The last Plebiscita

President Vaclav Klaus (left) announced saturday Oct 3 2009 that after the Irish yes vote on the now infamous Lisbon treaty, "there will never be another referendum in Europe". He was then asked whether he had a message for Britain. "I am afraid," he replied, "that the people of Britain should have been doing something really much earlier and not just now............,"


In ten short years since negotiations began on the treaty, the Union everyone wanted and still wants to be part of, has become the biggest Euro story since the fall of the Berlin wall exactly twenty years ago next month.

Combatants exhibition for ex-prisioners in Belfast

War reminds Europe of divisions floating beneath the surface and is recorded through portraits of recent European combatants within and around its newly extended borders.

Since 1973 a viewpoint observes the European project. With images from daily animation, politics, social issues and conflict, a series of selected moments presents a reflective visual narrative.

While living and working in the Balkans for the American Associated Press news agency during the break-up of Yugoslavia and post communist Europe, he engaged in compiling a visual narrative on the birth of Empire.

"Combatants" describes the actuality of European conflict. In a continuum of history, “combatants”are as much a part of our society as they ever were and this reality casts shadows on the birth of Superstate

The future of journalism is under scrutiny as objectivity is challenged. Should we desert the legacy of the media as a bastion of public defense to take sides in a new bout of spectacle wars aimed at deflecting attention from leadership failures. This article below will prove to be either a visionary report or part of that spectacle on which it comments.


The American Empire is bankrupt
by Chris HedgesFeatured WriterDandelion SaladTruthdigJune 15, 2009

who spent nearly two decades as a war correspondent for The New York Times and other newspapers, is the author of “Empire of Illusion: The End of Literacy and the Triumph of Spectacle,” due out in July.


This week marks the end of the dollar’s reign as the world’s reserve currency. It marks the start of a terrible period of economic and political decline in the United States. And it signals the last gasp of the American imperium. That’s over. It is not coming back. And what is to come will be very, very painful.
Barack Obama, and the criminal class on Wall Street, aided by a corporate media that continues to peddle fatuous gossip and trash talk as news while we endure the greatest economic crisis in our history, may have fooled us, but the rest of the world knows we are bankrupt. And these nations are damned if they are going to continue to prop up an inflated dollar and sustain the massive federal budget deficits, swollen to over $2 trillion, which fund America’s imperial expansion in Eurasia and our system of casino capitalism. They have us by the throat. They are about to squeeze.
There are meetings being held Monday and Tuesday in Yekaterinburg, Russia, (formerly Sverdlovsk) among Chinese President Hu Jintao, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and other top officials of the six-nation Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The United States, which asked to attend, was denied admittance. Watch what happens there carefully. The gathering is, in the words of economist Michael Hudson, “the most important meeting of the 21st century so far.”

There will be block after block of empty stores and boarded-up houses. Foreclosures will be epidemic. There will be long lines at soup kitchens and many, many homeless. Our corporate-controlled media, already banal and trivial, will work overtime to anesthetize us with useless gossip, spectacles, sex, gratuitous violence, fear and tawdry junk politics. America will be composed of a large dispossessed underclass and a tiny empowered oligarchy that will run a ruthless and brutal system of neo-feudalism from secure compounds. Those who resist will be silenced, many by force. We will pay a terrible price, and we will pay this price soon, for the gross malfeasance of our power elite.

War & the Plastik heaven/display only

War & the Plastik heaven

(From a photographer's journey through Europe)

Intro

140 Pictures are presented from the current catalogue of 420 edited images which is “War & the Plastik heaven.” (a combination of individual projects from 1973-2008)

Events of 1973 brand the mind of the young photographer at college.......... the E.U enlarged to include his country....the Vietnam war ended, an oil shock rocked the western world, as did the 60's & 70's social revolutions.

Balkan Europe, Middle East, the former Soviet Union, divided cities, Berlin,, Jerusalem , Belfast & Nicosia; controlled the photographer's journey. New Europe extended eastward with its motto "United in Diversity", a catchphrase designed to evoke a continent into working together for peace and prosperity against a backdrop of chaos & battle.

(Presentation, curatorial & media exposure to to be arranged on merits)

Combatants/display only

Intro

Combatants is a visual narrative on the continuing shift beyond our divisions and conflicts, seen during a photographers journey through Europe. From its concept in 1973, the project presents a documentation of the men women and children who have, are and continue to use their option of armed engagement to influence contemporary political and social changes.

The project is an unbiased communication in the educational modal of traditional photojournalism & portraiture. It endeavours to inform the viewer by visual teaching while providing an interesting and entertaining recount on Europe in our time. Covering a variety of conflicts, topics & issues reflecting stages of alteration, Combatants is aware of history and the importance of disseminating a shared commonality of experience.

Combatants,

(From a photographer's journey through Europe)

Project motivation, description & development

135 Pictures are presented from the current catalogue of 220 edited images which is “Combatants” (1973-2009)

Events of 1973 brand the mind of the young photographer.......... the E.U enlarged to include his country....the Vietnam war ended, an oil shock rocked the western world, as did the 60's & 70's social revolutions.

Across Europe armed engagements from Pira, Eta, Raf, Badder-Meinhof, Action Direct, Black September, and others created climates of uncertainty. These battle arenas controlled the photographer's journey as he recorded glimpses of discord and change which influenced the path of today's society.

The project not only records an outpouring of tragedy & cultural partition, but equally represents the immense struggle of human effort in pursuing goals of peace, reconciliation and cohesion.

Juxtaposed against the continuum of dispute, the study of “Combatants” presents life, "history & future” the story behind the photographers journey through Europe exploring the growing need for a universal accommodation in pursuing safer and tolerant societies.

In thus reaching out to Europe's expanding community, exhibiting the message of Combatants" to its variety of citizens will accommodate a contemporary vehicle to provide an all-important bridge between the project, the general public and groups on which the message focuses.

(Presentation, curatorial & media exposure to to be arranged on merits)

Borders beyond borders

Krakow 2008






Prisoners' lives #1

Borders beyond borders wants to examine the if my photography can convey the dark side. I think there is a cause to focus on the continuing use of excessive and criminal force against civilians caught up in conflict. I wish to compile a report using my own and archive images to further the outlawing of what has become in recent history an all too common and babaric attitude to human life. " "Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?" Adolf Hitler 1939

Genocide in Cambodia & Armenia shamed humanity:the stacks of Auschwitz furnaces covered surrounding areas with human ash.

ArtNews: Pluralism is dead, Syncretism lives O.k. :

The Art of many styles is over. Its reign in the nineties past the optimism of the new millennium has grinded to a finish. Its noble message of multiculturalism, diversity & tolerance embodied in such persona as Schuman, Delors & Kohl is buckling under the pressure of a militarist culture rising from the efforts of extremists. The approaching deadly Wars, through manipulation, public fear & moral corruption will ensure that the coming years will provide the masses with a suitable decoy to the financial hardship which will syncretise the living & cultural standards of Europe as its leadership speeds up imperial ambitions.

The Masada complex

looking down from a roof top in old Jerusalem; same as it ever was
The current crisis, may prove to be more stubborn and damaging than first intended. It is one thing to ride the tiger it is another to control its direction.
As with the people at Masada and the first crusaders, events can lead to unimaginable tragedy. Modern initiators of confrontation should remember not to break off more than they can chew.

The new world military order

One might be forgiven, by looking at this map, that Christians are on a wining ticket towards what the American military terms "full spectrum dominance" in the world. Whereas globalisation in trade and industry may be just a modern name for something that has always been around, the multi polar military outlook will reflect the colours above. Christians maybe fragmented in their love for one another.....Russia, South America, Cuba, Latin Europe, and Africa are hardly praising the actions of the "Alliance states," but China and India are solid in religion, language and national identity. Both are armed, lean and willing to defend their geo political interests. After the oil shock of 1973, we children were told in school to prepare for war with the Muslims over oil.....Thankfully this never materialised as they strengthened their financial defenses. A multi-polar world is much more favourable to the aspirations of Christianity, two generations removed from the most horrific crimes in the history of humankind.

un-settling issues

Intifada 1990.......The husband,.............................. The Car park................................................... The Settler's wife............................... Our lecture and debate on the palestine/israel subject was both visually and logistically interesting.
This issue is always burning. It is one where outsiders who have nothing to do with the conflict feel obliged to take sides to mirror their overall view of politics.....as an atheist and a non voter I seem to get an easier ride than most on this curious if not deadly conflict..... I say curious because these people are in the ring of world politics and it is the outsiders in world politics that will decide their fate. Deadly, because of the bitter pills of revenge and hatred that are freely pushed around. I have heard the most dreadful language of ultra-extremism coming from what I can only describe as educated, well groomed, and basically decent people on both sides of the coin........... However, on close examination, this conflict is resolvable...they all are....as the will to fight is overtaken by the will to live.

that highway to the stars

Were all over the road
In our sexy machine
All the passengers scream
Scream, scream!

I can see my lifetime pilin up
I can see it smashin into yours

Goin from the bottom to the top
Maybe Im holding on too tight

I got a funny feeling
Pilin them higher, higher, higher
Building that highway to the stars

While traveling around this summer, I found myself in the car with my friend who constantly played a Talking heads song composed before she was even born.....we loved it and the words above inspired me to make these pictures..........from the series ....War & the Plastik Heaven... 2008

Heard it before in 1984

Bulgaria 1990

The home secretary said police risked losing the ability to fight crime and terrorism without new laws.

The government is considering creating a giant database to store details of every UK phone call and e-mail sent. bbc GMT, Wednesday, 15 October 2008 13:02 UK

My country has the the most surveillance in the western world if indeed the whole world.....my country has been on a permenent war footing since the Tutor monarchs ruled in the early 17th century.......my country has more computor data on it citizens than it has citizens.............In 2003 I was privy to examine the state computor and read the files on various citizens including myself.....boy I nearly laughted myself to sleep on the amount of political bullshit and claptrap that was there......and I think so did the people that put it there......The police just arnt interested in Mr smalltime nobody...at least not for now.....but then this isn't communism....at least not for now......Crisis?

"Cui Bono"

Alas, we seem to be moving from one crisis to another, the war and the terrorism crisis, to the food and energy crisis, and now a financial crisis. What is brewing next to keep the population engulfed in fear and confusion? We have to ask ourselves, Who caused it and "Cui Bono."

Wed Sep 17, 8:54 PM ET WASHINGTON (Reuters): The U.S. Senate on Wednesday overwhelmingly approved a $612 billion defense spending bill for fiscal 2009, including $70 billion for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Illuminati news, bankers are ok people

"We are grateful to the Washington Post, The New York Times, Time Magazine and other great publications whose directors have attended our meetings and respected their promises of discretion for almost forty years. It would have been impossible for us to develop our plan for the world if we had been subjected to the lights of publicity during those years. But, the world is now more sophisticated and prepared to march towards a world government. The supranational sovereignty of an intellectual elite and world bankers is surely preferable to the national auto-determination practiced in past centuries."

David Rockefeller Baden-Baden, Germany 1991

#28 For Wall Street & Mr Bush

"A woman in red" walks past a mural of Picasso's painting depicting the Nazi bombing of Guernica, Spain, by twenty-eight bombers, on April 26, 1937........photo west belfast 08

The last I heard the bill for Mr Bush's controversial war games was 3 Trillion something or other. The last I heard he is now paying the Iraqi opposition good dollars not to shoot at his men. The last I heard he has broadened his operations to include Pakistan while loosing ground in Afghanistan. Last I heard he says America is in crisis. Last I heard he is soon leaving his office. Last I heard the military complex is happy with their balance sheets.
Is this globalisation? The world is infinitely more complexed than the simplistic views of boardroom bankers wishing to print a new global banknote. Successive American leaders for true democracy have warned of the danger from faceless greedy people behind a giant military octopus stretching beyond beyond to strangle our globe. Overall, the world spends in excess of $1 trillion per year on defense , and this figure has grown by $100 billion per year for the past few years. Almost ninety percent of that money is spent by Western powers with the US leading a staggering $581 billion compared to China's $46 billion or Russia's $34 billion with Europe looking for a new army to use its $361 billion. Crisis?

Is Nato preparing a new Barbarossa

On Europe's Eastern Front 1992, Moldovans fighting the Russian separatists of Trans-Dinistra .

Dispatches from Brussels sept 1 2008.....

"Old Europe" and "new Europe" agree on a tough line on Russia ---- at least for now.

After a summit lasting just four hours, Nicolas Sarkozy -currently in charge of the EU rotating presidency - announced that Europe was united.

the summit conclusions strongly condemn Russia's "disproportionate reaction" in Georgia, describe as "unacceptable" its recognition of the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia and call on other states "not to recognise this proclaimed independence".

Dispatches from Sochi sept 11 2008....

Mr Putin accused the Western press of an "immoral and dishonest account of what happened".

And he went on to dismiss out of hand European criticism of Russian force as "disproportionate".

"What did you want us to do? Wave our penknives in the air and wipe the bloody snot off our noses?" he asked, adding: "When an aggressor comes into your territory, you need to punch him in the face - an aggressor needs to punished."

"God forbid that we should tread on US toes in its backyard," he said, expressing frustration that the United States seemed to think it was all right to arm Georgia on Russia's border - a move which he repeatedly argued had provoked Georgia to take up military action.

Missed a flyght

I was to fly back tot he UK last night for a short and not very important visit. At the airport I was taken aback by the nature of the toilets. Apparently we men are able enough to decide most of the things we generally do in life.......holidays, eating, genocide, rape etc etc.......But at Schipol airport the wise people have instructed us were exactly we should pee into the bowl to get the least offensive relief...........You are expected to pee on the fly......and why a fly I ask?????? There are more undesirables in the Netherlands right now including the Butcher of several thousand Bosniak men and boys.

Anyway, because of the interest I sallied about making more pictures and eventually arrived at the gate as the plane doors were closing.....but worse, security took my sun block lotion....they must think little of the great British weather

Rainy day dream away- global warming spoils the day

There is something fishy about wanting to live in a summer of continuous rain............


Rainy day, rain all day
Ain't no use in gettin' uptight
Just let it groove its own way
Let it drain your worries away yeah
Lay back and groove on a rainy day hey
Lay back and dream on a rainy day
jimi hendrix electric ladyland






enthusiasm wanes during a boat trip through Leiden july 2008

last updated at 09:31 GMT, Saturday, 19 July 2008 10:31 UK


Pope Benedict XVI has told Australians he is deeply sorry for the sexual abuse of children by some Catholic priests.

The BBC's Nick Bryant, in Sydney, says victims have complained that the Church in Australia has tried to stall compensation claims and cover up certain cases.................

there have been 107 convictions against Catholic clergymen on sex charges in Australia. But the campaigners estimate the number of victims to be in the thousands......

On Saturday, several hundred protesters rallied in Sydney against the Pope's opposition to homosexuality and contraception.

Police said there were minor scuffles as some of the demonstrators pelted Catholic pilgrims withcondoms..........ends.................................................................................................... pictured Hungary 1994.

"The Catholic church says it will not tolerate that which is un-natural........what is natural with the policy of this church forcing its priests to be celibate and giving them physical and psychological power to abuse innocent children unable to defend themselves?"

Spotlight on Summer thoughts

Summer is a good time for travel and taking time for forward planning. The first term has directed me to a point where, after beneficial sessions with the tutors, the course of the work is forming a clearer route. I am hopeful that the road ahead will open a metamorphosis.

Qui est Qui et Non est Qui

Green Bananas 2008













Green Coca Cola bottles 1962 with a real dissident European 2008

Jose Manuel Barroso, can't wait to be president, Silvio Berlusconi can't wait to eradicate the "Army of Evil" and Xavier Solana can't wait for his army to make foreign policy. There is no NON in the language of the Euro Disney Land.
Didn't some famous democratic republican once talk about...... all of the people some of the time......but not all the people all of the time......Can the wishes of people of Europe be so unreal for these would be leaders?

Moody blues red & greens

These mid summer days are devoted to travel and colour with william eggleston and 60's art in mind. For this I will mostly use a little cannon ixus 75 which was lent by a good friend in exchange for pics of her family. This use of digital should help with a part of the project about Europeans having fun....... before War once again is forced on the people.

Obama has a mountain to climb

The Boston tour bus 1989

By Matt Frei ...................................AFP
BBC News, Washington

The man who once walked on water has been limping of late, his feet weighed down by a whole catalogue of sinking issues - race, elitism, an excess of academic aloofness in times of gritty gravity.

For millions of Americans, who have not read his book, who do not read the New York Times and who do not follow politics obsessively on the cable TV networks, he is a blank canvas, which his opponents can paint on.
That is dangerous and that is why one recent opinion poll suggested 15% of Americans still believe - astonishingly - that he is a Muslim................ ends.......

God may bless America but only the spirit of the founding fathers will save America.......these coming months will test that spirit in a way not seen since the sixties......Martin Luther King climbed a mountain 45 years ago, looked over, saw the promised land......and paid the price...this time around let the people not the gun speak ......loud and clear........

War News.....is Oil News

Thursday, 22 May 2008 14:37 UK

By Anthony Reuben
Business reporter, BBC News

"Who knows why oil prices are so high"


"It's the fundamentals, stupid," says Mark Lewis from Energy Market Consultants.

Its the increasing demand from China and India, a stand-off between the US and Iran, a hedge fund having to sell a particular oil contract so it does not end up receiving a tanker-load of oil - or a trader deciding it would be fun to be the first to trade oil above $100 a barrel.

It was the assassination of Benazir Bhutto in Pakistan, to over-optimistic expectations of oil production by non-Opec countries -the rocket testing in North Korea.......................

"We really don't know what the fundamentals are doing at any point in time," Mr Lewis says.

"The markets are looking for signals from the fundamentals. Some of them are irrelevant, some of them are wrong, some of them are meaningless, but they affect prices nevertheless."...........ends.................................................................................

What is the matter with people to listen to such claptrap........don't they know there is a war on and someone has to pay for it......and the oil tax is as good a way as any to pay off a war bill currently standing at three trillion whatever.....after all it was conducted by concerned democratic governments on behalf of the people and for the welfare of the people.......

#18 The Army of Evil

Italy Police to protect Gypsies
By Christian Fraser
BBC News, Rome

There is deep suspicion throughout the country of the Roma community..............The government is preparing controversial anti-immigration measures targeting Romanians in particular..........a 16-year-old Roma girl was caught inside an apartment last weekend, allegedly trying to steal a six-month-old baby girl...........vigilante groups in the suburb of Ponticelli took to the streets chasing the Roma out of two squatter camps....... Silvio Berlusconi has described the Roma and those committing the crime as "an army of evil"..........ends

Is Mr Berlusconi also referring to forces in Iraq? In a democracy there is a thing called due process.............

The "Madness" that plagues the hearts and souls of the easily frightened mind tours the world endlessly looking for a temporary home........it is parasite by nature..............but encouraged by the black hearts of politicians............people get exactly what they vote for...............