Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o 1938 - 2025

"It is all due to a parable that came to me as I waited in a lobby of a New York hotel, trying to figure out the meaning of the wonders I had seen in a flight I had made around Africa and all the lands where dwell black folk, in the form of a bird.

"[The Wizard of the Crow] told the story of his travels in time and space in search of the sources of black power and a rather long parable of how humans surrendered control of their own lives to a blind deity with a double barreled name of M&M, or money and market, and how Africa's independence mutated to dependence.

 "Why did Africa let Europe cart away millions of Africa's souls from the continent to the four corners of the world?  How could Europe lord it over a continent ten times its size?  Why does needy Africa continue to let its wealth meet the needs of those outside its borders and then follow behind with hands outstretched for a loan of the very wealth it let go?  How did we arrive at this, that the best leader is the one who knows how to beg for a share of what he has already given away at the price of a broken tool?  Where is the future of Africa?  I cried.

"I saw this: Around the seventeenth century, Europe impregnated some in Africa with its evil.  These pregnancies gave birth to the slave driver of the slave plantation, who mutated into the colonial driver of the colonial plantation, who years later mutated into the neocolonial pilots of the postcolonial plantation.  Is he now mutating into a modern driver and pilot of a global plantation?  But Africa impregnated its own breed, which made our people sing.  Even if you kill our heroes, we women are pregnant with hope of a new lot.  Therefore, don't cry despair at those who sold the heritage; smile also with pride at the achievement of those that struggle to rescue our heritage.

"So I said to myself: Just as today is born of the womb of yesterday, today is pregnant with tomorrow." 

                                                                                     (from Wizard of the Crow, 2006)

Sebastião Salgado 1944 - 2025

At daybreak, Waurá Indians travel by canoe to collect the “waiting net,” Xingu Indigenous Territory, state of Mato Grosso, Brazil, 2005, gelatin silver print, 20 x 24 inches/50.8 x 61 cm, courtesy Sundaram Tagore Gallery

 

Alice Notley 1945 - 2025

“In this moment” “before” “anyone, ever” “died” “before we were born?”
“in this moment forever before” “before we went to a war”
“Before we died” “In this moment, now” “In this moment before, it is
not before” “In this very moment” “where is it” “where we
haven’t died” “or died inside” “In this moment we haven’t” “in this
moment, no one” “in this moment, no one has ever, died” (“But I have
been born”) “in this moment” “where, where is it” “in moment” “who’s here”
 

                                                          from White Phosphorus, 1988

Elham Al Badi 1993-2025

 

"Operation Rough Rider"

  

"Nineteen months into the conflict, the Gaza Strip is still confronted with a critical risk of Famine. Over 60 days have passed since all humanitarian aid and commercial supplies were blocked from entering the territory. Goods indispensable for people’s survival are either depleted or expected to run out in the coming weeks. The entire population is facing high levels of acute food insecurity, with half a million people (one in five) facing starvation. 

"From 11 May to the end of September 2025, the whole territory is classified in Emergency (IPC Phase 4), with the entire population expected to face Crisis or worse acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above). This includes 470,000 people (22 percent of the population) in Catastrophe (IPC Phase 5), over a million people (54 percent) in Emergency (IPC Phase 4) and the remaining half million (24 percent) in Crisis (IPC Phase 3). This marks a significant deterioration compared to the previous IPC analysis (released in October 2024) and the already dire conditions detected between 1 April - 10 May 2025. During this time, 1.95 million people (93 percent) were classified in Crisis or worse (IPC Phase 3 or above), including 244,000 people (12 percent) in IPC Phase 5 (Catastrophe) and 925,000 (44 percent) in IPC Phase 4 (Emergency). 

"With the announced expansion of military operations throughout the Gaza Strip, the persistent inability of humanitarian agencies to access populations in dire need, an anticipated escalation in hostilities, and the continued mass displacement of people, the risk of Famine in the Gaza Strip is not just possible- It is increasingly likely."

(Integrated Food Security Phase Classification)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Update: 

This is not business as usual.
My new UN report, From Economy of Occupation to Economy of Genocide, is out today.
It shows how corporations have fueled and legitimised the destruction of Palestine.
Genocide, it would seem, is profitable. This cannot continue, accountability must… pic.twitter.com/Ei3atw0TQ1

— Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur oPt (@FranceskAlbs) July 1, 2025

 

 

4 'O lofty virtue,' I began, 'who lead me 

5 as you will around these impious circles, 

6 speak to me and satisfy my wishes. 

7 Pasolini's film about Luigi, 

8 can it be seen? For all the lids are raised 

9 and there is no one standing guard.' 

 10 And he to me: 'All will be shut and sealed..' 

 

At 4:36 when the apostles approach, the figure, I believe, on the left is Giorgio Agamben in his early twenties as St. Philip. Scorsese's Last Temptation lifts this scene almost shot for shot

Luis Felipe Noé 1933-2025

Cerrado por brujería (Closed for Witchcraft), 1963, Oil and collage on canvas, 78 3/5 × 98 3/10 in

 

Joris Weighs In on the New York Times

I was taught growing up that it's polite to wait until someone's New York Times obituary is out before you publicly recall what they wrote about the 'paper of record.' A Syria-related chat from April 2017:

I.K. (in response to a Uri Avnery column): "The Syrians didn’t suddenly submit to a dictatorship in the 80s. ??? The Assads took over in 1970. Like Egypt, which it was previously unified with, fair elections have resulted and would result in leaders wanting to do something concrete for the Palestinians so the US won’t allow them, evidenced by several coups. The Assads moderated Syria’s position towards Israel and the US compared to their predecessors, but Saudi Arabia, Israel, Turkey, and the US want them out, largely to reduce the influence of Russia and Iran.

"I agree with Uri tho that there’s zero evidence of Assad’s fingerprints on the chemical attack and that he’s way too smart to alienate the West a few days after Trump said he wouldn’t intervene in the war. Someone didn’t like the news that Trump wouldn’t intervene and did something, but it’s unlikely Assad was that person. Reportedly the Trump administration warned Assad and Putin about the attacks, which would mean they’re playing to US politics, less dangerously in this respect than the Hillary crowd would have.

“What does that say about the American people, and about humanity in general?” I agree that they watch too much TV and still take the NY Times seriously, but increasingly less so."

+ "Intended to mention that all UN statements (one, by former Swiss AG Carla De Ponte) about the various 2013 chemical attacks implicated the rebels, and the UN has made no statement suggesting any evidence of Assad’s culpability." 

P.J.: "Thanks, Ian, useful comments as usual! & good to remind one that the NYT, which, given the circus, one nearly went back to take seriously again, is profoundly enmeshed with the enemies. Note that its opinion pages just acquired the services of one Bret Stephens, well-known climate change denier!"

 

Pierre Joris 1946-2025

When a person has died the men bring their little drums

Mothers of Monga yo yo pray for Monga

War has crushed him how did war crush him?

Cry my gullet, mother of Monga yo yo pray for Monga

War has crushed him O how did war crush him?

When they have finished crying they dance and sing all day long.

 

                        (P.J. translation of Tristan Tzara's translation of Mourning Song of the Ba- Totela, Batatela (Zaire)) 

 

 

 

it looks like this outside tonight only the sky is white (snow and 99% waxing gibbous)

 

René Magritte, L'Empire des lumières, 1954, Oil on canvas and gouache on paper

 

Update: The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow, Gave a lustre of midday to objects below, When what to my wondering eyes did appear, But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny rein-deer, With a little old driver so lively and quick, I knew in a moment he must be Coach Nick. Rapidly the Eagles his starters they came, And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name: "Now, Cooper! now, Quinyon! now Zach Baun and Jalen! On, Saquon! on, Johnson! on, AJ and Jalen! To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall! Now beat the Rams! Beat the Chiefs! Beat them all!"