Wednesday, February 09, 2022

Beers & Books CXCVIX – J.M.Coetzee

We must cultivate, all of us,
a certain ignorance, a certain blindness,
or society will not be tolerable.
*
I am not the we of anyone.

J.M. Coetzee * 9 Februar 1940

Tuesday, February 08, 2022

Beers & Books CXCVIII – Sebastião Salgado

In GENESIS,
my camera allowed nature to speak to me.
And it was my privilege to listen.

Sebastião Salgado *8 February 1944

Beers & Books CXCVII – Kate Chopin

The artist must possess a courageous soul
that dares and defies.
 

Kate Chopin (8 February 1850 – 22 August 1904)

Sunday, February 06, 2022

Majority of US-Republicans obviously fascistoid, to put it politely

I do have to learn a vast majority of US Republicans have officially reprimanded two internal "T-critics"- (the very idiots complete name has not and will never be mentioned here) and at the same time appropriated the very idiot's reinterpretation of the events at the so-called Storming of the Capitol.

"Justification": Being the only Republicans on the investigative committee on the so-called storming of the Capitol Cheney and Kinzinger (the very idiot's internal critics) are part of a "Democrat-led persecution [sic] of ordinary citizens [sic] who have engaged in legitimate political discourse [sic]", the resolution says.

In other words: Anyone killing someone in "God's own country" is but engaging in legitimate social discourse.

Conclusion: The majority of those "US-lawmakers" calling themselves republicans are fascists or at least fascistoid, to put it politely.

PS: US-Democrats just happen to look a tiny bit less evil.

PPS: As Hamlet might put it nowadays: "There is something rotten in the US of A."

Thursday, February 03, 2022

Beers & Books CXCVI – Paul Auster

The New York Trilogy
*
The world is so unpredictable.
Things happen suddenly, unexpectedly.
We want to feel we are in control of our own existence.
In some ways we are, in some ways we're not.
We are ruled by the forces of chance and coincidence.


Paul Auster * 3 February 1947

Wednesday, February 02, 2022

140 Years of Joyce

Joyce, 1922,
photo taken by Man Ray.


James Joyce (2 February 1882 – 13 January 1941)

Tuesday, February 01, 2022

Sunday, January 30, 2022

Beers & Books CXCV – Shoot to kill

This book is from 1985.
Today marks the 50th anniversary.
The murderers will probably need no Amnesty.
They will die without being tried.


Bloody Sunday 30 January 1972   

Tuesday, January 25, 2022

Monday, January 24, 2022

Beers & Books CXCIII – E.T.A. Hoffmann

Once you are dancing with the devil,
the prettiest capers won't help you.

E.T.A. Hoffmann (24 January 1776 – 25 June 1822)

Thursday, January 20, 2022

Beers & Books CXCII – Giulio Stocchi

Con questa poesia della tua gloriosa penna in mente
alzo il mio bicchiere, caro vecchio amico.
*
With this poem from your glorious pen in mind
I raise my glass, dear old friend.

* * *

L’amico che è morto
di notte mi torna
a parlare
Mi chiede notizie
del mondo
che ha dovuto
abbandonare
Ascolta ciò che dico
Poi scuote la testa
sospira
e scompar
*
The friend who died
comes back to me at night
to speak
He asks me for news
Of the world
that he had to
abandon
He listens to what I say
Then he shakes his head
sighs
and disappears


Giulio Stocchi (20 January 1944 – April 2019)

Saturday, January 15, 2022

Beers & Book CXCI – Nâzım Hikmet

However and wherever we are,
we must live as if we will never die.

Nâzım Hikmet (15 January 1902 – 3 June 1963)