Wednesday, August 31

American citizen schools police

After so many bad news this month I found something amazing. An American citizen whose son was being taken by cops for no reason without any explanation puts them at their place. As my friend David Butler who gave me the link for this video says:
 "A lawless enforcer fears nothing, except an informed citizen. When you know your rights, you know you're right." Justice was done. Justice by the people. This is the lesson of this month: we have to know our rights! "Ignorance of the law is no excuse." 
 See you in September.

Monday, August 29

"Enlightenment can be brutal" Vanessa Redgrave's "The Fever"


This is another of those posts that nobody will care, nobody will comment and nobody will have access.
For the last months I have been reading and searching a lot and became aware of many facts that are happening in this world that made me realize that fiction, especially those that display a dystopic world, portrays a pale idea about what governments and the elite is doing.

I will say nothing else because I also realized that it is impossible to try to share this knowledge even tough it affects all individuals of the world.
I am exhausted and, yes, enlightenment can be brutal. All my life I was never afraid of questioning and asking "why" or "who will profit from that" maybe because I lived under dictatorship and in my twenties it was a period of time that it was a shame not having a political view.

No man was considered a man if he did not read the newspapers, reading disinformations consciously or not, in the morning whatever his views were.
Today saying "I don't like politics." is glamorous and some people say it as if they were above good and evil with this attitude as if they were immune and free of the manipulations of the powers.

What is being done, and I wrote some posts about it that were ignored, is inhuman, heinous and criminal in a global scale. Everybody is affected.
There is nothing I can do and I hate this phrase. I was thinking about publishing this post about this movie that is the first step if someone wants to understand not only the world but what regulates his/her life in a high degree: what we eat, what we drink, what we think the control of our subjectivity, but I gave up improving it's test.

I am tired and I know that enlightenment is a personal journey thou the consequences of politicians acts affects humankind.
I cannot make people care about their own lives being manipulated and influenced. There are also those who are aware and that is enough for them and they use their knowledge to be good in rhetoric.
Just two alerts about the Nazi regimen:
"Propaganda is the art of persuasion - persuading others that your 'side of the story' is correct. Propaganda might take the form of persuading others that your military might is too great to be challenged; that your political might within a nation is too great or popular to challenge etc. In Nazi Germany, Dr Joseph Goebbels was in charge of propaganda. Goebbels official title was Minister of Propaganda and National Enlightenment."
"Education played a very important part in Nazi Germany in trying to cultivate a loyal following for Hitler and the Nazis. The Nazis were aware that education would create loyal Nazis by the time they reached adulthood."
"If you tell a lie, tell a big one." Goebbels
This is the unfinished test I was doing about "The Fever":
I have already expressed my admiration for Vanessa Redgrave in four posts and the first time I watched the movie "The Fever", 2004 HBO production, I felt like sharing but I didn't.

I saw part of it today and again I couldn't take my eyes of the screen because Vanessa's acting always deeply affects me.
Her voice, the way she speaks, the way she acts mixed with her activism, the Oscar speech, Julia, her family, the lost of her daughter Natasha Richardson, integrity, character, dignity her universe moves me and comforts me knowing that she dedicates her life and career seeking for justice in this world.

Filmed in Zagreb, Croatia the story is in a nameless country that has a little of all the problems of the world and it is about the awakening of a woman who never had to confront the gap between poor and rich or the fight of those who are dispossessed of their rights.

As always, the truth bewilders, confuses, aches, changes the reality and it is during a fever that this woman has a soliloquy that is very enlightening and for those who have never experienced questioning the reality of other people it can be taken as a lesson.

"Enlightenment can be brutal." is a sub-tag of the movie and we all know how hard it is to read some truths, how much emotionally stressful it is to try to understand so many injustices humankind have been enduring in a degree that the absurdity of some events makes many people feel that it is impossible that such event is real and sometimes the only way out is doubting one's own sanity.

Funny that we live in a moment where some people are becoming aware about being lied but some prefer to run from the truth therefore: it is not easy to face it especially the fact that we are all involved in the problems of the world and we shouldn't continue uncountable:

"The ever-widening gap between those who have and those who have not plagues me, because there sees to be no legitimate moral reason for this. It is the awakening to the brutal realization that we are deeply connected to the condition of so many other people that lies at the core of 'The Fever,' and is why this film needed to be made now, more than ever."
Carlo Nero filmmaker

Angelina Jolie is a survivor of the brutality of the regimen that murdered her sister and who decided to join the rebels: "That's right. I'm one of those people, I'm one of those people against the government."
Michel Moore is a journalist and it was his character that showed the other side of the country to the woman.
They have no names what makes of their story the story of all of us.

The Dissent project tells more about Carlos Nero and Vanessa Redgrave.




The right picture is Vanessa Redgrave in the movie Julia.

Saturday, August 27

Change the color of the rain


 

change the color of the rain
to wash away your 
utmost abstruse pain.
by ~Musical-Ink

I found this poem at DeviantArt and I liked it. I scroll down and there was a comment I left last March, 22 saying "Great". Funny cause I don't remember. I'm feeling that I have to do it: change the color of the rain so I searched for "rain" and found this great photographs by GhostlyGoblin who has a collection of photography classified as "still life". What a great effect the rain did. It looks like a painting. I'm glad I came across with both.

Friday, August 26

Take a good breath








I was going to publish something decided to post another and did nothing. I need to take a good breath.
Breath!

Thursday, August 25

Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci stolen 100 years ago

"On August 21, 1911, an amateur painter set up his easel near the spot where Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa”—one of the most famous works of art in the world—hung in the Louvre. To his surprise, the mysterious woman with the haunting half-smile had vanished. French detectives searched for the painting for more than two years, mistakenly hauling in poet Guillaume Apollinaire and artist Pablo Picasso in hopes of cracking the high-profile case. Then, in December 1913, an Italian house painter contacted a prominent art dealer in Florence, claiming to be in possession of the celebrated portrait. Police swooped in and arrested Vincenzo Peruggia, a former Louvre employee. It turned out Peruggia had walked unnoticed into the museum, removed the “Mona Lisa” from its frame and spirited it out under his clothes. Hailed as a patriot in his native Italy, the burglar served six months in jail for the crime."
Source: History.com.
Mona Lisa is maybe the most famous painting in the world but I prefer the St. John the Baptist as I told the story here

Wednesday, August 24

In-depth analysis of NATO in Libya

Again? Another post about Libya? Yes. It is about Libya but also about integrity and accountability of journalism, about the future of this world, the war-machine and it's effect in our lives. I have already publish a post with a photography of the organization Answer Coalition protesting against Iraq war on February, 15 2003 when millions of people did manifest around the world. The organization publishes in-depth analysis of wars or interventions around the world making their articles a good source of information on violations of human rights and promotion of a more peaceful and fair world. The picture is a protest on August, 13 in an effort to make NATO stops bombing Libya. Brian Becker, Answer Coalition's National Coordinator, did in-depth analysis with factual information about the real situation in Libya that is being covered up by US, France, Italy and United Kingdom with the help of the mainstream media that publishes and reports what is convenient for their purposes and not the truth. The Truth About the Situation in Libya Cutting through the government propaganda and media lies By Brian Becker, National Coordinator, ANSWER Coalition August 22, 2011 Excerpts:
"In recent weeks, the NATO military operations used surveillance-collecting drones, satellites, mounting aerial attacks and covert commando units to decapitate Libya’s military and political leadership and its command and control capabilities. Global economic sanctions meant that the country was suddenly deprived of income and secure access to goods and services needed to sustain a civilian economy over a long period."
is it humanitarian aid?
"Read the article here and to understand the reasons and the consequences of the intervention in Libya that once succeeded will cause more war: "If the Pentagon, CIA, and Wall Street succeed in installing a client regime in Tripoli it will accelerate and embolden the imperialist threats and intervention against other independent governments such as Syria and Venezuela. In each case we will see a similar process unfold, including the demonization of the leadership of the targeted countries so as to silence or mute a militant anti-war response to the aggression of the war-makers."
Information is power and lies are controlling our view of reality and our lives.

Tuesday, August 23

NATO at Libya: journalists threatened to death and bloodshed covered up by mainstream media


I learned at a very young age that journalism should have to do with integrity, impartiality and accountability. What is happening today is totally unacceptable and criminal. 

All that is at CNN, BBC, Al Jazeera, FOX and other TV channels is manipulation and indoctrination  and whoever dares to try to depict another picture is being threatened if not murdered. I came across with all of this and I have to share it thou I think most people do not care and it is much more comfortable to watch the news and have the feeling that although this world is very strange God bless freedom of speech, democracy and humanitarian help.
I feel like crying because I learned not to trust the media during dictatorship and it is easy for me to see what is not being told behind the smile or the impartial look of the anchors.
I found this at YouTube:

Uploaded by  on Aug 21, 2011
Independent Journalist Mahdi Nazemroaya threatened by CNN staff (producer) and fired on at Tripoli hotel by NATO backed terrorists and snipers.
NATO has provided direct armed cover to these armed gangs, who have no political project, no dream for Libya and are filled with hatred. All they want is to destroy this beautiful city, especially the tribes, the families and the neighbours that are well known for supporting the Leader of this country.
According to Dr. Musa Ibrahim more than 1300 martyrs and more than 5000 wounded people from todays NATO bombings.
See Press Conference here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qb2qL9UOxuA
"1,300 people killed in Tripoli in the past 12 hours and over 900 injured (almost equal to the 3 week bombing of Gaza 08/09). This is the price of your silence." -Lizzie Phelan, Tripoli 21.08.2011
See also Lizzie LIVE from Tripoli 21.08.2011on RT:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SifGPkmEc4I
Update: Lizzie Phelan is saying she has now been blocked from her facebook and email. She said this is clearly to try and stop the truth from getting out about what is happening. She has also been informed by CNN journalists that she must stop saying in her Press TV etc updates that Al Qaeda is working with the rebels because she will be accused of being a traitor. Monday, 22.08.2011 16:00h
TRIPOLI: NATO IS NOT WINNING.
M16-CIA THREATENING TO MURDER JOURNALISTS TRYING TO REPORT THE TRUTH http://libya360.wordpress.com/2011/08/22/tripoli-nato-is-not-winning-m16-cia-...
Please visit: http://obamaslibya.com/ for more info on what's really going on in Libya





















The mainstream media is declaring victory over Moammar Gaddafi in Tripoli. NATO bombed the Libyan capital this weekend and many say there are about 1,300 reported dead and over 5,000 injured. Why isn't the mainstream media reporting all the facts? Here to discuss this with us is Susan Lindauer, former CIA asset, to give us the details on what's going on in Tripoli.


From the left video with Susan Lindauer, former CIA asset:
"Has NATO been involved in what essentially been a civil war?"

"Yes, absolutely and Nato has engaged in grosse war crimes. NATO bombed the power plant in Tripoli, NATO bombed the water pipeline that feeds the desert, the irrigation and the population. NATO damaged the infrastructure of the community. The real question now is who is gonna pay for that? Will it be the people of France and Italy? Will it be the people of Libya who is forced to pay for rebuilding their owncity that NATO has destroyed?" 
Susan Lindauer


From the right video with Mahdi Nazemroaya, journalist.

"... few governments that govern unaccountably. They do act unaccountably. NATO itself is the mean to escape democracy. When Obama kills people, or Sarkozy or Cameron they say it is NATO. They will not be held accountable. ..."

"... they gonna kill each other, for what? Nato wants them to kill each other...."  Mahdi Nazemroaya 



Morning colors

Another of Mari's pictures. She was going to work and this is the landscape she had in the morning. I'm so jealous! 

Monday, August 22

Are we all 9/11 survivors?


For how long Americans and the world will have to discuss and mourn 9/11? I do not even know if this is the right question but there are many related to September, 11, 2001.

About the event itself there are those who trust the official version and those who do not and there are those who want more investigations, among them families, first responders and survivors at this site.
I do not like this subject but it is everywhere and the consequences of the tragedy that was transformed in an appealing number is at least part of the calendar because the celebration of the date is certain.

Next 9/11 again, after ten years, we will be counting the number of victims as if it just had happened.
I do not know how and what was done that made this date imprinted in our minds and it is impossible to forget.
What I remember the most is 9/20 Bush's speech, written by Michael Gerson, nine days after the death of citizens of 80 nations declaring war on terror and urging the world to join US:
"This is not, however, just America's fight, and what is at stake is not just America's freedom. This is the world's fight. This is civilization's fight. This is the fight of all who believe in progress and pluralism, tolerance and freedom." "We ask every nation to join us. We will ask, and we will need, the help of police forces, intelligence services, and banking systems around the world. The United States is grateful that many nations and many international organizations have already responded with sympathy and with support, nations from Latin America to Asia, to Africa, to Europe, to the Islamic world. Perhaps the NATO Charter reflects best the attitude of the world: An attack on one is an attack on all."
This was the consequence of 9/11 whoever was responsible for that, Al Qaeda according to the official version or US government according to others usually called conspiracy theorist that are also seem by some as terrorists. But maybe what made all citizens of the world survivors of 9/11 is in Bush's speech:
"Our war on terror begins with Al Qaida, but it does not end there. It will not end until every terrorist group of global reach has been found, stopped, and defeated." "Americans have known surprise attacks, but never before on thousands of civilians. All of this was brought upon us in a single day, and night fell on a different world, a world where freedom itself is under attack." "Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists. From this day forward, any nation that continues to harbor or support terrorism will be regarded by the United States as a hostile regime." "Our Nation has been put on notice: We are not immune from attack. We will take defensive measures against terrorism to protect Americans. Today dozens of Federal departments and agencies, as well as State and local governments, have responsibilities affecting homeland security. These efforts must be coordinated at the highest level.""I will not yield; I will not rest; I will not relent in waging this struggle for freedom and security for the American people." (emphasis mine)
Ten years after I meet many Americans who do not feel safe and protected and some even fear their own government. The war on terror keeps on disguised in many labels one of them the "humanitarian aid".
It seems that we are not even 9/11 survivors: we are 9/11 hostages.

Search Facebook for "9/11" and "Hiroshima". Not a single group for Hiroshima and many "Never forget 9/11". There will never be an acceptable version of 9/11 and the discussions just help US justifying some of it's foreign policies because their sacred soil has been attacked once under suspicious circumstances.


Sunday, August 21

Marbles

When I was a child I used to watch the boys playing marbles and felt like joining but it was a boy's game.
I wish I had played or maybe time to start?
They are so colorful today!
Photography at Flickr by Dusty_73

Saturday, August 20

Friday, August 19

Fail: tautology and taxonomy

They say that love is blind it also make us say nonsense:
Tautology: "needless repetition of an idea, especially in words other than those of the immediate context, without imparting additional force or clearness, as in “widow woman.” "
Passion also produces the same effect:
Taxonomy: "the science or technique of classification"
Have a great weekend!

Wednesday, August 17

Astroturfing? Fauxtography?

Origin: The term "astroturf" is a play on "grassroots". "Grassroot movements" arise organically through the people. "Astroturfing", then, is artificial grassroots, fake grassroots. Verb: astroturf: 1 to join an online discussion pretending to be an independent member of the community but is in fact a surrogate for some stakeholder - company, political faction, individual - who has something to gain or lose. Astroturfing: Wikipedia: Astroturfing is a form of advocacy often in support of a political or corporate agenda designed to give the appearance of a "grassroots" movement. The goal of such campaigns is to disguise the efforts of a political and/or commercial entity as an independent public reaction to some political entity—a politician, political group, product, service or event. The term is a derivation of AstroTurf, a brand of synthetic carpeting designed to look like natural grass.
Astroturfers attempt to orchestrate the actions of apparently diverse and geographically distributed individuals, by both overt ("outreach", "awareness", etc.) and covert (disinformation) means. Astroturfing may be undertaken by an individual promoting a personal agenda, or highly organized professional groups with money from large corporations, unions, non-profits, or activist organizations. Very often, the efforts are conducted by political consultants who also specialize in opposition research. Beneficiaries are not "grass root" campaigners but distant organizations that orchestrate such campaigns. Bottom line: another way to tell lies, indoctrinate, and manipulate people. Fauxtography click here.

Post for dog-people


An unusual silence is the reception you get one day when you enter home. You call his/her name and no reply. You get worried fearing something might have happened and you search the house when you enter the bedroom you come across with the scene of the picture.
"What on earth... grr... how can you... Bad dog! Bad dog!"
You are angry, very angry and think that pets are horrible, horrible. "I hate..."
You'll go to the kitchen and get something to drink cause you're thirsty and "well... that coach needed to be repaired and maybe a new one would be better. S/he is an animal and have some instincts that are... oh! I love this creature so dearly!"
"I should not have overreacted but I'll wait half an hour to talk to him/her or I'll lose my credibility."
"arf... arf... what's taking him so long? arf... arf... arf..."

Sunday, August 14

English characters changed?

Maybe it is not a good idea to have more interesting characters or... I don't know.

Friday, August 12

Knitting and embroidering famous painting masterpieces

The group "The Materialistics" based in UK have recreated 50 masterpieces that enchanted the world. Works of famous artists like Kandinsky, Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Andy Warhol, Vermeer, Piet Mondrian, Rossetti, Klimt, Picasso, Munch were redone through knitting, embroidery and crochet and started being exhibited last November at The Customs House in South Shields, has been presented in other cities and is gaining international recognition.
They name the creations based on the original title so "The Scream" by Munch is turned into "The Seam"; "Girl with Pearl earring by Vermeer" recreated becomes " Girl with the Purled Earring" and so on.
Some of the recreations are done in weeks but others can take months.
Executive director Ray Spencer said: “Our work with The Materialistics stems from our belief art should be inclusive, not elitist."

Thursday, August 11

The Kiss by Gustav Klimt

















(right picture: detail)
I thought that I had to publish "The Kiss", 1908, by Klimt even thou it is very famous but since Munch's painting is at the post below it is easier to compare them.
I could swear that the couple is the same in another place shrouded in gold on a bed made of flowers.

Tuesday, August 9

Munch's The Kiss: "I try to dissect souls"















Right: The Kiss, 1895. etching
Left: The Kiss, 1897. painting
These are two versions of Munch's "The kiss" that inspired Gustav Klimt's famous painting with the same title.
Some of Munch's quotations explain not only his intentions, and the expressionist attitude, but also distance him from impressionism:

"No longer shall I paint interiors, and people reading, and women knitting. I shall paint living people who breathe and feel and suffer and love."

"Certainly a chair can be just as interesting as a human being. But first the chair must be perceived by a human being... You should not paint the chair, but only what someone has felt about it."

"Just as Leonardo da Vinci studied human anatomy and dissected corpses, so I try to dissect souls."
"I do not paint what I see, but what I saw."
Edward Munch

Monday, August 8

Auguste Renoir: "your favorite painting is at a private collection"

Right: Self-portrait, 1910 Left: Woman with a necklace, 1910
I was searching for Renoir's paintings that I do not know and I noticed that many of his paintings are at private collections including the two above and some that I have published.
At this site there is a list of Renoir's paintings with the indication of their whereabouts and 47 are at private collections at the hands of people who might not even admire the artist and have them as a way to show how wealthy and powerful they are. The real number of Renoir's paintings at private collection I did not find yet and what these 47 have in common is that they were all done in 1910.
This is really sad thinking that these paintings are in the possession of people who seldom look at them and are maybe storing them in an ambient that might not be appropriate for conservation.
But this is the market of art and there is nothing to be done about it but it is amazing that the name of those who possess what is world's heritage is not known facilitating the black marketing of famous works of arts that are stolen.

Saturday, August 6

Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings are historical events

I do not know why some historical events are more remembered than others.
These are photos of Hiroshima today and this is what matters.
This is the history:
"August, 6 1945 -About 140,0000 of Hiroshima's 300,000 residents died from the bombing, including those who died from radiation-linked illnesses.
Everybody and everything within 500 yards of where the bomb fell was vaporised.
Another atomic bomb dropped three days later over the Japanese city of Nagasaki killed at least 74,000 people by the end of year.
The bombings brought about an abrupt end to the war in Asia - but critics said Japan had already been on the brink of surrender.
Hiroshima and Nagasaki were rebuilt soon after the war and have become important industrial centres."
It is history.
That is it. Have a great Saturday!

Friday, August 5

The insanely astonishing universe of Karin Taylor

























This is magical, fantastic, incredible, incredibly beautiful, so cute, these colors!, childhood, elephant in my garden!, amazing, and so many words pop in your head while you are browsing Karin Taylor's portfolio.
She is an Australian artist that masters many techniques that she uses to make her pieces of incredible magical universes.
She also has a blog where she wrote:
"Drawing is what gives me peace of mind, and i think that's the gift I share with the world. I am so fortunate to be able to share my heart and my thoughts through my art.
The other day, i had this little revelation, that when a pencil is available to me, it's like having a microphone in my hand. I get to say, feel, express and outwardly share what i feel in my innermost parts and dreams, I'm so enjoying this process. I'd forgotten how good it felt."
Not only a great artist, what a great woman! Go, go... Take a look at her portfolio!
Pictures Copyright
© all rights Karin Taylor

Monday, August 1

Art and reality dialog

Right: Your blind passanger, 2010, by Olafur Eliasson
Left: Tai-Chi in a fog day in China
I just found out the installation, right picture, of the artist Olafur Eliasson. The "installation is a 90-meter-long densely fogged tunnel in which museumgoers are forced to use senses other than sight to navigate and orient themselves within the space."
I instantly remember the left picture I have saved some months ago, unfortunately I do not remember the site, of Chinese people doing Tai-Chi in a fog day.
According to Olafur Eliasson:
“For me Utopia is tied to our ‘now’, to the moment between one second and the next. It constitutes a potential that is actualized and transformed into reality; an opening where concepts such as subject and object, inside and outside, proximity and distance are thrown up in the air only to be defined anew. Our sense of orientation is challenged, and the coordinates of our spaces, collective and personal, have to be renegotiated. Mutability and motion lie at the core of Utopia.” Olafur Eliasson
Would you prefer to do Tai-Chi. go to the museum and cross the 90 meters installation or do both?