Marilyn's Photos - July 4th 2025 - Prison Wear

 

I wondered about the prison wear that Diddy Combs would be wearing during his upcoming short stay in prison. It made me think of the prison wear from long past - the big wide horizontal stripes.  They were more circus wear than prison wear to me. However, their intent was  to create humiliation. Articles in May 2025 said that Diddy Combs was allowed to receive non-prison clothing for his trial.  "The singer, 55, can have five button-down shirts, up to five pairs of pants, up to five sweaters, up to five pairs of socks, and up to two pairs of shoes without laces."   We won't see pictures of Combs in neon orange jumpsuits. Orange jumpsuits are for high risk prisoners.  And he's no longer a high-risk prisoner, is he?  The orange suits are also used for court appearances, but not Combs with his special privileges.   Famous and infamous have similar exemptions.  I might be cynical, but I think the view is that the sex trafficking was really just a bit of prostitution, that the "victims" must have consented.  Victim consent is still the norm in the public's mind. The tradition of giving of privileges to criminals is long-standing.  The U.S. is given to idolizing criminals. Think Billy the Kid, Bonnie and Clyde, Al Capone, John Dillinger, and so many more. They have been romanticized over the many decades. Is that all in the past?  What about these criminals right here and now?  The consensus is that Diddy Combs will stage a career comeback.  Donald Trump just recently did this.  All those criminal charges and being convicted were found to strengthen his political position.  But there's a difference between a comeback and being idolized as a criminal. Diddy Combs will likely fade from view. Donald Trump?  Given Americans know he is a criminal: a YouGov survey found that 2/3 of Americans say Donald Trump has definitely or probably committed crimes, then what?  Hie is in the "line-up" for idolizing and adoration. It is just a matter of time.

Isn't this great!  A picture from the past when we were in Toronto and I took pictures through the glass block window in the dining room.

Read more daily posts here: marilyncornwellblogspot.com Purchase works here: Fine Art America- marilyncornwell.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

Marilyn's Photos - July 3 2025 - Eye Contact

 

There's been constant coverage of Anna Wintour retiring at 75.  The picture in all the articles is remarkable - she looks to be 50 years old.  The world of cosmetic surgery and medical interventions has fully arrived. She isn't wearing her signature dark glasses in the photos. Supposedly in her younger days, it was said that she wore dark glasses because she had bags and dark circles under her eyes.  Much later she said it was "to hide what she's thinking or feeling."   She wore sunglasses "since the beginning of her career"  or maybe it was in the 1990s, according to another writer.  How attached is she to her glasses? She was so attached that she wore them while telling the staff of the Pitchfork that they were all being fired. “One absolutely bizarro detail from this week is that Anna Wintour — seated indoors at a conference table — did not remove her sunglasses while she was telling us that we were about to get canned,” Allison Hussey, a former staff writer at Pitchfork, wrote on her X social media account."   Such a powerful person in the fashion news world, and so much attention on something other than her accomplishments. Maybe her "caricature" in the movie The Devil Wore Prada was truer to life than one would like.

Read more daily posts here: marilyncornwellblogspot.com Purchase works here: Fine Art America- marilyncornwell.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

Marilyn's Photos - July 2 2025 - Which Country is up next

 

Which country is up next?  Celebrating or commemorating its existence.  There's quite a cluster on July 1st - Canada, British Virgin Islands, Burundi, Hong Kong, Madeira, Rwanda, and Somalia.  Up next is Curacao with their National Anthem and Flag Day on July 2nd, then Belarus on July 3rd.  Finally, the United States on July 4th (with its arguments over whether it should really be July 2nd).  It might be independence from France - that's Algeria on July 5th, Cape Verde's independence from Portugal and Venezuela's independence from Spain. All the differentiations of a Nation Day. Our celebration day is about a coming together.   The Wikipedia description:  "commemorates the creation of Canadian Confederation, the process by Province of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick were united into one federation called the Dominion of Canada in 1867."  The Province of Canada became Ontario and Quebec.  Other countries celebrate their "independence from."  One looks at a list of conquering and colonizing nations such as Spain (Kingdom of Spain), Portugal, United Kingdom (or the British Empire), France, and so on.  Isn't France distinctive with Bastille Day - the storming of the Bastille on July 14th 1789.   Mexico celebrates its Independence Day on September 16th - the beginning of the War of Independence from Spain.  It probably took a while to complete. Not one country celebrates itself on December 31st, the last day of the year.  Turn to January 1st and there's more optimism. Cuba, Haiti and Sudan celebrate their national day. China seems to have a few days and it celebrates January 1st as Founding Day.  But then China has much history as a nation.  I wonder how long it takes to study their history in school. And what about Australia?  On January 26th it celebrates Australia Day, commemorating the establishment of a British prison settlement at Port Jackson in 1788.  It is also known as Survival Day and Invasion Day - lots going on there. And the United Kingdom?  It does not seem to have a recognized national day and celebrates the King's Official birthday.  Nothing for Wales or England.  Ireland has March 17th (of course) Saint Patrick's Day, and Scotland has the Feast day of Saint Andrew. With all the events in the world, one starts to wonder about the birth of a nation.  Some seem to  evolve, some are unifications of similar or disparate groups.  Others are declarations through conflict.  I wonder how these beginnings are embedded in  social fabric of a nation. Canada seems quite young.  Who is the oldest nation?  It is considered to be San Marino, tracing back to 301 AD with unbroken self-governance. There are older nations based on different criteria.  Look at Egypt - it was founded in 3150 B.C.E. - the estimated beginning the reign of Narmer.  And who but England would have the oldest constitution - the 1215 Magna Carter.   I seem to think that Shakespeare could only have come from England because of this historic start.

Here's something I created quite a few years ago - light painting with a sparkler in the dark  Seems like a good image for today.

Read more daily posts here: marilyncornwellblogspot.com Purchase works here: Fine Art America- marilyncornwell.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

Marilyn's Photos - July 1 2025 - Verse 2

 

We are not strong on national anthems.  Once finished primary school, the lyrics drift off from the minds of most Canadians.  We recently updated them to be "more gender inclusive" or less discriminatory.  O Canada! Our home and native land! True patriot love in all of us command. With glowing hearts we see thee rise, The True North strong and free! From far and wide, O Canada, we stand on guard for thee. God keep our land glorious and free! O Canada, we stand on guard for thee. O Canada, we stand on guard for thee. Would you like to learn Verse 2? O Canada! Where pines and maples grow. Great prairies spread and lordly rivers flow. How dear to us thy broad domain, From East to Western Sea, Thou land of hope for all who toil! Thou True North, strong and free! God keep our land glorious and free! O Canada, we stand on guard for thee. O Canada, we stand on guard for thee. Now on to Verse 3: O Canada! Beneath thy shining skies May stalwart sons and gentle maidens rise, To keep thee steadfast through the years From East to Western Sea, Our own beloved native land! Our True North, strong and free! God keep our land glorious and free! O Canada, we stand on guard for thee. O Canada, we stand on guard for thee. And finally, let's finish with Verse 4: Ruler supreme, who hearest humble prayer, Hold our dominion within thy loving care; Help us to find, O God, in thee A lasting, rich reward, As waiting for the Better Day, We ever stand on guard. God keep our land glorious and free! O Canada, we stand on guard for thee. O Canada, we stand on guard for thee. As long as there's the True north strong and free, we're ok with fixing the first verse and ignoring the rest. That was enough work. So let's stick with that and if you fell strongly today, sing the first verse a few times.

All those chairs, so many choices.

Read more daily posts here: marilyncornwellblogspot.com Purchase works here: Fine Art America- marilyncornwell.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

Marilyn's Photos - June 30 2025 - Strong Words

 

When we were children, if someone was going to have "strong words" with you - it meant trouble - a scolding or similar.  At least it was verbal.  Today strong words are called power words.  0- persuasive terms meant to evoke emotional responses and influence actions.  Trying to retrieve the origin is a dilemma, as the phrase isn't acknowledged as a phrase.   I did find 'strongly-worded' as in She sent a strongly-worded letter to the manager.  He received a strongly-worded email from his boss.  The committee issued a strongly-worded statement against the proposal. Do you know that when you search for strongly-worded jokes, Dad jokes is what comes up: What do you call a fake dad? A faux pas. Why do dogs float in water? Because they’re good buoys. What should you do if your puppy isn’t feeling well? Take him to the dog-tor. Why couldn’t the lifeguard rescue the hippie? Because he was too far out, man. Anything can be called a Dad Joke.

More roses from the RBG rose garden.

Read more daily posts here: marilyncornwellblogspot.com Purchase works here: Fine Art America- marilyncornwell.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca