My thought bubble: This better not be a stimulus-funded project
From the Monday Morning You Have Got To Be Freaking Kidding Me file: The local government of Olympia, Washington, wants to squander $180,000 on “thought bubble” sculptures around its city hall. (Hat tip – Orbusmax.)
Is there any federal stimulus money going to this? Quick. Someone call Sheriff Joe Biden.
A $180,000 plan to adorn Olympia’s new City Hall with 10 bronze sculptures meant to represent speaking bubbles like those used in comic strips has drawn heavy criticism.
Each of the “bubbles” would be 2 feet tall. They would hang on pillars outside of City Hall. A 40-inch thought bubble sculpture would be inside the building.
In about 50 comments to the city, residents have come out overwhelmingly against the plan, which is posted on the city’s Web site.
“I hope this is a joke!” wrote Pam Barker. “You can’t possibly be serious about wasting funds on this ridiculous … I don’t even know what to call it, but it certainly is in no way artistic.”
Julie Triplett of Olympia wrote, “I would like to see something much more positive, vibrant and relevant to our community at our new City Hall.”
Oliver Stormshak thought differently. “This is nice work,” he wrote. “It’s smart, funny and engaging.”
The plan isn’t final, and the city is taking public comment until Monday. The Olympia City Council will have the final say on the project.
Olympia is building a $35.6 million City Hall in the 600 block of Fourth Avenue East, the former site of a Safeway store.
Thought bubble: $%^&*!!!!
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Categories: fiscal stimulus
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Even if this is true, it’s a waste of money. I was in Olympia two months ago, and a local blogger showed me around downtown and gave me an education in city politics. $168K would be much better spend on graffiti removal, IMHO.
To me, it looks like one of those “Neti Pots” that you use to pour warm salt water up your nose.
Rub the lamp for the magic genie.
“You screwed up my wish! Now what the heck am I going to do with a 12 inch Pianist?
Just another example of Northwest assclownery.
Looks like what I’d expect from Olympia. It’s the same over most of the country… most city council members are the most retarded, foolish people on the planet. I offer my own city council in Eagan, MN as an example.
This is my teapot that is my spout.
I will say onething and do another
there shall be no doubt.
I have an adult version but that is the G version
Looks to me like a teapot turned into a douche bag hanging on the wall. All it needs is a hose connected to that spout sprouting from the bottom.
This is my teapot and that goes in your BEEP.
Come ( alt spelling ) and adore me or I shall BEEP you in the BEEP.
Be that as it may, I don’t believe the people who ridicule the work will have any sway with the city council.
After all, *sniff* the common folks don’t understand art.
Maybe it’s time to clean the earwax out of your ears. Or perhaps the voices are only speaking to you.
Caption:
I’m a little Tea Pot
Short and Stout..
Here is my Handle…
Here is my
SpoutBailout!!”I hope everyone saw this article over weekend more commie tater games:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0409/20871.html
MD lmaooo great!!
Here’s my thought bubble:
*Exasperated Sigh*
I’m a little Tea Pot
Short and Stout..
Here is my Handle…
Here is my Spout
And I’m Steamed!!!
(alt Tea Party motto – stolen from the 1980s “Pound Puppies” TV show)
aww cmon tre,
surely you aren’t going to let this clown define who you are?
do you have antiGoracle weather eg snow and ice today?
buck up have some fun this too shall pass as long as their are good folk to speak up
On April 6th, 2009 at 10:15 am, Socky said:
Art (whether it be film, music, whatever) must always be paid for by private citizens.
Any artist that uses government money is participating in confiscation of labor through force, and as such is a slavemaster and monster.
“Genie Genie in the Pot, Obama isn’t worth a Squat”
Hilarious!
AJ!!
MWAHAHAHA
Do you really mean that or do you mean that government subsidization for art that is meant of private consumption?
Or are you really saying that government cannot purchase art for public use? Have you ever been to the Smithsonian? Have you ever gazed up admiringly at the fresco in the Capitol Rotunda?
bend me ova in the clova do me once do me again wonder if that song is on youtube!! we def need some music for this pot of fools
AJ that rocks
Smart, funny and engaging? I guess. Sort of like SNL: highbrow for lowbrows.
cha cha changeee pot of fools
So to pay for this “art”, how many cops will be let go??
lonesome dove version:
boy: can I poke that paw?
father: no son, you will go blind.
It’s appropo for Olympia. The bubble forms above one’s head, pokes into their brain, the brains spill out, and you have what’s left – an Olympia, WA citizen. Aren’t they the ones that laid down in from of the Army trucks to stop supplies from going to the troops (whom they claim to support)?
I never tire of hearing about how the gubmint is wasting our tax dollar$!
I think Olier Stormshak must be the “artist” who is creating these silly things.
Parents are working longer hours and two or three jobs in hope of saving money for their kids’ college educations, only to have it taxed away for this?
Hmmmmm, I wonder how long these things would last before they “mysteriously” disappear and are dragged into local junk metal dealers?
Driv,
a fine point indeed, alas MM never did her year end review for 2008 but am sure you know obambi has put the tanker project on hold and is using that as part of his pretend budget savings.
Chap,
Government can’t wail about the suffering of people and loss of critical government services and then use the money to by crap like these thought bubbles in the midst of a recession.
It flunks both the common sense and responsibility tests.
The main question is the timing. Given the economic climate and issues around all the pet projects funded by the Omnibuses (Omnibi?), spending stimulus money on art would seem frivolous.
Additionally, by contrast to your example, providing art, history, and education is part of the Smithsonian’s purpose. It’s not clear why Olympia’s city hall requires these sculptures.
In the grand scheme of things, $180k is small, but lets hope that this spending is limited to Olympia funds and was not secured for them by their U.S. representative.
In Tough Economic Times, there’s money for crap like this?! Someone up there needs to write an editorial listing the municipal funding cut-backs happening at the same time they are paying for these Thoughtless Baubbles.
Flyover and Salt,
I make no judgments as to the timing or artistic value of this particular example. Okay…I will. Bad timing. Bad art.
But not my point. FilmLadd took a pretty extreme stand and I was just sussing it out a bit. I don’t think most people here object to things like the Smithsonian or to commissioned paintings of all our Presidents.
Taxation without representation is tyranny!
A fair point. However, there will always be a question of timing and taste.
We as Americans can appreciate Presidential portraits, monuments, statues, and the like. However, when it comes to public funding being used for art that could be frivolous or unnecessary (such as this case) or designed specifically to insult or anger others (e.g. pieces made to insult Christians), that might be closer to the point that FilmLadd was making however hyperbolic.
Art Appreciation 101 was a prerequisite for graduation at my alma mater that I never appreciated. And of all the things I didn’t learn, I did learn that state supported/sponsored art isn’t truly art – it is propaganda disguised as art.
While I agree that some form of endowment and subsidy – like form the Catholic Church and wealthy patrons like the de’ Medici and Hapsburg families – was once necessary to kept art alive in Europe from the Dark Ages and later periods, government has no place in subliminally conveying its preferences through contemporary art.
Chap,
I defer on the issue of bad art. I have an artistic sense that is comparable to a snail’s so…
Ugh! “…in Europe from = in Europe during… .”
The city council is obviously not listening to their own constituency or are just ignoring them. This kind of public art is pretentious. The jury that chose this art is disconnected to the community and is also pretentious. Public art should reflect the values of the community that pays for it and must live with it. Most public art used to be a patriotic statue in a public square or a mural of pioneers etc. Reflecting the local communities history or values. As a working artist making my living at it for 18 years, I don’t get the connection to this bronze “crap” and the Olympia community.
Once again, the northwest shows they’re good for another steaming pile…
So big into the arts? Why not one of the elite fork over the 180K?
Become a true patron of the arts!
It would be absolutely fine with me if no public money was used for art. And I don’t see any federal museums authorized in the constitution, so those expenditures technocally belong to the states.
Why can’t they just cut out a Dogbert strip, and tack it to the wall, like everyone else!
And that idea cost $0.00
That’s how you balance a budget.
And that’s exactly why the government expenditures are out of control. People who objected early on, based only on economic or legal principal were trivialized and mocked. It’s too bad that most people didn’t care enough to nip big spending in the bud.
the city of st louis once paid a ton for a couple slabs of rusting steel in the middle of a downtown park, along with a replica of the christopher columbus ship which floated down the mississippi in a storm and broke apart on an oil refinery terminal, of course the resulting environmental mess was just an oh well. our gubmint has tons to waste per year, and a neverending pocket of more through taxes or printing presses. how many designer bridges have you seen in the last 20 years going up?
OFF STORY BUT NOT OFF TOPIC (From AOL News):
“Jack Windolf, the CEO of Bollinger Insurance, recently gave his 434 employees a surprise gift: out of his own pocket, he paid each of them $1000. The bonuses, which Windolf called “a mini economic stimulus package,” came from $500,000 in deferred compensation that he received when he sold 51 percent of the company last year. Rather than spend the money on himself, he chose to share it with his workers.
I wonder if his compensation had been limited by the rabid Pug Barney, if this mini-economic stimulus would ever have made it into the pockets of the employees.
sarc- Government so knows best! /sarc off
Bear1909 out.
So Marco, why did the founding fathers ecide to support the Marine Corps Band? Or the Library of Congress?
One would think the founding fathers knew better than anyone what the founding fathers’ thought of the proper role of government and the arts.
Oh PLEASE. Why does this have to devolve into an argument about who pays for ‘the arts’?!
Can’t anyone use judgement when spending someone else’s money?!
If you cannot judge, put it up for a vote, then get out & look for a new job. Dumbasses.
What the hell else should it be about? That seems the very heart of the issue, no?
Next we’ll hear they’re funding Chia Pets for each member of congress to give to their constituents at Christmas time.
Aren’t there enough philantropic artists in Olympia to fund this?
I may not know art, but I know what I like, and this gold flaked pispot just ain’t floating by boat! Just saying is all.
If anyone cares…
http://www.si.edu/about/history.htm
While the Smithsonian does receive federal support, I believe all exhibitions and art purchases are privately funded. Since admission is free, it’s the best bang for your museum going/vacation buck!
Loophole: since to leftards art IS a religion, can’t we pack this into separation of church and state?
yes. it is a joke.
Bear1909 out.
I do find it rather interesting that so called government funding of arts has gone from …. great frescoes, statues of Da Vinci and Michaelangelo to this crap along with the “Piss Christ”. As for the Marine Band and Library of Congress , A musical organization that serves as Marines with 4 year enlistment and a building housing all the great works of our country compared to the crap I mentioned before?…. Just interesting. Oh, and “Brutus” in the Federalist Papers made great arguments against government funding of arts and science. , so the founding father’s meme is is not all that strong.
PS – As a 501 (c)(3) organization, your donations th the Smithsonian are tax deductible!
I know that like beauty, art is in the eye of the beholder. But looking at that thing inspires me to fill th ethought bubble with:
“We had this money and didn’t know what to do with it!”
My point was not to compare, my point was to take FilmLadd’s and (I think) Marco’s opinion to its logical extreme. This is government funding of the arts. Maybe its decidedly better art than most, but it is art.
And I don’t know what you are referencing Brutus was an Anti-Federalist writer. Maybe you could link to what you are pointing out?
God help us.
They should stick to gargoyles.
It’s about judgement.
Or, the lack of good judgement, as the case may be.
Judgement about what? How good or bad the art is?
Or the priority of expenditures at this time?
The former is pointless. The latter is fine, but to even get there, you have to concede that the government can properly support the arts in the first place. A position which some here are not willing to concede.
Thought bubbles? Will that make everyone in City Hall a “Bubblehead”?
I have two thought bubbles of my own:
1) At least this is better than the infamous “Piss Christ” photo.
2) This is how countries die, one small piece at a time.
On April 6th, 2009 at 10:39 am, chapoutier said:
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. One man’s art is another man’s trash. A road or an army, on the other hand, are demonstrably concrete utilities and necessities.
Art of any type is not.
It should NEVER be the job of the government to pick the winners and losers in the world of art. Try finding great films produced under the Soviet Union. With a few rare exceptions (the original Solaris) it is all disgusting propagandistic crap.
Meanwhile the western world was producing Hitchcock, Ford, Truffaut, Goddard, Peckinpah, Scorceses….
Mussolini, Mao, Hitler, Stalin, Lenin – the greatest “friends” to art the world has ever known, commissioning more art works on their citizen’s backs (er, slave’s backs to be more precise) in the 20th century then any other countries..
Aunt Bee may have found it a cute cause to get Mayberry to buy a Bella painting to hang down at the courthouse, all on the tax payer’s dime.
But Aunt Bee was a fascist.
FilmLadd,
That did not answer my question at all. Should the Smithsonian be forced to sell its entire collection? Should the Capitol Building or the White House be stripped of every painting, fresco and sculpture? How far does that extend? Is architecture art? Is every single Corinthian column on the Capitol an affront to your freedom?
The problem with this is two-fold. First, this is appears to be more “crap-as-art” that, had the government not bought it, would have ended up in someone’s basement or on the curb on the next trash day.
The “art” the government so often buys is most often “junk” and all too often patently offensive to significant segments of the citizens who are then forced to subsidize it.
If cities want to continue to buy this crap they should not be spending tax dollars on it. They should have a special “check-box” on their tax forms that allows people to contribute an extra $1 for the express purpose of buying patently offensive art. It works so well for federal election funding…
These “thought bubble” sculptures are fitting in a way. We all understand how big them Dems are on symbolism.
Perhaps the sculptures are hollow to remind us of the hollow democratic promises made. Or rather the emptiness of their collectiv morality. Or possibly the rights the elitists reckon the masses should be allowed?
Taxation without Representation at its finest in Olympia.
Museums (like the Smithsonian) are government housed collections of “stuff” that have mostly been donated. What many local governments have been doing is using tax dollars to fund the creation of art. (Not necessarily a recent happenstance either.) This is the government deciding which artists and what artistic expression will proliferate; at my expense.
I approve of the Smithsonian housing and showing America’s history. I approve of building a capitol that is functional and beautiful, since they needed to build one anyway. I don’t approve of my county tax dollars funding a replica of a large blue shirt and putting it up at our airport. Even though they are beautiful, I don’t approve of the DOT putting up ornamental lights on our new freeway expansion (to the tune of $854,000.00).
I agree with forms being beautiful if they are functional but, if it is paid for with tax dollars, that too is government deciding what is art and what is beautiful.
I believe a good question for government officials to ask when deciding on a project is: Is this a necessary expenditure? Something that is just “art for art’s sake” cannot be a necessary expenditure, in my opinion, because everything the government does must be for the common good of a community and something that will have a measurable benefit to the health and well being of that community.
Yes, art is necessary in life (human life) and is very good but art is not the government’s business.
What exactly is the multiplier effect of this one?
My take is that these “thought bubbles” can be had for a lot less than $180k. I’d bet that there’s not $18,000 each worth of metal being used there. I’d also bet that it’s not going to take the “artist” a whole lot of time to make these either. Even if we’re talking about $1k worth of metal, and another $1k for power, and all other costs, this guy is making $178k for maybe a month’s work.
Where can I get a gig like that? I can suffer for my craft a little.
I anticipate it will become popular for protesters in the front row of the City Council chamber to hold thought bubble signs.
Thoughts coming out of the city hall in liberal Olympia. That definitely sounds more like art that reality.
Perfectly Appropriate……
.. as long as all of the ‘tought bubbles’ are empty.
Hmmmm…
From reading the article, it looks like the City is required to spend 1% of all the construction costs on public art.
And the more I read about and looked at the sculptures, the more I thought, “Okay….I see where he is going with this. It’s not terrible.”
But to the tune of $180K? Nuh-uh.
I didn’t see this in the article, but it is interesting. Are you reading another article?
Required by whom? I’m a bit suspicious when any government office feels compelled to spend money simply because they “have it”, although I suppose this could have been a referendum. I’m thinking it’s more likely this was some councilman’s “great” idea.
Second page of the article, which I almost missed as well.
Not clear why they are required. But it seems a law ripe for another look.
Each casting for the outdoor ones is going to cost somewhere from $1000 to $1500 for ASTM B36 depending on wall thickness, (I’m assuming like an 1/8 inch). Adding the small one plus the cost of making the pattern, post casting polishing and a little machining for mounting accouterments, we’re probably around $2000 – $2500 each. Worst case, I am CERTAIN I can make money at $3000 each. So I’m in for $4000 each – $44,000. Whoever
getsgot this job for $180,000 must be one heck of a democrat palm greaser. (Okay, I’ll settle for bag man!And you thought a $700 toilet seat was bad… at least they served a REAL purpose!
My thought bubble:
.oO( )
Yup, empty. Just like the heads of
the local government of Olympia, Washington.
D’oh. Yeah, I completely missed it. Thanks.
60 Minutes had a piece on people who have cancer and their treatment center closed down for those without insurance.
Now, wouldn’t this money be better spent on helping someone like that? They were Americans by the way…..illegal aliens are probably why most of these hospitals are out of money.
I thought things like this were what the stimulus money was for…in leiu of job stimulation which we know was NOT included in the bill!
With money as tight as it is, they have to be out of their minds. Another local government gone berserk with spending fever.
On April 6th, 2009 at 12:40 pm, chapoutier said:
Your point is stupid.
And you’re missing MY point. The NEA should be dumped. Federal, State and Local city governments should have nothing to do with “funding the arts.” Aunt Bee should be stripped of her government subsidized art-buying addiction.
These things you mention have already been paid for, for the most part, with the exception of the ongoing expenses of the Smithsonian. To address your stupid point:
From what I understand their OPEX is partially funded by the gov’t. And yes that IS an affront.
The Smithsonian should be forced to pay its own way without government subsidy, which it could do if given a push. Time for it to leave the collective nest. They get thousands of visitors a day, they don’t need the collective making their lives easier.
Smithson was an ancestor of mine, and was quite wealthy, and most of that museum is privately funded with items privately donated. Most of the government $$ they could do without if forced to do so.
As for whether the government should be building NEW greco-roman-temples-to-Zeus-to-shock-and-awe-the-natives, my answer is no. When and if they build new buildings they should be following form = function = “solid but functional buildings in nature.”
One can argue whether architecture is art comparable to film or writing or painting all day long. I have many relatives that are architects so I tend to think it is…
Meanwhile Elsworth Toohey can go find someone else to pay for his monuments to the collective. Let the damned government workers ply their mindless jobs in cheap metal quonset huts, like the Gomer Pyles they are.
No, I’m not. It is easy to make big broad statements about the government’s role in art when you are talking about subsidizing art that you don’t like or that borders on the absurd or offensive. The NEA is an easy target. But the government subsidizes and/or pays for art in many other subtle ways and I was just curious if you really believed in the full extent of your statement.
So it was okay then, but not now?
And what about the Marine band? Doesn’t that show that the founding fathers were perhaps a little less hardcore about the idea of funding art than you?
Light bulbs are cheaper, but that would signify that government’s ideas are bright, which would be counterintuitive.
On April 6th, 2009 at 5:37 pm, chapoutier said:
No it wasn’t okay then. But that doesn’t mean that one should burn them down. And it doesn’t invalidate the basic concept that the government should not be funding the “arts.” Idiot.
The Marine Band? What has that got to do with the price of corn in hell?
Why don’t you make a list of all the enormously stupid exceptions that prove the rule so I can take care of them all at once? Submit them in triplicate at the head office. And make sure you get them cleared by your minister of propaganda while you’re at it.
Instead of refuting the basic concept you are being anal. My recommended cure for your ailment is a live hamster, a glass tube, and some Preperation H. Apparently it’s all the rage in liberal land.
Budget cuts for the 2009 Olympia budget:
Of course the current budget for the city cuts about 22 jobs and seriously curtails certain services, yet they’re in the market for whimsical artwork? (It’s not even in keeping with the character of the area or the history of the city)
If this is something Olympians want, let them pay for it through donations, postcard and t-shirt sales, find corporate sponsors, etc.
Just don’t drop taxpayers money on it.
I’d like to see a statue of James Madison there with a full thought bubble for them.
Wow, filmladd. You usually aren’t this prickish.
YOU are the one coming here and screaming “SLAVERY!!!” over some freaking art. Now THAT is an actual affront to common sense and insulting to those that have actually, and still do, suffer under real slavery. Not this “ohhh boo hoo. I live in a civil society and have to sometimes pay for things I don’t like, just like every other freaking taxpayer on this earth. Looke everyone at how ENSLAVED I am.” If you don’t like paying taxes, here’s a solution: Don’t work. Or move away. Now quit being so histrionic.
The Marine Band, which is government sponsorship of the arts, genius, has been around since the days of our founding fathers. You know…the one that actually wrote the Consititution that you seem to think makes explicit the idea that we are not allowed to publicly fund arts. So clearly, those guys were not too freaking opposed to the idea. As between your interpretation of the Constitution and how the founding fathers actually implemented it….hmmmm…let me see…Yeah I think I’ll go with the latter. Was that simple enough for you to get this time?
The only idiotic thing here is your basic premise.
Thought bubble? More like gas bubble.
Chap, if you knew anything about history you would know that the Marine Band was formed for military purposes first, not “arts.” Recruitment purposes, etc.
The founding fathers had emotional turmoil over even approving things like building the White House, you idiot. It wasn’t until later that the country devolved into paying for grandiose buildings and paying for Aunt Bee’s art fetish.
You fail to understand the concept of “exceptions that prove the rule.” Nothing you’ve mentioned negates the moral weight of the argument that the government should not be in the business of funding the arts. You ignore the NEA matter, you ignore the subject of this post, and bounce around hysterically about the Marine Band and blah blah.
It IS slavery to take money from someone in order to pay for trivialities. Money is merely a medium to transmit the fruits of your labor. If you have a problem with that, then why don’t you come over to my house and clean my toilets? What? You won’t? Why not?
What if we all get together and ram through Congress the “Chapotier Painting Bill” which states that Chap should come over to my house once a week for an hour and paint my walls. Why would you have a problem with that? It’s only one hour. Come on, you greedy fat pig, paint my walls. You evil greedy pig. Optionally, you can pay me $$ to hire someone else if you can’t be there. What? Have an objection? You greedy pig.
Paying taxes for legitimate government functions is fine; military, roads, etc. Paying taxes so Aunt Bee can have a pretty picture hanging up in City Hall – because she feels it should be there – is another altogether.
Again, I suggest the hamster approach for your anal proclivities. Drink some red wine with it while you’re at it, Richard Gere says it goes great with Mr. Lemmiwinks.
Maybe you don’t get what this means. Not surprising. many people don’t. You have posited a rule that provides for no exceptions. So when exceptions are pointed out, you cannot say that proves your rule.
And why gon’t you provide some links to all your assertions about how the founding fathers “emotionally tumoiled” over whether or not to fund the Band or whether or not to build a pretty house, or for that matter some links as to the original purpose of the band.
And again, you continue to prove your prickishness. God. Talk about unprovoked. I ask very legitimate questions about your very extreme stance and you turn into a total ass. If you don’t have the courage or knowledge to plumb your asinine assertions, perhaps you should not speak them in public.
This subject is important to me so I don’t brook stupidity. Stupidity from an intelligent person (you) is provocation.
Justifying spending millions and even billions of tax dollars on “Aunt Bee’s” art fetish because of the Marine Band is stupid.
It is common knowledge that in the 1700’s, 1800’s, and even 1900’s nearly EVERY western military had a band, and they were used to help recruiting efforts as well as provide unit cohesion when marching. Google military use of music yourself, lazy collectivist.
As for “exceptions that prove the rule:”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exception_that_proves_the_rule
How far up is Mr. Lemmiwinks?
If you spent half as much time actually addressing my questions as you did obsessing on 1) Aunt Bea and 2)my anus (you have some sort of fetish there my friend) we might have a reasonable conversation.
However, as it is, you are a tool and this is pointless. It is not surprising to me that you cite the lazy, incorrect usage of that term and still do not get my point. it is also not a shocker that you didn’t link to the actual history of the Marine Band, which doesn’t seem to say anything about unit cohesion or promotion. It wasn’t like this was a separate unit in the Marines that has somehow developed over the years. It was specifically commissioned by Congress, in their own words “to to provide music for the President of the United States and the Commandant of the United States Marine Corps.”
Now scurry away and spread your sick fantasies somewhere lese.
Well I see this as an excellent example of a governing body in total disregard of personal liberties of those whom it governs. Again the governing body is forcibly taking money from who they are suppose to represent and using that money at their pleasure. A total disregard for the principles of LIBERITY by which the government was formed. It seems that the government is so secure, that they no longer have to even pretend to represent the will of the governed…the governed WILL comply.