“In the 1920s O G S Crawford invented aerial archaeology, one of many services this eccentric Marxist misanthrope performed for the study of antiquity.”
- Jonathan Meades: Link

Bloody Old Britain: O G S Crawford and the Archaeology of Modern Life

By Kitty Hauser

Granta Books, 286pp

Amazon: Link

“Future archaeologists will perhaps excavate the ruined factories of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries when the radiation effects of Atom bombs have died away.”
- O. G. S. Crawford, from Archaeology in the Field (1953)

O. G. S. Crawford @ Wikipedia: Link.

~ Karl Jones

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Rome: It’s beautiful and it’s not. Kinda like everything else in life.

“La prossima fermata è Roma Termini.”

I moved to Italy to live at the end of September last year. I lived in Brescia (a medium-sized city in Northern Italy) until March 1, when I moved to Siena.

(I am once again back in Brescia, but that’s a story I’m going to save for another day.)

I picked up some vocabulary during those first five months in Italy, but it wasn’t until I started attending an Italian class for immigrants in Siena that I really started learning the language.

Now, finally!, I understand much of what is being said either to me or around me. The language no longer sounds foreign or like pretty sounds flowing forth from people’s mouths. Although I’m more motivated to learn the language–because it finally seems like an achievable goal to converse fluently–the glossy veneer of the nonsensical musical sounds has dulled. I don’t know, there’s something about understanding when somebody complains about the weather (or conversely, the ease in which I can complain about it) that makes any language sound less romantic.

Shiny glossy veneers are so overrated. Don’t you think? I mean, a veneer is just a thin expensive sheet of wood (or metal) with layers upon layers of unusually toxic clear varnish. If it wasn’t for the common cheap material beneath (like pine or regular mild steel), the veneer would have nothing to attach itself to.

And I’ve always preferred the look of a dull, used or aged finish anyway…and now that I’ve exhausted my analogy I’m finished with this post.

But one more thing before I go to bed on this hot summer night: it is nice to know that you can simply listen to the conductor to know when your next stop is and not have the nervous wondering of whether you’ve missed it or have yet to arrive.

Arrivederci a dopo.

~Janelle Renée

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Natural Touch is a Non Governmental Organisation based in Calabar the Eastern part of Nigeria.The inspiration come from a point of observation of handicapped people and Children roaming the streets of some citites in Nigeria mostly in Calabar begging for alms.
Most of them at the end of the day retired to uncompleted buildings to pass the night,It was a very gory site when a reported case of ritual dehumanising killing of two of such people in a street close to my residence.These two were killed and some part of them remove for rituals activities or some other things not quite known to us.

So touched by such inhuman treament to people because of their inability to defend themselves or provide proper accomodation for themselves,and even a source of livelihood was traumatic,hence,my decision to get the NGO (NATURAL TOUCH) started,with the aim to provide food and shelter for the hanicapped.Make sure there is a future for them and security of life for them.

Upon our inception,we had limited our intention to mostly the young ones and average aged.Although we could not provide accomodation for them but we  provide the basic needs which is food for them atleast once a day.

It is our aim to increase the feeding arrangement to twice a day and also build a home for them.It is our aim to accomodate at least 2000-5000 handicapped people of difiers ages in the home,and Animals too.
With support from other Organisations/Individauls that are touched just as we are.We will establish a school or a handicraft centre for them to study and become independent of their own in future.
Suffice to say here that most of them roam the street with torn cloths and look unkept,We also provide clothing where necessary and affordable to them.
Based on our inability to sustain the financial burden,we are looking forward to Groups or Individuals with similar passion as we have towards uplifting the living standard of these hadicapped and also thinking of ensuring their future.

We are planning of building a home for them in Calabar to accomodate the handicapped and also recruit personnels to take care of their cooking and tranining.
We look forward to support  from passionate groups and individuals.
Thanks,
Dennis

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Technology for human needs:

• The Outquisition
• Engineers Without Borders
• MIT International Design Summit
• Free/Open Appropriate Technology
• Transition Towns
• Technology for Humanity

(...)
Read the rest of Technology for Humanity (735 words)

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Peaceful, Meditative, Buddhic, Enlightenment.

Fundamental Beingness represents our Buddha nature. The state we can attain thru Spiritual practices.

Pastel drawing with computer enhancement. Spectral Light - Trefoil Series.  I did the original 9" x 12" drawing in 1998, then in 2007 scanned and enhanced it in Photoshop. Prints are available at my Spirit Art gallery.

~Bonnee Klein Gilligan

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The Telegraph has an article on literary tattoos.

Via Fade Theory.

“Exuberance is Beauty” — William Blake.

~ Karl Jones

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This blog concerning the series of 366 paintings known as “Miracle Days” by David Arthur-Simons continues today with painting # 158

David Arthur-Simons
Tuesday August 5, 2008
CIM 158   Today I learn to give as I receive
Acrylic on canvas
20 x 16ins

****

Notes

The title of the painting is not yet achieved in this painting.  What I have illustrated on the horizontal plane is two figures standing opposite one another, neither giving nor receiving, simply expecting, the opposite of giving and receiving.  On the vertical plane, one figure lies seemingly dead or dorment and in opposition to it a large head rises into the heavens (inflated perhaps).  They are also not giving or receiving but simply turning inwards.  The giving is achieved through the spheres that float forward from the forehead of the large cut out head and the chest of the figure lying in the foeground.  These sphere intersect to form a diamond, the symbol of god or the known universe.  (The diamond shape is not very visible at this point, more work needs to go into that with more spheres to make the line of sphere more visible).  It is more visble in the preliminary sketch.

David Arthur-Simons
Tuesday August 5, 2008
CIM 158   Today I learn to give as I receive
Pen on paper
4 x 2ins

This painting is also a very accurate snap shot of my Four Functions at present and generally.  The cut out head full of clouds represents the Intuitive, visionary function which is by far the most developed of my functions.  It soars up into the heavens and may even be inflated.  In opposition to Intuition lies Sensation, that which touches the world, and all the things in it.  It lies dorment as indeed it does in me.  Feeling and Thinking stand confronting one another, always attempting to over power one another either with reason or hysterical responses.  Generally, they are in a harmonious balance.

This painting is not yet finished.  Another element, an action or a object needs to bring everything that is there already together.

“There may be some validity in the idea held by the Freudian school that artists without exception are narcissistic - by which is meant that they are under-developed persons with infantile and auto-erotic traits.  The statement is only valid, however, for the artist as a person, and has nothing to do with the man as an artist.  In his capacity of artist he is neither auto-erotic, nor hetero-erotic, nor erotic in any sense.  He is objective and impersonal - even inhuman - for as an artist he is his work, and not a human being”.  CG Jung “Modern Man in Search of A Soul” Chapter 8, p168 (1933).

David Arthur-Simons

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This blog concerning the series of 366 paintings known as “Miracle Days” by David Arthur-Simons continues today with painting # 157

David Arthur-Simons
Monday August 4, 2008
CIM 157  Into His Presence would I enter now
Acrylic on canvas
20 x 16ins

****

Notes

Anthropomorphic de-construction drawing notes.

Once I painted over the dove, and moved the plinths further into mid ground, the plinths suddenly looked like the Twin Towers poking through the clouds as they sometimes did when the clouds were low.  Immediately the diving figures on the plinths looked like smoke billowing from the Towers.   A falling figure seemed a most appropriate element to replace the dove.   The title suddenly took on an entirely new meaning.  The new arrangement of elements also suggested an anthropomorphic face.

David Arthur-Simons
Monday August 4, 2008
CIM 157 Into His Presence would I enter now
Acrylic on canvas
20 x 16ins
David Arthur-Simons

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This blog concerning the series of 366 paintings known as “Miracle Days” by David Arthur-Simons continues today with painting # 156

David Arthur-Simons
Sunday August 3, 2008
CIM 156  I walk with God in perfect holiness
Acrylic on canvas
20 x 16ins

****

Notes

When I began this painting I wanted to paint something like Magritte’s “Euclidean Promenades” (1955).  I wanted to create the same sense of depth, walking into a deep, profound landscape but I wanted the landscape to be inside a figure and the depth to be both vertical and horizontal.  Thus the figures are leaping forward and the ground below them opens up on an aerial view of another view of some other darker heaven.

I haven’t quite got the individual elements to work yet and they certainly don’t work as a whole.

“It makes no difference whether the poet knows that his work is begotten, grows and matures with him, or whether he supposes that by taking thought he produces it out of the void.  His opinion of the matter does not change the fact that his own work outgrows him as a child its mother.  The creative process has feminine quality, and the creative work arises from unconscious depths - we might say, the realm of the mothers.  Whenever the creative force predominates, human life is ruled and moulded by the unconscious as against the active will, and the conscious ego is swept along on a subterranean current, being nothing more than a helpless observer of events.  The work in process becomes the poet’s fate and determines his psychic development.  It is not Goethe who creates “Faust”, BUT “FAUST” WHICH CREATES GOETHE”.  CG Jung “Modern Man in Search of a Soul” Chapter 8, p 170 (1933).

David Arthur-Simons

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~a poem by Bonnee Klein Gilligan

So was in a dream indeed

in space, in quiet being.

Danced on air and time stood still

through misty fog revealing.

These flashing skies and clapping booms

stand watching as time passes.

Sweet moisture, cool and gentle rain

without a wetness seeming.

Soft darkness passes lightly by

what was is now forgotten.

To waking full upon the day

in paradise abounding.

All with promise pregnant poised

awaiting only choices.

Reveals itself with breath and life

and moments as we make them.

The road, the place are all the same

for home is where the heart is.

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They’re Called “Winebrew”…and if they had a better video, I’d post it, because this one does them no justice. Here’s the deal, folks: They’re a band very rooted in classic rock. There’s some not-so-subtle influences from all the greats, though they pride themselves on their infusions of the Stones, Floyd, and Cream. They’re from the same little hamlet in Southern California that I find myself presently residing in (Temecula), and when this was shot, some harmonica player had just jumped up with them and started play…totally out of the blue. It wasn’t anything they rehearsed, and I believe that would speak for itself. But I find something more respectable about them. They are giggin’ musicians (by that, what I mean is they aren’t asking for instant stardom. No TV show or Battle of the Bands, just hard work, small crowds, and venues that were never built for music). But, there’s something more to them. I wouldn’t believe it had I not seen them myself, for they certainly don’t sound it, but they’re just boys. They age 17, 15, and 12 respectively, and they are already a magnificent throwback to rock ‘n’ roll days of yore. I suppose you’re never too young to rock, eh?

-Chelsea Leroux

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This blog concerning the series of 366 paintings known as “Miracle Days” by David Arthur-Simons continues today with painting # 155

David Arthur-Simons
Saturday August 2, 2008
CIM 155  I will step back and let Him lead the way
Acrylic on canvas
20 x 16ins

****

Notes

“Faith: closing one’s eyes to oneself”. Nietzsche “The Anti-Christ” Section 9 (1894)

David Arthur-Simons

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<a href=”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Song_Zuying”>Song Zuying</a> performs this wonderful Chinese folk tune with the Master Chorale of Washington and the National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Tang Muhai.  It’s a gorgeous piece of music and a fine collaboration.

- Rudy Carrera.

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A living 1,000 armed Goddess of Mercy (Guanyin) is depicted in this fabulous dance production. Performed by 21 deaf dancers.  The China Disabled People’s Performing Art Troupe was formed more then 20 years ago and have performed in more then 40 countries. Inspirational!!! Enjoy.

~Bonnee Klein Gilligan

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This blog concerning the series of 366 paintings known as “Miracle Days” by David Arthur-Simons continues today with painting # 154

David Arthur-Simons
Friday August 1, 2008
CIM 154  I am among the ministers of God
Acrylic on canvas
20 x 16ins

****

Notes

This painting like several others coming up in the next few days is an homage to Rene Magritte who painted inside and outside of cut out figures.  Magritte is the Modern painter I admire most.

The figure standing inside the cut out shape of a larger figure is reaching out of his “inner” world to the outer world.   Even if we chose to live in the inner world, there is a desire to to want to reach out to the outer world, this is because the interior and exterior life have to be acknowledged and satisfied.

“While man still lives as a herd-being he had no ‘things of the spirit’ of his own; nor does he need any, save the usual belief in the immortality of the soul. But as soon as he had outgrown whatever local form of religion he was born to - as soon as this religion can no longer embrace his life in all its fulness - then the psyche becomes something in its own right which can not be dealt with by the measures of the Church alone.  It is for this reason that we of today have a psychology founded on experience, and not upon articles of faith of the postulates of any philosophical system.  The very  fact that we have such a psychology is to me symptomatic of a profound convulsion of spirtitual life. Disruption in the spiritual life of an age shows the same pattern as radical change in an individual.   As long as all goes well and psychic energy finds its application on adequate and well-regulated ways, we are disturbed by nothing from within.  No uncertainty or doubt besets us, and we can not be divided against ourselves.  But no sooner are one or two of the channels of psychic activity blocked, than we are remnded of a stream that is dammed up.  The current flows backwards to the source; the inner man wants something which the visible man does not want, and we are at war with ourselves.  Only then, in this distress, do we discover the psyche; or, more precisely, we come upon something which thwarts our will, which is strange and even hostile to us or which is incompatible with our conscious standpoint”.  CG Jung “Modern Man in Search of a Soul” Chapter 10, p 202 (1933).

David Arthur-Simons

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