The New York Times speculates the coolness of the “phenomenon known as the MisShapes: Leigh Lezark, Geordon Nicol and Greg Krelenstein” may be fading. But it’s not ipod djing for dull clients, nor Gawker’s months of photo evidence that lend credence to this theory; it’s MisShapes’ own Geordon Nicol.

Mr. Nicol, who serves as the de facto manager of the group (Mr. Krelenstein works for a casting agency and Ms. Lezark is in college), said he doesn’t see a downside to working for fashion brands that have little in common with the MisShapes’ hip image.

“Gawker has been saying there’s a backlash for more than two years,” Mr. Nicol said. “But the head count of the MisShapes parties has been exactly the same, give or take 100 people. And the amount of money made at the bar is the same.”

Whether shilling messenger bags for Eastport (which sell for a whole $13 at Walmart), slamming back Rosé, or choosing songs for Calvin Klein: MisShapes is okay with being bought. If you’ve got the money, they’ll make the time. What do principles matter, if you’re still making money at the bar, right?

Photo by Greg Scaffidi for The New York Times.

What a surprise! Half of the crazy graffiti painting duo, Smith and Sane, probably most known for painting the side of the Brooklyn Bridge, also doodled in his textbook. Old school graff writers, they’re just like us! They get bored with math too! One student at Hunter College High School received Sane’s math book from the 1985 school year and scanned some of the better pages. Mikeazorin writes:

I attend the school of the late great Sane, brother of Smith, together known as the legendary “Sane Smith”. Sane’s status is well-known in my school amongst graffiti writers and those interested in graffiti. Although his death is somewhat of a mystery, he is an undisputed king. Starting school this year, I received my textbooks. I opened my math textbook and saw a Sane tag. At first I thought it was just some kid copying Sane’s tag, but it was everywhere in the book. The name “David Smith” was logged in the list of names exactly in Sane’s handstyle. I knew now that I was holding an artifact of graffiti history. Sane’s very own math textbook, used in my school from years 1985 and 1986.

Check out the rest of the images for more Sane tags, a Futura tag, and drawings of ponies.

Last night, Scion brought the first of four free film screenings to the Anthology Film Archive. Favela Rising focuses on the rise of AfroReggae, from a band using music to combat drugs and violence in the Rio de Janiero favela of Vigário Geral, to a social movement educating and empowering young people with art, music, and dance. In 1993, following the murder of four policemen by drug dealers in Vigário Geral, the police entered the favela and indiscriminately slaughtered 21 residents. Original footage of the police brutality, drugs, guns, gang warfare and deaths further instills audiences with the gravity of the situation.

FAVELA RISING documents a man and a movement, a city divided and a favela (Brazilian squatter settlement) united. Haunted by the murders of his family and many of his friends, Anderson Sa is a former drug-trafficker who turns revolutionary in Rio de Janeiro’s most feared slum. Through hip-hop music, the rhythms of the street, and Afro-Brazilian dance he rallies his community to war against the violent oppression enforced by teenage drug armies and sustained by corrupt police. At the dawn of liberation, just as collective mobility is overcoming all odds and Anderson’s grassroots AfroReggae movement is at the height of its success, a tragic accident threatens to silence the movement forever.

Favela Rising is inspiring to people seeking positive change in their communities. Dually impressive: the film (which debuted at the 2005 Tribeca Film Festival) is screening to ignored audiences throughout the United States. In New York City, educational screenings have been held throughout the boroughs, including Riker’s Island.

Watch the film’s trailer after the jump.

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Maybe these rural kids saw the photos of kids boxing in the street, and not to be outdone by Brooklyn, they upped the ante tasering each other in a parking lot. Regardless, photographer Ed Zipco was on hand to capture the moment.

An urgent message from an abandoned pillbox in Fort Tilden:

“When pigs issue national I.D’s – that’s war.”

Even more interesting than it’s location in a remote, trash strewn pillbox in the Rockaways is the 2008 date, at least 2 years before the fact. Either the artist came back from the future to warn people about the dangers of a national id system (in the most invisible location possible) or more likely, is just screwing around (although you can’t be charged for a future crime - yet!).

While you wait for 2008 to roll around, watch Dead Prez perform “That’s War.”

Cherry picking shots like it’s no big thing.