It has become commonplace to say that although Ron Paul might be a good candidate it is impossible that he will win the Republican candidacy. Because of this, many analysts believe that his campaign’s real objective is to get his message across and perhaps even place certain aspects of his agenda within the national debate. These assumptions are made on the basis of two arguments: The first one is statistical: Ron Paul has not won any of the caucuses and is falling behind in the Republican polls. The second one is ideological: His ideas seem too “radical” for the republicans.
A couple of months ago, I joined Pearl Jam’s 20th anniversary celebration by making a list of what I considered their greatest 50 songs. In making the list I tried to be as objective as possible. I have often found it disappointing that most of the best of lists that one finds end up being, greatest hits lists. With that in mind I tried as much as possible not to be influenced by the popularity of the record but by what the songs themselves meant.
The Mexican origins of republican presidential pre-candidate Mitt Romney turned out to be one of last week’s top stories. The news was widely covered by the American press, but the most fundamental question remained uncommented; to whose benefit? There are two possible scenarios that are equally plausible. The first would be a conscious attempt by Mitt Romney’s campaign to gain latino support. The fact is that Romney had not been very outspoken about his Mexican origins, not until last week when he talked about his Mexican father at the Rochester Opera House in New Hampshire. So why now?
Honoring their influences: The Beatles, the Kinks and the Beach Boys, the Zig Zag Birds present us a heartbroken song for all of us waiting for that woman that's gone to come back here wherever "here" may be. Listen to it now: A Finchley based band, the Zig Zag Birds are doing some pretty amazing music. The trio formed by David Rael, Edward Randell and Will Pickering are one of the many examples of talented young bands using the internet to its full potential.
When we hear the word “algebra”, we remember those classes in school where we learned to solve equations of increasing difficulty (most of the time, a very tedious activity). This is really a very small part of what is known as “modern” or “abstract” algebra in mathematics. When one hears this term the first idea that comes to mind is “more of the same thing”, but this field turns out to be much more interesting than that.
Axolotl looks at me and says nothing. Axolotl swims. With his two tiny legs, or perhaps hands? “If your hands are hands, tell me, what are anemones like?” asks Owen. Axolotl has hands he waves. His body is jelly-like, Axolotl looks at me and says nothing, silence. His skin, thick foam, transparent, or mirror? Yesterday I dreamt him, his playful smile, his fierce mane like a tree that has been rooted.
The Journey North: “I like to observe what’s around me, it’s so interesting to see that when Mexicans arrive to the United States, they tend to do two things. They call home to let their family know that they made it ok, and they go to a store and get a bandana with the Mexican flag. And when they finally return to Mexico, they make sure to bring an American flag in any variety they can find, be it a keychain or bumper sticker….
Last November a photograph by German artist Andreas Gursky, Rhein II, sold for $4.3m becoming the most expensive photograph in history triggering, again, a series of objections and defences on the status of photography in the art world. This is not the first time Gursky leads the price list. His photograph 99 Cent II Dyptichon, now in third place, sold for $3.3m in 2007.
Once again Boston based painter Aj Rombach surprises us with her versatilty. This time around check out her two new drawings.
View from the kitchen window
and Village Landscape pen on paper 11 inches x 8.5 inches.
Check out her Tumblr here
“You can’t be neutral on a moving train” was one of the many things I learned from Howard Zinn, the great American historian, playwright and human being. The train is moving fast in Mexico and it is not moving in a desirable direction. A desperate policy implemented to try to gain some legitimacy for president Calderon after the very controversial elections of 2006 cost Mexico 10,000 lives during 2010. This policy, demagogically named “drug war” by its supporters, has killed more than 30,000 people since 2007 and the numbers are going up every year.
Axolotl looks at me and says nothing. Axolotl swims. With his two tiny legs, or perhaps hands? “If your hands are hands, tell me, what are anemones like?” asks Owen. Axolotl has hands he waves. His body is jelly-like, Axolotl looks at me and says nothing, silence. His skin, thick foam, transparent, or mirror? Yesterday I dreamt him, his playful smile, his fierce mane like a tree that has been rooted.
