Albatrosss I like them

Kotori Magazine

Jul 18, 2006 10:49am    (24 reviews)  alternative-news  http://www.getunderground.com/

''Underground culture is the visionary vanguard that propels us towards creative possibilities. It is a fusion of art, music, dance, writing, photography, and poetry in perpetual renaissance. Strip away the marketed gloss of the mainstream and it is there - the substance underneath - simple, yet progressive, drawing bold strokes of creative resistance designed for the emancipation of the human spirit.'' - Shlomo Sher (Publisher)

Sensibly Eclectic Main - Fascism: An American reality

Jul 18, 2006 8:24am    (3 reviews)  politics  http://sensiblyeclectic.com/news/index.p...

Fascism : An American Reality
From the page: " The American Heritage Dictionary defines the word fascism as "a philosophy or system of government that is marked by stringent social and economic control, a strong centralized government usually headed by a dictator, and often a policy of belligerent nationalism." Moreover, and most importantly, it also defines fascism clearly and succinctly as "oppressive or dictatorial control." There are those who will sarcastically say that the political/social situation in and with America is not "that bad," when in fact things are far, far worse.

[...] Whether it is defined as blatant fascism, benign fascism or so-called creeping fascism, it is still fascism; and if left unchecked, the endresult is precisely the same: total and utter disenfranchisement under an authoritarian, repressive state apparatus. The urgency of this reality in America cannot be overstated.

The enormous internal and external destruction of peoples and cultures around the world caused by the fascistic policies of the United States -- cloaked in a mythical democracy -- have wreaked more havoc, misery and destruction upon peoples nationally and around the world than the blatantly fascist regimes of World War II Germany and Italy combined."

Prosopa - Gigas &R.Kouvari

Jul 13, 2006 10:37am    (1 review)  painting  http://www.iconet.gr/prosopa/pages/Engli...

Gigas - P.Kouvari: An Art Exhibit - Prosopa (Figures)

The Port of Piraeus Organization hosts in Xaveri Coast from the 11th till the 30th of August, the art Exhibit "Prosopa" of Yannis Gigas and Panayiota Kouvari. Mahatma Gandhi, Mark Twain, Simon Bolivar, Jose Marti, Saladin, Truganini and other universal figures of the Good Battles, met in Xaveri, painted with the greek visual language, so to point out the spiritual way to demolish the Walls as well as the way that heroic prototypes unite and resurrect the peoples of the World. The creation of this human chain that the pride and civilization of the peoples gave birth to, doesn´t stop with the personalities that are exhibited in Xaveri Coast. The project is of more than a hundred personalities, and the two artists would be glad to collaborate with any other artist who serves the traditional greek ("Byzantine") art.

Discovered thanks to Mirandolina who is an excellent greek blogger

Jul 13, 2006 10:36am

P r o s o p a








Emilliano Zapata, Mexico
1879 - 1919

The light of Mexico which raised
in Anenecuilco and shined all over
the world, illuminating the struggles
for land and Freedom, Emiliano
Zapata.

El luz de Mexico, que salida en
Anenecuilco para brillar en todo
el Mundo y illuminar las batallas
por tierra y libertad, Emiliano
Zapata.























Smon Bolivar, Latin America
1783 - 1830

Simon Bolivar, who has the beauty
of a Greek and who´s hymn was
written by our great Teacher,
Nikos Engonopoulos

Simon Bolivar, que tiene la belezza
de un Griego, y su hymno escriba
nuestro gran maestro
Nikos Engonopoulos.























Mahatma Gandhi - Phoolan Devi,
India 869 - 1948 | 1968 - 2001

The meek teacher and great soul
of India, Mahatma Gandhi and the
offspring of wrath and his humble
daughter, the bandit queen Phoolan
Devi.

























Frank Zappa, USA
1940 - 1993

The aristophanic elder of RnR
and his homeland´s strict critic
for virtue´s sake, Frank Zappa,
said to be of greek origin.

ZNet |Israel/Palestine | Bombing and Denying: Israels Strategy

Jul 13, 2006 10:33am    (1 review)  politics  http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle....

Bombing and Denying: Israel's Strategy

by Bashir Abu-Manneh, July 12, 2006

Being in Israel these days is as strange as ever: an Israeli military machine that kills Palestinians daily is wedded to a society that denies their humanity daily. The more Israel punishes Palestinians, destroys their basic infrastructure, eradicates their social institutions, terrorizes them, and forces them to live in fear and despair, the more the Israeli elite and its fourth strongest army in the world obsesses over a primitive Palestinian-made short-range rocket like the "Qassam" (which causes minimal damage and is far from a serious threat to life or property) or a "mastermind of terror" like exiled Hamas leader Khaled Meshal; breeds doubt over (or, outrightly denies) the Israeli army's killing of scores of families in Gaza; legitimizes the illegal arrest of tens of democratically-elected Palestinian representatives and officials; and presents Palestinians as a nation of terrorists who seek to eradicate Israel. In a colonial twist of logic, Israel accuses Palestinians of wanting to do to them the exact same things that Israel itself is routinely and systematically doing to the Palestinians: destroying their society, denying their national and democratic rights, and dehumanizing them.

[Read on]

The Haymarket Massacre, 1886

Jul 13, 2006 10:32am    (1 review)  anarchism  http://recollectionbooks.com/anow/histor...

The Haymarket Massacre, 1886
"José Martí wrote the story of the execution of the anarchists in Chicago. The working class of the
world will bring them back to life every first of May. That was still unknown, but Martí always writes
as if he is listening for the cry of a newborn where it is least expected."








"A time will come, when from our coffins
"Will rise a powerful voice,
"Stronger than that which you want now to choke,
"A thousand times stronger, more striking!"

These were the last words of Spies...
Hangmen, what do you gain from this?
Did you annihilate the spiritual giant?
Did you extinguish the sun?


"August Spies," by David Edelshtat
(Oct 10, 1890; translated from Yiddish by Ori
Kiritz) from, Kiritz, Ori. The Poetics of Anarchy:
David Edelshtat's Revolutionary Poetry.





"Anarchism does not mean bloodshed; it does not mean robbery, arson, etc. These monstrosities are, on the contrary, the characteristic features of capitalism. Anarchism means peace and tranquility to all."
--August Spies, Haymarket anarchist

YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.

Jul 13, 2006 8:53am    (1 review)  classic-rock  http://www.youtube.com/results?search=Sy...

Goodbye, you crazy diamond

http://www.tehranmoca.com/exhibition/negargari/work1.htm

Jul 8, 2006 8:31am    (5 reviews)  arts, persian-painting  http://www.tehranmoca.com/exhibition/neg...

Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art
Masterpieces of Persian Painting

''A collection of masterpieces of Persian Paintings dating back to Timurid and Safavid eras--a collection that manifests exalted concepts and mysteries of the realities about mankind--is now being showcased at TMCA after a long period of oblivion.

The display of the valuable artworks of prominent masters of art from the Iranian and Indian painting schools in a single exhibition undoubtedly marks a turning point and will pave the way for the future developments of Iran's visual arts.

What can be learned from the timless and unbound-in-space Persian Paintings is the way to express abstract and exalted concepts in terms of the familiar pictorial elements. Refined forms and colors, the elixir of texture and magic combination of basic elements seen from the front (instead of in perspective) create a single flat image of the great heritage of the Persian Painting.''

source: Note by Mohammad-Ali Rajabi




Poetry from Moraqqa'-e Golshan - Unknown artist
Moraqqa'-e Golshan, p.18, Golestan Palace





Tadhib - Unknown artist
Moraqqa'-e Golshan, First half of 17th century, Golestan Palace





The Funeral - Unknown artist
Moraqqa'-e Golshan, p.170, First half of 17th century, Golestan Palace





Untitled - Drawing by La'l Chehreh Nami Madhoo, painting by Jekchehoon
Rashidi's Jame-ol-Tavarikh, 1584, Golestan Palace





Prince in Presence of the Ascetic - Unknown artist
Indian Moraqqa', First half of 17th century, Golestan






Faramarz Mourns Death of his Father and his Uncle - Zavareh
Baysunquri's Shahnameh, 1413, Golestan Palace

SUFISM AND THE STRUGGLE WITHIN ISLAM | World War 4 Report

Jul 8, 2006 6:05am    (1 review)  sufism, iraq  http://ww4report.com/node/2151

SUFISM AND THE STRUGGLE WITHIN ISLAM
Paradoxical Legacies of the Militant Mystics
by Khaleb Khazari-El

A few excrepts:

"The first sufi is generally held to be Hasan al-Basri (d. 728), who actually waged public campaigns against corruption in high places in Baghdad. A famous saying attributed to him is: "He that knoweth God loveth him, and he that knoweth the world abstaineth from it."

''Hussain b. Mansur, better known as al-Hallaj, a wool-carder, was accused of heresy and beheaded for his declaration "I am the truth." His followers thereafter disavowed--and often defied--all worldly authority.''

''The story of militant sufism is replete with paradox. Sufism initially represented a proto-universalism, and was opposed by orthodoxy. But revolutionary sufism was, in its day, allied with fundamentalism, itself orthodoxy's backlash against modernity. Yet, the fundamentalists today attack the surviving sufis, seeing their struggle as a unified jihad against both imperialism and heresy.''

''As the sufis of the medieval era formed a bridge between Islam and the indigenous spiritual traditions of those areas conquered by Caliphate, today's neo-sufis could serve as a bridge between a non-fundamentalist Islamic anti-imperialism, and more open-minded and libertarian elements of the secular anti-imperialist left in the Islamic world, which is now in danger of being completely marginalized or crushed--especially in places like Iraq, where it is needed most.

Under the pressure of 19th-century European colonialism, sufism broke with the apolitical quietism which had generally characterized the tradition. Today, surviving sufis have similarly rethought the alliance or convergence with fundamentalism which often characterized the era of militancy. It remains to be seen if the surviving secular left elements can overcome the dogmatic rejection of all spiritual traditions as either quietist opiate or fundamentalist reaction--a perception which contributes to their own marginalization, as long-suppressed spiritual thirsts dramatically re-assert themselves.''

Read the complete article here

Sony Pictures Classics Presents : Who Killed the Electric Car?

Jul 7, 2006 6:41am    (2 reviews)  energy-industry  http://www.sonyclassics.com/whokilledthe...

Who Killed the Electric Car?

This new film documentary presents the history of the electric car and all its wonder. It was among the fastest, most efficient production cars ever built. Few people probably know this but many Californians were driving around in totally electric vehicles in the mid-'90s. This was years before the  war in Iraq and the price of gas climbing to record highs. The film discusses why it eventually died out. It chronicles how big business, corporate greed, and the oil companies deprived americans of this perfect alternative and clean mode of transportation. Everyone is now being affected by the price of gas and human lifes are lost in East and West. And that happens because capitalism is silencing any alternative technological developments that might cause loss of big profit for those in the highest places of power. This is a crime against all humanity and we must struggle to stop it.