Art, Francis Bacon

 

Art, Prose
Not for the fainthearted
Trainspotting

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Trainspotting is the first novel by Scottish writer Irvine Welsh. It is written in the form of short chapters narrated in the first person by various residents of Leith, Edinburgh who either use heroin, are friends of the core group of heroin users, or engage in destructive activities that are implicitly portrayed as addictions that serve the same function as heroin addiction. The novel is set in the mid to late 1980s.
The novel has since achieved a cult status, added to by the global success of the film based on it, Trainspotting (1996), directed by Danny Boyle. Welsh later wrote a sequel, Porno, in 2002. Skagboys, a novella that will serve as a prequel, is expected for publication in 2009
‘’Choose Life. Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose a family.
Choose a fucking big television, choose washing machines, cars,
compact disc players and electrical tin openers. Choose good
health, low cholesterol, and dental insurance. Choose fixed
interest mortage repayments. Choose a starter home. Choose your
friends. Choose leisurewear and matching luggage. Choose a
three-piece suite on hire purchase in a range of fucking fabrics.
Choose DIY and wondering who the fuck you are on a Sunday morning.
Choose sitting on that couch watching mind-numbing, spirit-crushing
game shows, stuffing fucking junk food into your mouth.

Choose
rotting away at the end of it all, pishing your last in a miserable
home, nothing more than an embarrassment to the selfish, fucked up
brats you spawned to replace yourself.

Choose your future
Choose life'’.

How To Win Afghanistan's
Opium War
The best way to deprive the Taliban of drug profits?

By Christopher Hitchens
Posted Monday, Oct. 6, 2008

Complete article here
http://www.slate.com/id/2201622/

‘’Hard-pressed Afghan farmers should be allowed to sell their opium to the government rather than only to the many criminal elements that continue to infest it or to the Taliban. We don't have to smoke the stuff once we have purchased it: It can be burned or thrown away or perhaps more profitably used to manufacture the painkillers of which the United States currently suffers a shortage. (As it is, we allow Turkey to cultivate opium poppy fields for precisely this purpose.) Why not give Afghanistan the contract instead? At one stroke, we help fill its coffers and empty the main war chest of our foes while altering the "hearts-and-minds" balance that has been tipping away from us. I happen to know that this option has been discussed at quite high levels in Afghanistan itself, and I leave you to guess at the sort of political constraints that prevent it from being discussed intelligently in public in the United States. But if we ever have to have the melancholy inquest on how we "lost" a country we had once liberated, this will be one of the places where the conversation will have to start’’.

Art Work by
Francis Bacon
Style: Expressionism
Lived: 1909 - 1992 (20th century)
Nationality: United Kingdom

edit delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on Aug 29, '09, edited on Aug 29, '09 thanks for your comments, the art of Francis Bacon is very 'dark', almost like looking into a butchers window sometimes, but there is no doubt he is one of the best painters of his era, his work is very very emotional and to see it 'in the flesh' so to speak, is an unforgettable experience.

edit delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on Aug 29, '09 mitchylr said I have to say that I've neither read the book or seen the movie of Trainspotting. I've seen the movie several times, and I warn you, it doesn't get any easier to view no matter how many times you see it. as for the book, well..........I've lived in Scotland for 20 years now (yes I'm actually English), I thought I would manage the book no bother but I really had a problem, the whole thing is written in the local dialect. That was a few years ago now so maybe I should give it another go. And yes.........see the movie its an eye opener.

edit delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on Aug 29, '09 bennett1 said This is an outstanding blog. thank you Bennett, although after posting I did wonder in trainspotting has the cult following and is as instantly recognisable there as it is here??

delete reply mitchylr wrote on Aug 29, '09 An excellent blog Loretta. I have to say that I've neither read the book or seen the movie of Trainspotting. Something which I intend to remedy in the near future. The artwork is outstanding, I love it!! I'm really into 'dark' art such as this. I'm also a huge fan of H R Giger's work. The song, wel, although I can't stream vids at the moment, I know the song so well. I'm a lifelong fan of the Floyd and this is one of one faves of theirs. Finally the article: I often disagree with Hitchens, but in this case I think he has a damned good point!!!

delete reply starfishred wrote on Aug 29, '09 interesting very interesting loretta and well done

delete reply bennett1 wrote on Aug 28, '09 "The Wall" is a movie which is psychologically accurate. This is reality for many people. This is an outstanding blog.

edit delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on Aug 28, '09 pestep55 said nightmarish not for the fainthearted :-)) thanks for commenting

delete reply pestep55 wrote on Aug 28, '09 Wow! Heavy stuff and the art is nightmarish

edit delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on Aug 28, '09