Julien's Auction - Icons and Idols of Rock & Roll and Sports

Lot 925 of 1708: MUHAMMAD ALI SIGNED IMAGE WITH THE BEATLES - A reproduced image originally taken in February 1964 when The Beatles visited Cassius Clay while in Miami one week in advance of his title fight with Sonny Liston. Signed “Muhammad Ali/ Peace + Love” in black marker, with a drawing of a heart added by Ali. A portion of the proceeds of the sale of this lot will be donated to The Muhammad Ali Museum and The Muhammad Ali Parkinsons Foundation. Mounted image, 28 by 19 1/2 inches Current bid: $150 (1 bid) Estimate: $300 - $500 Starting: $150


Lot 920 of 1708: MUHAMMAD ALI SIGNED IMAGE - A large black and white image of Muhammad Ali being challenged by Elvis Presley, with Ali having a somewhat surprised look on his face. Signed “Muhammad Ali/ Peace + Love ’01” in black marker. Ali has also added a drawing of a heart. This image was originally taken in Elvis's suite at the International Hotel in Las Vegas before Ali's bout against Joe Bugner in 1973. Elvis had the rhinestoned robe in the image made for Ali with "People's Champion" inscribed on the back. A portion of the proceeds of the sale of this lot will be donated to The Muhammad Ali Museum and The Muhammad Ali Parkinsons Foundation. 34 by 24 inches Current bid: $600 (3 bids) Estimate: $300 - $600 Starting: $150

Lot 917 of 1708: MUHAMMAD ALI HANDWRITTEN KORAN EXCERPTS - A group of five sheets of yellow ruled paper, each with a separate excerpt from the Koran. Handwritten by Muhammad Ali in blue pen. Many of the excerpts focus on doing as much good as possible on Earth. A portion of the proceeds of the sale of this lot will be donated to The Muhammad Ali Museum and The Muhammad Ali Parkinsons Foundation. Each, 11 by 8 1/2 inches PROVENANCE From the collection of Veronica Porche (formerly Veronica Porche Ali) Estimate: $800 - $1,200 Starting: $400

Lot 918 of 1708: MUHAMMAD ALI DOUBLE SIGNED ISLAM BOOKLET - A booklet entitled “What Is Islam” (Pakistan: Al-Ikhwan Publishing, 1979). Signed on both the front cover and the inside of the front cover “From Muhammad Ali.” A portion of the proceeds of the sale of this lot will be donated to The Muhammad Ali Museum and The Muhammad Ali Parkinsons Foundation. 7 by 4 3/4 inches PROVENANCE From the collection of Veronica Porche (formerly Veronica Porche Ali) Estimate: $200 - $400 Starting: $100

Lot 916 of 1708: MUHAMMAD ALI SIGNED ISLAM BOOKLET A booklet entitled “The Muslim’s Belief” (Saudi Arabia: WAMY, 1987). Signed on the front cover “From Muhammad Ali 5-21-99” in black pen. A portion of the proceeds of the sale of this lot will be donated to The Muhammad Ali Museum and The Muhammad Ali Parkinsons Foundation. 8 1/4 by 5 5/8 inches PROVENANCE From the collection of Veronica Porche (formerly Veronica Porche Ali) Estimate: $150 - $300 Starting: $75


Lot 915 of 1708: MUHAMMAD ALI SIGNED ISLAM BOOK - A book entitled Islam - A Global Civilization . Signed and dated on the first page of the book “From Muhammad Ali 5-92.” A portion of the proceeds of the sale of this lot will be donated to The Muhammad Ali Museum and The Muhammad Ali Parkinsons Foundation. 11 by 8 1/2 inches PROVENANCE From the collection of Veronica Porche (formerly Veronica Porche Ali) Estimate: $150 - $300 Starting: $75
Lot 914 of 1708: MUHAMMAD ALI SIGNED ISLAM PAMPHLET - A pamphlet titled “Who Is The Promised Messiah?” published by The Institute of Islamic Information and Education in Chicago. Signed “Muhammad Ali” in black pen and dated “5-2-99.” A portion of the proceeds of the sale of this lot will be donated to The Muhammad Ali Museum and The Muhammad Ali Parkinsons Foundation. 8 1/2 by 3 1/4 inches PROVENANCE From the collection of Veronica Porche (formerly Veronica Porche Ali) Estimate: $100 - $200 Starting: $50

The Will

December 15, 2011, 1:33 PM
Maya Lin Project Approved in Newport Despite Objections
By RANDY KENNEDY
Over the objections of a group of vocal opponents the city council of Newport, R.I., voted Wednesday night to approve the use of a small park for a permanent installation being designed by the artist Maya Lin to evoke the city’s past and to honor the heiress Doris Duke.
Read more:
http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/12/15/maya-lin-project-approved-in-newport-despite-objections/

Cooper Union Graduate - Jennifer Williams

Have a Nice Day
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11333/1193184-369.stm?cmpid=HBEHTML

A German victor.

George Catlin Indian Portfolio Sparks International Bidding BattleIn a German auction, George Catlin’s “North American Indian Portfolio” almost doubled its starting price of 45,000 euros with a final result of 87,600 euros including commission, leaving several competitive bidders from the U.S. empty-handed. The heated bidding skirmish for the rare period document ended with a German victor. This first edition copy, published by Catlin in 1844, is a distinctive firsthand account of Native American "hunting scenes and amusements of the Rocky Mountains and prairies of America," including the artist's observations and images of tribal life in twenty-five hand-colored lithographs. - Artfix

The Artist - Michel Hazanavicius

Tameka Foster

Paul McMullan - in pursuit of the truth

Mr. McMullan said his former bosses, Rebekah Brooks, above, and Andy Coulson, lacked the “strength of conviction to say, 'Yes, sometimes you have to stray into black or gray illegal areas.'" “Phone hacking is a perfectly acceptable tool, given the sacrifices we make, if all we’re trying to do is get to the truth,” Mr. McMullan said, asking whether “we really want to live in a world where the only people who can do the hacking are MI5 and MI6.” “For a brief period of about 20 years, we have actually lived in a free society where we can hack back,” he said. Journalists in Britain have traditionally justified shady practices by arguing that they are in “the public interest.” Asked by an inquiry lawyer how he would define that, Mr. McMullan said that the public interest is what the public is interested in. - NY Times

Alcoa

Alcoa hopes to clear name in Bahrain bribe lawsuit
An amended lawsuit complaint claims companies working on behalf of Alcoa paid more than $9.5 million in bribes to officials and executives in the Middle Eastern nation of Bahrain to secure windfall profits on alumina sales. Paperwork filed Monday detailed accusations by Aluminium Bahrain BSC, called Alba, that were first outlined in 2008, but have been on ice while the U.S. Department of Justice investigates them for possible criminality. - Rich Lord
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11334/1193452-28-0.stm?cmpid=HBEHTML#ixzz1fBcaHvbv
Charles "Teenie" Harris - Woman wearing dark skirt and button down suit jacket, dark fur collar tied with bow in front, dark hat and shoes, light colored round earrings, dark and light colored beaded necklaces, holding dark rectangular handbag, walking in an open terrazzo courtyard with multicolored triangular pattern, Alcoa building in background.

Winners

Public Art
The winners in The Sprout Fund's 10th anniversary Downtown Public Art Project competition will be announced during a 2011 Public Art Forum to be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Monday at Cabaret at Theater Square, 655 Penn Ave., Downtown. The project budget is $100,000 and the artwork will be located at the Law & Finance Building on Fourth Avenue. Community input is invited from residents, workers and other Downtown stakeholders. Also, Pittsburgh Office of Public Art director Renee Piechocki will discuss the role public art has played in Pittsburgh's revitalization. Free. - Mary Thomas

Barney Frank

Barney Frank, now and then
Slide show:
http://www.csmonitor.com/CSM-Photo-Galleries/In-Pictures/Barney-Frank-now-and-then

George Harrison - Vatican Blues

Gazed at the ceiling from below
A splendid Michelangelo
Filled my heart with delight
Last Saturday night

Arrived believing from home
Climbed every step inside St. Peter's Dome
Claustrophobic and ex-Catholic
Last Saturday night

Now how come nobody really noticed
Puff of white smoke knocked me out
The truth is hiding, lurking, banking
Things they do at night

It's quite suspicious to say the least
Even mentioned it to my local priest
One Our Father, three Hail Marys
Each Saturday Night

I wish somebody would tell me
That it's only a show
I'll confess, own up, let's bface it
In my concrete tuxedo

It's quite suspicious to say the least
While mentioning it to my priest
One Our Father, three Hail Marys
Each Saturday night

One Our Father three Hail Marys
Each Saturday night
One Our Father three Hail Marys
Each Saturday night

George Harrison

Lizzy Fitch or Fizzy Litch

Jon Rubin's "I'm Not Me" at The Pittsburgh Center for the Arts is 10 silent minutes of five teen-agers, their skin painted silver, sitting in a bedroom and listening to music we can't hear; Rubin, 48, says it's about how teens are "all just performing being human. … They've seen how humans behave and they're trying it out for the first time." - Pittsburgh City Paper

Little LeRoy Weiner

as long as Michelle still thinks I’m cute...

MICHELLE OBAMA Joining Forces With Extreme Makeover: Home Edition

Malia Obama

It’s hard to believe Malia’s already a teenager. The first time I saw her dressed up to go to a Bat Mitzvah party, all I could think about was how happy I was that she’d be accompanied by large men with guns. - President Barack Obama

The Obama Holiday Letter: From my family to yours

On behalf of the entire Obama family, I’d like to wish you and your loved ones a happy and healthy holiday season. For us, the holidays are a chance to eat some good food, sing some holiday songs (occasionally out of tune), affirm our faith, and spend time with the family and friends who make our lives so blessed. Over the past year, Sasha and Malia have continued to amaze Michelle and me with their steadiness and poise. One highlight was when Michelle and the girls accompanied me on my first official trip to South America as president. One evening, after a day of meetings and cultural programs, we visited the statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro. As we stared up at this wonder of the modern world, I knew it was a moment the girls wouldn’t soon forget, particularly since it was one of the few times I didn’t have to remind them to turn off their iPods. I’m also incredibly proud of the way the girls have handled the pressures that come with living in the White House. Whether it’s handling their schoolwork, playing basketball, tennis and soccer, or just hanging out with friends, they’re able to do all the things kids their age normally do. It’s hard to believe Malia’s already a teenager. The first time I saw her dressed up to go to a Bat Mitzvah party, all I could think about was how happy I was that she’d be accompanied by large men with guns. Michelle is doing well, and has been hitting the road almost as often as I have. In April, she and Dr. Jill Biden launched a partnership called “Joining Forces” to support our nation’s military families. She even appeared on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition to build a brand new house for Barbara Marshall, a 15-year Navy Veteran. And for a second year, her Let’s Move! campaign got children excited about healthy eating and exercise. When I see Michelle standing with a proud military family, or leading kids in jumping jacks on the White House lawn, it reminds me how lucky I am to have her. People always tell me I “married up,” and I couldn’t agree more. Of course, it’s been a bit of a busy year for me as well. I turned 50 this August, and my family and friends joined me here at the White House to celebrate. My drive to the hoop has slowed a bit, but I took on a new role as the substitute coach for Sasha’s basketball team. And as long as Michelle still thinks I’m cute, I can handle being a little older and grayer. The most humbling and inspiring part of my job continues to be my role as Commander in Chief. When I visit our troops at bases across the country or in the field, I’m awed by their commitment to service. Many of these men and women are only seven or eight years older than Malia, and they take on enormous responsibilities with courage and skill. While it’s impossible to thank our troops and their families enough, I try to do everything I can to let them know that Americans are united in our gratitude. Once a month, we bring wounded warriors for a private tour of the White House, and every Fourth of July, we invite military families and veterans to join us for the fireworks and a barbeque. At Arlington National Cemetery, Michelle and I have spent quiet moments with Gold Star families, to honor their loved ones who gave their lives serving overseas. Nothing I say can ever fill the hole in their hearts, but I want to make sure they know how much our country appreciates their sacrifice. One of the most memorable days I’ve had as President took place in May, when I went to Fort Campbell to personally thank the Special Operations Forces who delivered justice to Osama bin Laden. Even though we felt there was a fifty-fifty chance that bin Laden was at that compound, I made the decision that I did because I was a hundred percent confident in these men. They are unbelievable. In July and September I had the honor of presenting the Medal of Honor to Leroy Petry and Dakota Meyer, two young men who risked their own lives to save others during firefights in Afghanistan. When my staff spoke with Dakota a few days before the ceremony, he asked if it would be possible have a beer with the President. I was honored to oblige, and we shared a few cold ones on the Rose Garden patio. On September 10th, Michelle, the girls and I went to DC Central Kitchen, a local non-profit, where we helped make a batch of gumbo for those in our neighborhood who don’t have enough to eat. I was proud that my family could join the thousands of Americans who commemorated the 10th anniversary of 9/11 through service. And Michelle and I could not have been more moved to join families at Ground Zero, in Pennsylvania, and at the Pentagon, as we remembered those we lost on that tragic day. We welcomed many groups of young people to the White House this year, and seeing them so hopeful and full of energy made it impossible not to be optimistic about the future. Thirty thousand parents and children came to the annual Easter Egg Roll on the White House lawn. I also had the chance to meet several kids through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and their strength and warmth inspired me. Another highlight of this year was meeting the winners of the Google Science Fair. Ten thousand kids applied, from 90 different countries. I was thrilled, but not at all surprised, that the winners were three teenage girls from America. So I had them over to the Oval Office, and they explained their projects to me, while I pretended to understand what they were talking about. Of course, 2011 had more than its share of tough times. For many Americans, this was a far more difficult year than most. Every day, I read letters from parents who had trouble putting food on the table, teachers laid off due to budget cuts, or young people who couldn’t repay their student loans. It breaks my heart to hear from people who are trying so hard, and still struggling to get by. Their stories inspire me to do everything I can to help make their lives a little easier in the coming year. I’m in awe of all the Americans I meet who refuse to give up hope, even in these difficult times. And as tough as things may be right now, I know we will overcome. I know it because we always have, and I was reminded of this one night in October, when Michelle, the girls and I were able to see the new Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on the National Mall. We read the quotes etched into the stone. We looked up at the statue of a man who never stopped dreaming of a brighter future. And we were moved by the example of a leader who inspired ordinary people to do extraordinary things. It can be strange, living in the White House. After all, every time my family piles into the car, Secret Service piles in with us. But there at the Memorial, as we held hands in silence, we were just another American family. We felt the way I hope you feel, as you celebrate the holidays: surrounded by the ones we love, confident in the promise of tomorrow, and blessed to live in this great country.

Bo Buttons

Only $5 @ The Obama for America Store
http://store.barackobama.com/

Lobster Boys

& Lobster Girls
Dali Lobster Dress
& Divine

You're gonna be okay.

Homer Simpson singing The B52's rock lobster by Peter Griffin form family guy

Bishop David A. Zubik

Bishop Zubik leads service of apology
Sins by clergy, others in church addressed
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
By Amy McConnell Schaarsmith, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
In an emotional "service of apology," Bishop David A. Zubik apologized last night for sins including sexual abuse by clergy and other representatives of the Catholic Church in Pittsburgh, and begged for his parishioners' forgiveness. Many of them had come to the service with "hurts that you hold and perhaps painfully so," he said. "For whatever way any member of the church has hurt, offended, dismissed or ignored any one of you, I beg you -- the church begs you -- for forgiveness," Bishop Zubik told several hundred people inside St. Paul Cathedral in Oakland. Out in the pews, former Catholic and onetime seminarian Tim Bendig took comfort from those words and from the rest of Bishop Zubik's service. Sexually abused by former priest Anthony Cipolla as a teenager in the 1980s, Mr. Bendig -- now 40 -- hadn't entered a Catholic church for 20 years. He restrained himself from making the sign of the cross, reciting prayers and singing hymns. But he was looking for a chance to forgive the wrongs against him and to renew his life as a Catholic. Last night, he found it. "I feel uplifted," Mr. Bendig, who settled a lawsuit against the diocese in 1993, said as he nervously prepared to shake Bishop Zubik's hand after the service. "I feel real light on my feet. I feel refreshed. What I hoped I would accomplish today, I accomplished." The service began on a somber note. In place of the usual organ music and hymns of welcome, Bishop Zubik and his alter servers entered in silence, the only noises the sound of their footsteps and the rustling and muffled coughing of those in attendance. Reaching the altar, Bishop Zubik prostrated himself before it, lying flat and motionless on the cool marble floor for a full two minutes. He stood up, and soon offered the opening prayer in a ringing voice that filled the huge, vaulted cathedral. "Where sin has divided and scattered, may your love make one again," he said, addressing God. "Where sin has brought weakness and hurt, may your power heal and strengthen. Where sin has brought death, may your spirit raise to life." But even as he celebrated God's mercy, he acknowledged that the church is made up of men and women who are very human and at times, very sinful. It was clear from the hundreds of people attending the service that their sins had caused harm, he said. "Simply by being here, you call me, you charge me, to not only not forget the sins of the church in Pittsburgh, but you charge me to ensure, with our brothers and sisters in the church, that these hurts don't happen again," Bishop Zubik said. He would do whatever he could, he told his listeners -- many of whom were middle-aged men and elderly women -- to restore their trust in the church "so that as a church, we can live our best, love our best, do our best, give our best." Bishop Zubik then lit six candles of remembrance and apology to the victims -- children, teenagers and adults -- of abuse by representatives of the church. "We acknowledge their deep wounds," said a priest, after Bishop Zubik lit the third candle. "We acknowledge the betrayal of a most sacred trust. We acknowledge their courage in speaking the truth. We affirm their dignity as people who are seeking truth and accountability, compassion and redress for the wrong that has been done to them. We support their healing. We offer our prayer for their journey toward wholeness."

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09098/961277-53.stm#ixzz1eoySPr7s

Pope: sex abuse 'scourge' for all society

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Benedict XVI insisted on Saturday that all of society's institutions and not just the Catholic church must be held to "exacting" standards in their response to sex abuse of children, and defended the church's efforts to confront the problem. Benedict acknowledged in remarks to visiting U.S. bishops during an audience at the Vatican that pedophilia was a "scourge" for society, and that decades of scandals over clergy abusing children had left Catholics in the United States bewildered. "It is my hope that the Church's conscientious efforts to confront this reality will help the broader community to recognize the causes, true extent and devastating consequences of sexual abuse, and to respond effectively to this scourge which affects every level of society," he said. "By the same token, just as the church is rightly held to exacting standards in this regard, all other institutions, without exception, should be held to the same standards," the pope said. He didn't address accusations by many victims and their advocates that church leaders, including at the office in the Vatican that Benedict headed before becoming pontiff, systematically tried to cover up the scandals. Investigations, often by civil authorities, revealed that church hierarchy frequently transferred pedophile priests from one parish to another. The pedophile scandal has exploded in recent decades in the United States, but similar clergy sex abuse revelations have tainted the church in many other countries, including Mexico, Ireland, and several other European nations, including Italy. Benedict told the bishops that his papal pilgrimage to the United States in 2008 "was intended to encourage the Catholics of America in the wake of the scandal and disorientation caused by the sexual abuse crisis of recent decades." Echoing sentiment he has expressed in occasional meetings with victims of the abuse on trips abroad, Benedict added: "I wish to acknowledge personally the suffering inflicted on the victims and the honest efforts made to ensure both the safety of our children and to deal appropriately and transparently with allegations as they arise." Benedict seemed to be reflecting some churchmen's contentions that the church has wrongly been singled out as villains for the abuse. - By FRANCES D'EMILIO Associated Press

Pittburgh's World Famous larger-than-life-size Baby Jesus

The world's only authorized replica of the crèche in St. Peter's Square in Rome. It was constructed from plans by Vatican architect Umberto Mezzana. The Pittsburgh Crèche can be viewed 24 hours a day beginning November 19, 2010 through January 8, 2011. Throughout the Christmas season, various choirs from around Pittsburgh will perform on site. The Pittsburgh Crèche is the world's only authorized replica of the crèche erected in front of Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome. First erected in 1999 through the work of the Christian Leaders Fellowship, the Pittsburgh Crèche appears again through generous gifts from Pittsburgh labor unions, businesses, religious communities and other community members. The Pittsburgh Crèche features larger-than-life-size renderings of the Holy Family, the magi, an angel, shepherds, animals and a stable, along with a professional sound and lighting system. Pietro Simonelli, sculptor of the original Vatican crèche, created the figurines, which have lifelike hands, feet and faces made from clay and weather-proofed papier-mâché placed on a wooden frame. The stable design is also taken directly from Vatican blueprints. As we seek to find peace in our world, this spectacular outdoor nativity scene is a powerful reminder of the true meaning and purpose of Christmas.
http://www.pittsburghcreche.org/Site/Home.html

BLACK FRIDAY

Downtown Pittsburgh's Macy's Windows




SHOES!