This week's Newsweek Magazine article entitled, Get Ready for Documenta, Olympics of the Art World, written by Blake Gopnik, tells the story of Germany's big art show. The art show is called Documenta, it occurs twice a decade, and is revered to be the Olympics of the art world. 
Gopnik interviewed Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev, the creative director, via Skype, who has found strange urban venues to show art in, like the staircase in an old bank and other vintage Kassel buildings not normally noticed by visitors. “It’s like an exploded museum,” she says. Adding, this would be the 13th Documenta. Gopnik describes Christov-Bakergiev as being giddy to share some details of this year's venue. She reveals such artists as Julie Mehretu, animator William Kentridge, and Lawrence Wiener, the godfather of the text based art will be showing works this year. Christov-Bakergiev says, "Documenta is really about thinking through all our aesthetic, social, political, and art-historical questions."
This article was informative, as I am an artist, and never herd of Documenta. Gopnik did a great job informing anyone who is interested in art. He highlighted examples of specific trends in art that were born at the Documenta, which I feel were important. There were some points that could have been stated without sounding like a stuck-up art snob, for anyone not in the art world to appreciate, however, that was not Gopnik's fault, as he was quoting. At the bottom of the article it said to check back for live coverage, which I intend to do!


http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2012/05/27/blake-gopnik-get-ready-for-documenta-olympics-of-the-art-world.html>

The web article, “Nielsen: Americans Love TV, Viewing Options Change,” by David Goetzi, for the Media Daily News, discussed information obtained by the Nielsen ratings, written May 3, 2012. It focused on providing the reader data obtained in the Nielsen research concerning video entertainment, and how Americans receive the entertainment.

The article started off with data, showing the average American watches close to 5 hours of video per day. 98% of it is watched on a traditional TV set. Goetzi noted that 45% of homes have gaming consoles, or a “secondary gateway” to receive video as well. Adding, the 45% is up 3% over last year. Goetzi states, “consoles might be growing, but Nielsen suggested cord-cutting is not.” He ended this article by saying “smart phones are propelling more video consumption, with 35.5 million mobile phone owners watching video on their phones....which is up 35.7% over last year.”

This article was great for the Neilsen data, it left me wanting to know more options such as computer based video entertainment. It was easy to understand the article, and the information given was clear and concise.

Rescued Russells

This past week a story appeared in the Union Leader titled,”Rescued Russells”. It described a horribly sad case of an incapacitated person caging nine JacK Russell terriers for four years, only letting them out for a half an hour each day. The Plymouth, NH resident could not properly care for his/herself (gender was not mentioned), nor could they care for the dogs. 

Mary Gorham from the New Hampshire Humane Society was interviewed by an un-named reporter. Gorham was interviewed because the incapacitated resident signed ownership of the dogs to the Humane Society, and, as the story states, could not understand the severity of the living conditions. The article mentioned this was a hoarding issue, giving the reading audience the assumption of poor living conditions in the home, as well as the dogs living conditions.

Gorham goes on to say that the dogs are very frightful of humans, and their touch. All nine dogs need to be treated and rehabilitated for a wide range of ailments including Lyme Disease, and burns from sitting in their own excrement. She adds, “it would be immoral to take them from this situation, and then put them down. After rehabilitation, they plan to find adopted families for the 9 Jack Russells. However, “They’re not going to be a dog you’d normally adopt like a puppy, happy go-lucky.”

This article was written in a facts only format. The only thing anyone with a beating heart can take from this is sadness. It is a very sad state of affairs when someone becomes so incapacitated they cannot take care of themselves, and their animals, and no-one notices or helps.

I for one will be writing the New Hampshire Humane Society to see what I can do to help these poor animals. I urge anyone reading this, if you have a heart, please do the same.

New Hampshire Humane Society

www.nhhumane.org/

1305 Meredith Center Road  Laconia, NH 03246 (603) 524-3252

The article, “Millyard Launch”, written by Denise Paiste, highlights Ben Petrio, and Jeff Vocell’s recent app launch for the iphone and ipad. In Paiste’s interview with the two entrepreneurs, she outlines the who, what, where and when(s) of their endeavor.

Paiste’s article covers who was involved, from the investors, to the people who provide their offices in the millyard. She highlights the app itself, as a much needed business tool for any company to use. The app will give an exact answer to a business’ profits, losses, and sales (or “key metrics”), in “ten-seconds flat.” Paiste brings attention to not only is this a much needed tool, but it is also a free app on itunes. This app will answer an up to date PNL/sales numbers, no matter where the business owner or sales person is at any given time, contrasted by carrying around last months PNL’s and sales reports.   Also, up to date charts and graphs can be accessed by this app instead of sitting down at a desk and creating one given the numbers from the PNL reports. 

Paiste states the duo’s company, Trendslide will grow and employ many engineers and sales staff in the near future as they grow their app service, and develop a compareable, web based version.

The article was clear, concise, and informative, very well written. It covered the duo’s start up investments to accomplish their vision, all the way to beta testing and release. I found it uplifting to see the local guy succeed by providing a much needed service to the business community, for free! I for one am inspired by Mr. Petrio, and Mr. Vocell!

Paiste, Denise. "Millyard Launch." Union Leader [Manchester] 05 07 2012, C1. Print.

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