Events and things
I noticed a crucial thing during my stay in smalltown Guatemala - that life there revolves around events, whereas life in the city revolves more around things.
In a life that revolves around events, there is a natural tendency for everything to become an event.
In a life that revolves around things, there is a natural tendency for everything to become a thing?
Eventful. Or. Lifeless.
Thomas Bernhard
I just grasped a deep truth about the works of Thomas Bernhard. That feels good.
Painting
Why are there so few paintings that deviate from being square or rectangular in shape?
An art bodkin discusses this constraint >>>>
Scientific language and poetry
"Scientific language limits itself to what can be understood, poetry limits itself to what can not."
This journalistic use of “we” plumbs the depths
From the Times : "We’re all thrilled by Mossad the movie"
I'm not, but then again, I am not a cheerleader for the state of Israel or a celebrant of assassination.
The Times has been giddy over this, as if it is somehow something British people should be proud of.
A great day for literature
"The publisher of the UK edition of Reader's Digest has today filed for administration after a deal to bail out its pension fund fell through."
James Ellroy, great writer, politics of a prick
"I believe in the military hegemony of the US and that it must lead the world in the struggle against terrorism." - James Ellroy, in Q & A with readers of El Pais (my translation).
Cupboards and National Pride
Written for this : Cupboard Revolutions by Volkhardt Mueller
Some of this went out on the radio, here is the audio - listen to it, it's good
British intelligence complicit in torture of British citizens
Moazzam Begg, in The Guardian:
"I am a British citizen and the British intelligence services were, as far as I'm concerned, complicit in the torture of their own citizens – the ones they're supposed to protect."
This quote might silence those who keep sounding off that somehow the fact that Binyam Mohamed is not a British citizen is relevant to this debate, but somehow, I doubt it.