Get Your Obama T-Shirt Now!

If you haven't got an Obama t-shirt yet, you better get your skates on. Now he's actually the President of America and the 'Yes We Can' bubble could burst at any moment.

Isn't it fascinating though? Where else apart from the USA would ordinary people start to wear t-shirts of living politicians? Well, ones that show them in a positive light at least.

Take the UK for example. It doesn't help that Gordon Brown has got a face like an English Breakfast. You might see a few spotty students wearing a t-shirt bearing Brown's likeness and reading 'Gordon is a Moron' or with him holding a sign proclaiming 'The End is Nigh'. Yep, the British are a cynical bunch of bastards.

The Americans on the other hand can be infuriatingly optimistic. Maybe they have a right to be with Obama. So catch ya laterz alligators coz I'm gonna order my black XXXL 'Obama Is My Homeboy' shirt right now!

Visionary Architect: Jan Kaplický (1937-2009)

Narrow-minded conservatives in Prague despise it, but Kaplický’s National Library design is one of wonder, beauty and daring.

It recalls the curvaceous streamlined structure of his media centre at Lord’s cricket ground in London, albeit on a far grander scale.

Although the library won an international design competition in 2007, building has been blocked. And public debate in Prague has raged ever since. The library even has its own nickname: the ‘octopus’.



Based in London since he emigrated from communist Prague in 1968, Kaplický realised many adventurous and uplifting projects around the world with his group Future Systems.

The National Library was to be his first building in his homeland, and the pinnacle of his architectural career.

He died this week aged only 71. It is a great shame that he did not live to see his library built. Let us hope that we are more fortunate, even though the signs are not promising.

GALLERY

‘Entropa’: EU Art Controversy

‘Entropa’ made a great news story this week.

The sculpture was commissioned by the Czech government to mark the start of their European Union presidency and illustrate their slogan: ‘A Europe without Barriers’.

Instead, Czech artist David Černý created a work lampooning crude national stereotypes.

With Bulgaria shown as a Turkish toilet the Czech ambassador was summoned to Sofia to explain himself. Germany is presented as a patchwork of motorways vaguely resembling a swastika. Britain is missing altogether.

Most government art is unobtrusive and bland. This piece is challenging and interesting.

Another English Cricket Cock-Up

Kevin Pietersen is the most entertaining batsman in the world. He is also temperamental and actually mad. But so is every genius.

It is scandalous that he was pressured into relinquishing the England Captaincy after only 5 months on the job.

KP told the bureaucrats that the coach, Peter Moores, was useless. And they couldn’t handle it. Who’s more important in a team, the best player or the coach?

I thought he was hired for his direct approach.

It’s a shame he won’t lead England in the Ashes, but thank god he’s still in the team!

VIDEO

January 2009: Rule of the Month

Happy New Year, readers!

Rule of the Month: each post will be less than 100 words long.

This is a new feature I'm introducing to spice up Spooner's Zeitgeist and get you lot out there coming back for more.

If you have an idea for February let me know!

SZ