1 VICTORIA PARK PUBLIC ART DESTROYED Greg mentioned this yesterday. Dechene is looking into it. At this point we don’t even know when Kim Morgan’s 2002 piece Antsee was removed. Maybe this is legitimate. Or maybe, like the artist I talked to at the coffee shop this morning said, “someone thought it was an eyesore”. Either way, arguably the best piece of public art in the city–and one of Regina’s few pieces with conceptual muscle — is gone.
2 DOWNTOWN PARKING PRICE HIKE IN SASKATOON? They’re talking about it on CBC radio this morning as a way to encourage people to leave their cars at home when they’re going to work. I don’t know what bugs me more: the common opinion that everyone should have the right to park next to their downtown destination, which IS NOT FEASIBLE, PEOPLE, SHEESH, BE REALISTIC or the fact that cities think they can solve downtown traffic problems with cash grabs rather than heavy investment in public transportation and its promotion.
3 CANADIAN FORMER CHILD SOLDIER ILLEGALLY ABANDONED BY HIS COUNTRY GOES ON TRIAL IN U.S. CONCENTRATION CAMP AFTER LENGTHY DETENTION THAT IGNORED THE GENEVA CONVENTION Ridiculous. (Globe And Mail)
4 RCMP CONSTABLE CHARGED WITH WIFE’S MURDER Story here. (Edmonton Journal)
5 THEY’RE FEELING PRETTY GOOD IN SPAIN Winning the world cup will do that. (BBC) Meanwhile, Paul the Octopus is retiring from sports predictions after going eight for eight. (L.A. Times)
6 HARVEY PEKAR, R.I.P. A pioneer of non-fiction comics has died at the age of 70 (cleveland.com). Harvey Pekar worked with cartoonists like Robert Crumb, Joe Sacco and former Saskatonian David Collier. His life was the focus of the excellent 2003 film American Splendor. His contributions to the art form of comics are gigantic–he was a true legend. Rest in peace, sir.
