Talk about individuality.

Driving to Carnarvon from Roma, we took a wrong turn due to dodgy signage and my own misunderstanding, which ended with us getting bogged overnight, and after a grand total of about 8-10 hours of sinking half-metre wide slabs of rock into the bog to pave our way out, while jacking the car up out of it with the same rocks under the jack to give it support, we finally drove out. Terrible experience, but definitely a lesson learned. A good thing though, was that there was a lot of wildlife to and from where we got bogged. Squatter Pigeons, Pale Headed Rosellas and Apostlebirds were birds we probably sighted in their hundreds, then probably a total of 20 or so Emus, nearly that amount of Kangaroos and a handful of wallabies. It was basically the perfect mistake.

**This photo won the Photo of the Week Competition in the Australian Geographic Group and will be featured on their website.**

The black cop asked me "what are you doing?" it seemed pretty obvious, to me at least, what i was doing. Taking pictures, when he asked why. I told him I was was a photographer. Which really is anyone with a camera taking pictures. He then asked my name, and suggested that I ask people before I take their pictures. I explained to him, that since my aim was to take candid unposed shots this would not work, and I was under no legal obligation to ask anyone walking on a public street if I could take their picture. He told me i would get a better reaction if i asked, I don't think he understood what i was telling him at all. He did say that he did not want his picture taken and if anyone asks me not to take their picture, unless they are famous, i stop, especially when they are armed. I just can't help feel there was a basic lack of communication between us, and for me, this off pissed me, but cops you know?

This was an old hand drawn sketch of a lovely South Indian Actress; done in mechanical pencil.

The sketch seems to be degrading over time; this was a good way to preserve it.

I haven't drawn much with my hands in a while -- I blame work life, stress, confidence issues and a fundamental misunderstanding of the drawing process.

"The strength I'm looking for isn't the kind you win or lose.I'm not after a wall that'll repel power coming from outside,What I want is the kind of strength to be able to absorb that outside power , to stand up to it. The strength to quietly endure things---unfairness, misfortune, sadness, mistakes, misunderstandings."

"That's got to be the most difficult strength of all to make your own."

---《Kafka on the shore》

"我追求的、我所追求的强壮不是一争胜负的强壮。我不希求用于反击外力的墙壁。我希求的是接受外力忍耐外力的强壮，是能够静静地忍受不公平不走运不理解误解和悲伤等种种情况的强壮。"

“那恐怕是最难得到的一类强壮。”

---《海边的卡夫卡》

Most misunderstanding of Iceland is "Icy land", but Iceland is really Blue and Green land. Actually It's really hard to find ICE!

I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the outcast.

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.

Allah’s peace be upon Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), the glorious Prophet of Islam, and on his Companions and his followers.

TASAWWUF

"There is no doubt that Tasawwuf is an important branch of Islam. The word itself may have been derived form the Arabic word "Soof" (Wool) or from "Safa" (cleanliness), but its foundation lies in one’s personal sincerity in seeking Allah’s nearness and trying to live a life pleasing to Him. Study of the Quran, the Hadith, and the practical life of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) and his faithful Companions provide unmistakable support to this reality." (Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A)

SUFISM, AN ESSENTIAL PART OF ISLAM

Doubts exist not only in the minds of the Muslim faithful but also among the Ulema, notably the exoteric about Tasawwuf and its votaries. Often they lead to misunderstanding, as if Shariah and Tariqah were two separate entries, or that Tasawwuf was some obscure discipline foreign to Islam, or that it was altogether above the established laws and injunctions of our Religion. To help remove these misgivings and to reassure seekers, as well as scholars, our Sheikh Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), Sheikh Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia, wrote Al-Jamal Wal Kamal, Aqaid-O-Kamalaat Ulmai-e-Deoband, Binat-e-Rasool (S.A.W), Daamad-e-Ali (R.A), Dalael-us-Salook, Ejaad-e-Mazhab Shia, Hayat-un-Nabi (S.A.W), Hayat Barzakhia, Ilm-o-Irfan, Niffaz-e-Shariat Aur Fiqah-e-Jaferia, Saif-e-Owaisi, Shikast-e-Ahdai Hussain and Tahkeek Halal Haram books.

BIOGRAPHY

Sheikh Allah Yar Khan was born in Chakrala, a remote village of Mianwali District of Pakistan, in 1904. He completed his religious education in 1934. The very year, he met Shaykh Abdul Rahim, who took him to the shrine of Shaykh Allah Deen Madni. By Divine Will his spiritual connection was right away established with the saint of the 10th century Hijra (sixteenth century) and he started receiving spiritual beneficence. His sublime education in Sufism, signifying progressive spiritual growth and advancement, continued for about twenty-five years. In 1962 he was directed to carry out the propagation of Prophetic blessings - a noble mission that he accomplished with singular enthusiasm and devotion for a period spanning half a century. Anybody who visited him was duly rewarded with a share of spiritual bliss as per his/her sincerity and capacity. Shaykh Allah Yar Khan's mission produced men and women of deep spiritual vision and distinction.

Although Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A) have lived a major portion of his life as a scholar, with the avowed mission of illuminating the truth of Islam and the negation of fallacious sects, and this would appear quite removed from Tasawwuf, yet the only practical difference between the two, namely the use of the former as a media to expound the truth, and the latter to imbue people with positive faith. Nevertheless, people are amazed that a man, who until the other day, was known as a dialectician and a preacher of Islam, is not only talking of Mystic Path, but is also claiming spiritual bonds with the veteran Sufi Masters of the Past. This amazement is obviously out of place in the view of Quranic injunction: This is the bounty of Allah which He gives to whom He wills. (62:4)

THE PURIFICATION OF THE SOUL

The purification of the soul always formed part of the main mission of the Prophets; that is, the dissemination and propagation of the Devine Message. This responsibility later fell directly on the shoulders of the true Ulema in the Ummah of the last Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), who, as his genuine successors, have continued to shed brave light in every Dark Age of materialism and sacrilege. In the present age of ruinous confusion, the importance of this responsibility has increased manifold; of the utter neglect of Islam by Muslims has not only driven them to misery, but also grievously weakened their bonds of faith in Allah and His Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). The decay in their belief and consequent perversion in their conduct has reached a stage that any attempt to pull them out of the depth of ignominy and the heedless chaos of faithlessness, attracts grave uncertainties and apprehensions rather than a encouraging will to follow the Shariah, to purify the soul and to reform within. The Quranic Verse: Layers upon layers of darkness… (24:40) provides the nearest expression of their present state.

SHARIAH & SUFISM

Any action against the Sunnah (Prophet’s way of life) cannot be called Sufism. Singing and dancing, and the prostration on tombs are not part of Sufism. Nor is predicting the future and predicting the outcome of cases in the courts of law, a part of Sufism. Sufis are not required to abandon their worldly possessions or live in the wilderness far from the practical world. In fact these absurdities are just its opposites. It is an established fact that Tazkiyah (soul purification) stands for that inner purity which inspires a person’s spirit to obey the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). If a false claimant of Sufism teaches tricks and jugglery, ignoring religious obligations, he is an impostor. A true Sheikh will lead a believer to the august spiritual audience of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). If you are fortunate enough to be blessed with the company of an accomplished spiritual guide and Sheikh of Sufism, and if you follow his instructions, you will observe a positive change in yourself, transferring you from vice to virtue.

ISLAM, AS A COMPLETE CODE OF LIFE

Islam, as a complete code of life or Deen, was perfected during the life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). He was the sole teacher and his mosque was the core institution for the community. Although Islam in its entirety was practiced during that blessed era, the classification and compilation of its knowledge into distinct branches like ‘Tafsir’ (interpretation of the Quran), Hadith (traditions or sayings of the holy Prophet- SAWS), Fiqh (Islamic law), and Sufism (the soul purification) were undertaken subsequently. This Deen of Allah passed from the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) to his illustrious Companions in two ways: the outward and the inward. The former comprised the knowledge defined by speech and conduct, i.e., the Quran and Sunnah. The latter comprised the invisible blessings or the Prophetic lights transmitted by his blessed self. These blessings purified the hearts and instilled in them a passionate desire to follow Islam with utmost love, honesty and loyalty.

WHAT’S SUFISM

Sufism is the attempt to attain these Barakah (Blessings). The Companions handed down Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) teachings as well as blessings to the Taba’een. Their strong hearts were capable of infusing these blessings into the hearts of their followers. Both aspects of Islam were similarly passed on by the Taba’een to the Taba Taba’een. The compilation of knowledge and its interpretation led to the establishment of many schools of religious thought; famous four being the Hanafi, the Hanbali, the Maliki, and the Shafa'i, all named after their founders. Similarly, in order to acquire, safeguard and distribute his blessings, an organized effort was initiated by four schools of Sufism: The Naqshbandia, the Qadria, the Chishtia, and the Suharwardia. These schools were also named after their organizers and came to be known as Sufi Orders. All these Orders intend to purify the hearts of sincere Muslims with Prophetic lights. These Sufi Orders also grew into many branches with the passage of time and are known by other names as well. The holy Quran has linked success in this life and the Hereafter with Tazkiyah (soul purification). He, who purified, is successful. (87: 14) Sufi Orders of Islam are the institutions where the basics of Tazkiyah (soul purification) and its practical application are taught. They have graded programs in which every new seeker is instructed in Zikr-e Lisani (oral Zikr) and is finally taught the Zikr-e Qalbi (Remembrance in heart).

ZIKR-E QALBI

However, in the Naqshbandia Order, Zikr-e Qalbi is practiced from the very beginning. Adherence to the Sunnah (Prophet’s way of life) is greatly emphasized in this Order, because the seeker achieves greater and quicker progress through its blessings. The essence of Zikr is that the Qalb should sincerely accept Islamic beliefs and gain the strength to follow the Sunnah with even greater devotion. ‘If the heart is acquainted with Allah and is engaged in His Zikr; then it is filled with Barakaat-e Nabuwwat (Prophetic blessings) which infuse their purity in the mind and body. This not only helps in controlling sensual drives but also removes traces of abhorrence, voracity, envy and insecurity from human soul. The person therefore becomes an embodiment of love, both for the Divine and the corporeal. This is the meaning of a Hadith, “There is a lump of flesh in the human body; if it goes astray the entire body is misguided, and if it is reformed the entire body is reformed. Know that this lump is the Qalb”.’

PAS ANFAS

Recent History Khawajah Naqshband (d. 1389 CE) organized the Naqshbandia Order at Bukhara (Central Asia). This Order has two main branches – the Mujaddidia and the Owaisiah. The former is identified with Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi, known as Mujaddid Alif Sani (literally: reviver of the second Muslim millennium), a successor to Khawajah Baqi Billah, who introduced the Order to the Indo- Pakistan sub-continent. The Owaisiah Order employs a similar method of Zikr but acquires the Prophetic blessings in the manner of Khawajah Owais Qarni, who received this beneficence from the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) without a formal physical meeting. The Zikr employed by the Naqshbandia is ‘Zikr-e Khafi Qalbi’ (remembrance of Allah’s Name within the heart) and the method is termed ‘Pas Anfas’, which (in Persian) means guarding every breath. The Chain of Transmission of these Barakah, of course, emanates from the holy Prophet- SAWS.

SPIRITUAL BAI’AT (OATH OF ALLEGIANCE

It is necessary in all Sufi Orders that the Sheikh and the seekers must be contemporaries and must physically meet each other for the transfer of these blessings. However, the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order goes beyond this requirement and Sufis of this Order receive these Barakah regardless of physical meeting with their Sheikh or even when the Sheikh is not their contemporary. Yet, it must be underscored that physical meeting with the Sheikh of this Order still holds great importance in dissemination of these Barakah. Sheikh Sirhindi writes about the Owaisiah Order in his book ‘Tazkirah’: ‘It is the most sublime, the most exalted, and the most effective…and the highest station of all others is only its stepping stone.’ By far the greatest singular distinction of the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order is the honor of Spiritual Bai’at (Oath of Allegiance) directly at the blessed hands of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W).

SHEIKH HAZRAT MOULANA ALLAH YAR KHAN (R.A)

The Reviver Sheikh Allah Yar Khan was born in Chikrala, a remote village of Mianwali District of Pakistan, in 1904. He completed his religious education in 1934. The same year, he met Sheikh ‘Abdul Rahim, who took him to the shrine of Sheikh Allah Deen Madni. By Divine Will his spiritual connection was immediately established with the saint of the 10th century Hijra (sixteenth century CE) and he started receiving spiritual beneficence. His sublime education in Sufism, signifying progressive spiritual growth and advancement, continued for about twenty-five years, after which he was directed to undertake the propagation of Prophetic blessings - a noble mission that he accomplished with singular zeal and dedication for a period spanning half a century. Anybody who visited him was duly rewarded with a share of spiritual bliss commensurate with his/her sincerity and capacity. Sheikh Allah Yar Khan’s mission produced men and women of deep spiritual vision and eminence. He authored eighteen books, the most distinguished being Dalael us-Sulook (Sufism - An Objective Appraisal), Hayat-e Barzakhiah (Life Beyond Life) and Israr ul- Haramain (Secrets of the two holy Mosques). He was undoubtedly one of the most distinguished Sufi saints of the Muslim Ummah and a reviver of the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order. He passed away on 18 February 1984 in Islamabad at the age of eighty.

THE CHAIN OF TRANSMISSION OF NAQSHBANDIA OWAISIAH

1. Hazrat Muhammad ur-Rasool Allah (Sall Allah-o Alaihi wa Sallam), 2. Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (Radhi Allah-o Unho), 3. Hazrat Imam Hassan Basri (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 4. Hazrat Daud Tai (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 5. Hazrat Junaid Baghdadi (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 6. Hazrat Ubaid Ullah Ahrar (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 7. Hazrat Abdur Rahman Jami (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 8. Hazrat Abu Ayub Muhammad Salih (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 9. Hazrat Allah Deen Madni (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 10. Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi).

THE SPIRIT OR RUH

The spirit or Ruh of every person is a created reflection of the Divine Attributes and it originates in Alam-e Amar (Realm of Command). Its food is the Light of Allah or the Divine Refulgence, which it acquires from the Realm of Command through the holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s choicest favors and peace be upon him), whose status in the spiritual world is like that of the sun in the solar system. The Quran refers to him as the ‘bright lamp’. Indeed, he is the divinely selected channel of all Barakah. All Exalted Messengers themselves receive these Barakah from him.

LATAIF

The human Ruh also possesses vital organs like the physical body; through which it acquires its knowledge, food and energy. These are called Lataif (singular Latifah: subtlety). Scholars of various Sufi Orders have associated them with specific areas of the human body. The Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order identifies these Lataif as follows. First - Qalb: This spiritual faculty is located within the physical heart. Its function is Zikr. Its strength increases one’s capacity for Allah’s Zikr. Second – Ruh: The site of this Latifah, which is a distinct faculty of the human Ruh, is on the right side of the chest at the level of Qalb. Its primary function is concentration towards Allah. Third – Sirri: This is located above the Qalb and functions to make possible Kashf. Forth – Khaffi: This is located above the Ruh and functions to perceive the omnipresence of Allah. Fifth – Akhfa: This is located in the middle of chest, at the centre of the first four Lataif and makes it possible for the Ruh to perceive the closeness of Allah, Who is closer to us than our own selves. Sixth – Nafs: This Latifah is located at the forehead and functions to purify the human soul. Seventh – Sultan al-Azkar: This Latifah is located at the top centre of the head and serves to absorb the Barakah of Allah into the entire body, so that every cell resonates with Zikr.

FIVE EXALTED MESSENGERS OF GOD

There are Five Exalted Messengers among the many known and unknown Messengers of Allah. They are Hazrat Muhammad, Hazrat Nuh (Noah), Hazrat Ibrahim (Abraham), Hazrat Musa (Moses), and Hazrat Esa (Jesus), peace be upon them all. Hazrat Adam is the first Prophet of Allah and the father of mankind. Each Latifah is associated with a particular Prophet. The Barakah and lights from Hazrat Adam (peace be upon him), descend on the first Latifah Qalb; its lights are reflected from the first heaven and are yellowish. The second Latifah is associated with Hazrat Nuh and Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon them). Its lights descend from the second heaven and appear as golden red. The lights descending upon the third Latifah are from Hazrat Musa (peace be upon him) and are white. One the fourth Latifah, the lights of Hazrat Esa (peace be upon him) descend from the fourth heaven and are deep blue. The fifth Latifah receives its Barakah directly from the holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s choicest favors and peace be upon him). The lights associated with this Latifah are green, descend from the fifth heaven, and overwhelm all the first four Lataif. The Lights descending upon the sixth and seventh Lataif are the Divine Lights, whose color and condition cannot be determined. These are like flashes of lightening that defy comprehension. If Allah blesses a seeker with Kashf, he can observe all of this. The vision is slightly diffused in the beginning, but gradually the clarity improves.

SULOOK

Stages of the Path After all seven Lataif of a seeker have been illuminated with Divine Lights through Tawajjuh of the Sheikh and his Ruh has acquired the ability to fly, the Sheikh initiates its journey on the sublime Path of Divine nearness. The Path is known as Sulook, and its stages are not hypothetical imaginations but real and actually existing stations on the spiritual Path. These are also referred to as Meditations, because a seeker mentally meditates about a station while his/her Ruh actually ascends towards it. The first three stations that form the base of whole Sulook are described as; Ahadiyyat, a station of Absolute Unity of Divinity. It is above and beyond the seven heavens. It is so vast a station that the seven heavens and all that they encompass are lost within Ahadiyyat as a ring is lost in a vast desert. Its lights are white in color. Maiyyat station denotes Divine Company, ‘He is with you, wherever you might be.’ This station is so vast that Ahadiyyat along with the seven heavens beneath are lost within it as a ring is lost in a desert. Its lights are green in color. Aqrabiyyat station denotes Divine Nearness, ‘He is nearer to you than your life- vein.’ Again, Aqrabiyyat is vast as compared to Maiyyat in the same proportion. Its lights are golden red and are reflected from the Divine Throne. It is indeed the greatest favor of Almighty Allah that He blesses a seeker with an accomplished Sheikh, who takes him to these sublime stations. The final station that a seeker attains to during his/her lifetime becomes his/her Iliyyeen (blessed abode) in Barzakh and his/her Ruh stays at this station after death.

ZIKR

Why is Zikr Necessary for Everyone? Allah ordains every soul in the Quran to Perform Zikr. This not only means reciting the Quran and Tasbeeh but also Zikr-e Qalb. It is only through Zikr-e Qalbi that Prophetic Lights reach the depths of human soul and purify it from all vice and evil. Zikr infuses a realization of constant Divine Presence and a seeker feels great improvement in the level of sincerity and love towards Allah and the holy Prophet- SAWS. Such levels of sincerity, love and feelings of Divine Presence can never be obtained without Zikr. It would be a mistake to believe that Zikr may be a requirement only for the very pious and virtuous people. Zikr provides the Prophetic blessings which are in effect the life line of every human soul. It transforms even the most corrupted humans into virtuous souls by bringing out the best in them. The fact is that Zikr is the only way to achieve true contentment and satisfaction in life. The holy Quran has pointed to this eternal fact that it is only through Zikr Allah that hearts can find satisfaction. Such satisfaction and peace are the ultimate requirements of every person, regardless of religion, race and ethnicity. Practicing Zikr regularly removes all traces of anxiety and restlessness, and guides the human soul to eternal bliss and peace.

KHALIFA MAJAZEEN

Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), during his life time in 1974, presented a nomination list to Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), during Maraqba, of expected Khalifa Majazeen for Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia. Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) approved some names, deleted some of the names, and added down the name of Major Ghulam Muhammad as also Khalifa Majaaz of Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia (which was not previously included in the list)

The approved names at that time included:

1. Mr. Muhammad Akram Awan Sahib,

2. Mr. Sayed Bunyad Hussain Shah Sahib,

3. Mr. Major Ahsan Baig Sahib,

4. Mr. Col. Matloob Hussain Sahib,

5. Mr. Major Ghulam Muhammad Sahib of Wan Bhachran Mianwali,

6. Mr. Molvi Abdul Haq Sahib,

7. Mr. Hafiz Abdul Razzaq Sahib,

8. Mr. Hafiz Ghulam Qadri Sahib,

9. Mr. Khan Muhammad Irani Sahib,

10. Mr. Maolana Abdul Ghafoor Sahib,

11. Mr. Syed Muhammad Hassan Sahib of Zohb.

These Majazeen were authorized to; held Majalis of Zikar (Pas Anfas) in their respective areas, arrange Majalis of Zikar in neighboring areas, train them on the way of Sulook, prepare them for Spiritual Bai’at (Oath of Allegiance), and present them to Sheikh Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan for Spiritual Bai’at at the Hand of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), in the life of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), and were all equal in status as Khalifa Majaaz of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A).

Presently we are following Hazrat Major ® Ghulam Muhammad Sahib, Khalifa Majaaz of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A).

so this is my second try at contributing to 10 Cent's toque group. apparently I had a teensy misunderstanding about the nature of toques. maybe this time I got it right? :)

German postcard. Ross Verlag, No. 646/2. Henny Porten in Die Geyer-Wally / Die Geier-Wally (E.A. Dupont, 1921), based on the novel by Wilhelmine von Hillern. HPF [Henny Porten Film]. Sets were by Paul Leni. On this card: Henny Porten as Wally and Albert Steinrück as her father Stromminger. The second woman may be Maria Grimm-Einödshofer (Obermagd).

Farmer daughter Wally saves Bären-Joseph [Bear-Joseph] from a difficult situation in a nest of vultures [Geier in German], earning her the name of Geier-Wally. She falls in love with him, but her father wants her to marry Vincenz. Moreover, Joseph seems to have a secret lover. Wally is outraged when learning about this and Vincenz even wants to kill him, but it turns out the 'lover' is Joseph's daughter, born out of wedlock. Wally and Joseph can still marry.

Italian postcard. Caption: After throwing an ultimate kiss to his house he went on his journey. Film Artistica Gloria-film, Torino, No. 3380.

L'infermiere di Tata (Leopoldo Carlucci, Gloria Film 1916) is an adaptation of one of the stories of Cuore (1885) by Edmondo De Amicis. Because of a sad misunderstanding in a hospital, young Cicillo (Guido Petrungara) attends to a agonizing ill man, thinking he is his father. The boy thinks of his poor mother and brother and sister, far away. Then the real father appears and embraces his son. The latter doesn't leave the dying man and stays with him till he dies.

On the day I arrived here, the weather was so bad no boats were going out to view the whale sharks, so you loose some you win .

Oslob is a fourth class municipality in the province of Cebu, Philippines. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 26,116 people. Whale sharks are spotted in Tan-awan, Oslob which is 10 km away from the centre of the town. It started last September 2011 and become a tourist attraction and popular all over the world. Local fishermen’s interact with the whale sharks by feeding them by hand while tourists find it entertaining

The name Oslob came from a misunderstanding between a native couple, named Umpang and Burong,and two Guardia civil's (civil guards) in the year 1785 at a place currently named Nigad in barangay Daanlungsod. While the said couple were taking a rest under the tree and were eating their boiled bananas while soaking it with vinegar and salt, the two guards asked the couple: “Como se llama esto pueblo?”, meaning ”What is the name of this town?”. The couple not knowing what the civil guards were saying, were thinking that the strangers were asking them what they were doing. Since the couple, at that time, were then soaking bananas with the vinegar and salt, the couple answered Toslob, which means soak. After hearing the word Toslob, the civil guards kept on repeating the word Toslob thinking that the said word was the name of the town, which was later changed to “Oslob”. Until now, the flowing of the water at Nigad is still there quenching the thirst of the many people of the place including the nearby inhabitants specially when there is a shortage of water.

Sumilon Island is a 24-hectare coral island off the coast of Bancogon, Oslob, Cebu. The island hosts the Sumilon Blue water Island Resort which developed the island into an eco-friendly haven for those who want to get away from the stress of city living. The Island of Sumilon is located in the southeastern tip of the Municipality of Oslob in the province of Cebu. The island has an area of 24 hectares and has clear waters with varying aquamarine hues and white sand beaches in different areas of the island. It is the first marine protected area in the Philippines and was created as a marine sanctuary in 1974 under the guidance of the Siliman University Marine Reserve of Dumaguete City in the nearby province of Negros Oriental.

The island is famous throughout the country and internationally for the exceptional beauty of its dive sites. Sumilon has four major dive sites, which are Garden Eel Plaza, Nikki’s Wall, Coral Landscape and Julie’s Rock. The island’s diving sites are famous for their superb visibility, stunning reefs and abundance of varied tropical marine species that provide an ideal and memorable dive. There are occasional sightings of black tip sharks during dives. A popular attraction in Sumilon Island is its sandbar because of its changing shapes and shifting locations around the island depending on the season. Other places of interest in the island are a natural lagoon teeming with high mangroves and natural caves used by fishermen to seek refuge during storms, and a pristine lake. On the south portion of the island, a lighthouse rests on a protected tree park and beside it is a Baluarte, a historical watchtower built as part of a warning system to thwart slavers and marauders in the 19th century.

Besides diving, you can also go bird watching, do beach picnics with the family, fishing, hiking, island tours, paddling and trekking. Located in the island is the Sumilon Blue water Island Resort, a private beach resort that provides excellent amenities and facilities for tourists and guests. The Island of Sumilon is located off the southeast coast of the Municipality of Oslob, Cebu, and is under the administration of Oslob. The island is about 125 kilometres from Cebu City and separated from the mainland by the Cebu Strait. It is also close to Dumaguete City in the nearby island province of Negros Oriental.To get to Oslob, you can ride a public bus or a V-hire van from the Cebu South Bus Terminal in Cebu City. The estimated travel time from the city to Oslob is about three hours. The three-hour land trip to Oslob from Cebu City is a scenic ride through the southern coastal towns with fantastic views of the ocean. From the port of Oslob, there are pump boats or small fast constructs that will bring you to the island. Another route to Sumilon Island is via Dumaguete City since it is also close to the island

"A Secret Pathway"

I am so very sorry that I missed out yesterday's upload. There was some misunderstanding between the school I'm attending and me, so I was pretty upset last night. Apparently, I'm supposed to repeat a year, and I didn't know that... ah, I guess I'm allowed to be a little depressed.

I had fun taking photos in the afternoon, but I really wasn't in the mood to edit them, nor upload them.

It's cool to discover this little stairway in my compound. I walk around my compound everyday, and discover new stuff.

Taylor Swift and Avril Lavigne performed ‘Complicated’ on 1989 tour

| Plaincut | bit.ly/1DfNmQD

It’s still mad love between Taylor Swift and Avril Lavigne, despite a misunderstanding on social media earlier this week….http://bit.ly/1VohKAZ

Just to avoid misunderstandings: the EXIF data refers to the camera I used to digitalize the negative. The image itself was shot on Agfa APX100.

Closeup portrait of angry young woman gesturing with hand to stop talking, cut it out, or that she will take your head off, isolated on white background. Negative emotion, facial expressions, feelings

Wyatt's ear was injured at the dogrun early Saturday morning following a misunderstanding with a larger dog regarding a soccer ball. I took it harder than Wyatt did. He's doing just fine now. He's badass. Robert, experienced in photographing vet visits, documented the reunion portion of this harrowing experience.

Mount Diablo, Contra Costa County. Spanish soldiers named it Monte del Diablo - "the thicket of the devil" after captive natives escaped into the surrounds. Misunderstanding of "monte" led to it's current name.

Despite a summit of 1,173m, Mount Diablo has one of the greatest viewsheds in western USA. From the north peak the Sierra Nevada and parts of Yosemite National Park are visible in the winter months.

Nakhon Pathom is a small province located just 56 Km's. from Bangkok. The province features an ancient religious structure called Phra Pathom Chedi, the first religious landmark that signified the influx of Buddhism into Thailand. Nakhon Pathom is also renowned for its abundant fruits varieties and famous dishes. Phra Pathommachedi or Phra Pathom Chedi is a Stupa in Nakhon Pathom, Thailand. At 120.5 metres ( 395 ft ) it is the second tallest stupa in the world after Jetavanaramaya in Sri Lanka. The Stupa is located in the Wat Phra Pathommachedi Ratcha Wora Maha Wihan a temple in the town centre of Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.

The name Phra Pathommachedi means the first holy stupa, given by king Mongkut. Originally the Stupa named Phra Thom Chedi means the big stupa in ancient Khmer language or the royal stupa in Northern Thai language. One of the common misunderstandings about this stupa is that Phra Pathommachedi is the oldest and the first stupa in Suvarnabhumi, an ancient name of Southeast Asia. Modern Historians believe that the stupa was one of the principal stupas of ancient Nakhon Pathom, the largest settlement of Dvaravati culture in Nakhon Pathom area together with the nearby Phra Prathon Chedi during the 6th to the 8th centuries.

Nakhon Pathom was situated by the sea, the city prospered during the Dvaravati civilisation. According to archaeological findings, Nakhon Pathom was the first city to possess influences of Buddhism and Indian civilisations. From the Phra Pathom Chedi and other remains discovered in the city area, it is believed that the city was a centre of civilisation in that era. People of different races settled in Nakhon Pathom. However, a change in the course of the river caused a draught that forced the people to migrate and settle on the banks of river, and these communities developed into towns. The new town was called Nakhon Chaisi or Sirichai, leaving Nakhon Pathom deserted for hundreds of years until the reign of King Rama IV. While His Majesty was in monk hood, he travelled to Nakhon Pathom and found the Phra Pathom Chedi that he regarded as the largest pagoda of all.

When King Rama IV ascended to the throne, he commanded that a bell shaped Chedi be built to cover the former Chedi. The surrounding area was also renovated and improved. He also commanded that a water canal be dug to ease commuting, which was called Chedi Bucha canal. During the reign of King Rama V, the construction of railways to the south began, at that time Nakhon Pathom was still a heavily forested area. King Rama V also commanded that the town be relocated from Tambon Thana, Amphoe Nakhon Chaisi, to the Phra Pathom Chedi area as it used to be. Nakhon Pathom has been there ever since. During the reign of King Rama VI, a palace was built at Tambon Sanam Chan as a temporary residence on his travels and many roads were constructed. A large bridge was also built over the Chedi Bucha canal, which His Majesty named “Saphan Charoensattha”. Later, he commanded that the name of Nakhon Chaisi be changed to Nakhon Pathom, but the name of the prefecture was still called “Nakhon Chaisi” until the reign of King Rama VII when the calling of the prefecture was ended. Nakhon Chaisi is now one of the districts in Nakhon Pathom.

Nakhon Pathom covers an area of 2,168 square kilometres or 542,081.6 acres. It is divided into seven administrative districts or Amphoe, they are: Amphoe Muang Nakhon Pathom, Amphoe Buddhamonthon, Amphoe Sam Phran, Amphoe Nakhon Chaisi, Amphoe Bang Len, Amphoe Kamphaeng Saen, and Amphoe Don Toom. Most of the areas are plains with no mountainous land, plateau are found in the west east of Amphoe Muang and Amphoe Kamphaeng Saen. The plains along the Tha Cheen River (Nakhon Chaisi River) are the location of Amphoe Nakhon Chaisi, Amphoe Sam Phran, and Amphoe Bang Len. These fertile lands provide agricultural area for people, thus most of the residents earn their living from agriculture; plantations, farming, growing food crops, and fruit orchards. Moreover, Nakhon Pathom is well known for pomelo, some call the Nakhon Pathom the sweet pomelo town.

Sampran Riverside, Km. 32 Pet Kasem Highway, Sampran, Nakhon Pathom 73110, Thailand

About one hour drive from Bangkok is the Rose Garden and Cultural Centre. It is situated at Sampran in the Province of Nakhon Pathum. It is a 70 acre site designed to give you a full day out. There is so much to do here. The Restaurant sits on the lake and the food served here is first class you can eat what you like - until you are full, very good value if you are a big eater.The Rose Garden and restaurant were started over 40 years ago and has now included the Cultural Centre and show, a hotel and other restaurants and a spa. Tourist buses usually arrive around 2.0 pm in time for the Thai Cultural Village show at 2.45 pm.

This attraction is usually taken in along with the Damnoen Saduak Floating market trip which is around 1800 Baht by taxi from Bangkok, but do check first, prices do vary. But the Rose Garden is worth a trip on its own, because there is so much to get involved with during the day. In the mornings you can take part in the Living the Thai Culture, an art and craft activity and cost around 500 Baht per person. These included Dancing / Musical Instruments / Garland Making / Fruit Carving / Bamboo Dancing Rice Farming among others.

The Gardens have many exotic flowers and there are some traditional Thai houses. One is used for weddings and another used for a spa centre. Most people go for the Thai Cultural show, with highlights of Thai Martial Art display, and a Traditional Thai wedding display. There is a cast of about 120 people that take part in this display and it is well attended. It is very colourful and impressive to watch, in all around 40 minutes.

As seen through the lens.

(re-uploaded after a 'misunderstanding' with the Flickr app!)

When it comes to sexual preferences, foot fetishism is often shrouded in a veil of mystery and misunderstanding. Some might think it's strange or even taboo to find feet sensual, but for those with a Jenna Ortega's Feet fetish, it can be a deeply ingrained and pleasurable part of their sexuality.

Official Website : feetforum.com

Click here for more information : feetforum.com/pictures/jenna-ortega-feet-toes-soles/

My Profile : www.flickr.com/people/feetforum/

More Images :

bit.ly/3p5XRba

bit.ly/3Ns5Mdc

bit.ly/3VpIs1s

bit.ly/3VqxUiF

"The Quiet and Ugly Artist (Hanoi, 1965-2015)", An art installation by Daniel Kerkhoff at Chaap Art, 82 Đê Quai Street, Tây Hồ District, Hanoi. October 3rd to October 11th,, 2015. Opening reception, October 3rd, 6-9pm.

An installation based on Daniel Kerkhoff's self-imposed artist-in-residency in Hanoi from February 6th to October 26th. It is part of a larger project which includes residencies in Ghana and Ecuador. Embedded in a community for just under nine months, the human gestation period, premature, a gradual, a creative process,

an exploration, noticing, weaving, sharing, and witnessing, connection, disconnection, a journal, found sculptures, painting, photographs, videos, documenting, collections, keepsakes, collages, receipts and brochures, maps, business cards and consumer packaging, consumed and consuming, souvenirs,

walking, discovering, travel, a paper trail, colonize, appropriate, trophies, convoluted, cover-ups, muddy, history, memory, remnants, experience, lost, absorbed, traces, vague, melding, a buried presence, fading, rotting, germinating, misunderstanding, forgotten, pollination, rejuvenation, impermanence, transformation.

Daniel Kerkhoff is a visual artist from Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.A. You can see photos of his projects in Vietnam, Ghana, Ecuador, and other places at www.danielkerkhoff.com.

Prints will be available for 500,000 VND or $25.00 with all proceeds going to future exhibition costs at Chaap Art for emerging women artists.

The exhibition will be open everyday from 10 am to 4 pm. Chaap Art is located at No. 82 Đê Quai, Lane 310, Nghi Tàm Street, Tây Hồ District, Hanoi. Directions: From Nghi Tàm Street, follow Lane 310 all the way to the end where it turns left onto Đê Quai Street. Go about 500 meters on Đê Quai Street and Chaap Art will be on your left.

Phone number: 0987757769 - 0985836023

Chaap Art is an art space founded by a group of artists in 2009 with the purpose of supporting contemporary art activities and exhibitions in Hanoi. Our slogan is: "Cứ tự nhiên".

Translate in to Vietnamese:

"The Quiet and Ugly artist ( Hanoi,1965 - 2015 )" - " Nghệ sĩ Trầm lặng và Xấu xí (Hanoi, 1965 - 2015)

Từ ngày 3/10 đến 11/10

Mở cửa đón khách 3/10/2015 từ 18h đến 21h

Triển lãm sắp đặt dựa trên quá trình tự lưu trú của nghệ sĩ Daniel Kerkhoff's tại Hà Nội từ ngày 6/2 đến ngày 26/10. Đây là một phần của dự án lớn hơn bao gồm cả những chương trình lưu trú của nghệ sĩ tại Ghana và Ecuador. Hòa chung với cộng đồng chỉ chưa tới chín tháng , thời kì thai nghén của một con người, sinh non, một quá trình sáng tạo dần,

một sự khai phá, lưu tâm, đan kết, chia sẻ, chứng kiến, kết nối, tách biệt, viết nhật kí, tìm ra những tác phẩm điêu khắc, tranh vẽ, ảnh, video, tài liệu, thu thập, lưu giữ, cắt dán, hóa đơn, tờ rơi,bản đồ, danh thiếp, giấy đóng gói hàng, đã tiêu thụ và đang tiêu thụ, đồ lưu niệm,

đi bộ, khám phá, du lịch, những giấy tờ, dấu ấn, riêng biệt, danh hiệu, cuộn lại, che phủ, màu sắc mờ đục, lịch sử, kí ức, tàn tích, kinh nghiệm, thất lạc, cảm thụ, dấu vết, mơ hồ, tan chảy, chôn vùi hiện diện, phai màu, mục nát, nảy mầm, sự hiểu lầm, bị lãng quên, thụ phấn, trẻ hóa, vô thường, biến đổi.

Daniel Kerkhoff là một nghệ sĩ thị giác đến từ Minneapolis, Minnesota, Mỹ. Các bạn có thể xem những hinhg ảnh về dự án của ông ở Việt Nam, Ghana, Ecuador và một số nơi khác ở website: www.danielkerkhoff.com.

Những bản in có sẵn với giá 500.000 đồng hoặc $25,00. Tất cả tiền thu lại sẽ dành để làm chi phí cho triển lãm trong tương lai cho các nữ nghệ sĩ tại Chaap Art.

Triển lãm mở cửa trong 8 ngày từ 10h sáng đến 16h chiều tại Chaap Art - Số 82 Đê Quai - ngõ 310 - Đường Nghi Tàm - Quận Tây Hồ- HN

Điện thoại : 0987757769 - 0985836023

Chaap Art là một không gian nghệ thuật được sáng lập bởi một nhóm nghệ sĩ từ năm 2009 nhằm mục đích hỗ trợ các hoạt động và triển lãm sáng tạo nghệ thuật đương đại tại Hà Nội. Tiêu chí của chúng tôi trong sáng tác nghệ thuật là " Cứ tự nhiên"

"The Quiet and Ugly Artist (Hanoi, 1965-2015)", An art installation by Daniel Kerkhoff at Chaap Art, 82 Đê Quai Street, Tây Hồ District, Hanoi. October 3rd to October 11th,, 2015. Opening reception, October 3rd, 6-9pm.

An installation based on Daniel Kerkhoff's self-imposed artist-in-residency in Hanoi from February 6th to October 26th. It is part of a larger project which includes residencies in Ghana and Ecuador. Embedded in a community for just under nine months, the human gestation period, premature, a gradual, a creative process,

an exploration, noticing, weaving, sharing, and witnessing, connection, disconnection, a journal, found sculptures, painting, photographs, videos, documenting, collections, keepsakes, collages, receipts and brochures, maps, business cards and consumer packaging, consumed and consuming, souvenirs,

walking, discovering, travel, a paper trail, colonize, appropriate, trophies, convoluted, cover-ups, muddy, history, memory, remnants, experience, lost, absorbed, traces, vague, melding, a buried presence, fading, rotting, germinating, misunderstanding, forgotten, pollination, rejuvenation, impermanence, transformation.

Daniel Kerkhoff is a visual artist from Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.A. You can see photos of his projects in Vietnam, Ghana, Ecuador, and other places at www.danielkerkhoff.com.

Prints will be available for 500,000 VND or $25.00 with all proceeds going to future exhibition costs at Chaap Art for emerging women artists.

The exhibition will be open everyday from 10 am to 4 pm. Chaap Art is located at No. 82 Đê Quai, Lane 310, Nghi Tàm Street, Tây Hồ District, Hanoi. Directions: From Nghi Tàm Street, follow Lane 310 all the way to the end where it turns left onto Đê Quai Street. Go about 500 meters on Đê Quai Street and Chaap Art will be on your left.

Phone number: 0987757769 - 0985836023

Chaap Art is an art space founded by a group of artists in 2009 with the purpose of supporting contemporary art activities and exhibitions in Hanoi. Our slogan is: "Cứ tự nhiên".

Translate in to Vietnamese:

"The Quiet and Ugly artist ( Hanoi,1965 - 2015 )" - " Nghệ sĩ Trầm lặng và Xấu xí (Hanoi, 1965 - 2015)

Từ ngày 3/10 đến 11/10

Mở cửa đón khách 3/10/2015 từ 18h đến 21h

Triển lãm sắp đặt dựa trên quá trình tự lưu trú của nghệ sĩ Daniel Kerkhoff's tại Hà Nội từ ngày 6/2 đến ngày 26/10. Đây là một phần của dự án lớn hơn bao gồm cả những chương trình lưu trú của nghệ sĩ tại Ghana và Ecuador. Hòa chung với cộng đồng chỉ chưa tới chín tháng , thời kì thai nghén của một con người, sinh non, một quá trình sáng tạo dần,

một sự khai phá, lưu tâm, đan kết, chia sẻ, chứng kiến, kết nối, tách biệt, viết nhật kí, tìm ra những tác phẩm điêu khắc, tranh vẽ, ảnh, video, tài liệu, thu thập, lưu giữ, cắt dán, hóa đơn, tờ rơi,bản đồ, danh thiếp, giấy đóng gói hàng, đã tiêu thụ và đang tiêu thụ, đồ lưu niệm,

đi bộ, khám phá, du lịch, những giấy tờ, dấu ấn, riêng biệt, danh hiệu, cuộn lại, che phủ, màu sắc mờ đục, lịch sử, kí ức, tàn tích, kinh nghiệm, thất lạc, cảm thụ, dấu vết, mơ hồ, tan chảy, chôn vùi hiện diện, phai màu, mục nát, nảy mầm, sự hiểu lầm, bị lãng quên, thụ phấn, trẻ hóa, vô thường, biến đổi.

Daniel Kerkhoff là một nghệ sĩ thị giác đến từ Minneapolis, Minnesota, Mỹ. Các bạn có thể xem những hinhg ảnh về dự án của ông ở Việt Nam, Ghana, Ecuador và một số nơi khác ở website: www.danielkerkhoff.com.

Những bản in có sẵn với giá 500.000 đồng hoặc $25,00. Tất cả tiền thu lại sẽ dành để làm chi phí cho triển lãm trong tương lai cho các nữ nghệ sĩ tại Chaap Art.

Triển lãm mở cửa trong 8 ngày từ 10h sáng đến 16h chiều tại Chaap Art - Số 82 Đê Quai - ngõ 310 - Đường Nghi Tàm - Quận Tây Hồ- HN

Điện thoại : 0987757769 - 0985836023

Chaap Art là một không gian nghệ thuật được sáng lập bởi một nhóm nghệ sĩ từ năm 2009 nhằm mục đích hỗ trợ các hoạt động và triển lãm sáng tạo nghệ thuật đương đại tại Hà Nội. Tiêu chí của chúng tôi trong sáng tác nghệ thuật là " Cứ tự nhiên"

Bombay Hook

Apr 21, 2014

The first language humans had were gestures. There was nothing primitive about this language that flowed from people’s hands, nothing we say now that could not be said in the endless array of movements possible with the fine bones of the fingers and wrists. The gestures were complex and subtle, involving a delicacy of motion that has since been lost completely.

Basic survival demanded that the hands were almost never still, and so it was during sleep (and sometimes not even then) that people were not saying something or other. No distinction was made between the gestures of language and gestures of life. The labour of building a house, say, or preparing a meal was no less an expression then making the sign for I love you or I feel serious. When a hand was used to shield one’s face when frightened by a loud noise something was being said, and when fingers were used to pick up what someone else has dropped something was being said, and even when the hands were at rest, that, too, was saying something.

Naturaly, there were misunderstandings. There were times when a finger might have been lifted to scratch a nose, and if casual eye contact was made with one’s lover just then, the lover might accidenentally take it to be the gesture, not at all dissimiliar, for "Now I realized I was wrong to love you". These mistakes were heartbreaking. And yet, because people knew how easily they could happen, because they didn’t go around with the illusion that they understood perfectly the things other people said, they were used to interrupting each other to ask if they’d understood correctly.

Sometimes these misunderstandings were even desirable, since they gave people a reason to say "Forgive me, I was only scratching my nose. Of course I know I’ve always been right to love you". Because of the frequency of these mistakes, over time the gesture for asking forgiveness evolved into the simplest form. Just to open your palm was to say: "Forgive me".

If at a large gatherings or parties, or around people with whom you feel distant, your hands sometimes hang awkwardly at the ends of your arms – if you find yourself at a loss for what to do with them, overcome with sadness that comes when you recognize the foreignness of your body – it’s because your hands remember a time when the division between mind and body, brain and heart, what’s inside and what’s outside, was so much less.

It’s not that we’ve forgotten the language of gestures entirely. The habbit of moving our hands while we speak is left over from it. Holding hands, for example, is a way to remember how it feels to say nothing together. And at night, when it’s too dark to see, we find it necessary to gesture on each other ‘s bodies to make ourselves understood.

Forrest and Sandy (and me) finishing Centrist on Lochnagar

Technically, the English name is a misunderstanding, being named after Lochan na Gaire, the 'little loch of the noisy sound', a loch to be found in the mountain's northeast corrie. Today the lochan is popularly called Lochnagar too. The summit itself is usually referred to as Cac Càrn Beag, meaning "small cairn of faeces" in Scottish Gaelic.

This bronze statue is the subject of a long-running misunderstanding. It stands in front of the European Parliament building in Brussels, and because it carries a Euro sign in her hand many people think that it represent the common European currency. In fact, its creation had nothing to do with the euro. The work was created in 1993 by Belgian artist May Claerhout before the Euro was even invented. The sculpture represents rather Europe itself, rising over a mass of individual people below her representing nation states. According to the artist, the 'e' was just meant to stand as an initial for Europe expressed in the Greek alphabet letter epsilon. It is undeniable, however, that May Claerhout was prophetic in her vision, years before the Euro was adopted. The sculpture was unveiled in its present spot in 1993. The Euro came into currency in 2002. Claerhout died in 2016.

Children also saw the relationship between mother and child as one in which a mother reciprocates care, even when ill. When I asked Alick to draw a picture of how he gave care to his mother, he drew his mother helping him out of a tree, an activity that she was not physically capable of doing. He also drew himself at school and his father caring for his mother. Rather than misunderstanding the exercise, Alick wanted to show that his mother helped him when he needed her. He also showed that going to school was part of his care for his mother. From her bed, she always demanded that Alick and his brother, Joe, left the house on time for school.

**This drawing is part of the Children as Caregivers art gallery.

Learn more about the Children as Caregivers project in Jean Hunleth's book, Children as Caregivers: The Global Fight against Tuberculosis and HIV in Zambia.

“I shall look at you out of the corner of my eye, and you will say nothing. Words are the source of misunderstandings." -from the Fox-”

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince

what to say about photography...mmm... this one:

"I always thought good photos were like good jokes. If you have to explain it, it just isn’t that good."

Anonymous

As, I will be out of town for a month..here is a small text I wrote a few years ago:

The Rise and fall of the American Empire

Chapter 13

The outsourcing of the Military

Eric Gillet

Christmas 2010, now George the V, at the height of his power, faced a sudden crisis. The entire US military was deployed in the Middle East, Far East and most of Africa. To avoid disappointing feed back from the general population, all the military personal was not brought back to the mainland as they faced mass contamination from the radioactive collateral damages that followed the Iran Liberation Operation. Social troubles were rampant and the administration could not trust its own citizens, therefore, anyone interested in the military was deployed to other places. Russia and China developed a political approach similar to the US—they were seen as allies when they crushed any non-democratic tendencies and competitive as competitors when they fought to get some part of Europe. Then came what would be known as "Plan C", where Lord Rumsfeld decided to outsource the military to China. While the US trade deficit with China represented 3 times the US GDP, and the incomes of the outside territories were highly irregular, the US National Council proposed to pay off the interest of its debt to China by subletting Hollywood. This led to the so-called “Arnold Incident,” more the result of a cultural misunderstanding than any “bad faith from those loony Chinese” as was claimed by Lord Dick’s Brain. A year later the relations between the two powers came to the brink of war. China was trying to recycle all their trade profits with the US by buying US corporations. This was largely unsuccessful until they were able to take control of Wal-Mart Distribution by buying their stock online at a pace of 10 at a time using the private contractors that had been deployed to the US mainland (so as not to arouse suspicion from FTC investigators). It took them 1,234,876 transactions to realize this profitable operation (Ask Rain). To avoid a destructive conflict, an agreement was made that will allows allowed the US to buy back Wal Mart Distribution by selling Taiwan to China; this became knows as the Free WMD Act. The Taiwanese were fairly unhappy, as they claimed they were not owned by the US, but the Chinese authorities were able to change their minds…and lives.

When the Chinese contractors from the state-owned company Yellowduck arrived in the US, it was primarily to oversee oil and water drilling on federal property; the “Clean Soil Act” made drilling as mandatory on all federal lands and permissible on any private property—unless, of course, the owner is able to show that his or her income is higher than the estimated profit gleaned from drilling. Soon after, oil was discovered under Washington DC, and the Black House became the embodiment of the symbiosis between Energy and Life Forces. Plan C quickly became so successful that the scope of the Yellowduck’ work soon included the protection of non-white citizens in their “Free-For-All Camps” that supplied most of the protected services to the average US citizen.

Strangely enough, however, it was the Jerusalem Opportunity that revealed itself as the ultimate talon d'achille of US hegemony.

Benjamin Netanyaou to called George the "V" to let him know that everything had gone wrong, that people of all faiths had not only given up their religious beliefs, but were actually living happily together. The spread of this “sickness” out of Jerusalem endangered not only the existence of Israel but also all of civilization. After a quick consultation with the One Above, George was given the go-ahead to launch operation Armageddon (Plan A) on the Israeli Capital. But the differing time zones gave Laura the wife of George the "V time to make a decision of her own. She went to the Justice Department and located a number of exhibits from the case of The State of California v. Good Vibration . She picked up a few things and got back to George’s office before the commencement ceremony for Plan Armageddon. Needless to say, the meeting produced a few screams, a missed ceremony and Laura , the wife of George the V, saved the human race. . Laura realized who she and George were. This is now seen as the turning point to the Military domination and the dawn of a new era in our civilization as we will see it in the coming chapter: “Bedroom, the starting rise of Freedom”

The Author’s photo and biography have been removed following the conviction of the author on charges of hugging his daughter in the San Francisco Federal Court sole private property of the Gates Family Corporation. The appeal to George the “V” clemency is pending , meanwhile the US citizenship of the author have been removed and he is now on it’s way to serve in the 4th corps in the outside province of Iran.

The lecture and or possession of this book are now a crime.

Democratic as defined directly by God to George the “V” as: “one man, one vote and George is my Man”.

Following the 2008 referendum, the US National Council replaced the US government and was nominated solely by the President for Life.

Lord Dick’s Brain was officially recognized as member of the council after the 56th surgery of Lord Dick Cheney where he lost all that was left of his original body, except his brain

Democratic as defined directly by God to George the “V” as: “one man, one vote and George is my Man”.

Following the 2008 referendum, the US National Council replaced the US government and was nominated solely by the President for Life.

Lord Dick’s Brain was officially recognized as member of the council after the 56th surgery of Lord Dick Cheney where he lost all that was left of his original body, except his brain

Democratic as defined directly by God to George the “V” as: “one man, one vote and George is my Man”.

Following the 2008 referendum, the US National Council replaced the US government and was nominated solely by the President for Life.

Lord Dick’s Brain was officially recognized as member of the council after the 56th surgery of Lord Dick Cheney where he lost all that was left of his original body, except his brain

Democratic as defined directly by God to George the “V” as: “one man, one vote and George is my Man”.

Following the 2008 referendum, the US National Council replaced the US government and was nominated solely by the President for Life.

Lord Dick’s Brain was officially recognized as member of the council after the 56th surgery of Lord Dick Cheney where he lost all that was left of his original body, except his brain

Democratic as defined directly by God to George the “V” as: “one man, one vote and George is my Man”.

Following the 2008 referendum, the US National Council replaced the US government and was nominated solely by the President for Life.

Lord Dick’s Brain was officially recognized as member of the council after the 56th surgery of Lord Dick Cheney where he lost all that was left of his original body, except his brain

(1)Democratic as defined directly by God to George the “V” as: “one man, one vote and George is my Man”.

(2)Following the 2008 referendum, the US National Council replaced the US government and was nominated solely by the President for Life.

(3)Lord Dick’s Brain was officially recognized as member of the council after the 56th surgery of Lord Dick Cheney where he lost all that was left of his original body, except his brain

(4)The combination of “Corporate Universal Tax Relief” and the tax-exempt status of military private contractors brought a surplus of money back to China that more than covered the cost of buying WMD shares.

(5)Yellowduck Cie was able to outbid Blackhawks by 68%

(6)Free For All Camps, were started by Al & Burton Cie after the San Francisco 2009 earthquakes and offered those in communities of color a free—and mandatory—place to live and work.

(7)See chapter 12 “The Middle East Quagmire”, where we saw that all believers of any religion were provided food to settle in Jerusalem

(8)The State of California v. Good Vibration confirmed that you can not sell any merchandise that will produce pleasures without any ongoing profit. The supreme court ruled unanimously (5 votes in favor)

(9)Since that day, Laura, the wife of George the “V’ became know as Laura the whip.

(10)This was also the end of the Chinese military outsourcing and the military in general, as we will see in the coming chapter: “Bedroom and the Rise of Freedom”

This is the traditional Korean outfit for women and I don't know too much about it, but I know queens and empresses used to wear them back in the day. Now, of course the patterns and colors are more modern, but the fabric and the shine still remains absolutely beautiful. It's such an intricate outfit; there's like four parts to it, and you have to tie it a certain way.

Also part of my undergrad application portfolio, these were taken with a color negative film, kodak i think. Taken to represent how my original view of Korea was a complete misunderstanding. With the city life that I live in Seoul, I ignorantly assumed the rest of Korea was like that as well, but through my mom's side of the family, who practice the traditional culture, I was able to see the way most people lived in Korea. I was able to dive into the beautiful culture of Korea and now am able to appreciate it more than ever. These photos represent the playgrounds of Korea.

CLICK "ALL SIZES"!!

On June 19, Taeyeon posted on her Instagram account, explaining her side of the story as her relationship with Baek Hyun began to spread with misunderstandings risings.

On June 19, one media platform revealed paparazzi photos of Taeyeon and Baek Hyun enjoying an open-car date. SM...

360kpop.info/kpop-news-korean/snsd%e2%80%b2s-taeyeon-apol...

Italian postcard. Caption: Is he very ill? How is he? the boy breathlessly asked. Film Artistica Gloria-film, Torino, No. 3379.

L'infermiere di Tata (Leopoldo Carlucci, Gloria Film 1916) is an adaptation of one of the stories of Cuore (1885) by Edmondo De Amicis. Because of a sad misunderstanding in a hospital, young Cicillo (Guido Petrungara) attends to a agonizing ill man, thinking he is his father. The boy thinks of his poor mother and brother and sister, far away. Then the real father appears and embraces his son. The latter doesn't leave the dying man and stays with him till he dies.

misunderstanding with wife

www.loveextras.com

These are the series of illustrations to newest story – The flight of the swan telling about Dannee’s struggle with keeping peace between her friend and one of her romantic flashbacks in the past.

Even while Skyrim being at state of fragile peace Dannee learns that not all fights are tied with something epic as she tries to out some order and peace between two of her closest friends who had big misunderstanding along with nasty quarrel. In attempt to make her friend Serana see things from her perspective Dannee dwells in her own past as well as helping Serana deal with terrible but unseen wounds of her darkest memories…

The first part – www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/images/433485/?

The second part of the story – www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/images/433486/?

Family has always been a hard concept for me to grasp. It's impenetrable from the outside, full of mutual misunderstanding in the middle, but somehow, you keep running into each other anyway. If you spent several decades not getting along with anyone else, you wouldn't keep on trying. My brother is the kind of person who always wanted life to mean something, he's always tried to find his place, even though it wasn't easy. He's got no malice, he never means it, but when he gets angry, one of us has to be forgiving. After twenty-some years, I finally decided to take a shot.

We used to fight each other, my words against his fists, and objects flying through the air. I always knew just what to say to push him over the edge, and I still do, but I don't bother anymore. He's got things in his life and on his mind, children, work, a wife. Now that we're all in our thirties, nothing's getting easier, but he's getting better at being himself. A few years ago, James picked up the hobby of scuba diving, and I wrote this poem with him (and family) in mind. I never showed it to him back in 2011, but here it is now.

Picture Puzzle Piece

it's hope that matters

a passionate dream in a heart that shatters

a breathless screaming, scheming thought

that made you remember what you never forgot

there's shapes in the clouds through my window tonight

lit by the fire of a sacrificial rite

the moon is burning in the desolate heavens

consuming a yearning that's been long forgotten

I don't want to see the stars any closer than they are

even the sun I've labeled a traitor

she's left my brother and fled south for the winter

I lie in this bed and hide under the covers

I dream of the faces of my nieces and nephews

every year it's like meeting a brand new stranger

I simply can't process the concept of aging

the cells in our bodies constantly rearranging

and only our memories stay complete

give or take a picture puzzle piece

don't tell me you've forgotten who you were

an alloy of influences, and anything but pure

don't say that the future is all there is

the past is a present in a big red bow

it's the source of everything

you think that you know

so when you find yourself diving

to the center of the earth

explore every shipwreck

all the way to your birth

show me every treasure

share me every adventure

and I will remind you

what it all was worth...

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Little group of space treasure hunters called "Red Oblivion" simply couldn't find out a way to work this problem out in more assertive way..

"It's only a minor misunderstanding associated with the distribution of goods.." - that was his last words before his upper part of robotic body jumped into the air avoiding the blast..

The following article was released on July 10th, 1972 by the Radio Free Europe. Here it is:

A luxurious new resort, advertised as "a complete island paradise in Europe," was recently opened on the Yugoslav Adriatic island of Krk. Bob Guccione, editor and publisher of Penthouse, an American "international magazine for men" invested 45 million dollars in the project. The resort, which will be owned and operated by Yugoslavs, is seen by Guccione as an antidote to cold war misunderstanding. It is expected that hundreds of well-to-do Americans visit Krk and the "Penthouse Adriatic," and divest themselves of a little hard currency in the process.

"We have detected a real formula in the struggle against the cold war" revealed Bob Guccione, editor and publisher of Penthouse - "The International Magazine for Men." The ingredients were described in an interview with Nedeljne informativne novine (NIN), the Belgrade weekly. A reasonable amount of Western capital, in this case 45 million dollars provided by Guiccione's publication, is combined with socialist financing and skills, in this case supplied by the Rijeka "Brodokomerc," and "the most exciting and exotic resort experience of all time" is constructed for Westerners vacationing in the East. On June 15 of this year the "grand opening" of just such a mutual enterprise, The Penthouse Adriatic, was celebrated on Krk, the largest island in the Adriatic Sea (410 square km.). The establishment was described in the June 1972 issue of Penthouse: "Richly located on the idyllic island of Krk, a few miles south of Trieste and directly opposite Venice, this mile-long Xanadu of glittering buildings will become for international cognoscenti a premier playground for summer and winter seasons alike."

The complex was designed by a Yugoslav "grand prix (twice awarded) architect" whose name has not been given. The architectural center of the resort, whose Yugoslav name is "Haludovo," is the Penthouse Palace, "a gracefully colonnaded construction within whose elegant interior is the Great Lounge, bedecked with hanging gardens, pools and fountains." The Anglo-American Penthouse Casino (for foreigners only) can compare "with the finest casinos in Las Vegas and other principal gambling centers."

On July 3 the first group of American guests landed at the Krk airport, only 12 minutes away from the Penthouse Adriatic. Sixteen such groups are now expected, but the possibilities of and interest in this large Yugoslav-American project far outrun its tourist count to date. Guccione would like to create a world center for various congresses, conventions and international meetings in Krk, The huge Ford Company has announced plans to use the Penthouse Adriatic for its conventions. A meeting of commercial air lines is soon to take place in Krk and will be highlighted by the election of a "most beautiful stewardess." In the July issue of Penthouse, Krk is called "a complete island paradise in Europe's most up-and-coming resort location".

I am a product of failure, of science and consumer ads, of late night fights and mtv and divorce. I am a product of selfishness, of misunderstandings and busy streets. Of high fructose corn syrup and reality television; micro chips and potato chips, of global disasters and the evening news. I am a product of my environment.

This shot is taken with Sony NEX-7 with regular adapter (Novoflex NEX/CAN). In this case the image is heavily cropped (to avoid misunderstandings: I didn't crop - it's the APS-C sensor that delivers a cropped image), with a field of view that corresponds with a 75mm lens on a FF, but with the perspective and DOF remaining that of the 50mm. I like this cropping feature sometimes, espesially when I'm shooting people. But in scenes like this, the crop factor seriously frustrates me. That's why I'm very happy with the Zhongyi, that brings the use of my NEX-7 very close to that of a FF camera. In fact it feels like having two camera's in one. :-)

This is one of three shots to illustrate the functioning of the Zhongyi Lens Turbo focal reducer. I pictured the Zhongyi in the next (older) picture.

The three testshots were taken on tripod, from exactly the same viewpoint, with the same lens (Canon FD 50mm 1.4) and the same settings (aperture f/16, hyperfocused - the infite at 11, which made the DOF start at around 2,75m).

"The Quiet and Ugly Artist (Hanoi, 1965-2015)", An art installation by Daniel Kerkhoff at Chaap Art, 82 Đê Quai Street, Tây Hồ District, Hanoi. October 3rd to October 11th,, 2015. Opening reception, October 3rd, 6-9pm.

An installation based on Daniel Kerkhoff's self-imposed artist-in-residency in Hanoi from February 6th to October 26th. It is part of a larger project which includes residencies in Ghana and Ecuador. Embedded in a community for just under nine months, the human gestation period, premature, a gradual, a creative process,

an exploration, noticing, weaving, sharing, and witnessing, connection, disconnection, a journal, found sculptures, painting, photographs, videos, documenting, collections, keepsakes, collages, receipts and brochures, maps, business cards and consumer packaging, consumed and consuming, souvenirs,

walking, discovering, travel, a paper trail, colonize, appropriate, trophies, convoluted, cover-ups, muddy, history, memory, remnants, experience, lost, absorbed, traces, vague, melding, a buried presence, fading, rotting, germinating, misunderstanding, forgotten, pollination, rejuvenation, impermanence, transformation.

Daniel Kerkhoff is a visual artist from Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.A. You can see photos of his projects in Vietnam, Ghana, Ecuador, and other places at www.danielkerkhoff.com.

Prints will be available for 500,000 VND or $25.00 with all proceeds going to future exhibition costs at Chaap Art for emerging women artists.

The exhibition will be open everyday from 10 am to 4 pm. Chaap Art is located at No. 82 Đê Quai, Lane 310, Nghi Tàm Street, Tây Hồ District, Hanoi. Directions: From Nghi Tàm Street, follow Lane 310 all the way to the end where it turns left onto Đê Quai Street. Go about 500 meters on Đê Quai Street and Chaap Art will be on your left.

Phone number: 0987757769 - 0985836023

Chaap Art is an art space founded by a group of artists in 2009 with the purpose of supporting contemporary art activities and exhibitions in Hanoi. Our slogan is: "Cứ tự nhiên".

Translate in to Vietnamese:

"The Quiet and Ugly artist ( Hanoi,1965 - 2015 )" - " Nghệ sĩ Trầm lặng và Xấu xí (Hanoi, 1965 - 2015)

Từ ngày 3/10 đến 11/10

Mở cửa đón khách 3/10/2015 từ 18h đến 21h

Triển lãm sắp đặt dựa trên quá trình tự lưu trú của nghệ sĩ Daniel Kerkhoff's tại Hà Nội từ ngày 6/2 đến ngày 26/10. Đây là một phần của dự án lớn hơn bao gồm cả những chương trình lưu trú của nghệ sĩ tại Ghana và Ecuador. Hòa chung với cộng đồng chỉ chưa tới chín tháng , thời kì thai nghén của một con người, sinh non, một quá trình sáng tạo dần,

một sự khai phá, lưu tâm, đan kết, chia sẻ, chứng kiến, kết nối, tách biệt, viết nhật kí, tìm ra những tác phẩm điêu khắc, tranh vẽ, ảnh, video, tài liệu, thu thập, lưu giữ, cắt dán, hóa đơn, tờ rơi,bản đồ, danh thiếp, giấy đóng gói hàng, đã tiêu thụ và đang tiêu thụ, đồ lưu niệm,

đi bộ, khám phá, du lịch, những giấy tờ, dấu ấn, riêng biệt, danh hiệu, cuộn lại, che phủ, màu sắc mờ đục, lịch sử, kí ức, tàn tích, kinh nghiệm, thất lạc, cảm thụ, dấu vết, mơ hồ, tan chảy, chôn vùi hiện diện, phai màu, mục nát, nảy mầm, sự hiểu lầm, bị lãng quên, thụ phấn, trẻ hóa, vô thường, biến đổi.

Daniel Kerkhoff là một nghệ sĩ thị giác đến từ Minneapolis, Minnesota, Mỹ. Các bạn có thể xem những hinhg ảnh về dự án của ông ở Việt Nam, Ghana, Ecuador và một số nơi khác ở website: www.danielkerkhoff.com.

Những bản in có sẵn với giá 500.000 đồng hoặc $25,00. Tất cả tiền thu lại sẽ dành để làm chi phí cho triển lãm trong tương lai cho các nữ nghệ sĩ tại Chaap Art.

Triển lãm mở cửa trong 8 ngày từ 10h sáng đến 16h chiều tại Chaap Art - Số 82 Đê Quai - ngõ 310 - Đường Nghi Tàm - Quận Tây Hồ- HN

Điện thoại : 0987757769 - 0985836023

Chaap Art là một không gian nghệ thuật được sáng lập bởi một nhóm nghệ sĩ từ năm 2009 nhằm mục đích hỗ trợ các hoạt động và triển lãm sáng tạo nghệ thuật đương đại tại Hà Nội. Tiêu chí của chúng tôi trong sáng tác nghệ thuật là " Cứ tự nhiên"

On the day I arrived here, the weather was so bad no boats were going out to view the whale sharks, so you loose some you win .

Oslob is a fourth class municipality in the province of Cebu, Philippines. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 26,116 people. Whale sharks are spotted in Tan-awan, Oslob which is 10 km away from the centre of the town. It started last September 2011 and become a tourist attraction and popular all over the world. Local fishermen’s interact with the whale sharks by feeding them by hand while tourists find it entertaining

The name Oslob came from a misunderstanding between a native couple, named Umpang and Burong,and two Guardia civil's (civil guards) in the year 1785 at a place currently named Nigad in barangay Daanlungsod. While the said couple were taking a rest under the tree and were eating their boiled bananas while soaking it with vinegar and salt, the two guards asked the couple: “Como se llama esto pueblo?”, meaning ”What is the name of this town?”. The couple not knowing what the civil guards were saying, were thinking that the strangers were asking them what they were doing. Since the couple, at that time, were then soaking bananas with the vinegar and salt, the couple answered Toslob, which means soak. After hearing the word Toslob, the civil guards kept on repeating the word Toslob thinking that the said word was the name of the town, which was later changed to “Oslob”. Until now, the flowing of the water at Nigad is still there quenching the thirst of the many people of the place including the nearby inhabitants specially when there is a shortage of water.

Sumilon Island is a 24-hectare coral island off the coast of Bancogon, Oslob, Cebu. The island hosts the Sumilon Blue water Island Resort which developed the island into an eco-friendly haven for those who want to get away from the stress of city living. The Island of Sumilon is located in the southeastern tip of the Municipality of Oslob in the province of Cebu. The island has an area of 24 hectares and has clear waters with varying aquamarine hues and white sand beaches in different areas of the island. It is the first marine protected area in the Philippines and was created as a marine sanctuary in 1974 under the guidance of the Siliman University Marine Reserve of Dumaguete City in the nearby province of Negros Oriental.

The island is famous throughout the country and internationally for the exceptional beauty of its dive sites. Sumilon has four major dive sites, which are Garden Eel Plaza, Nikki’s Wall, Coral Landscape and Julie’s Rock. The island’s diving sites are famous for their superb visibility, stunning reefs and abundance of varied tropical marine species that provide an ideal and memorable dive. There are occasional sightings of black tip sharks during dives. A popular attraction in Sumilon Island is its sandbar because of its changing shapes and shifting locations around the island depending on the season. Other places of interest in the island are a natural lagoon teeming with high mangroves and natural caves used by fishermen to seek refuge during storms, and a pristine lake. On the south portion of the island, a lighthouse rests on a protected tree park and beside it is a Baluarte, a historical watchtower built as part of a warning system to thwart slavers and marauders in the 19th century.

Besides diving, you can also go bird watching, do beach picnics with the family, fishing, hiking, island tours, paddling and trekking. Located in the island is the Sumilon Blue water Island Resort, a private beach resort that provides excellent amenities and facilities for tourists and guests. The Island of Sumilon is located off the southeast coast of the Municipality of Oslob, Cebu, and is under the administration of Oslob. The island is about 125 kilometres from Cebu City and separated from the mainland by the Cebu Strait. It is also close to Dumaguete City in the nearby island province of Negros Oriental.To get to Oslob, you can ride a public bus or a V-hire van from the Cebu South Bus Terminal in Cebu City. The estimated travel time from the city to Oslob is about three hours. The three-hour land trip to Oslob from Cebu City is a scenic ride through the southern coastal towns with fantastic views of the ocean. From the port of Oslob, there are pump boats or small fast constructs that will bring you to the island. Another route to Sumilon Island is via Dumaguete City since it is also close to the island

Some of us are born to create, to play music, to write, to nurture, to teach, to be an advocate. It's not a choice we've actively pursued, but a desire that was woven into the very structure of who we are as a human being. The choice lies with whether or not we decide to foster these interests. As ridiculous as it might sound to others, I acknowledged a long time ago that for me this ingrained passion was for dolls. It was never a hobby I saw in the hands of others, researched a bit, and then chose to delve into. It wasn't a desperately needed outlet that I elected for myself. No, dolls were a part of my DNA, and when we met, it was like a magnetic attraction that I couldn't deny or push away, no matter how hard I tried in later years. The very moment my first two dolls, a balding Ice Capades Barbie and a shabby All American Ken, entered my world, something clicked. As I held Christina in my tiny, two year old hands that first time, I vaguely remember that feeling--this was right. Her overpowering purple eye shadow, arched eyebrows, and dimpled smile were the most magnificent sight I had ever held. This feeling was pure magic, and it lit up my world, even as a little toddler.

I might have only been two, but that one experience manifested itself very quickly. Before I knew it, I had several dolls--some clones, a few secondhand Barbies, and a Disney doll or two. Whenever I had allowance money, I always wanted a Barbie, and if I couldn't afford one but had to buy something, I picked a clone. I looked forward to Christmas and birthdays, mostly because I wanted more dolls. The other gifts were subpar compared to my dolly friends. They also became a bond between my older sister and me. Before I had my own dolls, we mostly played separately with our own friends. Colleen wanted nothing to do with me as she was jealous that I was the younger sister, and all my attempts to make her my best friend were all in vain. But after I stole some of her dolls and accessories, and we battled back and forth about the thefts, she finally caved. The hours we spent on my shaggy tan bedroom rug, which didn't even cover the entire floor, were countless. Dolls became our number one pastime, and even in most cases trumped pure make believe. It was the one thing we really agreed on, and as we grew to be a little older and less crude with dolls, our bond strengthened. I played dolls with many friends in my younger years, but I noticed early on that Colleen and I were different. Compared to the doll games at my friends' houses, ours were "sophisticated." We had plans ahead of time, special sets, storyboards, specific cast members, etc. Mom even thought we were bizarre--I recall her asking us one time why we needed to plan things out ahead of time, and why we didn't just sit down and play. We shook our heads and rolled our eyes at such a "simpleton" suggestion. Mom, of course we needed structure to our scenarios--if we didn't have a game plan, how did we know who was related to who? How did we know where they lived, how old they were? What if we wanted to arrange for a love story to happen or what if our dolls had to flee from "bad guys?" It wasn't just our desire for extensive planning that I felt put a great divide between my fellow doll playing friends, but also the general demeanor towards the dolls themselves. I remember some of the other kids we played with threw their dolls, smacked them up against each other, and made them run around wildly biting each other. Colleen and I often had "rated R" doll games with abusive alcoholics, domestic violence, and child neglect, but we were always careful not to be too rough with our friends. I wouldn't even dream of throwing one of my precious plastic friends from the top of our playscape like I had seen other kids do. I wouldn't dare draw all over my dolls as a cruel form of amusement, nor would I cut their hair with the intent to make it look bad (although sometimes my best of intentions were fraught with bad outcomes). My dolls always had to have brushed hair, and by the time I was maybe three or four, I had started organizing me stuff in a more manageable fashion. As we grew older, the disparity between Colleen/myself and other children grew wider. I dreaded playing dolls with friends, and I always cringed whenever they wanted to play with one of my dolls and tossed her around like a piece of garbage and acted in an "uncivilized manner." And so this developed into a special, secluded outlet between the two of us. It became our private world that nobody else was a part of.

My interest in dolls was always deeper than just what ones were pretty or came with cool fixings. As soon as I started learning the ABCs, my inner curiosity belted out. What were these markings on Christina's back, on her head? Why were some of the tags in their outfits different? For me, I learned what a "fakie" doll was at an early age--just by the smell and weight of the plastic, and the differences in their facial screenings. The question, "How do you know a real Barbie or American Girl apart from a knock off" always baffled me. How could you not know?!! This feeling wasn't cockiness, but rather an honest misunderstanding...to me it felt natural to just look at a doll, accessory, or outfit and deduce if it were "real" or "fake." But I craved knowledge--I was desperate to have all these mysteries solved. One of the things I wanted to know early on was who Christina and Kevin were. How old were they? Who had owned them before? Why, why were they abandoned? It would take nearly twenty years before these questions had answers, but they were the fuel in the fire that was my thirst for doll knowledge. I began to collect dolls around the age of nine. Of course I refused to use the word "collect" as I associated it with coldness, and an interest in only the doll's value. I imagined a collector to be an old, grumpy man or woman, holed up in a dark room with all boxed dolls counting dollar bills. I didn't realize that the word meant so much more, and that it was an honor to wear it as a badge. I recall in the early 2000s, Colleen and I suddenly took an interest in the dolls of the 90s. It became our newest "thing," much like how earlier we had focused on hoarding Kid Kore and other clone dolls (but that was born out of a childish "boycott"). We searched high and low for 90s beauties at the local flea market, and whenever we found an inexpensive boxed one, we had to nab her. There was something about opening a doll that had previously never been freed that gave me such inner satisfaction. The child in me wanted to doll to experience love and admiration from outside her cardboard and cellophane prison...and to be honest that desire never left. I was fascinated by their box art, the differences in the Barbie logos, and of course the advertisement pamphlets tucked inside their packaging. Within a few months we had several de-boxed 90s friends, and out of date stuff we found at places like Toys 'R' Us and KB Toys. This was the start of our collecting--in the years after we focused on 70s and 80s Barbie, Skipper, Stacie, Ken, Bratz, Mary-Kate and Ashley, etc. But even before this turning point, we always did have pinpointed interested--Colleen built up a magnificent Kelly collection, and I had a proclivity towards ethnic dolls, Disney characters, and of course the Generation Girls. As we got older and discovered the world wide web at Dad's office, we were able to further our research. As our collection expanded I noticed differences in the plastic, hair types, packaging, etc of all these dolls...even down to the way they smelled. I wanted to know it all, and each tidbit of information I acquired felt victorious.

But there was more to this story than just our lust for doll knowledge. Growing up with predominantly secondhand dolls up until the age of maybe eleven, I always wanted to restore them in some way. It began at the age of six when I discovered that the No More Bedhead spray worked miracles on our ratty Water Jewel Magic Jasmine. But that was not enough within a few years. It occurred to me one day to wash and condition their hair, and when I did and saw the results, it sparked my inner cleaning demon. As a kid who probably had undiagnosed OCD, which led me to compulsively brush my doll's hair, over organize their things, and cry over imagined filth, the power to fix them up was ever so satisfying. Foam 'n Color Barbie and Corduroy Cool "Lizzie" were just the practice dolls. But once I realized how powerful this treatment was, all my dolls got it. This became a ritual--every time we imported secondhand dolls from the flea market, they'd either get hand washed or thrown all together in the bathtub for a cleaning. Their clothes and accessories were no exception. Afterwards we'd follow up with a blow dry and hair styling. It was a very rudimentary version of what we do nowadays. And as for our old favorites who were regular cast members in our dolly games, well they got weekly treatments. I became obsessed with my dolls always looking and smelling their best. My desire to organize well also intensified and I had little containers for everything--the dishes were all subdivided by cups, pan lids, plates, bowls, etc. Each doll type also had his/her own containers too. We were always trying to identify clothes and accessories, so we could properly sort them. And I remember saving hair I brushed out from other dolls and storing it in a ziploc, thinking that maybe one day I could do a hair transplant of sorts. If doll social media had been a thing back then, and I had access to the knowledge I do nowadays, I can guarantee we would have tried it all--the boil wash, the flat iron, properly washing their clothes, etc. I think part of why I do overkill these days when it comes to cleaning is because it was a skill I desperately wanted as a kid, and now that I know how to do it all properly, I just can't stop!

You could say that I always had a one track mind when it came to dolls. Not only were they my main interest and therefore the desirable gift to receive or the obvious choice to splurge my allowance money, but they also occupied just about every other space in my brain. I would daydream about dolls all day--on the school bus, sitting in class, laying in bed at night, at the dinner table. Because my thoughts were constantly revolving around dolls, it seems natural that I would see the world in terms of dolls. Discarded food advertisements and mini umbrellas from the Chinese restaurants weren't just trash to us. No, they were props for our dolls. Even when we owned a vast amount of authentic Barbie/fashion doll accessories, we still saw the potential in all sorts of odds and ends. Kid Kore Katie and my Perfume Princess Jasmine dolls (aka Reggie and Myra) were lucky enough to profit from this behavior--they had quite the expansive collection of McDonald's toys, Polly Pockets and other bits and bobs to fill out the space in their "bedrooms." A shoe box was the perfect closet, my bookcase the ideal shack, and I always waited eagerly for little tins and food containers to be emptied so I could store my dollies' valuables inside. When Memeré first moved out of our house and left a vacant bedroom, Colleen and I immediately envisioned a dolly paradise. For several months it was--the drawers in the desk she left behind were great for tucking away some of their things, and the fold down top was a magnificent spot to put the dolls at night, safe out of harm's way. Things honestly haven't changed much. My thoughts are always brewing new ideas for doll stuff. Whether it is content for videos, concepts for "dolly essays," or the possibilities I feel when I see discarded jewelry, everything seems to tie back to dolls. I find myself constantly brooding over better ways to organize, and aimlessly meandering through aisles at the store looking for inspiration for doll crafts. If I have a gift card, even for a non toy stocked store, I wonder what could my dolls gain from this?. I'm that person who literally spent all her birthday gift card for Michael's on discounted pads of scrapbook paper which would create countless backdrops for my doll photography and future video scenarios. I admit, I'm intense, even compared to some other collectors. I never have any qualms about moving my own stuff out of the way to make space for my dolls, much like how I shove our own towels out of the closet to accommodate my guinea pig and chinchilla laundry.

For a long time, I think I resisted dolls because they were so all consuming. I began to feel a sense of discomfort and awareness about my unconventional passion as a teenager. It wasn't "normal" to spend Friday nights at toy stores with your dad buying dolls when you are fourteen. It certainly wasn't acceptable to be toting dolls with you to restaurants either. I met a crossroad during this time. There was the part of me that genuinely wanted to know who Shelly was without dolls, but there was also the other half of me that knew she couldn't leave them behind. Even when all the dolls were packed up and put away to be forgotten about in the basement, I still felt something whenever I saw dolls. It could have been a glimpse of a doll in a movie, or a pile of kanekalon haired Barbies at the flea market, or the toy aisle at the brand new Wal-Mart Supercenter I had never ventured into. I felt intrigued, compelled, and no matter how hard I tried to push the thoughts out of my mind, they were always there. Even though in that time I forgot exactly what it was I loved about dolls, even if my deep connection for Bratz became buried to the point of me shunning them later on, my heart never failed to leap at the thought of dolls. I'll never regret my time away from the hobby, because it gave me the chance to figure out who I wasn't. I dabbled with your typical teen interests--makeup, boys, clothes, the internet, bands, etc. But most of it never felt natural, it almost was as if I was dressed up for Halloween. It made me feel very much like those "picture days" at school when Mom crammed me in some hideous dress that I would never willingly wear, or that discomfort I get whenever I drive a vehicle that's not a Jeep. Some things just fit, whether or not you want them to, whether or not they fit your "aesthetic." In the darkest hours of my life, the pages of Barbie and Disney collector books lit a little match inside me. I truly believe that dolls are part of who I am, which is probably why I had no self control when I delved back into the hobby in 2011. Within a few months that one shelf of Disney dolls in my room turned into a huge shelf unit just for Bratz, a doll house, and another bookcase all dedicated to my dollies. Almost every waking hour of free time was somehow devoted to dolls--research, organization, cleaning, shopping, creating...you name it. I'm not sorry about any of it either. While Shelly is and always was a separate person from dolls, I have to admit that I'm a happier with dolls in my life. Honestly, I think I'm the best version of myself when it comes to dolls. I'm the most motivated, thorough, creative, and courageous because of my dolly companions. Although there may be occasions in the future when I can't have a huge collection or I have to dedicate most of my free time to more important aspects in my life, dolls will always be there lurking in the shadows, waiting for me to be done with "adulting" so we can play. I may have been born to love dolls, but I choose to keep them in my life no matter what judgements or criticisms come my way, because to deny my passion them would be an inauthentic version of myself.

To Flickr Support.

Dear Sir/Madam

Since you previously restricted my stream I have been really careful to use the "safe" filters, in fact to an excess, making sure that each and every possible photograph that could upset and offend adult or child had the "safe filter" in place.

Now you restricted my stream again.

Either tell me this is a misunderstanding on someone's part or just simply let me know at your earliest convenience what else I should do in order not to have my account restricted.

Since I became a Flicker member, I have happened to come across all sort of "hard core" and possibly "obscene" material on other people streams and, while I have not felt any violation of my rights by finding myself exposed to images of explicit sexual activity or body decomposition, I KNOW that's not the kind of material you'll see on my stream.

Of course, I have nude pictures and pictures which could be defined as "erotic" on my stream- I am an artist and a photographer (note- NOT a pornographer) and I take pictures of all variety of subjects.

Now - in the 25 years I worked as a photographer (I repeat -NOT a pornographer)unfortunately amongst beautiful nudes, flowers, faces and places I also have pictures in my archives which are truly impacting and sometimes horrifying of limbless or headless bodies I took in Bosnia, in Baghdad, and in other war zones. Would I post such photos on Flickr ? of course not.

So is it about the nudes ? I double-checked the nude pictures on my stream and they all appear to have safe filters in place.

So what else can I do?

Please give advice on if, how and when you can set my stream free again.

And, finally, just a thought, if may : Flicker is a huge, worldwide, diverse pool of material, possibly a new type of photographers' community and I am well aware (and I agree), that every community needs rules.

However, when you decide to promote and divulge (while making a profit) anything "artistic" I think you ought to make sure your community does not become too much of a GATED one.

respectfully yours,

Magneticart