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Welcome to my Blog! Anybody, providing he knows how to be amusing, has the right to
talk about himself. -
Charles Baudelaire Not even I understand everything I am ¬Aurelius Augustinus of Hippo In 2013 I started a series of photo albums on Blurb.com, named '36Exp' (a subject adressed in 36 exposures, a reference to the exposures on most common rolls of 35 mm film: 12, 24 & 36.). |
VERA - SERIES 8 | CRIME FICTION TV DRAMA Vera is a British television crime drama series based on novels of the same name, written by crime writer Ann Cleeves. Vera is a middle-aged employee of the fictional Northumberland & City Police, who is obsessive about I recently watched Series 8. 'Vera' has been for some years now one of my favourite British crime series, as is 'Shetland' (also based on stories written by Ann Cleeves). en.wikipedia.org:_Vera_(TV_series) [30MAR2018]
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THE KETTERING INCIDENT | CRIME FICTION TV DRAMA The Kettering Incident is an Australian television drama program, first broadcast on Foxtel's Showcase channel, on 04Jul2016. We see Dr. Anna Macy (Elizabeth Debicki) leaving the UK, struggling with mental issues, returning to Kettering which she left when she was just fourteen. She left Kettering shortly after her best friend (and paternal half-sister), Gillian Baxter, mysteriously disappeared. I wasn't impressed by Anna's role, a very feeble minded woman and not very plausable. On the one hand she seems determined to find out why she feels she has a calling to return to Kettering (she has blackouts over lengthy periods) and on the other hand she blunders in without considerations any adult would consider as logical. The series made me think of Jordskott because there are weird circumstances and appearances: strange lights in the air and forests similar to UFO's, twin moons, electrical storms that stop cars, very loud noises that make people block their ears in agony, moss growing with great speed on buildings and structures, huge moths swarming on windows... Meanwhile Anna gets nowhere with her Gillian trauma, her father obvious has an agenda in the local proceedings and too many people are in strained relations but never considered leaving this place. https://en.wikipedia.org:_The_Kettering_Incident [30MAR2018]
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SHETLAND TV-SERIES 4th SEASON | TV CRIME DRAMA FICTION ![]() It was with immense pleasure I recently concluded wathing the 4th series of the tv-series ' Shetland'. Season 4 starts with the quashing of the conviction of killer Thomas Malone, who has been in prison for 23 years. Am looking forward for the 5th series of Shetland! en.wikipedia.org:_Shetland_(TV_series) [29MAR2018]
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DRANK! by PETER VAN STRAATEN | AUTHOR CARTOONIST ![]() Peter van Straaten (b.25Mar1935 - d.08Dec2016) was a Dutch cartoonist and comics artist. He is best known for his political cartoons as well as his satirical observations of everyday people. He also had a newspaper comic strip Vader & Zoon (EN= Father & Son), which ran in Het Parool, a Dutch daily newspaper, for almost two decades. He has an impressive reputaion as a cartoonist as well as a writer. In 2010 he received for this double-sided talent the Jacobus van Looy award in Sep.2010. Drank! (EN=Drink!) contains the best stories and drawings by Van Straatens about one of his favorite subjects: alcohol and all its intoxicating effects. en.wikipedia.org:_Peter_van_Straaten [29MAR2018]
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TUESDAY'S GONE by NICCI FRENCH | BOOKS CRIME FICTION ![]() When I had finished 'Blue Monday' (2011) I found myself not overly enthusiastic about the book, mainly about a lack of connection with the main character, psychotherpaist Frieda Klein. But something must have happened because I had not yet progressed 4 pages in this book ' Tuesday's Gone' (2013) and I found myself comfortably settling with the mystery at hand and the haunting considerations playing in the mind of Ms Klein! So once more we see London psychotherapist-turned-police-consultant Frieda Klein investigating the murder of an enigmatic con man whose naked, decomposing body is found in the home of a mentally ill woman. Yes, you may have to read that introductory line more than once! Packs a punch, doesn't it?! The woman, Michelle, speaks in an unintelligible sort of code and DCO Karlsson requests Frieda to speak to her and look at the crime scene to perhaps make sense of all this. Frieda still blames herself for the death of a female student in 'Blue Monday' and has misgivings about her help to the police. But she agrees to talk to Michele and gets caught up in th einvestigation as the police is conveniently looking to Michelle as the murderer of Robert Poole, put her mental institution and close the file on this investigation. DCI Karlsson considers her insight as invaluable due to a different perpective, but his assistent Yvette has a different opinion on Frieda's meddling. Karlsson tries to turn Frieda's role into a more official capacity, signing her a contract as a consultant, but Frieda is hesitant about the obligations and procedures she would have to follow. She is a therapist, not a detective. Frieda also has issues closer to home. And she is increasingly convinced that it was Alan Dekker, not Dean Revve, who killed himself in 'Bule Monday'. The ex-wife of Frieda's brother is in fact an irresposible parent and Frieda finds the energy to continue help her niece as well as finding a financial consulant to sort thinks for Olivia. Writing under the Nicci French pseudonym, married couple Nicci Gerrard and Sean French specialize in examining the things that tear families apart. Reading Blue Monday first isn't a prerequisite to enjoying this book, but it may be advisable; more for the character development of Frieda Klein and ties to different returning characters (Karlsson, Josef the builder, Frieda's niece and her mother) than for the murder plot. Frieda is convinced Dean is lurking in the shadows, but it doesn't play much of a role in the book. I am sure he will reurn in Waiting for Wednesday (2013) A fine multilayered thriller that has me totally convinced about these Frieda Klein series! www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/nicci-french/tuesdays-gone/ en.wikipedia.org:_Nicci_French MyBlog 2018Q2 [24MAR2018]
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REQUIEM FOR THE AMERICAN DREAM by NAOM CHOMSKY Substitled 'The 10 Principles of Concentration of Wealth & Power'. First of all: this is a lovely produced book, with fine art based on the dollar bill. Also, compared to the 2 books I've read by Mr Chomsky, the text is more clear - an obvious benefit for my lack of economic background. The 'principles' are each followed by the sources on which the essay is based; these pages are coloured differently, they have a greenish tint. These brief explanatory sub-articles are from recent times or from decades past or even a century or more (e.g. 1741) ago. They refer to what has been written by philosophers (e.g. Aristotle, Hume), legislative notes (e.g. 18th century), newspaper articles, economic papers, business communications, et cetera. Chomsky melds history, philosophy and ideology into a sobering vision of a society in an accelerating decline. The tone is neutral, no jeremiad. It is good to see beyond recent developments in this respect for Chomsky sees this as a 40-year trend of government bent to the will of the superrich at the expense of everyone else. Mr. Chomsky concludes that "there's a lot that can be done if people organize, struggle for their rights as they've done in the past." But one gets the feeling, though, that, given all the challenges he lists, Mr. Chomsky no longer quite believes that himself. www.nytimes.com/2016/01/29/movies/review-noam-chomsky-focuses-on-financial-inequality.html en.wikipedia.org:_Noam_Chomsky [24MAR2018]
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CROSSROADS EXHIBITON in ALLARD PIERSON MUSEUM
During 15Sep2017 to 11Feb2018, the Allard Pierson Museum hosted an exhibition entitled Crossroads. Travelling through the Middle Ages. In the Early Middle Ages, Europe was a place of great change and mobility. The influence of ancient civilisations continued to be felt, while at the same time, new religions from the Middle East began to take hold. We see how this is an actuality in our present days. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476, entire populations were on the move. This dynamism brought a huge amount of cultural exchange and diversity. As a bonus one can see into the workplace where a restoration of a mummy is taking place! [22MAR2018]
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FARGO SEASON 2 | TV CRIME DRAMA SERIES The 2nd season of Fargo premiered on 12Oct2015 on the basic cable network FX. It's an American anthology black comedy-crime drama television series, tough on action and deepest black of humor. Its principal cast consists of Kirsten Dunst, Patrick Wilson, Jesse Plemons, Jean Smart, and Ted Danson. The season had 10 episodes. As an anthology, each Fargo season possesses its own self-contained narrative, following a disparate set of characters in various settings. Lou Solversson, the diner owner in season 1, is here a much younger Minnesota State Policeman. Lou's daughter Mollý in season 1 is a full grown woman and with the police like her father was. In this 2nd season Molly is a small child. Betsy, Molly's mother and Lou's wife is battling cancer. A prequel to the events in its 1st season, season 2 of Fargo takes place in the Midwestern United States in March 1979. A true story of course, like season 1. It follows the lives of a young couple-Peggy (Dunst) and Ed Blumquist (Plemons)-as they attempt to cover up the hit and run and murder of Rye Gerhardt (Kieran Culkin), the son of Floyd Gerhardt, matriarch of the Gerhardt crime family. During this time, Minnesota state trooper Lou Solverson (Wilson), and Rock County sheriff Hank Larsson (Danson), investigate 3 murders linked to Rye. Hawley and his writing team used the 2nd season to expand the scope of the show's storytelling. Season two's episodes were shot in Calgary, Alberta over an 85-day period. Something on the story: In March 1979, the Gerhardt family is the most powerful crime syndicate in Fargo, North Dakota. Their power is threatened by two near-simultaneous incidents. A debilitating stroke leaves patriarch Otto (Michael Hogan) incapacitated, potentially jeopardizing the dynasty's leadership. Two of his sons, Dodd (Jeffrey Donovan) and Bear (Angus Sampson), begin competing for control. At a Waffle Hut near Luverne, an attempt by the 3rd Gerhardt son Rye (Kieran Culkin) to extort Judge Mundt (Ann Cusack) into unfreezing his business partner's assets turns deadly. Rye kills Mundt and two Waffle Hut employees. Going outside, Rye is struck by a passing car. The driver, beautician Peggy Blumquist (Kirsten Dunst), assumes Rye is dead and hides him in the garage. Her husband Ed (Jesse Plemons), a butcher, discovers him alive but manic, and stabs him to death after being attacked. Peggy convinces a visibly shaken Ed to keep the incident a secret, and they hide the corpse in their meat freezer. Officer Lou Solverson (Patrick Wilson) and Sheriff Hank Larsson (Ted Danson) begin investigating the diner shooting. At home, Lou deals with his wife Betsy's (Cristin Milioti) progressing cancer. Meanwhile, in light of Otto's stroke, members of a Kansas City-based syndicate make plans to move on Fargo. Dodd bristles at his mother running the business, but acquiesces when she expresses her intent of him taking over once the current situation settles. She then demands Rye be found. Milligan and the Kitchens Brothers also begin searching for Rye, by orders of 'Kansas City'. In Luverne, Peggy resumes work at the beauty salon while Ed stays home to clean up the garage. Lou travels to Fargo to meet Detective Ben Schmidt (Keir O'Donnell). They visit the Gerhardt farm and have a tense encounter with the clan. Dodd and his Indian henchman Hanzee (Zahn McClarnon) each conduct an independent search for Rye. Dodd's daughter Simone (Rachel Keller) tips off Hanzee about a lead on Rye. In Luverne, Hanzee's investigation leads him to find Rye's belt buckle in the Blumquist fireplace... Lou talks to the Blumquists regarding his suspicions that they are involved in Rye's death, but they stubbornly refuse to cooperate. He warns them of the Gerhardts' violent history. At the Gerhardt farm, Floyd tells the family to prepare for war. Lou is temporarily taken off the Waffle Hut murder case while working a security detail for presidential candidate Ronald Reagan (Bruce Campbell). Peggy heeds Lou's warning and plans to leave for California, but Ed insists on staying. Dodd and accomplices arrive at the Blumquist residence hunting Ed, while Bear fetches for Charlie. Hanzee knocks out Hank, but Peggy subdues Dodd in her basement using his stun rod. Once Ed arrives home, he and Peggy put Dodd into the trunk of his car and hide out in a relative's hunting cabin in South Dakota. Hanzee is pursuing the Blumquists. ... And so it goes on! A wonderfuk series. Normally I am not keen on American films and tv productions but Fargo is the exception to the rule! en.wikipedia.org:_Fargo_(season_2) [20MAR2018]
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LUCAS FOGLIA - HUMAN NATURE | PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION Last week I visited this photo exhibition in Amsterdam's FOAM and was blown away by it! The message about the ever develloping relation Humans vs Nature came out strong, while the photography, on a technical level, was striking too! Lucas Foglia (b. 1983, US) travelled the world and shot some 80.000 images, to 'compose' this message. Lucas Foglia grew up on a farm in New York and lives in San Francisco. www.foam.org/museum/programme/lucas-foglia [18MAR2018]
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PUTIN 6 MORE YEARS | COLLIGNON CARTOON ![]() 'After sunday, a whole new bottle!' [18MAR.2018]
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STREETPHOTOGRAPHY @AMSTERDAM Last week I enjoyed a day in Amsterdam, visiting photo exhibitions and bookshops. While walking around I also took the opportunity to practice my streetphotography. [18MAR2018]
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INSIDE CHINA, a NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC PUBLICATION X
Every year I read one or two books providing me with insights of China as a country, an economic force, about its history and its culture and indeed as a fascinating location for (street)photography! China's emergence as an economic and cultural giant reigns as a key international story of our time. Hardcover [16MAR2018]
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BIESBOSCH NATURE RESERVE
A (whisper)boat ride or stroll on the trails, among birds and beaver lodges, the museum is a good place Beavers were extinct in Holland a long, long time (probably since 1826) but were reintroduced here in 1988-1992 - but not very successful at that time. A second attempt, in 2002, had positive results and maybe some 200 dwell here now. Dusk seems the best time to spot them. It seems the word 'decoy' is derived from the Dutch word eendenkooi, which means duck-cage! Chambers Dictionary suggests Dutch 'de kooi' = 'the cage'. www.biesboschmuseumeiland.nl [16MAR2018]
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ALEX TV-SERIES | SCANDI CRIME FICTION DRAMA
www.imdb.com/title/tt6681686/ [13MAR2018]
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CORPORATE MONEY-GRABBING PSYCHOPATHS
![]() CARTOON BY COLLIGNON
PSYCHOPATH [12MAR2018]
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MIND'S EYE by HÅKAN NESSER | CRIME FICTION NOVELS
![]() Sweden's brilliant Detective Chief Inspector Van Veeteren solves a knotty puzzle; cocksure as he is, he books a flight to Brisbane (Australia) as a deadline. At some point during a wild, alcohol-fueled, orgiastic night, schoolteacher Janek Mitter murdered his wife and colleague. Or so the police quickly decides. Mitter is arrested, put on trial, convicted and sent to a mental institution. While van Veeteren thought his one and only interview with Mitter to be sufficient to identify him as the murderer, he then becomes intrigued by Mitter's behaviour in court and realizes that things are seldom what they seem, squirms at the ease with which Mitter has been found the guilty. No other options had been considered. And then Mitter himself is murdered. Convinced that the two homicides are undoubtedly connected and annoyed that he ignored his celebrated instincts, Van Veeteren launches a much deeper investigation. It carries him back to the dark corners of some extremely complex lives and he soon finds himself on the trail of a serial killer. He makes his flight for Brisbane and the desired sunny weather of Australia, but only barely. www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/hakan-nesser/minds-eye-3/ en.wikipedia.org:_Håkan_Nesser [08MAR2018]
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INNOCENT | TV CRIME MINI-SERIES David Collins fights to rebuild his shattered life, when, after spending 7 years in prison, his conviction David Collins (Lee Ingleby) starts attempts to regain custody of his children, who are being raised by Tara's sister and husband. The police reopens the investigation under a new Detective Inspector, Cathy Hudson (Angel Coulby), since previous attempts to get David Collins convicted under the investigation led by DCI William Beech (Nigel Lindsay) failed. Lee David Ingleby (b. 28Jan76) is a British film, television and stage actor. Hermione Norris was born in February 1967 in Paddington (London) as Hermione Jane Norris. She is an actress, known a.o. for Spooks (2002), Cold Feet (1997) and Wire in the Blood (2002). [02MAR2018]
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ENDEAVOUR SEASON 4 | TV CRIME DRAMA FICTION ![]() Timeline in this 4th series of Endeavour starts in the summer 1967 and ends in the autumn of the same year. Morse gets a call at his home but the caller refuses to speak. Morse traces the call, coming from Leamington and since he suspects Joan was the caller he goes to Leamington and indeed finds Joan there. Joan declines any help and asks Morse not to tell her parents. She refuses to return home, that is not the life she wants. Meanwhile there are murders to solve! en.wikipedia.org:_Endeavour_(TV_series) [02MAR2018]
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'CIRCUS EUROPA' by MICHAEL KVIUM | ART KUNSTHAL
Michael Kvium is putting up some inconvenient questions. With mordant irony and a raw sense of humour, Kvium uncovers the absurdities of our society. I loved it! Michael Kvium (b.1955, Horsens, Denmark) lives and works in Spain and Denmark. www.kunsthal.nl/en/. . . . /michael-kvium/ [27Feb2018]
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JEROEN OERLEMANS, PHOTOGRAPHER | PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBIION
In 2016, Knack commissioned Oerlemans to travel to Libya, where he was shot dead by an IS sniper in the Libyan city of Sirte on October 2nd. For the exhibition ‘Jeroen Oerlemans’, the focus of his widow Boes Hogewind’s choice lies on Oerlemans’ work as a reporter and therefore emphasizes the importance of independent reporting. www.kunsthal.nl/en/. . . . /jeroen-oerlemans/ [27FEB2018]
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MY STREETPHOTOPHY ![]()
[FEB2018]
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FORMAL DRESS: TIES - GOT TO GO ![]()
[26FEB2018]
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RATHER BE THE DEVIL by IAN RANKIN | BOOKS CRIME FICTION ![]() 'A Cold Case Can Still Kill' 'Rather Be the Devil' is the 21st Inspector Rebus crime novel, published in November 2016. It topped the bestseller charts for hardback fiction. The title was inspired by a John Martyn song, from his 1973 album Solid Air. The novel opens with Rebus and his girlfriend, Deborah Quant (who is the latest pathologist in Edinburgh) dining in a restaurant. Rebus is reminded of the death in 1978 of Maria Turquand in the Caledonian hotel which is adjacent to the restaurant. DI Malcolm Fox is at Gartcosh where Police Scotland have the Scottish Crime Campus. He is repatriated to his old station when the HMRC start an investigation into Darryl Christie, the young upstart who has taken over Edinburgh from 'Big Ger' Cafferty. One night, Christie is attacked and whilst there are many suspects, one person, a known crank and false claimant, admits to the attack. Whilst Fox and DI Siobhan Clarke investigate Christie, the strands of their enquiries twist into those that Rebus is investigating, meaning the three get to work together again. Their cooperation is not always according official procedures: Pensioner Rebus has no problem sneaking past reception desks in places where he was a frequent visitor and the visitor cards he knicked from DI Malcolm Fox prove to be of good use to him as well... Rebus remains the scroundrel he's always been! Against this backdrop is a medical complaint that Rebus has a shadow on his lung (which he has named Hank Marvin a.k.a. Brian Robson Rankin: lead guitarist of The Shadows), which leads to him quitting the cigarettes and the alcohol. No mean feat for Rebus! ALso, a Ukranian criminal has 'invested' money with someone in Edinburgh and a considerable sum seems to have gone missing; at a time an investment banker has either done a bunk or has been abducted. Is Darryl Christie involved here or not? A bouncer gets killed, shortly after Rebus interviews him in light of his Mary Turquand investigation. While John Rebus refuses to sit still, 'Big Ger' Cafferty is ready to make a comeback. en.wikipedia.org:_Rather_Be_the_Devil en.wikipedia.org:_Ian_Rankin [23FEB2018]
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CARDINAL | TV CRIME DRAMA SERIES
![]() 'Cardinal' is a Canadian crime drama tv series, which premiered 25Jan2017, on CTV (in English) and Super Écran (in French). John Cardinal is a troubled (his wife is bipolar and taken into care) and brooding police officer in Algonquin Bay, who was removed from the homicide squad due to chief Noelle Dyson's (Kristen Thomson) belief that he was going overboard in his investigation of a missing Native Canadian girl. Lise Delorme comes from a Financial Crime background and is determined to succeed as a proper detective in the field. Her determination puts a strain on her marriage. And her investigation into corruption by Cardinal (which led to the death of a policeman), she finds, is not all that it was supposed to be. On 28Feb2017, CTV renewed Cardinal for a 2nd and 3rd season! Both are to have 6 episodes. I enjoyed the Ontario winter landscape in which this series was filmed. The plot was equally fascinating and I am looking forward to #2 and #3 series of ' CARDINAL'! en.wikipedia.org:_Cardinal_(TV_series) [23FEB2018]
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BREAKING BAD SEASON 1 | TV CRIME DRAMA 'Breaking Bad' is an American tv crime drama series. Walter's family consists of his wife Skyler (Anna Gunn) and children, Walter, Jr. (RJ Mitte) and Holly (Elanor Anne Wenrich). While 'Breaking Bad' is widely regarded as one of the greatest television series of all time, I am not enthusiastic about it. As with most American series too many characters are 'cardboard characters', it is full of sterotypes and LOUD, LOUD, LOUD! [23FEB2018]
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TOYS FOR BOYS: CAMERA EQUIPMENT
[20FEB2018]
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I WILL NOT BE SHAMED by VERONIQUE JANSEN| PHOTOGRAPHY
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Slutshaming. All women and girls may have to deal with this at some point; for their confidence, sexy clothing or behaviour different from others values they can be labelled 'a slut'.. The series of photographs were made by Veronique Jansen. She portrayed proud young women standing up for their own identity, making their own choices. Excellent portraits and a relevant subject. www.museumhilversum.nl/Evenement/i-will-not-be-shamed/ (NL) [17FEB2018]
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2017 CANON ZILVEREN CAMERA | AWARD WINNING PHOTO JOURNALISM
The 'Zilveren Camera' (EN: Silver Camera) is a Dutch photojournalism competition. It is a initiative (started in 1949) of the Nederlandse Vereniging van Fotojournalisten (NVF), a section of the Nederlandse Vereniging van Journalisten. More of my photos on MyFlickr.com [17FEB2018]
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REMEMBER THE TIMES...? | GOLDEN OLDIES It had co-existed with the phonograph cylinder from the late 1880s and had effectively superseded it by around 1912. Records retained the largest market share even when new formats such as the compact cassette were mass-marketed. By the late 1980s, digital media, in the form of the compact disc, had gained a larger market share, and the vinyl record left the mainstream around 1991. Phonograph records are generally described by their diameter in inches (12-inch, 10-inch, 7-inch), the rotational speed in revolutions per minute (rpm) at which they are played (8 1⁄3, 16 2⁄3, 33 1⁄3, 45, 78), and their time capacity, determined by their diameter and speed (LP [long playing], 12-inch disc, 33 1⁄3 rpm; SP [single], 10-inch disc, 78 rpm, or 7-inch disc, 45 rpm; EP [extended play], 12-inch disc, 33 1⁄3 or 45 rpm); their reproductive quality, or level of fidelity (high-fidelity, orthophonic, full-range, etc.); and the number of audio channels (mono, stereo, quad, etc.). Vinyl records may be scratched or warped if stored incorrectly, but if they are not exposed to high heat, carelessly handled or broken, a vinyl record has the potential to last for centuries! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phonograph_record [15FEB2018]
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NO IS NOT ENOUGH by NAOMI KLEIN | BOOKS POLITICS ENVIRONMENT ![]() Klein's 5th book, No Is Not Enough: Resisting Trump's Shock Politics and Winning the World We Need was published in June 2017. It has also been published Internationally with the alternative subtitle Defeating the New Shock Politics. Klein's new study in shock politics is a warning of the enormous toxic potential of the Trump presidency and a call to oppose it. Refusal needs to turn into resistance. As the title suggests, Klein wants her readers to move from refusal to resistance, from a passive stance of opposition to engagement in a programme of action. Turbulence is, at least for the foreseeable future, our new condition, and we must learn to function within it. We have to teach ourselves to stand upright on a moving deck. In 'Trumpworld' there are only two existential categories: winners and losers. Trump stands for winning, and if you oppose him, you are a loser. His support is curiously immune to scandals and failings that would have sunk other politicians, a curious fact that Klein ascribes to the migration of branding into politics. Trump has shown that "you don't need to be objectively good or decent; you only need to be true and consistent to the brand you have created". Trump's brand is that he's the boss and part of being the boss is that the rules don't apply to him. The shock of 9/11 was exploited by various actors to inaugurate a 'security bubble', in which police and security powers were extended and vast resources were diverted from other uses to fight the war on terror. In The Shock Doctrine (2007), Klein argued that there is a playbook for exploiting shock events such as 9/11 and the Iraq war. As she puts it in No Is Not Enough: "Wait for a crisis (or even, in some instances, as in Chile or Russia, help foment one), declare a moment of what is sometimes called 'extraordinary politics', suspend some or all democratic norms - and then ram the corporate wish list through as quickly as possible." Klein notes that Trump's cabinet is packed with "masters of disaster", men whose careers have been based on exploiting shock. Trump's unselfconscious reaction to 9/11 was to see it as a marketing opportunity, remarking to a journalist that he now had the tallest building in Manhattan... Intentionally or not, he has shown himself adept at creating instability, not least in his own workplace, and the fear, as Klein underscores, is that he will be tempted to deliver the ultimate shock in the form of another war! Klein's book is ultimately optimistic, because she believes the power to make change lies in the popular will. She calls on us to recognise that this will has enemies, and they are making havoc. www.theguardian.com/books/2017/.... en.wikipedia.org:_Naomi_Klein [12FEB2018]
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CZAR PETER HOUSE in ZAANDAM,NL | HISTORY
[08FEB2018]
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LONGER WAYS TO GO | PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTO EXHIBITION
This collaboration between Phoenix Art Museum and the University of Arizona’s Center for Creative Photography (CCP), Longer Ways to Go: Photography of the American Road delves deep into the complex dialogue that photography can enter into with a subject dear to many. The exhibition includes work by Edward Weston, Ansel Adams, Robert Frank, Gary Winogrand, Lee Friedlander, Danny Lyon, Ed Ruscha, Joe Deal, Stephen Shore, Richard Avedon, Richard Misrach, Christopher Churchill and Scott B. Davis. See my roadtrip America Southwest 2017 www.phxart.org/longerwaystogo [08FEB2018]
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WYNN BULLOCK - REVELATIONS | PHOTOGRAPHY
Wynn Bullock (1902 – 1975) was born in Chicago and raised in South Pasadena, California. In 1938 Bullock enrolled at the Los Angeles Art Center School. Three years later, his work was showcased in one of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art's early solo photography exhibitions. Bullock was deeply inspired by fellow photographer Edward Weston, who he met in 1948, and Weston’s work motivated him to investigate straight photography. During the early 1960s, Bullock departed from the black-and-white imagery for which he was known and produced a major body of work, Color Light Abstractions. Along with Ansel Adams, Harry Callahan, Aaron Siskind, and Frederick Sommer, he was one of the founding photographers whose archives established the Center for Creative Photography in 1975. In the last decades of his life, he lectured widely, participated in many photographic seminars and symposia, and was a guest instructor for the Ansel Adams Yosemite Workshops. Bullock died at the age of 73 in November 1975. ccp.arizona.edu/artists/wynn-bullock-0 [07FEB2018]
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THE FAMILY OF MAN | PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBIION CATALOGUE
en.wikipedia.org:_The_Family_of_Man [07FEB2018]
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UNIFORMED JUSTICE by DONNA LEON | BOOKS CRIME FICTION
![]() Uniform Justice (2003) by Donna Leon is where her faithful policeman Brunetti faces an unsettling case when a young cadet has been found hanged, a presumed suicide, in Venice's elite military academy. The boy is about the age of his own son. On the one hand Brunetti is sympathetic to the bereaved family - it's obviously a terrible loss to them - but cannot help feeling nothing but contempt for the attitudes of the boy's teachers and his fellow students. This is the 12th book in Donna Leon's Commissario Brunetti-series. I've read them all well out of order, but found that all the Brunetti books read well as standalones. Donna Leon (b.1942- in Montclair, New Jersey) is the American author of a series of crime novels set in Venice and featuring the fictional hero Commissario Guido Brunetti. en.wikipedia.org:_Donna_Leon [28JAN2018]
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FANGAR (PRISONERS) | TV SERIES CRIME DRAMA DVD Linda is sent to serve time in Iceland's only women's prison for a vicious assault that leaves her father in a coma. Relationships, relationships... Linda's sister was married but her husband left her for a man. We see Linda struggling during her first days in prison; she is obviously from a rich background and regards her make up kit as a critical necessity. Linda is sensitive to the social fabric in the prison and conquers her space; ties to the outside world make them vulnerable. [18JAN2018]
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LIAR TV-SERIES | TV FICTION CRIME DRAMA 'Liar' is a thriller series stars Joanne Froggatt (as Laura Nielson) and Ioan Gruffudd (as Andrew Earlham, suspect as a rapist) and debuted on ITV on 11Sep2017. Excellent roles by Zoe Tapper as Katy Sutcliffe (Laura's older sister who works with Andrew at the local hospital), Warren Brown as PC Tom Bailey (Laura's ex-boyfriend) and Shelley Conn as DI Vanessa Harmon. en.wikipedia.org/:_Liar_(TV_series) [14JAN2018]
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THE LONELY CITY by OLIVIA LAING | BOOKS NON-FICTION
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The book is divided into 8 chapters, with each chapter beginning with Laing's experiences being alone in New York, before devolving into reflections on artists and the way in which loneliness permeated their work. In order, the artists discussed are: Straight off I have to say I was immediately taken in when the book started about Edward Hopper ('Nighthawks'!), whose work informed Laing’s own sense of isolation. Olivia Laing (b.1977) is a British writer and cultural critic. She is the author of three books: 'To the River' (2011), 'The Trip to Echo Spring' (2013) and 'The Lonely City' (2016). In 2014 she received the 'Eccles British Library Writers Award'. en.wikipedia.org:_Olivia_Laing [14JAN2018]
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THE AMSTERDAM CANALS by CRIS TOALA OLIVARES | PHOTOGRAPHY
In spite of knowing Amsterdam pretty well, having walked along these famous canals frequently, now seen through the eyes of Ecuadorian photographer Cris Yoala Olivares I see so many new perspectives! Cris Toala Olivares is a Dutch-Ecuadorian photographer born in 1982 in Manta, who has followed an education in Amsterdam. toalaolivares.com [12JAN2018]
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THE RAIN IN PORTUGAL by BILLY COLLINS | POETRY BOOKS ![]() Billy Collins is absolutely one of the best contemporary poets, and his latest collection 'The Rain in Portugal' does a lot of work to show off his strengths. The title of the book is a play on the traditional rhyme, "The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain." This poetry collection of 160 pages (56 poems) would be a great primer for anyone who wants to try to experience poetry. While Collins does play around with convention, he does not take it to the extremes as some contemporary poets do. He is one of the most accessible poets that is out there, and he is perfect for beginners. I read little poetry and have yet to proceed beyond Bukowski and Collins. The latter is more cheerful and friendly. Poetry for different moods. I'd like to quote just two poems, A Restaurant in Moscow (p.49) 'Even here among the overwhelming millions and the audible tremble of history, a solemn trout stared up at me as it lay on its side on a heavy white plate next to some broccoli and shards of broken bread. I could tell from its expression, or lack of expression, that it was pretending not to listen to my silent questions about its previous life- its cold-water adventures, its capable mother- and that its winking at me was a trick of candlelight. But soon, all that was left was the spine and a filigree of bones, so I sat back to finish off the wine and survey this place that had comforted me with its chests of ice where fish were bedded, drawings of fish in frames on the white walls, and the low music. Backed by a hint of guitar sang a broken-hearted woman I imagined to be my waitress who had no English, no I any Russian, and who never once smiled, yet she had waited for me to close my notebook and put away my pen before clearing my plate as if she understood the provocative nature of this trout. And how sweet to realize this only later after I had put on my raincoat and was back in the drizzle of the wide boulevard among pedestrians on their private missions, heading downhill to my hotel, the onion domes of St. Basil's lit up in the distance.' And here is 'Note to J.Alfred Prufrock' (p.69) 'I just dared to eat a really big peach as ripe as it could be and I have on a pair of plaid shorts and a blue tee shirts with a h0le in it and little rivers of juice are now running down my chin and wrist and dripping onto the pool deck. What is your problem, man?' My edition by Random House, New York (2016) is a lovely edition and I always appreciate a last word about the type used, in this case Garamond, described as clear, open and elegant. tiffanyreneeharmon.com/2017/01/26/poetry-review-the-rain-in-portugal/ www.bookreporter.com/reviews/the-rain-in-portugal-poems [08JAN2018]
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DEMOCRACY INC by SHELDON S. WOLIN | BOOKS POLITICS USA
![]() Democracy Incorporated: Managed Democracy and the Specter of Inverted Totalitarianism
While the book was published during the George W. Bush ('George II') Administration, the content also strongly refers to what we see happening during the Donal J. Trump Administration. Perhaps even stronger! [08JAN2018]
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THE NETHERLANDS: OFF THE SHELF by HANS VAN DER MEER | PHOTOGRAPHY
Wherever you go, a country's unique character is more clearly visible in its small towns than in its major cities. Small towns that adopt the aspirations of cities - marketing slogans suggesting a great experience, an amazing future or outstanding business opportunities. The truth is, most of what we see in the public domain is simply ordered from a catalogue - mail order shopping! Hans van der Meer captures this world from a stepladder and shows the Dutch comfortable, common public domain: sometimes trite, often hiding its familiarity in a clutter of objects. www.rrbphotobooks.com [07JAN2018]
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THE LOCH a.k.a. LOCHNESS | TV-SERIES CRIME DRAMA The search for a serial killer (kept silent for a long time) is a once in a lifetime career opportunity for detective Annie Redford, who is trying to cope with her first murder case; her motherly-care for the well-being of her daughter does not sit well with her superior. Laura Fraser is the local DS Annie Redford and Siobhan Finneran is DCI Lauren Quigley, sent over from Glasgow, to take charge of the investigation. The Loch (also known as 'Loch Ness') is a six-part British television drama series, first broadcasted on ITV on 11Jun2017. A small town police officer with the Scottish Highland Police is confronted with her first murder investigation, of piano teacher Niall Swift who is found dead at the bottom of a cliff in the picturesque village of Lochnafoy, Loch Ness. When it becomes apparent that part of Swift's brain has been removed, and a human heart belonging to another victim is found close by, Annie's team realise they are searching for a serial killer. Supporting cast includes Don Gilet as psychological profiler Blake Albrighton, John Sessions as Annie's boss DCI Frank Smilie, Gray O'Brien as Alan Redford, Annie's husband, and William Ash as local tourist operator Leighton Thomas. The series was filmed in the summer of 2016 and was shown in full in the Netherlands and Australia before its British broadcast. In both countries, the series was aired under its original title of Loch Ness. The reason for this change of name is unknown but may have been done so as not to confuse viewers expecting a series about the loch's famous inhabitant... I liked the series, plenty of wide-eyed drama and a pretty good plot in a small village with personal parallel plot lines. Hope for a 2nd series. www.imdb.com/title/tt6734482/ en.wikipedia.org:_The_Loch_(TV_series) [05JAN2018]
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PEAKY BLINDERS #3 | TV-SERIES CRIME DRAMA
[05JAN2018]
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THE MIND'S EYE by HENRI CARTIER-BRESSON | PHOTOGRAPHY MEMOIRS
Henri Cartier-Bresson (1908-2004) began his career in photography in 1930. aperture.org/shop/henri-cartier-bresson-the-minds-eye-book [05JAN2018]
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