Performance Art, the Commons, and a Monster Named Netanyahu

This week Israeli artist Itay Zalait did something truly amazing in Tel Aviv’s famed Rabin Square. Zalait erected a golden statue of right-wing extremist and mass murderer Benjamin Netanyahu, who also currently serves as Israel’s prime minister. This depiction was revolutionary for several key reasons. Statues of living figures are forbidden in Israel, as are other forms… Continue reading Performance Art, the Commons, and a Monster Named Netanyahu

A Post-Election Question for Liberal Democrats

This blog usually only wades into the cesspool of national politics when there’s a local or urban angle. But we did just have a mid-term election – the results of which means less to me than reactions to the outcome does. I’ll keep this short. It’s common for two-term presidents to lose the house and senate in the… Continue reading A Post-Election Question for Liberal Democrats

A Gift for Jeff Merkley and Cory Booker

Something’s always troubled me about the attitudes and discourse in the US regarding Israel’s ongoing crimes against Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank – how otherwise caring, intelligent people rigorously maintain what Israel is doing is somehow justified, or that the conflict is somehow symmetrical. If you’ve seen people derail discussions by absurdly blaming “both sides” (while… Continue reading A Gift for Jeff Merkley and Cory Booker

How Can You Blog About Bikes at a Time Like This?

How anyone can blog about bikes these days astounds me. Obviously, bikes consume my life, as they should yours. If you live in the city, this city, then you know why. All bikes, all funs, at all times. The multiple cultures and avenues of the urban cycling multiverse know almost no bounds. While this blog has… Continue reading How Can You Blog About Bikes at a Time Like This?