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Saturday 21 January 2017

Land of Shadows / Jorge Luis Borges: Mutaciones (Mutations)

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epa05735779 US First Lady Melania Trump, US President Donald Trump, US Vice President Mike Pence and his wife Karen Pence wave goodbye to former US President Barack Obama and Former US First Lady Michelle Obama on the West Front of the US Capitol in Washington, DC, USA, 20 January 2017. Trump won the 08 November 2016 election to become the next US President.  EPA/Rob Carr

US First Lady Melania Trump, US President Donald Trump, US Vice President Mike Pence and his wife Karen Pence wave goodbye to former US President Barack Obama and Former US First Lady Michelle Obama on the West Front of the US Capitol in Washington, DC: photo by Rob Carr/EPA, 20 January 2017



 "Because today, we are transferring power from Washington, and giving it back to you." Photo Darcy Padilla @lemondefr #inauguration2017 #1percent: image via Reading The Pictures @ReadingThePix, 20 January 2017

The Capitol Building is illuminated against the sunrise before the presidential inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, Friday, Jan. 20, 2017, in Washington. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
 The Capitol Building is illuminated against the sunrise before the presidential inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump in Washington: photo by John Minchillo/AP, 20 January 2017

The Capitol Building is illuminated against the sunrise before the presidential inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, Friday, Jan. 20, 2017, in Washington. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

The Capitol Building is illuminated against the sunrise before the presidential inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump in Washington: photo by John Minchillo/AP, 20 January 2017



Protesters have turned entire area around Trump's ball into a living Georg Grosz painting: image via Paul Mason @Ppaulmasonnews, 20 January 2017

Place markers for the Trump family are seen on the podium before the inauguration ceremonies swearing in Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United States on the West front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., January 20, 2017. REUTERS/Brian Snyder

Place markers for the Trump family are seen on the podium before the inauguration ceremonies swearing in Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United States on the West front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington: photo by Brian Snyder, 20 January 2017

 




PHILIPPINES - Activists burn a mock US flag with President Donald Trump's portrait during a rally in Manila. By Ted Aljibe #AFP: image via Frédérique Geffard @fgeffardAFP, 20 January 2017


US - A worker cleans steps on the inaugural stand at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, before the inauguration of Donald Trump. By @saulloeb: image via Frédérique Geffard @fgeffardAFP, 20 January 2017

Former President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton arrive during the 58th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Friday, Jan. 20, 2017. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Former President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton arrive during the 58th Presidential Inauguration in Washington: photo by Carolyn Kaster/AP, 20 January 2017




US President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in as President at the US Capitol in Washington, DC. Photo Mark Ralston: image via AFP Photo Department @AFPphoto, 20 January 2017
US President Barack Obama (R) and Michelle Obama escort President-elect Donald J. Trump (back) and wife Melania (C) into the White House for tea before the inauguration in Washington, DC, USA, 20 January 2017. Trump won the 08 November 2016 election to become the next US President.  EPA/KEVIN DIETSCH / POOL

US President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama escort President-elect Donald J. Trump and wife Melania into the White House for tea before the inauguration




Barack Obama shakes hands with Donald Trump during the Presidential #inauguration at the US Capitol in Washington, DC. Photo @saulloeb: image via AFP Photo Department @AFPphoto, 20 January 2017


US - Former First Lady Michelle Obama waves from the helicopter as she and Barack Obama depart the US Capitol in Washington. By @JimWatson_AFP: image via Frédérique Geffard @fgeffardAFP, 20 January 2017


US - US President-elect Donald Trump merchandise on sale outside the White House in Washington, DC. By Mark Ralston #AFP: image via Frédérique Geffard @fgeffardAFP, 20 January 2017



Jose Luis Borges: Mutaciones (Mutations)

nmates are seen during an uprising at Alcacuz prison in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte state, Brazil, January 19, 2017.  REUTERS/Josemar Goncalves FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES

Inmates are seen during an uprising at Alcacuz prison in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte state, Brazil: photo by Josemar Goncalves/Reuters, 19 January 2017

nmates are seen during an uprising at Alcacuz prison in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte state, Brazil, January 19, 2017.  REUTERS/Josemar Goncalves FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES

Inmates are seen during an uprising at Alcacuz prison in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte state, Brazil: photo by Josemar Goncalves/Reuters, 19 January 2017

Jose Luis Borges: Mutaciones

En un corredor vi una flecha que indicaba una dirección y pensé que aquel símbolo inofensivo había sido alguna vez una cosa de hierro, un proyectil inevitable y mortal, que entró en la carne de los hombres y de los leones y nubló el sol en las Térmópilas y dio a Harald Sigurdarson, para siempre, seis pies de tierra inglesa. Días después, alguien me mostró una fotografía de un jinete magyar; un lazo dado vueltas rodeaba el pecho de su cabalgadura. Supe que el lazo, que antes anduvo por el aire y sujetó a los toros del pastizal, no era sino una gala Insolente del apero de los domingos. En el cementerio del Oeste vi una cruz rúnica, labrada en mármol rojo; los brazos eran curvos y se ensanchaban y los ro­deaba un círculo. Esa cruz apretaría y limitada figurabla otra, de brazos libres, que a su vez figura el patíbulo en. que un dios padeció, la “máquina vil” insultada por Luciano de Samosata. Cruz, lazo y flecha, viejos utensilios del hombre, hoy rebajados o elevados a símbolos; no sé por qué me maravillan, cuando no hay en la tierra una sola cosa que el olvido no borre o que la memoria no altere y cuando nadie sabe en qué imágenes lo traducirá el porvenir.

Jose Luis Borges: Mutaciones (Mutations), from El hacedor, 1960; English version by Mildred Boyer

Untitled | by TomOlson

[Untitled]: photo by Tom Olson, 27 August 2016

Untitled | by TomOlson

[Untitled]: photo by Tom Olson, 27 August 2016

Untitled | by TomOlson

[Untitled]: photo by Tom Olson, 27 August 2016

Mutations 

I saw in a hall an arrow pointing the way and I thought that this inoffensive symbol had once been a thing of iron, an inescapable and fatal projectile that pierced the flesh of men and of lions and clouded the sun at Thermopylae and gave Harald Sigurdarson six feet of English earth forever.

Some days later someone showed me a photograph of a Magyar horseman. A coiled lasso circled the breast of his mount. I learned that the lasso, which once whipped through the air and brought down the bulls of the prairie, was now nothing more than a haughty trapping of Sunday harness.

In the west cemetery I saw a runic cross, chiseled in red marble. The arms curved as they widened out, and a circle encompassed them. That limited, circumscribed cross represented the other one, the free-armed cross, which in its turn represents the gallows where a god suffered, the “vile machine” railed at by Lucian of Samosata.

Cross, lasso, and arrow --former tools of man, debased or exalted now to the status of symbols. Why should I marvel at them, when there is not a single thing on earth that oblivion does not erase or memory change, and when no one knows into what images he himself will be transmuted by the future.

 Jose Luis Borges (1899-1986): Mutaciones (Mutations), from El hacedor, 1960; English version by Mildred Boyer

 
Saas-Grund | by TomOlson

Saas-Grund
: photo by Tom Olson, 12 November 2016

Saas-Grund | by TomOlson

Saas-Grund
: photo by Tom Olson, 12 November 2016
 
Saas-Grund | by TomOlson

Saas-Grund
: photo by Tom Olson, 12 November 2016


US - An activist holds up a sign at the "We Stand United" rally outside Trump International Hotel and Tower in New York. By Bryan R. Smith: image via Frédérique Geffard @fgeffardAFP, 20 January 2017

A picture made available on 20 January 2017 shows Chinese soldiers queue to properly arrange their parachute bags as they prepare for parachuting training in Hubei province, China, 11 December 2016. Several thousand new Chinese soldiers participated in a three month-long paratrooper training course to be paratroopers in the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA).  EPA/STRINGER CHINA OUT

Chinese soldiers queue to properly arrange their parachute bags as they prepare for parachuting training in Hubei province, China: photo by EPA, 20 January 2017

A picture made available on 20 January 2017 shows Chinese soldiers queue to properly arrange their parachute bags as they prepare for parachuting training in Hubei province, China, 11 December 2016. Several thousand new Chinese soldiers participated in a three month-long paratrooper training course to be paratroopers in the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA).  EPA/STRINGER CHINA OUT

Chinese soldiers queue to properly arrange their parachute bags as they prepare for parachuting training in Hubei province, China: photo by EPA, 20 January 2017


UK - Placards are pictured ahead of a protest in London to coincide with the inauguration of Donald Trump as president of US. By @lealolivas: image via Frédérique Geffard @fgeffardAFP, 20 January 2017


Demonstrators hang a banner that reads “Act Now! Build Bridges not Walls” from Tower Bridge during a protest against the inauguration of Donald Trump as U.S. President, in London: photo by Toby Melville/Reuters, 20 January 2017  


Demonstrators hang a banner that reads “Act Now! Build Bridges not Walls” from Tower Bridge during a protest against the inauguration of Donald Trump as U.S. President, in London: photo by Toby Melville/Reuters, 20 January 2017


US - A woman holds a sign before the start of the Presidential Inauguration of Donald Trump at Freedom Plaza in Washington. By @joshualott: image via Frédérique Geffard @fgeffardAFP, 20 January 2017

View from the Comala community, Colima State, Mexico, on January 19, 2017 of the Volcano of Fire in eruption.  The colima volcano is one of the most active in Mexico and in the last days its activity has intensified. / AFP PHOTO / SERGIO VELASCO GARCIASERGIO VELASCO GARCIA/AFP/Getty Images

The Colima volcano is photographed erupting. It is one of the most active in Mexico.: photo by Sergio Velasco Garcia/AFP, 20 January 2017 

View from the Comala community, Colima State, Mexico, on January 19, 2017 of the Volcano of Fire in eruption.  The colima volcano is one of the most active in Mexico and in the last days its activity has intensified. / AFP PHOTO / SERGIO VELASCO GARCIASERGIO VELASCO GARCIA/AFP/Getty Images

The Colima volcano is photographed erupting. It is one of the most active in Mexico.: photo by Sergio Velasco Garcia/AFP, 20 January 2017


US President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in as President at the US Capitol in Washington, DC. Photo Mark Ralston: image via AFP Photo Department @AFPphoto, 20 January 2017


Barack Obama shakes hands with Donald Trump during the Presidential #inauguration at the US Capitol in Washington, DC. Photo @saulloeb: image via AFP Photo Department @AFPphoto, 20 January 2017


El momento cantinflesco de George W. Bush con un impermeable #InaugurationDay: image via Univision Noticias @UniNoticias, 20 January 2017

 

El momento cantinflesco de George W. Bush con un impermeable #InaugurationDay: image via Univision Noticias @UniNoticias, 20 January 2017 


El momento cantinflesco de George W. Bush con un impermeable #InaugurationDay (3)
: image via Univision Noticias @UniNoticias, 20 January 2017

An End to American Carnage



This portrait of President #GeorgeWashington wearing a #MAGA hat greeted people attending the "Deploraball." (Photo @brookefoxnews): image via Fox News Verified account @FoxNews, 19 January 2017 

 
Trucks blocking one of the roads leading to the White House in Washington DC: image via Paul Owen @PaulTOwen, 20 January 2017
 
 
Big challenge for botoxed Reifenstahls of US media today - frame out signs like this...: image via Paul Mason Verified account @paulmasonnews, 20 January 2017
 

this...: image via Paul Mason Verified account @paulmasonnews, 20 January 2017


 
Wow .. Melania = Jackie O. Sit your ass down Tom Ford.: image via WestCoastCon @jonyourside, 20 January 2017


Donald and Melania Trump arrive at St John's Church in Washington DC: image via Paul Owen @PaulTOwen, 20 January 2017


 Remember that this was uttered by your #President n case u forgot #WomensMarch #WomensMarchOnWashington #UnitedAgainstHate #TrumpProtest: image via Nathian Rodriguez @Nate_SDSU, 20 January 2017
 

México contraataca: empresas y consumidores lanzan un boicot a productos de Estados Unidos: image via Infobae América @InfobaeAmerica, 19 January 2017



Nigel Farage and the Bad Boys of Brexit arrive in Washington for Donald #Trump's #Inauguration: image via Warrior Huntress @daeshhun, 20 January 2017

    Waving goodbye to Obama #bodylanguage Photo @billclarkphotos: image via Reading The Pictures @ReadingThePix, 20 January 2017

  Official farewell, but you know he'll be watching this closely from 30k foot view the whole time. Photo @PeteSouza: image via Reading The Pictures @ReadingThePix, 20 January 2017


#visuallanguage: image via Reading The Pictures @ReadingThePix, 20 January 2017
 

Don't know what you got till it's gone Photo @LeighVogel/Instagram #bodylanguage #rolemodels #inauguration2017: image via Reading The Pictures @ReadingThePix, 20 January 2017


The Rubicon. Photo Damon Winter #inauguration2017 via @nytimes: image via Reading The Pictures @ReadingThePix, 20 January 2017


At this point, he's become an icon #white #male #young #loud Photo @heislerphoto @nytimes #inauguration2017: image via Reading The Pictures @ReadingThePix, 20 January 2017


Limo now on fire beneath windows of . We're wondering if it's going to blow up 
Reading The Pictures Retweeted Christian Caryl
Reading the Pictures added,  
New normal
 image via Reading The Pictures @ReadingThePix, 20 January 2017


Protester dissing on anarchists to @NBCNews. Trusting media to make the distinction. #inauguration2017 #protests: image via Reading The Pictures @ReadingThePix, 20 January 2017


Contrast in style @drewangerer @gettyimages #inauguration2017: image via Reading The Pictures @ReadingThePix, 20 January 2017

  
Characteristic down the line @alexwongcw @@gettyimages #inauguration2017: image via Reading The Pictures @ReadingThePix, 20 January 2017


Telling how #Trump and Melania look on blankly as Blunt points out statues/U.S. history in Statuary Hall #incurious #inauguration2017: image via Reading The Pictures @ReadingThePix, 20 January 2017 


Telling how #Trump and Melania look on blankly as Blunt points out statues/U.S. history in Statuary Hall #incurious #inauguration2017: image via Reading The Pictures @ReadingThePix, 20 January 2017


On the trouble, tone deaf painting hanging behind Trump at inaugural luncheon: image via Reading The Pictures @ReadingThePix, 20 January 2017


Shocking, but not surprising, to absorb same hateful spoken and visual rhetoric at this defining moment  #inauguration2017 Photo @jraedle: image via Reading The Pictures @ReadingThePix, 20 January 2017
 

A worthy metaphor, in fact, having to sit through same scrabble you've heard 1000x before. #inauguration2017 #BarronTrump @somogettynews: image via Reading The Pictures @ReadingThePix, 20 January 2017


 The face of petulance. #inauguration2017 @somogettynews: image via Reading The Pictures @ReadingThePix, 20 January 2017


So long, no drama. Unearthly shot by @_monicajorge at #inauguration2017 concert #trumpfireworks #nukecodes: image via Reading The Pictures @ReadingThePix, 20 January 2017 
 

Just yuge or paper tiger? Photo @ninaberman @noorimages #inauguration2017 #trumpmarch: image via Reading The Pictures @ReadingThePix, 20 January 2017
 

The DeVos crowd has arrived Photo @MJKaus #inauguration2017 #layingonofhands #trumpfaithful #MarkKauzlarich: image via Reading The Pictures @ReadingThePix, 20 January 2017
 

Looking forward to NOT watching the inauguration tomorrow and surfing/reading instead. Join me #Boycott #Trump #PoorRatings #NMP: image via Max Carver Verified account @maxcarver, 19 January 2017


The tallest building in the world, tearing through the clouds. Literally skyscraping via Imgur: image via ernesto veles @erveza, 18 January 2017


Chris Hammer sits with his sign in #protest in front of Los Angeles City Hall during the #UnitedAgainstHate #trumpprotest #TrumpInauguration: image via Two Vivid Photography @twovivid, 20 January 2017


Oakland #TrumpProtest now passing 26th on Broadway, headed back downtown: image via Michael Bodley Verified account @michael_bodley, 20 January 2017
 

 Donald Trump and his wife Melania arrive to attend an inauguration concert at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC #TrumpInauguration: image via AFP Photo Department @AFPphoto, 19 January 2017


Trump, on inauguration eve, pledges to 'unify' Americans. Photo @b_smialowski #Inauguration: image via AFP Photo Department @AFPphoto, 19 January 2017


President-elect Donald Trump, left, and his wife Melania Trump arrive to "Make America Great Again Welcome Concert" in Washington: image via AP Images @AP_Images, 19 January 2017


US President-elect Donald Trump and wife Melania look at the Abraham Lincoln statue at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC. #Inauguration: image via AFP Photo Department @AFPphoto, 19 January 2017


Donald Trump and family pose at the end of a welcome celebration at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC. Photo Mandel Ngan #Inauguration: image via AFP Photo Department @AFPphoto, 19 January 2017



WAPO's Matt McClain wanted power Portrait so showed #Trump #Churchill. Got more Apprentice.  #gravity @postphoto : image via Reading The Pictures @ReadingThePix, 19 January 2017


WAPO's Matt McClain wanted power Portrait so showed #Trump #Churchill. Got more Apprentice.  #gravity @postphoto: image via Reading The Pictures @ReadingThePix, 19 January 2017


Just prep for real portrait by @jabinbotsford @washingtonpost. But this "pull up your socks"/is he really up for this? a lot more telling.: image via Reading The Pictures @ReadingThePix, 19 January 2017



Ask Macbeth. From @washingtonpost @postphoto portrait of a city prepping for Trump @chavismophoto: image via Reading The Pictures @ReadingThePix, 19 January 2017


Excuse me Oakland but is there a rocket in the sky? cc @mslopatto: image via Julia Carrie Wong @juliacarriew, 14 January 2017

My mom's plan for her sign for the woman's march: Side A: subtle reference to Reichstag fire Side B: "Winter is coming": tweet via Julia Carrie Wong @juliacarriew, 15 January 2017



apparently "winter is coming" got bled on: image via Julia Carrie Wong @juliacarriew, 19 January 2017

 
About 100 protesters kettled with hands up 12th and L: image via Paul Mason @paulmasonnews, 20 January 2017


Hi from Washington
: image via Owen Jones @OwenJones84, 20 January 2017



Innit
: image via Owen Jones @OwenJones84, 20 January 2017


At Freedom Ball, Trump asks crowd if he should keep tweeting. They said yes.: image via Jennifer Jacobs @JenniferJJacobs, 20 January 2017


 TRUMP IN THE OVAL OFFICE [note new gold decor!]. photo by @justinsink: image via Jennifer Jacobs @JenniferJJacobs, 20 January 2017

an elegy


Words said for the first time in any inaugural address
: image via Post Graphics @PostGraphics, 20 January 2017


Bleed carnage depletion, people... it's sad...
all our disagreements in disrepair
flush against the infrastructure of the Islamic lady...
the landscape overseas is ripped and rusted... sad!
But all that's over now and we're going to build something terrific out of our tremendous
solidarity in the sprawl of stealing from the people, people,
that's what we're going to do, and you won't even notice it's stolen from you
because it'll be so tremendous, people are going to
love it so terrific, it's sad... sad...
A man saw a ball of gold
and lo, it was all of gold...
This is our great history, people
and we're going to put a stop to those subsidized
tombstones that have trapped our terrific trillions in a time tunnel... sad...
trust me, people... we're going to so make America so great again, so tremendous
unrealized unstoppable and urban from sea to golden sea
wind-swept...



Updated to include "disagreements," "overseas" and "tunnel.": image via Post Graphics @PostGraphics, 20 January 2017


At Freedom Ball, Trump and his wife Melania again dance to Sinatra's "My Way." Pence and wife join, and kids and spouses. Then they're off.: image via Jennifer Jacobs @JenniferJJacobs, 20 January 2017


SYRIA - A Syrian man sits under a building in the rebel-held town of Douma, on the eastern outskirts of Damascus. By @AbdDoumany #AFP
: image via Frédérique Geffard @fgeffardAFP, 20 January 2017



SYRIA - A man cries over the bodies of his family during their funeral in the rebel-held town of Douma, Damascus. By @SameerAlDoumy #AFP: image via Frédérique Geffard @fgeffardAFP, 20 January 2017


SYRIA - Children walk along a damaged street in Aleppo's Tareeq al-Bab neighbourhood. By George Ourfalian #AFP: image via Frédérique Geffard @fgeffardAFP, 20 January 2017

 
SYRIA - A boy sells sweets in the street in Tareeq al-Bab neighbourhood a month after gov. retook Aleppo from rebels. George Ourfalian #AFP: image via Frédérique Geffard @fgeffardAFP, 20 January 2017

Land of Shadows | by adam_dunikowski

 Land of Shadows. Bieszczady Mountains, Poland.: photo by adam dunikowski, 16 September 2014

Land of Shadows | by adam_dunikowski

Land of Shadows. Bieszczady Mountains, Poland.: photo by adam dunikowski, 16 September 2014

Land of Shadows | by adam_dunikowski

Land of Shadows. Bieszczady Mountains, Poland.: photo by adam dunikowski, 16 September 2014

Untitled | by el zopilote

Eagle Nest, New Mexico: photo by Jorge Guadalupe Lizárraga, January 2017

Untitled | by el zopilote

Eagle Nest, New Mexico: photo by Jorge Guadalupe Lizárraga, January 2017

Untitled | by el zopilote

Eagle Nest, New Mexico: photo by Jorge Guadalupe Lizárraga, January 2017

2 comments:

Mose23 said...

Everything is echo/rerun now, but how strange it all seems in this virtual light.

From Gold to golden.

TC said...

There's no Guilt to this Gelt, only the overarching magnitude of the Get.