My Hotel in the Woods and at the Mountain Foothils

This is the lovely Best Western where I stayed during my time in Steubenville. The campus is directly behind (walking distance) the hotel - the path is visible in the middle photograph.

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Posted By Kidit P. Asrat
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Back to Canada

[Photo By: KPA]

This was at the last vestiges of my trip from Franciscan University's The Power of Beauty conference. I'm getting into Canada. We're at customs. It is probably around 7 or 8pm, on Sunday, October 26. I've been on the road for about twelve hours.

I took this shot from my seat in the Greyhound bus. The Maple Leaf and the Crescent.

It was strangely appropriate.

We have to reclaim the beautiful crescent moon. I have reclaimed it!
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Posted By: Kidist P.Asrat
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Franciscan University of Steubenville

[Photo By: KPA]

The road going uphill (behind the university sign) is Franciscan Way, and leads to the university.

Up front are probably the Utica Cliffs, with what looks like exposed shale.

(More on this, and more photos on the conference The Power of Beauty, soon.)
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Posted By: Kidist Paulos Asrat
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The Power of Beauty Conference: Reclaiming Beauty (Update)

An adviser said it wasn't a good idea to post the progress of my speech's development for The Power of Beauty conference in the Franciscan University of Steubenville. He said it would take away the element of surprise.

I agree!

I've removed the "transcript" and will post the conference proceedings, or any video that might be available, after the conference.

Here is the conference program.

I am presenting on Saturday, October 25, at 10:40 am, Session A. I have been asked to prepare a 25 minute talk, and will have about 15 minutes for questions. I present with Dr. Linus Meldrum who is assistant professor of Fine Arts at the university.
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Posted By: Kidist P. Asrat
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Dvorak: Symphony No.8 in G major, Op.88 I, Allegro con brio

Antonin Dvorak
Symphony No.8 in G major, Op.88
Movement I. Allegro con brio
Conducted By: Herbert von Karajan
August 15, 1974
Grosses Festspielhaus, Salzburg

The symphony is in four movements:

- Allegro con brio (G major) [which is posted here]
- Adagio (C minor)
- Allegretto grazioso – Molto vivace (G minor)
- Allegro ma non troppo (G major)

The work is scored for 2 flutes (2nd doubling piccolo), 2 oboes (1st doubling English horn), 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, and strings.
The orchestration of piccolo and English Horn is unusual in this symphony. The piccolo only sustains a long note in unison with the flute at the exposition of the 1st movement and the English Horn only plays a short, but exposed phrase during the second recapitulation of the main "bird call" theme, also in the 1st movement. In some editions the 2nd oboe doubles on English horn rather than the 1st oboe as indicated in most scores.
A typical performance of the Eighth lasts about 36 minutes, making it one of Dvořák's shorter symphonies.

[Source: Wikipedia]

More detail on the composition here.

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Posted By: Kidist P. Asrat
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Fall Red

[Photo Triptych By: Kidist P. Asrat]

I didn't get to post on Thanksgiving (Monday), so Happy Thanksgiving to all Canadians!

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Posted By: Kidist P. Asrat
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Flute Sonata

Jean Baptiste Loeillet
Sonata in A Minor Op.1 No.1, 1. Largo
Performed by: Ion Bogdan Stefanescu - Flute
With Costin Soare - Guitar

Little is known about Jean Baptiste Loeillet de Gant’s life, but his solo recorder sonatas have retained their popularity from their origins in the Baroque period to the present day. Strongly influenced by the violin sonatas of Corelli, these pieces combine Italian and French characteristics to create expressive and virtuoso chamber music of the greatest elegance and finesse. Daniel Rothert brings his “warm, refined tone” (American Record Guide) to a selection of the best sonatas from Opp. I–IV [Source: Naxos.com]

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Posted By: Kidist P. Asrat
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Cathedral Forest

This is a post from October 2010, at Camera Lucida.



[Photos By: KPA]

Here are two almost identical shots of fall trees that I took in High Park, Toronto's largest park - which is more of a wood/forest - several years ago. I developed and printed them myself, and kept both as pieces with passing grades. It takes tens of trials to get the saturation and color level "just" right - often I have to come back another day in order to get a fresh perspective, and not continue printing without much of a difference.

I like the top photo because the "end" is clear - a burst of trees in focus with shimmering golden lights. The bottom one, in my view, shows a more elusive path. The trees in the back are slightly out of focus yet the glow of the light is more intense, which is what draws one further into the image.

In the top photograph, the path to the trees is less clear (not focused) while the bottom photograph has a clear path, also bathed with the light of the sun.

The photos were taken in late afternoon, when the light from the sun was muted.

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Posted By: Kidist P. Asrat
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"Preserving this West"

Here is an email I sent to Larry Auster, while he was ill:

Larry,

As someone who grew up in the West, yet who comes from a non-Western background, you have helped me so much in remaining calm and confident when all those around me were ready and happy to knock down this wonderful and beautiful civilization.

I now continue in preserving this West from these alien, destructive forces.

Here is a Mozart piano sonata, which I hope you will enjoy listening to.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=4RZiaBlkodE#at=375

(If this doesn't open, you can listen to it here.)

Kidist

[Note: the youtube page has been discontinued, but the Sonatas can be listened to here]

2017: More notes: The most recently accessible Youtube collection is here
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Posted By: Kidist P. Asrat
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Stigmatized and Unrecongized

I would have thought that this pretty little girl would be the perfect addition to this contra-cililzation "couple."

Two lesbians got a sperm from a bank in Chicago, and it ended up that it was of a black man's. The little girl that was born is a mixed-race girl. She looks cute and bubbly. Who wouldn't want a girl like that, even by mistake?

Well, these lesbians are suing the sperm bank for "wrongful birth and breach of warranty."

Their argument is:

Jennifer [Mommy 1] lives each day with fears, anxieties and uncertainty about her future and Payton’s future.

For example:

...getting a young daughter’s hair cut is not particularly stressful for most mothers, but to Jennifer it is not a routine matter, because Payton has hair typical of an African American girl. To get a decent cut, Jennifer must travel to a black neighborhood, far from where she lives, where she is obviously different in appearance, and not overtly welcome.

And this big fear by Mommy 1:

One of Jennifer’s biggest fears is the life experiences Payton will undergo, not only in her all-white community, but in her all-white, and often unconsciously insensitive, family. Despite her family’s attempts to accept her homosexuality, they have not been capable of truly embracing Jennifer for who she is. They do not converse with her about her gender preference, and encourage her not to “look different,” signaling their disapproval of her lesbianism. Though compelled to repress her individuality amongst family members, Payton’s differences are irrepressible, and Jennifer does not want Payton to feel stigmatized or unrecognized…

"Stigmatized or unrecongized" as a black girl?

What this weird women wanted is their own "creation" of a baby.

This would make a great Saturday Night Live skit.

Lesbians Decide What Kind of Sperm They Want.

Mommy 1: He shouldn't be too macho. You know the problem with macho men.
Mommy 2: Yes, and he should look something like us.
Mommy 1: You mean he should be white? I don't think so. I mean, we would know how to bring up a child who is stigmatized or unrecongnized. Plus, the more different we are, the less stigmatizing and unrecongizing the world would be, and then we would all fit in.
Mommy 2: I don't want our child to be an experiment gone wrong.
Mommy 1: Well, yes. OK, I see your point. Maybe next time, when the world is ready for her.
Mommy 2: And when I'm more ready too. You were always more progressive than me.

All jokes aside, these are nasty, inhuman creatures, who have no reverence for life.
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Posted By: Kidist P. Asrat
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Over the Mountains

Travel through New York State
[Photos By KPA]

Here are photographs of my very first trip by bus through New York State in September 2009, going to New York City to attend an event organized by the International Free Press Society. It was also the first time I met Larry Auster after a long correspondence by email, where I became part of the View From the Right website group.

I hope, five years after my first bus trip into the US, which became almost a yearly (sometimes twice-a-year) event, my next trip will channel all those meetings, discussions, dinners and visits as I present my paper Reclaiming Beauty: Winning Back Our Western Civilization at The Power of Beauty conference in Steubenville's Franciscan University in Ohio.

I am sure the scenery will be just as lovely.

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Posted By: Kidist P. Asrat
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