Off Topic The Arts Thread (Paintings, Music etc)

If you're talking about the pics Swanny, I sort of agree, they're rather haunting. The strange thing is that Zdzisław Beksiński thought these pieces filled him with hope. No matter what, we'll survive.

 

Wrong thread, but one has to continue when a theme has commenced?

Just found them pretty gruesome, Cyc. Yes, we'll survive, but there are some tough times ahead, especially in the northern hemisphere. The favourite term for people getting into very high and powerful places of late, is 'Populists'? I pefer to call them rampant crazy Fascists, with absolutely no idea how to rule a country. Of course, I'm mostly talking about France, Austria, the USA, and Germany (AfD). We'll have to wait and see what happens in France and Austria (the latter looks like being a slam sunk for the Fascists). I don't think this Le Pen woman will make it in France, but I'm none too sure in this respect. As pissed-off as the Germans are with Merkel, I would be surprised if the AfD usurped her, but stranger things have happened in the past? It's a real screw-up at the moment in Germany. To get to the highlight here, one D. Trump, it is weird to see his fascination with former army generals? ( A 'Mad Dog' as Defense Secretary? ****ing stroll on!). I think it is because it is what he would like to have been, i.e. a Rambo type, instead of a financial juggler who would **** his pants if he was within 100-miles of a war front? Interesting, for sure. This guy will have no hesitation in sending innocent young citizens into battle (n.b. Women are now to be included in the U.S. draft process) to protect his royal ass and expensive hair.

End of political rant, for the time being!

(Oh, don't mean to brag, God knows I'm not proud of it, but I really have been within one hundred miles of a war zone more than once in my life. First time, I was just a wee nipper in London. Angola was something else, believe me. When that final returning Sabena plane took me back to Brussels and Europe, I started to drink this wonderful aircraft dry!).

Ah, did I **** my pants at times you may ask, well not quite, but almost!

 

SH; nae splinters in your bum!

Late Edit - I am praying that Norbert Hofer has b.gg.r all to do with one of my favourite 'hideaways' in Munich; Hofer der Stadwirt!

 

Nae, BK, I was always lucky, but as kids we were 'evacuated' to Teddington (a bit of a joke really, as it was a dormitory town in those days, very close to London, of course). One night the Luftwaffe bombed the crap out of poor old Teddington (it completely missed the giant Feltham marshalling yards, its intended target), and I remember our carer and houseowner, a Mrs. May, staggering into the house bleeding from shrapnel wounds to her leg (she was an air-raid warden), sticking a bit of plaster on her leg, and returning to help others. Wonderful woman. one of my life's real heroes. She lived a lot of her young life with her first husband in Australia, and returned to the UK in the late 1930's. Remember all sorts of Australian artifacts in her house, boomerangs, the lot!

 

Only arrived on this good earth in 1954 and have not lived or worked outside of Scotland so no such 'excitement' for this 'Northern' softy!

My only 'war/services' story was related to me by my Mum a little while ago. I may or may not have posted this tale before.

I think my Mum would be in her early twenties when she was completing her National Service and was posted somewhere in England. I presume she had had a little experience with 'boys' by this time. Anyway, according to my Mum, the corporal in charge of her 'hut' took a shine to her and was extremely kind and helpful to a young lass far away from home. One evening two of the more 'aware' Scots (from Glasgow) informed Flo that she should take care as the corporal was a lesbian. "Naw she's no" answers my mum "She's a Roman Catholic"!

 

Just viewed a short clip on France 24 of a TV debate between the two contenders for the Presidency of Austria. Thank goodness the post is predominantly ceremonial!

 

Wonderful story, that!

 

Those bookies might be tight fisted bastards, but Bob said we gotta spread the love. Crank it up girls.

 

Listening to BBC World Service at ? o'clock early this morning and heard an interview with a Jamaican lady who knew Bob Marley well. Part of the interview was a narrative about the shooting of BM and the aftermath; no arrests?

 

I just had a bit of a read about the shooting in 1976. It sounded like a dangerous place to be. It looked like a political attack, as he was caught up in the elections and found that he's been duped into supporting the government.

 

Visited Jamaica (Ocho Rios) in the mid eighties. Went on bus trip with a guy who worked in our 'compound' (apartment complex) to the racetrack in Kingston. Always remember the road sign on return journey 'You are now leaving Kingston Town; thank God you are alive'!

 

Moving into a different artistic form, movies, here's one of the all time great take off scenes, in this case from Catch-22. The director Mile Nichols wanted a full squadron of B-25s, but costs forced him down to 17 flying beasts. No digital bullshit here. I don't know how true it is, but I've read that the planes were flown by ex-WW2 pilots.

 

2014 Media Eclipse Award for Photography. Barbara Livingston's winning picture of 2014 Kentucky Derby entrant Tapiture in an early morning, storm drenched work out before the big race. He would finish 15th behind California Chrome. (Note the smile on the riders face.)

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"The Baths At Ostend"
James Ensor (1890):

 

If that's a smile I wouldn't like to see him angry

Gritted teeth saying "why the **** am I out in this"

Nice pic though

 

Dunno, I may have put this up before ... but what the heck. Class is class. Toots Hibbert and the Maytals.

 

More of the lads. Love this song. Beautiful woman.

 

Jeez, I'm gettin' into it now ... you poor bastards.