneth Ross BL, final Chief Constable of Sutherland)
Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate.
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer's lease hath all too short a date.
Sometimes too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimmed;
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance, or nature's changing course, untrimmed:
But thy eternal summer shall not fade
Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st,
Nor shall Death brag thou wand'rest in his shade
When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st.
So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
So ling lives this, and this gives life to thee.
W. Shakespeare
Ti paragono a un giorno d’estate?
Tu sei più incantevole e più mite.
Violenti venti scuotono i cari germogli di maggio,
E la durata dell’estate ha una scadenza troppo breve.
A volte troppo caldo l’occhio del cielo splende,
E spesso la sua dorata carnagione è oscurata;
Ed ogni bellezza dalla bellezza qualche volta declina,
Per caso, o dal mutevole corso della natura privata d'ornamenti;
Ma la tua eterna estate non morirà
Né perderai possesso di quella bellezza che ti distingue;
Fino a quando gli uomini possono respirare o gli occhi vedere,
Fino a quando vive questo, e dà questo vita a te.
Taken on the patio of one of our local pubs. I was drawn by the sunlight filtering through a large red umbrella.
It gave her face a soft reddish glow.
I love her complexion, she is waiting for her alpaca hairs to get here and then she will be complete.
youtu.be/fF2F2mXsRog Full Feature
Anna May Wong, Warner Oland, Sessue Hayakawa
World-class Asian criminal genius Fu Manchu seeks retribution on the hated enemy he holds responsible for the murder of his wife and son, enlisting his equally sinister daughter until she's diverted by a crafty Scotland yard inspector. One of the numerous Sax Rohmer screen adaptations from the early sound era.
Princess Ling Moy, a young and beautiful Chinese aristocrat lives next door, unbeknownst to her, to Dr. Fu Manchu, a brilliant but twisted genius who is out to rule the world. She is involved with Ah Kee, a handsome young man, who also unbeknownst to her, is a secret agent out to thwart the heinous plots of Fu Manchu. As it turns out, Fu is not only her next-door neighbor, he is also, (unbeknownst to her), her father. When she finds out, will she take her father's part and fight the men out to get Fu, or will she become a brave heroine and save the world even if it is from the devious doings of her own Dad? Yes, it's dated, and there isn't nearly enough of Warner Oland in it; but it moves along well, has a lot of action, Wong and Hayakawa were fine actors, and if you're a Charley Chan fan, it's worth it to how much, if any, of Fu Oland used when creating Charley Chan.
FIRST ASIAN AMERICAN STAR!
Written by PHILIP LEIBFRIED
Her complexion was described as "a rose blushing through old ivory;" she was beautiful, tall (5'7"), slender, and Chinese-American. The last fact kept her from attaining the highest echelon among Hollywood's pantheon of stars, but it did not affect her popularity, nor keep her from becoming a household name. She was Anna May Wong, nee Wong Liu Tsong, a name which translates to "Frosted Yellow Willows," and she was born, appropriately enough, on Flower Street in Los Angeles' Chinatown on 3 January 1905, above her father's laundry. Anna May Wong's contribution to show business is a unique one; she was the first Asian female to become a star, achieving that stardom at a time when bias against her race was crushing. With determination and talent allied to her exotic beauty, she remained the only Asian female star throughout her forty-year career, never fully overcoming all prejudices in maintaining that position. Perhaps the rediscovery of her art will elevate her star to the pantheon of great performers and serve as a guiding light to Asian performers who still struggle to find their rightful place. Anna May Wong's life and career is something that is important for all who value greatly the Asian / Asian Pacific American communities' many artists and what we can all contribute!
Excerpt from : That Old Feeling: Anna May Wong
Part II of Richard Corliss' tribute to the pioneer Chinese-American star.
Daughter of the Dragon. Paramount 1931.
Based on a Fu Manchu novel by Sax Rohmer.
Daughter of the Dragon extended the curse sworn by Dr. Fu on the Petrie family to the next generation. Fu Manchu (Warner Oland), long ago injured and exiled in an attempt on Petrie Sr., returns to London and confronts the father: "In the 20 years I have fought to live," he says in his florid maleficence, "the thought of killing you and your son has been my dearest nurse." He kills the father, is mortally wounded himself and, on his deathbed, reveals his identity to his daughter Ling Moy (Wong) and elicits her vow that she will "cancel the debt" to the Fu family honor and murder the son, Ronald (Bramwell Fletcher)... who, dash it all, is madly infatuated with Ling Moy. Ronald has seen "Princess Ling Moy Celebrated Oriental Dancer" perform, and the vision has made him woozy. "I wish I could find a word to describe her," this calf-man effuses. "Exotic that's the word! And she's intriguing, if you know what I mean." In a near-clinch, Ling Moy wonders if a Chinese woman can appeal to a British toff. When he begs her to "chuck everything and stay," she asks him, "If I stayed, would my hair ever become golden curls, and my skin ivory, like Ronald's?" But the lure of the exotic is hard to shake. "Strange," he says, "I prefer yours. I shall never forget your hair and your eyes." They almost kiss ... when an off-camera scream shakes him out of his dream. It is from his girlfriend Joan (Frances Dade), and the societal message is as clear and shrill: white woman alerting white man to treachery of yellow woman. Ling Moy, a nice girl, previously unaware of her lineage, might be expected to struggle, at least briefly, with the shock of her identity and the dreadful deed her father obliges her to perform. But Wong makes an instant transformation, hissing, "The blood is mine. The hatred is mine. The vengeance shall be mine." Just before his death, Fu mourns that he has no son to kill Ronald. But, in a good full-throated reading, Wong vows: "Father, father, I will be your son. I will be your son!" The audience then has the fun of watching her stoke Ronald's ardor while plotting his death. When she is with him, pleading and salesmanship radiate from her bigeyes. But when an ally asks her why she keeps encouraging the lad, she sneers and says, "I am giving him a beautiful illusion. Which I shall crush." As a villainess, she is just getting started. Revealing her mission to Ronald, she tells him she plans to kill Joan "Because you must have a thousand bitter tastes of death before you die." (The ripe dialogue is by Hollywood neophyte Sidney Buchman, whose distinguished list of credits would include Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Here Comes Mr Jordan and The Talk of the Town.) She soon ascends on a geyser of madness as she decides on a new torture: "My vengeance is inspired tonight. You will first have the torture of seeing her beauty eaten slowly away by this hungry acid." An aide holds a hose gadget over Joan's soon-to-be-corroded face, and Ronald cries for Ling Moy to stop. Very well she says. "Ling Moy is merciful." She barks at Ronald: "Kill her!" He must decide if his favorite white girl is to be etched with acid or stabbed to death. Great stuff! Melodrama is the art of knowing how precisely too far to goThe film is a triangle: not so much of Ling Moy, Ronald and Joan as of Ling Moy, Ronald and a Chinese detective, Ah Kee, played by Sessue Hayakawa, the Japanese actor who in the teens was Hollywood's first Asian male star. He's not plausibly Chinese here, and he is in a constant, losing battle with spoken English. But he is a part of movie history, in the only studio film of the Golden Age to star two ethnically Asian actors. And he gives his emotive all to such lines as "It is the triumph of irony that the only woman I have ever deeply loved should be born of the blood that I loathe." And in the inevitable double-death finale neither the villainess nor the noble detective can survive the machinations of Hollywood justice he gently caresses the long hair of the lady he would love to have loved. "Flower Ling Moy," he says, a moment before expiring. "A flower need not love, but only be loved. As Ah Kee loved you."
The Personal Anna May Wong
This 5'7 beauty loved to study and could speak in an English accent, as well as being fluent in German and French with more than a passing knowledge of other tongues including Italian and Yiddish. For exercise she rode horses, played golf, and tennis. She liked to cook and regaled her guests with succulent Chinese dishes at frequent dinner parties. She preferred casual clothes, wearing slacks and sweaters at home, but cultivated an oriental motif in her very smart formal wardrobe. She studied singing with Welsh tenor Parry Jones before she participated in the film Limehouse Blues as George Raft's mistress. Anna loved to dance to contemporary music. Anna was quoted as saying, "I think I got my first chance because they thought I was peculiar. But, now I like to believe that the public are fond of me because they think I'm nice."
The story of Anna May Wong’s life traced the arc of triumph and tragedy that marked so many of her films. Wong's youthful ambition and screen appeal got her farther than anyone else of her race. But her race, or rather Hollywood's and America's fear of giving Chinese and other non-whites the same chance as European Americans, kept her from reaching the Golden Mountaintop. We can be startled and impressed by the success she, alone, attained. And still weask: Who knows what Anna May Wong could have been allowed to achieve if she
had been Anna May White?
Anna May Wong passed away on Feb. 3rd 1961 she was 56 years old.
Filmography:
The Red Lantern. Metro 1919. The First Born. Robertson Cole 1921.
Shame. Fox 1921. Bits of Life. Assoc. First National 1921.
The First Born. Robertson Cole 1921. Thundering Dawn. Universal 1923
The Toll of the Sea. Metro 1922 Drifting. Universal 1923 Fifth Avenue. PRC 1926.
Lillies of the Field. Assoc. First National 1924. The Thief of Bagdad. United Artists 1924
The Fortieth Door. Pathé serial 1924. The Alaskan. Paramount 1924.
Peter Pan. Paramount 1924. Forty Winks. Paramount 1925.
The Silk Bouquet/The Dragon Horse. Hi Mark Prod. 1926 The Desert's Toll. MGM 1926.
A Trip to Chinatown. Fox 1926. The Chinese Parrot. Universal. 1927.
Driven from Home. Chadwick 1927. Mr. Wu. MGM 1927.
Old San Francisco. Warner Bros. 1927. Why Girls Love Sailors. Pathé short 1927.
The Devil Dancer. United Artists 1927. Streets of Shanghai. Tiffany 1927.
Across to Singapore. MGM 1928. Pavement Butterfly (aka City Butterfly).
The City Butterfly. German 1929. Across to Singapore. MGM 1928.
The Crimson City. Warner Bros. 1928. Song. German 1928
Chinatown Charlie. First National 1928. Piccadilly, British International 1929.
Elstree Calling. British International 1930. The Flame of Love. British International 1930.
Hay Tang. German 1930. L'Amour Maitre Des Choses. French 1930.
Daughter of the Dragon. Paramount 1931. Shanghai Express. Paramount 1932.
A Study in Scarlet. World Wide 1933. Tiger Bay. Associated British 1933.
Chu Chin Chow. Gaumont 1934. Java Head. Associated British 1934.
Limehouse Blues. Paramount 1934. Daughter of Shanghai. Paramount 1937.
Hollywood Party. MGM short subject 1937. Dangerous to Know. Paramount 1938.
The Toll of the Sea. Metro 1922. The Thief of Bagdad 1924
Shanghai Express 1932
I really love orange and pink on her, but discovered another color I like on her with her pale complexion!
Snow White and her Prince have now been fully deboxed. They are posed standing, supported by the built-in doll stands in the base of the display case.
This regular version of the Snow White and the Prince Disney Fairytale Designer Collection Doll Set has the same two base dolls as the D23 special edition dolls that I reviewed earlier. That is the dolls themselves are identical in every way (except for the serial numbers on the back of the Prince dolls). They also have outfits of almost identical designs, but made of different materials and with differing colors. So the dolls have different looks, especially the Snow Whites.
Snow White has the body of a 2012 Disney Store Classic Princess doll. That is, she has hard plastic legs, with hinged knee joints and ball jointed ankles. She is missing the usual manufacturer's marks printed on Disney limited edition dolls, including the part number and her edition size and serial number. She is also missing the twist waist joint of the previous Designer Princess and Designer Villain dolls. She has a pale complexion, the same as the 2012 Snow White, with whom she shares the same body. However, her neck joint has more freedom of movement, especially downward, and her painted on panties are deep golden yellow, much darker than the 2012 Snow White.
Her face mold appears to be the same as the 2012 and 2013 Classic Snow White, but with a considerably different face paint than either of them. She has large dark brown eyes that are glancing to her left, with four short thick lashes over each eye and four very short and thin lashes under each eye. Over her eyes is gold eyeshadow, and thin black eyebrows gently following the curve of her eyes. She also had short rooted eyelashes that are just barely curving upwards, and are even in length. She has a small button nose, a small mouth with blood red lips forming a charming open mouth smile. She has light pink rouge over most of her cheeks, and a round face with small chin. She is a very beautiful and faithful representation of the sweet and charming movie character.
Her hair is a considerable departure from the traditional short flip hairdo. Her jet black hair is parted to the left of her head, and pulled tightly over her head into a medium length braided ponytail that tapers down to a point and is secured by black rubberband, and is sewn to her collar on her right side. There is a small amount of hair product applied just above her forehead, to a thin strip of her hair. In my doll, that strip keeps on separating from the rest of her hair. I haven't been able to integrate it with the rest of her hair; perhaps I will have to apply more hair product to keep it place. There is a thin bright red satin ribbon around the top of her head that ends in a small bow at left side of her head.
Her outfit is a take on her traditional Princess gown. Her bodice and skirt are separate pieces. The bodice is dark blue velvet with gold piping and elaborate gold embroidery, and decorated with a bow made of metallic gold thread. The floral design is similar to the D23 doll, but differs in its details. She has puffy sleeves of the same dark blue velvet, with separate ribbons of bright red satin that float over the velvet. The sleeves have black lace cuffs decorated with gold hearts, and the oversized collar is pure white lace folded in a fan-like manner behind her neck and head. Her skirt is dark golden taffeta with gold embroidering incorporating fleur-de-lis, flowers and hearts. The embroidery in the skirt is identical to that of the D23 doll. The taffeta gives the skirt has a wrinkled, antique appearance. It has a thin pale tan satin lining. There are golden rhinestones scattered throughout the bodice and skirt of her dress. Under her dress is a floor length white satin slip with the lacey pattern at the hem showing below her skirt. It is sewn to her skirt at two spots at the hem, which I chose to leave alone for now. It is also sewn to the waist band of the skirt, so it is a permanent part of the skirt. She is wearing golden tan flat shoes (or slippers), the same as the D23 doll. It is a beautifully designed and beautifully made outfit that is a darker and more ornated version of the Princess outfit of the movie character.
The Prince appears to have the standard Disney Store Prince body, with articulation at the neck, shoulders, hinge jointed elbows, ball jointed hips, and internal knee joints with limited movement. His hands and feet are large, but his head is disproportionately small compared to Snow White. His face has a neutral expression, with small, narrow deep blue eyes, wide mouth and a straight nose. His molded dark brown hair looks okay. His face doesn't look that movie accurate to me; I actually prefer the playline Classic Prince. As with all Disney Prince dolls, he is sturdily built, and can free stand fairly stably. But for safe keeping, it is best to put him up in the included doll stand, which has a wide C-clamp that goes around his waist very snuggly.
The Prince's outfit is very well made and fitted to his body. It consists of a dark blue faux leather vest, a bright red velvet and satin cape with gold piping permanently attached at the shoulders of the vest, a dark blue faux leather belt with a gold metal buckle and a short black faux leather scabbard attached, white satin shirt, black pants and black boots with a worn look and creases. In the scabbard is a steel gray sword with a brown handle. The sword is thin and very flexible. It was slightly bent out of the box, but was easily bent back into shape. The D23 Prince's vest is much thicker, and feels much more like real leather than this Prince doll. But this Prince has an outfit that is much closer in color to the movie character. He looks great in his outfit, and very dashing, but I wish his expression had more emotion, and was more cheerful.
Snow White and the Prince - Limited Edition Doll Set
Disney Fairytale Designer Collection
US Disney Store
Released and purchased in store on August 20, 2013.
Released online August 21, 2013.
$129.95 US
#558 of 6000
First Look
I will photograph the set boxed, during the deboxing, and fully deboxed. I will also pose the dolls next to comparable dolls, for instance the Gold D23 Snow White doll set.
Product information from the US Disney Store website:
Snow White and the Prince Doll Set - Disney Fairytale Designer Collection
$129.95
Item No. 6070040900883P
Fairest two of all
With lips red as the rose and skin as white as snow, the Princess has never looked fairer. Paired with her handsome Prince, this stunning set of Disney Fairytale Designer Collection dolls will be cherished happily ever after.
Magic in the details...
Please Note: Each Guest will be limited to ordering a maximum of one of this item per order.
As part of the Disney Fairytale Designer Collection this pair of Snow White and Prince dolls were carefully crafted by artists inspired by Walt Disney's 1937 classic, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The original Disney Princess and her Prince have been reimagined in exquisite detail with these limited edition dolls. Brought to life with thoughtful attention, they uniquely capture the essence of the fairytale couple, creating a one of a kind set that will be a treasured keepsake of collectors, Disney fans and every princess at heart.
•Global Limited Editon of 6000
•Includes Certificate of Authenticity
•Romantic side-swept hair
•Dramatic lace collar
•Elaborately embroidered velvet bodice with puff sleeves with red satin detailing
•Layered gown ornately decorated with golden gemstones, taffeta, lace, and embroidered foliage
•Dramatic make-up and rooted eyelashes
•Red bow headband
•Prince features velvet cape
•Satin shirt with faux leather waistcoat and belt
•Boots and sword
•Dolls sold in a special keepsake display case with intricate details on the base, including a golden plate with the name of Snow White and the Prince
•Includes special Disney Fairytale Designer Collection Gift Bag
•Part of the Disney Fairytale Designer Collection
* Intended for adult collectors -- Not a child's toy.
The bare necessities
•Plastic / polyester
•Snow White: 11 1/2''
•Prince: 12'' H
•Imported
Taken at Millennium Park.
In order to justify its 'Muslim Ban', the Trump administration ordered the intelligence community, along with Homeland Defense and the State Department - to produce a study that will show that people from certain Middle Eastern countries are more likely to become terrorists. What they got, however, was something altogether different.
The report concludes that people who emigrate to the U.S. from these countries will not be the ones who will become radicalized, but their children may...usually during their teenage years.
Needless to say, Donald can 'extreme vet' people till he turns blue, it will make no difference. On the other hand, making people feel like pariahs will.
My own daughter is blessed with an olive complexion, to go along with her very Dutch last name. When she was in high school there wasn't a day that went by without some stupid kid telling her to "get out of my f...... country!"
I can only imagine what kids who have the name, customs and religion to match their own olive complexion, are forced to endure.
There's something of an unwritten rule that you welcome new neighbors on your block by welcoming them with a gift of some kind, usually a cake or a pie. Most of us recognize that doing the opposite - welcoming them with insults, suspicion and hateful speculation behind their back - will not lead to a harmonious co-existence.
Diversity is America's strength, not its weakness. If we were to welcome today's immigrants and refugees with open arms instead of hateful slurs, we could truly 'make America safe again' for ourselves and our own children and grand-children.
The worst thing we could do is to build walls, stop people on the street because of the way they look or dress, and conduct religion and loyalty tests at border crossings.
Snow White and her Prince have now been fully deboxed. They are posed standing, supported by the built-in doll stands in the base of the display case.
This regular version of the Snow White and the Prince Disney Fairytale Designer Collection Doll Set has the same two base dolls as the D23 special edition dolls that I reviewed earlier. That is the dolls themselves are identical in every way (except for the serial numbers on the back of the Prince dolls). They also have outfits of almost identical designs, but made of different materials and with differing colors. So the dolls have different looks, especially the Snow Whites.
Snow White has the body of a 2012 Disney Store Classic Princess doll. That is, she has hard plastic legs, with hinged knee joints and ball jointed ankles. She is missing the usual manufacturer's marks printed on Disney limited edition dolls, including the part number and her edition size and serial number. She is also missing the twist waist joint of the previous Designer Princess and Designer Villain dolls. She has a pale complexion, the same as the 2012 Snow White, with whom she shares the same body. However, her neck joint has more freedom of movement, especially downward, and her painted on panties are deep golden yellow, much darker than the 2012 Snow White.
Her face mold appears to be the same as the 2012 and 2013 Classic Snow White, but with a considerably different face paint than either of them. She has large dark brown eyes that are glancing to her left, with four short thick lashes over each eye and four very short and thin lashes under each eye. Over her eyes is gold eyeshadow, and thin black eyebrows gently following the curve of her eyes. She also had short rooted eyelashes that are just barely curving upwards, and are even in length. She has a small button nose, a small mouth with blood red lips forming a charming open mouth smile. She has light pink rouge over most of her cheeks, and a round face with small chin. She is a very beautiful and faithful representation of the sweet and charming movie character.
Her hair is a considerable departure from the traditional short flip hairdo. Her jet black hair is parted to the left of her head, and pulled tightly over her head into a medium length braided ponytail that tapers down to a point and is secured by black rubberband, and is sewn to her collar on her right side. There is a small amount of hair product applied just above her forehead, to a thin strip of her hair. In my doll, that strip keeps on separating from the rest of her hair. I haven't been able to integrate it with the rest of her hair; perhaps I will have to apply more hair product to keep it place. There is a thin bright red satin ribbon around the top of her head that ends in a small bow at left side of her head.
Her outfit is a take on her traditional Princess gown. Her bodice and skirt are separate pieces. The bodice is dark blue velvet with gold piping and elaborate gold embroidery, and decorated with a bow made of metallic gold thread. The floral design is similar to the D23 doll, but differs in its details. She has puffy sleeves of the same dark blue velvet, with separate ribbons of bright red satin that float over the velvet. The sleeves have black lace cuffs decorated with gold hearts, and the oversized collar is pure white lace folded in a fan-like manner behind her neck and head. Her skirt is dark golden taffeta with gold embroidering incorporating fleur-de-lis, flowers and hearts. The embroidery in the skirt is identical to that of the D23 doll. The taffeta gives the skirt has a wrinkled, antique appearance. It has a thin pale tan satin lining. There are golden rhinestones scattered throughout the bodice and skirt of her dress. Under her dress is a floor length white satin slip with the lacey pattern at the hem showing below her skirt. It is sewn to her skirt at two spots at the hem, which I chose to leave alone for now. It is also sewn to the waist band of the skirt, so it is a permanent part of the skirt. She is wearing golden tan flat shoes (or slippers), the same as the D23 doll. It is a beautifully designed and beautifully made outfit that is a darker and more ornated version of the Princess outfit of the movie character.
The Prince appears to have the standard Disney Store Prince body, with articulation at the neck, shoulders, hinge jointed elbows, ball jointed hips, and internal knee joints with limited movement. His hands and feet are large, but his head is disproportionately small compared to Snow White. His face has a neutral expression, with small, narrow deep blue eyes, wide mouth and a straight nose. His molded dark brown hair looks okay. His face doesn't look that movie accurate to me; I actually prefer the playline Classic Prince. As with all Disney Prince dolls, he is sturdily built, and can free stand fairly stably. But for safe keeping, it is best to put him up in the included doll stand, which has a wide C-clamp that goes around his waist very snuggly.
The Prince's outfit is very well made and fitted to his body. It consists of a dark blue faux leather vest, a bright red velvet and satin cape with gold piping permanently attached at the shoulders of the vest, a dark blue faux leather belt with a gold metal buckle and a short black faux leather scabbard attached, white satin shirt, black pants and black boots with a worn look and creases. In the scabbard is a steel gray sword with a brown handle. The sword is thin and very flexible. It was slightly bent out of the box, but was easily bent back into shape. The D23 Prince's vest is much thicker, and feels much more like real leather than this Prince doll. But this Prince has an outfit that is much closer in color to the movie character. He looks great in his outfit, and very dashing, but I wish his expression had more emotion, and was more cheerful.
Snow White and the Prince - Limited Edition Doll Set
Disney Fairytale Designer Collection
US Disney Store
Released and purchased in store on August 20, 2013.
Released online August 21, 2013.
$129.95 US
#558 of 6000
First Look
I will photograph the set boxed, during the deboxing, and fully deboxed. I will also pose the dolls next to comparable dolls, for instance the Gold D23 Snow White doll set.
Product information from the US Disney Store website:
Snow White and the Prince Doll Set - Disney Fairytale Designer Collection
$129.95
Item No. 6070040900883P
Fairest two of all
With lips red as the rose and skin as white as snow, the Princess has never looked fairer. Paired with her handsome Prince, this stunning set of Disney Fairytale Designer Collection dolls will be cherished happily ever after.
Magic in the details...
Please Note: Each Guest will be limited to ordering a maximum of one of this item per order.
As part of the Disney Fairytale Designer Collection this pair of Snow White and Prince dolls were carefully crafted by artists inspired by Walt Disney's 1937 classic, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The original Disney Princess and her Prince have been reimagined in exquisite detail with these limited edition dolls. Brought to life with thoughtful attention, they uniquely capture the essence of the fairytale couple, creating a one of a kind set that will be a treasured keepsake of collectors, Disney fans and every princess at heart.
•Global Limited Editon of 6000
•Includes Certificate of Authenticity
•Romantic side-swept hair
•Dramatic lace collar
•Elaborately embroidered velvet bodice with puff sleeves with red satin detailing
•Layered gown ornately decorated with golden gemstones, taffeta, lace, and embroidered foliage
•Dramatic make-up and rooted eyelashes
•Red bow headband
•Prince features velvet cape
•Satin shirt with faux leather waistcoat and belt
•Boots and sword
•Dolls sold in a special keepsake display case with intricate details on the base, including a golden plate with the name of Snow White and the Prince
•Includes special Disney Fairytale Designer Collection Gift Bag
•Part of the Disney Fairytale Designer Collection
* Intended for adult collectors -- Not a child's toy.
The bare necessities
•Plastic / polyester
•Snow White: 11 1/2''
•Prince: 12'' H
•Imported
Vishnu (/ˈvɪʃnuː/; Sanskrit: Viṣṇu) is a popular Hindu deity, the Supreme God of Vaishnavism (one of the three principal denominations of Hinduism) and one of the three supreme deities (Trimurti) of Hinduism. He is also known as Lord Narayana and Lord Hari. As one of the five primary forms of God in the Smarta tradition, He is conceived as "the Preserver or the Protector" within the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the divinity.
In Hindu sacred texts, Vishnu is usually described as having dark complexion of water-filled clouds and as having four arms. He is depicted as a blue being, holding a padma (lotus flower) in the lower left hand, the Kaumodaki gada (mace) in the lower right hand, the Panchajanya shankha (conch) in the upper left hand and the discus weapon Sudarshana Chakra in the upper right hand.
Adherents of Hinduism believe Vishnu's eternal and supreme abode beyond the material universe is called Vaikuntha, which is also known as Paramdhama, the realm of eternal bliss and happiness and the final or highest place for liberated souls who have attained Moksha. Vaikuntha is situated beyond the material universe and hence, cannot be perceived or measured by material science or logic. Vishnu's other abode within the material universe is Ksheera Sagara (the ocean of milk), where he reclines and rests on Ananta Shesha, (the king of the serpent deities, commonly shown with a thousand heads). In almost all Hindu denominations, Vishnu is either worshipped directly or in the form of his ten avatars, the most famous of whom are Rama and Krishna.
The Puranabharati, an ancient text, describes these as the dashavatara, or the ten avatars of Vishnu. Among the ten described, nine have occurred in the past and one will take place in the future as Lord Kalki, at the end of Kali Yuga, (the fourth and final stage in the cycle of yugas that the world goes through). These incarnations take place in all Yugas in cosmic scales; the avatars and their stories show that gods are indeed unimaginable, unthinkable and inconceivable. The Bhagavad Gita mentions their purpose as being to rejuvenate Dharma, to vanquish those negative forces of evil that threaten dharma, and also to display His divine nature in front of all souls.
The Trimurti (three forms) is a concept in Hinduism "in which the cosmic functions of creation, maintenance, and destruction are personified by the forms of Brahma the creator, Vishnu the maintainer, preserver or protector and Shiva the destroyer or transformer." These three deities have also been called "the Hindu triad" or the "Great Trinity", all having the same meaning of three in One. They are the different forms or manifestation of One person the Supreme Being or Narayana/Svayam Bhagavan.
Vishnu is also venerated as Mukunda, which means God who is the giver of mukti or moksha (liberation from the cycle of rebirths) to his devotees or the worthy ones who deserve salvation from the material world.
ETYMOLOGY
The traditional explanation of the name Vishnu involves the root viś, meaning "to settle" (cognate with Latin vicus, English -wich "village," Slavic: vas -ves), or also (in the Rigveda) "to enter into, to pervade," glossing the name as "the All-Pervading One". Yaska, an early commentator on the Vedas, in his Nirukta, (etymological interpretation), defines Vishnu as viṣṇur viṣvater vā vyaśnoter vā, "one who enters everywhere". He also writes, atha yad viṣito bhavati tad viṣnurbhavati, "that which is free from fetters and bondages is Vishnu".
Adi Shankara in his commentary on the Sahasranama states derivation from viś, with a meaning "presence everywhere" ("As he pervades everything, vevesti, he is called Vishnu"). Adi Shankara states (regarding Vishnu Purana, 3.1.45): "The Power of the Supreme Being has entered within the universe. The root viś means 'enter into'." Swami Chinmayananda, in his translation of Vishnu Sahasranama further elaborates on that verse: "The root vis means to enter. The entire world of things and beings is pervaded by Him and the Upanishad emphatically insists in its mantra 'whatever that is there is the world of change.' Hence, it means that He is not limited by space, time or substance. Chinmayananda states that, that which pervades everything is Vishnu."
SACRET TEXTS - SHRUTI & SMRITI
Shruti is considered to be solely of divine origin. It is preserved as a whole, instead of verse by verse. It includes the four Vedas (Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda) the Brahmanas, the Aranyakas and the Upanishads with commentaries on them.
Smṛti refers to all the knowledge derived and inculcated after Shruti had been received. Smrti is not 'divine' in origin, but was 'remembered' by later Rishis (sages by insight, who were the scribes) by transcendental means and passed down through their followers. It includes the Bhagavata Purana and the Vishnu Purana which are Sattva Puranas. These both declare Vishnu as Para Brahman Supreme Lord who creates unlimited universes and enters each one of them as Lord of Universe.
SHRUTI
VAISHNAVA CANON
The Vaishnava canon presents Vishnu as the supreme being, rather than another name for the Sun God, who also bore the name Suryanarayana and is considered only as a form of Vishnu.
VEDAS
In the Yajur Veda, Taittiriya Aranyaka (10-13-1), Narayana suktam, Lord Narayana is mentioned as the supreme being. The first verse of Narayana Suktam mentions the words "paramam padam", which literally mean "highest post" and may be understood as the "supreme abode for all souls". This is also known as Param Dhama, Paramapadam, or Vaikuntha. Rig Veda 1:22:20a also mentions the same "paramam padam". This special status is not given to any deity in the Vedas apart from Lord Vishnu/Narayana.[citation needed] Narayana is one of the thousand names of Vishnu as mentioned in the Vishnu Sahasranama. It describes Vishnu as the All-Pervading essence of all beings, the master of - and beyond - the past, present and future, one who supports, sustains and governs the Universe and originates and develops all elements within. This illustrates the omnipresent characteristic of Vishnu. Vishnu governs the aspect of preservation and sustenance of the universe, so he is called "Preserver of the universe".
Vishnu is the Supreme God who takes manifest forms or avatars across various ages or periods to save humanity from evil beings, demons or Asuras. According to the extant Hindu texts and traditions, Lord Vishnu is considered to be resident in the direction of the "Makara Rashi" (the "Shravana Nakshatra"), which is about coincident with the Capricorn constellation. In some of the extant Puranas, and Vaishnava traditions, Vishnu's eye is considered to be situated at the infinitely distant Southern Celestial Pole.
Following the defeat of Indra and his displacement as the Lord of Heaven or Swarga, Indra asks Lord Vishnu for help and thus Lord Vishnu takes his incarnations or avatars to Earth to save mankind, thus showing his position as Supreme God to all of creation.
In the Puranas, Indra frequently appears proud and haughty. These bad qualities are temporarily removed when Brahma and/or Shiva give boons to Asuras or Rakshasas such as Hiranyaksha, Hiranyakashipu and Ravana, who are then able to defeat Indra in wars between Devas and Asuras. The received boons often made Asuras virtually indestructible.
Indra has no option but to seek help from Vishnu. Indra prays before Vishnu for protection and the Supreme Lord obliges him by taking avatars and generating himself on Earth in various forms, first as a water-dweller (Matsya, fish), then as an amphibious creature (Kurma avatar or Tortoise), then as a half-man-half-animal (Varaha the pig-faced, human-bodied Lord, and Narasimha the Lord with lion's face and claws and a human body). Later, Vishnu appears as human beings (Vamana the short-heighted person), Parashurama, Rama, Krishna, Buddha and finally as Kalki for performing his task of protecting his devotees from demons and anti-religious entities.
Vishnu's supremacy is attested by his victories over those very powerful entities. It is further attested by the accepted iconography and sculptures of Vishnu in reclining position as producing Brahma emerging from his navel. Brahma the creator is thus created in turn by Vishnu out of his own person. Instead Vishnu takes various avatars to slay or defeat those demons. But it is to be noted that Vishnu also provided boons to Akupresura, a bear faced demon who was destroyed by Lord Shiva.
Vishnu's actions lowered Indra's ranking among Hindu deities and led to the ascendancy of Vishnu.
Few temples are dedicated to the Sun or Suryanarayana, nor indeed Indra, nor does Indra figure largely in the Hindu religion.
Indra is almost completely absent from the deities considered as the chief or most important deity.
RIGVEDA
In the Rigveda, Vishnu is mentioned 93 times. He is frequently invoked alongside other deities, especially Indra, whom he helps in killing Vritra and with whom he drinks Soma. His distinguishing characteristic in the Vedas is his association with light. Two Rigvedic hymns in Mandala 7 are dedicated to Vishnu. In 7.99, Vishnu is addressed as the god who separates heaven and earth, a characteristic he shares with Indra.
The Rig Veda describes Vishnu as younger brother to Indra as Vamana. In Vaishnava canon the 'Vishnu' who is younger brother to Indra is identified as Vamana, Avatar of Vishnu, hence referred to as Vishnu by Vaishnavites. Vishnu is the Supreme God who lives in the highest celestial region, contrasted against those who live in the atmospheric or terrestrial regions. Vishnu is content with mere prayer, unlike almost all of the other gods who receive sacrificial offerings such as Havis, which is given using clarified butter, or Soma. Later foreign translators have view that Vedas place Indra in a superior position to Vishnu's Avatar of Vamana but in fact Vamana helps Indra by restoring his Kingdom.
An alternate translation is provided by Wilson according to Sayana:
When Thy (younger brother) Viṣṇu (Vamana) by (his) strength stepped his three paces, then verily thy beloved horses bore thee. (Rigveda 8:12:27)
Wilson mentions Griffith's possible translation as a footnote. However the following verse from Rigveda renders the above translation by Wilson more probable.
Him whose three places that are filled with sweetness, imperishable, joy as it may list them, Who verily alone upholds the threefold, the earth, the heaven, and all living creatures. (Rig veda 1:154:4)
Wilson offers an alternate translation for Rigveda 10:113:2:
Viṣṇu offering the portion of Soma, glorifies by his own vigor that greatness of his. Indra, the lord of heaven, with the associated gods having slain Vritra, became deserving of honour. (Rigveda 10:113:2)
This verse sees Vishnu as one who is glorified by his own strength, while Indra became deserving of honor after having slain Vritra only in association with other gods.
However Vishnu's praise for other gods does not imply worship. Wilson translates:
Viṣṇu, the mighty giver of dwellings praises thee, and Mitra and Varuna; the company of Maruts imitates thee in exhilaration. (Rigveda 8:15:9) (page 280)
The following verses show categorically Vishnu as distinguished from other gods in Rigveda.
He who presents (offering) to Viṣṇu, the ancient, the creator, the recent, the self-born; he who celebrates the great birth of that mighty one; he verily possessed of abundance, attains (the station) that is to be sought (by all). (Rigveda 1:156:2) (page 98)
No being that is or that has been born, divine Viṣṇu, has attained the utmost limit of thy magnitude, by which thou hast upheld the vast and beautiful heaven, and sustained the eastern horizon of Earth.(Rigveda 7:99:2) (page 196)
The divine Viṣṇu, the best of the doers of good deeds, who came to the pious instituter of rite (Indra), to assist (at its celebration), knowing (the desires of the worshiper), and present at the three connected period (of worship), shows favor to the Arya, and admits the author of the ceremony to a share of the sacrifice. (Rigveda 1:156:5) (page 99)
Jan Gonda, the late Indologist, states that Vishnu, although remaining in the background of Indra's exploits, contributes by his presence, or is key to Indra's success. Vishnu is more than a mere companion, equal in rank or power to Indra, or sometime the one who made Indra's success possible.
Descriptions of Vishnu as younger to Indra are found in only the hymns to Indra, but in a kathenotheism religion like that of the Rigveda, each god, for a time, is supreme in the mind of the devotee.
In the Rig Vedic texts, the deity or god referred to as Vishnu is the Sun God, who also bears the name 'Suryanarayana'. By contrast, the 'Vishnu' referred to in 'Vishnu Purana', 'Vishnu Sahasranamam' and 'Purusha Sooktham' is Lord Narayana, the Consort of Lakshmi. Vaishnavites make a further distinction by extolling the qualities of Vishnu by highlighting his differences from other deities such as Shiva,[citation needed] Brahma or Surya.
THREE STEPS
Hymn 7.100 refers to the celebrated 'three steps' of Vishnu (as Trivikrama) by which he strode over the universe and in three places planted his step. The 'Vishnu Suktam' (RV 1.154) says that the first and second of Vishnu's strides (those encompassing the earth and air) are visible to men and the third is in the heights of heaven (sky). This last place is described as Vishnu's supreme abode in RV 1.22.20:
The princes evermore behold / that loftiest place where Vishnu is / Laid as it were an eye in heaven.(trans. Griffith)
Griffith's "princes" are the sūri, either "inciters" or lords of a sacrifice, or priests charged with pressing the Soma. The verse is quoted as expressing Vishnu's supremacy by Vaishnavites.
Though such solar aspects have been associated with Vishnu by tradition as well as modern-scholarship, he was not just the representation of the sun, as he moves both vertically and horizontally.
In hymns 1.22.17, 1.154.3, 1.154.4 he strides across the earth with three steps, in 6.49.13, 7.100.3 strides across the earth three times and in 1.154.1, 1.155.5,7.29.7 he strides vertically, with the final step in the heavens. The same Veda also says he strode wide and created space in the cosmos for Indra to fight Vritra. By his stride he made dwelling for men possible, the three forming a symbolic representation of the dwelling's all-encompassing nature. This nature and benevolence to men were Vishnu's enduring attributes. As the triple-strider he is known as Trivikrama and as Urukrama, for the strides were wide.
BRAHMANAS
The Brahmanas are commentaries on the Vedas and form part of the Shruti literature. They are concerned with the detail of the proper performance of rituals. In the Rigveda, Shakala Shakha: Aitareya Brahmana Verse 1 declares: agnir vai devānām ava mo viṣṇuḥ paramus, tadantareṇa sarvā anyā devatā - Agni is the lowest or youngest god and Vishnu is the greatest and the highest God.
The Brahmanas assert the supremacy of Lord Vishnu, addressing him as "Gajapati", the one whom all sacrifices are meant to please. Lord Vishnu accepts all sacrifices to the demigods and allots the respective fruits to the performer In one incident, a demonic person performs a sacrifice by abducting the Rishis (sages), who meditate by constantly chanting God's name. The sacrifice is meant to destroy Indra. But the rishis, who worship Indra as a demigod, alter one pronunciation of the Veda Mantra, reversing the purpose of the sacrifice. When the fruit of the sacrifice is given and the demon is on the verge of dying, he calls to Vishnu, whom he addresses as Supreme Godhead and "the father of all living entities including himself".
Aitareya Brahmana 1:1:1 mentions Vishnu as the Supreme God. But in the Vaishnava canon, in different ages, with Vishnu in different avatars, his relationship with the asuras or demons, was always adversarial. The asuras always caused harm, while the sages and devas or celestial beings, did penance and called to Vishnu for protection. Vishnu always obliged by taking an avatar to vanquish the asuras. In the Vaishnava canon, Vishnu never gave or granted any boons to the asuras, distinguishing him from the gods Shiva and Brahma, who did. He is the only God called upon to save good beings by defeating or killing the asuras.
Sayana writes that in Aitareya Brahmana 1:1:1 the declaration agnir vai devānām ava mo viṣṇuḥ paramus,tadantareṇa sarvā anyā devatā does not indicate any hierarchy among gods. Even in Rigveda Samhita, avama and parama are not applied to denote rank and dignity, but only to mark place and locality.
In Rigveda 1:108:9,: yadindrāghnī avamasyāṃ pṛthivyāṃ madhyamasyāṃ paramasyāmuta sthaḥ | i.e., in the lowest place, the middle (place), and the highest (place). Agni, the fire, has, among the gods, the lowest place; for he resides with man on the earth; while the other gods are either in the air, or in the sky. Vishnu occupies the highest place. The words avama and parama are understood as 'First' and 'Last' respectively. To support this claim, Sayana adduces the mantra (1,4. As'val. Sr. S. 4, 2), agnir mukham prathamo devathanam samathanam uttamo vishnur asit, i.e., Agni was the first of the deities assembled, (and) Vishnu the last.
In the Kausitaki Brahmana (7.1) Agni is called Aaradhya (instead of avama), and Visnu parardha(instead of parama),i.e., belonging to the lower and higher halves (or forming the lower and higher halves). The Vishnu Purana gives tremendous importance to the worship of Vishnu and mentions that sacrifices are to begin only with both the lighting of fire or 'Agni', pouring of sacrificial offerings to Vishnu in 'Agni' so that those offerings reach and are accepted by Vishnu. Worship of Vishnu through Yajnas (or Homams) and other rituals, will not achieve the desired result if Agni's role is neglected.
Muller says "Although the gods are sometimes distinctly invoked as the great and the small, the young and the old (Rig veda 1:27:13), this is only an attempt to find the most comprehensive expression for the divine powers, and nowhere is any of the gods represented as the subordinate to others. It would be easy to find, in the numerous hymns of the Veda, passages in which almost every single god is represented as supreme and absolute."
However this notion is not completely correct as per the following verses, which shows Rigveda describe one or more gods as subject to other god(s).
Him whose high law not Varuna nor Indra, not Mitra, Aryaman, nor Rudra breaketh, Nor evil-hearted fiends, here for my welfare him I invoke, God Savitar, with worship. (Rigveda 2.038.09)
I invite to this place, with reverential salutations, for my good, that divine Savita, whose functions neither Indra, nor Varun.a, nor Mitra nor Aryaman nor Rudra nor the enemies (of the gods), impede. (Rigveda 2.038.09)
SMRITI
VISHNU SMRITI
The Vishnu Smṛti, is one of the later books of the Dharmashastra tradition of Hinduism and the only one that focuses on the bhakti tradition and the required daily puja to Vishnu, rather than the means of knowing dharma. It is also known for its handling of the controversial subject of the practice of sati (self-immolation of a widow on her husband's funeral pyre). The text was composed by an individual or group. The author(s) created a collection of the commonly known legal maxims that were attributed to Vishnu into one book, as Indian oral culture began to be recorded more formally.
BHAGAVATA PURANA
Vishnu is the only Bhagavan as declared in the Bhagavata 1:2:11 in the verse: vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam yaj jnanam advayam brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate, translated as "Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this non-dual substance as Brahman, Paramātma and Bhagavan."
VISHNU PURANA
In the Vishnu Purana (6:5:79) the personality named Parashara Rishi defines six bhagas:
aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ
jñāna-vairāgyayoś caiva ṣannāḥ bhaga itīṇganā
Jiva Gosvami explains the verse in Gopala Champu (Pūrva 15:73) and Bhagavata Sandarbha 46:10:
jñāna-śakti-balaiśvarya-vīrya-tejām.sy aśeṣataḥ
bhagavac-chabda-vācyāni vinā heyair guṇādibhiḥ
"The substantives of the word bhagavat (bhagavat-śabda-vācyāni) are unlimited (aśeṣataḥ) knowledge (jñāna), energies (śakti), strength (bala), opulence (aiśvarya), heroism (vīrya), splendor (tejas), without (vinā) objectionable (heyair) qualities (guṇādibhiḥ)."
SANGAM LITERATURE
Tamil Sangam literature (300BCE to 500CE) mentions mAyOn, or the dark one, as the supreme deity who creates, sustains and destroys the universe. Paripadal 3 describes the glory of Thirumal in the most superlative terms.
Paripadal by kaduvan iLaveyinanAr:
"thIyinuL theRal nI poovinuL naaRRa nI kallinuL maNiyu nI sollinuL vaaymai aRaththinuL anbu nI maRaththinuL mainthu nI vEthaththu maRai nI boothaththu madhalu nI vencudar oLiyu nI thingaLuL aLiyu nI anaiththu nI anaiththinut poruLu nI"
The last line states that Lord Vishnu is the supreme deity who is the inner controller (Antaryamin) of the entire universe. This is one of the Lord's glories, which is first mentioned in Vedas and later propounded by Alwars in Prabhandams and Sri Vaishnavaite Acharyas in various commentaries
The Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple and Vishnu, Lakshmi is mentioned in Tamil works of literature of the Sangam era, including the epic Silapadikaram (book 11, lines 35–40):
āyiram viritteḻu talaiyuṭai aruntiṟaṟ
pāyaṟ paḷḷip palartoḻu tētta viritiraik kāviri viyaṉperu turuttit tiruvamar mārpaṉ kiṭanta vaṇṇamum
On a magnificent cot having a thousand heads spread out, worshipped and praised by many, in an islet surrounded by Kaveri with bellowing waves, is the lying posture of the one who has Lakshmi sitting in his chest.
THEOLOGICAL ATTRIBUTES
The actual number of Vishnu's auspicious qualities is countless, although his six most-important "divine glories" are:
Jnana (Omniscience); defined as the power to know about all beings simultaneously;
Aishvarya (Sovereignty), derived from the word Ishvara which means unchallenged rule over all;
Shakti (Power or Energy), the capacity to make the impossible possible;
Bala (Strength), the capacity to support everything by will and without any fatigue;
Virya (Vigour), the power to retain immateriality as the Supreme Spirit or Being in spite of being the material cause of mutable creations;
Tejas (Splendor), which expresses self-sufficiency and the capacity to overpower everything by spiritual effulgence.
Other important qualities attributed to Vishnu are Gambhirya (inestimatable grandeur), Audarya (generosity), and Karunya (compassion). Natya Shastra lists Vishnu as the presiding deity of the Sṛngara rasa.
The Rigveda says: Vishnu can travel in three strides. The first stride is the Earth. The second stride is the visible sky. The third stride cannot be seen by men and is the heaven where the gods and the righteous dead live. (This feature of three strides also appears in the story of his avatar Vamana/Trivikrama.) The Sanskrit for "to stride" is the root kram; its reduplicated perfect is chakram (guņa grade) or chakra (zero-grade), and in the Rigveda he is called by epithets such as vi-chakra-māņas = "he who has made 3 strides". The Sanskrit word chakra also means "wheel". That may have suggested the idea of Vishnu carrying a chakra.
FIVE FORMS
In Shree Vaishnavism, another school dating from around the 10th century AD, Vishnu assumes five forms:
In the Para Form, Para is the highest form of Vishnu found only in Sri Vaikunta also called Moksha, along with his consort Lakshmi, (and Bhumi Devi and Nila devi, avatars of Lakshmi) and surrounded by liberated souls like Ananta, Garuda, and a host of Muktas (liberated souls).
In the Vyuha form, Vishnu assumes four forms, which exercise different cosmic functions and controls activities of living beings.
In the Vibhava form, Vishnu assumes various manifestations, called Vibhavas, more popularly known as Avataras from time to time, to protect the virtuous, punish evil-doers and re-establish righteousness.
In the Antaryami; "Dwelling within" or "Suksma Vasudeva" form, Vishnu exists within the souls of all living beings and in every substance.
In the Arcavatara or Image manifestation, Vishnu is visible and therefore easily approachable by devotees since Para, Vyuha, Vibhava and Antaryami forms can only be imagined or meditated upon because they are beyond our reach. Such images can be
Revealed by Vishnu, for example, a self-manifested (Swayambhu) icon (murti), e.g. The Mahavishnu Temple at Tirunelli, The Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple at Srirangam, The Tirumala Venkateshwara Temple, etc.; or
Installed by Devas or celestial beings such as such as Guruvayur Temple installed by Vayu; or
Installed by humans, and consecrated according to Vaishnava Agama shastras or scriptures such as Lord Jagannatha of Jagannath Temple (Puri) at Puri.
RELATIONS WITH OTHER DEITIES
SHIVA
The three gods of the Trimurti clan are inseparable and in harmony in view of their common vision and universal good. They are perfectly ideal in all respects.
Both Asuras and Devas played supportive roles in this story by keeping company with Vishnu in his incarnated forms. Hanuman is a vanara who is completely dedicated to Rama. He gives Vishnu company and obeys his command, while playing an important part in Rama's life. He is regarded in Vaishnava canon because it is through blessings that Hanuman is born. Thus, Hanuman, Vishnu's constant companion, with his idol appearing temples of Rama, Krishna and Narasimha, i.e. all of Vishnu's avatars, is considered by Vaishnavas.
Syncretic forces produced stories in which the two deities were shown in cooperative relationships and combined forms. Harihara is the name of a combined deity form of both Vishnu (Hari) and Shiva (Hara). This dual form, which is also called Harirudra, is mentioned in the Mahabharata.
LAKSHMI
Vishnu's consort is Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth (also known as Maya). The Samvit (the primary intelligence/dark matter) of the universe is Vishnu, while the other five attributes emerge from this samvit and hence Maya or dark energy of the universe is Lakshmee is his ahamata, activity, or Vishnu's Power. This power of God, Maya or Shakti, is personified and has multiple names: Shree, Lakshmi, Maya, Vishnumaya or Mahamaya. She is said to manifest as Kriyashakti, (Creative Activity) and Bhutishakti (Creation). This world requires Vishnu's creativity. He therefore needs Lakshmi to always be with Him. Her various avatars as Lord Vishnu's consorts are Varahavatar (Bhoodevi) or Bhoomi, Ramavatar Seeta, Krishnavatar Rukmini)
SARASWATI & GANGA
According to Brahma Vaivarta Purana, Lord Vishnu had three wives Lakshmi, Saraswati and Ganga. Due to their constant quarrelsome nature among them. Once Ganga tried to be close with Vishnu, this rebuked Saraswati but Lakshmi tried to pacify them but faced a curse rather. As per the curse, Lakshmi to appear as Tulasi. Sarawati cursed Ganga to run as a river in the world and Saraswati was cursed to run as a river in the netherworld. After this, Lord Vishnu transformed and became Brahma and Shiva to pacify Saraswati and Ganga.
GARUDA
Vishnu's mount (Vahana) is Garuda, the eagle. Vishnu is commonly depicted as riding on his shoulders.
ICONOGRAPHY
According to various Puranas, Vishnu is the ultimate omnipresent reality and is shapeless and omnipresent. However, a strict iconography governs his representation, whether in pictures, icons, or idols:
He has four arms and is male: The four arms indicate his all-powerful and all-pervasive nature. His physical existence is represented by the two arms in the front, while the two arms at the back represent his presence in the spiritual world. The Upanishad Gopal Uttartapani describes the four arms.
The Shreevatsa mark is on his chest, symbolizing his consort Lakshmi.
He wears the auspicious "Kaustubha" jewel around his neck and a garland of vaijayanti flowers (Vanamala). Lakshmi dwells in this jewel, on Vishnu's chest.
A crown adorns his head: The crown symbolizes his supreme authority. This crown sometimes includes a peacock feather, borrowing from his Krishna-avatar.
He wears two earrings: The earrings represent inherent opposites in creation — knowledge and ignorance; happiness and unhappiness; pleasure and pain.
He rests on Ananta, the immortal and infinite snake.
Vishnu is always to be depicted holding four attributes:
A conch shell or Shankha, named Panchajanya, is held by the upper left hand. It represents Vishnu's power to create and maintain the universe. Panchajanya represents the five elements or Panchabhoota – water, fire, air, earth and sky or space. It also represents the five airs or Pranas that are within the body and mind. The conch symbolizes that Vishnu is the primeval Divine sound of creation and continuity. It also represented as Om. In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna avatara states that of sound vibrations, 'He is Om'.
The Chakra, a sharp, spinning, discus-like weapon, named "Sudarshana", is held by the upper right hand. It symbolizes the purified spiritualized mind. The name Sudarshana is derived from two words – Su, which means good, superior, and Darshana, which means vision or sight; together. The Chakra represents destruction of ego in the awakening and realization of the soul's original nature and god, burning away spiritual ignorance and illusion, and developing higher spiritual vision and insight to realize god.
A mace or Gada, named "Kaumodaki", is held by the lower right hand. It symbolizes that Vishnu's divine power is the source of all spiritual, mental and physical strength. It also signifies Vishnu's power to destroy materialistic or demonic tendencies (Anarthas) that prevent people from reaching god. Vishnu's mace is the power of the Divine within us to spiritually purify and uplift us from our materialistic bonds.
A lotus flower or Padma is held by the lower left hand. It represents spiritual liberation, Divine perfection, purity and the unfolding of Spiritual consciousness within the individual. The lotus opening its petals in the light of the Sun is indicative of the expansion and awakening of our long dormant, original spiritual consciousness in the light of god. The lotus symbolizes that god is the power and source from which the universe and the individual soul emerges. It also represents Divine Truth or Satya, the originator of the rules of conduct or Dharma, and Divine Vedic knowledge or Jnana. The lotus also symbolizes that Vishnu is the embodiment of spiritual perfection and purity and that He is the wellspring of these qualities and that the individual soul must seek to awaken these intrinsic Divine qualities from Vishnu by surrendering to and linking with Him.
To this may be added, conventionally, the vanamaala flower garland, Vishnu's bow (Shaarnga/Kodand) and his sword Nandaka. A verse of the Vishnu Sahasranama stotram states;vanamālī gadhī shārngī shanki chakri cha nandaki / shrīmān nārāyaņo vişņo vāsudevo abhirakşatu//; translation: Protect us Oh Lord Narayana who wears the forest garland,who has the mace, conch, sword and the wheel. And who is called Vishnu and the Vasudeva.
In general, Vishnu's body is depicted in one of the following three ways:
Standing on a lotus flower, often with Lakshmi, his consort, beside him on a similar pedestal.
Reclining on the coiled-up thousand-hooded Shesha Naga, with Lakshmi seated at his feet; the assemblage rests on the "Kshira Sagar" (ocean of milk). In this representation, Brahma is depicted as sitting on a lotus that grows out of Vishnu's navel.
Riding on the back of his eagle mount, known as Garuda. Another name for Garuda is "Veda atma"; Soul of the Vedas. The flapping of his wings symbolizes the power of the Divine Truth of Vedic wisdom. Also the eagle represents the soul. Garuda carrying Vishnu symbolizes the soul or jiva atma carrying the Super soul or Param atma within it.
AVATARS
Ten avatars (dashavatara) of Vishnu are the most prominent: Apart from the most prominent incarnations there are believed to more.
The most commonly believed incarnations of Vishnu are:
Matsya, the fish that kills Damanaka to save the vedas and also saves Manu from a great flood that submerges the entire Earth.
Kurma, the turtle that helps the Devas and Asuras churn the ocean for the nectar of immortality.
Varaha, the boar that rescues the Earth and kills Hiranyaksha.
Narasimha, the half-lion half human, who defeats the demon Hiranyakashipu.
Vamana, the dwarf that grows into a giant to save the world from King Bali.
Parashurama, "Rama of the battle axe", a sage who appeared in the Treta Yuga. He killed Kartavirya Arjuna's army and clan and then killed all the kshatriyas 21 times.
Rama, the prince and king of Ayodhya who killed the Demon King Raavan.
Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu, who takes part in the Mahabharata epic. Krishna is worshipped as the Supreme Avatar of Vishnu (Supreme Personality of Godhead) in Gaudiya-Vaishnava philosophy.
Buddha, the ninth avatar of Vishnu.
Kalki, the tenth Avatar of Vishnu and said to be the harbinger of the end Kali Yuga. This avatar of Vishnu is yet to come.
Some versions of the above list include Hayagreeva among the Dashavataras while some include Buddha as ninth avatar of Vishnu. Another 22 avatars are given in Chapter 3, Canto 1 of the Bhagavata Purana, although it states that "the incarnations of the Lord are innumerable, like rivulets flowing from inexhaustible sources of water".
BEYOND HINDUISM
SIKHISM
Guru Granth Sahib of Sikhism mentions Vishnu, one verse goes:
The true Vaishnaav, the devotee of Vishnu, is the one with whom God is thoroughly pleased. He dwells apart from Maya. Performing good deeds, he does not seek rewards. Spotlessly pure is the religion of such a Vaishnaav; he has no desire for the fruits of his labors. He is absorbed in devotional worship and the singing of Kirtan, the songs of the Lords Glory. Within his mind and body, he meditates in remembrance on the Lord of the Universe. He is kind to all creatures. He holds fast to the Naam, and inspires others to chant it. O Nanak, such a Vaishnaav obtains the supreme status.
BUDDHISM
While some Hindus consider Buddha as an incarnation of Vishnu, Buddhists in Sri Lanka venerate Vishnu as the custodian deity of Sri Lanka and protector of Buddhism. Lord Vishnu is also known as upulvan, or uthpala varna, meaning "Blue Lotus coloured". Some postulates that Uthpala varna was a local deity who later merged with Vishnu while another belief is that Uthpala Varna was an early form of Vishnu before he became a supreme deity in Puranic Hinduism. According to Chronicles "Mahawamsa", "Chulawamsa" and folklore in Sri Lanka, Buddha himself handed over the custodianship to Vishnu. Others believe that Buddha entrusted this task to Sakra(Indra) and Sakra delegated this task of custodianship to god Vishnu. In contrary to vedic Hinduism, in assimilation of Hindu god Vishnu into Sinhalese Buddhism, Vishnu becomes a mortal being and a Bodhisattva aspiring Buddhahood. Additionally, Vishnu is considered as the god of home and hearth representing mercy, goodness, order and stability. Many Buddhist and Hindu shrines are dedicated to Vishnu in Sri Lanka. In addition to specific Vishnu "Kovils" or "devalayas", all Buddhist temples necessarily house shrine rooms (Devalayas) closer to the main Buddhist shrine dedicated to Vishnu. John Holt in his groundbreaking study examines the assimilation, transformation, and subordination of the Hindu deity Vishnu within the contexts of Sri Lankan history and Sinhala Buddhist religious culture. He then explores the role and rationale of medieval Sinhala kings in assimilating Visnu into Sinhala Buddhism. According to Holt the veneration of Vishnu in Sri Lanka is evidence of a remarkable ability, over many centuries, to reiterate and reinvent culture as other ethnicities have been absorbed into their own. Though the Vishnu cult in Ceylon was formally endorsed by Kandyan kings in early 1700s, Holt states that vishnu images and shrines are among conspicuous ruins in the medieval capital Polonnaruwa. In Buddhist mythology, when Vishnu failed to traverse the universe in three steps, he was given the title "Ardha Vishnu (Half-Vishnu)" and when Vishnu banished demons from the Vaishali (Vishala)in India, he became "Mulu Vishnu or Whole Vishnu". The extreme significance of god Vishnu in Sinhala society is reflected in recitals of the traditional "Offerings to dwarfs and crossing the door frame (bahirwayanta dola pideem saha uluwahu peneema)" that starts with Sri Vishnu invocation.In the recitals,mentioning of the aspiring Buddhahood of Vishnu which is of prime importance to Buddhists and wishes for him to live five thousand and more years highlight the central role of Vishnu in the psyche of Sri Lankan Buddhists.
OTHERS
James Freeman Clarke, Richard Leviton, James Cowles Prichard, and others have noted the similarities between Vishnu and Ancient Egyptian God Horus.
During an excavation in an abandoned village of Russia in the Volga region, archaeologist Alexander Kozhevin excavated an ancient idol of Vishnu. The idol dates from between the 7th and 10th centuries. In the interview Kozhevin, stated that, "We may consider it incredible, but we have ground to assert that Middle-Volga region was the original land of Ancient Rus. This is a hypothesis, but a hypothesis, which requires thorough research"
THOUSAND NAMES OF VISHNU
Vishnu's many names and followers are collected in the Vishnu Sahasranama, (Vishnu's thousand names) from within the larger work Mahabharata. The character Bheeshma recites the names before Krishna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, praising him (Vishnu) as the supreme god. These Sahasranama are regarded as the essence of all Vedas by followers of Vaishnavism, who believe sincere chanting of Vishnu Sahasranama results in spiritual well-being and a greater awareness of God.
The names are generally derived from the Anantakalyanagunas (meaning: infinite auspicious attributes).
According to the Siddhartha-samhita there are twenty-four forms of Lord Vishnu. The twenty-four forms are
Vasudeva
Sankarshana
Pradyumna
Anirudha
Keshava
Narayana
Madhava
Govinda
Vishnu
Madhusudana
Trivikrama
Vamana
Sridhara
Hrishikesha
Padmanabha
Damodara
Purushottama
Achyuta
Narasimha
Janardana
Hari
Krishna
Adhokshaja
Upulvan, Uthpala Varna - In Sri Lanka, Vishnu is also referred to as Upulvan ( Blue Lotus Coloured)
WIKIPEDIA
FIRST ASIAN AMERICAN STAR!
Written by PHILIP LEIBFRIED
Her complexion was described as "a rose blushing through old ivory;" she was beautiful, tall (5'7"), slender, and Chinese-American. The last fact kept her from attaining the highest echelon among Hollywood's pantheon of stars, but it did not affect her popularity, nor keep her from becoming a household name. She was Anna May Wong, nee Wong Liu Tsong, a name which translates to "Frosted Yellow Willows," and she was born, appropriately enough, on Flower Street in Los Angeles' Chinatown on 3 January 1905, above her father's laundry. Anna May Wong's contribution to show business is a unique one; she was the first Asian female to become a star, achieving that stardom at a time when bias against her race was crushing. With determination and talent allied to her exotic beauty, she remained the only Asian female star throughout her forty-year career, never fully overcoming all prejudices in maintaining that position. Perhaps the rediscovery of her art will elevate her star to the pantheon of great performers and serve as a guiding light to Asian performers who still struggle to find their rightful place. Anna May Wong's life and career is something that is important for all who value greatly the Asian / Asian Pacific American communities' many artists and what we can all contribute!
Excerpt from : That Old Feeling: Anna May Wong
Part II of Richard Corliss' tribute to the pioneer Chinese-American star.
Daughter of the Dragon. Paramount 1931.
Based on a Fu Manchu novel by Sax Rohmer.
Daughter of the Dragon extended the curse sworn by Dr. Fu on the Petrie family to the next generation. Fu Manchu (Warner Oland), long ago injured and exiled in an attempt on Petrie Sr., returns to London and confronts the father: "In the 20 years I have fought to live," he says in his florid maleficence, "the thought of killing you and your son has been my dearest nurse." He kills the father, is mortally wounded himself and, on his deathbed, reveals his identity to his daughter Ling Moy (Wong) and elicits her vow that she will "cancel the debt" to the Fu family honor and murder the son, Ronald (Bramwell Fletcher)... who, dash it all, is madly infatuated with Ling Moy. Ronald has seen "Princess Ling Moy Celebrated Oriental Dancer" perform, and the vision has made him woozy. "I wish I could find a word to describe her," this calf-man effuses. "Exotic that's the word! And she's intriguing, if you know what I mean." In a near-clinch, Ling Moy wonders if a Chinese woman can appeal to a British toff. When he begs her to "chuck everything and stay," she asks him, "If I stayed, would my hair ever become golden curls, and my skin ivory, like Ronald's?" But the lure of the exotic is hard to shake. "Strange," he says, "I prefer yours. I shall never forget your hair and your eyes." They almost kiss ... when an off-camera scream shakes him out of his dream. It is from his girlfriend Joan (Frances Dade), and the societal message is as clear and shrill: white woman alerting white man to treachery of yellow woman. Ling Moy, a nice girl, previously unaware of her lineage, might be expected to struggle, at least briefly, with the shock of her identity and the dreadful deed her father obliges her to perform. But Wong makes an instant transformation, hissing, "The blood is mine. The hatred is mine. The vengeance shall be mine." Just before his death, Fu mourns that he has no son to kill Ronald. But, in a good full-throated reading, Wong vows: "Father, father, I will be your son. I will be your son!" The audience then has the fun of watching her stoke Ronald's ardor while plotting his death. When she is with him, pleading and salesmanship radiate from her bigeyes. But when an ally asks her why she keeps encouraging the lad, she sneers and says, "I am giving him a beautiful illusion. Which I shall crush." As a villainess, she is just getting started. Revealing her mission to Ronald, she tells him she plans to kill Joan "Because you must have a thousand bitter tastes of death before you die." (The ripe dialogue is by Hollywood neophyte Sidney Buchman, whose distinguished list of credits would include Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Here Comes Mr Jordan and The Talk of the Town.) She soon ascends on a geyser of madness as she decides on a new torture: "My vengeance is inspired tonight. You will first have the torture of seeing her beauty eaten slowly away by this hungry acid." An aide holds a hose gadget over Joan's soon-to-be-corroded face, and Ronald cries for Ling Moy to stop. Very well she says. "Ling Moy is merciful." She barks at Ronald: "Kill her!" He must decide if his favorite white girl is to be etched with acid or stabbed to death. Great stuff! Melodrama is the art of knowing how precisely too far to goThe film is a triangle: not so much of Ling Moy, Ronald and Joan as of Ling Moy, Ronald and a Chinese detective, Ah Kee, played by Sessue Hayakawa, the Japanese actor who in the teens was Hollywood's first Asian male star. He's not plausibly Chinese here, and he is in a constant, losing battle with spoken English. But he is a part of movie history, in the only studio film of the Golden Age to star two ethnically Asian actors. And he gives his emotive all to such lines as "It is the triumph of irony that the only woman I have ever deeply loved should be born of the blood that I loathe." And in the inevitable double-death finale neither the villainess nor the noble detective can survive the machinations of Hollywood justice he gently caresses the long hair of the lady he would love to have loved. "Flower Ling Moy," he says, a moment before expiring. "A flower need not love, but only be loved. As Ah Kee loved you."
The Personal Anna May Wong
This 5'7 beauty loved to study and could speak in an English accent, as well as being fluent in German and French with more than a passing knowledge of other tongues including Italian and Yiddish. For exercise she rode horses, played golf, and tennis. She liked to cook and regaled her guests with succulent Chinese dishes at frequent dinner parties. She preferred casual clothes, wearing slacks and sweaters at home, but cultivated an oriental motif in her very smart formal wardrobe. She studied singing with Welsh tenor Parry Jones before she participated in the film Limehouse Blues as George Raft's mistress. Anna loved to dance to contemporary music. Anna was quoted as saying, "I think I got my first chance because they thought I was peculiar. But, now I like to believe that the public are fond of me because they think I'm nice."
The story of Anna May Wong’s life traced the arc of triumph and tragedy that marked so many of her films. Wong's youthful ambition and screen appeal got her farther than anyone else of her race. But her race, or rather Hollywood's and America's fear of giving Chinese and other non-whites the same chance as European Americans, kept her from reaching the Golden Mountaintop. We can be startled and impressed by the success she, alone, attained. And still weask: Who knows what Anna May Wong could have been allowed to achieve if she
had been Anna May White?
Anna May Wong passed away on Feb. 3rd 1961 she was 56 years old.
Filmography:
The Red Lantern. Metro 1919. The First Born. Robertson Cole 1921.
Shame. Fox 1921. Bits of Life. Assoc. First National 1921.
The First Born. Robertson Cole 1921. Thundering Dawn. Universal 1923
The Toll of the Sea. Metro 1922 Drifting. Universal 1923 Fifth Avenue. PRC 1926.
Lillies of the Field. Assoc. First National 1924. The Thief of Bagdad. United Artists 1924
The Fortieth Door. Pathé serial 1924. The Alaskan. Paramount 1924.
Peter Pan. Paramount 1924. Forty Winks. Paramount 1925.
The Silk Bouquet/The Dragon Horse. Hi Mark Prod. 1926 The Desert's Toll. MGM 1926.
A Trip to Chinatown. Fox 1926. The Chinese Parrot. Universal. 1927.
Driven from Home. Chadwick 1927. Mr. Wu. MGM 1927.
Old San Francisco. Warner Bros. 1927. Why Girls Love Sailors. Pathé short 1927.
The Devil Dancer. United Artists 1927. Streets of Shanghai. Tiffany 1927.
Across to Singapore. MGM 1928. Pavement Butterfly (aka City Butterfly).
The City Butterfly. German 1929. Across to Singapore. MGM 1928.
The Crimson City. Warner Bros. 1928. Song. German 1928
Chinatown Charlie. First National 1928. Piccadilly, British International 1929.
Elstree Calling. British International 1930. The Flame of Love. British International 1930.
Hay Tang. German 1930. L'Amour Maitre Des Choses. French 1930.
Daughter of the Dragon. Paramount 1931. Shanghai Express. Paramount 1932.
A Study in Scarlet. World Wide 1933. Tiger Bay. Associated British 1933.
Chu Chin Chow. Gaumont 1934. Java Head. Associated British 1934.
Limehouse Blues. Paramount 1934. Daughter of Shanghai. Paramount 1937.
Hollywood Party. MGM short subject 1937. Dangerous to Know. Paramount 1938.
The Toll of the Sea. Metro 1922. The Thief of Bagdad 1924
Shanghai Express 1932
look at me I have never been this pale, I usually have an olive kind of complexion and my muscle fibers are waining by the day, I don´t complain since I get to do what I want, well, I am an art-addict so I would probably go on until my body atrophied in to a giant amoeba with a human brain floating around randomly on the floor doing my different art-choirs...
But one thing is good my teeth aren´t getting any more yellow, well last I was at the dentist, that is in Vienna (many years ago) they were gonna place a jacket on one of my rump-fangs so they wanted a match in color so he pulled up a dental color comparing sheet my teeth was the most yellow a humanoid could have, so the color was easily determined which was a waste of time and money since it has all ready fallen out!
Peace and Primal Screaming noise!
/ Donny Hannuseed aka. FungalCortex
Two years ago, I scattered teasle seeds at the bottom of my garden ( much to the horror of the woman next door who is a fanatical gardener).I did this purposely for the goldfinches.Also I planted Sunflowers and various wildflower seeds to encourage Bees and other insects and I am glad to say , it is now a riot of colour. The womans face next door shows a rather different complexion.....titter!.
Pub sign of the "Paxton’s Head" in London’s Knightsbridge area, London, England
Some background information:
The "Paxton’s Head" is located alongside the south end of Hyde Park, on the main road towards Kensington. The pub is a superb example of a Grade II listed Victorian tavern in the Knightsbridge area of London. It has kept its original appearance since it was last rebuilt between 1900 and 1902 by the architect George Dennis Martin as part of the seven-storey Park Mansions development.
However, licensed premise has occupied the site since at least 1632 when the pub was known as the "King's Head". From the 1760s it became known as the "Granby's Head" and later as the "Marquis of Granby's Head". When the pub was rebuilt between 1851 and 1853 for the first time, it took its present name. The building is highly unusual in that it has retained its ancient usage within a large modern development. Its interior is still a fine example of an ornate pub of around 1900 which has retained its island servery and many of its other contemporary fittings.
The "Paxton’s Head" is set on three floors. On the ground floor is the pub with its original oak panels, etched mirrors and an authentic Irish bar. Below, there is a traditional lounge bar and upstairs is a modern restaurant with 43 covers. The clientele of the pub is a mixture of business people, advertising agents and shoppers, with many people being regulars who work nearby. The pub offers not only a wide selection of real ales and bottled drinks, but also freshly cooked British pub food.
At the time, we were there (in 2013), the "Paxton’s Head" was still operating under the brand "Taylor Walker", owned by the Spirit Pub Company plc. But today it is owned by Greene King, the UK's largest pub retailer and brewer, based in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. The Greene King brewery currently operates about 3,100 pubs, restaurants and hotels in all of Great Britain.
The name of the pub refers to Sir Joseph Paxton, who lived from 1803 to 1865. He was an English gardener, architect and Member of Parliament, best known for designing the Crystal Palace in Hyde Park for the Great Exhibition of 1851, and for cultivating the Cavendish banana, the most consumed banana in the Western world.
In his early years, the 20-year-old Paxton had already become the head gardener at Chatsworth House, which was considered to have one of the finest landscaped gardens of the time. Paxton redesigned the garden around the new north wing of the house, became skilled in moving mature trees and expanded Chatsworth's collection of conifers into a 40-acre (160,000 square metres) arboretum which still exists. But he also built the Emperor Fountain in 1844 that was twice the height of Nelson's Column and required the creation of a feeder lake on the hill above the gardens.
Paxton developed an interest in greenhouses too. Constant experimentation over a number of years led him to devise the glasshouse design that inspired the Crystal Palace. After the Great Exhibiton of 1851, the Palace was relocated to Penge Common, an area of South London. Unfortunately it was destructed by a fire in November 1936. However, the nearby residential area was renamed Crystal Palace after the landmark of glass, designed and built by Joseph Paxton.
In 1850, Paxton was commissioned by Baron Mayer de Rothschild to design Mentmore Towers in Buckinghamshire, which was to be one of the greatest country houses built during the Victorian Era. Following the completion of Mentmore, Paxton also designed Château de Ferrières near Paris, France, the stately home of Baron James de Rothschild.
Paxton was honoured by being a member of the Kew Commission which was to suggest improvements for Royal Botanic Gardens, and by being considered for the post of Head Gardener at Windsor Castle. However, he became affluent, not so much through his Chatsworth employment, but by successful speculation in the railway industry.
He retired from Chatsworth when William Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire, died in 1858 but carried on working at various projects such as the Thames Graving Dock. In 1865, Paxton died at his home at Rockhills, Sydenham, and was buried on the Chatsworth Estate in St Peter's Churchyard, Edensor. His wife Sarah remained at their house on the Chatsworth Estate until her death in 1871.
Wherever there is a human being, I see God-given rights inherent in that being, whatever may be the sex or complexion.
William Lloyd Garrison
Phryne before the Areopagus 1861
Hamburg Kunsthalle
Jean-Léon Gérôme
Phryne was a famous hetaera (courtesan) of Ancient Greece (4th century BC).
Her real name was Mnesarete (Ancient Greek Μνησαρετή (commemorating virtue)), but owing to her yellowish complexion she was called Phryne (toad), a name given to other courtesans. She was born at Thespiae in Boeotia, but seems to have lived at Athens. She acquired so much wealth by her extraordinary beauty that she offered to rebuild the walls of Thebes, which had been destroyed by Alexander the Great (336 BC), on condition that the words destroyed by Alexander, restored by Phryne the courtesan, were inscribed upon them. The authorities turned down her offer.
She was famously beautiful. On the occasion of a festival of Poseidon at Eleusis, she laid aside her garments, let down her hair, and stepped nude into the sea in the sight of the people, thus suggesting to the painter Apelles his great picture of Aphrodite Anadyomene (also portrayed at times as this Venus Anadyomene), for which Phryne herself sat as model, and other works of art from the period are alleged to be modeled after Phryne.
Due to her beauty, she also inspired the much later painting by artist Jean-Léon Gérôme, Phryné devant l'Areopage, (Phryne before the Areopagus, 1861) as well as other works of art throughout history. She was also (according to some) the model for the statue of the Aphrodite of Knidos by Praxiteles.
In literary world, Charles Baudelaire in his poems Lesbos and La beauté and Rainer Maria Rilke in his poem Die Flamingos were inspired by beauty and fame of Phryne.
From a musical point of view, Phryné was the subject of an opera by Camille Saint-Saëns: Phryné (1893).
Her story was also made into an ancient civilization episode for the Discovery Channel, which was entitled "The Greeks."
When accused of profaning the Eleusinian mysteries, she was defended by the orator Hypereides, one of her lovers. The speech for the prosecution, according to Diodorus Periegetes, quoted by Athenaeus XIII.591e, was written by Anaximenes of Lampsacus. When it seemed as if the verdict would be unfavourable, Hypereides tore open her robe and displayed her breasts, which so moved her judges that they acquitted her. According to others, she herself removed her clothing. The judges' change of heart was not simply because they were overcome by the beauty of her nude body, but because physical beauty was often seen as a facet of divinity or a mark of divine favor during those times.
The Christian cross and damage in nose and eyes are ancient vandalism to discredit pagan gods.A statue of Phryne, the work of Praxiteles, was placed in a temple at Thespiae by the side of a statue of Aphrodite by the same artist. Diogenes Laertius narrates a failed attempt Phryne made on the virtue of the philosopher Xenocrates.
Dimitris Varos, modern Greek poet and writer, wrote a book called Phryne. Witold Jabłoński, Polish fantasy writer, also wrote a book called Phryne the Hetaera.
at his favourite hangout, the lamp post. This is like a food court for this guy where he can sample a variety of flying food source during the night. Seem here at its best location, getting ready for its first customer(victim) to arrive when day light give way to lamp light.
This one got darker complexion compared to those found in houses. Not sure of its id for the time being i call him gecko
approx 3in in length
@bt panjang, sg
This young woman appeared in an earlier photo.. However, I wanted to crop a portrait of just her to accentuate her complexion, eyes, hair and beautiful bone structure. I think she is quite stunning with enchanting looks.
The second rendering (Enchantress II) I rendered in Adobe Creamtone. Other than just B&W, I use toning and selective color quite judiciously. However, I find Creamtone a subtle tone that IMO, is simply beautiful for portraits where B&W may be just a tad harsh. With her fair and silky complexion, Creamtone seemed to fit the bill.
Sometimes I can't crop out the disparate elements without ruining the shot . . . like the guy on the left. So I try to find ways to incorporate them into the scene. This particular "solution" came to me out of studying group scenes 15th-18th century Masters. Often you see a sub layer of other people, partially hidden. Some artists put themselves in the work in this way. This man's particular placement was a result of the crop and a horizontal flip of the photo, that gave the added benefit of the subject looking off camera as well as unposed.
Once again, I leave it to the panel of Flickr experts to decide. They have been so helpful in their comments and the displays of their marvelous photo artistry.
Thanks y'all. :))
The dragon-fly is dancing/Is on the water glancing/She flits about with nimble wing/The flickering, fluttering, restless thing./Besotted chafers all admire/Her light-blue, gauze-like, neat attire/They laud her blue complexion/And think her shape perfection…
Making full use of the shade - I don't think his light complexion could take a lot of sun (without sun screen).
Hockey was a blast, the break in the daily routine as gentle as the routine was gave us many benefits. After a few weeks of playing our darker sides showed up. The guards took along several spectators fellow inmates as there were no work crews when we played hockey. One of the spectators a chap named Jim with a complexion like the actor Richard Burton saw that the liquor store was located across the street from the rink in the little town of Mansfield. The next week all the millionaires sent Jim to the store to buy us liquor in the form of mickeys that Jim kept wrapped individually in the brown liquor store bags. Then he put the bottles carefully into the hockey duffle bags in the dressing room while the guards watched us butcher each other.
The liquor was to be be brought into the camp building later from the storage facility garage by the head of the storeroom, this was myself as I had inherited the job from Jim Bugsy when he was released in January. Jim Bugsy looked a lot like Alf Ventriss on the British sitcom Heartbeat, he was an accountant that had gone south with the companies funds. It was a real honour to get the position of storeroom clerk, it was the best gig for an inmate. In the mornings and the evenings I went out alone with no supervision and raised and lowered the Canadian flag. I spent my days in the storeroom, sorting laundry that had been shipped in from the O.R., stacking shirts and toiletries which were given out to inmates on Wednesdays after dinner. Incoming supplies, dry goods including canteen items would come through my office, I was an integral part of the institution.
There was a little radio in the store room, a desk and a chair. To while the days away I carved rings out of the bowls of tobacco pipes which card players would purchase for me as part payment of their gambling debts. Sandpaper was available at the tool shed along with round files and a hacksaw which I used to cut the exotic wooden pipes into pieces. Tobacco pipe wood is of differing materials some interesting pieces were created and either sold or given to friends who treasured these crude but unique pieces of wooden folk jewelry. One ring survives to this day, a crude outline of a serpents head hand carved into the exotic wood.
Wednesday nights were Happy Day nights and we would drink our liquor mixed with cans of coke while we watched the show. I drank whiskey then, still do at times, others chose vodka, or rum whatever. Jim got paid in tobacco for getting the booze, we used to purchase between five and ten mickeys a week. The plan seemed foolproof, we repeated this scam for about six weeks, no one was the wiser, not even the guards who just thought we were being goofy because we were watching Happy Days.
It all came crashing down when they found a couple of empty mickey bottles in the kitchen garbage pail. Actually the chef found them and reported them to the guards who had a thorough investigation and the two inmates who worked in the kitchen Bob Rainey a speedy kind of guy from Regent Park with ambitions to strike for one of the clubs was one of them and his friend Gilles another weight lifting guy from Toronto’s east end. They both got sent back to Guelph immediately. Problem is the guards were now on the warpath and they left no stone unturned in their searches. Eventually they came across a stash of empty bottles in the removable ceiling panels above my bunk, that was it. Although technically they didn’t bust me, they knew my position of trust and my position as a ‘millionaire’, all fingers pointed towards me. Besides myself a few others from the dorm were returned to Guelph where we would face the wrath of the Warden, we had let him down.
By now a year of the eighteen month sentence had been served. Sentences were automatically reduced by a third if you had good behaviour. A new term was thrown around, ‘short timer’, and this was a pleasant term that also had a dark side which was the anxiety of the future. What would one do on the outside? Although I generally am grateful for my short time served I like to point out, that in this regard, this preparation for release, the system was lacking in that very little pre-release planning had been done prior to my departing the institution. Due to the shortness of the sentence there hadn’t been a long enough time period for me to require any extra counsel. In retrospect the system could not have known that this period of incarceration was in fact the termination of a half dozen years or so of misbehaviour.
The Warden called the half dozen or so returnees from the camp together the next morning after ‘jug up’. We were outside in the courtyard, we were kept waiting for an hour while he took care of some other duties. He then personally took us up to the attic of the dorms, where we were assigned the task of moving several hundred old steel bed frames from the attic a dark and dusty poorly lit space down three flights of stairs to the garbage and scrap area a hundred yards away from the buildings for the scrap dealers to take away. The work was boring and repetitive and of course it was meant to be a form of punishment. Not unlike the days on the S.W.P. building hills then dismantling them
Had this been the 1950s we would have been beaten across the buttocks until we bled, if an earlier period we would have been flogged! I must admit I was getting a little testy with the job and after a few days complained to the guard who was in charge of the detail, to no avail, the sentence lasted a few weeks. The only solace of the situation was the fact I had been returned to my old quarters, 2B where most of the inmates were still present and accounted for. The same guys still wanted to challenge me at cards and lose their canteen dollars, I took it, but had even lost interest in cards except as a means of buying smokes and chips. I wrote most of the debts off.
The book Papillon was making the rounds and I got on the short list of persons to read it early on. The story was supposedly the true adventures of Henri Charriere as he made numerous escapes from Hells Island where the French authorities had sent him for his crimes. The books many layers of adventure helped to retard the boring days I was experiencing. Earlier in life I felt much the same while reading titles by Harold Robbins. Vicarious living was at this point about all I could do, when engrossed in a novel either fiction or truth I could lose myself in another time which was much more satisfying than the day to day experiences for the most part.
Up on the third floor some nasty speeders had gotten a hold of some Angel Dust one night and they tore the place apart. About six thugs from the Shuter and Queen Street area of Toronto had overdone the ‘bad’ drugs and started beating on some meek inmates. A gang of about thirty riot equipped guards marched up the stairs with batons and teargas to subdue the altercation which they did quickly. The thugs with blood shot eyes were handcuffed, some were literally dragged down the stairways to the solitary area and were never returned to the general population. It was usual in these circumstances for inmates to be shipped out to maximum security Millbrook where the regime was much tougher and where other ‘difficult’ prisoners were locked up.
A side effect of the Angel Dust evening was a lack of some privileges for the entire prison population and a general search of every ones locker boxes. I had no contraband, hardly any extra tobacco as my ‘extras’ had been confiscated at Camp Dufferin. The guards claimed I had been gambling. These searches were fairly common, and lots of guys lost their most prized possessions at these times, their pornography pictures. The odd blade and pill and piece of hash and pot were also confiscated and if you were found with any contraband chances were you’d be sent to the hole, some extra time would be added to your sentence, perhaps even court charges would be laid and then you may be sent to another institution possibly Millbrook.
Dwight Bonkers a burly man from Neathrose Ontario was doing a sentence for apparently torturing someone by lashing them to a tree with steel chains and driving into them with a vehicle. He was a mean looking son of a bitch who had been transferred from the third floor to our calm ward after the commotion. Dwight could lift double his own weight which I would safely say was well over two hundred pounds. There existed in that prison and I’m told at many others a group of individuals who’s sole purpose was to lift weights in their spare time thereby creating a climate of fear around them. For the most part, the word ‘toughs’ could be applied to these folk. For outsiders and newcomers there wasn’t much of a chance to use the weight lifting equipment unless one wished to embark on friendships with these individuals.
When I heard through a gym ‘employee’ that Bonkers was interested in ‘killing’ me my sense of paranoia grew considerably. Bonkers’s bunk was only about six beds up the wall from where I slept near the TV. A friend from the gym had moved into the ward and he kept an eye on Bonkers for me as we played cards together in the evenings. I made sure that I didn’t go anywhere without someone with me. Turns out that Bonkers was jealous of my popularity, and I could understand this. Night after night he would lie on his bunk watching us play cards and kibbitz around while he had no social life to speak of. I spoke with him on a few occasions, being friendly, trying to get a feel for his anger, from where it stemmed. That as we all know is a difficult task, understanding the unknown and I think by way of my friendly advances and sharing of myself that Bonkers negative attitude towards me subsided, in any case when he got transferred I was relieved.
Spring shone wonderfully that year. As it always does when one is able to work in the outdoors. Eventually the warden saw fit to transfer me to the outdoor gardening crew where life became more tolerable. Since I was on short time I was allowed on this crew with other short timers, the likes of Jake Babine from Hamilton a real street tough individual and another character from north of my Mt Dinky neighbourhood, Porky Morrow of the famed Morrow family who’s brothers Greg and Damien I got to know quite well when they frequented the Beverly Hills Hotel in future years. Greg and Damien were in involved in an unfortunate incident in 1980 that saw a Toronto policeman, officer Sugar murdered after a botched robbery attempt at a Queen Street bar called Bourbon Street. Greg is still in jail, no thanks to super cop Jewel Fanta. Poor Porky he died sometime in the 80s by jumping off an overpass of the 401 near Oshawa escaping a pinch. He jumped onto the highway with cars going 120 KMH, that’s what them bad drugs can do to you. Drugs like crack cocaine and meth, stay away from them.
It was glorious working outside! We’d get shovels and rakes off of a tractor pulled wagon and plant trees, tend garden beds, rake up leaves and debris paying particular attention to the front of the grounds where the administration building was and where visitors to the institution would get their first impression of things. This was a great gig with lots of joking around where once again the bonding between individuals made for great times.
A flooding situation in the town of Cambridge required a crew from the O.R. to go to the flooded town and help with the cleanup of the flooded basements in the downtown core. Several of us traveled in a corrections van to the area every day for a week. The interesting aspect was the sudden taste of freedom, for the very first time in over a year. Fortunately everyone toed the line and reported to the van at lunch time. We were sent into commercial stores and helped in the general cleanup, the throwing out of merchandise. One such shop a nickel and dime store either a S.S.Kressges or a Woolworths were throwing out hundreds and hundreds of those cheap Timex watches that you saw all your life in those twirling display cases in your local drug store window. Insurance companies wouldn’t pay for anything if it wasn’t all sent to the dump. Truckload after truckload filled with excellent merchandise pulled out of the lane ways where the shops had thrown out the stock.
After a few days the water level in the basements of the main street shops had subsided and our crew was no longer required. Our guard told us that the town of Cambridge had officially thanked the prisoners who helped with the cleanup. All these years later I recall the wonderful feeling of being free for those brief moments, the freedom of driving to Cambridge in the institution van, to observe the common everyday occurrences out in the other world, a young girls colourful skirt, a smile on a strangers face, nobody counting you every couple of hours. I felt human.
Back at the institution I counted the last remaining days of incarceration. My plan was to move back with mom and whomever was with her for a while until I got settled in to another routine. Life in the dorm seldom varied, down the hall in 2C a friend from the Rock was in doing a couple of years less a day the maximum reformatory sentence, anything more and you were sent to a Federal institution. Brian Kurns was his name, he was a bit chunky, maybe half native dude from the old days at Rochdale. He had operated a substantial take out pot and hash business a few years earlier, dealt mostly to people from the east end, had a wife and kid now, he used to have some excellent gange. He got a big kick out of having me smoke a reefer of incredible quality. All that crap you here the police saying about how weak pot was back then, that’s bullshit! Lots of guys were like that, wanting to take you over the top, show off their goods.
Kurns he was a mystery in there, at the Rock he had his pad which was where he dealt from on the eleventh floor windows facing Bloor we would visit at least once or twice a week, he’d lavish the drugs on us. One time he took some of us to this ‘other’ pad in the building where it was furnished to the hilt, best stereo system, velour couches, carpets real deluxe not at all like his crash pad, maybe it was some bodies stash place that he was watching cause it just wasn’t his style to have a fancy place like this.
As it was, by this time in life I’d actually lost the taste for drugs like pot and hashish, I guess because there was so much time between ‘drops’. Using became an old habit, one I didn’t really need anymore. Kurns, he kept to himself, if I didn’t know better I might of thought he was afraid of something, he said he was just scared of the situation and appreciated my friendship. He got lucky, was assigned onto a work gang that went to the abattoir on the property and cut meat for which he received a good pay cheque that went to support his wife Barb and their young child.
There was a small scandal that took place at the prison during my tenure. A guard who was in charge of the laundry and its large work force was charged with buggering several inmates. This was common knowledge to the prisoners, this sex ring that was thriving in the laundry area. For having sex with the guard the inmate was given favours, nicer clothes, smokes, candy, not much different than the Maple Leaf Garden scandal years later. The prison guard was relieved of his duties. Had this occurred in the earlier years of the prisons existence, had an inmate been charged with these crimes the courts would have given long sentences and included the paddling of the individual on the buttocks as he stood pants down tied to a large wooden stand, tied at the arms and the legs, up to twenty strokes might be administered depending on the severity of the crime. After a half a dozen or so whacks the inmate bled. The guard was relieved of his duties, lost some seniority, some pension, what shame could he have after the thousands of assaults he had performed over the years while prison officials turned a blind eye to his house of horrors.
I never got involved in the drugs scene in the joint, Cinnors was just handy and we hit it off. Other dealers worked in the gym, it was a cushy go and if you didn’t have drag you didn’t work there. Zorky, a big TO player from Mississauga was there as was his friend Bob, Bob got real bad in the drugs game, smuggling tractor trailer loads of marijuana into California from Mexico, he shot and killed some people, anything for a buck, rumour has it he’s still at it and to be avoided. John Naatch from Oshawa he worked in the gym, smiling Johnny I’d call him, he worked for that big moving company in Oshawa, he was a great guy. That last month I got friendly with the gym guys and I’d get to play golf a lot on the little three hole course they had built while I was in Dufferin. My friend from Keele and Eel Tony Flaim and the Dukes were coming to the joint that summer for a gig and can you believe it, I felt bad that I wouldn’t be there to see the show.
When the last day finally came, sometime in early June of 1974 I hugged a lot of guys the night before, gave all my stuff away, cards, sunglasses, smokes, books, whatever I had. I got up around 5AM on release day, hardly slept it was that same kind of sleep a kid gets when he is excited about something, say like going to the Ex the next day.
A guard came over to my bed and gave me a shake to stir me, he put his hand to his mouth to be quiet so as not to disturb the thirty one other people sleeping. I dressed quickly and quietly then followed another guard to the reception area where all my things were given back to me. The clothes I had worn from Windsor. The mid blue coloured three quarter length jacket with lots of pockets and the white striping fit very well I wondered if it was still fashionable. It was nice to see the white gold ring that they had cut off my finger, I slipped it on. Other things like my wallet and the keys for Don and Carols car were given to me in a plain yellow manila envelope along with about six hundred and fifty dollars. A couple of hundred which was from my canteen savings as every dollar you earn is split up equally in your canteen and take home fund. Somehow I had managed to do my income tax from the previous year and that cheque had been put into my account as well.
That sum was a pile of dough back then, almost as much as I had saved while working for McPhar a few years earlier. In the big cafeteria I was the only person eating and the ritual is that you get to order whatever breakfast you want within reason. I recall those good tasting bacon and eggs that day. A guard walked me out a quiet side door, through a tall wire fenced area into a waiting van where another guard drove me to the Guelph bus station and handed me a one way ticket to Toronto, the bus left in three hours. The guards job was to get me to the bus station. My cockiness was just a mask, I was full of anxieties, life was about to begin anew.
Waiting for the bus was irritating me, we were near the commercial strip, I think, any ways there was a car rental place nearby and I hoofed it over to the place and rented a shiny new car to use for the weekend, nothing fancy a mid size sedan. Before I left I called Robbie Cinnors who was attending U of Guelph on a TAP program and made arrangements to hook up with him sometime soon in Toronto as he had some hashish he wanted to show me. At a service station I quickly unhooked the odometer under the hood to save on mileage charges.
It’s a short drive from Guelph to Toronto, about an hour. I drove to my moms apartment building on Clearview Heights in the Trethewey Drive and Keele area. The government subsidized four bedroom apartment on Humber Boulevard was lost when the Toronto Housing Authority found a lot of damages caused by Alex. The new place was pretty grim, they didn’t have much of anything. There were pieces of ratty old furniture, those few wooden pieces left over from when dad was alive and providing. They’d gone downhill a lot which is hard to imagine as the apartment on Humber was always fairly threadbare. That entire fourteen months I’d been away, I think I wrote home on a bi-weekly basis, Gisele, my mom never once mentioned the turmoil she was going through. It was difficult to appreciate from jail, in retrospect my life in prison was better than that of my families in Toronto. I felt like crying as the sight of this degree of poverty was overwhelming. That poor woman, those poor younger siblings who were with her still, Shane, Barbara and Suzanne. I was the lucky one, the one who left home and went to jail.
Shane was home, Kevin was doing a bit somewhere. Shane and I headed out to Boomer and Herbies house on Spadina Ave west of Eglinton where Boomer had relocated when Rochdale closed. Herbie was his new roommate, TJ, had move elsewhere. It was a tiny house in a nice quiet area of mostly bigger homes. I was a wreck, Tommy’s dog Boogie a giant German Shepherd didn’t like me and scared the shit out of me whenever our eyes would lock, and he would growl which made me more nervous. The other dog Abby was more relaxed.
My anxiety made everything feel twice its normal size. A woman from the neighbourhood was hired to entertain me, I can see her face still today though her name escapes me. I got so drunk and stoned, I was satisfied to eat clams, she liked that, all the guys got a free show watching through the front window. Then I passed out on Herbies new bed, pissing all over his $400 dollar mattress, I never heard the end of that.
I Snuck out early in the morning with Shane in tow, we had a brief stopover at moms then Shane and I headed to Niagara Falls. Somewhere between the Falls and St Catherine we got royally pissed on a large jug of good whiskey and slept the night in the rental car. Passed out is more like it, behind a dusty diner like in a scene from a bad movie. I had missed Shane while I was away, Kevin also.
Monday morning I had to reassemble the odometer on the rental car before I took it back to the rental agency. It was difficult, I was fretting that I would have to go back to jail because I got caught fucking around with a rental car, a form of theft.
I hooked up with Robbie who passed me a nice chunk of black hash at a very good price for kilos which I passed on to my T.O. people who felt I was to fresh from the ‘joint’ too much of a ‘cowboy to do business with. Who knows where that might have taken me, I may have been the big man on the street but more than likely I would have gotten a big head and screwed up. Rochdale ceased to exist all the dealers moving into regular housing with stash houses elsewhere. It was a different world now.
Down on Brunswick Ave the buildings were so huge, I was suffering from some type of ‘release syndrome’, I don’t know what they call it. At High Park there was a big concert around that time and my friend Tony Flaim was on this massive stage, the sun was shining thousands of people were in attendance, Tony was smiling like only Tony could smile a regular smiling pumpkin, full of life and as the set began he saw me and shouted over the microphone, “well folks we’ve got Charlie Tuna in the crowd today, this one’s for him and he kicked into a bad ass blues tune!!!” That made me feel like a million dollars, the ice had been broken, whatever was making me feel weird melted away with those words. Thanks Tony.
After that weekend Boomer took me up to a cottage he and others were using for the summer, a place called Kakabika, a little two bedroom cottage on Stoney Lake a half hours drive from Peterborough. Pete could see I needed some R&R, some down time, some period of adjustment. He hung in for a day or so then left me there in the splendour of nature where I could eat when I wanted, drink when I wanted, walk when and where I wanted to walk. There was a small rowboat that came with the summer cottage rental and I would go rowing on the quiet bay in the evenings trying my luck at fishing but really just bathing in all of these natural elements. I kept busy sprouting some marijuana seeds and planting them in the woods nearby, they didn’t do very well. Like a smokers coach Boomer kept passing fat hash joints to me, the interest to smoke dubes had passed me by, I was no longer comfortable getting stoned three and four times a day, everything was Heaven for me just the way it was. I was home.
After a reasonable rest period, having lost most of my cash in a poker card game at the cottage to my buddy Snorks, I headed back to Toronto, stayed at moms for a few weeks, got work as a slave, operating a jackhammer, tearing up a concrete floor at a plant on Adelaide Street, that lasted two weeks…then I got work at the local bar, the Queensbury Arms, a referral from Big Al. That’s where I met my sweetie Julia and well, going on fourty years later, we are still together….For some reason, of all the stories I have written and tried to write, this is the one I like the best. Thanks for taking the time to read it, and thanks to those folk who stuck by me over the years, you must have been able to see some good in me..
If you are wondering what The Firehydrant is, it is a business card I created while living at Rochdale at Boomer and TJs place…the bearer of that card was allowed entry into the building to party and pick up party supplies.