Republican bullies

[falk]

I could go on and on about NEA/NEH funding...
ironically, and I can hardly believe this, but the Bush administration (if approved by Congress) is actually raising the Endowment's budget this year by about 15%, from $121 million to $139 million. This is up from an all-time low in the mid-nineties (thanks to a republican congress who got all pissy about so called obscene and objectionable art) of $99 mil.

any thoughts?

My understanding is that military marching bands cost about twice that. In fact, I've heard that the budget for the NEA has never been higher than the budget for military marching bands.

And frankly, compared to the 8.8 billion dollars the government lost in Iraq, a couple hundred million for art starts to sound like a pretty good investment.

[Badger]

i saw a Mapplethorpe (a photo of an enormous penis sticking out of a pair of really nice trousers) in Amsterdam... i am not sure if i appreciate his art... yet he is entitled... yet, as much as i am not sure i appreciate his art... i am sure that federal dollars shouldn't have been used to entitle him to make it.

In some ways I think that was the crux of the argument that came out of the whole debacle. unfortunately, the media chose to focus ONLY on that particular aspect (whip,s leather, cocks and males kissing). Mapplethorpes's other photos were pretty fucking wonderous. His b&w shots of flowers are as beautiful IMO as any painting that Georgia O'Keefe ever did of the same sunject.

[falk]

unfortunately, the media chose to focus ONLY on that particular aspect (whip,s leather, cocks and males kissing). Mapplethorpes's other photos were pretty fucking wonderous. His b&w shots of flowers are as beautiful IMO as any painting that Georgia O'Keefe ever did of the same sunject.

Yes, I actually owe the city of Cincinatti a debt of gratitude for throwing that museum curator in jail for having a Mapplethorpe exhibit. If it hadn't been for that, I never would have heard of Mapplethorpe.

Mapplethorpe photographed people the way Ansel Adams photographed landscapes.

[GamBoozer]

I think the Republican Media, with the election over, is probably fixated on it`s narrow agenda, and social engineering ventures...trying to solidify it`s(GOP) foothold in the executive and judicial branches...and instill it`s correct views in the worlds teaming masses....

Yes, If you noticed in the past year, many republican politicians are making inroads into the sphere of politics by campaigning within their state on the nationwide recognized issue of "gay marriage" and introducing state constitutional amendments to ban it. This strategy provides the most “bang for the buck” because they have found a unified conservative base to immediately support them along with funding and pretty much free press coverage. Republicans would be wasting their time with BM when they got something like "gay marriage" to harp about.

[montana wildhack]

Mapplethorpe is no Van Gogh.

you're right on that one...the ear ratio was completely different.

and i won't even go into whys and hows of how non-profit arts organizations mount shows and the manner in which the artist is actually connected to the show. and yes, his work increased in value and collectability from the show (most definitely from the jesse helms aspect...his estate probably should have sent mr. helms a big thank you note). ..

ahhh, i'm shutting up now and making some tea and going to work...i'm glad that you got to see some Van Gogh....you should rent the movie 'vincent and theo' ...it's awesome.

mapplethorpe rocks!

[theCryptofishist]

Actually, by a strict capitolist, government should not fund art stand point, Mapplethorpe creams van Gogh. Which gives me some idea of how pointless a lot of idealogical approches to art crit are.

[robotland]

Actually, by a strict capitolist, government should not fund art stand point, Mapplethorpe creams van Gogh. .

I thought Van Gogh was brother-funded.....or do you mean THEO Van Gogh, the recently-murdered documentarian?

After nearly thirty years spent trying to make a buck as an artist (albeit in the Midwest), I've concluded that success lies in being either a colossal asshole or dead. (or both.) And that grant money is a reward for PC compliance and NOT substance.

[theCryptofishist]

I meant the original Vincent. and I was more than half joking. I mean it IS a crappy way to rate someone's art. I could, for instance, point out how much money VvG has put into the economies of the Netherlands and the USA and other places and say that it's a good reason to fund artists--give out a whole bunch of small grants now and get billions of dollars of economic opportunity over the next century. And as for how hard it is to make money as an artist. Why do you thing I'm a federal employee? And what does it say of my needs that being a GS5 is a step up in this world?

[theCryptofishist]

Oooops
What I meant to say was that Robert was self supporting and Vincent was not.

[Apollonaris Zeus]

There are more conservatives that attend Burning man than you might think. Libertarians, Republicans, ex military of all sorts as well as active military people. Of course the Republicans that attend tend to be thinking people so the Neo- con's might consider them RINOs

Don't worry, with all the republicans going to Bohemian Gardens. ONe trip to BM and those weak minded RePubs are ours!!!!!

AIIZ

[joel the ornery]

weak minded?

[theCryptofishist]

Bohemian Gardens? Is that like Duff Gardens?

"Surly only looks out for one person, Surly!"

[falk]

Bohemian Gardens? Is that like Duff Gardens?

"Surly only looks out for one person, Surly!"

I think he meant Bohemian Grove

And don't call me Shirly.

[theCryptofishist]

I'm sure he meant Bohemian Grove. Do a search on it and see what I've said on the subject in the past, if you like.

[lurker]

methinks many would be surprised at the number of republicans, libertarians(small L) and self described 'conservatives' that populate BRC.

they don't out themselves very often because of attitudes like Gamboozer's 'attack them for thinking differently'....

sad.

true diversity is of opinion, and it enriches us all. Hybrid vigor and all that.

and here's a thought about extra political parties...

the two party system in the US forces political opinion to the center. There are parties on either fringe, and factions within the two big parties at those same fringes...but to get elected, a candidate has to be able to appeal, in some fashion, to something besides those fringes. This keeps the ship of state on a fairly even keel. Multi-party systems lead to coalition governments--which often empower odd fringe groups to eke out a majority. This can result in law being dictated from a point of view that does not work for a majority. And that's just bad law.

I'll climb off that soapbox now, thanks for putting it out there.....next!

[EvilDustBooger]

I must say Bravo !
Nicely put.
Makes me think about getting on my soapbox too!
maybe later.

[lurker]

I have to say, a milk-crate works much better. Safer too. Plus, you can use it to pack things in when you move.

[swampdog]

This turned into a really interesting thread. People (mostly) trying to understand their differences respectfully. What I hear in the public forums is all hate and disrespect - "Republicans are all fascists" "Democrats are all Communists". I would be very interested in having an open-minds discussion with someone on the playa (or off) who would represent a strong consistent Republican position. I'd really like to understand how the other 51% thinks. My political profile: social liberal, fiscal conservative. I think of myself as a moderate but almost always vote Democrat.

On the earlier comments about Speakers Corner in London, as I remember (15 yrs ago or so) people were pretty well organized, it wasn't the free-for-all I'd expected. Speakers were well prepared, some with pamphlets and books available. I think some were amplified, don't remember for sure, but nobody was trying to carry the day based on volume alone. The biggest surprise to me was, trying to interact with the speaker (heckling) was quite frowned upon - people came to listen to various viewpoints and if you didn't agree, you could walk away. There were probably 10-20 speakers at any point in time.

[spectabillis]

This turned into a really interesting thread. People (mostly) trying to understand their differences respectfully....

It can happen on this board. Some issues drag on forever, some spark people into action, some give people the opportunity to express and be heard... politics is usually a heated topic.

[EvilDustBooger]

OK I`ll bite.
We could have a "Topic of the Day" for our speakers to expound on.

What would be some good subjects to debate, that people would be interested in speaking/hearing about?

Health Care?

[EvilDustBooger]

Computers & the high tech explosion

Medical Marijuana

Prison Overpopulation

Modern Culture

Escalating Suicide Rate of Urban Squirrel Population

[joel the ornery]

ethics

[swampdog]

Wow, ethics. Where to start? Let's start with the ethics of our current president. I believe he acted demonstrably against the law in at least two cases in his past, in his exit from the Texas Air National Guard and in his trading on insider information with Harken energy. TANG may have been pretty loosey-goosey at that point (I believe his exit from TANG was after our exit from Viet Nam and they probably didn't care that much) but I believe it was technically illegal.

I believe that he intentionally used misleading information about WMDs to convince our country to invade Iraq. (In fact I think that his underlying cause may have been something noble like the furtherance of freedom, but because of the misdirection our country never had the full debate on that topic.) As I remember, the topic of "what are we going to do after we win" was specifically avoided, so the decisions behind the horrible underpreparedness that caused us to steadily slip further into chaos in Iraq were never fully discussed in public.

In short, by the administration's lying to the american people we were led into the wrong war, at the wrong time, underprepared and badly managed. We have been left inadequately resourced to deal with other more immediate threats and have created the best breeding ground for terrorism ever.

I consider these ethical lapses.

[EvilDustBooger]

Ethics!
What a super topic!
Aristotle would have a field day with the present world politics, ..
GW and his ethics or lack of,...
securing the good of a state or nation, ...etc.
Unfortunately, GW`s ethics are such a divisive topic, drawing shitty comments from all sides, and clearly a much deeper debate than anyone will even admit...that I for one would much rather drift to other ethical queries, like :

Ethics of the war on drugs

Ethics of Center Camp Cafe
(just kidding)

[EvilDustBooger]

Oh Boy. Talk about ETHICS.......fuck .
Just when you think the rectal bleeding is going to subside.


http://www.yubanet.com/artman/publish/p ... 3241.shtml

[EvilDustBooger]

Don`t ask me how this works, just see for yourself:




1- Go to www.google.com

2- Type in... Failure

3- Instead of hitting "Search" hit "I'm feeling Lucky"


4- Blammo Talk about a direct hit.

[Amberica]

Don`t ask me how this works, just see for yourself:




1- Go to www.google.com

2- Type in... Failure

3- Instead of hitting "Search" hit "I'm feeling Lucky"


4- Blammo Talk about a direct hit.

It's called GoogleBombing. People do it on purpose. Here's a good overview - it's pretty neat! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Googlebomb

[falk]

French military victories is even funnier when combined with "I'm Feeling Lucky"