The beauty of New York

Some months ago I read this book and I found a powerful definition of the beauty of New York (As our teachers freed my poetical vein some lessons ago, you now pay the consequences!!!).
I don't know yet if I agree but I think are very beautiful words so I share with you and you can tell me what you think.

The Beauty of New York (from "The Unberable lightness of Being" by Kundera)

“Franz and Sabina would walk the streets of New York for hours at a time. The view changed with each step, as if they were following a winding mountain path surrounded by breathtaking scenery: a young man kneeling in the middle of the sidewalk praying; a few steps away, a beautiful black woman leaning against a tree; a black man in a suit directing an invisible orchestra while crossing the street; a fountain spurting water and a group of construction workers sitting on the rim eating lunch; strange iron ladders running up and down buildings with ugly red facades, so ugly that they were beautiful; and next door, a huge glass skyscraper backed by another, itself topped by a small Arabian pleasure-dome with turrets, galleries and gilded columns.
She was reminded of her paintings. There, too, incongruous things came together: a steelwork construction site superimposed on a kerosene lamp; an old-fashioned lamp with painted-glass shade shattered into tiny splinters and rising up over a desolate landscape of marshland.
Franz said, “Beauty in the European sense has always had a premeditated quality to it. We’ve always had an aesthetic intention and a long-range plan. That’s what enabled Western man to spend decades building a Gothic cathedral or a Renaissance piazza. The beauty of New York rest on a completely different base. It’s unintentional. It arose independent form human design, like a stalagmitic cavern. Forms which are in themselves quite ugly turn up fortuitously, without design, in such incredible surroundings that they sparkle with a sudden wondrous poetry.”

Democracy according to punk rock

believing the lies defines american
they don't realize their ignorance and sin
democracy ain't real it's a fairytale
anarchy now then spend the night in jail
i won't pretend that it ain't wrong
i won't just go along
humanity is deseased
and the sickness has increased
for the people by the people
who's considered people anyway?
the rich get richer
and the poor get poorer
so much for equal opportunity!
/MXPX - 'Democracy'/

Punk-rockers have always been extremely direct as far as politics is concerned. They have never hidden their disappointment with the government and the way it acts. Punk-rock songs may seem simple but honest; they let people/musicians express themselves, and present some different points of view.
The above song by MXPX shows how much the idea of democracy can be misleading even in countries as developed as the US. Apparently, people are free and have their rights. Democracy is supposed to make everybody equal; unfortunately, this is not true...What can we do to change it?!

Questioning freedom of speech : the Black List

For decades, singers and songwriters have been finding in governments and democracy issues some material to write. From Bob Dylan to Neil Young, Rage Against The Machine to U2, punk rock bands to Dixie Chicks, they’ve been denouncing all that’s not going round in this world.

In the past years, the “illegal” election of Georges W. Bush in 2000 has been very inspiring. Pearl Jam’s “Riot Act” is a reaction to that, particularly the song “Bushleaguer”, the first real implication of the band with political issues, that gives them today the label of “engaged artists” (though in the past they fought against Ticketmaster to keep concert tickets prices low). They are now trying to raise awareness and push people – especially the young – to vote, and lead singer Eddie Vedder doesn’t hide his political choices anymore.

War(s) in Iraq (or Vietnam) have been proven to be good fuel too (without any word game). Even the Black Eyed Peas and their single “Where is the love ?” tried to make MTV-friendly protestation. You find at least one song on every rock album today that is dedicated to Bush and his little business in the Middle East, and all the lives that are lost there.

Well, all the fuss these artists have created was not of everyone’s taste, especially not Clear Channel, a big corporation that owns over a thousand radio stations in the USA (60% of rock-format stations). After the attacks of 9/11, they put a list together of more than 150 “questionable songs”, emailed it to the stations, with the not-so-subtle hint that these were songs to be steered of. The list, referred to as “black list”, seemed to include songs that contained words that were taboo at the time (included “Walk like an Egyptian” by the Bangles, or Tom Petty “Learning to fly”…) as well as pro-peace messages, like Bruce Springsteen’s “War” and John Lennon’s “Imagine”, as if being in favor of peace was a political point of view that was “questionable”. That included also ALL Rage Against The Machine songs (famous for their radical political beliefs). Their website used to have a message board, hosted by a company called Infopop, for fans to post their feelings or thoughts on any topic. On the day of the terrorist attacks, Infopop claimed that the Secret Services called them because of threats on the message board. In order to avoid further trouble from the government, Infopop stopped hosting the Rage message board, and the cyber meeting place came to a halt…

How far can it go ? There is not much distance from making a list of banned songs and banned artists to drawing up lists of banned books or banned journalists… and that is not a democratic country, but something that has more to do with dictatorship, and if I remember well, that’s exactly what America’s government is claiming to fight against, and one of them was hanged not long ago…

So, is speech really free in the USA ? Land of the free, home of the brave ? What we think is a model of democracy, progress, personal achievement ? If we take a closer look, we can see clearly that there is a line of “politically correct” not to cross. If you take a stand against Establishment, expect the storm your seeds created. Nobody likes to be criticized, and denouncing the mistakes that your country makes is something even less appreciated, something you are not supposed to stand against, and consequently, as an artist, you’re basically bound to sing about love and little birds, and the blue sky… without bombs…

Democracy in Korea

There were heroic sacrifices for establishing democracy in Korea.

Imaging Democracy

I think this picture by Jackson Pollock represent democracy the way I ideally think about it. Different ideas, different people, different colours giving their own unique contribution to our society...

Democracy is Dead or Still Alive?

What do you think about this poster?
What does he see in the binoculars???

I think it is critical, but people think about a certain feeling now in this country(in America).
Democracy has been one ideology of all governments since the civilization started(European).
Some people use this concept to justify their ideas and to create political groups.

Am I a little radical ?
I will write about Japanese democracy next time.

Democracy in Argentina

In Argentina, democracy was restored in 1983. Since 1976 to 1983 the military forces took the power. Those were difficult times for argentine people who could not express themselves. The military government repressed opposition and terrorist leftist groups using harsh illegal measures.

But, as I said before, in 1983 the democracy has been restored. Although people can express themselves, and that every 4 years people elect their president it seems that democracy is not everything that is expected to be... The Executive branch has certain powers that allow the president to decide over certain issues without the consensus of the people. Notwithstanding the above, democracy is a "new concept" in Argentina and we are still working on it and how to root it in our mind, in our soul, and in our lives.

Democracy!

People deciding and being responsible for their world!!

Pics from Poland:)

My week at home is almost over:'( Honestly, I don't feel like flying to the US on Sunday. Why can't I stay one more week?! Anyway, I'm posting two pics so you can see how my country and dogs look like. Hope you like them:$

"L'infinito" di Giacomo Leopardi

I found the translation of one of the most beautiful italian poems from Leopardi, a 19th century italian poet!! hope you enjoy it!!

The Infinite
(trans. Alan Marshfield)

Dear always to me this deserted hill
And this hedgerow, which from so large a part
Of the extreme horizon bars the view.
Seated and gazing, interminable spaces
Beyond that place, and silences which are
Deeper than human, and quiet most profound
In thought I fashion me, where for a while
The heart is not alarmed. And as the wind
I hear commingle with these leaves, I that
Infinite silence to this voice go on
Comparing: thus reclaim I the eternal,
And seasons which are dead, and that one which
Is here and living, and the sound she makes.
In this immensity my thoughts are drowned:
And sweet to me is shipwreck in this sea.

Pictures from Seattle !

Silly me, forgot to put a title to my post...

Hey Hey Hey
I couldn't wait to share some pictures with you !! Okay, lets' begin and see if I can work this thing...
That's the public market, it takes place everyday downtown on the waterfront, my hostel was just next to it. It's very lively and old fashioned, beautiful.


This is Mount Rainier, I was lucky to see it on a clear day (surprising to have some sunshine out there) !









That's the Space Needle in the background (605 feet high, I can tell you from this high and by this weather it was amazing) and the Monorail, that take you from the Seattle Center to Downtown in 2 minutes !





View of the city from an observatory











Me on the grave of Jimi Hendrix ! I didn't have any trouble finding it, even though it was outside of town... Now, the grave of Bruce Lee, that is in a cemetary on the city, that's another story... That could have turned into "Night with the living dead", literally... that'll teach me to in cemetaries when it's about to close...


Kurt Cobain's house before his death... The benches you see here in the park next to the house are covered with graffitis left by fans, and non-fans (I admit it, I left a little something), one of which saying " I know you did it Courteney"...
Oh my, I could put all of my pictures here, but I've taken about 550... I'll put some more on my blog and maybe give you the link if you want to check it out !

Democracy Kit Assignment

Please watch these clips and post a comment on how they make you feel about Democracy.

Where is everyone?

We had a really wonderful time today in class learning to upload and post video on the blog, but we were missing so many students! Where is everyone??? Hopefully I'll be able to see you all next week...have a nice weekend!

class video blog

I don't know it is good video, but I finish!!

Introduction of Pilar

Do not miss this video!! I am introducing myself...well, I think so. Our teachers always come to class with new and challenging things to do, as this one!!! Enjoy it!

SEATTLE (still) ROCKS !

Hey everybody, sorry I didn't post earlier, I was so busy !! Jeez this city is amazing, I'm having so much fun !!! walking miles and miles and miles for hours, there is so many great places to see, I think I've pretty much been everywhere and beyond (just back from Vancouver actually) ! I could be such a good tour guide, I know exactly where to go and how to get there ! I'm very proud of myself I must say ! but every good thing has an end... I'm back in NY tomorrow ! I'll try to post a pic or two this week.
See you on Monday ! have a great week end !

Your favorite poet/ poem!

Hi, Girls;

We talked about poem yesterday in the class.
Who/what was your favorite writer or poet in your childhood or now?
When I was twelve I liked a Japanese Writer, Kotaro Takamura.
One of his poems," Lemon" was my favorite one. (Sorry, I don't know how translate this poem in English now)
Then when I grew up at late teen, I liked a French writer, Baudelaire whose book is well-known " Les Fleurs Du Mals". I admired his inspiration in his work.

Yesterday When we looked at the poem, every poem was so different structure and expression.
I chose Allen Ginsberg's "A California Supermarket" as my favorite. It is so dadaist and surrealistic that I like the most.
When I checked about Ginsberg in Wikipedia, he was a student of Columbia Univ. and a Jewish.

I'm waiting for your response...
(Singer Song writers are good too)

Honey, I'm home:)

Hey dudes! How was your weekend? I'm already home!!! Oh my, you can't imagine how happy I am right now:D It's so good to be with my family again! Everything seems so different after 5 months, but I'm enjoying every single second. I'll post some pics soon. Have a great day!

One Billion Bucks, !!!

Hi, girls,


In spite of attending the class yesterday, I didn't give the question for you.

So Here is My next question for you.......

What would you like to do if you get/have a billion backs?

It could be happening to you, girls!!!

Stay warm & have a nice weekends.