Some thoughts on The Gates ...

Awesome.

The frozen Yukon River in winter, Lofoten in summer, Paris in spring ...

The Gates in Central Park.

All awesome ... in these the word has meaning.

In the afternoon of February 22, coming up out of the subway at the globe in Columbus Circle, seeing The Gates for the first time, the entrance engulfed in the melee of people purchasing official souveniers ... then walking into Central Park ... I knew some of the history of The Gates. The story had been repeatedly presented during the few weeks and days prior to "the blooming of 7,500 fabric panels on February 12, 2005." (Read the artists' press release.)

I have since mused about what it would be like to come upon The Gates with no prior knowledge of it. (Or is it best described as "them", plural? I think not, but I'll get to that.) That thought led a parade of thoughts on understanding art as individual experience ... and in the case of The Gates individual experience including not only the changing circumstances internal to the viewer like prior knowledge and the resulting expectations, but also intelligence, acuity, state of alertness, ... ; AND the changing circumstances of the setting itself: day, night, rain, snow, bright, cloudy, calm, breezy, windy, ... presented in the context of the REAL tension that The Gates will be removed starting on February 28. The Gates reached out and grabbed me, Wake up, pay attention! This is a moment of material existence, a totally human endeavor not to be missed.

Upon entering Central Park and coming into The Gates ... being in The Gates ... another gestalt formed. Once there, I understood The Gates. I could have left at that moment and I would have been satisfied. I also knew in that moment that no matter how long I spent in The Gates, I would not experience "all" of it.

I could stop writing here ... and you could stop reading too. But it doesn't end.

Thinking about The Gates, once experienced, is a continuation of that experience ... infinitely rich and varied in finite time and space.

The genius of the conception ... and then the incredible effort to give it birth ... and the acceptance of its end.

The boring simplicity of the frame viewed at close range ... pedistrian in form and placement. The vibrant complexity emerging exponentially as the view rotates or expands ... or the setting changes with weather and time of day ... or with light and wind. This is why it is not "them", but "it."

Contrasted to art that is forever, relative to my existence as is the Mona Lisa ... or scripted ... The Gates is in one sense like an ice sculpture ... but totally different because the dissolution is also a human act ... itself a part of the artists' work.

It will be, it is , it has been ... all eternal facts of temporal creation.

With The Gates as an example of human effort, who of us can doubt our worth?

---

You can view my set of personal photos of The Gates at:

The Gates

---

You can also view The Gates in Central Park at the NYC-POV website. Click on the following for a direct link:


The Gates as VR


Or go to the www.nycpov.com website and click on The Gates name or photo.

---

You can also visit the artists' websites for The Gates:


The Gates (I)

or

The Gates (II)

---

The Gates

The Gates







Approaching and entering ...























A small sampling of views ...

---

Some thoughts on The Gates ...

---

You can also view The Gates in Central Park at the NYC-POV website. Click on the following for a direct link:


The Gates as VR


Or go to the www.nycpov.com website and click on The Gates name or photo.

---

You can also visit the websites for The Gates:


The Gates (I)

or

The Gates (II)

---

Is "a spade" a spade?

Seems like we need some new names for some things, names that are more accurate in describing the fundamental characteristics of what they are meant to describe.

Take "taxes" for instance. Ever since Jesus was credited with saying something like , "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's", we've had this perception that taxes were some kind of imperial toll. They're not.

Taxes are our pool of shared wealth, the amount or resources we choose to use in establishing and maintaining the community in which we all participate.

As our forebears understood, building roads and water systems, providing education and public safety as a joint effort, did not undermine capitalism or initiate communism. The well-run city was a platform for its marketplace. If the platform is rotten ...

But this is so obvious that maybe the real question is whether our pool of shared wealth becomes the onerous imperial toll only when it is used for the benefit of those whom we do not consider to be part of OUR community?

On community and voting ...

The basic unit for the species, Homo sapiens, is the tribe ... what we would call our primary community ... which I will simply call, the community.

It is only as a member of a healthy community that all of our needs for a healthy life can be met.

This concept is basic to all that we do as human beings.

The liberating act ... the foundation of freedom and liberty for the individual ... is a recent phenomenon. It is that I, as an individual, can choose for myself the community to which I belong.

To the extent I do not have that choice, then to that extent I am not free.

Freedom is not about which pair of shoes I buy, or which car I drive ... except how I identify with my community in those acts. If I CANNOT dress outside the code of a community, reside outside the boundaries of a community, or have close, personal friendships outside the members of a community ... then I am not free.

To the extent in voting I vote to liberate myself and others from the restrictions of a community, to that extent I am enlarging freedom. If in voting I vote to increase the restrictions of a community upon myself or others, to that extent I limiting freedom.

Voting can enslave me.

Dumbest thing I ever heard!

In HOW WALL STREET LEARNS TO LOOK THE OTHER WAY, on

today's (Tuesday, Feb 8, '05) OpEd page of the NY

Times, Robert J. Shiller, writes, "Consider financial

theory ... In effect, it portrays people as nothing

more than 'maximizers' of their own 'expected

utility.' This means that people are expected to be

totally selfish, constantly calculating their own

advantage, with no thought of others."



If this were even remotely true we could never have an

infantry platoon ... or any kind of team for that

matter.



It is SO DAMN obvious that individuals maximize the

expected utility of the group(s) to which they belong

rather than their expected utility in isolation that

one wonders where these so-called financial theory

experts brains are located ... or if they use them.



This is why forming a sense of "community" is SO DAMN

important! It is the self-esteem we feel as a

respected member of a respected "group" that allows us

to function as psychologically healthy individuals.

I found this interesting ...

U.S. Encouraged by Vietnam Vote: 

Officials Cite 83% Turnout Despite Vietcong Terror 



 By Peter Grose, Special to the New York Times --

Sept. 4, 1967 



 WASHINGTON, Sept. 3-- United States officials were

surprised and heartened today at the size of turnout

in South Vietnam's presidential election despite a

Vietcong terrorist campaign to disrupt the voting. 



 According to reports from Saigon, 83 per cent of the

5.85 million registered voters cast their ballots

yesterday. Many of them risked reprisals threatened by

the Vietcong. 



 The size of the popular vote and the inability of the

Vietcong to destroy the election machinery were the

two salient facts in a preliminary assessment of the

nation election based on the incomplete returns

reaching here. 



 A successful election has long been seen as the

keystone in President Johnson's policy of encouraging

the growth of constitutional processes in South

Vietnam. 

Letter to the Editor, NY Times

Date:	Sun, 6 Feb 2005 03:59:09 -0800 (PST)
From:	"Hilding Lindquist"
Subject:	Leading Shiite Clerics Pushing Islamic Constitution in Iraq
To:	"letters nytimes"

Dear Editor:



What is so damn discouraging is our President putting the

cart of voting ahead of the horse of participatory

institutions in calling for the spread of democracy ...

and the so-called intelligensia of our nation falling all

over themselves congratulating him on his bold initiative.



No one seems to have a sense of history, of the fundamental

importance of the ground-level sense of acceptance of one's

own personal value coming out of a community where the

respect for one another's INDIVIDUAL opinion has been

CONCRETELY demonstrated for generations ... in the courts,

in the markets, in the religious communities, and, yes, in

the family.



Just look at how predictable the outcome of a poll in our

own military is where conformity also holds sway.



If a Democratic President led a military adventure which

led to the establishment of a Muslim government, he or

she would be impeached, period.



This IS Alice in wonderland ... where are the adults of

our nation? Are we all so concerned for our own share of

the pie that we are afraid to speak the truth as we see it?

The snow is falling

Large wet snowflakes fall on snow covered ground ... one of the most beautiful scenes in nature. Here in New Jersey, the snow muffles the urban noises and creates an aura for reflection and repose.

In my mind I wander randomly through the memories of my youth in Northern Minnesota and my more recent years in Interior Alaska. When winter is still and beautiful, I am at peace with myself.

It is times like this when I miss Alaska most deeply.

Strange, I guess, but it is when the cold wet wind is howling through the trees in New Jersey that I think of the beaches of Los Cabos. When the sun is shining in the summer, I long for the fiords of Lofoten. When the snow is falling in large snowflakes on a still winter day, I think of the awesome winter wilderness of the world of the Yukon River.

I played with our dog and cat inside this morning. Life is good even though I don't travel anymore.

Walking the dogs ...

My day revolves around walking three dogs ... Odin, Pepper, and Yoda.

Odin is the house dog where I live. Pepper and Yoda belong to friends. The feminine half of Pepper's ownership duo is on vacation in Los Cabos with the senior feminine member of my household -- go figure. Yoda belongs to a neighbor family where the masculine half of the ownership duo has had a liver transplant. (<--should I have used "female" and "male" instead of feminine and masculine? I like "feminine" MUCH better than "female", and "male" only a little bit better than "masculine" ... so I will leave it the way it is, thank you! ... but still I am troubled by it ... I don't want to use "male" with "feminine" because Claire and Wissa (I don't know where Kelli is more than half the time) would (maybe?) pummel me with unkind words.)

Anyway, back to the dogs, I get up and take Odin for a quick pee run before 7:00 AM. My next dog encounter is to go walk Yoda for his morning pee/poop run around quarter to eight. After which I drive down an pick up Pepper, give him the opportunity to pee if His Highness chooses, and then bring him back to the house until I take him and Odin up to the South Mountain Reservation for a major run.

Whew! I'm tired already ... think I'll take a snooze and then get back to you.

So what about "terrorism"?

Do I want my government's agencies to protect me from being blown up by someone for whatever purpose? Of course I do ... not just blown up, but harmed, period.

Do I want my government's agencies to to protect me by preventing someone to harm me? Yes, of course.

However, what if an ounce of prevention isn't a pound of cure, but a ton of provocation? Ah, therein lies the rub.

Maybe we should start with some basics ... like what is "terrorism" anyway?

Merriam-Webster Online defines terrorism as, "the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion."

Merriam-Webster further defines terror as, "4: violence (as bombing) committed by groups in order to intimidate a population or government into granting their demands ."

Right about now in this discussion international governmental activities become very interesting indeed.

If "terrorism" basically is a first group of persons committing acts of violence against a second group of persons in order for the first group to get the second group to give in to the demands of the first group, then who in today's world is (or should we say "is not") committing acts of terrorism against whom?

So ... am I being protected by acts of prevention which are provocating others to act to protect themselves by acts of prevention against me?

Are we all becoming blind and toothless ... as in an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth?

In condemning all violence did Ghandi and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., have it right after all?

Keeping to some kind of regular schedule ...

Back in my old hippy days ... scratch that, I never was a REAL hippy, though I did get to Haight & Asbury as a tourist in the mid-60's ... but back then we used to talk about contemplating our navels.

Some of my blog stuff has the look and feel of contemplating my navel.

But I'm not knocking it ... just making an observation about the relative impact a particular activity has on the bigger scheme of things.

Whatever ... I still should have some sort of schedule if I plan to hold anyone else's interest. I have several themes/threads going. I need to continue them on a regular basis so as how I don't discourage people from checking back.

That's contemplating my navel type stuff ...

A New York City Point of View

OK, OK, two blog entries in one day after nine days since the previous one ... is not the way to run a railroad ... meaning there should be a regular schedule if I'm gonna attract a committed audience ... uh huh ... I know.

Anyhow, I have to link you to an incredible visual presentation of New York City: Jim Galvin's New York City Point of view website:

www.nycpov.com

It's an "unique way to visit the New York City in 360-degree panoramic virtual tours."

Check out Sponge Bob.

He's going to add map pointers so you know where the pov is. If you think that's a good idea (like I do) you can e-mail him at:

jimg@nycpov.com

By the way, that e-mail address isn't linked here. If you do send Jim an e-mail, would you copy me at:

hglindquist@yahoo.com

Thanks. I appreciate it. (Welcome to Mayberry!)

A link to the spirit of Alaska

The Steese Review is taking shape under the banner, "A link to the spirit of Alaska."

Last weekend's update places Susan Stevenson's photograph, Hand from the Heavens, as the lead with links to her other websites. We are particularly proud/pleased/{add your own adjective} to be able to provide access to her work, both photographs and journals.

Interior Alaska

Living in Alaska


For next weekend's update we plan to focus on Mark DeLoach's experiences as a pilot of small planes in Alaska aka bush pilot.

Check it out and let us know what you think!

Hilding "Gus" Lindquist
Editor, The Steese Review

easyInternetcafe

So I did my thing and went over to Nick's on West 49th Street and Seventh Avenue in Times Square, but instead of wandering down to the Village, I turned right on West 42nd Street and went to the easyInternetcafe just on the other side of Madame Toussads Wax Museum which is past the marquee for the Lion King, all on the south side of West 42nd Street, west of 7th Avenue.

It's like $3.50 per hour to use the internet at the easyInternetcafe, and they have another deal where you can get 4 hours for $5.00. I haven't figured that out yet.

So I sent out some e-mails because it's kind of special nerd stuff to send e-mail from the heart of Times Square. I mean, don't I have something better to do in Times Square like gaze at all the electronic message boards and multi-story high video screens?

No, sorry. Although I do like to watch the people streaming by as I eat my tuna salad sand at Nick's.

Working, working, working ...

I've been working.

On The Steese Review ...

On the Cool Writer's Group blog ...

On my play, Hunting the Road Kill Moose ... (no link as yet)

On my play, On His Steps ... (no link as yet)

On Yahoo Group, Alaska-Living, stuff ...

On Yahoo Group, coolwritersgroup, stuff ...

On my Authors Den site ...

I've been busy working.

Fiddler On The Roof

Fiddler On the Roof is my favorite theatrical event. I have seen the movie numerous times. I have listened to the music countless times. I have seen it performed live in Seattle.

Nothing compared to yesterday afternoon. I saw it live on Broadway at the Minskoff Theatre on West 42nd Street., the 2 o'clock matinee performance.

Row D, seat 105 ... so close I could see each expressive wrinkle in Harvey Fierstein's face as Tevye. It was as good as it gets! And let me add this to the first set of accolades, John Cariani was so good as Motel (he received a Tony nomination) that I had tears rolling done my cheeks from laughing.

From humor to the pathos of the pogrom, through the travail of the wrenching of age-old traditions, the dramatic story is amplified by the powerful musical score.

But ... and this is THE qualifier ... beyond all that is the cast. On Broadway in a musical the audience finds the best of the best ... in each and every role.

With the indescribable experience of experiencing the best of the best comes a surge of feeling, of being part of that specific event ... then, there ... that is intoxicating. And like any natural high, once felt, draws the individual back from across any distance in time or space. It becomes a dream of returning.

Another thing, I sense in this the realization that the experience, no matter how often repeated, will never become stale. Like cool water quenching thirst, good food quenching hunger, loving sex satisfying lust, ... . What is more, walking through Times Square and the Broadway Theater District to get to the performance is like foreplay.

I am ready to go back to Broadway as a theatergoer ... just like I am ready to go to Interior Alaska as a tourist. Inherent in both is the feeling that the exitement will never end ... all I have to do to feel the thrill is take another step into the pull of the dream.

Who's in charge?

The effects of the Southeast Asian natural disaster will be felt for generations.

The effects of the Middle Eastern man-made disaster will be felt for generations.

I think our President thinks both disasters are God's will.

I wish some journalist had the courage to ask President Bush what he really thinks about God's hand in global affairs.

I think we should know Bush's opinion about who he thinks is in charge around here. Maybe it would help explain why he responds the way he does.

Cool Writer's Group

I am now a "founding" member (Claire is the founding Founder) of the new Cool Writer's Group! I now have an integrated consortium of web thingers to work on my writing. Is this Nirvana, or what?!

My websites:

http://www.ncswede.com

http://www.steesehighway.com
http://www.steesehighway.com/review.html

My blogs:

http://www.ncswede.blogspot.com
http://www.coolwritersgroup.blogspot.com

& my group:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/coolwritersgroup/

(Note: the group is a "member by invitation only" group. You can check us out at our blog listed above.)

This'll keep me busy in my old age!

Gus aka NC Swede

Musings about an internet writers group

      I joined an internet writers group this month.
      I quit it today.
      Everything was going along fine--or so I thought--when out of the blue came all this negative stuff about people worrying if their work would be stolen or misused or ...
      What were they doing in an internet writers group with that level of paranoia?
      There were some good writers in that group, too.
      I simply am NOT interested in having that level of negativity in my life ... not about my writing.
      And I was actually looking forward to getting up early each morning and spending some time on what we were doing in the group ... then wham! bam! thank you, ma'am! and the whole synergy evaporated in an explosion of fear and paranoia ... "You know you got trouble, right here in River City, that starts with 'T' which rhymes with 'P' and that stands for Pool ... "
      Kind of irritating ... so I'm applying a little therapy and getting it off my chest here.
      What the heck, gives me more time to work on this blog where I have all these unfinished threads.
      So, like I used to sign off on my posts during my erstwhile membership in the group:

Cheers!
S.H. Gus
aka Steese Highway Gus

Letter to the New York Times Editor

Dear Editor:



Decades ago in the midst of the Vietnam War, Robert

Ardrey wrote this in his bestseller, THE SOCIAL

CONTRACT (my Fontana Library paperback edition was

first issued in 1972):



"I was writing early in 1966, when escalation of

American power in Vietnam was less than a year old and

American optimism was still a native resource.

Applying the territorial principle, I published my

conclusion that the war was unwinnable. A powerful

intruder, uninhibited by world censure, may with a

single blow annihilate a territorial defender. But an

effort to escape moral obloquy through gradual

escalation of force gives the weakest defender

opportunity to escalate his own quite incalculable

biological resources. Incapable of playing the Hitler,

we played instead evolution's fool."



We haven't learned a thing, have we. Once again we are

fighting human nature with the fervor kindled by a

religious belief. We are attacking our own mirror

image!



Think for a moment of how we would rally to the

barricades if we were attacked! Is it so strange that

the Sunni's are doing the same thing?



Ten, twenty years from now even children will wonder

how supposedly smart leaders could have been so dumb.



Regards,

N.C. Swede



Other books of interest on the subject of the biological

basis of human society are:



African Genesis

The Territorial Imperative

The Social Contract

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