First Water Tension Sculpture?

Straws held together with water tension. Actually done this before a couple of times, but first time documenting it. Think it could get quite elaborate with more tiny and/or light-weight objects. With dear old friend Elisa and cool new friend Christopher. Don't think they're quite as disinterested as this photo might indicate. (Actually, they were busy looking to see if there were any water-tension scuptures, answer seems to be no.)

Outside the Greek Embassy: "Let the Gaza Flotilla Sail"

Action Alert!

What: Ongoing 24-hour vigil until Greece lets the boats sail to Gaza

Who: Supporters of the Freedom Flotilla II to Gaza

Where: The Greek Embassy, 2217 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington D.C.
(near the DUPONT CIRCLE metro stop on the red line)

When: Tonight, June 28th at 5pm, 24 hours/day until the boats sail
Bring: Signs, or nothing, we will have props and signs for you to hold!
Questions?: Contact Alli McCracken at (860) 575-5692

Re: Supreme Court Decision -- "Video games train the kids for war" by Lords of the New Church

Regarding the Supreme Court decision on video games, this song -- "Open Your Eyes" by the group Lords of the New Church (from 1982) -- came to mind, as if frequently does. Possibly the greatest political punk song. I've bemoaned the "collapse of art" during the Obama years, though I think it predates -- and indeed, might have helped cause -- them. For whatever reason, lots of great music was created under the yoke of Thatcher and Reagan. 

I actually recently heard a version of the song -- I think on Rhapsody -- where lead singer Stiv Bators, who's clearly inebriated drunk, drugged and despondent during this performance [add: complete with being heckled as a "backslider", flicking gum and "Totalitarianism? It's all up to you -- You got to -- you ain't got to do nothing -- it's called 'Open Your Eyes' ya know,"], gives a remarkably articulate soliloquy in the middle of the song about how the media divide people: "The media tell us punks to hate the hippies 'cause we wear black and have short hair and they wear different colors and have long hair. Fuck that BS. We're both about music and getting to the truth. Don't let the media divide you from other people who are getting to the same place a different way." Or words to that effect. And I think that gives a glimpse on how to resolve "culture war" issues -- like violence in video games. 

The lyrics:

Video games train the kids for war. Army chic in high-fashion stores. 
Law and order's done their job. Prisons filled while the rich still rob. 
Assassination politics. Violence rules within' our nation's midst. 
Well ignorance is their power tool. You'll only know what they want you to know. 
The television cannot lie. Controlling media with smokescreen eyes. 
Nuclear politicians picture show. The acting's lousy but the blind don't know. 
Open your eyes see the lies right in front of ya. Open your eyes.....

They scare us all with threats of war. So we forget just how bad things are. 
You taste the fear when you're all alone. They gonna git'cha when you're on your own. 
The silence of conspiracy. Slaughtered on the altar of apathy. 
You gotta wake up from your sleep. 'Cause meek inherits earth -- six feet deep.
Open your eyes see the lies right in front of ya. Open your eyes.....