PLR Articles Collections. Get yours NOW!!!

The Gujarati weddings are full of splendor and fun. As most of the Gujarati population indulge in business rather than employment, they are financially well off and hence money is never a problem at such weddings. A function like a wedding also serves as a rapport development exercise between customers and vendors.

The following rituals are performed in a guajarati marriage. Let us first have look at the pre marriage rituals.

First among the pre marriage rituals is the Mandap Mahurat.
Here the families of both the bride and groom in their respective homes and the groom seek the blessings of the lord Ganesha.  The house is full of relatives at such times and every one enjoys the wedding. Such a pooja is performed a few days before the actual marriage and is performed by a priest.

Graha shanti is performed by the all the relatives who have gathered in the house to attend the wedding.  The priest decides an auspicious time  for the pooja and the entire family performs this pooja at such times.

Jaan is an interesting ritual performed at the bride’s residence. The grooms, along with his family arrive at the bride’s residence and seek the blessing of the in laws.

Now its wedding time.

The bride and groom arrive at the wedding location in their own decorated vehicles. Both the bride and the groom change to the wedding attire and come on the common dais. Here the first function to be performed is the Kanya Daan. The bride’s father lays trust on the groom that his daughter will the well taken care of. As per the rituals, the brides are considered the Goddess Laxmi and groom is considered Lord Narayana. The father of the brides takes her hand and places it on the hand of the groom. All these are performed before the sacred fire.

Hasta Milap is a step further to Kanya Daan. The grooms scarf and the bride’s sari are tied in a knot which signifies their union before the entire guest, who are present on the occasion. This is done by the priest who performs a pooja along side the sacred fire.

The final step before the couple is fully married is called Saptapadi. This is very significant ritual. This is performed in the north India by walking around the sacred fire. In case of Gujarati and some other communities, the priest places 7 small heaps of rice on the floor. The bride and the groom take 7 vows together as the bride places the here thumb on each of the small heaps of rice. In case of Gujarati , the couple also takes 4 mangal pheras,  which represent “Dharma”, “Artha”, “Kama” and “Moksha”.

Now the couple is married and is now man and wife in full view of the entire guest present. The couple then seeks the blessing of the all the elderly guest present for their long happy married life.

All these rituals are over by the mid of after noon. The bride and the groom go to their respective homes if they are nearby and now the post marriage ceremony takes place.

The Reception takes in full splendor. One of the best halls is selected. The bride and groom are seated at and decorated seat on the dais. They are visible to each of the guest who arrives at the reception. The guest meets the couple one at a time and exchange greeting and gifts with them. This goes on till all the guest has been attended by the bride and the groom. The guests then have their dinner and so do the bride and the groom.

Now the reception is over, it is time for the bride to leave the fathers  house to be with her newly wed husband. Here we have the Vidaai ceremony in which the bride gives a tearful farewell to her family.

Now one last ceremony before the couple start their married life.
This is called the Ghar ni Laxmi. The bride is considered as Laxmi of the house and is welcomed to the groom’s house. A bride pushes down and vessel filled with rice. All the grooms’ family gather around the couple and then they play some games. These are fun games which are intended to help the bride mix with the groom’s family members.

After some of the games, the bride and groom are left together to start their married life.

We wish them both a long happy married life.

The online gambling industry is the most profitable industry on the internet. Millions of people around the world are wagering on sports online, playing online poker, bingo and even the lottery online at any of the thousands of gambling sites available on the net. Even people who have never visited a land based casino or a local bookie are finding themselves visiting online casinos and poker rooms on a regular basis.

So, what makes gambling on the internet so appealing? Yes, you can play any game of your choice without having to leave your favorite chair. Still, you will not be served free drinks; you will not be able to watch the game you have wagered on from big TV screens; you can neither see the facial expressions of your poker opponents nor to hear the sounds of the coins fall from the slot machine when you hit the big jackpot…

Here are the benefits of gambling online comparing to traditional gambling:
Diversity: how else can you jump from an online poker room to the craps table and to a bingo hall while staying seated on your most comfortable chair? Most online casinos feature a large variety of casino table games, slots and video poker machines. Moreover, in many major online gambling companies you can switch from online casino gambling to online sports wagering with the same username and account.

Bonuses: where else can you receive free money to gamble with? Most online casinos offer free money bonuses in order to entice new customers and to keep up with the competition. The bonuses can start from 10 dollars free just for downloading the casino software to a couple of thousand dollars for completing a certain required amount of raked hands

Convenience: obliviously, what can be more convenient than playing your favorite casino game in the comfort of your own home while listening to your favorite music and drinking your favorite beer? Not to mention being able to put your dealer on hold each time up you want to take a break

Smoking and Dress Codes: whether you are a smoker or a non smoker, when you are gambling online you are free from obeying the rules. Same goes for dressing, eating and drinking; you can either smoke non stop or remain in a non smoking environment; wear your sloppiest clothes or stay naked; eat, drink, talk on the phone, watch TV, whatever

Atmosphere: when you are gambling online, there are not any cocktail waitresses who will sedate you with free drinks and distract you from beating the dealer. In addition, you can set an atmosphere of your choice that can include clocks or even a source of day light

Beginner Friendly: a land based casino can be an intimidating place for the newbie gambler. The average online casino, on the other hand, is much more beginner friendly than its brick and mortar equivalent. Interactive tutorials, play money modes and the option of avoiding social embarrassment caused by misunderstanding of the rules and codes of behavior is a more pleasant welcome for the novice casino gamer or poker player

Safety: yes, gambling online is usually safer than playing in a land based casino and carrying big amounts of cash money in your pocket. Most online casinos are reliable and respectable businesses that will not risk their reputation and lose their customers base by scamming their players

In addition to the list of benefits mentioned above, online gambling offers equal opportunity for people with disabilities or those who cannot afford traveling out of their state to play in a legal land based casino.

However, reading about the benefits of online gambling makes the huge popularity of online gambling, online poker playing and online sports wagering much easier to understand.

Anniversary gift baskets are the perfect way to celebrate a wedding and send your best wishes to the happy couple! However, you don’t need to settle for taking a wedding anniversary gift basket to a party or event; consider sending an anniversary gift basket to the workplace or the couple’s home where they can enjoy their special day with a sweet celebration! From gourmet treats to baked goods, there are plenty of ways to find a completely new combination of treats that will leave a lasting impression.

Many people send flowers or gourmet chocolates to celebrate a wedding anniversary or other wedding-related occasion, but these don’t necessarily stand out from other gifts received on the special day. A wedding anniversary gift basket can add a unique touch to the celebration with creative combinations of hand-decorated cookies, chocolates, and engraved wine glasses. Imagine their surprise when they receive a Pink Rose Anniversary gift assortment designed with flower-shaped cookies, or an anniversary basket filled with a bouquet of delicious treats and baked goods! Gourmet chocolates and specialty confections can also be presented in a unique way for a wedding anniversary gift basket; just add a handwritten note or card to the presentation for a gift they’ll cherish forever. From simple to elaborate creations, a wedding anniversary gift basket is the perfect accompaniment to any couple’s special day.

Anniversary gift baskets sent between the couple may include champagne and chocolate to make a special toast for the night, or commemorative gifts such as photo albums and scrapbooks to showcase their memories. Gourmet chocolates, exotic truffles, and premium baked treats can also be added to elegantly decorated baskets, and are most suitable for the occasion. Whatever the final selection may be, each basket can be decorated with attractive ribbons and elegant touches for a show-stopping centerpiece. Consider sending a large wedding anniversary gift basket as a centerpiece for a party, or a special surprise delivery; the wedding couple is sure to appreciate the unique gesture!

Toasting an anniversary or wedding event can be much more special with a meaningful gift basket; from spa products to commemorative wine glasses, you’ll find a variety of unique treats and gifts to include for any upcoming occasion. Anniversary gift baskets are the perfect way to celebrate the memories of a wedding, celebrate, a personal milestone, or simply sent between the couple as a unique way to express their sentiments for each other. Each one can be filled with exotic gourmet treats, special wine glasses, and quality champagne. Mothers of the brides and other family members can also enjoy a luxury gift; anniversary gift baskets for all members of the wedding party are available, and can be custom made

Sending anniversary gift baskets for a wedding anniversary celebration or other event is a great way to show you care, and each one is designed to include a variety of specialty items, treats, and gifts. If you’re looking for a unique gift to commemorate an event, consider sending a beautifully decorated wedding anniversary gift basket instead of simple flowers and cards!

Although it is now one of the largest corporations in the world, the Walt Disney Company started as a small animation studio in the garage of Walt and Roy Disney’s grandfather. This tiny venture was founded on October 16, 1923 – and in 2006, Walt Disney’s company had grown to revenues of $34.3 billion.

The first project the Disney brothers worked on was a series entitled Alice’s Wonderland, and in 1925, Walt Disney convinced his brother to rename the studio to Walt Disney Studios.  After several smaller successes and failures, the first Mickey Mouse cartoons Plane Crazy and Steamboat Willie were released to audiences in 1928. As it was the first cartoon with sound to achieve popularity, Walt Disney was able to expand his ventures a year later into three additional companies: Walt Disney Enterprises, Disney Film Recording Company, and Liled Realty and Investment Company.

Over the next several years, what would become some of Disney’s most beloved characters were introduced: Pluto in 1930, Goofy in 1932, and Donald Duck in 1934. It was in 1937 that the studio’s first feature-length animation film was released, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and it made history books by being the first animated feature film ever produced. The next year, Walt Disney merged all of his companies under one title, Walt Disney Productions, and in 1940 the production house released both Pinocchio and Fantasia.

As the studio began to grow, the United States’ foray into World War II caused a slowdown in film production as Disney was instead contracted to create morale-boosting government propaganda. The next 10 years were relatively slow for Disney, and films created were solely low budget or took years to produce – Bambi was in production for 6 years before its theatrical release. In 1950, the company was revived with the release of Cinderella, and 1952 saw Walt Disney begin to plan the Walt Disney Productions theme park.

It wasn’t until 1967 that work actually began on the theme park, though it had certainly helped that the company went public ten years prior. The Walt Disney World Resort opened in Orlando, Florida in 1971, and Disney began to make its foray into live-action films. Although there were many ups and downs in the years following Walt’s death, the company continued to make a name for itself and forge ahead to new grounds. While there have been plenty of roadblocks in the new millennium – such as the controversy over CEO Michael Eisner’s policies and several hostile bid takeover attempts – the company has managed to push through to continue holding its place as one of the largest and most influential companies on the planet.

Anyone with the ability to use a camera correctly has the potential to sell their images.  Picture agencies handle images of every subject and are always looking for emerging talent.

Pictures libraries and stock agencies are in the business of selling images. The don’t give you advice on how to take better images. Their purpose is business – they sell images to magazines, book publishers, the travel industry and many other industries that use images.

Many photographers look upon agencies as a last resort to sell their work; if you have been unable to sell any of your images, the chances are that most agencies won’t accept them.

If you are interested in an agency selling your images, you must be able to produce high quality images which are suited to the agencies market. Check out their website to view samples that are currently in use.
If you feel your work meets their standards and suits their customers – then approach them by e-mail or by standard mail.

But, before placing your work at an agency make a short-list of the agencies that seem to suit your work. Contact each agency outlining your work and which magazines have already published your images. If an agency is then interested they will ask you to send them samples.

If an agency accepts your work, don’t take this as a guarantee that your images will sell.

Don’t approach an agency until you have a large collection of images. Minimum first submissions  can consist of anything from 50 images to 500 and regular submissions are normally required thereafter. Most agencies work on a commission basis – 50 % being the standard rate. If an image sells for two hundred euro – the photographer receives a one hundred euro fee.

When an agency takes on a photographer’s work, they  normally  require a four or five year retention period. Agencies normally sell  the reproduction rights of a pictures – the image being licensed to a buyer for a specified purpose.

It may take as long as six months before an agency sells a picture belonging to you. First they need to scan your images if they are submitted by film; then they need to contact their clients  and let them know that there is new material available – all of  this takes time, so you must look at supplying a picture agency as a long term investment. It is only when you have several hundred images placed in a library that you’ll start to see regular sales.

Remember: agencies can’t sell images if there isn’t a market for them and placing images at an agency does not guarantee you sales.

For centuries images have been projected onto surfaces. The camera obscura and the camera lucida were used by artists to trace scenes as early as the 16th century. These early cameras did not fix an image in time; they only projected what passed through an opening in the wall of a darkened room onto a surface. In effect, the entire room was turned into a large pinhole camera. Indeed, the phrase camera obscura literally means “darkened room,” and it is after these darkened rooms that all modern cameras have been named.

The first photograph is considered to be an image produced in 1826 by the French inventor Nicéphore Niépce on a polished pewter plate covered with a petroleum derivative called bitumen of Judea. It was produced with a camera, and required an eight hour exposure in bright sunshine. However this process turned out to be a dead end and Niépce began experimenting with silver compounds based on a Johann Heinrich Schultz discovery in 1724 that a silver and chalk mixture darkens when exposed to light.

Niépce, in Chalon-sur-Saône, and the artist Louis Daguerre, in Paris, refined the existing silver process in a partnership. In 1833 Niépce died of a stroke, leaving his notes to Daguerre. While he had no scientific background, Daguerre made two pivotal contributions to the process.

He discovered that by exposing the silver first to iodine vapour, before exposure to light, and then to mercury fumes after the photograph was taken, a latent image could be formed and made visible. By then bathing the plate in a salt bath the image could be fixed.

In 1839 Daguerre announced that he had invented a process using silver on a copper plate called the Daguerreotype. A similar process is still used today for Polaroids. The French government bought the patent and immediately made it public domain.

Across the English Channel, William Fox Talbot had earlier discovered another means to fix a silver process image but had kept it secret. After reading about Daguerre’s invention Talbot refined his process, so that it might be fast enough to take photographs of people as Daguerre had done and by 1840 he had invented the calotype process.

He coated paper sheets with silver chloride to create an intermediate negative image. Unlike a daguerreotype a calotype negative could be used to reproduce positive prints, like most chemical films do today. Talbot patented this process which greatly limited its adoption.

He spent the rest of his life in lawsuits defending the patent until he gave up on photography altogether. But later this process was refined by George Eastman and is today the basic technology used by chemical film cameras. Hippolyte Bayard also developed a method of photography but delayed announcing it, and so was not recognized as its inventor.

In the darkroomIn 1851 Frederick Scott Archer invented the collodion process. It was the process used by Lewis Carroll.

Slovene Janez Puhar invented the technical procedure for making photographs on glass in 1841. The invention was recognized on July 17th 1852 in Paris by the Académie Nationale Agricole, Manufacturière et Commerciale.

The Daguerreotype proved popular in responding to the demand for portraiture emerging from the middle classes during the Industrial Revolution. This demand, that could not be met in volume and in cost by oil painting, may well have been the push for the development of photography.

However daguerreotypes, while beautiful, were fragile and difficult to copy. A single photograph taken in a portrait studio could cost US$1000 in 2006 dollars. Photographers also encouraged chemists to refine the process of making many copies cheaply, which eventually led them back to Talbot’s process. Ultimately, the modern photographic process came about from a series of refinements and improvements in the first 20 years.

In 1884 George Eastman, of Rochester, New York, developed dry gel on paper, or film, to replace the photographic plate so that a photographer no longer needed to carry boxes of plates and toxic chemicals around. In July of 1888 Eastman’s Kodak camera went on the market with the slogan “You press the button, we do the rest”. Now anyone could take a photograph and leave the complex parts of the process to others. Photography became available for the mass-market in 1901 with the introduction of Kodak Brownie.

Since then color film has become standard, as well as automatic focus and automatic exposure. Digital recording of images is becoming increasingly common, as digital cameras allow instant previews on LCD screens and the resolution of top of the range models has exceeded high quality 35mm film while lower resolution models have become affordable. For the enthusiast photographer processing black and white film, little has changed since the introduction of the 35mm film Leica camera in 1925.

No matter who you are or where you’ve been, chances are that you’ve heard one or more of Aretha Franklin’s songs. Chances are also that you’ve had one of those classics ringing pleasurably in your head for hours on end. The Queen of Soul has that effect on people everywhere, and she’s heading out on the road again this summer to provide millions of her fans with another reason to cherish her work.

Life Story

Franklin was born in Memphis on March 25, 1942. After a bit of moving around, her family settled in Detroit when Aretha was seven. She was exposed to music at an early age, and began singing in her father’s church. She was soon a very popular member of the choir, and she produced her first recording at the age of 14.

Subsequent to this first recording, Franklin entered “adulthood” almost immediately. She signed a recording contract with Columbia Records and became a mother when she was 15, having her first son, Clarence, Jr. Franklin had another son, Eddie, when she was 16.

At this point, Franklin had to make a choice – be a full-time mother or pursue her music career. She chose the latter, as her grandmother helped her care for her sons while she continued to record songs. Franklin married Ted White in 1962 and had another son, “Teddy” White, Jr. in 1969.

She stayed with Columbia Records until 1967, when she moved to Atlantic Records, and the results were almost immediate due to the expanded artistic freedom she had with her new label. Franklin dabbled in gospel, soul and blues themes with her music, and several of her songs from this time period became top hits.

Blossoming Career

However, it was her R&B work that earned her the nickname, “The Queen of Soul” in the 1960’s. Franklin’s work with Atlantic Records made her an international star, and several of her most famous songs, including Respect were released during this period.

Franklin continued to not only tour but to record, and her career totals are astonishing. She has released a total of 52 albums, and has had 17 singles reach the Top Ten of the US Hot 100 Singles chart.

Franklin has also won 17 Grammy Awards in several categories, but that is far from her only entry into her list of accomplishments. Franklin became the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, and was the second woman to gain entry into the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005.

The Queen of Soul has also been recognized by more than one President of the United States. In 1999, President Bill Clinton awarded Franklin with the National Medal of Arts, and President George W. Bush bestowed upon Franklin the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005.

What It All Means

All of these accomplishments should make it clear that Aretha Franklin is a national icon. She has appeared in movies like The Blues Brothers in 1980 and sang the national anthem in her adopted hometown of Detroit prior to Super Bowl XL.

Her songs are timeless, and the memories from her live shows live on in the minds of all who are lucky enough to be able to attend a concert. Franklin will be providing those same memories this summer.

Musicians have long been playing fiddle music in the Appalachians for years, but it wasn’t until 1927 in Bristol, Tennessee that the first recording country music recording deal was signed. In this year, Victor Records signed Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family.

Jimmie Rodgers was born in Meridian Mississippi, in 1897. Originally he worked on the railroads until his ill health got the better of him and it was only during this time that he followed his earlier love of entertaining. In 1927 he followed word that Victor Records were setting up a portable recording studio and made his way there. He was immediately signed and continued recording and playing music until he died in 1933.

In 1965 he was one of the very first musicians to be added to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1961 along with Hank Williams and Fred Rose. On the same day as Jimmie Rodgers signed with Victor Records, so did the Carter Family, who would become one of the most famous country music bands of all time. They remained with Victor Records until 1936. Not even divorce could separate the band though and they continued to record with Decca until 1939. Things started to hit a rough patch at this stage and despite signing for Universal and eventually Victor Records again, the band split in 1941.

It is widely acknowledged that that big day in 1927 was the introduction of country music to the rest of the country. Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family were met with huge critical acclaim and became incredibly popular helping to sell a great many records. Country music singers and bands of today will often talk about the Carter Family or Jimmie Rodgers as being their major influence and with very good reason.

Incoming search terms:

• plr articles on new country artists

After a failed attempt at collaborating on “Eucalyptus,” Russell Crowe and Nicole Kidman are looking to team with “Moulin Rouge” director Baz Luhrmann.  All three are Australian.

Crowe and Kidman have signed on to star in what is being called an epic Australian Outback film set in the years up to and including World War II.  The film, codenamed “Project Oklahoma,” will begin in the 1930s and stretch to the 1942 Japanese bombing of the tropical city of Darwin.

“We’ve talked a bout it for over seven years, that we must do something together in Australia.” Luhrmann said to the Sydney Morning Herald.

Kidman said that she was looking forward to making a “uniquely Australian story” with Crowe, who she calls her “good friend.”

Luhrmann compared the film to “Gone with the Wind” and “Lawrence of Arabia.”  “Collateral” screenwriter Stuart Beattie will work with Luhrmann on the script for the film.

Kidman has had a working history with Luhrmann, who directed the three minute, multimillion-dollar Chanel No. 5 commercial in which Kidman starred.

The rumored budget for the film is said to be about $40 million in Australian currency, which is equivalent to about $30 million in U.S. dollars.  Filming is set to begin in August, and the film is projected to be released in 2007.

A quintessential loser, an out-of-job puppeteer, is hired by a firm, whose offices are ensconced in a half floor (literally. The ceiling is about a metre high, reminiscent of Taniel’s hallucinatory Alice in Wonderland illustrations). By sheer accident, he discovers a tunnel (a “portal”, in Internet-age parlance), which sucks its visitors into the mind of the celebrated actor, John Malkovich. The movie is a tongue in cheek discourse of identity, gender and passion in an age of languid promiscuity. It poses all the right metaphysical riddles and presses the viewers’ intellectual stimulation buttons.

A two line bit of dialogue, though, forms the axis of this nightmarishly chimerical film. John Malkovich (played by himself), enraged and bewildered by the unabashed commercial exploitation of the serendipitous portal to his mind, insists that Craig, the aforementioned puppet master, cease and desist with his activities. “It is MY brain” – he screams and, with a typical American finale, “I will see you in court”. Craig responds: “But, it was I who discovered the portal. It is my livelihood”.

This apparently innocuous exchange disguises a few very unsettling ethical dilemmas.

The basic question is “whose brain is it, anyway”? Does John Malkovich OWN his brain? Is one’s brain – one’s PROPERTY? Property is usually acquired somehow. Is our brain “acquired”?  It is clear that we do not acquire the hardware (neurones) and software (electrical and chemical pathways) we are born with. But it is equally clear that we do “acquire” both brain mass and the contents of our brains (its wiring or irreversible chemical changes) through learning and experience. Does this process of acquisition endow us with property rights?

It would seem that property rights pertaining to human bodies are fairly restricted. We have no right to sell our kidneys, for instance. Or to destroy our body through the use of drugs. Or to commit an abortion at will. Yet, the law does recognize and strives to enforce copyrights, patents and other forms of intellectual property rights.

This dichotomy is curious. For what is intellectual property but a mere record of the brain’s activities? A book, a painting, an invention are the documentation and representation of brain waves. They are mere shadows, symbols of the real presence – our mind. How can we reconcile this contradiction? We are deemed by the law to be capable of holding full and unmitigated rights to the PRODUCTS of our brain activity, to the recording and documentation of our brain waves. But we hold only partial rights to the brain itself, their originator.

This can be somewhat understood if we were to consider this article, for instance. It is composed on a word processor. I do not own full rights to the word processing software (merely a licence), nor is the laptop I use my property – but I posses and can exercise and enforce full rights regarding this article. Admittedly, it is a partial parallel, at best: the computer and word processing software are passive elements. It is my brain that does the authoring. And so, the mystery remains: how can I own the article – but not my brain? Why do I have the right to ruin the article at will – but not to annihilate my brain at whim?

Another angle of philosophical attack is to say that we rarely hold rights to nature or to life. We can copyright a photograph we take of a forest – but not the forest. To reduce it to the absurd: we can own a sunset captured on film – but never the phenomenon thus documented. The brain is natural and life’s pivot – could this be why we cannot fully own it?

Wrong premises inevitably lead to wrong conclusions. We often own natural objects and manifestations, including those related to human life directly. We even issue patents for sequences of human DNA. And people do own forests and rivers and the specific views of sunsets.

Some scholars raise the issues of exclusivity and scarcity as the precursors of property rights. My brain can be accessed only by myself and its is one of a kind (sui generis). True but not relevant. One cannot rigorously derive from these properties of our brain a right to deny others access to them (should this become technologically feasible) – or even to set a price on such granted access. In other words, exclusivity and scarcity do not constitute property rights or even lead to their establishment. Other rights may be at play (the right to privacy, for instance) – but not the right to own property and to derive economic benefits from such ownership.

On the contrary, it is surprisingly easy to think of numerous exceptions to a purported natural right of single access to one’s brain. If one memorized the formula to cure AIDS or cancer and refused to divulge it for a reasonable compensation – surely, we should feel entitled to invade his brain and extract it? Once such technology is available – shouldn’t authorized bodies of inspection have access to the brains of our leaders on a periodic basis? And shouldn’t we all gain visitation rights to the minds of great men and women of science, art and culture – as we do today gain access to their homes and to the products of their brains?

There is one hidden assumption, though, in both the movie and this article. It is that mind and brain are one. The portal leads to John Malkovich’s MIND – yet, he keeps talking about his BRAIN and writhing physically on the screen. The portal is useless without JM’s mind. Indeed, one can wonder whether JM’s mind is not an INTEGRAL part of the portal – structurally and functionally inseparable from it. If so, does not the discoverer of the portal hold equal rights to John Malkovich’s mind, an integral part thereof?

The portal leads to JM’s mind. Can we prove that it leads to his brain? Is this identity automatic? Of course not. It is the old psychophysical question, at the heart of dualism – still far from resolved. Can a MIND be copyrighted or patented? If no one knows WHAT is the mind – how can it be the subject of laws and rights? If JM is bothered by the portal voyagers, the intruders – he surely has legal recourse, but not through the application of the rights to own property and to benefit from it. These rights provide him with no remedy because their subject (the mind) is a mystery. Can JM sue Craig and his clientele for unauthorized visits to his mind (trespassing) – IF he is unaware of their comings and goings and unperturbed by them? Moreover, can he prove that the portal leads to HIS mind, that it is HIS mind that is being visited? Is there a way to PROVE that one has visited another’s mind? (See: “On Empathy”).

And if property rights to one’s brain and mind were firmly established – how will telepathy (if ever proven) be treated legally? Or mind reading? The recording of dreams? Will a distinction be made between a mere visit – and the exercise of influence on the host and his / her manipulation (similar questions arise in time travel)?

This, precisely, is where the film crosses the line between the intriguing and the macabre. The master puppeteer, unable to resist his urges, manipulates John Malkovich and finally possesses him completely. This is so clearly wrong, so manifestly forbidden, so patently immoral, that the film loses its urgent ambivalence, its surrealistic moral landscape and deteriorates into another banal comedy of situations.