The Weekly Watch
Gifts and giving
When we get there we'll discover all the gifts we've been given to share
have been with us since life's beginning and we never noticed they were there.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpvwXEHD2Bc (4 min)
It is a gift to recognize gifts...in yourself, in others, in our world. I hope that, like me, you see this site, this community, as a gift. A gift to free expression, an opportunity for honest fact based conversation, a forum for learning, and basically a nice group of folks trying to understand an insane world.
Those that use their talents to help others, they are the saints and angels among us. They are the ones that give rise to myths of Santa Claus, Saint Wenceslas, and the like. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_King_Wenceslas ) But there are people who 'guide from the side' without much interjection. Consider JtC and his approach to running C99... with one of his rare essays recently urging us toward more meaningful, kinder conversation and interaction. You are a gift, Brother. Those who have the where with all might consider sending JtC (and the C99 site) a holiday gift. Mine is in the mail (really it is). Regardless of our abilities to make financial donations, let's all drink a cup of kindness together for the holidays and into the New Year.
So for gifts let's see what we have here...
Well how about music?
el has his usual great collection of music up in the open thread,
and Joe gives us a featured artist and great music every evening.
What more could you want? It is important to recognize the gifts we have.
What about some art? Do you like folkart? We have several interesting artists around here. Howard Finster is one of the best known. He started the World Folkart Church https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Finster
See more of Howard's work here: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/58335757646508716/
I've been lucky to meet many folk artist at little festivals we've played over the years. A couple come to mind - One a mud painter Jimmy Lee Sudduth,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Lee_Sudduth,
You can see more of his work at this gallery https://marciaweberartobjects.com/sudduth.html
...and Mose T. (Mose Tolliver) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mose_Tolliver
more of his art can be seen here: https://marciaweberartobjects.com/tolliverm.html
All of those artists are dead. Funny how when people are alive we don't value them as much as when they are dead. When Jimmy Lee and Mose were alive they were happy to get $100 (or less) for a painting. Then they die and everybody values their work.
Do you like movies and films? Well this is the Weekly Watch...
How about a great spy thriller? Have you seen Reilly Ace of Spies? About the real life character on which the Bond stories are based. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sidney_Reilly
Does a great job showing the connection between spies, arms dealers, and war.
Episodes 1-5 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1G-M-L-XBqfU-qhdGzdmwQ
Episodes 6-12 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5S-xmCXzaxPD0e9zP5jfxg/feed
Or what about a cool old sci-fi...Things to Come. It opens on Christmas day and works toward stopping war... made in 1936, produced by Alexander Korda based on the H. G. Wells classic book & brought to the silver screen as a vision of what warfare will bring mankind. (1.5 hour)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atwfWEKz00U
Oh you want more social content? Have you seen Chaplin's “The Great Dictator”? Here's the full 2.5 hour version (better watch or record it while it's up and available)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXDiFc5MZH0
Here's a 4 min clip to see if you might want to watch the whole thing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibVpDhW6kDQ
Oops we need a little diversity here. How about the Ladies number one detective agency?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_No._1_Ladies%27_Detective_Agency
description of the episodes - https://www.hbo.com/the-no-1-ladies-detective-agency/season-01
The pilot and 6 episodes - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDAqVVJ7qMoyszQ1DZPs0cQ
Youtube seems to have really put their copyright algorithm to work because several items are no longer available, but too much TV isn't good for any of us.
(Yesterday all the links above were working.)
Do you have any young people in your life? It would be interesting to give them the moon, but giving the gift of reading is a powerful offering. Opening doors to learning. Here's a great list of books to check out of your library and read aloud with your kids or grand kids or any young people in your life. We seem to have lost simple pleasures like reading together...share the gift of reading with someone.
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/328.Best_Read_Aloud_Chapter_Books
Speaking of children, what about some toys? No need to go to the store or order from Amazon. Have fun making them with a youngster (or for yourself)
http://funsci.com/fun3_en/toys/toys.htm
http://www.vintageprojects.com/kids/folk-toys.pdf
https://www.realsimple.com/work-life/family/kids-parenting/toys-you-can-...
Or maybe you like puzzles and games?
https://www.boatloadpuzzles.com/playcrossword
https://www.proprofs.com/games/
http://www.websudoku.com/
Hey, you getting hungry? How about a no sugar, no wheat, sweet tater treat?
Next time you bake a batch of sweet potatoes put on a few extra and make some... Here's how.
Mash up about 2 cups of soft cooked sweet taters and one ripe banana,
(I use an immersion blender...I love that tool)
add 1-2 tablespoons melted butter or coconut oil, cinnamon, raisins, half teaspoon of baking powder, and some unsweetened coconut flakes
Add to the mixture two well beaten eggs.
Spoon out on parchment paper and shape like a cookie.
(I like to add a pecan half to the top.)
Bake at 350. They're done when they are firm to the touch. Let cool and eat.
While we're celebrating what about a hot toddy?
It is easy to make in a Crockpot type slow cooker.
Get some good apple juice/cider. I use a gallon.
Add about 6 or so cinnamon sticks and a dozen whole cloves
Heat on high for 3 hours
We like a shot of rum in a cup of the mulled cider.
You may be wondering about this weeks news cycle. Let's take a holiday. You know the situation anyway. We were screwed this week with tax cuts for the wealthy, we're encouraging war and conflict in the Middle East in many ways, the US is complicit in promoting yet another false election in Honduras, the democraps are still focused on the false Russiagate narrative, and so on. There will be time next week to focus on the news. However, if you're disappointed, visit some of my favorite news sites...
http://therealnews.com/t2/
https://theintercept.com/
https://www.truthdig.com/
https://www.theguardian.com/us
Try this link for a positive slant...
http://www.yesmagazine.org/
The greatest gift is our time. My buddy once said,”... you know we are richer than Queens and Kings. Every moment of their time is scheduled. We are free to spend our time as we want.” So with that let me wish you all the best of times over the holidays. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, fantastic Festivus, Super Saturnalia, coolest Kwanzaa, and to all a good life!
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYi9Vr8bHJY]
Simple Gifts Lyrics
Joseph Brackett (1797-1882)
Shaker dancing song
'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free
'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.
When true simplicity is gain'd,
To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd,
To turn, turn will be our delight,
Till by turning, turning we come 'round right.
Later, additional or alternative verses:
'Tis the gift to be loved and that love to return,
'Tis the gift to be taught and a richer gift to learn,
And when we expect of others what we try to live each day,
Then we'll all live together and we'll all learn to say,
'Tis the gift to have friends and a true friend to be,
'Tis the gift to think of others not to only think of "me",
And when we hear what others really think and really feel,
Then we'll all live together with a love that is real.[
Additional alternative verses:
The Earth is our mother and the fullness thereof,
Her streets, her slums, as well as stars above.
Salvation is here where we laugh, where we cry,
Where we seek and love, where we live and die.
When true liberty is found,
By fear and by hate we will no more be bound.
In love and in light we will find our new birth
And in peace and freedom, redeem the Earth.
Yet another alternative verse:
'Tis a gift to be simple, 'tis a gift to be fair,
'Tis a gift to wake and breathe the morning air.
And each day we walk on the path that we choose,
'Tis a gift we pray we never shall lose.
Comments
Sorry this is so late....
I slept in late and still had work to do on the essay this AM. So happy holidays all around!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Thanks
Thanks for putting this together every week. Think you did us all a favor on this essay. Have a great week!
Life is what you make it, so make it something worthwhile.
This ain't no dress rehearsal!
Glad you dropped by
Hope you find something entertaining or fun. Wishing you a great holiday!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
I want to echo what jb said! Thanks for this.
We first came here following joe shikspak and JtC via the Evening Blues and still visit it every possible day.
Of course when time permits we read the other important essays and features but the Evening Blues remains our main love.
When I read mimi’s comments in EB about the problems of participating from another time zone have to feel her pain. While we are camping in Africa for two months every year we still are able to read it at times . But because of the time difference we feel a very real void from not being able to dialogue in real time with the EB community over this issues featured in the Evening Blues!
The thing I miss most after the move of the Evening Blues to C99 is that JtC is no longer a regular commenter there, given his epic task of keeping this all going ! He deserves our kudos and financial support whenever possible. Rock on JtC, and thanks!
A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.
Like you...
I love Joe's EB. I've gotten in the habit of doing my interneting in the AM and miss participating in the EB comments on a daily basis. I may try to change my habits and shift to another round of computer time in the evening.
All the best and happy travels!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
I meant to say the same thing, we generally do internet time
in the evenings since when we are home for a few months we usually are out in exercise/yoga classes or volunteering with WildEarth Guardians.
As a consequence, we generally miss your epic work.
All the best!
A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.
Thank you,
Lookout, for the positive, encouraging start to the morning. I'm looking at the crossword page you linked to. With 7 degrees outside, I might do one of them today. Thanks!
Good morning to all.
Good morning
good to "see" you! I hope the puzzles are challenging enough. I went through a phase of posting cryptoquotes, but no one seemed to solve them or even try. Hope the crossword is fun! Stay warm, we're entering a cold spell too, but not single digits...brrrrr.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Beautiful essay.
Many thanks for all your contributions here. This site — and your essays — keep me going. May 2018 surprise us all in a good way. Cheers!
Thank you....
I think in our quest for more we forget to value what we have. Do you think that is a out come of a capitalist system...always wanting more?
Best of the season to you and yours!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Russiagate for Christmas ?
Aaron Maté from TRNN has been good on the subject. Here's his piece in The Nation: More Media Malpractice ... and here he is with the author of a CT book: Where's the Collusion? YouTube (29 min.)
Jimmy Dore just dropped a three-part interview with Jill Stein:
Part 1 (18 min.), Part 2 (17 min.) and Part 3 (12 min.)
Have a nice day.
We wanted decent healthcare, a living wage and free college.
The Democrats gave us Biden and war instead.
Thanks
I caught those, but I'm glad you posted them for others. Jill was also on the real news and democracy now this week.
The Russiagate narrative falls so flat for me. It has become so obvious to anyone who will look for themselves (can't you believe your own lying eyes) that it is all a distraction so we can promote war in Ukraine, the ME, and so own. Please don't notice the collapse of the Empire!
Thanks again for your insights and links!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Having worked in promoting Citizen’s Diplomacy and end to
nuclear arms race back in the 80’s and early 90’s I follow Dr. Helen Caldicott on FB and Twitter,. Caldicott is an Aussie physician who along with US/USSR counterparts in International Physicians to Prevent Nulear War received the Nobel prize. Their work was credited to ending useless ‘civil defense’ drills to prepare for Nuclear war by showing that even one bomb to say San Francisco or Leningrad would totally destroy the economy and life as we knew it.
Jb told me this morning that Dr. Caldicott had shared a link on Facebook worth reading. Here’s the tweet with the link. When people rail about Russia as some monolithic singularity I have to remember all the regular people I met there during three citizens diplomacy trips, then also those jb and I met when I took her there in the late 90s. Those people, millions of humans who feel as disaffected by their government as we do, deserve some consideration imo.
...
A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.
We are a threat to Russia and the world!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KE1S1XdLU9U (3 min)
We are back to promoting conflict between Ukraine and Russia (or did we ever stop?). We add more weapons to mix, and then we blame Russia. Same story in N. Korea. Let's see we have missiles on their border, aircraft carriers on their shores, and regularly fly nuclear bombers over their country, but they are the aggressor. Boy are US citizen easy to mislead!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
You and that article in the Nation agree. The US ptb have
treat the countries of the former USSR as the native Americans were treated here. Lie lie lie.
The attack described on the middle class in Russia during the Clinton era when the international and local robber barons took over Russian economy reminds me of what is happening to us now.
A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.
Thanks, Azazello, for the links. Below's a MTP transcipt
excerpt of Todd's interview with Bernie a couple weeks ago. It's pretty much in keeping with my speculation from yesterday, that the Russia Ruse is being pushed as a grounds for impeaching DT. I'll be re-posting this, and the transcript of MTP from today's show, when it becomes available.
Meet The Press, December 10, 2017
I think that we're just seeing 'the tip of the iceberg' when it comes to a discussion of 'Russian hacking' (or whatever the trumped up charge is!)
Anyhoo, I'll be re-posting the Sunday show transcripts, as I get a chance. I know that you could probably fit in a broom closet, how many folks watch those programs; but, I value them because I think that it is often telling what politicians/lawmakers say when addressing a national audience--as opposed to what they say to their activist Base, or to partisan periodicals like Mother Jones and The Nation, or The National Journal and The Weekly Standard, respectively.
BTW, I don't always mention it, but I appreciate the material that you routinely bring to EB. Admittedly, I've gotten quite lazy, and have done little to advance 'the cause,' especially, lately. All the more reason that I appreciate your efforts.
Lookout, want to thank you for your valuable contribution to our Community. I always rec your work, but because I'm an evening/early morning blogger, more often than not, don't post much in threads that are 'early morning' ones.
With the midterms coming up, though, that may change. Guess I'll just start out with that trusty line - "Late to the party, but . . ."
Hope you and yours have a wonderful holiday. Glad to hear that you're keeping those folks in northern Alabama in line!
(I do what I can do in LA, when we're down there.
)
Feliz Navidad To All . . .
Mollie
“I believe in the redemptive powers of a dog’s love. It is in recognition of each dog’s potential to lift the human spirit, and, therefore, to change society for the better, that I fight to make sure every street dog has its day.”
--Stasha Wong, Secretary, Save Our Street Dogs (SOSD)
COUNTDOWN CLOCK TO FULL RETIREMENT
Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.
AZ Wish I had time to see all the Stein interviews. Maybe
Christmas morning since we don’t really celebrate it in the traditional way.
FWIW Caitlin Johnstone retweeted about this excellent writing on Russiagate:
Heh. Speaking of Johnstone she was “on” her Facebook page (which we see first in our news stream) reaming out the Washington Post on non-disclosure of it’s huge connection to the CIA.
That link takes one to the Medium which carries her work.
In another post on FB teasing for the same article except linking to her personal website:
Love the artwork with this piece
A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.
it is sad...
I have friends who subscribe to the WaPo thinking they are being educated rather than misled. Come on...you think Bezos has your interests at heart? Senor Slim and the NYT are the same story...promote profit...not information.
Carlos Slim is selling about half of his NYT shares...not profitable enough!
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-12-19/biggest-new-york-time...
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Agree for the most part, although I have found that in the last
year at least part of their coverage is spot on. We have friends and relatives in Houston area and their pooled coverage was some of the best and closest to real time during Harvey.
They also had reporting on the #taxscam that deal that with concerns for medicare, Medicaid, and social security which I appreciated.
Heh. Have not respected them for years, especially after last year.
Remember that day during the Pres primary (which went down in infamy ) when they ran maybe 7 or so negative articles about Bernie in a 24 hour period after not giving him any coverage to speak of before that ?
I know this sounds like heresy. Of course one has to read it with the knowledge of the CIA and Bezos influence. I find checking out the headlines on the obvious rightward slant is instrucitive of what other’s are depending on for news.
We have very educated relatives who read the NYTimes religiously and supported Her. Try to tell them of the problems but they will not hear of it!
A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.
The London Review of Books you linked on Russia Gate
Very well done. For those who have kept up, not that much that is new, but pulls it all together.
The biggest take away for me is that the democrats spent a year on this issue while holding onto their ties with finance, corporations and the military.
Any party that wants to redress income inequality has to deal with finance, corporations and the military. And soon with the courts which also look like another coup d'etat.
And by pushing Russia the dems are contributing to a war focus which Trump is eager to bring up and scare people and spend money and continue the fall of our military empire.
Here is the link again for the LRB article
What We Don’t Talk about When We Talk about Russian Hacking
Thanks for the link
Your take away on russiagate parallels mine. Merry merry and all that too.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
D M always have appreciated
your contributions and comments both here and at TOP.
A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.
Good Sunday morning, Lookout ~~
It's a cold one here, with low temperatures due to a cold front. It will be gone tomorrow, which is good for me.
However, I leave for San Diego Tuesday. Yay! Hopefully a bit warmer.
I know I thank you weekly, but as we conclude another year, know what your "watch" means to me. I start my Sunday here.
Although I cannot give c99p an end of year gift, I'm mildly increasing my monthly donation beginning in 2018. This place and all my "friends" are worth my investment.
I agree with your sentiment about us - we are all just people looking for truth, craving understanding, and seeking support. I love this community.
Have a beautiful day, everyone!
"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11
...and I love you and your kindness
You and gg helped lead me to c99 from the comments in the Bernie News Round Up over at the daily lost. Though I lurked for years there, I never joined that community. It always seemed a little harsh to me.
I'm glad to have found a home here, and I'm glad you are a part of this community. Here's wishing you the best of the season!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
I am going to ground, literally!
And it makes my dysfunctional acquisitive sense sniffy. Collecting rocks again, specifically cabouchons, mostly agates; I have the shards of a vase I once displayed my palm-sized rocks.
New vase will be a later. The colors and variegations make me happy. Fossils do as well. Now totally thinking about how/when mineral accretions occurred. So I'm weird.
Have a good Christmas Eve, c99ers! And a good day tomorrow! Grab what you can, even if you are not in the 1%! I have gifted out enough, I hope. Boxing Day will be the earliest I send gifts to my son in TX.
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
not weird at all...
but I'm an Earth scientist. We are in sedimentary country here and don't have great mineral collecting (although there is agate around in nearby Summerville GA) Here's a piece of it...
http://www.mobilerockandgem.com/showntell-blog/2015/10/25/summerville-agate
Although we don't have great mineral collecting we do have great fossiling. I've collected trilobites, shells, crinoids and many others in the valley, and giant mosses and ferns on the mountain...great fun and entertainment. Talk about making you realize our place in time.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
The Capitol in Atlanta has (or at least had) a terrific
collection of trilobites. I wonder if they were from the Somerville area?
"The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. Now do you begin to understand me?" ~Orwell, "1984"
I'm not sure...
There was a great site in Cedar Bluff, Alabama, but they built a dam in the 60's and flooded the bluff containing the fossils. Trilobite from that deposit are found in many museums around the country and world. (There is a large pre-cambrian or really old deposit revealed by a large fault there). Cedar Bluff is down stream from Rome, GA...
http://www.georgiasfossils.com/1-georgias-oldest-fossils.html
which maybe where the Atlanta fossils originated.
Happy holidays to you, Lily.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
The Falls of the Ohio River across from Louisviile
are also exposed beds from the shallow sea that was Devonian (?) Few "heads" but many scoured crinoid and coral remains. I have crinoids and corals from near my childhood house there. And a tree fern root cast from near Bloomington, IN.
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
I've been there and have a fossil
Several years ago we played a dance on the river boat "The Belle of Louisville". The next day we went to the rock outcrop at the falls (where once they had to portage all the goods headed up or down stream). Also got to sip some pretty good Bourbons.
Have fun with your collection!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Uh oh. Another rock hound
Rockhounding runs in my family. One of my all time favorite pictures is of a family reunion we held in Blackwater Falls WV many years ago. We were all out fossil collecting, but asked a passerby to take a group picture of us since it was the first time in years we'd all been together. In most of the photographs the guy took, the entire family, arms around waists and shoulders, was looking down, each thinking I'll be God damned if cousin x is going to get a good specimen before me. We have 2 farms in the finger lakes and joke that our best crop is rocks, but while one farm is full of fossils, we've never found one on the other farm. I fall for anything blue, amazonite, copper ores,etc, but I think my favorite rock is Hardin County flourite.Love rocks!
years ago I did a student project...
Mining by mail. The students had to pick out an address from a variety of mines and other resource extractors, do a little research about the mineral or resource in question, and then write them a letter asking for information. (I paid for mailing) It was amazing all the stuff they sent to the kids... samples, films, posters...it surprised us all. I guess I never did that project again because they sent so much stuff.
Always glad to encounter another rock hound. Good of you to stop by.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Marcellus shale is fossil-poor, except in certain layers
If I find some (poor quality) specimens, they go face-up outside to exhale radon. I have found no trilobites here except smalls up Cayuga Lake at quarry sites.
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
and to all a good life!
Thanks look-out! I share your sentiments. Hope y'all have a cool yule. And the hot cider with cinnamon and rum sounds divine. Peace.
question everything
Cheers!
Glad you dropped by!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
This OP is the perfect example of
why this place is so special.
When people use the word ‘we’ in regard to this community, it’s valid and true. WE describes this community. Not you, not them, not those.
WE.
US.
OUR.
Now how great is that?
EDIT: the usual - a typo. It wouldn’t be ‘me’ if there wasn’t a typo (or ten).
I'm tired of this back-slapping "Isn't humanity neat?" bullshit. We're a virus with shoes, okay? That's all we are. - Bill Hicks
Politics is the entertainment branch of industry. - Frank Zappa
Solidarity!
I hope we all feel that here, a friendly and kind and civil spot.
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
yes, we
is the operative pronoun for this community. Glad you are a part of it and I appreciate your contributions!
Something I've always wondered about your avatar is what kind of helmet is that? Not a big deal, so I've never asked but always wondered.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
The helmet? Beats me.that’s my granddaughter Channing
And I love that picture.
I'm tired of this back-slapping "Isn't humanity neat?" bullshit. We're a virus with shoes, okay? That's all we are. - Bill Hicks
Politics is the entertainment branch of industry. - Frank Zappa
Thank you Brother Lookout...
nah, I don't consider myself a gift. But I do consider you and all that contribute content as the true gifts. If it weren't for the great writers and commenters here who give much of their time and effort c99p would be non existent. It's the membership that makes c99p what it is.
Nah, I'm not a gift, I'm the nuts and bolts guy and that's enough for me. Seeing y'all enjoy this site is a gift to me.
Thanks to you all and have a joyous holiday season!
As Amanda (and Bernie) said it is "us"
but I would add there is no c99 without you my friend. Many thanks from us all, and the best of the season to you!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Folk art
I love folk art, but have only one painting by an unknown Mexican artist that I bought at a local fund raiser for the animal shelter. It is so colorful and depicts a tornado on a river during a thunder storm. What I love about folk art is its honesty and spontaneity. Most folk art is unabashedly colorful too.
Until a year ago, we had a folk art gallery here in town. It was extremely popular and did very well, but the owner had to close due to poor health. I still miss it.
Best wishes to you and your during the holiday season, Lookout.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
What I love about folkart...
...is the intrinsic drive by mainly poor uneducated folks to make art. I saw an exhibit several years ago of the work of a Mississippi sharecropper (who's name I can't remember). They were fired clay masks. No real commercial value, just the need to create. I find it so interesting how some people are driven to create art and folk art typifies that essence to me.
Speaking of Mississippi artist, one of the most fascinating ones to me is Walter Anderson.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Inglis_Anderson
who used chalk to make a drawing on the nuthouse as he escaped down a rope made of sheets. Talk about driven to make art!
Check out more of his work at:
https://walterandersonart.com/
Glad you dropped by. Stay warm!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Folk art from Guantanamo Bay
Some of you may have seen the story and might even know someone who went. This is folk art.
For a while they gave prisoners art supplies and let them create objects. Some of them were displayed in NYC and it is open until Jan 26, 2018. The pentagon now owns the art works and will not allow any more to be shown.
Here is a link to the show.
ODE TO THE SEA OPEN THROUGH JANUARY 26, 2018 PRESIDENT’S GALLERY, JOHN JAY COLLEGE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE, NEW YORK
Article from NYT
Who Owns Art From Guantánamo Bay? Not Prisoners, U.S. Says
When doing a search I came across a FOX news article. Thrust was they should be able to sell their works. In other words, everything is reduced to a commodity and little to no concern about Guantanamo. Not going to link the short article.
Then there was another article in the right wing Washington Times on the exhibit. They talked about $ as well.
Well, many of the suspects have never been brought to court and charges which violates Habeas Corpus. charged which violates Habes Corpus. In the ongoing coup d'etat we continue to violate legal principles that have been around for hundreds of years.
Is American Exceptionalism saying that we have been saved?
Thank you so much, Lookout!
I appreciated your personal response to the passing of my father. I think I'm ready to contribute again to caucus99percent.com!
"All Life is Problem Solving" - Karl Popper
Great to see you!
Hello my friend. Are you back in Columbia? I caught Abby's piece last week and I thought about you and wondered if all was well in your world.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoB10ddVC0Y (29 min)
I hope we communicate more often in the future.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
A Play to see in DC before Jan 7! JUNK
A friend recently sent a link of a long, very well done of the author by Bill Moyers
Everything That’s Tied Down Is Coming Loose In his new play, Pulitzer-prize winning playwright Ayad Akhtar recalls the greed of the '80s and how we became a republic of consumers.
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On a search I found a NYT article on the play from Sept 9, 2017
Plunging His Pen Into the Dark Heart of 1980s Wall Street With “Junk,” the Pulitzer-winning playwright Ayad Akhtar examines financial chicanery in the 1980s — and how it shaped the blind worship of affluence today