Animal of the Day!
Burmese Peacock Softshell (Nilssonia formosa)
(Photo by Joel Sartore)
Conservation Status- Critically Endangered
Habitat- Southeastern Asia; India; Southern China
Size (Weight/Length)- 60 cm
Diet- Insects; Fish eggs; Fish; Small amphibians; Aquatic plants
Cool Facts- Not only does the Burmese peacock softshell turtle look like a wet pile of mud but its face is one for the history books. Instead of pulling its head back into its shell like other species of turtle, these softshells can retract its head into the skin rolls of its neck in a frankly terrifying display. Their long nose allows the majority of the Burmese peacock softshell to stay underwater while taking a breath with only their snoot poking out. Very little is known about these turtles due to their rarity. They are mostly threatened by overhunting for their meat and water pollution from gold mining along river banks.
Rating- 14/10 (Soft shell = speedy boy.)
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La Mode illustrée, no. 24, 13 juin 1869, Paris. Toilettes de Bains de Mer. Collection of the Rijksmuseum, Netherlands
Recolored per description.
Description de toilettes (Bibliothèque Forney):
Jupe courte en popeline pourpre, garnie de trois volants. Tunique de taffetas gris, à rayures noires, garnie d'une frange et drapée de chaque côté sous des nœuds de taffetas noir. Corsage montant pareil à la tunique, avec manches justes. Corsage à basques (sans manches), pareil à la jupe de popeline.
Robe de foulard bleu uni, garnie d'un volant. Seconde robe en linos blanc, ouverte en cœur sur un corsage pareil à la robe de dessous; cette robe est garnie d'un volant plissé. Le corsage ouvert est à basques garni d'un volant. Chapeau rond en paille, garni de bleuets.
Robe de foulard à rayures écrues (deux tons), garnie d'un volant plissé. Le corsage est très-bas, garni d'une ruche et d'un nœud. Bretelles couvertes d'une ruche. Corsage montant en nansouk blanc brodé, avec manches longues. Capuchon de dentelle noire.
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Short skirt in purple poplin, trimmed with three flounces. Gray taffeta tunic with black stripes, trimmed with fringe and draped on each side under black taffeta bows. High bodice similar to the tunic, with straight sleeves. Basque bodice (sleeveless), similar to the poplin skirt.
Plain blue foulard dress, trimmed with a ruffle. Second dress in white lino, open in the heart on a bodice similar to the dress below; this dress is trimmed with a pleated flounce. The open bodice is basque trimmed with a flounce. Round straw hat, garnished with blueberries.
Foulard dress with ecru stripes (two tones), trimmed with a pleated flounce. The bodice is very low, trimmed with a ruffle and a bow. Straps covered with a ruche. High bodice in embroidered white nansouk, with long sleeves. Black lace cap.
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The House Un-American Activities Committee discuss subpoenaing Cyrus Eaton, a businessman who criticized U.S. Cold War policy and called for nuclear disarmament, June 13, 1958.
Record Group 233: Records of the U.S. House of Representatives
Series: Committee Papers
File Unit: Minutes of Full Committee and Subcommittee Meetings of the Internal Security Committee During the 80th through 93rd Congresses
Transcription:
GORDON H. SCHERER COMMITTEES:
FIRST DISTRICT, OHIO UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES
PUBLIC WORKS
CINCINNATI OFFICE:
1704 CAREW TOWER ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
DUnbar 1-9312 ELIZABETH M. SCHURENT
[[in calligraphy]] Congress of the United States
House of Representatives
Washington, D.C.
June 13, 1958
[[blue ink]] Honorable Francis E. Walter, Chairman
Committee on Un-American Activities
House Office Building
Washington 25, D.C.
Dear Mr. Chairman:
On May 7, following the much - discussed television
appearance of Mr. Cyrus Eaton on the Mike Wallace show, I
made a speech at Hunter College in New York City in which I
commented on Mr. Eaton's charges against the security agencies
of this country. Enclosed is a copy of that part of the speech
dealing with the Eaton matter which I inserted in the Congressional
Record on May 12, entitled "Aid and Comfort to the Enemy."
Subsequently on May 15 I wrote you, sending
copies to the other members of the Committee
on Un-American Activities,
stating that in my opinion the Committee had no alternative except
to call Mr. Eaton and ask him to tell us what information he had
to support his charges against the security agencies of this
country, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
It has been pointed out that Mr. Eaton had a perfect right
under our Constitution to make whatever attack he saw fit against
these agencies even though because of his prominence such charges
were used by the Communist propaganda apparatus all over the
world to the detriment of the United States. It has been made
clear that, if there is any basis for Mr. Eaton's charges, then
our Committee has the duty under its charter and under the rules
of the House to investigate the operation of any agency in the
executive branch which would be operating in the manner suggested by
Mr. Eaton, and , if his charges were sustained by the evidence, to
recommend to the House the necessary legislation to correct such
practices.
[page 2]
Honorable Francis E. Walter
Page 2 - June 13, 1958
While, as I stated, Mr. Easton has the right to say what he pleases, the Congress and its Committees, also have the right to let the people who have been influenced by his statements know the facts, whatever they might be. Mr. Eaton should also have the opportunity to explain to the American people if there is any relation between the charges he has made against the agencies of this government and his frequent and intimate associations with the very top officials of the Russian government.
The charter of our Committee charges us with investigating propaganda harmful to the United States. The Congress and the people are entitled to know whether or not Mr. Eaton's Communist associates are furnishing him with any information on which he bases his charges against agencies of the government of the United States.
There is no question in my mind that Mr. Easton is a loyal American; however, you and I, as the result of our experience on this Committee, know full well that one of the successful techniques of the Communist apparatus is to use, whenever it can, prominent but often misguided loyal Americans to help promote Russian policy. This, as you know, has happened time and time again, as disclosed by an over-abundance of evidence in the record of our hearings.
Nothing that happened at the meeting in my office on Wednesday, June 11, has caused me to change my mind one iota about the necessity of calling Mr. Eaton, particularly since he saw fit to have dinner at the Russian Embassy the following night. This meeting with the Russian Ambassador was apparently more satisfactory and amiable than the one the preceding day with the representatives of the Congress.
I respectfully recommend that you call a meeting of the Committee at the earliest possible time so that a time and place can be set for Mr. Eaton's appearance.
Sincerely yours,
Gordon H. Scherer
GHS:ems
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Surround
@prongsfoot-microfic
Lights are flashing; red, green, white. And they are surrounded. The Bass is pulsing through them, dictating their blood flow, egging them on. It's carnal, it's fire, it's carnage.
And in the mids of all of that, there is Sirius, dancing in this flowing shirt of his, eyebrows drawn, jaw Set. He dances like he fights. It's rebellion, it's war. It's breathtakingly beautiful. James makes his way towards him. Through dancing bodies, music and sweat. Through a sea of people who only exist to admire Sirius. Desire him. Want to tear him apart, just to watch him survive anyway.
James places his hands on Sirius' waist and twirls him around. Sirius grins, he laughs, he kisses James with fire and blood. And, surrounded by all of it, with gentle appreciation.
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