Through the use of popular crafts and art forms, we have been able to have a look into the past and how various cultures were able to represent their own traditions. Arts and crafts are present everywhere, from the Americas, to the Pacific.

Each nation has its own form of crafts or art. India is well known for their wide range of cultural displays. European art started to show the impact of the growing culture in the nineteenth century, and it also showed a decrease in the romanticism aspects.

Machines were invented instead of hands having to make various art forms. In our world today, no matter where you live, it is hard to imagine living without machines, without metal, or technology.

Even though technology has highly evolved from recent years, the term, craft, is still referred to as activities that involve some sort of skill, or a dedication to a specific object and tradition.

Even though each culture in the world has a different idea of tradition, they still remain true to the idea of craft.

Women’s rights around the world are also an important factor of their craft skill. When women live in countries with very little input about the workplace and they are to stay in the home, they often have a more traditional skill for crafts or art.

They only know the skill that their own mothers or grandmothers taught them for married life. The only problem is that when these women are silent wives, with the bread winning husband, they are not recognized for their wonderful talents, and instead it is thought of as their household duty.

In countries where women are thought to be equal, their craft skill is more appreciated and they are able to show their talents in the work force. The sad truth is that the issue of women only being in the home affects more countries than few.

For example, in most of south East Asia, the primary role of the woman is to mend the flock and take care of the home.

Most of their daily activities involve the crafts that so many of the women before them knew, but their activities are not granted with pay or recognition due to the fact that the man believes that it is her duty to him.

In India, the role for the woman is slightly more advanced. The area is less traditional in the means that the woman should stay home and tend to the house.

However, the woman is usually thought to still take part in traditional crafts, such as making saris or clothing wraps. America is very much the same.

While women do not have to wear special wraps to show their place in society or make traditional garments, they still practice basic crafts each day in the home. America is thought to be the best place for equality for women, but many people still assume that a woman’s place is in the home.

Many women are embracing this idea and staying home, while others choose to show their skills in the work place.

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Bored by day to day life they have found a new opening in Indian modern art, for them its very interesting to talk and discuss art issues with some illiterate artist coming out from remote areas. Having lost all glamour of sex life, family life, and partying with their husbands; they have now invented a new concept for their enjoyment in art. Art means partying, kissing and drinking than making some fuss about art and its market. Artist feels fortunate to see himself in such a big party arranged by his malkin or malik gallery owner. A gallery owner makes scandals, to raise prices of a particular artist in online auction or auctions arranged by them physically in some five star hotels, they earn millions and millions.

Artists are not concerned with art and creativity either; they are more concerned with their names in auction list. Artists are no more Artists, they are craftsman; creating things on demand basis. Once they have started selling their craft (since their art is more decorative than artistic) they go on creating same thing. Ranjit Hoskote, says in an article in Business Week that fear is that artists may be sacrificing quality for quantity. Given the growing demand, some artists have become painting factories. Let us take example of some known names in Indian modern art, Ramkumar, T.Vaikuntham, Jogen Chaudhury, M.F.Husain to name few among many are producing same kind of works; boring and monotonous since a long time, far it is in demand. They never tried to transcend styles as though they have no creative urge. They never contemplated on arts dangerous ability to go toward what exists, by the infinite multiplicity of the imaginary.

Other leading art forms too like cinema, dance, and music are not lagging behind, here Kiss and sex is creativity since sex sells. See how do Rakhi Sawant kinds of item girls take creativity? Rakhi Sawant says, ‘yadi mere dance mein mazaa nahin aata toh mujhe dekh kar enjoy karo.’ She has nothing to offer except her vulgar body, she confesses,’ Aaj kal ke latest fashion mein ye dance hota hai, jo dikhta hai vo aaj kal ka fashion hai.’

This is not only Rakhi Sawant case; films are also using the same concept of creativity. Look at Mahesh Bhatt directed majority of films, he too has nothing to offer except sex, murder, and movies on extramarital affairs, and premarital affairs. No doubt there are some great Indian directors in film industry who do offer love, relationship, sex in a very creative way, they don’t deny sex but they never go for a vulgar exposition of sex which is very natural human behavior. Those who are pro to vulgarity and justify it as most important thing, forget that it needs not be taught since it is a biological instinct which everyone knows by birth. You don’t need to teach man how to make sex; it’s a genetic behavior which even a blind man can perform well. Opposed to these art forms literature has two categories: one which does not belong to creative aspect of literature and another one which only belongs to feudal-bourgeoisie petty emotions.

Regarding first category it is a fact that literati belongs to this category are pseudo Marxists, who do believe that all literature is socio-political in nature. Therefore the characters set forth in action in a set story line in a novel or in a short story; are peculiar in deeds and thought. They are obscure images who neither represent a social- being nor a Marxist man; rather they are ideological representatives in their vagueness. They are vague in deeds and thoughts since they never confront ‘truth of life’. Life does not revolve around bread only it has some higher purposes; it is creative in its being.

Another approach taken by feudal-bourgeoisie literati intellectuals is full of hedonism representing those very individualists, who never think for others. They write stories of pubs and parties, they have everything tradition, religion, jadu-tona, ghosts, and witches. It’s reflecting visually on television channels like Star Plus, Zee etc. In the hot Serials of these channels Women and Men is being represented utterly superstitious and ritualistic. Recently the ideal of that society and he who belongs to that society shown his beliefs openly in his action; I am talking about Amitabh-Aishwarya-Abhishek trio. See how they had shown us the path to progress. They wanted to show us that since they are famous and rich, they can promote anything superstition, jadu- tona, sacrifice, ritualism etc. This is but logical for them; above all people always follow to those who are successful in the society.

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Cook Islands dancing displays are renowned throughout Polynesia for their expression and sensuality. Many of the dances are based on ancient stories and tell a tale of love or adventure and in some cases both. The gifts of music, song and dance play a large part in the culture of the Cook Islands and native children are introduced to them at a very young age.

Cook Island Dances

Each of the 15 islands that make up the Cook Islands has a slightly different dancing technique which makes their performances unique. Children begin to dance as soon as they can walk and the islands compete in a festival once a year for the honour of being the best.

In general, the women dance with a swaying hip movement that slowly goes from side to side. They dance with flat feet – which is hard to do while swaying the hips – and the shoulders should be kept absolutely still. In fact, girls and young women are judged on how still they keep their shoulders while dancing – the stiller they are the better dancer they are considered to be.

The men meanwhile dance with slightly bent knees, which they knock together in time with the drum beat. They also have a grinding movement and overall their dance is very jerky when compared to the smooth swaying of the women. The two dances are completely opposite but when they are performed together they produce a dance which is simply described as spellbinding.

Cook IslandsMusic

Cook Island dancing is always accompanied by music and, on most occasions, there are singers as well. The singers and drummers from these small islands are considered by many to be the best in Polynesia and they are known around the world for their perfectionism.

The singers tell traditional tales in the native language, while the drummers and other musicians accompany them with a rhythmic beating of their drums. The music is described as being hypnotic and when combined with the swaying dancers and the general atmosphere, Cook Island dancing really is something to behold.

The Costumes

Cook Island dancing would not be complete without the traditional costumes. The skirts, which are worn by both men and women, are made from cotton material or bark cloth covered with grass, long green leaves and dried bark strips. These are often adorned with shells, seeds, bright leaves and colourful flowers.

The headdresses are made from bright flowers and are very ornamental. They are easily the most prominent part of the costume, and the men regularly have feathers attached for added height. The costumes can take months to make, especially if they are for an upcoming festival, however once made they can last for years.

Where to watch Cook Islands Dancing

Many of the resorts on Rarotonga (the main island) and Aitutaki (the other main tourism island) hold dance performances each week throughout the year. People staying at the resorts can watch for free; however non-residents have to pay a small admission fee. For this fee they are allowed to watch the performance and take in the time-honoured atmosphere with the music, costumes and a traditional home-cooked feast. Many of the resorts encourage visitors to join in with the dancing so that they can get a feel for the movements and the sensuality of the dances.

Rarotonga is also home to the Cook Islands Cultural Village. This is an educational village where visitors can learn about the history of the Cook Islands and the rituals that are performed there. There is a section of the village which explains the history of the dances and what some of the movements mean. This allows visitors to better understand the dances when they see them performed.

Conclusion

Cook Islands dancing dates back thousands of years; however the performers today show just as much expression as the ancestors that created the unique movements. Music and dancing play a large part in the lives of the Cook Islanders and they are arts that the inhabitants are particularly known for. Tradition is also sacred to the people of the islands and the tradition of the dances is one that will continue to be passed on with each new generation.

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From the beginning, Dr. Jigoro Kano Judo’s founder taught anyone who wanted to learn. It was the first time this type of training, normally reserved for nobility, was made available to the masses. Kano sent instructors all over the world to teach people the martial art and expose them to Japanese culture. Unlike before, students of any nationality were welcomed and encouraged to train at the Kodokan Judo Institute in Tokyo. A special section was eventually set up to help teach foreigners this amazing martial art. Among these foreigners was British police officer William Fairbairn. He would go on earn his black belt in Judo (2nd degree) and would go to teach other police officers and soldiers practical close combat and self defense techniques based of what he learned. Kano would travel the world teaching and lecturing and in 1938 he even sat on the Olympic committee in an effort to bring the Olympics to Tokyo.

The American team embodied the true spirit of Judo and as well served as a snapshot of American society of the day. The team to head to Tokyo in 1964 included African American George Harris, an Air Force veteran who had won a number of important tournaments around the world. In addition to military competitions and he trained at the Kodokan in Japan several times. Another Air Force veteran to join the team was Native American Ben Nighthorse Campbell, who was first introduced to Judo by Japanese friends growing up in California. Like Harris, he continued to practice Judo in the military and trained bomber pilots in combat martial arts as part of their survival training. Also on the team was James Bergman, a Jew who’s Asthma forced him to stay inside so he trained in Judo to keep fit and be able to fight off bullies (an added benefit of this martial art). His dedication would bring him to the Olympics. He would even train with martial arts legend and author Donn Draeger. Finally, veteran Judo instructor Yosh Uchida a Japanese American would coach the team.

The competition was fierce at the Olympics in 1964, but the Japanese would still dominate three of the four weight classes. The one exception was the 6′7″ 320 pound Anton Geesink of Holland who won a gold medal bye defeating Akio Kaminaga in the open weight division. Though victorious Geesink would behave honorably and prevent Dutch fans from fighting with Japanese fans who were shocked by the defeat. James Bergman would be the only American to medal with a Bronze. Though American didn’t bring home the Gold Meda,l the team made a good showing and earned the respect of other nations. The United States would not win another medal in Judo until 1976 when Allen J. Coage an African American won the Bronze Medal. Though the United States has yet to win a Gold Medal in Judo, American teams remain competitive in the Olympics and other competitions.

The original members of the 1964 team still continued to contribute to the sport today. George Harris continued to compete though he would not compete in the Olympics again. He also helped found the United States Judo Association and remains active as a board member. Though he has been ill in the last few years he continues to train which he credits with keeping him strong. Ben Campbell also worked to promote Judo with Harris in the USJA and is on the board. Campbell would also work as a police officer, teacher, and be elected as Senator for Colorado from 1993 until 2005. Bergman also teaches, writes, and continues to promote Judo. He remains proud to be a member of America’s first Olympic Judo team.

In a time when society was demanding equality for all and that a man be judged by his ability not his race a group of athletes stood up and became a symbol of America. For many the team meant another step forward for civil rights, but to the team it was just being true sportsmen. Sports don’t build character, they reveal it and in 1964 the United States showed what could be done if everyone worked together.

“This article is brought to you by Gus Woltmann”.

Paper dolls have never been a typical sort of toy. They embody, simplicity – familiar fashions and faces printed on a barely two-dimensional, flat object. While many historians locate the origins of paper dolls amongst the ancient civilizations of the Chinese, Japanese, and Western Europe, the modern manufacture of paper dolls began in the late 1700s, accompanying popular children’s literature in Europe and America.

The Click and Print Age

What is the appeal of the paper doll? While classified as a toy, it is certainly not an amusement limited to adolescents, or even girls. Activities known as “dress-up games,” which now includes the printable paper doll, are a popular internet pastime in contemporary America, possibly cultivated by our ongoing cultural obsession with both fashion and virtual reality. “Dress-up games are an ultra-simplified version of the virtual reality phenomenon, which caters to our escapist desires, but also offers a measure of control that is impossible to maintain in realistic life.

The paper doll fascination has never completely disappeared from youth culture in America, but the annual release of PC games and video game consoles, liberally-equipped cellular phones, and virtual reality simulations has produced stiff competition in a developing entertainment industry that thrives on the desire for unlimited options.

Luckily for paper doll fanatics, this delightful diversion has not been utterly abandoned by the technological age, but has been absorbed into the throng of information now appropriated by the internet. Once the rare possession of wealthy families, this paper pleasure has reached the height of accessibility in the form of the printable paper doll.

The images have changed from prima ballerinas and Victorian nobility to Disney princesses and media starlets, but the sentiment remains the same. In fact, paper doll culture has expanded to accommodate the multi-social world of America, responding to the vast and innumerable combinations that make up our individual interests. There are paper doll figures of Audrey Hepburn and Rita Hayworth for Grandma, right alongside cut-outs of Naruto and Paris Hilton for little Tommy and Jessica.

The use of paper dolls has been optimized, targeted even towards more specialized groups – the science fiction and fantasy crowd, Goths, historians, Wiccans, Fetishists, Anime, Biblical, and countless others. Websites like Gail’s Paper Dolls, Marilee’s Paper Dolls, and Spacestation42 compile a list of printable paper dolls that are sure to offer appeal to anyone and everyone – for Mom and Dad, Grandma and Grandpa, eccentric Uncle Leonard, and the kids.

Instead of disappearing into the abyss of lost amusements, paper doll fanatics have revived the paper doll and solidified its place in entertainment culture by becoming participants in the production process, as well, putting the printable paper doll only a click away from other internet users.

“This article is brought to you by Gus Woltmann”.

Carving was and still is a big part of Maori culture. Wood was used to carve flutes, elaborate posts, and war canoes with elaborate carvings, treasure boxes and wall panels. Whale bone and cow bone is used to make flutes and symbolic jewelry. Shells are also carved for personal adornment. The symbols portrayed are deep in religious and cultural meaning. The Koru, or spiral, is the symbol of life and rebirth. Tikis are often carved in personal pieces, on posts and wall panels to represent fertility or protection. They may be worn or displayed on special occasions.

Carvings of sea creatures and the tails of whales, a very special animal to the Maori, are also common. Another common carving subject is Manaia, a figure with a bird’s head. Another is Marakihau, a sea monster who took human form. Elaborate bone fishhook ornaments were carved to symbolize prosperity, abundance and fertility. Today, new carvers still learn the skills passed down from generation to generation.

Weaving was a needed craft. From the sturdy New Zealand flax plant, the Maori learned to weave cloaks, skirts, baskets, floor mats, and sails. These weavings were dyed and decorated. Some were used in everyday tasks and some were reserved for sacred use. The weaving of fine cloaks was the pinnacle of women’s arts. They often combined the flax with dog fur and feathers. Before the moa was extinct, moa feathers were often used for decoration. Today’s students still study the weaving traditions. After attending the weaving school, they do not get diplomas. Their diploma is the work that they produce.

The Maori also have a lively history of music and dance. Visitors to Rotorua can attend midday concerts that introduce them to the culture. Traditional dances such as the Poi dance, the haka, or war dance and the complex Tititorea (stick games) are performed. The Maori have some unique musical instruments, including the putangitangi, or whistling bowl. This is a small, enclosed clay bowl with a small hole at the top. Whistling close to the top hole produces a mournful echo. The puritorito or spinning wheel is a wooden disk with string threaded through the center. The disk is spun in the center, and then the strings are pulled tight to create a sound like wind blowing through the reeds. The sound waves from this instrument were often used to loosen phlegm in babies. The koauau or short flute is a hollow flute carved from a flax stem. The end was covered by a finger, and then the musician would whistle into the opening, creating a variety of tones.

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At its heart is Union Terrace Gardens, nestling below the imposing backdrop of three of Aberdeen’s finest granite buildings. Together the Central Library, St Mark’s Church and His Majesty’s Theatre known locally as ‘Education, Salvation and Damnation’ provide the key to the evolution of the region’s cultural life.

With such a prosperous heritage, there are many splendid places that capture the colourful history of Aberdeen- – the impressive turreted Town House on Union Street; the castellated Citadel at The Castlegate and the striking grandeur of Marischal College. In old Aberdeen you can discover the past by visiting 500 year old University Kings College and St Machar’s Cathedral. Old Aberdeen, which surrounds the University, is like taking a step back in time, with its tranquil cobbled streets and narrow walkways.

Museums and Galleries
Art enthusiasts will love Aberdeen. The city’s Art Gallery, which was opened in 1885, houses a wonderful collection of Scottish and international works and contemporary exhibitions. It is the largest public gallery in the North of Scotland and one of the city’s most popular tourist attractions. A beautiful granite building with a striking marble lined interior, it houses a varied collection of works of art, including outstanding examples of Modern Art, and work by the Impressionists and the Scottish Colourists. Visitors can also see contemporary craft, Aberdeen silver and a wide range of decorative art and there are regular changing displays and special exhibitions, events and activities.

There are also many smaller galleries worth seeking out within the city and Aberdeenshire, while local artists are often displays on the walls of the region’s restaurants.

Marischal Museum holds the principal collections of the University of Aberdeen, comprising some 80,000 items in the areas of fine art, Scottish history and archaeology, and European, Mediterranean and Near Eastern archaeology. The permanent displays and reference collections are augmented by regular temporary exhibitions. The museum is in the old building of Marischal College, on Broad Street, the second largest granite building in the world (after the Escorial, Madrid) which will soon also become the headquarters of Aberdeen City Council.

The 16th century Provost Skene’s House is now one of the city’s few remaining examples of medieval architecture. It contains an attractive series of period room settings, recalling the graceful furnishings of earlier times. The displays include a suite of 17th century rooms, a Regency Parlour and an Edwardian Nursery. Visitors can also see a unique series of religious paintings in the painted gallery, where scenes from the life of Christ can be found on the ceiling.

The Tolbooth on Castle Street was built between 1616 and 1629. Formerly known as the Wardhouse, it was a gaol for those awaiting either trial in the adjacent court or punishment. Now the home of Aberdeen’s Museum of Civic History it focuses on the history of crime and punishment within the city. Here you can visit the original cells where witches, debtors, criminals and felons spent their days. The Museum features an extensive programme of events for all ages with a variety of talks on aspects of local history and exhibitions featuring objects related to Mary Queen of Scots, James VI, crime and medieval instruments of punishment.

Situated on the historic Shiprow, the award-winning Aberdeen Maritime museum also incorporates Provost Ross’s house, which was built in 1593. The museum tells the story of the city’s long relationship with the sea, from the days of sail and clipper ships to the latest oil and gas exploration technology. This unique collection covers ship-building, fast sailing ships, fishing and port history and is the only place in the UK where you can see displays on the North Sea oil industry. It includes an 8.5m (28 feet) high model of the Murchison oil production platform and nineteenth century lenses from Rattray Head Lighthouse.

On the outskirts of the city The Gordon Highlanders Museum is home to the regimental treasures of the world-famous Gordon Highlanders and tells the exciting story of one of Scotland’s best-known regiments, while in the countryside near Maryculter, Blairs Museum of Scotland’s catholic heritage displays an interesting collections of paintings, church textiles, silver and Jacobite memorabilia, including a full length memorial portrait of Mary Queen of Scots dressed as she was on the day of her execution.

The Japanese Connection
One of the most influential of the region’s historical figures is Thomas Blake Glover, (1838-1911), the founder of Japan’s mighty Mitsubishi empire. His family home, Glover House, can be visited at Bridge of Don on the outskirts of the city. Thomas Blake Glover is today revered in Japan as being one of the founders of modern Japan. He had a crucial role in the industrialisation of Japan and in the introduction of Western developments in manufacturing, while helping to overthrow the Shogun and restoring the rightful heir to the Imperial Throne of Japan. His personal life may also have provided the basis for the Madam Butterfly story, immortalised in the opera by Puccini.

The house has been recreated as Glover would have known it in the 1860s. A guided tour will help explore Glover’s story, and visitors will see an authentic Victorian Parlour, Dining Room, Bedroom and Victorian Kitchen, as well as admiring Samurai armour and other Japanese memorabilia.

Music and Theatre
The Music Hall has been the heart of entertainment in the city for over 180 years. Formerly the city’s Assembly Rooms, it was designed by the celebrated architect Archibald Simpson. It now features more than 200 performances a year from pop to country and classical to contemporary and regularly plays host to the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, and the BBC Scottish Symphony orchestra, as well as a variety of pop/rock concerts and the annual Aberdeen International Youth Festival.

For larger ’stadium’ style events, Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference centre is the North’s premier facility for major rock and pop concerts, sporting events, public shows and exhibitions.

Aberdeen’s music scene includes a variety of live music venues including pubs, clubs and church choirs. The bars of Belmont Street are particularly known for featuring live music. Ceilidhs are also sometimes held in the city’s halls.
His Majesty’s Theatre in Aberdeen, which first opened its doors in 1906, continues to attract an eclectic range of top quality theatre productions from West End musicals to opera, ballet, contemporary dance, drama and much more. Acclaimed performances of Grease, Chicago, Miss Saigon and Equus have all been enthusiastically received by sell-out audiences.

For art house cinema and independent productions, head for The Belmont Picturehouse on Belmont Cinema, and don’t forget to take a look at Aberdeen Arts Centre, the venue for the region’s many excellent drama groups which reliably stage first class musical theatre and drama.

Events and festivals
Aberdeen is home to a host of events and festivals including the Aberdeen International Youth Festival (the world’s largest arts festival for young performers), Aberdeen Jazz festival, Rootin Aboot (folk and roots music event) Triptych (Scottish music) and the University of Aberdeen’s literature festival, Word.

Inspired by over half a century of rich musical tradition under the direction of Lady Aberdeen, the Summer Music Festival at Haddo House has also become a firm fixture in the Aberdeen City and Shire cultural calendar,
Cultural influences within the region may have been many and varied and all warmly welcomed, but the Aberdeen character remains firmly grounded in the traditions of the past. The local dialect Doric is often celebrated in poetry readings and literature, there are many highland games throughout the region which keep alive the traditional ‘heavy’ sports such as caber tossing, while highland dancing and bagpipe or fiddle playing are still popular choices with youngsters taking up music and dance.

If you are lucky enough to be visiting for Hogmanay, the Stonehaven Fireball Festival is a unique event not to be missed. To welcome in the New Year, a procession swinging huge fireballs over their heads walks through the town before flinging their fireballs into the sea. Street entertainment and a firework display add to the atmosphere.
Literary Connections

Robert Louis Stevenson wrote Treasure Island while staying in Braemar in the summer of 1881 and Lord Byron lived in Aberdeen in his early life, attending Aberdeen Grammar School. Named George Gordon Byron after his grandfather, George Gordon of Gight, an Aberdeenshire laird, Byron bore Royal blood, descended through his mother from King James 1. In his epic poem, Dark Lochnagar, he described the ’steep frowning glories’ of one of Deeside’s most famous mountains.

South of Aberdeen you’ll find the Lewis Grassic Gibbon visitors centre, which celebrates the life and times of the region’s most noteworthy literary figure. Grassic Gibbon grew up in the village of Arbuthnott in the early 20th century. His most famous work, A Scots Quair, and in particular Sunset Song, document his life there and have become a Scottish classic.

The Word Festival, one of Scotland’s most popular literary events takes place each spring. With readings, discussions, music, art and film it has played host to many celebrated authors such as Irvine Walsh, Lionel Shriver, Deborah Moggach, Iain Banks, Ian Rankin, Lynda La Plante, William McIllvanney, Richard E. Grant to name just a few.

“This article is brought to you by Gus Woltmann”.

Although Thai culture has had many influences including those from countries such as India and China, the real roots of Thailand’s art history are deeply imbedded in Buddhism. Thai-Buddhist’s strive for harmony and serenity, and this is clearly represented throughout their artwork. Stemming back thousands of years, Thailand’s traditional art began when Buddhism first reached the country. Its followers decorated the walls and ceilings of the monasteries and temples (wats) with murals depicting Buddhist customs and rituals together with scenes from their everyday life.

The Thai-Buddhist style incorporates many symbols and patterns that have special religious significance. However, unlike other Buddhist imagery, Thai-Buddhist art is pared down to its simplest form to ensure that it does not to detract from the Buddhist message. Here, perspective is not important, as the figures depicted are shown larger or smaller, depending upon their status. The end result is a highly stylized yet effortless form of narrative. Examples of which can still be found on the walls and ceilings of wats throughout Thailand today, and in particular in Wat Suthat in Bangkok and Wat Suwannaram in Thon Buri.

Together with imagery of the Buddha, Thai art also includes representations of monks, as well as demons or Kinnaras and Kinnarees (beings that are half human and half bird) and other mythical creatures. Throughout, intricate patterns are used as decoration and often incorporate symbols and motifs that are found in nature such as the lotus flower, the orchid, butterflies, birds and rice.

Buddhism venerates tradition and respect for the past as well as the future. Therefore, alongside Buddhist teachings, the traditional skills and expertise used to create such intricate works of art were passed down through the generations. These skills are evident in the silverware, ceramics, carvings, silks and paintings that are available today.

One such example is found in the geometrically decorated, hand painted bone china, Benjarong. Legend has it that this highly ornamented form of pottery was introduced to Thailand by a Chinese princess who married into the Thai Royal family sometime during China’s Ming dynasty (1368 – 1644). Meaning ‘five colors’, Benjarong was traditionally painted in the five colors: red, white, green, yellow and blue. However, today Benjarong is decorated using a more elaborate palate, which also includes 18 carat gold.

The Thai people are rightly proud of their cultural heritage. Throughout history the Thai Royal family have supported the arts and crafts movement of their country. The current reigning Monarchs are particularly strong patrons of the arts, with Her Majesty Queen Sirikit establishing the SUPPORT Foundation in 1976, in order to help preserve Thailand’s cultural heritage. The SUPPORT Foundation provides vocational training to the residents of rural communities throughout Thailand and enables them to develop and maintain the skills and techniques of the ancient master craftsmen and women.

Today, the popularity of much of Thailand’s art and craft is growing thanks to the Western world’s love of contemporary interior design. The contemporary style favors clean lines and a sleek look that has strong echoes in Buddhist philosophy. The simple, graceful shapes and delicate patterns found in Thai art and craft are timeless, therefore traditional Thai designs have managed to find a niche within a contemporary market. Thai art and craft is therefore unique, as in no other time has traditional, cultural designs been able to work in harmony within another design style. Each piece has an effortless, uncomplicated feel that comfortably fits within a contemporary setting. It’s therefore easy to see why the traditional art and craft work of Thailand has become such a popular addition to many modern homes.

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This magnificent visual guide to the martial arts is divided into seven sections, with each section focusing on the indigenous and imported styles synonymous with a particular geographical region. These sections include: India and South Asia; China and East Asia; Southeast Asia and Oceania; Japan and Okinawa; Europe; Africa, Middle East and Central Asia; and finally The Americas. In these seven sections there are descriptions of more than 300 fighting styles. Included are the obvious well known martial arts such as Judo, Karate, Taekwondo, and Aikido. But also included are little know obscure arts like Aki Kiti, Ba Ji Quan, Mizongyi, Taekyon, Banshay, and many others. The book is truly a fascinating look at more martial art styles than most people ever realized existed. Pictures range from ancient drawings, old photographs, and modern photos of stunning displays of martial prowess with fascinating backdrops. There are action shots from competitions and martial art demonstrations as well as those from training sessions and ancient training halls and temples. I can’t stress enough what a visual feast this book is for the martial art enthusiast.

The text includes descriptions of the various fighting styles as well as notes on key players in the arts history as well as modern masters. The book illustrates key weapons the various styles are known for and describes the main principles and theories behind the styles. Obviously, due to how the book is organized, the country and culture of each style is also provided. These descriptions are brief, but make for a very interesting overview of the arts to accompany the great photographs.

Scattered among the descriptions and colorful pictures are quotes that capture the spirit of the various arts and warriors who devised them and helped shape the styles into not only methods of fighting but for many a way of life. I was glad to see one of my favorite quotes from Karate Master Gichin Funakoshi, “The ultimate goal of karate lies not in victory or defeat but in the perfection of the character of its participants.”

This book is truly a work of art and a wealth of information. It could easily take a place on the coffee table of any martial artist, or a professional lobby or school front for anyone who practices the arts. And it is definitely a marvelous addition to any martial art library. I sincerely thank Chris Crudelli for putting such a book together. I highly recommend this for all martial artists and those who follow the warrior’s path.

“This article is brought to you by Gus Woltmann”.

Amsterdam is a city of less than one million residents but has over 50 theatres and movie houses, two ballet troupes, a symphony orchestra, and numerous museums.

The Leidesplein is the theatre district of Amsterdam. Many of the numerous theater cinemas are themed in that each carries a certain type of film – art house, film noir, English only, new, etc. The Dutch run the film in it’s original language with the sub-titles in Dutch dialogue; as a result, visitors can often find a film in their native tongue; especially English.

The various theatres carry the best and latest in operas, symphonies, dances, and various other concerts. It is not uncommon to find a theatrical production being played out in a plaza or park. There is even a theatre that specializes in programs for the younger generation.

The Dutch art scene covers everything from graffiti to works by the masters; both inside the museums and galleries and out on the streets.

Some 50 of the over 400 museums in The Netherlands are located within the city of Amsterdam and are among the city’s most popular tourist attractions. Besides the typical works of the masters, modern art, film, and photography; some of the museums that can be found in Amsterdam are the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, a Botanical Museum, a museum dedicated to the Dutch resistance during World War II, the Heineken Experience, the Ajax Museum (Dutch football team), a houseboat museum, a torture museum, museums dedicated to sex and erotica, NEMO a hands on science museum for the children that is housed in a boat shaped building, the shipping museum, a Biblical Museum, the tropical museum and the Jewish museum. There are also several art galleries within the city.

The largest of the museums is the Rijksmuseum, which houses Dutch art dating as far back as some early religious works, and of course; the masters.

Located in the middle of the city is the Anne Frank House, where the young teen wrote her diary while hiding from the Nazi’s with her family. The original diary is on display at the house.

The Houseboat Museum is an actual houseboat similar to those used by some residents of Amsterdam. The boat is set up as if the family where merely out running errands or at the cinema and will return at any moment.

Across from the Anne Frank House is the tulip museum. The small museum offers a multimedia presentation of the famous flower including its history.

For those interested in the art of the adult beverage there is the Heineken Experience which provides everything about the famous beer. And there is the Vodka museum that not only gives a history of the alcoholic potato and a display of unusual vodka bottles, but a bar where visitors can sample the famous Russian concoction. There is also a coffee and tea museum for the coffee and tea lover.

The Jewish Museum tells of the history of Dutch Jews and is housed in four synagogues some dating back to the sixteen hundreds.

Located on the edge of the Red Light District is the Museum Amstelkring which houses religious artifacts and art.

Visitors to St. Petersburg, Russia can see a few of the works housed in the Hermitage along the Neva River; but it is nearly impossible to see everything housed within the palace walls. However, visitors to Amsterdam can visit the Hermitage in Amsterdam which features two exhibits each year.

The TIN-Theater Museum features the history of the theater back to the Middle Ages. And the Film museum features a history on cinema history. The FOAM specializes in photography.

And for those who have an interest in things ancient and archeological is the Allard Pierson Museum.

And of course; the old city would not be complete without a historical museum of Amsterdam itself and the maritime museum Nederlands Scheepvaart Museum.

The tropical museum features exhibits on the tropical areas around the world.

There are museums dedicated to the works of Vincent Van Gogh, Rembrandt and writer Theo Thijssen.

Madame Tussauds offers visitors the chance to see Rembrandt at work, see Kylie Minogue, Bono, Bob Marley or hold court with Princess Maxima.

The Tassen Museum Hendrikje is dedicated to the great designers of women’s purses and handbags offering thousands of the women’s accessories for visitors to view. The Brilmuseum features eyeglasses.

For the musically inclined there is a small museum featuring player pianos and thousands of the paper rolls used in creating the music. Sir Elton John has nothing on this small museum which offers s glimpse into the history of eyewear.

With the wide variety of exhibits offered by the museums and the variety of cultural events there is something for almost any interest for the visitors and residents in Amsterdam.

Amsterdam

Amsterdam – a city sometimes called the Venice of the north – is a city surrounded by water. Holland is a small country located between Germany and England across the sea. Whether it be along the North Sea or one of the many canals and rivers throughout the city, finding a place to stay with a waterfront view is an easy task. This modernized city with an old world charm offers a variety of places for visitors to stay from the finest international chain hotels to an intimate inn and even a houseboat. For a relatively small city Amsterdam contains nearly 300 hotels and that does not include the 100 plus guesthouses, the hostels, cottages, houseboats, and even some apartments for extended stays. But even with all of these available hotel rooms and other places to stay, finding lodgings during the tourist season can be very difficult. As a result, it is recommended for tourists to book a room or other lodging in advance. By booking ahead guests will be ensured that not only will they get the room that they want but at a price they desire as well. There are websites that list these hotels and similar accommodations in the city by category – large, number of stars, small, etc. – there are even listings those places that are suitable for families, are pet friendly, wheelchair accessible, and even the ones that are gay/lesbian friendly.

For the adventurous tourists and travelers Amsterdam also offers campgrounds just outside the city. In winter it gets very cold in Amsterdam – cold enough to freeze the waterways – so for the avid camper, summer is the best time to visit. Residents of Amsterdam even skate along the waterways during the winter for pleasure and as a way to get from one place to another.

Like many European cities Amsterdam is a popular tourist destination but the city does not offer a lot in the way of parking; as a result, it is best to make use of the extensive public transportation services offered by the country of The Netherlands. Bicycle riding is also very popular in this small country. Visitors can easily rent bikes and even take them on the trains. The Netherlands’ transit system includes buses, trams, subways, and a train service that operates over 100 trips each day. There is even a train that runs right under Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport for easy access into the city so there is no need to pay those high taxi fees to get into the city or to the hotel. It is even possible to take a trip across the country on the train and return to Amsterdam in the same day.

For those visitors who insist upon driving, they must pay close attention to any and all traffic laws. The Netherlands may be liberal in some areas of the law but it has a zero tolerance policy when it comes to traffic violations and tickets with heavy fines are given out even for first offenses and with no warning. If the ticket is not paid within a 24 hour period then the vehicle is towed.

Since the city of Amsterdam is considered small, walking from place to place is also a relatively simple task.

Bicycle and walking tours around the city of Amsterdam are among the items offered to visitors to the city.

Getting to Amsterdam as a tourist destination is even easier than getting around in the city once visitors have arrived. Schiphol Airport serves some 40 million visitors each year with approximately 90 different airline services from every corner of the globe.

The trains that run all through the country also offer trains to the neighboring countries of Germany, France, Belgium, and beyond. Many Hollanders speak English and offer informational kiosks throughout the train stations and airport making it easier for visitors find what they want and to get around the city.

Besides the windmills, wooden shoes, chocolates, and tulips for which Amsterdam and The Netherlands are best known; Amsterdam is the home of the artist Rembrandt and oddities like leaning houses.

Among the other rather unusual things that can be found in The Netherlands and Amsterdam are targeted for adults – that of the coffeehouse where Cannabis is smoked and the Red Light District where the ladies are displayed in shop windows. In the Red Light District a man literally shops for the companion he wants. Beware: no photos are allowed when visiting the area.

Football fans can watch the two time World Cup Champions the Amsterdam Ajax play. One of the biggest teams in Europe the Ajax have been a part of Amsterdam and football for over 100 years.

Since Rembrandt lived, worked, and died in Amsterdam there are a number of museums and art galleries some of which are dedicated to the great artist; as well as, the other great masters in art.

Amsterdam Attractions

When many people hear the words Holland, The Netherlands, or Amsterdam the first things that comes to mind are wooden shoes, windmills, chocolate, and tulips. But the country of The Netherlands and Amsterdam have a lot more to offer its millions of visitors each year. This small country in western Europe is located west of Germany with England to the east located across the sea.

Amsterdam is a city located on the North Sea and while storms can be fierce the summer weather is pleasant. There are four beaches in the Amsterdam area for residents and visitors to enjoy the warm sun. Some of these beaches even permit swimming.

Like Venice and St. Petersburg, two cities surrounded by water, boat traffic is numerous and tourists can find rides along the waterways in the form of a taxi or a structured ride.

Amsterdam offers the golfer a number of choices to get in a few holes while on holiday.

Since bicycle riding is more than just a popular pastime in The Netherlands, it is also a form of transportation instead of the motor vehicle; bike riding tours are available during the non-winter months. A combination bike and boat ride is also offered during the summer months of June, July, and August. These bicycle tours wind through the Dutch countryside offering tourists a glimpse into the “real” Holland with trips through the countryside, cheese farms, and clog factories. While on the tour visitors can see windmills, get a bit of history, and learn a bit about how the Dutch have reclaimed some of their country back from the sea – The Netherlands is a country at or below sea level which floods easily.

And of course; there are the numerous gardens located all over the country showing off the tulips the country of The Netherlands is so famous for. While there are many small gardens hidden behind the walls of private homes, there are also large public gardens with thousands upon thousands of flowers in a rainbow of colour.

For visitors who wish to view the city in a more pedestrian manner, there are several walking tours of Amsterdam. The most well known is the The WOW or Walking Over Water Tour. During this 3 hour and a half tour visitors can see the old Amsterdam City Center, leaning houses, sea dikes, lost city walls, hidden monasteries, sites of former executions and spectacular murders, and the famous Red Light District where the girls are on display in shop windows; but beware taking photographs is prohibited.

The second walking tour takes about 2 hours and is called The Red Light District walks. As the name implies this tour focuses on the Red Light district. The Red Light tour visits the spots where the women offer their services to men and educates the people with a visit to the PIC or Prostitute Information Centre.

The walking tours are conducted in English year round. The residents of Amsterdam and The Netherlands are a cultured and sophisticated people and their festivals reflect such culture. Besides the various festivals for various holidays there are art festivals, literary festivals, and festivals for film and theatre; as well as, music festivals and concerts. There is some kind of festival taking place nearly every month of the year in Amsterdam. The Dutch even put on a festival to celebrate the Chinese New Year.

What began as a country wide celebration of the Queen Mother’s birthday has evolved into a massive outdoor party each April 30. All of Holland comes out dressed in orange to enjoy a giant birthday party and celebrate out among the blooming flowers and warming weather. The holiday is more than just a big party; marketing is strictly regulated as everything imaginable is available for sale; even the children get involved and show off their business skills.

Among the more unusual festivals happens in November when the various coffeehouses in the city hold the High Times Cannabis Cup; a six day festival that includes musical events and tasting parties. In The Netherlands it is legal to buy and smoke cannabis. It is illegal however to carry more than 5 gram of the drug.

December is the month that all the children wait for; on December 5 St. Nicholas arrives but not is a sleigh, but in a boat. The arrival of St. Nick is accompanied by a parade and festival. The Dutch do not celebrate the traditional Christmas of December 25 as the jolly one’s arrival so for many Dutch it is a normal day with businesses and museums open to the public.

The year ends with a bang – literally – on December 31 with bars and nightclubs opening late, early evening is for families, and a big fireworks display.

Summer may be the time when most of the tourists come to visit but The Netherlands offers something for residents and visitors any time of the year.

“This article is brought to you by Gus Woltmann”.

As Australia’s largest city, Sydney offers a wide range of cultural attractions. The most visited parts of the city are, of course, its most iconic landmarks: the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. However, Sydney holds an array of other popular attractions that should not be overlooked if you’re visiting the city. Sydney Tower, for example, is the city’s tallest free-standing structure at 305 metres high, and its observation deck offers visitors staggering views across the city.

Furthermore, Sydney has a dedicated artistic tradition; a range of Australia’s best artistic companies hail from the city, including Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Dance Company and Sydney Theatre Company. Sydney is also famous for its distinct gay community, which centres on Oxford Street and plays host to the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras every year.

In fact, the Mardi Gras is only one of Sydney’s numerous annual festivals. Every January, the city stages the Sydney Festival, which has been Australia’s largest and most popular cultural festival since its inception in 1976. Its annual programme includes over 50 free events which span across a range of genres: from classical and contemporary music to dance, drama, circus events and public lectures. Attracting around 1.5 million people every year, the Sydney Festival truly captures the spirit of what makes Sydney such a great city to visit.

Sydney is also home to the Sydney Film Festival; moreover, since the opening of Fox Studios in Sydney in 1998, the city has become steadily more prevalent on cinema screens around the world. Famous movies that have been filmed in the city include Mission Impossible II, The Matrix, Moulin Rouge and the last two instalments of the Star Wars franchise.

Travellers hoping to see something of Australia’s history while in Sydney will not be disappointed with the variety of museums in the city. The biggest are the Australian Museum (a centre for natural history and anthropology), the Powerhouse Museum, which showcases exhibits on science, technology and design, the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Australian National Maritime Museum.

If you live in Britain, you’re sure to be able to find plenty of flights to Sydney on a daily basis throughout the year. So whether you’re keen to enjoy the warm weather ‘down under’ when its winter in the UK, or simply want to take a break to the Emerald City during your summer holidays, you’ll always be able to find a suitable way to travel to Sydney.

“This article is brought to you by Gus Woltmann”.

We started our exploration off with a trip to the Leu Botanical Gardens. The centerpiece of the gardens is the Leu House Museum, a restored farmhouse dating back to 1888. It is located on Lake Rowena, one of the hundreds of lakes in Orlando, and surrounded by a 50 acre garden of roses, palms and camellias. The complex also features an orchid house with one of the best collections of orchids in the United States. The Leu Botanical Gardens also offer a new tropical stream garden, a kitchen garden complete with herbs and vegetables and a butterfly garden.

Just 10 minutes away is Loch Haven Park, one of Orlando’s centers of art, culture, and science. One of the main attractions is Orlando Museum of Art (OMA), one of Florida’s cultural gems and a popular destination for visitors from all over the world. The collection features American art from the 19th century to the present, African art and art of the ancient Americas. Outstanding temporary exhibitions are drawn from private collections and those of the world’s great museums.

The upcoming exhibition at the OMA is called the “The Art of the Motorcycle”. Based on the landmark Guggenheim Museum exhibition, it explores the motorcycle as both cultural icon and design achievement and offers a thought-provoking challenge to conventional assumptions about art and popular culture in the modern age. The exhibition will run from Jan. 22 – July 23, 2006 and feature more than 70 historic and contemporary motorcycles.

The Mennello Museum of American Art is centered around the Museum’s outstanding permanent collection of paintings by Earl Cunningham (1893-1977). It also houses special exhibitions, publications, and programs that celebrate outstanding traditional and contemporary Amercian artists. The Museum’s Cunningham collection was donated by collectors Marilyn and Michael Mennello of Winter Park, Florida, and was opened to the public on Nov. 22, 1998.

The Orlando Science Center includes ten themed exhibit halls with a large variety of interactive activities for children and adults. A CineDome Planetarium shows large format films and an Adventure Theater as well as five Discovery Laboratories can keep everyone busy for hours. In total the Science Center has four levels of hands-on exhibits, a 200-seat cafe, 7,000 square feet of exhibition space for national and international traveling exhibits. The Orlando Science Center is open Monday to Thursdays from 9 am to 5 pm, Fridays and Saturdays from 9 am to 9 pm, and Sundays from noon to 5 pm.

The Orlando-UCF Shakespeare Festival is a non-profit professional theater that produces professional productions of Shakespeare, classics and contemporary plays, as well as plays for young audiences. The group also develops new plays from readings through World Premieres and fosters innovative educational programs to serve the community.

As a professional theatre for family audiences in partnership with UCF, Orlando Repertory Theatre (The Rep) opened its doors on October 9, 2003. The theatre focusses on classic and contemporary children’s literature. It is a place where young audiences can come and experience the adventure and creative wonder of watching their favorite characters come to life.

Loch Haven’s cultural offerings continue with the annual Orlando International Fringe Festival of theatrical performances. The 10-day, world-renowned festival showcases original works; premiere performances; and first-class improvisational comedy, musicals, drama, mime and dance in 500 shows by more than 300 performers from around the world.

Sculptures outside the The Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra is Central Florida’s resident orchestra, appearing in more than 105 performances each season. As a fully professional ensemble, the Orlando Philharmonic engages the talents of more than 80 professional musicians from around the globe. The Philharmonic‘s mission is to foster and promote symphonic music through excellence in performance, education and cultural leadership.

For general information about Orlando please contact the Orlando Visitors and Convention Bureau.

Susanne Pacher is the publisher of a website called Travel and Transitions (http://www.travelandtransitions.com). Travel and Transitions deals with unconventional travel and is chock full of advice, tips, real life travel experiences, interviews with travellers and travel experts, insights and reflections, cross-cultural issues, contests and many other features. You will also find stories about life and the transitions that we face as we go through our own personal life-long journeys.

“This article is brought to you by Gus Woltmann”.

Kites are flown after the rice harvesting season is over. People are happy and free to pursue pastimes. A Malay kite combines the best of skilled workmanship, dazzling colours and decoration. It exhibits the creativity of the Malays and their talented craftsmanship in fashioning a unique art form that has the highest possible level of aesthetics. A Malay kite is not a schoolboy’s toy as it normally measures 1.5 metres by 1.7 metres. It is called wau because the shape of its wing is similar to an Arabic letter that is pronounced as “wow”. It has also been postulated that the word “wau” originated from the Dutch word “wauw” that refers to a large predator bird found in South-east Asia. When Melaka fell to the Dutch in 1641, the word was introduced to the local populace.

Wau can appear in all kind of shapes but the three main one are the famous Wau Bulan or moon kite, named for its crescent like tail shape, the Wau Jala Budi or women kite, which takes on the curves of a women, and the Wau Burung Puyuh, the barred busted quail kite. Despite their different names, these kites all share the same basic, bird-like shape, with slight variations in their wings and tail.

The history and legends associated with the Malay kite are as colourful as its designs. In ancient times, coastal inhabitants of the Malay peninsula used kites fitted with lines and hooks to fish. Kites were also flown to act as flying scarecrows while the farmers were busy in the paddy fields. In an episode of the Makyong dance, a love story culminates in a happy ending when two lovers are re-united by an unusual mean of transport. By clinging to a giant kite rendered sky-borne by monsoon winds, a Malay prince flew to his lover and landed on her enchanted castle amidst the clouds. The wau has had an even more dramatic role in battle against a foreign army. Legend has it that a Malay army was surrounded and about to surrender due to lack of food and water. One blustery night, the head warrior ordered his troops to fly a large number of kites fitted with bows. The loud droning that was created frightened the enemy forces away, which did not want to fight against what they perceived as demonic forces from the sky!

It takes about 2 days to 2 weeks of skill and patience to make a wau. The frame is made from bamboo stems, which are split into thin strips. The best species of bamboo for making kites is the thorn bamboo, which is strong yet flexible. Each frame of a kite must have a ‘head’, a ‘spine’, a ‘waist’, a ‘wing’ and a ‘tail’. After the frame is constructed, designs are traced on a tinted and shiny glazed paper and then carefully cut out and pasted on paper which is glued to the bamboo frame. The humming bow is attached to the head of the kite, which is finally decorated with tassels at the tail to produce the ’song’ of the kite.

Each wau is designed according to its own set of elaborate motifs, adhering to the traditional style of artwork expected of each design. All designs must have a central flower called the ibu from which vines, leaves and flowers sprout. The vine symbolises the path of a man’s life and the flowers, the women. The more meandering the vines, the more twists and turns in a man’s life mean the more interesting is the person’s life. In older kites, flowers were depicted from the side and back, analogous to the shy and reserved nature of women in those days, who never looked at you directly in the face. Nowadays, flowers are depicted from the front. The middle sections on the left and right sides of the wings are left devoid of patterns to provide balance with the decorated areas. This empty area is called “golden deer”, and prevents the kite from being overwhelmed by a surfeit of patterns.

Apart from the patterns, choice of colours is also important in determining quality. Colours that clash or show strong contrast are frowned upon. Complementing or harmonious colours reflect on the emotional state of the kite-maker. Soft colours such as shades of blues and purples indicate that the kite-maker has a serene nature.

“This article is brought to you by Gus Woltmann”.

Beginning with the Aspen Art Museum, we find an institution presenting the latest, most significant change in international art. With such a clear sight on the pulse of the entire world, the AAM is in a unique position to offer up the very best to its visitors. You’ll find a full schedule of events and expositions for this non-collecting museum throughout the year, including benefits for the arts, domestic and international causes. Free admission is sometimes offered, courtesy of one of the local businesses. You’ll find Aspen’s patron love of the arts makes the Aspen Art Museum a very special place for residents and visitors alike.

The Aspen Center For Environmental Studies is another trend setting entity, in that it encourages the exploration of this world while teaching locals and visitors (some of which come from great distances for the experience,) about both the local mountain flora and fauna, but our roll in it all as well. You’ll find nature hikes and talks on ecosystems, daily snowshoe walks, the chance to learn mountaineering survival techniques, and to learn how nature manages to survive in the harsh winter realities. There are even downhill skiing tours! A treat for the entire family, The ACES and its 25 acre nature center are proud to be a part of the Aspen cultural scene.

The Aspen Institute, an international non-profit organization, exists to foster enlightened leadership as well as encouraging open-minded dialogues. You’ll find their schedule includes a highly eclectic set of guests and subjects important to the world today. Their Aspen Health Forum, which is a medical science conference facilitating opportunities to learn about the future of medicine and exchange ideas with Nobel Prize winners, health policy experts. Leaders in business, politics, journalism and philanthropy join together at the Aspen Institute to enact change. You’ll find conferences on foreign and domestic policy, seminars with leading minds who discuss key figures in our world. Overall, this is a thinking person’s dream.

The Wheeler Opera House is amongst Colorado’s most prestigious live performance venues. Legendary artists past and present have played the Wheeler Opera House for over one hundred years! A wide variety of programs and artists ensures that you’ll find something there for most every taste. You’ll find acts such as John Prine and Mannheim Steamroller booked on the same stage as comedy duets. The Wheeler also has a cinema providing a venue for art-house film, classics, first-run films and other unusual and seldom found quality entertainment. A part of the cultural heritage of the Aspen community, they Wheeler gladly opens its doors to visitors as well.

As you can see, Aspen is a whole lot more than just a world-class ski resort town. Next time you visit, make sure to allow time to discover the cultural aspects of this extraordinary world leader.

“This article is brought to you by Gus Woltmann”.

In part, a love of crafting is due to a wish to leave something tangible to future generations. Nothing expresses home and caring quite as well as a handmade item. Many such items are in fact kept and passed down from parent to child becoming significant, valuable heirlooms.

When we craft, we are in a sense connecting with our past and yearning for continuity. Recent years have seen a resurgence of interest in traditional skills spurred on by a wish to nurture them, thereby avoiding them dying out completely. There are strong Celtic and Pictish traditions in Scotland of course and the symbols of these are reflected through many of the crafting media, displaying an incomparable beauty and simplicity that finds admirers around the globe.

Fair Isle Knitting

Fair Isle is in the far north of Scotland, lying half way between the Shetland Isles and the Orkney Isles. It’s a small island with few raw materials available and knitting provides an income for many of the women there. The knitting technique, which was named after the island, was actually developed in Shetland and creates distinctive patterns from the region. These patterns don’t usually have more than two or three stitches in any colour at one time since they are stranded.

A block of one colour that is too long will mean an overly long strand of the other colour which could be too easily caught on a button or other item. Knitting is done in the round and Shetland jumper-weight yarns at 8 stitches to the inch are normally used. Fair Isle sweater construction involves sewing or fastening the work where the arm holes go, and then cutting the knit fabric to make the armholes. These cuts are called steeks by American knitters, but the term is not used in Shetland.

Weapon Craft – Sgian Dubh

Another well known Highland craft is that of creating custom sgian dubh (pronounced skee(a)n doo). Sgian Dubh are worn as part of Highland dress, tucked into the man’s hose so that only the pommel can be seen. Now having only a ceremonial function, the blades are often made from brass which is then nickel plated while the handle is made of plastic.

However, some pieces are highly crafted works of art commanding high prices. The blades are constructed from titanium, sterling silver or Damascus steel then finely etched with celtic designs, clan crests, regimental symbols or personal inscriptions. The handles are then made from a variety of natural materials such as Highland Bog Oak, Scottish Yew, Ebony, Rosewood and antler bone. These are also extremely decorative, utilising celtic, pictish and clan symbols.

The pommel is normally fitted with a semi-precious stone such as the Cairngorm, a smoky quartz from the Cairngorm mountains, or amethyst from Tayside. The final necessary piece is the sheath for the blade and these are also made of either wood or fine leather tooled with complimentary patterns.

Weaving

The tartan, or plaid, is a woven material made from spun and dyed wool in different weights. There are over 2800 publicly known tartans with the oldest dated to the third century, making it 1,700 years old. Although today’s patterns are colourful, originally the material would have been limited by locally available materials.

The word “tartan” actually described the way the thread was woven to make the cloth: each thread passed over two threads then under two threads, and so on rather than referring to the pattern itself.

Weaving in Scotland was originally based around cottage handlooms for making linen from home-grown flax. Rough woolen cloth was then introduced in the Lowlands around the 16th century. Harris tweed eventually arrived from the Outer Hebrides in 1840 courtesy of Lady Dunmore. As wool gained in importance, particularly in the Borders, finer wools, known as worsted became available.

After a long period of decline from the 1870s onwards, recent years have seen a regeneration of traditional weaving techniques. Many art and design students, encouraged by support from The Scottish Woollen Publicity Council through the 1980s and 90s, have set up their own businesses using computerised looms. Others have computerised handlooms for weaving craft items.

“This article is brought to you by Gus Woltmann”.

The two distinct words “art and culture” if linked with each other, it exhibits two distinct concepts
# Art may be a product of the extensive culture (cultivation) of human sentiments.

# Culture of different strata of society at different places at different time has been expressed in art.

Art can be said to be a “result” of extensive culture of human emotions, sentiment and thought of an artist, supplemented with the artist’s skill. It is a product of an artist’s cultivation of different strata of society at various moments. Thus if one can culture on society at different situation, he can generate a good piece of art .So we may say that “art is a reflection of society” at different time.

Practically time being the dictator in the evolution of society; it also influences a product of art. The classical period was a period of reason, order and rules.
Art has thereby exhibited such meanings at that time.

The Romantic period being a period of reasoning, so the dominant subject of art was emotion, adventure and imagination. Art in its cultural form gained impetus during the renaissance. Again, the 19th century culture was the theory of truth and beauty thus the form of art that came up during this period was based on “truth” and “beauty”.

Early 20th century culture brought forth the concept of modernism -this is the time, when the human nature was undergoing turmoil. The bizarre mundane society was undergoing a deviation from humanity at this time. The late 20th century is the postmodern period The puzzled society is now trapped in such a ditch that an exit from this phase is next to impossible. Men are said to have been transformed into robots. Junked up with work pressure they have little or no time to cherish their emotions and sentiments .The work of art that comes up at this stage are to call up an attention to human sentiment and art at large. The overall disjointed sentiment when cultured by an artist; it is reflected in the works of art through abstract expressions, images, ideas and concepts.

Besides, a piece of art may also echo a specific culture. We may find several piece of art vividly exposing the “Byzantine culture”. Again a work of art might focus on “Iranian culture”, “western culture” or “modern culture” and so on. Moreover the art of working in a particular place at a particular time is the work culture. Likewise we have club culture or organizational culture.

Actually art in its own form has developed itself with its multicultural heritage over time. Thus, it is worth saying that both art and culture are complimentary to each other and an overall support to each other to attain some sort of fulfillment at large.

“This article is brought to you by Gus Woltmann”.

Manchester served as the center of the 19th century industrial revolution that led to the flourishing of the local textile industry. Today, Manchester is fast becoming a hub of modern art and culture with the Manchester Urbis at its core.

Tower of Modern Art and Culture

The Urbis is an attention getter itself. The building is an architectural wonder being made of glass located in middle of Manchester, England. Proximate to the structure are shopping centers and businesses where most of the patrons come from. The Urbis serves to push for cultural awareness of modern cities. It serves as venues for art exhibitions focusing on city life. These displays come alongside talks, performances, and other events.

It also offers learning programs designed to increase understanding about modern city living for people of all ages. There are also gift shops, cafes, and restaurants where people can unwind.

The Manchester Urbis was opened in 2002 as part of the renovated Exchange Square which was damaged during the heat of IRA bombings. The glass structure is located near the Cathedral gardens and the Corn Exchange.

The exhibitions and different activities are open to the public everyday between 10AM and 6 PM. The Urbis is very accessible via different modes of transports like the bus, train, or private car. The free admission follows the concept of enriching minds and awakening awareness on city life.

Activities at the Urbis

The displays and activities offered at Urbis suits the taste buds of anyone. There will always be something for kids, parents, tourists, artists, business people, and anyone who will show interest to step inside.

A range of exhibitions of different artists using different mediums and under different genres are scheduled all year round. These displays focus on increasing awareness about the evolution of the modern culture. You may be able to find yourself wondering at exhibits about music, arts, modern literature, and a lot more.

The Urbis also hosts tours which can help you get a deeper understanding of the history and culture of Manchester. There are also talks, discussions, and workshops which you can enjoy alone or with your friends and family.

The curator of the museum also hosts a meet where visitors can ask him questions about the different exhibitions. There are also Buy Art Fairs where collectors from all over the globe has a chance to get hold rare or highly valued works of art.

Competitions which encourage the imagination of the youngsters are also being held on a regular basis. One example of this is a contest which calls for the creation of modern city heroes.

After touring the Urbis, you can unwind in one of its cafes or restaurants. There are gift shops where you can buy your souvenir pieces to bring home. There are also goods from the Hacienda and the Factory Records.

“This article is brought to you by Gus Woltmann”.

Known as the United Kingdom’s Capital of Culture, Liverpool boasts of its many spots that define tradition and traces history. It features awe inspiring cultural attraction in almost every corner. Whether you are a traveler in search for a sense of inspiration, an adventurer in search of an enriching experience or a wanderer who just wants to see the world, Liverpool has the right spots and places for you.

Liverpool is home for much world class architecture consisting of about 2,500 buildings. Just like the famous Taj Mahal and the Pyramids of Giza, this city’s set of buildings and waterfront are acknowledged as one of the natural and cultural World Heritage Sites.

The said heritage site covers the waterfront from Albert Dock, running through The Pier up to the famous Stanley Dock, including a good number of historic commercial districts in the area. It stretches as far as the Rope Walks area and the cultural quarter where St. George’s Hall reigns as the major attraction.

However, one should note that the wonders of Liverpool should not be mistaken for the World Heritage Site alone for in and around this city, you will be surprised with the cultural wonders that await you.

Among the top visited sites in the city that combine art and religiosity are two cathedrals. Both Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral and its Metropolitan Cathedral have been known to be fine attractions for eyes hungry of internationally acclaimed architecture. These cathedrals and other places of worship depicts Liverpool’s acceptance for religious diversity which has always been present due to the comings and goings of migrants in its famous docks.

Aside from the cathedrals, Liverpool boasts of many fine cultural gems within the William Brown Street better known as the Cultural Quarter. The street houses The William Brown Library, Walker Art Gallery, and the World Museum Gallery. Together with the beautiful St, George’s Hall, these buildings are famous neo-classical edifices.

If you are in for a tour of Liverpool’s fine early beginnings, then take a walk in that area and find the World Museum Liverpool, Tate Liverpool, and the Merseyside Maritime Museum. For sure, you would find a splendid experience that will qualify as your latest cultural feat.

A visit to Liverpool is incomplete without dropping by at the Pier Head where the most striking and famous buildings are located: Royal Liver Building, Cunard Building and the Port of Liverpool Building.

If you are in for a more contemporary cultural quest, then you must consider spending a day or two at Liverpool’s The World of Glass. The place which offers countryside culture matched with a vibrant life at night and a pulsating set of sporting events is nestled between the cosmopolitan cities of Liverpool and Manchester.

Another must visit around Liverpool that offers its guests with a peek into history, and to that of the world of sports is Halton. The towns and villages of Runcorn, Hale, Widnes, Daresbury and Moore belong to this city’s must-venture-to list.

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In his 2003 book Our Final Hour, British Astronomer Royal Martin Rees argues that advanced science and technology bring as much risk of disaster as opportunity for progress. However, Rees does not advocate a halt to scientific activity; he calls for tighter security and perhaps an end to traditional scientific openness. Advocates of the precautionary principle, such as the Green movement, also favor slow, careful progress or a halt in potentially dangerous areas. Some precautionists believe that artificial intelligence and robotics present possibilities of alternative forms of cognition that may threaten human life. The Terminator franchise’s doomsday depiction of the emergence of an A.I. that becomes a superintelligence – Skynet, a malignant computer network which initiates a nuclear war in order to exterminate the human species, has been cited by some involved in this debate.

Transhumanists do not necessarily rule out specific restrictions on emerging technologies so as to lessen the prospect of existential risk. Generally, however, they counter that proposals based on the precautionary principle are often unrealistic and sometimes even counter-productive, as opposed to the technogaian current of transhumanism which they claim is both realistic and productive. In his television series Connections, science historian James Burke dissects several views on technological change, including precautionism and the restriction of open inquiry. Burke questions the practicality of some of these views, but concludes that maintaining the status quo of inquiry and development poses hazards of its own, such as a disorienting rate of change and the depletion of our planet’s resources. The common transhumanist position is a pragmatic one where society takes deliberate action to ensure the early arrival of the benefits of safe, clean, alternative technology rather than fostering what it considers to be anti-scientific views and technophobia.

One transhumanist solution proposed by Nick Bostrom is differential technological development, in which attempts would be made to influence the sequence in which technologies developed. In this approach, planners would strive to retard the development of possibly harmful technologies and their applications, while accelerating the development of likely beneficial technologies, especially those that offer protection against the harmful effects of others.

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Writing in Reason magazine, Ronald Bailey has accused opponents of research involving the modification of animals as indulging in alarmism when they speculate about the creation of subhuman creatures with human-like intelligence and brains resembling those of Homo sapiens. Bailey insists that the aim of conducting research on animals is simply to produce human health care benefits.

A different response comes from transhumanist personhood theorists who object to what they characterize as the anthropomorphobia fueling some criticisms of this research, which science writer Isaac Asimov termed the “Frankenstein complex”. They argue that, provided they are self-aware, human clones, human-animal chimeras and uplifted animals would all be unique persons deserving of respect, dignity, rights and citizenship. They conclude that the coming ethical issue is not the creation of so-called monsters but what they characterize as the “yuck factor” and “human-racism” that would judge and treat these creations as monstrous.

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In a 2004 article in Reason, science journalist Ronald Bailey has contested the assertions of Fukuyama by arguing that political equality has never rested on the facts of human biology. He asserts that liberalism was founded not on the proposition of effective equality of human beings, or de facto equality, but on the assertion of an equality in political rights and before the law, or de jure equality. Bailey asserts that the products of genetic engineering may well ameliorate rather than exacerbate human inequality, giving to the many what were once the privileges of the few. Moreover, he argues, “the crowning achievement of the Enlightenment is the principle of tolerance”. In fact, he argues, political liberalism is already the solution to the issue of human and posthuman rights since, in liberal societies, the law is meant to apply equally to all, no matter how rich or poor, powerful or powerless, educated or ignorant, enhanced or unenhanced. Other thinkers who are sympathetic to transhumanist ideas, such as philosopher Russell Blackford, have also objected to the appeal to tradition, and what they see as alarmism, involved in Brave New World-type arguments.

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Despite his sympathies for transhumanism, in his 2002 book Redesigning Humans: Our Inevitable Genetic Future, public health professor Gregory Stock is skeptical of the technical feasibility and mass appeal of the cyborgization of humanity predicted by Raymond Kurzweil, Hans Moravec and Kevin Warwick. He believes that throughout the 21st century, many humans will find themselves deeply integrated into systems of machines, but will remain biological. Primary changes to their own form and character will arise not from cyberware but from the direct manipulation of their genetics, metabolism, and biochemistry.

In his 2006 book Future Hype: The Myths of Technology Change, computer scientist and engineer Bob Seidensticker argues that today’s technological achievements are not unprecedented. Exposing major myths of technology and examining the history of high tech hype, he aims to uncover inaccuracies and misunderstandings that may characterise the popular and transhumanist views of technology, to explain how and why these views have been created, and to illustrate how technological change in fact proceeds.

Those thinkers who defend the likelihood of massive technological change within a relatively short timeframe emphasize what they describe as a past pattern of exponential increases in humanity’s technological capacities. This emphasis appears in the work of popular science writer Damien Broderick, notably his 1997 book, The Spike, which contains his speculations about a radically changed future. Kurzweil develops this position in much detail in his 2005 book, The Singularity Is Near. Broderick points out that many of the seemingly implausible predictions of early science fiction writers have, indeed, come to pass, among them nuclear power and space travel to the moon. He also claims that there is a core rationalism to current predictions of very rapid change, asserting that such observers as Kurzweil have a good track record in predicting the pace of innovation.

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Transhumanists and other supporters of technological alteration of human biology, such as science journalist Ronald Bailey, reject as extremely subjective the claim that life would be experienced as meaningless if some human limitations are overcome with enhancement technologies. They argue that these technologies will not remove the bulk of the individual and social challenges humanity faces. They suggest that a person with greater abilities would tackle more advanced and difficult projects and continue to find meaning in the struggle to achieve excellence. Bailey also claims that McKibben’s historical examples are flawed, and support different conclusions when studied more closely. For example, few groups are more cautious than the Amish about embracing new technologies, but though they shun television and use horses and buggies, some are welcoming the possibilities of gene therapy since inbreeding has afflicted them with a number of rare genetic diseases.

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The majority of transhumanists are materialists who do not believe in a transcendent human soul. Transhumanist personhood theory also argues against the unique identification of moral actors and subjects with biological humans, judging as speciesist the exclusion of non-human and part-human animals, and sophisticated machines, from ethical consideration. Many believe in the compatibility of human minds with computer hardware, with the theoretical implication that human consciousness may someday be transferred to alternative media, a speculative technique commonly known as “mind uploading”. One extreme formulation of this idea may be found in Frank Tipler’s proposal of the Omega point. Drawing upon ideas in digitalism, Tipler has advanced the notion that the collapse of the Universe billions of years hence could create the conditions for the perpetuation of humanity in a simulated reality within a megacomputer, and thus achieve a form of “posthuman godhood”. Tipler’s thought was inspired by the writings of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, a paleontologist and Jesuit theologian who saw an evolutionary telos in the development of an encompassing noosphere, a global consciousness.

The idea of uploading personality to a non-biological substrate and the underlying assumptions are criticised by a wide range of scholars, scientists and activists, sometimes with regard to transhumanism itself, sometimes with regard to thinkers such as Marvin Minsky or Hans Moravec who are often seen as its originators. Relating the underlying assumptions, for example, to the legacy of cybernetics, some have argued that this materialist hope engenders a spiritual monism, a variant of philosophical idealism. Viewed from a conservative Christian perspective, the idea of mind uploading is asserted to represent a denigration of the human body characteristic of gnostic belief. Transhumanism and its presumed intellectual progenitors have also been described as neo-gnostic by non-Christian and secular commentators.

The first dialogue between transhumanism and faith was the focus of an academic seminar held at the University of Toronto in 2004. Because it might serve a few of the same functions that people have traditionally sought in religion, religious and secular critics maintained that transhumanism is itself a religion or, at the very least, a pseudoreligion. Religious critics alone faulted the philosophy of transhumanism as offering no eternal truths nor a relationship with the divine. They commented that a philosophy bereft of these beliefs leaves humanity adrift in a foggy sea of postmodern cynicism and anomie. Transhumanists responded that such criticisms reflect a failure to look at the actual content of the transhumanist philosophy, which far from being cynical, is rooted in optimistic, idealistic attitudes that trace back to the Enlightenment. Following this dialogue, William Sims Bainbridge conducted a pilot study, published in the Journal of Evolution and Technology, suggesting that religious attitudes were negatively correlated with acceptance of transhumanist ideas, and indicating that individuals with highly religious worldviews tended to perceive transhumanism as being a direct, competitive (though ultimately futile) affront to their spiritual beliefs.

“This article is brought to you by Gus Woltmann”.