Merce Cunningham has died.

Former Black Mountain teacher & revolutionary dancer, Merce Cunningham, has passed at age 90.

Monsiváis

Hero in San Diego!

“Mamá, soy Paquito...”: May 28. Writer and cultural critic Carlos Monsiváis will give this conference on Mexican popular poetry as part of the series Los Rostros de México at the Peace & Justice Institute, University of San Diego. Sponsored by the Mexican Consulate. 7 p.m.

I'm bummed I missed Carlos Fuentes last month. I won't miss this one. I can hardly wait...

Where the Wild Things Are

Spike Jonze's new film Where the Wild Things Are has snagged an acoustic version of one of my favorite Arcade Fire songs, "Wake Up", for its trailer. Based on Maurice Sendak's book, Jonze collaborated with Dave Eggers on the screenplay. To make it just a little bit cooler, Karen O is doing the soundtrack.

Les Savy Fav covers Superchunk

Check out Les Savy Fav's cover of Superchunk's, Precision Auto. Perfect for snowboarding!

Tragic Mtn: Sylvia's son follows in her footsteps

Nicholas Hughes, the son of the poets Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath hanged himself at his home in Alaska after battling depression for some time.

Ted, wrote of how, after Plath’s death, their son’s eyes

“Became wet jewels,
The hardest substance of the purest pain
As I fed him in his high white chair. "

Too much tragedy has eaten mouthfuls of that family. Depression is such a complex monster...

There's poetry in Baseball!!

Ichiro Suzuki referring to a failed bunt attempt in a game against Cuba:

"That failed bunt put another crack in my already tattered heart. It was as though I was the only person on our side wearing a Cuba jersey. "

Isolation and despair. Ichiro, the poet.

Protest Reading

The french are reading Nicolas Sarkozy's least favorite novel, "La Princesse de Clèves,” an anchor of the French canon, to express displeasure with the President.

Protest by reading. Brilliant!

What would UnitedStateseans (to steal a word from Javier Huerta) do to protest a U.S. President? The last time "Americans" were displeased with French leaders it lead to the revolutionary changing of the name of the "french" fry...

Migra Corridos

The U.S. Border Patrol has just released their new album, Migra Corridos. Meant to dissuade illegal crossers from risking their lives for bread, any bread, the propaganda tunes are being played by radio stations throughout Mexico. They meant to call the album 'songs of the immigrant' but somebody screwed up on the translation. How's that for transparency, Tio Sam?

A little too much love for his team

Iraqi soccer player shot dead just as he was about to kick what could have been the tying goal. Holy Crazies! I agree that sporting events can be a fun and sometimes necessary catalyst for human bonding with screams ushered by flowing beer but this is ridiculous.

It reminds me of the feuds the Chargers-Raiders rivalry has concocted. Emotions over a game should never threaten someone's life, though.

My brother is a devout Raider fan. He wears his Stabler jersey to Church on Sundays. I am a Charger fan. But I love my brother more than the Chargers. I even bought him a Bo Jackson jersey for his birthday. Some Charger die-hards would call that blasphemy.

I would never, ever, jamas! stab my brother over a stupid football game.

However, if he were to ever steal my prized out of print, first edition copy of Creeley's, For Love, I'd cut him...

BUKOWSKI FEST

FIRST ANNUAL BUKOWSKI FESTIVAL

Saturday, March 28th - 8pm
The Elephant Theatre
6324 W. Santa Monica BlvdLos Angeles, CA 90038
Poets, Artists, friends of Buk and a 1973 Documentary Film

Poeta en DF

To commemorate the 10th anniversary of his death, El Centro de Lectura Condesa in Mexico City has installed an exhibition on the great Mexican poet, Jaime Sabines.

I only wish this was already open when I strolled the baby blue streets of la Condesa in October, the taco smoke combing my hair...

Blind Pen

I started a lit mag with some fellow lit students at SDSU. Check us out at:

http://blindpenjournal.blogspot.com/

Send us yr love!

Home Brew

Bottled my 2nd batch of homebrew yesterday. This batch is a Belgian White Ale style - blue moon, hoegaarden flavor. I was able to make 2 1/2 cases of 22 oz. brown bombers with this batch. Looking forward to popping the top off (Emily Dickinson-style) of the first brew in a few weeks. In these harsh economic times I had to outsource beer manufacturing to my self.


those lovely brown angels
they stand tall in the dark closet
with the coats and shoes
like a bouquet of orphans
dying for the warm smudge of fingerprints

Today's Jog's Arbitrary iPod Shuffle

1. The Underdog - Spoon
2. Romeo and Rebecca - Blink-182
3. My Best Friends Girl - The Cars
4. The Soft Rewind - Portastatic
5. El Fin de la Infancia - Cafe Tacvba
6. Cowboy Dan - Modest Mouse
7. The Mountain - PJ Harvey
8. You're Having the time of my Life - Jets to Brazil
9. I Go to the Barn because I like the - Band of Horses
10. Las llaves de mi Alma - Vicente Fernandez
11. Hypnotize - Notorious BIG
12. art star - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
13. Ella - Jose Alfredo Jimenez
14. Unseen Power of the Picket Fence - Pavement
15. Fuck You - Pharoah Monk
16. Misunderstood - Common
17. Umi Says - Mos Def
18. The King of Carrot Flowers - Neutral Milk Hotel
19. El Caballo Blanco - Jose Alfredo Jimenez
20. Falling from Sleeves - Calexico
21. Black Mirror - Arcade Fire

Blind Lady Ale House - Grand Opening

There's a new kid in town... With all the wonderful watering holes on 30th, I'm glad to see something opening closer to my house. The Blind Lady Ale House offers craft brews and pizza. The joint is on Adams Ave in Normal Heights. The owners are group of locals which includes brew master, Lee Chase, formerly of Stone. Looking forward to checking this one out.