Penguins and Goof Gas
This week, while the world continues to burn, the propagandists extolling their Mediocrity, I'll set aside my raging essay pen, and making like Nero — I'll...
Dont Look Back
Bob Dylan wrote: "She's got everything she needs / she's an artist / she don't look back"Do the work and don't look back at the response. I usually run with...
Beethoven, Martin Luther King, and US Military
Let's start the new year with some music.As I've written before, while I've always enjoyed some pieces by Ludwig, a couple of years ago I became an over-the-...
The Anomalous Duo At The Movies
First . . . A big welcome to the bunch of friends who recently signed up for this little newsletter.I'll keep it flowing, about every week+ — with links to...
Book/s for the New Year
A new year approaches. Make time to read some good books. I had a very lucky year in that out of the fifteen books I read, five were the amazing kind that...
Last Exit
As the new year enters I will be closing a door — one which I entered 15 years and 3 months ago. I will be leaving behind the 3 billion+ members of my...
A Figment Of Christmas Past
The final story to be published — on December 15 — by the 71-year-old writer AleXander Hirka.On 22 December he began his 72nd spin around the sun. A tale of...
Writings To Be Read
First things first.My life/art partner Tammy's book — "Plague Year —New York City 2020" has been published. Book cover design by AleXander Hirka The first...
December
December is my birth month.My astrologer (sic) said that the time I was born on, on the 22nd, just barely qualifies me as a Sagittarius. An hour or two later...
Дякую (Dyakuyu) [Thank You]
LINOLEUM - a new short poem/story New Linoleum. Stand Back And Admire | by aleXander hirka | Rainbow Salad | Nov, 2023 | Medium Stand Back And Admire </div>...
On A Roll
Following the success of my piece "Armistice Is UnAmerican" (boosted as it was by the editorial team at Medium — hope you read it) — I bring you some words...
New Words & New Art
WORDS Fast and free to my newsletter friends.Just published in Counter Arts . . . And it has been selected for a "boost" by the Medium Editorial staff . . ....
Books (Because Required Shopping Season)
Now that almost all the Halloween candy around the country has been devoured — its wrappers joining all the decorations and costumes stampeding towards the...
Time (You Can't Save It)
It's just a parlor trick!A very short story about time . . . Daylight Savings. Heliocentric II | by aleXander hirka | Medium Heliocentric II </div> "The Last...
Voices In My Head
Hope you find some Awe or inspiration amidst all the many goodies in this edition . . . My latest written piece in Counter Arts on Medium. Voices In My Head....
Ahimsa
AHIMSA is the ancient Indian principle of nonviolence which applies to actions towards all living beings. It is a key virtue in Indian religions like...
Special John Lennon edition
John Lennon's birthday - 9 October 2023 - Strawberry Fields, New York City 14 minute video —In My Life / If I Needed Someone / I Want To Tell You / I Got A...
Last Words & Poetic Words
"Pity, pity — too late!" — the last words of Ludwig van Beethoven, as the dying composer was told of a gift of twelve bottles of wine from his publisher. And...
Songs of Autumn
In the 1990s I put together a mix-compilation of songs — under the banner of “September” — on something called a cassette tape (and shared it with my...
Falling Memories
What we choose to remember and what we choose to forget.Patriotism is a demanding master — and the convoluted memories that serve it are extremely selective...
Mud, and Fiction
The mass media loves disasters — it sells newspapers and gets clicks and thus makes the adverti$ers happy — and so, certainly most of you heard about the...
The Celebration of Labor - The Anguish of Greed
Let Professor Louis brilliantly ask you — what does it mean to be working class? The history of Labor Day. It was while my partner Tammy Remington and I were...
First Casualty Of War — Truth!
I am not giving up on trying to break through to my fellow citizens' to expose my government's nightmarish involvement in international politics. Currently...
Press Button For Quick Service
Ten years ago today, in Reno, Nevada, on our way to Burning Man. “Press Button for Quick Service”. A Life/Art Performance Piece in Reno… | by aleXander hirka...
Two Paintings In Motion
Two Paintings. Acrylic Paint on Canvas. Two artists (T. Remington & AleXander Hirka). Collaboration 2017. 11 Days of adding content. 66 minutes per each day....
Cinema and Art & Penes
In this edition. . . AleXander on Art and Penes — and Tammy on Cinema CINEMASuspecting my readership proclivities, I begin this newsletter with the...
Another week of Pilgrim's Progress
The external world remains in turmoil, dancing with the possibilities of cataclysm. A brief rant before the show begins: The US government, which in no way...
Pilgrims' Progress - Week 3
The external world remains in turmoil. Was it ever not? Well, not always does it get so far from critical thinking, so damn close to virtual fantasy and...
The Pilgrimage Continues — Week Two
The external world was in turmoil. War was being sold with the usual deceptions — and once again, bought. As Major General Smedly Butler spelled it out in...
Visual Pilgrimage
Pilgrims Looking For Illumination The internal muses were on hiatus.The external world was in turmoil. Not dark yet . . . but it's getting there. Once a day...
Pride Month Stories & Art
What happens behind the Pearly Gates doesn't necessarily stay behind the Pearly Gates. A new short NSFW Pride Month fairy tale. Gloryhole In Heaven....
Mermaid Flippers — Upside Down
Mermaid Parade, Coney Island, 17 June 2023Day 17 (of 30) of our June Awe-cation in New York City.This was the 41st Annual iteration of the event.Click > HERE...
We Can Do Better - Here's How!
In June of 2020 I created this sheet of faux stamps honoring the philosopher, political activist, social critic, and public intellectual — the great Cornel...
On The Waters and Sidewalks of NYC
Seeing that people from all over the world travel long distances to visit this place, we decided to spend the month of June in New York City.And so, it has...
Bob Dylan (and my trip to Mallorca)
Forty years ago today.I organized a Mail Art Exhibition on the theme of Bob Dylan — almost 100 individuals from around the world participated.Revisiting...
A Cornucopia of Interesting Voices
Today I’d like to share with you a dozen plus links to writers on Medium who I read regularly and who you might find interesting also. There are many more.At...
Peace, Mothers, Peace
Mothers. Grandmothers. Great-Grandmothers. Stepmothers.Wives. Daughters. Sisters. Aunts. Nieces. • Julia Ward Howe in 1870 proclaimed — “We will not have...
General Patton's Chicken & other Delights
A friend of Tammy's, with a summer home in Sag Harbor in Long Island, has invited us for the weekend. $15 senior citizen train tickets and off we go.Looking...
We Need Their Voices Now
Their words and Truth live on. Read. We need critical thinking and smart voices to raise the level of the conversation, to inspire voices of dissent. (A...
AWAKEN
And Look Into Diogenes' Lantern! A brand new film. 5 minutes and 51 seconds. Filmed and edited in New York City.Soundtrack by Ludwig von Beethoven. Click to...
Flogging The Anti-War Horse
I created almost 100 pieces of fiction and poetry during the past two years.Here are links to the fifteen anti-war pieces written during that period. If you...
Keeping Things Intact
April 4th is Foreskin Appreciation Day — a sex-positive day to raise awareness and increase appreciation for this unique and extremely valuable body part....
Warrior, I.
You're probably thinking . . . here he goes again with more peacenik anti-war nonsense. Well, surprise!I am done with all of that.This is the new me . . . a...
Spring Ahead
After a snowless winter, the Anomalous Duo head out to enjoy the arrival of spring in Central Park.Join us. ↓ ↓ click on the image to watch the 5 minute...
Avarice In Wonderland
The Greed Boys' Thumbs Are On All The Scales. My life/art partner, Tammy, and I wrote this piece together. <br /> Daily Insurrections of The Greed Boys | by...
Peace and War — Off To Washington DC
Here I Go — Pushing Peace Up The Hill Yet Again. <br /> Support War? I Would Prefer Not To. | by aleXander hirka | Feb, 2023 | Medium Pushing Peace Up The...
A Dream, A Song and Thoughts
LOVE.3 variations for 2/14 . . . Valentine's Day. The flower-crowned alleged skull of St. Valentine is exhibited in the Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin,...
This . . . Is Getting Old
It doesn't take an Einstein . . . We can be hair-o's, just for one day.Getting mistaken for a pair of geniuses — and a couple of times for a cattle-...
A Quick Glance Backwards, a Hard Look Ahead
I try to take the start of every year to sit back and look at what I have been doing — and what I want to do. In 2022 I wrote 47 stories/essays on Medium....
Art and Thinkin' Propaganda Blues
ART "Shaman In The City" - 11 January 2023 - click HERE to see large. <br /> “Shaman In The City” on Behance </div> Thinkin' Propaganda Blues. This isn’t...