July 2009 Archives

Happy Shopping, originally uploaded by EltonHarding.

The photographer notes: "Who'd have thought that necklaces would make a little buddha so happy?"

Speaking of Jezebel, the above is an ancient seal that, based on the inscribed name and art, may very well have been that of the queen:

It is filled with the common Egyptian symbols that were often used in Phoenicia at this time.c At the top is a crouching winged sphinx with a woman’s face and (part of) a female Isis/Hathor crown. The body of the sphinx is a lioness (cf. Ezekiel 19), clearly appropriate for the seal of a queen. To the left is an Egyptian ankh, the sign of life. A line then divides these symbols from a lower register. Below the line is a winged disk (which, incidentally, also appears on many Hebrew l’melekh handles). Below this is an Egyptian-style falcon. On either side of the falcon is a uraeus, the cobra most commonly seen on the headdresses of Egyptian royalty and divinities. Each of these snakes faces outward. The serpent-like symbol beneath the falcon is actually a lotus, which refers to regeneration but also is a typical female symbol generally connected to women, but especially royal women. The densely filled space reflects the horror vacui (“fear” of empty space) that is typical. . . .

The double uraeus (cobra) at the bottom is a typical symbol of queens with prominent roles in religion and politics from the 18th Egyptian dynasty onward. Especially the Egyption queen Tiye seems to have functioned as a model for later queens. Often she is represented wearing the Isis/Hathor crown or the crown with double uraei. So, independent of the name of the owner, the iconography definitely suggests a queen. Although other individuals used the same symbols to indicate their closeness to the throne, no other seal uses them all.

"ThE StOrY Of WiLd JeZeBeL" Vintage Comic Bubble Heart Necklace, originally uploaded by KitschenSinkUK.

Whatever happens in this story, I can't imagine that it ends like the original:

When Jehu arrives in Jezreel, where Ahab has a royal residence, Jezebel prepares to greet him. She “paints her eyes with kohl and dresses her hair” and appears at an upper window, apparently hoping to seduce Jehu (2 Kings 9:30). Instead, Jezebel is thrown down from the window. “Her blood splattered on the wall and on the horses, and they trampled on her” (2 Kings 9:33).

Because of massive work commitments I wasn't able to make it to the San Diego Comic Con, where costumes are a standard way of expressing one's identity. But that's not the only way it's done in the community--to mark the occasion here are several notable comic & cartoon tombstones!

Rich Morrissey, legendary comics historian & letter column denizen (thanks Michael!):

Mel Blanc, the voice of Bugs Bunny (among countless others!):

Alfred Harvey, founder of Harvey Comics, publisher of Casper the Friendly Ghost:

Heroclix prototype model of the Joker at Robin II's grave:

Mark Gruenwald, comic book writer, who was cremated & had his ashes mixed in the ink for the first edition of his collected series Squadron Supreme--a copy of which was a standard part of my law school classes on corporate life & personal identity!

One sure sign that God has pronounced judgment on the U.S. of A. is the removal of His anointed miniature golf course from our midst. After all, nothing says "Fun Park" like the "place of the skull" where Jesus was crucified!

Though to be honest, I can kinda see why this didn't draw the crowds. Connoisseurs of putt-putt know that it involves more than just a few decorative statues--a better course would have had you hit the ball through Jesus' Sacred Heart, where it would then roll around in his body & pop out through one on the holes in his hands, side or feet. That's not blasphemy--it's just respecting the art form!

For more Christian tourist traps, check out this top ten list at YesButNoButYes. And a heavenly shout-out to Michelle Laughran for fore-warding this inspired icon of American pop culture!

Go to Jihad.net to join the battle to save the world from its greatest threat. They say it's just a role-playing game, but it sounds real to me:

The demon lord B'harne, servant of the malevolent alien High Magus of Lyra, has commenced his assault on the human race. Under the benevolent guise of the children's television host Barney the Dinosaur, B'harne seeks to destroy the minds of children and adults and bind them to his tyrranical will. Once he has made mindless slaves of humanity, B'harne will rule the Earth with an iron talon.

There are those who oppose B'harne. Drawn together by mysterious forces, mad scientists and sorcerors, warriors, scholars and surrealists have banded together into a fighting force capable of standing against B'harne's power and the power of his masters. With the mystic blade of the Barney-Slayer leading the way, these warriors fight a neverending battle against the forces of Evil and Stupidity.

They are the Jihad to Destroy Barney the Purple Dinosaur.

A confirmation cake typo via Cake Wrecks makes me wonder if the Nonconformists ever had cake in church.

Other than witch cake, of course.

A wonderful collection. Here are just two:

Below: Levels of Consciousness--"The earth and brain are the nucleus of a neuron, whose apical dendrite is a double helix. Reversing the scales reminded me of universal principles that operate across different levels of organization– like diversity is important."

Below: "The Tree of Life--carbon, glucose, light, DNA, and the golden rectangle. A tattoo by Kevin Riley. On the chest of a PhD student in molecular biology."

Today I was amused to find an ad for Brahma Beer on the sidewalk in front of my apartment, and now, coincidentally, Weird Universe has just posted the above TV spot for the brand.

The new iPhone Purity Ring app has been making the media rounds, so I won't repeat the full report here (via Violet Blue). Instead, here are a few things that stand out for me:

• The company selling it claims that the 99 cent sale price is not for profit, but merely to cover costs. The specific wording is quite revealing as to how people perceive commerce--note how a relatively low price is conflated with no price. "We're not charging for the idea. We're just covering our costs. It's all about reaching a new market. If you wanted to buy a purity ring, you could spend as much as £100."

• Nonetheless, the company claims that the digital ring is merely "compliments (sic) existing Purity Pledges and is not seeking to replace traditional Ceremonies and Rings."

• "The application may also allow school pupils to circumvent uniform rules banning jewellery. In 2007, Lydia Playfoot lost her high court battle to wear her purity ring at school when a judge ruled she had not been discriminated against."

I'm immersed in a project for work that has me thinking a lot about Hercules. Above: an ancient armband with a Herakles knot, said to have healing powers. Here's Pliny the Elder's sage advice:

To tie up wounds with the Hercules knot makes the healing wonderfully more rapid, and even to tie daily the girdle with this knot is said to have a certain usefulness, for Demetrius wrote a treatise in which he states that the number four is one of the prerogatives of Hercules, giving reasons why four cyathi or sextarii at a time should not be drunk.

The Drudge Report has justed posted a link to a fascinating news story out of New Jersey, involving a 21-year-old man who lived as woman but died in a voodoo ritual.

The voodoo priest identifies himself as Houngan Hector on his Gade Nou Leve Society Web site, which says the three-day Lave Tet ceremony was to begin Friday.

Lave Tet (from the French laver tete) literally means head-washing, according to several Haitian voodoo Web sites. Hector's site describes it as a ceremony that begins with cleansing, after which participants lie in a "badji," or altar room, before being "baptized."

Hector, who claims he was initiated as a senior priest in Haiti, said Lave Tet "improves the ability for possession, clears the mind, clarifies abilities for seeing, and substantially improves the life."

Houngan Hector had an online store--Botanica Santa Clara--that appears to be down but is archived here. Fortunately, the practitioner's Youtube account is still live. Below, a sample testimonial from a satisfied customer who apparently survived a ritual.

Of course, she could just be a zuvembie!

Via CNN:

Hundreds of Egyptians took part Monday in the funeral of Marwa Sherbini, an Egyptian woman who was stabbed to death last week in the German city of Dresden in a crime believed to be racially motivated.

Sherbini, 33, was stabbed to death Wednesday in a courtroom as she prepared to give testimony against a German man of Russian descent whom she had sued for insult and abuse.

The man, identified in German media as Alex A., 28, was convicted of calling Sherbini, who wore a headscarf, "terrorist," "bitch" and "Islamist" when she asked him him to leave a swing for her 3-year-old son Mustafa during an August 2008 visit to a children's park.

He was fined and appealed the ruling. The two were in court Wednesday for that appeal when Alex A. attacked, pulling out a knife and stabbing Sherbini 18 times. He also stabbed her husband three times and attacked another person.

For the latest news regarding the tragedy of Marwa Sherbini as well as head coverings across religious traditions, check out the essential Those Headcoverings blog.

Mazel-Tov (Children's Version), originally uploaded by James W Bell.

By James Bell, "based on Moses and the Hebrew influence on Superman."

Mayan god (Kukulkan) tattoo, originally uploaded by Carolina Velis.

This Mayan god (or, if you believe Erich Von Daniken, ancient astronaut) artfully crafted by Michelle Tarantelli at NY Adorned.

After LA Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart was killed by a drunk driver earlier this season, fans created this memorial outside the stadium. Besides the painting, it consists of caps, signs and Rally Monkeys.

Everything is Terrible has posted a video with charismatic Christians "drunk in the Spirit" experiencing holy laughter. From a historical perspective it's an interesting phenomenon--the modern tongues-speaking movement began in part as a biblically based alternative to such alleged spiritual gifts as laughing and jumping during church services.

Also interesting: about a minute and a half in the video, I'm pretty sure Ted Haggard shows up.

jesus SMS sender, originally uploaded by burgermac.

So there's a Twitter meme with the hash tag #wwjt. As best as I can tell, it started with jokes then devolved into a mess of pious platitudes.

My own thought is that the answer to the question WWJT is pretty obvious:

OMG! OMG! AYT? SRSLY, 4COL.

B4N.

The memorial wall outside Michael Jackson's family home in Encino..., originally uploaded by beastandbean.

This sign at the memorial outside the Jackson family compound in Encino calls on God to smite "the evil kid and his whore mother" who dared to accuse Michael Jackson of paedophilia.

Michael Jackson Memorial, originally uploaded by therulas.

A winner in the lottery for Michael Jackson tickets received this notice. What stands out for me: the all-cap exclamation CONGRATULATIONS! in conjunction with a funeral.

People in Stockton, California--where Michael Jackson visited 20 years ago--are flocking to this tree stump, where, folks say, an image of the King of Pop has miraculously appeared.

Many people in the crowd who gathered to look at the stump Sunday afternoon saw the resemblance, but why would Michael Jackson appear instead of a religious figure -- or even any of the other celebrities who recently passed away?

"Because Michael Jackson was an icon to us," said one neighbor. "To Stockton, Michael Jackson meant more to us than Jesus, to some people. I think they're both about even."

I know what I see and, um, it's not Michael Jackson.