tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-203063972024-03-13T08:45:39.837-07:00Durward DiscussionA trip through time and history with stops along the way.Durward Discussionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15023629504094283860noreply@blogger.comBlogger1482125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20306397.post-18728933083332567502023-12-07T15:26:00.000-08:002023-12-07T15:26:31.820-08:00First NightBlessed are you, Our God, Ruler of the Universe, for giving us life, for sustaining us, and for enabling us to reach this season.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPXCiP09V74SdxWINQ6ODGDQOEj6QjrGyksi_d20enK0495pKNBETSxJlEekrys9C-ojJSMhEbEDcRproVq9wH-INTzIo93nWVZfb5RiYDdcgIO2y4nd7f2zSUrUKN4JGXT89CUF1wXBJnuY888oA-djurwYDthL4RzSVjemlSIgpIQuv1-NJGYQ/s234/First%20Night.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="600" data-original-height="234" data-original-width="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPXCiP09V74SdxWINQ6ODGDQOEj6QjrGyksi_d20enK0495pKNBETSxJlEekrys9C-ojJSMhEbEDcRproVq9wH-INTzIo93nWVZfb5RiYDdcgIO2y4nd7f2zSUrUKN4JGXT89CUF1wXBJnuY888oA-djurwYDthL4RzSVjemlSIgpIQuv1-NJGYQ/s600/First%20Night.jpg"/></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-5277610703635793";
google_alternate_color = "0000FF";
google_ad_width = 120;
google_ad_height = 600;
google_ad_format = "120x600_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Durward Discussionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15023629504094283860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20306397.post-48267597689711617082023-11-30T14:13:00.000-08:002023-11-30T14:13:11.489-08:00Mary Did You Know<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe class="BLOG_video_class" allowfullscreen="" youtube-src-id="ifCWN5pJGIE" width="320" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ifCWN5pJGIE"></iframe></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ6xJgHrxyxrPHs1WkvFM8e1uqKIqoDxFwy-vDL7wuwUwhMDByLT8fxPerrT4fYODRCN4UbSYsy1gZEXHreP-OeYdg6r0gFsF2QO7ZbCUcCMry_xtIOtaw38sRxF181tWiI3Gf/s1600-h/Pieta.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5086875130042039442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ6xJgHrxyxrPHs1WkvFM8e1uqKIqoDxFwy-vDL7wuwUwhMDByLT8fxPerrT4fYODRCN4UbSYsy1gZEXHreP-OeYdg6r0gFsF2QO7ZbCUcCMry_xtIOtaw38sRxF181tWiI3Gf/s320/Pieta.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><br />
<br />
Look into the face of Mary and see what the sculptor of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">pieta</span> did in 1499. Across her lap is the body of her 33 year old son, but her face is that of the teenage girl who first heard an angel announce that she was about to become an unwed mother. She had no guarantee that Joseph would marry her. She lived in a culture that severely punished anything that was considered immorality in women, yet she accepted the duty placed on her, and this is the way that duty ended with her beloved child dead in her arms not knowing yet where this road will end. There is grief on that face, but there is acceptance and trust in the future as well. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Michaelangelo</span> takes a block of hard, cold marble and makes you see the passion, glory and the ultimate end of doing one's duty no matter where it leads as a simple act of faith.<br />
<br />
In 1972 a man by the name of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">LASZLO</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">TOTH</span> damaged the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Pieta</span> with a hammer. He was never charged with a criminal offense. On 29 January of the following year he was declared a dangerous person and was ordered confined to a mental hospital. On 9 February 1975, the Hungarian-born, Australian geologist was released from the hospital and deported from Italy as an undesirable alien. His act of madness had it's own result. The Vatican announced that the team of restorers attempting to repair the damage that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Toth</span> had inflicted on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Pieta</span> had discovered a previously unknown secret signature of Michelangelo on the palm of the Madonna's left hand - an "M" fashioned from the skin lines reproduced in marble as another mark from the genius who brought her to life once more.<br />
<br />
Several centuries later another great sculptor took on a similar subject. Marble was not August Rodin's favorite medium, yet he produced many famous ones such as <a href="http://www.lewes.net/rodin/kiss.jpg">The Kiss</a>, <a href="http://ibidem.blox.pl/resource/rodin_lovers.JPG">The Lovers</a>, and <a href="http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/images/h2/h2_08.210.jpg">The Hand of God</a>. Instead of marble he preferred the casting in bronze and one of his greatest is the Fallen Caryatid.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm0TcbyWtJEgSev4jSfXGTknXNPvfiloTKtPqJQiff8oGpzs1ATbYm3-N1_MurA0r9zUAL3rWfQkPU-vFP1SKqfiPZ4G_Y3TfnxjhmhvcSx4MLNIdZVfu8PT9fxnuqDfSmfMa8/s1600-h/Caryatid.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5086725609345563762" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm0TcbyWtJEgSev4jSfXGTknXNPvfiloTKtPqJQiff8oGpzs1ATbYm3-N1_MurA0r9zUAL3rWfQkPU-vFP1SKqfiPZ4G_Y3TfnxjhmhvcSx4MLNIdZVfu8PT9fxnuqDfSmfMa8/s320/Caryatid.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><br />
<br />
Years ago, Robert Heinlein used this bronze of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caryatid">Caryatid</a> in Stranger in a Strange Land to attempt to show beauty where apparently there was none. His words:<br />
<br />
<blockquote>This poor little caryatid has fallen under the load. She's a good girl---look at her face. Serious, unhappy at her failure, not blaming anyone,not even the gods and still trying to shoulder her load, after she's crumpled under it.<br />
<br />
But she's more than just good art denouncing bad art; she's a symbol for every woman who ever shouldered a load too heavy. But not alone women---this symbol means every man and woman who ever <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">sweated</span> out life in uncomplaining fortitude until they crumpled under their loads. It's courage...and victory. Victory in defeat, there is none higher. She didn't give up...she's still trying to lift that stone after it has crushed her...she's all the unsung heroes who couldn't make it but never quit. </blockquote>So there you have two young girls, one in marble and the other in bronze trying to lift marble, who were asked to shoulder burdens way beyond their years. In the process they become examples to all of the glory that comes from simply doing what is right when it is necessary.<br />
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-5277610703635793";
google_alternate_color = "0000FF";
google_ad_width = 120;
google_ad_height = 600;
google_ad_format = "120x600_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Durward Discussionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15023629504094283860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20306397.post-80258900484771357862023-11-23T05:16:00.000-08:002023-11-23T05:16:48.062-08:00Happy Thanksgiving<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxhWPbyuENZsDbDI4PieYEBfCke4TElNfIE5l13r7Oi6fSTazWKihKNib3FJLUyUY6ZlhIVChC65QudTIHWMM2wFaDyvWJBMwtI8khdShUlT8tzPoMetnzBlwgcG58G9fy0hze974wwRYPYScB_HlrGlXH5PdKeVOmVdEBYbSPDQfJ5VdW9CTGUg/s680/Thanksgiving.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="680" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxhWPbyuENZsDbDI4PieYEBfCke4TElNfIE5l13r7Oi6fSTazWKihKNib3FJLUyUY6ZlhIVChC65QudTIHWMM2wFaDyvWJBMwtI8khdShUlT8tzPoMetnzBlwgcG58G9fy0hze974wwRYPYScB_HlrGlXH5PdKeVOmVdEBYbSPDQfJ5VdW9CTGUg/s400/Thanksgiving.jpg"/></a></div>
<iframe class="BLOG_video_class" allowfullscreen="" youtube-src-id="baNueuDCue0" width="320" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/baNueuDCue0"></iframe><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-5277610703635793";
google_alternate_color = "0000FF";
google_ad_width = 120;
google_ad_height = 600;
google_ad_format = "120x600_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Durward Discussionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15023629504094283860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20306397.post-74445672678322189412023-11-22T08:08:00.000-08:002023-11-22T08:08:03.601-08:0060 Years Ago<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/2552/2031/1600/268245/Kennedy.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/2552/2031/320/244410/Kennedy.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px;" /></a><br />
<br />
A child was born in February of 1963. Approximately 15 years later, a teacher gave him the assignment to write about the year he was born. Since he wasn’t, as yet, confidant enough to tackle a creative exposition completely on his own, he sought his mother’s assistance. After a little enforced research, he came home with, “I have an idea”. He and his mother sat down together to do an interview and then have him write about the year plus one month from October 1962 to November 1963. Starting Out was the result.<br />
<br />
STARTING OUT<br />
<br />
Had she or hadn’t she? Sleeping pills, yes, but what? Thalidomide – the name haunted her and every other pregnant woman in 1962. Those babies! – Her baby? She was scared and would stay that way until next year.<br />
<br />
El Camino Real – beautiful as only Northern California can be in the October sun. The radio blared away with the Four Seasons’ “Sherry”. They were young, a baby on the way, and happy – at least on this day. The President interrupted the music, “Today I have ordered a blockade of Cuba!” Suddenly their bright world was dark. They waited. The world waited. Six days later the Russian ships turned around and the sun came out again, but for how long?<br />
<br />
“You won’t have Nixon to kick around any more” sounded like as good a promise as any following the November elections. Vaughn Meader had them all laughing with his satire of the Kennedy White House, “Goodnight Jackie. Goodnight Bobby. Goodnight Ethel. Do you have your bear, Teddy?”<br />
<br />
“Puff the Magic Dragon” welcomed a baby boy into the world on February 21, 1963. His mother counted fingers and toes in time to the music. He was beautiful, perfect, loved. She was politically aware and terribly liberal, but at this moment, it didn’t matter that the South was in an uproar over integration or that the Supreme Court had reaffirmed the right of peaceful assembly. Christopher Alan was here and safe. Let the world take care of itself. She had bigger responsibilities.<br />
<br />
The baby went to the movies right along with mommy and daddy. An infant-seat made seeing “The Birds” and “Lawrence of Arabia” easy. And to think it wasn’t that long ago that she thought Hula Hoops were the greatest invention ever!<br />
<br />
Divorce was becoming the great American pastime. She was just one more casualty that May. There were lots of casualties – her kind and the “advisors” in Viet Nam. It was a time of commitment and she was supposed to care about the Green Berets, care about the Peace Corps, care about LSD and Timothy Leary, care about so much, but there just wasn’t time. Being a single working mother took all of her hours. Given her choice of trends to lead, this wouldn’t have been it. She and Tony Bennett had both left their hearts in San Francisco. Rod McKuen might think that love had been good to him. She disagreed. Oh well, McDonalds sold 15-cent hamburgers. At least she didn’t have to cook.<br />
<br />
JFK was a Berliner at the wall, and Camelot was in full swing. Pope John XXIII died; the world mourned a good man. Fanny Hill fought its way through obscenity trials, while Bob Dylan led the war protesters with “Blowin’ in the Wind”. Martin Luther King had a dream near the Washington Monument – too late for Medgar Evers murdered the previous June and not in time for the four young girls bombed to death in church the following September. The US/USSR hotline was installed, and the “red phone” became a symbol of the unthinkable. Could anything else happen in this crazy year?<br />
<br />
Los Angeles baseball fans were in heaven, and Kofax and Drysdale were patron saints! A four game sweep of the World Series had the city pretending it was New Year’s Eve, as confetti and champagne rained down on the heroes! Those beautiful no-hitter bums!<br />
<br />
Her child was ten months old now, but for three days he slept almost constantly as if he understood that this was no time for a baby to cry. The tears fell uncontrollably from much older eyes. The drums of November marked a national tragedy. “Where were you when you heard?” would become the question a generation could answer. Kennedy dead and two days later his accused assassin died “live” on TV. On the television: the flag, the riderless horse, and the constant pictures of a nation stunned by grief. She hovered over the sleeping infant, her tears dropping on the blond curls. What have we done to you? What will become of you? Was there any hope left for the world or this new person? They would have to wait and see – together.<br />
<br />
<br />
For those curious as to “then what happened”, Christopher is now 60. He retired from the U.S. Army and now lives and works in the state of Washington. He is divorced with one son. His parents remarried only to divorce again seven years later (another story). He has a sister and two beautiful nieces.<br />
<br />
His mother is a retired writer and editor and is still happily single. As with most of the country, she is no longer a sixties liberal and has settled somewhere around fanatically moderate: Social issues left, fiscal issues right with more than enough exceptions in between to give anyone political schizophrenia, but drifting left again due to the horror that is Donald Trump.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-5277610703635793";
google_alternate_color = "0000FF";
google_ad_width = 120;
google_ad_height = 600;
google_ad_format = "120x600_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Durward Discussionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15023629504094283860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20306397.post-31860476713396308252021-11-01T06:42:00.000-07:002021-11-01T06:42:40.938-07:00“Courageous Peace in a Time Of Great Change”<h2 style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></h2><h2 style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7a3ZD27QLm9-Z0xjZKNzs91lyG8MnuFktfv0FcU9CSRg-5m9CvJXUor6Kh50ZjXXiRJ7HOXFm5w2LlpjkPr3oW6nAj22X5j2cH4j_yTMFqjYtC0vXVDWyJwGwiMbUvENM5LDzow/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1030" data-original-width="1030" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7a3ZD27QLm9-Z0xjZKNzs91lyG8MnuFktfv0FcU9CSRg-5m9CvJXUor6Kh50ZjXXiRJ7HOXFm5w2LlpjkPr3oW6nAj22X5j2cH4j_yTMFqjYtC0vXVDWyJwGwiMbUvENM5LDzow/w277-h277/image.png" width="277" /></a></div><br /></div></h2><h2 style="text-align: center;"><b>Dona Nobis Pacem 2021</b></h2><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><h3></h3><h3 style="text-align: center;"><b>"It isn't enough to talk about peace.<br /></b><b>One must believe in it.<br /></b><b>And it isn't enough to believe in it.<br /></b><b>One must work at it."</b></h3></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><h3></h3><h3 style="text-align: center;"><b></b><b>Eleanor Roosevelt</b></h3></blockquote><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></blockquote><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-5277610703635793";
google_alternate_color = "0000FF";
google_ad_width = 120;
google_ad_height = 600;
google_ad_format = "120x600_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Durward Discussionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15023629504094283860noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20306397.post-32360990698923702082021-02-13T05:50:00.004-08:002021-02-13T05:50:58.219-08:00<p> <span style="color: #757575; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Helvetica Neue, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13px; white-space: nowrap;">Squeezing Out a Memory </span></span></p><div class="interface-interface-skeleton__body" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; display: flex; flex-grow: 1; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: 0px; overflow: auto; overscroll-behavior-y: none; padding-bottom: 25px;"><div aria-label="Editor content" class="interface-interface-skeleton__content" role="region" style="background-color: #cccccc; display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; outline: 0px; overflow: auto; position: relative;" tabindex="-1"><div class="edit-post-visual-editor" style="box-sizing: border-box; flex: 1 1 100%; outline: 0px; position: relative;"><div class="editor-styles-wrapper" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #1e1e1e; cursor: text; font-family: "Noto Serif"; font-size: 12px; height: 2364.14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px 10px 40vh;"><div class="block-editor-writing-flow" style="box-sizing: inherit; cursor: auto; outline: 0px;"><div class="block-editor-block-list__layout is-root-container" style="box-sizing: inherit; outline: 0px; position: relative;"><p aria-label="Paragraph block" aria-multiline="true" class="block-editor-rich-text__editable block-editor-block-list__block wp-block rich-text" data-block="fe919efd-a8b1-4989-b49a-bbc4a1e02723" data-title="Paragraph" data-type="core/paragraph" id="block-fe919efd-a8b1-4989-b49a-bbc4a1e02723" role="group" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 16px; line-height: inherit; margin: 28px auto 24px; max-width: 670px; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;" tabindex="0">Reprint of an old blog article</p><figure aria-label="Block: Image" class="wp-block-image block-editor-block-list__block wp-block" data-block="dea5c967-747d-4ecc-a3f0-1b1e4ebdc57d" data-title="Image" data-type="core/image" id="block-dea5c967-747d-4ecc-a3f0-1b1e4ebdc57d" role="group" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 28px auto 20px; max-width: 670px; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative;" tabindex="0"><div class="components-resizable-box__container" style="border-radius: inherit; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; flex-shrink: 0; height: auto; max-height: 1450px; max-width: 1450px; min-height: 20px; min-width: 20px; outline: 0px; position: relative; user-select: auto; width: auto;"><img alt="This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is e95d7-orange2.jpg" src="http://jamiesplace.files.wordpress.com/2021/02/e95d7-orange2.jpg" style="border-radius: inherit; border: none; box-sizing: inherit; display: block; height: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; width: inherit;" /><div style="box-sizing: inherit; outline: 0px;"></div></div><div class="components-drop-zone" style="border-radius: inherit; border: 2px solid var(--wp-admin-theme-color); box-sizing: inherit; inset: 0px; opacity: 0; outline: 0px; position: absolute; transition: opacity 0.3s ease 0s, background-color 0.3s ease 0s, visibility 0s ease 0.3s; visibility: hidden; z-index: 40;"></div></figure><p aria-label="Paragraph block" aria-multiline="true" class="block-editor-rich-text__editable block-editor-block-list__block wp-block rich-text" data-block="2c019e96-409c-46ba-9e68-fe472980b140" data-title="Paragraph" data-type="core/paragraph" id="block-2c019e96-409c-46ba-9e68-fe472980b140" role="group" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 16px; line-height: inherit; margin: 28px auto 24px; max-width: 670px; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;" tabindex="0">Mother and one aunt lived in Los Angeles, one aunt in Fowler, two aunts in Fresno, and the last of the six Pifer girls in Chowchilla: A sisterhood chain down <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/20306397/5501109440964870204#" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #0066cc; outline: 0px; transition: none 0s ease 0s;">Old Highway 99</a>. Their children (the cousins) migrated up and down that road every summer almost at will to mix and match, occasionally by bus or train, but usually by car driven at speeds unheard of today except by cars being chased by police while TV station helicopters whirr overhead.</p><figure aria-label="Block: Image" class="wp-block-image block-editor-block-list__block wp-block" data-block="2967af18-c72f-443a-a534-e9fd7bde0278" data-title="Image" data-type="core/image" id="block-2967af18-c72f-443a-a534-e9fd7bde0278" role="group" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 28px auto 20px; max-width: 670px; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative;" tabindex="0"><div class="components-resizable-box__container" style="border-radius: inherit; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; flex-shrink: 0; height: auto; max-height: 1019.53px; max-width: 1450px; min-height: 20px; min-width: 28.4444px; outline: 0px; position: relative; user-select: auto; width: auto;"><img alt="This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is a5670-pifergirls.jpg" src="http://jamiesplace.files.wordpress.com/2021/02/a5670-pifergirls.jpg" style="border-radius: inherit; border: none; box-sizing: inherit; display: block; height: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; width: inherit;" /><div style="box-sizing: inherit; outline: 0px;"></div></div><div class="components-drop-zone" style="border-radius: inherit; border: 2px solid var(--wp-admin-theme-color); box-sizing: inherit; inset: 0px; opacity: 0; outline: 0px; position: absolute; transition: opacity 0.3s ease 0s, background-color 0.3s ease 0s, visibility 0s ease 0.3s; visibility: hidden; z-index: 40;"></div></figure><p aria-label="Paragraph block" aria-multiline="true" class="block-editor-rich-text__editable block-editor-block-list__block wp-block rich-text" data-block="7f2ed1ab-37d3-4415-ac52-7309eb2a7f6b" data-title="Paragraph" data-type="core/paragraph" id="block-7f2ed1ab-37d3-4415-ac52-7309eb2a7f6b" role="group" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 16px; line-height: inherit; margin: 28px auto 24px; max-width: 670px; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;" tabindex="0">Going north, you climbed up the grade from LA to Gorman and then started the long twist of the grapevine hitting the great drop above Bakersfield where it was pedal to the metal on an empty road, only slowing down for the tinier three block main streets equipped with stop signs and cruising through Bakersfield to look at the bridge that it recently took Buck Owens to save.</p><figure aria-label="Block: Image" class="wp-block-image block-editor-block-list__block wp-block" data-block="9b09e635-3e2c-479b-8a07-66337729d547" data-title="Image" data-type="core/image" id="block-9b09e635-3e2c-479b-8a07-66337729d547" role="group" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 28px auto 20px; max-width: 670px; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative;" tabindex="0"><div class="components-resizable-box__container" style="border-radius: inherit; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; flex-shrink: 0; height: auto; max-height: 983.281px; max-width: 1450px; min-height: 20px; min-width: 29.4931px; outline: 0px; position: relative; user-select: auto; width: auto;"><img alt="This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is de81c-bakersfld.jpg" src="http://jamiesplace.files.wordpress.com/2021/02/de81c-bakersfld.jpg" style="border-radius: inherit; border: none; box-sizing: inherit; display: block; height: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; width: inherit;" /><div style="box-sizing: inherit; outline: 0px;"></div></div><div class="components-drop-zone" style="border-radius: inherit; border: 2px solid var(--wp-admin-theme-color); box-sizing: inherit; inset: 0px; opacity: 0; outline: 0px; position: absolute; transition: opacity 0.3s ease 0s, background-color 0.3s ease 0s, visibility 0s ease 0.3s; visibility: hidden; z-index: 40;"></div></figure><p aria-label="Paragraph block" aria-multiline="true" class="block-editor-rich-text__editable block-editor-block-list__block wp-block rich-text" data-block="853c7478-8b04-4679-a0dd-3cab1911e534" data-title="Paragraph" data-type="core/paragraph" id="block-853c7478-8b04-4679-a0dd-3cab1911e534" role="group" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 16px; line-height: inherit; margin: 28px auto 24px; max-width: 670px; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;" tabindex="0">With that drop came the heat in an age when auto air conditioning was high speeds and open windows. When the heat became too great we started looking for them. The great orange blobs dotting the landscape and the howls would start: Stop, please stop .... oh please, please, please.</p><p aria-label="Paragraph block" aria-multiline="true" class="block-editor-rich-text__editable block-editor-block-list__block wp-block rich-text" data-block="167133e5-7391-4506-8c02-5514634f7bd6" data-title="Paragraph" data-type="core/paragraph" id="block-167133e5-7391-4506-8c02-5514634f7bd6" role="group" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 16px; line-height: inherit; margin: 28px auto 24px; max-width: 670px; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;" tabindex="0">In the searing summer heat of the San Joaquin, those orange blobs had an elixer of such heavenly proportions as to make children weep when without halting one faded in the rear view mirror. When you stopped there was the flimsy wooden <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/20306397/5501109440964870204#" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #0066cc; outline: 0px; transition: none 0s ease 0s;">Mammoth Orange</a> with a window. It meant shade, a glass filled with ice and fresh squeezed juice from oranges that had been on the trees just that morning. In the blazing sun and rural valley dust, it was the most remarkable drink ever served with just the right acid bite to quench thirst.</p><p aria-label="Paragraph block" aria-multiline="true" class="block-editor-rich-text__editable block-editor-block-list__block wp-block rich-text" data-block="369e0859-90ee-45bd-b5b9-95b9d78a54b0" data-title="Paragraph" data-type="core/paragraph" id="block-369e0859-90ee-45bd-b5b9-95b9d78a54b0" role="group" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 16px; line-height: inherit; margin: 28px auto 24px; max-width: 670px; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;" tabindex="0">It is over fifty years later now. But every once in a while you will see one of the giant oranges dusted and boarded up. Only a few still exist, and almost too late there is a move to preserve the few that remain in museums, while a couple are still trying to stay open for business, just in case you find yourself in <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/20306397/5501109440964870204#" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #0066cc; outline: 0px; transition: none 0s ease 0s;">Chowchilla</a> or heading over Pacheco Pass to Los Banos.</p><p aria-label="Paragraph block" aria-multiline="true" class="block-editor-rich-text__editable block-editor-block-list__block wp-block rich-text" data-block="6c97ee17-fc69-4e43-8d56-f9885b244a40" data-title="Paragraph" data-type="core/paragraph" id="block-6c97ee17-fc69-4e43-8d56-f9885b244a40" role="group" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 16px; line-height: inherit; margin: 28px auto 24px; max-width: 670px; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;" tabindex="0">To this day, when I order a breakfast juice or a champagne Mimosa for breakfast or brunch, I judge the quality of a restaurant by one question, "Is your orange juice fresh squeezed?"</p><figure aria-label="Block: Image" class="wp-block-image block-editor-block-list__block wp-block" data-block="0c6a0649-707d-41ee-a4f5-c816516aafd8" data-title="Image" data-type="core/image" id="block-0c6a0649-707d-41ee-a4f5-c816516aafd8" role="group" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 28px auto 20px; max-width: 670px; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative;" tabindex="0"><div class="components-resizable-box__container" style="border-radius: inherit; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; flex-shrink: 0; height: auto; max-height: 1086.32px; max-width: 1450px; min-height: 20px; min-width: 26.6957px; outline: 0px; position: relative; user-select: auto; width: auto;"><img alt="This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is 9ed7e-mammoth_orange_-_web1.jpg" src="http://jamiesplace.files.wordpress.com/2021/02/9ed7e-mammoth_orange_-_web1.jpg" style="border-radius: inherit; border: none; box-sizing: inherit; display: block; height: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; width: inherit;" /><div style="box-sizing: inherit; outline: 0px;"></div></div><div class="components-drop-zone" style="border-radius: inherit; border: 2px solid var(--wp-admin-theme-color); box-sizing: inherit; inset: 0px; opacity: 0; outline: 0px; position: absolute; transition: opacity 0.3s ease 0s, background-color 0.3s ease 0s, visibility 0s ease 0.3s; visibility: hidden; z-index: 40;"></div></figure><p aria-label="Empty block; start writing or type forward slash to choose a block" aria-multiline="true" class="block-editor-rich-text__editable block-editor-block-list__block wp-block rich-text" data-block="b2be3ffd-fb01-4c90-ad8a-4934870f6807" data-title="Paragraph" data-type="core/paragraph" id="block-b2be3ffd-fb01-4c90-ad8a-4934870f6807" role="group" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 16px; line-height: inherit; margin: 28px auto 24px; max-width: 670px; overflow-wrap: break-word; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;" tabindex="0"></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-5277610703635793";
google_alternate_color = "0000FF";
google_ad_width = 120;
google_ad_height = 600;
google_ad_format = "120x600_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Durward Discussionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15023629504094283860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20306397.post-63096236647896478242020-12-30T16:22:00.000-08:002020-12-30T16:22:15.393-08:00Welcome to 2021<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="402" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mQD1Q81phsU" width="484" youtube-src-id="mQD1Q81phsU"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p><p style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Bitstream Charter", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Should auld acquaintance be forgot<br />And never brought to mind?<br />Should auld acquaintance be forgot<br />And days of auld lang syne?</p><p style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Bitstream Charter", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">For auld lang syne, my dear<br />For auld lang syne<br />We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet<br />For days of auld lang syne</p><p style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Bitstream Charter", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">We twa hae run about the braes<br />And pu’d the gowans fine<br />But we’ve wander’d mony a weary fit<br />Sin days of auld lang syne</p><p style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Bitstream Charter", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">We twa hae paidl’d i’ the burn<br />Frae morning sun till dine<br />But seas between us braid hae roar’d<br />Sin days of auld lang syne</p><p style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Bitstream Charter", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">For auld lang syne, my dear<br />For auld lang syne<br />We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet<br />For days of auld lang syne</p><p style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Bitstream Charter", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">And surely ye’ll be your pint-stowp<br />And surely I’ll be mine<br />And we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet<br />For auld lang syne</p><p style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Bitstream Charter", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">And there’s a hand, my trusty fiere<br />And gie’s a hand o’ thine<br />And we’ll tak a right gude-willy waught<br />For auld lang syne</p><p style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Bitstream Charter", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">For auld lang syne, my dear<br />For auld lang syne<br />We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet<br />For auld lang syne</p><p style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Bitstream Charter", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">For auld lang syne, my dear<br />For auld lang syne<br />We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet<br />For auld lang syne</p><p><br /></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-5277610703635793";
google_alternate_color = "0000FF";
google_ad_width = 120;
google_ad_height = 600;
google_ad_format = "120x600_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Durward Discussionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15023629504094283860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20306397.post-60340358023206338742020-10-30T04:10:00.002-07:002020-10-30T04:10:49.318-07:00Annual Tribute <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YPqNGzg4M8c" width="320" youtube-src-id="YPqNGzg4M8c"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-5277610703635793";
google_alternate_color = "0000FF";
google_ad_width = 120;
google_ad_height = 600;
google_ad_format = "120x600_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Durward Discussionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15023629504094283860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20306397.post-53538995202524802642020-08-12T11:47:00.001-07:002020-08-12T11:47:41.179-07:00<p> California Dreaming</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SicHkn869kQ" width="320" youtube-src-id="SicHkn869kQ"></iframe></div><p><br /></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-5277610703635793";
google_alternate_color = "0000FF";
google_ad_width = 120;
google_ad_height = 600;
google_ad_format = "120x600_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Durward Discussionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15023629504094283860noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20306397.post-58483767400734362392020-08-06T05:30:00.001-07:002020-08-06T05:30:38.623-07:00Counting Down<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbf7A-3qhgLz9SMGXjK3JR8KS3qQG8PqH9A61g1qGYBZ9PrVWimVMRHxLFnCw4r1dA1QTZUJTApK0ERtCQa_EqVg5lhsVSgN2sM_Zr7eFZ6m3rssMlvqif8OUDiSULuYvGQ5nVtQ/s259/download.png" imageanchor="1" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="195" data-original-width="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbf7A-3qhgLz9SMGXjK3JR8KS3qQG8PqH9A61g1qGYBZ9PrVWimVMRHxLFnCw4r1dA1QTZUJTApK0ERtCQa_EqVg5lhsVSgN2sM_Zr7eFZ6m3rssMlvqif8OUDiSULuYvGQ5nVtQ/s0/download.png" /></a></div><div><br /></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #14171a; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 23px; white-space: pre-wrap;">89 more days of Trump on the wall
89 more days of Trump
In a fit of rage
Tear off a page
88 more days of Trump on the wall</span><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #14171a; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 23px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Bg1di8sGxWc" width="320" youtube-src-id="Bg1di8sGxWc"></iframe></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #14171a; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 23px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 23px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #14171a; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Helvetica Neue, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-5277610703635793";
google_alternate_color = "0000FF";
google_ad_width = 120;
google_ad_height = 600;
google_ad_format = "120x600_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Durward Discussionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15023629504094283860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20306397.post-67118770994221624102020-06-25T04:58:00.002-07:002020-06-25T04:58:25.372-07:00Bye Bye Facebook<span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: "Noto Serif"; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have officially left Facebook and will shortly start blogging again. In the meantime, feel free to leave a comment below. I can also be found on Twitter at jessied44. See you around. </span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-5277610703635793";
google_alternate_color = "0000FF";
google_ad_width = 120;
google_ad_height = 600;
google_ad_format = "120x600_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Durward Discussionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15023629504094283860noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20306397.post-28199354322198977592019-06-12T04:27:00.000-07:002019-06-12T04:27:36.210-07:00Dance Dance Dance<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/M1F0lBnsnkE/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/M1F0lBnsnkE?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/YAE_p0KUnIs/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YAE_p0KUnIs?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-5277610703635793";
google_alternate_color = "0000FF";
google_ad_width = 120;
google_ad_height = 600;
google_ad_format = "120x600_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Durward Discussionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15023629504094283860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20306397.post-32187584216060239172018-11-01T10:46:00.000-07:002018-11-01T10:46:02.164-07:00Meditation Before KaddishGiven the recent events and actions by someone filled with hate, it seems appropriate to present the words of love to counteract the evil. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Epitaph</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
by Merrit Malloy</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3e3c3c; font-family: Montserrat !important; font-size: 20.8px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.6em; outline: 0px; padding: 8px 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
meditations before kaddish</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3e3c3c; font-family: Montserrat !important; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.6em; outline: 0px; padding: 8px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
1.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3e3c3c; font-family: Montserrat !important; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.6em; outline: 0px; padding: 8px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; color: #9f99a5; font-family: inherit; font-size: 20.8px; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">When I die</span> give what’s left of me away<br />to children and old men that wait to die.<br />And if you need to cry,<br />cry for your brother walking the street beside you.<br />And when you need me, put your arms around anyone<br />and give them what you need to give me.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3e3c3c; font-family: Montserrat !important; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.6em; outline: 0px; padding: 8px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
I want to leave you something,<br />something better than words or sounds.<br />Look for me in the people I’ve known or loved,<br />and if you cannot give me away,<br />at least let me live in your eyes and not in your mind.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3e3c3c; font-family: Montserrat !important; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.6em; outline: 0px; padding: 8px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
You can love me best by letting hands touch hands,<br />and by letting go of children that need to be free.<br />Love doesn’t die, people do.<br />So, when all that’s left of me is love,<br />give me away.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-5277610703635793";
google_alternate_color = "0000FF";
google_ad_width = 120;
google_ad_height = 600;
google_ad_format = "120x600_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Durward Discussionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15023629504094283860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20306397.post-34548366918633383682015-11-03T10:01:00.000-08:002015-11-03T10:01:47.075-08:00Dona Nobis Pacem: Another Year Another Globe: <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNQG-Ti8DgTfMbgxJxKuiB0iOE7CobzYe4mwEBifMqctkPvm2IX65cGoXOCE5WbuZSYqvBrwSLid93xs-BG-8eWp0o3Yd5PBZVDZ4-Ti538oeM3xcRqixiyJu71ScEOTP_cf_BEQ/s1600/2016+Blog+For+Peace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNQG-Ti8DgTfMbgxJxKuiB0iOE7CobzYe4mwEBifMqctkPvm2IX65cGoXOCE5WbuZSYqvBrwSLid93xs-BG-8eWp0o3Yd5PBZVDZ4-Ti538oeM3xcRqixiyJu71ScEOTP_cf_BEQ/s320/2016+Blog+For+Peace.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
In 2006 <a href="http://mimiwrites.blogspot.com/">Mimi Lennox, mistress of Bloggingham Castle</a> started a little project. For one day, bloggers who followed her would speak with one voice: Dona Nobis Pacem. They would post globes with that simple message. What started as a hope nine years ago has now spread to more than 200 countries and it can take days to visit even a percentage of all the people seeking just one goal in our time: GRANT US PEACE</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Above is this year's globe and below just a couple of others I've done including a major favorite: Bear 339 & The Bear A Tones who were created both for a song of peace and a hope for all the endangered animals on the planet.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Q5lIBEiblxk/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Q5lIBEiblxk?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMxwp1h-5Ku4GMZy7KyRX3dmnfMe2hrAJMmyZILczhfbczYvcok-y12E-bDCIQA-_XG1oFrZStxMKYNsqpl2vBOU5QI_Ysici3QLx4_NkoQoX77ALEnJ4Slk1g83rhpVsOLTgmNA/s1600/DNP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMxwp1h-5Ku4GMZy7KyRX3dmnfMe2hrAJMmyZILczhfbczYvcok-y12E-bDCIQA-_XG1oFrZStxMKYNsqpl2vBOU5QI_Ysici3QLx4_NkoQoX77ALEnJ4Slk1g83rhpVsOLTgmNA/s1600/DNP.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGSAmavQe2tiqigWDuVSNyP-tDtxTBGEPCOZngFVKPb7yn23fAGmtCSuZcZbRWwomYC1DXTo1hyphenhyphenLqFGZB88TCokcS9r7w1IvcnSJTZjK1N74sFHWwCrXx5CbC3tRfRa-bumle3Rg/s1600/Dona+Nobis+Holding-Hands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGSAmavQe2tiqigWDuVSNyP-tDtxTBGEPCOZngFVKPb7yn23fAGmtCSuZcZbRWwomYC1DXTo1hyphenhyphenLqFGZB88TCokcS9r7w1IvcnSJTZjK1N74sFHWwCrXx5CbC3tRfRa-bumle3Rg/s320/Dona+Nobis+Holding-Hands.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2tBGg-bt3RdGJbVqBUl9k1M6EJllTf5rR3pfUffba7TY77zyq3iaq1C3IB3id5HucJLS30ICNToJblDd7aBjrKsdRQAC_05hqpBK1kugheKW1X_dahkr7RqHrACGZJX0L3nvlfw/s1600/PeaceChris2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2tBGg-bt3RdGJbVqBUl9k1M6EJllTf5rR3pfUffba7TY77zyq3iaq1C3IB3id5HucJLS30ICNToJblDd7aBjrKsdRQAC_05hqpBK1kugheKW1X_dahkr7RqHrACGZJX0L3nvlfw/s1600/PeaceChris2.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-5277610703635793";
google_alternate_color = "0000FF";
google_ad_width = 120;
google_ad_height = 600;
google_ad_format = "120x600_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Durward Discussionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15023629504094283860noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20306397.post-1379940793560087532015-08-20T16:53:00.001-07:002015-08-20T16:54:52.665-07:00Cassandra Grousing<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times;"><i>A fake fortune teller can be tolerated. But an authentic soothsayer should be shot on sight. Cassandra did not get half the kicking around she deserved . </i>Robert Heinlein</span><br />
<br />
For those who don't know the story, Cassandra was a Trojan princess given the gift of prophecy by Apollo and then cursed by him with not being believed when she rejected his advances. She was the one who said, "Beware of Greeks bearing gifts" as a warning not to take in the great horse left behind at the gates of Troy. <br />
<br />
This story is the result of how she felt about people not listening:<br />
<br />
<br />
CASSANDRA GROUSING<br />
<br />
by Jamie White<br />
<br />
Don't you dare ask me, "What am I thinking?". That's all I need right now, another test. What am I thinking? What am I thinking? If you don't know, why in the hell should I? I can tell you what direction we are heading because of the way you think, but specific words - forget it, Turkey! (Turkey: North American bird consumed on Thanksgiving. North America: A place some when from now. Thanksgiving: Oh never mind. It will get here eventually.).<br />
<br />
Back to the way you think. Most of the time you don't, which explains the mess we're in. What mess? This one, dummy. Uh, no, the one that will be. But really, it is now - to me. About the mess we're in. You know how you hate to make decisions that might hurt someone's feelings, and you hate to hurt pretty ladies most of all? Right? Of course I'm right. I'm always right. So being the dolt that you are, you get sucked into judging a beauty contest. You've never judged a contest, you say. You will - trust me.<br />
<br />
Boy did you get rooked - will be rooked. You took a bribe, ran off with the little roundheeled bitch, and now we have those hundred ships in the harbor. No ships in the harbor? Look later, they'll be there. Just because the blind poet upped the number, doesn't mean the ones that are there aren't dangerous. I shouldn't knock the author. Not everyone could turn a cheating wife into an heroic epic. It was a good book even with the exaggerations. You've read it of course - no of course you haven't. Note for shopping list: Buy Ajax cleanser, packet of Trojans. When am I?<br />
<br />
So here we are in this clear and present danger (clear and present to me). Why do you bother asking questions when you don't believe a word I say? Go search some entrails! Now there's depth for you. When you're done, we can all make blood pies! How in the hell did I get this job anyway? I'll tell you how. I made a mistake. I repeated something I heard, only the person hadn't said it yet. Victimized by a fast thinking slow talker! It's a wonder I don't give up talking altogether the way everyone used to sit around waiting for me to say something meaningful. If I said, "Tell the piper to stuff a mute in it!" Someone else would say, "I was just thinking the music was too loud." Then everyone was on the bandwagon with, "She's done it again; she's done it again." Like hell I had. THE MUSIC WAS TOO LOUD! Of such things are reputations made.<br />
<br />
<br />
Not that I wasn't talented you understand, but I pretty much stuck to the common place - she's jealous, he's angry, he's vindictive etc. so my prediction rate was unusually high. Nothing you couldn't get from a good course in body language (has that been invented yet?) - no, well someone will get around to it. Don't fold your arms that way. I have all the rejection I can handle right now.<br />
<br />
Back to the subject. I had this talent before that buttinsky masquerading as a god got into the act. I mean I was giving feminine intuition a good name. There was always the problem of seeing something first and then waiting for the dum dums to catch up. Now that can really put a dent in an oracle's good humor. But, it wasn't anything I couldn't handle what with all the glory when they found out I had been right all along. That's something else the reporter of these events will get wrong. Didn't his editor ever tell him to check his facts? I had the gift before that womanizing creep of an immortal stepped in with his indelicate proposition. Just because I told him to take a hike - after all, he wasn't going to be a god long enough for me to worship him - he gets all ticked off. Now I might as well talk to the walls! What makes you think you're an improvement on a wall?<br />
<br />
So, as I was saying. I have this little mental quirk that everyone wants, but no one understands. Note to myself: Check and see if those guys at Duke have made any progress. Here I am on my little extrasensory soapbox with no one paying any attention, waiting for my palace to go up in smoke. What's that old joke? If it weren't for the honor, I would rather walk! That one hasn't been told yet? If you haven't heard it, stick around a few thousand years.<br />
<br />
By the way, would someone call the fire department? Call: Alexander Graham Bell, where are you when I need you? Fire Department: Read my lips, ef-eye-are-ee Department - people in red suits who put out fires. You understand "fire"? I'm glad to know we've invented that. What fire? The one we're having next month, dodo. That's which one. I wonder if there's time to fly to Paris instead of trying to talk to him.<br />
<br />
Idiots! I'm surrounded by idiots! The arms shipment from the US will not (repeat WILL NOT) arrive in time. And to think, I used to like horses.<br />
<br />
--The End of Then and Beginning of Now--<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-5277610703635793";
google_alternate_color = "0000FF";
google_ad_width = 120;
google_ad_height = 600;
google_ad_format = "120x600_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Durward Discussionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15023629504094283860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20306397.post-90847529805876150172014-11-23T05:50:00.002-08:002014-11-23T05:50:45.785-08:00Happy Thanksgiving<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="https://ytimg.googleusercontent.com/vi/bLM_YTnmLto/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/bLM_YTnmLto&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/bLM_YTnmLto&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-5277610703635793";
google_alternate_color = "0000FF";
google_ad_width = 120;
google_ad_height = 600;
google_ad_format = "120x600_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Durward Discussionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15023629504094283860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20306397.post-79123395167158868572013-04-23T14:12:00.004-07:002013-04-23T14:12:38.951-07:00Alchemy<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" mozallowfullscreen="" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/63186969?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&badge=0&color=999999" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="600"></iframe><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-5277610703635793";
google_alternate_color = "0000FF";
google_ad_width = 120;
google_ad_height = 600;
google_ad_format = "120x600_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Durward Discussionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15023629504094283860noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20306397.post-10222136189012593052013-02-25T05:56:00.002-08:002013-02-25T05:58:38.700-08:00Best Moment of 2013 Oscars<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW7CaHoF1ge03RQsGV8CAj_wpFZHygfeg42DEuzBNUaA2VnVQlpaRlQIedFgghRwkBOFP9D7pAsAuEA6D3qhZerCDIKWmBkrF9filiqBbB3bv0l76o_wLzx8WyMT5HN2VbN0PLMw/s1600/LesMisCastOscar.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW7CaHoF1ge03RQsGV8CAj_wpFZHygfeg42DEuzBNUaA2VnVQlpaRlQIedFgghRwkBOFP9D7pAsAuEA6D3qhZerCDIKWmBkrF9filiqBbB3bv0l76o_wLzx8WyMT5HN2VbN0PLMw/s320/LesMisCastOscar.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOVLA6jE9PSWGDHhyphenhyphen5NEx3qUZyFXylvuVkscEc_Enqy6b3FDDUarKcTnWBR-EDXM2_It7xkf3RsRluPfNMdSwZ7HuFIitJLQnwVRTDvGlO-obz_VaJpyG4000wPsKDPm8hZ2rMSA/s1600/LesMisCastOscar2.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOVLA6jE9PSWGDHhyphenhyphen5NEx3qUZyFXylvuVkscEc_Enqy6b3FDDUarKcTnWBR-EDXM2_It7xkf3RsRluPfNMdSwZ7HuFIitJLQnwVRTDvGlO-obz_VaJpyG4000wPsKDPm8hZ2rMSA/s320/LesMisCastOscar2.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaWiru89_LGX5dny_jGBnAPt0XGvLpRyrVRIAZCzei4eIKndsTIYD-UokhTZZB56qIQAJyfMNw4bVVb95sQLB5_JVM661wgEl_PhbuicDbv8QsC0TYDMFPDI8v7rNT9-AI8-cP3Q/s1600/LesMisCastOscar3.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaWiru89_LGX5dny_jGBnAPt0XGvLpRyrVRIAZCzei4eIKndsTIYD-UokhTZZB56qIQAJyfMNw4bVVb95sQLB5_JVM661wgEl_PhbuicDbv8QsC0TYDMFPDI8v7rNT9-AI8-cP3Q/s320/LesMisCastOscar3.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<object height="362" width="644"><param name="movie" value="https://cdnsecakmi.kaltura.com/index.php/kwidget/wid/_585231/uiconf_id/11446082?preloaderPath=https://secure.cdn.media.oscar.abc.com/media/2013/swf/vp2k/preloaders/oscar.swf?¢erPreloader=true&usePreloaderBufferAnimation=true&VP2Core.videoID=VD55278446"></param>
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param>
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param>
<embed src="https://cdnsecakmi.kaltura.com/index.php/kwidget/wid/_585231/uiconf_id/11446082?preloaderPath=https://secure.cdn.media.oscar.abc.com/media/2013/swf/vp2k/preloaders/oscar.swf?¢erPreloader=true&usePreloaderBufferAnimation=true&VP2Core.videoID=VD55278446" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="644" height="362" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-5277610703635793";
google_alternate_color = "0000FF";
google_ad_width = 120;
google_ad_height = 600;
google_ad_format = "120x600_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Durward Discussionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15023629504094283860noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20306397.post-35864724864641921752013-02-15T05:40:00.000-08:002013-04-06T08:27:39.126-07:00The Answer Is 42<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ZBS4501TXlJGfuYYIaLuUO7NdQ15BF_tjuXL9SMyUSBwPCwBJvvaVk1mUcMKfihsuL8v8r_Bq5BqBFe2RKHpcdvrRs1yeeTV3Le98oXewjGW1iNgqNC14kHQMINGFrFA2Yp1UQ/s1600/Jackie_Robinson_Biography.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ZBS4501TXlJGfuYYIaLuUO7NdQ15BF_tjuXL9SMyUSBwPCwBJvvaVk1mUcMKfihsuL8v8r_Bq5BqBFe2RKHpcdvrRs1yeeTV3Le98oXewjGW1iNgqNC14kHQMINGFrFA2Yp1UQ/s320/Jackie_Robinson_Biography.jpg" width="299" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
One of my all time favorite series of novels are those that make up Douglas Adams' <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hitchhiker's_Guide_to_the_Galaxy">"Hitchhikers Guide To the Galaxy"</a>. One subplot tells of a race of hyper-intelligent pan-dimensional beings who build a computer "Deep Thought" to calculate the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe and everything. The answer revealed was 42. Of course, no one knows the proper question to get that answer, but that's another very funny problem.<br />
<br />
One of the best questions ever solved by the answer of 42 was: Which baseball player will be remembered as one of the greatest players ever both on and off the field? Today is the anniversary of the day when <a href="http://www.jackierobinson.com/about/bio.html">Jackie Robinson</a> made his major league debut at Ebbets Field as number 42 for the Dodgers. On April 15, 1947 Jackie became the first player since 1880 to openly break the major league baseball color line.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWbOFeiop7lvjvP0BKad5Rb60U-CDDasoWfAh8ERFn3SUsOHvUdXnayxP3ZGj9JenH1sS2__JzHm_NM5_LhsNdJ3D_42sKzGnjtzKE_581-aqavBBrMF3q3FJ7jVZIgG7basWecQ/s1600/42.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWbOFeiop7lvjvP0BKad5Rb60U-CDDasoWfAh8ERFn3SUsOHvUdXnayxP3ZGj9JenH1sS2__JzHm_NM5_LhsNdJ3D_42sKzGnjtzKE_581-aqavBBrMF3q3FJ7jVZIgG7basWecQ/s320/42.jpg" width="290" /></a></div>
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/u7qYcyUjDPU" width="480"></iframe><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-5277610703635793";
google_alternate_color = "0000FF";
google_ad_width = 120;
google_ad_height = 600;
google_ad_format = "120x600_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Durward Discussionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15023629504094283860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20306397.post-41558808539931687482013-02-03T06:21:00.000-08:002013-02-03T06:21:05.383-08:00Giving Them Their Due<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzxC9uc3-OymuGkInkroN3JcW7wlZk_IHbS1R22qQ2h2JwvYgVbvyCCHy8P9_qKZvwqQJEhSg71KpGNLZeoj3iavy_YB60339eJPLFp8OWD7DGy9qj1vF5BI9tsN-o7PXXK65UxQ/s1600/Barricade+Boys+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzxC9uc3-OymuGkInkroN3JcW7wlZk_IHbS1R22qQ2h2JwvYgVbvyCCHy8P9_qKZvwqQJEhSg71KpGNLZeoj3iavy_YB60339eJPLFp8OWD7DGy9qj1vF5BI9tsN-o7PXXK65UxQ/s640/Barricade+Boys+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Here's a great photo of the main "barricade boys" (minus Marius) tweeted by Killian Donnelly - George Blagden (Grantaire), Alistair Brammer (Prouvaire), Fra Fee (Courfeyrac), Aaron Tveit (Enjolras), Killian Donnelly (Combeferre), Hugh Skinner (Joly).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5JtJ8OoCaU8GVmBcGjApAXa6wY7Bl-0alDJyXqK9-lvApbGtz-AuHIEXtM9kshNBeadwJsYSBGPYQiMy0-sAlRP-ce5vsljAV4hp1iEdceaMv9d8GkEsa66lltXQ0lu1lb5e_-g/s1600/BarricadeBoys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5JtJ8OoCaU8GVmBcGjApAXa6wY7Bl-0alDJyXqK9-lvApbGtz-AuHIEXtM9kshNBeadwJsYSBGPYQiMy0-sAlRP-ce5vsljAV4hp1iEdceaMv9d8GkEsa66lltXQ0lu1lb5e_-g/s400/BarricadeBoys.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsA5NoerQ6wFf-9KvXwUd37P0yvy3y6r9hJFW_8kCwhITzYHsAsKPjIIRBrg39MFgDG_ymIgDPawNY9WdBE5VleDdbiyqW5q8NgHOqxqqBM0UGqbVmjvjEkB2Mo5JINzsCFfjn5g/s1600/BarricadeBoysABC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsA5NoerQ6wFf-9KvXwUd37P0yvy3y6r9hJFW_8kCwhITzYHsAsKPjIIRBrg39MFgDG_ymIgDPawNY9WdBE5VleDdbiyqW5q8NgHOqxqqBM0UGqbVmjvjEkB2Mo5JINzsCFfjn5g/s400/BarricadeBoysABC.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggQaBDdzeKDwIXpmv-52NdgyxOZpST2kQRUTvoqGy6Yck6EKsGwCpaYp9ZbdPjiVx8sx7T0-WIh-SKAB8ArKCpEVfgp1qS-ttO8-hKmyWs_q2zXgiCMl3LUjMF4rmGoGeG-975ZA/s1600/BarricadeBoysBanner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggQaBDdzeKDwIXpmv-52NdgyxOZpST2kQRUTvoqGy6Yck6EKsGwCpaYp9ZbdPjiVx8sx7T0-WIh-SKAB8ArKCpEVfgp1qS-ttO8-hKmyWs_q2zXgiCMl3LUjMF4rmGoGeG-975ZA/s400/BarricadeBoysBanner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-5277610703635793";
google_alternate_color = "0000FF";
google_ad_width = 120;
google_ad_height = 600;
google_ad_format = "120x600_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Durward Discussionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15023629504094283860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20306397.post-4549745360882119272013-02-01T18:56:00.001-08:002013-02-01T18:56:55.918-08:00Good Night Sarah Jane<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHNmA4RK9xOuMlxOD9x934BcPqHs0x_C366X7-tnqVErUwzHxqvx8S2652k9vgj_8wTSJ3toCwaEGXlvHiusP5RoI0xIIHyxpLxKSxd3Qq3AhJRGp6OWazWa4KWFW_-YZkjGy8kQ/s1600/Sarah+Jane+Missed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHNmA4RK9xOuMlxOD9x934BcPqHs0x_C366X7-tnqVErUwzHxqvx8S2652k9vgj_8wTSJ3toCwaEGXlvHiusP5RoI0xIIHyxpLxKSxd3Qq3AhJRGp6OWazWa4KWFW_-YZkjGy8kQ/s320/Sarah+Jane+Missed.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/pPnmui7kpwM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-5277610703635793";
google_alternate_color = "0000FF";
google_ad_width = 120;
google_ad_height = 600;
google_ad_format = "120x600_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Durward Discussionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15023629504094283860noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20306397.post-37886192948470166642013-01-19T06:03:00.001-08:002013-01-19T06:08:15.833-08:00And The Money Keeps Rolling In<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgNfB4CxZO-vYDRM40MP5CDL-JZhWRy5j2R689egDTLk0mVTBg4h465dctbRtS6fYnMaoL6RPLXrBmD8zh6QA9lEVu-EODDUi6JIdxiAcMeHzVP9beqt4x4Cl5WwEqGtzvU8reBg/s1600/Cossett+Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgNfB4CxZO-vYDRM40MP5CDL-JZhWRy5j2R689egDTLk0mVTBg4h465dctbRtS6fYnMaoL6RPLXrBmD8zh6QA9lEVu-EODDUi6JIdxiAcMeHzVP9beqt4x4Cl5WwEqGtzvU8reBg/s320/Cossett+Poster.jpg" width="216" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Les Miserables (2012) (PG-13)<br />
158 minutesMusical | Drama | Adaptation - Dec 25, 2012<br />
<br />
Opening Weekend: $27,281,735 | Total Domestic Gross: $122,558,020 | Worldwide Gross: $237,704,299 | Total Budget: $100,000,000<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-5277610703635793";
google_alternate_color = "0000FF";
google_ad_width = 120;
google_ad_height = 600;
google_ad_format = "120x600_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Durward Discussionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15023629504094283860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20306397.post-40005784386892749992013-01-10T05:50:00.000-08:002013-01-17T06:25:29.924-08:00Why Hugh Deserves OscarThis morning Hugh Jackman received his first nomination for an Academy Award and he completely deserves it. For Les Miserables, Mr. Jackman moved through a thirty year age difference with four distinct faces while singing and acting each age to perfection - a totally multilayered performance. All of it was done while up to his chest in icy water, climbing through snow-covered mountains in threadbare robes, slogging through watered peat sludge and physically changing in order to achieve the correct look for each stage of the role.<br />
<br />
In the process he lifted masts, carts, children, and two full-grown bodies while filming, acting, and singing each song live repeatedly for 10 - 12 hours a day. Then he topped it off by being the lead and at the center of a great ensemble cast that made every one of his fellow actors better. No one but no one else could have done what he did for this role or even came close to doing that this year. (Yes that goes for Daniel Day-Lewis)<br />
<br />
<i> I just don’t want his nice guy thing to distract you from the fact that he is deep, serious and profoundly gifted actor.” Anne Hathaway</i><br />
<br />
Winner: Golden Globe Best Actor Musical/Comedy Nominations for Best Performance by an Actor received thus far: Screen Actors Guild, Critics Choice, Golden Globes, and BAFTA. <br />
<br />
<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/cIApTQQlW9M" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2orAuUIo9YMthxjg3cpjbAnj7z3TOz_dqzqjV8ovHwnXHZEbVpZMXraBE_2XVKA0krBQjeCJYJz1YKU0ce-vwoB0xavqmBJIfUxkhBnzCvNvWckcqLVXRF9VvMxsD1pAFLoGodA/s1600/ValJean+Chains+Convict.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2orAuUIo9YMthxjg3cpjbAnj7z3TOz_dqzqjV8ovHwnXHZEbVpZMXraBE_2XVKA0krBQjeCJYJz1YKU0ce-vwoB0xavqmBJIfUxkhBnzCvNvWckcqLVXRF9VvMxsD1pAFLoGodA/s640/ValJean+Chains+Convict.jpg" width="474" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGqmjEOmyUqSRLMskraIsuI0pyjsapEscW8xUKDZz2v8IuJB5dhPRq7ELc-8rHuS_ikv4mbAUoM-YvOJMDOG5usgGXUauj7fRYBEBIyvMHpohrCbNXtsr1JqlzG7iAj1Pw4GhPJA/s1600/Les+Mayor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGqmjEOmyUqSRLMskraIsuI0pyjsapEscW8xUKDZz2v8IuJB5dhPRq7ELc-8rHuS_ikv4mbAUoM-YvOJMDOG5usgGXUauj7fRYBEBIyvMHpohrCbNXtsr1JqlzG7iAj1Pw4GhPJA/s640/Les+Mayor.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKabt1kUDBBXiKDmRLnr-3QMYwk8yxTvMh53_sJcnOe-xcQUe6_P8g1gbpsoV0hXQaKnQbHl7jODH5j5o42nWJKLFIeaAu87LPPwx8kdwCudfA2-4ngeEi8mPaNYdmr0IljdLoZA/s1600/JeanValjeanGavroche.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKabt1kUDBBXiKDmRLnr-3QMYwk8yxTvMh53_sJcnOe-xcQUe6_P8g1gbpsoV0hXQaKnQbHl7jODH5j5o42nWJKLFIeaAu87LPPwx8kdwCudfA2-4ngeEi8mPaNYdmr0IljdLoZA/s640/JeanValjeanGavroche.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVJ1JLoNENnwvIolV_nrNBvSDDD0mdSk_yKtVKjOa4nSJPDXUhP1VURUPwohyphenhyphenIEXbrbWHDLr9eiXZ60adLuVLP-ImVxN9losAiiZM0edC_qNETwJVJkML4ALKYH1RM_uBwRm2J3A/s1600/JVJ+Dying.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVJ1JLoNENnwvIolV_nrNBvSDDD0mdSk_yKtVKjOa4nSJPDXUhP1VURUPwohyphenhyphenIEXbrbWHDLr9eiXZ60adLuVLP-ImVxN9losAiiZM0edC_qNETwJVJkML4ALKYH1RM_uBwRm2J3A/s640/JVJ+Dying.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-5277610703635793";
google_alternate_color = "0000FF";
google_ad_width = 120;
google_ad_height = 600;
google_ad_format = "120x600_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Durward Discussionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15023629504094283860noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20306397.post-91982259847133040062012-11-12T09:52:00.000-08:002012-11-12T04:26:01.224-08:00Weighty Marbles<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMF8X-exP2woA2YpxVqpaRGUUTUjHFkmC7ORONoue84xmNK5GuBNQ2v18LuDmEJO7GlG0aRYQT-P2waqErO4OiLNH9zCoQ8uYZsExhxLDTMdgQ2NousX_hrucbwTEvp-eLDM9v/s1600-h/Marbles.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="135" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5087026330070727858" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMF8X-exP2woA2YpxVqpaRGUUTUjHFkmC7ORONoue84xmNK5GuBNQ2v18LuDmEJO7GlG0aRYQT-P2waqErO4OiLNH9zCoQ8uYZsExhxLDTMdgQ2NousX_hrucbwTEvp-eLDM9v/s320/Marbles.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 135px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 339px;" width="226" /></a><br />
<br />
In honor of the birthday of August Rodin, a blast from the past reprint.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ6xJgHrxyxrPHs1WkvFM8e1uqKIqoDxFwy-vDL7wuwUwhMDByLT8fxPerrT4fYODRCN4UbSYsy1gZEXHreP-OeYdg6r0gFsF2QO7ZbCUcCMry_xtIOtaw38sRxF181tWiI3Gf/s1600-h/Pieta.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5086875130042039442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ6xJgHrxyxrPHs1WkvFM8e1uqKIqoDxFwy-vDL7wuwUwhMDByLT8fxPerrT4fYODRCN4UbSYsy1gZEXHreP-OeYdg6r0gFsF2QO7ZbCUcCMry_xtIOtaw38sRxF181tWiI3Gf/s320/Pieta.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><br />
<br />
Look into the face of Mary and see what the sculptor of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">pieta</span> did in 1499. Across her lap is the body of her 33 year old son, but her face is that of the teenage girl who first heard an angel announce that she was about to become an unwed mother. She had no guarantee that Joseph would marry her. She lived in a culture that severely punished anything that was considered immorality in women, yet she accepted the duty placed on her, and this is the way that duty ended with her beloved child dead in her arms not knowing yet where this road will end. There is grief on that face, but there is acceptance and trust in the future as well. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Michaelangelo</span> takes a block of hard, cold marble and makes you see the passion, glory and the ultimate end of doing one's duty no matter where it leads as a simple act of faith.<br />
<br />
In 1972 a man by the name of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">LASZLO</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">TOTH</span> damaged the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Pieta</span> with a hammer. He was never charged with a criminal offense. On 29 January of the following year he was declared a dangerous person and was ordered confined to a mental hospital. On 9 February 1975, the Hungarian-born, Australian geologist was released from the hospital and deported from Italy as an undesirable alien. His act of madness had it's own result. The Vatican announced that the team of restorers attempting to repair the damage that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Toth</span> had inflicted on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Pieta</span> had discovered a previously unknown secret signature of Michelangelo on the palm of the Madonna's left hand - an "M" fashioned from the skin lines reproduced in marble as another mark from the genius who brought her to life once more.<br />
<br />
Several centuries later another great sculptor took on a similar subject. Marble was not August Rodin's favorite medium, yet he produced many famous ones such as <a href="http://www.lewes.net/rodin/kiss.jpg">The Kiss</a>, <a href="http://ibidem.blox.pl/resource/rodin_lovers.JPG">The Lovers</a>, and <a href="http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/images/h2/h2_08.210.jpg">The Hand of God</a>. Instead of marble he preferred the casting in bronze and one of his greatest is the Fallen Caryatid.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm0TcbyWtJEgSev4jSfXGTknXNPvfiloTKtPqJQiff8oGpzs1ATbYm3-N1_MurA0r9zUAL3rWfQkPU-vFP1SKqfiPZ4G_Y3TfnxjhmhvcSx4MLNIdZVfu8PT9fxnuqDfSmfMa8/s1600-h/Caryatid.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5086725609345563762" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm0TcbyWtJEgSev4jSfXGTknXNPvfiloTKtPqJQiff8oGpzs1ATbYm3-N1_MurA0r9zUAL3rWfQkPU-vFP1SKqfiPZ4G_Y3TfnxjhmhvcSx4MLNIdZVfu8PT9fxnuqDfSmfMa8/s320/Caryatid.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><br />
<br />
Years ago, Robert Heinlein used this bronze of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caryatid">Caryatid</a> in Stranger in a Strange Land to attempt to show beauty where apparently there was none. His words:<br />
<br />
<blockquote>This poor little caryatid has fallen under the load. She's a good girl---look at her face. Serious, unhappy at her failure, not blaming anyone,not even the gods and still trying to shoulder her load, after she's crumpled under it.<br />
<br />
But she's more than just good art denouncing bad art; she's a symbol for every woman who ever shouldered a load too heavy. But not alone women---this symbol means every man and woman who ever <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">sweated</span> out life in uncomplaining fortitude until they crumpled under their loads. It's courage...and victory. Victory in defeat, there is none higher. She didn't give up...she's still trying to lift that stone after it has crushed her...she's all the unsung heroes who couldn't make it but never quit. </blockquote>So there you have two young girls, one in marble and the other in bronze trying to lift marble, who were asked to shoulder burdens way beyond their years. In the process they become examples to all of the glory that comes from simply doing what is right when it is necessary.<br />
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-5277610703635793";
google_alternate_color = "0000FF";
google_ad_width = 120;
google_ad_height = 600;
google_ad_format = "120x600_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Durward Discussionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15023629504094283860noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20306397.post-84715869034952115692012-11-07T09:35:00.002-08:002012-11-07T09:35:58.333-08:00Morning After - Do You Hear The People Sing?<br />
<object height="313" width="450"><param name="movie" value="http://www.traileraddict.com/emd/55716"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param>
<param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param>
<param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"></param>
<embed src="http://www.traileraddict.com/emd/55716" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="450" height="313"></embed></object>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-5277610703635793";
google_alternate_color = "0000FF";
google_ad_width = 120;
google_ad_height = 600;
google_ad_format = "120x600_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Durward Discussionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15023629504094283860noreply@blogger.com1