LINES OF THE DAY

". . . But the past does not exist independently from the present. Indeed, the past is only past because there is a present, just as I can point to something over there only because I am here. But nothing is inherently over there or here. In that sense, the past has no content. The past -- or more accurately, pastness -- is a position. Thus, in no way can we identify the past as past." p. 15

". . . But we may want to keep in mind that deeds and words are not as distinguishable as often we presume. History does not belong only to its narrators, professional or amateur. While some of us debate what history is or was, others take it into their own hands." p. 153

Silencing the Past: Power and the Production of History (1995) by Michel-Rolph Trouillot

Monday, July 28, 2008

I Still Have to GO to the Library & Other Trivia


And here's a sample of what I mean by the Yoruba show's poor quality catalog. This is the Elder Woman's staff of power and status that entered my eyes like a lightning bolt. You can't catch even a whiff of the power and glory that this staff embodies. The very top reveals better detail though. I love this woman, with her bead crown hat, topped by hornbill.

I must go to the library, physically, in person. O nos! Do I know how to do this any more?

To find a small run periodical, Rally, from the mid-sixties which published for less than two years and within which the bigoted New Yorker dance critic, Arlene Croce, is reported to have written a vile piece about the brilliant truths embodied within A Birth Of A Nation. This is on no database, and evidently the only place this magazine is available is at the Science, Industry, Business and Law NYPL research facility. So we're lucky that way -- it exists, and it is available to us, without too much trouble. But as I don't know a title or a date I'm going to have to go through these by hand to find it. If, indeed, it exists. It's referred to in other articles about BOAN, but not quoted or cited.

Overheard on the subway platform -- a young woman gestures widely, while speaking to her friend: "And there's all that vampire shit out there too, vampires and zombies, they're everywhere They're even sellin' blood in the stores now for them to drink. These people, they got to learn! This is bad! This is evil! These people gotta listen up! Jesus is comin' any day now, and that will learn 'em."

Woo. That campaign for TruBlood beverage as part of the merchandise tie-in with the promo campaign for the September premiere of Twilight has posters and billboards, and adverts all over town, and especially in the subway now. It is kind of spooky, because it is played for 'realism,' and if you don't know about Twilight this is downright weird.

Maybe they could be outraged by that Nike poster series in the subway too. It's so close to tipping into outright porn that maybe the only way it hasn't fallen in is that they are wearing (some) clothes -- the guys are playing basketball. Finding out it's a Nikes ad isn't easy. It's gross, unless seeing guys' faces all up in other guys' buttocks and crotches is something you enjoy having in your face while riding the subway. If it were women I still probably would find this just about porn, but I wouldn't mind it quite so much. Or maybe I would. Some stuffs have a whole other meaning when they dominate the gaze in the subway.

1 comment:

K. said...

Jesus is coming any day now?! Damn, I'm in trouble...