Ethnic Names with Figurative Meanings (Reblog)

Reblogging this link because it is a fascinating read!

I just have one question or thought to ponder:

If a group of people in real life truly are ruthless, I’m not so sure you can call it a stereotype. I mean if I called a gang of organized criminals are ruthless and they just happen to all come from the same place, you wouldn’t say I was stereotyping them. Would you?

7 Ethnic Names with Figurative Meanings
| Daily Writing Tips

Foreign Investors Are Buying U.S. Real Estate

There are foreign investors who think that the “grass is greener in the USA” and they are buying a lot of real estate. Foreign investors who are buying up the “American Dream” hail from North and South America ( Canada , Mexico , Columbia ) and Asia ( China and India ) and other places around the globe.

In 2011, the states they viewed as having prime real estate are Arizona, Hawaii, Michigan, Nevada, Florida, and California. Florida was the top state. Yeah! Beat out California and Hawaii?? Yes well ... probably because Florida has no state tax. Also, by comparison, life on the West coast is way more expensive. Top 10 US Cities Foreign Investors Were Targeting in 2011.

As of March 2017, Bellingham, WA; Kahulul, HI; Los Angeles, CA; Miami, FL; and New York, NY, were the Top 5 US Cities Foreign Investors Were Targeting.

Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic did have an impact on this investing trend.

Foreign buying of American real estate plunged before the coronavirus pandemic — and experts say it’s only going to get worse – MarketWatch

Whew! Quite frankly, as an American, I'm happy about this prediction.

Have you ever considered investing in US real estate?

If that prediction did not dissuade or discourage you, then this link should interest you.

20 Best Places To Invest In Real Estate In 2021

HAPPY INVESTING!

* * *  Original Source

If you liked this content, you might also like: "Real Estate Investing: Global REIT: The First Sharia-Compliant REIT Launched in the Cryptocurrency Market" 

Favorite Quote (or Poem) to Carry Me Thru the New Year and Beyond!

While searching for posts and images about dreaming found this lovely poem which reads like a prayer and could be put under an umbrella labeled "Dreaming of a Perfect World".

Quotes | Source


* * *
Posts, Articles, Books, Art, etc. for More on Dreams:

• The Mystery of Dreams – Your Dreams Decoded
• My Favorite Power Quote 12 (Last One for 2014)
• "Everything Must Change" - In life, everybody sings this song, if they live.
• Real Lost Cities: Ophir or Atlantis?
• Science-Based Dream Interpretation
• The Weaving of a Dream (A Picture Book)
• Margarita’s World: Dream Homes on Canvas
• The Stuff Dreams Are Made of

The History of Astrology and the Gifts of the Magi

Some people celebrate the Adoration of the Magi every year on January 6.  Read an interesting article about the history of astrology and how it was applied in the beginning. (Reference: Good Heavens! Oldest-Known Astrologer's Board Discovered | Live Science) 

Per Wikipedia "Astrology is a pseudoscience that claims to divine information about human affairs and terrestrial events by studying the movements and relative positions of celestial objects."

• I believe the initial use of the real science of astrology (as opposed to pseudoscience), "in the beginning", i.e. used to predict the weather for agriculture purposes, natural disasters, etc., is the correct use or application of astrology. 

The article goes on to state that people began to say they could apply astrology in human affairs for success. 

• I believe that "beginning" (of when people started saying how astrology could be applied) could possibly be the beginning of when scam and con artists began to leave their indelible marks on the history of mankind, i.e. deceivers started telling people they could predict their future success by the stars and that deception has continued to this day (psychic readings, hotlines, etc.). 

• I believe there is only one exception where, not the stars, but a single star, was applied to human affairs for salvation and its appearance lent itself to the prediction of the rise (success) and fall (failure) of many.

*The star that led the wise men to Jesus.* 

Image credit: Star Of Bethlehem by FullMoonMaster on DeviantArt
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

The visit of the Magi may be a part of the so-called Christmas tradition but more importantly … it's a true story.  

It's an integral part of the most beautiful story ever told.  

Christmas Tradition: The Gifts of the Magi

Christmas Tradition: The Gifts of the Magi

Every year during the month of December, many people direct their minds to the story about the birth of Jesus, revered by faithful Christians as the Savior of the world. Although the nativity scene always shows the three wise men (also called the three kings) adoring a newborn baby and bearing gifts, the biblical account indicates that their visitation did not occur on the night that Mary gave birth.

Artists I Fancy: Impressionist Painters: Monet and Others

A brief introduction to artists, Claude Monet and others, who made such a lasting impression, reproductions of their original works adorn many homes and offices. Through his persistence Monet's paintings gained the recognition they deserve and he opened the door for fellow artists.


The letter "i" stands for "I'm impressed."


The term “impressionism” was first used in 1874, and its initial usage was not very complimentary. A critic was making a sarcastic remark about one of Monet's landscape paintings. Not allowing an unfavorable judgment to cramp his style, Claude Monet (1840 – 1926), working with Pierre Auguste Renoir (1841 – 1919), developed the technique of broken-color painting. These two artists are recognized as the founders of the art form known as Impressionism.

Others who were also a part of the group known as impressionist painters include: Édouard Manet (1832 – 1883), Jacob Camille Pissarro (1831 – 1903), Paul Cézanne (1839 – 1906), and Edgar Hilaire Germain Degas (1834 – 1917).

Monet and Renoir
Plus The Others

An art aficionado, I am not. But like most people, my attention can easily be captured by an impressive painting. The artwork of Claude Monet has always impressed me. However, it appears that Monsieur Monet had to work arduously at developing a fan base who appreciated his art. Of course, Auguste Renoir painted female nudes. Not that he wasn't a great artist because his subjects were bare naked ladies. But gathering appreciative admirers was not as difficult. Nevertheless, through his persistence Monet's paintings have gained the recognition they deserve and there are many of today's artists who will readily admit that their art style has been influenced by the work of Claude Monet.


As all of the impressionist painters named are already well known, there is a wealth of information about them that can be found online. Since they are no longer with us, there is nothing substantial left to be added (unless authentic secret diaries or original works stashed in someone's attic are discovered). Below are links to condensed biographies of each artist which serve as an excellent introduction should you wish to know more about them.



The ArtStory.org published a biographical snap-shot of:

• Claude Monet (1840 – 1926);
• Édouard Manet (1832 – 1883); and
• Edgar Hilaire Germain Degas (1834 – 1917).

For the biography of Pierre Auguste Renoir, visit notablebiographies.com.

A wonderful presentation of the life of Jacob Camille Pissarro (1831 – 1903) can be found at impressionniste.net.

PBS.org provided an introduction to the life of Paul Cézanne (1839 – 1906) for the program which aired July 2006 entitled Cézanne in Provence.

If interested, artcyclopedia.com is an online database where the artwork of thousands of artists can be viewed freely.

Image:  Autograph of the painter Claude Monet (Photo credit: Wikipedia

Claude Monet, 1840-1926 (Basic Art Album)

Link to original article at wizzley.com: Impressionist Painters

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• today's birthday: Claude Monet (1840) (euzicasa.wordpress.com)
• ' Swiss Museum Says They Will Accept Gurlitts Trove of 1,000 Artworks Hoarded by Nazi's ' (acenewsservices.com)
• Big Art For Little Kids (boredpanda.com)
• Bordeaux ~ Impressionist Alfred Smith ~ partie onze (wine-blog.org)
• Less hate. More Monet. (mollybandme.com)
• Daubigny, Monet, Van Gogh on view at Scottish National Gallery (panarmenian.net)

* * *

The Marvels of Practical Technology: Internet Access, Robots, and Smart Homes

Technological advances are for the good of all mankind. We must believe. I believe!

Being that I am not a geek and joined the tech world long after Al Gore invented the Internet, I have been doing nothing but “catch up” to “keep up”.

Basically what happened was I got tired of sending out resumes, sometimes getting interviewed but never getting the job, and the well of temp jobs that I was drinking from to tide me over, dried up! So I joined the online work community in earnest in the year 2007. Had I predicted my future as a work-at-home professional, I would have learned about HTML codes a lot sooner.

It's an arduous journey climbing up that “new tech trends ladder” day after day after day. But you know what? It's technological progress!!

And you know what they say about technological progress.

“Technological progress has merely provided us with more efficient means for going backwards.” ~ Aldous Huxley

(My humor is corny but you could get used to it.)

I believe technology is a tool for the greater good. Often times I come across a lot of practical advice about technology and what I learn I share. Below are some information links I found to be very illuminating.

Some days my Internet is slow. Are there ways for me to speed it up without having to pay a geek?

• Working From Home? 8 Ways to Boost Your Internet Speed | Time

I promise. If I get a robot vacuum for Christmas, my efficiency will increase.

• Robots Might Make Human Workers More Efficient, Not Replace Them – Bloomberg

To be honest, I have never been completely sold on the idea of smart homes. But if it really will improve one's quality of living, why resist? After all, there was once a time when people thought electricity in homes was dangerous. Yeah. Because gas light and candles were not dangerous at all!

• What Can Go Wrong with a Smart Home and What You Can Do About It - IoT Tech Trends

• Why 'Smart' Homes Are Creeping Out Consumers | Inc.com

If this shared content proved useful, then I hope it helped you as much as it helped me.

♦

Original source

Gourmet Gifts: This is For the Chocolate Lover in You!

If life is like a box of chocolates, I want this box! LOL. ~ LIFE and LOVE in a box of chocolates. 12 pieces.

Pascal Caffet is a world-famous chocolatier and the French are more than happy to say “Ooh la la!” whenever this name is heard. He is revered as “le Roi du chocolat”, that is to say, “the king of chocolate”.

Zchocolate is partnered
with Pascal Caffet.

Although this confectioner company is based in France, their delicious treats are shipped to many destinations around the world; via DHL to 244 countries, in fact.

In America, well-known business entities applaud these exquisite hand-made chocolates.
– Wall Street Journal referred to them as the Best Lesser-Known Gift Site on the Net.
– Food Network rated their products as Top 5 Chocolate Gifts.
– ShopSmart, from Consumer Reports, published its annual list for 2014 and featured zChocolat as one of the best-boxed chocolates. The word used to describe the taste-tested assortment were: standout flavors and exceptional.
– There are 26 flavors. Examples include Piedmont hazelnut praline and Venezuelan dark chocolate. LA Times calls them spectacular.

These luscious candies are offered to very appreciative customers. 

glitter-graphics.com

Chocolate is the gift often associated with Valentine’s Day and sometimes Christmas Day but it’s a gift that will be accepted any time of the year, no matter what the occasion. :)

Source:  Webnuggetz.com

Common Thinking Mistakes We All Make - BufferApp.com (Reblog)

Each day is a brand new day and I am always thinking of ways to enhance or improve my creative thought process. 
 

Ever heard of Buffer? This business provides a service that helps you automate your social media sharing. The organization currently enjoys a good online reputation and is as respected as their competitors - HootSuite.com, SproutSocial.com and similar sites.

Not only do they provide an excellent service, but they publish a very informative blog. Very excited to share this tidbit. See REFERENCE below. 

 

Had not realized there are common thinking mistakes most of us make every day? Well … maybe everybody else makes those mistakes. I don't!
 

Mistakes 1 through 5?

• Not me. No way!

Mistake 6?

• Would never make this mistake because when it comes to Hershey’s Kisses and Lindt Truffles – you don't choose. You take both!

Mistake 7?

• OK. I was wrong about who the original artist was that sang the song! Really thought it was Petula Clark!! That's how I remembered it!

Mistake 8 ? Fine! I admit it!!



* * * 
 
REFERENCE:

Cooper, Belle B. "8 Common Thinking Mistakes Our Brains Make Every Day." Buffer Social. Buffer, 30 Sept. 2013. Web. 08 Mar. 2015. < https://blog.bufferapp.com/thinking-mistakes-8-common-mistakes-in-how-we-think-and-how-to-avoid-them >.

* * *
RE BufferApp.com content sharing service:
They have a free plan that allows you to share a maximum of 10 posts on a time schedule you specify. My blog posts and links are circulated via my Twitter and Google Plus social media accounts. FYI. 
 

Content first published at PersonaPaper, March 9, 2015.

(Image credit: WEP Pink Poop Emoji Pillow Queen Princess Lady Nerd Smiley Unicorn Emoticon Pig Cushion Dog Stuffed Bunny Rabbit Soft Plush Toy (CUTE GIRL)

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Gift Giving? Need Ideas? Candles Are Gifts That Are Seldom RE-Gifted

Candles have always been a great gift idea. Right?

Candles are seldom refused and rarely, if ever, re-gifted.

• Your child needs a gift for their teachers. Candle!
• Can’t think of what to get your mom for Mother's Day or her birthday? Candle!
• A boss needs to think of an inexpensive corporate gift for his or her employees – which, of course, he or she can write off as a business expense for tax purposes. Candles!

Image credit:  Amazon.com

(Pssst … Paperweights are also a good idea. If interested, click here. If not, let’s stay focused and stick with the candles.)

I have heard that the Yankee Candles have become an extremely popular gift item? No surprise. They are uber wonderful because they come in so many fragrances. Spiced pumpkin, cinnamon, roses, vanilla, jasmine, lilac blossoms, etc. They even come in votives.

Ask me which scent would be my favorite? Balsam & Cedar.

Why? A personal affinity towards anything that lends itself to biblical times.

Cedar trees were utilized by King Solomon in the building of the temple and are a symbol of strength and beauty.

As for balsam? Well! Balsam is for priests, kings, and … everyday people, like you and me.

Source: Webnuggetz.com

Odor Eliminating Soy Candle From Angry Orange – Eliminates Odors Leaving a Clean Citrus Scent – Perfect Gift for Smokers and Pet Owners – All Natural Soy Odor Eliminator Candle Is Made in USA – 18oz

Can Gandhi find a place in today's Corporate and Management world? | Anas Ebrahem (Reblog)

Gandhian methods, characteristics, ideas, and ideals? Rituals of visionary leaders? Gandhi was a lawyer so finding a place in today’s Corporate and Management world would likely not be difficult for him to do. But his visionary methods of leadership would probably also get him kicked out of that same world! :) 

Sharing this excellent post by Anas Ebrahem.

Can Gandhi find a place in today's Corporate and Management world?

Can Gandhi find a place in today's Corporate and Management world?

Can Gandhi find a place in today's Corporate and Management world? It has been long lasting debate going on with some of my friends in understanding the relevancy of Gandhism in the modern corporate world that talks of stocks, prices, sell-outs and buy-ins everyday. To worsen the state of their minds, a question of...

Gandhi Seven Deadly Social Sins



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Related Link:

No Nobel Peace Prize for Gandhi?

 

Consumer Electronics and Gadgets Wish List

A fellow freelance writer published his list of the Top 5 Technology Gadgets Christmas Wishlist. However, that was in 2018. Since it's 2020 and I know how fast technology is outdated or invented, I compared that list to tech gadgets on two lists for 2020.

• Tech Radar published a list of Best Gadgets for 2020; and 
• Best Products published The 100 Coolest Tech Gadgets of 2020.

For those who like gaming, TR's list includes the best games console; and for those into health and fitness, TR's list includes the best fitness tracker. (Singular. They only listed one tracker.)

As for me, the Robot Vacuum is still on MY wishlist.

But in that list of 100 gadgets, here are the tech toys that caught my eye:

* There is a Portable Photo Printer. I'm from the Polaroid generation. I remember when one of my brothers got a Polaroid Instant Camera for Christmas. When I saw that gadget I felt this really strong nostalgia vibe.

Image Credit:  Amazon.com

* The Compact Wall Charger is awesome! Carry it in your pocket or your purse and if you need to rapidly charge a smartphone or tablet, just stick in an electrical outlet. It will charge your device and has a feature that protects from overheating.

* The Robot Vacuum is Number 35 on this Top 100 List and still Numero Uno on my list.

* The Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip I like because my kids said that I should like it. They usually know what they're talking about for a lot of this tech stuff.

* The Hot+Cool Cryptomic Air Purifier. To me, this should be the first gadget on the list. Everybody needs to breathe pure air. I believe in air purifiers. I have worked in companies that had air purifiers in the offices. They are amazing!

* Number 100 on this list of 100 is a product that I would have never guessed. It's a Wind-Resistant Umbrella. An umbrella is not an item I usually list under tech gadgets. But this umbrella is no ordinary umbrella! It can survive wind gusts up to 72 mph. Uh-huh. I'm not buying it. I have no need for that. According to the Beaufort Wind Scale, gale-force hurricane winds for a storm are 64 - 73 mph. I grew up in Miami, Florida. I don't go outside in hurricanes and we get enough advanced warning to know that we're supposed to find shelter. I have no need for an umbrella that can withstand 72 mph cause I'm not stupid enough to go outside and try to brave that kind of wind force!

Anyway! That Top 100 List is very easy to peruse. It's a gallery of photos with a description of about 1 or 2 paragraphs and tells you where you can buy these gadgets and how much they cost.

♦♦

Interesting Link:

How Much is Your Old Polaroid Camera Worth? - Catawiki

Source: ForumCoin.com

Do You Know The Rules for the White Elephant Gift Exchange?

In the USA, typically, for the holidays, often at the office Christmas party, or other social gatherings we will have a white elephant gift exchange (also called Secret Santa.). Each person has to bring in one gift. They usually limit the price to $5 or $10. Nothing expensive. Something nice. Then we play the white elephant game where people exchange the gifts. It's pure wholesome happy holiday fun! (See link below.)

When you have a family you don't usually do a gift exchange. However, if you have a large family, buying gifts for everyone can be quite expensive. Imagine me. I had a family of 7 brothers and 1 sister. Some of my brothers were married with kids. I also was married with kids. Shopping for that many people without breaking your bank was a real challenge. I managed somehow. But it wasn't easy!

But then I thought of the idea of doing a white elephant gift exchange for the family when we got together to enjoy the holiday meal. I figured it would cut down on the expense of having to buy several gifts. I tried to sell this idea to family members but they wouldn't buy it.

Rules for a White Elephant Gift Exchange

• Do you participate in the gift exchange at social gatherings?

• What do you think of the idea of a gift exchange for the extended family?  Sometimes it's very expensive buying for lots of family members.  But perhaps if you did the white elephant exchange for the family get-together, it would be less expensive and probably more fun!

P.S.  Sometimes the White Elephant gift exchange is called Secret Santa.

glitter-graphics.com

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Character Study: Bible Women | Mary: Full of Grace

MARY
The mother of Jesus. No one disputes this.

Almost everyone in a predominantly Christian society knows the story of Mary, the mother of Jesus. When Mary is introduced in the Christian scriptures, she is living in Nazareth in Galilee and she is betrothed to be married to a man named Joseph, who discovers that she is pregnant. Knowing that child could not possibly be his child, Joseph agonizes over what to do about Mary. Under Jewish law, he has two options. Option 1: Shame Mary publicly and have her stoned for infidelity. Option 2: Put Mary away quietly. The scriptures state that an angel came to Joseph in a dream and told him not to fear taking Mary as his wife. She had committed no sin and the child that she was carrying was the result of a miracle and the fulfillment of a prophecy that “a virgin would conceive and bring forth a son who would be named Emmanuel, meaning ‘God with us’.” 

Mary and Jesus - Image Credit: Paint According To The Number Set Paint Diy Children and Adult Oil Painting, Virgin Mary Jesus 

Some non-Christian sources say that Jesus was a bastard, an illegitimate child, the result of an unlawful union between Mary and someone other than her lawful husband. There is an ongoing debate as to whether the Qu’ran (Koran) states that Mary was a virgin who conceived and gave birth to Jesus, having never had sexual contact in any way with any man OR whether she was a virgin at the time the angel visited her and told her she would have a child.

Whether or not Christian and non-Christian sources agree Mary is the 5th woman mentioned by Matthew in the lineage of Jesus Christ.

• Bible References: MARY – MATT 1: 16, 18, 20; 2: 11; 13: 55; MK 6: 3; LK 1: 27, 30, 41, 56; 2: 5, 16, 19

A Lineage of Grace:Five Stories of Unlikely Women Who Changed Eternity

Bible Women: All Their Words and Why They Matter

“Mary, Did you Know?” - incredible acappella version by the Pentatonix

Diary Note: Today is November 21, 2014. Woke up this morning, charged up and ready to face the day. Checked my eMail and my husband's aunt had sent me this. Gotta admit it made me slow down, take a deep breath, and START MY DAY ALL OVER AGAIN!!!  Ever heard of this website. GodVine? I never heard of it. Know it now! :)

Blessings to all!!
Here Is One A Cappella Song That'll Give You Chills. THIS Is What CHRISTmas Is All About!

* * * 

That's Christmas To Me ~ Pentatonix

Glittering Xmas tree from glitter-graphics.com

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• Genealogy of Jesus: Women Named in the Gospel
• 
  

Loner Games ~ When You Want To Be Alone (Reblog)

Everybody has those moments when they want to be along or they find themselves alone and need some fun to occupy their minds and ... ??? ... and they don't have Internet access! What to do? What to do? Do what we all used to do. Play solitaire!

Loner Games ~ When You Want To Be Alone (or You Find Yourself All Alone)

In case you don't know how I looked up the rules. Enjoy!
How to Play Marble Solitaire

Happy Holidays! A Collection of Thanksgiving Recipes for Special Diets

It's that time of the year again.  You want to prepare the traditional recipes but certain family and friends coming over to share the holiday feast have dietary restrictions or dietary preferences.  What can you do?

Whether you're terrified because you're new to the whole holiday entertaining family and friends tradition and never cooked a meal for anybody OR you're an experienced host or hostess but need some new recipes idea and/or need to make changes to the feast because of the dietary restrictions or requirements of some of those invited to partake, you might find these recipes in our collection invaluable.

Vegan Thanksgiving recipes

Gluten Free Thanksgiving recipes

Low Carb Thanksgiving recipes

Paleo Thanksgiving recipes

Traditional (Healthy or Healthier) American Thanksgiving recipes

Happy Thanksgiving!

** Related articles

Links of Interest:

• Presidential Thanksgiving Facts
• U.S. History Timeline: From Washington to Tyler
• Women in the Lineage of Jesus
• 
  

EES shares recipes, cooking tips and all things foodie!   Everyday Exotic Spices EES Presents Food Ways

Floral Diversity: i-Flowers For Your Garden: Indian Blanket, Indian Pink, and the Iris

Indian Blanket, Indian Pink, and the Iris are three (3) flowers that you will love. 

You will love the Indian Blanket and Indian Pink because of their glorious colors.

The scientific name for Indian Blanket is Gaillardia pulchella and the scientific name for Indian Pink is Spigelia marilandica. Both are spectacular red and yellow. I can see why the common name includes the word “Indian” because the bright colors do remind me of clothing worn by Native American Indians.

The Indian Blanket flower is a wildflower that grows all over North and South America. If you live on either of these 2 continents, chances are you've seen this flower but you didn't know the name. Other names for this flower are Fire Wheel and Sundance. Native Americans dry them and use it for medicinal teas. Here is a cool fun fact: Gaillardia is the official flower of the state of Oklahoma. I've never been to Oklahoma. But I live in Texas and the folks here like the flower so much that they chose the colors as the official school colors for the Texas State University.

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The Indian Pink is a wildflower that grows in the greater southeastern United States (from Florida up to New Jersey and over as far as Texas). It has other names like Little Redhead or Pinkroot. Newbie gardeners probably like them because they are perennials, grow in the shade, and are pollinated by hummingbirds. However, there have been many complaints that the flower is disappearing due to overharvesting. Like most wildflowers, this flower has medicinal properties. People use it to get rid of the roundworm and tapeworm. But it also contains tannin which can be used for what seems like “anti” everything! Antibacterial, anticancer, antihypertensive, antioxidant, antitumor, antiulcer, antiviral, etc. It's even anti-HIV. Some Native American tribes use it in ceremonies to induce visions and foretell the future because it has hallucinogenic properties. Experienced herbalists warn that an incorrect dosage of medicines made from Indian Pink could have deadly consequences.

*

When I say Iris, you say Which color? This is a beautiful spring flower and it grows in pale blue, mauve, pink, yellow, and blue-violet (what I call purple). All are gorgeous! But I fancy the purple ones.

Irises in Mythology: “According to Greek mythology, when the gods wanted to communicate with mortals on earth they sent a messenger. The messenger was a goddess who, with golden wings, traveled to earth on a rainbow. Legend has it that wherever this goddess set foot on earth, colorful flowers sprung up. The goddess in question was Iris, and the flowers that were said to grow where she set foot bear her name.” (Quote Source: “Iris: A Brief History”)

Irises in Art: Vincent Van Gogh loved painting Irises. Guess what! He started painting them while he was in an asylum. Van Gogh had problems. But at least he did try to get help for himself. After all, he committed himself to the asylum. While he was there, could there be any better mental therapy than painting Irises? I wonder. Did he need a psychiatrist or did he just need a place to getaway? Only Van Gogh knows for sure. 

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Irises have been used for both health and beauty purposes. It was used to cure dropsy and also to remove freckles. 

I'll conclude with these 2 fun facts.

(1) In America, the iris is the state flower of Tennessee.

(2) In France, the iris is the national emblem and it is known as the "fleur-de-lis" or flower of Louis, in honor of the kings of France.

Original source

The JFK - James Bond Link (and Other Interesting Bond Trivia)

Sharing links of interest I discovered while researching to publish my article for HUBPages.com:

My List of the Best James Bond Theme Songs

JFK's recommendation may have helped sell the James Bond books to America - Did you know that the late former President John F. Kennedy's endorsement of one of Ian Fleming's books promoted the popularity of James Bond films in the American market and helped propel 007 into becoming a worldwide phenomenon?

James Bond books by Ian Fleming Info on the James Bond books by Ian Fleming, including 12 novels and 2 books of short stories.

How James Bond and Steve Jobs changed our world - Economic Times By Bennett Voyles "...October marks two anniversaries that matter a lot to the tech world's collective unconscious: the 50th anniversary of the James Bond film series, and the first anniversary of Steve Jobs' death. ..."

The Sunday Tribune - Spectrum Octopussy (1983), one of seven Bond movies starring Roger Moore, remains the only one in the series to be filmed in India. Parts of it were shot in Rajasthan, with Vijay Amritraj playing a cameo. In the case of Skyfall, complications pertaining to securing permission to shoot on a running train on the Konkan Railway reportedly forced the crew to look elsewhere. The latest Bond movie was eventually filmed in Shanghai, Istanbul and the Scottish Highlands. ...

The 10 Coolest Gadgets in 50 Years of James Bond For 50 years, James Bond has been the master of international intrigue and had some truly great gadgets along the way.

'Skyfall' Star, Naomie Harris Talks New Role And Idris Elba Becoming The First Black Bond Having the opportunity to co-star beside a suave British intelligence agent such as James Bond, requires a lot of skill and technique. According to 36-year-old actress Naomie Harris, prepping for her starring role in, Skyfall, proved to be more strenuous than she originally expected.

Facebook Fan Page: Idris Elba for James Bond. We Want Idris Elba for James Bond. As of Oct 2012 - over 20,000 likes; with almost 4,000 people talking about this.

Biggest Bond Bloopers A collection of bloopers at moviemistakes.com. Highlights the biggest Bond bloopers from all 22 Bond movies (there are over 1,000 mistakes across the entire series!).

Kennedy: A Cultural History of an American Icon 

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Related articles:

• Every First-Edition Ian Fleming James Bond Book Cover (1953-1966) (grayflannelsuit.net)
• The Next James Bond will be? (fandangogroovers.wordpress.com)
• Helen Flanagan tipped as new Bond girl (breakingnews.ie)

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● Irresistible Trivia About James Bond Novels - Treathyl Fox - Medium

● After that, Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond, wrote a book a year. This brilliant writer died of a heart attack in 1964. That's a little over ten years!! ● It is not often that I come across...

First published 11/3/14, 9:49 PM CST

When is the new #JamesBond film released? What’s the title, who is in the cast, and is it #DanielCraig’s last movie as 007? https://t.co/5x1wZnJ7jf via @flipboard #entertainment #moviesmusicandbooks #Bond #Bond25 @RadioTimes

— Treathyl Fox (@cmoneyspinner) July 27, 2019

An Aston Martin DB5 as seen in Goldfinger. 

Expensive items are often part of a glamorous lifestyle.

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)