Tag: politics

by jad

May Day

Today was May Day. This was a sign left over from the massive rally and march that took place here during the day—I’m not sure how so many could take the day off work, but I’m glad. I, however, joined the after-hours crew for the 5 o’clock shift at a much smaller rally. I even got to use a bullhorn after all these years. Here’s a little from what I had to say today: Looking around, I want to cry out in the words of Alfred Hayes, who wrote: Into the streets May First!Into the roaring Square!Shake the midtown towers!Shatter … Continue reading “May Day” →

by jad

The Red Thread

The other day, I shared a post I’d made 5 years ago as part of a writing challenge I’d given myself in 2020 called Twenty Weeks of Gratitude. It was a memory of project I worked on in 2015, which had roots in prior work I’d started 5 years before that, so you can imagine how everything might feel like a lifetime ago. Like a door that keeps revolving in a half-forgotten dream, or the ripples from a pebble someone tosses in a stream, etc. I recorded these videos when these threads unexpectedly came together while I was in Lebanon … Continue reading “The Red Thread” →

by jad

Humility

humility humility humilityhumility humility humilityhumility humility humility (an entry from Yves Klein’s diary) I thought you might like to see more from my “60 megapixel” bargain bin buy off of AliExpress. Every once in a while, it does something right. Still mostly misses though. I’m realizing that I’ve really outgrown the drive towards correctness at all times; I find myself less and less interested in thinkers and movements that figured it out, and more and more curious about failures and fuck ups who didn’t. Or, more accurately, people who don’t think they know it all but might be on to … Continue reading “Humility” →

by jad

Easter Day

“After August 1945, the USA launching two nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, we became aware that we can self-annihilate. That risk has increased with the arms race, including nine nations, with chemical and biological weapons and some 16,000 nuclear warheads. The current war between Russia and Ukraine made Putin threaten the use of nuclear weapons, bringing the apocalyptic fear of the end of the human species. In this scenario, how to celebrate the greatest feast of Christendom which is Easter, the resurrection of the Crucified, Jesus of Nazareth? Resurrection must not be understood as the reanimation of a dead … Continue reading “Easter Day” →

by jad

This is Tariffcore

You might have heard of recession pop, but do you fw tariffcore? In the spirit of the times, I recently “splurged” on the cheapest Chinese tech for the absolute lowest price I could find for the biggest hype. This is supposed to be “4K” and “60 megapixels”—i.e. more than my most expensive photography purchase to date, my Fujifilm XT4—which is a claim so hilariously audacious, you have to love it. Chairman Mao would be so proud. President Trump would call it genius. This is legitimately the worst camera I’ve ever seen. It’s even worse than my PowerShot from 2007. You … Continue reading “This is Tariffcore” →

by jad

Where the People Are

I took part in today’s “Hands Off” National Day of Action in the Seattle Center, and I have to say, it wasn’t until I got closer to the rally site that I realized how big of a thing it was going to be. A friend earlier that morning told me everyone on the bus she’d taken was heading in that direction, and trying to find another friend later that afternoon proved to be a little difficult, given the signal jamming with the sheer amount of people there. The bus we took getting back was standing room only. All I’m saying … Continue reading “Where the People Are” →

by jad

The Really-Real

Another cultural anxiety that Apple’s ‘Severance’ cashes in on is the impermanence of self; are we who we think we are? Will we always be that way? What makes me “me”, anyhow? Is an “innie” a real person or are they merely the really-real person out there ‘under the influence’? Which experience gets to have agency? Which actor is ultimately accountable? In the background of all these questions is the fundamental paradox of individuality: inviolable and sacrosanct, yet conditioned, if not determined. “Individual” literally means that which cannot be divided, and yet, we all know that our human experience contains … Continue reading “The Really-Real” →

by jad

The Severance Metaphor

I don’t watch many television series for one of the reasons that make Apple’s ‘Severance’ so resonant with a lot of us; hidden somewhere deep within its serpentine plot is a secret truth we’ve known for a long time—knowing less, feeling less, experiencing less is a great comfort. This truth is heretical to the thrill-seeking extroverts among us, but I suspect that, deep down, they too feel this way; their fear of missing out or need to measure up just happens to drown it out, and so, the comfort of disconnection finds them cold and confused in the dark night … Continue reading “The Severance Metaphor” →

by jad

The Party of Overthrow

“How long, O Lord, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?” That’s Engels quoting the souls of the martyrs slain for the word of God who cry out with a loud voice saying: “How long, O Lord?” And this is what Engels hears in the response they’re given; to rest for a little while yet, for more martyrs must be slain: “So here it is not yet a question of a ‘religion of love,’ of ‘love your enemies, bless them that curse you, etc.’ Here undiluted revenge is preached, sound, honest revenge … Continue reading “The Party of Overthrow” →

by jad

How Long, O Lord

These are the last of my photos from Beirut. My time there was both wounding and healing, both frustrating and hopeful. I’ve already moved on to new worries and concerns, as is often the case. Life moves on. But I feel less disconnected than I have been for years. Scenes from Bourj Hammoud on 35mm, featuring “Panos,” the spot my dad would grab a Rum Baba while waiting for mom to get ready to go out when they were dating. Strange alignments between Beirut and Deir el-Qamar that I only noticed once I got my scans back. Here are some … Continue reading “How Long, O Lord” →