Frank Swain writes and speaks about science. He also just wrote a scathing critique of TEDx, confronting them about their expectation that guest TEDx speakers perform for free.

This is a pet peeve of ours, especially given the recent controversies concerning unpaid internships in general, but particularly in the so-called art world. Check it out. Swain is right on.

But in the end it boils down to this: TEDx is just another organisation asking me to work for free.

Do I sound grouchy and cynical? Well, I suppose I am. I’m tired of being asked to work for free. I’m tired of the bullshit idea that exposure is somehow its own reward. I’m tired of the people who can afford to do it justifying this malignant trend.

What if it was the Nazis and their confiscation of so-called ‘degenerate art’ from Jewish collectors? 

Here’s another ‘review’ of the Cariou v. Prince 2nd Circuit decision, and it’s just as confused and confusing as all previous others. I’m not saying that the writer, Dan Nabel, is inept or a bad writer, but simply that this continuing trend of superficial ‘reviews’ lends credence to the fact that the 2nd Circuit opinion is so confusing and nonsensical, to the point that if a lay reader were to read this or most previous reviews, they would be clueless as to what the outcome of the 2nd Circuit opinion actually said. In lay terms, what the hell is the conclusion?

WNYC’s Stephen Nessen reports that 5Pointz Graffiti Mecca was painted over last night. NY1 reporting that 5Pointz was painted over by the building owners.

More on this story as we learn more, but meanwhile keep track of Nessen’s reports via his Twitter feed. The New York Times has a good write-up here. Timeout NY reports here. Daily News here. Huffington Post here. WNYC here. NY Magazine here.

UPDATE: November 20, 2013

The Wall Street Journal has more info on the whitewashing here, and Flavorwire pays a nice slideshow tribute to the before and after of ‘Graffiti Mecca’ here.

The first, written last Wednesday by the NY Times‘ Ed Caesar, explains the value of stolen art.

Yesterday, two other articles on the sexiness of art theft were published. The first, on how more than £300 million of art is being stolen each year in the UK comes from The Telegraph.

The third, and last, asks whether art theft is as profitable as drug dealing. Interesting, no?

Follow a great line-up of speakers via this live-stream. Berkman Center’s Terry Fisher is the keynote speaker, and a phenomenal line-up continues throughout the day. My 3 seminars are over, but I will speak about them with Sofia Hernandez Chong-Cuy this afternoon about that and my thoughts about copyright and contemporary art. Check us out live via the live-stream.

The fight continues at the district court with Judge Batts.