Portrait of Patrick Keiller. (Photo: Samuel Drake) It is not always the case that definitive moments in art history can be precisely located. Certainly not the first act of artistic creation, that “strange beginning” of Gombrich’s Story of Art — a 35,000 year-old mammoth ivory carving, perhaps? The American architectural
Continue readingTag: Britain
The Disaffected Lib: Boneheaded Britain
The big problem with ideologues is their propensity to do genuinely stupid things that leave others paying the price for years, sometimes decades. With Harper at the helm, Canada has no cause to be smug, but it’s Britain that provides the best example of conservative boneheadedness at the moment as
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Is the British Potato in Peril?
It is estimated that the people of the United Kingdom consume their way through their country’s annual agricultural production by about Easter each year. Overall, therefore, Brits rely on imports for about two-thirds of their foodstuffs. Put another way, for two-thirds of the year, Brits eat other peoples’ food. In
Continue readingSlap Upside The Head: British Religious Group Offers Their Thoughts On Marriage
The Muslim Council of Britain has declared that equal marriage rights are “unnecessary and unhelpful.” What a coincidence—I was just thinking the same thing about declarations from the Muslim Council of Britain!
Continue readingPolygonic: La France Forte, or Why You Desperately Need Sarko Standing On the Beach
The French presidential campaign is kicking into high gear, and Nicolas Sarkozy has one key message for his ungrateful people: vote him back in, and he promises to spend his second term standing on the beach, like a magnificant granite Colossus, liquifying overseas demons with the sheer power of his
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Britain May Be In a Deep Freeze But It Remains In Drought
Soggy old Britain is facing the prospect of mega-drought. Even at the height of winter, aquifers are being used to keep English rivers and lakes from running dry. Andrew Chapman, a senior environment planning officer with the agency warns, ‘…the position is becoming very serious. In simple terms, unless we
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Britain – Difficult Dry Days Ahead
It’s the 21st century’s double-whammy – population growth coupled with global warming – and even soggy old Britain isn’t immune. Britain’s Environment Agency has released a study on what lies in stores for rivers in England and Wales by 2050. It warns that some rivers could see summer river levels
Continue readingLeDaro: British PM David Cameron addresses a joint session of Parliament
When these leaders make speeches; pay attention to their language and the symbolism behind such language.An American president, in this case Obama, will use the language like “we are one nation under God” partially implying American exceptionalism …
Continue readingRedBedHead: European Revolt Against Austerity Picks Up Steam
Strikers in Italy resist austerity.
It seems apparent that European politicians somehow missed out the economics class where they explain how massive cuts to public spending in the middle of an economic contraction makes things worse. They also miss…
Continue readingArt Threat: Billy Bragg takes on News Corp in new song – Musician offers free MP3 download of "Never Buy The Sun"
Billy Bragg’s brand new song ‘Never Buy The Sun’ takes aim at the whole sorry story of News International’s systemic failure to understand that there are limits to legitimate news gathering.
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: The Ugly Smirking Face of Conservatism
British Conservative prime minister David Cameron made himself judge, jury and Lord High Executioner this week when he pronounced that anyone charged with rioting should be remanded in custody and anyone convicted should expect to go to jail. &nbs…
Continue readingRedBedHead: Babylon Burns While I Fish
I’m on a bit of a holiday this week, at a rental cottage up in the Muskokas. It’s quiet, the air is clean and the loons are warbling as sun sets. Meanwhile the world seems to be going to hell in a hangbasket – what’s up with that?
Global stock markets…
Continue readingArt Threat: New Banksy work riffs on Murdochgate
This new Banksy work plays on the ongoing News Corporation phone hacking scandal.
Have you discovered any other artwork related to Murdochgate? Tell us in the comments below.
Via REBEL:ART.
DeSmogBlog - Clearing the PR Pollution that Clouds Climate Science: A Pan-European Approach To Banning Unconventional Gas?
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A German member in the European parliament (MEP) is proposing a straightforward way to prevent (or outlaw) exploration and drilling for unconventional gas in the European Union (EU). H…
Continue readingWorld Headlines Review: Egypt Rejects IMF, Revolution Lurches Forward
by Jonathan Rashad Egyptians have evaded a great pitfall in their quest for freedom, democracy and sovereignty in their rejection this week of loan proposals from the IMF. Nations across the world, especially in Africa, have time and again during periods of turmoil been tempted into bailouts and loan deals
Continue reading350 or bust: Analysis of Britain’s Shape After Sea Level Rise, Ken To Barbie “It’s Over”, And More News
It’s Friday, and I’m just wrapping up two very time-consuming work projects, which means I’m in the mood for some good news, and a good laugh – come to think of it, I’m always in the mood for those things. Anyway, here&#…
Continue readingWorld Headlines Review: Riots and Disparity: Rome, London and Toronto
International headlines in the last two weeks have reported a massive amount of social unrest and unsettling news across the developed world, including riots and economic data which on the surface may appear discordant and unrelated, but are united as part of larger political and economic trends. Fees Protest, by
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