The unimportant news thread

[Karl Henning]

Would-be Reagan assassin John W. Hinckley Jr. wins unconditional release from supervision

[Pohjolas Daughter]

An artist is loaned $84,000 to reproduce two earlier artworks originally made by himself and instead....well, you can read the article for yourself if interested.   

https://www.cnn.com/style/article/jens-haaning-kunsten-museum-modern-art/index.html

PD

[mahler10th]

An artist is loaned $84,000 to reproduce two earlier artworks originally made by himself and instead....well, you can read the article for yourself if interested.   

https://www.cnn.com/style/article/jens-haaning-kunsten-museum-modern-art/index.html

PD

When art reflects the society of the day?  Or just legal deception?  Deception as an art form?  The Kunsten Museum of Modern Art Directors need their heads examined paying out money like that to a fool like that.  Not art.  Selfish robbery.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

When art reflects the society of the day?  Or just legal deception?  Deception as an art form?  The Kunsten Museum of Modern Art Directors need their heads examined paying out money like that to a fool like that.  Not art.  Selfish robbery.

I found this part of the article quite interesting:

'As well as lending Haaning 534,000 Danish krone ($84,000) for the cash-filled artworks, the Kunsten Museum had agreed to pay a further 10,000 krone ($1,571) for his work, as well as covering costs like framing and delivery. But the artist said the project would still have left him out of pocket, due to studio costs and staff salaries.
"I normally find myself in a better position when I'm showing abroad," he said. "I'm a Dane and it's (a) Danish museum and they expect me to invest because then maybe one day they will buy something."'

If he had truly figured out ahead of time that it would cost him more to make the artwork than what they had offered him, why didn't he explain this to them at the time and negotiated a better price/terms?  Or he could have just walked away.

PD

[steve ridgway]

When art reflects the society of the day?  Or just legal deception?  Deception as an art form?  The Kunsten Museum of Modern Art Directors need their heads examined paying out money like that to a fool like that.  Not art.  Selfish robbery.

True, I used to enjoy a 15 minute saunter round a modern art gallery in the 90s for a laugh but the joke wore thin a long time ago.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

US declares 23 bird, fish and other species extinct   

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-58740362

PD

[LKB]

Would-be Reagan assassin John W. Hinckley Jr. wins unconditional release from supervision

I admit to not having kept up-to-date concerning Hinckley's status over the years. That being said, it seems inadvisable for someone with his history to live without any supervision.

I wonder what the Reagans, Bradys and Ms. Foster think.

[MusicTurner]

When art reflects the society of the day?  Or just legal deception?  Deception as an art form?  The Kunsten Museum of Modern Art Directors need their heads examined paying out money like that to a fool like that.  Not art.  Selfish robbery.

There is a contract, and this case of pseudo-artistry is likely to experience a court case, if it isn't solved otherwise. Right now, there's a lot of publicity, though most people would think that it isn't flattering for any of those involved.

[Karl Henning]

An organist friend of mine has moved to Texas. I shall miss socializing with him, but he will bring Henningmusick to the Lone Star State. He and his family moved from Newton, Mass.: Why? You might ask ... This Newton home is a relative bargain at $449,900. Then again, it's only 251 square feet.

[LKB]

An organist friend of mine has moved to Texas. I shall miss socializing with him, but he will bring Henningmusick to the Lone Star State. He and his family moved from Newton, Mass.: Why? You might ask ... This Newton home is a relative bargain at $449,900. Then again, it's only 251 square feet.

That wouldn't buy 251 square ft. where l live. 100, maybe, in the poorer areas.

[LKB]

For clarification:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menlo_Park,_California

[Pohjolas Daughter]

An organist friend of mine has moved to Texas. I shall miss socializing with him, but he will bring Henningmusick to the Lone Star State. He and his family moved from Newton, Mass.: Why? You might ask ... This Newton home is a relative bargain at $449,900. Then again, it's only 251 square feet.

Sorry to hear that your friend is moving out of the area.  Hope that you are able to visit from time to time with each other in person.  Did he decide to move out of the area to be closer to family or something else?  Cute little tiny house (I think that I found it online).  If he can afford to not sell it, he might do well either renting it out longterm or as an Air B&B.  Trying to figure out if the place opposite the loft has a bench there?  Or maybe is another area for storage?  Boy, and room for 3 cars!  Bet that a young couple would be pleased to rent or buy the place.   

Is this it?  https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/1295-Boylston-St_Newton_MA_02464_M37201-30959

PD

[DavidW]

An organist friend of mine has moved to Texas. I shall miss socializing with him, but he will bring Henningmusick to the Lone Star State. He and his family moved from Newton, Mass.: Why? You might ask ... This Newton home is a relative bargain at $449,900. Then again, it's only 251 square feet.

I've been to Newton before... I think the Mobile Book Fair is there.  Anyway yeah he is essentially buying a room with a bathroom.

[Karl Henning]

Sorry to hear that your friend is moving out of the area.  Hope that you are able to visit from time to time with each other in person.  Did he decide to move out of the area to be closer to family or something else?  Cute little tiny house (I think that I found it online).  If he can afford to not sell it, he might do well either renting it out longterm or as an Air B&B.  Trying to figure out if the place opposite the loft has a bench there?  Or maybe is another area for storage?  Boy, and room for 3 cars!  Bet that a young couple would be pleased to rent or buy the place.   

Is this it?  https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/1295-Boylston-St_Newton_MA_02464_M37201-30959

PD

His wife is a flutist, and had recently completed her Master's ... and even without the pandemic, Boston is a trying place for a musician to try to find work (few openings and many applicants for them). Texas is a return for them, the wife managed by networking to land a gig. He, as an excellent organist should have no difficulty finding a situation.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

His wife is a flutist, and had recently completed her Master's ... and even without the pandemic, Boston is a trying place for a musician to try to find work (few openings and many applicants for them). Texas is a return for them, the wife managed by networking to land a gig. He, as an excellent organist should have no difficulty finding a situation.

I could well imagine that competition to get into the BSO, for instance, could be quite fierce.  Hope that things work out well for them and that they enjoy their new life back in Texas.

Speaking of small houses, I remember hearing about this place some time ago:  https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/bostons-skinniest-home-is-10-feet-wide-and-built-out-of-spite/ar-BB1g7opi  Quite an interesting story.

Wonder if whomever buys your friend's home could legally build "up"...as in add a story or two?

PD

[Karl Henning]

I could well imagine that competition to get into the BSO, for instance, could be quite fierce.  Hope that things work out well for them and that they enjoy their new life back in Texas.

Speaking of small houses, I remember hearing about this place some time ago:  https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/bostons-skinniest-home-is-10-feet-wide-and-built-out-of-spite/ar-BB1g7opi  Quite an interesting story.

Wonder if whomever buys your friend's home could legally build "up"...as in add a story or two?

PD

Ah, I managed to be highly misleading.  That listing is not in fact my friends' property, only an example of how expensive buying a house can be in the Boston area. There was a time when we were looking around at condos, but we didn't really like anything which was "in our price range," and although we were "pre-qualified," if we had gone ahead, we should have been terribly overextended. Shortly thereafter came the Financials Meltdown, and if we had bought we should have been deep in the merde.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Ah, I managed to be highly misleading.  That listing is not in fact my friends' property, only an example of how expensive buying a house can be in the Boston area. There was a time when we were looking around at condos, but we didn't really like anything which was "in our price range," and although we were "pre-qualified," if we had gone ahead, we should have been terribly overextended. Shortly thereafter came the Financials Meltdown, and if we had bought we should have been deep in the merde.

Ah!  I was a bit surprised that there was only one listing that was that small.  Is their place designed similarly (like with a loft)?  Must admit, I'd hate climbing up and down that ladder all of the time.

Have you ever seen the "Spite House" in your wanderings around Boston Karl?  The link that I provided also provides another link to recentish photos of the interior (from an open house some years ago).  Quite an interesting story behind it.   Wonder whether or not the brothers ever made peace with one another?

PD

p.s.  Trying not to get an acidic stomach whilst listening to the news regarding Democrats trying to get their infrastructure bill passed...fingers crossed!

[Karl Henning]

the "Spite House" ... no, I don't believe so ....

[SimonNZ]

Some uncharacteristic click-bait from The Atlantic:

The Moon Is Leaving Us
And we can't stop it.

The small print:

"The moon is drifting away from us.

Each year, our moon moves distinctly, inexorably farther from Earth—just a tiny bit, about an inch and a half, a nearly imperceptible change. There is no stopping this slow ebbing, no way to turn back the clock. The forces of gravity are invisible and unshakable, and no matter what we do or how we feel about them, they will keep nudging the moon along. Over many millions of years, we'll continue to grow apart. [...]"


Seriously, Atlantic: you're better than this.

[steve ridgway]

The Atlantic also widens by about an inch and a half per year so good bye America too.