Fred with Tires

Carl placed a comment at a older post about Herb Ritts

Especially for Carl I made this update about that picture.

Herb Ritts delighted in the portrayal of an idealized--even exaggerated--human form. One of his best-known works, "Fred with Tires" (1984) became possibly the archetypal photograph of the male body in the 1980s and made the world-wide reputation of its commercial photographer, Herb Ritts. Gay men flocked to buy it. Drawn by the powerful, perfectly sculpted body, the butchness of his job, the dirty trousers, the boots and the body placed within the social context. The image of this guy was a constructed fantasy, not the 'real' thing. His hair is teased up and beautifully styled, the grease is applied to his body just so, his body twisted to just the right degree to accentuate the muscles of the stomach and around the pelvis.

 

Ritts eschewed realism in making Fred appealing in the midst of all the sludge and grunge — makeup turned into grease and tires into something intrinsically mysterious. There were many details/entendres: converging lines of the torso, diverging lines of arms and tires, the oversized zipper, but the photo was not really posed.

Ritts remembers:

“Each time I did assignments or editorials, I realized that I wanted to do something more. I saw that it wasn’t just about the clothes. Starting in 1984, I had an assignment for Franca [Sozzani], for a magazine called Per Lui, which was the counterpart of Lei. Lei was the most forward magazine in the early eighties, and it was because Franca was so great in encouraging everyone. I did a story called “The Body Shop”, which is where Fred with Tires emerged from. Franca had sent these really hideous raincoats, and I just hated them. I had hired an editor, a freelance named Michael Roberts, who now works at the New Yorker. We ended up going to Western Costumes and getting vintage jeans and overalls. We decided to do the body shop story at a greasy gas station. It was great fun. We turned in the pictures, and Franca almost had a heart attack. But she ran it, and it was a huge success. I still don’t know why it happened. It was just one of those honest pictures. I remember when we were shooting it. Poor Fred, who was a student, had to swing these heavy tires around, and at one point he was so tired he just turned around and stood there. It was the last frame of the shoot."

Another important, and unnamed, reason for the success of this image is that the model happens to be one of the most famous and successful gay porn actors of the 1980s. Going by the stage name of “Jeff Quinn,” he worked for most of the high quality gay male studios, including Falcon Studios, Catalina Video, Huge Video, and Laguna Pacific Video.

He appeared under the name “Rhett Routley” in the December, 1985 issue of Playgirl magazine as Man of the Month/centerfold, and by 1987, in another nearly dozen magazines aimed at a gay male audience.

 Ritts became well known for dramatic black-and-white photographs that focused on a single part of the subject's body. His portrait of Olympic heptathlon champion Jackie Joyner-Kersee captures her lower torso and powerful thighs in mid-leap; her head appears only in shadow on the ground. Many of Ritts's photographs celebrate the well-developed body. Some of his images have been compared to classical statuary because of the exquisiteness of the subjects' form. Other photos, however, show human vulnerability: Christopher Reeve posing in his wheelchair, Elizabeth Taylor revealing her scar after brain surgery, the brilliant physicist Stephen Hawking struggling against his frailty.

Ritts died in Los Angeles on December 26, 2002, of complications of pneumonia. He had been diagnosed as HIV-positive years before, and although his death was not specifically HIV-related, the virus had compromised his immune system.

He is survived by his partner, Erik Hyman, an entertainment attorney.

Herb Ritts and Michael Jackson

White Party @ Open Minds

Yesterday at Open Minds

Hey guys!!!

Weekends start at Open Minds, and this Friday, we are celebrating New Year's Eve with the coolest White Party ever!

Get into your best white clothes, bring your friends and join us at 9 pm cet 12 slt for the last party of the year! DJ Bernard will rock the place with the coolest tunes ever, and we'll have the sploder and trivia ready for you! This is THE party you don't wanna miss!!!

Best fails of 2011

TNL TwisterNederland
Making compilations since 2009.

Already millions of people watched the channel 
and enjoyed the compilations.

Website: http://www.twitter.com/twisterned

this time it is even more funnier to leave on the background music on

New Years Eve Party at T.R.A.C.S

Saturday December 31st at 1 pm SLT (yes, not at noon this time)

It will be the last party on the Ice Rink. Next week we are back in the club

The party's NOT over.

Saturday, September 24 was our last party and on Saturday, December 10, we had a party again. There bin many people who have asked me why we stopped. With this cycle of posts, I tried to explain the reason why, now turns out temporarily, we stopped with the parties. That we started again, seem to give fewer questions, but I think is good with this last post about "The Party's Over" to finish and close this article.

When I speak about the parties I always use the pronoun we but most people know that I am the one that is in charge at T.R.A.C.S. I took that role, as head manager, on me and that also made that I feel very responsible for the parties and for T.R.A.C.S. Do Rod and Tim not feel responsible for T.R.A.C.S? Sure they do! Rod and Tim are the two sweetest people in Second Life, who support me and also let me go to do it my way. "If you want Christo, go ahead."

That is not always helpful to slow me down. ;-)

In the past year Rod had many setbacks caused by the economic crisis. I will not be revealed here his private life but that made he was less in Second Life. It seems that things are improving and hope that he will be more online next year. Tim always helps wherever he can. He helps me with the lyrics for the flyers, comes with ideas and is my counselor when I am annoyed about people or things. 
Tim is modest and has a more diplomatic view than I and he holds the ice bucket, in where I can stick my hothead in, when needed.

So a few months ago the fun to organize the parties was total over. So I told Rod and Tim that I needed a sabbatical (from Latin sabbaticus, from Greek sabbatikos, from Arabic Sobat, from Hebrew shabbat i.e., Sabbath, literally a "ceasing": Rest from work, or a hiatus, often lasting from two months to a year.) And they said: "Sure, if you want Christo, go ahead." :-)

At first I not went to parties anymore. But I was not very busy building and 
decorating on the sim either. 
I renewed old contacts, made new friends and thought about how I would like to go on with my Second Life. Than I went to new places other parties and made even more new friends. I did not get an answer on all my questions but now I know, better than ever, that I love music, lyrics, chatting and joking with people.

T.R.A.C.S is back and there will be parties. There will be occasionally other DJs, other kind of music and life concerts. But it will be just for fun. My fun! But everybody is welcome.

Will T.R.A.C.S. be open for ever? I think the board I found on internet could give an answer to that.

Auld Lang Syne

"Auld Lang Syne" is a Scots poem written by Robert Burns in 1788 and set to the tune of a traditional folk song. Robert Burns sent a copy of the original song to the British Museum with this comment: "The following song, an old song, of the olden times, and which has never been in print, nor even in manuscript until I took it down from an old man's singing, is enough to recommend any air." It is well known in many countries, especially (but far from exclusively) in the English-speaking world; it's traditional use being to celebrate the start of the New Year at the stroke of midnight. By extension, it is also sung at funerals, graduations, and as a farewell or ending to other occasions. The international Boy Scout youth movement, in many countries, uses it as a close to jamborees and other functions.

The song's Scots title may be translated into English literally as "old long since", or more idiomatically, "long long ago", "days gone by" or "old times". Consequently "For auld lang syne", as it appears in the first line of the chorus, is loosely translated as "for (the sake of) old times".

The phrase "Auld Lang Syne" is also used in similar poems by Robert Ayton (1570–1638), Allan Ramsay (1686–1757), and James Watson (1711) as well as older folk songs predating Burns. Matthew Fitt uses the phrase "In the days of auld lang syne" as the equivalent of "Once upon a time..." in his retelling of fairy tales in the Scots language.

About the singer

Dougie MacLean OBE (born 27 September 1954 in Dunblane) is a Scottish singer-songwriter, composer and multi-instrumentalist. His career started with a traditional band, The Tannahill Weavers, in 1976. His solo career started in 1981 and since then he has recorded numerous albums. He plays multiple instruments, including guitar, violin, mandola, viola, bouzouki, banjo and bass as well as being a singer and composer.

MacLean's most famous pieces include "The Gael", from his 1990 album The Search, which was adapted by Trevor Jones as the main theme to the 1992 film Last of the Mohicans; and Caledonia, from his first album, which has been covered by numerous singers and groups.

In 2011, MacLean was invested as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).

http://www.dougiemaclean.com/

Auld Lang Syne - A Caricature !

This song is perhaps the most famous song, anywhere in the world (excluding perhaps "My Way", "Blue Suede Shoes", and "Hey Jude") and yet still only a handful know the words. We gather together at various social occasions, from New Year, to annual "conferences", and at the end of the night..we form a circle..the music starts..we sing the first line.. "Should Auld Acquaintance Be Forgot and...rum tee tum dah dee..lah .lah..lah.lah lah..lah..lah lah."for the sake of Auld Lang Syne"

" The next verse then often proceeds " And here's a hmmm. hmmm. mmmm. mmmm etc ..etc". until the entire company sing out loud and proud that famous line..ALL TOGETHER NOW..(Holding Hands of course) ....

 "For Auld Lang Syyyyyyyyyne" !!!!!

http://www.worldburnsclub.com/newsletter/auld_lang_syne_what_about.htm

Auld Lang Syne

As sung by Dougie MacLean on the album Tribute.

Should auld aquaintance be forgot,

and never brought to mind.

Should auld aquaintance be forgot,

for auld lang syne.

Chorus.

For auld lang syne my dear,

for auld lang syne,

We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,

for auld lang syne.

We twa hae run aboot the braes,

And pu'd the gowans fine,

We've wandered mony's a weary step,

since auld lang syne.

We twa hae paidled i' the burn,

Frae morning sun til dine,

But seas between us braid hae roared,

Since auld lang syne.

Chorus.

And surely you'll be your pint stowp,

And surely I'll be mine,

We'll tak' a cup o' kindness yet,

For auld lang syne.

So here's a hand, my trusty fier,

And gie's a hand o' thine,

We'll drink a right guid williewaught,

For the sake of auld lang syne.

Chorus.
  

scoures:

Wikipedia

World BurnsClub

and special thanks to Jeffels Worth's blog where this song plays, 
that gave me the idea to make this post.

http://jeffellsworth.blogspot.com/

Christmas Eve at T.R.A.C.S.

The idea to have a Christmas Carol Party came from me. I thought that it would fit on the ice rink. I was worried that we would have fewer guests because of Christmas Eve. We had a nice bunch of guest and even dad had time to come to spend a long time with us. But nobody joined the contest because they thought them where not in theme. DJ Beef had made a nice mix of Christmas, Rock and even some Dutch songs.

Almost forgot to take snapshots. That happened already Friday at Open Minds but gladly this time it crossed my mind. 

 Esme

 Mika and Bernard

 Norbie

 Lexzia

 Joeh

 Levi and dad

 Wolf and Levi

 DJ Beef

 Ganymede

Oh there was one in theme. Me: as Ebenezer Scrooge.

"Bah! Humbug!"   ;-)

Oíche Chiún [Silent Night]

Enya singing the famous European Christmas carol in native Irish, 
which is a Gaelic branch of the Celtic languages.

Oíche Chiún [Silent Night]

Oíche chiúin, oíche Mhic Dé, [Silent night, night of God's son.]

Cách 'na suan dís araon, [Soundly in slumber, the pair together]

Dís is dílse 'faire le spéis [The pair and love, watching with affection]

Naoín beag gnaoigheal [The small bright beautiful child,]

ceananntais caomh [darling little one.]

Críost, 'na chodhladh go séimh. [Christ, calmly asleep.]

Críost, 'na chodhladh go séimh. [Christ, calmly asleep.]

Oíche chiúin, oíche Mhic Dé, [Silent night, night of God's son.]

Aoirí ar dtús chuala 'n scéal; [Shepherds first heard the tale]

Allelúia aingeal ag glaoch. [The angels crying out Alleluia.]

Cantain suairc i ngar is i gcéin [Lovely chanting near and far.]

Críost an Slánaitheoir Féin [Christ, the saviour himself.]

Críost an Slánaitheoir Féin [Christ, the saviour himself.]

Oíche chiúin, oíche Mhic Dé, [Silent night, night of God's son.]

Cách 'na suan dís araon, [Soundly in slumber, the pair together]

Dís is dílse 'faire le spéis [The pair and love, watching with affection]

Naoín beag gnaoigheal [The small bright beautiful child,]

ceananntais caomh [darling little one.]

Críost, 'na chodhladh go séimh. [Christ, calmly asleep.]

Críost, 'na chodhladh go séimh. [Christ, calmly asleep.]

A Christmas Carol Party at T.R.A.C.S

http://slurl.com/secondlife/River%20Island/190/228/550

This will be the last party, this year, with a Victorian Era feeling theme.

A Christmas Carol is a novella by English author Charles Dickens first published by Chapman & Hall on 19 December 1843. The story tells of sour and stingy Ebenezer Scrooge's ideological, ethical, and emotional transformation after the supernatural visits of Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come. The novella met with instant success and critical acclaim.

The book was written and published in early Victorian era Britain when it was experiencing a nostalgic interest in its forgotten Christmas traditions, and at the time when new customs such as the Christmas tree and greeting cards were being introduced. Dickens' sources for the tale appear to be many and varied but are principally the humiliating experiences of his childhood, his sympathy for the poor, and various Christmas stories and fairy tales

The tale begins on a Christmas Eve in 1843 exactly seven years after the death of Ebenezer Scrooge's business partner, Jacob Marley. Scrooge is established within the first stave as a greedy and stingy businessman who has no place in his life for kindness, compassion, charity or benevolence, rudely turning away two gentlemen who seek a donation from him. He hates Christmas, calling it "humbug", and refuses his nephew Fred's dinner invitation; his only "Christmas gift" is allowing his overworked, underpaid clerk Bob Cratchit Christmas Day off with pay (which he does only to keep with social custom, Scrooge considering it like being pickpocketed annually).

Returning home, Scrooge is visited by Marley's ghost, who warns him to change his ways (lest he undergo the same miserable afterlife as himself). Scrooge is then visited by three additional ghosts – each in its turn, and each visit detailed in a separate stave – who accompany him to various scenes with the hope of achieving his transformation.

The first of the spirits, the Ghost of Christmas Past, takes Scrooge to Christmas scenes of his boyhood and youth, which stir the old miser's gentle and tender side by reminding him of a time when he was more innocent. They also show what made Scrooge the miser that he is, and why he dislikes Christmas.

The second spirit, the Ghost of Christmas Present, takes Scrooge to several radically differing scenes (a joy-filled market of people buying the makings of Christmas dinner, the family feast of Scrooge's near-impoverished clerk Bob Cratchit (including his youngest son, Tiny Tim, who is seriously ill but cannot receive treatment due to Scrooge's unwillingness to pay Cratchit a decent wage), a miner's cottage, and a lighthouse, among other sites) in order to evince from the miser a sense of responsibility for his fellow man.

The third spirit, the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, harrows Scrooge with dire visions of the future if he does not learn and act upon what he has witnessed (including Tiny Tim's death). Scrooge's own neglected and untended grave is revealed, prompting the miser to aver that he will change his ways in hopes of changing these "shadows of what may be."

In the fifth and final stave, Scrooge awakens on Christmas morning with joy and love in his heart, then spends the day with his nephew's family after anonymously sending a prize turkey to the Cratchit home for Christmas dinner. Scrooge has become a different man overnight and now treats his fellow men with kindness, generosity and compassion, gaining a reputation as a man who embodies the spirit of Christmas. The story closes with the narrator confirming the validity, completeness and permanence of Scrooge's transformation.

Source: WikipediA