Juliano Mer-Khamis - Artist/Humanitarian - 29 May 1958 – 4 April 2011

29 May 1958 – 4 April 2011

Juliano Mer-Khamis, director, actor, and political humanitarian, known for his founding of the Freedom Theater. Juliano's Palestinian and Jewish heritage culture and his experience always encouraged him to have an open voice. Through the theater he could provide opportunities for the youth and promote cultures undivided.

April 4th, 2011, Mer-Khamis was assassinated buy a gunned masked man in front of the Freedom Theater, in Jenin. According to Palestinian police, the murderer was a Jenin refugee named Mujahed Qaniri.

Joe Strummer - "Without People, You're Nothing" - RS Kill Team Photos

In the light of the release of "The Kill Team Photos" from Rolling Stone, the messages Joe Strummer breathed into his lyrics seem to have more meaning than ever before. This is not to say that violent tragedies have not plagued our history until now, but in our growing world of one-word headlines and "face-tweets", our attention to the world around us seems to grow smaller and smaller. As a media device that usually curtails more to the placidness of our current musical climate, Rolling Stone earns my respect in having the courage to give light on such stories. I heard someone say recently that "..if you want a good day don't look at the news." I say look everyday. Remind yourself that these things happen everyday and perhaps our actions towards each other will inspire and breath the humanity back in our and other's lives.

Ai Wei Wei - Update - PBS coverage

The below Link is the PBS coverage of Ai Wei Wei as reported by freelance journalist and film-maker Alison Klayman. She coverages life from his installation art to his fight against the Chinese government for social and civil liberties.

Original Video - via: PBS.org

additional link - via Peter Hill Museum of Contemporary Ideas:

Ai Wei Wei - via: Peter Hill

Gauguin's "Two Tahitian Women" Attacked

original story: via The Washington Post

Susan J. Burns was arrested for attempting to deface Gauguin's "Two Tahitian Women" at The National Gallery of Art. The arresting officer quotes her saying:

“I feel that Gauguin is evil. He has nudity, and it is bad for the children. He had two women in the painting, and it’s very homosexual,”

Artist Ai Wei Wei missing after detained at airport

Prominent Chinese artist, Ai Wei Wei, know for his exhibitions and architecture work on the Bejieng National Stadium, was arrested at an airport on his way to Hong Kong and is continued to be missing. Officials are silent to inquiries to Ai's whereabouts and condition.

Ai is known for his outspoken critiques of China's Communist state and organizing human rights organizations.

How to Disappear in America - via: Walker Art Center

"Last summer, after writing a story for Wired magazine about people who fake their own deaths, journalist Evan Ratliff decided to vanish and invited the public to try to find him. While he attempted to stay hidden for 30 days, he was caught in 25, thanks in part to the digital breadcrumb trail he left behind. Join Peter Eleey, curator of The Talent Show, and Ratliff as they discuss data-mining, surveillance, and other ramifications of a culture awash in in information."

"...how hard it is to disappear is entirely a function of how hard people are looking for you..."

"...the information that you put out about yourself is actually the information that's the greatest threat or, you may not view it as a threat, but when it comes to privacy, most of the information that you would worry about is actually the information that you are revealing."

90 sq ft apt - Manhattan NY

Maybe a bit too extreme for my taste, but a reminder of how affluent we can be and reflect on what we really need to survive and/or to live as human beings. Her last line about traveling and having the comfort of coming back and not having to worry about curtailing her every deed to her possessions. This is a characteristic I hope to emulate.