In 1972, J.G. Ballard drove his car through the suburbs of Düsseldorf. The sterilized atmosphere of this post WW2, white collar suburbia, where not a cigarette butt could be seen on the sidewalk, not a simple leaf could be seen falling from a tree, made him foreseeing the need of the middle class man for a disciplined and controlled environment.

To Science Fiction, Ballard was preferring Social Anticipation. Not that SF was sounding churlish to his ears, but he felt like his novels were more the warning of a slippery present than a premonition.

If a cancer wouldn’t have brought him to the Terminal Beach last year, J.G. Ballard would have celebrated his 80th birthday today. Once again, R.I.P.

Where the hell have I been? Oddly, I don’t actually make it into stores very often but I did make it to the book fair at PS1 last Sunday where I discovered that ACT UP and Opening Ceremony have teamed up for a worthwhile fundraiser. The drive has been in effect since June and there are still buttons and t-shirts available for 2 and 50 US dollars respectively including this Opening Ceremony exclusive featuring “the four questions”. Read the fine print…

”

do you resent people with aids?

do you trust hiv-negatives?

have you given up hope for a cure?

when was the last time you cried?

”

Big Shout OUT to the legendary Larry Kramer for instigating one bad ass pack back in ’87 and props to Brigette Nicole for initiating the re connect and stackin’ chips for the soldiers.

ACT UP meets at the LGBT Center every 1st and 3rd Monday of every month. 208 West 13th street – NYC.

RIP Steve Michael.

See HERE and HERE.

How best to keep out Winter gusts? Wrap your throat in these Deyrolle pour Opening Ceremony taxidermy scarves, of course.

we will