Thursday, January 31, 2013

Not All Priceless Books in Timbuktu Destroyed




















Not all manuscripts lost in "Islamist" siege of Timbuktu. Most apparently were hidden and saved. Texts represent important political, everyday, and Sufi history in this medieval African trade center. Some black-flag Islamists feared pollution from the manuscripts! 

New Yorker> http://tinyurl.com/aekkv75

Beach Nourishment Fraud
















Beware of neologisms like "beach nourishment." Virginia Beach beach rebuilt 49 times since '51 @ $400 million in Federal tax money. A new term usually means a new con. Ranting against nourishment is like being against mother's milk. I say: Eat the sand!

Calling The Generics Biosimilars














If you want to protect your drug monopoly, impoverish your customers, and help sink U.S. federal health care.....call the generic competition-drugs "biosimilars." After intense lobbying by drug giants, Virginia has already banned "biosimilars."

Monday, January 28, 2013

ARTSPEAK EXPOSED














How to waffle. Artspeak exposed by who? Sherrie Levine! 

Story at guardian> http://tinyurl.com/azjm43v

Chandelier Bidding Should Be Banned

















What is chandelier bidding? Flimflam auction house practice of "pointing to the chandelier" for a fake first bid. Should it be a crime or is it just theater? How many other bids are false? 

Story NYT> http://tinyurl.com/b4lb4l3

French Hashtag Ban Protest

















"Hashtag" is now forbidden in France and the Twitter symbol must be called "mot-dièse" (the "sharp" sign in music). John Perreault, whose heritage is Breton via Quebec rather than French, announced that in retaliation ARTOPIA would no longer use "rendezvous" or "souffle." 

Hashtag story NPR> http://tinyurl.com/amapvds



Did Zen Influence Conceptual Art?
















Did someone actually get it right? Review: Ellen Perlman's "Nothing and Everything: The Influence of Buddhism on the American Avant Garde."


Read> http://hyperallergic.com/63002/how-zen-catalyzed-conceptual-art/