The Museum of Contemporary Art in downtown Los Angeles has just opened what it bills as America’s first major museum survey of graffiti. Such an occasion naturally raises two pressing questions: would MOCA demonstrate the slightest twinge of conscience toward the criminal nature of its subject matter? And would viewers be allowed to “tag”—that is, commit graffiti of their own—inside the exhibit?
The answer to these questions is most emphatically: No! And No!
This double negative might seem puzzling. Given MOCA’s utter indifference to the destruction of other people’s property, why should it care whether someone writes on its own walls? The contradiction, however, is emblematic of this shallow, abominably irresponsible show.Art in the Streets is the inaugural exhibit of MOCA’s new director, Jeffrey Deitch, a gallery director from New York City. With it, Deitch hopes to stamp himself on L.A.’s art scene as a fearless exponent of edgy, anarchist art, just as his gallery installations and anti-establishment performance pieces sealed his reputation in New York.Art in the Streets assiduously ignores the moral and civic issues raised by any glorification of graffiti. Ironically, it doesn’t even make up for the intellectual and ethical vacuum at the heart of this travesty of a show with compensating visual fireworks.
Drive behind the Geffen Contemporary, an art museum in downtown Los Angeles, and you will notice that it has painted over the graffiti scrawled on its back wall. Ordinarily, that wouldn’t be surprising; the Geffen’s neighbors also maintain constant vigilance against graffiti vandalism. But beginning in April, the Geffen—a satellite of L.A.’s Museum of Contemporary Art—will host what MOCA proudly bills as America’s first major museum survey of “street art,” a euphemism for graffiti. Graffiti, it turns out, is something that MOCA celebrates only on other people’s property, not on its own....
CBS/AP) NORWALK, Calif. - When Los Angeles County Sheriff's homicide investigator Kevin Lloyd was routinely looking through snapshots of tattooed gang members, he saw something that caught his eye - a crime scene he was familiar with.
Anthony Garcia, a member of the Rivera-13 gang, had a tattoo that resembled the scene of the liquor store killing of 23-year-old John Juarez in Pico Rivera on Jan. 23, 2004, reports the Los Angeles Times.
There were numerous details the murder inked on the gang member. The paper reports that the tattoo included the Christmas lights that lined the roof of the liquor store where Juarez was shot and killed, the direction his body fell, the bowed street lamp across the way and the street sign. Above everything read the title, "RIVERA KILLS", a reference to the gang. A helicopter was also placed above the scene raining down bullets, a nod to Garcia's alias "Chopper."
[Read more at above link.]
by PAUL BEDARD Posted: April 22, 2011
President Obama declared today's 41st annual Earth Day proof of America's ecological and conservation spirit—then completed a three-day campaign-style trip logging 10,666 miles on Air Force One, eating up some 53,300 gallons at a cost of about $180,000. And that doesn't include the fuel consumption of his helicopter, limo, or the 29 other vehicles that travel with that car.
...
During his trip, Obama's 30-car motorcade was used to carry him to events. His limo, and there are usually two in the motorcade, gets a high of 8-10 miles per gallon, according to industry estimates, ironic considering his recent criticism of low-mileage cars. In Pennsylvania earlier this month, he mocked low-mileage vehicles that get 8 miles per gallon, like heavy duty work trucks.
"If you're complaining about the price of gas and you're only getting 8 miles a gallon, you know," Obama said laughingly. "You might want to think about a trade-in."
WE WANT A TRADE-IN TOO!!!!
[read more at http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/washington-whispers/2011/04/22/earth-day-ends-obamas-53300-gallon-trip]
Released April 15, 2011, Atlas Shrugged Part I has been predictably panned by reviewers and wildly embraced by audiences.
At the movie-review site Rotten Tomatoes, just 8 percent of critics give a thumbs up, compared to 85 percent of moviegoers. Such a sharply split reaction mirrors the reception of Ayn Rand's original and controversial novel too. Appearing in 300 theaters, the movie's weekend take on a per-screen basis was a strong $5,640, good enough for third overall behind major-studio releases Rio and Scream 4.
How do the folks behind Atlas Shrugged Part I feel about it all?
[read more at above link]
TRACKING TUMULT: Privacy watchdogs are demanding answers from Apple Inc. about why iPhones and iPads are secretly collecting location data on users.
WHY IT'S A PROBLEM: Since the data is unencrypted, it would be easy for a hacker or a suspicious spouse or a law enforcement officer to find without a warrant.
No response from Apple as of yet
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