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"Hands Off!" protests erupt across the United States
Styrous® ~ Sunday, March 6, 2025
April 7, 2025
March 30, 2025
45 RPMs 93: Martine Bijl & Don McLean ~ Vincent
~
Credits:
date & photographer unknown
Today is the birthday of artist, Vincent van Gogh, a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter who is among the most famous and influential figures in the history of Western art. To me, the song, Vincent by Don McLean, is the most evocative tribute to him I can imagine!
date & photographer unknown
This is one of my Turkish Delights treasures (link below). The "A" side of the record is a bouncy Dutch song.
side 1:
The "B" side has the song written by Don McLean and that was a huge hit for him. It is a soothing, dreamy song written as a tribute to Vincent van Gogh.
Tracklist:
Side 1:
A - Even Wachten (Real Emotion), written by A. O'Day*, M. Bijl*
Side 2:
B - Vincent, written by D. McLean*, M. Bijl*
Companies, etc.
Side 1:
A - Even Wachten (Real Emotion), written by A. O'Day*, M. Bijl*
Side 2:
B - Vincent, written by D. McLean*, M. Bijl*
Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Ariola Music Benelux B.V.
Record Company – Ariola Benelux B.V.
Lacquer Cut At – Bovema / EMI Studios – 46049
Lacquer Cut At – Bovema / EMI Studios – 46050
Record Company – Ariola Benelux B.V.
Lacquer Cut At – Bovema / EMI Studios – 46049
Lacquer Cut At – Bovema / EMI Studios – 46050
Credits:
Producer – Henk van der Molen
Notes:
A-side is in Dutch translated song 'Real Emotion' (Anne Murray); B-side is in Dutch translated song 'Vincent' (Don McLean).
Matrix/runouts are etched including cutting number and unknown 'CR' symbol(s).
Made in Holland.
Barcode and Other Identifiers
A-side is in Dutch translated song 'Real Emotion' (Anne Murray); B-side is in Dutch translated song 'Vincent' (Don McLean).
Matrix/runouts are etched including cutting number and unknown 'CR' symbol(s).
Made in Holland.
Barcode and Other Identifiers
Rights Society: STEMRA
Matrix / Runout (Label side A): 102.469-A
Matrix / Runout (Label side B): 102.469-B
Matrix / Runout (Runout side A): CR 102.469-A\\ 46049-1-Y
Matrix / Runout (Runout side B): 102.469-B\\ 46050-1-Y
Matrix / Runout (Label side A): 102.469-A
Matrix / Runout (Label side B): 102.469-B
Matrix / Runout (Runout side A): CR 102.469-A\\ 46049-1-Y
Matrix / Runout (Runout side B): 102.469-B\\ 46050-1-Y
Martine Bijl – Even Wachten / Vincent
Label: Ariola – 102.469
Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single, Stereo
Country: Netherlands
Released: 1980
Genre: Pop
Style: Vocal, Chanson
YouTube links:
Martine Bijl - Vincent
Label: Ariola – 102.469
Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single, Stereo
Country: Netherlands
Released: 1980
Genre: Pop
Style: Vocal, Chanson
Viewfinder links:
YouTube links:
Martine Bijl - Vincent
Don McLean - Vincent
Styrous® ~ Sunday, March 30, 2025
Vincent van Gogh articles/mentions
mentions:
Martine Bijl & Don McLean ~ Vincent
Vincent van Gogh - 1873
Photo: The Hague, Van Gogh Museum
March 25, 2025
Styrous Viewfinder 2,000,000 Pageviews
March 19, 2025
Mary Young aka Jenny Diver
Two hundred and eighty-four years ago, on March 18, 1741, Mary Young, the most notorious pickpocket in history was hanged. Perhaps you think you never heard of her but you have. Also known as Jenny Diver, she was immortalized in the 1728 John Gay play The Beggar's Opera; this in turn was the basis for Pirate Jenny in the 1928 Threepenny Opera by Elisabeth Hauptmann, Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill.
Diver was born around 1700 in Ireland the illegitimate daughter of an unknown father and the lady's maid Harriet Jones. After her mother deserted her, Diver grew up in various foster homes. She was a skilled seamstress,
and eventually emigrated to London, England, where she became an apprentice of
Anne Murphy, who was the leader of a gang of pickpockets. She soon
became so skilled as a thief that she became the leader of Murphy's gang
and nicknamed Jenny Diver as she was so deft at diving into people's pockets.
Pickpocket's Tale -
painting by Dan Craig
Once she'd made her fortune and could afford the finest clothes, Diver was described as attractive, educated and well dressed, and was
able to mix among wealthy people without attracting suspicion. The best known of her methods was to feign illness, during which she
robbed people and handed over the objects to her accomplices. She would
also use false arms which made it possible for her to rob people with
her arms seemingly visible in her lap. On one occasion she removed a diamond ring from a man’s hand without him knowing until he missed it later.
She
was also adept at playing the so-called “Badger Game.” A wealthy
gentleman would be lured to her lodgings with the promise of sexual
favors. The gang would then relieve the unsuspecting fellow of his
valuables and clothes. One of these escapades is said to have yielded
100 guineas, an amount that would be equivalent of at least $13,000
today (estimates vary widely).
She was arrested twice under false names and was convicted to deportation as a first-time criminal. On January 10, 1741, she was arrested for a third time, but this time
she was correctly identified and could not give a false name and was accused not only of theft but also of having returned after deportation, which was a capital crime, thus, her execution on March 18.
Driver was mentioned in the The Newgate Calendar, subtitled The Malefactors' Bloody Register, a collection of moralizing stories about sin, crime, and
the criminals who committed them in England in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Originally a monthly bulletin of executions, produced by the Keeper of Newgate Prison in London, the Calendar's title was appropriated by other publishers, who put out biographical chapbooks about notorious criminals such as Sawney Bean, Dick Turpin, and Moll Cutpurse.
There's a lot more to know about her on the Strange Company blog and I discovered the writer of that blog used some of the same images I used but has others (link below).
Susan F. Craft wrote a novel, The Chamomile, based on the life of Diver which won the SIBA Okra Pick award (link below).
Viewfinder links:
Net links:
Colonial Quills ~ Jenny Diver, The Queen of Pickpockets
Hubpages ~ Jenny Diver: Criminal Life of a Pickpocket
Strange Company ~ Jenny Diver, Queen of the Pickpockets
March 17, 2025
Barbara Lee town Hall meeting @ the Gray Loft Gallery
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waiting with anticipation for the arrival of
Barbara Lee - March 12, 2025
photo by Styrous®
I had the fortune of attending a town hall meeting with U.S. representative Barbara Lee a few days ago. She represented California's 12th congressional district (numbered as the 9th district from 1998 to 2013 and as the 13th district from 2013 to 2023), which is based in Oakland and covers most of the northern part of Alameda County. She was picked by Ron Dellums to replace him in congress in the 1990's. She is now running for mayor of Oakland to fill the vacancy left by the recall of former Mayor Sheng Thao.
Gray Loft Gallery owner Jan Watten hosted the event and residents of the Oakland Jingletown area were in attendance to hear what Lee had to say about the future of our city.
On the left is Cynthia Elliott,
the unofficial "Mayor" of Jingletown.
Jan Watten with Lee's spokesman
Lee firmly stated that contrary to some opinions that Oakland is a broken city, "Oakland
is NOT!" She spoke about the economic opportunities waiting to be
tapped into. She dealt with the 12% vacancy and what to do about it. She
talked about the homeless situation and that affordable housing was a
right not a privilege; that resources, agencies, etc. are needed to
address the problem. Services would be a priority. Department efficiency
needed to be looked into.
Lee spoke about business theft, the bankruptcy the city of Oakland
is facing and the threat of federal funding being cut off. Regarding
the city's budget deficit she would include an audit, a focus
on bringing in revenue and a deeper look at the city's spending.
I voted for her all the years she was in congress because in spite of what she had to deal with in Washington, she did her best for California. I think she's the best thing that could happen to Oakland.
I pray the local bureaucrats let her do her job and help her do it. She has my vote!
The supporters of Barbara Lee have argued she’s the only candidate who can provide
stability in a turbulent time given her decades of elected experience,
powerful connections and sterling reputation in the city.
I also discovered there is a new motto for the City of Oakland.
"Love Life"
Net links:
Bay Area Reporter ~ Lee says she's ready to lead Oakland
Oaklandside ~ Barbara Lee launches campaign for Oakland mayor
Politico ~ Barbara Lee’s Oakland mayoral run
Youtube links:
Styrous® ~ Monday, March 17, 2025
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