TOM CLARK: Kashmir: The spirit of freedom caged | Blackie and the shikara boat

A North Korea/US summit between Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump has become more likely in recent days.: photo by Korea Summit Press Pool / Michael Reynolds/EPA, 29 May 2018

XYMPHORA: Sunday, May 27, 2018

The Empire of Bluffing

"Trump Now Says the Korea Summit is Back on for the 12th" (Anglin). When the two Korean leaders said 'who needs Trump, we'll figure it out ourselves', emergency sirens went off in Washington. What kind of indispensable Empire are you if people start ignoring you? Suddenly, Trump is available to meet again, as if his funny little passive-aggressive letter had never been sent.

The Europeans should take heed in figuring out how to surmount the Empire in dealing with Iran (and Russia, and China, etc). The Empire is a bluff. It issues orders, but has neither the political nor the military ability to enforce them. The American military, burdened by massive white elephant spending (F-35, all those incompetently designed and built warships that just serve as juicy targets), and corruption at inconceivable levels, physically and morally weakened by spending literally all of its time dropping bombs on, and droning, civilians, can't be relied upon to enforce any threat against a determined national actor, and the Washington elites are now trying to ensure that nobody finds that out. Call the bluff! Ignore the Americans, and they will have to come crawling back as they are terrified that the world will find out that the Empire has already died, in the dark, sucked dry by the (((parasite))).

My ! #SundayMorning: image via Ivanka Trump @IvankaTrump, 27 May 2018

A woman poses with her newborn baby boy named Miracle after giving birth on board the migrant rescue ship Aquarius. Photo @GuglielmoMan: image via Reuters Pictures @reuterspictures, 28 May 2018

A worker walks past a tug damaged by an air strike at Hodeida port in Yemen Photo Abduljabbar Zeyad: image via Reuters Pictures @reuterspictures, 28 May 2018

GAZA STRIP - Palestinians run for cover from tear gas shot by Israeli forces during a demonstration along the border between Israel and the Gaza. Photo @mohmdabed: image via Frédérique Geffard @fgeffardAFP, 26 May 2018

Untitled: photo by ilan Ben yehuda, 2 May 2018

Budapest: photo by Thomas Szanto, 24 May 2018

Subway, New York City, 2015: photo by Michael Kowalczyk, 20 June 2015

Had to change the passenger list on the shikara boat

Zainab brought from Srinagar

The polar bear remains under the tiny roof

but the miniature bowling pin

has been removed from prow

to stern, and in its place

now cutting through imaginal space
a black swan glass

spirit animal

for blackie expiring on a towel

on the kitchen floor

after being poisoned

by one of our lovely neighbours

with whom we might feel

the same degree of closeness
if they were made of glass

Hot Springs, San Pedro de Atacama, Chile 2018: photo by Michael Kowalczyk, 6 March 2018

Bremen, Germany: photo by dasilke, 2 February 2018

Kashmir: The spirit of freedom caged

Protesters shout pro-freedom slogans from a window of the Jamia Masjid during clashes in Srinagar.: image via BASIT ZARGAR @basiitzargar, 25 May 2018

An erupting tear gas shell fired by security forces lies on roof top of Jamia Masjid during clashes in Srinagar. Several protesters were injured after security forces fired pellets and tear gas shells at them.: image via BASIT ZARGAR @basiitzargar, 25 May 2018

People carry an injured shopkeeper after he was injured during clashes after Friday prayers in Srinagar. Several protesters were injured after security forces fired pellets and tear gas shells at them.: image via BASIT ZARGAR @basiitzargar, 25 May 2018

Massive clashes erupted between protesters and security forces after Friday prayers at Nowhatta chowk in Srinagar. More than 2 Dozen of protesters were injured in clashes shifted to Hospital.: image via BASIT ZARGAR @basiitzargar, 25 May 2018

A nomadic kid sleeps on a steed as they walk with livestock in the outskirts of Srinagar.: image via BASIT ZARGAR @basiitzargar, 22 May 2018

Some pictures don't need a caption!: image via BASIT ZARGAR @basiitzargar, 19 May 2018

Children go for tuition as a soldier stands guard during restrictions in Srinagar following a strike call by separatists in view of the PM Modi's visit.: image via BASIT ZARGAR @basiitzargar, 19 May 2018

Srinagar caged following a strike call by separatists in view of the PM Modi's visit.: image via BASIT ZARGAR @basiitzargar, 19 May 2018

Security beefed up ahead of PM Modi's visit to Srinagar.: image via BASIT ZARGAR @basiitzargar, 18 May 2018

Massive clashes erupted between protesters and security forces at Nowhatta in Srinagar, against the recent killings of Palestinian protesters in Gaza.: image via BASIT ZARGAR @basiitzargar, 18 May 2018

On Mother’s Day from Kashmir.: image via BASIT ZARGAR @basiitzargar, 13 May 2018

Kashmir is crying.: image via BASIT ZARGAR @basiitzargar, 8 May 2018

Thousands of people attend the funeral of Nisar ahmad, a civilian who was killed during clashes near the site of a gun battle at Badigam in Shopian..: image via BASIT ZARGAR @basiitzargar, 6 May 2018

Tens of thousands of people attend the funeral of Top Militant commander Saddam padder and his associate at Heff in Shopian.: image via BASIT ZARGAR @basiitzargar, 6 May 2018

More than ten thousand people attend the funeral procession of Fayaz Ahmad a militant who was killed during an gun battle at Chattabal Srinagar.: image via BASIT ZARGAR @basiitzargar, 5 May 2018

Clashes between protesters and security forces near the site of a gun-battle at Chattabal Srinagar.: image via BASIT ZARGAR @basiitzargar, 5 May 2018

Funeral of Adil Ahmad a civilian who was killed after a police vehicle hit and ran over him during clashes in Srinagar.: image via BASIT ZARGAR @basiitzargar, 5 May 2018

Pictures from encounter at Chattabal Srinagar; 3 Militants and 1 civilian killed.: image via BASIT ZARGAR @basiitzargar, 5 May 2018

Picture speaks itself.: image via BASIT ZARGAR @basiitzargar, 3 May 2018

The limits of my tiny headache have yet to be dissolved by grease

The limits of my headache mark the possibility of a world.. said the young fake professor to himself. I stepped away from grading to drop a few pounds. Now to finish (munch munch...) Why does “plain” ice cream have to be vanilla? Milk is a good flavor on its own. Irony is dead; long live irony. In literature, the laws of chemistry are inverted: it’s grease that dissolves acid. RIP #PhilipRoth. I have a weakness for liberal skeptics and their fictional worlds, at least when it’s kept to fiction (RIP #PhilipRoth). But they always let me down and get high-handed, suddenly becoming credulous. Wouldn't have thought it possible to feel sentimental about such stuff, or rather not such stuff but its familiar presentation on the screen.

Rocket Silence

LeBron James. Jesse James. Jesse Jackson. Michael Jackson. Action Jackson. Don’t matter. #Warriors in 5: image via Thoughts and Prayers @johnbwyatt, 28 May 2018

Don't worry if you put your money on me.. #NBA #NBAPlayoffs #WarriorsVSRockets #GoldenState #Warriors: image via Trav @Trav_Russellm 28 May 2018

If you need a reason to cheer for the #Warriors... Here it is.. #CruzForTheL: image via Craig M @craigme, 28 May 2018

Prolific third quarter propels #Warriors to fourth straight NBA Finals: image via KNBR @KNBR, 25 May 2018

STAGES OF BEING A ROCKETS FAN: 1st Half vs 2nd Half #Rockets #Warriors #WarriorsRockets #GSWvHOU: image via Omar Martinez @ItsOmarMartinez, 28 May 2018