Morning Brew: November 30th, 2007
Photo: "looking back" by blogTO Flickr pooler ChrisJackson.
Your morning news roundup AND POLL for Friday November 30th, 2007:
The bomb scare at the ROM on Wednesday night was an OCAD student's idea of contemporary art. Apparently he sought the advice of a student union lawyer before planting a "sculpture" (i.e. a fake bomb with an affixed note that stated it wasn't a real bomb) and posting videos online that depict a bombing (labeled "fake video" of the "fake bombing"). Take our "is this art?" poll.
Scarborough General Hospital has the highest death rate in the GTA (and the third highest in Canada). But this doesn't mean that if you're bleeding to death, you'd be better off driving yourself to Brampton. Or does it?
"The Strip" at Wasaga beach is on fire. Early reports suggest that much of the downtown has burned down. Will this result in fewer lowered yellow Honda Civics cruising through, or be an opportunity for redevelopment and renewed blingage?
This winter Toronto snow will be plowed less, but the city ensures us that our safety won't be compromised. If you end up in a ditch on a side street this winter, rather than fret, think about the $3 million we're saving, and then call CAA.
Here's a heart-warmer of a story: a Christmas card that has been mailed back and forth between two families every year for 66-years has been passed on to another generation and is once again being put in an envelope and affixed with a stamp.
Comments (32)
Art or not (I say not), it doesn't excuse it or shield him from the consequences of his action.
It's art for two reasons. He says its art, and two, he can explain why it's art. Done.
And yes, he is to suffer for his stupidity.
I say not - there's really nothing thought-provoking, inspiring, or creative involved in it. Thisis fucking art at a civic level.
Instead of disrupting an AIDS charity benefit and wasting our tax dollars, how about giving something back to the city?
In other news, the city explains to us that by plowing less snow, they'll make us more safe this winter.
Now THAT is art!
Maybe the plane taking Karlheinz "I won't answer that question" Schrieber to Germany could do a refueling stop in Iceland and shove his sorry ass out on the tarmac.
Thorarinn Ingi Jonsson was charged with mischief and nuisance. (from cbc)
Excuse me? If a person can wind up with robbery and assault charges for TOUCHING ones finger without permission (yes true story), then this bozo should surely be held up on some sort of terror related charges.
Lets see some consitancy in Ontario in terms of what they deem as "frowned upon".
But then again... he's probably a well off kid, with $$ to defend his "statement".
Those who defend this idiot, are no better. This behaviour isn't acceptable by anyone post 9/11.
My guess why he ran to the media first as apposed to the police is because he's scared. Hope the crown see's that one too. I mean... You're innocent right???
he can claim he didn't know, that he had the OK from a "lawyer" or by leaving a LOL note, trying to make it like it's all ok.
You're 24, you're white and you are ignorant about the world around you.
I hope at the very least they bleed you dry for all the people you held up that day.
I would sentance you to pay the following:
You would have to pay double what the AIDS fundraiser got.
I would ban you from ever owning a video camera and computer.
I would sentance you to do community service in a morgue, specificly dealing with violent acts. But maybe you'd find that as "art" considering your video's on youtube...
I'd send you in for military training for 2 years.
I'd also make you stand in front of the ROM everyday for a week for each individual you scared and inconvenienced, holding up a sign, saying "I'm responsible for my behaviour, and I'm sorry. Fake bombs are not art, and are not considered funny".
You're an idiot, and a posterboy for societies PC illness.
Re Craig, that reminds me of a judge in the states (unfortunately I cant recall his name), and I totally agree. The justice system fails the majority of people. If he goes to jail for mischief - or even if for terror charges, hypothetically - it still wouldn't mean anything. The AIDS fundraiser was still cancelled, money was lost, people were scared and inconvenienced.
This judge realized that, and started to hand out sentences and penalties that actually let the victims feel like there was retribution. In this case, at the -very- least he should be fined for every dollar that was lost at the benefits he disrupted, as well as lost business for the ROM. If he can't pay that $100,000+ fine, then he has to work it off via community service for AIDS and educational organizations.
Donny Hathaway:
Well, judging by your comment, you seem to be ok with this behaviour, so maybe since you accept this type of behaviour, maybe YOU should go to Sudan, no wait... How about Iran?
Make sure you read a Quaran extensively before you depart. Oh, and keep your freedoms of expression hidden, I'm sure you know the penalties for stepping out of line there ;)
I voted that it was art. Because if it hadn't caused the reaction it did -- unintentional, according to the guy -- we'd be having a very different discussion right now. Unless I've missed something, it was never his intention to terrorize or waste the time and money of city services.
Would it be good art, in that scenario? Not really; a sculpture of a bomb being treated as if it were real isn't really 'recontextualizing' anything.
From the news reports about Wasaga it appears it's the "old strip" that's burning down, an oft neglected but charming stretch away from all the obnoxiousness of the beachfront drag. Check my post with pics on this stretch affected by the Wasaga fire.
Admitting that this is art, as it might well be, still doesn't excuse the chaos and panic that Jonsson unleashed upon downtown Toronto.
Still, it's bewildering to think that Jonsson didn't foresee the consequences of planting a fake bomb in a busy public place. Was he really that dense, or was he actually hoping for the response he got? Judging by the way he went about executing his plan, it appears he had at least some expectation of what would happen next.
I don't think anyone saying it's art is saying it's good or that he shouldn't be held accountable for his actions.
Anyway you want to look at it, it's art.
it was never his intention to terrorize or waste the time and money of city services.
It apparently was never his intention to fess up to it too until the heat came on.
He ran to the media first, after a few video responses outted him. The fact he went back to film the remaining 19 seconds says he did get the reaction he wanted, and if I were the crown, he'd be getting more than coal in his stocking if you know what I mean.
You want to call it art? Fine, how about the art of stupidity?
How about you uneducated dolts defending this arseholes action follow his lead, I'd love to see copy cat "artisits" get whats coming to them.
C'mon, make a statement morons!
I would sentance you to pay the following:You would have to pay double what the AIDS fundraiser got.
I would ban you from ever owning a video camera and computer.
I would sentance you to do community service in a morgue, specificly dealing with violent acts. But maybe you'd find that as "art" considering your video's on youtube...
I'd send you in for military training for 2 years.
I'd also make you stand in front of the ROM everyday for a week for each individual you scared and inconvenienced, holding up a sign, saying "I'm responsible for my behaviour, and I'm sorry. Fake bombs are not art, and are not considered funny".
It is a good thing you are not a real judge and are instead relegated to talking smack in the comments section of a blog.
What on earth do his age or race have to do with what he did?
Holy snappering areseholes, you're serious?
Ok for 1, being 24 makes you an ADULT. 2 He would have been 18 when 9/11 happend, and he sure the hell knows Pearson was quite busy that day. 3 He's smart enough to make it to University, then he's smart enough to know he needs a PERMIT for fliming in T.O. 4. His own university had an scenario a while back involving filming, toy guns and police. Which at that time was made clear, PERMITS are a must.
5. The fact he's white, means he's got no religion to fall back on, no suppresion slavery story, no hard life boo hoo story. He's not simply a minority. This will be on a CRIMMINAL profile for the rest of his life.
His smug look holding a replica of his "art" when he first came forward, said to me "Gee... A guy can't even make a fake bomb and leave it by a MUSEM, dial a random extention, say it's not a bomb, leave, wait for a reaction on the news, go back down, film the EMS, and finish off my work, without causing upraor. Man, people so are ignorant to art!"
When he should have went right to the police the second the story broke.
No.... He cowardly turned himself in 20 hours later knowing police were looking for suspects.
I posted the video titled "turn yourself in" I also removed it when I heard the cameraman was caught. I'm proud of that fact. I uploaded that video long before he fessed up to anything in the media. Oddly enough, 2 hours after it was posted and about 120 views later, there he is on CITYV, not 52 division.
What's he doing to with the media?
Trying to justify his behaviour, and not taking full responsibility for his lack of ETHICAL and MORAL judgement like a 24 year ADULT man should.
It is a good thing you are not a real judge and are instead relegated to talking smack in the comments section of a blog.
________________
lucky for punks like you huh?
@rek: You said "Unless I've missed something, it was never his intention to terrorize or waste the time and money of city services."
Apparently you missed his interview on CityTV where he said that he didn't feel bad that he wasted the time and money of city services because "police waste their time all the time" and because his "piece was important". No really. That's what he said.
Perhaps OCAD should starting teaching common sense to its future students as well... My favourite quote from him: "Police waste their time all the time doing all kinds of things."... Thank a-hole for wasting MORE of their time.
craig - Lay off the insults and maybe someone will reply to what you're saying. Your point #5 is hilarious -- white people have no religion or hardships! -- so when you call us 'uneducated dolts' I have to wonder just how much you're projecting here...
Xmas Balls - That's his rationalization of it, but it doesn't mean it was his intention. Has he said, anywhere, that his intention was to make people think it was a bomb and have hundreds of emergency response people running around?
Craig, I'd like to know why you're so threatened by the idea that this is art.
We both agree it was bad, we both think he didn't consider the consequences and we both think he should be punished.
You sound really upset and I don't get it.
the same day this news broke i walked by the sunken circle at OCAD and saw "art" students playing with propane tanks burning things. there were black marks all over the concrete and one guy saying "i think i burned all my skin off my hand" (he was okay but in pain). it seemed ironic.
@ Rek
see, that's the problem. In the heat of the moment, cops can't -- let alone the average person -- tell the difference between a fake gun, fake bomb, or anything like that, so why take the chance? He's lucky someone didn't spot him, think he's acting suspicious, and call the cops, likely ending with him being shot to prevent an unfolding event.
Pretending to plant a device that blows people up crosses the line, and isn't something that should be taken lightly. It is not art under any circumstance.
We seem to forget that robbing a bank with fake gun will get you in as much trouble as using a real one, for a good reason.
-P
Art is a form of expression. By debating whether this is art is not is pretty much pointless. You cannot win that debate.
Asking whether it's worthwhile is a much better question.
anyone who says it isn't art is clearly in no position to suggest it's not in showing a complete lack of understanding the history of modern art and critical art theory--i would direct you to the Futurists http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Futurism_(art) as one prime example of a group of self-deluded, nihilistic, homocidal maniacal nimrods--who were nonetheless artists and considered their random acts of violence as art
to make an "accounting" comparison, we could look at a number of white-collar crimes such as the Enron fiasco, or even the mafia and say--that's not good business practice or proper accounting procedures--nonetheless it IS a form of business practice--whether or not it is legit or criminal is besides the point and it would be ridiculous to have a poll on it as there is no debate
Carrie, you are absolutely correct when you insult the futurists.
What I would like to know is whether a light show at a concert is art...because honestly, sometimes those light shows are amazing.
Also, I think you need to chill out Craig. In contrast to your beliefs not all White people are privileged, godless university grads.
Come back Carrie!
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