More sketchbook studies

Today was my craft day, so not much drawing done. I managed the sketch on the right this afternoon. The ink sketch on the left was done on Saturday.

It was all going so well

I've had a bit of an upsy downsy day, today. Firstly it started well, up nice and early, time to pray and enjoy the peace and quiet before the children awoke. I even got ahead with the daily tasks. The plan was to drop the children off at the relevant schools and bus-stops, before popping into town to do the food shopping and then back to do some art. Drop-off went fine, all according to plan, then I started catching up with a friend, we stopped when we heard the church bells chiming 10 o'clock. Fortunately they are 15 minutes slow but it was still later than planned. I then decided to have a cuppa and catch up on emails and sort out shopping list. I have another commission - whoopeee! Need to email back and work on some ideas for it, but all good:0)

I then went into town - some 1 and 1/2 hours later than originally intended. On my return I cracked on with some abstracts.Then I picked up an acrylic painting I started months ago. It's been sitting there, the errors in the figures shouting at me, so I spent ages correcting them. All the time thinking something was wrong, the paint wasn't mixing properly. I finally looked at the tubes and realised I'd put white OIL paint on the palette instead of ACRYLIC! You can put oil over acrylic but not the other way around...so it had to come off, all of it. I was not happy (*@@@@****???????) Anyway, now I've written my post I'm going to do some sketching, not sure what yet.

So, in the best traditions of Blue Peter

Here's one I did earlier

Out and about, again!

Finally, I had a day without children. Ewan was off Wednesday to Friday last week, sigh! He's much better now. I had a few small tasks to do in Buckingham today, so I took advantage of the situation to do some sketching. It was going to be a watercolour pencil sketch but got converted into a line and wash, seems to work better for buildings.

I've left the sketchbook edges, for artistic effect, yes, that's it. I've been doing a lot of buildings over the last year as they're something I've tended to avoid. I never felt I was any good at them, I'm coming around. I also tend to be put off by complex buildings, but I'm realising that they're actually easier.
I've also started a two abstracts, I love days when I get some control over what I do!

It's Only Africa.

(Picture taken from BBC Newsnight website.)

by Kwaku Osei, Saybrook College, Yale 2010
Accra, Ghana

I don’t blog.

It’s just not something I do. I have never really felt so strongly about something that I feel the urge to write it down and share it with the world. And on the off- chance that something really gets my blood boiling, I have never felt like I have much to say. This has been my philosophy for the better part of the past few years.

So what is it, you ask, that brought me out from hiding and forced me to go against my philosophy on blogging? Oh, only some new developments in the biggest toxic dumping scandal of the 21st century that no one is talking about! I was so pissed off when I read this article; not only because the Ivory Coast is near and dear to my heart (my older brother grew up there) but also because it is yet another reminder of a global attitude towards the African continent that continues to anger, frustrate, and confuse myself, other Africans, and all human beings with any sense of empathy.



If before now, you haven't heard of the Trafigura Scandal, I encourage you to take 10 minutes to educate yourself by watching this video. For those of you with a little more time on your hands, or with more of a need to procrastinate, this video goes a bit more in depth. And if you prefer to read go here.

The initial article that I linked to (and the one that inspired me to hop into the blogosphere) basically says that emails obtained by the BBC reveal that high level executives in Trafigura, the oil company at the center of the case, knew perfectly well about the hazardous nature of the waste that they were dumping in the Ivory Coast and were perfectly aware that it might have dangerous consequences for the population living there. This discredits their previously held stance that the toxic waste couldn't possibly have caused the illnesses and deaths in the affected regions.

"The e-mails obtained by [BBC] Newsnight show that in the months before the waste was dumped the company knew about the difficulties they would face in disposing of the waste. 'This operation is no longer allowed in the European Union, the United States and Singapore" it is "banned in most countries due to the 'hazardous nature of the waste,' one e-mail warns. Another e-mail points out that "environmental agencies do not allow disposal of the toxic caustic."

This new development raises many questions. Why did Trafigura, knowing all of this, and after being prevented from treating the waste in the Netherlands, decide to move it to the Ivory Coast, a country still recovering from civil war? Why is this scandal so underrepresented in the media, and barely even reported on? How would the coverage and handling of the scandal be different if the waste had been dumped in a different country?

I think the answer to one of these “Whys?” is pretty easy to determine: Because companies, and especially oil companies, are out to make profits. This is what happens when corporations focus solely on their bottom line. Stories like just convince me that a lot of right can be done in the world if we set our goals above the bottom line, putting people over profits.

The other reason why this happened and why it's so under- reported is even more frustrating to acknowledge. After telling this story to my friend Drew Ruben (great kid, founder of Blue State Coffee; y'all should check him out) he said as horrified as he was he wasn't surprised. You see a few months ago, he had the opportunity to meet Harold Koh, former Dean of Yale Law School and current legal adviser to the United States Department of State. Ruben asked him "Why isn't more being done or said about the Darfur conflict?"

Koh’s response? "Because it's Africa."

That's the way the world thinks. It should therefore not be surprising that a company like Trafigura would feel that they can get away with injustice. We also should not be surprised that stories like this never make mainstream media.

After all, it's only Africa.

Check out Kwaku's blog, Afropolithoughts, here.

Stan Laurel

Finally had a good drawing day after my lack of focus since Wednesday. Alright, strictly speaking it's yesterday. Managed to do some sketching in the morning, finish of a sketch of the living room - started yesterday - and this caricature of Stan Laurel. It's not the one I started the other week - I inadvertently threw out the picture before I had chance to finish it. He's far too easy to do, but very satisfying.

All this and fit in an eye test, visitors, feeding the family and watching an episode of "Merlin".

Now... I suppose I ought to do one of Oliver Hardy.

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A Predictable Future

By Ashley Gutierrez, Filipina

Silliman College, Yale 2010

Will the Philippines put its foot down against the United States (U.S.)? The Department of Foreign Affairs (Philippines) is reviewing the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), which governs the treatment of American troops engaged in joint military exercises in the Philippines, after recommendations from the Senate and the House Human Rights Committee. There are complaints of the VFA being a "downright unconstitutional treaty" and that the Philippines has been getting the "short end of the stick." Highlighted by the case of the American Marine placed under United States' custody last year instead of in a Philippine prison after raping a Filipina, the claims of the VFA being "lopsided" is a fact that I personally believe most Filipinos know about - and have chosen to ignore.

Or will that now change?

Re-evaluating or possibly terminating the VFA is a bold move. Yes, it will do a lot for Philippine sovereignty. Yes, it will affect RP (Republic of the Philippines)- U.S. relations. But the VFA is also necessary for stability in the region and the fight against terrorism.

That said, I am almost positive of how this will turn out: The review will indeed find that the VFA is lopsided. There will be many recommendations for change. The U.S. is getting the most out of this deal. But nothing will change. Because at the end of the day, the Philippines is still too dependent on the U.S. The country is too unstable at the moment given the conflict between the government and the Muslims in Mindanao. President Arroyo is trying to forge a strong relationship with Obama before the 2010 Presidential elections. The Philippines needs the U.S. much more than it needs us.

In short, once again, the Philippines will bend backwards to accommodate the U.S.

Read more on this issue here.

Correction for YJHR Issue i, Fall 2009

The pullquote on page 14 ("New Solutions or New Problems" by Justin Petrillo) is an excerpt mistakenly taken from the previous article ("The United States and Human Rights: Still Only Halfway There" by Jordan Laris Cohen). The editors apologize for the error and any confusion this may have caused our readers.

Early post - no pics yet!!!!

Early post today. I've spent a frustrating few hours sorting out an application for an online gallery. Unlike the others I've tried I need to be approved for this one. So here's hoping I'm successful! I'm going to do the school run now and, hopefully will get around to the painting tonight! There may be a post later.

Back to basics

Still not feeling uninspired and very unfocussed today so thought I'd return to some basics, drawing objects I tend to avoid, just to try and push myself into action. Did a cup, natural sponge and a basket as well as a couple of quick sketches of Siobhan reading. Nothing too exciting.

Last night I played with the watercolour pencils and came up with this. Not sure whether I like it - it's colourful... that's all I can say.

Sketchbook

My brain has been functioning like a sponge today. Not in a "good at absorbing information and ideas" way but in an "everything just pours out the moment you try and do anything" way. Not good if you're trying to focus your ideas.

I managed to finish this little sketch of a house in Buckingham. I've managed to get to grips with watercolour in my moleskine sketchbook. Something I've been actively avoiding since my first disastrous attempt. As usual with art, different absorbencies of paper require slightly different approaches

but otherwise I've been focusing on sales avenues and I still haven't managed to complete a support document to go with my online gallery application. I think I'll do some drawing for the rest of the evening and come back to it tomorrow!

More cancellations

My efforts to learn more about digital photography have been thwarted again. The course I was due to start on Thursday has been cancelled! Went to a meeting about the gallery idea, we've decided to go with an art trail idea as an immediate priority and look at the gallery idea later. Came back and did some application work for some online galleries. Need to provide a supportive statement... not really sure what they want, so it's proving as easy as knitting snow!

This is the picture I finished last night. I haven't decided on a title yet, I'll mull it over and amend later is something jumps out!

I'm now thinking of calling it "Confusion".

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Sea

I've been away for the weekend. A couple of quick sketches but nothing noteworthy. Feeling old as my niece celebrated her wedding at the weekend. She was one of my little bridesmaids age 4 and twenty years later...
A productive day today. Finished this painting "Praia do Castelejo" in Portugal. Took the picture on our honeymoon and just didn't get around to the painting. Seems fitting that it should be completed today.

I've been experimenting with acrylic techniques and also started another abstract, hopefully the painting will be complete later and it will be dry enough to remove the masking by tomorrow.
I've also been online for a while today. Applied to the White cube gallery. I was impressed to have a reply 1 hour and 5 minutes later. Sadly a rejection. The email sounds positive but I've given up trusting them as a realistic appraisal. I suspect it's another form rejection. I'm just an old cynic at heart! I've joined the Axis online gallery site and am just formulating my support statement and deciding on images before I apply. I'm feeling too jaded to pursue it tonight! Besides, I want to finish my painting!

Nuestros Desaparecidos

Contributed by Jason Ketola
GEOVISION Production Company

(San Francisco CA) OUR DISAPPEARED/NUESTROS DESAPARECIDOS is the heart-breaking chronicle of director Juan Mandelbaum’s personal search for the souls of friends and loved ones, idealistic young students and activists, who were caught in the brutal vise of the right-wing military and “disappeared” in his native Argentina during the 1976-1983 military dictatorship. OUR DISAPPEARED/NUESTROS DESAPARECIDOS will air nationally on the Emmy Award-winning PBS series Independent Lens, hosted by Terrence Howard, on Monday, September 21, 2009 at 10PM. Find your local listing here.


Mandelbaum’s quest was triggered by a recent and very painful revelation. Through a Google search, he made the terrible discovery that Patricia Dixon, a long lost girlfriend,was among the desaparecidos. Almost thirty years after he left at the height of the repression, to escape the pervasive climate of feat, Juan returned to Argentina to explore her story and the stories of other friends and loved ones who had also disappeared. He learned first-hand of the horrors that befell them and the almost 30,000 people who were kidnapped by agents of the military government, secretly detained without trial, brutally tortured and then killed, never to be seen again.



Although idealistic and involved in community organizing, Mandelbaum was not willing to join the more militant and radical groups that were recruiting many of his friends. Inspired by the Cuban revolution and the election of Chile’s Salvador Allende, the first democratically elected Socialist president in the Americas, many of his fellow students at the University’s School of Philosophy and Letters were willing to support an armed struggle for a cause they believed in passionately -- that former President Juan Peron, who had been exiled to Spain, would lead Argentina on the road of socialism. It was a hope that was quickly crushed when Peron returned in 1973, and disowned the young radicals who had fought so hard for his return. Instead, right wing death squads began to pave the way for the military regime that, after 1976, targeted thousands of leftist activists for annihilation. Over 250 of Mandelbaum’s fellow students are among the disappeared.

In OUR DISAPPEARED, NUESTROS DESAPARECIDOS, Mandelbaum meets with the parents, siblings and children of many of these old friends, piecing together their dramatic stories through reminiscences, home movies and old photos. The film also uses rare and extraordinary archival footage (including an appearance by former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger in 1977 endorsing the military president) to bring the energy and tension of the time and place to life. It is a quietly devastating story of young lives viciously ended and the unending pain suffered by their families and their country.



To learn more about the film, visit the OUR DISAPPEARED, NUESTROS DESAPARECIDOS interactive companion website (http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/ourdisappeared/) which features detailed information on the film, including an interview with the filmmaker and links and resources pertaining to the film’s subject matter. The site also features a talk back section for viewers to share their ideas and opinions, preview clips of the film, and more.

Peace and progress

Finally, I have all the children at school again. I spent most of the day on a double caricature. Completed but will post once it has been given to the recipients - usual reasons.

I've also been working on a watercolour seascape. It's going well but needs more work to reach completion.

So here's a picture I did a little while ago - July to be precise. I don't think I've posted it. If I have, I'll change it. I decided to call it "stalemate"!

OK, so I had posted it. Here's another - A taste of Africa!

Demoralised!

I'm having a bad day. Dominic's still off today but should be back tomorrow. Siobhan woke this morning with a sore throat, so I now have her off as well! They're no trouble, I just need some space and "down" time.

Then, to top it all, my life drawing class has been cancelled. It was at the adult learning centre and cheaper than the other one I went to. I'm going to have to go back to Canvas but the class starts tonight and Andrew is going to an after work social, so I'll miss the session! Wednesday's are going to be a busy day! With all the after school activities which happen on Wednesdays.

Now I've had a rant, I'm going to try and do some work. Hopefully I'll have something to post later.

UPDATE: Canvas class also cancelled! Ptooow!

Shooting Up in Athens

by Ethan Light*
Pierson College, Yale 2009

I’d like to think of myself as a relatively worldly individual. I will admit I am pathetically mono- linguistic (and still working on English), have one passport, and have lived outside of the United States only once - and very briefly. Regardless, I have spent a good amount of time traveling, have family living in four countries, read the international dailies, and am currently looking for work in Asia. I’d like to think that this global view in some ways contributes to an international understanding and a thick skin when it comes to things that fall out of my realm of experience. This past summer, however, I saw something which absolutely thrust me out of my comfort zone.



I was travelling on the cheap and staying in hostels, generally not located in the most upscale neighborhoods, so I wasn’t expecting my small hotel in Omonia Square, Athens to be the Mandarin Oriental. But what I was unaware of until arriving is that Omonia has a much more popular name for native Athenians: Heroin Square. I first noticed the clumps of prostitutes encircling the group of teenagers and young adults in the middle of the small park. Their numbers were only dwarfed in comparison to the population with needles in their bodies. In the early evening, in the middle of a busy public square, under city lights, scores of people were shooting heroin into feet, hands and arms. I counted to 45 before giving up and paying attention to the ground to make sure I didn’t step on rouge hypodermics.

Perhaps the only thing more shocking were the police, stationed no more than two blocks in every direction, aware of the flood of synthetic opiates down the street but entirely uninterested in doing anything about it. I assume their purview extends only so far as to ensure no junkies wander into the nicer parts of town.

Coming face- to- face with passed out heroin addicts, their bodies sprawled so that their heads rolled into the middle of the street, made me reconsider my position on victimless crime. Before the summer I would unflinchingly support the legalization not only of marijuana but of all drugs. Similarly, prostitution was merely a contractual obligation between two adults in which the government had no business injecting moralizing puritanical legislation.

But as I stood on the street surrounded by a mix of Somali immigrants and junkies looking for a fix, I wondered if the Greek government had some obligation to that 17-year- old with a needle in his arm; an obligation to keep him from throwing away his future. At the very least it is a good investment: by keeping that kid off of heroin Greece has one more productive worker and one less social pariah and fiscal drag.

Wouldn’t those nonchalant police officers better spend their time attempting to drag those addicts out of brutal heroin addiction, rather than allowing the situation to escalate? At the very least, minors deemed too young to vote or serve in the army should not be given the opportunity to be hooked on opiates. However, were police to target minors (or anyone for that matter) the tacit agreement between Athens’ finest and its “victimless” criminals would be violated.

I’ll let you know if I end up reconciling a disagreement with a moralizing government and the importance of a state to protect it’s people- even from themselves.
And here is the rest of it.

*A pseudo-name has been used to protect the identity of this author.

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Well, I had 4 days!

Feeling decidedly down today. Packed everyone off to school this morning and was just having a cup of tea and sorting out shopping list before heading into Buckingham to do weekly shop. I had a phonecall, Dominic thought he was starting a migraine, my heart sank. We decided to dose him up and see if that would stop things. I dashed into town and had just returned to the car, planning to load up and then nip back for one more item when I got the call to ask me to collect him. I thus collected him and returned home. Mercifully it was a very mild one and he hasn't been sick - hooray!

So, to the drawing, did an ink sketch of a still life, I don't like it. I really don't like it. The tray is one of the worst elipses I've managed! I'm not sharing it! I won't, you can't make me!

I then started an abstract. That's much better but needs to dry. I'll add it tomorrow!

I'm thinking of calling it "Fractured" but that might change.

LGBT Hater Gets a Stage at Toads

From: Name Suppressed
Date: September 14, 2009 1:25:15 AM EDT
Subject: Violent hate singer at Toad's Place New Haven, CT

Hey guys,

I wanted to share with you an email I received from a friend about Buju Banton coming to Toad's on Wednesday: Reggae singer Buju Banton began his US tour last night in Philadelphia. His shows in Chicago, Cincinnati, Columbus, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Dallas, and Houston have all been cancelled. That's because there's a big campaign going on to try to get him cancelled everywhere because of his hateful singing about gay people. I don't mean the usual "no homo" bullshit in hip- hop. He sings about torturing and murdering "queers". It seems he's not just talk, either. He was charged for being a part of a group of about a dozen people who allegedly beat six men believed to be homosexual. One of the victims lost an eye. You can see why people would be outraged by his tour, then, and why most major promoters canceled his events.

But he's still coming to Toad's, this Wednesday! Seems like something we should address. Ideally we should try to force them to cancel it last minute, or, if that doesn't happen, we should let everyone know what kind of person is coming to Toad's.

Here's some information--

The main web page for the campaign to cancel his tour: http://cancelbujubanton.wetpaint.com/ (including explanations of his homophobic lyrics as well as a list of his shows and which ones have been cancelled)

LA Gay & Lesbian Center's press release about promoters AEG Live and Live Nation canceling their shows with him: http://www.lagaycenter.org/site/DocServer/2009-08-28_Live_Nation_and_AEG_Cancel_Buju_Banton.pdf?docID=7541

The relevant Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=124784767349

If you have a minute, and you feel so inclined, send an email to Hollis@toadsplace.com encouraging them to cancel this concert on Wednesday. What a shame it would be for New Haven to be the exception out of all of these places refusing to hand a pulpit over to someone who spews hate and violence.

Thanks, Name Suppressed

Michael Jackson - moonwalking

I decided to have another go at Michael. I was quite happy until I did the shading. I'm not sure it's working but I think I'll put it down until the morning. I'm posting the picture, so far, for an image - I hate not posting an image. So here's Michael in moonwalk pose. It's hard to convey moonwalking in a still! I may tweak the picture and repost tomorrow if I'm still not happy with it.

Rest in Peace, Annie Le

"To live in hearts we leave behind
Is not to die."
~Thomas Campbell, "Hallowed Ground"








Our thoughts and prayers are with the friends and family of Annie Le, MED '13. All of us from the Yale Journal of Human Rights are thinking of you - we can only imagine the pain you are going through. We continue to pray for your healing and for justice. The Yale community is staying strong for you.

Rest in Peace, Annie Le.

Cristiano Ronaldo with a new toy

Cristiano Ronaldo's new toy

Ronaldo bought a brand new toy for him self recently in Madrid and it is called Lamborghini Gallardo,Spanish media report.

Spanish media recently reported how many stars spend their money lavishly and among other things, revealed that Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo is renting an exclusive five bedroom house pad for €12,000 a month.But that's not all ...Cristiano bought a new wheels a few days ago with an original price-tag of € 300,000 new.Regarding Ronaldo's love for speed and fast cars he will certainly have problems with local police.Or maybe not?Rather than write him speeding ticket,they will probably ask for an autograph.If they ever stop him.....

Cristiano Ronaldo new car Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4

The Boyz of Camp Breakerz

David Tennant

I managed to do some drawing, finally. Oh yes, that's why I'm an artist! (Stops to think about this) I remember, not to spend days wrapping up and scanning pictures...

So, I decided to try the lovely David Tennant, again. I'm not overjoyed with it but it's not bad. Think I'll have to try a regular portrait soon! I'm having connection difficulties with the scanner so I'm on the photograph backup. Hence the grey colour.

P.S. I've just realised that, last time I tried to do David Tennant I had scanner problems. Do you think he's using his Timelord technology to block my blog postings?

UPDATE - Picture now replaced!

Think of it as cheap advertising!

This was probably the most commonly heard phrase today. Disappointing turnout for the craft fair. I sold one, yes you read correctly, one card. Net loss of £3.00. Handed out lots of flyers and business cards, time will tell if any of those net a response. Despite the lack of sales I had a lovely time, met some charming people. Lots of positive comments about my work and a couple of people seemed genuinely interested in caricatures...again, time!

I've managed to get a DS for my youngest out of it and I am debating whether I can justify a Craft Robo - half price for a second hand machine.

I'm going to relax and do some drawing now and will try to post my efforts later on today.

Another completed commission

Finally handed over this latest commission - I have been given permission to post it prior to the "victim" receiving it! Hope he likes it.

I can hear guitar lovers wincing at the thought of opening a bottle on the guitar neck! Noooooooo! Just in case you're reading this Jeremy! ;-)

The rest of the day has been spent packing up artwork for the craft sale tomorrow. Hope it goes well but only time will tell. I had to get some more cellophane and was struck by the cellophane being wrapped in cellophane. There's something delightfully ironic about it, but then, what else would you wrap a roll of cellophane with?

Kashmiriyat

by Kunal Lunawat
Branford College, Yale 2011
Q. What are your first associations when you hear about this region?
A. Conflicts, struggles, armed barricades, hard-nosed diplomacy, human-rights violations, a frustrating and politicized status quo, cross-border terrorism, rising fundamentalism…

And so I began my journey into the Valley...

It was rather apt that the first few days of my stay were marked by the closure of the summer capital of the state, Srinagar. I was there to get a feel of what living in Kashmir is like, and truly bandhs, day-long curfews, had become an integral part of life in the region.

You would have to be ultra vigilant and in touch with your environment to find out the real reason behind the current shutdown in the city. It could be anything, from a mere political gimmick, to a preemptive move by the security forces and, sometimes, genuine public dissent at the current state of affairs in the city. What fascinated me the most was how these three factors merged into one another; often obliterating boundaries of individual reason and catalyzing one great mess, marked by sheer political ineptitude.

Take the Shopian rape case for instance. In a small town of the Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir, two young women were raped and murdered this summer. A rather gory incident, despicable in all forms, was transformed into political mileage by the opposition. The call within the political circle seemed to be:

“A visit a day to Shopian,
Will make National Conference*
Go astray.”

(*National Conference is the ruling party in Jammu and Kashmir. Most of the political visits were made by the rulers of the Opposition in a bid to make the former unpopular.)

Impassioned and emotionally charged protestors took to the streets, provoking the armed forces to take action. There were barricades in sensitive areas, curfews in others, and monitoring throughout the region for fear of further repercussions. And while all this was happening, the state government, watched and mulled; a week later it set up a judicial inquiry into the incident which had been politicized, militarized, and sapped of any empathy for the victim’s family.

And while all this happened, I stumbled into these people…

We often hear of silver linings which line thick, dark masses of precipitation, but seldom come across one. Here, in the midst of standstill and chaos (Because both standstill and chaos are contradictory, yet visible in Kashmir. I guess it is nature’s beauty and man’s fight against it which make both co-exist.), I happened to meet a few people who introduced me to another side of Kashmir.

They were authors, economists, businessmen, professors and doctors: men and women who were determined improve the quality of life in their society. Yes they were affected by the debilitating political dispute, but they were also driven to look beyond it and work for the greater cause. In fact, many of them believed that by doing so, they would render the dispute sans its venom, the fear and instability that has plagued Kashmir since 1991.

And these people introduced me to what Kashmir once was…

Nature at its purest and hospitality at its best. This other Kashmir – places like Sonamarg, Gulmarg and Pahalgaon - was testimony to its claim of being paradise on Earth. These regions lay in stark contrast to the rest of the valley, almost unperturbed by the conflict which had afflicted its surroundings.


Was it Nature herself that had stood her ground and made it impossible for state and non-state actors to extend the turmoil in these regions? No. There is something more. The firm resolve of people to stay unaffected by what was happening around them, the resilience of the local populace to remain this way, come what may, and an inherent desire to retain the spirit of Kashmir had left the area in its virgin and truest form. This, I am told, was once known as Kashmiriyat, or the essence of what the Kashmir Valley stood for.

NBA Diplomacy

by Avi Kupfer,
Pierson College, Yale 2010

A strange phenomenon takes place every year during the final weeks of the professional basketball season. With playoff dreams unrealizable and no hope for salvaging a winning season, the league’s worst teams see their supporters turn against them. Many fans will root against their own losing teams because a poorer record increases the likelihood of their teams drafting higher valued players for the coming season. The National Basketball Association (NBA) lottery system is weighted so that the team with the worst record has the best chance of obtaining the highest draft pick.



The leaders of the least developed countries would make particularly cynical basketball fans. Governments of the world’s poorest nations often downplay—or far worse, hijack—their countries’ performance in a host of development categories. The UN has uncovered high ranking officials in several West African countries encouraging their subordinates to fudge numbers in every category from human development to communications and transportation.

This despicable practice has a perverse logic. The leaders of the developing world have rightly realized that wildly deflated statistics will increase aid contributions from the US and other Western nations. In countries like Sierra Leone, where more than half of the national GDP comes from foreign aid, the stakes are high. The poorest governments run on a steady stream of donations and even the most corrupt officials depend on these perpetual contributions. The result is NBA Diplomacy; diplomacy with a striking similarity to the attitudes of disparaging basketball fans.

Whitewashing official figures for the sake of aid officers is rampant in the developing world and will become the norm without a serious effort to restructure Western aid programs. Duplicitous incentives reward lack of development rather than real progress. This does far more harm than good. The US must hold governments accountable for aid funds and base future donations on tangible growth rather than pitiable development statistics. Not surprisingly, in recent years countries like Ghana, with a relatively small infusion of Western aid, have made the steadiest progress. To curb NBA diplomacy and realize concrete returns on the billions of dollars that the US invests in the developing world, we must strategically motivate governments to strengthen economic infrastructure, improve education, and stamp out corruption. Rewarding real improvement, rather than the lack of it, will make this a reality.

Busy, busy

Spent ages today sorting out artworks for sale - scanning/photographing, cataloging, creating and printing labels and packaging it all up. I've lost the widget that's necessary to attach the camera to the tripod . I was going to do them this afternoon but battery was flat on camera so I did them this evening. My pictures look shaky so will repeat the exercise with the camera on a pile of books!

As my drawing has been a bit pants today I found this abstract to pretty up the page.

I decided to call it "Stalemate" for no other reason than I like the word!

( to the tune of "It's my party and I'll cry if I want too!)

It's my art and I'll creating meaningless titles if I want to" It does scan - if you work REALLY hard. :-)

Anastasia

I finally had time to myself today, wayhay!

Most of the time was spent sorting out my night school classes, working up and preparing prints for sale on Saturday. I managed a couple of quick sketches one of a building and Anastasia here.

I used a picture from the album. I'm quite happy with the likeness but the overall composition is not to my liking, although I quite like her body pose.

MANCHESTER CITY JERSEY 2009/10 BY UMBRO ARRIVED

The new Manchester City home jersey by Umbro for 2009/10 arrived this morning in sizes medium, large and & xlarge.

Looking for your size in the new Man City jersey? Call us at 604-299-1721

WOMENS SOCCER FOOTWEAR FROM ADIDAS ARRIVED INCLUDING PREDATOR, ADIPURE II & F30

Adidas Womens Soccer Footwear has arrived for Fall 2009. Now available are the Adidas Adipure II trx fg in blue white black, Adidas Adinova trx fg in white gold, Adidas f30 I Trx in blue white red and the Adidas Predator Powerswerve trx fg in blue red white.

Got questions? Call us anytime at 604-299-1721!

Palm

Yet another day at home with a sick child. Spent the day working up some monoprints and this is one of the finished pictures. I'm really pleased with this one. Started a caricature of Stan Laurel - OK it's not hard to caricature him, but it's fun!

The conspiracy is back

Dominic had his outpatients appointment today and was given the "All clear" so he's back to school tomorrow. I then made a fatal mistake, I started looking forward to child free time tomorrow. Siobhan came home to say she had a headache and had been sick before leaving school. I had a feeling of deja vu about the whole situation. Fortunately she seems to be recovering quite quickly and went to bed sans headache.

Nothing I like drawn today so here's my abstract from yesterday. It has a working title of "Floating" but that may change. I was experimenting with feather effects.

CLOSED MONDAY SEPTEMBER 7TH 2009

North America Sports the Soccer Shop will be closed on Monday September 7th for the long weekend holiday. We will be back open on Tuesday September 8th at 9:30 am and will have regular hours throughout the week.

Enjoy the long weekend!

Penelope Cruz

This is today's creation. Well I hope it's Penelope Cruz, it looks like her but I downloaded the picture ages ago and, as usual, didn't put a name on it!! The hair needs a little touching up but otherwise it's finished.

There's a new gallery opened today in Buckingham. Dropped in a card, just on the offchance. Also had a little mooch - some very nice stuff.

The pencil work was done in the car while I was waiting for my daughter to return from a Brownie trip for the 100th anniversary of guiding celebration. Chaos sums up the finding of offspring on 5 coaches by countless parents!

NORTH AMERICA SPORTS BLOG HAVING TEMPORARY IMAGE HOSTING ISSUES, WILL BE RESOLVED SHORTLY

The North America Sports Blog is currently experiencing an image hosting issue. Thanks for your patience as it will get resolved shortly.

Have a question about our latest footwear or soccer gear? Please give us a call directly at 604-299-1721!

I can't stand it anymore!!!!!

Nothing drastic, but the level of mess at home has finally freaked me out. Spent a long time tidying and cleaning today - ugh! This photo of the cat will explain why!

Well OK, I just put it in because she's so darn cute! Dominic is feeling much better today so I could finally use the vacuum cleaner! I think I'd prefer dynamite!

I did allow myself a couple of hours to mono print in the morning and this is one of the nicer results. Some need some work as they haven't turned out as anticipated but that's all part of the learning curve.

Had a phone call from Google about website optimisation. Nice because he didn't rabbit on in techno-babble!

ON OCTOBER 17 ACTIVISTS WILL UNITE (in Connecticut)

by Helen Jack
Saybrook, Yale College 2012

Amnesty International student and local groups from high schools, colleges, and towns around Connecticut will be coming to Yale University on Saturday, October 17 for the Amnesty International Connecticut State Meeting. Meeting participants will spend the day attending workshops to build their organizing skills, hearing guest speakers on Amnesty's priority issues, and discussing how to better work together as a state. Guest speakers include Yale Law School lecturer Hope Metcalf, speaking about detainee abuse by US forces; Pooja Sripad, a student at the Yale School of Public Health, presenting on maternal mortality to introduce Amnesty International's new Demand Dignity Campaign; and Cynthia Gabriel, Amnesty's Field Organizer for the Northeast region. If you are interested in attending the state meeting, please email Yale Amnesty's State Meeting Coordinator Helen Jack at helen.jack@yale.edu

Check out more details of the event (via Facebook) here!

ADIDAS 2009/10 FOOTWEAR ARRIVED INCLUDING F50i TUNITS, PREDATOR POWERSWERVE TRX FG, COPA MUNDIAL, TURF & JUNIOR FOOTWEAR

Adidas soccer footwear for fall 2009 has arrived. Sizes are now available in the F50i Tunit in black leather and cyan blue, as well as the new & original Predator Powerswerve TRX FG. The Adidas Adipure II in white & black have been restocked, as well as Adidas Copa Mundial, Mundial Team Turf shoes & Copa Indoor. Keep posted for additional updates on the many mens, womens & junior soccer footwear from Fall 2009 from Adidas that just arrived in outdoor, indoor & turf!

Want to see if a pair of Adidas soccer footwear is in stock or your size is available at North America Sports the Soccer Store in Vancouver BC? Give us a call at 604-299-1721