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“You can watch videotapes of Ronald Reagan in 1987,” Appel said, “and, depending on your view of him. you can see him as sharp and funny as ever, or being on the cusp of dementia.”

But Chadwick doubts researchers will be fortunate enough to videotape Axial Seamount’s eruption.

"I've seen the videotape of what happened to this young man. It is not a rite of passage," he said, referring to the student who had the pillowcase put over his head.

When I ask this question — which is being videotaped to accompany this story — they are sitting front-seat-of-the-car close to each other at the cafe.

Two dozen works are on view, including sculptures, installations, videotapes, drawings and prints, plus the artist’s book “LAAir,” featuring 10 full-page color photographs said to show the city’s famous smog.