the news

farewell kiss I, oil and graphite on paper, Karen Rice, 21 December, 2008

farewell kiss 2, oil and graphite on paper, Karen Rice, 21 December 2008

Who couldn’t be struck by the image of Iraqi journalist Muntazer al-Zaidi’s shoes, hurled at Bush at a press conference during his final presidential visit to Iraq?

Among the plethora of responses:

-an article by Robert Scheer: President Bush and the Flying Shoes: A Cautionary Tale

-an array of apparel featuring Bush dodging the shoes, just in time for holiday shoppers!

-a Sock and Awe video game, that’s ‘gone viral’ over the Internet

-numerous animated gifs satirizing the moment -

Muntazer al-Zaidi’s gesture ignited a world-wide moment of identification and catharsis.  He remains in custody, reportedly beaten, with international protests calling for his release.  Read more in the Middle-East-Online’s Who is Muntazer al-Zaidi.

Leaving, oil and graphite on paper, 14 December, 2008, Karen Rice

a collection of telling articles:

Fed Ready to Slash Key Interest Rate

Chicago Workers Vote to End Sit-in

US Department of Labor Statistics recent Employment Situation Summary

which brought me back to a yearning to see Uncle Tupelo’s great cover of the Carter Family classic, No Depression:

Uncle Tupelo live, No Depression

at sea, oil and graphite on paper, Karen Rice, 7 December 2008

An interesting time for the cruise ship industry, with the threat of Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden and a recent grounding off the coast of Antarctica. Now the issue of what to do about the potential rising cost of insurance with the likelihood of future encounters with pirates . . .

Meanwhile, a continent sized slurry of plastic has amassed in the Pacific Ocean.

But for now, a happy video about a dolphin that saved the lives of two beached whales.