In which we visit the sad, bad, mad Middle East, are inspired by art, and report some cheery game news.
Two Ways of Looking at the Middle East · Lord knows there’s enough coverage, but a few items still manage to protrude from the torrent. From the New York Times magazine, Her Jewish State is an extended consideration of Tzipi Livni, currently Israel’s foreign minister. I’m sure I disagree with her on many things, but it’s an eye-opening read.
On the other hand, speaking as a Canadian and without a trace of irony, I was shocked and appalled by this story; apparently there are some opinions that are not allowed to be expressed. Even about negotiating tactics.
Art · Specifically, Banksy’s. I’d always been aware of him, seen one or two amusing things, even read a big profile in the New Yorker, but never really cared much, pro or con. Then on the week-end I stumbled into Banksy’s website, and ended up feasting my eyes for an hour. Obviously there’s a lot of wit and some pretty pointy sociopolitical gibes, but it was just the grace of line and colour and shape that grabbed my eye.
Plus, there’s an actual live illustration of one of my favorite talking points, The Elephant in the Room.
Check out the shop, too. Plus, I don’t see anything anywhere about copyright or restrictions or anything, so I guess I can just reproduce them if I want? Makes sense given that most of them start as graffiti. That’s what I call marketing. So OK, then:
All Current Games are Irrelevant · The future of gaming is here and it’s Tilt SCREAM Pong. I’m serious. Desktop Tower Defense is over. But you really really have to be in a closed room when you play.
Contributions
July 25, 2007
· The World (151 fragments)
· · Life Online (274 fragments)
· · · Games (4 more)
· · Politics (175 fragments)
· · · Middle East (1 more)
· Arts (11 fragments)
· · Visual (3 more)
· The World (151 fragments)
· · Life Online (274 fragments)
· · · Games (4 more)
· · Politics (175 fragments)
· · · Middle East (1 more)
· Arts (11 fragments)
· · Visual (3 more)
Comment feed for ongoing:
From: Hanan Cohen (Jul 25 2007, at 22:54)
Mideast you want?
How about Israel joining some of its neighbors and suggesting an Internet censorship bill?
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/880322.html
More here: http://info.org.il/892/english.php
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From: Tony Fisk (Jul 25 2007, at 23:29)
I suppose you've seen Banksy's take on 'The Wall'?
(Now why does this image remind me of Dolores Umbridge?)
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From: Jann (Jul 26 2007, at 00:08)
Tony, I could be mistaken, but isn't the helicopter shot from a Front242 cover, just recolored?
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From: Laurent Szyster (Jul 26 2007, at 07:34)
I have little sympathy for the stereotypical jewish "bourgeois" of the B'nai Brith and it feels strange to take their defense.
But hypocrit Gentiles lecturing Jews about how to make peace with nazis make me puke.
"(...) apparently there are some opinions that are not allowed to be expressed (...)"
Judeophobia masquerading as anti-zionism or support for a fanatically antisemite political party *is* allowed in Canada.
What *you* can't take are Jews fighting back with all legal means at their disposal.
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From: len (Jul 26 2007, at 10:29)
"Coulon writes that Hamas isn't just a terrorist organization, but a social and political movement that won the Palestinian elections because of its commitment to fight corruption and help people — and the international community should not isolate it."
Which part of that warrants a fight with "any legal means at their disposal"? It's another Chinese finger puzzle. Hamas DID win because from the Palestinian point of view, corruption was epidemic and they need schools, water, food, you name it. Not understanding this means the locals remain squarely on the side of those who help them stay alive just as Al Capone's soup kitchens made him a popular man. That doesn't mean Capone wasn't a gangster and Hamas isn't a terrorist organization. It means someone else needs to bring in food and rebuild schools with no strings attached then get out.
I'm not that conversant with the situation but anyone should be able to see this tactic and understand that pulling against it only tightens the knot. If this is what the politician is expressing, disagreement won't work. You'd need a clearer body of evidence for the proposed ouster and even then, I'd be very careful about that goal. That is the sort of technique that was used so successfully here in the US to silence critics of the current administration.
A world inflamed by passion right or wrong is still just a corn field on fire. Come winter, you go hungry just the same and come spring, you may not have any seed corn. That is why diplomacy is the art of the possible. Preserve options.
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From: John Cowan (Jul 26 2007, at 14:39)
I don't see where the story is about "opinions not allowed to be expressed". Why should you expect support from the X Party if you express opinions contrary to the views of that party? (This does not apply, of course, to the U.S. Democratic Party: "I belong to no organized political party -- I'm a Democrat", said Will Smith.)
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From: Tony Fisk (Jul 26 2007, at 17:31)
Quite possibly, Jann.
I was referring to the contrast of killer attack chopper and little pink bow.
(hem! hem!)
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