Standing over Syria

Syrian traditional costume.   traveladventures.org

Details on Syria and an interactive map..

http://www.traveladventures.org/continents/asia/syrian-people12.html

Is there no other way but force?

So many have died already.

Use our imagination and humanity.

Syria is a country of the bible,

Proud peoples with an ancient history.

The world wishes that no more should die.

Gassed in their sleep like rats.

A dirty deed that no one claims.

Women and children are fleeing

Leaving their men behind to fight and die.

Let us think. There are other ways.

Who is standing for what over Syria?

Stand up! Stand up and be counted!

Geoff Clements

diana-the price of fame

Thanks to http://www.turboimagehost.com

The death of Diana remains controversial and many of those involved wish to keep it so.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-485294/Published-time-Coroner-releases-amazing-pictures-Diana-car-took-death.html

Is it possible that the truth will ever be known?

 

past and present-base sous-marine bordeaux(bordeaux submarine base)

The submarine base being built;

The Submarine Base Bordeaux now (Google)

Present and past are mixing now.

The veil of present sifting

Always sifting through the past.

xxx

Isn’t she like her mother!

Such a joker, always laughing!

Blonde hair and so keen on the boys!

Hope she doesn’t end up in trouble!

I remember being stuck in a tram

Stuck in a tram during an air raid

On the Pont de Pierre

Nothing to be done but sit and hope.

The RAF was bombing the Nazi submarine base.

Two kilometers away down the river.

If they missed French lives were lost.

It is still there built by slave labour.

Impossible to destroy even now!

Thousands of tons of concrete reinforced

With railway lines. The bombs bounced

Off the roof when they hit directly.

Now a marine base and exhibition centre

With many coloured flags, modern art

And children playing. So different

From that dark night many years ago.

That I remember and  which colours the present.

So when I am gone, who will remember?

Will some one carry the flame of that night

For those who died for us to be free.

Text Geoff Clements

 

French translation,:  thanks, Anne Marie Clements

marilyn-the price of fame

It is hard to overestimate the global impact the death of Marilyn Monroe had. It rivaled that of Diana and was controversial for many of the same reasons: A mix of sex, power, beauty and intrigue. Marylin was one of the most photographed people on the planet at the time when the impact of the 7/7 24/24 media machine on the individuals targeted was just becoming apparent. Bert Stern was not to know that these would be the last photographs, apart from the forensic photographs taken during the investigation of her death on the 4th August 1962.

http://marilynmonroe.com/history/

flowers (and belladonna plant) in the sunshine

photos geoff clements

fin du siecle: gustav klimt -philosophy, medicine, jurisprudence

Philosophy

jurisprudence

Medicine

Gustav Klimt loved women and spent most of his life drawing and painting them. Living through and contributing to fin du siecle Vienna his pictures have become icons of the twentieth century. ThoUgh initially his subject matter was traditional and accepted, latterly he shocked by his frank nudes and portrayals of female sexuality. The above three paintings were commissioned for the ceiling of the Great Hall of the University of Vienna in 1893. Klimt’s novel approach to allegory and symbolism was transformative but shocking to some. In March 1900 Philosophy was exhibited in Vienna with an explanatory text:

‘ Left hand group of figures: birth, fertility and decline. On the right the globe, the cosmic riddle; emerging from below an enlightening figure: Knowledge.’

This was not found acceptable, he was accused of distorting figures to make them seem ugly and the visibility of female pubic hair shocked many and Klimt was accused of obscenity.

The second and third paintings, Medicine and Jurisprudence were less original in concept and produced less of a shock. In Medicine there is the human chain seen in Philosophy but here representing the various stages of human development. Hygieia ascends from below with healing powers. Medicine went on display in 1900 in Paris at the Exposition Universelle and gained the gold medal for foreign exhibitors. When exhibited in 1901 in Vienna there was violent criticism with questions being asked in Parliament. The standing naked female figure at the upper left of Medicine was perceived as overtly sexual and unacceptable in a female nude.

Jurisprudence was exhibited in Vienna in 1903. At the top against a panel of human figures are figurative representations of the Law , below are an old man and woman waiting their punishment.

It was decided that the paintings would not be placed as planned in the University. Klimt resigned from the commission and bought the paintings back from the University. An industrialist August Lederer bought Philosophy while Medicine and Jurisprudence were bought by Kolo Moser. The last time all three were together was a celebration of the 80th anniversary of his Klimt’s birth 1943. All were destroyed by the SS when they retreated in 1945.

selling and advertising-beauty has a value

One of my favourite french actresses Audrey Tautou is a very beautiful woman. Like everyone else in the public eye can she can link her image with the image of a product by advertising. The aim is to act to the advantage of both; greater exposure for the personality and greater sales for the product. What is she selling? I think you will guess from the top right hand corner of the photo. I could not avoid including it in the photo I took of the advertisement in an upmarket magazine here in France. The product is so well known you can guess from the fragments of the letters. This product is sold (or given) to increase the attractiveness of a woman.
Interesting how much the human brain “fills in” what it perceives from information that is memorized in addition to what is experienced.