I spotted this guest post at Bag News by the always insightful John Lucaites who opines, "I'd stick to the reindeer":

My initial impulse upon seeing the photograph above was to smile at the incongruity of a fantasy figure being treated by the apparatus of a national security state as if he were real and wondering who the sane and the insane might be. But then it struck me that there was nothing amusing here at all. That indeed, what we are looking at is a very real and tragic sluice of contemporary life, a world in which even our most hopeful fantasies have been taken away and no one seems to notice … or maybe even care.

No flights or reindeer for us this year. We're pulling the kids by sled, seriously, to grandmother's house we go. But Santa did deliver a bunk bed last night for our precocious almost-four-year-old who jumped in our bed elated and screaming this morning (at 5:00am!), "Santa brought me a bunk bed!!!" His innocence is my temporary reprieve, all the Christmas gift i need.

But I do still notice. And I care.

Happy holidays everyone.

We're still totally f*cked. So we keep counting to four.

Feist, The Reminder.

With my father-in-law's help this morning, we harvested 500 kilos of apples from our coveted Belle de Boskoop tree. Tomorrow we'll have our annual supply of pure, unmolested apple juice! I say unmolested as I've been thinking a lot about how corporations basically control our entire food chain and how our humble garden provides small yet meaningful spaces of resistance at the margins of our predatory economic system. Plus, I finally got around to reading Joe Bageant’s Dear Hunting with Jesus.

I'm too busy, and mostly too tired to log online these days, much less write blog posts. Don't know when I'll get around to the next one either but here goes...

The exhaustion stems mostly from the unbelievably tiresome task of being a “stay-at-home dad” with our 6 month old. When she does this, like today, I get a little work done. Walnuts, check. Potatoes up before the frost, check. Finish siding the house, check. Replant the blackberries, not yet. Prepare for next weeks lecture that's been on my calender for four months, oh hell no. So I'm "working" tonight.

more after the break

"A man walks down the street
It's a street in a strange world
Maybe it's the Third World
Maybe it's his first time around
He doesn't speak the language
He holds no currency
He is a foreign man
He is surrounded by the sound
The sound
Cattle in the marketplace
Scatterlings and orphanages
He looks around, around
He sees angels in the architecture
Spinning in infinity
He says Amen! and Hallelujah!"

-Paul Simon-

Michael Shaw linked to this image 6 hours ago tweeting, "When you hear that MJ, like an angel, literally permeates the air in LA...the banners are the least of it." Yes, Amen! And wasn't this what Paul Simon was getting at with "You Can Call Me Al"? Angels in the architecture of the city of angels.

I'd mostly stayed away from any media coverage of Michael Jackson, hearing about his untimely death while visiting friends in Copenhagen. Danish TV 2 news has been running virtually uninterrupted "news coverage," not even picking up the Sara Palin stories which momentarily competed for attention in the US market. But last night the wife and I saw most of the Hollywood memorial spectacle. I prefer just listening to his music, particularly tracks off of Thriller, one of the first albums I ever bought. But last night, another song came to mind, one which I hadn't seen at all referenced by media, family and politicians contesting the right to position the meaning of Michael Jackson's public memory.

While simultaneously half watching the Staples Center Show and surfing You Tube last night I tweeted, "Media et al. devoured MJ to the end. Most appropriate would have been a Thriller from that casket performance of Scream."

I'm plannin' on playin' Palin next.

Photo: Jae C. Hong/Associated Press/ NYT via Twitter.
Originally posted at America Adrift

Today is a fine day to introduce Stuart's new twice-monthly column, "Post-Modern Pastoral. ~spk

As an expatriated US citizen, the 4th of July has become ever more problematic every year as I continually rework who I am and how I fit into America. And how America fits into me. Identity, I've discovered, is a process, a renegotiation with myself and the people, places, and ever changing contexts around me. I'm not the same man I was a year ago, let alone 10. And so too has the meaning of Independence Day shifted for me over time. Today I feel independent, though I'm not really. I'll get to that later. But I'm privileged in this here world. I'm White, male, educated, and I live in Denmark.

As most of you know Sean Paul was up here in my little postmodern pastoral neck of the woods before returning back to the land of sprawl. He invited me to write about the garden, "kind of like Don's Sabbath eve series," he said. No thanks. Can't do it. That would require a degree of candor and personal honesty that I simply can't muster. It's damn hard work separating the bullshit from the real shit. Americans, and increasingly the rest of us, our chin deep in bull shit.

More after the jump.

This is an inter-blog rescue of sorts I wrote reflecting on two posts by Steen Christiansen, a contributing writer at America Adrift. An assistant professor of English at Aalborg University and one of only two Danish libertarians (that I know of), he describes his research as, "working mainly on cultural transformations between high and low culture, investigating how these entities intersect and inform each other. Continuing within a cultural materialist methodology, I’m particularly interested in cultural resistance and how narratives help shape these variant forms of resistance." I'm not in the habit of cross posting work here but I thought this short piece, along with the links to Steen's very interesting and entertaining two articles would be appreciated here at the Agonist, particularly in light of yesterday's news about Chrysler's "financial re-organization."

Yesterday evening (gmt + 1) Danish teevee news live fed President Obama’s announcement that Chrysler will head into bankruptcy protection. Can anyone tell me if the CNNization of Danish news along with its increased obsession focus on live "breaking" coverage of D.C. political intrigue is merely a figment of my imagination?

This image was one of the more ridiculous examples of corporate media's role in placing Obama's presidency within right-wing and neoliberal narrative frames. The illustration accompanied Jon Meacham's much contested Newsweek cover article which asserted the difficulty of governing as a liberal in a (supposedly) predominantly conservative America. Here, the myth of the silent majority continues to be wielded as an ideological weapon against liberalism. Published several weeks before the November 4 general election, Newsweek had already anointed Obama president elect and began visually framing his coming presidency as "ideologically centrist." "Pragmatic" has sense replaced centrism as the narrative du jour among the elite Washington press corps.

Continued after the jump

This is the lead image currently online at the NYT. I love how this shot, voters at Woodland Elementary, perfectly serves as a metaphor for the Obama campaign. Here we see six older voters in multicultural technicolor mirror the stylized picket fence painted on the wall. A group of small children run across the foreground of the mural. They are somewhat obscured behind the voting stations. This is not their day after all. They play while we participate in democracy. Though they play in the background they are in the forefront of our thoughts. We can imagine what the children are running towards. They are running towards the future. Our eyes look up to the sky where a clock hangs in the clouds as time stands still for the next 12 hours. These voters, like that fence, are all that separate those kids from their dreams.

Rolling Stone takes a hatchet to McCain's utterly false "maverick" image. The title sets up a clever double play, simultaneously discrediting the narrative and referencing McCain's increasingly childish behavior;

Make-Believe Maverick

A closer look at the life and career of John McCain reveals a disturbing record of recklessness and dishonesty

Dishonest. That's almost calling him a liar. Robert Grossman's brilliant illustration reduces and captures the sad caricature that is quickly becoming the template. All the facts have been available public record since, well duh. But the corporate media isn't typically interested in facts. It's all about the narrative. Drill baby drill! Well this well is finally tapped. I'm coming around to the idea that the elite press has come to the simple conclusion that their money is simply safer under an Obama administration. But let's not discount the tremendous, tireless push back work that takes place in the blog-o-sphere and the terrific work done by real maverick journalists like Cliff Schecter and Brock and Waldman. Not to mention, McCain's own free-fall campaign has been its own worse enemy. Hearing Sara Palin go on and on about "a team of mavericks" just doesn't have that authentic "mavericky" feel now does it?

During this latest "financial crisis" there have been some fascinating images which communicate possible alternative narratives to the daily press stories. The image above from this NYT article particularly caught my attention. Here, despite whatever giveaway, formerly known as the bail-out, "rescue" the Senate may approve on Wednesday, the message in this photo seems clear. We are facing the abyss. Not only are we looking down the cliff but from this angle, we've already walked out past the ledge. This is the moment Willie Coyote realizes he's about to take a free fall into oblivion.

I also appreciate how all those electric green symbols on the giant electronic ticker are cascading down to the floor were there are more wires, screens and computers than human beings. This theft was not created by machines, but it is the machine that's been employed for all those "complex" unregulated investment instruments which lie at the center of the "crisis." The Matrix thus serves as another appropriate metaphor (borrowing from Baudrillard) as the "code" merely supports the illusion of stability.

More after the jump, click on image for better resolution.

Recently here at the Agonist we've had a few lively discussions about recent false media narratives created around both Barack and Michelle Obama. See for example Forgiven's, Machiavellian And The War of Words and my Presto, Uppity Angry Black Woman!

I know not everyone was convinced of our arguments. Fine. Let me make clear however that my purpose is not to provide partisan defense for Obama but to criticize the media and shed light on what I regard as deeply rooted racist, misogynistic and certainly anti-progressive and anti-democratic undercurrents in American culture.

On that note, for some historical perspective which compares the New Yorker cover to Bret F. Harte’s 1870 “Plain Language from Truthful James” poem see Rune Christensen's “The Heathen Obama”? The limits to satire in American politics.

rikyrah of Jack and Jill Politics has a terrific article which addresses the image as well as some of the deeper contexts to Michelle's unenviable position. As part of the guest series at Open Left see Update: Michelle Obama as Racial Rorschach Test

Michael Shaw provides an excellent deconstruction of the image here,The "What" Of What's Wrong With The Barack Osama New Yorker Cover. Shaw's analysis is important as he looks beyond the obvious surface communication and finds discourses which communicate some of the false narratives we've been discussing here.

So let me know what YOU think. And just to leave this post on a high note, THIS is satire.

Since the early 60s, Raymond Federman has been one of the most important American writers. His highly experimental fictions in works that bear such titles as Take It or Leave It, Double or Nothing, and The Twofold Vibrations, he has explored cultural and personal memory, invented intricate narrative strategies, and above all has given readers an experience that exceeds the ordinary. Creating situations that make one really think and really laugh is a tall order for any writer. But Federman did it. He is one of the few writers to truly have achieved this.

One of our contributors at the Atlantic Community, Camelia Elias, has just released a wonderful collection of essays on Raymond Federman. This open source web publication includes four scholarly articles and some previously unpublished texts by Federman. Federman, who just turned 80 is also a blogger.

For more, including links to the free download see, Federman Frenzy. Feel free to leave any comments for Camelia at the link. I'd like to arrange an online discussion with Federman so if anyone else is interested, stop by and let us know.

The only US cable and/or broadcast news I ever see comes from online sources, usually clips or segments provided as evidence on media criticism sites like Media Matters or Crooks and Liars. I was watching one such clip embedded to this post at C&L, David Broder wanks away on the McCain Town Hall meetings that Obama turned down.

Well, Broder or any other rightwing "centrist" wanking for McCain isn't anything new or unexpected, especially not the Faux News wank fest seen in the video clip in the above link.

At approximately 2:15 the video cuts from one wanking fest to another, located in the "Fox News Election HQ" revealing something ,if not unexpected (it's Fox after all), then perhaps new.

More below the fold

Michael Powell and Jodi Kantor published a piece of back-handed journalistic work in today’s newspaper of ill record, "After Attacks, Micelle Obama Looks for a New Introduction."

Never mind that the premise of the article’s title is completely false and misleading. The hiring of Stephanie Cutter as Michelle Obama’s chief of staff is about managing communications and providing defense against right-wing attacks. Michelle Obama is not looking for a new introduction.

In it, they paint Michelle Obama as the “Angry Black Woman” quoting such irrefutable sources as “Conservative columnists” and a “blogger who supported Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton.”

The article begins, “Michelle Obama’s eyes flicker tentatively even as she offers a trained smile.” See the “multi-media slide show” “Mrs. Obama’s Journey” for visual representations of Michelle’s trained (read phony) smile.

In Madison, Wis., in February, she told voters that hope was sweeping America, adding, “For the first time in my adult lifetime, I am really proud of my country.”

Reverend Wright?
More below the fold

"Are you somewhat upset about gas at $2 a gallon and looking forward to lower prices? Well, just remember that the Kyoto Protocol (to combat a hypothetical global warming), avidly promoted by the Clinton-Gore administration, would raise prices even higher - on a permanent basis.

As disclosed by The Washington Times, an internal memo of the Energy Department blamed much of the June price run-up in the Midwest on the rigid regulations of the EPA. Supplies of gasoline became tight because of the EPA requirement for the Chicago market, starting on June 1, for "reformulated" gasoline (blended with ethanol distilled from corn). Refiners ended up with having to supply different formulations for fuels for different areas to meet EPA rules. With no flexibility to swap supplies and with refineries operating at peak capacity, just one pipeline breakdown or one refinery fire would then cause supply shortfalls and price spikes."

NPR.org, June 2, 2008 - One of the fathers of rock 'n' roll died Monday at the age of 79. Bo Diddley was born Ellas Bates in Mississippi and grew up in Chicago, where he played guitar on street corners before being discovered by Chess Records. He leaves behind a sound that helped build a musical movement.

What made Bo's music so unique? I don't know exactly but if I had to assign to it just one adjective it would be, crunchy. Yeah, what a wonderful crunchy sound.

Bloomberg News reports (via Huffington Post) that Billionaire and Corporate Overlord Carl Icahn says, "Obama would be a terrible U.S. President!"

Sigh. Maybe Obama would be a terrible president.

But Icahn is full of the same load of right-wing garbage, throwing out the same tired corporate talking points we've unfortunately become accustomed to;

"Obama would probably go on a ``huge spending spree'' that ``the country can't afford right now.'"

Does he mean "huger" than the one Bush is on in Iraq? This crap is to be expected, and much worse.

But Icahn shows his true disturbing colors, displaying his absolute disdain for democracy.

Even worse, Icahn said, would be a Democratic president with a veto-proof supermajority of 60 Democrats elected to the Senate.

`Runaway Legislation'

``It would be devastating,'' he said. ``Then you couldn't stop runaway legislation.''

Runaway Legislation? Is that the new Orwellian doublespeak to describe the democratic legislative process?

Subtext. Let's not let a little thing like democracy get in the way of our corporate agenda. When Icahn said "you" just who was he speaking to anyways?

Does anyone really believe that a Democratic administration with a supermajority Senate would do much in the way of curbing corporate power? Absolutely not. But perhaps, some semblance of a democracy may remain if the Republicans aren't in power during the next few years. See Ian's latest post for example.

That's just unthinkable for Icahn and all his pals. The past years have apparently not been profitable enough. But when I think about Naomi Klein's latest piece in Rolling Stone it all starts adding up to some very frightening prospects.

There's a word for this kind of corporatist, right-wing ideology.

Karen Fiorito
"Hummersaurus Wrecks"

I wanted to offer this work of art as a follow on to several recent posts here at the Agonist. Stirling Newberry's recent, The Progressive Century was the first to come to mind. This also seemed rather fitting alongside Sean-Paul's, Die Beast Die. There are any number of recent posts here in which this piece could present an accompanying visual narrative. Sean-Paul also had a few interesting discussions about modernist art based on some reading about Ezra Pound here and here. These taken together led me to think more about the political role of art and the basic value of art in a democratic society. Instead of a discussion on theory I thought a brief analysis of the Fiorito piece could be instructional.

more below the fold

The New York Times has got to be kidding, right? After last night's debate, ABC's agenda became blatantly clear to anyone paying attention. Distract, distort, discredit, destroy. In a word, disgusting. So what do I wake up to in this morning's online NY Times center cover story "Don't Hate Me Because I'm Solvent" by Joyce Wadler.

more bellow the fold

This article is partially a response to Bent’s last post, Beauty and the Beast? I had originally intended on posting the Lebron Vouge Magazine photo which Bent analyzes below. I then thought I would post a reply in his thread but upon further reflection, I think an independent post is in order. I typically wouldn’t do that but I wanted to display a fair amount of images and just couldn't do that in the comments.

More below the fold...

This is where we are right now. It's a racial stalemate we've been stuck in for years. Contrary to the claims of some of my critics, black and white, I have never been so naïve as to believe that we can get beyond our racial divisions in a single election cycle, or with a single candidacy - particularly a candidacy as imperfect as my own.

Obama has just delivered a speech (which he wrote himself) for the history books. I won’t go into a full analysis but like any memorable speech from the American scene, his included the themes of; American exceptionalism, generational progress, religious freedom and tolerance, and of course, founding myths of American democracy.

This was just bizarre.

I was surfing the US Embassy's (Copenhagen) website this morning and found this article, prominently displayed on the home page;

The New Media and U.S. Politics
by Thomas B. Edsall

The Internet has become the vehicle for the mobilization of the antiwar left as an influential Democratic interest group that all candidates and congressional leaders now must treat with respect and special deference.

I just thought I'd pass this on. I can't make heads or tails of it. Any ideas?

This year I'll be celebrating my first ever Thanksgiving outside the US. I think I've been outside the US on this date at least 6 or 7 times.

Many students and faculty will be meeting on campus Thursday for our 1st (hopefully annual) Thanksgiving potluck dinner. On Sunday, my wife and I, with another Danish/American mixed (or mixed up) family will have a Turkey dinner here in Nyborg.

I came across this piece in the NY Times by Katharine Seelye, "Women, Politics and the Internet."

What really caught my attention was the mention of Momocrats, a progressive community blog of online mothers who are pooling their resources to effect political change.

Momocrats was started last month by a group of mothers who are all noted bloggers in their own right and who cross-post on each other’s blogs (CityMama, TechMama, LawyerMama, PunditMom and the Silicon Valley Moms Blog), which are generally about daily life with a dose of politics.

“We belong to this community of mothers who blog and we see the need to bridge the gap between the campaign and the community,”

None of the Democratic presidential primary contenders will get the endorsement they have been fervently seeking from the Service Employees International Union, an especially painful blow to John Edwards.

This is actually quite surprising. Edwards has been courting the SEIU for several years and is clearly the most pro-union candidate running. This is probably the death knell for the emerging populist movement. It was expected that if Edwards won Iowa (which was pretty likely) that the SEIU, which is the largest Union in the country, would help him through NH and Nevada. Labor has been in steady decline for 30 years.
more after the jump