Nothing great can be accomplished

from The Heads of State

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The last speech from the Great Dictator

Probably not more than two of my readers will watch this video, but for those two: did you have goosebumps by the end?  This 1940 film, The Great Dictator, was the first film in which Charlie Chaplin spoke.  He plays two roles in this comedy/drama, the Dictator Hynkel and the Jewish baker who looks just like him. 

Apologizing

From VisualizeUs.com

Life will find a way

Nina Simone/Feeling Good

Do yourself a favor and just listen for three minutes.

Shooting star

I am not going to die, I'm going home like a shooting star.

- Sojourner Truth,
former slave, women’s rights activist, abolitionist, and great orator who passed away on this day in 1883.

Photo of a real star shooting across the galaxy from NASA

I'd buy THAT for a dollar!

Or would I?

Whenever I absolutely have to go shopping for household items, I start at the Dollar Tree, work my way up to Ocean State Job Lot, then finish at K-Mart if I have to.  (Couldn't find clothespins at any of the three, however!)

As I was waiting in the checkout line at the Dollar Tree, I saw a shelf of New Choice Pregnancy Kits-- for a dollar!  Golly, if finding out if you're pregnant is really important, don't you think a little more upscale kit might be appropriate?

Or maybe I'm just out of touch, having not been pregnant for thirty-two years, and I know the price of some technology does go down.  But I can't quite picture telling my kid, "Then I used the pregnancy kit  I bought at the Dollar Tree, and it said I was going to have a baby, and the baby turned out to be you!"

Photo from Frank De Kleine's photostream at Flickr.

My granddaughter's poem

It's so incredibly satisfying to me to have another poet in the family....my granddaughter is getting married at the end of the month and here's one snapshot of her thinking...

No, but really, I'm sorry if this insults you.

I'm sorry to insult you,

But I will not be a Mrs. Anything, but Chapin.

And we will not be Mr. and Mrs. Man and Wife You May Now Kiss The Bride 'Till Death Do You Part, Under God.

Missus Belongs-To-Owner, what was your maiden name?

I'm sorry to insult you,

But I have a legacy myself.

I'm not an adopted dog, name changed by new master.

I've got my story, not history.

I'd like to live and be remembered, not by my husband's given name

But mine, the one my mama gave me.

See, I grew to love myself first

And I learned myself by calling myself Chapin,

Melody Chapin.

So, sorry to insult you, but I can't let a man replace what I love about me

With what I love about him.

Northern Lights: a chance for tonight

Plasma is headed our way!  The Boston Globe is reporting this morning that the sun seems to have ended its quiet period (yeah, like the sun really doesn't do much) and, after a Sunday eruption,  a billion tons of plasma is headed our way at a million miles an hour.  Result?  Northern lights may be visible in New England tonight and tomorrow night.

I've only seen the northern nights once in my life, in Maine, when it seemed that a beautiful city drenched in green and yellow lay just behind the mountain.  Maybe tonight will be the second time?

Photo from Studiolit's photostream at Flickr.

Two from Found

FOUND by Freddie in Portland, Oregon

I found this on a line #75 bus seat on the TriMet Bus. Made me chuckle.

 

FOUND by Mary Hoover in Rochester, New York

Found the Death Guest Check at a local Lilac Festival swirlling in the puddles from the rain. Found the details of a funeral on the USO paper a short time later after a parade.

  

From Found.com, an endlessly fascinating look at found objects.

 

Seed paper tutorial

OK, this is really lovely-- simple instructions on how to make your own paper embedded with seeds.  Plant the paper, and a garden will grow!  From Gracious Rain.

Seven days or seven million years?

Human beings, as we know them, developed from earlier species of animals.  Yes, no, or not sure?

National Geographic.

Flash mob: Opera Company of Philadelphia

The Windmill Farmer

You can find out more about the animator, Joaquin Baldwin, at his site.


Thanks for the tip, Boing Boing!

Which designer?

 More of Han Sylvester's lovely photos of the art of  Surma and Mursi tribes of East Africa's Omo Valley can be found here:.

I saw this and was reminded of my all-time favorite artist, Andy Goldsworthy.  This video clip is from the documentary Rivers and Tides.

Ephemeral art

From the Wooster Collective, a site "dedicated to showcasing and celebrating ephemeral art placed on streets in cities around the world."

Susan Mullally's "What I Keep"

From Susan Mullally:  This work explores ideas of class, race, ownership, value, cultural identification and faith. I collaborate with members of The Church Under the Bridge in Waco, Texas, a non-denominational, multi-cultural Christian church that has been meeting under Interstate 35 for sixteen years. Many of the people have had significant disruptions in their lives, experienced periods of homelessness or incarceration, addiction to drugs and alcohol, mental illness or profound poverty and hopelessness. Many are working toward a new measure of stability and accomplishment through the programs and opportunities offered through the church. Other members have more stable lives and are drawn to service at the Church Under the Bridge. I ask each person what he or she keeps and why it is valued.

This is a collaborative project that is in the third year (2007-2009) and has produced 60 images. The work is a series of life size portraits (24"x36") with brief statements about the person’s choice.  My portraits are made under Interstate 35 on Sunday mornings. 

Upper photo: 
Virgil Lee Bell, Jr., Apostle

I played this washboard for twenty years. I saw one young lady in church, she was a Spanish young lady, playing the washboard. And then I told her I could play that, I could play that, let me see that! As soon as she let me see it and play it God just blessed me to pick it up and start playing it instantly. I was in another church and I saw another young lady and she had something like a fish, it was a washboard but it looked like a fish, with scales, and it was a washboard. And she played it. And I played it, too.  I sing Gospel songs with this. 

Photo on right: 

Patricia Anne Ragsdill/Martin
Truck Driver, Musician, Beautician, Mother, Grandmother of six, Fork Lift Driver, Cashier for 30 years, Sign Language Teacher, State Champ in Tennis for two years, Former Felon and Addict

I'm here to show that God does work miracles; that ex-cons and pit bulls aren't dangerous. Her name is Indy and she represents the female dogs. This is my pride and joy. She comes from a big breed I started raising them in 1975. I went to prison in 2001. I cashed out 5-5-04. I was a drug addict and found God in prison. I was in three of them: Dallas, Gatesville and Marlin.

The beaded necklace represents the Oklahoma. My mother came from Hugo, Oklahoma and she's got Indian in her. My dad is from Bogotá, TX - makes me an OK Texan!

Thanks for the tip, Mental Floss!

Life of the People

Wonderful collection at Life of the People.

Billboard finger tickles and teases

 Artist Chris O'Shea's installation in Liverpool, England brings more pleasure than apprehension...



Hand from Above from Chris O'Shea on Vimeo.

Thanks, Gizmodo!