RIP Michael Jackson 1958-2009

Michael Jackson 1958.2009, originalmente cargada por Pablo Adrián Medina.

Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. The seventh child of the Jackson family, he debuted on the professional music scene at the age of 11 as a member of The Jackson 5 and began a solo career in 1971 while still a member of the group. Referred to as the "King of Pop" in subsequent years, his 1982 Thriller is the world's best-selling record of all timeand four other solo studio albums are also among the world's best-selling records: Off the Wall(1979), Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991) and HIStory (1995).

In the early 1980s, he became a dominant figure in popular music and the first African-American entertainer to amass a strong crossoverfollowing on MTV. The popularity of his music videos airing on MTV, such as "Beat It", "Billie Jean" and Thriller—widely credited with transforming the music video from a promotional tool into an art form—helped bring the relatively new channel to fame. Videos such as "Black or White" and "Scream" made Jackson an enduring staple on MTV in the 1990s. With stage performances and music videos, Jackson popularized a number of physically complicated dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk. His distinctive musical sound and vocal style influenced many hip hop, pop and contemporary R&B artists.

Jackson donated and raised millions of dollars for beneficial causes through his foundation, charity singles and support of 39 charities. Other aspects of his personal life, including his changing appearance and behavior, generated significant controversy, damaging his public image. Though he was accused of child sexual abuse in 1993, the criminal investigation was closed due to lack of evidence and Jackson was not charged. The singer had experienced health concerns since the early 1990s and conflicting reports regarding the state of his finances since the late 1990s. Jackson married twice and fathered three children, all of which caused further controversy. In 2005, Jackson was tried and acquitted of further sexual abuse allegations and several other charges.

One of the few artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, his other achievements include multiple Guinness World Records—including one for "Most Successful Entertainer of All Time"—13 Grammy Awards, 13 number one singles in his solo career—more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era and the sale of 750 million records worldwide. Jackson's highly publicized personal life, coupled with his successful career, made him a part of popular culture for almost four decades. Jackson died on June 25, 2009, aged 50. The specific cause of death has yet to be determined. Prior to his death, Jackson had announced a 50 date sell-outThis Is It comeback tour, in London, England.

Jackson's star on the Hollywood walk of fame, set in 1984

Michael Jackson was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1984. There are actually two stars bearing the name Michael Jackson in the walk, the other being that of the Los Angeles talk radio show host of the same name; while Jackson's name is marked with a record icon, the radio Jackson is denoted with a microphone icon. Jackson had a notable impact on music and culture throughout the world. He broke down racial barriers, transformed the art of the music video and paved the way for modern pop music in his own country. Jackson's work, distinctive musical sound and vocal style have influenced hip hop, pop and R&B artists, including Mariah Carey, Usher, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake and R. Kelly. For much of his career, he had an "unparalleled" level of worldwide influence over the younger generation through his musical and humanitarian contributions.

Throughout his career he received numerous honors and awards, including the World Music Awards' Best-Selling Pop Male Artist of the Millennium, the American Music Award's Artist of the Century Award and the Bambi Pop Artist of the Millennium Award.^[29][202] He was a double-inductee of theRock and Roll Hall of Fame, once as a member of The Jackson 5 in 1997 and later as a solo artist in 2001. Jackson was also an inductee of theSongwriters Hall of Fame in 2002. His awards include multiple Guinness World Records (eight in 2006 alone), 13 Grammy Awards, 13 number one singles in his solo career—more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era—and the sale of over 750 million records worldwide, making him the world's best selling male solo pop artist.^]

Queues for a Michael Jackson concert in Berlin in June 1988

He was characterized as "an unstoppable juggernaut, possessed of all the tools to dominate the charts seemingly at will: an instantly identifiable voice, eye-popping dance moves, stunning musical versatility and loads of sheer star power". In the mid-1980s, Time described Jackson as "the hottest single phenomenon since Elvis Presley". By 1990, Vanity Fair had already cited Jackson as the most popular artist in the history of show business. Daily Telegraph writer Tom Utley called him an "extremely important figure in the history of popular culture" and a "genius". His total lifetime earnings from royalties on his solo recordings and music videos, revenue from concerts and endorsements have been estimated at $500 million; some analysts have speculated that his music catalog holdings could be worth billions of dollars. Cited as one of the world's most famous men, Jackson's highly publicized personal life, coupled with his successful career, made him a part of popular culture for almost four decades.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Jackson

Michael Jackson

michael_jackson, originalmente cargada por L♥ve.

Steve Huey of Allmusic observed how Jackson transformed the music video into an art form and a promotional tool through complex story lines, dance routines, special effects and famous cameo appearances; simultaneously breaking down racial barriers. According to director Vincent Paterson, who collaborated with the singer on several music videos, Jackson conceptualized many of the darker, bleak themes in his filmography.

Before Thriller, Jackson struggled to receive coverage on MTV because he was African American. Pressure from CBS Records persuaded MTV to start showing "Billie Jean" and later "Beat It", leading to a lengthy partnership with Jackson, also helping other black music artists gain recognition. The popularity of his videos on MTV helped to put the relatively young channel "on the map"; MTV's focus shifted in favor of pop and R&B. Short films like Thriller largely remained unique to Jackson, while the group dance sequence in "Beat It" has frequently been imitated. The choreography in Thriller has become a part of global pop culture, replicated everywhere from Bollywood to prisons in the Philippines.^[188] The Thriller short film marked an increase in scale for music videos, and has been named the most successful music video ever by the Guinness World Records.

In the 18-minute music video for "Bad"—directed by Martin Scorsese—Jackson began using sexual imagery and choreography not previously seen in his work. He occasionally grabbed or touched his chest, torso and crotch. While he has described this as "choreography," it garnered a mixed reception from both fans and critics; Time magazine described it as "infamous". The video also featured Wesley Snipes; Jackson's videos would often feature famous cameos roles in the future. For "Smooth Criminal", Jackson experimented with an innovative "anti-gravity lean" in his performances, for which he was granted US Patent No. 5,255,452. Although the music video for "Leave Me Alone" was not officially released in the US, in 1989, it was nominated for four Billboard Music Video Awards, winning three; the same year it won a Golden Lion Award for the quality of the special effects used in its production. In 1990, "Leave Me Alone" won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form.

The MTV Video Vanguard Artist of the Decade Award was given to Jackson to celebrate his accomplishments in the art form in the 1980s; the following year the award was renamed in his honor. "Black or White" was accompanied by a controversial music video, which, on November 14, 1991, simultaneously premiered in 27 countries with an estimated audience of 500 million people, the largest viewing ever for a music video. It featured scenes construed as having a sexual nature as well as depictions of violence. The offending scenes in the final half of the 14-minute version were edited out to prevent the video from being banned, and Jackson apologized. Along with Jackson, it featured Macaulay Culkin, Peggy Lipton andGeorge Wendt. It helped usher in morphing as an important technology in music videos.

"Remember the Time" was an elaborate production, and became one of his longest videos at over nine minutes. Set in ancient Egypt, it featured groundbreaking visual effects and appearances by Eddie Murphy, Iman and Magic Johnson, along with a distinct complex dance routine.^[193] The video for "In the Closet" was Jackson's most sexually provocative piece to date. It featured supermodel Naomi Campbell in a courtship dance with Jackson. The video was banned in South Africa because of its imagery.

Jackson and sister Janet angrily retaliate against the media for misrepresenting them to the public. The acclaimed video for "Scream" was shot primarily in black and white at a cost of $7 million.

The music video for "Scream", directed by Mark Romanek and production designer Tom Foden, is one of Jackson's most critically acclaimed. In 1995, it gained 11 MTV Video Music Award Nominations—more than any other music video—and won "Best Dance Video", "Best Choreography", and "Best Art Direction".^[194] The song and its accompanying video are a response to the backlash Jackson received from the media after being accused of child molestation in 1993. A year later, it won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form; shortly afterwards Guinness World Records listed it as the most expensive music video ever made at a cost of $7 million.

"Earth Song" was accompanied by an expensive and well-received music video that gained a Grammy nomination for Best Music Video, Short Form in 1997. The video had an environmental theme, showing images of animal cruelty, deforestation, pollution and war. Using special effects, time is reversed so that life returns, war ends and the forests re-grow.^[99][197] Released in 1997 and premiering at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival, Ghosts was a short film written by Jackson and Stephen King and directed by Stan Winston. The video for Ghosts is over 38 minutes long and holds the Guinness World Record as the world's longest music video.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Jackson

EXPERIMENT 1

Experiment 1, originalmente cargada por Rune T.

Just thought I'd try to make a series where an apple wrinkles up and gets old. This is the first photo with a nice and fresh fruit.

I think the greatest challenge over time will be to recreate the light and composition/framing for each shot since they will be several days (or maybe even weeks) apart and should be as identical as possible. My 'studio' is my livingroom so I have to rig everything up and down again (and move the apple) for each shot in this series.

Update 8th of June: Unfortunately the apple did not age gracefully; after looking fresh a long time a large rotten spot appeared and more or less ruined the whole project. I had hoped that the apple would maybe shrink a bit and get some 'wrinkles' over time, but that didn't happen, so I discarded it. At least I have this picture which turned out pretty good. 

FOGGY DUBAI

Foggy Dubai, originalmente cargada por daveandmairi.

Foggy Dubai morning taken from the Burj Dubai Tower. Not photoshopped. This is real and when people start actually living in the Burj Dubai, these shots will be ten-a-penny. Til then, enjoy this one!

For those who doubt the legitimacy of this photo, here are some similar shots taken from other buildings: 

Have a look at my most interesting shots here... 

"THE" VIEW ON BURJ DUBAI

"The" View On Burj Dubai, originalmente cargada por DanielKHC.

Thanks to my wife who has friends currently staying on the 20th floor of the prestigious "The Address" hotel facing the Burj Dubai and its fountains. You can imagine my excitement taking shots from this vantage point!

Those same friends will still be there during the official opening of the Burj Dubai on 9/9/9. No need to tell you where I will be shooting that day!

Still not so much light from the Burj Dubai, you can see some details on the first floors though. Well, just a few months to wait!

Dubai Set | Digital Blending Set | Night Photography Set | Most Interesting shots 

Buy my art at Imagekind! 

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Burj Dubai in Dubai, United Arab Emirates is currently the world's tallest man-made structure. It was topped-out at 818 m (2,684 ft) on 17 January 2009.

http://www.burjdubai.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World's_tallest_structures

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_the_world

BURJ DUBAI

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Burj Dubai, originalmente cargada por antonflo.

Burj Dubai in Dubai, United Arab Emirates is currently the world's tallest man-made structure. This image was taken from a helicopter while flying over some of the developments in Dubai.

If any one requires some arial shots I am your man, I am a pilot and love taking pictures from the air. Please contact me.

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While determining the world's tallest structure has generally been straightforward, the definition of the world's tallest building or the world's tallest tower is less clear. The disputes generally centre on what should be counted as a building or a tower, and what is being measured.

In terms of absolute height, the tallest structure is currently the Burj Dubai, although it does not currently hold the official title of "Tallest Building in the World" until the building is officially opened. The current official holder of the "Tallest Building in the World" is held by Taipei 101. In addition, there are dozens of radio and television broadcasting towers which measure over 600 metres (about 2,000 feet) in height. There is, however, some debate about:

• whether structures under construction should be included in the list
• whether structures rising out of water should have their below-water height included.

For towers, there is debate over:

• whether guy-wire-supported structures should be counted

For buildings, there is debate over:

• whether communication towers with observation galleries should be considered habitable buildings.
• whether only habitable height is considered.
• whether roof-top antennas should be considered towards height of buildings; with particular interest in whether components that look like spires can be either classified as antennas or architectural detail.

The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, the organization that determines the title of the "World’s Tallest Building," recognizes a building only if at least fifty percent of its height is made up of floor plates containing habitable floor area. Structures that do not meet this criterion, such as the CN Tower, are defined as "towers."

The tallest man-made structure is Burj Dubai, a skyscraper under construction in Dubai that reached 818 m (2,684 ft) in height on 17 January 2009.By 7 April 2008 it had been built higher than the KVLY-TV mast in North Dakota, USA, which is still the tallest completed structure at 628.8 m (2,063 ft). In September it officially surpassed Poland's 646.38 m (2,121 ft) Warsaw radio mast, which stood from 1974 to 1991, to become the tallest structure ever built. Guyed lattice towers such as these masts had held the world height record since 1954.

The CN Tower in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, standing at 553.3 m (1,815 ft), is the world's tallest completed freestanding structure on land. Opened in 1976, it was surpassed in height by the rising Burj Dubai on September 12, 2007. It has the world's second highest public observation deck at 446.5 m (1,465 ft).

The Petronius Platform stands 610 m (2,001 ft) off the sea floor leading some, including Guinness World Records 2007, to claim it as the tallest freestanding structure in the world. However, it is debated whether underwater height should be discounted in the same manner as height below grade is ignored on buildings. The Troll A platform is 472 m (1,549 ft), without any part of that height being supported by wires. The tension-leg type of oil platform has even greater below-water heights with several examples more than 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) deep. However, these platforms are not considered constant structures as the vast majority of their height is made up of the length of the tendons attaching the floating platforms to the sea floor.

Taipei 101 in Taipei, Taiwan is currently the world's tallest inhabited building in only one of the four main categories that are commonly measured: at 509.2 m (1,671 ft) as measured to its architectural height (spire). Its roof height 449.2 m (1,474 ft) and highest occupied floor 439.2 m (1,441 ft) have recently been overtaken by the Shanghai World Financial Center (roof height 487 m (1,598 ft); highest occupied floor 474 m (1,555 ft)). The Sears Toweris highest in the final category: the greatest height to top of antenna of any building in the world at 527.3 m (1,730 ft).

On its completion, projected for late 2009, Burj Dubai will break the height record in all four categories for completed buildings by a wide margin. TheShanghai World Financial Center has the world's highest roof, highest occupied floor, and the world's highest public observation deck at 474.2 m (1,556 ft). It will retain the latter record after the completion of Burj Dubai, as Burj Dubai's observation deck will be at 442 m (1,450 ft).

Comparison of top skyscrapers with measurements to top of antenna along to the oldest modern one, the Eiffel Tower from 1889

Current skyscrapers compared with notable under construction skyscrapers

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World's_tallest_structures

http://www.burjdubai.com/

Out for a walk in the Sunshine....

Out for a walk in the Sunshine...., originalmente cargada por law_keven.

In Explore ~ Position Unknown ~ Monday September 29th 2008.

Cheetah - Eagle Heights Wildlife Park, Kent, England - Sunday September 28th 2008.

Click here to see the Larger image

Click here to see My most interesting images

This was taken when the Cheetah was taken out for a walk in the Kent Sunshine, he was purring like a lil kitty and you got to pet him...which was nice..:O)))

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ~ The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is an atypical member of the cat family (Felidae) that is unique in its speed, while lacking climbing abilities. As such, it is placed in its own genus, Acinonyx. It is the fastest land animal, reaching speeds between 112 kilometres per hour (70 mph) and 123 kilometres per hour (76 mph) in short bursts covering distances up to 460 metres (1,500 ft), and has the ability to accelerate from 0 to 110 kilometres per hour (68 mph) in three seconds, greater than most supercars.

The word "cheetah" is derived from the Sanskrit word chitrakāyaḥ, meaning "variegated body", via the Hindi चीता cītā.

Description ~ The cheetah's chest is deep and its waist is narrow. The coarse, short fur of the cheetah is tan with round black spots measuring from 2 centimetres (0.79 in) to 3 centimetres (1.2 in) across, affording it some camouflage while hunting. There are no spots on its white underside, but the tail has spots, which merge to form four to six dark rings at the end. The tail usually ends in a bushy white tuft. The cheetah has a small head with high-set eyes. Black "tear marks" run from the corner of its eyes down the sides of the nose to its mouth to keep sunlight out of its eyes and to aid in hunting and seeing long distances.

The adult cheetah weighs from 40 kilograms (88 lb) to 65 kilograms (140 lb). Its total body length is from 115 centimetres (45 in) to 135 centimetres (53 in), while the tail can measure up to 84 centimetres (33 in) in length. Males tend to be slightly larger than females and have slightly bigger heads, but there is not a great variation in cheetah sizes and it is difficult to tell males and females apart by appearance alone. Compared to a similarly-sized leopard, the cheetah is generally shorter-bodied, but is longer tailed and taller (it averages about 90 centimetres (35 in) tall) and so it appears more streamlined.

Some cheetahs also have a rare fur pattern mutation: cheetahs with larger, blotchy, merged spots are known as 'king cheetahs'. It was once thought to be a separate subspecies, but it is merely a mutation of the African cheetah. The 'king cheetah' has only been seen in the wild a handful of times, but it has been bred in captivity.

The cheetah's paws have semi-retractable claws (known only in three other cat species - the Fishing Cat, the Flat-headed Cat and the Iriomote Cat) offering the cat extra grip in its high-speed pursuits. The ligament structure of the cheetah's claws is the same as those of other cats; it simply lacks the sheath of skin and fur present in other varieties, and therefore the claws are always visible, with the exception of the dewclaw. The dewclaw itself is much shorter and straighter than other cats.

Adaptations that enable the cheetah to run as fast as it does include large nostrils that allow for increased oxygen intake, and an enlarged heart and lungs that work together to circulate oxygen efficiently. During a typical chase its respiratory rate increases from 60 to 150 breaths per minute. While running, in addition to having good traction due to its semi-retractable claws, the cheetah uses its tail as a rudder-like means of steering to allow it to make sharp turns, necessary to outflank prey who often make such turns to escape.

Unlike "true" big cats, the cheetah can purr as it inhales, but cannot roar. By contrast, the big cats can roar but cannot purr, except while exhaling. However, the cheetah is still considered by some to be the smallest of the big cats. While it is often mistaken for the leopard, the cheetah does have distinguishing features, such as the aforementioned long "tear-streak" lines that run from the corners of its eyes to its mouth. The body frame of the cheetah is also very different from that of the leopard, most notably so in its thinner and longer tail, and unlike the leopard, its spots are not arranged into rosettes.

The cheetah is a vulnerable species. Out of all the big cats, it is the least able to adapt to new environments. It has always proved difficult to breed in captivity, although recently a few zoos have managed to succeed at this. Once widely hunted for its fur, the cheetah now suffers more from the loss of both habitat and prey.

The cheetah was formerly considered to be particularly primitive among the cats and to have evolved approximately 18 million years ago. New research, however, suggests that the last common ancestor of all 40 existing species of felines lived more recently than that - about 11 million years ago. The same research indicates that the cheetah, while highly derived morphologically, is not of particularly ancient lineage, having separated from its closest living relatives (Puma concolor, the cougar, and Puma yaguarondi, the jaguarundi) around five million years ago. These felids haven't changed much since they first appeared in the fossil record.

Reproduction and social life ~ Cheetah cubFemales reach maturity within twenty to twenty-four months, and males around twelve months (although they do not usually mate until at least three years old), and mating occurs throughout the year. A recent study of cheetahs in the Serengeti showed that female cheetahs are sexually promiscuous and often have cubs by many different males.

Females give birth to up to nine cubs after a gestation period of ninety to ninety-eight days, although the average litter size is three to five. Cubs weigh from 150 grams (5.3 oz) to 300 grams (11 oz) at birth. Unlike some other cats, the cheetah is born with its characteristic spots. Cubs are also born with a downy underlying fur on their necks, called a mantle, extending to mid-back. This gives them a mane or Mohawk-type appearance; this fur is shed as the cheetah grows older. It has been speculated that this mane gives a cheetah cub the appearance of the ratel, to scare away potential aggressors. Cubs leave their mother between thirteen and twenty months after birth. Life span is up to twelve years in the wild, but up to twenty years in captivity.

Unlike males, females are solitary and tend to avoid each other, though some mother/daughter pairs have been known to be formed for small periods of time. The cheetah has a unique, well-structured social order. Females live alone except when they are raising cubs and they raise their cubs on their own. The first eighteen months of a cub's life are important - cubs learn many lessons because survival depends on knowing how to hunt wild prey species and avoid other predators. At eighteen months, the mother leaves the cubs, who then form a sibling, or "sib" group, that will stay together for another six months. At about two years, the female siblings leave the group, and the young males remain together for life. 

T E M P L E - Lotus

T E M P L E - Lotus, originalmente cargada por Nagcharan.

Lotus Flowers sold in front of Mahalakshmi Temple in Mumbai

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Nelumbo nucifera, known by a number of names including Indian lotus, sacred lotus, bean of India, or simply lotus. Botanically, Nelumbo nucifera (Gaertn.) may also be referred to by its former names, Nelumbium speciosum (Wild.) or Nymphaea nelumbo. This plant is an aquatic perennial. Under favorable circumstances its seeds may remain viable for many years, with the oldest recorded lotus germination being from that of seeds 1300 years old recovered from a dry lakebed in northeastern China.

A common misconception is referring to the lotus as a water-lily (Nymphaea), an entirely different plant as can be seen from the centre of the flower, which clearly lacks the structure that goes on to form the distinctive circular seed pod in the Nelumbo nucifera.^{[citation needed]} It should also be noted that water-lilies come in colors of white to yellow where as the lotus only in hues of pink.^{[citation needed]}

Native to Greater India and commonly cultivated in water gardens, the lotus is the national flower of India and Vietnam.

Plant taxonomy systems agree that this flower is in the Nelumbo genus, but disagree as to which family Nelumbo is in, or whether it should be part of its own unique family and order tree. According to the U S Department of Agriculture, water lilies make up the family Nymphaeaceae of the order Nymphaeales.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelumbo_nucifera

A DUET

a Duet, originalmente cargada por niaxilin.

Lotus flowers. Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok. Floating in a sea of gold; tiny living oasis.

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The roots of Nelumbo nucifera are planted in the soil of the pond or river bottom, while the leaves float on top of the water surface. The flowers are usually found on thick stems rising several centimeters above the water. The plant normally grows up to a height of about 150 cm and a horizontal spread of up to 3 meters, but some unverified reports place the height as high as over 5 meters. The leaves may be as large as 60 cm in diameter, while the showy flowers can be up to 20 cm in diameter.

Fruit of Nelumbo nucifera; the dried seed cup is commonly used in flower arrangements.

Researchers report that the lotus has the remarkable ability to regulate the temperature of its flowers to within a narrow range just as humans and otherwarmblooded animals do. Dr. Roger S. Seymour and Dr. Paul Schultze-Motel, physiologists at the University of Adelaide in Australia, found that lotus flowers blooming in the Adelaide Botanic Gardens maintained a temperature of 86 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit, even when the air temperature dropped to 50 degrees. They suspect the flowers may be turning up the heat for the benefit of their coldblooded insect pollinators. The study, published in the journal Nature, is the latest discovery in the esoteric field of heat-producing plants. The very few other species known so far to be able to regulate their temperature include Skunk Cabbage and a Philodendron known as Elephant Ear.

The traditional Sacred Lotus is distantly related to, and possesses similar activity as Nymphaea caerulea. Both Nymphaea caerulea and Nelumbo nucifera contain the alkaloids nuciferineand aporphine.

The distinctive dried seed heads, which resemble the spouts of watering cans^photo, are widely sold throughout the world for decorative purposes and for dried flower arranging.

The flowers, seeds, young leaves, and "roots" (rhizomes) are all edible. In Asia, the petals are used sometimes for garnish, while the large leaves are used as a wrap for food. In Korea, the leaves and petals are used as a tisane.Yeonkkotcha (연꽃차) is made with dried petals of white lotus and yeonipcha (연잎차) is made with the leaves. Therhizome (called ǒu (藕) in pinyin Chinese, ngau in Cantonese, bhe in Hindi, renkon (レンコン, 蓮根 in Japanese),yeongeun (연근) in Korean) is used as a vegetable in soups, deep-fried, stir-fried, and braised dishes. Petals, leaves, and rhizome can also all be eaten raw, but there is a risk of parasite transmission (e.g., Fasciolopsis buski): it is therefore recommended that they be cooked before eating.

Lotus rootlets are often pickled with rice vinegar, sugar, chili and/or garlic. It has a crunchy texture with sweet-tangy flavours. In Asian cuisine, it is popular with salad, prawns, seasame oil and/or coriander leaves.

Lotus roots have been found to be rich in dietary fiber, vitamin C, potassium, thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin B6, phosphorus, copper, and manganese, while very low in saturated fat.^{[citation needed]}

The stamens can be dried and made into a fragrant herbal tea called liánhuā cha (蓮花茶) in Chinese, or (particularly in Vietnam)^{[citation needed]} used to impart a scent to tea leaves. Thelotus seeds or nuts (called liánzĭ, 蓮子; or xian liánzĭ, 鲜莲子, in Chinese) are quite versatile, and can be eaten raw or dried and popped like popcorn, phool makhana. They can also be boiled until soft and made into a paste, or boiled with dried longans and rock sugar to make a tong sui (sweet soup). Combined with sugar, lotus seed paste becomes one of the most common ingredients used in pastries such as mooncakes, daifuku, and rice flour pudding.

Various parts of the lotus are also used in traditional Asian herbal medicine.

From ancient times the lotus has been a divine symbol in Asian traditions representing sexual purity, a virtue.

Hindus revere it with the gods Vishnu, Brahma, and the goddesses Lakshmi and Sarasvati. Often used as an example of divine beauty, Vishnu is often described as the 'Lotus-Eyed One'. Its unfolding petals suggest the expansion of the soul. The growth of its pure beauty from the mud of its origin holds a benign spiritual promise. Particularly Brahma and Lakshmi, the divinities of potency and wealth, have the lotus symbol associated with them. In Hindu iconography, deities often are depicted with lotus flowers as their seats.

The lotus plant is cited extensively within Puranic and Vedic literature, for example:

Bhagavad Gita 5.10:

One who performs his duty without attachment, surrendering the results unto the Supreme Lord, is unaffected by sinful action, as the lotus is untouched by water.

This has also taken root in Chinese cultures with a famous statement made by the Confucian scholar Zhou Dunyi:

I love the lotus because while growing from mud, it is unstained.

Borrowing from Hinduism, in Buddhist symbolism the lotus again represents purity of the body, speech, and mind as if floating above the muddy waters of attachment and desire. It is also to be noted that most Buddhist, Chinese, Hindu, Japanese, amongst other Asian deities are often are depicted as seated on a lotus flower. According to legend, Gautama Buddha was born with the ability to walk and everywhere he stepped, lotus flowers bloomed.

Drawing in turn on these beliefs, the international Bahá'í community adopted this symbolism in the design of the Lotus Temple in New Delhi, India.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelumbo_nucifera

RED STAIRCASE

Red Staircase, originalmente cargada por juank.madrigal.

Inside Pagoda in Lotus Lake
Kaohsiung, Taiwan

LOTUS LAMP/蓮花燈

Lotus lamp/蓮花燈, originalmente cargada por Art Space.

苗栗通宵拱天宮/MiaoLi, Taiwan

PAKAL, LORD OF PALENQUE

Pakal, Lord of Palenque, originalmente cargada por kwbill.

The jade funeral mask of Pakal was part of his mummy and tomb, discovered in 1952.

TUMBA DE PAKAL

Tumba de Pakal, originalmente cargada por 7 facultades.

Palenque Chiapas, MéXICO
Tomb of Pakal, Maya King

THE TOMB OF PAKAL

The Tomb of Pakal, originalmente cargada por rodvictoria.

The Tomb of Pakal in the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City.

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K'inich Janaab' Pakal (23 March 603 - 28 August 683) was ruler of the Maya polity of Palenque in the Late Classic period of pre-ColumbianMesoamerican chronology. During a long reign of some 68 years Pakal was responsible for the construction or extension of some of Palenque's most notable surviving inscriptions and monumental architecture.

Before his name was securely deciphered from extant Maya inscriptions, this ruler has been known by an assortment of nicknames and approximations, common ones including Pakal (or Pacal), "Sun Shield", "8 Ahau", and (familiarly) as "Pacal the Great".

In modern sources his name is also sometimes appended with a regnal number, to distinguish him from other Janaab' Pakals that either preceded or followed him in the dynastic lineage of Palenque. Confusingly, he has at times been referred to as either "Pakal I" or "Pakal II". The reference to him as Pakal II takes into account that his maternal grandfather (who died in 612) was also named Janaab' Pakal. However, although his grandfather was a personage of ajaw ranking most recent inscriptional interpretations hold that he probably did not himself hold the actual rulership position over the Palenque city-state. When instead the name Pakal I is used, this serves to distinguish him from two later known successors to the Palenque rulership, Upakal K'inich Janaab' Pakal (ruled c. 742, aka "[K'inich Janaab'] Pakal II") and Wak Kimi Janaab' Pakal (aka [Janaab'] Pakal III), the last-known Palenque ruler who acceded in 799.

Pakal ascended the throne at age 12 on July 29, 615, and lived to the age of 80. The name pakal means "shield" in the Maya language.

Pakal saw expansion of Palenque's power in the western part of the Maya states, and initiated a building program at his capital that produced some of Maya civilization's finest art and architecture.

He was preceded as ruler of Palenque by his mother Lady Sak K'uk'. As the Palenque dynasty seems to have had Queens only when there was no eligible male heir, Sak K'uk' transferred rulership to her son upon his official maturity.

After his death Pakal was succeeded by his son Chan Bahlum II. A younger son, Kan Xul II, succeeded his brother Chan Bahlum II.

After his death, Pakal was deified and said to communicate with his descendants. Pakal was buried within the Temple of Inscriptions. Though Palenque had been examined by archaeologists before, the secret to opening his tomb—closed off by a stone slab with stone plugs in the holes, which had until then escaped the attention of archaeologists—was discovered by Mexican archaeologist Alberto Ruz Lhuillier in 1948. It took four years to clear the rubble from the stairway leading down to Pakal’s tomb, but was finally uncovered in 1952 His skeletal remains were still lying in his coffin, wearing a jade mask and bead necklaces, surrounded by sculptures and stucco reliefs depicting the ruler's transition to divinity and figures from Maya mythology.

That the bones within the tomb are really those of Pakal himself is under debate due to the fact that the analysis of wear on the skeleton’s teeth places the age of the owner at death as 40 years younger than Pakal would’ve been at his death. Epigraphers insist that the inscriptions on the tomb indicate that it is indeed K'inich Janaab' Pakal entombed within, and that he died at the age of 80 after ruling for around 70 years. Some contest that the glyphs refer to two people with the same name or that an unusual method for recording time was used, but other experts in the field say that allowing for such possibilities would go against everything else that is known about the Maya calendar and records of events. The most commonly accepted explanation for the irregularity is that Pakal, being an elite, had access to softer, less abrasive food than the average person so that his teeth naturally acquired less wear [2]. Despite the controversy, it remains one of the most spectacular finds of Maya archeology. A replica of his tomb is found at the National Museum of Anthropology and History in Mexico City.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakal

PAKAL THE GREAT

Pakal the Great, originalmente cargada por rodvictoria.

Pakal was ruler of the Maya polity of Palenque in the Late Classic period of pre-Columbian Mesoamerican chronology.

......                                  ....                                    ....    ....

The large carved stone sarcophagus lid in the Temple of Inscriptions is a famous piece of Classic Maya art. The widely accepted interpretation of the sarcophagus lid is that Pakal is descending into Xibalba, the Maya underworld. Around the edges of the lid are glyphs representing the Sun, the Moon, Venus, and various constellations, locating this event in the nighttime sky. Below him is the Maya water god, who guards the underworld Beneath Pakal are the "unfolded" jaws of a dragon or serpent, into whose mouth Pakal descends. This is a common iconographic representation of the entrance to the underworld. Other examples of this imagery are found in sculpture on Monument 1 "El Rey" and Monument 9 at the Olmec site of Chalcatzingo, Morelos, on Altar 4 at the Olmec site of La Venta, Tabasco, and in recently discovered murals at the Late Preclassic Maya site of San Bartolo, Guatemala.

Pakal’s tomb has been the focus of attention by some enthusiasts since its appearance in Erich von Däniken's 1968 best seller, "Chariots of the Gods?". Von Däniken reproduced a drawing of the sarcophagus lid (incorrectly labeling it as being from "Copan") and comparing Pacal's pose to that of 1960s Project Mercury astronauts, interpreting drawings underneath him as rockets, and touting it as supposed evidence of extra-terrestrial influence on the ancient Maya.

In the center of that frame is a man sitting, bending forward. He has a mask on his nose, he uses his two hands to manipulate some controls, and the heel of his left foot is on a kind of pedal with different adjustments. The rear portion is separated from him; he is sitting on a complicated chair, and outside of this whole frame, you see a little flame like an exhaust.

Von Däniken's claim is not considered a credible interpretation by any professional Mayanist. For example Ian Grahamresponded, "Well I certainly don't see any need to regard him as a space man. I don't see any oxygen tubes. I see a very characteristically drawn Maya face"

Carved lid of the tomb of K'inich Janaab' Pakal in the Temple of the Inscriptions.

Another example of this carving's manifestation in pseudoarchaeology is José Argüelles' identification of "Pacal Votan," of whom he claims to be an incarnation named "Valum Votan," who will act as a "closer of the cycle" in 2012 (an event that is also significant on Arguelles' "13 Moon" calendar). Daniel Pinchbeck, in his book 2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl (2006), also uses the name "Votan" in referring to Pakal. However, this name is not used for Pakal byMayanist researchers such as academic archaeologists, epigraphers, and iconographers. Arguelles claims a connection between Pakal and the semi-historical Toltec figure Topiltzin Ce Acatl Quetzalcoatl, but this is not supported by archaeological or epigraphic evidence. New Age interpretations of Pakal's tomb are a cornerstone of contemporaryMayanism.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakal

PAKAL

Pakal, originalmente cargada por Aleksu.

A macro shot of a replica of Palenque's Stone, here you can see King Pakal to detail.

Robot 93 - Three Laws of Robotics

Robot 93 fx, originalmente cargada por Escoleia.

In science fiction, the Three Laws of Robotics are a set of three rules written by Isaac Asimov, which almost all positronic robots appearing in his fiction must obey. Introduced in his 1942 short story "Runaround", although foreshadowed in a few earlier stories, the Laws state the following

1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2. A robot must obey any orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the first passage in Asimov's short story "Liar!" (1941) that mentions the First Law is the earliest recorded use of the word robotics.^[1] Asimov was not initially aware of this; he assumed the word already existed by analogy with mechanics, hydraulics, and other similar terms denoting branches of applied knowledge.^[2]

The Three Laws form an organizing principle and unifying theme for Asimov's fiction, appearing in his Robot series and the other stories linked to it, as well as his Lucky Starr series of science-oriented young-adult fiction. Other authors working in Asimov's fictional universe have adopted them, and references (often parodic) appear throughout science fiction and in other genres.

MARIO BENEDETTI - RIP

Mario Benedetti (in full: Mario Orlando Hamlet Hardy Brenno Benedetti Farugia) (September 14, 1920 – May 17, 2009) was anUruguayan journalist, novelist, and poet.

Benedetti was born in Paso de los Toros in the department of Tacuarembó. He was not well known in the English-speaking world, but in the Spanish-speaking world he was considered one of Latin America's most important 20th-century writers. In 1946 he married Lusero López Alegre.

From 1973 to 1985, when a military dictatorship ruled Uruguay, Benedetti lived in exile in Buenos Aires, Lima, Havana, and Spain. Following the restoration of democracy, he divided his time between Montevideo and Madrid. He has been granted Honoris Causa doctorates by the Universidad de la República, Uruguay, the Universidad de Alicante, Spain, and the Universidad de Valladolid, Spain. On June 7, 2005, he was named the recipient of the Premio Menéndez y Pelayo. His poetry was also used in the 1992 Argentine movie The Dark Side of the Heart (El lado oscuro del corazón) in which he read some of his poems in German.

More recently, on January 26, 2006, Mario Benedetti, joined other internationally renowned figures such as Gabriel García Márquez, Ernesto Sábato, Thiago de Mello, Eduardo Galeano,Carlos Monsiváis, Pablo Armando Fernández, Jorge Enrique Adoum, Pablo Milanés, Luis Rafael Sánchez, Mayra Montero and Ana Lydia Vega, in demanding sovereignty for Puerto Rico. In November 2006, the Congress for the Independence of Puerto Rico approved a resolution favoring the island-nation's right to assert its independence, as ratified unanimously by political parties hailing from twenty-two Latin American countries. García Márquez's request for the recognition of Puerto Rico's independence was obtained at the behest of the Puerto Rican Independence Party.

Mario Benedetti nació el 14 de septiembre de 1920 en Paso de los Toros, Uruguay. Fue hijo de Brenno Benedetti y Matilde Farugia, quienes lo bautizaron con cinco nombres, siguiendo sus costumbres italianas.

Residió en Paso de los Toros junto a su familia durante sus primeros dos años de edad, para luego trasladarse con ellos a Tacuarembó por asuntos de negocios. Luego de una fallida estadía en ese sitio (donde fueron víctimas de una estafa² ), la familia se trasladó a Montevideo, cuando Mario Benedetti tenía cuatro años de edad. En 1928 inicia sus estudios primarios en el Colegio Alemán de Montevideo, de donde es retirado en 1933. En consecuencia, ingresa al Liceo Miranda por un año. En 1934 hace ingreso a la Escuela Raumsólica de Logosofía. Sus estudios secundarios los realizó de manera incompleta en 1935, en el Liceo Miranda, para continuar de manera libre, por problemas económicos. Desde los catorce años trabajó en la empresa Will L. Smith, S.A., repuestos para automóviles.

Entre 1938 a 1941 residió casi continuamente en Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Comienzos literarios 

En 1945 se integró al equipo de redacción del semanario Marcha, donde permaneció hasta 1974, año en que fue clausurado por el gobierno de Juan María Bordaberry. En 1954 es nombrado director literario de dicho semanario.

El 23 de marzo de 1946 contrae nupcias con Luz López Alegre, su gran amor y compañera de vida. En 1948 dirige la revista literaria Marginalia. Publica el volumen de ensayos Peripecia y novela.

En 1949 es miembro del consejo de redacción de Número, una de las revistas literarias más destacadas de la época. Participa activamente en el movimiento contra el Tratado Militar con los Estados Unidos. Es su primera acción como militante. Ese mismo año obtuvo el Premio del Ministerio de Instrucción Pública por su primera compilación de cuentos, Esta mañana. Mario Benedetti fue ganador del galardón en repetidas ocasiones hasta 1958, cuando renunció sistemáticamente a él por discrepancias con su reglamentación.

En 1964 trabaja como crítico de teatro y codirector la página literaria semanal «Al pie de las letras» del diario La mañana. Colabora como humorista en la revista Peloduro. Escribe crítica de cine en La Tribuna Popular. Vuelve a Cuba para participar en el jurado del concurso Casa de las Américas. Participa en el encuentro sobre Rubén Darío. Viaja a México para participar en el II Congreso Latinoamericano de Escritores.

Participa en el Congreso Cultural de La Habana con la ponencia “Sobre las relaciones entre el hombre de acción y el intelectual" y se vuelve Miembro del Consejo de Dirección de Casa de las Américas. En 1968 funda y dirige el Centro de Investigaciones literarias de Casa de las Américas, cargo en el cual se mantendría hasta 1971.

Junto a miembros del Movimiento de Liberación Nacional - Tupamaros, fundó en 1971 el Movimiento de Independientes 26 de Marzo, una agrupación que pasó a formar parte de la coalición de izquierdas Frente Amplio desde sus orígenes. Benedetti fue representante del Movimiento 26 de Marzo en la Mesa Ejecutiva del Frente Amplio desde 1971 a 1973, sin embargo, esta alternativa se vio frustrada por la fuerza.  Además es nombrado director del Departamento de Literatura Hispanoamericana en la Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de laUniversidad de la República, de Montevideo.

Publica Crónica del 71, compuesto en su mayoría de editoriales políticos publicados en el semanario Marcha, así como de un poema inédito y tres discursos pronunciados durante la campaña del Frente Amplio. También publica Los poemas comunicantes, con entrevistas a diversos poetas latinoamericanos.

Exilio 

Tras el Golpe de Estado del 27 de junio de 1973 renuncia a su cargo en la universidad, pese a ser elegido para integrar el claustro. Por sus posiciones políticas debe abandonar Uruguay, partiendo al exilio en Buenos Aires, Argentina. Posteriormente se exiliaría en Perú, donde fue detenido, deportado y amnistiado, para luego instalarse en Cuba, en el año 1976. Al año siguiente, Benedetti recalaría en Madrid, España. Fueron diez largos años los que vivió alejado de su patria y de su esposa, quien tuvo que permanecer en Uruguay cuidando de las madres de ambos.

La versión cinematográfica de La Tregua, dirigida por Sergio Renán, fue nominada a la cuadragésimo séptima versión de los Premios Óscar en 1974, a la mejor película extranjera; finalmente el premio, entregado en la ceremonia del 8 de abril de 1975, se lo adjudicó la película italiana Amarcord.

En 1976 vuelve a Cuba, esta vez como exiliado, y se reincorpora al Consejo de Dirección de Casa de las Américas. El año 1980 se traslada a Palma de Mallorca. Dos años más tarde inicia su colaboración semanal en las páginas de Opinión del diario El País. El mismo año el Consejo de Estado de Cuba le concede la Orden Félix Varela. En 1983 traslada su residencia a Madrid.

Regreso al Uruguay 

Vuelve a Uruguay en marzo de 1983, iniciando el autodenominado período de desexilio, motivo de muchas de sus obras. Es nombrado Miembro del Consejo Editor de la nueva revistaBrecha, que va a dar continuidad al proyecto de Marcha, interrumpido en 1974.

En 1985 el cantautor Joan Manuel Serrat graba el disco El sur también existe sobre poemas de Benedetti, contando con su colaboración personal.

En 1986 recibe el Premio Jristo Botev de Bulgaria, por su obra poética y ensayística. En 1987 es galardonado en Bruselas con el Premio Llama de Oro de Amnistía Internacional por su novela Primavera con una esquina rota. En 1989 es condecorado con la Medalla Haydeé Santamaría por el Consejo de Estado de Cuba.

Ultimos años 

Benedetti recibió, el 30 de noviembre de 1996, el Premio Morosoli de Plata de Literatura, entregado por la Fundación Lolita Rubial, de Minas, Uruguay. En la ocasión, Benedetti fue destacado por su obra narrativa. El mismo año, junto a otros cincuenta escritores, fue distinguido por el Estado de Chile con la Orden al Mérito Docente y Cultural Gabriela Mistral.

En mayo de 1997 fue investido con el título Doctor honoris causa por la Universidad de Alicante y unos días más tarde, el 11 de junio, fue también investido por la Universidad de Valladolid. El 30 de septiembre del mismo año fue galardonado con el Premio León Felipe, en mención a los valores cívicos del escritor. Además fue investido en diciembre como Doctor honoris causa en Ciencias Filológicas de la Universidad de La Habana.

El 31 de mayo de 1999 fue galardonado con el VIII Premio Reina Sofía de Poesía Iberoamericana, dotado de 6.000.000 ₧. La Fundación Cultural y Científica Iberoamericana José Martí le concedió el 29 de marzo de 2001 el I Premio Iberoamericano José Martí.

El 19 de noviembre de 2002 fue nombrado Ciudadano ilustre por la Intendencia de Montevideo, en una ceremonia encabezada por el intendente Mariano Arana.

En 2004 se le concedió el Premio Etnosur. En 2004 se presentó por primera vez en Roma, Italia, un documental sobre la vida y la poesía de Mario Benedetti, titulado "Mario Benedetti y otras sorpresas". El documental, que fue escrito y dirigido por Alessandra Mosca, y protagonizado por Benedetti, fue patrocinado por la Embajada de Uruguay en Italia. El documental participó en el Festival Internacional del Nuevo Cine Latinoamericano de La Habana, en el XIX Festival del Cinema Latinoamericano di Trieste y en el Festival Internacional de Cine de Santo Domingo.

En 2005, Mario Benedetti presentó el poemario Adioses y bienvenidas. En la ocasión también se exhibió el documental Palabras verdaderas, donde el poeta hizo aparición.

El 7 de junio de 2005 se adjudicó el XIX Premio Internacional Menéndez Pelayo, consistente en 48.000 € y la Medalla de Honor de la Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo. El premio, otorgado por la Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo, es un reconocimiento a la labor de personalidades destacadas en el ámbito de la creación literaria o científica, tanto enidioma español como portugués.

Mario Benedetti repartía su tiempo entre sus residencias de Uruguay y España, atendiendo a sus múltiples obligaciones y compromisos. Después del fallecimiento de su esposa Luz López, el 13 de abril de 2006, ^{víctima de la enfermedad de Alzheimer, Benedetti se trasladó definitivamente a su residencia en el barrio Centro de Montevideo, Uruguay. Con motivo de su traslado, Benedetti donó parte de su biblioteca personal en Madrid, al Centro de Estudios Iberoamericanos Mario Benedetti de la Universidad de Alicante.}

La Fundación Lolita Rubial volvió a condecorar a Benedetti el 25 de noviembre de 2006, con el Premio Morosoli de Oro.

El 18 de diciembre de 2007, en la sede del Paraninfo de la Universidad de la República, en Montevideo, Benedetti recibió de manos de Hugo Chávez la "Condecoración Francisco de Miranda", la más alta distinción que otorga el gobierno venezolano por el aporte a la ciencia, la educación y al progreso de los pueblos. Ese mismo año recibió la Orden de Saurí, Primera Clase, por servicios prestados a la literatura. La Orden de Saurí es la condecoración más alta de El Salvador.

En los últimos diez años, debido al asma y por recomendación médica, el escritor alternaba su residencia en España y en Uruguay, tratando de evitar el frío, pero al agravarse su estado de salud permaneció en Montevideo.

La muerte de su esposa Luz López en 2006, luego de seis décadas de matrimonio, fue un duro golpe para Benedetti que, según confesó, sobrellevó escribiendo.

En uno de sus últimos libros, titulado Canciones del que no canta, alude a su historia personal. "No fue una vida fácil, francamente", ha dicho Benedetti, quien con su pluma marcó a varias generaciones.

En abril de 2009 tras su internación en Montevideo, se organizó por iniciativa de Pilar del Río (esposa del escritor José Saramago) una "Cadena de Poesía" mundial para apoyarlo.

El día 17 de mayo de 2009 poco después de las 18:00h Benedetti fallece en su casa de Montevideo, a los 88 años de edad. El Palacio Legislativo fue designado como el sitio de suvelatorio. En el marco de este hecho, el gobierno uruguayo decretó duelo nacional y dispuso que su velatorio se realice con honores patrios en el "Salón de los Pasos Perdidos" delPalacio Legislativo desde las 9:00 del lunes 18 de mayo.

He died in Montevideo on 17 May 2009. He had suffered from respiratory and intestinal problems for more than a year.

http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mario_Benedetti

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mario_Benedetti

FABULOUS - GRANT MORRISON

fabulous, originalmente cargada por istolethetv.

Grant Morrison (born January 31, 1960) is a Scottish comic book writer and artist. He is best-known for his nonlinear narratives andcounter-cultural leanings.

In 2000, Morrison's graphic novel JLA:Earth 2 was released with art by Frank Quitely. It was Morrison's last mainstream work for DC for a while, as he moved to Marvel Comics to take over the writing of X-Men (which was renamed New X-Men for his run), with Quitely providing much of the art. Again, Morrison's revamping of a major superhero team proved to be a critical and commercial success^{[citation needed]}. However, his penultimate arc, 'Planet X', is the subject of much controversy^{[citation needed]}. In it he depicted the classic villain Magneto infiltrating, in the guise of new character Xorn, and defeating the X-Men, as he became a raving lunatic (the result of an addiction to the power-enhancing drug "Kick"). This has since been retconned by other writers and Morrison's Xorn is said to be a new character distinct from Magneto.

Morrison in 2006

Morrison had one more project for Vertigo during this time: The Filth, drawn by Chris Weston and Gary Erskine, a 13-part mini-series, said by Warren Ellis to be heavily influenced by Chris Morris's Blue Jam radio series.

Morrison also wrote the six-part Marvel Boy series, as well as Fantastic Four: 1234, his take on another major superhero team. Morrison helped challenge Marvel's reputation for being closed to new ideas^{[citation needed]}, but after finishing his New X-Men, he returned to DC Comics to work on several titles and help revamp the DC Universe.

Starting in 2004, Vertigo published three Morrison mini-series. Seaguy, We3 and Vimanarama involve, respectively, a picaresque hero in a post-utopian world that doesn't need him; cyber-enhanced pets running from their captors in what Morrison calls his "western manga"; and ancient Hindu/Pakistanimyths translated into Jack Kirby-style adventures. We3 came in for particular praise for its bold storytelling techniques and artwork by Frank Quitely. Morrison also returned to the JLA with the first story in a new anthology series, JLA Classified, tales set within the JLA mythos by various creative teams.

In 2005, DC Comics started publishing what was dubbed the first ever "megaseries". The Grant Morrison-scripted Seven Soldiers features both new characters and reimagined obscure DC characters: The Manhattan Guardian, Mister Miracle, Klarion the Witch Boy, Bulleteer, Frankenstein, Zatannaand Shining Knight. The maxi-series consists of seven interlinked four-issue miniseries with two "bookend" volumes — 30 issues in all.

Dan DiDio (current editorial vice president of DC Comics) was impressed with Morrison's ideas for revamped characters. Giving him the unofficial title of "revamp guy", DiDio asked him to assist in sorting out the DC Universe in the wake of the Infinite Crisis. Morrison was also one of the writers on 52, a yearlong weekly comic book series that started in May 2006 and concluded in May 2007.

In November 2005, DC started publishing a new ongoing Superman series, starting with a twelve-issue story arc by Morrison and Frank Quitely. Called All Star Superman, the series is not so much a revamp or reboot of Superman, but presents an out-of-continuity "iconic" Superman for new readers. All Star Superman won the 2006 Eisner Award for Best New Series, the Best Continuing Series Eisner Award in 2007 and several Eagle Awards in the UK. It also won 3 Harvey Awards in 2008 and is nominated for another Eisner in 2009.

In the same year, Morrison and Quitely worked on pop star Robbie Williams' album Intensive Care, providing intricate Tarot card designs for the packaging and cover of the CD.

In 2006 Morrison was voted as the #2 favorite comic book writer of all time by Comic Book Resources, beating Neil Gaiman at #3. (Alan Moore was #1.) That same year, Morrison began writing Batman for DC with issue #655, continuing to be the series writer into 2008. As well, he authored the relaunches of The Authority and Wildcats (with the art of Gene Ha and Jim Leerespectively) for DC's Wildstorm imprint. However, neither have seen a release for several years and are still on hiatus, with a fill in Authority mini-series having been run.

At the 2007 San Diego Comic-Con, DC Comics announced that Morrison would write Final Crisis, a seven issue mini-series slated to appear in 2008. Artist J. G. Jones will draw the series. Morrison also says that later in 2008 he will hand over the follow-up to 2004's Seaguy called Seaguy 2: The Slaves of Mickey Eye, the second part of a planned three part series (now released from April 2009).

At the "Spotlight on Grant Morrison" panel, part of the 2008 New York Comic Con, Morrison revealed that Wildcats would continue when Jim Lee was ready but The Authority's future is less certain: "Authority was just a disaster." It was running late and conflicted with the start of 52 but the last straw was when he read the reviews: "I said fuck it." Wildstorm editor Ben Abernathy has said the problems were caused by a perfect storm of events, but both series will get finished - Keith Giffen will be completing the twelve-issue run on The Authority.

At NYCC Morrison also announced a new title coming in 2009, War Cop, which he says is "a very psychedelic thing and it'll be a little bit more back to being me again." At NYCC it was also revealed Morrison would working with Virgin Comics to produce "webisodes" (short animated stories) based on the Mahābhārata; he said it wouldn't be a direct translation but "Like the Beatles took Indian music and tried to make psychedelic sounds… I'm trying to convert Indian storytelling to a western style for people raised on movies, comics, and video games." Other upcoming work includes The New Bible, a creator-owned title for Vertigo, with artist Camilla D’Errico, and a Vertigo title, with Sean Murphy, going by the working name of Joe the Barbarian.

Morrison is also a fan of Geoff Johns' current work with the Green Lantern mythos, and thus made certain to reserve a significant role for the Corps in Final Crisis. In particular, one of the new Alpha Lanterns features prominently in the early issues of Final Crisis. The fallout of those events will reverberate back through the upcoming event The Blackest Night in 2009.

Morrison is currently working with Frank Quitely on the new Batman and Robin title, which will be published in June 2009 after the Battle for the Cowl event. He has also revealed that his next major project will be, "Multiversity", a metaseries of eight one-shots set in some of the 52 worlds in the DC Multivers

Grant Morrison first appeared as a comics character with a cameo in Animal Man #14. He made a full appearance at the end of issue #25, and spent most of #26 in a lengthy conversation with the comic's title character, particularly on the topic of how realism has to be part of comic books somewhere. Nevertheless, in the end, Animal Man's family returned from the dead due to 'his' influence.

Shortly afterwards, a Morrison-resembling character called "The Writer" appeared in issue 58 of the DC Comics title Suicide Squad (written by John Ostrander). This issue was part of the War of the Gods storyline. He was seen protesting that other "writers" had taken control of his fate now that he was part of "the continuity". He demonstrated his skills by writing down dialogue onto a laptop. This text was attributed to specific, gathered, super-hero allies. Moments later, the allies then said those very words. He then participated in the attack on the stronghold of Circe. He eliminated a few enemies by writing of their deaths, which then happened. Writer's block then hit and he was killed by a bestial humanoid.

Morrison would later be counted among the Seven Unknown Men of Slaughter Swamp, the body of "reality engineers" seen throughout the Seven Soldiers miniseries event, all of whom look exactly like him. During the series, one of these - referred to as the "Eighth of Seven" - went rogue, consolidating magical power for himself, releasing the Sheeda warrior-race on their Twenty-First Century ancestors, and becoming the silver-age character Zor, "The Terrible Time Tailor", a figure who looks exactly like Morrison but also wears a magician's outfit, as well as sporting dark hair and a self-described 'magnificent beard'; this Zor was introduced in the original Spectre adventures in More Fun Comics #55 before he was re-invented in Seven Soldiers. Zor is conquered by Zatanna and captured by his fellow Time Tailors who 'Judge' him; Morrison himself, bearing a Dc Comics-logo tie-clip becomes the narrator of the final chapter, treating the reader as if they were Zor himself. Zor is eventually dressed to resemble a pedophiliac miser named Cyrus Gold, killed by an angry mob.

He has also appeared in an issue of Simpsons Comics, where he is seen fighting with Mark Millar over the title of "Writer of X-Men".^[24]

In the notes to the Absolute Edition of DC: The New Frontier, writer Darwyn Cooke mentioned that this version of Captain Cold was visually based upon Morrison.

In the Doctor Thirteen story found in Tales of the Unexpected, Thirteen encounters the self-proclaimed Architects of the DC Universe. This foursome wear Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and Flash masks, and could be interpreted as the writers of DC's 52. The Batman mask-wearer bears more than a passing resemblance to Grant Morrison.

In Mad Magazine, he is referred to as Jim Morrison in a review for a comic book he supposedly wrote.^{[citation needed]}

It has also been suggested the near-future Batman depicted in issue #666 of the comic book of the same name is based on Morrison: "Oddly, the shaved-headed Batman in the trench coat looks a bit like Grant Morrison and he has a cat named Alfred. In other words, it looks like Morrison (who is known to love cats) made himself Batman in this story. Of course, in Animal Man, Morrison appeared as himself as the teller of tales of Animal Man's life; in Seven Soldiers, the tailors who tell the tales of the universe looked like Morrison; and now he seems to be the Batman of the not-too-distant future." However, Morrison has stated that the decision to base the appearance of the future Batman on him was one taken solely by the artist, "I had written him as having a buzz cut, I think, but Andy drew him bald. I think a lot of people just assumed that I stuck myself into a comic again, but that was never intended."

Similarly, in Morrison's The Filth, the central character, named Greg Feely, becomes acutely physically similar to Morrison at the exact same time that his cat dies under the care of a malicious body double of his; Feely's care for the cat mirrors that which Morrison has claimed he felt for it.

Morrison has received praise for his works' various portrayals of Lex Luthor - a character who is bald, and often wears clothing with a high collar, similar to his signature trench coat - in particular All-Star Superman, wherein the iconic elements of the character such as his insanity, genius and representation of infinite human potential are highly emphasized.

Morrison has become more involved in screenwriting and has written numerous scripts and treatments.

His screenplays include Sleepless Knights for Dreamworks and WE3 for New Line (both in development with Don Murphy producing,John Stevensonis attached as Director for WE3). Most recently he wrote the adaptation of the video game Area 51 home console game  for Paramount (in development with CFP Productions producing).

Morrison provided outline story and script work for two video games (Predator: Concrete Jungle and Battlestar Galactica) both by Vivendi Universal, though the finished products often didn't contain all his contributions.

He has also been a successful playwright, with two plays written for and performed by Oxygen House at the Edinburgh Fringe. The first was Red King Rising in 1989, about the (partly fictional) relationship between Lewis Carroll and Alice Liddell and the second in 1990, Depravity about Aleister Crowley. Both plays were critically acclaimed and won between them aFringe First Award, the Independent Theatre Award for 1989 and the Evening Standard Award for New Drama. A film adaptation of Red King Rising is in discussion. Both plays were collected in his collection of prose, Lovely Biscuits released in 1999.

Aztek is a fictional character, a superhero in the DC Universe. Based out of the fictional Vanity City, Aztek is the champion of the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl. The character first appeared in Aztek, The Ultimate Man #1 in August 1996, created by Grant Morrison and Mark Millar. Following the short run series, Aztek appeared in several issues of JLA also written by Morrison

Uno is raised from childhood by the Q Society, a secret organization, to be the champion of the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl to battle their enemy, the Aztec god, Tezcatlipoca. He is given a magical suit of armor that bestows many abilities, complementing Uno's peak human mental and physical abilities.

Aztek later joins the Justice League, but resigns when it is revealed that one of the mysterious benefactors of the Q Society issupervillain Lex Luthor. He is later blinded helping the League save the Earth in a battle against the planet-destroying machine Mageddon, (apparently, the 'Tezcatlipoca' that the cult was referring to all along.) Aztek, ultimately sacrifices himself to allow Superman the chance to destroy Mageddon/Tezcatlipoca, during the World War III.

Aztek has peak human physical and mental conditioning. He wears an ancient helmet and armor (powered by a "four-dimensional mirror"), from which he derives flight, infrared and X-Ray vision, invisibility, intangibility, bodyheat camouflage, entrapment nets, plasma beams and density manipulation, as well as augmenting his peak physical abilities to superhuman levels. The four-dimensional power source could self destruct in a highly explosive manner.^{[A younger black female Aztek, with the same abilities, was seen in Grant Morrison's run on JLA during "The Rock of Ages" storyline in which the JLA traveled to an alternate future overrun by Darkseid.}

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grant_Morrison

http://www.grantmorrison.com

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grant_Morrison_bibliography

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aztek_(comics)

Mural by Diego Rivera

Mural by Diego Rivera, originalmente cargada por Eric Austria.

This is actually a detail of a mural inside the Coit Tower in San Francisco. It was painted by the famous Mexican painter, Diego Rivera in the 1930's. He's wife, is the famous Frida Kahlo, also a painter. She was portrayed later by Salma Hayek in her bioepic. The 360 degree mural surrounds the first floor of the tower. It' so beautiful and the details just impeccable. I really don't like photographing paintings but this particular one just stood out. I like the way all the races seems to be represented in this section. i have to do more research about this mural.

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Diego Rivera (December 8, 1886 – November 24, 1957) was born Diego María de la Concepción Juan Nepomuceno Estanislao de la Rivera y Barrientos Acosta y Rodríguez in Guanajuato, Gto. He was a world-famous Mexican painter, an active Communist, and husband of Frida Kahlo, 1929-1939 and 1940-1954 (her death). Rivera's large wall works in fresco helped establish the Mexican Mural Renaissance. Between 1922 and 1953, Rivera painted murals in Mexico City, Chapingo, Cuernavaca, San Francisco, Detroit, and New York City. His 1931 retrospective exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City was their second.

Diego Rivera was born in Guanajuato City, Guanajuato, to a well-off family. Rivera was descended, on his mother's side, from Jews who converted to Roman Catholicism, and, on his father's side, from Spanish nobility. Since he was ten years of age, Rivera studied art at the Academy of San Carlos in Mexico City. He was sponsored to continue study in Europe by Teodoro A. Dehesa Méndez, the governor of the State of Veracruz.

After arrival in Europe in 1907, Rivera initially went to study with Eduardo Chicharro in Madrid, Spain, and from there went to Paris, France, to live and work with the great gathering of artists in Montparnasse, especially at La Ruche, where his friend Amedeo Modigliani painted his portrait in 1914. His circle of close friends, which included Ilya Ehrenburg, Chaim Soutine, Modigliani's wife Jeanne Hébuterne, Max Jacob, gallery owner Leopold Zborowski, and Moise Kisling, was captured for posterity by Marie Vorobieff-Stebelska (Marevna) in her painting "Homage to Friends from Montparnasse" (1962).

In those years, Paris was witnessing the beginning of cubism in paintings by such eminent painters as Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque. From 1913 to 1917, Rivera enthusiastically embraced this new school of art. Around 1917, inspired by Paul Cézanne's paintings, Rivera shifted toward Post-Impressionism with simple forms and large patches of vivid colors. His paintings began to attract attention, and he was able to display them at several exhibitions.

In 1920, urged by Alberto J. Pani, the Mexican ambassador to France, Rivera left France and traveled through Italy studying its art, includingRenaissance frescoes. After Jose Vasconcelos became Minister of Education, Rivera returned to Mexico in 1921 to become involved in the government sponsored Mexican mural program planned by Vasconcelos. (See also Mexican Muralism)The program included such Mexicanartists as José Clemente Orozco, David Alfaro Siqueiros, and Rufino Tamayo, and the French artistJean Charlot. In January 1922, he painted - experimentally in encaustic - his first significant muralCreation in the Bolívar Auditorium of the National Preparatory School in Mexico City guarding himself with a pistol against right-wing students.

In the autumn of 1922, Rivera participated in the founding of the Revolutionary Union of Technical Workers, Painters and Sculptors, and later that year he joined the Mexican Communist Party (including its Central Committee). His murals, subsequently painted in fresco only, dealt with Mexican society and reflected the country's 1910 Revolution. Rivera developed his own native style based on large, simplified figures and bold colors with an Aztec influence clearly present in murals at theSecretariat of Public Education in Mexico City begun in September 1922, intended to consist of one hundred and twenty-four frescoes, and finished in 1928.

His art, in a fashion similar to the steles of the Maya, tells stories. The mural “En el Arsenal” (In the Arsenal) shows on the right hand side Tina Modotti holding an ammunition belt and facing Julio Antonio Mella, in a light hat, and Vittorio Vidale behind in a black hat. Rivera's radical political beliefs, his attacks on the church and clergy, as well as his dealings with Trotskyists and left-wing assassins made him a controversial figure even in communist circles. Leon Trotsky even lived with Rivera and Kahlo for several months while exiled in Mexico. Some of Rivera's most famous murals are featured at the National School of Agriculture at Chapingo near Texcoco (1925–27), in the Cortés Palace in Cuernavaca (1929-30), and the National Palace in Mexico City (1929–30, 1935).

In the autumn of 1927, Rivera arrived in Moscow, accepting an invitation to take part in the celebration of the 10th anniversary of theOctober Revolution. Subsequently, he was to paint a mural for the Red Army Club in Moscow, but in 1928 he was ordered out by the authorities because of involvement in anti-Soviet politics, and he returned to Mexico. In 1929, Rivera was expelled from the Mexican Communist Party. His 1928 mural In the Arsenal was interpreted by some as evidence of Rivera's prior knowledge of the murder ofJulio Antonio Mella allegedly by Stalinist assassin Vittorio Vidale. After divorcing Guadalupe (Lupe) Marin, Rivera married Frida Kahloin August 1929. Also in 1929, the first English-language book on Rivera, American journalist Ernestine Evans's The Frescoes of Diego Rivera, was published in New York. In December, Rivera accepted a commission to paint murals in the Palace of Cortez in Cuernavacafrom the American Ambassador to Mexico.

In September 1930, Rivera accepted an invitation from architect Timothy L. Pflueger to paint for him in San Francisco, California. After arriving in November accompanied by Kahlo, Rivera painted a mural for the City Club of the San Francisco Stock Exchange for US$2,500 and a fresco for the California School of Fine Art, which is now in the San Francisco Art Institute. Kahlo and Rivera worked and lived at the studio of Ralph Stackpole, who had suggested Rivera to Pflueger. Rivera met Helen Wills Moody, a famous tennis player, who modeled for his City Club mural. In November 1931, Rivera had a retrospective exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. Kahlo was present at the opening of the New York MoMA show. Between 1932 and 1933, he completed a famous series of twenty-seven fresco panels entitled Detroit Industry on the walls of an inner court at the Detroit Institute of Arts. During the McCarthyism of the 1950s, a large sign was placed in the courtyard defending the artistic merit of the murals while attacking his politics as "detestable."

His mural Man at the Crossroads, begun in 1933 for the Rockefeller Center in New York City, was removed after a furor erupted in the press over a portrait of Vladimir Lenin it contained. As a result of the negative publicity, a further commission was cancelled to paint a mural for an exhibition at the Chicago World's Fair. In December 1933, Rivera returned to Mexico, and he repainted Man at the Crossroads in 1934 in the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City. This surviving version was called Man, Controller of the Universe. On June 5, 1940, invited again by Pflueger, Rivera returned for the last time to the United States to paint a ten-panel mural for the Golden Gate International Exposition in San Francisco. Pan American Unity was completed November 29, 1940. As he was painting, Rivera was on display in front of Exposition attendees. He received US$1,000 per month and US$1,000 for travel expenses. The mural includes representations of two of Pflueger's architectural works as well as portraits of Kahlo, woodcarver Dudley C. Carter, and actress Paulette Goddard, who is depicted holding Rivera's hand as they plant a white tree together. Rivera's assistants on the mural included the pioneer African-American artist, dancer, and textile designer Thelma Johnson Streat. The mural and its archives reside at City College of San Francisco.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diego_Rivera