Phil Rockstroh: A Journey To The End Of Empire, It Is Always Darkest Right Before It Goes Completely Black

Rockstroh ..

a poetic view of existence insists that one embrace the sorrow that comes at the end of things. The times have bestowed on us a shuffle to the graveside of our culture, and, we, like members of a New Orleans-style, second line, funeral procession, must allow our hearts to be saturated by sorrowful songs. Yet when the service is complete, the march away from the boneyard should shake the air with the ebullient noise borne of insistent brass .. In this way, we are nourished by the ineffable, whereby unseen components of consciousness provide us the strength to carry the weight of darkness. Therefore, to those who demand this of poets: that all ideas, notions, flights of imagination, revelries, swoons of intuition, Rabelaisian rancor, metaphysical overreach, unnerving apprehensions, and inspired misapprehensions be tamed, rendered practical, and only considered fit to be broached in reputable company when these things bring "concrete" answers to polite dialog--I ask you this, if the defining aspects of our existence were constructed of concrete, would not the world be made of the material of a prison? Moreover, is this not the building material and psychic criteria comprising the neoliberal paradigm? Is it any wonder that the concept of freedom is under siege?

a beautiful essay - mab .. read more
Posted by Mike Blaxill, Sunday, February 5, 2012

NYT (3): National News

With Romney's huge win in Florida, is he now unstoppable?; Albany bill to expand DNA database finds proponents on both sides; In retort to harsh tactics of Amazon, B&N will not sell Amazon books.
Posted by Ian Alterman, Wednesday, February 1, 2012

NYT (3): National News

Over 400 arrested in Occupy Oakland melee; With nod to Occupy movement, NYS looks to raise minimum wage; A new book by Zbigniew Brzezinski
Posted by Ian Alterman, Monday, January 30, 2012

NYT (6): National News

Did Occupy Oakland initiate the violence this time?; How "deep" will DC allow Schneiderman & Co. to get?; New report shows much less natural gas than originally thought; Which is slower, the post office or a FOIA request?; Barnes & Noble hangs on for dear life; The privacy dangers of social networking.
Posted by Ian Alterman, Sunday, January 29, 2012

NYT (6): Foreign Affairs

Will Israel attack Iran?; In wake of growing violence, Arab League suspends monitoring in Syria; DC lobbyists drop Egypt as client; British hacking scandal continues, as 5 more are arrested, including a policeman; A book on two Muslim women "firebrands"; A book on how the Inquisition helped create the modern world.
Posted by Ian Alterman, Sunday, January 29, 2012

Up For Debate: German Court Bars “Mein Kampf” Again

The court is "concerned whether modern Germany can cope with the work that sowed the seeds for the Holocaust," because "This week, the government released the results of a two-year-long study showing that one in five Germans still harbored anti-Semitic beliefs." Is the court's decision a legitimate corrective? Or is it "paternalist" overreach and/or a form of censorship?
Posted by Ian Alterman, Thursday, January 26, 2012

NYT (6): Foreign Affairs

"Discontent and upheaval" are on the rise across almost the entire globe; Not all Egyptians are happy with current status as they celebrate first anniversary of revolt; Is Iran "pre-emptively" intimidating and arresting journalists and bloggers in advance of elections?; Scots move closer to independence from UK; Cameron tries to limit power of Human Rights Court; German state court bars publication of excerpts from Mein Kampf.
Posted by Ian Alterman, Thursday, January 26, 2012

NYT (6): National News

NYT coverage of the SOTU; Indiana dems pull a "Wisconsin," disappear for anti-union vote; Kelly reverses himself, says he helped on NYPD anti-Muslim video (!); Is Obama plan for new task force on financial fraud a nod to the Occupy movement?; Christie will veto same-sex marriage bill, wants issue brought directly to voters; Oscar nominations are released.
Posted by Ian Alterman, Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Store Front in Berlin – You Tube

fascinating, thanks to Tom Pierson
Posted by Michael Butler, Tuesday, January 24, 2012

NYT Editorial, Op-Eds, Letters (11)

"Americans spend more than patients in any other country, but with very mixed results" (Editorial); "Drones are blurring the civilian and military roles in war and circumventing the constitutional mandate for authorizing it" (Guest Op-Ed); "If only a presidential candidate would adopt this four-part agenda, he would surely be the winner on election night in November" (Friedman); "'Porgy and Bess' supplies a prism through which African-Americans have viewed their history" (Nocera); "No longer will only men be allowed to sell a bra to a woman clothed head-to-toe in an abaya" (Guest Op-Ed); "Could 2012 be a race between two powerful victims yearning to be lonely at the top?" (Dowd); "In both parties, there is a long tradition of underwhelming nominees" (Douthat); "If liberals care about middle-class salaries, public education and other state-funded services, they need to care about controlling health care costs as much as conservatives do" (Guest Op-Ed); "Lessons from Paula Deen on indulgence and its consequences" (Bruni); "It's 2012, and let's face it, the old way of sizing up candidates on the left-to-right spectrum just will not do" (Guest Op-Ed); "Sunday Dialogue: State Laws on Unions" (Letters)
Posted by Ian Alterman, Sunday, January 22, 2012

NYT (6): National News

Gingrich takes SC by wide margin; SOPA/PIPA fight is clash of media and generations; A new economic divide based on "mobility"; Obama to use SOTU to draw economic "line in the sand"; A book on how "scarcity will remake American politics"; A book on the lead-up to the KSM trial.
Posted by Ian Alterman, Sunday, January 22, 2012

Other Sources (4)

Attorney says MegaUpload case is "overreach" (MSN); Will 2012 be the year of drug tests for public benefits? (AlterNet); New political movies to watch for (AlterNet); Is your pizza parlor secretly ripping you off for delivery? (MSN)
Posted by Ian Alterman, Saturday, January 21, 2012

NYT Editorial & Op-Eds (4)

"Newt Gingrich can’t escape the toxic combination of infidelity and sermonizing. He seeks forgiveness yet tries to tell Americans how to run their lives" (Editorial); "As Mitt Romney dances around calls for him to release his tax returns, a question about U.S. tax policy comes up: Why do the rich bear a startlingly light tax burden?" (Krugman); "Ticketmaster’s new approach to sales restricts basic consumer freedoms" (Guest Op-Ed); "Money didn’t make Mitt Romney. A legacy of persistence and dogged determination did" (Brooks)
Posted by Ian Alterman, Friday, January 20, 2012

NYT (5): National News

As fight against web piracy bills grows, Wikipedia will join in "blackout" on Wed; Move to recall WI gov grows; Drug companies to be required to disclose fees to doctors; A "new" nexus between Hollywood and Washington.
Posted by Ian Alterman, Tuesday, January 17, 2012

NYT (2): National News

Oscar takes aim at small documentaries; Stringer is definitely running for mayor.
Posted by Ian Alterman, Monday, January 9, 2012

NYT (4): Foreign Affairs

Hacking scandal refuses to die, as cover-up is suspected; In search for spies, tough South Korean law is snaring innocents; New books on Himmler and Heydrich; A new book on whales, from slaughter to saving.
Posted by Ian Alterman, Sunday, January 8, 2012

The liberal left has been wrong in the UK – Peter Oborne (Daily Telegraph)

Posted by Alexander Harper, Wednesday, January 4, 2012

I WANTED TO START THE NEW YEARS WITH THIS

Thanks to Andrew De Borchgrave
Posted by Michael Butler, Wednesday, January 4, 2012

NYT (5): Foreign Affairs

Reversing decades-long policy, U.S. makes overtures to Muslim Brotherhood; Iran threatens U.S. aircraft carrier; Merkel hit with new crises as president takes questionable loan and threatens the media; Chinese leaders assails Western culture; Youssou N'Dour enters Senegalese presidential race.
Posted by Ian Alterman, Wednesday, January 4, 2012

NYT (6): National News

Fracking once again implicated in quakes; Six economists look at 2012; After three decades, ethanol subsidies expire; Previews and predictions for NYC 2012; A new book on Roger Williams and "the creation of the American soul"; A new book on how five cold warriors banded together to ban the bomb.
Posted by Ian Alterman, Monday, January 2, 2012

NYT Editorial & Op-Eds (3)

"After Republicans took control of the House this year, they weakened many programs that Americans need" (Editorial); "Egypt’s military and Islamist politicians are competing for power. America should ensure that neither side is left empty-handed" (Guest Op-Ed); "A selection of visual highlights from the past year of Op-Ed art" (Op-Art)
Posted by Ian Alterman, Saturday, December 31, 2011

NYT (7): National News

Occupy movement opens Iowa "campaign" office; Ben Nelson to retire, with GOP expected to win seat; As Catholic Charities fights gay bias law, religion in schools is back as an issue; Fracking brings jobs - but also dangerous tailings; Sears to shut 120 stores after poor holiday sales; Woody Guthrie will finally be honored (albeit begrudgingly) by Oklahoma.
Posted by Ian Alterman, Wednesday, December 28, 2011

NYT (3): Foreign Affairs

Tens of thousands rally in Moscow; Loyalists fire on protesters in Yemen; A book on "philosophy, revolution and human rights 1750-1790."
Posted by Ian Alterman, Sunday, December 25, 2011

NYT (6): Int’l Affairs

Why Occupy Frankfurt remains unmolested; Is the Chinese populace finally finding its voice?; Putin remains pugnacious; Monti offers tax increases but not reform; Christian Bale roughed up in China; Cola makers race to create greener bottle.
Posted by Ian Alterman, Friday, December 16, 2011

NYT Editorials & Op-Eds (5)

"The latest Republican plan might extend the payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits, but it would do so at the expense of vulnerable Americans" (Editorial); "Republican lawmakers are spinning fantasies about the economic benefits and number of jobs created from an oil pipeline from Canada" (Editorial); "A new bill would enable states to require drug-testing for anyone seeking unemployment benefits" (Rosenthal); "The National Defense Authorization Act that Congress is expected to pass this week is misguided" (Guest Op-Ed); "Writers defend books from Amazon's latest tactic."
Posted by Ian Alterman, Tuesday, December 13, 2011