Photos of active members here on AJB

DanielCraig007

I think it would be great if every active member here on AJB could post a photo of themselves in this thread.
It doesent have to be Bond related but more fun if it is. Always nice to see who you are talking to.

Ill start the thread with a photo of myself in front of the MI6 building in London.

Hardyboy

Welcome to it, but I prefer to not be photoshopped any time soon. . .

Blackleiter

Here are two for you - one of which is me on a cruise standing in front of a poorly-rendered Bond statue.

DanielCraig007

The statue is terrible )
Is that Connery?

Mike Z

no Bond content, other than they filmed some of VTAK in San Francisco.

Blackleiter

I agree, the statue sucks! And yes, I believe it's supposed to be Connery (ugh!)

DanielCraig007 wrote:

The statue is terrible )
Is that Connery?

Mr Martini

Mike Z wrote:

no Bond content, other than they filmed some of VTAK in San Francisco.

Cheers to another member from the SF Bay Area. No photos of me on-line. Well, there's one, but I'm mixed in a crowd of about 60,000 other people.

DEFIANT 74205

This one was taken while I was on holiday in Vancouver last month.

Napoleon Plural

Blackleiter wrote:

Here are two for you - one of which is me on a cruise standing in front of a poorly-rendered Bond statue.

Light bulb goes on... ah, right, you're actually black....

There's a black guy on the Paul McCartney website, it always seems odd to have black blokes into white iconography though lord knows why, no shortage of white blokes into black culture like James Brown and so on. But then one sneakily imagines white guys do it in some way to seem a bit cooler. You sort of imagine black blokes have their own thing going on culturally. Like you'd have a white guy namechecking Martin Luther King, but can't imagine a black politician namechecking Ike Eisnenhower. Mind you, Kanye West is into all that Bond bling isn't he!

Blackleiter

Well, Napoleon, let me first say that it is interesting to get your perspective now that you have discovered I'm Black. Would I be correct in assuming that you are British since you use the term "bloke"? Just curious. As to your statement that it seems odd for us "black blokes" to be into "white iconography", I think you are operating under a misconception. What makes Bond a part of "white iconography"? The fact that he is white? I consider Bond to be a part of "spy iconography" or "adventure iconography", and surely there are people of all races, nationalities and backgrounds that can appreciate that. Is Superman a part of "white iconography"? I think most folks would say no, as they realize that white kids, black kids, Asian kids, Hispanic kids, and so forth, all over the world have grown up as Superman fans. I would venture to say that the same is true of Bond. As a kid growing up in a lower-class family in a public housing project in New York City, one of the greatest, most affordable outlets for my imagination was to take a trip to the movie theater and be transported to another world. And guess what? For me, that other world was often the world of 007! Back in those days you could go to the movie theater and stay all day, watching the same film as many times as you liked. I think I saw Goldfinger three times in a row!

Anyway friend, I hope I don't sound like I was offended or that I am going on a rant. I am just trying to point out that we shouldn't be so limited as to think that black folks only enjoy "black" entertainment and that white folks only enjoy "white" entertainment (whatever that means!) Good is good, cool is cool, and entertaining is entertaining. For me, Bond has always been good, cool entertainment, and I know quite a few other "black blokes" who feel the same.l

Napoleon Plural wrote:

Blackleiter wrote:

Here are two for you - one of which is me on a cruise standing in front of a poorly-rendered Bond statue.

Light bulb goes on... ah, right, you're actually black....

There's a black guy on the Paul McCartney website, it always seems odd to have black blokes into white iconography though lord knows why, no shortage of white blokes into black culture like James Brown and so on. But then one sneakily imagines white guys do it in some way to seem a bit cooler. You sort of imagine black blokes have their own thing going on culturally. Like you'd have a white guy namechecking Martin Luther King, but can't imagine a black politician namechecking Ike Eisnenhower. Mind you, Kanye West is into all that Bond bling isn't he!

Napoleon Plural

Yes, on the face of it (so to speak) my comments do seem contentious but then again in London (yep, I'm English) it's like you rarely when out see a mix of blacks and whites in a social gathering, be it at sporting events (ie football - it has plenty of black players but not so many black fans when you go to a match) or music gigs. It's like culturally we're in different spheres. Sex and the City had a similar scenario going on, same with Friends. Though they are hardly an ideal example of anything.

I suppose I can suggest that Superman was always part of the white establishment thing, but then that pre-supposes that blacks are against the establishment and so on. Now it's been argued that was the case, hence the Italian hero Diablolik had a black following in the 1960s because he wasn't doing it for good ol' Uncle Sam. Likewise one could argue about Bond's colonial background, but no one wanting a good spy yarn is going to really care about that, that's for the historians.

But yeah, I find the whole different perception (or not of course) strange and brings me up short when I realise that all these heroes like Indy, Bond and so on, are all white, arguably cheating blacks out of some decent action heroes. Though you could also say it's unnecessary if black people just relate to action heroes anyway, white or black, it's almost like blacks get 'taught' to be colourblind from an early age (cos they have to be) unlike white folk, if you catch my drift.

nms75

I feel a little let down by what I perceive to be racist over-tones in this thread! As a British person I feel disappointed that a fellow countryman has felt the need to make some of the comments he has done!

NMS

Napoleon Plural

Just because I'm talking about race, doesn't make it racist.

007 and a half

I agree with NMS on this.

Napoleon Plural

Okay. Which part is racist then?

thesecretagent

Sorry, but I think I missed racial overtones. If you have to tread that carefully, then you risk not treading at all...

Napoleon Plural

Anyway, we're getting off topic. You wanted us to post pictures of ourselves. Here's me:



Kiddin', just kiddin'! Have a good weekend, y'all!

Blackleiter

Sorry to stay off topic for a bit, but for what it's worth I don't think you are being racist. I think your comments are an honest reflection of your experience, but I do believe your perception is skewed and you need to broaden your outlook. But hey, that's what groups like this are for. To allow individuals from different backgrounds and experiences to come together to discuss, celebrate, argue over something they have in common - in this case their appreciation for Bond films. So let's learn form each other, and oh yeah, keep the photos coming!

Napoleon Plural wrote:

Okay. Which part is racist then?

thesecretagent

Blackleiter wrote:

Sorry to stay off topic for a bit, but for what it's worth I don't think you are being racist. I think your comments are an honest reflection of your experience, but I do believe your perception is skewed and you need to broaden your outlook. But hey, that's what groups like this are for. To allow individuals from different backgrounds and experiences to come together to discuss, celebrate, argue over something they have in common - in this case their appreciation for Bond films. So let's learn form each other, and oh yeah, keep the photos coming!

Napoleon Plural wrote:

Okay. Which part is racist then?

It's strange how geography plays so much a part to racial awareness. I served in the army for a number of years and although there were a few faces, non were my friends because my regiments or units had mainly white guys. When I moved around I always seemed to go somewhere were black men were not. You kind of make a few friends then stick with them, and although I taught all colours and creeds, I never had any as friends. I now live back in Cornwall where I grew up and will go for months at a time without seeing a black face. I see Indian & Chinese when I go to their restaurants. I have no black friends or even aquaintances. I hate racism, hate BNP type idiots, love R&B and feel wholely unqualified to talk about related issues for fear of being percieved a biggot through lack of experience with colour.

thesecretagent

thesecretagent wrote:

Sorry, but I think I missed racial overtones. If you have to tread that carefully, then you risk not treading at all...

regarding my above ramblings - I was just worried that I saw no overtones when two people did - thought I'd just qualify my comment...

Predator

Can we stick to the topic of the thread please everyone?

And like Hardyboy, no pictures of me; I prefer to remain a faceless henchman in the service of the AJB oligarch

little nelly

Nelly.
BTW this was 25 years ago, I don't look like that now.

jimmybondi

Me at the TSWLM jetty in Sardinia:

thesecretagent

jimmybondi wrote:

Me at the TSWLM jetty in Sardinia:

I'm off to Sardinia in May - do you mind if I ask where the jetty is?

Thanks

jimmybondi

thesecretagent wrote:

I'm off to Sardinia in May - do you mind if I ask where the jetty is?

Thanks

No...

jimmybondi

thesecretagent wrote:

I'm off to Sardinia in May - do you mind if I ask where the jetty is?

Thanks

)

I guess some useful hints can be found here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2775&id=1474656160&l=b2d57ee723

thesecretagent

Thanks for that. Nice car by the way

Predator

jimmybondi wrote:

Me at the TSWLM jetty in Sardinia:

There we go ... Predator is now jealous!

Lovely condition that Lotus ... yours? Looks like you keep it in good shape.

Mr Martini

Predator wrote:

jimmybondi wrote:

Me at the TSWLM jetty in Sardinia:

There we go ... Predator is now jealous!

Lovely condition that Lotus ... yours? Looks like you keep it in good shape.

I agree. I like the license plate to. 007 :007)

jimmybondi

Cheers Guys! -{

Thank you for the kind words.

Where are your user piccies??

thesecretagent

Ready for a big session. Union County, NJ SWAT range.