Antiwar.com: "Let us form a new religion, that which would be called 'humanity', with 'peace' as its prophet.
– Nima Shirali, Middle Eastern Reconciliation Forum "

Google: "It is your key planet Uranus that is getting stressed today by amorous Venus. As the symbol of love, beauty and sensory pleasure, Venus encourages you to risk more than normal in your quest for fulfillment. Avoid too much stimulation, whether from caffeine or reckless behavior. In the long run, it's better to sacrifice a bit of excitement for long-term stability.
Saturday, November 25, 2006 "

It is generally quite clear that you aren't ever afraid to tell people what you think, dear Aquarius, but maybe it is time to be more expressive about how you feel. It could be that your mental process is a bit off today, jolted by an unexpected situation or person. Make sure you incorporate some of your instincts and emotions into your reaction to the situation. Don't rely on your brain alone to have all the answers

"Your friends are more encouraging of who you are and what you want to do, even if they have previously resisted you. Just be careful that you aren't being led astray by short-sighted people who are pumping you up because they cannot see very far ahead. Don't let their insecurities become your over-commitment. For now, it may be better to just rely on your own judgments, lest you jump too quickly into an unstable situation. "

The Fountain - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"If you've been thinking about starting a new creative project, dear Aquarius, don't try to do it today. You may find yourself constantly distracted by friends and family vying for your attention, and other responsibilities could interfere with your desire to get going on it now. Don't hesitate to try to come up with ideas, but starting the actual work may have to wait until tomorrow. It's OK! Tomorrow you should be raring to go. Be patient!"

Google: "It feels like the pace of life is slowing down or one phase is coming to an end. Anything that is in a state of near completion should be finished in the next few days so it can begin to take new form. Don't procrastinate or make excuses. The only thing that can hold you back now is your own self-doubt. Believing in yourself is essential.
Thursday, November 23, 2006 "

"What I cannot create, I do not understand" �Richard P. Feynman

Richard Feynman - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

NASA - Image of the Day Gallery

"You probably can tell that something is different; you feel refreshed and more vibrant as you are drawn into more communal activities. Family and friends are heating up your calendar, more even than the holiday season would suggest. This is good news, for you are especially eager now to be involved with groups of like-minded people. Watch your energy level for the next few days, for it may be difficult to contain your excitement.
Wednesday, November 22, 2006"

for new drawing of roman sun , etc

Sakai Hoitsu: Persimmon Tree: alternate view | Object Page | Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Rinpa Painting Style | Special Topics Page | Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Google: "Your current challenge may involve finding a healthy balance between the career opportunities being presented to you and your need to hold on to a status quo that works. You are surely at the threshold of something big, but it's crucial not to move too quickly. Even if your sense of urgency is great, finish putting together all the loose ends before taking a leap into your future"

Aquarius: Jan. 20 - Feb. 18 - Horoscope - MSNBC.com: "f you're artistic by nature, dear Aquarius, expect a rush of inspiration to hit you today - along with an irresistible compulsion to start a new project and work, work, work until you can see at least some results. If you've never been artistic before, you may suddenly feel like giving it a try - perhaps using computer technology. Whichever it is, you're likely to derive a lot of pleasure from your work, so go to it - and have fun!"

Psychology Today: Stop the Pain

An authority figure might be lurking just out of sight and you can sense the heavy shadow being cast upon your world. This won't, however, prevent you from basking in the spotlight today. It's easy to see that you are loved, even if you don't think it will last. Focus on the positive aspects of the present moment rather than worrying about the negative potential of the future.

Wednesday, November 15, 2006

You may be lured into a mystery and it could get in the way of your productivity. Perhaps you are fascinated with a new idea, philosophy or metaphysical topic and are so intrigued that your responsibilities suffer. As long as you maintain clarity about what is most important, you will be able to glide your way through the unfolding circumstances.

Tuesday, November 14, 2006

You could receive unexpected support from a powerful person today, but self-doubt may prompt you to turn down the assistance. You may be unsure of the intentions of others now, even if they seem sincere. Trusting more in yourself is the first step to being open to listening to anyone else.
Monday, November 13, 2006

David Hughes
to Garry
show details
10:24 pm (9 minutes ago)
hi Gary:

i went to the emergency room tonight , as i had been in severe pain for over 24 hours, was in severe "number ten pain" and yelling and crying, and got very good care from mease hospital and their staff and doctor, in safety harbor

i will give the information to dr jackson and dr shah to get a referral to a pain clinic, and to dr slomka, and i will make sure you get the info from the hospital also....

perhaps dr slomka, the orthopaedic surgeon, will take over my pain management, i still have to get dr jackson to correct all my medical files, and i am talking to his nurse on nov 22 to fix my file, i see dr shah on nov 27, dr pam, the personal assistant to dr shah,

whom i have been seeing for the last year, (and had a wonderful relationship with) has left dr shah's service....

i see dr slomka on dec 4, the emergency room doctors thought my case was very serious and prescribed percocet for pain (which they rarely do for chronic pain sufferers, per the doctor),

and took x rays, i will have one of the consent forms signed to send to her, as much as i wish to stay with dr jackson, this lower vertebrae hemangioma thing is very serious and prevents me from sitting....

and no one is taking it seriously, perhaps now dr slomka will know how serious it is and how much its prevents me from working, doing daily activities, and even sitting.

dr jackson's nurse was rude today when i called her to beg her for dr jackson so help me with a different medication....( my favorite nurse!) on

the phone when i was in so much and crying,

but i will continue to be kind to them to get my corrected medical file, and hopefully dr slomka, the orthopeadic surgeon,

can take over pain managment for me with percocet, the vicoden has not helped for a year now, but dr jackson refuses to prescribe that medication (per his nurse telling me so...)

the doctor at mease hospital gave me an anti inflammatory shot, a 10 mg perocet, and a 24 number prescription to get me over to a pain clinic, all along i know this is the medication i needed as vicoden

as inadequate, but i did not want to ask for it by name as so many doctors thing drug seeking clients are wanting these medication for abuse,

so i have been waiting five years till a a doctor saw how much pain i was in and prescribed it, so now i can show this to

dr slomka and tell him it worked for me, and now i wont have to suffer as i have for the past five years. dr jackson's nurse told me dr jackson does not like to prescribe this medication, but

i have suffered anyhow because i like him and he was the doctor that old me to apply for disability, and he has the most comprehesive file on me, minus the mistakes (which i have already started to correct!)

i will send you the paperwork you sent me n the mail as soon as i have the dates all the medications were first prescribed, so that should be ready by middle december and i will mail it to you, the corrected paperwork from dr jackson should be ready in january, but i suspect he and i, will have to go thru my entire file,

all five years, to correct the mistakes in each file, i will send you an example, of a copy of the incorrect medical file with your paperwork so you can see the

blatant and erroneous information that would have caused us to lose our case, he works from a computer an he had someone else 's information in my file, i will correct all this information with his help and his nurses, they still think very highly of me.

as far as "daily activities" (in the medical file) he said i was doing fine, and i was doing fine in "work and community", all are errors, so i am going to highlight this information and give it to this nurse on nov 22 so she can correct it, and in time, correct it in all my daily medical files, so i will be able to send you a corrected medical file from do jackson in january,

and then that corrected medical file will be the only file when you request the medical record for the disability judge, so it is now a blessing dr jackson never submitted his medical records, as they are full of errors, and we would have lost our case, in his computer records he superimposing old records and then adds my information, and in his hast, he or his nurse, have neglected to correct the information from other person's medical records,

as fond as i am of dr jackson , he is quite old, and has made numerous mistakes in my file, even though he is kind and im sure this is all a mistake, but i have read most of my file and will have it all corrected before it gets to you or to the disability judge,

in the long run he really wants to help me and in all cases before this he has helped me get food stamps and apply for pinellas county benefits, so i think all of this is an over site, but thank "serendipity" i was able to read my file and found many many incorrections.

once again, you are the ONLY person that has helped me on my behalf, and i will always rememember your kindness and professionalism, and will refer you to friends that need a good lawyer and a good person in general!

dave hughes

have a wonderful thanksgiving and i hope your mother is doing well who lives up here in the dunedin area



On 11/13/06, Garry Miracle <miraclelaw@hotmail.com> wrote:
David:Sorry to hear that you are not getting the cooperation that you need fromDr. Jackson and that you are having so much of a pain problem. Garry W. Miracle, Esq.220 W. Brandon Blvd.Suite 211Brandon, FL 33511(813) 655-3136----Original Message Follows----From: "David Hughes" < davidhughes.david@gmail.com>To: "Griffin, James C (N-DCR)" <james.c.griffin@lmco.com>, "Garry Miracle"< miraclelaw@hotmail.com>, dave <davidhughes.david@gmail.com>

Subject: Re: embercy roomDate: Mon, 13 Nov 2006 15:58:49 -0500dr jakscon will no longer see me if i go to a pain clinic, as this back pain this week at been at a level 10 and i have been on the floorcryiing......and they are the most important persons in my disability case,so regardless of the pain, i m gonna stay with dr Jackson , the pain clinic can take a month or three to get an appt, so all of this is insane, rite nowi dint have to go to the emergency room, but i am going to stay with drJackson so i can fix his files as they are incorrect for my disability case, if they send their current files i will lose my case, so i see them nexttuesday, and will tell them i m not going to go to a pain clinic till mycase is settled, and then in a year or two, i will then go to a pain clinic and get better medications, i hope this week is a fluke as far as this backpain is, thanks for all you patience....and tonight need the fax working tosend so dr Jackson can send me info for the pain clinic, which i will not use but will forward to my lawyer, this weekend has been level ten pain andsuicidal pain, the current medications and ice are not stopping the lowerback pain due to the vertebrae problem.;...

Practical abilities you may not have known you have might suddenly appear today, dear Aquarius. You may be working behind the scenes on a project of some kind, perhaps involving earning some extra money or raising funds for a worthy cause. Your ESP and intuition are operating at a high level, so don't be surprised if you're more likely than usual to tune into the hearts and minds of others. Your imagination and inspiration are also high. Make use of them!

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

You are all dressed up and ready for work, but something may be very wrong. You don't know what is expected of you now, but if you can let go of the details for a while, this can be a creative time that is rich with meaningful experiences. If, however, you refuse to give up control, you will only open the door to unnecessary irritation.

ScienceDaily: Antioxidants: New Kid On The Block For Pain Relief?

Antioxidants: New Kid On The Block For Pain Relief?
Antioxidant-based pain killers may one day become a viable alternative to addictive medications such as morphine.
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Researchers found that synthetic antioxidants practically eradicated pain-like behavior in nearly three-quarters of mice with inflamed hind paws.
“When it comes to pain killers, there aren't many choices between over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen and aspirin and prescription opiates like morphine,” said Robert Stephens, a professor of physiology and cell biology at Ohio State University. He's the lead author of a study examining the effects of antioxidants as pain killers.
“We need drugs that fall somewhere between these two extremes,” Stephens said. “Someone suffering from chronic pain can become dependent on, or even addicted to, heavy-duty pain killers like morphine.”
The study appears in a recent issue of the journal Behavioural Brain Research.
Chronic pain is such a formidable problem that, in 2000, Congress passed a bill designating January 1, 2001 as the beginning of the “Decade of Pain Control and Research.”
Antioxidants neutralize free radicals, substances that damage cells. While our bodies constantly produce free radicals, healthy tissues inactivate these damaging substances and keep their levels in check. It's when free-radical production somehow exceeds the body's natural defenses that problems occur. Researchers have linked this excessive production to diseases like cancer and Alzheimer's.
A handful of studies published in the last 10 years suggest that free radicals may also contribute to chronic pain. Left unchecked, free radicals build up in the body and can further damage already-injured tissue.
An equally small number of studies, including those by Stephens, suggest that antioxidants may fight chronic pain by helping the body to break down free radicals.
“Studying the pain-killing effects of antioxidants is an emerging area of research,” Stephens said. “The FDA hasn't approved antioxidants for the treatment of chronic pain. But down the road we may see some drugs that contain antioxidants.”
Stephens and his colleagues first injected one of three different synthetic antioxidants into mice. An additional group of control mice received only saline. The antioxidants used in this study – PBN (phenyl-N-tert-butylnitrone), TEMPOL (4-hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxy) and NAC (N-acetyl-L-cysteine) – aren't the same as those found in fruits and vegetables, and two, PBM and TEMPOL, are currently only available for scientific purposes. NAC is available as a dietary supplement.
“Right now we're trying to show that antioxidants are viable pain killers,” Stephens said. “Similar work by other researchers suggested that these antioxidants were the best available. And while certain foods likely contain pain-killing antioxidants, these agents have not been systematically tested as pain relievers.”
Shortly after the antioxidant or saline injections, the researchers injected formalin, an irritant, into the left hind paw of each mouse. Formalin causes inflammation, which provokes pain-like behavior in mice. Researchers then spent the next 30 minutes studying how much time an animal spent licking and biting its injured paw. This kind of behavior suggests that the animal is in pain or discomfort.
The researchers divided the 30-minute observation session into three distinct periods – a five-minute acute phase, when the body first senses and reacts to pain, followed by a 5- to 15-minute period of relative stillness, as the body uses its own mechanisms to try to inhibit the pain, and ending with a 15- to 30-minute period called the tonic phase, during which a mouse starts to again vigorously lick or bite its irritated paw, suggesting that it still feels pain or discomfort.
The three antioxidants significantly reduced the amount of time that mice spent biting and licking their injured paw during both the acute and tonic phases. The researchers reported a 70- to 90-percent reduction in pain-related behaviors during the acute phase, and a 78- to 98-percent reduction in such behavior during the tonic phase.
“We were surprised to see such a major decrease in pain in the mice, particularly during the acute phase,” Stephens said. “The antioxidants seem to preempt pain-like behavior.
“Other investigators have given antioxidants to rodents after experimentally inducing pain and have found that the drugs relieve pain to a similar extent.”
Stephens conducted the study with researchers from Ohio State and from Ataturk University in Erzurum, Turkey.
The study received support from the Columbus Medical Research Foundation and TUBITAK, the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey.

"There is a lot going on at work and it can be distracting. Still, you might enjoy all the activity as passionate Mars activates your key planet Uranus. If life does become overwhelming, keep in mind that the intensity will not last more than a few days. You have the potential for great originality as long as you don't try to avoid the chaos.
Wednesday, November 8, 2006"

Like This, and Then Some
This is a real image of a typical solar flare from our sun, captured in the X-ray waveband by NASA's TRACE satellite. NASA's Swift satellite detected a similar flare from a star system called II Pegasi 135 light-years from Earth, except it was one hundred million times more energetic than the sun's typical solar flare. Had it been from our sun, it would have triggered a mass extinction on Earth.
Flare From Star Is Biggest Ever Seen
Larry O'Hanlon, Discovery News


Nov. 7, 2006 � The most colossal X-ray flare ever detected has been caught in the act of zapping its solar system with planet-killing radiation � not our solar system, thankfully.
The star is II Pegasi in the constellation Pegasus, about 135 light-years from Earth. That means the explosive flare seen by NASA's Swift satellite � a spacecraft designed to detect much more distant and powerful gamma ray bursts � actually took place around the year 1871. Light from the event is only now reaching Earth.


� back
Flare From Star Is Biggest Ever Seen
Larry O'Hanlon, Discovery News
type size: [] [] []
Nov. 7, 2006 � The most colossal X-ray flare ever detected has been caught in the act of zapping its solar system with planet-killing radiation � not our solar system, thankfully.
The star is II Pegasi in the constellation Pegasus, about 135 light-years from Earth. That means the explosive flare seen by NASA's Swift satellite � a spacecraft designed to detect much more distant and powerful gamma ray bursts � actually took place around the year 1871. Light from the event is only now reaching Earth.
The X-ray flare is the first-ever detected beyond our own sun that bears a striking resemblance to the much smaller "X-class" flares generated occasionally by our own sun.
"It's a hundred thousand times more powerful than the largest solar flares ever recorded," said astronomer Steven Drake of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. Despite being far more powerful, it looks like it was created in the same way, he said.
It starts with a tangle of magnetic field lines on the surface of a star that short-circuits. When that happens, atomic particles are accelerated to speeds only seen on Earth in high tech particle accelerators.
The accelerated particles can emit gamma rays, which is what caught the Swift satellite's attention in the first place. When the satellite turned to face II Pegasi, it took aim with its X-ray detector and caught the hour-long eruption of X-rays. The X-rays were created as material violently erupted from the sun and then arched back down and slammed back onto the star's surface.
By comparison, X-ray flares on the sun last only second or minutes, at most.
"It's certainly one of the biggest ever seen," said Drake of the II Pegasi flare. It's the hands-down winner in terms of those seen in "soft" X-rays, which are the rays just beyond the wavelength of extreme ultraviolet light.
Drake is a coauthor on a paper on the flare being presented by the University of Maryland�s Rachel Osten at the "Cool Stars 14" meeting in Pasadena this week.
What�s less surprising about the flare, however, is that it originated from II Pegasi, said Pennsylvania State University astrophysicist Eric Feigelson.
"It�s known to be one of the most flaring stars," said Feigelson. If he had been asked to guess which nearby stars were capable of belting out such a flare, II Pegasi would have been among his top ten, he said.
That's because despite being a middle-aged star that ought to be past this sort of wild and violent behavior, II Pegasi is part of a tightly-bound two-star system in which the stars are roaring around each other, generating powerful tidal forces that keep II Pegasi riled up.
Foruntately our own sun is relatively quiet and stable, with X-ray flares that are unable to penetrate Earth's atmosphere.
� back

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Source: Discovery News
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In this undated photo released by Taiji Whale Museum, divers hold a bottlenose dolphin that has an extra set of human hand-sized fins near its tail in Taiji, Wakayama prefecture in western Japan. (AP)

A Quote
"I believe the fins may be remains from the time when dolphins' ancient ancestors lived on land ... this is an unprecedented discovery."

Captured Dolphin Gives Evolutionary Clues, Japanese Researchers Discover Extra Fins That Could Be Remains Of Legs - CBS News:

Captured Dolphin Gives Evolutionary Clues
TOKYO, Nov. 5, 2006

(AP) A bottlenose dolphin captured last month off western Japan has an extra set of fins, providing further evidence that ocean-dwelling mammals once had four legs and lived on land, Japanese researchers said Sunday. Fishermen netted the four-finned dolphin off the coast of Wakayama prefecture (state) on Oct. 28, and alerted the nearby Taiji Whaling Museum, according to museum director Katsuki Hayashi. The second set of fins — much smaller than the dolphin's front fins — are about the size of adult human hands and protrude from near the tail on the dolphin's underside.

The dolphin is 8.92 feet long and is about 5 years old, according to the museum. Although dolphins and whales with odd-shaped protrusions near their tails have been caught in the past, researchers think this is the first one found with well-developed, symmetrical fins, Hayashi said. "I believe the fins may be remains from the time when dolphins' ancient ancestors lived on land ... this is an unprecedented discovery," said Seiji Osumi, an adviser at Tokyo's Institute of Cetacean Research, at a news conference televised Sunday. Hayashi said he couldn't tell from watching the dolphin swim in a museum tank whether it uses its back fins to maneuver. Fossil remains indicate that dolphins and whales were four-footed land animals about 50 million years ago and share common ancestors with the hippopotamus and deer.

Scientists believe they later transitioned to an aquatic lifestyle and lost their hind limbs. Whales and dolphin fetuses show signs of hind protrusions but they disappear before birth. A freak mutation may have caused the ancient trait to reassert itself, Osumi said. The dolphin will be kept at the Taiji museum to undergo X-ray and DNA tests, according to Hayashi.©MMVI, The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

"You may be feeling immoveable in your own world, making others see you as rather stubborn. But with the dynamic changes that are under foot, be aware that you won't be able to hold back the tides. You might as well resign yourself to the fact that you are not in control now. Loosen the reins and let the winds take you where they will.

Sunday, November 5, 2006"

Salvador Dali

Salvador Dalí - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

History of Art: Erotica in Art - Dali

Anaïs Nin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gmail - Wikipedia info unblocked

P.O.V. - Family Fundamentals . Chapter and Verse PBS

Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly . PERSPECTIVES . Homosexuality and the Church . March 13, 1998 PBS

P.O.V. - Family Fundamentals . Resources . Christianity and Homosexuality PBS

Homosexuality and Christianity - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Same-sex marriage - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Other people are the most important aspect of your day today, dear Aquarius. You will find that alone, things might get a bit difficult and unruly, but as long as you connect with others, you will find that even the most challenging task is almost effortless. One toothpick is easily broken in half, but realize that 20 toothpicks put together are just as strong as steel. Conjure up this power created by a force of people who all share a common goal"

NOVA Monster of the Milky Way PBS

Powerful pastor's drug purchases shocks evangelicals - CNN.com


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Powerful pastor's drug purchases shocks evangelicals
Story Highlights•NEW: Denver police will look into "crimes that may have been committed"•White House downplays Rev. Ted Haggard's influence•Evangelist admits he called male escort to buy drugs and get a massage•Polygraph administrator says accuser's polygraph test "did show deception"
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (CNN) -- The Rev. Ted Haggard, who has resigned as one of the nation's top evangelical leaders, admitted Friday he had contacted a male prostitute for a massage and bought methamphetamine.
"I was buying it for me, but I never used it," said Haggard, 50, sitting in the driver's seat of a car with his wife, Gayle, at his side during an impromptu interview with CNN Denver affiliate KUSA-TV.
"I never kept it very long because it was wrong. I was tempted. I bought it. But I never used it." Haggard also acknowledged contacting Mike Jones but has denied Jones' accusation that the two men regularly had sex over three years. (Watch how the scandal has quickly unfolded -- 3:35)
The admissions -- after Haggard's earlier denials that he even knew Jones -- resonated among America's evangelicals and Christian leaders.
Haggard resigned as president of the National Association of Evangelicals, an umbrella group representing more than 45,000 churches with 30 million members.
He also temporarily stepped aside Thursday as senior pastor of the 14,000-member New Life Church in Colorado Springs, pending an internal investigation into Jones' allegations. (Parishioners stand by Haggard)
Haggard was one of a group of religious leaders who regularly participated in conference calls with White House aides, Time magazine reported.
On Friday, the White House sought to downplay Haggard's influence within the administration.
Spokesman Tony Fratto told reporters Friday that it was inaccurate to portray him as being close to the White House, insisting Haggard was only an occasional participant in weekly conference calls between West Wing staff and leading evangelicals.
"He has been on a couple of calls," Fratto said. "He's been to the White House one or two times."
Last year, Time -- citing Haggard's White House access -- put him on its list of the nation's 25 most influential evangelicals. (Time.com article)
Many religious leaders had rallied to the pastor's defense when the allegations broke earlier in the week.
Dobson: He's still my friend
But Focus on the Family founder James Dobson -- who had castigated the media Thursday for reporting Jones' allegations -- issued a statement Friday saying he was "heartsick" upon learning of Haggard's admissions.
"The possibility that an illicit relationship has occurred is alarming to us and to millions of others," Dobson said.
"He will continue to be my friend, even if the worst allegations prove accurate," he continued. "Nevertheless, sexual sin, whether homosexual or heterosexual, has serious consequences."
Tony Perkins, head of the Family Research Council, a Washington-based conservative policy group, said he was "saddened to learn of these allegations of reprehensible behavior."
"In his position as a leader of the evangelical community, this personal tragedy has public ramifications, so we urge that a full accounting of the facts be swift and complete," he said in a statement.
In an interview Friday with CNN, Jones said he went public with his allegations because of Haggard's support for a state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage that is on the ballot next week in Colorado.
"For someone who is up there preaching that marriage should only be between a man and a woman, and he's going behind his wife's back and seeing a gay man for sex -- I felt like I owed it to the gay community to expose the hypocrisy," Jones said.( Watch Jones describe how he and Haggard "hooked up" -- 7:26)
Unclear polygraph test
But Jones' account of events also came under scrutiny Friday after he voluntarily took a polygraph test for Denver's KHOW radio, where he originally made his allegations Wednesday.
The polygraph examiner concluded Jones showed some "deception."
However, the examiner said because Jones was exhausted at the time the test was administered it would need to be redone after he slept and ate to get more reliable results.
Jones told CNN that the part of the test he failed was on the question of whether he and Haggard had sex. "I don't understand why I did fail the part about when they asked me if I had sex with Ted Haggard," he said. "That's the reason he contacted me to begin with." (Watch Jones' take on Haggard's denial -- 1:20)
Haggard told KUSA that he was "grateful that [Jones] failed the polygraph test."
The Denver Police Department issued a statement saying it was "watching this situation unfold" and planned "on reaching out to the involved parties for information on crimes that may have been committed in Denver."
Haggard had told reporters earlier in the week that he did not know Jones.
But Friday, he said a Denver hotel where he was staying referred him to Jones for a massage, and Jones "told him about" the methamphetamine. (Watch Haggard's response to whether he knows gay men in Denver -- 2:07)
He did not identify the hotel. Jones told CNN he did not sell methamphetamine to Haggard, but he said he gave Haggard a contact to obtain the drug and saw him use it on multiple occasions. He also said he was "not listed with any concierge" at a Denver hotel.
Asked about Haggard's continued denials of a sexual relationship, Jones noted that Haggard had denied even knowing him until he released voice mails he said he had kept from Haggard.
"The more denial he gives, the messier he looks," Jones said.
An expert hired by KUSA concluded the voice on the messages was probably Haggard, and a more detailed analysis was under way. The pastor admitted Friday that he did call Jones "to buy some meth, but I threw it away." (Watch what Haggard said about the drugs he bought -- 1:59)
Jones has said he met Haggard three years ago when the pastor answered his escort ad, pretending to be a man from Kansas City named "Art." He said their sexual encounters continued monthly until August.
Haggard's middle name is Arthur.
Jones, who has said he no longer works as a prostitute, told CNN he only learned Art's identity several months ago, when he recognized Haggard on TV.
"You can't put yourself in the position he was in and want respect and people to follow your words when you're actually doing the opposite behind their backs," Jones said.
CNN's Delia Gallagher contributed to this report.



Find this article at: http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/11/03/haggard.allegations/index.html


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NOVA Monster of the Milky Way Watch the Program PBS

Notorious F.A.G.

The Bosh : Ted Haggard Admits Steamy Gay Massage & Meth Purchase

The differences between your inner desires and your outer world can be the source of great frustration, for there really isn't a viable solution. This isn't as bad as it sounds, for you can alleviate the pressure by simply being aware of the dilemma. If you understand that your home and family obligations are a given, then you don't need to struggle against them. Whatever time you have left over for fun is simply a bonus.

Saturday, November 4, 2006

Dennis Rodman - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

hi there, ive been having a ruff time with the process in my mouth, the lower gums are slow to heal, i get fitted for the bottom denture next wed, i did have near this much trouble with the upper gums, but then i did have 11 bottom teeth a year ago, to chew, and now nothing to chew, so tonight its back to yougurt and stuff i can chew, basic crackers, for another month till the dentures are ready, its really hard as most of my meds for high blood pressure i have to eat, and naproxen, i have to eat or i pay the price.....oh well, sweet nurse, ..........god im at 51 and look what im writing about, being gumless, gumfull, without gums, oh now, with gums, without teeth, gone is the gripper LOL

i cant keep much down, as i cant chew anything, i keep losing james spegetti, ......and of course, with that goes my ability to spell......

but today that took me into a dream place, cause i havent slept in two days,

where i felt johnny jordon commited suicide because he was gay, or afraid he was being found out that he was gay, did you ever pick up on any of that, the last time i saw him he was so full of fear, we were at church in a brezzeway, and you know we had been good friends and lovers on and off for years, and then that summer while i was in new jersey, he did it and left scriptures all over his room, i also felt the scriptures were all related, all those scriptures from galations and romans, etc, that say its a sin to be gay, he was such a wonderful person

no body should have to go thru what society puts people thru, just because of differences...well thats me gumming my way thru another e mail, ive learned it takes a long time for my urocet k to dissovle, yuc, cause these last few months ive gotten kidney stones almost every day

gonna get a referrel to a urologist end of this month and change my diet, im over that pain big time...

love u

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New telescope will look for Dark Energy origin

A team led by the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) and NASA�s Goddard Space Flight Center has been selected by NASA to develop a concept for a space mission to characterize the mysterious �Dark Energy� that permeates the Universe and causes its expansion to accelerate.
Known as Destiny, the Dark Energy Space Telescope, the small spacecraft would detect and observe more than 3,000 supernovae over its two-year primary mission to measure the expansion history of the Universe, followed by a year-long survey of 1,000 square-degrees of the sky at near-infrared wavelengths to measure how the large-scale distribution of matter in the Universe has evolved since the Big Bang. Used together, the data from these two surveys will have 10 times the sensitivity of current ground-based projects to explore the properties of Dark Energy, and will provide data critical to understanding the origin of Dark Energy, which is poorly explained by existing physical theories.

NOAO Press Release 06-10: NASA Funds Development of Destiny: The Dark Energy Space Telescope

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, August 3, 2006RELEASE NO: NOAO 06-10
NASA Funds Development of Destiny: The Dark Energy Space Telescope
For More Information:
Douglas IsbellOffice of Public Affairs and Educational OutreachNational Optical Astronomy ObservatoryPhone: 520/318-8214E-mail: disbell@noao.edu
Images
With links to a larger version.

Artist's rendition of the Destiny spacecraft
Image Credit: NASA/GSFC
A team led by the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center has been selected by NASA to develop a concept for a space mission to characterize the mysterious “Dark Energy” that permeates the Universe and causes its expansion to accelerate.
Known as Destiny, the Dark Energy Space Telescope, the small spacecraft would detect and observe more than 3,000 supernovae over its two-year primary mission to measure the expansion history of the Universe, followed by a year-long survey of 1,000 square-degrees of the sky at near-infrared wavelengths to measure how the large-scale distribution of matter in the Universe has evolved since the Big Bang. Used together, the data from these two surveys will have 10 times the sensitivity of current ground-based projects to explore the properties of Dark Energy, and will provide data critical to understanding the origin of Dark Energy, which is poorly explained by existing physical theories.
“Destiny’s strength is that it is a simple, low-cost mission designed to attack the puzzling problem of Dark Energy directly with high statistical precision,” said Tod R. Lauer, the Principal Investigator for Destiny and an astronomer at NOAO. “We build upon grism technology used in the Hubble Space Telescope’s Advanced Camera for Surveys to help us provide spectra of the supernovae as well as images. Spectra are critical to diagnosing the properties of the supernova, but are very difficult to obtain with more traditional cameras. Destiny’s grism camera, however, will take simultaneous spectra of all objects in its field. This is a major advantage of our approach, which greatly increases the ability to detect and characterize these distant stellar explosions.”
The discovery of a mysterious force now known as Dark Energy was announced in 1998 by two independent teams of astronomers who were studying distant supernovae as a way to measure how the expansion rate of the Universe has changed over time. These teams (both of whom used NOAO telescopes in Chile to discover the supernovae) were surprised to discover that, rather than slowing down, as had been expected, the expansion rate of the Universe is actually speeding up as the Universe ages. To explain this surprising phenomenon, scientists have been forced to conclude that the Universe contains not only ordinary matter and dark (invisible) matter, but also an ingredient called Dark Energy that permeates all of space and propels this expansion. Understanding the origin and properties of Dark Energy is probably the most outstanding problem in cosmology today.
“Destiny is designed to exploit two complementary paths—supernovae and large scale distribution of matter—to measure Dark Energy in a manner that is less susceptible to unknowns than any single technique,” said Dominic J. Benford of NASA Goddard, the Deputy Principal Investigator for Destiny.
The Destiny team has strong connections to the state of Arizona, with members in Tucson at NOAO, the University of Arizona’s astronomy department and Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, and several astronomers and space scientists from Arizona State University. Other team members (including several that were part of the original discovery of Dark Energy) are based at the Space Telescope Science Institute, Harvard University, Texas A&M, the University of California, Davis, Michigan State University, the University of Chicago, and the Carnegie Observatories.
Lauer joined the staff of NOAO in 1990. He was a member of the instrument team for the first Wide-Field and Planetary Camera aboard the Hubble Space Telescope, and was deeply involved in its calibration and early operations. Lauer has continued to be a frequent user of Hubble. In 1992, he received a NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal for his early work with the instrument. His research covers diverse topics ranging from searching for black holes at the centers of galaxies to the large scale structure of the Universe.
Destiny is one concept for JDEM, the Joint Dark Energy Mission, which NASA and the Department of Energy have jointly proposed to characterize Dark Energy. The Department of Energy’s Los Alamos National Laboratory is a partner in the Destiny mission.
If Destiny is ultimately selected to achieve the JDEM scientific goals, the spacecraft and its 1.65-meter telescope would be launched by a Delta IV or Atlas V expendable rocket into a stable orbit at the second Earth-Sun Lagrangian point as soon as 2013. This location allows for stable and continuous operation of the instrument. Initially Destiny would continuously observe two patches of the sky for distant supernovae. Destiny’s observations are planned to coordinate closely with those from current large ground-based telescopes and emerging facilities such as the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST).
An artist’s concept of the Destiny spacecraft at work is available above.
The National Optical Astronomy Observatory, Tucson, Arizona, is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy Inc. (AURA), under a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation.

Dark energy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Imagine the Universe! Ten Year Anniversary

SPACE.com -- Dark Energy: Astronomers Hot on Trail of Mysterious Force

Known as Destiny, the Dark Energy Space Telescope , the small spacecraft would detect and observe more than 3,000 supernovae over its two-year primary mission to measure the expansion history of the Universe, followed by a year-long survey of 1,000 square-degrees of the sky at near-infrared wavelengths to measure how the large-scale distribution of matter in the Universe has evolved since the Big Bang. Used together, the data from these two surveys will have 10 times the sensitivity of current ground-based projects to explore the properties of Dark Energy, and will provide data critical to understanding the origin of Dark Energy, which is poorly explained by existing physical theories

DESTINY JDEM Mission Public Page


A Candidate Architecture Study For the NASA/DOE Joint Dark Energy Mission
Science Team Access
Public Mission Homepage
Last Updated: September 7, 2005 3:22 PM MST
Destiny is a candidate architecture for the NASA/DOE Joint Dark Energy Mission (JDEM). The mission measures the expansion rate of the Universe using supernovae as tracers and characterizes the nature of "dark energy", under Principal Investigator Prof. Jon Morse.
This website is intended for public delivery of information concerning the mission. If you have a question about this page, please contact Dr. Paul Scowen.
Overview
Destiny is a mission concept for a 1.8m near-infrared (NIR) grism-mode space telescope optimized to return richly sampled Hubble diagrams of Type Ia and Type II supernovae (SN) over the redshift range 0.5 < z < 1.7 for determining cosmological distances, measuring the expansion rate of the Universe as a function of time, and characterizing the nature of the so-called "dark energy".
The central concept of our proposed Dark Energy Space Telescope (Destiny) is an all-grism NIR survey camera. SN will be discovered by repeated imaging of an area located at the North Ecliptic Pole (NEP). Grism spectra with resolving power R ~ 100 will provide broad-band spectrophotometry, redshifts, SN classification, as well as valuable time-resolved diagnostic data for understanding the SN explosion physics.
This approach features only a single mode of operation, a single detector technology, and a single instrument. Although grism spectroscopy is slow compared to SN detectors in any single broad-band filter for photometry, the multiplex advantage of being able to observe a large field of view of a full octave in wavelength simultaneously makes this approach highly competitive.
Our focus will be to refine the techniques, requirements, implementation, and cost of a space-based grism survey of distant supernovae.
Strengths of the Destiny Approach
Simultaneous photometric and spectroscopic observations
Photometric bands track redshift
One instrument / one detector technology
Simple operations / reduced telemetry
No time critical observations

NASA Funds Dark Energy Space Telescope Development

STELLAR CHEMISTRYNASA Funds Dark Energy Space Telescope Development
Image credit: NOAOby Staff WritersGreenbelt MD (SPX) Aug 04, 2006NASA has selected a team led by the National Optical Astronomy Observatory and NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center develop a concept for a space mission to characterize the mysterious dark energy that permeates the universe and is causing its expansion to accelerate.
Known as Destiny, the Dark Energy Space Telescope, the spacecraft would detect and observe more than 3,000 supernovae over its two-year primary mission to measure the expansion history of the Universe, followed by a year-long survey of 1,000 square-degrees of the sky at near-infrared wavelengths to measure how the large-scale distribution of matter in the universe has evolved since the Big Bang.
Used together, the data from these two surveys will have 10 times the sensitivity of current ground-based projects to explore the properties of dark energy, and will provide data critical to understanding the origin of dark energy, which is poorly explained by existing physical theories.
"Destiny's strength is that it is a simple, low-cost mission designed to attack the puzzling problem of dark energy directly with high statistical precision," said Tod R. Lauer, the principal investigator for Destiny and an astronomer at NOAO.
"We build upon grism technology used in the Hubble Space Telescope's Advanced Camera for Surveys to help us provide spectra of the supernovae as well as images," Lauer said. "Spectra are critical to diagnosing the properties of the supernova, but are very difficult to obtain with more traditional cameras."
Lauer said Destiny's grism camera, however, will take simultaneous spectra of all objects in its field, something that represents a major advantage, because it greatly increases the ability to detect and characterize these distant stellar explosions.
The discovery of a mysterious force now known as Dark Energy was announced in 1998 by two independent teams of astronomers who were studying distant supernovae as a way to measure how the expansion rate of the universe has changed over time.
The teams - both of whom used NOAO telescopes in Chile to discover the supernovae - were surprised to discover that, rather than slowing down, as had been expected, the expansion rate of the universe actually is speeding up as it ages.
To explain this phenomenon, scientists have been forced to conclude that the universe contains not only ordinary matter and dark (invisible) matter, but also an ingredient called dark energy that permeates all of space and propels this expansion. Understanding the origin and properties of dark energy probably is the most outstanding problem in cosmology.
"Destiny is designed to exploit two complementary paths - supernovae and large scale distribution of matter - to measure dark energy in a manner that is less susceptible to unknowns than any single technique," said Dominic J. Benford of Goddard, the deputy principal investigator for Destiny.
Destiny is one concept for JDEM, the Joint Dark Energy Mission, which NASA and the Department of Energy have jointly proposed to characterize dark energy.
DoE's Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico is a partner in the Destiny mission.
If Destiny ultimately is selected to achieve the JDEM scientific goals, the spacecraft and its 1.65-meter telescope would be launched by a Delta IV or Atlas V expendable rocket into a stable orbit at the second Earth-Sun Lagrangian point as soon as 2013.
This location allows for stable and continuous operation of the instrument. Initially Destiny would continuously observe two patches of the sky for distant supernovae. Destiny's observations are planned to coordinate closely with those from current large ground-based telescopes and emerging facilities such as the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST).

NASA Funds Development of Destiny: The Dark Energy Space Telescope SpaceRef - Your Space Reference

NASA Funds Development of Destiny: The Dark Energy Space Telescope
PRESS RELEASEDate Released: Thursday, August 3, 2006Source: National Optical Astronomy Observatory

A team led by the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) and NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center has been selected by NASA to develop a concept for a space mission to characterize the mysterious "Dark Energy'' that permeates the Universe and causes its expansion to accelerate.
Known as Destiny, the Dark Energy Space Telescope, the small spacecraft would detect and observe more than 3,000 supernovae over its two-year primary mission to measure the expansion history of the Universe, followed by a year-long survey of 1,000 square-degrees of the sky at near-infrared wavelengths to measure how the large-scale distribution of matter in the Universe has evolved since the Big Bang. Used together, the data from these two surveys will have 10 times the sensitivity of current ground-based projects to explore the properties of Dark Energy, and will provide data critical to understanding the origin of Dark Energy, which is poorly explained by existing physical theories.
"Destiny's strength is that it is a simple, low-cost mission designed to attack the puzzling problem of Dark Energy directly with high statistical precision," said Tod R. Lauer, the Principal Investigator for Destiny and an astronomer at NOAO. "We build upon grism technology used in the Hubble Space Telescope's Advanced Camera for Surveys to help us provide spectra of the supernovae as well as images. Spectra are critical to diagnosing the properties of the supernova, but are very difficult to obtain with more traditional cameras. Destiny's grism camera, however, will take simultaneous spectra of all objects in its field. This is a major advantage of our approach, which greatly increases the ability to detect and characterize these distant stellar explosions."
The discovery of a mysterious force now known as Dark Energy was announced in 1998 by two independent teams of astronomers who were studying distant supernovae as a way to measure how the expansion rate of the Universe has changed over time. These teams (both of whom used NOAO telescopes in Chile to discover the supernovae) were surprised to discover that, rather than slowing down, as had been expected, the expansion rate of the Universe is actually speeding up as the Universe ages. To explain this surprising phenomenon, scientists have been forced to conclude that the Universe contains not only ordinary matter and dark (invisible) matter, but also an ingredient called Dark Energy that permeates all of space and propels this expansion. Understanding the origin and properties of Dark Energy is probably the most outstanding problem in cosmology.
"Destiny is designed to exploit two complementary paths – supernovae and large scale distribution of matter – to measure Dark Energy in a manner that is less susceptible to unknowns than any single technique," said Dominic J. Benford of NASA Goddard, the Deputy Principal Investigator for Destiny.
The Destiny team has strong connections to the state of Arizona, with members in Tucson at NOAO, the University of Arizona's astronomy department and Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, and several astronomers and space scientists from Arizona State University. Other team members (including several that were part of the original discovery of Dark Energy) are based at the Space Telescope Science Institute, Harvard University, Texas A&M, the University of California, Davis, Michigan State University, the University of Chicago, and the Carnegie Observatories.
Lauer joined the staff of NOAO in 1990. He was a member of the instrument team for the first Wide-Field and Planetary Camera aboard the Hubble Space Telescope, and was deeply involved in its calibration and early operations. Lauer has continued to be a frequent user of Hubble. In 1992, he received a NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal for his early work with the instrument. His research covers diverse topics ranging from searching for black holes at the centers of galaxies to the large scale structure of the Universe.
Destiny is one concept for JDEM, the Joint Dark Energy Mission, which NASA and the Department of Energy have jointly proposed to characterize Dark Energy. The Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory is a partner in the Destiny mission.
If Destiny is ultimately selected to achieve the JDEM scientific goals, the spacecraft and its 1.65-meter telescope would be launched by a Delta IV or Atlas V expendable rocket into a stable orbit at the second Earth-Sun Lagrangian point as soon as 2013. This location allows for stable and continuous operation of the instrument. Initially Destiny would continuously observe two patches of the sky for distant supernovae. Destiny's observations are planned to coordinate closely with those from current large ground-based telescopes and emerging facilities such as the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST).
An artist's concept of the Destiny spacecraft at work is available at: http://www.noao.edu/outreach/press/pr06/pr0610.html
The National Optical Astronomy Observatory, Tucson, Arizona, is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy Inc. (AURA), under a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation.

"It is quite a creative day for you as the Sun harmonizes with your key planet Uranus. If you have a job that requires detailed tasks, though, you may find it difficult to stay focused. On the other hand, if you find a way to do original thinking on your own, you'll be able to finish your work even more efficiently than you thought possible."

The Metropolitan Museum of Art - Special Exhibitions: Coaxing the Spirits to Dance: Art of the Papuan Gulf

Red Wine Consumption May Lower Risk of Prostate Cancer

Timelines Index, 20,000-8000 B.C. | Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art

vessel

Jade

Vessel with overhead handle, Qing dynasty (1644-1912), early 20th century, B60J24. Carved from a single piece of jade, this vase, with its loose double ring chain supported by a fanciful phoenix bird, is a technical marvel.

Jade - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

An ornamental stone, jade is a name applied to two different rocks that are made up of different silicate minerals. Nephrite jade consists of the calcium- and magnesium-rich amphibole mineral actinolite (aggregates of which also make up one form of asbestos). The rock called jadeitite consists almost entirely of jadeite, a sodium- and aluminum-rich pyroxene. Because both were used by Stone and Bronze Age cultures for similar purposes, and they are both about as hard as quartz, exceptionally tough, beautifully colored and can be delicately shaped, it was not until the 19th century that a French mineralogist determined that "jade" was in fact two different materials

Night-Shining White, Tang dynasty (618�906), 8th century
Attributed to Han Gan (Chinese, active 742�56)
China
Handscroll; ink on paper; 12 1/8 x 13 3/8 in. (30.8 x 34 cm)
Purchase, The Dillon Fund Gift, 1977 (1977.78)





Han Gan, a leading horse painter of the Tang dynasty (618�907), was known for portraying not only the physical likeness of a horse but also its spirit. This painting, the most famous work attributed to the artist, is a portrait of Night-Shining White, a favorite charger of the emperor Xuanzong (r. 712�56). The fiery-tempered steed, with its burning eye, flaring nostrils, and dancing hooves, epitomizes Chinese myths about imported "celestial steeds" that "sweat blood" and were really dragons in disguise. This sensitive, precise drawing, reinforced by delicate ink shading, is an example of baihua (white painting), a term used in Tang texts to describe monochrome painting with ink shading, as opposed to full color painting. The later term baimiao (white drawing) denotes line drawing without shading, as seen in the paintings of Li Gonglin (ca. 1041�1106). The numerous seals and inscriptions added to the painting and its borders by later owners and experts are a distinctive feature of Chinese collecting and connoisseurship. While collectors are sometimes overzealous in showing their appreciation in this manner, the addition of seals and comments by later viewers served to record a work's transmission and offers vivid testimony of an artwork's continuing impact on later generations

Tomb guardian (zhenmushou), Northern Wei to Northern Qi dynasties, mid- to late 6th century
China
Earthenware with pigment; H. 12 1/4 in. (31.1 cm)
Purchase, Ann Eden Woodward Foundation Gift, 1979 (1979.438)


This brilliantly modeled gray earthenware figure of a crouching guardian belongs to a class of objects called mingqi (spirit goods), made specifically for burial with the dead. In Chinese archaeological writings, this type of figure is called a zhenmushou and at times identified as a spirit that has the power to keep the spirit of the dead from roaming. Popular from the sixth through the eight century, zhenmushou figures are often found in pairs at the entrance to a tomb. The origin of these figures is unclear. Some scholars speculate that they evolved from dog or doglike figures found in some later Han-dynasty tombs. Others trace their roots to three-horned, four-legged creatures produced during the Western Jin dynasty (265�317 A.D.).

This animated figure is typical of the stylistic innovation that made its debut in Northern Wei�dynasty tomb sculpture. The lines are elegant, its modeling well articulated and powerful. Each of its parts is sharply defined, yet one is aware of the entire figure and its innate sense of pent-up energy. The exceptionally expressive modeling of the face is virtually a hallmark of the best Northern Wei tomb figures. The use of a rectangular base was also introduced during this period.

China, 500-1000 A.D. | Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Amphora, ca. 490 B.C.; Classical; red-figure
Attributed to the Berlin Painter
Greek, Attic
Terracotta; H. 16 5/16 in. (41.5 cm)
Fletcher Fund, 1956 (56.171.38)


This red-figure amphora attributed to the Berlin Painter beautifully illustrates the symbiosis between the shape of a vase and its decoration. As one of the leading vase painters of the fifth century B.C., the Berlin Painter abandoned the rigid frames of panels on the amphora so that the contour of the vase itself focuses our attention on his solitary figures. On this particular vase, a musician in a long, slim garment accompanies himself on the kithara, a musical instrument used for formal performances in festivals and contests. The young musician, known as a kitharode, spreads the fingers of his left hand behind the strings and prepares to strike them with the plektron, or pick, in his right hand. The muscles in his neck stretch as he throws back his head and opens his mouth to sing. The sash below his kithara sways with the rhythm of his song. On the reverse side of the amphora, an instructor or, possibly, a judge listens intently and extends his right arm toward the young musician.

The kithara was an instrument with seven strings of equal length and a solidly built, wooden body, usually with a flat base. Strings of gut or sinew were stretched from a holder at the base of the instrument over a bridge to the crossbar that joined the two sidepieces. The kitharode, who always stood while playing, made music by stroking the plektron in his right hand across the strings, sounding all those not damped with his left fingers. During performances, the instrument rested against the musician's shoulder, and was supported by a sling that wrapped around the left wrist. The musician could regulate pitch by the tension and, perhaps, thickness of the strings.

Music in Ancient Greece | Special Topics Page | Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Standing Bodhisattva Padmapani, 11th�12th century
Nepal
Gilt copper alloy, inlaid with semiprecious stones; H. 26 1/4 in. (66.7 cm)
Purchase, Bequests of Mary Clarke Thompson, Fanny Shapiro, Susan Dwight Bliss, Isaac D. Fletcher, William Gedney Beatty, John L. Cadwalader and Kate Read Blacque, Gifts of Mrs. Samuel T. Peters, Ida H. Ogilvie, Samuel T. Peters and H. R. Bishop, F. C. Bishop and O. M. Bishop, Rogers, Seymour and Fletcher Funds, and other gifts, funds and bequests from various donors, by exchange, 1982 (1982.220.2)


Padmapani or "Lotus-Bearer" is one of the more common epithets of Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Infinite Compassion. This superbly modeled sculpture stands in a tribhanga or thrice-bent pose. The right hand makes the gesture of giving while the left signifies teaching. Padmapani is identified by the lotus flower resting on his left shoulder. The more restrained modeling of earlier Nepalese bronzes has here given way to a more baroque treatment. The suave, subtly articulated planes of the body contrast with the more intricately modeled jewelry and pleats of the dhoti. His broad face with elongated eyes and eyebrows and small mouth is similarly stylized.

Standing Bodhisattva Padmapani [Nepal]: enlarged view | Object Page | Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Himalayan Region, 1000-1400 A.D. | Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890): The Drawings | Special Topics Page | Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Shoguns and Art | Special Topics Page | Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Birds and Flowers of the Four Seasons, Muromachi period (1392�1573), second half of 16th century
Kano School
Japan
Pair of six-fold screens; color on gold-leafed paper; Each screen 42 1/8 x 137 3/4 in. (106.7 x 349.9 cm)
Purchase, Mrs. Jackson Burke and Mary Livingston Griggs and Mary Griggs Burke Foundation Gifts, 1987 (1987.342.1,2)





Across the twelve panels of this pair of folding screens, a rich profusion of bird and flower motifs celebrates the cyclical progression of the seasons. In the right-hand screen, springtime wildflowers and blossoming trees provide the setting for the main image of a crane with its young, while in the left foreground, a clump of summer lilies announces the transition through summer to fall and winter, which are represented in the left-hand screen. Spanning the four central panels of the pair is a clump of bamboo glimpsed beyond a golden brushwood fence and clouds. Emphasizing the leftward movement of the overall design, pink and white rose mallow, signaling late summer and early autumn, grow around the fence and fantastically eroded rocks to set the scene for a majestic finale in the snow-covered pine that arches across the screen. It frames a pair of mature cranes, whose stately confronting pose recapitulates the rhythm of the total design.

The massive black trunk of an ancient plum tree with bending, twisting branches spans nearly sixteen feet across four gold-leafed sliding panels. The downward thrust of its principal branch is echoed by the parallel reverse movement of two young shoots. Supported on both sides by vertical and horizontal expanses of rock, the old reptilian tree sprouts blossoms, which convey the atmosphere of a cold, early spring and symbolize birth and renewal. This remarkable painting bears no signature or seal, but the exaggerated bends of the tree and the cubelike crispness of the geometric rocks are idiosyncrasies associated with the signed works of Kano Sansetsu. Sansetsu was a pupil and son-in-law of Kano Sanraku (1559–1635).
The panels originally formed one wall of a room in the Tenshoin, a subtemple of Myoshinji. On the reverse of these panels was a composition depicting the Chinese theme of Eight Daoist Immortals, which formed a wall in the adjacent room. This composition is now in the Minneapolis Institute of Art.

The Old Plum, Edo period (1615�1868), ca. 1645
Attributed to Kano Sansetsu (Japanese, ca. 1589�1651)
Four sliding door panels (fusuma); ink, color, gold leaf on paper; H. 68 3/4 in. (174.6 cm)
The Harry G. C. Packard Collection of Asian Art, Gift of Harry G. C. Packard and Purchase, Fletcher, Rogers, Harris Brisbane Dick and Louis V. Bell Funds, Joseph Pulitzer Bequest and The Annenberg Fund Inc. Gift, 1975 (1975.268.48a-d)

Take time to find your way back to a calmer existence. The good news is that even with your hectic pace of
activities and social outings, you will enjoy the day. The planets are working with you and not against you. Don't push away the great experiences awaiting you just because you don't think you will have a good time. Negative thinking limits your perspective, but a confident outlook increases your possibilities.


Thursday, November 2, 2006