Phill Niblock


"Phill Niblock (October 2, 1933 – January 8, 2024) was an American composer, filmmaker, and videographer. In 1985, he was appointed director of Experimental Intermedia, a foundation for avant-garde music based in New York with a parallel branch in Ghent, Belgium. ... Niblock's first musical compositions date from 1968. Unusually, even among the avant-garde composers of his generation, he has no formal musical training. He cites the musical activities of New York in the 1960s (and occasional memorable performances, such as the premiere of Morton Feldman's Durations pieces) as a stimulus. All his compositions are worked out intuitively rather than systematically. His early works were all done with tape, overdubbing unprocessed recordings of precisely tuned long tones played on traditional instruments in four, eight, or sixteen tracks. ... The layering of long tones only very slightly distinct in pitch creates a multitude of beats and generates complex overtone patterns and other fascinating psychoacoustic effects. The combination of apparently static surface textures and extremely active harmonic movement generates a highly original music that, while having things in common with early drone-based Minimalism, is utterly distinct in sound and technique.  ..."


"... Niblock’s most monumental film production, The Movement of People Working, has taken over twenty years to complete, from 1973 to 1992. It is a series of more than twenty-five hours of 16mm films and videos made around the world, in such countries as Mexico, China, Hungary, Brazil, Indonesia, and others. In each film, the artist shows people doing manual labor: fishing, repairing boats, stacking hay, carrying heavy loads, and performing a wide variety of physically demanding chores required for survival in basic, pre-industrial conditions. The films are silent, and the workers show no awareness of the camera and the recording process. When projected, the films are accompanied by music that Niblock composes independently from the footage. ..."





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We Are Ukrainians: Learning From the 2023 Kyiv Biennial

Kateryna Lysovenko’s vision anchored the Kyiv Biennial. 

"Vienna in late November recalls Franz Schubert’s Death and the Maiden quartet. It’s dark — bleak even — akin to time spent with the stereo and the lights down on a gray drizzly day. Austria’s capital city is synonymous with classical music, having been home in the late 1700s and early 1800s to Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert. It is also a city brimming with galleries, coffeehouses, and ghosts, a place where early-20th-century artists, writers, philosophers, and political radicals once gathered — including Gustav Klimt, Stefan Zweig, Sigmund Freud, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Leon Trotsky, and Adolf Hitler, a second-rate painter twice rejected by the local academy of fine arts. Then, as now, beware the failed artist. Rejection goosed by resentment stirs up shitstorms capable of turbocharging revanchist aesthetics of the most hateful sort. ... Alongside these and other markers of urbanistic excellence, there survives an urgent if temporary effort to examine the fragility of civilization amid the glittering heart of contemporary Europe: the 2023 edition of the Kyiv Biennial. ..."



In Vienna, the De Ne De Collective filled a gallery with pieces of a shattered chandelier from a destroyed cinema.
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Ripping Ivy

"When we moved into our little house, the large beds of English ivy in the front yard didn’t bother me much. It’s not what I would have chosen—who would choose an invasive species?—but my spouse and I agreed we would come up with a Yard Plan and make strategic choices, slowly and deliberately, including eradicating the ivy. Getting rid of ivy is notoriously difficult—my mom warned me it’s “backbreaking work.” I was also, when we moved in, finishing a book project, then in its sixth year and finally arriving at the fact-checking stage. The ivy project existed in the future. ..."


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Punk zine

"A punk zine (or punkzine) is a zine related to the punk subculture and hardcore punk music genre. Often primitively or casually produced, they feature punk literature, such as social commentary, punk poetry, news, gossip, music reviews and articles about punk rock bands or regional punk scenes. Starting in the 1970s, the DIY aesthetic of the punk subculture created a thriving underground press. Amateur magazines related to punk were inspired by the rock fanzines of the early 1970s, which were inspired by zines from the science fiction fan community. Perhaps the most influential of the fanzines to cross over from science fiction fandom to rock and, later, punk rock and new wave music was Greg Shaw's Who Put the Bomp, founded in 1970. One of the earliest punk zines was Punk, founded in New York City by John Holmstrom, Ged Dunn and Legs McNeil. Debuting in January 1976, the zine championed the early New York underground music scene and helped associate the word "punk" with these bands, most notably the Ramones. Other early punkzines from the United States included Search & Destroy (later REsearch), Flipside and Slash. ..."


"Punks did not invent the ‘zine; the DIY fan magazine has, in fact, been going for quite some time. If you allow some flexibility in defining a ‘zine and include any kind of amateur press, then political pamphlets and leaflets have been going for hundreds of years. It is only recently (in the grand scheme of history) that we have come to know them as ‘zines’. But what actually are they? The word ‘zine typically refers to any self-published, cheap/free publication (typically a magazine-style format) that has a small circulation (although this is not always the case) and often covers one particular topic, for example, music, TV, political causes etc. Zines have played a huge part in various subcultures over the years, providing access to information as well as an opportunity to build a community for what might be relatively niche interests. ..."

A Brief History of Zines 

"Among the artefacts to be displayed at Punk 1976-1978, a free exhibition opening this week at the British Library, are 14 fanzines. Titles such as Ripped & Torn, 48 Thrills and London’s Burning were produced by young men and women on a budget of nothing, the products of an intense but brief moment. Quintessentially ephemeral, they nevertheless speak to us four decades on. Inspired by the Sex Pistols and Mark Perry’s Sniffin’ Glue, the fanzine explosion of 1976 and 1977 remains one of the purest and most creative responses to British punk. The speed and cheapness of the format – A4 pages photocopied and stapled together – allowed for instant reportage and considerable creativity. There was no censorship: anything went. ..."




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January 6 United States Capitol attack

"On January 6, 2021, the United States Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. was attacked by a mob of supporters of then-U.S. president Donald Trump, two months after his defeat in the 2020 presidential election. They sought to keep Trump in power by preventing a joint session of Congress from counting the Electoral College votes to formalize the victory of President-elect Joe Biden. The attack was ultimately unsuccessful in preventing the election results from being certified. According to the House select committee that investigated the incident, the attack was the culmination of a seven-part plan by Trump to overturn the election. Within 36 hours of the event, five people had died: one was shot by Capitol Police, another died of a drug overdose, and three died of natural causes, including a police officer. ... Rioters also assaulted Capitol Police officers and reporters, and attempted to locate lawmakers to capture and harm. A gallows was erected west of the Capitol, and some rioters chanted 'Hang Mike Pence' after he rejected false claims by Trump and others that the vice president could overturn the election results. ... On August 1, 2023, following a special counsel investigation, Trump was indicted on four charges. More than 1,200 persons have been charged with federal crimes arising from the attack. As of December 2023, 728 defendants had pleaded guilty, while another 166 defendants had been convicted at trial; a total of 745 defendants have been sentenced. ..."

"Two years ago, on January 6, 2021, a crowd of thousands attacked the United States Capitol in an effort to stop the certification of the 2020 election results, spurred on by false claims the election had been “rigged” against Republican incumbent Donald Trump. More than 2,000 people entered the Capitol building, smashing windows, ransacking offices, defecating in public spaces and searching for members of Congress. The assault was ultimately unsuccessful but it has set off alarm bells about the stability of US democracy and the growing influence of anti-democratic elements within the Republican Party. ..."

Hundreds of convictions, but a major mystery is still unsolved 3 years after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot

***The Nation: The Insurrection Is Far From Over
 


FBI poster seeking information on violence at the Capitol Building published January 6, 2021
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Anthology Of Contemporary Post Industrial Music - Various Artists (2023)


"... The 20th century was marked by a turning point in the way we, human beings, relate to technology. Since the First Industrial Revolution until the advent of personal computers and the internet, we have watched almost one hundred years of technological revolutions that culminated into the creation of colour TV, the nuclear bomb, the modernist vanguards and postmodernism. We also saw the rise of a new music genre that was actually translating this industrial, chaotic, in-between wars and highly technological scenario of the 1970s: it was the birth of industrial music. The term 'Industrial Music' was coined by American sound artist Monte Cazazza in 1977. The name couldn’t be more precise to tell what these European artists were doing in countries like Germany and United Kingdom, such as it was the case of the English band Throbbing Gristle, who coined the music genre with the foundation of the Industrial Records. The 1970s were also a time when punk was growing in the UK, but with Industrial Records we were presented to bands such as Cabaret Voltaire, Clock DVA, The Leather Nun, Monte Cazazza, and S.P.K. While in Germany the band Einstürzende Neubauten was certainly the most influencial in that regard. ..."

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Matchday 1: Kenneth Kaunda - Maher Mezahi


"In the final episode of 'Matchday 1' of the African Five-a-side podcast, we profile Zambia’s first president, Kenneth Kaunda. Kaunda so loved football and supported the national team that they were nicknamed the “KK11” in honor of him. We also explore how Kaunda got parastatal conglomerates in Zambia’s Copperbelt to sponsor domestic clubs and spur local football development. Special thanks to the research of Dr. Hikabwa Chipande and his extensive research on this subject which served as the basis for this episode. Watch the latest 'Matchday' episode below and subscribe to the podcast. ..."


Africa Is a Country Maher Mezahi is a football journalist based in Algiers who studies the cross-section between history, politics and football on the African continent.

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HARVARD SQUARE LITERARY MAP: A Walk-in-Progress

"The Harvard Square Lit Map is an invitation to explore the literary history of Cambridge, Massachusetts, and to experience 'the presence of a plurality of times.' The Lit Map is a collaborative atlas created by Lynn Sayers and Chris Lenney (of Lamont Library), in conjunction with the Woodberry Poetry Room. We also wish to thank the countless poets, scholars, and members of the general public, who contributed immensely to our knowledge of historic venues and creative locales: their names are listed below the map-in-progress. The map represents only a small portion of the total artistic activity in the vicinity and is in no way indicative of the breadth and depth of what has been created here. It is simply “the mooring of starting out,” as John Ashbery would say, a way for you to begin your literary exploration…. In creating this map, we also wish to acknowledge the Massachusett, Pequot, Wampanoag, and other Indigenous peoples, who have long inhabited this land—with their profound histories, cultures, and voices. Please assist us in expanding our understanding of the area by notifying us of any mistakes we’ve made and by suggesting names and past addresses of writers, communities, and historic literary venues that could be added to the growing list below. This Blog post features only a sample of the sites we hope to include in a larger project in the future. ..."


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Dead Internet theory

"The dead Internet theory is an online conspiracy theory that asserts that the Internet now consists mainly of bot activityand automatically generated content that is manipulated by algorithmic curation, marginalizing organic human activity. Proponents of the theory believe these bots are created intentionally to help manipulate algorithms and boost search results in order to ultimately manipulate consumers. Furthermore, some proponents of the theory accuse government agencies of using bots to manipulate public perception, stating 'The U.S. government is engaging in an artificial intelligence powered gaslighting of the entire world population'. The date given for this 'death' was generally around 2016 or 2017. The theory has gained traction because much of the observed phenomena is grounded in quantifiable phenomena like increased bot traffic. However, the idea that it is a coordinated psyop has been described by Kaitlin Tiffany, staff writer at The Atlantic, as a 'paranoid fantasy,' even if there are legitimate criticisms involving bot traffic and the integrity of the internet. ..."





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Wildflowers: The New York Loft Jazz Sessions (1976)

"Wildflowers: The New York Loft Jazz Sessions is a series of five albums recorded May 14–23, 1976 at Studio Rivbea, a loft jazz space in New York City, run by Sam Rivers and his wife Bea. The albums include performances by groups led by musicians such as Hamiet Bluiett, Anthony Braxton, Marion Brown, Dave Burrell, Andrew Cyrille, Oliver Lake, Jimmy Lyons, Ken McIntyre, Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre, Roscoe Mitchell, David Murray, Sunny Murray, Sam Rivers, Leo Smith, Henry Threadgill, and Randy Weston.  ... Author Phil Freeman wrote: 'this set... contains an overwhelming amount of truly beautiful jazz performances, by names recognizable to almost anyone with a serious interest in the music... This music is composed, thoughtful, and artistic in every sense. The cliche of avant-garde jazz, that it is mere inchoate bleating, is repeatedly disproved here... This is an astonishing document, sonically wide-open to anyone with an ear for music of the spirit. The performances are varied enough, and sequenced in such a manner, that the most palatable, groove-oriented works will draw the listener in that he or she may appreciate the more abstract, experimental works as well. This music's vitality is timeless; these recordings should be heard by anyone with anything more than a glancing interest in jazz.' ..."





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The 2023 High School Yearbook of American Politics

"It has been such a special political year, brimming with extraordinary, even historic moments. From an ex-president indicted to a Senate staffer busted for making porn at work, each fresh development made you proud to be an American. Singling out the exceptional events and players was tougher than ever. I mean, when Marjorie Taylor Greene doesn’t even merit a mention …. But making hard calls is part of my job, and the true standouts deserve a shout-out. ..."


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Frozen In Time: This is Darkness playlist – December 2023

"Here are the dark ambient albums that we at This is Darkness have been listening to this month – some are new releases, but a few are older gems we’ve just (re)discovered. Please check these out by clicking on the Bandcamp link next to each review (or by clicking on the BNDCMPR link at the bottom of the page), and please consider supporting the featured artists. Enjoy! ... With LUMINA, world-renowned throat singer/performance artist/shaman SoRIAH returns with an incredible set of two collaborations featuring experimental legends Hans Joachim Roedelius (Cluster, Harmonia) and Norman Westberg(Swans). The music here is majestic, ethereal, and spiritual in both vibe and tone – and is intended to bring peace to the lost souls of those who have recently passed, a common overarching theme of SoRIAH‘s work. This album is also available here on beautiful 10” white smoke vinyl, with a hand numbered limited edition of 350. Simply wonderful. ..." 


LUMINA  SoRIAH, Norman Westberg and Hans Joachim Roedelius
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Past Lives - Celine Song (2023)

Past Lives review – a must-see story of lost loves, childhood crushes and changing identities. "This heart-meltingly romantic and sad movie from Korean-Canadian dramatist and film-maker Celine Song left me wrung out and empty and weirdly euphoric, as if I’d lived through an 18-month affair in the course of an hour and three-quarters. How extraordinary to think that this is Song’s feature debut. It’s delicate, sophisticated and yet also somehow simple, direct, even verging on the cheesy. Past Lives has been compared to the movies of Richard Linklater, Noah Baumbach and Greta Gerwig; all true, but I also found myself remembering the wrenching final moments of Wong Kar-wai’s In the Mood for Love, with Tony Leung murmuring his pain into a stone hollow in Angkor Wat and – yes – the gooey genius of Dean Friedman’s plaintive 1978 chart hit Lucky Stars. This is a story of lost love and childhood crush, the painful and dangerous access to the past given by digital media; the roads not taken, the lives not led, the futile luxury of regret. ..."





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Michigan Supreme Court Decides Trump Can Stay on Ballot

"The Michigan Supreme Court on Wednesday paved the way for Donald J. Trump to appear on the state’s primary ballot, a victory for the former president in a battleground state. The state’s top court upheld an appeals court decision that found that the former president could appear on the ballot despite questions about his eligibility to hold elected office because of his attempts to overturn the 2020 election. The Michigan decision followed a bombshell ruling by the Colorado Supreme Court, which on Dec. 19 determined in a 4-3 opinion that Mr. Trump should be removed from the state’s 2024 Republican primary ballot for his role in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by a pro-Trump mob. ..."




The Michigan Hall of Justice building in Lansing, where the state Supreme Court considered whether former President Donald J. Trump was eligible to appear on the primary ballot.
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In Campus Protests Over Gaza, Echoes of Outcry Over Vietnam

"Richard Flacks remembers the challenges of building a protest movement during the Vietnam War as a pillar of the left-wing political and antiwar group Students for a Democratic Society during the 1960s. 'The whole idea of S.D.S. began with the idea of, We need a new way of being on the left, a new vocabulary, a new strategy,’ said Mr. Flacks, who helped write the group’s manifesto, the Port Huron Statement, in 1962. 'We knew we were right, and I don’t think we were arrogant about it.' Sixty years later, Iman Abid sees similar challenges in the war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas. ..."

NY Times

Smithsonian: What Was the Protest Group Students for a Democratic Society? Five Questions Answered

TIME: How the Weather Underground Failed at Revolution and Still Changed the World

Students from the Black Students Organization protesting Columbia University’s suspension of the groups Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace.
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Afro Futuristic Dreams - Idris Ackamoor & The Pyramids (2023)

Legendary Idris Ackamoor & The Pyramids return with cosmic jazz explorations on ‘Afro Futuristic Dreams’: "Celebrating 50 years as a pioneering group led by the legendary bandleader Idris Ackamoor, and as a follow-up to their most recent retrospective box set release, The Pyramids return with a highly-anticipated and adventurous new full-length on Strut, titled Afro Futuristic Dreams. This brilliant and expansive 10-track recording pushes their sound in new directions, blending together spiritual and cosmic jazz grooves with strings, African and Eastern-rooted percussion rhythms, and soulful vocal chants and group choruses that delve into subjects as various as police brutality to uplifting celebrations of the ancestors and departed loved ones. There also seems to be a touch of Funkadelic and Sun Ra Arkestra influences in the fabric of the music. ..."




2017 November: We Be All Africans (2016), 2020 August: Shaman! (2020)

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How to Create a Black Hole Out of Thin Air

"How many ways are there to leave this universe? Perhaps the best known exit entails the death of a star. In 1939 the physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer and his student Harlan Snyder, of the University of California, Berkeley, predicted that when a sufficiently massive star runs out of thermonuclear fuel, it collapses inward and keeps collapsing forever, shrink-wrapping space, time and light around itself in what today is called a black hole. But it turns out that a dead star might not be needed to make a black hole. Instead, at least in the early universe, giant clouds of primordial gas may have collapsed directly into black holes, bypassing millions of years spent in stardom. ..."


A composite image showing the quasar UHZ-1. The X-ray data from the Chandra X-ray Observatory is shown in purple; the galaxies and stars are from infrared data from the James Webb Space Telescope.
Credit..
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The Uncertain Business of Christmas Tree Peddling

"Two hundred years ago, anyone who wanted a Christmas tree in New York City would have had to go out of town, fell their own fir, and tow it back via horse and wagon. In fact, 200 years ago Christmas was not even a national holiday (it was declared one in 1870), nor were Christmas trees commonplace, except in the homes of immigrants from Germany, where the custom began. However, according to an 1878 article in the New York Tribune, in 1851 a 'jolly woodman named Mark Carr, who was whistling away a happy life on the flanks of the Catskills, conceived the idea that New York needed some Christmas trees.' ..." 


“Load of Xmas trees, NY,” ca. 1910 - 1915. 
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Drone music isn’t just one note

LEYA’s Marilu Donovan and Adam Markiewicz, claire rousay.

"Last week, Pioneer Works — a hulking warehouse in industrial Red Hook turned concert venue, gallery, and co-working artist space — held an experimental music exhibition, hosting five sets from nine titans of the form. Headlined by Kali Malone and William Basinski, respectively, the two nights of sound presented radically different conceptions of the drone: the sustained tone that is one of music’s most ancient forms (along with the drum beat) but has been a consistent feature of its avant garde for the better part of a century. ..."



Kali Malone
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Meredith Monk: The Recordings

"One of the quiet revelations of ‘Meredith Monk: The Recordings’ (ECM New Series) is that Monk herself confides that it was Janis Joplin who set her —and her voice— free. The 13-CD set chronicles the thrust of her career by re-releasing all of the recordings, remastered as necessary, that she made with Manfred Eichler’s intrepid (and consummately professional) ECM over the 40 years since Monk’s career broke. No disrespect to Janis, as beloved an artist as rock has ever produced, but Monk took her newly freed voice to heights, depths, and expressive ranges arguably no other vocal artist has attempted or even dared. She has taken her singular work onstage in equally varied settings, underscoring the sheer courage of her artistry. ..."




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BSA HOT LIST 2023: Books For Your Gift Giving

"It’s that time of the year again! Our 13th 'Hot List' of books – a best-of collection that is highly personal and unscientific presents a sampling across the board for a variety of graffiti and street art fans. Our interests and network continued to venture afield this year, and we offer a cross-section of books that are well worth your time – whether it’s the stories they tell, the rare glimpse inside a wiley mind, or the revelation of seeing images previously unseen except by a handful of people. We have political, personal, and professional takes on this beautiful street art scene, as well as a careful instruction book on how to make your own. ..."


CITY OF KINGS: A History Of New York City Graffiti
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The Death of the American Gangster Film

"The history of the American Gangster movie and an analysis of how Sergio Leone's Once Upon a Time in America killed the genre. This video essay considers the major characteristics of the gangster film, how the genre evolved over time, and how Leone exploited genre archetypes to reveal the innate brutality of the gangster myth. ..." 

YouTube   35:20

"No genre has influenced the public’s perception of criminals more than Gangster Movies. For more than 80 years, the best gangster movies have fascinated and allured the minds of millions; from Prohibition-era pre-code crime to 21st Century gang life. Our list of the 30 best gangster movies of all time includes films that span the globe and were produced in different time periods, with very different budgets. ..."

Top 30 Best Gangster Movies of All Time, Ranked (2023) (Video)

 Sergio Leone's Once Upon a Time in America
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Trump Ineligible to Hold Office, Colorado Supreme Court Rules

"Colorado’s top court ruled on Tuesday that former President Donald J. Trump is disqualified from holding office again because he engaged in insurrection with his actions leading up to the Jan. 6 storming of the Capitol, an explosive ruling that is likely to put the basic contours of the 2024 election in the hands of the U.S. Supreme Court. The Colorado Supreme Court was the first in the nation to find that Section 3 of the 14th Amendment — which disqualifies people who engage in insurrection against the Constitution after taking an oath to support it — applies to Mr. Trump, an argument that his opponents have been making around the country. The ruling directs the Colorado secretary of state to exclude Mr. Trump’s name from the state’s Republican primary ballot. It does not address the general election. ..."

***NY Times - Principles at Stake in Push to Disqualify Trump: Democracy and Rule of Law

*****NY Times - Supreme Court Won’t Hear Case on Trump’s Immunity Defense for Now

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The 25 Best Christmas Hip-Hop, Rap, And R&B Songs

Blondie feat. Fab 5 Freddy – Yuletide Throwdown (Cut Chemist Remix)

"Hip-hop may be associated more with brags and bling than goodwill and giving, but the best Christmas hip-hop and R&B songs are gifts that keep on giving. “Let it snow” might mean something different to Gucci Mane than it does Boyz II Men, but whether you’re having Christmas in Harlem, Hollis, or Hoxton, these Yultetide classics will keep you full of Christmas cheer as you deck the halls. ..." 

udiscover:  The 25 Best Christmas Hip-Hop, Rap, And R&B Songs (Video)

udiscover: Best Christmas Blues Songs: An Essential Seasonal Playlist (Video) 

udiscover: A James Brown Christmas Is A Soulful Christmas (Video) 

YouTube: Christmas Hip Hop Music Mix [Uncut] 🎄 Best Xmas Rap Trap Songs | X-Mas Party Remix | DJ Noize 

YouTube: Gucci Mane Christmas Mix 2023

Gucci Mane - St. Brick Intro
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The Last Poets’ Umar Bin Hassan’s Comic, ‘Up South In Akron,’ Gets a Reboot

"The title alone, Up South In Akron: Summer 1959, is enough to stoke the flames of curiosity: How can Akron — a modest Ohio metropolis up north known as the 'Rubber Capital of the World' — be 'Up South' when the South is, well, south? But Umar Bin Hassan, born in 1948 and one of three living members of the iconic spoken-word group The Last Poets, faced just as much racism growing up in Ohio in the 1950s and ’60s as he would have in Alabama or Georgia. Up South In Akron, Hassan’s recently reissued comic book, paints, in just a handful of meticulously detailed pages, a vivid portrait of what life was like for a young Black kid roaming the Akron streets. Edited by former Def Jam Recordings publicist and journalist Bill Adler and illustrated by Nate McDonough, the comic was originally published in 2013 but found new life when Music Arkives volunteered to spruce it up with an updated cover, bios, the story behind the original publication, a hip-hop family tree, and photos of Hassan as a young Akronite. ..."


Genius: Cover art for Introduction to “Up South in Akron 1959” (by Bill Adler) by Umar Bin Hassan

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Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special

"'Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special' as you've never seen it before — Beautifully restored, remastered and in high definition! Join the whole Playhouse gang for one of the wackiest specials ever! With laughs for the whole family, this unique, triple Emmy®-nominated special offers all the imagination and charm of Saturday morning's most outrageous TV series, which became a cultural milestone when it aired from 1986- 1991. Pee-wee gets into the spirit of the season with lots of singing, dancing and other holiday fun with his Playhouse pals and more than a dozen celebrity guest stars as you've never seen them before. Everything is going great for Pee-wee... until his Christmas wish list becomes so long that there won't be enough presents for all the other kids in the world! When Santa Claus pleads for help, Pee-wee reluctantly learns a lesson about the true meaning of Christmas. Special Guests Include: Frankie Avalon, Charo, The Del Rubio Triplets, Annette Funicello, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Whoopi Goldberg, Magic Johnson, Grace Jones, k.d. lang, Little Richard, Joan Rivers, Dinah Shore and Oprah Winfrey!"

YouTube 48:22

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New York: Deluxe Edition - Lou Reed (2020)

"Lou Reed was unusually hard to pin down in the 1980s. After the gay-rights-rallying cry of Transformer in 1972, he spent a decade mating queerness with rockn’roll and flirting with his own homosexuality in public statements, an identity that seemed to culminate in 1979, when he came out to Creem Magazine. Hardly a year later, he was celebrating married love on Growing Up in Public and, by 1982, heterosexuality in more general terms on the nonetheless excellent The Blue Mask. Reed’s subject matter changed because his life did—he got married in 1980—yet his newfound pop persona as a successful heterosexual capitalist coincided with the rise of Ronald Reagan, who was murdering gay people with his refusal to acknowledge the AIDS epidemic while helping to make greed and white-collar success culturally ubiquitous. Reed never supported Reagan’s policies, but he gave the impression of a star wearing the garb of his own era, scrawling an ode to his New Jersey country home as easily as he once caked on glam rock make-up. And then he made New York, a record of unmistakable conviction, one so direct and literary, erudite and rageful that it resembles no protest music written before or since. ..."

 
W - New York



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Turner in January

"Scotland’s famous collection of Turner watercolours was left to the nation by the great art collector Henry Vaughan in 1900. Since then, following Vaughan’s strict guidelines, they have only ever been displayed during the month of January, when natural light levels are at their lowest. Because of this, these watercolours still possess a freshness and an intensity of colour, almost 200 years since they were originally created. Turner in January, the annual display of these watercolours in Edinburgh, is a keenly awaited tradition for many people in Scotland. ..."



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Trump ‘Could Tip an Already Fragile World Order Into Chaos’

"Two weeks ago, The Washington Post published 'A Trump Dictatorship Is Increasingly Inevitable. We Should Stop Pretending,' by Robert Kagan. Four days later, The Times published 'Why a Second Trump Presidency May Be More Radical Than His First,' by Charlie Savage, Jonathan Swan and Maggie Haberman, one in an ongoing series of articles. On the same day, The Atlantic released the online version of its January/February 2024 issue; it included 24 essays under the headline 'If Trump Wins.' While the domestic danger posed by a second Trump administration is immediate and pressing, Russia, China, North Korea and Iran — sometimes referred to as the 'alliance of autocracies'' — have an interest in weakening the global influence of the United States and in fracturing its ties to democracies around the globe. ..."

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