My Favorite C.P.G. Grey Videos

American Empire

Useful reminder of the relationship between places like Puerto Rico and the 50 United States.

Bizarre Borders Series

And More…

Anarchy in Catalan

For historical context on the #CatalanReferendum, read George Orwell‘s “Homage to Catlonia“. It’s a gripping personal narrative that also paints a larger geo-political picture. Especially relevant now/again as #CatalanReferendum is happening.

This is the book that set up 1984.

This is the war that set up WWII.

For contemporary context, read CrimethInc.’s “Anarchists on the Catalan Referendum : Three Perspectives from the Streets”.

On Sunday, October 1, the Catalan government held a referendum about Catalan independence from Spain in flagrant defiance of the Spanish government. Massive open clashes between Catalan voters and Spanish police took place throughout the region. A general strike is called for October 3 as a showdown looms between rival politicians and, perhaps, rival states. This situation poses complex challenges: how do anarchists show solidarity to partisans of Catalan independence against police repression without legitimizing nationalism, democracy, or a new Catalan state and its police? We spoke with several anarchists throughout the region and translated these three reports to offer insight into how Catalan anarchists are approaching these questions.

— CrimethInc.

16th Century Scottish Stone House with Punk Rock Roof

Three white inflatable installations protrude from the landscape in Scotland’s Mellerstain’s House and Gardens, works that inhabit two aging structures and a lake that belongs to the estate built in 1725. The installations, which are collectively titled XXX, are by environmental artist Steven Messam and aim to present a contemporary twist on the marble sculptures that were meant to originally decorate the home’s grounds.

As of this year the grounds have been opened as a site for open-air contemporary works, with Messam’s pieces creating the first exhibition at the newly opened Borders Sculpture Park. Scattered, a series of 6 to 13-foot spheres bob on the surface of the lake, available for investigation by the small canoes one can rent on site. Pointed, a spiked protrusion from the former gatehouse of the estate, fills the center of the building, extending out only from the roof in a series of 28 10-foot peaks. Finally, Towered juts from the center of a crumbling old laundry building in a series of tubes, its columns reaching over 26-feet-high.

(via Colossal

“Isle of Dogs” Trailer

The trailer for “Isle of Dogs” looks amazing. I’m very excited to see this movie. I’ll probably re-watch Fantastic Mr. Fox in preparation for seeing it.

As others have pointed out on Twitter, the pronunciation of the movie title “Isle of Dogs” sounds a lot like “I love dogs”. I’m good with that.

Total Solar Eclipse 2017

The 2017 total solar eclipse was the single greatest experience of my life. I plan to see many more of them. My life is divided into before I saw a total solar eclipse and after I saw one. (And people are divided into those that’ve seen one and those that haven’t.) Seeing a 99% solar eclipse is missing the whole thing. That last 1% is everything.

Here’s a round up of the links from before and after the eclipse that got me stoked and/or captured some of the awe of it.

#NachoMan

While playing against the Cardinals in St Louis, Cubs shortstop Addison Russell tried to catch a fly ball in foul territory. He fell into the first row of seat and didn’t make the catch. In the process, he knocked a plate of nachos out of a Cardinals fan’s hands.

Between innings, Russell brought the fan a new order of nachos and took a selfie with him.

That man quickly became known as #NachoMan and surely had the best day at the baseball game of his life.