#induction year: 2015

[nfr-reviews]

NFR Reviews #9: The Mark of Zorro

Released 1920 / Inducted 2015

Watch film here

Douglas Fairbanks was an established star before adopting a pseudonym to co-write the screenplay adapting Johnston McCulley’s pulp novel The Curse of Capistrano. The period piece adventure film was a change in pace–his prior work fell into the romance or comedy genres and he worried audiences were losing interest. The Mark of Zorro stars Fairbanks as Zorro, a masked vigilante who swordfights racists and corrupt politicians to attain justice. His actual identity, revealed to the audience well before the other characters know, is Don Diego Vega. For maximum dramatic irony, he’s the opposite of Zorro. The book character has a litany of bad traits: he’s lazy and aimless, he doesn’t stand up for those around him, he makes it clear to a prospective love interest he’s only pursuing her out of obligation to his father. The movie adds a running joke where he tries mediocre shadow puppetry and basic magic tricks, making him seem even less dignified and unpleasantly childish when combined with the other negative qualities.

Zorro doesn’t have superpowers in the typical sense, relying on sword fighting and trickery to win no matter how outnumbered he is. He’s almost a mythic figure, albeit less serious and more slapstick-heavy than his book counterpart. To him, his opponents aren’t even worth taking seriously. He’s an early example of the superhero template, especially in his dual identity. The concept of a masked avenger posing as a playboy inspired Bob Kane in the creation of Batman and alter ego Bruce Wayne, as did Fairbanks’ catapulting-off-the-walls stunts. I don’t think either McCulley or Fairbanks intended this, but I wonder if some tiny part of Don Diego’s lifelessness and fatigue is a genuine result of spending all night getting in fights and horseback chase sequences. Zorro looks like he takes so much energy to maintain that there’s nothing left for his civilian persona. Andrew Williams defines the fop, of which said civilian persona is an example, as an old stock character defined by “demasculinized representation and obtuse misunderstanding of the normative codes of social behavior.” Some of this trope comes from making fun of rich people–they’re the ones who can afford to dress in high fashion, avoid tough physical labor, and use their wealth to smooth over ineptitude in social situations. Some of the trope just boils down to “men who deviate too much from gender roles are weak.” 

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many industrialized and urban jobs required less outdoor physical labor than the cowboy or frontiersman archetypes of generations past. This fueled a cultural anxiety over whether men were becoming too weak, which was one factor in why pulp adventure heroes gained popularity (Though with trends, there’s always more than one factor, some of which are much simpler stuff like “Swordfights are cool!”). Zorro fits some of this trend–his “feminine” qualities are only excused by the narrative because it’s a deliberate misdirection. His stories are set in a romanticized 19th-century Spanish California defined by “its warmth, its romance, its peaceful beauties,” providing escapism from modern industrialized society. However, the focus on justice for the oppressed and the villains being the Spanish colonial establishment sets it apart from the frontier "manifest destiny" narratives of that are more oriented around conquering and subjugation. Fairbanks took inspiration from Mexican outlaws resisting oppression during the US takeover of California. McCulley’s inspirations when writing the book aren’t known, but Zorro has similarities with outlaws like Tiburcio Vásquez and Joaquin Murrieta, who fought against violence committed against Mexicans in the years following the California Gold Rush. (Elements of these legends are difficult to verify. In Murrieta’s case it’s unclear if he even existed, but the story of his brother and wife being murdered by Americans was reflected in the real killings of hundreds of Mexicans in the 19th and early 20th centuries.) Don Diego’s wealthy upbringing in a prominent family puts him closer in background to Vásquez than the Murrieta legend. 

Vega’s extreme wealth and status, often referred to as “good blood,” might’ve been another instance of irony, as he runs in the same circles as the men he fights against. The story operates under a noblesse-oblige view of justice: essentially, that wealth comes with responsibility to uplift the well-being of the less fortunate. The 1835 novel The Lily of the Valley portrays the term as from a bygone medieval age, while author Alexis de Tocqueville expressed roughly the same sentiment while feeling the Industrial Revolution-era “new rich” were abusing their privilege over workers. While superheroes’ powers are sci-fi or fantastical rather than monetary, the sentiment is echoed in the genre: “with great power comes great responsibility” was popularized by Spider-Man comics. The film contrasts Zorro against villainous politicians and military types who abuse their power to get away with beating natives, falsely accusing priests of crimes, and acting entitled to women’s bodies and affections. Despite all that, the film doesn’t expect justice to always look noble, polite, and respectable. Zorro appears as a bandit who gets a death threat for “frightening children and insulting women” while the people he’s actually insulting do much worse. The film’s noblesse-oblige perspective has some drawbacks, though. It lets some aspects of the established social order go unquestioned (for example, why every indigenous person is a servant) as long as the people at the top aren’t being total assholes about it. 

The Mark of Zorro is a throwback to a place and time that would’ve seemed exotic to many viewers, and there’s a bit of paternalism and “back when men were men” attitudes that come out of this. But the premise of a man who fights injustice against the oppressed and looks cool doing it still holds up. Even though the character isn’t quite as high-profile today, there’s a reason the story was influential to the action and superhero genres.

Sources

https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2979/chiricu.1.1.11?seq=1

https://silentfilm.org/the-mark-of-zorro

https://millstonenews.com/noblesse-oblige/

https://www.learningtogive.org/resources/noblesse-oblige

https://thestacks.libaac.de/server/api/core/bitstreams/da53aefc-2e41-44f1-a68c-8dc4890f8c2f/content

https://scholarship.rollins.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1002&context=as_facpub

https://e-space.mmu.ac.uk/617579/8/Superhero%20and%20%20Identities%20an%20introduction%20final%20dec%2023%202013%20(7).pdf

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/ghostbusters-top-gun-enter-national-849092/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/With_great_power_comes_great_responsibility

[doyoulikethissong-poll]

Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars - Uptown Funk 2014

"Uptown Funk" is a song by British record producer Mark Ronson featuring American singer Bruno Mars. It was released on 10 November 2014, as the lead single from Ronson's fourth studio album, Uptown Special (2015). "Uptown Funk" was written by Ronson, Mars, Jeff Bhasker, and Philip Lawrence; it was produced by the aforementioned first three. The song began during a freestyle studio session while they worked on a jam Mars and his band had been playing on tour. Copyright controversies arose after the song's release resulting in multiple lawsuits and amendments to its songwriting credits. The song is a funk-pop, soul, boogie, disco-pop, and Minneapolis sound track. It has a spirit akin to the 1980s-era funk music. Its lyrics address fashion, self-love and "traditional masculine bravado", performed in a sing-rapping style filled with metaphors, arrogance, charisma, and fun. Upon its release, the single received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised the instrumental, style and influences of the track. Others criticized it for not being innovative as it tried to emulate 1980s funk music.

"Uptown Funk" topped the charts of 19 countries and reached the top 10 of 15 others, making it the most successful single of Ronson and Mars to date. In the US, "Uptown Funk" topped the Billboard Hot 100 for 14 consecutive weeks and spent seven weeks on the top of the UK Singles Chart. It was certified 11 times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and six times platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). The song spent 11 weeks in the number one position in France, 6 weeks as number one in Australia, and 9 consecutive weeks as number one in New Zealand. It also broke its own streaming record three times in the UK, while breaking the streaming record in the US and Worldwide at that time. As of January 2023, the official music video for "Uptown Funk" was the ninth most viewed Youtube video of all-time, having received over 5.2 billion views.

In 2015, the song won British Single of the Year at the Brit Awards, Best Pop at MelOn Music Awards and was one of the Top 10 Gold International Gold Songs at RTHK International Pop Poll Awards. The track also won BMI Pop Song of the Year at the BMI Awards, Song of the Year at Telehit Awards and Song of the Year at Soul Train Music Awards. In 2016, "Uptown Funk" received Grammy awards for Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the 58th Grammy Awards. It also won International Work of the Year at the APRA Music Awards, Best Collaboration at the iHeartRadio Music Awards, while it was nominated for Song of the Year. "Uptown Funk " was inducted to the 2017 edition of the Guinness World Records for achieving the most weeks at number one on Billboard's Digital Song Sales chart. In 2017, the track was one of the winners of Most Performed Songs at the ASCAP Pop Music Awards. "Uptown Funk" is the fifth biggest song of all-time to have charted on the Billboard Hot 100.

"Uptown Funk" received a total of 84,5% yes votes!

[freetheshit-outofyou]

December 27, 2015, Harlem Globetrotter Meadowlark G. Lemon died at 83.

Meadowlark George Lemon III was born in Wilmington, North Carolina, on April 25, 1932. He discovered the Harlem Globetrotters at 11 years old while watching a newsreel at the local theater. He was determined to one day make the team. Lemon didn’t have enough money to buy basketball equipment, so he made his own. He made the Basketball hoop out of an onion sack and a coat hanger and used an empty carnation milk can as his ball. According to Lemon, he made his first shot, a two-pointer.

He continued to play basketball in high school. Realizing the fierce competition, he logged long hours on the court to strengthen his skills. He briefly attended Florida Agriculture and Mechanical University, a historically black university in Tallahassee, Florida. He was drafted into the Army in 1952. He completed basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, before serving two years in Salzburg, Germany.

While in Germany, Lemon played on an Army base’s basketball team, averaging 55 points a game. He was discharged in 1954. He then played for the Kansas City All-Stars for a year before joining the Harlem Globetrotters. Lemon played for 23 consecutive years with the Harlem Globetrotters and earned the name “Clown Prince of Basketball.” In the 1980s, he started his comedic basketball team “Meadowlark Lemon’s Bucketeers,” and then he established “The Shooting Stars” before founding “Meadowlark Lemon’s Harlem All-Stars.” Lemon returned to the Harlem Globetrotters in 1993 for a 50-game season.

In 1986, Lemon became an ordained minister. In 1989, he founded “Camp Meadowlark,” a camp designed to improve young people’s basketball skills while teaching them the importance of education and staying healthy. He earned his Doctor of Divinity in 1998. In 2003, Lemon was inducted into the NBA Basketball Hall of Fame.

Photo: Meadowlark Lemon. Courtesy of Veterans Affairs

[rhapsodynew]

#On this day

Billy Gibbons – 75th anniversary of the leader of ZZ Top🎸

Happy birthday to Billy!🍻🤗

William Frederick Gibbons was born on December 16, 1949 in a suburb of Houston, Texas in a creative family: His father was a pianist, conductor and worked for MGM. At the age of five, Billy's mother took Billy and his sister to an Elvis concert; and at seven, he was present with his father in the studio at the recording of BB King. Billy started his musical career as a percussionist, but at the age of thirteen he found his first electric guitar. Billy went to California, where he combined his studies at the Warner Brothers School of Art with work in local teams. He would return to Texas and organize The Moving Sidewalks; the band played psychedelic rock that was fashionable at the time and recorded several singles and one LP. The team was lucky to be "opening for" Jimi Hendrix, and he will teach a young colleague some guitar lessons. In 1969, Gibbons organized ZZ Top (he also came up with the name). After several line-up changes, the band will find its unmistakable style: hard rock, boogie, blues and southern rock. (No less recognizable beards will appear later). In 1971, the trio debuted with the longplay "ZZ Top's First Album"; according to Gibbons: "... we named it so as to make it clear that others will follow. At the same time, we were not sure that we would get another chance in the studio, but we really hoped for it." The band's second studio album, "Rio Grande Mud" in 1972, will be in the middle of the US Billboard 200 rating, and "Tres Hombres" in 1973 will reach the 8th position, becoming gold in the USA and Canada.

Over the following decades, ZZ Top would sell over 50 million copies of their recordings; in 2004, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. All these years, Billy remained the guitarist, main songwriter and lead vocalist of the trio; in 2015, Rolling Stone ranked him 32nd on the list of the greatest guitarists of all time. The 15th studio album, "La Futura", was released in 2012 and successfully performed on the charts. In 2021, Dusty Hill died; according to his wishes, guitar technician Elwood Francis took the place of the bassist. According to Gibbons, Hill managed to record his parts for the new album. In addition to ZZ Top, Gibbons has appeared in films, on TV, released three solo albums, a book and participated in projects of many musicians, including Nickelback, Queens of the Stone Age, BB King, Kid Rock, Sammy Hagar, Jeff Beck and John Fogerty. In 2005, Gibbons married his long-term girlfriend Gillian Stillwater. Billy is a fanatical collector of retro cars; his 1933 Ford Coupe, known as the "Eliminator", is featured in several ZZ Top videos and on the cover of one of the albums.

[emerystellar]

@bettinalevyisdetermined this is probably a little silly of me, but as someone who’s been on the internet almost a decade and been interacting with tumblr content since the ripe age of 9 on pinterest, i’ve never seen anyone do it as well-condensed and faithful as you have. and to be so vibrantly, unabashedly undertale too, it brings a special sort of hope to me! having those two beacons of content through 2015-2017 was probably one of the best periods of my life, and to know that you’re bringing back that spirit in such a good way. hell, i’d even say you’ve got a little bit of Vinergy (vibe energy) which is absolutely saying something in the ripe year of 2023!

just.. thank you, i suppose! for being a sort of ‘new’ generation’s induction into all the things i hold dear, and the stuff that really set me up for good on the internet. it’s really good to see people are still doing it earnestly like you are. <3

[jazzandother-blog]

An unrepeatable generation coming to an end. RIP Roy Haynes (1925-2024).

Roy Haynes en una actuación en 2015 (Jack Vartoogian/Getty Images)

(English / Español / Italiano)

The jazz drummer Roy Haynes, who played with other jazz greats such as Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker, Chick Corea, Sarah Vaughan, Thelonius Monk, Miles Davis, Bud Powell and Pat Metheny, died on Tuesday 12 November at the age of 99.

His daughter, Leslie Haynes-Gilmore, told The New York Times that her father, born in Roxbury, now part of Boston, on 13 March 1925, died after a brief illness.

Haynes was considered one of the most remarkable jazz drummers of all time, with an extensive career during which he collaborated with the most prominent jazz musicians in his country. Haynes was still a teenager when he made his professional debut in the 1940s in the big bands of Frankie Newton and Louis Russell (1945-1947).

He then went on to play with tenor sax master Lester Young (1947-1949) and between 1949 and 1952 was part of Charlie Parker's quintet. He accompanied the singer Sarah Vaughan on the jazz circuits in the United States between 1953 and 1958 and when he finished that job he recorded with Thelonious Monk, George Shearing and Lennie Tristano among others and occasionally replaced Elvin Jones in John Coltrane's quartet.

He was involved in the direction of the original soundtrack for the film Bird, directed by Clint Eastwood in 1988, and was awarded the 1994 Danish Jazzpar Prize.

In the late 1990s, Haynesformed a trio with pianist Danilo Pérez and bassist John Pattitucci, and they recorded an album: The Roy Haynes Trio featuring Danilo Pérez & John Pattitucci (2000). In 2001 he released Birds of a Feather: A Tribute to Charlie Parker, followed by Love Letters (2003), and Quite Fires and Fountain of Youth, both from 2004, the year he was inducted into the Down Beat Jazz Hall of Fame.

His last album was Whereas, released in 2006.

In 2011 he received the Grammy Award for his artistic career.

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El baterista de jazz Roy Haynes, que tocó con otros grandes de ese género musical, como Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker, Chick Corea, Sarah Vaughan, Thelonius Monk, Miles Davis, Bud Powell o Pat Metheny, ha fallecido este martes 12 de noviembre, a los 99 años.

Su hija, Leslie Haynes-Gilmore, dijo al diario The New York Times que su padre, nacido en Roxbury, hoy parte de Boston, el 13 de marzo de 1925, murió después de una breve enfermedad.

Haynes era considerado uno de los más notables bateristas de jazz de todos los tiempos, con una extensa carrera durante la cual colaboró con los más destacados músicos del género en su país. Haynes todavía era un adolescente cuando hizo su debut profesional en los años 40 en las "big bands" de Frankie Newton y Louis Russell (1945-1947).

Luego pasó a tocar con el maestro del saxo tenor Lester Young (1947-1949) y entre 1949 y 1952 formó parte del quinteto de Charlie Parker. Acompañó a la cantante Sarah Vaughan, por los circuitos del jazz en los Estados Unidos entre 1953 y 1958 y cuando finalizó ese trabajo grabó con Thelonious Monk, George Shearing y Lennie Tristano entre otros y ocasionalmente sustituía a Elvin Jones en el cuarteto de John Coltrane.

Participó en la dirección de la banda sonora original de la película Bird, dirigida por Clint Eastwood en 1988, y fue premiado en 1994 con el premio Danish Jazzpar.

A finales de los años 90, Haynes formó un trío con el pianista Danilo Pérez y el bajista John Pattitucci, y grabaron un disco: The Roy Haynes Trío featuring Danilo Pérez & John Pattitucci (2000). En el año 2001 publicó Birds of a Feather: A Tribute to Charlie Parker, al que siguieron Love Letters (2003), y Quite Fires y Fountain of Youth, ambos de 2004, año en el que entró en el Down Beat Jazz Hall of Fame.

Su último disco publicado fue Whereas, de 2006.

En 2011 recibió el Premio Grammy a la carrera artística.

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Il batterista Roy Haynes, che ha suonato con altri grandi del jazz come Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker, Chick Corea, Sarah Vaughan, Thelonius Monk, Miles Davis, Bud Powell e Pat Metheny, è morto martedì 12 novembre all'età di 99 anni.

Sua figlia, Leslie Haynes-Gilmore, ha dichiarato al New York Times che suo padre, nato a Roxbury, ora parte di Boston, il 13 marzo 1925, è morto dopo una breve malattia.

Haynes è stato considerato uno dei più notevoli batteristi jazz di tutti i tempi, con una lunga carriera durante la quale ha collaborato con i più importanti musicisti jazz del suo Paese. Haynes era ancora un adolescente quando fece il suo debutto professionale negli anni '40 nelle big band di Frankie Newton e Louis Russell (1945-1947).

Ha poi suonato con il maestro del sax tenore Lester Young (1947-1949) e tra il 1949 e il 1952 ha fatto parte del quintetto di Charlie Parker. Accompagnò la cantante Sarah Vaughan nei circuiti jazz degli Stati Uniti tra il 1953 e il 1958 e, una volta terminato questo lavoro, registrò tra gli altri con Thelonious Monk, George Shearing e Lennie Tristano e occasionalmente sostituì Elvin Jones nel quartetto di John Coltrane.

Ha partecipato alla direzione della colonna sonora originale del film Bird, diretto da Clint Eastwood nel 1988, ed è stato premiato con il Danish Jazzpar Prize del 1994.

Alla fine degli anni Novanta Haynes haformato un trio con il pianista Danilo Pérez e il bassista John Pattitucci, con cui ha registrato un album: The Roy Haynes Trio featuring Danilo Pérez & John Pattitucci (2000). Nel 2001 ha pubblicato Birds of a Feather: A Tribute to Charlie Parker, seguito da Love Letters (2003) e da Quite Fires e Fountain of Youth, entrambi del 2004, anno in cui è stato inserito nella Down Beat Jazz Hall of Fame.

Il suo ultimo album è stato Whereas, pubblicato nel 2006.

Nel 2011 ha ricevuto il Grammy Award per la sua carriera artistica.

Source: RTVE.es/EFE

[justforbooks]

Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), also known by his stage name Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, media personality, and actor. His initial fame dates back to 1992 following his guest appearance on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, "Deep Cover", and later on Dre's debut album, The Chronic that same year. Broadus has since sold over 23 million albums in the United States, and 35 million albums worldwide. His accolades include an American Music Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and 17 Grammy Award nominations.

Produced entirely by Dr. Dre, Broadus's debut studio album, Doggystyle (1993) was released by Death Row Records and debuted atop the Billboard 200. Selling 800,000 copies in its first week, the album received quadruple platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) the following year and spawned the Billboard Hot 100-top ten singles "What's My Name?" and "Gin and Juice". He was the lead performer on Death Row's soundtrack album for the 1994 short film Murder Was the Case, wherein Broadus made his acting debut. His second album, Tha Doggfather (1996), likewise debuted atop the chart and received double platinum certification.

In 1998, he parted ways with Death Row in favor of Master P's No Limit Records, through which he saw largely continued success with his albums Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told (1998), No Limit Top Dogg (1999), and Tha Last Meal (2000). He then signed with Priority, Capitol, and EMI Records to release his sixth album Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss (2002), which was further commercially oriented. This effectively continued upon him signing with Geffen Records to release his next three albums: R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece (2004), Tha Blue Carpet Treatment (2006), and Ego Trippin' (2008); the former spawned the single "Drop It Like It's Hot" (featuring Pharrell), which became his first to peak atop the Billboard Hot 100. He then returned to Priority and Capitol—upon his hiring as chairman of the former label—to release his tenth and eleventh albums, Malice 'n Wonderland (2009) and Doggumentary (2011), both of which saw mild critical and commercial response.

During this time, Broadus starred in films and hosted several television shows, including Doggy Fizzle Televizzle, Snoop Dogg's Father Hood, and Dogg After Dark. In 2012, following a trip to Jamaica, Snoop converted to Rastafari and adopted the alias Snoop Lion, under which he released a reggae album, Reincarnated (2013), and a namesake documentary film about his Jamaican experience.

His thirteenth studio album, Bush (2015), was produced entirely by frequent collaborator Pharrell, while his fourteenth studio album, Coolaid (2016), was released the same year as his induction into the celebrity wing of the WWE Hall of Fame. In 2018, Broadus became "a born-again Christian" and released his first gospel album, Bible of Love in March of that year. In November of that year, Broadus was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2022, Broadus acquired Death Row Records from MNRK Music Group (formerly known as eOne Music), and released his nineteenth studio album, BODR (2022)—preceded by the independently-released I Wanna Thank Me (2019) and From tha Streets 2 tha Suites (2021).

The Washington Post, Billboard, and NME have called him a "West Coast icon"; and Press-Telegram, "an icon of gangsta rap". In 2006, Vibe magazine called him "The King of the West Coast". ABC News journalist Paul Donoughue, cited him among the 1990s acts that took hip-hop into the pop music charts. Broadus received the BMI Icon Award in 2011. In 2023, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Broadus popularized the use of -izzle speak particularly in the pop and hip-hop music industry. A type of infix, it first found popularity when used by Frankie Smith in his 1981 hit song "Double Dutch Bus". The Guardian's Rob Fitzpatrick has credited his album Doggystyle for proving that rappers "could reinvent themselves", expanding rap's vocabulary, changing hip-hop fashions, and helping introduce a hip-hop genre called G-funk to a new generation. The album has been cited as an influence by rapper Kendrick Lamar, while fellow rappers ScHoolboy Q and Maxo Kream have also cited him as an influence.

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at Just for Books…?

[blackswaneuroparedux]

Man is the creature who does not know what to desire, and he turns to others in order to make up his mind. We desire what others desire because we imitate their desires.

- René Girard (1923-2015)

Frnechman René Girard’s work has been enjoying a renaissance in recent years. He has long been recognised for his theory of human behaviour and human culture. In 2005 he was inducted into the Académie française, and in 2008 he received the Modern Language Association's award for Lifetime Scholarly Achievement. He was Professor Emeritus at Stanford University.

Back more than 50 years ago, René Girard started teaching French literature because he needed a job. He hadn't even read many of the books he was assigned to teach. Then, as he studied the classic novels of Stendhal and Proust with a fresh mind, staying one step ahead of his students, he was struck by a series of similarities from novel to novel. Unbound by any narrow research agenda, Girard discovered a simple but powerful pattern that had eluded sophisticated critics before him: imitation is the fundamental mechanism of human behaviour.

Stories thrive on conflict between characters. By reading the great writers against the grain of conventional wisdom, Girard realised that people don't fight over their differences. They fight because they are the same, and they want the same things. Not because they need the same things (food, sex, scarce material goods), but because they want what will earn others' envy. Humans, with a planning intelligence that sets them apart from all other animals, are free to choose. With freedom comes risk and uncertainty: humans don't know in advance what to choose, so they look to others for cues.

People can desire anything, as long as other people seem to desire it, too: that is the meaning of Girard's concept of "mimetic desire." Since people tend toward the same objects of desire, jealousy and rivalry are inevitable sources of social tension.

[mydaddywiki]

Billy Casper

Physique: Husky Build Height: 5'11" (1.8 m)

William Earl Casper Jr. (June 24, 1931 – February 7, 2015) was an American professional golfer. He was one of the most prolific tournament winners on the PGA Tour from the mid-1950s to the mid-1970s. Casper won three major championships, represented the United States on a then-record eight Ryder Cup teams, and holds the U.S. record for career Ryder Cup points won. After reaching age 50, Casper regularly played the Senior PGA Tour and was a winner there until 1989. In his later years, Casper successfully developed businesses in golf course design and management of golf facilities. Casper was inducted to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1978.

Long considered one of the preeminent putters of his era, Casper was one of golf’s great champions during an era dominated by legends such as Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player. Mmm… those three could catch a dick from me. Never a flashy gallery favorite, Casper developed his own self-contained style, relying on solid technique, determination, concentration, and perseverance.

Casper was nicknamed ‘Buffalo Bill’ because of his unique diet of exotic meat of bear, elk, hippopotamus and buffalo. Lets just say, I have another exotic meat he could have eaten. My penis. He died at age 83 in 2015 of a heart attack at his home in Springville, Utah. He was survived by his wife of more than 60 years, 11 children, six of whom are adopted, 71 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren.

[wrestlinghistorywithkay]

The Hounds Of Justice : The Story of The Shield

June 2, 2014 will always be a day that I will never forget as a wrestling fan. This is one thing that I will never get over as a fan. My heart was shattered into a million pieces when an event that I never thought would happen. I am talking about the break up of The Shield. I am sure that we all remember where we were the night it happened.

The Shield was a popular faction in WWE consisting of Dean Ambrose ( now Jon Moxley in AEW ) , Roman Reigns , and Seth Rollins. The three Superstars made their main roster debut on November 18, 2012 at the Survivor Series Pay-Per-View. Reigns, Rollins, and Ambrose were originally supposed to be bodyguards for CM Punk, however , that changed and all three of them became huge main event names. They became dominant during six man tag team matches , having an undefeated streak on WWE Programming from December 2012- May 2013 , when they scored the biggest win of their careers , at Wrestlemania 29. Reigns and Rollins went on the win the Tag Team Championships while Ambrose went on to win the United States Championship at Extreme Rules the same year. Ambrose made history when he held the US Championship for a year in May 2014. Soon, The Hounds of Justice would face trouble.

In June of 2014 ,The Shield had a feud with Evolution, a faction consisting of Triple H , Randy Orton , Ric Flair , and Batista. On the June 2 , 2014 episode of Monday Night RAW , Triple H escorted Randy Orton to ring for a match and cut a promo on The Shield. Triple H stated that there was always a ‘ Plan B ’ for himself and Randy Orton , with Batista quitting WWE the same night to focus on his acting career. Thus, Rollins betrayed Reigns and Ambrose by hitting both of them with a style chair and aligning with Orton and Triple H , becoming the newest member of Evolution and The Authority. Reigns and Ambrose would be a tag team until June 16, 2014. Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins would feud until 2015. During Payback, the Hounds of Justice would have a small reunion when they Powerbombed Randy Orton through the announce table. In 2016 , the three would have a Triple Threat Match for the WWE Championship, in which , Ambrose, who was the champion , would retain. The same year, they would be on opposing sides on Survivor Series with Reigns and Rollins representing Team RAW while Ambrose represented Team Smackdown Live. Thus, this lead to another small reunion.

The Shield reunited one more time in 2019 for a match against Drew McIntyre, Bobby Lashley, and Baron Corbin at the Fastline Pay Per View. This would be the last time Reigns , Rollins , and Ambrose would share a ring together as Ambrose’s contract with WWE was ending. Dean Ambrose left WWE the same year and made his debut at All Elite Wrestling ( AEW ) as Jon Moxley and become a member of The Blackpool Combat Club. He has won the AEW World Championship three times. Seth Rollins would go on to have the Monday Night Messiah gimmick and win the Inaugural WWE World Heavyweight Championship in 2023 . He is a five time WWE Champion. Roman Reigns went on to become The Tribal Chief and have a record setting Undisputed WWE World Heavyweight Championship reign of 1,316 days before being defeated by Cody Rhodes at Wrestlemania 40. Nevertheless, Reigns also got his revenge on Rollins the same night by hitting him in the back with a chair. Seth Rollins stated that the next time fans will see The Shield reunite will be at their WWE Hall of Fame Induction.

My Final Thoughts:

The Shield will forever be a legendary faction in WWE and in Professional Wrestling. They were what made WWE Programming during that time period. Knowing that they also had successful solo careers makes me feel like they will always be remembered individually as well. I’ll confess that I was a major Roman Reigns girl. I hope that fans can remember them for what they did as a group and individually. When they broke up , I was raging. What about you? How did you feel when The Shield broke up? Who was your favorite member?

Love You All,

- Kay

[queerwelsh]

Roger Rees was born on the 5th of May, 1944 in Aberystwyth, to William John and Doris Louise Rees (née Smith). They later all moved to Balham, London.

After studying art at Camberwell College of Arts and Slade School of Fine Art, Roger fell into theatre acting and became a successful stage actor, joining the RSC.

Roger won an Olivier Award for 'Actor of the Year in a New Play' in 1980 and a Tony Award for Best Actor in 1982 for his leading role in The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, an 8 and a half hour long adaptation of the Dickens novel by David Edgar.

Following his successes on the stage, Roger became well-known for his TV roles, especially in Cheers from 1989. He also later appeared in The West Wing, Grey's Anatomy, Law & Order, Elementary and more.

He was also a film actor, with his most well-known role being the Sheriff of Rottingham in Robin Hood: Men in Tights. Other films he appeared in included Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot, A Midsummer Night's Dream and Frida.

He lived in the US for 25 years and married his partner of 33 years, playwright Rick Elice, in 2011, when it became legal in New York. Roger was also a convert to Judaism.

Roger Rees died from brain cancer on the 10th of July, 2015, aged 71. Posthumously, he was inducted to the American Theater Hall of Fame.

[kemetic-dreams]

Katherine Johnson (née Coleman; August 26, 1918 – February 24, 2020) was an American mathematician whose calculations of orbital mechanics as a NASA employee were critical to the success of the first and subsequent U.S. crewed spaceflights. During her 33-year career at NASA and its predecessor, she earned a reputation for mastering complex manual calculations and helped pioneer the use of computers to perform the tasks. The space agency noted her "historical role as one of the first African-American women to work as a NASA scientist".

Johnson's work included calculating trajectories, launch windows, and emergency return paths for Project Mercury spaceflights, including those for astronauts Alan Shepard, the first American in space, and John Glenn, the first American in orbit, and rendezvous paths for the Apollo Lunar Module and command module on flights to the Moon. Her calculations were also essential to the beginning of the Space Shuttle program, and she worked on plans for a mission to Mars. She was known as a "human computer" for her tremendous mathematical capability and ability to work with space trajectories with such little technology and recognition at the time.

In 2015, President Barack Obama awarded Johnson the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 2016, she was presented with the Silver Snoopy Award by NASA astronaut Leland D. Melvin and a NASA Group Achievement Award. She was portrayed by Taraji P. Henson as a lead character in the 2016 film Hidden Figures. In 2019, Johnson was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal by the United States Congress.[3] In 2021, she was inducted posthumously into the National Women's Hall of Fame

[hollywoods-angel]

joan <3

joan baez is an american singer songwriter and activist. many of her folk songs spread awareness about social justice, and are protest songs. she was part of the folk revival of the 1960s alongside bob dylan, who she had a very public relationship with, and she is arguably one of the most important folk singers. in 2017 she was inducted into the rock n roll hall of fame.

joan chandos baez grew up in nyc and as a child her family converted to Quakerism. during her childhood she was often discrimanated and called racial slurs because of her Mexican heritage, which sparked her intrest in activism. she attended boston university and lter dropped out to perform in local cafes and venus, and refused to play in segregated areas.

joan's first professional performance was at 18, and afterwards she made her first album sold moderately well. she went on tour and had a sold out performance. in 1961 she relased another album, then another in 1962 which both went gold. the same year she was on the cover of time magazine- something that was rare for musicians. during the mid 60s she continued to rise in popularity, and introduced her audience to the then unknown bob dylan.

the two were in a relationship throughout the early to mid 60s, and wrote numerous songs about each other. joan's musical style was unique and she continued to experiment with different styles. bob described her as having a 'siren' like voice and having a unique guitar style. her first single to chart was in 1965, and out of her 14 vanguard albums, 13 were on the billboard 100 mainstream pop chart. 11 made top 40, 8 made top 20 and 4 made top 10. her music has inspired the likes of bob dylan, joni mitchell, judas priest, led zeppelin and many more.

a crucial part of joan's life has been her activism. she was one of the early artists to use her platform to spread awareness, both through her music and through her actions. she supported the civil right's movement (leading to an fbi file on her), protested the war in vietnam (and got arrested), is against the death penalty, advocated for the lgbtq+ community, supported peaceful protests in iran, performed in rallies against the war in iraq, was in a tree 'sit-in' for urban farmers, endorsed obama during the 2008 election and performed for the protesters at occupy wall street in 2011.

in 2007 joan was given the lifetime achievement award at the grammy's for her impact on music, and in 2011 the amnesty international, a human rights group honored joan and had a tribute event. she also received an award in 2015 by the amnesty international. the american academy of the arts and sciences elected her to the fellowship in 2020 for her contributions to music and activism, and she was listed at 189 on rolling stone's 200 best singers list.

[nevesmose]

Can I ramble about vampires for a bit? There's a very good short story called One For The Road by Stephen King which is a sort of sequel to Salem's Lot, set several years later where it shows that following the events of the book the Lot has become a dilapidated ghost town that everyone in the local area is afraid of and knows to avoid.

and by "ghost town", haha, well. let's justr say. Their vampeanits

Without their leader the vampires don't really do anything, they just kind of exist from one day to the next and survive by hunting people who do happen to be unlucky or unaware enough to wander too close to town. Anyway the story is about two old guys in the next town over who encounter a man from New York whose car has broken down leaving his family stranded in the Lot...

"Mister," she said in a high, clear voice, as sweet as morning mist, "won't you help me find my mother? She's gone and I'm so cold—"

"Honey," I said, "honey, you better get in the truck. Your mother's—"

I broke off, and if there was ever a time in my life I was close to swooning, that was the moment. She was standing there, you see, but she was standing on top of the snow and there were no tracks, not in any direction.

I was reminded of this because I started thinking about Sylvania and the Vampire Counts in general. I really liked them in Warhammer Fantasy and maybe one day I'll try to figure out what their Age of Sigmar equivalents are, but... it's just not the same, ya know? Sylvania was what I liked. It was an interesting place to read about.

My favourite part was always the bits we'd find out about the humans who lived there and served the vampires because it's always interesting to think about their point of view and motivations and the weird codependent relationships they could form.

Like in the first Ulrika the Vampire book her mentor has a small group of human knights that are totally loyal to her and aware of what the deal is. What's their motivation? Are they all just simps blood-swains? I don't actually remember for them specifically because it's been a while since I read those books but, in a more general sense, it's an interesting question to ask.

I'm getting back into a vampires obsession just now anyway which will no doubt lead to me resuscitating that novel I've had on the go since 2015. But I could see my way clear to writing some related stuff on here/ao3 as well. Did you know there's a shocking lack of Vampire Griffith fics? (I might need to fix that sometime. No guarantees though.)

It just seems like if I file off some serial numbers a suitably inclined vampire could exist as the leader of a late medieval/renaissance era mercenary company whose inner circle are all inducted into The Terrible Secret forming a creepily obsessed cultlike atmosphere all centred around his endless desire for power. Wouldn't it be nifty if it was revealed that Vampfith has been doing this over and over for decades with an endlessly replaced cast of followers, failing every single time due to his own personal flaws that no amount of effort can fix? That would be tragic huh. 🤔

You know what, you deserve a reward for making it this far.

Ten thousand years ago the BBC used to cover various kinds of niche entertainment interests grouped under the Cult theme on its website - this for example was where Doctor Who used to be prior to the 2005 series. Anyway, vampires was one of them so here are some just about two decade old short stories.

[reasoningdaily]

Basketball Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo – known for his shot-blocking and famed finger wave after denying opponents at the hoop – died Monday from brain cancer aged 58, according to the NBA.

Inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015, he was an eight-time NBA All-Star and won the league’s Defensive Player of the Year award four times.

His defensive prowess – leading the league in blocks for five consecutive seasons during an 18-year playing career and retiring second on the NBA’s all-time blocked shots list – was offset by his huge, playful smile.

Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the 7-foot-2-inch Mutombo came to Washington’s Georgetown University initially on an academic scholarship in 1987 and rose to fame when he joined the basketball team in his second year.

He was selected fourth in the 1991 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets.

Aside from the Nuggets, he played for the Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, the then named New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks and the Houston Rockets.

Off the court, the towering center was known for his humanitarian work. In 1997, Mutombo established the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation with a mission to improve education and quality of life in his native DRC.

In 2022, the NBA said Mutombo was receiving treatment for a brain tumor in Atlanta.

The league said he was surrounded by his family when he died Monday.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver issued a statement, saying, “Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life. On the court, he was one of the greatest shot blockers and defensive players in the history of the NBA. Off the floor, he poured his heart and soul into helping others.

“There was nobody more qualified than Dikembe to serve as the NBA’s first Global Ambassador. He was a humanitarian at his core. He loved what the game of basketball could do to make a positive impact on communities, especially in his native Democratic Republic of the Congo and across the continent of Africa.

“I had the privilege of traveling the world with Dikembe and seeing first-hand how his generosity and compassion uplifted people. He was always accessible at NBA events over the years – with his infectious smile, deep booming voice and signature finger wag that endeared him to basketball fans of every generation.

“Dikembe’s indomitable spirit continues on in those who he helped and inspired throughout his extraordinary life. I am one of the many people whose lives were touched by Dikembe’s big heart and I will miss him dearly.

“On behalf of the entire NBA family, I send my deepest condolences to Dikembe’s wife, Rose, and their children; his many friends; and the global basketball community which he truly loved and which loved him back,” Silver’s statement said.

‘He was even better off the court’

Sixers general manager Daryl Morey lauded Mutombo during the team’s scheduled media day on Monday.

“There aren’t many guys like him. Just a great human being,” Morey said. “When I was a rookie GM in this league, my first chance in Houston, he was someone I went to all the time. He was older than me which is pretty rare.

“Obviously, his accomplishments on the court, we don’t need to talk about too much but just an amazing human being – what he did off the court, for Africa. Rest in peace, Dikembe.”

Speaking to reporters, 76ers star Joel Embiid said: “It’s a sad day, especially for us Africans and really the whole world, because other than what he’s accomplished on the basketball court, I think he was even better off the court.

“He’s one of the guys that I look up to as far as having an impact, not just on the court but off the court. He’s done a lot of great things, he did a lot of great things for a lot of people. He was a role model of mine, so like I said, it is a sad day.”

‘A heart of gold’

CNN Sport anchor Andy Scholes was a Rockets ballboy as a child, and fondly remembers getting to witness Mutombo up close.

“I was around him nearly every day for three years. He was intimidating on the court but off it he had a heart of gold,” Scholes said.

“I didn’t see him for some time after starting my journalism career. But at an All-Star game some 10 years ago, he came running up to me and said: ‘Andy, why didn’t you tell me you work for CNN! I watch you on TV every morning’.

“From then on whenever we’d see each other he always told me how proud he was of me. That meant so much to me because I always looked up to Dikembe, literally and figuratively.”

[lboogie1906]

Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963), known by his initials MJ, is a businessman and former basketball player. His biography on the official NBA website states: “By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time.” He was integral in popularizing the NBA around the world, becoming a global cultural icon in the process. He played 15 seasons, winning six championships with the Chicago Bulls. He is the principal owner and chairman of the Charlotte Hornets and of 23XI Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series.

He played college basketball for three seasons with the North Carolina Tar Heels. As a freshman, he was a member of the Tar Heels national championship team. He joined the Bulls in 1984 and quickly emerged as a league star. He retired from basketball before the 1993–94 NBA season to play Minor League Baseball but returned to the Bulls in March 1995 and led them to three more championships, as well as a then-record 72 regular season wins (1995–96) NBA season. He retired for the second time but returned for two more seasons with the Washington Wizards.

His accolades and accomplishments include six NBA Finals MVP Awards, ten scoring titles, five MVP Awards, ten All-NBA First Team designations, nine All-Defensive First Team honors, fourteen NBA All-Star Game selections, three All-Star Game MVP Awards, three steals titles, and the 1988 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award. He holds the NBA records for career regular season scoring average (30.12 points per game) and career playoff scoring average (33.45 points per game). He was twice inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, once in 2009 for his career and again in 2010 as part of the 1992 US Men’s Olympic basketball team (“The Dream Team”). He became a member of the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2015.

He is known for his product endorsements. He fueled the success of Nike’s Air Jordan sneakers. He starred as himself in Space Jam and is the central focus of the Emmy Award-winning documentary miniseries The Last Dance. He became the first billionaire player in NBA history. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence #omegapsiphi