#gen 5 is coveted and its coveted for a reason

[sexysilverstrider]

i do not want to see another pokemon game next year. or even 2 years from now. the next game is the bw remake and itll come out 4 years aka during pokemons 30th anniversary where developers can make the game with a reasonable deadline. i want nintendo and the pokemon company higher ups to see the complaints of scarvio. i want the gamefreak developers to take a strike or union. i want the capitalistic monsters to crash financially to see scarvio selling Badly. i want the bw generation--the most coveted and famous generation esp in japan--to exist as an amazing remaster with full voice acting of the main characters and jrpg cutscenes that match the emotional plot that haunts every player when they first played bw and bw2. i want to see N in glorious HD with the same dating simulator format from the original game. i want to hear midorikawa hikarus or daman mills' voices as N as N talks about your dream and i get to cry for god knows how many times again when it comes to him.

[cyarsk52-20]

CULTURE, NEWS

20 More Songs That Almost Every Black Person Knows

Because we heard we missed a few of your favorites earlier this month.

by Leslie D. Rose

June 24, 2022 at 1:07 pm

A typical Saturday morning in a Black household between the ’70s to ’90s consisted of blaring soul music with sprinklings of hip-hop videos and a few episodes of shows like A Different World and Soul Train to the tune of cleaning the house. The music of the day made up a relevant portion of many Gen X and millennial childhoods, branching out to GenZ as traditions often do. Credit to these Saturday morning experiences is the intergenerational soundtrack to Black life.

To close out Black Music Month, and because we heard we missed a few of your favorites earlier this month, here are 20 more songs that almost every Black person knows.

1. "Killing Me Softly" by Roberta Flack/The Fugees

Roberta Flack recorded this song in the summer of 1973. The Grammy-nominated hit reached number three on the Billboard charts and went double platinum that year. Twenty-three years later, The Fugees put a hip-hop spin on the tune, topping charts in more than 20 countries.

Their version went triple platinum and is still listed as one of the top-selling songs in several countries. Even if every Black person can’t sing the song word for word, you are sure to hear enough people hollering “one time!” even if it’s Flack’s version playing. 

2. "Tyrone" by Erykah Badu

First of all, poor Tyrone. He didn’t do anything but come pick up his shiftless friend, and yet the name is now synonymous with a no-good boyfriend. Erykah Badu took over radio stations in 1997 with this freestyle-esque tune about a man she wanted gone from her home. Starting the song with the now-common phrase, “keep in mind, I’m an artist, and I’m sensitive about my s**t,” Badu likely had no clue she was creating the get-gone anthem of a generation.

3. "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" by McFadden and Whitehead

Philadelphia artists McFadden and Whitehead created a backyard classic with this 1979 disco song about resilience and the release of negativity. Its intergenerational groove infused itself into the brains of Black folks young and old and is a feel-good song no matter how you slice it. 

4. "I'm Going Down" by Rose Royce/Mary J. Blige

Women have likely been crying it out to this song since its original release in 1976. In 1994, the queen of hip-hop and R&B soul, Mary J. Blige, did such an impeccable rendition of it on her My Life album that the two-decade-old song reigned in a few more tears from younger women. It was even prominently featured in a talent show episode of Sister, Sister.

5. "Sweet Love" by Anita Baker

If your mama didn’t blast Anita Baker on Saturday mornings, then did she really clean the house? There’s something about Black mothers and Anita Baker that is somewhat inexplicable. But because of this love, generations of Black folks can belt out the lyrics to many of her songs. “Sweet Love” is among the most popular and has even received a coveted New Orleans bounce version that can get a Louisiana nightclub popping.

6. "Can You Stand the Rain" by New Edition

New Edition was the soundtrack of many a Black person’s life. Their career began in the early 1980s, later revitalized in the mid-’90s with a successful legendary return in the mid-2010s. Among their many, many hits, this song seemed to resonate with a multi-generational audience, as it has the type of modulations that make up for a fun performance. An example of this type of fun is featured in the movie The Best Man Holiday. 

7. "My Girl" by The Temptations

This song is a historic artifact. It belongs to many of our grandparents, but because of its sweet nature and easy-to-remember lyrics, it’s a timeless classic that keeps ringing on. It was released in 1964 but has shown up over the years in many ways, even on popular sitcoms like Martin.

8. "Say It Loud – I'm Black and I'm Proud" by James Brown

This song may actually be the reason Black folks even identify with the word Black. Before this 1968 mega-hit, Black Americans were widely referred to as “negro.” Brown, with the help of this song, was key in ushering in the Black Power movement.

9. "This Christmas" by Donny Hathaway

It’s totally not Christmas until this song plays. It has to be played loudly and you are required to sing along. Released in 1970, this song is like a welcomed family member during the holidays. Mariah Carey creditedthe happy spirit of the song as a muse for her mega-hit “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” as Blavity previously reported. 

10. "Anniversary" by Tony! Toni! Toné!

These guys absolutely knew what they were doing when they made the undisputed anthem of celebrating marital bliss. There’s likely not a Black couple in the country who hasn’t at least once celebrated their anniversary ala Tony! Toni! Toné!.

11. "Make It Last Forever" by Keith Sweat and Jacci McGhee

When it comes to getting a crowd to sing in harmony at a nightclub, this is a DJ favorite. Released in 1987, this tune took over the hearts of young lovers and helped cement Keith Sweat’s legacy as a R&B legend and New Jack Swing sub-genre pioneer. In 1998, Mariah Carey remixed her song “Thank God I Found You” to incorporate the classic featuring Nas and Joe.

12. "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" by G. C. Cameron/Boyz II Men

This song is a prominent part of the 1975 film Cooley High, which starred Glynn Turman, who later went on to play Col. Taylor on A Different World. Since its recording, the song has become synonymous with final goodbyes. It was covered by Boyz II Men in 1991 for their album Cooleyhighharmony. During the last episode of A Different World, the main cast joined together to sing it as a way to end the show and a nod to the movie that popularized it as the star was among them. 

13. "Happy" by Pharrell Williams

This song took over everything, everywhere in 2014. Released as the only single from the Despicable Me 2 soundtrack, people of all ages quickly found themselves singing and clapping. It became a social media trend and the tune landed itself some major accolades like spending more than a year on charts across the world.

14. "Empire State of Mind" by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys

Anytime anyone sets out to create an anthem, they’re either going to fail miserably or win like nobody’s business. This ode to New York City did the latter and continues to be a mega praise piece for the concrete jungle. It’s also the foundation for a great inside joke among Black folks, and you know what we mean, Lil Mama.

15. "I'm Every Woman" by Chaka Khan/Whitney Houston

Chaka Khan recorded this song in 1978. It has since been sampled in multiple genres more than 20 times. It was famously covered by Whitney Houston in 1992 for The Bodyguard soundtrack. Houston’s version featured a fun video with other women singers including Khan, who did background vocals on that version. In her 1993-1994 season, Oprah Winfrey used a modified version for her talk show’s promos and opening credits. 

16. "Respect" by Aretha Franklin

Another anthem, this song was written by Otis Redding and originally recorded by him in 1965. It blew up when it was rearranged and covered by the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, in 1967. Adding the necessary amount of sass and spelling out the word made Franklin’s version one for the history books. It shows up often in pop culture, including a fun episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

17. "Juicy" The Notorious B.I.G.

Maybe your grandmother doesn’t exactly know the words to this early Biggie hit, but she might know the hook because it’s a direct sample of Mtume’s 1983 song “Juicy Fruit.” The original song spent eight weeks on the Billboard Hot Black Singles chart. “Juicy” solidified Biggie’s career and has been hailed as one of the greatest rap songs of all time. 

18. "One Love" by Bob Marley

​​

Thanks to ’90s television promotions for the island of Jamaica, this song has had an extended shelf life far beyond its original recording. Unfortunately, Bob Marley didn’t get to see the commercial success of his music since he actually never had a top Billboard hit in his lifetime. His family famously sued Raising Canes Chicken Fingers for infringement in 2013, as the restaurant had been using the phrase “one love” as its trademark. 

19. "Hip Hop Hooray" by Naughty by Nature

Once a song gets covered by The Muppets, it’s a clear choice for an intergenerational bop. This 1992 rap mantra was another feather in the trio’s hip-hop anthem hat. The certified platinum song landed itself on the U.S. pop chart at number eight and also found itself scattered among other charts internationally. 

20. "Alright" by Kendrick Lamar

This song became the unofficial theme song for Black rights. Maybe everyone doesn’t know the verses, but “we gon’ be alright” is certainly chanted by varying age groups at protests. What’s interesting is that the lyrics don’t exactly match a civil rights movement, but the hook was enough to infuse the tune into the struggle.

Black Music Month is a time to celebrate the contributions of Black artists to the music industry. What better tribute to this than showcasing how these artists have infused their work into the very fabric of our cultural existence.

Sent from my iPhone

[all-souls-matinee]

Paranormal Activity

I went through ‘a very strange time in my life’ a few years ago where I watched every single Paranormal Activity movie, some multiple times, thinking that would have no impact on my psyche. So here I am, someone who thinks the the franchise is bad and yet can remember every plot thread and every scare, and I might as well do something with that. These will be graded on a curve (scale of 1-5 stars) and not by their overall worth as movies.

Paranormal Activity (2007)

★★★★☆

Today the first movie in the franchise is lampooned for being boring and amateurish, with unlikable lead characters and a plot that doesn’t really go anywhere, but how are those not points in its favor? Isn’t that what found footage is all about? Critics and scholars contend it’s singlehandedly responsible for the genre craze that swept the United States in the 2010s after a relative lull in the early aughts, and it’s easy to see why. I’m not going to go so far as to say Paranormal Activity is a good movie (it’s not), but it is a very easy and engaging watch. 

With a cast of only two people and hardly any outside characters the story plays out as a domestic drama; yes, there are long stretches of nothing happening but it ratchets up suspense in a way that was unusual and refreshing at the time. Using a camera to feel in control of an out-of-control situation was a theme broached by the much better Blair Witch Project, and Paranormal Activity leans into it as a central thesis, making sure it’s a white hetero rich guy that’s doing the recording and only subverting that expectation in later films. The movie was even supposed to end [mild spoilers] with Possessed Katie beating her obnoxious husband Micah over the head with his beloved camera and the film cutting to black, and I think it leaves the story weaker and more scattered for having left that out. 

Paranormal Activity 2 (2010)

★★☆☆☆

Before I get into why this one sucks, I’ll give it the benefit of being the most solid entry in the franchise by far. As a prequel to the first movie it does its job by introducing additional family members in a bigger house with more cameras. They have to contend with the same demon, so it’s the same thing we’ve seen before but with much higher stakes, and that’s a perfectly good idea for building a franchise. I admire it for that.

Anything beyond structure and pacing is so much worse it’s laughable. Where PA1 had some originality going for it PA2 throws in every horror stereotype it can think of, including an insanely awful running bit about how the family’s Mexican housekeeper is the only one who can sense ghosts. The most novel addition to the franchise is extensive lore about the demon wanting to own a baby because of a pact made with a coven of witches, which made audiences across America lean forward in their seats and say ‘... what?’ Decisions like that cost the movie any kind of levity, scares, or interest in the characters, which were kind of essential things for the movie to have.

I’d honestly give it 1 star if it weren’t for the extensive drama over the automated pool cleaner. We spend so much time watching this thing I think I developed an emotional bond with it.

Paranormal Activity 3 (2011)

★★★★★

Paranormal Activity 3 is another prequel that takes us back to when the leads of the first two movies- Katie and Christie- were little girls experiencing demonic activity in the 80s (their stepdad is a videographer, which gets us past the question of how anyone in the 80s would have tens of video cameras skillfully set up around their home.) Objectively it sounds like even more of a pathetic cashgrab than PA2, but, and this might be the hottest take I will ever have when it comes to horror movies, it does its job it in a way that’s such a prefect mixture of original/bizarre content and safe bankable boringness that it’s the best movie in the franchise. It certainly cemented it for what it is today.

Movie no. 3 drops the ‘this really happened’ show the first two movies put on in trying to be like other found footage horror (read: The Blair Witch Project.) No more actors and characters sharing names, no more title cards thanking the police for footage, we’re all in on the game at this point and you don’t realize how much of a relief that is until it’s happened. Instead of trying to make the characters realistic and falling flat, they let them be a little more like characters to great success. Everyone plays their role in the story and makes the shaky plot work. It’s not good writing, but it has people react to things in interesting ways and builds up the lore of the franchise more effectively than either of the first two movies (helped along by a batshit insane finale that makes no sense but is so much fun it doesn’t actually matter.) 

This is also by far the ‘scariest’ movie in the franchise, and I think it’s a combination of practice and not taking everything so deadly seriously. Comedy helps balance things out (my favorite is a sex scene that folds into an earthquake scene that folds into a shot of earthquake dust landing on a ghost), and they’ve gotten tension-building nothingness down to a science. Using a camera attached to a slowly oscillating fan and a camera trained on a mirror in a dark room? Perfect ideas for freaking your audience out.

Paranormal Activity 4 (2012)

★☆☆☆☆

Paranormal Activity 4 was the long-awaited actual-sequel to the events of the first movie, using the hours of information and lore given to us by the prequels as a backdrop, and it... really flounders under that responsibility. We’re introduced to an all-new cast of characters, with a teenage girl taking the lead for a change of pace that doesn’t really go anywhere, and spend the first half of the movie wondering why the family we’ve spent so much time with was pushed to the side (it must be important.) The reason we’re given is that this new family has an adopted son who is (twist!) the witch-stolen-demon-proxy baby from movie two.

PA4 has the opposite problem of PA2; it’s not awful, but is so shaky and has so much lost potential it seems to drop all of the pieces at once. It does some cool things with suspense an xbox kinect, and the acting is fine, but while no one is watching a Paranormal Activity sequel for the screenplay this one needed good, grounded writing and didn’t get that. The loose plotting of the third movie was saved by its characters and by being a little more tongue-in-cheek, but 4 doesn’t have that to fall back on and has way more moving pieces than 3 ever did. The ending is especially egregious, bizarre even by nth-sequel-in-a-horror-franchise standards, and is never brought up again. Points for a convoluted weird plot that makes no sense, points redacted for a convoluted weird plot that makes no sense.

Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones (2014)

★★★☆☆

Paranormal Activity 5 is so off-the-rails insane that it gets the coveted 3 stars, deserving or no. After back-to-back prequels and a disappointing long-awaited sequel, no one was sure exactly what this was going to be, and the movie seems to feel the same way.

Gone is the lore-heavy and tension-heavy stuff from the preceding years of footage. For the first half of the movie we follow a first-gen high school graduate named Jesse, who breaks into a mysterious neighbor’s house with his best friend. He gets bitten by a ghost and infected with ghost superpowers, then he and his friend group + love interest have a grand old time doing skateboard and levitation tricks using the ghost superpowers. I’m not exaggerating for comedic effect; it’s so dumb I love it ardently. Why aren’t all sequels like this??? 

Obviously the ghost superpowers turn out to be A Bad Thing tenuously connected to all the witch/demon stuff, and we have to get back to jump scares (now with added body horror), but the ways in which it does eventually tie back to the franchise are so ridiculous it’s delightful, and the twist ending, for once in this entire nightmare, is fantastic.

Paranormal Activity 6: The Ghost Dimension 3D (2015)

This one came out after my original paranormal activity run, and I considered watching it for the sake of being able to finish the article in good faith but I just can’t you guys. I couldn’t do it. Look at this.

That said, the thing about these movies is that none of them are a complete waste of time; even the worst entries in the lineup are entertaining and fun in a reality-tv-trainwreck sort of way, and that’s all very calculated. No matter what your opinion they earned the right to make this a franchise with too many movies and extensive lore. Happy halloween.

[areaxcn-blog]

HERMES INFORMATION GUIDE

Deemed to be one of the world’s most valuable luxury brands, Hermes has proven to transcend the luxury brand industry, while setting new trends and immortalizing their iconic products.  It has continued to emphasize the value of hand craftsmanship and has continued to pay tribute to its own history. More than the design, the innovation, and the creative minds behind Hermes, the brand has withstood the challenges of modern markets, the demands of the industry, and the tightening competition all because of its history that surpasses any other brand in the luxury market.

HERMES HISTORY

The Hermes Fashion House was established in Paris as a harness making shop in 1837 by Thierry Hermes (1801-1878). Hermès first established the family business as a harness shop in the Grands Boulevards quarter of Paris. The shop served European noblemen, creating wrought bridles and harnesses for carriages. His clients were the stylish Parisian “beau monde” and European royalty including Napoléon III and his empress, Eugénie. It was in late 1879 when the line was expanded by Charles-Emile Hermes, Thierry’s son and successor. The expansion included the manufacturing of saddles and they opened a new location near the Palais de l’Elysee.

It was in 1922 when the company introduced its first handbags. In 1937, Hermes opened its scarf (or carre) factory in Lyon. Robert Dumas-Hermes succeeded the leadership of Hermes in the 1950s and was iconic for introducing Hermes ties— still the most desirable ties in the world. Additionally, the duc-carriage-with-horse logo,  bolduc (the famous ribbon!) and signature orange boxes were introduced in 1961. The Hermes horse-and-carriage logo was inspired by the art of Alfred de Dreux.

Jean-Louis Dumas, the son of Robert Dumas-Hermès, became chairman in 1978 and lead Hermes until 2006. During Jean-Louis’ reign, he expanded the fashion house into the home wares, further expanded the efforts in silks, leather goods, and perfumes. Dumas helped change the image of Hermes to accommodate a younger, more modern consumer and increased the growth of Hermes. Despite a brief (failed) attempt at public ownership in the 1990s, the Hermes family is still a majority shareholder in the company.  

The Hermes’ family and company rejects mass production, assembly lines, and mechanization. The vast majority of Hermes products are manufactured at production sites in France. Bags, luggage and small leather goods are produced by professional artisans at approximately 12 French middle-sized leather goods manufacturing facilities (“Ateliers Hermes”), with a strong emphasis on quality manufacturing. Hermes has claimed that most items are created from start to finish by one craftsman, which is supposed to be a guarantee of the quality and uniqueness of Hermes products.

As of 2008, Hermes has 14 product divisions encompassing leather, scarves, ties, men’s wear, women’s fashion, perfume, watches, stationery, footwear, gloves, enamel, decorative arts, tableware, and jewelry. Today, Jean-Louis’s son Pierre-Alexis Dumas is the artistic director of Hermes. Under his direction, the brand has seen its biggest growth in decades.

THE ULTIMATE DREAM BAG: HERMES BIRKIN HISTORY

The Birkin stands alone as the most sought after, impossible to find, and collectible bag ever made. This exquisite bag is typically only seen on the arms of the fortunate few. Even celebrities find themselves on the infamous Hermes Birkin wait lists with the hope of one day owning this ultra-exclusive bag. The Hermes Birkin was created jointly between Hermes CEO Jean-Louis Dumas and the actress Jane Birkin for whom the bag is named after, who complained that her Kelly bag was not very practical. Jane Birkin was gifted the first Birkin bag in 1984, and the rest is history.

Unlike other handbags, a single highly skilled craftsman works on one Birkin at a time with the construction of each Birkin bag consuming a whopping 18 hours. The bags are handmade in France by expert artisans using the company’s signature saddle stitching, developed in the 1800s.  Birkin bags are investment quality luxury items meaning that they either hold or increase their value of time. The Birkin is a true timeless masterpiece that will become the crown jewel of your bag collection!

Birkin prices range from $10,500 to $150,000. Due to the fact that each bag is handmade, prices vary according to the type of leather and hardware. The bags are distributed to Hermes boutiques in limited very quantities, creating scarcity and exclusivity. To purchase a Birkin through an Hermes boutique, Hermes customers join a waitlist for a custom Birkin after establishing a rapport and sales history with a Sales Associate. This waitlist can often mean customers wait for years to get the bag in the specific color and leather that they want. Unless you’re at the the famed Rue St. Honore Hermes boutique in France, which occasionally has seasonal Birkin bags in stock.  This reason is part of many reasons why many people chose to purchase pre-loved authentic Hermes Birkin’s from Yoogi’s Closet.

Birkins come in sizes 25cm, 30cm, 35cm, 40cm and 45cm.

Birkin Bag Size Reference:

25cm:  10″ L x 5″ W x 8″H

30cm: 12″ L x 6.25″ W x 9��� H

35cm: 14″ L x 7.5″ W x 10.75″ H

40cm: 16″ L x 8″ W x 11.25″ H

The Birkin has a very distinct design, two rolled leather handles, a flap closure with two belted straps and a center turnlock and that holds a padlock. The bag is locked by closing the top flaps over buckle loops, wrapping the buckle draw-straps, then closing the lock on the front hardware. Many Birkin carriers also tuck the flap inside of the bag and continue to buckle the draw-straps with the lock in front, to show off the prized “Hermes Made in France” stamping. The keys are enclosed in a leather key holder known as a clochette.

The 45 is a travel Birkin with slightly longer straps. There is also a similar bag called a Haut au Courries (abbreviated as HAC – which means High Belts in French) that is slightly taller with shorter straps. These come in sizes 27, 32 and, 37. Additionally, there is a JPG version designed by Jean Paul Gaultier, which is considered the “shoulder Birkin.”

HERMES KELLY HISTORY

The Kelly is a coveted and scarce bag. Like its muse, Grace Kelly, this bag is the definition of timeless elegance. The original prototype for this bag dates back to 1892 when Hermes developed a large bag to hold a saddle; the prototype was modified over the decades but the Kelly sold by Hermes today is similar to the Sac a Depeches introduced in the 1930s. In 1954, Grace Kelly was given the bag to use in the Hitchcock movie “To Catch A Thief”. She wore it regularly after her marriage to Prince Rainier of Monaco – it was dubbed the Kelly bag. It was officially called the Kelly in 1977.

Unlike other handbags, a single craftsman works on one bag at a time with the construction of each Kelly bag consuming a whopping 18 hours. Kelly bags have the same draw-strap and lock mechanism as a Birkin bag, but have a single leather top handle. Hermes introduced shoulder straps as standard equipment in the 1980’s. Prior to that, Hermes would special order a strap.  In 2000, the double loop metal strap holder was added.  Kelly bags are investment, quality luxury items meaning that they either hold or increase their value of time.

Kelly bags come in sizes 20cm, 25cm, 28cm, 32cm, and 35cm.

Kelly Bag Size Reference:

20cm: 8″ L x 3.5″ W x 6″H

25cm: 10”L x 3.5”W x 7.5” H

28cm: 11″ L x 4.5″ W x 8″ H

32cm: 12.5″ L x 5″ W x 9.5″ H

35cm: 13.75″ L x 5″ W x 10.25″ H

KELLY SELLIER VS. RETOURNE

There are two styles of the Kelly bag.

SELLIER

Has a more structured shape with rigid corners and exterior stitching with no visible piping. The result is a stiffer, sharp edge shape. Occasionally referred to as “Rigide”.

RETOURNE

Has a more relaxed shape. During the manufacturing process the bag is turned inside out. The result is a softer look with rounded edges and visible piping. The stitching on a Retourne is on the inside. This means that Retourne styles have a tendency to sloud. Occasionally referred to a “Souple”.

OTHER POPULAR HERMES BAGS

HERMES BOLIDE

The Bolide bag dates back in 1923 when Emile-Maurice Hermes created this handbag for his wife, which was the first ever handbag to use a zipper.  There are two versions of the Bolide bag – the Web Bolide and the Bolide. The Web Bolide has an external pocket, no oval patch, and a two-way zip closure. The Bolide has a single zip closure, an oval patch, and a long strap.  Both bags have a domed zip around closure and dual tubular top handles.  It comes in four sizes, 27cm, 31cm, 35cm and 45cm.

HERMES EVELYNE

The Evelyne bag features a rounded rectangular shape with the iconic perforated H with a circle on the front. The Evelyne bag came in four sizes – TPM, PM, GM and TGM.

There are 3 generations of the Evelyne:

Evelyne I (1st gen) has no external pocket and a non-adjustable strap

Evelyne II (2nd Gen) has an external pocket and a non-adjustable strap

Evelyne III (3rd gen) has an external pocket and an adjustable canvas strap

HERMES GARDEN PARTY

The Garden Party is a classic tote with tubular handles, a flat base, and expandable snap sides. They are typically made out of all leather (Negonda or Buffalo), or a mixture of canvas and leather. The interior is typically lined with linen and has a sturdy leather base to maintain structure. The Garden Party comes in three sizes – TPM, MM, GM.

HERMES CONSTANCE

The Constance bag was created way back in 1959. The Constance bag was designed by Catherine Chaillet, and named it after her fifth child.  The first Constance left the Hermes shop the exact same day she delivered the baby, so the story goes.  The elegant shoulder bag has a long strap that can be doubled for a shorter length and a signature “H” clasp.

HERMES PICOTIN

This bucket style bag has a natural raw hide interior lining and a silver palladium clochette adorned on the front of the bag. It has a roomy interior which is perfect for everyday use. The bag has a leather tab closure. The Hermes Picotin Lock Bag is available in four sizes, PM, MM, GM and TGM.

HERMES JYPSIERE

Designed by artistic director Jean-Paul Gaultier, the Jypsiere borrows the body, swivel clasps, brackets and side straps of the iconic Birkin bag. This messenger style bag was part of the Autumn 2008 Collection. The Jypsiere is available in four sizes: 28cm, 31cm, 34cm and 37cm.

HERMES LINDY

The Lindy first appeared in the Spring/Summer 2007 Runway Collection. The Linday can be carried by hand with its two tubular top handles or over the shoulder with its attached shoulder strap. It features two separate sides, each having its own zipper pulls which can be locked in the center with a classic Hermes twisting  lock. The Lindy is available in four sizes: 26cm, 30cm, 34cm and 45cm.

HERMES COLLIER DE CHIEN

The Collier de Chien motif is one of the most iconic accessories by Hermes. In French, the Collier de Chien actually means “dog collar”. This Hermes design was specifically made for a client’s bulldog.  It is believed that the Collier de chien belt was first introduced in 1927 and the bracelet follow with an introduction into retail in the 1940s.  The design is distinct – it has eight rounded spikes and a single ring. Bracelets and belts are designed in a variety of hardware types, colors and leathers.

HARDWARE

Hermes uses a variety of high quality metals, but most items are typically crafted of brass. Hermes item most commonly use 18k gold plated or palladium plated brass. Permabrass, ruthenium, guilloche (diamond cut pattern palladium), rose gold, or diamond crusted hardware are occasionally used.

REFERENCE GUIDE: HERMES LEATHER

What truly defines Hermes is the craftsmanship, detailing, and leather. Unlike any other brand, Hermes uses varying types of leathers and colors for each bag, which often means that your Hermes Birkin or Kelly is one of a kind. Whether you’re deciding what type of leather your dream handbag is going to be, or you’re looking to identify what kind of leather your Hermes item is, this Herme’s Leather Reference Library has you covered.

HERMES TOGO

Released in 1997. Togo leather is grained, textured and anti-scratch calf leather. Togo is lightweight, yet holds it’s shape. Togo has a defined soft pebbled finish that appears raised and feels smooth but grainy. At a far away distance, Togo appears to have vertical veins and reflects light. This is the most popular leather for Hermès Birkin Bags.

HERMES CLEMENCE

Released in the mid-1980s. Clemence is a natural grained and anti-scratch leather that is made from a baby bull calf, and is officially named Veau Taurillon Clemence. The grains are larger than in Togo. The grain is less deep than Togo, causing a more “matte” effect.

Notice Togo has a slight reflection and smaller cells, while Clemence appears “matte” and has larger cells.

HERMES FJORD

Fjord is textured, matte, anti-scratch and is made from an adult bull. It is more durable than Togo or Clemence, even waterproof! Fjord has a slight velvety touch and matte texture. Fjord has a very visible grain. It has a wider, flatter grain than Togo or Clemence.  One of the most common characteristics of Fjord is that it has vertical veins when viewed at a distance  (sometimes vertically throughout the whole bag). The amount of veining can vary based on the skin. It’s possible to have a Fjord bag with no veining at all. It is also one of the heavier leathers.

HERMES EVERGRAIN

Evergrain is a stiff leather with a grain. Evergrain is actually the embossed version of the smooth “Evercalf.” It has a very soft touch and scratches will buff out very easily. The color version of Evergrain is called “Evercolor”.

HERMES EPSOM

Released in 2003. Embossed leather. Epsom replaced Courchevel in 2003. Unlike other leather, the pattern is pressed into the leather, giving the bag a laminated appearance that is rigid and structured. Epsom won’t scratch easily and is also very easy to clean. Epsom is still being used by Hermes today.

HERMES VEAU GRAIN LISSE

Discontinued in 2003. Embossed leather. Veau Grain Lisse is a glass processed press leather that is known for being slightly thin with a luster. It is scratch resistant, slightly shiny, and lightweight. Sometimes referred to by Hermes collectors as “VGL,” Veau Grain Lisse has less angular, rounded grains. This leather is rigid and holds its shape fairly well.

HERMES COURCHEVEL

Discontinued in handbags in the late 1990s/early 2000s. Used in Accessories until 2003. Embossed leather. Courchevel was the predecessor to Epsom, and it is now completely retired. Courchevel is a stamped leather with very even grain throughout. Courchevel is slightly shiny and is darker at the top part of the grain. It is lightweight, scratch resistant and easy to clean.

HERMES GRAIN D’H

Released in 2012. Veau Grain d’H is stamped, processed calf leather which has a finely structured pressed appearance and a sheen. Veau Grain d’H is a shiny leather with a cross-hatch embossing.

HERMES SWIFT

Released in 2006 (Previously named Gulliver which was discontinued in 1999). Swift leather is semi smooth, soft, semi matte. Swift is a soft leather with a fine grain. One of its best qualities is that it is great at absorbing the dyes and the brighter colors come to life in this leather. The fine grain seems to reflect light in such a way that the colors are almost iridescent.

HERMES BOX CALF

Classic smooth calf leather. Box is stiff, smooth and very shiny. This leather has a visible fine grain. A more rigid structure than the grainy leathers. Box will show scratches more than the textured leathers, but over time it will develop a beautiful glossy mirror-like “patina”. Under the right care, Box calf leather can last for generations. Hermes fans love Box leather because it can be restored by Hermes, no matter the condition, in the “Hermes Spa.” This is the oldest type of Hermes leather and frequently appears in Vintage Kellys or belts. The name originates from an English shoe craftsman in the 1890s, Joseph Box.

HERMES CHAMONIX

Chamonix is a variation of smooth calf leather that has very similar properties to “Box Calf,” leather but is matte instead of shiny. Frequently combined with white top stitch. Distinguished by natural “Hermès Made In France” blind stamps instead of the usual printed technique. Chamonix is frequently used on the underside of leather belts and leather jewelry.

HERMES BARENIA

Barenia is buttery smooth, and has a matte finish. Like “Chamonix”, it’s frequently combined with white top stitch and commonly is distinguished by natural “Hermès Made In France” blind stamps. Barenia is commonly used in saddles, small leather goods, and occasionally bags. Barenia is very delicate and prone to scratches. Barenia is also a softer leather and bags will lose their shape after a while. This leather is double tanned in chrome and vegetable dyes and then soaked in a mix of nine different oils over a 5 to 6 week process. Barenia will develop a patina over time because it has no aniline finish and can absorb oil. Barenia can come in colors other than Natural (also called Fauve) – such as Black, Vert Olive, Indigo.

HERMES VACHE

This is another of Hermes’s classic leathers, showing up in vintage pieces over 50 years old. A cowhide that is smooth, untreated and very delicate. It develops into patina over time and the material will darken. Vache Natural, when new, will appear to be very light. It is much like Louis Vuitton’s cowhide Vachetta leather. Only released in Natural and Black.

HERMES TADELAKT

Tadelakt calfskin leather is smooth and semi shiny and is almost just like Box leather. Most commonly used in leather jewelry and small leather goods. Tadelakt leather is prone to scratches, which is a characteristic in the leather because the dye is transparent. Tadelakt appears like a cross between Box Calf and Swift, and feels softer than Box but is shinier than Swift. It also has no visible grains on the outside, which gives it its utterly smooth and sensational appearance.

HERMES VACHE HUNTER

Natural Vache Hunter leather is a cowhide leather that is primarily used as a trim in Hermes bags such as the Etriviere and Herbag. Vache Hunter is very stiff and prone to scratches. It commonly has a rough, unfinished underside.

HERMES EVERCALF

The soft, smooth matte version of Box calf. It has a smooth and velvety finish with no visible grain. Evercalf has a slight sheen and a softer texture than Box. Evercalf is VERY soft to the touch.

HERMES CHEVRE LEATHER

Made from goatskin. This leather is textured thus anti-scratch, but is also shiny and rigid. Ultra lightweight. A very interesting skin – more expensive than calf leathers. Bags made entirely of Chevre are very rare. The lining of Hermes bags is typically made of Marocain Chevre (Morrocan Chevre).  There are two different varieties of Chevre – Chevre Mysore and Chevre de Coromandel.

HERMES CHEVRE MYSORE

Released in 2002. A goathide leather with a grain that is more defined than its cousin, Chevre de Coromandel. It is lightweight and scratch resistant. There is a pronounced “sheen” to Chevre and reflects light very well. Chevre Mysore typically doesn’t have a visible spine.

HERMES CHEVRE DE COROMANDEL

A goathide leather which is soft, lightweight and scratch resistant. Chevre de Coromandel has a visible spine down the center, a slightly iridescent sheen, and a visible graining. As of Spring 2008, Chevre de Coromandel is now released in “Souple,” which has less of a visible spine, less shine, and is much more pliable.

HERMES VACHE LIEGEE

Released in 2004. Vache Liegee is a natural grained leather. Supposedly, the leather is stretched in 8 different directions and has a two-tone effect in the grain. It also has a slight sheen and luster. Vache Liegee leather is noted for being the thickest and most durable of the Hermes leathers.

HERMES ARDENNES

Vachette Grainee des Ardennes is a processed pressed leather crafted from a malf calf raised in the Adrenne region (Northern France to Southern Belgium). Ardennes leather is very sturdy and holds its shape surprisingly well, complete with thick pressed grains and a slight sheen. Vache Ardennes is quite thick and structured (it does not slouch or flop) and is water and scratch resistant. It does not have a “soft” feeling like Clemence and the grains are slightly raised. Many Hermes collectors consider this leather to be a “work horse” and can stand the test of time, but the dye is prone to fading over time. This leather is very hard to find and is no longer in production. Vache Liegee replaced Ardennes leather.

HERMES NEGONDA

Released in 2007. Crafted out of adult bull calf with a large grain. This matte type of leather is completely resistant to water. It has a matte, dry feeling to the touch. Negonda is mainly used in Garden Party bags.

HERMES BUFFALO

Water buffalo hide. This leather has the interesting characteristic of absorbing the dye darkest in the center of the grain. Buffalo is known for its softness and rough grain size. Currently Buffalo is being used as trim in some bags that are crafted mostly of fabrics. Due to its water resistance, is commonly used in bags such as the Garden Party line.

HERMES GRIZZLY

Grizzly leather is rawhide calf leather which is also known as suede outside of the Hermes leather world. This sueded leather has a velvet finish.

HERMES VEAU SIKKIM

Veau Sikkim leather is buttery and soft. It has little to no grain, thus giving it its ultra soft feel. Sikkim leather tends to not hold shape and therefore gets slouchy very easily. Sikkim is used in the “Relax” version of the Bolide and Kelly, as well as the Double Sens tote.

HERMES VACHE TREKKING

Released in 2012. Vache Trekking is a processed calf leather that is noted for its firmness. Mainly used in Garden Party bags.

HERMES VIBRATO

Often people confuse Vibrato for fabric but in fact, it is stacked leather.  Vibrato leather is created by applying pressure to strips of leather and sueded leather. The stacked leather creates a textile that looks like cross-sections of stacked leather.  Vibrato is difficult to maintain but is durable and scratch resistant.  It is a very rare leather and is considered to be more expensive than other leathers. Vibrato often comes with an “eraser” to refurbish the leather. Vibrato handbags are very hard to find and showcase the capabilities of highly trained Hermes craftsmanship.

HERMES EXOTICS

CROCODILE NILOTICUS MATTE AND SHINY (LISSE)

Crocodile leather from Africa’s Nile River region in Zimbabwe.  It has a larger scale pattern compared to the Porosus.  Crocodile skins have small “pores”, which look like small dimples in each scale cell.  The dimples are sensory pores that assist crocodiles to detect change in water pressure, and locate their prey. Crocodiles have these dots throughout their bodies. The shiny (lisse) version comes from continuous buffing until it shows a gloss.  The Hermes symbol on the bag will include two apostrophes (‘’) to identify it as “Niloticus”.

CROCODILE POROSUS MATTE AND SHINY (LISSE)

This Crocodile is farmed in Australia and Southeast Asian countries like Singapore. Considered by many to be the premier Hermes leather and noted for its fine, symmetrical scale pattern. The shine comes from constant buffing of the skin with stone until it shines.  The Hermes logo will include the symbol ^ to identify it as “Porosus”.

HERMES ALLIGATOR MATTE AND SHINY (LISSE)

The Alligator that Hermes uses is “Alligator Mississippiensis” and is farmed in Florida. Alligator leather has an umbilical scar, which is an elongated irregular shape with a webbing pattern in it, which is often placed prominently on products to show the authenticity of the leather. This means that the patterning of the alligator scales is not as uniform. Alligator has small rectangular scales in the middle and smaller, oval-shaped scales down the sides (shown here). Alligator is commonly dyed in a variety of colors. The Hermes logo will include a square symbol to identify it as “Alligator”.

VARANUS SALVATOR WATER MONITOR LIZARD

This stunning exotic is crafted from the hide of a water monitor. Owing to the size of the hide, it is mostly used in 25cm Birkin’s, smaller bags and small leather goods. The smaller scales give this leather a shine or iridescence. The Hermes logo will include an equal sign (=) to identify it was Salvator Lizard.

VARANUS NILOTICUS WATER MONITOR LIZARD

The small scales of this leather made from Monitor Lizard from Africa’s Nile River. provides a shiny look. The Hermes logo will include an dash sign (-) to identify it was Niloticus Lizard.

HERMES OSTRICH

Ostrich leather comes from Struthio Camellus, farmed in South Africa. This is a dynamic leather that will darken from contact with your hands and also lighten with exposure to light. Ostrich leather is known for its distinctive “polka dotted” look, which is caused by the plucking of quills. Ostrich is very delicate and rare.

HERMES PEAU PORC

Made of pigskin and very lightweight. The pores are small dots and this skin is commonly a caramel color that develops a patina over time. This is one of Hermes’ classic leathers but is no longer produced due to the controversy of using pigskin.

OTHER HERMES MATERIALS

HERMES LINEN

Woven linen in herringbone or chevron pattern. Used in dustbags and linings of certain bags.

HERMES TOILE

Linen, usually used in conjunction with a leather on the bags. Weave is similar in strength and appearance to fire hose material. Commonly used in Garden Party bags.

HERMES CANVAS

Canvas is a heavy weight cloth that is treated and is usually combined with other leathers. Commonly used in the Herbag.

[amithasan2019]

PlayStation 5 (PS5) Review

PlayStation 5 (PS5) Review

The PS5 is a powerful and well-designed console that offers a compelling next-gen gaming experience. Its library of exclusive games continues to be a showcase for the PS5’s marvelous Dual Sense controller, spatial 3D audio tech and super-fast SSD, and it’s the reason why so many gamers will covet Sony’s new PlayStation console. It might be too big for some setups, though, and a couple of issues…

[assemblyoftheway]

FROM THE KINGDOM TO AMERICA

From the Kingdom of Hueda (Judah) to the Americas and Caribbeans

‘Ouidah’ is the spelling of the town’s name current nowadays, it occurs in the European sources between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries in various other forms: in English ‘Whydah’, in Dutch ‘Fida’, in French ‘Juda’, and in Portuguese ‘Ajuda’. It should be noted that the correct indigenous name for the town is Glehue. This is the local name used even nowadays when speaking in Fon rather than French. Ouidah (more correctly Hueda/Juda) is more properly the name of the KINGDOM to which Glehue original belonged to. So, strictly and originally, Hueda (Juda) was not the name of the town nowadays called ‘OUIDAH’, but rather of the KINGDOM to which it belonged in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, whose capital was Savi. The people of Hueda belonged to the same linguistic group as the Fon of Dahomey, although historically distinct from them; this language family is nowadays generally called by scholars ‘GBE’ (but formerly commonly ‘Ewe’ or ‘Adja’).

Gbe languages are: Ewe, Fon, Adja, Gen, Mina and Phla-Phera. Ewe (Hebrew) is the most popular spoken language.

The last ruler of the Kingdom of Hueda before it was captured by the forces of Dahomey on March 9, 1727 was Haffon. He became The King of the Kingdom of Hueda in 1708, he received his coronation crown as a gift from Portugal, and his coronation party included 40 of his favorite wives. The Kingdom of Hueda was centered in Savi. Savi was the capital of the Kingdom of Hueda, before advance troops from the kingdom of Dahomey met little direct military resistance, as they crossed the body of water. Documentary accounts from European traders then living in the region suggest that Dahomean troops proceeded to first sack and burn the palace at Savi and thereafter to raze European trading lodges located therein. During these attacks, tens of thousands of HUEDANS were displaced, thousands killed and thousands more removed to Abomey or designated for later SALE ACROSS THE ATLANTIC. Between the first historical documentation of Hueda in the mid-seventeenth century and its fiery conquest in 1725, 183,000 captives departed from the Huedan coastal trading entrepot at Ouidah beach. ENSLAVEMENT IN the AMERICAS and the CARIBBEANS awaited a vast majority of those who would survive the terror of the Middle Passage.

Side note: Lets pause and reflect on what was just read. It just pointed out that, Huedans (Juda) were sold and enslaved from Hueda to the Americas and the Caribbeans. When looking at Duet 28:36,68 that’s exactly what YHWH said he would do if his laws, statues and commandments were not taught.

Elites living in the relatively small coastal polity of Hueda profited greatly by providing a marketplace at the Hueda capital complex at Savi for the trade in CAPTIVES and in turn taxing African and European traders who used the Savi market. After Dahomey attacked, William Snelgrave suggested that King Agaja of Dahomey sacrificed approximately 4,000 Huedan prisoners to celebrate the victory. The Dahomeyan campaign of conquest brought to a close the centrality of Savi as an INTERNATIONAL TRADING VENUE, a regional administrative center, a FOCAL POINT FOR HUEDAN RELIGIOUS LIFE, and the place of final appeal in Huedan judicial matters. With the Huedan royalty humbled, Agaja moved local political and economic administration to OUIDAH. After the sacking of Savi, Huedans, living in exile around Lake Aheme near Grand Popo, mounted sporadic and unsuccessful raids against Dahomeyan Ouidah until the 1770s. Now, you’re probably wondering: Who is William Snelgrave?

William Snelgrave was an English sea captain, slave trader, and ivory trader on the West African coast. In 1727 he arrived at Hueda which had just been captured by Dahomey. His account of this event, which he learned of second hand, has been the main source of many modern historians. He wrote a book and in 1734 he published, “A New Account of Some Parts of Guinea and the Slave-Trade.” For thirty years, from 1701 to 1730, Snelgrave practically lived at sea; he was the ship captain of fourteen voyages to West Africa that carried Huedans from Africa to the Americas. Ouidah alone exported more than one million captives before closing its trade in the 1860s. There is a manuscript in question, titled “A Diary of my Journey to Ardra,” which is William Snelgrave’s first documented account of his encounter with King Agaja on April 10, 1727. The manuscript is preserved in the Bank of England Archives among the Humphry Morice Papers. The manuscript Diary takes on additional significance because the original manuscript version of William Snelgrave’s 1734 publication, “A New Account of Some Parts of Guinea,” is preserved at the National Maritime Museum. In 1990, Robin Law, in a comparative analysis of the two sources, identified several important and substantial variations between the manuscript draft and the final publication. By drawing on important differences identified by Robin, between the manuscript draft and Snelgrave’s published, New Account, this essay identifies additional textual changes and discrepancies by comparing the two sources with the Diary. In addition to William Snelgrave’s Diary, there are approximately two dozen manuscripts in William Snelgrave’s hand consisting of letters, lists, accounts, ship’s logs, and trade journals scattered throughout the Morice Papers, many informing the nature of the Whydah (Hueda) slave trade before and after the rise of Dahomey that will be used as supplementary evidence. The Dahomey King Agaja, so vividly depicted in the Diary, founded his kingdom because he coveted King Huffon’s direct and unrestricted access to European trade goods. There are a few ancient maps from 1737, 1743, 1747, 1775,1778, 1826, and 1885 (which are attached). These maps show the ‘KINGDOM OF JUDA’ was on the SLAVE COAST. These maps, drawn/written by different cartographers, all show ‘JUDA’ on the African West coast in the 1700s. There is also a Slave port known as Ouidah (also known as Whydah) which is a commercial center in the modern African nation of Benin that was one of the most active slave trading ports in all of Africa.

The Kingdom of Hueda Before the Slave Trade

Hueda-era builders used architectural clay excavated from ditches/borrow pits in the construction and maintenance of now deflated house compounds and other structures located nearby. The Huedans had a PYTHON DEITY “Dangbe, who Huedans considered to have the ability to check movement and create zones of inclusion and protection. This should sound familiar to some of you who know scriptures. Do you remember in Numbers 21:4-9, when The Creator sent POISONOUS SERPENTS among the Israelites in the wilderness, and they bit the people, so that many would die? Well, he did this because the Israelites were speaking against The Creator and Moses, because they became impatient on the way to the promise land. So, they started complaining. However, the people then went to Moses, those that were left, and acknowledged that they had sinned, by speaking against The Creator and Moses. They then asked Moses to pray to The Creator to take the SERPENTS away from them. YHWH then told Moses to make a FIERY SERPENT and set it on the pole; and everyone who was bitten shall look at it and live.” So, Moses did what he was told and made a BRONZE SERPENT and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the SERPENT and LIVE. Now, as years went by, the Israelites started worshipping this Serpent, instead of looking at The Creator as protection, because our ancestors were notorious for looking towards deities, idols, and images for help and not The Creator. This is ONE OF THE REASONS we were always exiled from our land and placed amongst other nations that were our enemies (Deut. 6:14; Deut. 18:10-12; Judges 2:12; Judges 10:6-14; 1 Chron 16:26; 2 Chron. 25:14-15; 2 Chron. 28:23; Isaiah 2:8-9; Jer. 32:30-35) When you read 2 Kings 18:1-4, King Hezekiah had just become King of Judah and he did that which was right in the eyes of The Creator. When he became King the first thing, he did was remove high places (places of pagan worship), he broke images and cut down groves, and he broke in pieces the BRASEN SERPENT that Moses had made: because in those days they were burning incense to it (offering to it) and he called it Nehushtan. So, as we can see, this SERPENT became a deity, just like the Python Deity “Dangbe” was a deity that our ancestors would look to, while they were on the West Coast of Africa. HaMashiach made a comparison to the bronze serpent in John 3:14, by saying, “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the son of man be lifted up, because whosoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” This comparison is saying, just as when someone who was bitten by the serpent was healed when they looked upon it, when Moses lifted it up, so can those, who look to HaMashiach, who was also lifted up. HaMashiach made it very clear that he is the TRUTH, the LIFE and the WAY and that he is the light of the world (John 8:12) and that you, house of Israel, are the LIGHT of the world (Matt. 5:14) and to let your LIGHT shine before men, that they may see your GOOD works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Remember, when HaMashiach was speaking, he was speaking ONLY TO THE LOST SHEEP OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL (Matt. 15:24), it was not until after he resurrected that he told the disciples to go out into the world and teach the NATIONS all that he had taught them before he died and rose again (Matt. 28:18-20). We are to only worship and give adoration directly to The Creator, NOT a deity, image or idol, person, angels, sun, moon, and stars. The Creator also spoke of this in Deut. 4:12-19 and clearly told us that we are to destroy these types of things, but do not do it unto him, however, we did it unto him. So, we need to turn from this wicked way and any other ways that are considered, in the eyes of The Creator, to be wicked.

Hueda conducted most daily activities in courtyards, as does the archaeological recovery of numerous ceramic sherds, whole vessels, grinding stone fragments, carbonized oil palm, and maize kernels (maize was an element of the Huedans diet) European visitors recorded public shrines located along roads and within the town of Savi as points of earnest spiritual negotiation. Some of these same chroniclers noted, when excavations proceeded below the main living surface of many of these rooms researches frequently encountered human crania and small locally produced earthenware offering jars. Before or shortly after the construction, it appears that Huedans excavated pits, placed offering in these excavations and then filled/covered the excavations to provide a packed clay living surface. For more discussion of the religious significance of the pits, and the other archaeological material associated with Hueda Vodun, See Neil Norman, Powerful Pots, Humbling Holes, and Regional Ritual Processes, Towards an Archaeology of Huedan Vodun ca. 1650-1727, “African Archaeological Review 26, 3 (2009), 187-218.

References - The Social History of the West African Slaving Port, 1727-1892 by Robin Law - Africa Urban Past, by David Anderson - Neil Norman, Powerful Pots, Humbling Holes, and Regional Ritual Processes, Towards an Archaeology of Huedan Vodun ca. 1650-1727, “African Archaeological Review 26, 3 (2009), 187-218. - The Archaeology of Anxienty: The Materiality of Anxious, Worry, and Fear, by Neil Norman and Jeffrey Fleisher - A new account of some parts of Guinea, and the slave-trade, by William Snelgrave

PAINTER Engraving by Jacob van der Schley. He was a Dutch engraver and painter. Jakob van der Schley aka Jakob van Schley (26 July 1715 Amsterdam – 12 February 1779 Amsterdam) was a Dutch draughtsman and engraver. He studied under Bernard Picart (1673-1733) whose style he subsequently copied. His main interests were engraving portraits and producing illustrations for "La Vie de Marianne" by Pierre Carlet de Chamblain de Marivaux (1688-1763), published in The Hague between 1735 and 1747

If you would like to make a video out of this information and pictures you are more then welcome too. May YHWH continue to guide and protect and please stay away from Vodun...HalleluYAH!!!

[showdepremiosclub]

Race Issues of Church and State

" Besides these disclosed as well as indicated assignments of federal government over countries and groups of nations on the national level [during the Reign of Jesus Christ], there will certainly be positions of wonderful size on the worldwide level in the locations of scientific and social functions. As well as there are a couple of indicators of what some of those operations will be, as well as the feasible-- otherwise possible-- workers. Given that Noah lived initially, we now have a look at Noah. In Noah's day, the principal reason for the physical violence and mayhem of globe conditions was racial hatreds, interracial marital relationships, and also racial physical violence caused by male's initiatives towards combination and also amalgamation of races, contrary to God's regulations. God had actually established the limit lines for the nations as well as the races at the start (Deut. 32:8 -9; Acts 17:26). But men had rejected to continue to be in the lands to which God had appointed them. That was the reason for the corruption as well as physical violence that finished that world. For 100 years Noah had actually preached God's means to individuals-- but they didn't regard. During that time, also as today, that world encountered a populace explosion. It was when "men began to multiply on the face of the earth" (Gen. 6:1). Jesus stated, of our time, today, "But as the days of Noe [Noah] were, so will additionally the resulting the Son of male be" (Matt. 24:37)-- or, as in Luke 17:26, "And as it remained in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of male." That is, the days prior to Christ returns. Today race wars, race disgusts, race riots as well as race problems are amongst the world's greatest social difficulties. Noah merely preached to people in his human lifetime. But Noah, in the resurrection, immortal, in power as well as glory, will certainly be given the power to enforce God's ways in regard to race. It appears apparent that the reanimated Noah will head a large job of the relocation of the races and countries, within the boundaries God has established, for their very own ideal good, happiness and richest blessings. This will certainly be a significant operation. It will certainly call for excellent and also substantial company, strengthened with power to relocate entire countries and races. This time, individuals and also nations will move where God has prepared for them, as well as no defiance will be endured. What a paradox. Individuals are mosting likely to be compelled to be satisfied, to have tranquility, to find abundant and also joyful living!" Passage from Secret of the Ages, composed by Herbert W. Armstrong (emphasis mine). As a firm follower in the naked truth of the Scriptures that Herbert W. Armstrong strongly instructed, utilizing it as my basis, I have actually safeguarded our doctrines in several discussion forums, and also share this one example: I make certain you understand that the Holy bible is an ethnocentric Book dealing with the Hebrew people, the Twelve Tribes of Israel, as well as only points out various other nations insomuch as they come into call with our Israelite people. There is the NATION and there is the CHURCH. God's Israelite countries have the unique Legislation of Moses that grants resident aliens/Gentiles numerous civil liberties to be treated fairly, very own home and such, yet not the right to have any say or part in the workout of the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. The Ballot Rights Act must be repealed as well as treated as a treacherous and also leperous gap in national judgment. The Church is Israelite-based (the Root) however gladly consists of numerous Infidels (Branches) who have actually been grafted right into the spiritual Family as well as have the very same extraordinary human spiritual potentil as Israelites: to be actually birthed again into the actual Kingdom-Family of God that transcends this flesh. The Church of God needs to make clear as well as make commonly recognized the scriptural placement on race and poise. " The Scriptures is a Christocentric book." WRONG. The Bible is an ethnocentric publication that includes at the heart of its divine message Israel's King would save Israel as well as Gentiles, "to the Jew first, and also to the Greek" (Romans 1:16). It would be politically-incorrect today to reach out to the Jews (agent of all Israelites) first and afterwards to the Greeks (rep of all Gentiles). Yet it is biblical! Romans 9:3 -5. 3 For I can wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my fellow citizens according to the flesh, 4 who are Israelites, to whom relate the fostering, the splendor, the covenants, the offering of the law, the solution of God, and also the assurances; 5 of whom are the daddies and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the permanently blessed God. Amen. Some would vainly argue against Paul for even keeping in mind of the genuine distinctions or making a distinction between his brethren, his countrymen, as well as all mankind. The whole focus of the New Testimony is damaging down the departments between individuals on the basis of race, course, as well as status. Once more: There is the NATION and there is the CHURCH. The very same New Testimony that breaks down departments, barriers in the means of our equal opportunity for entry right into the God Kingdom-Family, still teaches women should not teach, that wives should be passive to their caring hubbies and children obedient to their individual moms and dads as well as servants to their masters (1 Corinthians 14:34, 1 Timothy 2:12). There is a scriptural order to adhere to and one-of-a-kind functions for all to play whether in the Church, family or nation (Isaiah 19:25, 1 Corinthians 12:18). Yet some people prefer to follow their fickle feelings, getting swayed by their emotions, as well as rebel versus the Word and Will of God, refusing to send, happy and persistent, falling short to see this isn't concerning their inability facilities or others' superiority complexes, but what is right and what is wrong as God has actually decided! Males are guys, ladies are females, Israelites are Israelites and Gentiles are Gentiles! Mentally all of us have an equal opportunity, once called, for various administrative workplaces in the Kingdom-Family of God. Some former Gentiles and also females will certainly be greater than some former Israelites. It's what we do with what God has given us, and also God has actually given us numerous duties and also positions and also limits to deal with within this life of living as well as learning. Ladies should not feel envious of males, or Gentiles of Israelites, or Joseph of Judah or Judah of Joseph, or Israelites of Levites or Levites of Priests. Satan can make use of a bitter root of rage or resentment, envy, covetousness, to befoul those that allow their guard down. Most of us have our appropriate place whether within the Church, country or our family of nations. " The department of a linked mankid was not a present, it was penalty for a generation that was arrogant as well as made a decision that being linked they would certainly construct a tower to the Heavens.". It was both a blessing as well as a curse. Deuteronomy 32:8 and somewhere else discloses God had actually predetermined to split the Earth, the land, with the Israelites uppermost in mind (recognizing He would certainly produce them) as numerous inheritances despite sin, equally as there are divisions within the Holy Land for the 12 Tribes of Israel that are not divisive (Ezekiel 47:21). And also those depictive Gentiles, who have actually adopted our ways, will continue to be different but equivalent (to a degree), given marked locations as an inheritance (Ezekiel 47:2). " Any type of warning against intermarriage was on the basis of maintaining their religious techniques pure, not keeping the race pure.". It seems both, as there is DUALITY in Scripture, something physical frequently representing something spiritual (Ezra 9:2). Genesis 30:34 as well as 35:2 exposes Laban's household were idol worshippers, including Rachel as well as Leah. Yet Jacob went out of his way to wed within his own kind, from his own kindred, much like Isaac did (Genesis 24:4, 28:1 -2). Any type of intermarriage is the Scriptures is recorded as well as is an exemption to the guideline, and the person follows the religion of Israel. " God did create the races and also we do create a stunning picture ... IF ... we come together. If I handed you a pallate of 100 shades of paint, and you kept those colors separate by big white spaces on a canvas just how lovely and complex could your paint be?". God didn't make a mistake in making us each lovely but not desiring us to blur our very own distinct shades and also characteristics. That is a type of adultery, adulterating, diluting our respective individuals and also disrespecting our kinfolk. We're to remain within the bounds that God has actually established: kind after kind. " We are the body of Christ. One body, one spirit.". Once again, that's the CHURCH. No matter, females still can not teach and also it's still "to the Jew first and afterwards to the Greeks." There is an order that we need to adhere to if we're to be faithful to the God of the Hebrews, our Terrific Developer God, the God of the Bible. " You seem to be implying that there is a racial root-- potentially with scriptural origin-- to the poverty and also immorality that caused the incident in Toledo.". I believe there is a spiritual root to all sin. We're all sinners and also seeking elegance. However, aren't you conscious that God claimed He would certainly punish Israelites and Jews with some Gentiles that would certainly act like pets, culminating in the Infidel confederation of kingdoms led by THE MONSTER? Is God racist? Were Isaiah and also Daniel and also others that referred to different Infidel nations as well as leaders as animals, racist? Or rationalist? Does this imply every Infidel is a wild animal? Most definitely not! Just as every Israelite certainly isn't a pure lamb! Yet just how can God refer to "the worst of the heathen" that HE would bring against our sanctimonious Israelite nations if some individuals aren't worse than others, all things thought about? " I don't understand you well enough to identify you as a person so I will certainly refrain from doing that, however the point of view you share here is racist.". I'll happily be as "racist" as the Scriptures educates me to be, however politically inaccurate. " There is no doubt that the Jews are God's selected people. However the Bible was not contacted bring us closer to and to teach us more about the Jews.". The Jews are only a part of the TWELVE People of Israel, as brought out in The United States and also Britain in Prediction, but you're incorrect concerning the Scriptures isn't written to bring us closer to as well as teach us more concerning the Jews. Obviously you disagree with Yashua's declaration that "redemption is of the Jews" and "we know that we praise," as well as exactly how the Prophets disclose the entire globe will soon go after the Jews to get more information regarding the scriptural God and also how Israel (all 12 People) will be God's Servant Nation, His Light to all nations, when all nations come up to discover the God of JACOB-ISRAEL (Zechariah 8:23, Isaiah 2:3). Please don't be offended at God. God has commissioned that the world will certainly learn everything about His Plan of Salvation, and His Boy, via His People Israel, predominately through the Anglo-Saxons and Jews. It's our NATIONAL calling, based on race and grace (Romans 11:28 -29). Gentiles can and need to learn and also adopt as their own our God-given greater requirement for living (1 Corinthians 12:2). It was revealed to us to show to the globe! " You are urging that somehow God does not recognize that a Caucasian females as well as an African male can make a beautiful sugar or tan-colored baby that is distinctively stunning. The very same is true of all other races that intermingle.". If God desired that, He would certainly have created it. Rather we have the 3 significant races and those who have actually been diluted/adulterated via no fault of their own. Mind you among my sisters is married to a good Mexican guy, and also among my other siblings is wed to a white man, and the various other yet unmarried only suches as black gents (not the ghetto type). And I like all my siblings and also their partners, although they know I believe IDEALLY we ought to all remain within our own race, our very own God-given natural division. Celebrate variety! Don't destroy it. Our God-given differences do not have to split us. " I am distressed that you clearly believe that the body of Christ is a racial experience when souls are not bound necessarily like race and also ethnicity.". I'm sorry you remain to be callous the excellent distinctions in between THE COUNTRY and also THE CHURCH. Spiritually minded individuals are still guided by God's regulation, relying on Papa knows best, and also it continually states a female can't teach and Gentiles aren't to rule over Israelites as well as every nation has its appropriate area. When we're completely spiritual beings, we'll be participants of God's Kingdom-Family, having been essentially birthed again, transformed from human to divine, as well as we'll then transcend the flesh, coming to be literal Spirit-Beings just like God the Daddy and Jesus Christ in personality and also composition!

[mystlnewsonline]

New Post has been published on https://www.stl.news/trump-aide-some-immigrants-too-lazy-sign-up-daca/81588/

Trump aide: Some immigrants 'too lazy' to sign up for DACA

WASHINGTON/February 06, 2018(AP)(STL.News)— Some immigrants may have been “too afraid” or “too lazy” to sign up for the Obama-era program that offers protection from deportation, White House chief of staff John Kelly said Tuesday as he defended President Donald Trump’s proposal on the divisive issue.

Kelly discounted the possibility that Trump would announce a temporary extension of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program beyond March 5, when he has said its protections would expire.

He said the administration would not ask Congress to set a later date to give bargainers more time to reach a bipartisan deal, but said the government would not start deporting “Dreamers” who don’t have criminal records.

“They are not a priority for deportation,” he told reporters.

Kelly spoke as lawmakers have deadlocked in an effort to reach an immigration compromise. Barring an unlikely last-minute agreement, the Senate is expected to begin debating the issue next week, and it is unclear what if any plan will survive.

“We just don’t know where 60 votes are for any particular proposal,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., citing the votes needed for passage. Republicans have a slim majority and any measure will need around a dozen Democratic votes to succeed.

Kelly said Trump’s recent offer to provide a path to citizenship for up to 1.8 million immigrants went “beyond what anyone could have imagined.” A bipartisan offer by six senators that Trump rejected would have made citizenship possible for the 690,000 “Dreamers” registered under the program, nicknamed DACA, which shields immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children and are now in the country illegally.

“There are 690,000 official DACA registrants and the president sent over what amounts to be two and a half times that number, to 1.8 million,” Kelly said. “The difference between (690,000) and 1.8 million were the people that some would say were too afraid to sign up, others would say were too lazy to get off their asses, but they didn’t sign up.”

Immigration experts cite various reasons why people eligible for DACA’s protections do not apply. These include lack of knowledge about the program, a worry that participating will expose them to deportation and an inability to afford registration fees.

“I’m sorry for that characterization. It doesn’t surprise me from Gen. Kelly,” No. 2 Senate Democratic leader Richard Durbin of Illinois, his party’s chief immigration negotiator, said of the White House staff chief’s remarks.

Durbin also scoffed at Kelly’s assertion that “Dreamers” would not be deported after the March 5 deadline arrives.

“It’s cold comfort to DACA people that if Congress does nothing, they’re still safe in the loving arms of the Department of Homeland Security,” said Durbin.

With leaders working on a separate track toward a budget pact, Trump threw a knuckle ball into the mix, saying he’d “love to see a shutdown” if Democrats didn’t meet his immigration demands.

Trump said last September that he was ending DACA but gave lawmakers until March 5 to pass legislation shielding the Dreamers. A federal judge has indefinitely blocked Trump from terminating the program’s protections, blunting the deadline’s immediate impact.

Many lawmakers are uneasy about what might happen to the Dreamers after March 5, and Democrats — and Trump himself — are using that uncertainty as leverage to help force a deal.

Kelly rejected the idea of asking lawmakers to extend the deadline, saying, “What makes them act is pressure.”

In exchange for making citizenship a possibility, Trump wants $25 billion for border security, including money to build parts of his coveted wall along the U.S.-Mexico boundary. He also wants to curb legal immigration, restricting the relatives that legal immigrants could sponsor for citizenship and ending a lottery that distributes visas to people from diverse places like Africa.

“I can’t imagine men and women of good will who begged this president to solve the problem of DACA” would oppose Trump’s proposal, Kelly said. He added, “Right now, the champion of all people who are DACA is Donald Trump.”

Democrats strongly oppose limiting legal immigration, and conservatives are against giving citizenship to DACA recipients, and Trump’s bill has gotten little traction in Congress. Durbin, his party’s chief vote counter, said Trump’s proposal would not get 60 Senate votes, saying, “I don’t think it will get any votes on the Democratic side.”

By ALAN FRAM by Associated Press, published on STL.NEWS by St. Louis Media, LLC (US)

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How the 6 'E's of Social Can Get More Traction to Your Tweets

Recently, the American College Application Campaign (ACAC) hit a home run as part of its social media marketing campaign to drive inspire students across the country to apply for college at college application events at schools throughout the nation.

To support the campaign, ACAC asked college access and success professionals to join them in sharing the reasons applying to college is important using the hashtag #WhyApply. The use of Twitter as a platform was a strategic decision, as about 52% of Gen Z-ers use Twitter.

During the course of about a week this September its #WhyApply hashtag garnered 2,367 uses, 625 unique users and 5.3 million impressions. For them, this was a big success, not only in terms of impression numbers, but in reaching the coveted Gen Z demographic—high schoolers and young adults who are in the process of making making important college decisions.

In some ways, perhaps ACAC learned that all marketing these days is similar. Big consumer brands like fast food chains and tech companies pour tons of money into understanding the behaviors of Gen Z and using modern-day marketing techniques to reach them. While student-facing edtech companies, colleges and even educators looking to reach this group may know that appealing to Gen Z is essential, many don’t know where to start.

The most diverse generation in U.S. history, Gen Z currently owns about 25% of all consumer spending. This is projected to grow to 40% within the next ten years. As if this weren’t enough, Gen Z has a combined purchasing power of $43 billion, and upwards of $600 billion in additional family spending.

There’s no question that Gen Z is a financial powerhouse, or that educators and companies in the edtech space need to tap into technology to reach them. By driving engagement with social media and applying what I call the “six E’s of social engagement,” ACAC managed to engage young people and run an incredibly lucrative modern campaign.

Here’s how you can follow their lead using the six Es of social engagement.

1. Educate

The first step to engaging an audience on social media is to educate them. What is your target audience curious about? What are they searching for?

In ACAC’s case, they knew their target audience was curious about the college application process. As such, they came up with some unique ways to educate their #WhyApply audience.

Check out this example from ACAC’s Twitter campaign:

DYK: One-third of applicants using the #CommonApp are #firstgen students? #WhyApply https://t.co/uSLL6vuY4Q

— Common Application (@CommonApp) September 22, 2017

Here’s another example of how campaign partners educated their audience through social content:

By 2020 65% of US jobs will require some form of post secondary education #WhyApply http://pic.twitter.com/HI0E3szAbl

— uAspire (@uAspire) September 22, 2017

2. Elevate

For many people, perception is critical.

We want to look good to our peers, and we like brands, campaigns and accomplishments that facilitate that for us. This is where the second E of the Six E’s comes in: Elevate.

What will make your target audience look and feel important to other people?

In ACAC’s case, the answer to this question was simple: a college degree or participation in a college program.

With this in mind, they tailored their social strategy around delivering that perception to their target audience. Here’s a post that showcases their approach:

"Going to college has helped prepare me for my career," said Brandi, a LOSFA Public Information Officer & @UofNO alumna #whyapply #LCAAM http://pic.twitter.com/tQcLEM4jYx

— LOSFA (@LOSFA) September 22, 2017

3. Empower

In addition to looking good, people want to feel like they have control over their lives, and that they can shape them into what they want them to be. For your social content to work as well as possible, it needs to help people feel like they “got it right.”

Quizzes and polls work well for this, as do any posts that ask for your audience’s opinion or input, or reinforce a specific action.

Here’s a tweet that demonstrates how #WhyApply partners made the idea of Empowerment work for their target audience:

College Go Week at Northwest!!!@NorthwestCHS #whyapply #iapplied http://pic.twitter.com/Xl0X5lF4le

— Gen McLeish-Petty (@genevieve1219) September 26, 2017

4. Ease

The most engaging social content helps your readers solve their problems. It addresses their concerns and helps them find creative solutions. “Easing” content typically includes step-by-step tutorials and real-time Q&As.

Consider this example from NCAN, which uses the #WhyApply hashtag:

A5: @CollegeBoard's BigFuture has a slew of articles/videos/Q&As/guides on many aspects of the app process https://t.co/WnpRmgogTS #WhyApply https://t.co/5UFn1KwwGV

— NCAN (@collegeaccess) September 22, 2017

5. Entice

Today it’s not enough for your social content to be helpful and user-focused. It also needs to be enticing.

Enticing content grabs user attention and helps people get to the point where they can interact with it and enjoy its full value.

Great examples of content that fulfills this “E” include headlines that require the reader to click to get the full answer, or time-based offers and discounts.

During the #WhyApply campaign, several partner brands and organizations constructed enticing Tweets designed to get would-be students excited about college life and the application process.

Here’s a great example:

Your best friends are waiting to meet you. @ApplyKS @WichitaState#WhyApply #ApplyKS #ApplyWichitaState http://pic.twitter.com/pvRb5Lf7oG

— WSU Performing Arts (@WSU_SPA) September 30, 2017

6. Entertain

To create more engaging social content, you need to catch and keep your readers’ attention.

Make them smile. Make their experience of interacting with your content a positive one.

Posts that do this include visually appealing graphics, audience-related humor (memes are great) and similar posts.

Here’s an example from ACAC itself:

Take a break from your #GameofThrones marathon and apply to #college. #WhyApply http://pic.twitter.com/GRZj7CddnW

— ACAC (@American_CAC) September 22, 2017

While the process of creating engaging social content can feel challenging, employing the “Six E’s” provides a roadmap for valuable, engaging content that benefits your brand, your cause, and your audience—both now and in the future. 

How the 6 'E's of Social Can Get More Traction to Your Tweets published first on http://ift.tt/2x05DG9

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