may the wings of your eyeliner always be uneven
No. I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy.
high tide and low tide in great britain. photographs by michael marten
B.
We are torn between nostalgia for the familiar and an urge for the foreign and strange. As often as not, we are homesick most for the places we have never known.
— Carson McCullers (via libranta)
(Source: onlinecounsellingcollege)
Short in stature, energetic and generous, Kumiko Keida has been a Kimono master for more than 30 years. She has travelled the world as a cultural ambassador for Japan, sharing her skills and knowledge in Kitsuke (the art of dressing someone in a kimono) and Japanese flower arranging.
Keida sensei is a phenomenal woman. She believes in keeping Japanese tradition alive by teaching young men and women about Kitsuke at her school in Shimbara. She clothes all the participants for all of the festivals held in Shimabara city and is the sole person behind the beautiful (and huge!) flower arrangements seen in the small shopping arcade in Shimabara.
We first met through a mutual friend at one of the cultural festivals in Shimabara. We fell in love with each other. I fell in love with her warm spirit, her energy and awesome magenta lipstick. She fell in love with my hair (the magic is in the hair). A few weeks later after my photoshoot, I asked my friend Fumi and the photographers if they knew anyone who I would be able to rent a Kimono from for one day to take a few pictures. Everyone called who they knew and ended up giving me crazy rental fees. $200-$300 USD for my makeup and hair (wasn’t necessary but it’s part of the package) and to rent a kimono for a day. When Fumi called Keida sensei, she didn’t hesitate to offer me a Kimono for the day. We set a date to meet and try on a few kimonos to see which one I would wear to the photoshoot.
At around 2pm today, Fumi and I drove to her house. A beautiful traditional Japanese style house enclosed in flowers. She came out in her traditional kimono smiling from ear to ear, wearing her magenta lipstick of course.
She had chosen three kimonos for me, a purple one, a green one and a yellow one. The one that caught my eye was a beautiful gold one folded neatly on the floor. I pointed at it and she laughed and said ‘OK! She then showed me her entire collection of traditional wedding Kimonos. I was in awe. The colors, the patterns, the detailed embroidery! Everything was so beautiful, so delicate, so intricate and so Japanese! These weren’t the fake screen printed or manufactured kimonos. These were the real deal. She told Fumi to translate what she was about to say into English. When Fumi listened, she gasped and started laughing and clapping her hands. “She wants you to have one of her kimonos!!” At that point, I wanted to put up my praise hands, do a shankle dip, followed by a dougie, willie bounce and a bogle wine. I had to hold the tears back while I bowed as low as possible and pretty much got on my knees to thank this woman for giving me a piece of her.Just the other day I was telling a friend of mine that I probably won’t be able to buy a kimono because of how expensive they are (between $800 USD-$2,000 USD for a reasonable one). A yukata (summer kimono which is lighter in fabric and usually cheaper) would have to suffice. The kimono that she gave me has travelled the world and been on display in several countries. Instead of wearing it, I’ll frame it when I return home. I’ll still buy my yukata to wear to functions or on special occasions.
After putting on the kimono that I had chosen for the shoot, Keida sensei started telling us stories about her travels. She once gave Grace Kelly’s son, Prince Albert II, a men’s kimono. When she visited the UK, she also gave Princess Diana a kimono. She showed me pictures of her trips to the UK, Belgium (I was so excited when I saw those pictures), Greece, Holland, Germany and the US. I told her that her next stop needs to be Trinidad and Tobago, she nodded in agreement.
I changed back into my clothes, we had tea and we chatted about the upcoming photoshoot. This little old lady with so much life, so many stories and such a warm heart, managed to make my two years of being in Japan more than worth it in less than 2 hours.
I told myself that 2013 would be a year of dreams. I really must be dreaming.
(Source: awesomeastrogirl)
A quick editorial cartoon about the intersection of self-pity, entitlement, rape, territoriality, misogyny and fear of women. You see it all over the place online in the form of Men’s Rights Activists (of whom there are a few reasonable non-misogynists), Men Going Their Own Way, Pick Up Artists, and dudes touting the “Red Pill”, because The Matrix is a good movie. Look any of these up if you have the stomach for it. These are extreme examples, but watered-down forms of these ideas are everywhere.
In lurking their blogs and youtube channels for a while, I’ve noticed that beyond the standard patriarchal chauvinism there is this deep fear of women - what they will do to me, how they will reject me, how they will use me, how they are changing society in a way that does not favor me, how they are making men into something I don’t like, how they are making themselves into something I don’t like, that they won’t give me what I want, and that they won’t give me what I think is rightfully mine. This goes beyond fear of feminism- this is fear of women at its purest. And that, to quote a puppet, leads to anger and hate. It’s sad.
I am a feminist. I think there’s enough ice cream to go around, but it does mean those of us with 3 scoops might have to give one or two up. Also, The Matrix is a fun movie but probably not anything you should be basing a philosophy on.
Yu Aoi by Mie Morimoto
AAAAHHH WHAT A WONDERFUL DAY !!
![downrightsugoi:
infinitejessie:
violant-kk:
dimensionsintime:
cutetimmytim:
dimensionsintime:
annespage:
mutantbakabutt:
foreverisreal:
blunts-and-robots:
devils-in-my-head:
this this this this this
if anyone hates me for this you’re not thinking clearly
think about the amount of people killed in the middle east, too ..
lol so edgy xD
the only reason america dropped the atomic bomb was because we were at WAR idiots, if we hadn’t dropped the bomb the war would’ve lasted at lot longer. 9/11 was an act of terrorism, why don’t you go watch a video of the twin towers as they burn after the planes crash into them and later collapse in on themselves burying not only the people that worked there inside, but also the police officers and firefighters who were trying to rescue any survivors, and before they collapsed, when people were forced to choose to burn or jump out to their deaths. so yeah, the atomic bomb killed more people, but one was during WWII and the other was a direct attack of terrorism on America. And the only reason we were at war with Japan was because they attacked us at pearl harbor, if they hadn’t done that the war would’ve stayed in Europe and the atomic bomb wouldn’t have been dropped.
Not even remotely true, but thanks for playing. This misconception largely occurs because of the famous Stimson article that was featured in Harpers’ magazine.
Of course, he didn’t actually WRITE the thing and, though it presents itself as a fireside chat between two people it was actually a heavily engineered document, and almost every fact cited was knowingly wrong by the government at the time (declassified documents - read ‘em). But hey! What better source for info!
That’s neither here nor there though since Japan tried to surrender before we dropped the bomb.
Several Times.
Yes, Japan tried to surrender. Once through Russia, once through Switzerland, once through the Vatican of all places, and many times appealing directly to Truman. We turned them down because of the stipulation that we were not allowed to touch their emperor, a concession the US was not willing to make at the time.
“Foreign Minister Shigemitsu has instructed Ambassador Sato [in Moscow] to find out whether Russia is willing to assist in bringing about a negotiated peace. Shigemitsu’s instructions, although cautiously worded, clearly imply that he has in mind a move by Russia to initiate peace discussions between Japan and the Anglo-Americans… [I]t seems hardly likely that he would have taken such a step without having consulted at least some of the more important members of the new Japanese cabinet… This is the first time that the Japanese have been willing to suggest to Russia directly that they are ready for peace.”
-“Japanese Consider Peace Possibilities” War Department MAGIC reports of intercepted messages: EYES ONLY for President and closest advisers
“I learn from a very reliable source that in important civilian circles in Japan the peace problem is being discussed with increasing anxiety. A speedy German collapse is expected and it is not believed that Japan can then continue the war. It is therefore considered necessary to get peace as soon as possible before the country and towns are destroyed… If any willingness appeared to exist in London the Japanese would be ready for preliminary discussions through Swedish channels. Behind the man who gave me this message stands one of the best known statesment in Japan and there is no doubt that this attempt must be considered as a serious one.”
-Telegram from Swedish minister in Tokyo given from the British Ambassador to the United States
“…It seems probably that very far-reaching conditions would be accepted by the Japanese by way of negotiation… Exchange of the Japanese constituted must also be considered as excluded. The Emperor must not be touched. However, the Imperial power could be somewhat democratized as is that of the English King”
-Report from Swedish minister in Tokyo sent to US State Department
AND EVEN LATER THEY GAVE THOSE CONDITIONS UP
“…Stated that he had been asked by Masutaro Inoue, Counsellor for the Japanese Legation in Portugal, to contact United States representatives. Source quoted Inoue as saying that the Japanese are ready to cease hostilities, provided they are allowed to retain possession of their home islands… On 19 May [1945], the OSS representative reported Inoue again had repeated to source his desire to talk with an American representative. On this occasion Inoue declared that actual peace terms were unimportant so long as the term ‘unconditional surrender’ was not employed.”
-OSS Representative report directly to Truman
Of course, we did anyway. But that’s not important.
Because the bomb wasn’t about Japan.
In Derry and Ramsey’s Memo to Groves (May 12, 1945) when picking a target for the atomic bomb, one of the primary listed reasons for picking a target was:
“making the initial use sufficiently spectacular for the importance of the weapon to be internationally recognized when publicity on it is released.”
In fact, they ranked targets - AA to B. Know what got the lowest ratings? Military targets. The ones that got the highest ratings were civilian ones.
Japan was currently researching wooden planes. WOODEN PLANES. They had attempted to give up, we said no. They had already lost the war when we dropped the bomb. They knew this - hell, they tried to surrender.
So why did we drop the bomb, then?
A close reading of the memo tells all. It was to make an impact on the international community.
Do you know how Truman was first informed about the Manhatten Project and the bomb? It was in a discussion with the Secretary of State in regards to negotiations with Russia after the war.
Truman kept delaying the “Big Three” discussions, the most important political talks in recorded history, until basically the day AFTER the Trinity Tests - he wanted to wait until he knew he had the bomb as a political piece. Stalin and Churchill were VERY angry at him pushing the date back with little to no reason given (they knew, of course, because of spies and intelligence).
Still don’t believe me?
The Secretary of War, and MOST of the army was against dropping the bomb. They wanted to give the option of doing a demonstration and giving Japan an option of total surrender (that we get to do whatever we want with the Emperor) or of giving Japan time to evacuate the civilian population before bombing a city.
Oh, and there’s this from Stimson’s Memo of Talk with Truman (June 6, 1945)
“I told [the President] that I was anxious about this feature of the war for two reasons: first, because I did not want to have the United States get the reputation of outdoing Hitler in atrocities; and second, I was a little fearful that before we could get ready the Air Force might have Japan so thoroughly bombed out that the new weapon would not have a fair background to show its strength. He laughed and said he understood.”
He laughed.
An estimated 500,000 people died between Nagasaki and Hiroshima if you count deaths by radiation poisoning and long-term cancer.
And Truman could only laugh because he was worried the bomb might not be noticeable amongst the wreckage of Japan.
The reason for dropping the bomb was to give America a better condition amongst the international population, particularly Stalin and Russia, in the coming years. It was to make Russia afraid to invade Japan (and from there, the fear was, the rest of Asia) when they knew America had interests in it. They dropped the bomb to give them an advantage when negotiating in the future and to give them a start when everyone began arming (a situation tons of scientists warned everyone about in The Franck Report).
But don’t pretend it was about Japan. And don’t you dare pretend it was about peace.
500,000 people died and all Truman could do was laugh.
I’m rebloggjng this because of the fullness of the information-rich response (the part that actually contains facts, not the rah rah America one)
Bringing this back because it needs to be said and people need reminding.
WHY WAS I NEVER TAUGHT ANYTHING ABOUT THIS
WHY-
I-
The rage and betrayal I feel grows every day knowing I was forced to endure public “education” for 14 years.
I never knew Japan tried to surrender.
I went to private school and we never learned this, either. We were taught the usual THE JAPANESE WOULD NEVER GIVE UP KAMIKAZE BANZAI crap.wtf](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ma6vdfhlLe1rujoxho1_400.jpg)
this this this this this
if anyone hates me for this you’re not thinking clearly
think about the amount of people killed in the middle east, too ..
lol so edgy xD
the only reason america dropped the atomic bomb was because we were at WAR idiots, if we hadn’t dropped the bomb the war would’ve lasted at lot longer. 9/11 was an act of terrorism, why don’t you go watch a video of the twin towers as they burn after the planes crash into them and later collapse in on themselves burying not only the people that worked there inside, but also the police officers and firefighters who were trying to rescue any survivors, and before they collapsed, when people were forced to choose to burn or jump out to their deaths. so yeah, the atomic bomb killed more people, but one was during WWII and the other was a direct attack of terrorism on America. And the only reason we were at war with Japan was because they attacked us at pearl harbor, if they hadn’t done that the war would’ve stayed in Europe and the atomic bomb wouldn’t have been dropped.
Not even remotely true, but thanks for playing. This misconception largely occurs because of the famous Stimson article that was featured in Harpers’ magazine.
Of course, he didn’t actually WRITE the thing and, though it presents itself as a fireside chat between two people it was actually a heavily engineered document, and almost every fact cited was knowingly wrong by the government at the time (declassified documents - read ‘em). But hey! What better source for info!
That’s neither here nor there though since Japan tried to surrender before we dropped the bomb.
Several Times.
Yes, Japan tried to surrender. Once through Russia, once through Switzerland, once through the Vatican of all places, and many times appealing directly to Truman. We turned them down because of the stipulation that we were not allowed to touch their emperor, a concession the US was not willing to make at the time.
“Foreign Minister Shigemitsu has instructed Ambassador Sato [in Moscow] to find out whether Russia is willing to assist in bringing about a negotiated peace. Shigemitsu’s instructions, although cautiously worded, clearly imply that he has in mind a move by Russia to initiate peace discussions between Japan and the Anglo-Americans… [I]t seems hardly likely that he would have taken such a step without having consulted at least some of the more important members of the new Japanese cabinet… This is the first time that the Japanese have been willing to suggest to Russia directly that they are ready for peace.”
-“Japanese Consider Peace Possibilities” War Department MAGIC reports of intercepted messages: EYES ONLY for President and closest advisers
“I learn from a very reliable source that in important civilian circles in Japan the peace problem is being discussed with increasing anxiety. A speedy German collapse is expected and it is not believed that Japan can then continue the war. It is therefore considered necessary to get peace as soon as possible before the country and towns are destroyed… If any willingness appeared to exist in London the Japanese would be ready for preliminary discussions through Swedish channels. Behind the man who gave me this message stands one of the best known statesment in Japan and there is no doubt that this attempt must be considered as a serious one.”
-Telegram from Swedish minister in Tokyo given from the British Ambassador to the United States
“…It seems probably that very far-reaching conditions would be accepted by the Japanese by way of negotiation… Exchange of the Japanese constituted must also be considered as excluded. The Emperor must not be touched. However, the Imperial power could be somewhat democratized as is that of the English King”
-Report from Swedish minister in Tokyo sent to US State Department
AND EVEN LATER THEY GAVE THOSE CONDITIONS UP
“…Stated that he had been asked by Masutaro Inoue, Counsellor for the Japanese Legation in Portugal, to contact United States representatives. Source quoted Inoue as saying that the Japanese are ready to cease hostilities, provided they are allowed to retain possession of their home islands… On 19 May [1945], the OSS representative reported Inoue again had repeated to source his desire to talk with an American representative. On this occasion Inoue declared that actual peace terms were unimportant so long as the term ‘unconditional surrender’ was not employed.”
-OSS Representative report directly to Truman
Of course, we did anyway. But that’s not important.
Because the bomb wasn’t about Japan.
In Derry and Ramsey’s Memo to Groves (May 12, 1945) when picking a target for the atomic bomb, one of the primary listed reasons for picking a target was:
“making the initial use sufficiently spectacular for the importance of the weapon to be internationally recognized when publicity on it is released.”
In fact, they ranked targets - AA to B. Know what got the lowest ratings? Military targets. The ones that got the highest ratings were civilian ones.
Japan was currently researching wooden planes. WOODEN PLANES. They had attempted to give up, we said no. They had already lost the war when we dropped the bomb. They knew this - hell, they tried to surrender.
So why did we drop the bomb, then?
A close reading of the memo tells all. It was to make an impact on the international community.
Do you know how Truman was first informed about the Manhatten Project and the bomb? It was in a discussion with the Secretary of State in regards to negotiations with Russia after the war.
Truman kept delaying the “Big Three” discussions, the most important political talks in recorded history, until basically the day AFTER the Trinity Tests - he wanted to wait until he knew he had the bomb as a political piece. Stalin and Churchill were VERY angry at him pushing the date back with little to no reason given (they knew, of course, because of spies and intelligence).
Still don’t believe me?
The Secretary of War, and MOST of the army was against dropping the bomb. They wanted to give the option of doing a demonstration and giving Japan an option of total surrender (that we get to do whatever we want with the Emperor) or of giving Japan time to evacuate the civilian population before bombing a city.
Oh, and there’s this from Stimson’s Memo of Talk with Truman (June 6, 1945)
“I told [the President] that I was anxious about this feature of the war for two reasons: first, because I did not want to have the United States get the reputation of outdoing Hitler in atrocities; and second, I was a little fearful that before we could get ready the Air Force might have Japan so thoroughly bombed out that the new weapon would not have a fair background to show its strength. He laughed and said he understood.”
He laughed.
An estimated 500,000 people died between Nagasaki and Hiroshima if you count deaths by radiation poisoning and long-term cancer.
And Truman could only laugh because he was worried the bomb might not be noticeable amongst the wreckage of Japan.
The reason for dropping the bomb was to give America a better condition amongst the international population, particularly Stalin and Russia, in the coming years. It was to make Russia afraid to invade Japan (and from there, the fear was, the rest of Asia) when they knew America had interests in it. They dropped the bomb to give them an advantage when negotiating in the future and to give them a start when everyone began arming (a situation tons of scientists warned everyone about in The Franck Report).
But don’t pretend it was about Japan. And don’t you dare pretend it was about peace.
500,000 people died and all Truman could do was laugh.
I’m rebloggjng this because of the fullness of the information-rich response (the part that actually contains facts, not the rah rah America one)
Bringing this back because it needs to be said and people need reminding.
WHY WAS I NEVER TAUGHT ANYTHING ABOUT THIS
WHY-
I-
The rage and betrayal I feel grows every day knowing I was forced to endure public “education” for 14 years.
I never knew Japan tried to surrender.
I went to private school and we never learned this, either. We were taught the usual THE JAPANESE WOULD NEVER GIVE UP KAMIKAZE BANZAI crap.
wtf
(Source: pukepurge)
hi guys! this is a comic i made for a final in my comics in literature class. we had to do a research paper on a topic we’d discussed in class and then accompany it with a comic with a relevant subject. my paper was about hyper-sexualization of women in comic books, but i decided to broaden it out here as well as personalize it and make myself the subject and discuss something i’ve been subjected to in the convention circuit and on the internet as well as thousands of other women, as well as give a cue to thought about how the comic book industry as well as the video game industry and even just media in general (all of which are male dominated) push such ridiculous pressures onto girls and women.
also, it feels kind of silly to have to add this since i hope it’s obvious, but i am very aware that there are men that don’t subscribe to this attitude, and am incredibly grateful that these issues are brought to light to people other than the ones that are subjected to it.
anyway haha i have literally been staring at this for 9 hours i don’t even know which direction is up anymore. thanks for reading!!!
(Source: ceronprime)
Stuff Nobody Tells you About Getting An Apartment.
This’ll cover the basics, such as financial expectation, rental history, what to bring for the application process, etc.
A reporter was having her wedding when the quake hit Sichuan today. She went to work immediately. via
^REAL-LIFE LOIS LANE, RIGHT HERE.^
HANAKO
