#belton the bear

[the-ultimate-squish]

Please do not buy squishmallows irl unless purchased secondhand. Sources below

Squishmallow Alternatives + my current reasoning for the tournament (subject to change)

More info with sources

Official Boycott (this blog is not part of the official boycott)

[dwuerch-blog]

Graduates! You Have Been Chosen!

I can’t help myself as I have been covering graduations for days now. Maybe this will be the big finale as it is my grandson’s graduation today! Brennan Keith Wuerch graduates from Regents School of Austin High School. Look out, University of Mary Hardin Baylor. He is almost there! And, YOU, most likely, have friends and family members who graduated last week or this week, too! What a momentous…

[mariacallous]

sorry if this is too broad a question but do you have any recommendations of books/general literature about Eastern European history/politics (like fall of USSR-now)? i'm realising with keeping up with the war in Ukraine i don't know nearly enough about Eastern Europe (esp for a western leftist). I know you really like Slavenka Drakulić's work so I thought you might know of some others in that area. i'm sorry if you've been asked this before/it's too much bother + thank you in advance! <3

Oh, I'm always happy to answer this question/provide book recommendations, so no worries :)

Apart from Slavenka Drakulić's work, I would say the following, off the top of my head and looking at my bookshelves:

Anything by Anna Politkovskaya

Black Square: Adventures in Post-Soviet Ukraine by Sophie Pinkham (this one would be interesting now considering it came out not too long after Maidan and the Crimea and other annexations)

Putin Country: A Journey into the Real Russia by Anne Garrels

Putin's People: How the KGB Took Back Russia and then Took On The West by Catherine Belton

The Impossible Country: A Journey Through the Last Days of Yugoslavia by Brian Hall

In Europe's Shadow by Robert D. Kaplan (and, tentatively, his Balkan Ghosts, just because there's both some skew and quite a bit of stereotyping)

The Balkans by Misha Glenny

The Future is History by Masha Gessen (and really, any of their books, tbh)

Belarus: The Last European Dictatorship by Andrew Wilson

Yugoslavia: Death of a Nation by Laura Silber and Allen Little

The Invention of Russia: The Rise of Putin and the Age of Fake News by Arkady Ostrovsky

Unequal under Socialist: Race, Women, and Transnationalism in Bulgaria by Miglena S. Todorova

All The Kremlin's Men by Mikhail Zygar

Between East and West: Across the Borderlands of Europe and Twilight of Democracy: The Seductive Lure of Authoritarianism by Anne Applebaum

Dancing Bears: True Stories of People Nostalgic for Life Under Tyranny by Witold Szabłowski

The Taste of Ashes: The Afterlife of Totalitarianism in Eastern Europe by Marci Shore

Secondhand Time: The Last of the Soviets by Svetlana Alexievich

Burning Down the Haus: Punk Rock, Revolution, and the Fall of the Berlin Wall by Tim Mohr

The Gates of Europe: A History of Ukraine by Serhii Plokhy

Orbanland: Why Viktor Orbán's Hungary Matters by Lasse Skytt

Black Sea: Dispatches and Recipes, Through Darkness and Light by Caroline Eden

The Magic Lantern: The Revolution of '89 Witnessed in Warsaw, Budapest, Berlin, and Prague by Timothy Garton Ash

And then anything my mutuals/followers would recommend, of course.

[byneddiedingo]

Emil Belton and Zoe Zandvliet in Land of Mine (Martin Zandvliet, 2015) Cast: Roland Møller, Louis Hofmann, Joel Basman, Mikkel Boe Følsgaard, Mads Riisom, Oskar Bökelmann, Emil Belton, Oskar Belton, Laura Bro, Zoe Zandvliet. Screenplay: Martin Zandvliet. Cinematography: Camilla Hjelm. Production design: Gitta Malling. Film editing: Per Sandholt, Molly Malene Stensgaard. Music: Sune Martin. The English title, Land of Mine, is an unfortunate but perhaps irresistible pun. The original Danish title was Under Sandet -- "Under the Sand" -- which lacks resonance with its central theme: the cruelty inflicted by victors on the vanquished. Land of Mine at least picks up on that theme, the patriotic urge to revenge one's country on those who attacked it, as well as indicating the action of the film, the defusing and disposal of land mines planted by the Germans along the Danish coast during World War II. It focuses on the Danish Sgt. Carl Rasmussen (Roland Møller), tasked with training and supervising a company of German prisoners of war who are the ones who do the terrifying work of locating unexploded mines along the seashore. When we meet Rasmussen, he is brutally beating a German soldier who has had the audacity to pick up a Danish flag as a souvenir, so the officers in charge of the land mine detail are fairly certain that he will be no softy when it comes to handling the POWs. It turns out that the prisoners are very young -- barely out of their teens, late conscripts into the German army in the waning days of the war. Rasmussen and the POWs are billeted on a woman who has a small farm near the shore, and who shares his hatred for the Germans, stinting on the food she is supposed to provide the young men. She also has a young daughter, who in her innocence bears no grudge against the men and happily plays with one of them until her mother sends him away. It's a situation full of suspense, of course, but writer-director Martin Zandvliet can't seem to stay away from the obvious plotting clichés. We know that there will be some sort of rapprochement between Rasmussen and his fresh-faced charges. When we see that two of the young men are twins, who have dreams of returning to Germany and using their bricklaying skills to help rebuild their country, we're pretty sure that one or both of them will have to die. The hard-bitten sergeant shows no affection to anyone except his dog, so we're certain that the dog's a goner. We're not surprised when the little girl wanders off into the minefield and has to be rescued by the Germans, causing a change of heart in the girl's mother. And so on to the end of the film, which is supposed to be heartwarming but really feels like a foregone conclusion, a working-out of the movie's moral vision. Forgiveness is a fine and necessary thing, but Land of Mine too often sacrifices the drama for the sermon, just as the intrinsic facetiousness of the titular pun undercuts the seriousness of the film's intent.

[celebratedaily]

July 7th - Fictional Birthdays

Dr. John Watson (The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes) Leo Valdez (Heroes of Olympus) Bree (Animal Crossing) Viché (Animal Crossing) Belton the Lemon Bear (Squishmallows)

[shotbyafool]

why did we cancel nicholas belton i must’ve missed this… also thank you for carrying the burden of comet posting in 2024 you’re a trooper

I GOT TWO ANONS ABOUT THIS AND NOW I'M FEELING CRAZY BECAUSE I CAN'T REMEMBER THE SPECIFICS. like okay and again I was 17 when this was happening so it could be completely colored by my naivete but I seem to recall something about him tweeting gauchely regarding the producers/Chakvin/Oak situation (along with some other members of the cast, though who specifically I cannot recall). obviously it was internal drama so we will never know the specifics but it felt like some cast members like, forgot they were on public forums (a great issue with theatre Twitter between like 2016-2020), so "canceled" was said slightly tongue-in-cheekly in my post. searching on shotbyafool.tumblr.com is not assisting me on this front because I probably thought it callous to blog about. but I LITERALLY DO NOT REMEMBER. sorry for causing potential panic.

I do not actually like, have any thoughts about Nicholas Belton. other than his performance being positively killer in Great Comet. curious as to where he is now. I remember being confused that he wasn't gay but whatever.

anyways someone has to post about Great Comet. it's my cross to bear because I refuse to change my URL. this is who I am.

[erins-xmas-list-2023]

Squishmallows Belton the Lemon Bear

[sueheaven]

Geosynthetics Market to Scale New Heights as Geosynthetics Market Players Focus on Innovations 2023 – 2028

Advance Market Analytics released a new market study on Global Geosynthetics Market Research report which presents a complete assessment of the Market and contains a future trend, current growth factors, attentive opinions, facts, and industry validated market data. The research study provides estimates for Global Geosynthetics Forecast till 2027*.

Geosynthetics is a synthetic product which is made up of polyester, polypropylene, and polyethylene. These synthetic products are mostly preferred in environmental activities and civil construction such as filtration, landfill, and others. The functions of geosynthetics are reinforcement drainage, separation, and moisture barrier. Major benefits of using geosynthetics are high bearing capacity, Installation robustness, minimize both rutting & soil intermixing and others. It has a variety of uses from erosion control to embankment reinforcement to enhanced subsurface drainage. Large investments in the projects associated with civil transportation and waste management are some of the major drivers which are propelling the growth of the market.

Key Players included in the Research Coverage of Geosynthetics Market are:

FiberWeb PLC (United Kindom)

Low & Bonar PLC (United Kindom)

Propex Global (United States)

GSE Environmental (United States)

Agru America (United States)

ACE Geosynthetics (Taiwan)

ACH Foam Technologies (Jefferson)

AGRU America Inc. (United States)

Asahi Geotechnologies Co. Ltd. (Japan)

Belton Industries Inc. (United States)

Solmax (Canada) What's Trending in Market: Technology Advancement in Geosynthetics

Challenges: Lack of Awareness Regarding Geosynthetics

Opportunities: Developing Countries Will Boost the Future Growth

Opportunities Associated With Oil & Gas and Mining Industries

Market Growth Drivers: Government Policies Boosting Infrastructure Growth across the Globe

Evolving Environmental Protection Regulations and Standards to Boost Future Growth of Geosynthetics

The Global Geosynthetics Market segments and Market Data Break Down by Type (Geotextiles, Geomembranes, Geogrids, Geofoams, Geonets, Other), Application (Road Industry, Railroad Stabilization, Water Management, Waste Management, Mining, Others), Material (Polyester, Polyethylene, Polypropylene, Polyvinyl chloride, Other materials) To comprehend Global Geosynthetics market dynamics in the world mainly, the worldwide Geosynthetics market is analyzed across major global regions. AMA also provides customized specific regional and country-level reports for the following areas. • North America: United States, Canada, and Mexico. • South & Central America: Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Brazil. • Middle East & Africa: Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Israel, Turkey, Egypt and South Africa. • Europe: United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Belgium, Netherlands and Russia. • Asia-Pacific: India, China, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Australia. Presented By

AMA Research & Media LLP

[walrusmagazine]

Who we were in 2003 bears little resemblance to who we are in 2023. Think of what we wake up to daily: the threat of AI, a housing crisis, a climate emergency, political polarization, and ongoing attacks on marginalized communities. The sum of our societal parts is increasingly troubling. The story of The Walrus is the story, in part, of how we levelled up to tackle that reality.

The theme of Who We Are Now represents a kind of pilgrimage back to our founding idea: to not simply reflect on what various crises teach us but to find some underlying common experience, something that can hold us together in our differences.

For 20 years, The Walrus has been home to Canada’s conversation. Your support ensures we can continue our important work—now and for years to come.

Read the June 2023 issue of The Walrus now at thewalrus.ca!

Photography by Ted Belton (tedbelton.com)

[efrost]

Geosynthetics Market Expecting the Unexpected future in 2028; SWOT analysis, investment feasibility analysis

Latest edition released by AMA on Global Geosynthetics Market to regulate the balance of demand and supply. This intelligence report on Geosynthetics includes Investigation of past progress, ongoing market scenarios, and future prospects. Data True to market on the products, strategies and market share of leading companies of this particular market are mentioned. It’s a 360-degree overview of the global market’s competitive landscape. The report further predicts the size and valuation of the global market during the forecast period. Some of the key players profiled in the study are

FiberWeb PLC (United Kindom)

Low & Bonar PLC (United Kindom)

Propex Global (United States)

GSE Environmental (United States)

Agru America (United States)

ACE Geosynthetics (Taiwan)

ACH Foam Technologies (Jefferson)

AGRU America Inc. (United States)

Asahi Geotechnologies Co. Ltd. (Japan)

Belton Industries Inc. (United States)

Solmax (Canada) Geosynthetics is a synthetic product which is made up of polyester, polypropylene, and polyethylene. These synthetic products are mostly preferred in environmental activities and civil construction such as filtration, landfill, and others. The functions of geosynthetics are reinforcement drainage, separation, and moisture barrier. Major benefits of using geosynthetics are high bearing capacity, Installation robustness, minimize both rutting & soil intermixing and others. It has a variety of uses from erosion control to embankment reinforcement to enhanced subsurface drainage. Large investments in the projects associated with civil transportation and waste management are some of the major drivers which are propelling the growth of the market.

Market Trends: Technology Advancement in Geosynthetics

Opportunities: Developing Countries Will Boost the Future Growth

Opportunities Associated With Oil & Gas and Mining Industries

Market Drivers: Government Policies Boosting Infrastructure Growth across the Globe

Evolving Environmental Protection Regulations and Standards to Boost Future Growth of Geosynthetics

Challenges: Lack of Awareness Regarding Geosynthetics

Presented By

AMA Research & Media LLP

[the-ultimate-squish]

[daily-squishmallows]

Belton the Bear!!

[image id: eight inch Belton the Bear squishmallow. belton is bright yellow bear with half-lemon slices for ears. they have a white muzzle and belly, and black eyes and a black hooked smile. they have round pink blush on their cheeks. end id]

todays squish is: BELTON THE LEMON BEAR!!!

squishdate: july seventh, 2021

[germ-t-ripper]

10JUN21 Enjoying The Beltones' album "On Deaf Ears".

[somuch-4-stardust]

its a TERRIBLE day to not live in texas

[officialleotolstoy]

Hi, what are some of your favourite and least favourite things about W&P?

Sorry this answer is late, I’m an overachiever with brainrot so I wanted to answer this for every adaptation I’ve seen. Also disclaimer these are completely subjective and off the top of my head

The Book

Favorite:

Pierre and Andrei’s relationship 🥺

The Bolkonsky family as a whole (excluding Old Prince B of course)

The cop/bear/river story

The scene where Nikolai sees the Tsar the second time (I have it bookmarked sjjajs)

The duel and it’s surrounding circumstances

The scene where Andrei forgives Anatole

Pretty much just all the characters and how interesting and realistic they are!

Honorable mention to Dolokhov

Least Favorite:

The rampant misogyny

The insane age gaps in almost every relationship

The frequency of incest

The. Epilogue.

The amount of war history and redundant philosophy

BBC W&P (2016)

Favorite:

Pierre talking to the Rostov’s pigs

Jack Lowden as Nikolai

The Dolokhov/Nikolai implications

Tuppence Middleton 🥰 Not Hélène’s character but. Her.

The silly hats

Least Favorite:

Dolokhov, Anatole, and Hélène’s characters

The rampant sexualization of everyone and everything

None of the kids are played by kids except Petya and Nikolushka

Romanticization of the epilogue

The Ball scene with Anatole and Natasha!!!!!!!!

Great Comet

Favorite:

Every song is a banger

I believe in Comet canon Pierre and Sonya supremacy

Dust! And! Ashes!

I genuinely think a musical is the best medium for W&P adaptations since it allows for internal monologues to show character much more than any other medium

Nick Belton’s voice

It was my introduction to the source material and I will never not love it

The Dolokhov/Anatole kiss and Hélène/Katya kiss

Least Favorite:

Hélène and Dolokhov characterization is really off (don’t get me wrong, I love Comet Dolokhov and Amber Gray is insanely talented, it just doesn’t mesh well with canon)

“but now I like it very much indeed” this line delivery makes my skin crawl every. Time.

The ball scene again makes me so uncomfortable I tend to skip it even though it slaps

Ingrid Michaelson’s characterization of Sonya 😬

It’s closed :(

1956 War and Peace*

*I never saw the last 50 minutes or so cause they took it off Amazon Prime :/

Favorite:

The scene where Dolokhov drinks the vodka in the window

Idk how accurate it is but Andrei smiling to himself while he listens to Natasha talk about him in the window with Sonya was kind of adorable

The opera scene where Natasha and Anatole meet. It’s so innacurate but it is HILARIOUS

I think Audrey Hepburn is a great actress and she does some sides of Natasha very well (I just wish we had gotten more depth to her character)

Every Balaga should look like that

Least Favorite:

It’s nowhere near accurate to the book and actually made me appreciate BBC W&P a little for that

Too much Napoleon RPF not enough Nikolai or Marya content

The battle scenes and the duel were so boring

Acting like Hélène and Pierre were in love while also highlighting that they were cousins

Their Andrei is terrible. You could replace him with a cardboard cutout and it wouldn’t change anything

[missysmadhouse]

Photo: Pinterest

Fort East Martello Museum in Key West, Florida, is home to the city's most famous - or rather - infamous resident. Standing 40 inches tall (102 cm) and weighing in at 6 lbs. (3 kg), wearing a sailor suit and cuddling a plush lion, Robert the Doll appears to be an innocent child's toy from a bygone age. However, Robert's childlike appearance seems to mask something dark and mysterious.

Robert has a long history of being at the center of paranormal activity and series of unfortunate events. He's described as haunted and cursed.

Robert's manufacture has been traced back to the early 1900s and, little over a century later, he's still accused of mischievous, destructive behavior and wrecking havoc on the lives of those around him. Those who visit Robert are warned about photographing him. Visitors are advised to be polite and introduce themselves, never take photos or videos of Robert without asking his permission and to never question Robert's power or mock him.

Robert receives many letters from those who have visited him, describing series of misfortunes that have occurred since visiting Robert. Those who have broken the rules write to Robert, begging him to lift his curse. Some of the things that have happened to Robert's visitors are: car accidents, delayed flights, job loss, relationship breakups, physical illness and many other calamities. There are many theories as to why Robert may be cursed and how it could've been caused.

The only part of Robert's story that is consistent is that the doll was given to a boy named Robert Eugene "Gene" Otto, about 4- or 5-years-old, as a birthday gift. Who gave it to him differs and how Robert could have become haunted or cursed differs. Some say Gene's grandfather, Dr. Joseph Otto, bought the doll during a trip to the Dry Tortugas. Another version of the story is that Gene's mother, Minnie Otto, bought the doll during a trip to Germany to visit some relatives. The most popular story seems to be that Robert was a Voodoo doll created in the image of young Gene Otto by a mistreated servant who was angry with the Ottos.

Robert Eugene Otto became attached to the doll, even giving the doll his first name and insisted on being called "Gene." Robert and Gene were inseparable. Gene would spend hours playing with and talking to Robert. During that time period, a boy playing with a doll wouldn't have been considered odd. Dolls were rare then, with the teddy bear only introduced in 1902. Children mostly played games than with toys. Thomas and Minnie Otto, Gene's parents, as well as visitors to their house said that they heard Gene talking to the doll when he was alone in his room. They also said they heard a distinct voice that was definitely not Gene's answer. Whenever Gene was reprimanded for misbehaving, he would say: "I didn't do it. Robert did it!"

Gene Otto wearing his sailor suit with a friend. Source: Find a Grave

It has been confirmed that Robert the Doll was manufactured by The Steiff Co., a German toy company established in 1880 by a brother and sister, Margarete and Fritz Steiff. The company was and still is known for their high quality items. Steiff also introduced the teddy bear.

Robert was originally a clown doll in a Harlequin-style outfit, an outfit that was found in the Otto's attic where Robert was kept and described by those who knew the Otto family at the time. Robert's sailor suit and plush lion both belonged to Gene Otto. An ad for a Steiff Co. clown doll was also found by paranormal investigator David Sloan, who conducted extensive research on Robert the Doll and the Otto family. Adding in fading and wear from age as factors, the doll in the ad is most likely the same design as Robert.

A detail that could also mark Robert as a Steiff toy is his missing right ear, probably due to age. The Steiff Co. devised a trademark to distinguish their toys from counterfeit replicas. Each doll manufactured by Steiff had a metal button inserted into one ear bearing the likeness of an elephant ( the idea for toy-making stemmed from Margarete Steiff's hobby of making elephant pin cushions which children enjoyed playing with) and later on the buttons simply had the name"Steiff" on them.

Sloan also contacted Rebekah Kaufman, Steiff's consultant and archivist for North America. Sloan sent Kaufman detailed photos, measurements and descriptions of Robert. Kaufman and a colleague both agreed that Robert is a Steiff toy and placed his manufacture no later than 1912. Kaufman also found a doll very similar to Robert up for auction about one year later. The doll was definitely a Steiff.

Kaufman also added that, because of his size (that of a real child) Robert was most likely meant for display and that he would have been expensive.

A clown doll manufactured by the Steiff Company. This is what Robert the Doll most likely looked like when he was new. Source: My Steiff Life

The Ottos were a prominent family in Key West. Gene's grandfather, Dr. Joseph Otto, was born in Konigsburg, East Prussia (now Germany).He left Prussia hiding in a "load of hay" during a student revolution. After making his way to London, he met his future wife, Maria Belton. Dr. Otto started his practice in Key West, Florida in 1862. He lived and practiced medicine through both the small pox and yellow fever epidemics.

Joseph and Maria Otto made their home at 534 Eaton Street, now known as The Artist House, currently featured on a ghost tour in Key West. The Artist House is also a bed and breakfast and was the home of Robert the Doll for about 70 years.

Besides his medical practice, Joseph also owned two pharmacies, one located across from The Artist House. Doctors actually didn't make much money in those days and often became pharmacists to supplement their income. Thomas Otto was the third child born to the couple. Thomas would marry a woman named Minnie. Thomas and Minnie would become the parents of Gene, born October 25, 1900, the youngest of four children: Mizpah, Joseph and Thomas Osgood.

Dr. Joseph Otto passed away on June 27, 1885 at age 59. Until his death, Joseph was assisted by his servant, William Abbott, who plays a part in the story of Robert.

William Abbott and his wife, Emeline, emigrated from the West Indies sometime before the year 1880. William became Joseph's servant and Emeline worked as a laundress. He was mulatto and she was black. Both Abbotts can be traced back to the Bahamas.

After Joseph's death, Thomas hired William to work as a clerk at one of the pharmacies, the location across from 534 Eaton Street. William Abbott worked for the Ottos up until Thomas' brother, Joseph's, death in 1916.

It is speculated that Emeline Abbott had an affair with Thomas Otto during her husband's employment with the Ottos.

There are some interesting bits of information that don't prove for certain that Thomas and Emeline had an affair but could be a cause to question the relationship between the two.

Apparently, there was a lot of temptation for Thomas to stray. Minnie Otto wrote in her journal about how much women desired her husband. Also, after her husband's death, she did not want to be buried in the Otto family plot.

Supposedly, Dr. Joseph Otto gave Thomas, some advice on sexual matters, specifically venereal disease. The elder Dr. Otto advised "prophylactic care'" instead of abstinence.

Between 1900 and 1910, Emeline Abbott was pregnant and lost a child. Another bit of interesting information is that a few people said that they've seen the spirit that haunts Robert, described as a mulatto or light-skinned black child.

A possible theory as to the source of Robert's power is that Emeline could have used Voodoo to trap the spirit of her child in the doll. Gene Otto's attachment to Robert may have been caused by a connection to the spirit of a half-brother or half-sister inside of the doll.

A caretaker at The Artist House during the 1980's, Poochie Myers, described seeing the spirit of a 5-year-old mulatto or light-skinned black girl with long brown curls, dressed in an old-fashioned white nightgown sitting on the staircase. Myers said the little girl seemed angry.

In the end, the Abbotts and Ottos were so close that, after their passing, both Abbotts were buried in the Otto family plot.

Santeria, a popular form of Voodoo practiced in Key West, could be the source of Robert's abilities. Santeria substitutes the names of Catholic saints for the African Orishas originally worshipped by the slaves.

It's been established that Robert is not specifically what would be considered a Voodoo doll but manufactured by the Steiff Co. However, a curse could've been put on the doll or a spirit could still have haunted the doll.

The Artist House; Source: Trip Advisor.

Robert and Gene remained constant companions until Gene left home. Thomas passed away when Gene was 16-years-old. As an adult, Gene left home to study architecture and art abroad, leaving Robert behind. The two would be separated for about 27 years.

Gene studied architecture in Virginia, then decided to pursue art, an interest of his since childhood. He studied art in Chicago, New York City and Paris. It was in Paris where Gene met his future wife, Annette Parker, an accomplished pianist from a wealthy New England family.

Gene and Annette settled in New York City, where Gene worked as a furniture salesman and Anne landed a gig at the Rainbow Room at Rockefeller Center. The couple became a songwriting team with Gene providing lyrics to Anne's music. One of their songs, "Time and the River" was recorded by vocalist Jimmy Brierly. The songwriting duo had 30 songs copyrighted.

Gene returned to Key West with Anne in 1945 after receiving word that his mother, Minnie, was sick. After her death, Gene's siblings signed their shares of the estate over to him. Gene and Anne made The Artist House their home and... Anne was introduced to Robert the Doll.

Anne disliked Robert and was disturbed by how much attention Gene lavished upon the doll. Gene created a space especially for Robert in the attic, complete with child-size furniture, toys and outfits. Once again, Robert and Gene were constant companions. Gene spent a lot of time in the attic talking to Robert. Whenever Gene painted in his studio, Robert would be by his side.

Myrtle Reuter, former owner of The Artist House and Robert's caretaker from 1974 to 1994, said: "A neighbor told me Anne told him that whenever Gene did anything mean or hateful he blamed it on the doll."

To the community in Key West, Gene Otto was an upstanding member, an accomplished artist and architect who was involved in his community. Gene was known for supporting community organizations such as the Key West Woman's Club and Garden Club.

Gene and Annette (nee Parker) Otto; Source: Pinterest.

West Indian Ruins by Robert Eugene Otto; Source: Worthpoint.

Robert Eugene "Gene" Otto passed away on June 24, 1974, due to complications caused by Parkinson's disease. Up until his death in a hospital bed in Miami, Gene spent most of his time with Robert. Gene was buried in his family's plot in Key West, next to his two Yorkshire Terriers.

After Gene's death, Anne found out that he had written her out of his will. Gene left everything to his sister, Mizpah. Unbeknownst to Anne, Gene changed his will after he learned that his mother-in-law wrote him out of her will. Anne sold The Artist House to a friend, William Gaiser, and moved in with her sister, Lester, in Massachusetts.

Anne gave Robert to Gaiser and told him, "That doll was Gene's only friend. Of course, he never had any other friends." Five years later, Anne died of pancreatic cancer.

Gaiser sold the house to friends William and Myrtle Reuter. Myrtle became Robert's caretaker from 1974 to 1994. She liked to dress Robert in pajamas on Christmas Eve and have him sit by the tree. While Myrtle and her husband lived in the Otto's home, Myrtle said she never experienced anything out of the ordinary with Robert.

The Reuters decided to move to another house in Key West in 1980. Myrtle would have Robert sit on the porch of their new home. Things wouldn't remain uneventful.

When Myrtle Reuter realized that Robert was moving around on his own, she decided to lock him in a room. Robert, in turn, locked Myrtle in a room. In 1994, Myrtle decided to donate Robert to the Fort East Martello Museum. She informed the museum that Robert was part of the Otto family and that she no longer wanted him in her house. She said that he was"haunted." Myrtle Reuter died three months later.

To this day, employees and visitors to the museum report having strange experiences with or caused by Robert. The walls surrounding his display are wallpapered with letters describing series of misfortunes suffered by those who visited. Lights flicker on and off around his exhibit, doors slam and devices are drained of their power to be fully charged when leaving the museum. Some tourists find their photos completely gone from their cameras and phones and other visitors find that all their photos are gone except photos of Robert.

Robert and Fort East Martello Museum curator, Cori Convotito; Source: Keys Weekly.

Employees at the museum became frightened of Robert as they realized that Myrtle Reuter had not been imagining things. They say that Robert did move around and his facial expression seemed to change. At first Robert was kept in a storage area and visits were by appointment only. However, after a ghost tour began in 1996, which included information about Robert, requests to visit Robert increased to a point where he was given a permanent display in the museum. Robert is cleaned on a regular basis. His condition is checked annually by a team of professionals who write a detailed report and make any repairs needed.

Paranormal activity also continues at The Artist House. Tour groups report seeing a blue orb around the front of the house that materializes briefly into the form of a woman believed to be Anne Otto. There's a theory that Anne's spirit has returned to protect employees and guests from Robert.

David Sloan, author of "Robert the Doll: The True Biography of Key West's Haunted Doll," said that he had strange experiences while writing the book. He lost all of the files saved on his computer. Techs were able to recover all of his files except for the book manuscript. He also reports levitating above his bed and even feels he was possessed.

Is Robert cursed by Voodoo, haunted by the spirit of a long- deceased child or perhaps activated or charged by all of the attention and energy focused on him by Gene Otto? These are all theories as to where Robert's abilities originate. Robert is an enigma, a mystery perhaps never to be solved. Some believe, others will not and some may approach Robert with an "open-minded skepticism." The only way to find out is to visit Robert and see what you experience ... if you dare.

- Missy Dawn

Robert and his many letters; Source: Wikipedia.

My Robert; Photo: Missy Dawn.

To purchase a Robert replica and other Robert merchandise, visit

Send any correspondence to Robert to:

Fort East Martello Museum

3501 South Roosevelt Blvd.

Key West, FL 33040

Main Source: "Robert the Doll: The True Biography of Key West's Haunted Doll," by David L. Sloan, Phantom Press, Key West, 2014 and ...

Many YouTube videos...