Okinawa Soba's photostream  

4 May 2011 --- This Account was NIPSA'd by Flickr Staff.




HAISAI, HOWDY, & KONNICHIWA !.

THIS CC ARCHIVE OF MOSTLY OLD JAPANESE PHOTOS IS JUST FOR YOU !

♥ ♥ ♥ That's right ! With just a few exceptions, almost every photo you see on this photostream is completely free to use for your Blogging, Website, and other Creative Uses ! YOU HAVE MY PERMISSION -- NO NEED TO ASK !

♥ ♥ ♥ While the PHOTOS ARE FREE TO USE --- Note that Flickr (not me) requires a link back to the Flickr page as a means of giving PROPER CREDIT and SOURCE INFORMATION.

♥ ♥ ♥ If you are using these OFF LINE for any PUBLIC DISPLAY as is, or STRAIGHT CONVERSION TO ARTWORK, please include source credit somewhere to allow others to access, understand, and appreciate the root of your graphic inspiration. This is not a legal requirement for the use of the old photos, but rather, an appeal to ethics and social courtesy in a civilized society who might falsely believe that your paintings or photocopies are born from your own experience or personal photos that you, yourself took.

♥ ♥ ♥ Also, for OFF-LINE USE, If I have identified the ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPHER in any caption, please credit THAT PHOTOGRAPHER. In such cases, Neither "Okinawa Soba" nor "Flickr" need be mentioned, as I am not posting this stuff for my own glory. Otherwise, please credit this Flickr photostream.

THANK YOU !

See details three photos down, just under the UMBRELLA FARM photo ♥


BASIC PHOTOSTREAM STATS.....


► STARTED POSTING THIS CC FLICKr ARCHIVE FOR PUBLIC USE on 4 March 2008.

► THE ABOVE "VISITOR COUNTER" (TO THIS PROFILE PAGE, NOT THE PHOTOSTREAM) was activated on 2 Aug 2009 (18 months after joining flickr).

► OVER 3,600 PHOTOS --- MOST OF THEM 100 YEARS OLD AND OLDER --- ARE ARRANGED FOR YOU IN VARIOUS SETS AND COLLECTIONS.

The last time I checked.......

► OVER 700 PHOTOS APPEAR IN OVER 500 FLICKr GALLERIES. [Currently NIPSA'd]

► WEIRD FLICKr ALGORITHMS HAVE PLACED 52 IMAGES IN EXPLORE --- 14 CURRENTLY. (The most to be displayed in EXPLORE at any one time = 14) [Currently NIPSA'd]

► AS OF NOVEMBER 2011, there have been over 14.5 MILLION HITS on the PHOTOSTREAM, including....

► OVER 2 MILLION VISITS to the SETS & COLLECTIONS.

► VISITORS FROM 126 COUNTRIES.

► BELOW PROFILE POSTED IN CURRENT FORM on 3 Aug 2009. Good luck finding anything on this page, because I certainly can't. THE REST OF THIS PROFILE is just too damn long, and even I refuse to read it.

However, you must be here 'cause you're looking for something. For your convenience, everything is in CHAPTERS separated by lines of asterisks. Just scroll down until you hit something you might be looking for.

EXAMPLE : If you want to know more personal info about Okinawa_Soba, please scroll down to a dubious mini-bio under this heading : (8) DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDREL, where you can bore yourself with the particulars.


★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ PROFILE CHAPTERS AND TOPICS ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★


(♥) YES, YOU MAY USE THE PHOTOS ! ! ! -- A SHORT INTRO....AND YOUR VERY LIBERAL CREATIVE COMMONS RIGHTS are laid out under the photo of the Japanese Bathing Beauty sitting on a Rock, and a Surrealistic view an Umbrella Farm ! Just scroll down to it !

Followed by......

(1) RACISM NOT TOLERATED HERE --- OKINAWA SOBA’S PHOTO CAPTIONS and the Nature of Politically Incorrect RANTS as written by a Photographer who could care less if folks don't agree with him !

(2) SOURCES OF THE PHOTOS POSTED BY OKINAWA SOBA

(3) IMPORTANT NOTE FOR SCHOLARS AND RESEARCHERS :

(4) IS OKINAWA_SOBA A BAMBOOZLER AND A FRUAD ????

(5) NOTES ON COPYRIGHT, AND THE USE OF THE PHOTOS APPEARING ON THE OKINAWA_SOBA PHOTOSTREAM........WITH SOME COMMENTS THROWN IN FOR FLICKr PIX HARVESTERS AND PHOTO PIRATES WHO LIKE TO COPY AND SELL THIS STUFF ON eBay AND ELSEWHERE (AND WHO WILL PROBABLY NEVER READ THIS)

(6) PUBLISHING

(7) YOUR WIFE'S VAGINA, YOUR GIRLFRIEND'S VAGINA

(8) DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDREL (Just ask my Wife !)



While you might love the photos, you might not love my Titles and Comments. Although I am not fond of disclaimers, due to some very strong reactions to a small minority of the over 3000 captions appearing on my flickr archive, I have added the following :

WARNING !!!

THE CAPTIONS UNDER THE PHOTOS FALL INTO TWO CATEGORIES : THOSE THAT ARE SERIOUS, AND THOSE THAT ARE FRIVOLOUS.

I AM ASSUMING THAT THE MAJORITY OF NATIVE ENGLISH SPEAKERS WILL HAVE THE INTELLIGENCE TO DISCERN THE DIFFERENCE, AND, WHERE NECESSARY, EAT THE MEAT AND SPIT OUT THE BONES.

THAT IS TO SAY.....

THIS PHOTOSTREAM INCLUDES --- AT NO EXTRA CHARGE --- CAPTIONS THAT ARE OFTEN EDUCATIONAL, USUALLY OPINIONATED, SOMETIMES INFURIATING, AND EVERY ONCE-IN-A-WHILE, JUST PLAIN RIDICULOUS (DEPENDING ON THE PHOTO IN QUESTION).

FALL-FLAT JOKES, QUESTIONABLE SPOOF, MISS-THE-MARK SATIRE, LAME PARODY, TONGUE-IN-CHEEK SARCASM, AND THE OCCASIONAL HEALTHY DOSE OF RAW STUPIDITY ARE THE HALLMARKS OF A FEW SCATTERED CAPTIONS THAT WERE SPECIALLY WRITTEN TO (1) IMPRESS THOSE THAT HAND OUT PULITZER PRIZES AND (2) PISS OFF THE OVERLY-SERIOUS VISITOR WHO PROBABLY NEEDS TO LOOSEN UP A LITTLE BIT.

IN FACT, AT LEAST 10% OF THE CAPTIONS WERE INTENTIONALLY WRITTEN TO BE THE LITERARY EQUIVALENT OF SOMEONE DRAGGING THEIR FINGERNAILS ACROSS AN OLD BLACKBOARD.

YOU WILL ALSO BE TREATED TO WHAT WILL NO DOUBT COME ACROSS AS HOLIER-THAN-THOU ABSOLUTISM IN MY BLATANT CONDEMNATION OF SERIOUS CULTURAL DEFECTS --- SOME FROM THE RECENT PAST, AND SOME STILL WITH US --- FOUND AMONGST OUR ONE HUMAN SPECIES.

See explanation in CHAPTER 1 below, under the AINU photo.

ALSO BE FOREWARNED THAT.....

(1) FOR HALF OF THE PHOTOS I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT,

AND....

(2) FOR THE OTHER HALF OF THE PHOTOS I MAKE A FOOL OUT OF MYSELF TRYING TO EXPLAIN THINGS THAT I DON'T HAVE THE SLIGHTEST CLUE ABOUT....KILLING TIME WITH SOME RIDICULOUS FICTION THAT SOME OF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TAR AND FEATHER ME FOR.

THIS SITUATION BENEFITS YOU, THE VIEWER BY ALLOWING YOU TO CLAIM THAT ANYTHING YOU DISAGREE WITH BELONGS TO THE SECOND CATEGORY --- THUS GIVING YOU GOOD REASON TO ADD YOUR OWN ESTEEMED COMMENTS AND CORRECTIONS UNDER THE PHOTO.

HOWEVER.... ANY DUMB COMMENTS THAT MATCH OR EXCEED MY OWN IGNORANCE ARE SUBJECT TO GETTING MOCKED, SLAPPED, OR SPOOFED IN ONE OF MY CRIMINALLY VERBOSE COMEBACKS. IF MY RETORTS TO YOUR BLITHERING NONSENSE OFFEND YOU, YOU MAY CHALLENGE ME TO A DUEL.

IN SUCH A CASE, I WILL (1) IMMEDIATELY ACCEPT YOUR CHALLENGE, AND (2) AT THE TIME AND PLACE APPOINTED, I WILL DEFINITELY NOT SHOW UP !!!

By the way, I just burned Dale Carnegie's book “How to Win Friends & Influence People“, after driving a railroad spike through it, and dousing it with gasoline.

*

LATEST BREAKING NEWS : I would like to thank the astute and perceptive Xeni Jardin for giving this archival photostream excellent exposure on the well-known BOINGBOING Website. Here's what Miss BOING BOING herself had to say :

"....I really can't stand the captions and descriptions
on this guy's Flickr stream. Many are insensitive at best,
racist at worst, and a lot of SLEAZY SEXUAL SPECULATION.
But, the images are rare and fantastic....."

Thanks, Xeni ! But......

Sleazy Sexual Speculation ???

NEWS FLASH FOR XENI : The terms Boin, Boing and Boing-Boing are all graphic Japanese slang words used to describe BIG BOUNCY BOOBS !

So, at least from a Japanese perspective, it's amusingly ironic that Xeni is posting comments on her own Website that --- as she would probably describe it --- is blessed with a URL having such a SLEAZY SEXUAL NAME !

Right now, there are probably over 100 Million Japanese fans of BOING BOING who think Xeni named her Website in honor of her own body parts ! ;-)

Note to Xeni : LIGHTEN UP !

In any case, I'm glad she liked the old images. Me, too !

See her comments and some replies at this link :

www.boingboing.net/2010/06/10/huge-cache-of-old-po.html?u...

Her charges of "racism" are answered further down below.


PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK !



First, thanks to the good folks at FLICKr for running this Website. In spite of the occasional minor glitch, we know you really working hard, just so the rest of us can have fun :

www.flickr.com/photos/24443965@N08/3460357646/


Next, my PERSONAL PROFILE is far below in CHAPTER 8..... Those wanting to be bored may immediately scroll down to that section if that's what you're looking for.

In the meantime, I have taken advantage of Flickr's GAZILLION-GIGABITE THUMB DRIVE that's running their entire operation, and have filled this page Profile Page with a bunch of OTHER JUNK.....just to aggravate those with ADD.


MORE RE-HASH ABOUT MY PHOTO TITLES and CAPTIONS

I have been called "culturally ignorant", and "in need of a good ass-whipping" for things I've said in my captions and comments concerning various attributes of cultures around the world --- with one of my astute critics suggesting that I should actually go to Japan and try living there before spouting off my opinions about that country. Oh my. Please scroll down to CHAPTER 1 (under the AINU Photo) and obtain enlightenment.

With so many complaints about my captions coming in, I was about to delete everything and start over. But then....

While deep in sleep the other night, I had a vivid dream that all of my photo captions and titles (and even this profile page), had been singled out by the editors of that high-tower bastion of literary excellence --- THE KENYON REVIEW --- for several dark and dubious honors, including :

(1) The infamous "MOST LIKELY TO BE INDICTED Award" for what they called "...Criminally verbose text and SCREAMING CAPS beyond anything we have ever seen...",

(2) The coveted "MORE NUMEROUS THAN CHICKEN BONES AT A BAPTIST POT-LUCK DINNER Award" for extreme overuse of totally-off-the-mark metaphors, simile, and incomprehensible analogies.

and

(3) The splendifferous "TYPOS R US Award", the Editors stating, "...If there was ever a Black Hole of missspelled words swimming in a cesspool of typographical and grammatical errors --- from whence it appears there is no escape, and no return --- this photostream is certainly it...."

I personlly don"t undrstand the last awarde, but was very extincted excsited to get it.

There were about seven more awards along the same lines, but I don't want to take up any more space by listing them all.

Although it was only a dream, I certainly don't want to lose these prestigious Kenyon Raspberries, and have decided to let my profile, captions, and photo titles remain exactly as they are in their raw state of questionable glory.

Thank you !


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To whom it may concern.....Howdy, Haisai, and Konnichiwa !

WELCOME to a CREATIVE COMMONS photostream of 19th and early 20th Century images.

Okinawa_Soba is an American citizen who, until recently, worked as a professional photographer in Okinawa, Japan. I have lived and worked here in one capacity or another for the past 37 years, and remain a permanent resident of Japan. I am now engaged in other pursuits, but continue to enjoy photography as an amateur.

My wife is Okinawan. My three daughters were born in Okinawa, and have dual JAPAN-USA citizenship.

I have been asked more than once by Japanese Immigration officials if I would be interested in having Japanese citizenship. After politely declining, I stated publicly in a newspaper article that I have no interest in "becoming Japanese", (although the Mainland is a very nice place to visit) but would readily accept OKINAWAN CITIZENSHIP if there was such a thing --- which unfortunately, there is not.






♥ YES, YOU MAY USE THE PHOTOS ! ♥ -- SHORT INTRO....AND YOUR ISP ! *****


♦ YOU ARE GIVEN CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE TO DOWNLOAD, USE, POST, FLIP, FLOP, CROP, CHOP TO PIECES, EXTRACT PORTIONS OF, INVERT, RE-COLOR, COMBINE, STRETCH, TWIST, ANIMATE, AND MANIPULATE AS NEEDED FOR YOUR CREATIVE WORK.

♦ IF YOU ARE A BLOGGER or WEBMASTER. YOU MAY USE THESE IMAGES ON YOUR COMMERCIAL OR NON-PROFIT BLOGS AND WEBSITES FOR EITHER PERSONAL, SERIOUS, STUDIOUS, FRIVOLOUS, OR DECORATIVE USE.

♦ THE PHOTOS MAY BE RE-CAPTIONED, RE-DESCRIBED, AND FREELY COMMENTED ON --- OR BE USED IN WAYS THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUR TEXT OR COMMENTARY.

♦ OTHER FAIR USE APPLICATIONS AS DESCRIBED BY CURRENT COPYRIGHT LAW ARE ALSO PERMITTED --- THERE IS NO NEED TO CONTACT ME TO ASK PERMISSION. PERMISSION IS ALREADY GRANTED !!!

♦ When re-posting these images straight to blog and website pages, please provide a link back to the flickr source as per flickr's community guidelines. Thank you kindly in advance for proper source credit.

♦ Basically....... USE 'EM and HAVE FUN!!


HEY SOBA, WHAT RIGHT DO YOU HAVE TO GIVE "CC PERMISSION" TO USE THESE OLD PHOTOS THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHTS TO ANYWAY ? --- THAT IS TO SAY, ONCE YOU POST THEM ON THE INTERNET, WE DO HAVE RIGHT TO COPY AND USE THEM WITHOUT YOUR PERMISSION... DON'T WE ???

Yeah, yeah....I know, everyone and his brother has some argument that all of my old photos are in the PUBLIC DOMAIN. That's very true (!), and you'll get no argument from me on that.

However, for the most part, I'm not posting the original, Public Domain photos --- I'm posting modified scans of those photos. And whether or not my modified, corrected, repaired, and restored scans are also in the PUBLIC DOMAIN is still a grey area of legal goo for some not familiar with American copyright law.

However, two important court cases have ruled (one by inference, and one by citing a direct example) that modified, touched up, and corrected scans of old, out-of-copyright photographs --- such as what I am posting here on Flickr --- are NOT in the Public Domain. (See Section 5 below).

HUH ? WATCHA TALKIN' ABOUT ?

Most of my modified flickr scans, although based on the original images I own, are not exactly like them. That is to say --- according to the landmark BRIDGEMAN vs. COREL court case --- my scans are not just "slavish copies" that I've pumped directly from my scanner to a flickr page, and I can claim certain rights to many of my posted scans.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridgeman_Art_Library_v._Corel_Corp.

While the Bridgeman vs. Corel case only implies that artistic modifications to raw scans removes any items in question from the PUBLIC DOMAIN, the actually-stated legal premise for claiming new rights to old "Public Domain" images that have been artistically modified or corrected in any way [ie, colorized, spotted, touched up, tone and color corrected, repaired, re-constructed, "PhotoShopped", and etc] is part of the summary judgement rendered in the case of Schiffer Publishing vs. Chronicle Books, which references the Bridgman vs. Corel ruling to establish the differences between what can and cannot be copyrighted when working with old, PUBLIC DOMAIN images.

HOWEVER.....my purpose is to share this old stuff with those that really like it and can use it --- and not squabble over legal matters. I've had enough experience with Japanese bar girls flashing their physical assets in my face while saying "You can look, but you can't touch! " to know that I'd rather only look at things I can get my hands on....er, use creatively. So here on this photostream, you get to LOOK AT THE GOODS, and also DOWNLOAD AND USE THEM !


FLICKr ASKS YOU TO PLAY BY THE RULES

Of course, Flickr has rules, and so I'm tossing my corrected scans out there under the "link back" and "give credit" rules of flickr --- rules which have no legal enforceability in a court of law, but are posted by flickr in order to establish a "user ethic" for the the more civil-minded members of society who download these images for various interesting, instructive, and creative uses.


IDIOTS, MORONS, AND JERKS

Please don't be like those eBay idiots who copy my photos, and put them up for sale on their auction pages, watermarked with their own personal copyright notice. These pin-headed nincompoops are like pesky little gnats at a picnic in the park.

May I suggest that these folks add another watermark to their already bogus copyright notices : THIS PHOTO-COPY RIPPED FROM FLICKr IS BEING AUCTIONED BY A REAL JERK.... Or perhaps.... THIS "BUY IT NOW" REPRINT COPIED FREELY OFF THE WEB IS BEING OFFERED FOR SALE BY A TOTAL MORON.

Don't be one of them.

See more below in section (5) on COPYRIGHT.


WEBSITE CONNECTION and NUMBER CRUNCHING

This flickr account is basically a broader, undisciplined, and irreverent version of my more focused, non-profit website dedicated to my favorite "Photographer's Photographer" of old Japan, T. ENAMI.

You can check it out here : www.t-enami.org/

Although the T. ENAMI COLLECTION makes up a large portion of the Flickr Posts here, you will find plenty more in the way of Old Japan from other photographers as well. There is also a bit of the rest of the world, and some new photos of my adopted home-land of Okinawa --- Japan's southern-most prefecture.

The photos are only a small portion of a much larger PRIVATE ARCHIVE, most of which will never get posted here, but will give you an idea of what's out there to be collected, enjoyed, studied, and used.

NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK

Although there are over 3,000 images for you to look through on my photostream, keep in mind that, in the vast photographic landscape that is called "flickr", the photos I've posted amount to less than a flea on an elephant's ass.....er, behind....measured against the OVER FIVE BILLION PHOTOS already on flickr (as of September 19th, 2010).

In mathematical terms, my entire mini-archive of OLD JAPAN is only 0.000006 % of all flickr images. Or, in other words, every time I post one photo here, there are over 1.6 million photos being posted by others at the same moment ! So...good luck finding my needle-in-a-haystack pix !


That about does it for the INTRO. Thanks for dropping by. And, as much as possible, I've got my eye on you, too !








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(1) RACISM NOT TOLERATED HERE -- OKINAWA SOBA’S PHOTO CAPTIONS



NOTE TO UNEDUCATED VISITORS WHO MIGHT BE READING THIS : The "Human Race" is ONE RACE, and ONE SPECIES.

The things separate us are languages, cultures, religions, foods, and many other things that sometimes lead us into war with each other. And in posting photos that show these differences within our ONE SPECIES, comments and opinions from myself and others will naturally follow.

CONCERNING THESE MATTERS, I CAN GET A LITTLE CANTANKEROUS IN THE CAPTIONS, AS WELL AS IN SOME EXCHANGES WITH "OUTSIDERS" WHO POP UP IN THE COMMENTS SECTION.

Although 90% of my captions are nothing but harmless "fluff", --- SPOOF, TONGUE-IN-CHEEK, SATIRE, PARODY, AND ETC, along with plenty of WELL-LINKED EXPLANATIONS DESCRIBING THE PHOTO CONTENT --- the following is a "disclaimer" for those roughly 10% of my images that are accompanied by some rather blunt opinions about cultural, political, and religious subjects that relate directly or obliquely to the photo content.

WHY DO I SPOUT OFF MY OPINIONS ?

EASY ANSWER : Basically, I've noticed a lot of spurious notions of “RESPECT AND COURTESY", floating around the world (and the Internet), especially for some LESS-THAN-RESPECTABLE human conduct and cultures.

To combat this tendency of the preening masses to tolerate abject EVIL that masquerades under the guise of "CULTURE", be advised that certain concepts of "NICE-NESS" end with my posting and fair use of the old photos themselves.

Once that is done, FREEDOM OF SPEECH takes over.

Depending on how you perceive people who use their photo captions to spout off their opinions --- for example, like ME --- some might feel that I am exercising FREEDOM OF STUPIDITY, ARROGANCE, and CULTURAL IMPERIALISM !!!

Good ! I can live with that !

In any case, I'm here on FLICKr for only two reasons --- (1) posting pix, and (2) making comments !!! (Which is why flickr, in their infinite wisdom, provided both CAPTION and COMMENT boxes for this very purpose).

And while doing this, I occasionally infuriate the sensibilities of a few well-meaning folks who think that CULTURE = GOD, and that any SPOOFING, MOCKING, or OUTRIGHT CONDEMNATION of CERTAIN ASPECTS of our shared humanity is tantamount to BLASPHEMY and SACRILEGE....and, that I am DOOMED TO HELL.

To those who might feel that way about me after reading some of my dubious titles, captions, and comments, I have only this to say to you : "KLAATU BARADA NIKTO" !!! (For those who cannot speak in tongues, that translates loosely as "KUH MERE N' GIMME UH HUG")

Please note that RACISM IS NOT TOLERATED HERE. However, as I implied above, complaints against certain cultural aspects of our human family ARE tolerated.

♦ ♦ ♦ FIRST OF ALL, ALL COUNTRIES AND ALL PEOPLES HAVE BEEN GUILTY OF ALL MANNER OF INEXCUSABLE STUPIDITY AND INHUMANITY TOWARDS THEIR FELLOW MAN AT SOME POINT IN THEIR HISTORY. THIS IS AN UNDERSTOOD "GIVEN" THAT DOES NOT NEED MENTIONING OR CONSTANT PLACEMENT AS A PREFIX DISCLAIMER TO EVERY CAPTION OR COMMENT I MAKE ABOUT THE CULTURAL CRIMES OF A SPECIFIC NATION OR PEOPLE THAT IS UNDER DISCUSSION IN ANY GIVEN CAPTION.

IF I CONDEMN THE HORRORS OF FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION, PLEASE DON'T MAKE A TOTAL ASS OF YOURSELF BY POPPING UP WITH A PSEUDO-ARGUMENTATIVE CORN-BALL COMMENT SAYING SOMETHING LIKE......

"...WHY DO YOU COMPLAIN ABOUT OR JUDGE THOSE WHO SLICE UP AND MUTILATE THE GENITALS OF LITTLE GIRLS ? ARE YOU AWARE THAT AMERICA ONCE PRACTICED SLAVERY ?...".

OR....

WHY DO YOU COMPLAIN ABOUT AND JUDGE MEN WHO RAPE LITTLE GIRLS ? ARE YOU AWARE THAT HITLER KILLED LOTS OF JEWS ?...".

ANY SUCH COMMENTS THAT MIMIC THE THE MENTAL PROCESS OF A JELLY-FISH (OR A TUNA FISH) WILL BE REPLIED TO IN A MANNER DEEMED SUITABLE AT THE MOMENT ♦ ♦ ♦

IN LIKE MANNER.....

Please do not confuse a caption against the evil practice of FOOT BINDING --- that is, breaking and crushing the foot bones of little girls, permanently crippling them for life --- as a racist rant against China and all Chinese. For starters, half of all Chinese did not practice foot binding, and had regional laws in place that firmly prevented it.

Please do not confuse my clear comments against the Japanese of old who sold their little children into prostitution --- or my comments about modern-day "legal racism" allowed in Japan --- as some kind of reverse-racism against Japan itself.

Of course I know that plenty of countries are worse than Japan in that department, and nowhere near as safe to visit. But, Japan is my home, and sometimes we have to address the quirks of our own territory, rather than excusing ourselves by comparisons with others.

Please do not be shocked if I condemn my own ancestral Americans who defended, practiced, and perpetuated the SLAVERY of Africans, or the morons of American government who --- during WW2 --- did things like tossing American citizens into CONCENTRATION CAMPS just because they could trace their ancestry back to Japan.

If I piss all over the IMPERIALISTIC POLICIES of my native America (with special apologies to the PHILIPPINES), don't confuse that with self-loathing, un-patriotic, reverse racism against my great grand-pappy who paid his taxes in support of such hypocrisy and national stupidity.

Please do not confuse strong language against Genital Mutilation, Slavery, Human Trafficking, Rape, Wife Beating, Honor Killing, and other features of certain cultures in the world as “racist rants” against all peoples of entire nations.

If you are unable to differentiate between topics of “Race”, and specific "aspects of Human Culture”, or cannot understand the difference between "Anger over injustice" and "Hate born of blind prejudice", this is not the place for you. Please just look at the pictures…and move on.

IF YOU CAN GET PAST THESE TWO CAPTIONS (AND THERE ARE OTHERS LIKE THEM THAT POKE AMERICA AND JAPAN, AS WELL), YOU WILL PROBABLY SURVIVE MY ENTIRE PHOTOSTREAM :

www.flickr.com/photos/24443965@N08/3461349265/

www.flickr.com/photos/24443965@N08/3462167744/in/set-7215...

When possible, I have also attempted add context to the images --- including internal and external links, odd information, and other heretical commentary of a SPOOF, PARODY, or SARCASTIC bent, all to make your visit worthwhile (or possibly nauseating -- in which case, I hope your computer is located near a bathroom).


RESPONSIBLE EXERCISE OF "FREEDOM OF SPEECH".

First of all there is nothing any of us say or do that will not give "offense" to someone, somewhere in the world. The Internet exacerbates this "potential to offend" to its maximum degree. However, none of us in any country or culture usually worries about adjusting our community "values" to placate others half-way around the world.

If Flickr ran it's photo posting policies according SAUDI ARABIA'S CENSORSHIP RULES, it would not be the flickr we all know and love.

Likewise, I am not interested in "dumbing down" my opinions (which might already be dumb, anyway!) just to avoid offending someone either at home, or in another country whose culture does not allow such freedom to say what you think about something.

Rather, this important freedom should remain on display as an EXAMPLE TO THESE REPRESSED PLACES, as a "flickr demonstration" of how to live with the important civilized concept of ".....I MIGHT DISAGREE WITH WHAT YOU SAY....BUT I WILL DEFEND TO THE DEATH YOUR RIGHT TO SAY IT...."

I REPEAT : Flickr did NOT model it's image posting rules and safety levels on the censorship policies of SAUDI ARABIA, and our thoughts and opinions expressed in the flickr captions and comment boxes are not controlled by the NORTH KOREAN Ministry of News and Information.

On the other hand, we all understand that you don't yell FIRE in a crowded theater when there is no fire.

I am fully versed in flickr's rules of conduct, and address Okinawa_Soba's compliance in the SET INTRO right here : www.flickr.com/photos/24443965@N08/sets/72157606116199285/

If something I say offends your sensibilities, or if you feel a sudden urge to come looking for me with a Samurai sword in your hand, immediately stop reading, take three deep breaths and go to another photo...or even another photostream. Further, if you have the occasional bone to pick with my less-than-huggable opinions, you can always post your own pics with your own captions of syrupy sweet missives made of fairy floss and fluff.

Keep in mind that these are only flickr captions --- transient and unfixed in the ephemeral world of cyberspace; momentary blips of transient thoughts, subject to retraction or deletion --- or to the contrary, vivid embellishment. Or...after careful revision, eventual publication in HARD COPY !

NOTE : If you are an ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE visitor, GOD HELP YOU. You will encounter plenty of sarcasm, spoof, and satire here. I have not stripped away the color, devices, or flavor of English usage for the sake of accommodating a global audience, where some might not understand these things, and think I am saying something that could be quite the opposite.

JAPAN

Due to having lived most of my life working with, loving and being exasperated with, cooperating and and butting heads with Japanese from ALL walks of life, I have formed my own opinions about Japan and the Japanese --- some of which (filtered through my own personality) show up in the captions of the images I post as RANTS, PRAISE, and everything in between.

I also recognize that others have had different experiences than me while in Japan. Please post your own photos and experiences, and I will applaud you for it.

As already implied, I make no apologies for any undisciplined outbursts of PRAISE, RANTS, or MOCKING SPOOF of anything the Japanese were and are as part of the World we all live in. There is nothing and no one in Japan that is sacred or immune to comment --- including any Emperors that have ascended to the throne.

For better (and for worse) the Japanese in general (and the Okinawans in specific) are my maddening in-laws, and also my best friends. They are the ones I have loved the deepest, and also the ones I have most wanted to strangle!

Within Japan, and definitely in a cultural class of their own, the Okinawans have been an especially humbling source of great inspiration.



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(2) SOURCES OF THE PHOTOS POSTED BY OKINAWA SOBA




THERE ARE NO ILLICIT COPY / PASTE PICS HERE. NO RIP-OFFS TAKEN FROM OTHER ON-LINE SITES OR POSTINGS.

99% of the scans you see on my photostream were created from originals that are in my possession and care. Nothing has been ripped or pirated from others. Every post has been copied or scanned by me from the originals, and then prepared one-by-one for display on flickr. The few photos that I formerly owned, or are from the collections of others, are posted here by permission of the current owner or collector, and credited at the posting.

Although the almost-3000 postings on my photostream are way too many for most folks to plow through, they are only a small fraction of a former Japanese-based Archive that once contained over 60,000 old Japanese and International images. The archive was built back in the 1980s and early 90s by Okinawa_Soba, largely before the days of the internet, for both non-profit and commercial purposes. In the late 1990s, I honed the collection down to the best 40,000 images.

QUESTION :

How did I find and compile the original image stock of over 60,000 old photos of Japan and the World while living on a small island in Japan?

THE ANSWER :

Here, in general terms, are the less-than-magical means of acquisition behind the photos.

95 % of the stream came from photography dealers and collectors in several countries --- the majority of images found during business travels to NORTH AMERICA. The part that was not found in North America was tediously acquired from several other countries of the world via "snail mail" correspondence, phone calls, and looking at Xerox copies of single images (and whole collections) that were available.

Over 30 years of business travel in and out of Japan allowed me to frequent Antique photography and Ephemera Shows, as well as other venues that centered around the buying and selling of vintage photography. As a member of the National Stereoscopic Association, attendance at our Conventions and Trade Shows naturally resulted in the accumulation of old 3-D images of Japan and elsewhere.

About 5% of the images you see on the stream were fought "down to the hammer" on internet auctions such as eBay and Yahoo (Yahoo auctions are still run in Japan with great success --- eBay, on the other hand, has NO Japanese version at the moment, which is itself a very interesting story for another time). If my records are correct, this relatively small amount of internet-gathered material came from sellers in over 30 countries !

Finally, "networks" of friends would find things for me, as I was also finding things for them. For example : a collector of Japanese CDV images would get all of the Japanese CDV format images I found, while passing on to me all of the Japanese 3-D images that he found.

And that's where the photos came from.

Many thanks to the collectors, dealers, and sellers (who themselves had to seek out what they had, only to part with everything in their stores, or at their trade-show tables) --- and thanks also to like-minded friends who entertained satisfying trades.

Obviously, most of it will never see life on flickr, but I hope you enjoy the few pictures I have pulled out to post.



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HUH ??? WHAT'S GOING ON HERE ?

Flicker rules clearly state, "....DON'T POST ANY PHOTOGRAPHS THAT YOU HAVE NOT TAKEN YOURSELF....".

You may rightly ask, "....WHY DO THEY LET YOU POST THESE OLD PHOTOS THAT YOU OBVIOUSLY DID NOT TAKE ?..."

Good Question.

If I say, "....WELL, I GOT OUT MY CAMERA AND DID TAKE THE PHOTOS, MAKING COPIES OF THE ORIGINAL PHOTOS WITH MY OWN CAMERA !...", you will immediately reply....."Hey. Wait a minute. That's not what flickr is talking about. Is Okinawa Soba trying to make excuses to bend the rules here ?"

NO ! Fortunately, flickr has exceptions to its own rule.

Flickr proudly and officially hosts other old photo collections such as those of the LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, the SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, the NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY collections, and more.

In other words, the flickr staff --- who is only human --- sometimes expresses it's rules and general policies in [seemingly] contradictory ways (or forgets to mention the exceptions). What they really want is a flickr world where nobody is posting pictures that they don't have the rights or permission to post.

Therefore, the real question of what you can (and cannot) post on flickr boils down to (1) who is in possession of the original images, and/or (2) who has the permission or right to post any image under question, and/or (3) the copyright laws that apply to any and all of those images.

So, in the REAL WORLD of Flickr, if you are mindful of the three points above, sometimes you really can --- with flickr's blessing --- post images you did not originally take yourself.

That's it.

EXCEPT FOR MY PERSONAL FAMILY PHOTOS, I HAVE GIVEN CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE TO ALL WHO WANT TO DOWNLOAD, USE, POST, CHOP TO PIECES, INVERT, RE-COLOR, COMBINE, STRETCH, TWIST, ANIMATE, AND MANIPULATE AS NEEDED FOR YOUR CREATIVE WORK ---- AND FOR USE OF THESE IMAGES ON YOUR BLOGS AND WEBSITES.

OTHER FAIR USE APPLICATIONS AS DESCRIBED BY CURRENT COPYRIGHT LAW --- THERE IS NO NEED TO CONTACT ME TO ASK PERMISSION. PERMISSION IS ALREADY GRANTED.



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(3) IMPORTANT NOTE FOR SCHOLARS AND RESEARCHERS :




Most of the old images here have been "restored" for display on flickr, and are posted for general CC use by creative image modifiers and nominal illustrative use on blogs. While the photographers "subject of focus and intent" has been faithfully preserved, some modifications might include some or all of the following : (1) re-cropping of the original, (2) image restoration that might include removal of emulsion tears, spotting, rips, folds, cracks in the glass, color restoration, contrast restoration of fading, and other restorative procedures. The purpose is to effect a nominal restoration of the image to a condition that reflects what it would have looked like when the photographer first printed it.

Further, for tracking purposes, "invisible markings" have been introduced that even the original photographer would not catch...which helps me spot others who use the images in violation of flickr policy, or without the courtesy of credit or source.

Although certain curators, publishers, galleries and art houses believe that the "patina and ravages of time" should be respected as part of the image when it comes time to publish it, I for one think such "sacred treatment" of old photographs is 100%......for the birds !

Speaking as a photographer, "spotting" and "touch up" of an image is fair and understood part of the process before delivery of an image. Book Publishers who do NOT attempt clean-up or restoration of old, scratched, or faded photographs are both irresponsible in their trade, and dismissive of the photographers who took what once was fresh and clean --- and how he (or she) wanted it to be viewed.

On the other hand, I have not "PhotoShopped" the images in the colloquial sense of removing or adding people, critical objects, or introducing embellishments that are not there to begin with. Fat people remain fat, skinny is still skinny, and no boobs have been covered up !

With that in mind, if a verifiable, bona fide researcher needs a scan of an original, un-retouched image for critical examination related to a book, exhibition, or paper they are working on, I would be happy to accommodate a request asking for a full-rez scan straight off my hard drive. NO PROBLEM ! In fact, I have already done this several times.


What ? It's not my photo restoration that bothers you, but the lack of documentation ??? Oh.......OK. Read the section below.



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(4) IS OKINAWA_SOBA A BAMBOOZLER AND A FRUAD ????




The more "Scholarly" viewers of this flickr photostream will notice that I make a lot of historical comments and photographer attributions, yet provide almost no hard data to back up my wild assertions. WHY IS THAT ???

ANSWER : Flickr is a "PHOTO SHARING SITE". It is not a "GIVE-AWAY-ALL-OF-YOUR-RESEARCH-NOTES-DOCUMENTS-AND-DATA" site.

Flickr is also not a "HERE-ARE-ALL-OF-MY-HARD-EARNED-SOURCES-AND-BIBLIOGRAPHY-BEFORE-I-PUBLISH-THEM-MYSELF-IN-HARD-COPY" site.

HOWEVER !!! If there is some particular item that's bugging you so bad you just can sleep unless you know where I got it, please drop me a flickrmail, and I will be happy to answer your question !

The captions are for general information, entertainment, and social commentary surrounding the images. They are not for publication as a foot-noted Monograph, Thesis, or Reference work. That will come in hard copy...when it comes !

ALSO NOTE : Grammatical Errrors and other TypOs are scatterd throougout the Titles and capTions like Easter eggs. I will fix 'em when I find 'em.... but I'm not really looking. However, if I call a LOTUS a LILY, or a GEISHA a PROSTITUTE, please let me know !




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(5) NOTES ON COPYRIGHT, AND THE USE OF THE PHOTOS APPEARING ON THE OKINAWA_SOBA PHOTOSTREAM........WITH SOME COMMENTS THROWN IN FOR FLICKr PIX HARVESTERS AND PHOTO PIRATES WHO LIKE TO COPY AND SELL THIS STUFF ON eBay AND ELSEWHERE (AND WHO WILL PROBABLY NEVER READ THIS) :




(1) MOST OF THE IMAGES SEEN ON THE OKINAWA_SOBA PHOTOSTREAM WERE (AND CONTINUE TO BE) PART OF A PRIVATE COLLECTION --- NOT A PUBLIC OR PRIVATE MUSEUM. HOWEVER TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO PUBLISHERS AND LOOKY-LOOS, THE COLLECTION WAS LISTED AS AN "OLD PHOTO MUSEUM AND ARCHIVE" IN JAPANS YELLOW PAGES.

(2) THE ORIGINAL IMAGES USED TO MAKE THE SCANS ARE WELL OUT OF THE ORIGINAL CREATOR'S COPYRIGHT.


(3) I DO NOT CLAIM COPYRIGHT FOR ANY OF THE ORIGINAL, PRE-1923 IMAGES THAT I OWN, ALTHOUGH I DO CLAIM THE RIGHT TO COPY THEM ! (Yes, I know, English can sometimes be a funny language, but am 100% correct in what I just wrote).

Since I own the originals, I can copy and post them AS IS, which I have done for several photos [for example, the Japanese BATHING BEAUTY SET], which puts those posted examples in the PUBLIC DOMAIN.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridgeman_Art_Library_v._Corel_Corp.

FURTHER, I can copy AND MODIFY the images prior to posting, which takes my posts out of the "Public Domain" --- placing the rights to these modified posts squarely into my own hands.

The legal premise for claiming new rights to old "Public Domain" images that have been modified in any way [colorized, spotted, touched up, tone and color corrected, repaired, re-constructed, "PhotoShopped", and etc] are the summary judgements rendered in the Schiffer Publishing vs. Chronicle Books case, which references the Bridgman vs. Corel ruling to establish the differences.

My photostream contains examples of both straight, PUBLIC DOMAIN posts, and MODIFIED posts, but most have been artistically MODIFIED using several parameters, and are not exact or slavish scans of the originals.


(4) I CLAIM RIGHTFUL AND LEGAL POSSESSION OF THE PRE-1923 ORIGINALS USED TO MAKE THE SCANS --- SCANS WHICH HAVE BEEN MODIFIED PRIOR TO POSTING ON FLICKr. (I have been anonymously accused of copying many of my images from other web sites. How cute.)

(5) MANY OF THE IMAGES HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED BY ME --- THE OWNER OF THE IMAGES --- IN BOTH BOOKS AND MAGAZINES, OR DISPLAYED IN PUBLIC EXHIBITIONS IN EDUCATIONAL SETTINGS -- BOTH PHYSICAL AND ELECTRONIC.

(6) THE FLICKr CAPTIONS ARE ALL NEW, AND --- WITH THE EXCEPTION OF QUOTATIONS AND LINKS CREDITED TO OTHER SOURCES --- ARE FULLY WRITTEN & COPYRIGHT BY OKINAWA_SOBA (a.k.a ROB OECHSLE), TO INCLUDE HIS PERSONAL COMMENTS AND COMMENTARY WRITTEN BELOW THE CAPTIONS IN THE COMMENTS SECTION, AND THE TEXT OF THIS PROFILE. Everyone reading this also holds the same copyright for your own flickr captions and comments. That's the law.

(7) BY CURRENT LAW, MOST (NOT ALL) OF THE ORIGINAL IMAGES (USED TO MAKE THE RESTORED, CORRECTED, REPAIRED, AND MODIFIED IMAGES YOU SEE POSTED ON FLICKr) ARE NOW IN THE "PUBLIC DOMAIN", AND I AM FREE TO SCAN AND MODIFY THEM PRIOR TO POSTING HERE ON FLICKr. (See point #3 above)

IMPORTANT QUESTION : DO YOU, THE VISITOR OR FLICKr MEMBER, HAVE THE RIGHT TO COPY AND USE MY MODIFIED, POSTED FLICKr IMAGES FOR ANYTHING YOU WANT --- INCLUDING COMMERCIAL USES --- BECAUSE THE UN-MODIFIED IMAGES BEHIND THEM ARE IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN ?

At least one summary judgment (the next two points) says NO, YOU DO NOT AUTOMATICALLY HAVE THE RIGHT. Is this judgment clear to all, and does everybody agree with this ruling ? NO, IT IS NOT CLEAR TO ALL, AND NO, NOT EVERYBODY IS SATISFIED WITH THE RULING.

(8) I AM FULLY FAMILIAR WITH THE RULING, IMPLICATIONS, CONCLUSIONS, AND PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE 1999 BRIDGMAN vs COREL COPYRIGHT CASE.

(9) Just for the hell of it, a re-hash of point (3) further above : IN REFERENCE TO THE BRIDGMAN vs COREL COPYRIGHT CASE, MY PRE-1923 POSTS ARE NOT "EXACT REPRODUCTIONS", "ABSOLUTE CLONES" OR "SLAVISH COPIES" OF THE ORIGINALS --- THE DEFINING QUALITIES THAT WOULD ALLOW A PHOTO PIRATE TO RIP OFF MY FLICKr POSTS FOR THEIR OWN COMMERCIAL USE.

TO THE CONTRARY, MY POSTED IMAGES CONTAIN TIME-CONSUMING IMAGE CORRECTIONS, RESTORATION WORK, TOUCH UP, REPAIRS WHEN NEEDED, TRACKING MARKERS, AND VARIOUS OTHER IMAGE AND CROPPING MODIFICATIONS SOLELY FOR PRESENTATION USE ON FLICKr AS A NOMINAL DISPLAY SITE.

PHOTO PIRATES HAVE NO RIGHTS TO RIP OFF MY IMAGES THAT CONTAIN MY EXTENSIVE RESTORATION WORK. HOWEVER, IF I WAS SIMPLY POSTING "RAW SCANS" (WHICH I AM USUALLY NOT), THEN IT WOULD BE A DIFFERENT STORY.

THERE IS NO LEGAL SUMMARY THAT I AM AWARE OF STATING THAT MY MODIFIED SCANS ARE IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN. THANK YOU BRIDGMAN vs COREL and Schiffer Publishing vs. Chronicle Books.

(10) ALTHOUGH SUFFICIENT FOR MOST BLOGGING AND OTHER CREATIVE USE, MY FLICKr IMAGES ARE NOT INTENDED AS RAW DATA FILES FOR USE IN SERIOUS PRINTED OR COMMERCIAL WORK (HOWEVER, I CAN SUPPLY A LIMITED AMOUNT OF RAW SCAN DATA FOR SERIOUS PUBLISHING USE --- Keep in mind, payment for such services might be involved).

WITH RESPECT TO OFF-LINE COMMERCIAL USE OF ANY IMAGES YOU MIGHT DOWNLOAD IN VIOLATION OF, OR REGARDLESS OF ANY PROHIBITIVE INTERPRETATION OF THE BRIDGEMAN vs COREL SUMMARY JUDGMENT ON SUCH MATTERS, PLEASE KEEP THE FOLLOWING IN MIND :

Many of the photos you see here will be found nowhere else. My act of posting them here essentially puts them in your hands to use and share with RESPECT AND COURTESY. If you fave any work you see here, it is a fave for the old-timers of the 19th Century, and not for me. OFF-LINE CREDIT FOR SOURCE (Flickr - Okinawa_Soba Collection [or] Rob Oechsle Collection) is both courteous and professional, and allows those who see these images in your publication and product to access and learn more about them.

(11) The posted scans are especially not meant for use by eBay rip-off artists who want to sell my cropped and modified images to an unsuspecting public or amateur collectors who have a right to know where these images came from.


SPECIAL NOTE TO YOU PIRATES :




You do yourselves and others a great disservice by ripping my flickr formatted images without source or photographer credit, claiming your own copyright, adding your own watermarks of false copyright or ownership, altering true descriptions, and violating Flickr's TERMS OF SERVICE by not linking back to your source here on flickr.

IF YOU DO NOT OWN OR HAVE IN YOUR POSSESSION ANY OF THESE OUT-OF-COPYRIGHT HANDMADE IMAGES AND WORKS OF PHOTOGRAPHIC ART, YOUR USE OF MY MODIFIED AND CORRECTED POSTS FOR YOUR OWN OR OTHER THIRD PARTY COMMERCIAL USE IS A VIOLATION OF FLICKr POLICIES, AND AN UNETHICAL USE OF DOWNLADABLE DATA TO DEFRAUD BUYERS WITH A PRODUCT AND DESCRIPTION FOR WHICH YOU CAN PROVIDE NO ORIGINAL IMAGE DATA OR PROVENANCE.

If you think that is not correct, and that you have a legal right to access, copy, and use my originals as well, because you believe the originals belong to you (and the rest of the public) by virtue of "Public Domain Law", and that my purchase and private possession of the originals violates your legal rights to use any and all so-called "Public Domain" photographic images and artworks that are housed in private collections like mine, then please, by all means, OBTAIN A WARRANT AND SUBPOENA TO ENTER MY PRIVATE HOME TO COPY AND USE THE "OUT-OF-COPYRIGHT" PHOTOGRAPHS THAT I AM --- BY YOUR DEFINITION AND INTERPRETATION OF COPYRIGHT LAWS --- UNLAWFULLY HOLDING BACK FROM YOUR RIGHT TO ACCESS AND USE THAT WHICH HAS BEEN SUPPOSEDLY DECLARED TO BE YOURS, AS A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC AND ITS DOMAIN. Please let me know that you are coming. I will prepare some milk and cookies for you and your Mommy (whom I assume will be holding your hand), your lawyer, and the uniformed officers serving the warrant.

In other words : Take a hike.

SPECIAL NOTES FOR ALL OF US :

(OUT-OF-COPYRIGHT IMAGES THAT DO BELONG TO ALL AMERICANS FOR COMMERCIAL USE ARE IN THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, AND THEY GENERALLY EXTEND THAT FREEDOM TO NON-AMERICANS. OTHERWISE, THE RIGHT TO COPY --- UNLESS SPECIFICALLY GRANTED TO OTHERS --- BELONGS TO THE HOLDER OF THE ORIGINAL IMAGE).

For you "Legal Minded" folks, here's two comments containing a few serious thought questions and other comments, posted under a mild "Pirate Roast" :

www.flickr.com/photos/24443965@N08/3344776539/?editedcomm...

and

www.flickr.com/photos/24443965@N08/3344776539/#comment721...

But... all of the above being said....

HEADS UP !!!!!!!!!! SPECIAL CC PERMISSION GRANTED !!!!!!!!!

AS STATED CLEARLY AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS PROFILE PAGE, I HAVE GIVEN CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE TO ALL WHO WANT TO DOWNLOAD, USE, POST, CHOP TO PIECES, INVERT, RE-COLOR, COMBINE, STRETCH, TWIST, ANIMATE, AND MANIPULATE AS NEEDED FOR YOUR CREATIVE WORK ---- OR (IF YOU ARE A BLOGGER) USE THESE IMAGES ON YOUR BLOGS FOR PERSONAL, NON-PROFIT USE, AND OTHER FAIR USE APPLICATIONS AS DESCRIBED BY CURRENT COPYRIGHT LAW --- THERE IS NO NEED TO CONTACT ME TO ASK PERMISSION. PERMISSION IS ALREADY GRANTED !!!

So....... USE 'EM and HAVE FUN!!

Keep in mind that FLICKr also has a say in these matters, and asks that BLOGGERS and other Website users provide a link back to the original on FLICKr, or make the photo itself "clickable" in the same manner.


Which leads to the next Chapter....



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(6) PUBLISHING




Do you want to use JUST ONE OR TWO of these images for a COMMERCIAL project or publication ? Except for a few images that belong to others (usually noted, but I might have missed some) there should be NO PROBLEM. Please drop me a friendly note about it ! Thanks.

On the other hand, if you think, "Hey, I want to commercially publish a WHOLE BOOK of these pictures", (or you want to sell ENLARGEMENTS on ebay) that's fine, too. However, in such a case, contact me for a discussion about it. This has less to do with "PUBLIC DOMAIN" vs. "COPYRIGHT" issues than it does with the quality of your production. It also has to do with going outside the CREATIVE COMMONS permission already granted. And, it also has a lot to do with common courtesy.

Further, publishers usually require certain HIGH-RESOLUTION, HIGH-QUALITY file sizes, and some want certain formats. Also, there are LOTS MORE and many BETTER images along these lines that I have NOT POSTED YET (and maybe never will). They would probably make your book MUCH BETTER. So, contact me if you have serious ideas about a major use of the images, or needs beyond what you see here. I'm ready to share in the making, and the profits, of your commercial venture.

BASICALLY, IF YOU WANT ME TO SPEND A FEW DAYS RUNNING AROUND, DIGGING OUT AND RE-SCANNING IMAGES AT HIGHER RESOLUTIONS THAN WHAT YOU GET FOR FREE HERE ON FLICKr, BE PREPARED TO ACCESS YOUR BANK ACCOUNT FOR PRE-PAYMENT OF FEES ALONG THE LINES OF WHAT THE GEORGE EASTMAN HOUSE ARCHIVES, OR THE BOSTON MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS CHARGES FOR THE SAME SERVICES. My "Photo Philanthropy" ends with the free CC sizes here on flickr, many of them already big enough for peoples CC needs.

Otherwise, as already stated, the pix are here to freely view and use for your own non-profit personal enjoyment -- or for "fair use" by teachers and students in school-related activities.


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(7) YOUR WIFE'S VAGINA




On many occasions I have been added as a contact by folks whose flickr photostream consist mainly of close-up views of the female crotch area, and whose profiles feature long lists announcing their memberships solely in the following types of groups :

MY WIFE'S VAGINA

YOUR WIFE'S VAGINA

MY GIRLFRIEND'S VAGINA

BLUE & GREEN AVATAR VAGINAS

VAGINAS ARE US

VAGINAS FROM CHINA AND NORTH CAROLINA.

HOT ASIAN VAGINAS

COLD ESKIMO VAGINAS

VAGINAS : FIRST BLOOD, PART II..... in 3-D

DEEP SPACE VIEWS OF DISTANT VAGINAS TAKEN BY THE HUBBLE TELESCOPE

VAGINAS --- THE IMAX EXPERIENCE

GENESIS 1:1....IN THE BEGINNING, GOD CREATED VAGINAS


etc etc etc.


Basically, I joined flickr as a photographer, to share photos, and expand my appreciation of what others are doing in the world of photography. If I wanted to look at 1,000s of anatomically correct, close-up pix of vaginas, I would have become a Gynecologist.

As a male, I enjoy love-making and vaginas as much as the next red-blooded, "normal" guy. But, I'm one of those weird types who prefers being more discrete about it.

If you seem to be the type who (lacking any higher brain function or imagination) joined flickr for the sole purpose of feeding some kind of juvenile preoccupation with your own little pecker, or a females lower anatomy --- or worse yet, for harvesting photos of pre-pubescent children --- please do not be hurt or offended if I don't reciprocate by counting you among my flickr photo friends.

Am I judgmental ? You're damn right.

Grow up, and get a life.

Thank you.



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(8) DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDREL (Just ask my Wife !)



My "Flickr Name" of Okinawa_Soba is taken from my favorite dish of noodles. My Japanese wife says my brain is made of noodles. Ha !.... What does she know..... : commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Okinawa_soba

As for the Flickr persona....

Okinawa_Soba is an American citizen who, until recently, worked as a professional photographer in Okinawa, Japan. I have lived and worked here in one capacity or another for the past 37 years, and remain a permanent resident of Japan. I am now engaged in other pursuits, but continue to enjoy photography as an amateur.

My wife is Okinawan. My three daughters were born in Okinawa, and have dual JAPAN-USA citizenship.

I have been asked more than once by Japanese Immigration officials if I would be interested in having Japanese citizenship. After politely declining, I stated publicly in a newspaper article that I have no interest in "becoming Japanese", (although the Mainland is a very nice place to visit) but would readily accept OKINAWAN CITIZENSHIP if there was such a thing --- which unfortunately, there is not.

According to a close family member, I am the result of a Nazi experiment in Aryan genetics and breeding that went horribly wrong.


VIETNAM

In 1972-73, I spent a couple of months being trained by the United States Government in the art and science of killing as many Southeast Asians as possible, including placement of "roadside bombs" (In my case, it was not "improvised explosive device" IEDs of Middle Eastern fame, but rather, the art of placing well-concealed Claymore Mines along the roadsides, each one of the devices being able to pulverize upwards of 40 human beings at a time).

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M18_Claymore_anti-personnel_mine

My US Government-paid instructors openly called the hard-working people of those distant lands "gooks".

However, in spite of twice receiving orders to Vietnam, I wound up working my full tour of duty in a US Army Hospital in Okinawa, where the results of war were daily brought to us. There, we helped nurse back to health those soldiers and marines who were waylaid by sickness or injury, with the sole purpose of returning them to the field of battle, to continue killing as many "gooks" as our bombs and ammunition would allow.

So, in this capacity, while (1) getting paid well by the US Government for my services, and (2) while religious Americans spouted off, and opined about the evils of abortion, I (3) directly aided an abetted the killing of what is now estimated to be 2,000,000 to 5,000,000 Southeast Asians, including women, children, and the elderly --- all of whom never posed an ounce of threat to the United States of America.

And, as usual, it was the "Pro-Life, Religious Right" that were the main, flag-waving supporters of my participation in America's wholesale slaughter of humanity in that region of the world.

We called it "THE VIETNAM WAR".

Nowadays, when I see my fellow Americans getting blown up by roadside bombs in Iraq and Afghanistan, It brings back memories of when the United States Government trained me to do the EXACT SAME THING to others in a country we had no business being in.

What goes around, comes around.

EXPORTING DEMOCRACY : www.liveleak.com/view?i=6b0_1235627650

JUST ANOTHER DAY : www.liveleak.com/view?i=74a_1267057061

HEAVY METAL RAIN : www.liveleak.com/view?i=0cf_1192458857

While working at the Hospital in Okinawa (eventually as E-5 Army Sergeant Oechsle, NCO in charge of the Pharmacy), I also took pictures, and privately taught basic photography and darkroom work. In fact, I've been an avid amateur photographer for over 40 years, with about 15 of those years doing it professionally in Japan.

I only wish I had taken more pictures back then.


THE AFTER EFFECTS

The war might have had a certain effect on me. I'm not really sure. According to my wife, I have turned out to be a virtual bastion of mindless stupidity, led by the Devil himself, and on a slippery slope straight to Hell.

I have no argument with her on that.

Therefore, please keep the following in mind, complied from actual comments and rumors made by both friends, family, and also those who had a bone to pick with me :

I'm a lazy bum, adrift in the fog, traveling the world with no direction. Others say I have No money, No roots, No fortune, No security, No future, No dreams, and No ambitions.

My IQ is the same number as my Age, and that my EQ is even lower. I'm still legally married, but some think my wife threw me out, and that I've been living on a park bench somewhere in Naha City. I also sleep all day because my body is on American Time.

I have spent my entire life in Japan doing nothing but sipping lemonade on the beaches of Okinawa, with a Geisha girl in each hand.

It has also been reported that I ABSOLUTELY NEVER get drunk (except on Friday and Saturday nights).....that I ABSOLUTELY NEVER engage in extra-marital affairs (uhhhh....except when I'm drunk)....that I am admittedly a very clean and wholesome guy (I take regular baths --- once a month, whether I need one or not....usually the same day that I brush my teeth) ....and that I am a delinquent husband because I do NOT beat my wife (except at Chess, Checkers, and Uno).

Finally there are a few folks around here who've implied that my last known e-mail address was ohmygod@whatajerk.com

See you on Flickr !