Happy Tax Day!

16th Century Russian tax collectors
conducting an audit

Collecting more taxes than is absolutely necessary is legalized robbery.

- Calvin Coolidge -

What at first was plunder assumed the softer name of revenue.

- Thomas Paine -

A fine is a tax for doing something wrong. A tax is a fine for doing something right.

- Anonymous -

The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax.

- Albert Einstein -

We don’t pay taxes. Only the little people pay taxes.

- Leona Helmsley - 

 

Thirty-Six Views of the Eiffel Tower

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Henri Rivière (1864-1951) was French artist. When Japan opened up in the 1850s a wave of goods had entered Europe, including woodprints which considerably influenced European artists. They were to influence Rivière as well. 

In 1888 the construction of the Eiffel tower began. Inspired by Hokusai’s Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji Rivière decided to do a similar portfolio featuring the tower. He started by trying to replicate the Japanese printing process, although he actually didn't know how it was done. His experimentation led to two prints, but it was a costly and time-consuming process, so he abandoned it for lithography for the rest of the series.

These images are from the Public Domain Review' post Henri Rivière’s Thirty-Six Views of the Eiffel Tower (1888–1902). There are more images at that post, as well as a discussion of his series. 

Henri Rivière

Ahora Me Da Pena

Get ready for a compunctious weekend with Son Qba.

 

End of the road

A fellow decides to investigate where the Zzyzx road goes. Because of its odd name I had heard of the road, although I had no idea where it was. It turns out that it is in the Mojave Desert. At the end of it was a mineral springs and health spa founded by Curtis Howe Springer, a mid-20th century quack who was peddling medicinal potions. It is now used as a university's research station.  

   

Happy Easter

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The eggs have been decorated, the Easter Bunny has hidden them away, if you're of the mind you've gone to Church, and an Easter meal awaits. Below, in keeping with my habit of posting artwork on Sunday, I offer a small sample of lily paintings.

Happy Easter all.

  

You Don't Own Me

Get ready for a manumitted weekend with the EastSide Band.

 

Contemplating minutia

A fallen feather

knows as much about return

as any wandering comet.

Small things keep their own sky.

― Monika Ajay Kaul ―

Nothing is small when you magnify it by eternity.

― Reed S. Hansen ―

It’s a big world but we are small.

Every little thing matters a lot.

― Bhuwan Thapaliya ―

I guess I love the small things in life.

― Daisy Lowe ―