Until today, I had felt myself becoming numb—distressingly so—to the torrent of bad news coming from Iraq.
But this morning I came across a slide show from the LA Times, and the war became somewhat real and immediate again. (I say ’somewhat real’ because if the only way this war affects me is through images on a web site, then it’s still sort of unreal.)
It’s the back story to the iconic photograph of the ‘Marlboro marine.’
The picture was taken in Falluja in 2004 by LA Times photographer Luis Sinco, and it was immediately labeled the “emblematic” image of the war. Now, a few years later, the subject of photograph, James Blake Miller, is back at home and struggling with post-traumatic stress. Sinco and his camera followed Miller back home to Kentucky.
Miller, broken in spirit yet incredibly lucid and insightful, narrates a trio of slide shows composed of Sinco’s photos. Check it out.
Published on November 9, 2007
in Uncategorized.
After a long hiatus, Visionary Larry is blogging again. His mercurial comeback post covers “cyber communities,” which he claims to have invented. (Actually, he says he co-invented the first one with Al and Tipper Gore and Tipper’s college roommate, “this guy who called himself Shirley.”)
While the post starts off with an absurdist twist, the bulk of the long entry is Larry’s candid reflection on his late youth, seen through the prism of an evolving relationship with Facebook, the social networking site.
As we’ve come to expect from Larry, the post defies categorization.
Published on November 8, 2007
in words.
Here are two events on the agenda at the upcoming Swear Festival, which will be held in San Francisco on Nov. 10.
Panel: Experts Discuss How Shits and Fucks Change Our World
Swear Into the Light – Curse torture, sponsored by The Dick Cheney Ideas Group
Link
Via: Errata, the Wordie blog
Published on November 7, 2007
in music.
This one’s from a regular reader named Glenballs. Dan Glenballs. Weird name, yes, but ol’ Glenballs makes a good point about the noticeable lack of boot-scootin’ that accompanies indie music shows:
I went to a couple indie shows in santa monica (not hip) and stood around trying to enjoy my favorite tunes but couldn’t get past the crowd of tight jean, straight haired, out-of-shape, stiff, white, occassional swayers that listened with their minds plugged in, mentally prepping their notes for their late night blog session. what a waste! “unlock your body and move yourself to dance” was not being heard or felt, just analyzed.
I have to disagree with the notion that white listeners of indie rock are unfeeling or overly analytical. Sure, an ironic quip is never far away, but I also detect (and maybe it’s just me) a heightened sensitivity and earnestness among the indie crowd. Call it the wounded, woe-is-me vibe. I think the music is being felt, but felt in such a way as to render the body inert. But I’m out on a limb rhetorical limb here…
The last indie concert I attended was Death Cab for Cutie. (I’m sure the indie vanguard now consider them to be lowly pop, but in my world, they’re still indie. Or at the very least a hyrbid of the two.) Anyhoo, there was a considerable amount of movement at that show, and it went beyond “swaying.” That said, I don’t think any pelvises moved.
Published on November 5, 2007
in music.
If you aren’t yet privy to the lively debate going on about indie music and race and class issues, then here’s a primer:
This article, by the New Yorker’s music critic, Sasha Frere-Jones, started the discussion (some would say controversy). In it Frere-Jones laments the lack of “miscegenation” in current rock and roll, particularly within indie rock and roll. The story is titled “A Paler Shade of White: How Indie Rock Lost Its Soul.”
Slate magazine, picking up on the chatter caused by Frere-Jones’ article, added its two cents with this story, bringing the class issue into the mix. The article agrees with the assertion that indie rock is a pasty affair, but it takes issue with many of Frere-Jones’ points, namely the Why of it all.
Evidenced by a rash of blog posts on the topic, Frere-Jones has been forced to defend both his thesis and use of the charged word “miscegenation.” His posts are on his New Yorker blog.
Published on November 1, 2007
in words.
This word’s definition comes from Wordsmith.org, via Moke.
jentacular (jen-TAK-yuh-luhr) (adjective) Relating to breakfast
Now for some jentacular subject matter.
The Health Care Blog unhappily reports on a new Hardees breakfast burrito that fits a half a day’s calories (920) and all of your daily fat and sodium allowances into one tortilla. (It’s still a better option than the Hardees salad, which has 1,100 calories.)
And here’s some jentacular etymology from Patricia T. O’Conner: “The word “breakfast,” by the way, dates from 1463. It refers to the meal that we eat to “break” our overnight “fast.” That reminds me of a poem by Shelley that compares breakfasts “professional and critical” to dinners “convivial and political.”
I’d say the Hardees burrito fails both of Shelly’s breakfast criteria.
And lastly, we have a headline from the Onion that explains a lot:
Most Terrorists Fail To Start Day With Good Breakfast