February 7, 2012
Art, politics, angels, demons . . . and righteous dogs.

Suicidal Person of the Day

In last night’s debate there were too many ironies to note, let alone draw. Here are a couple I was able to jot down before passing out from BS overdose. Willard “Mitt” Romney, the leader, in one day saw it revealed that he paid 15% income tax last year, that he has major amounts of money parked in the Cayman Islands and that he didn’t actually win the Iowa caucuses after all. Gingrich was moving ahead in the polls in South Carolina by virtue of debate belligerency and racially-coded campaign slogans, only to have his ex-wife decide to go public with accusations of Newt’s desire for an open marriage. Thus the “conservative” candidate arrived to face the conservative debate crowd last night. Attempting to make a virtue out of a necessity he unloaded on the moderator for bringing up the trash news topic of the day.  Irony on top of irony was the memory of Gingrich choreographing the sex scandal of Bill Clinton 15 years ago. So what was his strategy last night?  Blame the media, blame everybody.  Then in rising red foams of victimhood Gingrich went further. It was the media and their liberal defense of Obama that was behind the whole thing. This makes you wonder why anyone showed up last night, at least to do anything other than burn the CNN camera equipment. So here was Newt’s suicide act, in dying color. Flaming out to divert attention to the “media”, as if his baggage now is not getting bigger. Whatever happens in South Carolina, he will find that there are states without a confederate flag on the capitol building.  And that they will like their political theater without a twist of spleen.

John Boehner: Bad to the Last Drop

John Boehner joined the chorus of those howling about President Obama’s wise choice to pass on the potentially disastrous Keystone XL Tar Sands Pipeline yesterday.  The Daily Kos reported that he had more than a shouting interest.  In fact, he has skin the game.

READ HERE

Person of the Day: Scott Walker

 

Scott Walker, the union-busting governor of Wisconsin may not see trouble coming. But that may be because with one million signatures that came in yesterday for his recall he may be experiencing somewhat limited visibility.

Cracked Dome of the Day

 

 

Tonight on PBS’ Frontline (check your local listing) we see a report on the effects of an earthquake here in the US somewhere near a nuclear power plant, which is now a stark prospect after the spectacle of Fukushima. In New York the Indian Point plant has been criticized as insecure for years. Now that New York has had a bona fide earthquake (the earth moved for me) we can have this important debate.  But we should talk fast and close the plant soon.  Gov. Cuomo has pledged to do this.  But the state senate energy chair George Maziarz thinks that replacing the energy is just too problematical, when this problem has actually been solved. Perhaps we can ask him to draw up a plan for evacuating 17 million people. And saving the water supply. Of course, he can start with a city where you can’t even evacuate the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway at 5:30.

TAKE ACTION: RIVERKEEPERS

Watch Frontline tonight.

Watch Nuclear Aftershocks Preview on PBS. See more from FRONTLINE.

IMMIGRANT CHILDREN SWEPT AWAY by Gabriela Molina

In the United States today there are at least 5,000 children in foster care because their parents were deported or have been arrested due to irregular immigration status, according to a recent report prepared by the Applied Research Center, a New York organization that promotes social and racial justice.

This piece by Salvadoran artist Gabriela Molina, we see the anguish of the separation and chaos introduced into the lives of children.  The tragedy of the collision of ideology with reality, which is becoming commonplace int he United States. When we see these children as real, exactly like our own, we will change and take the trouble fo a nuanced approach to immigration and the  all too blunt instruments that regulate it.

Ms. Molina:

“Harsh immigration laws allow and foment family separation. It is important that in the immigration proceedings that families are not separated and that children stay in communication with their parents. Otherwise the result is cruel and inhuman.
This policy just promotes sad, hurt, angry and unloved children who will keep missing their families. They will be the future of this country. What are they going to give to society if they have had a troubled childhood?  It is very important to raise healthy kids and cover every aspect of their life. Mentally, emotionally and physically.    In addition, it should be made possible for parents to get back their parenthood .
These cases are being taken very irresponsibly by not documenting the number and information of the children that are being left without their parents. If there is no filed information of these kids. Anything can happen to them. Their life is important. As a country, government and society it is our duty to take care of their lives and preserve their basic human rights, which includes keeping their families together.”

DENVER POST STORY HERE

 

Gabriela Molina is a New York-based artist and illustrator with Latin American roots. Born and raised in El Salvador, Gabriela spent some years of her life traveling around South America and Canada.After her travels she decided to follow her passion by moving to Savannah, Georgia to study arts at the renowned Savannah College of Art and Design where she earned her BFA in illustration in 2010.Gabriela currently works as a freelance illustrator and fine artist. Widely published, her work has been featured and exhibited in the US, Argentina, Canada and Italy. She specializes in editorial and even has created an illustrated book.

Gaby works mainly in watercolor, gouache, pen, ink and Photoshop. Her pieces are characterized by a variety of textures, bold lines and strong stylizations, and are influenced by different cultures, journeys, memories and ideas. “I like to play with colors, lines and textures,” she says, “to provoke certain emotions and feelings in my illustrations.”

Her main goal is to keep growing as an artist and to develop in as many areas of the illustration market as possible.

Feel free to contact her anytime to inquire about business, ask a question, or just say hello.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the United States today there are at least 5,000 children in foster care because their parents were deported or have been arrested due to irregular immigration status, according to a recent report prepared by the Applied Research Center, a New York organization that promotes social and racial justice.