Fandom S!ut

I survived Manos: Hands of Fate

Thu, 24 May 2012 23:03:17 -0500

May 22 - new stills of the Borgias

Thu, 24 May 2012 18:13:39 -0500

May 22 - new stills of the Borgias

animalstalkinginallcaps: OH MY GOD, I TOTALLY FLEW INTO CHRIS...

Thu, 24 May 2012 17:18:00 -0500

OH MY GOD, I TOTALLY FLEW INTO CHRIS EVANS DOWN BY THE RIVER!

GET OUT OF HERE! ARE YOU SERIOUS?

RIGHT INTO HIS ROCK HARD, PERFECT CHEST! I THINK I BROKE MY NECK!

AAAAAAAAHHHHHH! THAT’S SO HOT! DON’T EVER WASH YOUR FACE!

marielikestodraw: ochwow: There was an idea to bring together...

Thu, 24 May 2012 16:19:44 -0500

marielikestodraw:

ochwow:

There was an idea to bring together a group of sexy people, so when we needed them, they could… you know.

*thud*

babybern: Oh hello.

Thu, 24 May 2012 15:24:39 -0500

babybern:

Oh hello.

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Thu, 24 May 2012 01:55:44 -0500

scarfofcumbersaurus: OOH AVENGERS

Thu, 24 May 2012 00:58:22 -0500

scarfofcumbersaurus:

OOH AVENGERS

booksniffer: best!

Tue, 22 May 2012 19:12:22 -0500

booksniffer:

best!

bakerstreetbabes: To Whom It May Concern, As the time...

Tue, 22 May 2012 18:38:47 -0500

bakerstreetbabes:

To Whom It May Concern,

As the time rapidly nears for decisions to be decided over the fate of Undershaw, the home of literary great Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, I grow more and more anxious over what sort of fate may be bestowed upon it. This is why I am writing a few paragraphs on why, historically, financially, and intrinsically, Undershaw can and should be preserved. I hope that perhaps adding one more voice to the growing cacophony of consensus that this preservation must happen, even one as small as mine, can in some way do some good for what I believe is a monumentally important cause.

Many, many people more knowledgeable than I have already been making the case for why Undershaw is a historical treasure that deserves to be protected, so I will keep my comments on the subject brief. Other than when the man himself was alive, there has never been a greater time to capitalize on the timeless character that is Sherlock Holmes, or the man that created him. With a major Hollywood film franchise, a popular and well received BBC television series, and now a potential series in America premiering this fall, there is a renewed interest in all things Sherlock Holmes. Such is the legacy of Conan Doyle, a feather in the cap of Britain’s amazing list of literary figures. Over a century after his death, people great and small still have interest in both him and his creations. As an aficionado of both travel and Sherlock Holmes, one who loves to visit historical places, I purposely seek out places such as Undershaw when I go abroad. I find it disappointing that at the moment, when making plans to travel to England, that such an important place—Conan Doyle’s home at one of the most creative periods of his life, and host to a litany of amazing historical figures—is not available as a destination I can visit. And I find it tragic that the home of such a man might be seen as not worth saving and condemned to the depressing title of “here once rested the home of Conan Doyle.”

There is a saying in Egypt about antiquities that if you “scratch the ground, you’ll find a pyramid.” Historical treasures in that country are almost ubiquitous; they abound in almost every spot you visit, as Howard Carter found out when he discovered the great tomb of Tutankhamun. To this American, Britain feels much the same; the grand history of that country surely makes its every corner and crevice a potential historical site. Because of this, to a Brit it may seem like there is no need to save and restore Undershaw. But just as there is always room for one more rose in a rose garden, there is always room for one more site that ecapsulates and commemorates an important time, historically, in England’s grand literary legacy. Undershaw is a British “pyramid” worth saving, and I hope that efforts are made to accomplish this.

From a financial standpoint, it completely baffles me that there is not a greater local interest in making Undershaw a tourist destination, to transform it into a revenue generator for the area. There are many financial reasons to do so, and for the village of Hindhead and the county of Surrey to champion Undershaw’s preservation. Sites like Undershaw, once successfully restored, tend to make their revenue as a dual use facility; they are used for both educational and recreational purposes. The first comes from revenue generated from visitors, such as school groups, tourists, and groups or clubs interested in Conan Doyle or his creations. The second source of revenue comes from renting the space for events and receptions. They also generate millions in revenue for the surrounding area, since visitors end up spending money locally on food, lodging, transportation, and entertainment. I will briefly list three such places in America I know of, that have restored important local historical sites, and have been rewarded financially and intrinsically for doing so. Hopefully they can be inspirations for the kind of site that Undershaw can be in the future, if care is taken now to preserve it.

The first preserved site I would like to mention is Colonial Williamsburg, a tourist attraction in my home state of Virginia. Once the capitol of the largest and most influential colony in the Americas, the city experienced a quiet decline after the state’s capitol was moved to Richmond. Williamsburg settled into a new role as a sleepy college town, and the once shining city began to decay. The formerly proud historical historical structures began disappearing, either remodeled into something quite different from their original form or torn down completely. In the 1920’s things reached a critical point, and efforts were made to stop this erosion of history and restore Colonial Williamsburg to its original form. What began as a small project to revive a few of the more essential colonial buildings turned into a massive restoration project, an undertaking that transformed the entire city into a giant living historical site. Home to over 200 million visitors since 1923, Colonial Williamsburg is now the crown jewel in the area’s tourism triumvirate that is Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown. Undershaw has, in my opinion, like Colonial Williamsburg important historical significance, but unlike Williamsburg its restoration project has the benefit of being both smaller in scope and having the original structure still standing.

The second preserved site on my list is one in my immediate region of the American Intermountain West: The Ellen Eccles Theatre in Logan, Utah. Built by a local businessman in 1923 with no expense spared, it is a beautiful structure that, like Undershaw, had a number of famous people cross its threshold in its day, in its case the heyday of Vaudeville. And like Undershaw, it eventually fell into disrepair, a shadow of its former glory, and was at one point in the 1980’s slated for the chopping block. A local developer wanted to tear it down and convert it to a parking lot, and the matter was relegated to the local city council. Through the narrowest of narrow margins the building was voted to be preserved, not condemned, and was restored to its original condition and once again used as a theatre. Today, as part of the Cache Valley Center for the Arts, it is one of the great sources of pride in the region and second only to the local university as a revenue generator for the city. It adds millions of dollars each year to the local economy, from tourists coming from out of state specifically to visit it and enjoy its annual offerings. I have no doubt that Undershaw could do the same in Surrey, if the proper care is taken to ensure it the chance to accomplish this.

The last site I would like to mention is one that is the happy product of Conan Doyle’s legacy; Gillette Castle, the home of William Gillette, actor and playwright. After receiving Conan Doyle’s explicit blessing to adapt Sherlock Holmes for the stage, by writing and starring in the subsequent play he created, he introduced Sherlock Holmes to new audiences; he also made himself very wealthy. Taking time and treasure to build a beautiful and eccentric house on cliffs overlooking the Connecticut River, Gillette regarded his dwelling so highly that in his will he stipulated that the site could not be possessed “by any blithering sap-head who has no conception of where he is and with what surrounded.” Luckily for Gillette, the state of Connecticut did not possess the sort of narrow tunnel vision that he deplored, and in 1943 bought and restored his home to its former glory. Today it receives over 300,000 visitors annually and, along with the local Goodspeed Opera House, is a treasure of the state for both locals and tourists alike. Surely if the home of someone that benefitted from Conan Doyle’s legacy has been deemed fit to be preserved, the home of the man himself equally deserves to secure a place of honor and esteem in the pantheon of historical dwellings.

For all of the above mentioned sites, a time came when decisions over that place’s fate had to be made, and for these three locations and many others, a beneficial decision was made not to condemn but to conserve. I believe that historically, financially, and intrinsically, Undershaw is a site in desperate need of, and an equally worthy candidate for, preservation. As the movie Field of Dreams states, “If you build it, they will come.” In Undershaw’s case, “they will come” refers to visitors interested in the significance of the home of a great literary figure, an economic boost to the county of Surrey, and local and national pride of securing a literary legacy benefitting future generations. Preserving it is the right thing to do; I can only hope that those in positions of power to make the decision to restore Undershaw to its former glory have both the wisdom and benevolence to feel the same.

Save Undershaw!

Elizabeth L., Utah, United States

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Tue, 22 May 2012 18:14:57 -0500

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Tue, 22 May 2012 17:18:03 -0500

ghostbees: Nobody hates Holmes like Sir Arthur hates Holmes.

Tue, 22 May 2012 15:21:18 -0500

ghostbees:

Nobody hates Holmes like Sir Arthur hates Holmes.

dreamingofdownton: downton abbey costume porn ↳ 2.04 +...

Tue, 22 May 2012 14:25:07 -0500

dreamingofdownton:

downton abbey costume porn

↳ 2.04 + 2.05

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Tue, 22 May 2012 13:26:48 -0500

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Tue, 22 May 2012 12:21:48 -0500

HBICs of history » E l i z a b e t h T u d o r Elizabeth,...

Tue, 22 May 2012 11:15:03 -0500

HBICs of history » E l i z a b e t h T u d o r

Elizabeth, known also as the Virgin Queen, was queen regent of England and Ireland from 1558 until her death. She was the only child of Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII. One of Elizabeth’s first moves as queen was the establishment of an English Protestant church, of which she became the Supreme Governor. It was expected that Elizabeth would marry and produce an heir so as to continue the Tudor line. She never did, however, despite numerous courtships. As she grew older, Elizabeth became famous for her virginity, and a cult grew up around her which was celebrated in the portraits, pageants, and literature of the day. Elizabeth’s reign is known as the Elizabethan era, famous above all for the flourishing of English drama, led by playwrights such as William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe, and for the seafaring prowess of English adventurers such as Sir Francis Drake.

thatonetheycallchloe: anneemaye: FUCKING LOOK AT THOR JUST...

Tue, 22 May 2012 10:32:34 -0500

thatonetheycallchloe:

anneemaye:

FUCKING LOOK AT THOR

JUST LIKE

NO

I DON’T NEED A SHIELD

MY ELBOW WILL REPEL THE BLAST

AND IT FUCKING DOES

god damn i love me some thor

beccazezombie: carolinesuggatits: scoutology: That first...

Tue, 22 May 2012 09:08:32 -0500

beccazezombie:

carolinesuggatits:

scoutology:

That first moment…Mark just hesitantly initiates the hug, uncertain of its reception.

Then next Tom realizes the hug is going down and does that…what do you even call that slapping motion? The “hell yeah bro put your hands around my waist locking you in” move?

Then they start swaying. Swaying. What the fuck, guys.

And then they finish off by giggling like schoolgirls as they hug-crab-walk away. I cannot dissect down far enough to explain the cute-ception that I’m being plagued with by these men.

I apologize to my followers because this gif has been on my blog a million+ times, but 1) it’s the best gif set EVER. and 2) the play-by-play is too perfect not to reblog.

MY HEART

Spock: Where would you estimate we belong, Miss Keeler?Edith...

Tue, 22 May 2012 08:35:58 -0500

Spock: Where would you estimate we belong, Miss Keeler?
Edith Keeler: You? By his side, as if you’ve always been there and always will.

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Tue, 22 May 2012 07:30:01 -0500