Fedora on the Job

Joseph Mitchell's Fedora
Exhibit at the New York Public Library, Stephen A. Schwarzman Building (42nd Street)
From the Manuscripts and Archives Division (acquired in 2015)
November 2017
[Photo By: KPA]

Postmodern Christians

Postmodern Christians (despite all fervent arguments to the contrary) LOL!

The Power of Woman Saving the World in Haute Couture

Nicole Kidman is coiffed and made up by a backstage team of who knows how many so that she can come out onto the Golden Globes stage looking like this.



So tells us this Nicole fan, inadvertently hitting the mark with Kidman's fairy dress. The Time's Out black has channeled darker forces where women stand with uplifted fists in flimsy glittering dresses to attack men and society. It only takes one (male) engineer to turn off those lights at the Globes and render Kidman aflutter. Imagine going to war dressed like a fairy!

The Australian actress gave us a sneak preview of Clare Waight Keller’s debut Spring 2018 Haute Couture collection for Givenchy, wearing a bewitching black gown.

"Wow. The Power of women! Huh!" Nicole mumbles as she accepts her globe

The dress is a Givenchy custom made gown whose price tag is off the charts. No ordinary "Time Outer" could ever in her dreams afford wear a dress like this.

And her accessories are:

Fred Leighton [jewelry], including Art Deco diamond earrings set in platinum; an Art Deco emerald, diamond and black enamel bangle; a 6.10-carat Art Deco old European diamond ring set in platinum; and an Art Deco diamond and platinum ring.

It's Time's Out with a six-figure wardrobe.

Here's a rundown of her hair helmet and makeup war paint:



- Her hair is that now popular manufactured disheveled look promoted by couture coiffeurs
- Cream or moisturizer on the skin
- Primer for her face to "prime" or prepare the skin and allow makeup to stay longer on the skin so it doesn't run in the heat of the spotlight
- Concealer to cover any dark shadows around her eyes or dark spots on her skin
- A foundation base to even out any flaws on her skin
- A highlighter cream to add glow to her face, especially around the cheekbones
- A rose-colored rouge to give her cheeks a youthful blush
- Eye-shadow primer to prepare the lids and lets the shadow stay longer on the lids so it doesn't run in the heat of the spotlight
- Baby blue eye-shadow to bring out her eyes
- Silver glitter eye-shadow on the corners and the top of her lids to make her eyes sparkle
- A pre-mascara treatment for her lashes to protect them from the mascara
- Black waterproof mascara
- False eyelashes, or lash extensions
- Lip "plumper" cream for fuller lips
- "Primer" for the lips to prevent lipstick (or lip gloss) from "flaring out" or from fading
- A lip liner slightly darker than the lipstick or gloss to contour the lips again to prevent lipstick (or lip gloss) from "flaring out"
- Lipstick sightly lighter that the liner applied to the lips using a lip brush
- Lip gloss slightly paler than the Lipstick to add a shimmer to her lips
- And the whole face is sprayed with a makeup setting spray

That's it!

But nothing must be overdone. We don't want her looking like those old, spent Hollywood under cakes makeup, who get called "legends" before they're even dead.

And of course the mandatory black nail polish, with at least a layer of top coating plus two layers of polish to make sure the goth polish stays on and no nail chips off.

Our fashion commentators elaborate:

The dress blackout thing worked out really well for Miss Nicole – at least, from our perspective, since we’ve spent years telling her (i.e., impotently ranting at her image) that she’s one of those rare birds who really come to life when she’s wearing black. Give her a little shimmer and sparkle, a little ruffle and romanticism; render it all in Disney-Witch Black and she never fails to look stunning. We understand why she wouldn’t want to step out in black every time she steps out, but we sure wish she’d stay in the darker end of the spectrum when making her public style choices, instead of defaulting to the washed-out, tea-stained romantic looks she tends to favor more often than not.

At first, we found all the foofaraw on the back a little distracting and silly, but once we decided they were fairy wings, we decided we loved it. Sparkle on, Goth Tinker Bell.

I don't think it is any accident that fairy dust and black goth are the theme this year as these women declared that black was their dress code.

There is a nefarious force creeping its way upward into our world ready, to capture and manipulate any anomalies. Fake News rapes and Woman Power are the perfect ruse to destabilize our world and Godly order to let the serpent in.

The globe has what is actually a reel of film looping around it in a sinewy curve. It is a snake with its head peering at the top. If we wait any longer, we might see its tongue flickering at us. Those Eves in black have already fallen for its charm.



And here is the the perfect man for the Modern Abused Hollywood Warrior Woman:


Keith Urban

Pslam 103

Allan Gardens Conservatory, Toronto
Dusk
Christmas Day, 2010
[Photo By: KPA]


Pslam 103

Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.
6 The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.
7 He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.
8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
9 He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.
10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.
14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.
15 As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.
16 For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.
17 But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children;
18 To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.
19 The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.
20 Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.
21 Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.
22 Bless the Lord, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the Lord, O my soul.

The World in a Sochi Doll

God first gave us man, then family, then tribes, then nations. But without the nations, none of these other things would exist.


Canadian souvenirs for the Sochi Olympics

Genesis 35: 10-12

10 And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel.

11 And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins;

12 And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land.

Oprah! President!

I'm sure this was staged. The "powers that be" at the Golden Globes Equal Opportunity/Gender Equality Committee™ must have said:

"Let's have Oprah ON! Let's give her the Cecile B. DeMille 'Outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment' award. This is Hollywood and we are here to right the wrongs!"

Even though Oprah has made no "outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment." Her two acting roles were mediocre. Her talk show years were not outstanding, unless you find aggressive programs entertaining. She is one of two television personalties to receive this award, but not one that would be classified as an entertainer. Her shows were social and political agendas, treading lightly on many occasion not to instigate undue controversy, to showcase Black Americans and to demean (subtly and cleverly) whites.

Many in her long list of "acting" roles are as herself. One third of her thirty three productions are her own shows: either the Oprah show or affiliated programs such as Oprah's Big Giveaway. Her other productions are forgotten documentaries or made-for-television films (i.e. no-one watches them).

Her feature films deal mostly with contentious civil rights and slavery issues: i.e. evil whites.

Here is an article (published) I wrote about Precious, a film for which she was executive producer.

The only other talk show host to receive the award was Richard Skelton. And he has a long list of acting roles, albeit not in star roles, to his credit. But was a genuine entertainer as a vaudeville, radio, film and burlesque actor and deserving of his "outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment" trophy.

And Oprah is a "Me To-er!" And that is how she addressed her Hollywood audience in her acceptance speech. Carefully, though, since she cannot alienate all those other "outstanding" men; black men especially, and certainly white men too. Amongst these men, there would be a large number of liberals and leftists who would support her "cause" and who would be her biggest allies and supporters.

Because Oprah most definitely will run for President. Think about it: The first Black, Female, Entertainer President of the Untied States. That's killing so many birds with one stone! What an antodte to the current Mr. President. She should have run instead of the pathetic Hillary. What a match we would have had! She must regret that every single day!

And here she came to the Golden Globes to hurl that fury in a speech! "I SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE!!!"

But everything about Oprah always seems staged. A "Fake News."

- Her public speaking is a hyperbole of words with emphases on all the wrong places.
- Her fashion and hair is nether classy nor "indifferent," that fake stance all liberal women put on as they wear their thousand dollar Manolo Blahnik shoes and straight-off-the-runway bedazzled gowns.

Look at Oprah's dress: Black with glitter and VERSACE!!!! And her shoes are crystal-encrusted pumps

And this clueless fan tells us:

She stunned wearing a custom-made Atelier Versace off the shoulder, fitted long sleeved black velvet gown with Swarovski crystal encrusted accents along the neckline and waist.

"We Rock!"
Abused Movie Stars at the GGs in their haute couture dresses

By the way "custom made" at what cost? There is no information yet on the price of the gown out in the fashion blogs (although Oprah can censor that bit of information) but Michelle Obama's custom-made Versace gown from 2016 cost her (or the American people) 12,000 dollars.

And in a fashion show of evening dresses (I cannot say "gowns" since some are mini-skirts) called "Ballgowns, à la Versace" this article tells us:

Couture shows – the highest echelon of fashion, with made-to-measure frocks, private clients and six-figure prices – always highlight the craft of fashion as well as the fantasy.

So much for equality and ordinary people.

So why is she running?

For a "New Day?"

Really?

Listen to her speech below.



Oprah is part of the bigger movement in America (and Canada) to complete the usurpation the Western culture and tradition from America and render it a black/brown dominated country.

For how long will whites put up with this? For how long will they stand around as they get called all kinds of names and accused of all kinds of crimes? How long before they turn around and call Oprah and ilk racists and hypocrites?

How long before they take back their land?

Birthdays

Book of Hours
France, Paris, ca. 1425-1430
MS M.453 fol. 12r

Month, December -- Zodiac Sign: Capricornus: Hybrid animal with foreparts of goat.
Margins decorated with border of foliate ornament inhabited by pig standing next to man, wearing hat, raising axe with both hands behind head (Month, Occupation: December).

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[From my post on January, 10 2015]

The source of these images, as far as I can find, is "an illuminated manuscript Book of Hours on vellum. - Paris, ca. 1485." More at The Morgan Museum and Library here

Sanderus

...specialise[s] in antiquarian books, medieval manuscripts, antique maps and prints from the 15th to the 18th centuries.

The company is named after the Flemish scholar Antoon Sanders (who "Latinized his name to Antonius Sanderus").

It looks like Sanders sells original books, which I deduced from the price of the book, which is about US$3,000.

I also did a preliminary transaction to authenticate the site, and they have sent me a username and password, with the name of print I sent in.

So, I can say with almost 100% certainty that this print is an original 16th century print. But, I would have thought that it would have been purchased by a gallery or a museum.

Books of Hours were:

...richly illuminated...form[ing] an important record of life in the 15th and 16th centuries as well as the iconography of medieval Christianity. Some of them were also decorated with jewelled covers, portraits, and heraldic emblems. Some were bound as girdle books for easy carrying, though few of these or other medieval bindings have survived. Luxury books, like the Talbot Hours of John Talbot, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury, may include a portrait of the owner, and in this case his wife, kneeling in adoration of the Virgin and Child as a form of donor portrait. In expensive books, miniature cycles showed the Life of the Virgin or the Passion of Christ in eight scenes decorating the eight Hours of the Virgin, and the Labours of the Months and signs of the zodiac decorating the calendar. Secular scenes of calendar cycles include many of the best known images from books of hours, and played an important role in the early history of landscape painting.

Many astrological explanations focus on the "goat" of Capricorn, but there is also the tail:

[W]hile Capricorns are able to climb life’s mountain peaks and succeed, they’re also able to plumb the emotional oceans of life and one of the least known qualities about a Capricorn, is how spiritually in tune they are. Many Capricorns have an inexplicable sixth sense that comes from this aspect of their nature. Capricorn is a complex and contradictory Sign and this comes from it being part goat, part fish.

Book of Hours
France, Paris, ca. 1425-1430
MS M.453 fol. 12r

Month, December -- Zodiac Sign: Capricornus: Hybrid animal with foreparts of goat.
Margins decorated with border of foliate ornament inhabited by pig standing next to man, wearing hat, raising axe with both hands behind head (Month, Occupation: December).

Asheknazy Acquisition: New York City

Asheknazy Acquisition: New York

[Photo By KPA: Mid-town New York City, November 2017]

Christmas

Innocent as a dove?

Matthew 10:16:

Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

This post below is from Camera Lucida posted on November 22, 2008. I just saw the film again and was struck by its superior cinematography.


Detective McPherson in front of Laura's portrait

Otto Preminger's Film Noir Laura is shot in muted high contrast black and white film, with very few of the edgy angular shots and harsh shadows characteristic of the genre. But its protagonist, a beautiful, kind and sophisticated young woman, is also not your typical femme fatale.

Laura, who says things like "I never have been and I never will be bound by anything I don't do with my own free will", and who's made a highly successful career in an advertising firm, cannot get it right when it comes to the men she would marry (or frequent).

Everybody loves Laura, from her house help, to her homosexual writer friend and mentor, and finally the detective who first falls in love with her "dead" persona. Each person finds his own reasons for loving her: for the writer Waldo Lydecker, she is someone with whom he can share his sophisticated lifestyle; for the maid, she is a kind and empathetic employer; for her fiancé-to-be Shelby, she is the generous heiress; and even Detective McPherson falls under her spell - albeit apparently dead - since she is someone whom he can rescue (or fantasize about?).

Yet Laura's innocence (purity) is what causes all the mayhem. Her choice of men - the possessive Lydecker and her cheating fiancé Shelby, and even the painter of her portrait (which causes the Det. McPherson to fall in love with her) - are not pleasant characters. Except perhaps for the Det. McPherson. It is her association with these shady men that results in murder.

It is rare that a film portrays a good, kind woman in this manner. Usually, femme fatales are arrogant, conniving women, who deliberately manipulate all those around them.

And this is testament to the sophistication of these earlier films, which were able to tap into the paradox of real characters. Laura never sets out to be destructive, yet she had her own subtle narcissism - "I never have been and I never will be bound by anything I don't do with my own free will" - which set the stage for the disaster that was to follow.

It is like the quote from Matthew 10:16:
Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
It is never enough to be a harmless dove, but also a wise serpent. Laura, in her innocence, and her self-centeredness, never felt it necessary to develop her wisdom. Her intelligence and goodwill (and her beauty) only took her thus far.

Basics

Via James Perloff

A New Dawn

Dawn, New Year 2018

[Photo By: KPA
January 1, 2018]

Happy Climate Change: Oops: New Year!!!!

Dawn, January 1, 2018
[Photo: KPA]

A frozen Lake Ontario is in the horizon

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Lake Effect Clouds:

What happens is that the cold dry air is coming in from the west and picks up moisture, as I described above. The air over the warmer lakes is rising, though. The cold air is blowing above it, acting like a lid to the rising warm, moist air. The rising air is stopped, and flows around to either side (imagine a plume of, say, cigarette smoke hitting the ceiling; at the top it splits and flows away from the plume with circular vortices). It cools and sinks, forming two circular patterns that rotate horizontally in opposite directions. The wind stretches them out, blowing them downwind, forming long streamers. This happens all up and down the coast, so you get a big series of cylindrical clouds, each one rotating in the opposite sense of the one next to it.

For Auld Lang Syne

Auld Lang Syne
Sang by: Ronnie Browne
Poem by: Robert Burns
Melody: Sixteenth Century Schotland, attributed to David Rizzio,
an Italian courtier who became the private secretary of Mary, Queen of Scots.

English translation here

------------------------------------------------------------------

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne!

Chorus:
For auld lang syne, my jo,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet
For auld lang syne.

And surely you'll be your pint stoup,
And surely I'll be mine,
And we'll tak a cup o' kindness yet
For auld lang syne!

Chorus

We twa hae ran about the braes,
And pou'd the gowans fine,
But we've wander'd monie a weary fit
Sin' auld lang syne.

Chorus

We twa hae paidl'd in the burn
Frae morning sun til dine,
But seas between us braid hae roar'd
Sin' auld lang syne.

Chorus

And there's a hand, my trusty fiere,
And gie's a hand o' thine,
And we'll tak a right gude willie waught
For auld lang syne!

Chorus

A Happy New Year