Man in the Blue City, Jodhpur, India, David Usill (Window On The World), 2023

Felsenriff (after David Friedrich), James Usill, 2023

The Scottish actor Nicol Williamson was born on October 14th 1938 in Hamilton.

Williamson was an enormously talented actor who was considered by some critics to be the finest actor of his generation in the late 1960s and the 1970s, rivalled only by Albert Finney in his generation.

Born the son of a factory owner. When he was 18 months old, his family moved to Birmingham, England. Williamson was sent back to Hamilton to live with his grandparents during World War II due to Birmingham's susceptibility to bombing, but returned when the war ended, and was educated at the Central Grammar School for Boys, Birmingham

He left school at 16 to begin work in his father’s factory and later attended the Birmingham School of Speech & Drama. He recalled his time there as “a disaster” and claimed “it was nothing more than a finishing school for the daughters of local businessmen”. After his national service as a gunner in the Airborne Division, Williamson made his professional debut with the Dundee Repertory Theatre in 1960.

In 1962 he made his London debut as Flute in Tony Richardson’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Royal Court Theatre. His first major success came in 1964 with John Osborne’s Inadmissible Evidence for which he was nominated for a Tony Award when it transferred to Broadway in 1965. 1964 also saw him appearing as Vladimir in Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot at the Royal Court Theatre. In 1968, he starred in the film version. Williamson’s Hamlet for Tony Richardson at the Roundhouse caused a sensation and was later transferred to New York and made into a film, with a cast including Anthony Hopkins and Marianne Faithfull. Faithfull later stated in her autobiography Faithfull that she and Williamson had had an affair while filming Hamlet.

His most celebrated film role was as Merlin the magician in the King Arthur epic Excalibur in 1981. Director John Boorman cast him as Merlin opposite Helen Mirren as Morgana over the protests of both actors; the two had previously appeared together on stage in Macbeth, with disastrous results, and disliked each other intensely. It was Boorman’s hope that the very real animosity that they had towards each other would generate more tension between them on screen, as is evident from their scenes together. Williamson gained recognition from a much wider fanbase for his performance as Merlin. A review of Excalibur in the London Times in 1981 said, “The actors are led by Williamson’s witty, perceptive Merlin, missed every time he’s off the screen.”

Some of his other notable cinematic performances are as a deeply troubled Irish soldier in the 1968 Jack Gold film The Bofors Gun; Sherlock Holmes in the 1976 Herbert Ross film The Seven-Per-Cent Solution; and Little John in the 1976 Richard Lester film Robin and Marian.

Williamson had a reputation as a bit of a hellraiser and a troublesome man who was known for several tantrums and on-stage antics. During the Philadelphia tryout of Inadmissible Evidence, a play in which he delivered a performance that would win him a Tony Award nomination in 1965, he hit the equally mercurial producer David Merrick. In 1968 he apologised to the audience for his performance one night while playing Hamlet and then walked off the stage, announcing he was retiring. In the early 1970s, Williamson left the Dick Cavett Show prior to a scheduled appearance, leaving the host and guest Nora Ephron to fill the remaining time. In 1976, he slapped an actor during the curtain call for the Broadway musical, Rex. In 1991, he hit co-star Evan Handler on the backside with a sword during a Broadway performance of I Hate Hamlet.

In 1974, Williamson recorded an abridged reading of The Hobbit for Argo Records, with authorisation for abridgement provided by Tolkien’s publisher. The recording was produced by Harley Usill. According to his official website, Nicol himself re-edited the original script, removing many occurrences of “he said”, “she said”, and so on, as he felt that an over-reliance on descriptive narrative would not give the desired effect. In 1971, Williamson married actress Jill Townsend, who played his daughter in the Broadway production of Inadmissible Evidence. They had a son, Luke, but divorced in 1977.

Despite concerns over his health in the 1970s, Williamson admitted drinking heavily and claimed to smoke 80 cigarettes a day. In an episode of The David Frost Show in the 1960s, during a discussion about death, which also involved poet John Betjeman, Williamson revealed that he was very much afraid of dying, saying that “I think of death constantly, throughout the day” and that “I don’t think there is anything after this, except complete oblivion.” On 25 January 2012, Luke Williamson announced on his father’s official web site that Nicol Williamson had died on 16th December 2011, aged 75, after a two-year struggle with oesophageal cancer. The news was released late as the actor did not want any fuss to be made over his death.

James Usill - Morning ( after David Friedrich) - 02/08/2023

Source: Glitch artists collective - Facebook

Cativa ani mai tarziu... 

Prya Morningstar avea tot ce isi putea dori un copil de noua ani: o familie minunata, o educatie aleasa, toate jucariile si rochiile de printesa din univers, insa ceva lipsea. Se simtea ca o prizoniera in propriul castel, o autentica Rapunzel. Si intelegea. Da, intelegea. Tatal ei ii povestea in fiecare noapte ca lumea care se afla dincolo de portile Iadului este periculoasa pentru cineva ca ea. Era speciala. Era cea mai de pret avere a Lordului Intunecat. Da, tatal ei stapanea lumea intunecata a demonilor, dupa ce bunicul ei, Lucifer a pierit in Razboi. Asa ca lumea se astepta ca ea sa fie perfecta. Sa nu iasa din cuvantul parintilor si sa se comporte ca o veritabila Printesa a Iadului. Singura Printesa a Iadului. Copilei nu i se parea un loc infricosator. Chiar nu avea nimic in comun cu povestile tenebroase pe care le intalnea in cartile oamenilor. Si ii era dor de prietenii ei. Cel mai des il vedea pe Damien, insa Dawn, Sophie si ceilalti invatau in Velaris, orasul vrajitoarelor. Mult prea departe. Prya cobori din pat si arunca o privire prin dormitor. Pe peretii atarnau cateva picturi ale mamei sale, ingrijit inramate – majoritatea, peisaje: strazile serpuitoare din centrul Manhattanului scaldate in lumina aurie; scene din Prospect Park iarna, cu lacurile cenusii tivite cu pojghite de gheata alba ca dantela; podul Golden Gate luminat de un cer instelat si casutele mici si antice de pe dealurile din San Francisco. Ei nu i se parea un loc groaznic. Din contra, era fermecata de peisajele pe care le descoperea in picturi, fotografii sau carti, analizandu-le in detaliu. Voia sa le exploreze. Voia sa se plimbe libera prin parcuri, sub cerul albastru, fara sa mai fie urmarita de umbrele tatalui ei. Cu toate ca Iadul arata ca o copie a lumii muritorilor, Prya stia adevarul. Totul era o iluzie pe care puterea tatalui ei o alimenta. Din cauza asta, David nu mai putea iesi la suprafata pentru perioade lungi de timp. Dar era fericit. Implinit. Era inconjurat de familia lui: Prya si Diana. Copila se apropie de cartea pe care a primit-o in dar de la Damien in urma cu doar cateva luni. Este o carte vrajita, i-a soptit el, facandu-i cu ochiul. Asa vei putea vorbi cu pacostea de sora-mea fara sa mai fi intrerupta. O deschise incetisor, simtind fiorul reactiei, care o facea sa vrea sa inchida ochii, dar Prya ii tinu deschisi pana cand au inceput s-o usture si sa se incetoseze. Era gata sa clipeasca, cand il simti: un declic in capul ei, ca o cheie intorcandu-se intr-o broasca. Runa de pe prima pagina parea sa tasneasca intr-o imagine mult mai bine conturata, iar ea gandi, fara sa vrea, Arata-mi. Daca runa ar fi fost un cuvant, atunci asta ar fi insemnat, dar avea in ea mai mult inteles decat oricare cuvant la care se putea ea gandi. Era primul sau contact cu lumea de dincolo de zidurile Iadului. Era singura. Ii era dor de prietenii ei si voia sa cunoasca, sa inteleaga, sa invete. Era dificil pentru un copil de varsta acesteia sa locuiasca printre adulti. Nu ii era permis sa se plimbe prin toate cercurile din iad, nu putea deschide toate usile si mereu auzea “Prya, nu! Prya, nu ai voie!” si cineva o oprea. Asa a fost inca de cand a inceput sa mearga. Mama. Tatal. Alaistair. Cole. Aleksander. Adultii erau inspaimantatori. Nu voia sa devina ca ei. Nu voia sa devina un adult. Trase aer in piept. Era prima amintire a copilului, a luminii cazand printre barele tarcului, amintirea mirosului ploii. Cu un mic suspin, copila trecu la cealalta pagina, apoi la urmatoarea, lasand imaginile si senzatiile sa curga peste ea. Mahnire. Gandire. Putere. Protectie. Indurare. Voia sa vada orasul San Francisco cu ochii ei. De ce nu o ascultau adultii, oricat s-ar fi rugat de ei? Doar JayJay parea ca ii tine partea. Sau era oare Elvetia? Nu stia. In Iad toti aveau doua fete. Dar era prietenul ei. Da, il putea numi prietenul ei. Oftand, Prya a inchis cartea, cu zgomot, si a ascuns-o sub o bucata pe care a desprins-o din dusumeaua de sub pat.

Intr-o zi, gandi ea. Intr-o zi voi gasi o cale sa vad lumea. Aranjandu-si funda rosie din par si trecandu-si manutele peste cutele rochiei albastre, Prya isi trase ursuletul de plus de pe pat si-l cara dupa ea pe holurile resedintei parintilor sai. Ei nu aveau idee ca ursuletul era fermecat si ca vorbea, iar fiica lor il folosea pe post de confident, scriind cu puterea mintii aventuri si povesti de neuitat. Auzind pasii apasati ai tatalui ei, chipul copilei s-a luminat si alerga pe scari pentru a-l intampina. “Tati!” striga ea, prinzandu-se de piciorul lui. David se apleca, ii zambi si o ridica in brate. “Ce face micuta mea printesa?” o intreba acesta, iar Prya i se prinse de gat, ingropandu-si nasul in parul lui negru. “Te-am asteptat! E timpul pentru o noua poveste. Imi vei citi, da? In seara asta?” intreba cu inocenta varstei. David ii saruta obrazul cald si ofta, clatinand din cap. “Din pacate, in seara asta nu pot. Dar promit ca ma voi revansa, bine? Portie dubla de povesti? Maine?” Zambetul Pryei se sterse de pe chip. Intelegea. Tatal ei avea o datorie fata de demonii si sufletele care ajungeau in Iad. Toti il priveau cu respect si se temeau de el. Daca parea prea slab, atunci lucrurile se vor intoarce in defavoarea lor. Si trebuia sa ii conduca in continuare, asa cum a facut-o de atatia ani de zile. “Sigur, tati!” ii zambi incurajator si-i depuse un sarut pe obraz. “Sa mergem la mama ta,” spuse David. “Imediat! Am uitat ceva in sera,” ii replica micuta. “V-am desenat ceva. E important! Vin imediat!” Tatal ei o lasa jos, dorindu-si sa vada ce cadou le-a pregatit micuta. De fiecare data desena ceva mai frumos si mai complex, totul parand ca prinde viata sub ochii lor. Avea inclinatie spre arta. Desena, dansa, canta. Cel putin gasise cateva activitati pentru a-si ocupa timpul si nu il mai intreba cand vor vizita San Francisco. In Velaris era altceva. Orasul era pazit si condus de vrajitoare. Insa nici acolo nu puteau zabovi prea mult timp. Iar prin San Francisco misunau ingeri, vanatori de creaturi supranaturale si alti oameni care abia asteptau sa prinda un “monstru” pentru a-l vinde celui care licita mai mult. Nu isi permitea luxul de a-si lasa copilul chiar si pentru o zi pe strazile pestrite ale acestui oras. Va intelege. Intr-o zi va intelege ca totul este pentru ea, isi zise Lordul Intunecat. Lui David nu ii placea aceasta titulatura, deoarece ii trezea amintiri crunte. Si Lordul intunecat era doar unul. Lucifer. Tatal lui care acum “traia” linistit alaturi de jumatatea sa in povestea lor. O lume creata pentru a sustine sufletele acestora in somnul de apoi. Era singura modalitate de a-i avea alaturi. O lume de marimea unui buzunar in acest univers vast al Iadului. Prya isi uitase desenul si instrumentele de colorat in sera, asa ca s-a dus in graba intr-acolo. In semiintuneric, camerele mari si goale prin care trecea pe drumul ei pareau la fel de pustii ca scenele de teatru. Cand a deschis usa serei, parfumul o izbi pe Prya, suav precum loveste o pisicuta cu pernutele labutelor: mirosul negru si bogat al pamantului şs mireasma insinuanta, mai puternica, a florilor ce se deschid noaptea – regina-noptii, barba-imparatului si unele pe care nu le recunostea, cum ar fi o planta care avea forma de stea, galbena, ale carei petale se uneau intr-un medalion de polen auriu. Ii explicase mama ce era, dar nu tinuse minte. Si acum si-ar fi dorit sa stie. Prin sticla peretilor serei vedea luminile Iadului arzand ca niste giuvaiere. Nu ii era frica de intuneric. Intunericul ii era prieten. Asa ca a ochit foaia de hartie si a alergat pana la masuta de lucru, luandu-si desenul. Era fericita de rezultat Ea, mami si tati se plimbau intr-un parc, fiind inconjurati de flori mii si mii, in toate culorile. Deodata s-a auzit un zgomot, o miscare prea brusca si Prya a tresarit. “Cine e acolo?” intreba copila, cu inima cat un purice. Nu a apucat decat sa vada o umbra venind din spate si apoi intuneric. Cineva o adormise. Prya a fost urmarita de un demon de rang inferior care lucra in cardasie cu vanatorii. Pana si iadul avea dusmanii sai chiar acolo, in inima lui. Demonul s-a facut nevazut, ducand cu el o incarcatura valoroasa. Acesta s-a infiltrat la bucatarie si a asteptat momentul potrivit, urmarind-o pe Prya din umbra. A stiut momentul in care nu va avea garzile de corp, deoarece sera era locul ei. Acolo crea. 

3D Glitch / 3D Printing { “Glitch Art Is Dead” at the Gamut Gallery in Minneapolis (running until the end of the month!) // 3D printing by @sutureblue

// head-012 by Mark Klink { @srcxor  // Self Portrait by James Usill { @jamesusill // Athena by David van Ness

Folding Planes, James Usill / David Carney / Aaron Zerau

DAY 18: THIRTY FACTS OF MYSELF

Banyak amat bosss tigapuluh, okelah lets tryyy. So i think i should mention what makes me unique yah? Hmmm susah juga yaaa.

1. Mandi lama. Hahaha everybody knows it. Kalo ada acara HMJ atau acara kampus yang nginep-nginep gitu aku mesti ga dibolehin mandi duluan. I know this is a bad habit, tapi emang ga segampang itu berubahnya men.

2. Mudah gemas. Paling ga bisa lihat bayi, anak-anak, hewan-hewan bahkan benda-benda lucu juga. Lemah!!

3. Hobi potong kuku dan korek kuping. Korek kuping hampir setiap hari, lagi-lagi aku tau ini buruk. Tapi susah berhentinyaa. Kalo potong kuku mah standar sih, ga betah aja punya kuku panjang.

4. Receh. Mungkin karena mudah gemas itu tadi ya, jadi jokesnya ikut receh gitu.

5. Suka begadang. Udah kebiasaan dari kecil ini yaampun susah ngilanginnya, kemaren sempet sembuh tapi jadi balik lagi huuftt.

6. Malas mandi. Hehe. Mandi cukup sehari sekali ya biar eco wkwk.

7. Gabisa nonton drama. Bosenan banget akutuh. Cuma drama yang emang bener-bener bisa menarik perhatianku yang bisa aku tonton sampe abis. Sisanya ga nyampe tengah jalan udah mandek.

8. Gasuka baca buku. Hampir sama kayak poin 7, susah banget namatin satu buku. Mending milih baca artikel-artikel online gitu.

9. Kalo beberes bersih banget. Ahahhaha!! Semua orang di rumah paling takjub sama kemampuan beberesku cuma kadang males aja memulainya. Bakat juga jadi pembantu ya:"))

10. Suka nonton mastersyef tapi gabisa masak. Suka nonton dancenya blackpink tapi gabisa dance. Suka nonton pertunjukkan instrumen musik, tapi gabisa main musik. Suka kamu tapi gabisa memilikimu (eaaaa~ canda)

11. Udah bisa baca dari bayi. Hahahha do i look smart now? Eh tapi serius emang aku gapernah belajar baca, tau-tau udah bisa sendiri hehe.

12. Suka inget tanggal-tanggal kejadian yang aku alamin. Tanggal pertama kali naik kereta, tanggal nikah mas-masku, tanggal sempro sidang, juga tanggal nikahnya isyana sarasvati wkwk. Kalo engga ya tahun-bulannya aja. Kejadian udah lama inget, kalo baru-baru malah pelupa banget kacoo:((

13. Kidal dalam beberapa hal. Cuma buka botol sama ngocok kartu sih, itupun aku baru sadar waktu diingetin temen.

14. Bisa ngegulung rambut pake pensil, bisa niruin 2 style suara kodok haha, bisa ngelipet-lipet lidah.

15. Susah ngomong pake bahasa formal. Selama ini ngajar juga bahasanya nyantai banget. Padahal pengen bisa ngomong yang keren formal gitu:((

16. Sering auto peka sama kesalahan orang. Kalo ada orang salah ngomong auto mbenerin. Tapi ga peka sama kesalahan sendiri. Hahahaha nyebelin banget ya? YA MAAPP!!

17. Kalo ketawa kenceng banget sambil mukul-mukul meja atau orang di samping. Pokoknya malu-maluin!! Orang yang ga kenal aku pasti ngira aku kalem bak titisan bidadari syurga, eh yaudah mending gausah kenal deh entar nyesel:(

18. Males chat-chat an wkwk. Ini sih baru sekitar setahunan. Males aja gitu, mending kita call aja ya.

19. Seneng ngerjain soal. Kalo ada temen tanya soal pelajaran auto fastresp. Seru aja gitu, merasa tertantang.

20. Suka puisiiii. Apalagi tulisan-tulisan di tumblr, soo beauty nyentuhnya ngenak banget!

21. Setia, i guess(?) Wkwk. Nomer hp ga pernah ganti. Sosmed-sosmed juga tetep, masih kurawat juga wkwk. Hp pertamaku masih ada, masih hidup!! Tapi dah ga aku pake lah. Barang-barang juga pada awet-awet sih keliatannya.

22. Kinda romantis lil bit (maybe?) Wkwkw. Berhubungan juga sama poin 21 ya. Aku punya kotak namanya kotak kenangan, isinya kartu ucapan, surat, atau printilan-printilan kenangan dari temen-temen yang aku simpan rapih. Di rumah juga ada 1 pintu khusus ditempelin stiker dari berbagai acara, hampir penuh satu pintu!! Ini romantis kan ya?:"D

23. Suka siulan wkwk. Aku suka dimarahin ponakanku kalo siulan, katanya manggil setan(?) Wkwkwkww!!! Aku iyain aja, kadang sengaja aku godain malah, gemeesss!!

24. Usil, tapi ga suka diusilin. Hahahah emang nyebelin banget kan? Hobi banget nyubitin mbak sama adekku, tapi giliran dibales murkaa!! Hahahah.

25. Cepet kenyang, kecuali buat eskrim. Ini keknya baru-baru mulai skripsian deh. Makan kerupuk aja aku bisa kenyang loh:(( Padahal dulu lumayan rakus wkwk.

26. Suka bau-bau menyengat, kayak cat, bensin, gas elpiji, lem, dsb. I know this is bad:((

27. Childish. Kalo aku cerita tentang mimpiku semalem mbakku mesti bilang "mesti lak mimpinya kek bocil". Emang pengaruh ya?:( tapi keknya emang aku masih childish gitu sih.

28. Gabisa makan diselingin sama minum. Keburu kenyang duluan entar. Jadi kalo dah minum berarti makanku dah kelar.

29. Ultahnya sama kek Iqbaal Ramadhan, Raditya Dika, Dedy Corbuzier sama David Archuleta (yang nyanyi crush, cari aja lagunya enaakk). Wkwkwk ini fact juga kaan?

30. Ngerti main catur tapi bodo, pinternya main minesweeper ajah.

Waw ternyata aku cukup baik mengenal diriku sendiri, ngga nyangka:))) Ok deh good night. Terima kasih sudah membaca deretan fakta tidak penting ini:)

Was Christ modeled after Mithras?

To answer this question we must first get to the roots of this popular Roman cult. First and foremost, let's establish that this cult like modern day Christianity is the mixture of Eastern and Roman traditions.

Mithras first appears in the Roman record in the first century AD. Its roots lie in Zoroastrianism with the celestial entity of Mithra. Its worship was brought by Persian nobles and dignitaries. As Roman expansion grew, so did the influence of its foreign inhabitants. Mithra unlike the later Mithras, was NOT a deity but an angelic presence whose sole purpose was to assist the god of light, Ahura Mazda against its mortal enemy, the great deceiver, Angra Mainyu (or Ahriman). To make this cosmic entity more attractive, because of its similarities with the popular Greek and Etruscan Sun gods, Helios and Usil respectively, Mithras became an amalgamation of these deities. As a result, the cult grew, becoming immensely popular with the soldier class.

Why then, if it was so popular with the fighting men of Rome, did Christianity gain the upper hand? The answer is simple. Christianity was a collection of stories written down by Christ's apostles with commentaries added down by the religion's self appointed prophets and martyrs, the latter of which made it more popular to the common folk. Unlike the Cult of Mithras, it offered the promise of salvation to everyone. Even though Christianity was not unified under a canonical text like it was in 325 AD after the Council of Nicea, common elements existed which differentiated all Christian sects from other faiths. Whereas the Cult of Mithras was exclusive and relied on secrecy, Christian churches welcomed every member of society, from top to bottom. Furthermore, their congregations garnered more sympathy through its work of charity.

But as with everything old made new again, there is some truth to the claim of the cult of Mithras inspired some Christian traditions. Early Christian chroniclers were the first ones to pointed out the similarities, but unlike modern historians, they turned the tables around Mithraism, suggesting that it was the cult of Mithras that copied Christianity, not the other way around. In his book "The Origins of the Mithraic Mysteries: Cosmology and Salvation in the Ancient World", David Ulansey, also points out the similarities, namely in the way both deities are depicted. Christ has a halo which can be a symbol of the sun which is one of the symbols of the Mithraic mysteries of the Cult of Mithras. In later paintings, there is a flaming heart which could be seen as an allusion to the Eastern roots of Mithras in the eternal flame, symbolizing the triumph of the light, of Ahura Mazda over the great deceiver, Ahriman. However, Ulansey also points out that Mithras is just one of many POSSIBLE influences given that modern celebrations of the birth of Christ is derived from other pagan traditions.

For more information, I highly recommend the aforementioned "The Origins of the Mithraic Mysteries: Cosmology and Salvation in the Ancient World" by David Ulansey. (Short but best book there is on this elusive cult.) There is no electronic version of this book so if it isn't on your local library and you are a bit short on time, I recommend these two articles, also written by Ulansey:http://www.mysterium.com/mithras.html http://www.mysterium.com/sciam.html "Mithras: Mysteries and Inititation Rediscovered" by D. Jason Cooper. and the unforgettable "Mysteries Of Mithra" by Franz Cumont. This last one may seem a little bit outdated but his contribution nonetheless remains important.

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Test Post to queue

Muster Roll of Lincoln's Company [1] https://quod.lib.umich.edu/l/lincoln/lincoln1/1:12?rgn=div1;view=fulltext

May 27, 1832

Muster Roll of Captain Abraham Lincolns Company of the [4th Rgt. of the] Brigade of Mounted Volunteers commanded by Brig. Genl. Samuel Whiteside [mustered out of service at the mouth of Fox River May 27th 1832]

When Where

No. Names Rank enrolled discharged Remarks

1 Abraham Lincoln Captain 21st. Mouth of

Apl Fox River

Ills

2 Samuel M Thompson 1st Lieut. `` `` Resigned the 30

day of April

3 John Brannen 2 `` `` `` Absent on

extra duty

4 John Armstrong 1 Serg. `` ``

5 Tavner B Anderson 2 `` `` ``

6 George W. Foster 3 `` `` `` Transfered to

a foot company

April 29

7 Obadiah Morgan 4 `` `` `` Absent on

furlough

8 Thomas Combs 1 Corp. `` ``

9 John Plaster 2 `` `` `` Resigned 20 day

of May & served

as a private since

10 William F Berry 3 `` `` ``

11 Alexander Trent 4 `` `` ``

12 John Erwin private `` `` Promoted to 3rd

Sergeant in room

of G W Foster

Apl 29

13 John H. Houghton `` `` ``

14 Thomas Pierce `` `` ``

15 Samuel Tibbs `` `` ``

16 Henry Hadley `` `` ``

17 Samuel Dutton `` `` ``

18 Calvin Pierce `` `` ``

19 Joseph Tibbs `` `` ``

20 William Kirkpatrick `` `` `` Promoted from

the Ranks April

30th

21 Cyrus Elmore `` `` ``

22 Elijah Pierce `` `` ``

23 Lewis W Farmer `` `` ``

24 Bordry Matthews `` `` ``

25 Ep. Sulivan `` `` `` ``

26 Valentine Crete `` `` ``

27 Charles Sulivan `` `` ``

28 James Simmons `` `` ``

29 Hugh Armstrong `` `` `` Promoted to

1st Lieutenant

April 30th

30 Allen King `` `` ``

31 Joseph Dobson `` `` ``

32 David Rankin `` `` `` Transfered to

a foot company

May 19th.

When Where

No. Names Rank enrolled discharged Remarks

33 Urban Alexander `` `` ``

34 Henry Cox `` `` ``

35 Merrit M. Carman `` `` ``

36 Royal Potter `` `` ``

37 David M Pantier `` `` ``

38 Joseph Hohimer `` `` ``

39 George Warburton `` `` ``

40 Evan T. Lamb `` `` ``

41 Clardey Barnette `` `` ``

42 John M Rutledge `` `` ``

43 William Cox `` `` ``

44 Usil Meeker `` `` ``

45 Richard Jones `` `` `` Promoted from the Ranks May 2nd.

46 Charles Pierce `` `` ``

47 James Clemment `` `` ``

48 John Y Lane `` `` ``

49 Richard Lane `` `` ``

50 Royal Clary `` `` ``

51 Pleasant Armstrong `` `` ``

52 James Yardley `` `` ``

53 David Rutledge `` `` ``

54 Michael Plaster `` `` `` absent without leave

55 John Mounce `` `` `` absent without leave

56 William Hohimer `` `` ``

57 Isaac Anderson `` `` ``

58 William Marshall `` `` ``

59 William Cummins `` `` ``

60 John Jones `` `` `` absent without leave

61 Travice Elmore `` `` ``

62 William Foster `` `` `` Transfered to a foot company April 29

63 Nathan Drake `` 29 April ``

64 Robert S. Plunkett `` `` ``

65 William T. Sprouce `` `` `` Promoted from the Ranks May 2nd

66 William Clary `` `` ``

67 Jacob Heaverer `` `` ``

68 Isaac Guliher `` May 19th. ``

I certify on honour that this Muster Roll exhibits a true Statement of Captain A Lincolns company of Mounted Volunteers of

Illinois Militia on this day and that the remarks set opposite the names are accurate and Just. ABRAHAM LINCOLN Capt.

Annotation

[1]   ADS, Brown University. Bracketed passages were written in by Nathaniel B. Buckmaster, Inspector and Muster Officer, and the same hand also wrote crosswise between numbers 45 and 52, ``Capt. Lincoln 4th Rgt.'' Lack of space dictates the omission of a column headed ``Where enrolled,'' between ``When enrolled'' and ``Where discharged.'' All men were listed as enrolled in Sangamon County. A second copy of the Muster Roll, printed in facsimile in Thomas P. Reep, Lincoln at New Salem (1927), includes two additional names between numbers 67 and 68---Thomas Long and William Green. This copy also designates the place of enrollment as Richland, except for number 63, which is Beardstown, and number 68, which is Dixon's Ferry; and the column ``Where discharged'' is omitted. There are no ``Remarks'' for numbers 3 and 7, and remarks ``absent on furlough'' are given for numbers 37 and 56.

James Usill Collaborations

Unconscious Contact, Charles Harper Moore / Pteryx McKenna / James Usill / Erik Smith / David Carney / Flávio Carvalho, 2020

The Scottish actor Nicol Williamson was born on September 14th 1938 in Hamilton.

Williamson has been described as an enormously talented actor,  considered by some critics to be the finest actor of his generation in the late 1960s and the 1970s, rivalled only by Albert Finney in his generation.

Born the son of a factory owner. When he was 18 months old, his family moved to Birmingham, England. Williamson was sent back to Hamilton to live with his grandparents during World War II due to Birmingham’s susceptibility to bombing, but returned when the war ended, and was educated at the Central Grammar School for Boys, Birmingham

He left school at 16 to begin work in his father’s factory and later attended the Birmingham School of Speech & Drama. He recalled his time there as “a disaster” and claimed “it was nothing more than a finishing school for the daughters of local businessmen”. After his national service as a gunner in the Airborne Division, Williamson made his professional debut with the Dundee Repertory Theatre in 1960.

In 1962 he made his London debut as Flute in Tony Richardson’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Royal Court Theatre. His first major success came in 1964 with John Osborne’s Inadmissible Evidence for which he was nominated for a Tony Award when it transferred to Broadway in 1965. 1964 also saw him appearing as Vladimir in Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot at the Royal Court Theatre. In 1968, he starred in the film version. Williamson’s Hamlet for Tony Richardson at the Roundhouse caused a sensation and was later transferred to New York and made into a film, with a cast including Anthony Hopkins and Marianne Faithfull. Faithfull later stated in her autobiography Faithfull that she and Williamson had had an affair while filming Hamlet.

His most celebrated film role was as Merlin the magician in the King Arthur epic Excalibur in 1981. Director John Boorman cast him as Merlin opposite Helen Mirren as Morgana over the protests of both actors; the two had previously appeared together on stage in Macbeth, with disastrous results, and disliked each other intensely. It was Boorman’s hope that the very real animosity that they had towards each other would generate more tension between them on screen, as is evident from their scenes together. Williamson gained recognition from a much wider fanbase for his performance as Merlin. A review of Excalibur in the London Times in 1981 said, “The actors are led by Williamson’s witty, perceptive Merlin, missed every time he’s off the screen.”

Some of his other notable cinematic performances are as a deeply troubled Irish soldier in the 1968 Jack Gold film The Bofors Gun; Sherlock Holmes in the 1976 Herbert Ross film The Seven-Per-Cent Solution; and Little John in the 1976 Richard Lester film Robin and Marian.

Williamson had a reputation as a bit of a hellraiser and a troublesome man who was known for several tantrums and on-stage antics. During the Philadelphia tryout of Inadmissible Evidence, a play in which he delivered a performance that would win him a Tony Award nomination in 1965, he hit the equally mercurial producer David Merrick. In 1968 he apologised to the audience for his performance one night while playing Hamlet and then walked off the stage, announcing he was retiring. In the early 1970s, Williamson left the Dick Cavett Show prior to a scheduled appearance, leaving the host and guest Nora Ephron to fill the remaining time. In 1976, he slapped an actor during the curtain call for the Broadway musical, Rex. In 1991, he hit co-star Evan Handler on the backside with a sword during a Broadway performance of I Hate Hamlet.

In 1974, Williamson recorded an abridged reading of The Hobbit for Argo Records, with authorisation for abridgement provided by Tolkien’s publisher. The recording was produced by Harley Usill. According to his official website, Nicol himself re-edited the original script, removing many occurrences of “he said”, “she said”, and so on, as he felt that an over-reliance on descriptive narrative would not give the desired effect. In 1971, Williamson married actress Jill Townsend, who played his daughter in the Broadway production of Inadmissible Evidence. They had a son, Luke, but divorced in 1977.

Despite concerns over his health in the 1970s, Williamson admitted drinking heavily and claimed to smoke 80 cigarettes a day. In an episode of The David Frost Show in the 1960s, during a discussion about death, which also involved poet John Betjeman, Williamson revealed that he was very much afraid of dying, saying that “I think of death constantly, throughout the day” and that “I don’t think there is anything after this, except complete oblivion.” 

On 25th January 2012, Luke Williamson announced on his father’s official web site that Nicol Williamson had died on 16th December 2011, aged 75, after a two-year struggle with esophageal cancer. The news was released late as the actor did not want any fuss to be made over his death. 

There are few actors with a lengthy bio like Williamson’s on imdb.   https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0932116/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm

Wonder Woman  Diana Prince: I will fight, for those who can not fight for themselves. Fyi, Gal Gadot berlatih intensif selama 9 bulan dan berhasil meningkatkan 17 pound masa otot murni. Saat pengambilan gambar ulang dilakukan di awal pasca produksi Gal Gadot tengah mengandung 5 bulan. Kostum yang semula pas tak bisa digunakan. Para pengarah kostum kemudian membuat perubahan di sekitar perut agar dapat di berikan efek komputerisasi. Alhasil Gal Gadot malah melakukan semua adegan berbahaya tanpa menggunakan stuntman. Imho, DC this is what I am talking about! Good job Wonder Woman. Diana, putri dari sebuah kerajaan Themyschira. Sebuah kerajaan yang diisi oleh wanita saja di sebuah pulau yang dinamakan Paradise Island. Kerajaan tersebut diberkahi anugerah oleh Dewa Zeus, bahkan Diana dibuat oleh Hyppolita, ibunya dari tanah liat kemudian dihembuskan nyawa oleh Zeus. Diana remaja yang terus mempertanyakan jati dirinya meminta untuk diajarkan kemampuan perang dan beladiri hingga akhirnya ia menguasainya jelang usia dewasa. Sampai akhirnya sebuah pesawat yang dikemudikan kapten Steve Trevor, seorang mata-mata Amerika untuk Inggris melakukan pendaratan air di laut Paradise Island. Diana yang melihatnya langsung menolongnya, dan untuk pertama kalinya seorang Pria ada di Themyschira. Trevor yang di kejar pasukan Nazi malah membuat pengawal-pengawal kerajaan Themyschira terbunuh. Trevor mengatakan ia sedang melakukan sebuah misi rahasia untuk menyelamatkan manusia. Diana menduga ini ada kaitannya dengan Ares, Dewa Perang yang dikalahkan Zeus. Diana berniat mengalahkan Ares walaupun Hyppolita melarangnya. Berhasilkah Diana dan Steve? Film besutan Patty Jenkins ini menjadi film superhero wanita pertama yang dibuatkan filmnya setelah lebih dari 10 tahun lamanya, superhero wanita yang terakhir dibuatkan filmnya adalah Elektra dari Marvel sekitar tahun 2005. Film ini juga menjadi film kontinuitas dari DCEU yang dimulai lewat Man of Steel, Batman v Superman (BvS), dan Suicide Squad. Meski BvS dan Suicide Squad mendapatkan respon negatif terutama pada segi penceritaan tak membuat proyek ini gagal ditengah jalan. Sebuah beban berat disandangkan pada sineas wanita, Jenkins apakah ia berhasil mengangkat momen DCEU atau tidak. Percaya atau tidak, Jenkins dinilai berhasil. Jenkins lewat tim penulis cerita dan screenplay Allan Heinberg, sineas BvS Zack Snyder, dan Jason Fuchs meramu sebuah cerita menarik yang didasarkan pada cerita yang fundamental yang dibuat oleh komikus Wonder Woman, William Moulton Marston. Jenkins terlihat sekali tidak mau terlalu berambisi dalam menyajikan Wonder Woman. Ia meramu film dengan cukup ‘tenang’, bahkan dipadukan dengan teknik penceritaan flashback yang cukup kokoh. Selain itu elemen yang disajikan pun cukup kental. Jenkins seolah menggabungkan konsep dan elemen Thor dan Captain America The First Avengers ke dalam filmnya. Selain itu penceritaannya yang Flashback terkesan mirip dengan Iron Man III. Apakah Jenkins menjiplak ketiganya? Tentu saja tidak. Teknik penceritaan dan penggunaan konsep dan elemen memang dirasa tepat ini dikarenakan Jenkins menjaga kontinuitas yang telah dibuat Zack Snyder lewat sebelumnya bergulir BvS sehingga penceritaan alur mundur sangatlah tepat. Selain itu penerapan konsep Perang Dunia dan ‘Mythical’ memang tepat karena konsep Diana, Themyschira, dan Zeus erat kaitannya dengan mitologi, sedang misi perangnya sesuai dengan apa yang ada di komik. Melihat akting Gal Gadot, semua pasti akan setuju jika kita layak memberikan acungan dua jempol kepadanya. Ini dikarenakan ia berhasil merepresentasikan persona karakter yang disematkan padanya. Gal Gadot tampil meyakinkan bahkan begitu menawan dalam setiap adegan baik yang membutuhkan aksi laga, juga dialog-dialog yang dipenuhi bumbu-bumbu humor. Kita tak akan habis-habisnya terkesima melihat penampilannya yang anggun dan begitu flawless sepanjang film bergulir. Chris Pine yang dikenal lewat peran Captain James T. Kirk dalam saga Star Trek reboot rasanya tak perlu diragukan lagi. Ia menjadi penyeimbang dengan menghadirkan nuansa serius namun juga usil dan kocak lewat permainan mimik wajah yang cukup meyakinkan. Selain itu David Thwelis yang berperan sebagai Sir Patrick meski tak terlalu mencolok berhasil menampilkan twist yang dinilai berhasil di penghujung film, meski sebenarnya menurut saya tidak sepenuhnya twist karena terlalu kentara. Selain penceritaan yang tertata apik, mengalir dengan tenang, dan karakter yang loveable, ada satu lagi yang menjadi kunci keberhasilan film ini, yaitu atmosfir yang berhasil diramu dengan apik lewat arahan Jenkins. Salah satu elemen paling sukses adalah Scoring atau Wonder Woman Music Theme sukses memberikan nuansa kental dan menggebrak perhatian penonton, membuat penonton sesekali menahan kedipan atau sekedar mencengkram sandaran tangan. Scoring Wonder Woman sendiri dibuat oleh Hans Zimmer dan Junkie XL. Scoring ini sukses sekali membuat bulu kuduk kita merinding mendengarnya dikarenakan gubahannya yang begitu kuat, khas dan terkesan berani. Namun yang membuat Scoring tersebut menjadi makin spesial adalah permainan Cello Elektrik yang ditampilkan oleh Tina Guo seorang musisi handal berdarah asia. Tina sebenarnya banyak memakai elemen-elemen Wonder Woman di video clipnya, permainan cello nya yang terdengar tegas berani namun tak meninggalkan sisi lembut menjadi kunci bagaimana Scoring ini begitu khas. Scoring ini sebenarnya terdengar mirip dengan Immigrant Song karya Led Zeppelin, yang juga masuk dalam Original Soundtrack di film Thor Ragnarok. Namun hanya kemiripan belaka. Overall, sejumlah sisi positif di atas sudah menjelaskan bagaimana film ini tampil menawan dan mendapat respon positif. Saya pribadi menyukai apa yang Jenkins suguhkan lewat penceritaan yang lebih ringan, sedikit rumit, politik dan sentuhan mitologi yang khas dalam film ini. Cerita menjadi basis utama film ini terasa berbeda dari beberapa film DCEU. Dengan itu saja saya sebenarnya sudah sangat mengapresiasi sekali, Jenkins malah menambahkan sejumlah elemen yang membuat film ini jauh diatas dugaan saya yang berpikir ini akan berakhir seperti BvS. BvS tidak sepenuhnya buruk menurut saya poros cerita dapat saya pahami, megah tapi terasa biasa saja, sedang Wonder Woman sebaliknya. Ia tampil biasa saja, 'tenang’ namun meninggalkan kesan menawan yang membuat penonton ingin menonton lagi dan lagi. Akhir kata nilai 8 saya sematkan untuk film ini. Saya berharap proyek DCEU bisa semakin gemilang lewat kesuksesan film ini dan dipilihnya Joss Whedon untuk Justice League, dan semoga proyek trilogi teranyar Batman dapat pula terealisasi. Congrats for Diana, Princess of Themyschira. Nikkolassaputra.tumblr.com View on Path

The Scottish actor Nicol Williamson was born on October 14th 1938 in Hamilton.

Williamson was an enormously talented actor who was considered by some critics to be the finest actor of his generation in the late 1960s and the 1970s, rivalled only by Albert Finney in his generation.

Born the son of a factory owner. When he was 18 months old, his family moved to Birmingham, England. Williamson was sent back to Hamilton to live with his grandparents during World War II due to Birmingham’s susceptibility to bombing, but returned when the war ended, and was educated at the Central Grammar School for Boys, Birmingham

He left school at 16 to begin work in his father’s factory and later attended the Birmingham School of Speech & Drama. He recalled his time there as “a disaster” and claimed “it was nothing more than a finishing school for the daughters of local businessmen”. After his national service as a gunner in the Airborne Division, Williamson made his professional debut with the Dundee Repertory Theatre in 1960.

 In 1962 he made his London debut as Flute in Tony Richardson’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Royal Court Theatre. His first major success came in 1964 with John Osborne’s Inadmissible Evidence for which he was nominated for a Tony Award when it transferred to Broadway in 1965. 1964 also saw him appearing as Vladimir in Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot at the Royal Court Theatre. In 1968, he starred in the film version. Williamson’s Hamlet for Tony Richardson at the Roundhouse caused a sensation and was later transferred to New York and made into a film, with a cast including Anthony Hopkins and Marianne Faithfull. Faithfull later stated in her autobiography Faithfull that she and Williamson had had an affair while filming Hamlet.

His most celebrated film role was as Merlin the magician in the King Arthur epic Excalibur in 1981. Director John Boorman cast him as Merlin opposite Helen Mirren as Morgana over the protests of both actors; the two had previously appeared together on stage in Macbeth, with disastrous results, and disliked each other intensely. It was Boorman’s hope that the very real animosity that they had towards each other would generate more tension between them on screen, as is evident from their scenes together. Williamson gained recognition from a much wider fanbase for his performance as Merlin. A review of Excalibur in the London Times in 1981 said, “The actors are led by Williamson’s witty, perceptive Merlin, missed every time he’s off the screen.”

Some of his other notable cinematic performances are as a deeply troubled Irish soldier in the 1968 Jack Gold film The Bofors Gun; Sherlock Holmes in the 1976 Herbert Ross film The Seven-Per-Cent Solution; and Little John in the 1976 Richard Lester film Robin and Marian. 

Williamson had a reputation as a bit of a hellraiser and a troublesome man who was known for several tantrums and on-stage antics. During the Philadelphia tryout of Inadmissible Evidence, a play in which he delivered a performance that would win him a Tony Award nomination in 1965, he hit the equally mercurial producer David Merrick. In 1968 he apologised to the audience for his performance one night while playing Hamlet and then walked off the stage, announcing he was retiring. In the early 1970s, Williamson left the Dick Cavett Show prior to a scheduled appearance, leaving the host and guest Nora Ephron to fill the remaining time. In 1976, he slapped an actor during the curtain call for the Broadway musical, Rex. In 1991, he hit co-star Evan Handler on the backside with a sword during a Broadway performance of I Hate Hamlet.

In 1974, Williamson recorded an abridged reading of The Hobbit for Argo Records, with authorisation for abridgement provided by Tolkien’s publisher. The recording was produced by Harley Usill. According to his official website, Nicol himself re-edited the original script, removing many occurrences of “he said”, “she said”, and so on, as he felt that an over-reliance on descriptive narrative would not give the desired effect. In 1971, Williamson married actress Jill Townsend, who played his daughter in the Broadway production of Inadmissible Evidence. They had a son, Luke, but divorced in 1977.

Despite concerns over his health in the 1970s, Williamson admitted drinking heavily and claimed to smoke 80 cigarettes a day. In an episode of The David Frost Show in the 1960s, during a discussion about death, which also involved poet John Betjeman, Williamson revealed that he was very much afraid of dying, saying that “I think of death constantly, throughout the day” and that “I don’t think there is anything after this, except complete oblivion.” On 25 January 2012, Luke Williamson announced on his father’s official web site that Nicol Williamson had died on 16th December 2011, aged 75, after a two-year struggle with esophageal cancer. The news was released late as the actor did not want any fuss to be made over his death. Yes I have noticed its a month early, it flagged up for today so it is staying....

There are few actors with a lengthy bio like Williamson’s on imdb.   https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0932116/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm