An art collective known for squatting in mansions and embassies has taken over a £20million building in Leicester Square. The 50-room property - next door to the Odeon cinema - has been taken over by the group known as The Oubliette, which dedicates itself to finding large work spaces for struggling artists. The eight squatters today told the Standard they enjoyed front row seats from their first-floor window to see stars such as George Clooney walking the red carpet for the Fantastic Mr Fox premiere. They have also been holding life drawing classes since taking over the six-storey property a fortnight ago.
The squatters claim they gained access to the building legally through an open window in the top-floor loft, but said they expected to be evicted within the next two weeks. Last night they unfurled banners to draw attention to their artistic project. Last month the squatters took over the former Mexican embassy in Mayfair and the former Tanzanian high commission next door, together valued at £50million. Recently, another group targeted two properties in Chester Square, Belgravia, where Margaret Thatcher and billionaire owner Roman Abramovich's family live. Oubliette spokesman Dan Simon, 31, a graphic designer, said the group were looking for the owner of an empty building in central London who would allow them to stay long-term in exchange for "protecting the property".
"We will continue to squat in the hope we can eventually come to an agreement with a proprietor. Empty buildings attract crime. All we want to do is utilise a space for our art project." He said of the Leicester Square squat: "We have another property that we will move into when we are evicted. This place is incredible. There are four flats as well as a two-storey business centre. Parts of it have been empty for around 20 years." Fashion designer Talita Rossi, 24, from Sao Paulo, said: "It's crazy living on Leicester Square. We are probably the only people who actually live here."
Local councils are to get the power to seize the assets of minor offenders under government moves next week.
The Proceeds of Crime Act - brought in to target organised criminals could be used against housing benefit fraudsters and other less serious offenders.The Police Federation has expressed concern that "intrusive powers" are to be given to people who are not police. But the Home Office said seizing "ill-gotten gains" was a key part of the fight against all kinds of crime. The move, which is being pushed through next week by Home Secretary Alan Johnson, is set out in a Statutory Instrument, which means it will not be debated by MPs. Paul McKeever, of the Police Federation, told The Times: "The Proceeds of Crime Act is a very powerful tool in the hands of the police and police-related agencies and it shouldn't be treated lightly."
Search warrants
He added that there was a "behind-the-scenes creep of powers occurring" and the the public would "would want such very intrusive powers to be kept in the hands of warranted officers and other law enforcement bodies which are vetted to a very high standard rather than given to local councils".
Under the move Accredited Financial Investigators, which include customs officers, Department of Work and Pensions investigators, trading standards and other local authority workers, are to be given the power to seize assets worth more than £1,000 ahead of a court ruling on their origin and to execute search warrants. At the moment, these powers are executed on the investigators' behalf by police officers.The Home Office said the powers will be used against people who have benefited significantly from criminal behaviour and that investigators using them are subject to a code of conduct. A spokeswoman said the powers would not be used against people in arrears on their council tax or parking fines, as has been reported. She said: "We are determined to ensure criminals do not profit by breaking the law. Seizing ill-gotten gains is a key part of the fight against criminals — whether it is from small-time offences or organised crime.
"Accredited Financial Investigators have played an integral role in the recovery of criminal assets since the Proceeds of Crime Act was introduced in 2003, they are fully trained and their powers carefully controlled in law. By giving them some new powers we are extending the fight against crime and freeing up valuable police time."
But the Conservatives attacked the move - saying it could be abused by local authorities. Shadow communities secretary Caroline Spelman said: "We have already seen how surveillance laws designed to tackle terror and serious crime have been routinely abused and over-used by town hall officials.
"I fear these new powers to inspect financial records and seize assets will also end up being misused and will divert resources to minor breaches like being late in paying a parking fine."
'Deeply disappointing'
When the Proceeds of Crime Act was introduced it was meant to be used to deprive major organised criminals of their lavish lifestyles. The then home secretary David Blunkett said it would target "the homes, yachts, mansions and luxury cars of the crime barons". But Mr Blunkett said earlier this year that the law had been "deeply disappointing" after a BBC Panorama documentary revealed how major drug dealers and money launderers were making a mockery of it. Using the Freedom of Information Act, Panorama found that in the last three years the Scottish unit responsible for criminal confiscation has frozen £60m of assets - but has only succeeded in taking back £6m of that total. In the UK as a whole, £137m was recovered last year. The act has increasingly been used by police to seize the assets of minor offenders.
Masked figures with spray-cans glinting in the darkness have long journeyed through the east-end to the austere walls of the rail arches in mile end, an underground showcase of unofficial art. Now, in broad daylight, the elegant new Arts Pavilion opens its doors to some of the most notorious underground graffiti artists in East London.This unique venue offers the opportunity for you, the viewer to observe from behind glass or get down and dirty with urban artists painting LIVE! (Protective masks are available on the door) Each week will feature a new wave of artists, sourced locally with a smattering of special guest painters. Show runs from: Wednesday 4th November - Sunday 29th November 1pm – 7pm Wednesdays – Sundays. Press Day Saturday 8th November
When someone says that everything is a conspiracy they'd be mostly right but unless you know what to look for then you may just miss the signs. In the 21st Century it seems that many of the low-key Bavarian corporations are stepping up a gear and showing their true allegiance. This is a topic we cover in every issue of LSD Magazine because its important to recognise the signs. Readers of our publication are usually on the ball as they're on a 24 hour watch for street art, civil liberties and opportunities to paint!
This is a flyer handed out in the UK at official Levi Stores...Note the All Seeing Eye, Planets and they're horned god Baphomet.
Short investigation into the UK governments assertion that fluoride is acceptable to be added to the nations drinking supply. A few simple phone calls quickly ascertains that the report they use to back up their claims disagrees with their interpretation. In other words they're lying, again...
Around 1999 after reading No Logo by Naomi Klein, in particular the bit about Ron English changing billboards with paint alterations, it occurred to me that I could do something similar. I cut the letters "Su" from one billboard and placed them over another. The ad that had read "Suddenly everything clicks" had been subverted to say "Suddenly everything Sucks".
Calling all street art lovers, graffiti heads, purists, sci-fi fans, artists, punks, rasta's, bald-heads, originals skinheads, activists, reclaim the streets brigade, art collectors, comic book designers, retro addicts, right brainers, creatives, their dogs and all that know yee plus all the fam... If you dont experience all that Mutate and a collective of current street artists and graffiti writers have to offer by way of One Foot in the Grove. We think its fair to say you'll miss out on one of London's historic social art collectives stretching back to the 1980s. In true Mutoid fashion the lads have gathered a motley crew of the UKs street art guerillas and molded them together into an extravaganza of color, metal and paint.
A tremendous amount of work and preparation has gone into creating this urban dreamscape and everyone has chipped in and done their bit regardless of how big or small a role it may be. Dozens of people have given up their time to complete this vision and we at LSD are marveled by the workmanship.
How much on the door £10 No! £8 No! £5 No! £3 Only after 6pm Irons at the gates £1 yes £1...
Street art is growing and growing and not just in the middle class sector. Here you'll find affordable art work from not only top boys but up and coming names as well. We all hang art on our walls so why not invest in a limited edition at prices that you'd spend in a resturant. Its shit like this that makes the UK an exciting place to be right now for artists, collectors and aficionados. This is the place to Be...
Supply and Demand, at the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, October 18, 2009-January 31, 2010.
With more than 80 works, the exhibition traces the artist's career over 20 years, from the Obey Giant stencil to screen prints of political revolutionaries and rock stars to recent mixed-media works. Organized by the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, the show features posters, prints, stencils, and illustrations by the LA-based graphic artist. Inspired by Warhol, Fairey's work often includes "appropriated" imagery and propaganda-style design, including his renowned stylized image of Obama, acquired by the National Gallery of Art, Washington DC. His work is also in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, Smithsonian, and London's Victoria and Albert Museum.
The 38-year-old has been arrested 14 times for graffiti and sniping (putting up flyers/posters in public spaces without permission. Boston police arrested him earlier this year for "vandalism," when promoting his exhibition. The "Hope" poster is also not without controversy. With reference to a source photo from an Associated Press photograph, Fairey cut out actor George Clooney from the shot and altered the image with graphic enhancements in shades of red, white, and blue. But the AP accused Fairey of copyright infringement for the original photo by Mannie Garcia, demanding credit and compensation. Fairey in turn filed suit against the AP, claiming his work is protected by the Fair Use Doctrine. Sales are donated to charity.
Fairey defends his "appropriation" of the photograph, stating on his website that the "illustration transforms it aesthetically in its stylization and idealization." Also, he believes it's a political statement with the purpose to inspire, unlike the news photo. Guerrilla tactics are found in Fairey's first work, a pop image of professional wrestler Andre the Giant, called "Obey Giant." He encourages people to download the image and post on street signs and buildings. The amusing nonsensical image is intended to stimulate curiosity. http://obeygiant.com/free
On October 17, Fairey speaks at the Andy Warhol Museum about his work's shift between the fine, commercial, and political art and the meaning of his tagline: "Manufacturing quality dissent since 1989." http://www.warhol.org/
John Perkins has lived four lives: as an economic hit man (EHM); as the CEO of a successful alternative energy company, who was rewarded for not disclosing his EHM past; as an expert on indigenous cultures and shamanism, a teacher and writer who used this expertise to promote ecology and sustainability while continuing to honor his vow of silence about his life as an EHM; and as a writer who, in telling the real-life story about his extraordinary dealings as an EHM, has exposed the world of international intrigue and corruption that is turning the American republic into a global empire despised by increasing numbers of people around the planet.
As an EHM, Johns job was to convince Third World countries to accept enormous loans for infrastructure development - loans that were much larger than needed - and to guarantee that the development projects were contracted to U.S. corporations like Halliburton and Bechtel. Once these countries were saddled with huge debts, the U.S. government and the international aid agencies allied with it were able to control these economies and to ensure that oil and other resources were channeled to serve the interests of building a global empire.
In his EHM capacity, John traveled all over the world - to Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East - and was either a direct participant in or witness to some of the most dramatic events in modern history, including the Saudi Arabian Money-laundering Affair, the fall of the Shah of Iran, the assassination of Panama's President Omar Torrijos, the subsequent invasion of Panama, and events leading up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
In 1980 Perkins founded Independent Power Systems, Inc (IPS), an alternative energy company. Under his leadership as CEO, IPS became an extremely successful firm in a high-risk business where most of his competitors failed. Many "coincidences" and favors from people in powerful positions helped make IPS an industry leader. John also served as a highly paid consultant to some of the corporations whose pockets he had previously helped to line -taking on this role partly in response to a series of not-so-veiled threats and lucrative payoffs.
After selling IPS in 1990, John became a champion for indigenous rights and environmental movements, working especially closely with Amazon tribes to help them preserve their rain forests. He wrote five books, published in many languages, about indigenous cultures, shamanism, ecology, and sustainability; taught at universities and learning centers on four continents; and founded and served on the board of directors of several leading nonprofit organizations.
One of the nonprofit organizations he founded and chaired, Dream Change Coalition (later simply Dream Change, or DC), became a model for inspiring people to attain their personal goals and, at the same time, to be more conscious of the impacts their lives have on others and on the planet, and for empowering them to transform their communities into more balanced and sustainable ones. DC has developed a following around the world and has empowered people to create organizations with similar missions in many countries.
During the 1990s and into the new millennium, John honored his vow of silence about his EHM life and continued to receive lucrative corporate consulting fees. He assuaged his guilt by applying much of the money he earned as a consultant to his nonprofit work. Arts & Entertainment television featured him in a special titled "Headhunters of the Amazon," narrated by Leonard Nimoy. Italian Cosmopolitan ran a major article on his "Shapeshifting" workshops in Europe. TIME magazine selected Dream Change as one of the thirteen organizations in the world whose Web sites best reflected the ideals and goals of Earth Day.
Then came September 11, 2001. The terrible events of that day convinced John to drop the veil of secrecy around his life as an EHM, to ignore the threats and bribes, and to write Confessions of an Economic Hit Man. He believed he had a responsibility to share his insider knowledge about the role the U.S. government, multinational "aid" organizations, and corporations have played in bringing the world to a place where such an event could occur. He wanted to expose the fact that EHM are more ubiquitous today than ever before. He felt he owed this to his country, to his daughter, to all the people around the world who suffer because of the work he and his peers have done, and to himself. In this book, he describes the dangerous path his country is taking as it moves away from the original ideals of the American republic and into a quest for global empire.
Previous books by John Perkins include Shapeshifting, The World Is As You Dream It, Psychonavigation, The Stress-Free Habit, and Spirit of the Shuar.
John says: "We have entered one of the most important periods in human history, the Time of Prophecies. We have the opportunity to lift ourselves to new levels of consciousness. This time was foretold over the past centuries around the world. Now it is up to us - you and me - to make it happen. What a wonderful gift!"
Invented in 1969 and patented in 1973, but only now becoming commercially and technologically viable, RFID tags are essentially microchips, the tinier the better. Some are only 1/3 of a millimeter across. These chips act as transponders (transmitters/responders), always listening for a radio signal sent by transceivers, or RFID readers. When a transponder receives a certain radio query, it responds by transmitting its unique ID code, perhaps a 128-bit number, back to the transceiver. Most RFID tags don't have batteries (How could they? They're 1/3 of a millimeter!). Instead, they are powered by the radio signal that wakes them up and requests an answer.
Most of these "broadcasts" are designed to be read between a few inches and several feet away, depending on the size of the antenna and the power driving the RFID tags (some are in fact powered by batteries, but due to the increased size and cost, they are not as common as the passive, non-battery-powered models). However, it is possible to increase that distance if you build a more sensitive RFID receiver.
RFID chips cost up to 50 cents, but prices are dropping. Once they get to 5 cents each, it will be cost-efficient to put RFID tags in almost anything that costs more than a dollar.
Who's using RFID?
RFID is already in use all around us. Ever chipped your pet dog or cat with an ID tag? Or used an EZPass through a toll booth? Or paid for gas using ExxonMobils' SpeedPass? Then you've used RFID.
Some uses, especially those related to security, seem like a great idea. For instance, Delta is testing RFID on some flights, tagging 40,000 customer bags in order to reduce baggage loss and make it easier to route bags if customers change their flight plans.
Three seaport operators - who account for 70% of the world's port operations - agreed to deploy RFID tags to track the 17,000 containers that arrive each day at US ports. Currently, less than 2% are inspected. RFID tags will be used to track the containers and the employees handling them.
The United States Department of Defense is moving into RFID in order to trace military supply shipments. During the first Gulf War, the DOD made mistakes in its supply allocation. To streamline operations, the U.S. military has placed RFID tags on 270,000 cargo containers and tracks those shipments throughout 40 countries.
On a smaller level, but one that will instantly resonate with security pros, Star City Casino in Sydney, Australia placed RFID tags in 80,000 employee uniforms in order to put a stop to theft. The same idea would work well in corporate PCs, networking equipment, and handhelds.
In all of these cases, RFID use seems reasonable. It is non-intrusive, and it seems to balance security and privacy. Other uses for RFID, however, may be troublesome.
Visa is combining smart cards and RFID chips so people can conduct transactions without having to use cash or coins. These smart cards can also be incorporated into cell phones and other devices. Thus, you could pay for parking, buy a newspaper, or grab a soda from a vending machine without opening your wallet. This is wonderfully convenient, but the specter of targeted personal ads popping up as I walk through the mall, a la Minority Report, does not thrill me.
Michelin, which manufactures 800,000 tires a day, is going to insert RFID tags into its tires. The tag will store a unique number for each tire, a number that will be associated with the car's VIN (Vehicle Identification Number). Good for Michelin, and car manufacturers, and fighting crime. Potentially bad for you. Who will assure your privacy? Do you really want your car's tires broadcasting your every move?
The European Central Bank may embed RFID chips in the euro note. Ostensibly to combat counterfeiters and money-launderers, it would also enable banks to count large amounts of cash in seconds. Unfortunately, such a move would also makes it possible for governments to track the passage of cash from individual to individual. Cash is the last truly anonymous way to buy and sell. With RFID tags, that anonymity would be gone. In addition, banks would not be the only ones who could in an instant divine how much cash you were carrying; criminals can also obtain power transceivers.
Several major manufacturers and retailers expect RFID tags to aid in managing the supply chain, from manufacturing to shipping to stocking store shelves, including Gillette (which purchased 500 million RFID tags for its razors), Home Depot, The Gap, Proctor & Gamble, Prada, Target, Tesco (a United Kingdom chain), and Wal-Mart. Especially Wal-Mart.
Brick City Boutique is back from the north after its debut with Basement Sessions Live, and is ready to raise the roof again at its home in Islington’s Elbow Room. As well as an impressive lineup this month, we also have a huge range of Street inspired vendors on the stalls offering you the opportunity to get your hands on some truly unique and amazing street style art and clothing… if u wanna beef up ur winter wardrobe with the coolest threads then look no further!!
Check out the lineup and range of vendors for the next event:
DJ’s 12pm – 7pm: DJ SNUFF VENOM – BASEMENT SESSIONS JDA KUT, TUFFKUT, FABIA – SENSEI FM BOBAFATT BASHMENT BISH
Daytime Performances: Live Hip Hop Band – PHUTURE SONIC (This is a rare band with some amazing energy… checkout their myspace!!) http://www.myspace.com/phuturesonic HARMONICABOX
PLUS OPEN MIC (Open entry)
Daytime Hosting by: VICE - BASEMENT SESSIONS
Live Performances 7pm – 12am: DJ MK Presents - SKANDAL performing his new material: Hunger Pains Plus, special guest performance from RAMSON BADBONEZ!! Performing live with Skandal
In Collaboration with: DJ SNUFF - EODub.com Also on the day: BBoy/Girl Competition (open entry), giveaways, raffle comp and more!! All this for FREE before 7pm!! 4 Pounds after… 18 and over only, ID is requested at the door!!
COKE MOSS - Inspired by my love of picking up discarded trash from the streets, well, some people collect stamps, I like crushed Coke cans, Okay. I've again linked two disparate images and I guess I'm cocking a snook at the Americanisation and cultural bombardment in British society, I've been kind of thinking recently about the fact that we don't actually make anything in this country anymore and the only thing we do export is people, celebrity, whatever.
I've also hand screened a small edition of only 35 screen prints, size 750 x 750mm that will be on sale at the show or contact Jo Dunne at jo@itsjo.co.uk for more info.
The Main Edition of 35, 3 colour onto Somerset Satin, Size: 760 x 760mm - Price £125.00
