Still more Thumbs Up & Down…

- by Frank Shiell

THUMBS UP  for amigo and superb travel writer, Richard Alleman. For years he’s heard my tales of adoration about Mexico City. So, he went there to write for Vogue, followed my suggestions, and here’s the story: http://bit.ly/fkXg4c

THUMBS UP  for those singing along with the Catalán Boys Choir’s Easter expressionistic (allegro colorissimo felinesco) interpretation.  http://bit.ly/iks4is

THUMBS HIGH:  for the New York Times front page Mar 25/11: exquisite farewell photo of dear Elizabeth Taylor, headlined:  Lustrous Pinnacle of Hollywood Glamour  http://nyti.ms/hnxPOl

Kudos to Chisholm-Larsson Poster Gallery (8th Ave/17 St. in Chelsea) — see their extraordinary window tribute , created overnight: decades of priceless movie posters featuring Elizabeth. http://www.chisholm-poster.com/

Thumbs HIGH UP  for this work-of-art video crafted by talented Mexican marketers for the Mexico Tourism Board. They simply show their gorgeous country as it really is, vividly. Watch closely and love it:  http://www.merca20.com/mexico-en-tus-sentidos/   Thank you Gabriela Ibarra for showing this on Facebook. 

(Then you can read about my priceless first adventures in Mexico City and Acapulco with Tarzan http://www.panchosays.com/tarzan/ )

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THUMBS DOWN –evil construction – that wall along the boarder between “America” — USA that is — and its neighbor Mexico (which “shares” the North Amercan Continent, and they were here first).   It’s about politics. It’s stupid, even ugly.  A waste of money, and it won’t work.  People aren’t cattle. It’s flawed, and does not extend the entire border. Furthermore the pendejo gringo builders erected some of the wall sections a few meters into Mexican territory….duh…then had to dismantle and rebuild (“legally”) on the Meriken side of the border line.  In the past 14 years, 5,000 Mexicans including women and children have met violent death at the border, and thousands more assaulted, raped, beaten. Click the following link for the wise words of a Mexican about el muro de la vergüenza (wall of shame).  the US MEXICO Border Wall of Death. It won’t work Remember Regan’s words to Mr. Gorbachev: “Tear down this wall!”.  Even more shame on you, Mr Bush…and adios to you at last.

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THUMBS DOWN — for NO construction — Seven years after the annihilation of the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers and thousands of New Yorkers, there is still a hole, a crater…NOTHING HAS BEEN BUILT. No skyscraper, no memorial.   ”Ground Zero” remains a morbid attraction for tourists.  Listen to Keith Olbermann! “This hole in the ground — Sept. 11: A special comment about 9/11 seven years after the terrorist attacks.” NBC News video   http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14687895/

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THUMBS UP  for  BOOK TV: enriching in-depth and uncensored interviews with top nonfiction authors. The program airs every weekend continuously for 48 hours (plus federal holidays) on C-SPAN2.  Programming and profiles:  www.booktv.org  In addition to reading favorite authors, you can get to know them:  Isabel Allende and  Simon Winchester (I am privileged to have studied the craft and joy of travel writing with both). Pete Hamill, fellow New Yorker who also lives in Mexico and deeply understands both places. He has published books about Manhattan and Diego Riviera; and two immortals. Both deceased tragically early in their lives:  Peter Jennings , and his fellow journalist Tim Russert who wrote about his father who outlives him, Big Russ, and finally Wisdom of Our Fathers .  I was also enlightened by Ralph Peters , then enraged by what I learned from Vincent Bugliosi telling of his book The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder www.prosecutionofbush.com which ranked (hardcover nonfiction) on the New York Times Best Seller List despite “predictably” minimal media promotion or exposure.

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THUMBS DOWN:  USA’s prudish censorship banning a new television ad campaign featuring actress Eva Mendes promoting a new Calvin Klein perfume…”because the spot shows a brief glimpse of her nipple”…i.e. it’s obscene (by USA standards)

This news story broke in today’s (Aug 06) London Telegraph and was immediately picked up by Spain’s RTVE(Radio Televisión Española) news which also informed that the complete commercial is viewable on You Tube (Spanish media) and is receiving thousands of hits (I was one of them…(I say it’s artistic…and not  “obscene violence-and-guts” that pervade on USA tv.)

Guess what!   I checked the You Tube for the correct url from this morning showing the commercial and…IT’S GONE!  Same day. Disappeared…perhaps BOYCOTTED ONLY FROM USA INTERNET? .

Speaking of tv bad taste, I cringed at the Paris Hilton spot (she’s wearing a tacky bathing suit thing)  promoting both herself (“…I’m hot.”) and Presidential candidate John McCain (paid for, indirectly, by the MercanPeople).  Dumb-down marketing targeting the “average American” with demographics of Peoria IL.

And speaking of censorship, or is it simply lack of newsworthiness (?): Today, August 6, was the anniversary of the annihilation of Hiroshima and of 200,000 innocent Japanese by the “innovative atom bomb dropped on that city by the USA military in 1945 at the end of World War II.  Non-USA media indeed reported in depth the Japanese memorial-mourning ceremonies – “tens of thousands bowed their heads” –  with the participation of 55 countries, showing poignant video coverage direct from Japan this morning.  (In three days: anniversary of the USA bombing of Nagasaki (August 9).

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THUMBS DOWN:  smog in Beijing during the Olympics causes athletes lung ailments and reduces their performance.  HOW CAN THIS BE?  With years of preparation, couldn’t they have taken effective measures?  I say eliminate all private vehicle traffic, shut all factories – IMMEDIATELY.  Also prohibit smoking (Chinese have an inordinately high cigarette smoking rate), eliminate those celebratory and polluting fireworks….and get GIANT FANS to blow the smog away. Too late? 

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THUMBS UP:  For availing graphic art treasures to those who appreciate: International Vintage Poster Dealers Association online summer auction ¡Víva España! CLICK THEIR SITE: http://www.ivpda.com/cgi-local/postershow.cgi (with participation of my neighborhood gallery:  www.chisholm-poster.com )

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