CREATIVE CHALLENGE #38 DELICIOUS

DELICIOUS

Delicious was her name,

but she was sour grapes to me

The only thing we had in common,

I was a He and

She was a She.

JOHN MARTYN (SEPT.11, 1948-- JAN. 29, 2009) YOUR MUSIC LIVES

THE WILD MAN OF FOLK DIES AGED 60

Tributes paid to John Martyn, hellraiser whose haunting music was loved by millions

BY Johanthan Brown, THE INDEPENDENT, Arts and Entertainment on Line.

"I can't not believe in a creator," Martyn (said), his Jack Russell terrier, Gizmo, now asleep on his lap. "The birds sing too beautifully and the trout are too speckled."  THE INDEPENDENT Obitutaries Jan 30, 2009

John Martyn, the folk-blues singer whose extraordinary voice and virtuoso musicianship beguiled a generation by speaking directly from the dark pit of his soul, has died at the age of 60. Best known for his 1973 masterpiece Solid Air, the title track of which was written for his friend and fellow tortured genius the late Nick Drake, Martyn's songs spoke of loneliness and love always wrapped up in the most beautiful of musical accompaniments.

Alongside his remarkable guitar-playing, Martyn's voice oozed naked emotion and his work was always highly autobiographical. Able to command the services of the world's top musicians, he played alongside Richard Thompson, Dave Gilmour and Eric Clapton. He counted Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix as friends.

His death was announced on the singer's website yesterday. A statement said: "With heavy heart and an unbearable sense of loss we must announce that John died this morning." The cause of death is not known.

Among those to pay tribute were former Genesis drummer Phil Collins, who said that despite his personal problems, Martyn was a truly original songwriter and performer. "He was uncompromising, which made him infuriating to some people, but he was unique and we'll never see the likes of him again. I loved him dearly and will miss him very much," Collins added.

Martyn was plagued with alcoholism, hitting the self-destruct button after the break-up of his marriage to his wife Beverley. However, he only drank moderately in later life, he insisted. He suffered from diabetes and, in 2003, had a leg amputated below the knee as the result of a burst cyst though he once claimed it was due to crashing his car into a cow. He spent the rest of his life in a wheelchair. Returning to the stage after the operation he said: "I promised them I wouldn't get legless before the gig."

Despite the sensitivity of his songs, he was regarded as difficult and prickly, often slurring through performances much the worse for drink. In a recent interview he said: "If I could control myself more, I think the music would be much less interesting. I'd probably be a great deal richer but I'd have had far less fun and I'd be making really dull music."

John Martyn in 1975

He was awarded an OBE in this the recent New Year Honours.

He was born Iain David McGeachy in New Malden, Surrey, but grew up in Glasgow where he was raised by his grandmother and was proud of his Scottish roots. Music was in the blood. His parents were opera singers but divorced when he was five.

Martyn's life was textbook rock star, having come of age in the acid-soaked 1960s and finding himself in a series of improbable scrapes largely as a result of his lifestyle. He once said: "I've been mugged in New York and luckily I fought my way out of it. I've been shot a couple of times as well but I just lay down and pretended to be dead."

His obituary in THE INDEPENDENT:  http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/john-martyn-pioneering-singersongwriter-who-blended-folk-with-jazz-and-played-with-eric-clapton-and-dave-gilmour-1520361.html

 
  

PICTURES TO WORDS #4 TALES TO TELL

 

The Couch

Almost covered

in the rushes and drift;

Were babies made on it,

entwined passions,

Memories certainly were

laughter, and tears.

Was this dumped into nature

by today’s barbarians,

or washed up,

debris from a past flood,

erasing places, things, and memories,

until the sensitive wander by,

and wonder. . .

******

Welcome to

Picture To Words

a weekly, fun literary experience!

From Heather:

For me, pictures and words just go together. I never look at a picture or photograph without wondering about the subject matter and marvelling at the series of events which brought a particular picture about, at precisely this moment.

Rules of the Game:

* Each week, on a Sunday, I will post up a picture to encourage you to exercise your creativity and encourage you to write..even just a few words.

* While no subject is taboo, please keep in mind that this is a family friendly site and if your writing has adult content please notify us all in the link you leave here.

* There are no deadlines, so while a new picture may go up each week, feel free to 'catch-up' with past pictures too if and when they move you.

* This site is meant for all types and levels of writing, it is here to help us all grow and to give ourselves an outlet, a medium within which to share our creativity.

* After you have written your piece, come back and leave a link here so that others may view your work.

* For any personal issues feel free to use the PM method

Please don't forget to make those blogs open to everyone!

This week its Storytime, tell yours in 1000 words or less

with this pic as your prompt!

PICTURE PERFECT CONSERVE

How often have we heard the words in voice or print:

CONSERVE ENERGEY

Moss Landing Harbor, Calif.

Camera is a Kodak Easyshare 612

SEA LIONS TO THE LEFT OF ME, SEA LIONS TO THE RIGHT

Actually had a good day for a change, not pain free, never pain free, but within the levels many of us are living with.  A level we learn to live with and accept as normal.  Took a drive over to Moss Landing and made sure I remembered the camera.  I paid for the drive later in the afternoon, but it was worth it to be out and about for a while.

 

 

To the right of this picture is raised walkway and a restaurant, recently rebuilt after a fire.  The boat dock originally was made so boaters could tie up and  go into the restaurant, and for local fishermen.  but alas, the best laid plans of building departments.

 

So thick they have to walk on each other, makes for loud and boisterous sea lions.

 

They find a place, even if it is on top of someone else.  The poor fellow in the center bottom is trying to squeese out, he wanted back into the water.

 

 

 

Pure comfort.

 

More pics will be forthcoming. Not sure how long I watched them for, it was certainly enjoyable, especially seeing them trying to find a spot open enough for them to jump up into. Most of the time they just land on another Sea Lion, and depending on size either force they way on, or are pushed back into the water.

WRITERS' BLOCK # 54 -- SO FEW OF US

SO FEW OF US

This is the way we live now,

so few of us

cocooned into concrete and steel,

thermal glass allowing us distorted views

of The Outside,

as if there were anything left to see.

*****

If you wish to find out more about WRITERS' BLOCK 

this link is a good place to start, please join in the fun,  The Rules 

MONO MONDAY PLUS 28 HIDE AND SEEK

HIDE AND SEEK

Our minds are wonderful creations, Gator's challenge this week is to let our minds wander,and wonder, and see.  Rumor has it, he also has contracts with several institutes and sanitoriums depending on our answers. . .

The Original was an ocean setting:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I used the mirage tool

I rotated it 90 degrees, cropped, and used a Navy Blue mask, to keep a water feel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

And the outcome:  

 

IN THE SHADOW OF SATURN

One of my favorite sites on the net, the NASA/JPL gallery, Kind of makes you feel very small. . .       In the Shadow of Saturn
Credit:  Cassini Imaging Team, SSI, JPL, ESA, NASA

Explanation: In the shadow of Saturn, unexpected wonders appear. The robotic Cassini spacecraft now orbiting  Saturn recently drifted in giant planet's  shadow for about 12 hours and looked back toward the eclipses Sun.  Cassini saw a view unlike any other. First, the  night wside of Saturn  is seen to be partly lit by light reflected from its own majestic ring system.  Next, the rings themselves appear dark when silhouetted  against Saturn, but quite bright when viewed away from Saturn, slightly scattering sunlight, in this exaggerated color image. Saturn's rings light up so much that new rings were discovered, although they are hard to see in the image. Seen in spectacular detail, however, is Saturn's E ring, the ring created by the newly discovered ice-fountains of the moon Enceladus and the outermost ring visible above. Far in the distance, at the left, just above the bright main rings, is the almost ignorable pale blue dot of Earth.

 
  

ALLIGATOR MISSISSIPPIENSIS EVERYTHING TO KNOW ABOUT GATORS

Alligator Mississippiensis, the latin for Gator.  I am not making this up, Gator's official scientific name is Mississippiensis.  Now how would you pronounce that?  This is rather soon after the last Gator episode, but I just came across this USGS article and  just could not wait to post it, sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. And just what the heck does Gator Flavored Beer taste like!!!?? Please Please do not say chicken!!--JohnOh--

 

Our Gator a trend setting fashion guru.

John Sullivan  (ribbitphotography)

 

Alligator mississippiensis   (Daudin, 1801)

Common Name: American Alligator

Synonyms and Other Names: gator, lagarto

Identification: Alligator mississippiensis is a robust crocodilian with a total length of 1.8-5 m (6-16.5 ft), and a record length of 5.84 m (19 ft 2 in) (Conant and Collins, 1998).  American alligators can be distinguished from Crocodylus acutus, the American crocodile, and Caiman crocodilus, common caiman, by the presence of a broad, rounded snout, without conspicuous teeth protruding while the mouth is closed (especially the lower 4th tooth) (Behler and King, 1979; Conant and Collins, 1998; Powell et al., 1998).  Unlike C. crocodilus, alligators lack a prominent bony ridge in front of and between the eyes (Behler and King, 1979; Conant and Collins, 1998; Powell et al., 1998).  See the species accounts titled "Crocodylus acutus (Cuvier, 1807)" and "Caiman crocodilus (Linnaeus, 1758)" on this website for comparison.  The general dorsal coloration is black, but light juvenile markings may be present in adults; young have bold, yellowish crossbands on a black background (Grenard, 1991; Conant and Collins, 1998).  The voice of both males and females is a throaty, deep, bellowing roar (McIlhenny, 1935; Elliott, 1994; Conant and Collins, 1998).  Elliott (1994) has made a recording of this penetrating roar available on a CD.  Females may grunt like pigs when calling to their young (McIlhenny, 1935; Conant and Collins, 1998).

John Sullivan  (ribbitphotography)

American alligators have been illustrated by numerous authors over the years; the list provided here is not exhaustive (Reese, 1912; McIlhenny, 1935; Neill, 1971; Guggisberg, 1972; Carr, 1973; Mount, 1975; Perrero, 1975; Smith and Smith, 1977; Behler and King, 1979; Toops, 1979; Martof et al., 1980; Smith and Brodie, 1982; Garrett and Barker, 1987; Webb et al., 1987; [Sievert] and Sievert, [1988]; Dundee and Rossman, 1989; Hirschhorn, 1989; Lazell, 1989; Ross, 1989; Ross and Magnusson, 1989; Ashton and Ashton, 1991; Carmichael and Williams, 1991; Glasgow, 1991; Grenard, 1991; Mahony, 1991; Ross and Ernst, 1994; Palmer and Braswell, 1995; Lamar, 1997; Conant and Collins, 1998; Magnusson, 1998; Powell et al., 1998; Bartlett and Bartlett, 1999a, b; Behler, 1999; Zug et al., 2001).

Size: total length of 1.8 - 5 m

Native Range: The indigenous range of A. mississippiensis is from coastal North Carolina south to southern Florida and the Keys, and westward through the Deep South to central Texas and extreme southeastern Oklahoma (Martof, 1956; Duellman and Schwartz, 1958; Webb, 1970; Mount, 1975; Stevenson, 1976; Martof et al., 1980; Lohoefener and Altig, 1983; Garrett and Barker, 1987; Groombridge, 1987; Moler, 1988; [Sievert] and Sievert, [1988]; Carpenter and Krupa, 1989; Dundee and Rossman, 1989; King, 1989, 2000; Lazell, 1989; Ross and Magnusson, 1989; Ashton and Ashton, 1991; Carmichael and Williams, 1991; Gibbons and Semlitsch, 1991; Grenard, 1991; Ross and Ernst, 1994; Palmer and Braswell, 1995; Conant and Collins, 1998; Bartlett and Bartlett, 1999a, b; Behler, 1999; Dixon, 2000; Meshaka et al., 2000).  American alligators may eventually be found in Mexico in localities adjacent to the Texas border (Smith and Smith, 1976, 1977, 1993; Ross and Ernst, 1994).  Over much of its range A. mississippiensis has been eliminated, making an accurate determination of its modern distribution difficult (Ross and Ernst, 1994; Conant and Collins, 1998).

 
Most of us know Gator is well traveled, but man, who knew to this extent.  Our own lovable Mississippiensis has made it from east to west and north to south and beyond this great country.  Might just explain some of the strange fauna that has been reported over the years in different places. --JohnOh--

                                    Interactive maps: Continental US, Hawaii, Puerto Rico

Nonindigenous Occurrences:

Arizona:  In 1990, two A. mississippiensis were collected from the Papago Park Ponds, Phoenix, Maricopa County (M. Demlong, personal communication 1997).

California:  In 1954, a 3 m A. mississippiensis was collected from the Colorado River in an unspecified county (Bury and Luckenbach, 1978).  Rumors of nonindigenous crocodilians living in the waterways of California are common (Bury and Luckenbach, 1976).  A single individual was captured in a back yard in Napa in 2005 (AP 2005).  A single specimen is living in Lake Machado in Los Angeles county as of October, 2005 (Rane 2005).

Colorado:  An A. mississippiensis was collected from the Boulder Country Club, Boulder, Boulder County in 1978 (Livo et al., 1998).  In 1991, two American alligators escaped from a roadside zoo into the Colorado River near Fruita, Mesa County (Livo et al., 1998).

Indiana:  Small alligators are frequently collected from various localities (not specified) in Indiana (Minton, 2001). In 2002, a 2 foot long alligator was collected in South Bend, Indiana by residents who spotted the creature by their side door (Beltz, 2002).

Missouri:  An A. mississippiensis was collected from a pond off Sinks Road near the town of Ferguson, St. Louis County in 2003 (Bergman, 2003).

New York:  Numerous records of nonindigenous A. mississippiensis exist for the state of New York (Mikkelson and Mikkelson, 2001).  In Orange County, an A. mississippiensis was found in a stream in Middletown in 1927, and another on a residential lawn in Port Jervis 1929 (Mikkelson and Mikkelson, 2001).  In Westchester County, an American alligator was found in bushes at an estate in Pleasantville in 1931, and two others, one in Northern Yonkers and another dead one near the Grassy Sprain Reservoir, in 1935 (Mikkelson and Mikkelson, 2001).  A 4-ft, "exhausted" A. mississippiensis was collected from the East River, Suffolk County, by a barge captain in 1937 (Mikkelson and Mikkelson, 2001).  In Kings County, an A. mississippiensis was collected from a trashcan at the Brooklyn Museum station in 1937 (Mikkelson and Mikkelson, 2001).  In Westchester, Bronx County, five alligators were collected from Huguenot Lake in 1938, and another from the Kensico Reservoir in 1982 (Mikkelson and Mikkelson, 2001).  In 1935 a 6-ft A. mississippiensis was collected while escaping from a sewer in New York City (Mikkelson and Mikkelson, 2001).  This last report could be partially responsible for the urban myth of a population of alligators inhabiting New York City's sewage system; however, the tall tale told by T. May in Daley (1959) of a colony of American alligators living in the sewers beneath the city did much to promote this popular myth (Mikkelson and Mikkelson, 2001).  A mississippiensis was captured in the town of Wayland, Steuben County, New York ( 10NBC email news 2003).

In 23 June 2001, a 4-ft A. mississippiensis was observed living in Scajaquada Creek, Buffalo, Erie County (Anonymous, 2001a, b; Beebe, 2001a, b).  After pursuit and much publicity it was eventually collected from the creek on 27 June (Anderson and Habuda, 2001; Anonymous, 2001b; Beebe, 2001c; Heaton-Jones, 2001).

New Jersey:  In Essex County, a hunt was organized to collect alligators seen in the Passaic River, Belleville, in 1933 (Mikkelson and Mikkelson, 2001).  In Union County, an A. mississippiensis was collected from Lake Mindowaskin, Westfield, in 1942 (Mikkelson and Mikkelson, 2001).

North Carolina:  Nonindigenous A. mississippiensis are known from the North Carolina counties of Camden, Gates, Harnett, Moore, Richmond, Scotland, and Wilson (Palmer and Braswell, 1995).

Oklahoma:  Nonindigenous juvenile American alligators frequently show up as released pets throughout Oklahoma (Webb, 1970; [Sievert] and Sievert, [1988]).  These sightings obfuscate the status and distribution of rare indigenous American alligators in the extreme southeastern corner of the state ([Sievert] and Sievert, [1988]).

Pennsylvania:  In 2004, a A. mississippiensis was collected in the Alleheny River near the dam in Harmarville, Alleheny County. (Weisberg, 2004)

Texas:  There has been speculation that the A. mississippiensis populations in the Brownsville area, Cameron County, and the lower Rio Grande Valley are actually the result of nonindigenous introductions made between 1907 and 1956 (Conant, 1977; Smith and Kohler, 1978; Conant and Collins, 1998).

Virginia:  Nonindigenous A. mississippiensis have been collected from the counties of Accomack (Lucas Creek in Newport News) in 1974, Hampton (Hampton city) in 1982, Louisa (Lake Anna) in 1978, Stafford (Aquia Creek) in 1982, and Virginia Beach (Lake Smith) in 1969 (Mitchell, 1994).

West Virginia:  An A. mississippiensis was collected in Raleigh County in 1928 (Green and Pauley, 1987).  Prior to 1987, M. Seidel received reports of American alligators from Lincoln and Wayne Counties (Greene and Pauley, 1987).

Means of Introduction: In most instances A. mississippiensis shows up in nonindigenous localities because they are escaped or deliberately released pets; these include animals introduced to New York (Mikkelson and Mikkelson, 2001), Union County, New Jersey (Mikkelson and Mikkelson, 2001), West Virginia (Green and Pauley, 1987), Virginia (Mitchell, 1994), Indiana (Minton, 2001), Oklahoma (Webb, 1970; [Sievert] and Sievert, [1988]), Boulder, Colorado (Livo et al., 1998), and probably Arizona and North Carolina.

The alligators spotted in Essex County, New Jersey, may have escaped a lagoon in Military Park, Newark (Anonymous in Mikkelson and Mikkelson, 2001).  Perhaps they had been part of a public animal display.  The A. mississippiensis collected from Mesa County, Colorado, escaped from a roadside zoo (Livo et al., 1998), while the one collected from the Colorado River in California had been released (intentionally?) from a traveling carnival (Bury and Luckenbach, 1978).

Conant (1977) suggested that an animal dealer intentionally established the A. mississippiensis population found in the Brownsville area of Cameron County, Texas.

Status: All the American alligators found in New York have been collected (Anderson and Habuda, 2001; Anonymous, 2001a, b; Beebe, 2001c; Heaton-Jones, 2001; Mikkelson and Mikkelson, 2001).  They are not established in this state nor could they survive the cold winters, and the story of alligators dwelling in New York City sewers is simply a well-entrenched myth (Mikkelson and Mikkelson, 2001).

One of the alligators found in Union County, New Jersey, was collected; although there is no further word about the success of the 1933 great gator hunt started on the Passaic River in Essex County (Mikkelson and Mikkelson, 2001).

All A. mississippiensis from Virginia, West Virginia, Indiana, and California were collected with no further evidence of established populations (Bury and Luckenbach, 1978; Green and Pauley, 1987; Mitchell, 1994; Minton, 2001).

Palmer and Braswell (1995) provide little detail of nonindigenous A. mississippiensis in North Carolina, but suggest some individuals are "thriving." There is no evidence of reproduction.

There is a possibility that introduced American alligators in Oklahoma may establish populations in or near the southeastern corner of the state; thus interacting with indigenous populations in this region ([Sievert] and Sievert, [1988]).

The A. mississippiensis populations in the Brownsville area, Cameron County, and the surrounding lower Rio Grande Valley are established but some authors suggest they could be nonindigenous (Conant, 1977; Conant and Collins, 1998).  Since alligators were reported from the Brownsville region before the presumptive introductions took place (Baird, 1859), they are probably indigenous (Ross and Ernst, 1994).  Indigenous populations may have simply been augmented by intentional introductions (Conant, 1977).

 

 

 

 

 

Always popular where ever he goes!!  Sometimes VERY popular.

 

 

The A. mississippiensis in Boulder, Colorado, was collected (Livo et al., 1998).  Only one of the American alligators was collected from the Colorado River, Mesa County, Colorado; the other was never recaptured, but there is no evidence of an established population (Livo et al., 1998).

The American alligators from Phoenix, Arizona, were collected (M. Demlong, personal communication 1997); however, Howland (1996) lists this species as "not well established" in Arizona.

Impact of Introduction: There is no evidence that any of the nonindigenous occurrences of American alligators have had any impact on indigenous ecosystems; however, an established population of these massive carnivores in a southwestern state could negatively impact indigenous fauna.  The introductions in Oklahoma, and the presumptive introduction in Cameron County, Texas, could compromise the genetic integrity of extant indigenous populations.  As mentioned above, the status of indigenous alligators in Oklahoma could be obfuscated, thus creating difficulties when deciding conservation measures and future protective legislation.

A large alligator is a potentially dangerous carnivore.  While attacks on humans are exceedingly rare, they do occur on occasion (Pooley et al., 1989; Ashton and Ashton, 1991; Anonymous, 2002).

Remarks: The taxonomy of A. mississippiensis has been reviewed or summarized by Smith and Smith (1977), King (1989), Ross and Ernst (1994), and Crother et al. (2000).  Liner (1994) provides a Spanish vernacular name for the American alligator.  Brisbin et al. (1986), Gibbons and Semlitsch (1991), and Ross and Ernst (1994) provide the best literature reviews of the natural history of alligators.  A variety of authors have contributed to or summarized the natural history and biology of American alligators (Reese, 1912; McIlhenny, 1935; Neill, 1971; Carr, 1973, 1976; Mount, 1975; Lang, 1987, 1989; Dundee and Rossman, 1989; Vliet, 1989; and a variety of contributions compiled by Webb et al., 1987).

Alligator mississippiensis is an aquatic, omnicarnivorous reptile capable of living in many types of waterways, both natural and man-made, and feeding upon almost any fauna it can catch (McIlhenny, 1935; Neill, 1971; Mount, 1975; Dundee and Rossman, 1989; Ashton and Ashton, 1991).   Some alligators dig deep holes with connecting dens than can remain filled with water during droughts, thus maintaining an aquatic environment for indigenous fauna (McIlhenny, 1935; Neill, 1971; Carr, 1973; Dundee and Rossman, 1989; Grenard, 1991).  Courtship and mating involves complex visual and auditory displays directed at prospective mates and competitors (McIlhenny, 1935; Lang, 1987, 1989; Vliet, 1989).  The female buries her hard-shelled eggs in a nest she constructs of dead vegetation and the surrounding muck (McIlhenny, 1935; Dundee and Rossman, 1989; Ashton and Ashton, 1991).  Females exhibit varying degrees of parental care by guarding the nest, releasing hatchlings from the nest and eggs, and transporting them to water in her mouth (Kushlan and Simon, 1981; Lang, 1987; Shine, 1988; Magnusson et al., 1989).  Young may remain in a protective crèche with the mother and sometimes other adults for a considerable length of time, sometimes exceeding a year (Lang, 1987, 1989; Shine, 1988; Magnusson et al., 1989).

 

American alligators are subject to a variety of state and federal regulations (Levell, 1997); they should not be obtained by anyone before such legislation is understood along the responsibility that goes with keeping them as captives.

References

Author: Louis A. Somma

Revision Date: 6/30/2005

Citation for this information:
Louis A. Somma. 2009. Alligator mississippiensis. USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database, Gainesville, FL.
<http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.asp?speciesID=221> Revision Date: 6/30/2005

 
  

CREATIVE CHALLENGE #36 QUIET IS THE NIGHT

So sorry, my Muse turned up, but was only half here, she attends way to many Muse Parties, Gator's Muse has given my Muse some questionable habits. . .I started the challenge with the wrong phrase (the second poem is the first), so I rewrote it (the first poem is the second)  Hope you enjoy, and this all makes sense. . .

Peaceful Is The Night

Peaceful is the night

in curtained mist

Quiet is the night

mist draping into dew

 

Cold is the night

dew gently settling

over comrades and foes alike

in diamond shrouds

 

Peaceful is the night

 Quiet are the nameless

 friends and foes alike

sleeping under diamond shrouds

 

Nameless is the silence

of friends and foes alike

embraced in eternity

in the Quiet of the night.

 

QUIET IS THE NIGHT

Quiet is the night

in curtained mist

Quiet is the night

mist draping into dew

 

Cold is the night

dew gently settling

 over comrades and foes alike

in diamond shrouds

 

Quiet is the night

Quiet are the nameless

the friends and foes alike

sleeping in diamond shrouds

 

Nameless is the silence

of friends and foes alike

embraced in eternity

Peacful is the night.

 

PICTURE PERFECT -- DISORDERED

DISORDERED

 

 

 

Forgot to mention the Camera is a Kodak EasyShare Z612. 

I AM DONE

I have always enjoyed Don Francisco, his ballads, story songs are among the best.  One of my favorites, it does not need any graphics or pictures, close your eyes, and imagine:

Too Small a Price / Joy

I awoke to hear the jailer turn the key and push the door
"Get out here!" he shouted, but I stayed there on the floor
Frozen in the terror that rose and filled my brain
For I knew what they intended; I could not face the pain

Then soldier's came into the cell and they dragged me to the yard
They threw me down before a cross and brought the whip down hard
"Carry it!" they shouted as I struggled to my feet
I put my shoulder under it; dragged it to the street

I stumbled through a wall of screams as they drove me through the gate
It seemed that thousands lined the streets, their voices filled with hate
Like a wolf pack in the night that moves in for the kill
They closed the gap and followed us as we started up the hill

And it seemed I'd barely reached the top when they grabbed me from behind
They threw the cross down under me and tied the ropes that bind
The arms close to the beams as they nailed the feet and hands
And they raised the cross up in the air and dropped it in it's stand

Through a blur of pain I saw the cross there next to mine
There were people all around it so I looked to read the sign
It was nailed there up above His head so the world could see the news
That the man who seemed so helpless there was the King of all the Jews

Well, the crowd that stood around His cross made jokes about His name
They shouted, laughed and spat on Him so I joined in the game
Then I said, "Hey! if you're the King why don't You get us down from here?
The taunt just sounded hollow and it echoed in my ears

'Cause He looked at me with eyes that seemed to reach into my heart
They shone a light on all my lies and tore my life apart
There was more that lay behind His gaze than simply blood and clay
But knowing was too much for me; I had to look away

Then I chanced another look at Him as He was looking down
Where the soldiers who'd just crucified us drank there on the ground
And although He spoke them quietly, somehow His words came through
He said, "Father, please forgive them; they don't know what they do."

Then as if they'd heard Him speaking, the crowd began to roar
Whipped to frenzy by the priests who urged them on to more
But the worse the accusations, now, the plainer I could see
The guilt of the accusers -- not the One there next to me

Then the man upon the other cross began to curse and swear
But his voice was filled with venom as he hurled it through the air
When all the horror that was in him, and had laid his life to waste
Came out in every syllable he flung in Jesus' face

And Jesus only looked at him, but something rose inside of me
And in spite of all that watched us there, it couldn't be denied
Because His righteousness and innocence were shining bright and strong
I just couldn't keep my silence and that cursing still went on

I cried out, "Don't you fear the wrath of God even at the end?
You'll curse us both into the pit -- is that what you intend?
We're only getting what we're due -- we've sinned our whole lives long
But don't you talk to Him that way -- He's done nothing wrong!"


Then with all my courage, in a voice not quite my own
I asked Him, "Lord, remember me when you come into your throne."
He answered me and even then, His love was undisguised
He said, "Before the sun has set today, you'll be with Me in Paradise."

Well the shouts and curses did not stop even when the sunlight ceased
But somehow in the midst of it my soul had been released
And though the agony continued, it was still too small a price
To be allowed to hear those words, and to die beside the Christ!

Then darkness changed to dawning
And I heard the sound of voices
The air was warm around me
I stood beside a stream

And Abraham was speaking
To the multitude before him
Of the unfolding of the answer
To our prayers and hopes and dreams

Then far across the chasm,
Came a rumbling like the thunder
And the Prince of Peace came shining
From his mouth the power streamed

And the walls and towers crumbled
And the gates of hell went under
As thousands sang the victory
"We have been redeemed!"

Jesus is the Lord of all!
Jesus is the Lord of all!
Jesus is the Lord of all!
We have been redeemed!


Jesus is the Lord of all!
Jesus is the Lord of all!
Jesus is the Lord of all!
We have been redeemed!

Joy! Joy! Joy! Joy!

Jesus is the Lord of all!

Jesus is the Lord of all!
Jesus is the Lord of all!
We have been redeemed!

 

 

 

RITA'S RITING CHALLANGE #4 -- 2012

 

 

2012

Lord it was a beautiful night, far to nice to be working at a desk. Thankfully the conference room had a large window.

"We got it We got it!!" echoed down the hallway, the door burst open and Bernie yelled:

"We Got it!!! We got it deciphered!!!"

This project had been active off and on for over 50 years now, ever since the ‘artifact’ had been discovered in the WWII construction at White Sands. It has been behind barbed wire and fences since then. All very hush hush and need to know only type of work. This latest work had been going on for five years steady, most of us had been here all of those five years, with out much to show, until now.

We knew, or were pretty sure by computer analyze that the ‘artifact’ had something to do with

planetary cycles, either sun or moon most likely. The strange thing was, it was made of a extremely hard and rare type of granite, only a few other unworked pieces had ever been found world wide. And it was covered in unknown pictographs, much like Mayan or Aztec, but different. No one knew how old it was, nothing that was in anyway datable had been found with it, we figure it had been buried at one time in the distant past, as the ground strata it was in was far to ancient to be contemporary with the stone.

The pictographs were barely discernable when it was first found, but with advances over the years, more and more of them were able to be seen, enough now that we had been running them on a prototype software program.

"Well, do you want to hear with Sal came up with??!!" Bernie yelled, shaking us out of our shock.

Yes!! Of course! You betcha!! Read it!!! We all said at once.

Okay, most of it was translatable, here goes!! Bernie continued. "When the New Eye of

-undecipherable- in the year of -undecipherable- , settles into the Cradle of the Gods, The Time of this Journey is Full, and the Time of this Passage Ends"

"Sounds like a typical end of the world scenario, those old timers sure knew how to keep their people in line. The End of the World is near, better obey, stay in line, listen to us. . ."

"We call them politicians today!!" Someone at the back said, the room filled with quiet laughter.

"Okay, that is a start, any progress on the rest of the text?"

"With this opening in their ‘alphabet’ Sal is humming right along, shouldn’t be long before more translations are forth coming" Bernie answered. We often worried about Bernie and Sal He spent way too much time in her control room.

"Okay, every body, Team Red, cross check this translation, Blue Team some more light scans on the stone, I want the clearest possible resolution on my desk an hour ago!"

 

We gathered our equipment and went out the back. Walking towards the stone, it glowed in the moonlight, probably my imagination, it seemed to have an extra something in the reflected light. This might not be an easy scan.

We walked along the trail, The moon was almost down now, I loved this part of the job, the night air was cool and refreshing. On a moonless night the stars were beyond number, even with a full moon, more stars could be seen than in most cities. I glanced up, just beautiful, even a wisp of the Milky Way, Looking back to the stone, the moon was down now, almost touching the horizon. As we came to the flat stone we called the Dance Floor, and stood in the center, we realized the Moon was perfectly cradled in the artifact. We looked at one another in unbelief, that had never happened before!! I glance up again, the stars, the milky way were growing dim, and one after another, were blinking out. . .

MM MONOCHROME MONDAY MM Also Stands For Marilyn Monroe!!!!

Well this is not your normal entry, but then my only excuse is this is a new direction, a return, and I just realized that is a dicotomy!!  Regardless, we all feel thankful to have a Gator who control his primordial eating instincts while he teaches, and guides, make us laugh, and give us the opportunity to meet new and wonderful (aka strange) people.  Gator, This one is for you!  Thanks for everything.

None of the pics were taken by me, but they were changed and altered.  Hope you enjoy.  Always remember, Feed the Gator first, then the lesson can continue!!!

 

Such great gums, Dental Hygenists have been know to disappear though.

 

 

 

 

Always so willing to go out of his way and help Tourists and those who have lost their way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Always helpful to those less fortunate. . .

 

 

Yell out LIGHTS!! CAMERA!!!  And The Gator will be there ready and fully geared up.  No phone booth needed for this Gator!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Did you know that among his many talents, Gator is also in a Band!

 

 

 

 

 

And almost last but not least, our beloved Gator can make even the lonliest Boobies smile:  (hmmm, don't these look surprising like Dear Cheries missing boobies?)

 

 

 

 

And now GATOR MUSIC!!!!!!!!!

 

 

Yes, I know, Marilyn is not even mentioned in this blog, but in the index of the Great Gator Book of Ancient Lore, in the Unsubstanstiated Truths section is a small notation, that good sources have stated Gator once dated Marilyn. . .Truth, or Fable, you decide. . .BUT Marilyn looks extremely ecstatic in some of her photos, much like Cheries Boobies. . .

PICTURES TO WORDS #2 -- CAPTIONS

MY LIFE STORY

The boss caught me in bed with his wife,

then I was fired and forced off the board,

 and now my life is upside down, I am  washing dishes in a greasy spoon cafe.

 

 

Rules of the Game:

* Each week, on a Monday, I will post up a picture to encourage you to exercise your creativity and encourage you to write..even just a few words.

* While no subject is taboo, please keep in mind that this is a family friendly site and if your writing has adult content please notify us all in the link you leave here.

* There are no deadlines, so while a new picture may go up each week, feel free to 'catch-up' with past pictures too if and when they move you.

* This site is meant for all types and levels of writing, it is here to help us all grow and to give ourselves an outlet, a medium within which to share our creativity.

* After you have written your piece, come back and leave a link here so that others may view your work.

* For any personal issues feel free to use the PM method

Please don't forget to make those blogs open to everyone!

I plan to alternate weeks of serious writing with some exercises of short prose, poetry and haiku, with a few dashes of silliness just for the sheer fun of it All the pictures will have a wide range of emotional content, some quite blatant, some which may require us to delve a little deeper.

Pictures To Words Staff

http://picturestowords.multiply.com/

HOURGLASS FIGURE DYING OUT AMONG WOMEN WITH CAREERS

Well here is another headline I have trouble believing.  Both Sophia and Marilyn would be considered plus sized by today's media imposed standards.  And they both (especially Sophia) are beautiful women in my humble opinion. So many body shapes and sizes, bless them all,  who is to say what is normal or politically correct. And just who decided which career or careers were going to be looked at?  What about Police Officer/Captain, or Fire Fighter/Chief,  Fighter Pilot, Bomber Pilot, Nurse/Doctor,  Air Line Pilot,  Mothers?   Exactly which careers were involved in the study?

This was one of those quirky science stories that I love, but the more I read and the more I thought about it, it just seemed the study was pretty fixed.  We need to get together find something strange to study, and then apply for a government grant.  Except the government, money have they none!!  Oh wait, we could promise to name our research after a congressman and make sure we do the research in his home district. I bet the money would be printed up fresh and new and ready for us!!!

HOURGLASS FIGURE DYING OUT AMONG WOMEN WITH CAREERS

The hourglass figure made famous by Hollywood sirens Marilyn Monroe and Sophia Loren is dying out among modern women because of their career demands, it has been claimed.

By Lucy Cockcroft  --  The Telegraph UK, on line edition
 08 Jan 2009

Working women are less likely to have the bombshell look of curved hips, nipped in waist and generous bosom because of the stress levels associated with their jobs.

Instead, women who have high powered careers will probably carry a little more fat around their stomachs than their hips, according to anthropologist Elizabeth Cashdan.

They have taken on a more angular "straight-up-and-down" figure than the softer look of the 1950s stars.

 

Professor Cashdan attributes the look to androgens, a type of hormone that includes testosterone.

These hormones help women become physically stronger and more able to withstand stress, qualities that are needed to handle a rewarding career.

Professor Cashdan, of the University of Utah, studied data from 33 non-Western populations and four European populations.

She examined waist-to-hip ratios, which are calculated by measuring the waist, then hips and dividing the first figure by the second.

Medical studies have previously shown that a curvy waist-to-hip ratio of 0.7 – where the waist circumference is 70 per cent of the hip circumference or lower – is associated with higher fertility and lower rates of chronic disease.

However, Professor Cashdan found that this ratio is rarely found among women who are under pressure to rely on their own resources to support themselves and their families. Instead, she discovered an average waist to hip ratio of 0.8.

She said: 'The hormonal profile associated with high WHR (waist-to-hip ratios) may favour success in resource competition, particularly under stressful circumstances.

'The androgenic effects – stamina-initiative, risk-proneness, assertiveness, dominance – should be particularly useful where a woman must depend on her own resources to support herself and her family.'

 

 

Another Sophia Pic for Cavey, just because. . .

THE BAILOUT -- $5 BILLION FOR THE PORN INDUSTRY?? -- ONLY IN AMERICA

There is a Porn Star in this article that makes far more sense than some of our politicians, and certainly more than these two porn executives, and more than the Big Three auto executives.    

<---A scene from one of my early movies:  "Foot Fetishes and Peacock Feathers"

 

PORN INDUSTRY SEEKS $5 BILLION DOLLAR FEDERAL BAILOUT 

by Kevin Modesti, LA Daily News -Business Section - Thurs. Jan. 8th, 09

LOS ANGELES — In an announcement that launched a thousand unprintable puns, adult-entertainment moguls Larry Flynt and Joe Francis said Wednesday that they are asking Washington for a $5 billion federal bailout, claiming that the porn business is suffering from the soft economy.

Francis insisted in a phone interview that this is no joke or publicity stunt, though his tone suggested otherwise.

“The government’s handing out money to the auto industry,” Francis, producer of the “Girls Gone Wild” video series, said on the phone from his Santa Monica office. “Why shouldn’t it hand some to an industry the nation could not live without?”

 

 

The request, Francis said, was being made in a letter to Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass, and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson. The $5 billion figure, he said, reflects the decline in U.S. adult-entertainment- industry revenue from $18 billion three years ago.

If porn producers are feeling the effects of what one wire service called “the sagging economy,” the pain might be felt most acutely in the San Fernando Valley. In 2007, revenue from more than 200 Valley-based adult-content companies was estimated at $1 billion.

One adult-film star from the Los Angeles area said she is feeling the pinch.

The actress who performs as Jenna Presley said her Web site has seen a 20 percent decline in customers, about 1,000 of whom pay $19.99 a month to watch the 22-year-old perform online.

Presley said the downturn has forced her to cut overhead.

“I said, ‘I’ve got to stop paying guys and girls to perform with, and I’ve got to find (other Web site proprietors) to do a content exchange with,’ ” Presley said matter-of-factly.

Instead of paying co-stars, she is posting their videos on her site and they’re posting her content on theirs.

 

 

 

“I haven’t had any complaints,” Presley said.

Other performers, Presley said, have faced pay cuts as video companies take the uncharacteristic step of tightening their belts.

“I know companies are reducing their rates,” Presley said. “Instead of paying a girl $2,000 for a boy-girl (scene), now they’re trying to pay $1,200.”

Presley said she has refused to work for less and so far has not lost business.

“I stand up for myself,” she said. “A lot of girls, the business is so slow, they’re happy just to find work (at any price).”

Despite all that, Presley said she considers the bailout bid by Francis and Hustler chief Flynt “a little crazy” and thinks companies need to cut unnecessary expenses. She said the porn industry, like the auto industry, is to blame for failing to change with the times.

“I’m not taking this bailout request seriously,” Presley said. “I love Larry. He’s a great guy. But he doesn’t need $5 billion.”

Her reaction echoed those of a San Fernando Valley congressman and the head of a Valley business group.

 

<---Cavey, this one is for you!!!

 

“I regret that two porn-industry executives have used the current economic crisis to launch an obvious publicity stunt,” said Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Sherman Oaks. “As Americans face tough economic times, we need a serious discussion of the issues.”

Bruce Ackerman, president and CEO of the Economic Alliance of the San Fernando Valley, said: “I don’t think it’s a reasonable request — and I would say that of any of the industry groups (seeking bailouts).

“I don’t think you can laugh any of these requests off. I sympathize with any industry that needs help,” Ackerman said, noting that the adult-entertainment industry employs thousands of people in the Valley. “But is it something the taxpayer should be burdened with?”

Flynt’s and Francis’ announcement coincides with the start today of the four-day Adult Entertainment Expo in Las Vegas. They hope to find support for the bailout bid from other industry leaders.

“People are too depressed to be sexually active,” Flynt said in a news release. “This is very unhealthy as a nation. Americans can do without cars and such, but they cannot do without sex.”

Adult DVD sales and rentals have decreased by 22 percent in the past year, the news release claimed, as viewers seek free porn online.

Flynt and Francis will have some convincing to do even in Las Vegas, judging by the reaction of Steven Hirsch, founder and co-chairman of L.A.-based Vivid Entertainment Group, the 25-year-old company that bills itself as the world’s leading adult-film producer.

“To think we’re going to go to Washington and get a bailout is a little unrealistic,” said Hirsch, who said he heard about the Flynt-Francis ploy in the media. “This is not the time to make sweeping statements. This is the time to buckle down and take the steps we need to save our industry.

“This industry is not immune from (the bad economy). People are spending less money, period.”

Hirsch said he thinks Flynt and Francis are “just poking fun at all the industries getting bailouts.”

Hirsch said Vivid isn’t suffering as badly as smaller rivals because its prominent brand name gives the company “a leg up.”

He declined to get specific about Vivid’s revenue.