TRUF LIES

SHEPARD FAIREY DID NOTHING BUT INSPIRE US.

In case you hadn't heard, the artist who created the iconic HOPE Poster during Barack Obama's campaign is suing the Associated Press. The AP threatened to sue him first for using one of their photograher's photos as reference without prior permission.. As an illustrator and designer, I take Shepard Fairey's side. He did nothing wrong. Often times when you create a work of art about someone famous or historic, you need to use existing reference to create your art. If you're doing a painting of Mick Jagger, can you call him up and ask him to model for you? No. You need to find a photo of him, use it as reference to create his likeness and then change the style enough to become it's own piece of art. They teach this technique in art school. Copyright laws say that as long as the new work is altered in several ways to differentiate itself from the original work, it is legal. What the AP is doing could destroy the right of expression for all artists.

Shepard Fairey wrote a great article on The Huffington Post arguing his point, and also posted the original AP photo, as well as several other visual examples.

The original New York Times article is HERE

SOUTH PARK EXPLAINS THE BAILOUT

>> Watch the full episode only at SOUTH PARK STUDIOS

THE BIG TAKEOVER: WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON

Check out this frank, detailed and stunning article by Matt Taibbi in Rolling Stone. Wanna know what's REALLY happening on Wall Street and how it all got started?

READ THIS

Illustration by Victor Juhasz, courtesy of Rolling Stone

TRÜF: A.I.G. RAGE ISN'T GOOD FOR YOU

1. Take a deep breath.
2. Focus on the good things in your life that you can control.
3. Release your anger in a constructive way, like towards the punching bag at the gym.
4. Go to Yoga.
5. Go to a Movie and escape for 2 hours (that's what they're made for)
6. Don't read/watch the news for a few days.

READ MORE

THE WHITE HOUSE VEGETABLE GARDEN

Alice Waters will be happy to hear this. Michelle Obama will begin a vegetable garden on the South Lawn, the first since Eleanor Roosevelt's victory garden during World War II. Here is the map, courtesy of The New York Times.

OBAMA'S GOOD DESIGN SENSE CONTINUES

in an effort to help brand the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), President Obama unveils this new logo designed by MODE PROJECT, a terrific studio out of Chicago, IL. The logo will appear on signage across America on infrastructure projects initiated and paid for by ARRA. It is so refreshing to have a President who understands the power of branding and good design!

TRÜF: STEM CELL RESEARCH IS BACK ON.

OBAMA SCIENCE MEMO GOES BEYOND STEM CELL RESEARCH.

Reversing Bush policy, President Barack Obama on Monday cleared the way for a significant increase in federal dollars for embryonic stem cell research and promised no scientific data will be "distorted or concealed to serve a political agenda." Obama signed the executive order on the divisive stem cell issue and a memo addressing what he called scientific integrity...

"Promoting science isn't just about providing resources, it is also about protecting free and open inquiry," Obama said. "It is about letting scientists like those here today do their jobs, free from manipulation or coercion, and listening to what they tell us, even when it's inconvenient especially when it's inconvenient. It is about ensuring that scientific data is never distorted or concealed to serve a political agenda and that we make scientific decisions based on facts, not ideology."  READ MORE

Courtesy of The New York Times  /  Illustration by Thomas Porostocky

The Rock Obama

Dont' get the President angry.

EVERYBODY'S DOING IT

TELL RUSH LIMBAUGH YOU'RE SORRY.  courtesy of The Ron Reagan Show on Air America Radio

RNC Chair Micheal Steele, Congressman Phil Gingrey, and South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford among others are apologizing to Rush Limbaugh. Everyone is sorry, even YOU! So we want to make sure your apology to Mr. Limbaugh is heard. Aren't you sorry?

Sorry for instance that you were late to work today? Sorry you've been wasting all your time on Facebook and Twitter? Sorry you called Mr. Limbaugh all those terrible names? The Ron Reagan Show wants to make it easy for you; simply call the Rush Limbaugh apology line: (212) 871-8270 and express your sincere regrets and we'll send them along to Rush. LISTEN TO A FEW APOLOGIES NOW: