Sebastian Errazuriz used the side of his Brooklyn studio to highlight military suicide.

A New York-based artist is using a wall as his canvas to draw attention to the suicide rate among U.S. troops.

The simple exhibit, titled “American Kills,” compares U.S. military suicides in 2009 to the number of troops killed in the Iraq War over the same time period.

Sebastian Errazuriz, 28, used a series of black strokes on the outside of his white-cinderblock Brooklyn studio so that passersby can see at a glance the disparity between the death tolls.

“The counting of dead soldiers outside my studio was long and surprisingly eerie; it was hard to forget that every brush stroke was a soldier who had died the previous year,” Errazuriz said on his website.

The Chilean-born artist, who says he often leans on the “the dichotomies of life and death” in his art, came up with the idea after perusing Internet sites about war. He discovered there were more than twice the number of suicides in the military (304) than there were during the Iraq War in 2009.

(Errazuriz’s sources peg the latter number at 149, while CNN’s war casualty database has a tally of 150).

Errazuriz had never heard the statistic before. He was shocked as well to learn the number of suicides rivaled the number of U.S. troop deaths in Afghanistan that year.

He first announced the statistic on Facebook, but it elicited little response so “he bought a can of black paint and decided to ‘post’ the news in the real world,” his website explains.

With a ladder and a paintbrush, he proceeded to make a black stroke for every dead soldier, categorizing them by the branch of the armed forces in which they served.

A passerby stops to study Errazuriz’s statement.

“A lot of people stopped to read the mural and were immediately impressed by the reality portrayed,” Errazuriz said.

“I tried to explain that I simply wished to create a physical image that could capture people’s imagination, creating awareness of the current numbers in death, war and the infinite discrepancy between the resources and energies destined to fight and protect soldiers at war versus the energies invested in protecting their mental health
and stability.”

Suicide in the U.S. military is a growing concern, and the recent “startling increase” in the U.S. Army prompted a $50 million study last year by four universities and the National Institute of Mental Health, according to Columbia University.

Dr. Robert Ursano, head of the project and director of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences’ Center for Traumatic Stress Studies in Bethesda, Maryland, told Psychiatric News last year that the study – the largest-ever military study of suicide and mental health – represented the first partnership of its kind.

“This is a unique joining of the Department of Defense and the NIMH to address an issue of national security that will also build tools with peacetime implications,” Ursano said.

Errazuriz routinely finds unorthodox means to present his art and last year worked with 40 volunteers to plant 1,100 crosses in a waterside park in Brooklyn to illustrate the number of people who die in New York City each week.

He’s also created furniture and sculptures and designed clothing, including sexy dresses made of latex gloves or zippers and a fur coat made of teddy bears.

Indicted Gwinnett commissioner steps aside

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By Patrick Fox and David Wickert

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Beleaguered Gwinnett County Commissioner Kevin Kenerly stepped aside Tuesday in the wake of allegations he agreed to accept $1 million in bribes related to county land purchases.

Attorneys for Kenerly notified Gov. Sonny Perdue early in the day that he would voluntarily suspend himself from office, effective immediately. The governor’s order suspending Kenerly was issued after noon.

Under Georgia law, the suspension will last until the charges have been resolved or until Kenerly’s term ends at the end of December.

A special-purpose grand jury in October indicted Kenerly on charges that he “directly or indirectly” accepted or agreed to accept 20 payments of $50,000 — totaling $1 million — as bribes for arranging for the County Commission to buy a piece of unnamed real estate.

Kenerly also was indicted on two misdemeanor charges that he failed to disclose a partnership with D.G. Jenkins Development Corp., which successfully sought county rezoning on two properties.

If convicted of all counts, Kenerly faces up to 22 years in prison.

The grand jury conducted its 10-month probe following an investigation into land purchases by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. It also considered a perjury charge against County Commission Chairman Charles Bannister but elected not to pursue it when he offered to resign. Bannister resigned Oct. 8.

It is not clear whether Kenerly will be entitled to continue drawing his $31,263 salary.

The county’s Code of Ethics lists a number of penalties officials may be subject to if found in violation, but it does not address pay for elected officials on suspension. A spokesman said Tuesday evening that salary questions would be resolved in the coming days.

“Though Commissioner Kenerly’s first instinct was to continue to work to represent the citizens of District 4 until the end of his term, Kevin came to realize that this matter has become an unnecessary distraction for the county staff, his fellow commissioners and the citizens of Gwinnett County,” attorney Pat McDonough said.

Kenerly, the county’s longest-serving commissioner, was elected in 1994 and represents north Gwinnett, including the cities of Braselton, Buford, Lawrenceville and Sugar Hill.

“By voluntarily suspending himself, the Gwinnett County Commission can move forward and finish the rest of this year without any more distractions,” McDonough said. “In turn, Kevin can focus all of his energies on taking care of his family and responding to the pending charges.”

District Attorney Danny Porter, who launched the grand jury investigation, said he had no opinion on Kenerly’s decision to step aside.

“He has the option to do that,” Porter said. “It’s not considered any kind of admission.”

The grand jury opened its investigation, which Porter said was focused on land deals, after a number of AJC articles explored several county parkland purchases based on questionable appraisals. The newspaper reported that taxpayers might have paid millions of dollars more than the properties were worth.

Kenerly did not attend any of three County Commission meetings scheduled for Tuesday at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center in Lawrenceville.

A small band of protesters had formed outside the courthouse by late afternoon after news had spread that Kenerly had suspended himself.

“That’s what he needed to do,” said Steve Ramey of the Founding Fathers Tea Party Patriots. “He should have done it a long time ago.”

James Bell,  co-founder of the Georgia Taxpayers Alliance, said Kenerly’s presence on the commission was a distraction.

“I can’t say I’m happy, but I’m pleased,” he said. “Kenerly did the right thing in stepping down.”

Fellow alliance member Ron Williams agreed.

“I think it was a little late,” he said, “but it was the right thing to do.”

Okay I kind of started this before but didn’t keep it up. Im back now updating everyday. Starting today. Start checking out my blog.

mohandasgandhi:

And yet they still don’t get it….

(via soupsoup)

J.Cole’s Friday Nights Lights Mixtape To Debut Nov. 12

Posted 11/2/10 4:40 pm ET by MTV News in Music News

By D.L. Chandler

J.Cole announced the title and release date for his third official mixtape, Friday Night Lights, today (November 2). The project will hit arrive before the debut of his first major label album, which is still untitled.

The North Carolina wordsmith leaked a teaser from the upcoming project on Tuesday (November 2) titled “Before I’m Gone,” which finds the MC spitting with his trademark ferocity. “Can’t you tell I’m going through hell, I don’t even open my mail/I’m in a shower with soap and a towel/I need cleansing … ,” Cole spits, with a cool confidence.

In a recent interview with Shade 45 on-air personality Angela Yee, J.Cole spoke about his upcoming mixtape, being on the same Roc Nation label as kid sensation Willow Smith and seemingly voicing some frustrations about the release of his debut. 

“I’m calling it a mixtape for the sake of calling it a mixtape, but it’s really an album in a sense,” Cole explained.

And after mentioning Willow’s famous father, Will Smith, on a few songs, it looks like J.Cole may meet the talented family soon.

“That’s just ‘cause I got a high respect for him and even his family, right now, they got a perfect life,” the Southerner said of the acknowledgment. “So I can’t wait to meet little Willow.”

Willow Smith recently performed on the daytime TV talk show “Ellen” and she has impressed the folks here at RapFix—again. Doesn’t it just makes you wonder what were you doing at that age?

J.Cole’s mixtape Friday Night Lights will be released November 12 via the site dreamvillain.net.

Free agent Joe Johnson is staying with the Atlanta Hawks, his agent said in a blog published in the Huffington Post website on Sunday.

Arn Tellem, Johnson’s agent, said that Johnson was impressed with the team’s commitment to him and agreed to accept the club’s six-year contract offer. He confirmed the post to The Associated Press.

Atlanta offered Johnson, a four-time All-Star, approximately $119 million over six years — nearly $27 million more than any other team could offer.

The Hawks would not comment, citing the NBA’s moratorium on signings. Deals can’t become official until July 8.

“When the free agency period kicked in, Joe made a point of talking to the Hawks first,” Tellem wrote in the blog post. “Their owners and new coach, Larry Drew, impressed Joe with their commitment to making the team championship-caliber. In turn, Joe felt equally committed to the Hawks, his teammates and the city of Atlanta.”

Tellem said Johnson, who was wooed by a number of other teams, could have forced a sign-and-trade to another team, but “decided that winning in Atlanta would be more meaningful.”

The New York Knicks were the first team to meet with Johnson when he became a free agent at 12:01 a.m. ET Thursday, making it known that he was among the players atop their wish list. The Chicago Bulls contacted Johnson as well, but did not meet with him.

But Johnson did not agree to the Hawks’ offer immediately, and as of Friday, sources said Johnson was still considering offers from the Knicks and Bulls.

Teams were wooing Johnson with the hope that he could be the first domino in luring one of the top-tier free agents in LeBron James or Dwyane Wade. The Knicks made Johnson their first priority with the hope that if they didn’t land James, he could reunite in New York with former Phoenix Suns coach Mike D’Antoni and ex-Suns teammate Amare Stoudemire.

“For his next act, Joe plans to actively recruit other top free agents to Atlanta, a place not unlike his hometown, where he feels comfortable and appreciated,” Tellem wrote. “LeBron, you’ve already met with the front offices of six teams. How about considering the Hawks?”

Johnson has been at the center of the Hawks’ resurgence since arriving in Atlanta from Phoenix in a sign-and-trade deal on Aug. 19, 2005. A 13-win team the season before he arrived, the Hawks doubled that the next season and went 53-29 in 2009-10 before getting swept by Orlando in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Johnson averaged 21.3 points during the regular season but played poorly during that series, creating speculation he may have cost himself max dollars. And there was thought he may want out of Atlanta, anyway, since he turned down a $60 million extension last summer and was critical of the team’s fans this season.

Information from ESPN.com senior NBA writer Chris Sheridan and The Associated Press was used in this report.

WHY ARE YOU CLOSED?!?

The lack of live sports was one of the #1 things holding people back from canceling their cable. Now all XBOX 360 Gold members can get live sports on their XBOX 360. This is huge. Expect a new wave of cord cutting. All led by Disney/ABC — the most progressive mainstream media company out there at the moment.

This is great news for independent producers. Cable companies are going to increasingly embrace Web content and traditional media companies are going to increasingly embrace the Web. The playing field is leveling out — the entrenched competitive advantages of mainstream media are being smoothed away.