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Northlanders Volume 2: The Cross And The HammerBy David Bird in Blog on January 30, 2010
Writer: Brian Wood, Artist: Ryan Kelly Published by DC/Vertigo 2009 I enjoyed the first volume of Northlanders well enough, even if it could be a bit anachronistic at times. I kept thinking that Sven was a very modern hero. This time round Wood doesn't even try. Just the opposite. This time we get a police procedural. Seriously. Five pages in and we're talking about 'splatter patterns.' Its CSI Erie. The story is set in 1014, relatively late in the Viking period, and the Scandinavians are about to be thrown out of Ireland. Still, their king dispatches one of his best men, Ragnar Ragnarsson, to stop a violent insurgency. The king's officials and loyal servants are being ruthlessly killed. Once he is on the scene, however, the forensics make it very clear that it is all the work of one man. That man is Magnus Mag Rodain. After a life of violence, Magnus hopes to find some sort of redemption by funneling his energies into the service of his people, so, accompanied by his daughter Brigit, he has been terrorizing the Viking communities. The book is one long chase as Ragnar attempts to run Magnus to ground. This is not a book for people who really know much or care about the period. While Vikings pillaged Ireland as much as anywhere, anyone who'd read anything of the period would know that their actual presence there was always tenuous. That aspect of the story would have been better suited to Britain. And so many of the details - Ragnar has detailed maps of the Irish countryside, Magnus is identified by his tattoo, the Irish are called Celts - are just wrong. It's a crime story with swords and horses replacing cars and guns. And even there it hasn't much to offer. Chase, violence, chase, violence. There is little reason to care. Only towards the end are we given any insights into Magnus, and never any into Ragnar, and those are offered in a gimmicky way, which might have worked better as characterization if it had been made clear from the beginning. A definite miss. This blog has been syndicated from David Bird's Eponymous Blog.
Oh, The Horror! #44: The Final Destination (4)By Greg Anderson-Elysee in Blog on January 28, 2010
Ugh, I'll try my best not to cuss through out this review... ah, fuck it. FUCKING TERRIBLE! This movie was beyond garbage. GAR-BAGE. This movie was such a complete waste of time that I pray to all that is holy that whoever sees this review steers clear of this movie. Hopefully anyone who isn't even reading gets some kind of force to steer them clear because this movie is a complete waste of time. Don't be tricked by the 3D special effects. This movie has no point to its production except to annoy me. The plot was nearly non-existent, no believable characters or character beats, on top of more and more crap. Why oh WHY did they continue this franchise? The first movie I felt was a solid film and stands well on it's own. The second was a decent follow up. The third they should have stopped right there. Terrible film the third one was but it wasn't as much of a piece of stinking maggot filled turb that this film was. Usually with a film I don't like I'd find something redeemable or likable about it whether it's camera work or a specific shot, or a specific character or actor or SOMETHING! This film doesn't have any of it. There's not even an awesome cameo by the great Tony Todd! Skip this piece of crap, please.PLEASE!
Playlist: Best Songs of 2009By in Blog on January 27, 2010
Running a little late on this one… As a companion playlist to my list of the top 20 best albums of 2009, I present a playlist featuring one of the best cuts off of each of those albums, resequenced for maximum enjoyment. If embedded content does not appear follow this link.
Saga of the Swamp Thing Volume 1By David Bird in Blog on January 23, 2010
Writer: Alan Moore, Artist: Stephen Bissette, John Totleben et al.Published by DC/Vertigo, 2009If I was worrying about trying too hard to sell things with my last review, I certainly shouldn't need to sell this one. This is the comic that started it all! Alan Moore, Vertigo, and the Modern Age of comic books! Okay, that statement stretches things quite a bit, but it did introduce Moore to America, securing it an important place on must read lists.I was just getting back into comics when this came out, having given them up during my teen years, and I wasn't reading anything as mainstream as Swamp Thing, but a friend loaned my his copies a few years later. That was the only time I read them before re-reading them now, but I am pretty sure his collection of singles did not include .'Loose Ends', Moore's very first issue. It has been collected here for the first time.What did I think re-reading it after all these years? The art poses a problem for me, one that I often have when older comics are reprinted with modern production techniques. The colours are too much. Too bright. Garish, even. Especially when you consider how fine Bissette and Totleben's lines are. The story? Through the actions of the vegetable villain Floronic Man, Swamp Thing learns his true origins and begins the process of reconciling himself with that knowledge. But first Moore kills, or tries to kill, just about everyone. He does kill the title character. And when he brings the Swamp Thing back, he completely retcons the character, taking him from the B movie monster he had always been and making him over completely. How often do we hear that complaint today? A new creator comes in and throws everything previous writers have done out the window? On reading this I also realized that this, and the first two or three Sandman arcs, were deeply steeped in the horror genre. A lot of people traced the darkness of the Modern era's comics to DKR and Watchmen, but the roots are laid here and those roots grew out of monsters and nightmares. I also spotted the first appearance of Sting, a preoccupation of Bissette's that would give rise to the character John Constantine.Besides the addition of issue 20, this collection also boasts an informative introduction by Swamp Thing creator Len Wein, who describes both the original creation of the title and, with Wein acting as editor, the passing of the torch to Moore, whose changes he enthusiastically supported.
De: Tales and DaytripperBy David Bird in Blog on January 24, 2010
Writer: Fabio Moon and Gabriel Ba, Artist: Fabio Moon and Gabriel Ba De: Tales published by Dark Horse, 2006 Daytripper published by DC/Vertigo, 2009-ongoing These two titles are by a pair of twins from Sao Paulo who have been making a name for themselves illustrating titles like Casanova, The Umbrella Academy, and B.P.R.D. Left to their own devices they leave behind super-spies, superheroes, and the supernatural behind to spin tales about twenty-somethings in modern Brazil. De: Tales was published four years ago. It includes biographical and fantasy stories, but principally focuses on capturing moments in the lives of young people. Meetings, by chance or appointment, are a common theme. Like most anthologies, it's a mixed bag, but none of them are terrible. The best, which was also the first of their stories I read, when it was collected in Autobiographix tells about an actual encounter the two had while in Paris. At their weakest the stories just seem a little pointless. They capture their characters' youth, their hipness, in a way that seems more real than Pope, but there often seems to be little reason for the story. Daytripper, which has a third issue coming out this week, also focuses on the on the lives of young Brazilians and may be heading towards the same problems. The first story centered on an obituary writer whose dreams of becoming a novelist suffer in the shadow of his father, one of the nation's most revered authors. The second story centers on a young man on vacation. He meets a dream girl. There are various profundities spoken. While the first story is full of potential, the second goes no where, though both end at the same place. I am not going to say where - I don't want to spoil things - but I hope it doesn't become a gimmick. With only two issues out, and those so uneven, its probably too early to form a judgment of the series as a whole, but it seems to share the same strengths and weaknesses as the stories in the earlier book. As with most stories in the earlier collection, the credits don't break down who did what. Its Moon and Ba all the way.
Oh, The Horror! #43: A Nightmare on Elm StreetBy Greg Anderson-Elysee in Blog on January 20, 2010
Let me be first to say that although I am a Robert Englund fan, I wasn't always a Freddy Kruger fan. Since I was a kid, I never got too much of the appeal of these films. I knew they were a HUGE favorite for horror fans, but I was never enthusiastic to watch Freddy films. Now I have seen a few, many I can't quite remember except for specific scenes. About a week or so ago I watched 2.5 Freddy films and feel I was maybe a bit too hard on the it. Some time last year I tried to watch the first A Nightmare on Elm Street and really couldn't get into it at all. I felt it was fairly laughable and nothing grabbed me. Upon watching it again, I found myself finally getting into it. The characters were all there and the premise was in fact strong. As to why I had a dislike for it, I can't possibly say. The premise has such strong potential and a lot of promise for stories and the first did a rather decent job with that. A mysterious, burnt killer with knives for a hand invading your dreams is completely horrifying, especially for the fact that when he kills you in your dreams, you die in real life too. Upon finally giving this film another shot - a fair shot - I felt the movie franchise would have been extremely strong without the pointless sequels. Now, the third part of the series, Dream Warriors, had some great ideas and itself was a fine film, the series could have done without sequels period. The first film was a solid horror tale and by itself would have been a solid footnote of a scary movie.Visually, this film was very well made, especially blurring the lines between dream and reality, creating some surreal scenes. Examples being the first victim's death, Freddy's various appearances, among other things. My favorite scene would surely be when Nancy, the film's protagonist, is asleep and Freddy's figure begins to slowly come forward through the wall atop her bed. Very creepy scene and very well done. Visual-wise, I'm actually looking forward to see what kind of nightmares and special effects are used for the up-coming remake despite my dislikes for the current remake genre. My biggest complaint also for the film was in fact the use of music. I felt most of the music used for this film were very poor choices and could have highly improved the creepiness of the film if a more subtly creepy type score scheme was used. The main musical theme is very good, but other musical pieces in other scenes I found to be quite jarring and sometimes nearly took me out of the scene.A Nightmare on Elm Street is a creepy fun movie that stands rather well on it's own. I'm glad I gave it another fair shot after all this time of un-interest and somehow completely disliking it last time I watched it. Heck, I didn't even bother to finish it last time. But hey, if you're like me about this franchise, give the first film a fair viewer. You may like the interesting premise and may in fact like Freddy himself. The character works better as a sinister and creepy monster then the wise-cracking joke-ster he ended up being as the franchise went on. And here's hoping the remake does some justice. I'll try to give it a benefit of a doubt.Directed by Wes Craven.
Oh, The Horror! #42: HalloweenBy Greg Anderson-Elysee in Blog on January 16, 2010
Another wonderful classic. I'm glad I'm seeing this now. Don't ask me why, but I just am. John Carpenter directs an extremely creepy and well made craft of a little horror tale about a psychotic stalker with a weird mask on his face as he kills through local town teenagers, his target baby-sitter Laurie, played by Scream Queen, Jamie Lee Curtis. Besides that little tid-bit, there isn't too much to say of the plot for this movie. That synopsis is pretty much it along with a psychologist roaming the town in search of stopping this psychotic killer, Michael Myers. Jamie Lee Curtis, following her mother's horror footsteps, does a fine job as the very likable Laurie as she struggles to combat Myers who just keeps on coming back from whatever you dish at him.My absolute favorite aspect of this film is just how darn creepy this film is just how simple it is. Great shots, great use of space and raising tension, good use of a creepy musical score, and VERY minimal amount of blood. Now, I know people may get annoyed at my annoyance with people's disapproval of horror films with no blood and gore, but here is a classic slasher horror film that doesn't rely on gore or blood whatsoever. Heck, I can't even think of any blood in this film. There's a lot more to the craft of horror then just blood and guts and I wish modern horror fans would get that into their heads. But dammit, let me not rant about this... The atmosphere and tone produced int his movie is very much masterful and pushes forth an insane amount of creepiness that still resonant to this day watching this film. The movie overall looks beautiful.Besides a bit of a flat ending, this is a great film I'd highly recommend. I'm not a huge fan of the slasher genre, but this here is one of the very first slasher horror films that started such a great trend and it's well deserved of all the craze and acclaim this simple film gets.
It was the worst of times...By starlord in Blog on January 14, 2010
Starlord returns in his second blog! This time I shall enthrall you all with what I thought was the best and worst of D.C. Comics. Keep in mind that D.C. has always been my favorite of the big two, so this was a bit harder for me.D.C. (The Best)5. Wonder Woman: Not since the days of Greg Rucka has our favorite Princess been so spot on. With bizarre Gorilla friends helping her, new villains to blend in with the old ones, and a return of the Gods; Gail Simone has raised the bar once again for Amazon stories. I hope the next writer chosen can maintain the quality that this book puts out on a monthly basis.4. Supergirl: Last year I believe I had this title in my worst category. What a difference a year makes! Probably the best thing to come out of the New Krypton story, Supergirl has finally found her footing. Who would have thought that bringing in her parents was all she needed. Much praise must go to Sterling Gates for turning this book that was not readable in the least to a must read in less than a year. 3. Geoff Johns: Say what you want (and many of you will), but Geoff is to D.C. what Bendis is to Marvel. He's the architect to everything in the universe right now. His Blackest Night is both fun and dark. He's made the original Brave and the Bold center stage once more. His work on changing the status quo in the Superman books have been controversial perhaps, but still well worth reading (for the most part). The man knows comics. He knows what the fanboys like and except for one huge gaff, he delivers time and time again. 2. The Secret Six: Hands down the best book D.C. has out right now. Gail Simone is at her absolute best with these characters. She's able to use her zany sense of humor and somewhat warped persona that she keeps for just this occasion to great advantage. In her hands, Catman has went from a second stringer to one of the best Anti-Heroes I've ever seen in comics. She's even made Bane fun to read. If you haven't been reading this book, you're missing out. This is the reason I fell in love with comics oh those many years ago. Damn near perfection!1. Blackest Night: This could very well have been nothing more than your typical zombie event that seems to be gripping the comic industry lately, but instead it made a right turn into a much more humanizing story. Under the more than capable hands of Geoff Johns we are shown just how much misery our heroes have faced in the last few years with the death of so many loved ones. The creation of the Rainbow Lanterns is a fascinating twist that I hope continues way after the event is over. But the best part of this is that with the reveal of Nekron we may actually get an explanation of why so many of our heroes have been returning from the death to begin with. 2009 was all about death in the D.C. Universe, and it's never been more entertaining.D.C. (The Worst)5. The Web: Actually all of these characters that were purchased from D.C. could probably tie for this spot. The relaunch was weak and the delivery of the series was worse. Even bringing in Oracle to the Web in hopes of tying him more into the D.C. Universe proper did nothing to help this exercise in paper waist If this was their plan all along, they should have saved their money.4. Superman: I'm going to be brief with this one because really, it's only logical: You can't have a book with its title character no longer in it. It just doesn't work. And really, Mon-El? Come on! 3. Cry for Justice: Even the amazing art of this book couldn't save it from becoming the biggest letdown of 2009. It has languished in "who cares anymore" land for months now. While the rest of the world turns, this story seems to be frozen in time. There has yet to be a real cohesive story involved and it's now obvious that Robinson's original plan for this mini series was changed drastically when he was given the writing position of the JLA. Now the art really is some of the best of the year, but I still couldn't recommend this title to anyone. Really, does anyone else care about any part of it except when it is going to end? The justice in this is if we are given our money back with an apology.2. Flash: Rebirth: As much as I loves my Geoff Johns, I still can't figure out why this had to happen. I loved Barry Allen. I'm a child of the Silver Age, and even I didn't want to see him come back. One of the greatest sacrificial deaths in comic history was ripped apart with Barry's return and for what reason? So that Nekron can go chasing after him again? So those of us who have fallen in love with Wally as the scarlet speedster can fret about his future? Sorry Mr. Johns, but this really was only for you and maybe Dan. You should have taken notes from John Q's playbook with Spider-Man - the past isn't always worth revisiting.1. All things Titans: I have never seen a franchise in this much disarray. The Titans book sucks. The Teen Titans are wondering around without meaning or purpose. There is no cohesiveness to this part of the D.C. Universe that needs a total remake like this part. And if they aren't going to fix the problems (and there are so many), then do those of us who love this team a favor and put us out of our misery. Fix them stat or cancel them. I'm pretty sure even Garth would sign a do not resuscitate document if he realized how long these guys have been lingering at death's door with no bright light in the near future. Now, with all that said and done, I'd have to say that this year goes to Marvel Comics. They were much stronger in story (if not art), and continuity. Their space adventures are better than D.C.'s by leaps and bounds and while Batman and Superman seem to be waisting away; Marvel's trinity of Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor have never been stronger.2009 goes to Marvel. Nuff said! This blog has been syndicated from Starlord's Corner.
Oh, The Horror! #41: The House CentipedeBy Greg Anderson-Elysee in Blog on January 14, 2010
Okay, remember that post I made way back of Barry? Well, here's another critter, this one very much more common. So common that you can stumble upon it in your own bedroom, hell... right next to your freakin' pillow. Say hello to the common house centipede...Creepy as all hell, how could this NOT get it's own entry on Oh, The Horror!? This thing is horrific. Nothing with all those legs should exist. Their main purpose seems to be to just creep into your house and cause you to start scratching yourself while you climb a top of a chair, praying to all your Gods that it doesn't climb onto that specific chair you're standing on.Now, if you're not creeped out by this creature, you're set. It can in fact be very helpful around the house as they tend to eat a bunch of insects that infest your home. But it doesn't help that it's even scarier than the common spider or roach. These centipedes are harmless, but trust me, you can make a nightmarish horror film starring these things. Yulch!
Oh, The Horror! #40: The ShiningBy Greg Anderson-Elysee in Blog on January 13, 2010
I know I've seen this before but I don't recall ANYTHING about it. But I finally bought the DVD and watched this a few nights ago and wow... just wow. This is a horror film. This is my type of horror movie. A lot of people know that my favorite horror is the one that focuses on the mind, the psychological horror sub-genre is my absolute favorite of the horror-verse, The Innocents being my absolute favorite horror film. The Shining, directed by legend Stanley Kubrick, is an automatic hit with me and is a classic from beginning to end. If you're a horror fan and haven't seen this film, what are you waiting for?The story follows Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) who has been hired to watch over an over-sized hotel for the winter while he gets space and time to write his novel. Along with him is his wife, Wendy (Shelley Duvall) and son, Danny (Danny Lloyd). Early on we discover Jack's previous drinking issues along with Danny's imaginary friend, Tony. Danny also seems to possess an ability referred to as The Shining, which we discover from the hotel's chef, Dick Hallorann (Scatman Crothers). It seems with these abilities, Danny can see things from the past and things that are going to happen, these things mostly being bad things. Jack is told by the manager of the hotel about the last family that stayed in the hotel and how the father went crazy and killed his wife and children with an axe then killed himself. Jack tells the manager that there's nothing to worry about and that he and his family are thrilled. Though I wouldn't quite say that as Danny starts to see weird visions of two creepy little girls asking to play with him and a hall way being filled with blood. As the months pass by, Jack slowly begins to get grumpier as he attempts to finish his story and gets incredible terrifying around Wendy who just wants to be a loving wife, so it's completely frightening when Wendy begins to fight for her life when Jack finally loses it through push from the weird supernatural elements in the hotel.Wonderfully shot and directed, the musical score throughout is completely masterful and lends really well to this creepy masterpiece. The performances are all top-notch, my favorite being from Shelley Duvall as the very sympathetic and loving Wendy as you wonder if she'll lose her mind when both her child and husband start to crack in this mysterious hotel. Now the movie isn't without it's faults. The only fault I have with the film was that I felt a lot of beats and pieces to the story were missing. Time just goes by and we see the passage of time, but I just wish we got to see more. Jack's transformation seems to almost come out of left field although there's signs of it through gradual build up from the beginning of the movie. Also, reading how much King dislikes this film and seeing a lot of story sub-plots that was excluded for this film does make me ponder, but excluding all that other stuff, the film stands completely well on it's own. My favorite type of horror film indeed.Originally Pubished at: Minds of Greg
It was the best of times...By starlord in Blog on January 11, 2010
Hello true believers! It is I, Starlord, starting my own Super Geek Blog as part of my New Years resolution. For those who don't know me, I'm a gay man in his forties whose love for everything comics and superheroes goes back as far as I can remember. I have a husband of nearly 13 years and we have four wonderful children that we share with two beautiful ladies who have been partners for over 20 years. I spend most of my time on two websites, on my down time, and sometimes on my work time. http://www.dc2universe.com/ is a fan fiction site that has been blossoming for nearly 5 years now. It has been my privilege to have contributed to this site from nearly the beginning. I'm very proud of what my friends and I have accomplished over there. The other site I can be found on is The Outhouse: http://www.outhousers.com/. This is a fan based website that has news articles, reviews, and interviews; as well as one of the coolest forums you could ever want to post in. Thanks to Lord Simian (his code name of course), I have had the opportunity to interview such great comic writers as Kurt Busiek, Mike Carey, and actors Doug Jones, Michael Hogan and Galen Tyrol. Now if you don't at least recognize those last two names, please hand over your Geek card. In the end I'm not sure who will end up reading this, but I hope you respond to my thoughts about everything from comics, television, movies, and online human relationships. I'd like to start my first few blogs with what I consider to be the 5 best and worst of Marvel and DC comics in 2009. I'll start with Marvel. Marvel (The Best) 5. Dark Reign: This "event" flowed rather organically from last years Secret Invasion where Tony Stark fell flat on his face as director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Who saved the day? Norman Osborne of all people! This started a cascade of events that lead to Norman's rise as the all powerful head of H.A.M.M.E.R. Now I do have one issue about this plot that I will address in my worst, but I can't deny that this story that has wrapped itself so intricately through out the Marvel Universe hasn't been one of the most fascinating stories that either of the big two have done in years. 4. X-Men Legacy: My second favorite of the X-Titles this year. Mike Carey spent more than half a year rebuilding and really humanizing Professor Charles Xavier. The journey that the Professor went on was fascinating as we watched him pick up the pieces of his shattered mind while making up for the hurt he had caused so many of his students in the last ten years. It was an extraordinary journey that more than deserves to be in my personal top 5. 3. The Invincible Iron Man: This spot was hard for me to fill since all three top tier Avengers had a pretty good year, but Matt Fraction's Iron Man was by far the best of the three. The fall of the most powerful (and rather arrogant) man in Marvel was so well done that by the time Tony had lost most of his mind by his own accord (rather than put all his secrets in the hands of that loony Osborne) it seemed that every one who had despised him during the Civil War found themselves once again rooting for him. This was no easy feat to pull off since arguably it can be said that his actions were an indirect cause of the "death" of Captain America. This story is far from over, and as long as Matt Fraction keeps up the great storytelling, I don't see a downward turn in this title anywhere in the near future. 2: Brian Michael Bendis: This is going to be hard to explain, especially if you are from The Outhouse and reading this. I'm not Brian's number one fan - far from it. I've always had an issue with his writing, mainly his dialogue. However, I would be an idiot not to deny that Marvel is what it is because of this man. As a plotter he is the absolute best at what he does (yeah, I said it). Since Avengers Disassembled he's lead the Marvel Universe through a maze of events that have actually flowed one from the other in a nearly perfect way. NOT that there haven't been some HUGE blunders (at least for me), but there's a reason why Marvel is at the top of their game right now and this is the man who has done it. So kudos where kudos are due. 1. Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning: I chose them as number one not just because of their terrific "War of Kings" event that brought the Inhumans back into the limelight and made Scott and Alex Summers' other brother an interesting character; but also because they have, this year, created a brilliant piece of the Marvel Universe with Guardians of the Galaxy and Nova. Add to that their mini's that have shown the after effects of the "War of Kings" and you've got the hottest writing duo on the planet right now. Their dialogue is spot on with wonderful humor as well as some great poignant moments. The loss of Adam Warlock and half their team in Guardians this year was probably my number one read of 2009. Bravo guys! Keep up the great work. Marvel (The Worst) 5. Brian Michael Bendis: How can he be on both lists? Simple, just take any issue of Ultimate Spider-Man (my favorite Bendis book) and compare it to any of his many Avenger books. Go ahead, I'll wait... Did you see it? Everyone sounds the same! Everyone has a quip and seems to be able to roll witty banter off their tongue as easy as Peter Parker. I think last year I put him number one or two on this list, but he's dropped down to the bottom at least. I don't know if that means he's getting better to me (His one shot story of Ares and his son was amazing - no doubt), or if I'm slowly becoming a Marvel Zombie. GULP! 4. Ultimate Spider-Man: This was my favorite Spidey book up until the whole Ultimatum mess. After wiping out New York City, thanks to the evil mutant Magneto, Bendis changed the status quo of this title by showing New Yorkers just how much of a hero Peter really is. My problem with this book is two fold. First, the stories now feel about stale, where as in the first volume Bendis always seemed to be taking the 616 universe and turning it on its ears. Now everyone seems to be treading water. Second, the art. Way to close to a Manga style for my taste. I miss Bagley horribly. Please come back! 3. Captain America Reborn: Don't get me wrong, my love for Brubaker remains strong, but even one of the greats can have an off title, and this is his (though I was very disappointed with his rather short run on Uncanny X-Men as well). The way he brought Steve back is okay, if not done before in its own way, but the fact that we now have Steve Rogers running around in other Marvel titles while still not officially back yet in this "big event" mini is frustrating. I want my continuity for these moments. What's next? Will we be reading a funeral scene in New Avengers before Siege is finished? Sorry Mr. Brubaker, not only is this poorly timed, but after the most excellent way you "killed off" Steve, the return seems long, dragged out, and slightly boring. 2. Marvel's United States Government: Norman Osborne? Really?!?! Does the government in Marvel's Universe have no secret intelligence at all? Does no one have a clue who this guy really is?! Who in their right mind would place a deranged megalomaniac in charge of the nations defense? This is a man who had done some pretty heinous things that somebody in Washington D.C. had to have known about. You can't tell me that nobody knows what kind of psychotic loon he really is. It's just unbelievable that they would have given Norman this much power to begin... what's that? Dick Cheney? Huh... well... never mind... 1. The Sentry: No big surprise here. Unless Bendis can pull a Harvey sized rabbit out of his hat, this guy is going to go down as the biggest waist of space in Avengers history. In comparison, even Dr. Druid looks good. There's way too much access baggage that has never fully been explored in any of the Avengers books to make him even remotely sympathetic. In fact it would be safe for me to say that if by some luck he has some kind of sacrificial moment at the end of Siege that is totally mind blowing... I won't care. In fact, I'd probably dance on this pretend heroes pretend grave. Here's hoping that Benids, Joe Q., and Marvel will do the right thing by Bob and put us out of our... I mean him out of our misery. So that's it for my first blog! In the next few days I shall write my second entry where I talk about the best and worst of DC and announce which of the big two I thought was superior to the other in 2009. Until then, this is your friendly neighborhood geek, Starlord, signing off. This blog has been syndicated from Starlord's Corner.
The Marquis: InfernoBy David Bird in Blog on January 10, 2010
Writer: Guy Davis, Artist: Guy Davis Published by Dark Horse, 2009 As an artist, Guy Davis can do anything and do it well. In the design of each page and panel, the depiction of epic battles and subtle emotions, of historical minutiae and undreamt of technology, the range and depth of his skill stands up to anyone's. I've known that for some time. The Marquis: Inferno was my introduction to Davis the writer. It collects three stories written between 1997 and 2003 and introduces Vol de Galle, an inquisitor who lives in a world loosely modeled on 18th century France, and has spent his life serving a Church very different from any that we would recognize. Principle among its teachings is the idea that evil behavior is not caused by our own agency but by the influence of devils. Armed with a mask that allows him to see the demons, de Galle becomes the feared Marquis, and launches a one man war against the monsters who inhabit the city of Venisalle. The strongest story is Danse Macabre. It introduces the zealous de Galle, a man plagued by doubts, about himself and his faith. I found I could take the story at face value, but that it was also open to an alternative interpretation: that his actions are those of a madman. That de Galle's battle with his faith and its hypocrisy have broken his mind. Even his revelation in chapter five can be read an attempt to rework his initial rationale in order to continue his crusade. That the next two stories make it clear that the book really is about the Marquis sending demons back to Hell was almost a disappointment. In his introduction Mignola writes of Davis' obvious love for monsters, but I can't think of another artist who comes close to portraying the horrors of damnation. Most comic book monsters lean on Kirby or Lovecraft (or both), but Davis' Hell would thrill Hieronymus Bosch. As a reviewer I almost always write very positive reviews, and, though they tend to lack the pithy quotes ad copy writers look for, I sometimes worry that I don't come across as balanced as I should (as I am!). The fact is I don't have to write reviews and I don't enjoy tearing things down. I do read comics I think are absolute rubbish, but I am rarely motivated to waste any more time on them by reviewing them. I want to give a more balanced representation of what I read, but I have more interesting things to do with my time rant on about what annoys me (usually, and last week's review notwithstanding). My review of The Marquis is not going to change anything. Having already praised Davis' artistic talents, I have to say his writing matches it incredibly well and that this book establishes him as one of the best cartoonists in the medium. I look forward to three new volumes beginning this year. Originally Published on David Bird's Blog. See the original post here .
Top 20 Albums of 2009By in Blog on January 10, 2010
# Artist Album Label 1. Metric Fantasies Metric/Last Gang |Listen|Buy| 2. Dirty Projectors Bitte Orca Domino |Listen|Buy| 3. Handsome Furs Face Control Sub Pop |Listen|Buy| 4. Camera Obscura My Maudlin Career 4AD |Listen|Buy| 5. Joe Henry Blood From Stars Anti |Listen|Buy| 6. Why? Eskimo Snow Anticon |Listen|Buy| 7. Jason Lytle Yours Truly, The Commuter Anti |Listen|Buy| 8. Dinosaur Jr. Farm Jagjaguwar |Listen|Buy| 9. Andrew Bird Noble Beast Fat Possum |Listen|Buy| 10. Bill Callahan Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle Drag City |Listen|Buy| 11. Doves Kingdom Of Rust EMI |Listen|Buy| 12. Built To Spill There Is No Enemy Warner Bros. |Listen|Buy| 13. Animal Collective Merriweather Post Pavilion Domino |Listen|Buy| 14. Antlers Hospice Frenchkiss |Listen|Buy| 15. Pains Of Being Pure At Heart Pains Of Being Pure At Heart Slumberland |Listen|Buy| 16. jj jj n° 2 Sincerely Yours |Listen|Buy| 17. Lou Barlow Goodnight [...]
The Winter MenBy David Bird in Blog on January 4, 2010
Writer: Brett Lewis, Artist John Paul LeonPublished by DC/Wildstorm 2009There are a lot of ways to start a review, but a rant isn't one of them. Usually. But bear with me.We live in an era of fanboy saturation. When a title can foster more discussion than sales. So why is it that far too few people have heard of, let alone read, one of the best titles of the "aughts"?The importance of a consistent publishing schedule is a lesson the comics industry never seems to learn. The Winter Men was originally solicited as a Vertigo title in 2003, but didn't see print for another two years and then at Vertigo's sister imprint, Wildstorm. The first two issues came out a month apart. The third issue two months later. Then there was a five month wait for issue four, another six months for issue five, and a far too long twenty-six month wait for the sixth and final issue. And originally it was said to have an eight issue story arc, but that was shortened to six (though the last issue was double-lengthed, so maybe they split the difference). By the time that last issue did come out, the title had fallen off my radar and a revised pull list. As big a fan as I am, why would I keep track of a comic that wasn't being produced? I only got a copy of the last issue because I happened to be in a comic shop (and not my usual one) when the clerks were debating what to do with the single issue of a title they had been shipped. Perhaps this customer of theirs would like it? I took one look at what they were talking about and said, I would like it! I bought it then and there. When Leon was asked about all the delays, he replied, "I wouldn't want to badmouth my writer, so I'll just leave it as two words - not me." I don't know whether Lewis ever responded to that, but six issues in forty months? Of course, it bled readers.Thank you. End of rant. On to the review.The Winter Men is the story of Kris Kalenov, a Russian policeman struggling to maintain some semblance of integrity in the chaos that followed to fall of the Soviet Union. When circumstances put him on the trail of a kidnapped child, readers are drawn into a world of gangsters, politicos, and the anything-for-a-buck ethos of Moscow in the 90s. We also learn of Kalenov's own astonishing past. He once led a squad of rocket soldiers, part of a tech superhero program developed by the Soviets themselves as a counter to their own meta hero, The Hammer of the Revolution. In a world where personal loyalties and connections trump all else, Kalenov finds himself ever relying his old squad.The first three issues concentrate on the story of the kidnapping and serve to introduce us to a varied and vivid picture of Russian life in the Yeltsin era, from Moscow to New York to the Caucasus. The next three issues work like an inverted matryoshka doll, expanding and enriching the story. Making it larger and more personal. Each of the last three issues, interestingly, given the publication delays, could also serve as an ending for the series. The fourth, my favorite issue, would leave us with a day in the life a two Muscovites, a cop and a gangster, struggling to keep afloat in their new reality. It would have made for a quiet, sad resolution. The fifth issue is anything but quiet, as the former rocket soldiers strike back at the people who have been manipulating events and bring the bad guys to justice. Sort of. It was certainly a more typical comic book ending, but it lacked the gravity the story seems to call for. And that brings us to the final chapter, which brings it all together for a grand finish by going back to the squad's original purpose.Lewis and Leon do an incredible job creating characters and an environment that seem so real you feel it must have actually been like this before Putin began his clamp down. In the end my only disappointment was that Wildstorm hadn't put the thing out in a hard cover format. It deserves it.
Album Review: Flaming Lips – Embryonic (2009)By in Blog on December 29, 2009
Rating Track # Sound Code Name Duration *** 1 M Convinced of the Hex 3:59 ** 2 M Sparrow Looks Up at the Machine 4:17 *** 3 ML Evil 5:41 * 4 M Aquarious Sabotage 2:13 *** 5 MH See the Leaves 4:27 ** 6 ML IF 2:08 ** 7 ML Gemini Syringes 3:44 ** 8 M Your Bats 2:38 ** 9 M Powerless 7:00 *** 10 MH Ego's Last Stand 5:43 *** 11 M I Can Be a Frog 2:17 *** 12 M Sagittarius Silver Announcement 3:02 *** 13 MH Worm Mountain 5:25 ** 14 M Scorpio Sword 2:05 ** 15 M Impulse 3:32 *** 16 M Silver Trembling Hands 4:02 * 17 L Virgo Self-Esteem Broadcast 3:47 *** 18 M Watching the Planets 5:20 (Go to this link for the explanation of the review format) Even though I decided to call my site "The Music Snob", I don't [...]
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When you leave a party/bar/etc. without telling your friends, typically because you're afraid they won't let you leave. It's kind of a "better to ask for forgiveness than for permission" kind of thing.
"Sorry for the Irish fade late night. I went to get gum, and it just felt really right to just keep going. Bad friend, I know."
by glaugh April 02, 2013
buy the domain for your art blog

subset: commoncrawl


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DOE A to Z: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z #
For Release: February 27, 2003
Commissioner of Education William L. Librera and Others Celebrate the Inaugural Year of the Cherry Hill School Districts and Commerce Banks Career Academy
CHERRY HILL Commissioner of Education William L. Librera, joined by Vernon Hill, Chairman and President of Commerce Bank, Lucille Davy, Governor James E. McGreeveys Special Counsel for Education, and other distinguished guests today celebrated the inaugural year of the Business Academy for Studies and Experiences (BASE) in the Cherry Hill Public Schools.
The Business Academy for Studies and Experiences is a model partnership among the State of New Jersey, Commerce Bank, and the Cherry Hill Public Schools one that is a specific example of Governor McGreeveys Career Academy initiative.
"We are here today as the result of the work of partners who are dedicated to providing students with opportunities for successful careers in business," Commissioner Librera said. "The Cherry Hill Academy for Studies and Experiences will better prepare students both for the workforce, and for after they graduate and enroll in rigorous business programs in college."
"This program is indicative of Governor McGreeveys commitment to education for New Jersey students," Davy said. "The Governor, along with the Department of Education, Commerce Bank and the Cherry Hill School District, sees myriad opportunities within the BASE program. We are confident it will lead to nothing but future success for our students."
"We at Commerce Bank are excited to collaborate with the Cherry Hill schools and our partners at Drexel University, Camden County College on this innovative program," said Commerce Banks Hill. "The academy will offer students a dynamic and valuable exposure to subjects such as accounting, business law and management and leadership while they are still in high school."
About the Cherry Hill Academy for Studies and Experiences
The academy is available to the more than 3,600 high school students from Cherry Hills two high schools. Students can choose to apply for full enrollment in the academy or take just one or two courses that will be offered by the school in coordination with Commerce Bank, Drexel University, as well as Camden County College and Rutgers University.
Commerce Bank and Drexel University, who were instrumental with the Cherry Hill district in creating this program, have collaborated to allow students the opportunity to earn college credits on-line or in person at Drexel University while they are still attending high school. Drexel was an early partner to the academy and will continue to assist the high school program. In addition, Drexel is offering courses in areas such as accounting and business management at 50 percent reduced tuition.
The academy curriculum, under the direction of the Cherry Hill Public Schools, benefits from the review and input from the Department of Education, area business leaders, and representatives of higher education. Courses that prove to be successful will be improved. In addition, students in the academy will receive certificates based on their level of participation.
The academy is initially serving students in grades 9 and 10 and will be expanded to include students through the 12th grade by the programs third year.
Governors Career Academy Initiative
The partnership with Commerce Bank is part of Governor McGreeveys effort to fundamentally change the way New Jerseys education and business communities approach public education as a key to improving schools and preparing the states workforce for world-class jobs.
Previously, the Governor helped launched the following programs:
The BASE program is one of the many initiatives Governor McGreevey, Commissioner Librera and the Department of Education encourage for innovative lessons for students in the state.
Specifically, the program is an example of the DOE mission statement: "The New Jersey Department of Education will provide leadership for a superior education by utilizing multiple and diverse paths to success for all children in New Jersey."
On Sept. 17th, the Governor and Commissioner hosted an Educational Summit in Trenton, where they outlined the Administrations 21-point plan for educational reform. The 21-point plan is available on the Department of Educations website: www.state.nj.us/education.


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World Cup Final 2013 | 29 May - 2 June 2013
Toronto, Canada, November 30, 2012 – Canada's Olympic men's beach volleyball team of Josh Binstock and Martin Reader playing with different partners, were both eliminated on Friday at the FIVB World Cup Final Canadian team trials.
In the first semifinal at the indoor Beach High Performance Facility at Downsview Park in Toronto, Binstock and Maverick Hatch lost to Christian Redmann and Matt Zbyszewski 21-18, 19-21, 15-11. The winning pair had only played once together before in competition and came into Friday's match with five practices under their belts.
''We felt we did well,'' Redmann said. ''We knew it was going to be a choppy match and we were going to have to scrap it out. Matt is a very easy partner to adapt to and tonight we definitely would not have won this match without his quality serving.''
In the second semifinal, Schaim Chalk and Ben Saxton beat Reader and Sam Schachter, a world junior champion, 21-16, 21-14.
"We were confident going into the match," Chalk, who won a NORCECA (North, Central America and Caribbean) event this past September with Saxton, said. "We have really good chemistry and a great ability to rebound after a missed play."
The final will take place on Saturday.
On the women's side, Liz Maloney and Heather Bansley of Toronto have already locked up the World Cup Final spot. They were Canada's top-ranked international team all season.
The FIVB World Cup final will be held in Brazil in 2013 and will offer more than $300,000 in cash prizes.
The Trials are streamed live on the www.volleyballsourcemag.com website.
13.06.2013 11:20:24
'It was a result, which I for one was not expecting to see' - Martin Laciga
Lausanne, Switzerland, June 4, 2013 - As the curtains are drawn on the World Cup Final in Campinas (Brazil) former Swiss beach volleyball player, Mart... More...
02.06.2013 18:02:47
Double Brazilian triumph as home pair claim comeback gold
Campinas, Brazil, June 2, 2013 - Olympic silver medallists Alison Cerutti and Emanuel Rego made it a double Brazilian triumph at the inaugural FIVB Be... More...
02.06.2013 17:47:25
Latvia add World Cup Final bronze to Olympic bronze
Campinas, Brazil, June 2, 2013 - Latvia's Olympic Games bronze medallists Martins Plavins and Janis Smedins overcame an early morning start to complet... More...
01.06.2013 23:17:39
Brazil produce more centre-court drama for home fans
01.06.2013 22:10:53
Brazil's reunited pair claim gold on home sand
01.06.2013 22:02:41
Germany charge back from a set down to win bronze
01.06.2013 02:20:09
Olympic medallists leave it late to grab men's final four spot
30.05.2013 23:37:54
Women's final four decided as Brazil fire up home crowd
29.05.2013 21:30:36
Four teams undefeated after first day of women's pool play
29.05.2013 03:56:20
Schedule set for World Cup Final
29.05.2013 01:45:02
Rivals Brazil, USA discuss World Cup Final
13.05.2013 20:09:23
Teams confirmed for FIVB World Cup Final
05.04.2013 17:54:38
Accreditation open for FIVB Beach Volleyball World Cup Final
22.03.2013 18:09:10
Beach Volleyball World Cup Final city and dates confirmed
20.12.2012 15:45:38
Dates and host city of the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Cup Final awaiting confirmation
06.12.2012 18:27:00
Kessy/Ross, Gibb/Patterson bound for FIVB Beach Volleyball World Cup Final
02.12.2012 14:27:38
Schalk, Saxton earn berth in World Cup Beach Volleyball Final


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The description of the capital city of heaven starts in chapter 21 verse 9 and runs all the way to chapter 22 verse 5. And though that is a long portion of Scripture and you might think it would take us a long time to get through it, there's really not much to add. You can almost get the full picture by just reading it. It cannot be embellished. There are few things that can be explained and enriched as we move along. But basically the Scripture itself is so magnificent that in itself it says plenty for us to begin to understand the glories of eternal heaven.
But before we look at the text itself, just some introductory thoughts to get us running. Jesus made a wonderful promise to all of those who believe in Him. He said, "In My Father's house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself that where I am there you may be also."
Now I want to extract out of that section from John 14 just the thought, "In My Father's house are many dwelling places." The Father's house is really the new Jerusalem because that's the abode of God, that's where God will live with His people forever. Back in the first few verses of chapter 21, remember we saw in verse 2 the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. And it says in verse 3, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men." That's the city where we live. That's the city where God dwells. There's no temple in it, as we shall see over in verse 22, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple so that is the house where God dwells, that is His place of abode and that's where we will live with Him.
So here, in fact, is the Father's house being described. What was promised in John 14 is described here in Revelation 21. The place that the Lord has been preparing for His beloved now comes down into the eternal state, descending out of the heaven of heavens into the new heaven and the new earth. And here it is described for us. Remember now, the capital city of heaven is that, it's the capital city of the new heavens and the new earth, the infinite final state. And so, in John 14 Jesus was giving us the promise of heaven. Repeatedly in the New Testament we are told as believers we are citizens of heaven and we are waiting to get to heaven where our Father is, our Savior is, our dwelling is, where our names are written, where our brothers and sisters are, where our affections are, where our hearts are, where our treasure is and where our inheritance dwells.
The country song says, "I want to go home where I belong." And we should experience those kinds of longings for heaven. Heaven is where we will live forever and the Lord knows that we have a desire to know something about it. Like a person traveling to a foreign country wanting to know where they're going to live when they get there, we excite ourselves when we begin to see some of the details about the place we're going to spend eternity. This is a description, again I say, of the Father's house where He is preparing dwellings for us. So God knowing our sense of anticipation, knowing that we would like to know what it's all about has given us a glimpse of heaven with some very select details. And they're really, frankly, absolutely staggering, mind-boggling and overwhelming.
By the time, just a reminder, we come to chapter 21, the Rapture of the church has passed, the period of the Tribulation and judgment on the earth with all of the death and destruction that went with it is passed. Armageddon, the great battle is passed, it is only a memory. The destruction that comes at the day of the Lord is passed. The thousand-year Millennial Kingdom is over. All rebellion is forever ended and all sinners are in the eternal lake of fire, sent there from the Great White Throne Judgment. Heaven and earth have been uncreated, what is remaining of heaven and earth after the holocausts of judgment. They are reduced to divine energy and God has recreated the new heaven and the new earth which is the eternal state, introduced to us in chapter 21 verse 1. "I saw a new heaven and a new earth." We have seen the vision of the doomed, the damned and the unblessed. We have felt the scorch of eternal hell and the isolation of separation and the relentless pain of everlasting punishment.
But now the vision is of the domain of the blessed. The final eternal home of all the redeemed, the beautiful new heaven and new earth. And in the middle of it this diamond jewel capital city called the new Jerusalem. Time is over and eternity is resumed again.
Now in the first eight verses we already looked at the introduction to the new heavens and the new earth. And in that introduction we were given a glimpse of the capital city, as verse 2 notes, the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And what we said at that time, and I briefly remind you of, is that the present heaven where the saints go who die knowing the Lord, where all of them are, whether they are Old Testament or New Testament, when they've died they go into the current present heaven. That place where God dwells with the holy angels and with the spirits of redeemed men and women, will descend into the new heaven and the new earth, perhaps affixing itself someone on the new earth, settling into that final new heaven and new earth, that marvelous, marvelous new creation as the capital city, the holy city, the place where we dwell, where the Father's house is. We won't be confined to that, as indicated by the gates, we'll move in and out but that will be our dwelling place.
And so, because it is the capital city of eternity, it becomes the focal point of the rest of the description here. The new heavens and the new earth are briefly described and then when you come to verse 9 and you start to look at the holy city, it is described in much more detail because it is the crown jewel, it is the paradise, it is the glittering golden capital of the new heavens and the new earth. It is the place where we will live forever. It is that city referred to a number of times in the book of Hebrews when it says in Hebrews 11:8 that Abraham when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance, he went out not knowing where he was going. But that was only temporary. He wasn't really looking for that place. Verse 10 says he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
He was looking past any earthly city to the heavenly one. In fact, down in verse 16 it talks about Abraham and Sarah and other men and women of faith, it says "Who desire a better country, that is a heavenly one, therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God for He has prepared a city for them." And Hebrews chapter 12 and verse 22 we read about the heavenly Jerusalem. And then in chapter 13 of Hebrews and verse 14, "We do not here have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come."
Three times then, in chapter 11, chapter 12, chapter 13, there is a Jerusalem to come. There is a city whose builder and maker is God, a city with foundations, a lasting city. And what was seen by the faith of Abraham and Sarah and many others, what was anticipated by the writer of Hebrews and those who have been a part of the redeemed throughout history is now given to us by way of description.
Now let's look then at verse 9. First of all we will see the general appearance...the general appearance. Verse 9, "And one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues, came and spoke with me, saying `Come here, I shall show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.'"
Now the last mention of an angel was in chapter 20 and verse 1, a thousand years earlier, before the Millennial Kingdom. Here we again meet an angel, of course angels have been a very significant part of the book of Revelation, they're scattered all throughout this book. This is an angel that we already know. This is one of the judgment angels. He is described to us in verse 9 as one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues.
Now you remember that there were during the time of the Tribulation unfolding judgments. First there are seven seal judgments, seven trumpet judgments follow and seven bowl judgments follow those. They stretch over the seven-year period. The seal judgments stretch over the whole period. The seven trumpets are contained within the seventh seal and occur toward the end. The seven bowl judgments are all contained within the seventh trumpet, like a telescope, and they are rapid fire in the last final few days of the Tribulation period.
In chapter 15, and we won't go back into the detail of it, but in chapter 15 those final rapid-fire judgments are introduced. It says, "Seven angels who had seven plagues which are the last...which are the last." Seven angels appear, they have seven plagues which are the last. Down in verse 7 of chapter 15 it says, "Those seven angels had seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives forever and ever." They were flat bowls that would be dumped, almost like a saucer. And the judgment would come inundating the world.
And then when you come to chapter 16, "And a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, `God and pour out the seven bowls of wrath of God into the earth,'" and then the first angel, the second, and so forth all the way through the chapter as the final judgments are poured out in the world. Each of those seven angels had a bowl of wrath, a bowl of judgment which is described there in chapter 16 at the very end of the Tribulation. They were very special judgment angels.
Here we meet one of them, back to verse 9, one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues. One, by the way, also one of those angels introduced the harlot Babylon back in chapter 17 verse 1, so these angels are fulfilling several functions. So one of those angels appears to John, it says, "Came and spoke with me saying," and evidently those angels were recognizable. John remembered that this is one of the angels that he had seen in his vision of the seven last plagues. And the angel says, "Come here, I shall show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb."
Here is a formerly used angel, used in judgment to be used in showing John eternal blessing. And the angel describes the city, interestingly, as the bride, the wife of the Lamb. That seems like a strange way to describe a city. Well go back to verse 2, "I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God made ready as a bride adorned for her husband."
Why is it called a city that is a bride? Because it draws its character from its occupants. And its occupants are the eternal bride of Christ, now enlarged beyond the church to encompass all the redeemed of all the ages. When you go back in to chapter 19 verses 7 to 9 and you talk about the bride there and the marriage supper of the Lamb, of course the bride is the church. We find that very clearly in Ephesians chapter 5. But as you move along in the unfolding of the eschatological plan, the bride enlarges to encompass all the redeemed.
Ultimately the bride that was defined as the church widens, even at the time of the marriage supper, Old Testament saints are invited as guests. And then when the final great feast celebration occurs which we could make equal to the Millennial Kingdom, the Old Testament saints are mingled there as well with the New. And then when the marriage is consummated in eternity, all the saints make up the bride and the bride then characterizes this city because its occupants are the redeemed, joined together in the new Jerusalem, all living in the Father's house as the bride of God, if you will, all included in the consummation of God's saving purpose. The city is like a bride because the people are forever united to God and to the Lamb. It takes on the character of its inhabitants. It is a city with virgin beauty, virgin virtue and intimate relationship to the living God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
So the angel says to John, "Come here and I'll show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb." He's going to get a personal tour of the capital city of eternity. And verse 10 says, "And he carried me away in the Spirit." What a rich thought that is.
What does that mean? Well it means he went on a spiritual journey. Remember, John was on the island of Patmos at the time he received all of this. He was sitting there as a prisoner on that rock, and indeed it is a rock in the middle of the Mediterranean. But he was transported spiritually by means of vision to see things and behold things that were not just dreams but spiritual realities, perhaps very much like the Apostle Paul being caught up into the third heaven. And the angel carried me away in the Spirit, a true spiritual journey to see what human eyes could never see, and if they did they could never tell.
And he took him, it says, to a high, a great and high mountain. I guess the idea there is that the angel to him to as high a point as he could possibly take him so he could get as close to this glorious celestial city suspended in the new heavens and the new earth as possible. And when he got him in this vision way up on a great and high mountain, it says he showed me the holy city Jerusalem, the city with foundations, the city that lasts, the city whose builder and maker was God.
And he says again, "It was coming down out of heaven from God." That is repeated again from verse 2 and it is to remind you that it is not the creation of heaven here, it is simply the descent of what already existed from eternity past. God creates a new heaven and a new earth in the sense of a created universe. But descending into that created universe is an already eternally existing dwelling place that has always been the abode of God and the abode of the redeemed and the holy angels. And even once was the abode of Satan and demons who fell and were cast out.
John then notices again that it is coming down from God out of heaven. It is of divine origin, built by God from all eternity and prepared to descend into the new heaven and the new earth. And as I said, perhaps it lands somewhere on the new earth and rests in that very place. It has been existence forever as God's home, as God's temple, as God's throne and now it descends into its appropriate place.
And then verse 11, again we're just looking at the general appearance, "Having the glory of God." Now there is the most distinguishing characteristic of the capital city of eternity. It has the glory of God in it. That is heaven where the full expression of the glory of God is manifest unlimited and unconfined, where the glory of God is flashing from that city throughout all eternity.
God's glory, remember now, is who He is. His glory is simply His attributes. But when God manifests His invisible spiritual attributes, He manifests them as...what?...as light. And we see that throughout the Scripture. God has revealed His glory in light. He revealed His glory to Adam and Eve in the Garden, no doubt in the Shekinah light of His presence. He revealed His glory to Moses and to the people of Israel in the sky and on the face of Moses. He revealed His glory in the tabernacle when a cloud of light came down into the tabernacle so the priests couldn't even minister. He revealed His glory in the temple when the temple was built in the holy land it was filled with the glory of God, blazing light came down. And the sad fact is that in each case where God revealed His glory, He was rejected through disobedience, pride and rebellion.
But He continually brought His glory back. His glory returned to an apostate Israel in human form in our Lord Jesus Christ, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of God, John 1:14. And the world hated Him and rejected the glory again. They rejected it every time it came, they rejected it again in Christ. Some day Jesus will return, Matthew 24, Matthew 25 says He'll return in glory, blazing, blinding glory. And at His return, of course, men will curse Him and be destroyed. When the glory comes, according to Revelation 6 it says they will cry for the mountains and the rocks to fall on them to hide them from the presence of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb.
God has displayed His glory as light numerous times. The transfiguration of Jesus was the revealing of the essence of His nature in light. But finally, in the new heaven and the new earth, in the capital city which is the new Jerusalem, the holy city, His glory revealed as light will be full and limitless and unconfined. You remember back in the Old Testament in Exodus chapter 33 God said, "No man can see My face and live." And Moses said, "I want to see You." So God said to him, "You have to put a veil over your face, I'll let a little of My afterglow shine on you because you could never see the full glory."
Well now in this new heaven and new earth, radiating from the center of this jewel called the new Jerusalem is the blazing full glory of God. In fact, it is so great, look at verse 23, "That the city has no need of the sun or the moon to shine on it for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb." Both God the Father and the Lamb are the light of it. And it is a blazing light. And that's why there's no need for sun or moon or any other kind of illumination because the glory of God is so comprehensibly and fully revealed.
Isaiah saw this in Isaiah 60 and verse 19. "No longer will you have the sun for light by day, nor for brightness will the moon give you light, but you will have the Lord for an everlasting light and your God for your glory," Isaiah 60 and verse 19. What a great statement. You will have the Lord for an everlasting light and your God for your glory.
So the first thing that strikes John as he is taken to this high mountain and he looks up and sees the holy city, the new Jerusalem, is that it has the glory of God. The blazing out of the middle is this light. He is the light of heaven, He is the light of the city. And it comes out of that city and I believe it will fill all of the new heavens and the new earth. And it calls attention to His majesty and His wonder and His character.
Now John wants to kind of describe this light for us. He makes this effort to do it, verse 11. "Her brilliance," ...her referring back to the city where the glory dwells..."Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal- clear jasper." Her brilliance refers back to the light of God's glory. The word is phoster, it means something in which light is concentrated and from which light radiates. It would be like a light bulb, something in which light exists is concentrated and from which it radiates.
So John sees this city like a light bulb where light is just pouring out of it. Only it comes not through some thin film of plain glass, such as light bulbs that we know, but it comes through what appears to him like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper. That is to say that the whole city looks like one big stone.
Now when you think about jasper you've got to...you'v've got to think in terms of ancient understanding because our modern jasper is opaque, but this one is not. Iaspis is the Greek word and the Hebrew word is almost identical, yashepheh. And what you have here is not a translation but a transliteration. The best understanding of that term is that it's a diamond, crystal clear, it is a diamond.
Now I don't know a lot about diamonds but I have shopped for one many years ago and another more recently to celebrate an anniversary. And, in fact, when I was in South Africa I went to a diamond cutter place because that's a major industry there and learned some things and we all who have shopped for diamonds understand that as the thing becomes more and more clear it becomes more and more expensive. And when it is perfectly clear, it is perfectly ridiculous. When it reaches the point where it has no blemish and no spot and there's nothing in it except flawless, perfect, crystal-clear refracted light, you have what is called a perfect gem. That is precisely what is intended by this little phrase "crystal-clear jasper." It is a gem, it is flawless. It is like a diamond not with light shining on it but with light shining from it, coming from the inside and refracting its rainbow colors all over the new heavens and the new earth.
So the city is like one massive perfect diamond gem, flashing the reflection of God's glory in infinite light--the ultimate light show, believe me. All of eternity then becomes bathed in the radiating splendor of God. And that is the remarkable general appearance. It is like a massive, and when I say massive, I mean massive because it is 1500 miles squared, or cubed, really...1500 miles cubed, one massive crystal-clear diamond gem with the glory of God shining out from the center of it and splattering its rainbow colors all over the new heavens and the new earth.
Now I know God loves beauty, don't you? I know that because I can see flashes of that brilliance in the gems that I can see and flashes of His love for color in a rainbow and in the myriad colors that ring the world and the beauty of flowers and all the rest. And when God is really turned loose, beauty is going to emanate everywhere, blazing unbelievable incomparable beauty.
Now that's the general appearance. Now the angel is very good to John and to us because he doesn't just stop with the general appearance. He lingers long enough for John to get a closer look at this blazing diamond. And we move from the general appearance to a second category here, the exterior design...the exterior design. And this is...this is astonishing stuff. And here, folks, we have to acknowledge that human words and human features really fall short. We...our minds are going to have a hard time grasping this but I think you're going to understand at least enough to excite your heart.
And let me tell you something else. You can't mess with this. I tell you, I've read maybe 30/40 commentaries on the book of Revelation. I have read a myriad of prophetic books and various insights into the theme of heaven and the subject of the new heaven and the new earth. And what bothers me most is when people start to say, "Well what it really means is this..." And immediately I respond by saying, "Who told you that? If it doesn't mean what it says, then what does it mean? It means what you say it means? Well where did you get that information?"
There is no way to say anymore than what this says. And if it means something other than what it says, then that's going to be...that's going to have to be left to the time in the future when we experience it for us to understand it. But I would venture to say God got us as close to understanding the reality of it as our minds could comprehend. And He didn't try to write a riddle here, and He didn't try to write some kind of mystical stuff that we would have to fuss to try to interpret in our own feeble brains, He simply told us this is how it is. And yet it is absolutely appalling to me that some guy will say, "Well it says this but what it really means..." and then he'll give some exotic personal viewpoint. And I'm going to beg off on that and simply say all I know is what the Bible says and that's all I can tell you.
And verse 12 says, "It had a great and high wall." So what does that mean? It had a great and high wall. That's what it means and if it means anything else, then I don't know what it means. "And it had twelve gates and at the gates twelve angels and names were written on them which are those of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel." Now is that too hard to understand? No. By the way, everything has perfect symmetry. Everything has perfect balance. Everything is in perfect order. That reflects a God who demands symmetry, balance and order. That's the way the mind of God operates. The mind of God is incredibly balanced and ordered...very different than the chaotic kind of art and music that's characteristic of our culture.
The scene is overwhelmingly impressive. And we take it at face value. It had a great and high wall. That is to say it is not amorphous, nebulous, floating place, it is a place with dimensions. It has an outer wall. It has limits. You can go in it and you can come out of it because it has gates.
You say, "Well, if it has a wall, how high is the wall?" How high is high? Well, fortunately it tells you in verse 17 something about the wall. "He measured its wall seventy-two yards," that's 144 cubits, a cubit is from the elbow to the tip of your middle finger, basically about 18 inches. Well it's about 72 yards, about 216 feet. "He measured the wall seventy-two yards according to human measurements."
You say, "Is that the height of it?" It doesn't say that, does it? It doesn't say that's the height of it. Well come back to that in a minute. But it does have a great and high wall. It has twelve gates, and that's so we can go in and out like any city. And at the gates there are twelve angels. And I think they're there to welcome us, to say, "Welcome home." Or when we leave to say, "Have a nice trip. By the way, where are you going?"
"Oh I don't know, I'm just out for the day."
I think they're there to welcome us in and to welcome us out. They're there to symbolize holiness and to fulfill their duty of attending to the glory of God and serving the glorified saints. After all, angels are the servants of the saints, aren't they? Hebrews 1:14.
In addition to that, verse 12 says, "And names were written on them." Each gate had a name written on it and each of those names was taken from one of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel. That's pretty simple, isn't it? You've got a great and high wall, it's got twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels. And each of those gates has the name of one of the tribes of Israel on it.
Verse 13 tells you the symmetry. "There were three gates on the east and three gates on the north and three gates on the south and three gates on the west." It reminds me, doesn't it, remind you of the way God organized the tribes around the tabernacle? Put the tabernacle in the middle and had three tribes at each side. And by the way, that is also the way God will organize His people around the Millennial temple, the temple that will be built in the Millennial Kingdom that is described in Ezekiel 48. So here you see the same thing. Each of the gates has the name of the tribe, three on each side. And, of course, that celebrates, doesn't it, for all eternity God's unique covenant relationship with Israel.
And then verse 14, it says, "And the wall of the city had twelve foundation stones and on them were the twelve names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb." So now you get down to the foundation stones. There are twelve of those so we can assume there are three of those probably under those three gates on each of the sides. And at the top of the gate you have the tribe of Israel. At the bottom of the gate on the foundation stone you have the name of one of the twelve Apostles. Again, celebrating God's wonderful covenant relationship with His church. The Apostles of the church being the foundation of the church, according to Ephesians 2:20. So it shows God's favor on those under the old covenant. God's favor on those under the new covenant. And we learn something else about the city, it had to be square, right? Three...three...three...three, and we see the symmetry of it again.
So we see the exterior design then. That the three gates on each side have names above and names below, tribes of Israel and names of Apostles. And then a curious thing happens in verse 15. "And the one who spoke with me, who was one of the seven angels who had the seven plagues, had a gold measuring rod to measure the city and its gates and its wall."
Now the one who spoke to me again is that angel and he had this measuring rod. Now this is an interesting thing because we've seen this before. If we were to go back, and we won't take the time, to Ezekiel chapter 40, from Ezekiel 40 to 48 you have a description of the millennial temple, that is the temple that exists in the Millennial Kingdom, the thousand-year reign of Christ. When you go back to chapter 40 and verse 3 you see God there and God is measuring the millennial temple. He's got what is really in that context a nine-foot reed and He uses that nine-foot reed to measure that millennial temple.
When you go back to Revelation 11 and you might look at that just briefly, go back to Revelation chapter 11. John says, "There was given me a measuring rod, like a staff, and someone said, `Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship in it.'" Now this would be the Tribulation temple, the temple that exists during the time of the Tribulation. John sees that in His vision. He's told to get up and measure it.
So, the Tribulation temple was measured. The Millennial temple was measured. What's the significance of that? The significance of it is that it belonged to God. In other words, God is measuring out what was His. He measures out His millennial city. He measures out His temple in the time of the Tribulation. And here God is measuring out the capital city of heaven, again an indication that it belongs to Him.
Now when it says "a gold measuring rod," it's referring to a reed which was the standard for measure, about ten-feet long. Only this wasn't a reed, it was gold. And this angel has a gold rod with which he measures the city to indicate, of course, it belongs to God. As you might plot out the lines on your own property, this angel is measuring off, of course, the city which is the possession of God.
Now let's see what he finds out. He's going to measure the city and then he's going to measure the gates and he's going to measure the wall. Verse 16, "And the city is laid out as a square," tetragonos, foursquare, all sides and all angels are equal. The city is laid out as a square. "Its length is as great as the width; and he measured the city with the rod, fifteen hundred miles; its length and width and height are equal."
It is 1500 miles measured in those directions. Now some have suggested because it says length and width and height it could be a pyramid. And it is conceivable that that is possible. But it is best seen as a cube, a perfect cube and I'll tell you why. Because the closest earthly counterpart we have to this was when God gave orders for the building of the holy place in the tabernacle and the temple which was a cube.
Henry Morris writes some interesting things about this. "The pyramid whether in Egypt, Mexico or the stepped towers of practically all ancient nations, seems always to have been associated with paganism with the pyramid's apex being dedicated to the worship of the sun. The first such structure was the Tower of Babel and the Bible always later condemns worship carried out in high places...whether these were simply natural high hills or artificially constructed hills in the form of a pyramid or ziggurat. The cube, on the other hand, was the shape specified by God for the holy place, such as in Solomon's temple, 1 Kings 6:20."
And I think that there's another reason for this that has to be a cube and that is because the walls have to be at least as high as the city. And what would be the point of having three gates on each side if it was a pyramid. And I'll show you why I say that. Because if it is a cube you have to get access to all the layers, so the gate has to run from the bottom to...what?...to the top. And if it's a cube then it's sort of pointless, no it's not pointless, but it's pointless, you understand.
It also needs to be remembered that we will in that city apparently travel vertically as well as horizontally and so streets will not just be going this way, they'll be going up and down as well. They will not only be going horizontal, they will be going vertical. The blocks will be cubical blocks instead of square areas like they are in our present life. And that makes it understandable that we could all live there.
You say, "It's only 1500 miles cubed? Is that enough to get us all in?" Listen to what Henry Morris says, "This kind of geometry makes it easier to understand how all the redeemed of all the ages could be living in a single city. Although there's no way to know precisely how many people will be there, one can make at least somewhat accurate guess. It can be calculated," he says, "of the total number of people who have lived between Adam's time and our time is about 40 billion. Then assuming that a similar number will be born during the Millennium, because of the conditions, and allowing another 20 billion who died before or soon after death and never really populated the earth, it is reasonable that about 100 billion men, women and children could have been members of the human race, past, present and future.
"Assume for the sake of argument that 20 percent of these will be saved, including all of those who die in infancy. It's obviously only a guess but the Lord Jesus did make it plain that the large majority will never be saved, right? If this figure is used then the new Jerusalem would have to accommodate 20 billion residents. Also assume that 25 percent of the city is used for the dwelling places of the inhabitants with the rest allocated to streets, parks, public buildings, etc."
Then he figures out in some exotic calculation, and he's a scientist, that the average space assigned to each person would be one over thirty cubic miles. This would correspond to a cubicle block with about 75 acres on each face. Obviously there's adequate room in the holy city for all who will be there.
Another way to calculate this immense city is shared by an F. W. Borrem(?) and he shares this quite interesting...in quite interesting terms. He says, "Now if you work it out, 1500 cubed, you have an area of two million, two hundred and fifty thousand square miles. The only city foursquare," he says, "that I ever saw is Adelaide in South Australia. The ship that brought me out from the old country called in there for a couple of days and I thought it was a fine city. But as you know very well, the city of Adelaide covers only one-square mile. Each of the four sides is a mile long. London covers an area of 140 square miles. But this city, the city foursquare, it is two million, two hundred and fifty thousand times as big as Adelaide, fifteen thousand times as big as London," and he goes on to make some other comparatives.
Well, you get the picture. It's big enough. Plus we're not all going to be there at the same time, I guess you could say, since we're moving through the universe. All of that is kind of silly, but it does give you some perspective so that you don't come up and ask me a question I can't answer anyway. What a place, rising vertically, streets upon streets upon streets upon streets, people going this way, going that way. The distance would be from the tip of Florida to the tip of Maine, which is about 1500 miles. Every street...every street, the length of every street would be one-fifth the diameter of the earth. So you would have millions of golden miles going in every direction.
And then in verse 17 it says, "He measured the wall and it was 72 yards." And my first reaction to that is that's a very short wall, 21 feet high, what good is that going to do when you've got a 1500 mile-high city. But then I noticed that it doesn't say that's the height. And I decided that it must be the width. It's better to see it as the thickness. It is 72 yards, I love this, 216 feet thick, isn't that precise? And I know somebody is going to come along and say, "Well it really doesn't mean that." I can just tell you that's what it says. And to the person who says that he has an answer. "It is 72 yards according to human measurements, which are also angelic measurements." So don't go saying..."Well, of course, that doesn't count with the angels." It's the same.
Do you realize that an inch is an inch whether you're a human or an angel? A foot is a foot whether you're a man or an angel? I love that, that's put there for the spiritualizers who are going to say, "Well, of course, angelic measurements would be different than human measurements." No they're not. And if it's that exact, folks, if it's exactly 144 cubits or 72 yards or 216 feet, that's precise enough to let me know God wanted to say that. Don't ask me what the mystical meaning of 216 is, there isn't any. Don't fool with the literal. It's the same for the angels as it is for you guys down there. Staggering, 216 feet thick and it rises 1500 miles. And so the gate runs from the bottom to the top so you can access anywhere you want to go.
What was the wall made out of? Verse 18, "Now the material of the wall was jasper," where did we see that? Back in verse 9. What's that? They were diamond walls. It was a diamond wall. No wonder when he saw it he thought he was seeing a diamond, right? Because you've got 1500 miles walled on all sides with diamond, and that's just one massive cube diamond. Now normally a cube wouldn't necessarily, just a simple cube wouldn't refract enough light, you need more cuts than that. Well there are plenty of other things that are going to contribute to that. The material of the wall was jasper, and then look at this, "And the city," the rest of what was in it, "was pure gold like clear glass."
Now have you ever seen pure gold like clear glass? I haven't. Gold is opaque, it's extremely opaque. It's not clear and it's not like glass. You say, "Well what is this?" This is some different kind. This is translucent gold. You haven't seen it but you're going to live in it.
You say, "Well, why does it have to be clear?" You tell me why? Because that city has one great purpose in the new heaven and the new earth and that is to do...what?...to radiate the glory of God and you can't have anything blocking it. So the brilliant flashing color of gold but transparent lends to the firing of that glory of God through every...every component. Nothing can stop or block the radiance of God, it shines out through everything.
You say, "Well one thing strikes me immediately. There won't be any privacy in that city." That's fine. You won't need any...you won't need any. There will be nothing that calls for privacy.
Then John takes us to the foundation in verse 19. "The foundation stones of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone." Now he's down to the foundations, the bottom. And this is amazing detail, I mean, it's absolutely amazing detail. These stones here, and I'll try to explain what they refer to because some of them are...their names have changed through the centuries and... Eight of these twelve stones are found in the breastplate of the high priest. Go back to Exodus 28, Exodus 39. Eight of these are found in the breastplate of the high priest. The four others are not even included in the Greek Old Testament, the Septuagint, so they could still also be connected with the high priest's breastplate, we don't know. But there might well be a connection between the glory that was displayed and the breastplate of the high priest representing the glory of God and what we see here.
First of all, again the first foundation stone was jasper, yashepheh, iaspis, radiant, white, crystal-clear diamond with its flashing colors. And then the second was sapphire, a brilliant blue. The third was chalcedony...Chalcedon is an old name for Turkey and this was some kind of an agate stone, the best we can tell, sky blue with...with translucent stripes of color. And then the fourth was emerald which is, of course, a blazing bright green. The fifth was sardonyx which is a red and white stone. The sixth was sardius, a rather common red stone that was from the quartz family. The seventh was chrysolite, that's a...Pliny calls that a transparent sort of lucid gold tone, or yellow tone stone. And then it says the eighth, beryl, that's a sea green. The ninth, topaz, transparent yellow green. The tenth, chrysoprase, that's another shade of green. The eleventh, jacinth which was a brilliant shining violet color. And the twelfth, amethyst, which is purple.
Now what you have, of course, is just a blazing, blazing panoply of these brilliant colors that the light of God's glory is shining through as they make up the foundation of the heavenly city. The general picture then is one of just unbelievable beauty, indescribable beauty, a spectrum of color blazing everywhere. The light of the gold, the diamond transparent city shining through the diamond walls, pushing its light through all of these colored jewels forms a scene of dazzling wondrous incredible beauty.
And then, we'll close with this tonight, John describes the gates. And this is mind boggling. Now remember, these gates could well run the full height of the city. Verse 21, "And the twelve gates were twelve pearls." That is some oyster. No, these have to be pearls of God's own making. These pearls are like nothing ever produced by an oyster. Each one of the gates was a single pearl, a 15-mile-high pearl...1500-mile-high pearl. Why? Well maybe there's some marvelous spiritual symbolism there. John Phillips writes this, "How appropriate. All other precious gems are metals or stones, but a pearl is a gem formed within the oyster. It is the only one formed by living flesh. The humble oyster receives an irritation or a wound and around the offending article that has penetrated and hurt it, the oyster builds a pearl. The pearl, we might say, is the answer of the oyster to that which injured it. And the glory land is God's answer in Christ to the wicked men who crucified heaven's beloved and put Him to open shame. How like God it is to make the gates of the new Jerusalem pearls. The saints as they come and go will be forever reminded as they pass the gates of glory that access to God's home is only because of Calvary.
"Think of the size of those gates. Think of the supernatural pearls from which they are made. What gigantic suffering is symbolized by those gates of pearl? Throughout the endless ages we shall be reminded by those pearly gates of the immensity of the sufferings of Christ Those pearls hung eternally, as it were, at the access routes to glory will remind us forever of One who hung upon a tree and whose answer to those who injured Him was to invite them to forever share His home," end quote.
Beautifully said, isn't it? Heaven is entered through suffering by a wounded Redeemer. And we'll always be reminded of it as we pass the pearls.
Well, so much for general appearance and exterior design. Are you ready to go inside? Come back next week and we'll do just that.
Father, thank You for this wonderful, wonderful thrilling glimpse of our heavenly home. Oh how we rejoice in the prospects that await us when we come to be with You forever. And, Lord, we know that right now You're preparing that place for us and some day You'll come and take us to it. And we'll be in that wonderful place, living with You when we leave this world. We'll be there even before it descends into the new heaven and the new earth because it's where You live now with the spirits of just men, righteous men and women made perfect. Oh how we long for the city of God, the diamond city, the gates of pearl, the bejeweled city. But most of all, how we long to be engulfed in Your blazing glory, how privileged we are to have such a hope. And we praise and thank You for it, in the Savior's name. Amen.


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Monday, July 25, 2011
What I Ate in Maine
33 comments:
Oh my g o o d n e s s , that looks like paradise, all of it! I would have loved to eat lobster rolls, at least half a dozen, like your friend Alison. The berries look so tempting too, almost as sweet as Ms Sophie! :-)ReplyDelete
From the first day you mentioned lobster in Maine I had a vision of one of your watercolors being about a lobster-- et voila! Love it.ReplyDelete
Beautiful watercolor of a lobster.ReplyDelete
and all the food are works of art,
expecially that blueberry pancake.
What a fabulous trip!
The food looks wonderful but your painting of the Lobster is Awesome. Great job there.ReplyDelete
Balsamic vinegar is the missing ingredient JanReplyDelete
There are many watermelon salad recipes HERE
Lobster rolls and Gazpacho! This looks like a place for the Wanderfull Traveler!ReplyDelete
Delicious & savoury post!
I love your homard watercolor:)ReplyDelete
And the church..
I could eat gazpacho every day.I have been almost:)
When I was in Maine last month, we went to the store on the island to shop for groceries. Maine is famous for its blueberries, but the box I picked up was from Hammonton, NJ, equally famous for blueberries.ReplyDelete
I asked "No Maine berries yet?"
The clerk said, "No, just those fake ones for now." I can see eating was just as high up on the fun scale, as was painting, Carol.
I'll take one of each!ReplyDelete
Carol, thank you so much for sharing all those delicious Maine dishes, and the wonderful fresh air.ReplyDelete
I know that you have also had a great time getting insights into watercolors.
This afternoon, rain finally arrived here in NYC and it is so, so much cooler here tonight.
Not as cool as Maine, but we did try to roll out a chilled carpet for your return.
Excellent, Carol! Love these watercolors. The eating is always really good up there, that's for sure.ReplyDelete
the lobster looks divine. I love the painting! I would love to have tried that watermelon salad. I'll have to do a search on that, are there little blueberries in that as well. Looks refreshing! Thank you for this post.ReplyDelete
I WILL find the courage to cook live lobster when I'm over in FranceReplyDelete
(repeat 100 times daily)
and if I can't I shall buy two, ask a friend to do the deed for me and give him the other lobster as a thank you
if you decide to do lobsters and shellfish paintings do let me know, I'd love to buy some for my French kitchen!
Your cake pictures are lovely but I gain 10 lbs just in looking at them
Yes I ate much of it but only:ReplyDelete
1 Lobster Roll
1 clam roll
2 steamed lobsters
2 plates of steamed clams
1 blueberry pie
1 rhubarb pie
2 Haddock sandwiches
Too much ice cream
Everything tastes better up there..
So now I'm on a mostly carrots regime.. :(
Love your trip to Maine! It brings back memories of my own visit a few years ago. The lobster rolls were great, and I remember eating too much ice cream too :)ReplyDelete
Oh I am jealous. And who said travelling isnt about the food! pfffft.ReplyDelete
Lobsters in a roll!! My goodness. It kind of feels sacreligious to a gal who pays a pretty penny for a lobster ( like $60 at a restaurant!) --- I dont pay that. I just wish i could and sit and drool.
Lucky duck....green here. x
Oh lord - it all looks so fresh and delicious. Now I want a toasted muffin, bursting with juicy blueberries!ReplyDelete
Now I want that watermelon salad. I will be making it later today! I'd want the lobster too but I've used up all of my immunity to shellfish and am now allergic to it. Please eat my share for me! ;-))ReplyDelete
I bought David's book because you recommended it so enthusiastically. I've never been to Maine, ever. But I have been recognizing the locations of some of his paintings in the book from reading your blog! So fun! And I am loving his book. Merci!
Fabulous painting of the Maine lobster - you did it justice! Love the round-up of all our delicious Maine specialties. So glad you enjoyed yourself here!ReplyDelete
PS - You are so right about the macarons. I haven't seen any locally made ones. We've just gotten our first cupcake shop - that's how slowly trends appear here.
It seems that you have enjoyed alot..Well,red berries are my favorite too..ReplyDelete
My name is isabelle and I am the owner of the coffeeshop, MORNINGS IN PARIS in Portland maine,I am from the south of france and moved in maine 3 yearsReplyDelete
ago..i ve seen that you didn't find any MACARONS in maine.
Well I have a lot of them,I hope you'll stop by on your next visit!
I love your blog and watercolors.
- Judith7:43 AM
"Chilly and windy" eh? You are SO lucky! Even here in Vermont, we're roasting.ReplyDelete
I love these workshop blogs of yours. What a bunch of fine, fine painters in your group! Including, and above all, YOU of course. Love the scenery; love the simplicity, almost abstraction, that you and some of the other artists choose to paint.
Any fried clams yet? I fell into a long, silent, grateful meditation while eating fried clams in Maine 2 weeks ago. Had to go back for more.
best wishes,
NO I did not have fried clams :(((((((((((ReplyDelete
The best place closed up...
no WAIT I did have them at the Rockland Cafe..what was I thinking
I sometimes dream of fried clams...sigh


text:
Legacies are a vital way for charities to generate funds but research suggests that less than 7% of people in the UK remember a charity in their will.
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