Government debt does not explain it all:
Unemployment is, indeed, quite inapelable:
And minimum wage:
So, perhaps, taking all those (and the last “devastating evidence” one) graphs into account, French and German governments have tricked, via manipulative markets and rating agencies, ignorant technocrat Spain’s PP government into cutting social spending (like education and health, which in turn becomes productivity, and minimum wage and job stability, which promotes spending and growth) so we go deeper into the hole, and they take advantage of our excellent engineers at a low rate, while speculating with debt and making sure Spain does not become a strong competitor…
Don’t they realise that with a monarchy that “shoots itself in the foot trying to hunt elephants and hiding corruption and scandalous ties”, a media that is so self complacent and ass kissing that feels more like brothels, politicians so entrenched in the corrupt game that with two degrees of separation you could not find an honest Spaniard anymore, a starch church mingling in public affairs, and a population so absorbed by soccer, celebrities and fear, they do not need to do that? Spaniards doom themselves! We always have, damn religious guilt, envy, fear, pride and inferiority complex!
Since I could not get a hold of tickts for New Museum’s Seven on Seven, I decided to make the most out of my day yesterday (defying my cold), so I even had time to visit the NYC anarchist book fair, at Judson Church (Washington Square).
I wish I had had more time to devote to exploring all the literature (great and aweful) on display. But at least I had time to notice:
- How little people attending knew about anarchy (imagine those outside)
- How deliciously ironic that it took place in what used to be a church
- How much anarchy is related to art (indeed, as a matter of fact, one of the books I purchased was NAASN‘s “Anarchist Developments in Cultural Studies 2.2011″)
After j-CATION and having lunch at Mr. K’s (one of the best Chinese restaurants in Manhattan), yesterday I went to MoMA Film to see Gosfilmofond’s copy of the 1935 USSR film Loss of the Sensation (87 min.), directed by Aleksandr Andriyevsky.
Virtually unseen in the U.S., Andriyevsky’s liberal film version of Karel Capek’s popular 1920 play, R.U.R. (in which the notion of robots was introduced), the movie tells the story of Jim Ripple, an engineer, who invents robots controlled by saxophones and radio signals. As far as the capitalists are concerned, this is the “solution to the proletarian problem”, and they immediately hit on the idea of creating an army of emotionless fighting machines. Jim’s brother Jack is a workers’ leader and organises strikes against the robots, who will produce nothing but unemployment. After an accident when trying to bring them together, the humanoid machines are set on the strikers, but the workers fight back …
Although Marx’s “class struggle” mixed with Stalinist propaganda messages permeate much of the quite simplistic plot of the film, Jim Ripple’s character carries all the complexities and dilemmas that we are still wondering today in regards with technology, humanity, capitalism, production, power… An excellent film that makes you think.
Yesterday’s j-CATION (“Japan+Vacation”) festival at Japan Society was great fun: food (particularly delicious wagashi by Minamoto Kitchoan), live game-show (hosted by awesome Kenji America), workshops (shodo, block-stamping, origami, Japanese languaje basics, storytelling, games), movie, concert…
In Spain, the conservative PP government is planning to make “passive resistance” a crime (as well as organizing demonstrations using internet technologies).
I have these 4 criminals’ magnetic puppets on my fridge. 2 were outlawed (and had to flee) by German Nazis. 1 had to flee Spanish dictatorship because he was a Communist. And the other one was thrown in jail by British occupation forces for “passive resistance”.
I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet.
Mahatma Gandhi
Today, as I headed to work, I exit my apartment, turn the corner onto 5th Ave. and see the film crew of Person of Interest. It doesn’t surprise me any more. Am I getting used to living in Manhattan?
Yesterday, since I had to go to the Japan Society to take care of some business, I took the opportunity to visit the Deco Japan: Shaping Art and Culture, 1920–1945 exhibition (I was invited to the opening, but I could not make it that day).
Curated by Dr. Kendall Brown, Deco Japan: Shaping Art and Culture, 1920–1945 subtly conveys the complex social and cultural tensions in Japan during the Taisho and early Showa periods through dramatically designed examples of metalwork, ceramics, lacquer, glass, furniture, jewelry, sculpture and evocative ephemera such as sheet music, posters, postcards, prints and photography. The vitality of the era is further expressed through the theme of the moga (“modern girl”) – an emblem of contemporary urban chic that flowered briefly, along with the Art Deco style, in the 1920s and ’30s.
Although the cold (even hard) design of Art Deco does not blend too well with traditional Japanese design, there were a few superb examples of works that were really worth studying.
As a cute added bonus, the origami sakura tree where anyone is invited to add their own flower. Beautiful.
And, to top it off, lunch (excellent home made soba) at SEO Japanese Restaurant. ^_^
A wonderful day, perfect prelude for this Saturday’s j-CATION (sakura-sayonara).
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