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Babel
| August 29, 2008 | 10:08 AM |
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Maya stone temples found in underground caves
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“Archaeologists say the Maya believed the complex of water-filled caves leading into dry chambers was an underground road to a mythical underworld.”
Mexican archaeologists have discovered a maze of stone temples in underground caves, some submerged in water and containing human bones.
Clad in scuba gear and edging through narrow tunnels, researchers found the stone ruins of 11 sacred temples at the site on the Yucatan peninsula.
Archaeologists say the Maya believed the underground complex of water-filled caves leading into dry chambers, including an underground road stretching about 330 feet, was the path to a mythical underworld known as Xibalba.
- LA Times, via Reuters: Link.
Via Lisa Katayama @ Boing Boing: Link.
See also Xibalba @ Wikipedia.
~ Karl Jones
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© karl_g_jones for Babel: The multilingual, multicultural online journal and community of arts and ideas, 2008. |
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| August 29, 2008 | 9:08 AM |
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Julian Schnabel’s Scrap Metal
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“A victim of the thriving commodities market.”
Last April, thieves stole a large metal sculpture (bronze or copper, accounts vary) by Julian Schnabel. Police recently recovered one remaining piece of it — at a scrapyard:
It’s worth more than an Academy Award and is a whole lot bigger. But only one-fifth of a $250,000 bronze and copper sculpture made by artist and director Julian Schabel (The Diving Bell and the Butterfliy) [sic] has been recovered by Connecticut police, with the rest having been disposed of (read: melted down) at a Norwalk scrap yard. Per a report in the Danbury New Times, 49-year-old suspect Patrick Lancey has been charged with the April 2008 theft of the sculpture, which was being stored at the time outdoors at Mariano Brothers Specialty Moving. Police also are suggesting that Lancey was not working alone and therefore more arrests may follow.
- By Staff @ FilmStew: August 14, 2008: Link.
Thursday, August 14, 2008 at 2:55 PM
“Of the five pieces of the sculpture, only the dog survived the trip to the scrap yard.”
More details @ The Brookfield Journal:
(...)
Read the rest of Julian Schnabel’s Scrap Metal (235 words)
© karl_g_jones for Babel: The multilingual, multicultural online journal and community of arts and ideas, 2008. |
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| August 29, 2008 | 2:08 AM |
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When is Revolution Wrong? (A Narrative)
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A Two-Person Narrative Trying to Find One Answer in One Voice:
When is Revolution Wrong?
That question has been staring at me from the notebook cover on which I tattooed it for years, now. There hasn’t been a day when I haven’t thought of that question - but to think of and think about are two very different things.
I truly began to think about the question - its meaning, relevance, subtext - when, in my studies, an instructor of mine posed a question regarding the action one takes when confronted with ineffective or corrupt legislation: Does one follow it and go through the proper channels to have it repealed? Do they merely ignore it? Or, do they find a third alley that serves for both effiecncey and change - do they revolt?
In the middle of the conversation I, became inflamed with passion, and I got to thinking about why we revolt in the first place. Oppression? (I know that’s not the only reason but work with me, now). Then I began to challenge myself. Go step by step with me, here:
1) Look at everything that’s oppressing you: from the highest of magistrates to the blue jeans that tell you you’re a pear because your hips don’t fit them like the mannequin’s did the prototype.
2) Imagine all those things stripped straight out of your life - again, everything from the oppressive leaders to the oppressive denim.
*So, now you’re standing stark naked in an infinite universe where there are no natural nor any human laws to confine you.
3) So, what’s left? If you’ve eliminated everything you consider even remotely oppressive, what did you leave?
4) Actually, why did you leave it? Did you keep your jeans? (I did - they fit like a glove. I kept them because I was comfortable in them and with them — but certainly there are jeans that oppress my form, and that I would not have kept, and I bet not everyone kept theirs to begin with).
5) If I kept it, should you have, too? Is it wrong that something someone can find so ludicrously binding is still there for me? Should I fight back for them? Should they do away with whatever for me? Certainly the answer to all this “no.”
I guess what I’m trying to say is that I need to replace that first question. I don’t really think revolution is a matter of right or wrong. It’s a matter of construction. There is no ill fated or pointless revolts, just poor organizing. It’s more about passion and conviction for the cause than the spirit of the resistance, itself. I think we’ve lost that today: either we’re up in ‘arms’ just because we can be, or we don’t give a damn. It has, for the most part, become focused around the images of the vigilante and the apathetic. Just a thought, but, maybe we should be keeping our jeans unless they really cut into our sides. And what works for one wearer won’t work for all…so why do we try to change it for a total group where the balance may not fit the proposition? New question: “How is revolution dictated?” Oxymoronic and certainly not as pithy, but…
-C. Leroux and J. Connelly
© Chelsea for Babel: The multilingual, multicultural online journal and community of arts and ideas, 2008. |
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| August 28, 2008 | 7:08 AM |
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Nanny, Nano, Boo, Boo Food?
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I’ve been finding a lot of interesting developments with regard to food lately. So thought I’d share them with you…
 Nano-food, nano-tech?
Something new is being added to our table and life called Nano-foods or nano-tech products. What in heavens name is Nano-food?
The internet is buzzing with a lot of stories. Reuters (2008, July 30) Nano-foods: The next consumer scare? In essence Nano-foods are produced by using nano-technology, which involves design and manipulation of the molecular level. Companies utilizing nanotechnology claim it can enhance flavor or nutritional effectiveness.
The Observer Welcome to the world of nano foods. Claims the food industry is developing a colorless, tasteless programmable nano-drink that you zap in a microwave which has been encoded with your eating preferences.
Sounds like sci-fi… Star Trek’s Captain Picard ordering ‘Tea, Earl Grey, hot’ and it materializes in the replicater. That’s an interesting concept. But I wonder about eating what appears to be synthetic food. What about the food’s vitality?
Are there food products that currently contain nano-technology?
Out of the Laboratory and onto our plate. (2008, March) A detailed report on Nano-tech products in agriculture and food funded by Friends of Earth. List of food products currently containing nano-products include: Canola Active Oil (Shemen), Nanotea (Shenzen Become Industry & Trading Co.), Fortified Fruit Juice (High Vive.com), Nanoceuticals Slim Shake (assorted flavors, RBC Lifesciences), NanoSlim beverage(NanoSlim), Oat Nutritional Drink (assorted flavors, Toddler Health), and ‘Daily Vitamin Boost’ fortified fruit juice (Jamba Juice Hawaii).
Do we know if there are risks consuming nano-foods or the potential toxic effects to the body?
Science Daily ETH Zurich/Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (2008, July 22). Nano-modified Food: How Much Are Consumers Willing To Accept The Associated Risks?. Reports, "Nanoparticles, however, are considered as highly reactive and it is not yet clear whether under certain conditions they can get the better of protective mechanisms and have a toxic impact on the body." Consumer Reports (2007, July) Nanotechnology Untold promise, unknown risk. Reports, "A growing number of scientists say the unique properties of nanomaterials might pose substantial risks, which are largely unexplored, to both human health and the environment."
Besides food there are a lot of products containing Nano-tech over 600 and growing. NanoForum offers an interesting report called Nanotechnology in Consumer Products (2006, October 25) which contains a list of products. As well Madison’s Nano Cafe is a great resource for news and articles about nanotechnology.
I like to make informed decisions about everything in my life. So I’m all for labels disclosing complete information.
 Cloned animals for food?
Wired (2007, December 19) Senate Votes to Keep Cloned Meat Out of Your Burger, for Now. The Senate passed a Farm Bill measure intended to bar the FDA from approving meat and milk from cloned animals until further study was conducted. Center for Food Safety (2008, January 17) Press Release. EUROPEAN UNION GROUP ISSUES OPINION CALLING CLONING FOR FOODS ETHICALLY UNJUSTIFIED. Center for Food Safety Praises Opinion; Calls for Swift Passage of Farm Bill Mandating Examination of Economic Risks to US Agriculture.
Public Opinion Center for Food Safety Reports, "Recent opinion polls show the majority of Americans do not want milk or meat from cloned animals in their food. A national survey conducted this year by Consumers Union found that 89 percent of Americans want to see cloned foods labeled, while 69 percent said that they have concerns about cloned meat and dairy products in the food supply. A recent Gallup Poll reported that more than 60 percent of Americans believe that it is immoral to clone animals, while the Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology found that a similar percentage say that, despite FDA approval, they won’t buy milk from cloned animals."
CNN (2008, January 18) FDA OKs meat and milk from most cloned animals. When introduced there will be no labeling required. The FDA asserts that there is no material difference between cloned and conventionally grown animals.
What’s up with the swift approval by the FDA? If cloned animal products ever hit the grocery shelves I’d sure like to know so I can make informed purchasing decisions.
 rBGH and GMOs?
Called old news. The newest hot topic is nano-tech, but they haven’t gone away. FDA tells us both are ok. Their endorsement means companies aren’t required to put this info on packaging. Since around 1996 about 70% of our processed foods have contained GMOs. I’d like to know by reading the packaging instead of having to do an extensive online search. My body has an adverse reaction to both of these technologies so I cannot eat them.
Public Opinion A CBS/New York Times poll done recently found that 53 percent of Americans wouldn’t buy genetically modified foods.
If you’re interested here’s a list of products which contain GMOs. The photo above is an ad from Do You Know What You Eat?Greenpeace’s advertising campaign against Genetically Modified Organisms. What a superbly done and wonderfully creative campaign. Kudos to BBDO Russia.
Organic vs. conventional food study underway some findings released. Green MSN (2007, November) and BBC News (2007, October) reported - a Newcastle University study shows organic foods have far more nutritional value. They found levels of antioxidants in milk from organic cattle were between 50% and 80% higher than normal milk. Organic wheat, tomatoes, potatoes, cabbage, onions and lettuce had between 20% and 40% more nutrients.
Is this just the beginning of lots of comparable studies? To my taste buds naturally grown food (buzz word organic) has a fuller, richer flavor… like homegrown tomatoes vs. store bought. Studies proving what my mouth distinguished at first bite. Exciting! Tastes better and fresh organic food is better for you too! Yahoo!!!
Now if we could only get those crazy prices down…
P.S. I’ve been eating locally grown and organic produce all summer and I started walking. Really strange. I haven’t desired to walk in years. But now most mornings I walk to the Post Office and evenings around the neighborhood; about 2 miles total. I have more vitality and feel better too. Don’t know for sure if it’s related, but it’s sure interesting.
Here are a couple of links you may enjoy:
Food Routes - A resource on locally grown foods. Why to buy and where to buy.
Organic Made Easy - A guide to understanding and buying organic produce on a budget.
The Practical Guide to Healthier Living - Lots of videos and articles about natural healthy living. Why to buy at Farmer’s Markets, recipes and more.
~Bonnee Klein Gilligan
© Bonnee Klein Gilligan for Babel: The multilingual, multicultural online journal and community of arts and ideas, 2008. |
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| August 28, 2008 | 7:08 AM |
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Rosetta Disk Designed For 2,000 Years Archive
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 Rosetta Project
The Disk surface shown here, meant to be a guide to the contents, is etched with a central image of the earth and a message written in eight major world languages: “Languages of the World: This is an archive of over 1,000 human languages assembled in the year 02002 C.E. Magnify 1,000 times to find over 15,000 pages of language documentation.” The text begins at eye-readable scale and spirals down to nano-scale. This tapered ring of languages is intended to maximize the number of people that will be able to read something immediately upon picking up the Disk, as well as implying the directions for using it—‘get a magnifier and there is more.’
On the reverse side of the disk from the globe graphic are 15,000 microetched pages of language documentation. Since each page is a physical rather than digital image, there is no platform or format dependency. Reading the Disk requires only optical magnification. Each page is .019 inches, or half a millimeter, across. This is about equal in width to 5 human hairs, and can be read with a 500X microscope (individual pages are clearly visible with 100X magnification).
- rosettaproject.org.
“We hatched a plan to produce a 3-inch non-corroding disk which contained at least 1,000 translations of Genesis and other linguistic information about each language.”
How could a society think in terms of centuries unless there was a reliable way to transmit and store its knowledge over centuries? This puzzle was the focus of a conference hosted by Long Now in 1998, dedicated to technical solutions for Managing Digital Continuity. At this meeting Brewster Kahle of the Internet Archive suggested a new technology developed by Los Alamos labs, and commercialized by the Norsam company, as a solution for long term digital storage. Norsam promised to micro-etch 350,000 pages of information onto a 3-inch nickel disk with an estimated lifespan of 2,000 -10,000 years.
Might it be possible to etch an entire library onto a set of disks? It might be worth trying. All we needed was a finite data set that a society might want to have backed up.
During a Long Now field trip to a southwest archaeological site, the idea of a modern Rosetta Stone came up — a backup of human languages that future generations might cherish. At a winter retreat in 1999, Long Now board member Doug Carlston suggested that for the parallel common text of this modern Rosetta Stone we should use the book of Genesis, since it was most likely already translated into all languages already. We hatched a plan to produce a 3-inch non-corroding disk which contained at least 1,000 translations of Genesis and other linguistic information about each language.
Following the archiving principle of LOCKS (Lots of Copies Keep ‘em Safe) we would replicate the disk promiscuously and distribute them around the world with built in magnifiers. This project in long term thinking would do two things: it would showcase this new long-term storage technology, and it would give the world a minimal backup of human languages.
 This business side of the disk is pure nickel. Picking it up you would not be aware there were 13,500 pages of linguistic gold hiding on it. The nickel is deposited on an etched silicon disk. In effect the Rosetta disk is a nickel cast of a micro-etch silicon mold. When the disk is held at the right angle the grid array of the pages form a slight diffraction rainbow. You need a 750-power optical microscope to read the pages.
… The Rosetta disk is not digital. The pages are analog “human-readable” scans of scripts, text, and diagrams. Among the 13,500 scanned pages are 1,500 different language versions of Genesis 1-3, a universal list of the words common for each language, pronunciation guides and so on. Some of the key indexing meta-data for each language section (such as the standard linguistic code number for that language) are displayed in a machine-readable font (OCRb) so that a smart microscope could guide you through this analog trove.
- Kevin Kelly @ kk.org: Link.
Via Slashdot.
The Long Now Foundation:
The Long Now Foundation was established in 01996* to develop the Clock and Library projects, as well as to become the seed of a very long term cultural institution. The Long Now Foundation hopes to provide counterpoint to today’s “faster/cheaper” mind set and promote “slower/better” thinking. We hope to creatively foster responsibility in the framework of the next 10,000 years.
~ Karl Jones
© karl_g_jones for Babel: The multilingual, multicultural online journal and community of arts and ideas, 2008. |
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| August 27, 2008 | 11:08 AM |
| August 27, 2008 | 8:08 AM |
| August 27, 2008 | 8:08 AM |
| August 27, 2008 | 8:08 AM |
Scott and Zelda: A Sonnet
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by: James Schwartz
To my birthday boy on his twenty eighth
On August thirty first two thousand eight
I present to you my poetic faith
A man of your own ideals: gay or str8.
To my longtime muse I present a toast:
May your year be of wine, roses and song
May your year be another year to boast
Of after hour adventures all day long.
Your future writ in the palm of my hand
Your dreams and mine intertwine in my ink
Your past a confusion I understand
Our reality served with a chilled drink.
Ever in gaiety, Jazz Age rages
Literary love can stun the ages.
© James Schwartz for Babel: The multilingual, multicultural online journal and community of arts and ideas, 2008. |
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| August 27, 2008 | 3:08 AM |
Enmerkar and the Lord of Aratta
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Enmerkar was a legendary Sumerian king. Samuel Noah Kramer tells about him in this excerpt from The Sumerians: Their History, Culture, and Character: In 1952 I
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| August 27, 2008 | 1:08 AM |
| August 27, 2008 | 1:08 AM |
| August 26, 2008 | 11:08 AM |
earth album
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"earth album is a simpler, slicker Flickr mash-up that allows you to explore some of the most stunning photos in the world courtesy of Google maps and Flickr.
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| August 26, 2008 | 9:08 AM |
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Apollonia Festival of Arts - 24th Edition
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By Rossitza Ohridska-Olson
 From Saturday till September 10th, the Bulgarian and foreign artists will gather for the 24th issue of Apollonia Art Festival. The most charming part of it are the jazz concerts and the surroundings of the ancient city of Sozopol (Apollonia – the city of Apollo, the patron of arts). During the communist times this festival was a fresh breath of democratic art since it “allowed” participation from “enemy” countries, such as France, Germany and the USA.
Now is becoming bigger and bigger. There are artists even from Burkina Faso, and of course Bulgaria, Russia, USA with a 12 days program divided between classical and modern music, literature, theater, movies and visual arts.
For those who want to visit it, the program is here. If you need travel arrangement, please write me and I will find you an agency to take care of your request.
© rokambur12 for Babel: The multilingual, multicultural online journal and community of arts and ideas, 2008. |
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| August 26, 2008 | 3:08 AM |
| August 25, 2008 | 10:08 AM |
| August 25, 2008 | 9:08 AM |
Re: Happy Birthday, Rudy
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Cindy and Malcs, Many thanks for those kind words. I've been taking care of a few family and health issues, and haven't had too much time to enjoy the list as
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| August 25, 2008 | 3:08 AM |
| August 25, 2008 | 3:08 AM |
| August 25, 2008 | 3:08 AM |
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Dick Cavett on comedians
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“By and large … comics are long-lived.”
- Dick Cavett
From the blog of Dick Cavett, some thoughts on the profession of comedy:
“Few comedians kill themselves. (Maybe because audiences so readily do it for them.) Young Freddie Prinze comes to mind. At least two in recent years have indulged themselves to death (in different ways) — John Candy and Chris Farley — but I think the legendary funny folk outlive the general population as a rule. And I guess you could say Lenny Bruce — whose alleged genius largely escaped me — did himself in. And of course John Belushi, for whom I had great affection. But by and large (will anyone ever explain that phrase?) comics are long-lived. (See Hope, Burns, et al.) Quite a few hundreders.
- Dick Cavett: Link.
~ Karl Jones
© karl_g_jones for Babel: The multilingual, multicultural online journal and community of arts and ideas, 2008. |
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| August 24, 2008 | 12:08 PM |
| August 24, 2008 | 6:08 AM |
| August 24, 2008 | 2:08 AM |
| August 23, 2008 | 1:08 AM |
| August 21, 2008 | 11:08 AM |
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breathe in…
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~a poem by Bonnee Klein Gilligan
A man with power, pride perhaps
with jealousy no doubt.
Tries to control, by putting down
denouncing or defiling
with envious beguiling.
All empty threats and meaningless
and truly of no import.
Unless you take it inward
engaging self to battle self.
Indeed there is no other
take back what you have given.
Your power and your peace
take back what you have given, friend.
Back up a step… and breathe self in!!!
Breathe in the knowledge who you are
breathe in the peace, breathe in the calm.
Breathe in your light…
it will illumine what you see
and flood with light the darkness.
For it alone is all that’s real
and it alone supports you.
Take back your power, step into life
and choose a different story.
You write the script, edit the book
create a new beginning.
© Bonnee Klein Gilligan for Babel: The multilingual, multicultural online journal and community of arts and ideas, 2008. |
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| August 21, 2008 | 8:08 AM |
| August 21, 2008 | 8:08 AM |
| August 19, 2008 | 11:08 AM |
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ZuTy Salamander
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ZuTy the Salamander is a Fire Elemental.
An elemental being or Nature Spirit that lives easily in flames of fire. Fire is the first of the primary elements (fire, earth, air and water) that make up the universe. Fire is symbolic of purification, transformation, passion and aspiration.
ZuTy says, “I AM Fire… I burn, destroy, create, sustain and renew with flame. I AM heat and light. I AM the Sacred Fire, the fire of transmutation and manifestation. I AM the fire in your body and Soul. I AM androgynous. I AM Fire.”
In October 2007 I was commissioned to draw Zubaluma Taliya, nicknamed ‘ZuTy’ who is one of the fire elementals. The original is 9″ x 12″ pastel on paper. Giclee prints are available at my Spirit Art Gallery.
~Bonnee Klein Gilligan
© Bonnee Klein Gilligan for Babel: The multilingual, multicultural online journal and community of arts and ideas, 2008. |
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| August 17, 2008 | 5:08 AM |
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Hello from Pinas
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(Pinas is a slang we often use to refer to the Philippines…)
 Hi everyone. I am new here and I am trying this one out. My name is Charity (please call me Cha) and I am from the Philippines. I am an educator and this year is my tenth year of professional teaching in Sciences, Technology and English Language as a Second Language. I did one year stint in online teaching and the rest are classroom teaching.
I am an associate of Diplo Foundation. I hope to blog on Internet Governance Issues, Education, Peace, Open Access to Learning, Women Empowerment, Health - if I could correlate these issues, I could try. I have blogged in our Diplo Community and in TIG. I want to try blogging heavily since I think this is a great opportunity to share experiences. I do write a lot - poetry, articles for commercial websites, education-related, and short stories so these are my experiences to writing. I am recently involved in the wikipedia updating of Internet Governance Forum under the Diplo group. I am translating the wiki content in my national language (as soon as all the sub topics are completed). It’s collaborative in nature so I’m all for collaborative learning. I am also currently writing some articles for publication that includes doing some research.
I love to travel and I have been to most of the places from North to South of my country - the Philippines. I’ve been to some parts of North America and places in Asia. I hope to do more traveling soon. I usually derive some inspiration for my writing from actual experiences and the places I have visited.
I have read some of the blogs here and it’s refreshing to read real “stories.” I’ve been disillusioned by the news I read on newspapers and on TV because it becomes sensationalized in most aspects. Blogging has more spontaneity that can rival most feature stories I read on paper. Everybody has a story to tell. Nice to meet you all!
Salamat! (Thank you…)
– Charity Gamboa
© rustan108 for Babel: The multilingual, multicultural online journal and community of arts and ideas, 2008. |
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| August 15, 2008 | 12:08 PM |
| August 15, 2008 | 8:08 AM |
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On Coming Home
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After traveling in Europe for two months, I was worried that I might come home to San Francisco and find it rather sad and small, and unlovely. I wondered how my homely little town–my village, really–could compare to Rome, London, Paris, or even Brussels.
And I arrived back at the end of summer, our season of fog and grey–the time of year when tourists, expecting California sunshine, wander around shivering in shorts and loud-print shirts. I feared being depressed by the grime, the relative lack of linguistic diversity–especially compared to polyglot Brussels, the lower quality food (still dreaming of Italy’s summer tomatoes and those Belgian speculoos cookies), and a dearth of fine leather goods.
And all these things are true–but San Francisco is a city with which I can’t help being in love. Like a truly multi-dimensional lover, San Franisco knows how to remind you what it was that made you fall in love in the first place: the views from Nob Hill (this morning, through a shroud of fog, I peaked down the hill and saw light shining off the Bay water, and hazed by fog the majestic rise of the Bay Bridge), the cool crisp sunlight, the lowing moan of fog horns in the night, and the people everywhere all mixed together–mixed couples, queer folks, gender-indeterminate people–different cultures and races and religions, all basically accepting oen another, perhaps even delighting in each other’s difference.
I love my city full of Chinese grandmothers, Russian princesses, Italian politicians (Joe Alioto, Jr.–grandson of a former mayor, is running for City Supervisor), 4th and 5th generation San Franciscans, living in their little neighborhoods–just over the hill from one another.
And I am finding new reasons to love and be loved by my city, my village. Every day for four days I have gone out and run into at least two people I know. Today I had lunch with a 32 year old I first met when he was 11. My city is a village that grows as I grow, that lives and breathes with me.
© wmdariotis for Babel: The multilingual, multicultural online journal and community of arts and ideas, 2008. |
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| August 15, 2008 | 8:08 AM |
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The Kimchi Struggle
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My first encounter with “kimchi” was when my brother-in-law brought three containers of this dish from Manila ten years ago. Kimchi is actually this traditional Korean dish made of vegetables, like cabbage, that was fermented with a variety of seasoning. So the moment my brother-in-law opened the plastic containers, it nearly knocked me out with its odor. Believe me, the smell was enough to make me swear never to eat kimchi.
This fascination with “kimchi” by people I’ve met still surprises me until this day. There is a colorful array of colors from the vegetables and the seasonings. Two months ago I traveled to Seoul and I have this nagging curiosity to understand this fascination with kimchi. Surely, I didn’t like its smell but it should be worth understanding its significance. Because of its distinct smell, I can pick up “kimchi” anywhere in Korea. I would rush in the morning and bumped shoulders with Koreans and I smelled “kimchi” with morning coffee. I had my morning donuts and when I stepped out of the building, I’d smell “kimchi” in the air. I waited for my train and when the doors opened, the whole train smelled like “kimchi.” I ordered fried chicken for delivery to my hotel room and they sent me an extra side dish of commercially-packed kimchi. I had no escape. Breakfast, lunch and dinner in Korea seemed to consist of kimchi as their sidedish.
So off I go to the Kimchi Musuem in COEX. It wasn’t a busy day so there were only two people in the museum. I was on a self-guided tour with just a brochure to give me some information about the museum. I saw a variety of kimchi, its method of preservation, its nutritional values and how they use different spices to fill jars of cabbage. There were variety of kimchi, too, for every season. I was aware that women work together during winter to make kimchi. This is something traditional during the long winter. At the end of the tour, there were sampling for the variety of kimchi. There were three small clay pots with leftover kimchi and toothpicks (instead of chopsticks) to sample small pieces of the kimchi. I opened each of the pots and peered. I just wrinkled my nose.
So I made a pact with myself that I will try kimchi on my last day in Korea. I went to Insadong and had dinner with some Korean friends. We had roasted pork, kimchi, yellow radish, an omelet and lettuce. I was supposed to wrap the pork with lettuce and place the kimchi on top of the pork. The first times I didn’t put kimchi but packed with enough courage, I did. I pushed the lettuce in my mouth and slowly chewed on my food. I barely tasted the kimchi. The kimchi tasted more like elbow macaroni with tomato sauce and chili peppers. I wonder if this is a vague description?
You know, it wasn’t so bad. Nothing too deep to elaborate except I look back on this experience to make me realize that “kimchi” is a great art. It is a struggle to understand so here comes Aristotle explaining this to me:
“The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.”
So then let me ask this: what is not art?
Oh yes, my plane on its way back to Manila smelled like kimchi, too. I am immune now due to prolong exposure to kimchi. I should say it is a good immunization. But I had to castigate my nose for deceiving me.
© rustan108 for Babel: The multilingual, multicultural online journal and community of arts and ideas, 2008. |
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| August 14, 2008 | 10:08 AM |
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art, articles, bizarre, blogs, botany, cities, climate, color, consciousliving, culture, discussionlist, experimental, festivals, health, home, language, miracles, news, personal, philosophy, poetry, recipes, things, travel, uncategorized, websites, food, reviews, family, kimchi, kimchimuseum, kimchisidedish, winter
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Ry Cooder: Three Good Ideas
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 “Putting a banjo tuning on the guitar was a very easy, good thing to do. Another tremendously good idea was playing against the tuning key — if you’re in open G, play in the key of D. You get these inverted chords. And rhythm mandolin was a pretty good idea — if there’s three guitar players on a session, why would you want to be the fourth?”
- Ry Cooder, via Rolling Stone: Link.
I love Cooder’s work. He’s an awesome musician with a range of talents — sensitive and gutsy at the same time.
Those three good ideas belong to an earlier stage of his career (he’s now 61). Of his more recent work his says:
“Since the Cuban experience, I am at least a hundred percent better. Before, I knew some moves, and I thought of three good ideas. But now everything is more fluid with the rhythms.”
~ Karl Jones
© karl_g_jones for Babel: The multilingual, multicultural online journal and community of arts and ideas, 2008. |
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| August 14, 2008 | 9:08 AM |
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Horrible Harmful High Housing no more…
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Thought you might enjoy reading about some of my adventures. 
For 3 years my husband and I traveled around the country, without a home and everything we owned in our very small car. We camped in a lot of great places, met many wonderful folks and were invited to stay in many homes. It was an amazing spiritual journey.
We crossed the USA about 4 times driving through all the states at least once except Alaska and Hawaii. Spent a little time in Canada and Mexico too. Our very favorite place was anywhere in the redwood trees. The photo above left is our home in the majestic redwood forest. Cool, crisp and filled with critters. We had owls, deer and fox come for a visit. The photo right is our home on the beach in Mexico. It was beautifully steamy by the Sea of Cortez. The photo below is our home by a rushing stream in Utah. The stream was singing its’ song of creation so loudly, we finally succumb to earplugs. Snigger! We’ve had thousands of homes. Everywhere we stopped to lay our heads was home. The saying, ‘Home is where the heart is’ was our life.
It’s an interesting experience living without running water or electricity. We loved it. We didn’t label it as green or eco-friendly or even low impact. Though I suppose it was. Our car often got 45 to 50mpg. Maybe we were hypermiling, we called ourselves blessed. We had all the comforts of home including an air mattress with feather bed and down pillows. Solar shower bags with hot water for bathing and doing dishes. Once in a while for fun we bathed in cold streams or waterfalls. Burrr… refreshing! Had 2 cook stoves and complete kitchen gear. We bought local produce at roadside stands because it was convenient, tasted better and was usually cheaper then grocery stores. Then dined on simple homemade meals in the fresh air. Ever notice how food tastes better outdoors? We woke up in forests, by lakes or oceans, in fields or deserts. What scenery, what beauty, what majesty!
I won’t lie to you, this lifestyle was harder. Packing and unpacking the car. Really conserving precious water. Everything we carried had to serve several useful purposes. Space was very limited, we couldn’t acquire. When we did something else had to go. Living simply was natural. Sometimes what seems to be less is actually more. When we finally decided to set down in Arizona and moved into a small 400 sq. ft. efficiency apartment we felt like we were living in a palace. Everything is perspective it seems.
I loved life on the road, but decided I enjoy nesting and going out for adventures now. I’ve owned and lived in large homes, but prefer them small and cozy or using today’s buzz words low impact, green living, sustainable homes.
Here are a few more small low impact homes I love…
Cabin Dream - 1800s beautifully renovated guest cabin
Located in Tennessee. 1800s log cabin, dis-assembled, numbered, moved and rebuilt in its’ existing location by the owner. With added space for kitchen and bathroom. 700 sq. ft. including loft bedroom. 3 acres of rolling grassy land with organic flower and vegetable gardens and a large pond. 
Features: Original logs, salvaged wooden floors, windows and doors. Composting toilet. Propane heat and cooking stove. Well water. Gray water reclamation. Organic gardens.
During our road journey we had the privilege to stay in this guest home several times. The photo above is all of us gathered on the deck of the cabin. I’m the one on the far left, my late husband is standing in the middle.
How to build a log home Information about building log homes.
A Hobbit House - lovely, creative, imaginative living
Located in Austin, TX, just up the hill from Lake Travis. 900-square-foot Leichtlehmbau modified cob (straw and clay) energy efficient home on 2 acres of wooded land. 3 people - 3 yrs. to build including 1 yr. to dry. Built by owner Gary Zuker who wanted to build a low-maintenance weekend get-a-way home for $10,000. Finished house, well, appliances and septic estimated cost is $40,000 not including Gary’s labor. Photo right is a model of the house before it was built.
Features: Rock foundation and chimney. 18″- 24″ inch thick walls made of Leichtlehmbau cob-type material (more straw and only clay) increases insulation. Wood framing embedded in Leichtlehmbau. Dries to a strong, dense mass, 25-40 Lb/cu.ft. Post and beam frame. Finish, exterior: white lime and sand with fibers, then whitewash (white lime, water, rocksalt, alum). Interior: Gypsum Plaster. Salvaged pine floors, floor joists, granite, windows, soap stone and cabinets.
Building with Cob workshops Natural Homes cob building courses. Photos of cob building and more workshops from House Alive!.
Extremely Tiny House - home to go
Located on planet earth, but resides mostly in Sebastopol, CA. In 1997 Jay Shafer built his first 96 sq. ft. house on wheels himself for around $10,000. Today Jay owns Tumblewheed Tiny House Company which offers plans, books and truly tiny homes for sale. The Epu shown left is 88 sq. ft. and weighs only 4700 lbs. It comes with a tiny fireplace, living room, kitchen with tiny refrigerator and 2 burner stove, wet bath and sleeping loft. Pull away price $42,997.
Features: Designed with thoughts of light, warmth, energy efficiency, and proportion. Propane cost to heat and cook about $5 per month according to one owner of a tiny house. 16 Tiny house plans available for homes from 65 to 774 sq. ft.
Learn how to build a truly tiny home workshops available.
Some more interesting links about low impact housing…
Low Impact Housing Listing of low impact housing resources
Cusato Cottages Plans for inexpensive small cottage style homes
Resources for Life and Small House Society Low impact ideas
Sustainable House Plans Links to sites which offer building plans
~Bonnee Klein Gilligan
© Bonnee Klein Gilligan for Babel: The multilingual, multicultural online journal and community of arts and ideas, 2008. |
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| August 14, 2008 | 9:08 AM |
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Art begins to flourish in Kashmir
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After nearly two decades of devastating conflict, of violence made more horrific by the achingly lovely natural surroundings, times are better now in Kashmir, the Himalayan region fought over by India and Pakistan. The two countries are engaged in a peace process, and the arts here are slowly coming back to life.
Over the last two or three years, Kashmiri painters, sculptors, filmmakers, poets and playwrights have again started plowing ground that had lain fallow for so long. Their cautious reemergence comes at a time when civil society as a whole is beginning to reclaim the space formerly monopolized by the Indian army and Pakistani-backed militants, whose confrontations have left more than 60,000 people dead since 1989.
- Henry Chu, Los Angeles Times: Link.
Image: “Masood Hussain, a sculptor and teacher, brought an arts conference back to Srinigar after it had gone years without such gatherings.” [Photo by Zackary Canepari]
Update, see also:
“Violent protests in Kashmir threaten India-Pakistan peace process. Riots sparked by a controversial land-transfer deal have widened to become pro-independence rallies.”
- Link.
~ Karl Jones
© karl_g_jones for Babel: The multilingual, multicultural online journal and community of arts and ideas, 2008. |
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| August 13, 2008 | 10:08 AM |
of love…
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~a poem by Bonnee Klein Gilligan
In lifetimes or in dreams we walked
I know you that is clear.
Drawn by a gentle loving force
into a place obscure.
But filled with light and sweetness
and swirling sense abound.
In waking light or dreaming
the feelings still surround.
A dream of air caressing
the smell of salt and misty fog
and sand, and sea and jagged shore.
We walked without a word to speak
yet whispers filled the air.
Of love, of life, potential filled
and wonders if we dared.
© Bonnee Klein Gilligan for Babel, 2008. |
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| August 12, 2008 | 10:08 AM |
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My mother recently passed away unexpectedly, and going through this has left me with a few tips to give to friends of the bereaved.
First of all, most importantly, is to do something. Call, visit, write, text: it doesn’t so much matter what you do, just so much that you do something. Everything is appreciated.
Second, give the person all the grace you can muster. They are damaged, weak, afraid and overwhelmed. Don’t be offended if they don’t call back, or if they seem like they don’t appreciate you because they do. All the phone calls I could never answer or return still mean a lot to me.
Third, after the initial onslaught of support (which is amazingly important) keep in touch. A strange thing happens. Everyone calls and brings food right away, but then a week or two goes by, and all of the food goes bad, and the phone calls stop coming. It becomes a very strange and lonely time.
I thought I understood death and grieving until my mother passed. Now I know that I’m just another clueless soul in the face of one of life’s great mysteries. To reiterate the sentiments of my contribution to her eulogy, “I feel lucky and blessed to have been her son. And I feel lucky and blessed to be surrounded with such an amazing group of people.” That ever-growing group of people continues to support me, and there isn’t a day that I don’t appreciate that as one of the greatest gifts of my lifetime. A million thanks to them and to my mother.
-David Rodich
© David Rodich for Babel, 2008. |
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| August 12, 2008 | 2:08 AM |
| August 10, 2008 | 9:08 AM |
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Silk [Petroleum] Road
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 Silk Road in Caucasus  Nabucco Pipelines  Ingushetia Castle Tower - Caucasus Mountains by Rossitza Ohridska-Olson
The recent conflict between Georgia, South Ossetia and Russia is leaving behind a horror of human tragedies. Ethnic cleansing (such a horrible term) is garnished lavishly with humanitarian crises. And the rest of us watch without being able to do anything, except to send bottles of water, food and clothing.
What nobody seems to care is about what is left behind in terms of cultural heritage on this stretch of the ancient Silk Road, or the current Petroleum Road, as I call it. In the previous wars in this zone, as well as in other parts of the world (Kosovo, Croatia, Iraq, Iran, Syria) buildings and artifacts, which have survived millennia, were destroyed sometimes only with a push of button from a plane.
And now I was thinking: on the Silk Road the nations constructed pieces of art in the shape of watchtowers, castles, and gigantic walls to protect themselves and mostly the trade, from robberies and invasions. The cities along this famous road often changed allegiance to different kings and rulers. Maps were redrawn every other 50 years or more. But the watchtowers, castles, and precious artifacts survived to the 20th century when we started to build more and more sophisticated machines to destroy people and objects. The problem is that the now-a-day weaponry is able to annihilate an entire city in less than 24 hours. The other problem is that people don’t care about cultural heritage of other nations – see the US bombing on Dresden and Berlin in WWII or the looting of the Baghdad Museums only 5 years ago.
Plus, now the stakes are much bigger then during the Silk Road times. Now is about surviving or dying – the petroleum is more vital than spices and precious fabrics. And the kings of this industry more powerful of Genghis Khan and Attila put together and multiplied by thousand.
Would these powerful CEOs stop the destruction of cultural heritage when the pipelines are on stake? I don’t believe so. In the fights for Chechnya and Ingushetia, the incredible tower-castles of Ingushetia were not spared. Only few remain in a country that was called “The land of Towers”. Why now the invaders would be different? Specially when Georgian believes themselves as the first Europeans? (see my blog about this claim)
I only hope that the bombings will cease because they might destroy some pipeline – obviously much bigger concern in the mind of the current “emperors” of the petroleum than the human life. And while we cannot influence the Georgian President, the Ossetian military or the Russian generals, we might want to speak with these engineers who build the pipelines and ask them to place them near to cultural heritage sites and big cities. This way we will protect the people and the ancient artifacts.
© rokambur12 for Babel, 2008. |
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| August 10, 2008 | 5:08 AM |
| August 8, 2008 | 10:08 AM |
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Good Day, Bad Day for the Bulgarian Archaeology
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by Rossitza Ohridska-Olson (more about me in the end of the article)
In less than a day, two news affecting the Bulgarian cultural heritage hit the world wires: a sensational discovery of a completely preserved Thracian chariot by Dr. Daniala Agre, (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/07/AR2008080700825.html) and almost complete loss of an ancient ship, thanks to the criminal indifference of the Bulgarian government to preserve the underwater cultural heritage left by the great civilizations inhabiting our territory - http://www.sofiaecho.com/article/ancient-sunken-ship-near-varna-savaged-by-fishing-boats/id_30993/catid_70.
What is the moral of both stories? That Bulgaria has incredible cultural heritage, hidden under earth and water (third in Europe after Italy and Greece by number of cultural heritage sites and artifacts in museums and galleries) and little is done to preserve it or to promote it as part of the cultural tourism. Another example are the Thracian gold treasures hidden in the National Museum of History, and other regional museums, which, in spite of the huge article in National Geographic, are not serving as a magnet for attracting people with cultural interests.
Why? Because from the 40,000 cultural monuments in Bulgaria, only a handful dozens are known to the public and adapted for visiting and none of them is marketed on a worldwide level, even these which are part of the UNESCO list of cultural heritage. As Mr. Roumen Draganov says: “the Bulgarian cultural heritage is one of the best-kept secrets” from tourists and visitors. In spite of big words, a legislation and good intention, the marketing of culture is still non-existing.
The country doesn’t brand itself properly, the uniqueness is not visible to the visitors and year after year the Bulgarian businesses (developers, local governments, and hotel owners) does everything possible to destroy nature, traditions and authenticity of the culture. Infrastructure and other technical problems prevent easy access to the tourism product – lack of real time direct reservations, ticket buying, information obscurity regarding some of the most beautiful micro-destinations, and inexistent Internet advertising in foreign languages.
And most of all, thanks to the non-professional approach by touroperators and travel agencies on both sides of the deal – Bulgarian and foreign ones – the product of the cultural tourism, in spite the marvelous possibilities of the living and past cultures of the country, becomes a distorted and incomplete McDonalds version of a real cultural experience.
Many other surrounding countries – Macedonia, Serbia, Georgia, Armenia, Kosovo, Albania and even Romania, are going the same way – trying to kill the proverbial hen with the golden eggs.
About me and my blog on Tour of Babel
My name is Rossitza Ohridska-Olson. As a consultant, I provide a unique blend of tourism marketing, communications design and social computing expertise. Culture discovery is the passion of my life. Over the last 20 years I discovered and immersed myself in the cultures of Bulgaria, Spain, Portugal, and the United States. A global nomad, I live in Florida (USA) and Bulgaria (EU), dedicating my entire time to the fast-evolving business of cultural tourism. I consult tour operators, cultural institutions, government agencies, regional development centers, NGOs and private companies in Europe and the USA. I also find time to work on my Ph.D. thesis, a history triller and a book, Imaginary Reality, for the Bulgarian Ministry of Culture
My blog will deal with the vastly unknown cultural destinations of South and Eastern Europe, the cultural discoveries and the business of tourism related to the past and living cultures. As a macro-strategist in that field, and a professional writer on cultural issues, I will do everything possible to use the Internet as a platform to deliver my view on how we all can benefit of knowing more about this region.
My perspective comes from both sides of the Atlantic – from the USA, where I live, and from Europe, where I pass months researching, photographing and “testing” destinations. This way in I help my US and Western Europe clients to better design, market and profit from cultural tourism.
With this blog I will try to share my experience – cultural and business one – of how to market this part of the world as an exiting cultural destination. I am welcoming all comments and questions from the members of Tour of Babel and from everyone interested in multicultural exchanges and promotion of unknown cultures. You can communicate with me in English, Bulgarian, Russian, French or Spanish. I also can read in Italian, Serbian, Portuguese and Macedonian, but please don’t expect from me to respond in these languages – I am still in the dog phase of learning them – I understand, but I cannot speak.
For more in-depth analyses and specialized themes, such as tourism branding, museums and galleries as element of the cultural tourism product creation and marketing, and many others, as well as for my bio and ways to contact me, you can also visit my personal blog at http://culturalrealms.typepad.com.
© rokambur12 for Babel, 2008. |
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Horrible Harmful High Housing
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Houses gassing off. Carpets, insulation, paint and more. So tight and filled with chemicals they’re sick houses. Literally! The building materials are bad for us. Real bad. Have been for years now. Since the ’50s we’ve had Horrible Harmful Housing.
I remember back in the late ’70s when I was a young thing living in Pennsylvania. Me and my best beau (that’s us in the photo, weren’t we cute!) would stop for a look see at houses from time to time. Was fun… we loved it. Once we pulled into a mobile home lot and took a tour. It was hot that day. The sun was frying eggs. Walked in one home. Looked around a bit. It was really nice inside. Could imaging living there. The longer we spent ooing and awing the more our eyes burned and watered. When we both started coughing we beat it out of there fast. Talked about it as we drove away. Said to each other, "We’re protected for sure. Thank you God." Came to the conclusion it musta’ been the formaldehyde. That was the buzz word back then. The stuff in the insulation that gassed off and made folks sick. They were ripping it out of all the schools.
But it’s still used in some building materials. Read an article at ABC News dated July 9, 2008, "Makers of Katrina Trailers Grilled by Congress." The mobiles that were bought as temporary housing for hurricane Katrina victims were filled with it. Made some folks sick. Huh. Scratching my head. They were ripping it out in the early 80s why is it still used? In our modern society can’t we come up with affordable housing that is people and earth friendly???
Well that got me curious about green housing. Sustainable, affordable, earth friendly? I like words and always find it interesting to look at dictionary definitions. Here is what I found in the Oxford American Dictionary and dictionary.reference online.
The definition of the word sustain: to support; to keep alive; to endure without giving away. To keep in existence; maintain. To supply with necessities or nourishment; provide for. To support the spirits, vitality, or resolution of; encourage. Definition of sustainable: capable of being sustained or maintained. Capable of being continued with minimal long-term effect on the environment. How interesting.
So what does sustainable mean with regard to housing? Here are definitions of sustainable housing I found online:
Sustainable Housing: Affordable and comfortable. Climate appropriate design which minimizes or eliminates the need for artificial heating and cooling. Design and construction which maintain sites natural resources. Collect and efficiently manage water resources. Management of own waste on site including greywater and black water. Produce and efficiently manage electrical power. Provide food resources from a permaculture garden. The house becomes part of the local ecosystem. Use of building materials which are recycled or made from renewable resources.
I enjoy housing designs which are unique and creative. So I did I a search. Found lots of stuff on natural or recycled building materials. Lots from companies building passive solar and other things. I was looking for something more then your average home… something fun, unique, affordable, beautiful, sustainable, earth and people friendly. Here are a few of the inexpensive homes I liked a lot….
A low impact woodland home - beautiful, natural living
 Located in Wales, UK. Built with maximum environmental regard by 2 people and passersby. 4 months start to finish: 1,000-1,500 man hours. Cost: about £3,000 (£60 per sq. ft., not including labor). Part of Lammas ecovillage project a carbon neutral, low impact development.
Features: Dug into hillside for low visual impact and shelter. Stone/mud at site used for retaining walls, foundations etc. Framed with oak from local woodlands. Reciprocal roof rafters. Straw bales in floor, walls and roof. Plastic sheet and mud/turf roof. Reclaimed wood floors and fittings. Reclaimed windows, burner, plumbing, wiring, etc. Lime plaster walls. Breathable and low energy to manufacture. Heat is wood burning stove - renewable and locally plentiful. Flue through thick stone/plaster. Retains heat. Slowly releases for even warmth. Fridge cooled by underground air through foundation. Skylight in roof. Solar panels for lighting, music and computing. Water gravity system from nearby spring. Composting toilet. Rainwater from roof collects in pond for garden, etc.
Building workshops available. Learn how to build a low impact woodland home.
Thanks to Pipa’s Porch for directing me to this wonderful home.
Eco Dome Earth Dwelling - a small gnome-like home
Located in California, USA. House built by students to learn about Superadobe coil construction. Very small, 400 square foot, very low cost. Easily built by 3-5 people. Part of the Cal-Earth educational and research program.
Features: Built from local earth-filled Superadobe coils (soil-cement or lime-stabilized earth) and barbed wire. On site soil utilized, coil bags low cost. Covered with adobe. Tree free. Main dome and four niches, very low cost. Can be repeated and joined together to form larger homes and courtyard houses. Very thick walls have significant thermal mass, which reduces heating and cooling costs. It also provides sound insulation, structural integrity, fire and pest protection. Designed with the sun, shade and wind in mind for passive cooling and heating. Wind-scoop can be combined with a rated furnace unit. Solar energy and radiant heating may be incorporated. Water collection and reclamation can be incorporated. It is estimated that a four-bedroom, 2,000 square foot house would cost $75,000 ($37.50/sq. ft.) to build, including labor, materials and utilities.
Building workshops available. Learn how to build with Superadobe coils online or apprentice at Cal-Earth.
Sculpted concrete homes - Live in Art
 Located in Mexico. Beautiful, imaginative custom, free flowing, sculptured concrete homes built by Flying Concrete. House shown is 700 square foot with various out buildings. Has been a design-as-you-go, evolutionary, spontaneous project. Built by 2 people.
Features: Roofs built with lightweight aggregate. Walls are lightweight concrete or local rock. Vaulted roofs – 400 year guarantee. Solar green house and other interior solar spaces. Passive solar heat and good insulation. Water recovery systems. Detached composting toilet. Low cost units as low as $25 per sq. ft. (2005). Roof represents 10-15% of cost.
Building workshops available. Learn how to build a sculptured concrete home.
Whoo Hoo!!! There are lots of great healthy, natural, beautiful and affordable alternative building techniques that I can learn and do myself. This is so great I can’t wait to get started. Now if I only had a plot of land…
There are a lot more green and sustainable building methods, I’ve only mentioned a couple. Here are some links to additional stuff:
Green Home Building is a website which talks about sustainable architecture and natural building.
Natural Building Network is an association which promotes natural building principles, materials and practitioners worldwide.
Green Builders Directory a listing of various builders who build green and sustainable housing.
~Bonnee Klein Gilligan
© Bonnee Klein Gilligan for Babel, 2008. |
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| August 7, 2008 | 10:08 AM |
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Codex Sinaiticus Online
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“The Codex Sinaiticus Project is an international collaboration to reunite the entire manuscript in digital form and make it accessible to a global audience for the first time.”
Codex Sinaiticus is one of the most important books in the world. Handwritten well over 1600 years ago, the manuscript contains the Christian Bible in Greek, including the oldest complete copy of the New Testament. Its heavily corrected text is of outstanding importance for the history of the Bible and the manuscript -– the oldest substantial book to survive Antiquity –- is of supreme importance for the history of the book.
… Drawing on the expertise of leading scholars, conservators and curators, the Project gives everyone the opportunity to connect directly with this famous manuscript.
- codex-sinaiticus.net
Via Slashdot: Link.
~ Karl Jones
© karl_g_jones for Babel, 2008. |
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Fundamental Beingness
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Peaceful, Meditative, Buddhic, Enlightenment.
Fundamental Beingness represents our Buddha nature. The state we can attain thru Spiritual practices.
Pastel drawing with computer enhancement. Spectral Light - Trefoil Series. I did the original 9" x 12" drawing in 1998, then in 2007 scanned and enhanced it in Photoshop. Prints are available at my Spirit Art gallery.
~Bonnee Klein Gilligan
© Bonnee Klein Gilligan for Babel, 2008. |
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| August 6, 2008 | 12:08 PM |
| August 6, 2008 | 11:08 AM |
soft darkness, waking joy…
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~a poem by Bonnee Klein Gilligan
So was in a dream indeed
in space, in quiet being.
Danced on air and time stood still
through misty fog revealing.
These flashing skies and clapping booms
stand watching as time passes.
Sweet moisture, cool and gentle rain
without a wetness seeming.
Soft darkness passes lightly by
what was is now forgotten.
To waking full upon the day
in paradise abounding.
All with promise pregnant poised
awaiting only choices.
Reveals itself with breath and life
and moments as we make them.
The road, the place are all the same
for home is where the heart is.
© Bonnee Klein Gilligan for Babel, 2008. |
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Art Always Happens in the Most Unlikely Places
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They’re Called “Winebrew”…and if they had a better video, I’d post it, because this one does them no justice. Here’s the deal, folks: They’re a band very rooted in classic rock. There’s some not-so-subtle influences from all the greats, though they pride themselves on their infusions of the Stones, Floyd, and Cream. They’re from the same little hamlet in Southern California that I find myself presently residing in (Temecula), and when this was shot, some harmonica player had just jumped up with them and started play…totally out of the blue. It wasn’t anything they rehearsed, and I believe that would speak for itself. But I find something more respectable about them. They are giggin’ musicians (by that, what I mean is they aren’t asking for instant stardom. No TV show or Battle of the Bands, just hard work, small crowds, and venues that were never built for music). But, there’s something more to them. I wouldn’t believe it had I not seen them myself, for they certainly don’t sound it, but they’re just boys. They age 17, 15, and 12 respectively, and they are already a magnificent throwback to rock ‘n’ roll days of yore. I suppose you’re never too young to rock, eh?
-Chelsea Leroux
© Chelsea for Babel, 2008. |
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| August 3, 2008 | 11:08 AM |
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