Having just witnessed the debt ceiling spectacle in Washington over this past few weeks, I hardly know where to begin commenting about what is happening in Washington DC where the political environment has become so rancorous and toxic that the Speaker of the House now ignores phone calls from the President of the United States. Maureen Dowd of the New York Times compared the tactics of the Tea Party and their followers to the horror classic "Invasion of the Body Snatchers", with a reference to "eating their own party and leaders alive". Nicholas Kristof, also of the New York Times, called it "the warts of democracy". And Robert Draper, who is writing a book on this whole sordid affair, likened it to a "WWE SmackDown" (to hear his entire fascinating interview on NPR go to http://www.npr.org/2011/08/03/138922932/inside-the-tea-partys-rising-influence). With that less than flattering backdrop, consider the following random issues and conclusions that bubbled up as a result of this messy process.
1. There seems to be visceral hatred of President Obama that began almost the day after he was elected for reasons that totally escape me. Is it his education, world view, trying to protect the poor, the color of his skin or his policies? Take your choice, but it is obviously the avowed purpose of many on the far right to paralyze his administration and make him a "one term president" regardless of the ultimate costs to our country, financial or otherwise. How American is that?
2. Then there is the debt limit itself and whether it is even needed. James Surowiecki in an article in the August 1st edition of The New Yorker lays out a compelling argument that it is not, as every other democratic country except Denmark gets along fine without one. But for some reason we still feel the need for a questionable law that was enacted during WW1, according to an editorial the New York Times on August 8th, "to persuade gullible taxpayers that Congress is exercising responsible oversight over borrowing". As we have just experienced, it has just become a foil for a game of chicken to showcase partisan brinkmanship that only adds stress to an already difficult situation, which Mr. Surowiecki argues is absolutely the worst environment in which to make such important decisions. He and the NYT both agree that it is time to remove this self-induced problem of a debt ceiling and deal with the real problems facing this country.
3. What about the far right's refusal to accept the need for increased revenues when almost all of our nation's economists on both sides of the political spectrum agree that they are absolutely essential to a long term fix of our fiscal problems? And then for Congress to leave town for a month before formally approving the FFA budget which cost the government $30 million a day in lost income from passenger fees until it was temporarily restored this past Friday was a total abdication of their responsibilities as strong stewards of the purse which conservatives pretend to be. God help us if this retro starve-the-beast mindset hits the state, county and city levels of our country as they pursue their various tax proposals to make up the loss in federal funds that will result from this by-product legislation. Normally, it's just a routine matter to approve a new debt ceiling to pay existing commitments of the United States, so is it really necessary (see #2 above)?
4. With all due respect for John Brummett, a noted local political analyst who writes a weekly column for the Arkansas Times, I'm not so sure there is that much "good" that came out of that deal. For one thing it seems woefully lacking in size and structure. In the words of David Brooks, a national political analyst for the New York Times, the conservative right let President Obama's "deal of the century", which proposed $4 trillion in cuts and only $1 trillion in revenues, slip away. Obviously, the business and financial communities were not impressed, as evidenced by this past Thursday's collapse of the stock market and Standard and Poor's downgrading yesterday of our credit rating to AA+? Both speak volumes about our true commitment to reduce our debt. And, speaking of the business community, where were they in this process? It's as if they had been muzzled.
5. And while we're on the subject of corporate America, what about the reported $2.5 trillion corporations are hoarding in cash while many multi-nationals pay no corporate income tax at all through various loopholes including sheltering their foreign profits offshore? Yet, they are making no attempt at improving the employment rate in the United States by hiring some of the 9.1% unemployed with some of those trillions. When corporations like Apple supposedly have more cash on hand that the United States Treasury (re: http://edition.cnn.com/2011/TECH/innovation/07/29/apple.cash.government/index.html), then something is terribly out of whack.
6. Will forming another bi-partisan committee solve anything? We've been down this road before with the Simpson-Bowles Commission which did a terrific job in making some very substantial recommendations, which were summarily ignored, to address our long term financial problems. Even though I seldom agree with Charles Krauthammer, I think his suggestion that this new super committee not "reinvent the wheel" and simply make the hard choices from those outlined in the Simpson-Bowles report is right on target. Furthermore, to quote the co-chairs of that commission, Alan Simpson and Erskine Bowles, "It's time to go big (i.e. in formulating a comprehensive plan) or go home".
7. As recently pointed out by both Paul Krugman and Lawrence Summers, GROWTH rather than worrying about the debt ceiling is what this country really needs. Mr. Krugman proposes a Harry Truman-like campaign to sell a big job creation proposal by President Obama, and Mr. Summers suggests absolutely letting the Bush tax cuts expire next year, extending the payroll tax cuts, adopting an infrastructure maintenance program and continuing unemployment benefits as the easiest ways to achieve badly needed economic growth.
Considering all the misbehavior and sordid politics that have just taken place which have fueled public angst, worry, disgust and an 82% overall disapproval rating of Congress, one wonders if now might be the time to explore other methods of electing public officials as proposed by Americans-ELECT 2011 at https://secure.americanselect.org/, a link sent to me by an old friend from California. While I do not necessarily endorse this approach, given the current sorry state of affairs in Washington, something dramatic needs to be done to reform the existing political system if our elected representatives can't get their act together, leave their ideology at the doorstep and compromise on a genuine bi-partisan long term solution to our financial woes .
ARTISTS - Visual and Musical
Laura Raborn at http://paintingsofhome.com and http://claygifts.com
Jim Johnson at http://yessy.com/jimjohnson/gallery.html
Russ Powell at http://powellphotos.com
Linda Flake at http://lindaflake.com
Tom Herrin at http://tommysart.blogspot.com
Matt McLeod at http://matt@mattmcleod.com
Artists Registry at http://www.arkansasarts.org/programs/registry/default.aspx
Sandy Hubler Fine Art at http://sandyhublerfineart.com
George Wittenberg at http://postcard-art-gallery.com
Will Barnet at http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&expIds=17259,17315,23628,23670,24472,25834,26095,26328,26562,26637,26761,26790,26849,26992,27095,27126,27139,27147,27178&sugexp=ldymls&xhr=t&q=will+barnet&cp=9&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=xpfETMT1O4L6lwf66ugE&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=2&sqi=2&ved=0CEkQsAQwAQ&biw=1350&bih=501
Barry Thomas at http://barrythomasart.com
Sherry Williamson at http://meowbarkart.com
Julie McNair at http://juliemcnair.com
Phoebe Lichty at http://phoebelichty.com
GALLERIES
Local Colour Gallery at http://localcolourgallery.com
Chroma Gallery at http://chromagallery.com
Cantrell Gallery at http://cantrellgallery.com
Greg Thompson Fine Art at http://gregthompsonfineart.com
Red Door Gallery at http://reddoorgalleryonline.com
M2 Gallery at http://m2lr.com
UALR Gallery Program at http://ualr.edu/art
Gallery 26 at http://gallery26.com
Boswell Mourot Fine Art at http://boswellmourot.com
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Rite of Passage
Recently, my wife and I were invited to attend a Quinceanera celebrating the 15th birthday of the daughter of a Hispanic friend. Being our first, we had no idea what to expect and were somewhat apprehensive as to what the exact protocol would be. More on this later, but first let me provide some background and history on this event of which I had very little knowledge.
Many cultures and religions have their own unique way of celebrating the maturation of their young. They include events like Bar Mitzvahs, Bat Mitzvahs, Debutante Balls, First Haircuts, Sweet Sixteen Parties, Baptisms, Confirmations, Hazings and Circumcision, all known to most of us, but less known are the practices of Breeching (Western European), Dokimasias (Greece), Russ (Norwegian), Scarification (many cultures), as well as a whole host of ceremonies from Hinduism, Buddhism and Native American origins. But it is the Quinceanera from the Hispanic culture that is today's topic. It usually begins with a religious ceremony to honor God and then progresses to a festive social event that involves family, friends, music, food and dance which can last for hours. Our experience began with the reception which began at 4:00pm and was scheduled to end at 1:00am the following morning.
We arrived at 4:30 and were warmly greeted at the front door of the event center where all tables had been elaborately decorated with red and white table cloths, angelic figurines and miscellaneous items which turned out to be favors for attendees. In addition there was a separate table, obviously for the honoree and her court, as well as a table full of ornately decorated cakes. At that early hour there were many empty tables so we chose one in the center of one side of the room. Almost immediately the mother and sister of honoree came over to thank us for coming, after which we were served our own large bottle of soft drink. Shortly thereafter delicious food began arriving starting with a soup, then chips and salsa and ending with a plate of beef, rice and tortillas. As the evening progressed, the room began to fill up with family and friends of all ages in an array of festive dress, even including very young children who added a fun element to the occasion because they seemed to enjoy themselves the most. Throughout the meal soft melodic music played in the background at the direction of the master of ceremonies who manned a very impressive sound system on an elevated stage located at one end of the room.
Sometime around 6:30pm the honoree and her court, which turned out to be four young men, made their entrance to the delight of all who had gathered by then. She was dressed in an ornate full-length ball gown and they in formal attire. At that point the flavor of music changed to Latino, to which they made a grand entrance that was beautifully choreographed with intricate steps and precise movements, ending with her being elevated on the shoulders of two members of the court as confetti inundated the room. At that point she was presented with a large box containing gifts from her many girl friends who were there. Then the honoree was seated in the center of the room where her fraternal grandmother placed a tiara on her head, followed by the gift of her last doll (dressed similar to the honoree) from her maternal grandmother which was then taken away by her maternal great-grandmother all in a very precise and ceremonial fashion. A sparkling beverage was then poured into champagne glasses for everyone to toast the honoree. Her father began to dance with her to the wonderful music which had continued throughout all of these proceedings,
followed by an arranged set of relatives all individually announced as they tagged in (think wedding reception).
After the above dancing segment, the honoree and her court left the room which by now was full of friends and guests. Sometime later they all re-appeared in informal clothing and began another choreographed dance sequence with the honoree dancing separately with each of the members of her court to entirely different music and steps. How she was able to persuade four young teenage boys to master all of the moves they showed beginning with their grand entrance is beyond me, but I do know that they all practiced for many weeks prior to the evening because I asked one of them how they mastered everything. By then the music was getting louder and more youthful, so my wife and I bid our goodbyes and quietly left. I understand that the celebration did in fact continue until 1:00am, but for the four and a half hours we were there we had one of the most fun, entertaining and enlightening evenings we have ever had, including being warmly welcomed by everyone there. It just goes to prove that one should always welcome the opportunity to engage in experiences outside one's culture and comfort zone. To learn more about this amazing celebration in the life of a young Hispanic girl, go to http://www.quinceanera-boutique.com/quinceaneratradition.htm.
ARTISTS - Visual and Musical
Laura Raborn at http://paintingsofhome.com and http://claygifts.com
Jim Johnson at http://yessy.com/jimjohnson/gallery.html
Russ Powell at http://powellphotos.com
Linda Flake at http://lindaflake.com
Tom Herrin at http://tommysart.blogspot.com
Matt McLeod at http://matt@mattmcleod.com
Artists Registry at http://www.arkansasarts.org/programs/registry/default.aspx
Sandy Hubler Fine Art at http://sandyhublerfineart.com
George Wittenberg at http://postcard-art-gallery.com
Will Barnet at http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&expIds=17259,17315,23628,23670,24472,25834,26095,26328,26562,26637,26761,26790,26849,26992,27095,27126,27139,27147,27178&sugexp=ldymls&xhr=t&q=will+barnet&cp=9&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=xpfETMT1O4L6lwf66ugE&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=2&sqi=2&ved=0CEkQsAQwAQ&biw=1350&bih=501
Barry Thomas at http://barrythomasart.com
Sherry Williamson at http://meowbarkart.com
Julie McNair at http://juliemcnair.com
Phoebe Lichty at http://phoebelichty.com
GALLERIES
Local Colour Gallery at http://localcolourgallery.com
Chroma Gallery at http://chromagallery.com
Cantrell Gallery at http://cantrellgallery.com
Greg Thompson Fine Art at http://gregthompsonfineart.com
Red Door Gallery at http://reddoorgalleryonline.com
M2 Gallery at http://m2lr.com
UALR Gallery Program at http://ualr.edu/art
Gallery 26 at http://gallery26.com
Boswell Mourot Fine Art at http://boswellmourot.com
Many cultures and religions have their own unique way of celebrating the maturation of their young. They include events like Bar Mitzvahs, Bat Mitzvahs, Debutante Balls, First Haircuts, Sweet Sixteen Parties, Baptisms, Confirmations, Hazings and Circumcision, all known to most of us, but less known are the practices of Breeching (Western European), Dokimasias (Greece), Russ (Norwegian), Scarification (many cultures), as well as a whole host of ceremonies from Hinduism, Buddhism and Native American origins. But it is the Quinceanera from the Hispanic culture that is today's topic. It usually begins with a religious ceremony to honor God and then progresses to a festive social event that involves family, friends, music, food and dance which can last for hours. Our experience began with the reception which began at 4:00pm and was scheduled to end at 1:00am the following morning.
We arrived at 4:30 and were warmly greeted at the front door of the event center where all tables had been elaborately decorated with red and white table cloths, angelic figurines and miscellaneous items which turned out to be favors for attendees. In addition there was a separate table, obviously for the honoree and her court, as well as a table full of ornately decorated cakes. At that early hour there were many empty tables so we chose one in the center of one side of the room. Almost immediately the mother and sister of honoree came over to thank us for coming, after which we were served our own large bottle of soft drink. Shortly thereafter delicious food began arriving starting with a soup, then chips and salsa and ending with a plate of beef, rice and tortillas. As the evening progressed, the room began to fill up with family and friends of all ages in an array of festive dress, even including very young children who added a fun element to the occasion because they seemed to enjoy themselves the most. Throughout the meal soft melodic music played in the background at the direction of the master of ceremonies who manned a very impressive sound system on an elevated stage located at one end of the room.
Sometime around 6:30pm the honoree and her court, which turned out to be four young men, made their entrance to the delight of all who had gathered by then. She was dressed in an ornate full-length ball gown and they in formal attire. At that point the flavor of music changed to Latino, to which they made a grand entrance that was beautifully choreographed with intricate steps and precise movements, ending with her being elevated on the shoulders of two members of the court as confetti inundated the room. At that point she was presented with a large box containing gifts from her many girl friends who were there. Then the honoree was seated in the center of the room where her fraternal grandmother placed a tiara on her head, followed by the gift of her last doll (dressed similar to the honoree) from her maternal grandmother which was then taken away by her maternal great-grandmother all in a very precise and ceremonial fashion. A sparkling beverage was then poured into champagne glasses for everyone to toast the honoree. Her father began to dance with her to the wonderful music which had continued throughout all of these proceedings,
followed by an arranged set of relatives all individually announced as they tagged in (think wedding reception).
After the above dancing segment, the honoree and her court left the room which by now was full of friends and guests. Sometime later they all re-appeared in informal clothing and began another choreographed dance sequence with the honoree dancing separately with each of the members of her court to entirely different music and steps. How she was able to persuade four young teenage boys to master all of the moves they showed beginning with their grand entrance is beyond me, but I do know that they all practiced for many weeks prior to the evening because I asked one of them how they mastered everything. By then the music was getting louder and more youthful, so my wife and I bid our goodbyes and quietly left. I understand that the celebration did in fact continue until 1:00am, but for the four and a half hours we were there we had one of the most fun, entertaining and enlightening evenings we have ever had, including being warmly welcomed by everyone there. It just goes to prove that one should always welcome the opportunity to engage in experiences outside one's culture and comfort zone. To learn more about this amazing celebration in the life of a young Hispanic girl, go to http://www.quinceanera-boutique.com/quinceaneratradition.htm.
ARTISTS - Visual and Musical
Laura Raborn at http://paintingsofhome.com and http://claygifts.com
Jim Johnson at http://yessy.com/jimjohnson/gallery.html
Russ Powell at http://powellphotos.com
Linda Flake at http://lindaflake.com
Tom Herrin at http://tommysart.blogspot.com
Matt McLeod at http://matt@mattmcleod.com
Artists Registry at http://www.arkansasarts.org/programs/registry/default.aspx
Sandy Hubler Fine Art at http://sandyhublerfineart.com
George Wittenberg at http://postcard-art-gallery.com
Will Barnet at http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&expIds=17259,17315,23628,23670,24472,25834,26095,26328,26562,26637,26761,26790,26849,26992,27095,27126,27139,27147,27178&sugexp=ldymls&xhr=t&q=will+barnet&cp=9&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=xpfETMT1O4L6lwf66ugE&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=2&sqi=2&ved=0CEkQsAQwAQ&biw=1350&bih=501
Barry Thomas at http://barrythomasart.com
Sherry Williamson at http://meowbarkart.com
Julie McNair at http://juliemcnair.com
Phoebe Lichty at http://phoebelichty.com
GALLERIES
Local Colour Gallery at http://localcolourgallery.com
Chroma Gallery at http://chromagallery.com
Cantrell Gallery at http://cantrellgallery.com
Greg Thompson Fine Art at http://gregthompsonfineart.com
Red Door Gallery at http://reddoorgalleryonline.com
M2 Gallery at http://m2lr.com
UALR Gallery Program at http://ualr.edu/art
Gallery 26 at http://gallery26.com
Boswell Mourot Fine Art at http://boswellmourot.com
Sunday, July 17, 2011
The Moment of Truth - A Missed Opportunity?
As the current discord over debt, taxes, budget and jobs goes on, it makes me wonder what certain members of our congress think they were elected to do. Obfuscate? Destroy? Play games? Position themselves for the 2012 election? How about they just do their job and protect the true interests of all Americans by passing a comprehensive bill to put our country on long term sound financial footing that would eliminate the confusion and angst that now exist, and position the United States to expand its economy and regain world confidence. Right now we are being compared to Greece because of rampant political posturing and paralysis in Washington. Yes, it will require compromise on both sides which is at the center of all landmark legislation.
From all I have been able to glean from very knowledgeable journalists including Ezra Klein, Paul Krugman, Nicholas Kristof, David Brooks and Henry Blodget (yes, that Henry Blodget), it is without question time we address these issues head on in a comprehensive manner and not "kick the can down the road" which seems to be modus operandi of some in congress. My concern is that it may be too late. However, before that process can begin each side needs to quit blaming the other for being the responsible party who created this mess. In truth, both Democrats and Republicans did, so admit it and move on. The next step is for both sides to realize that there are merits to both cutting spending and raising revenue, and for those 236 Congressmen and 41 Senators who signed that silly pledge to never do the latter to tear it up. The Economist magazine called such a position "economically illiterate and disgracefully cynical". And, finally, if bi-partisanship is what will make a comprehensive plan acceptable, then there is one on the table right now that should be adopted and passed as written - i.e. the proposal submitted last December by The National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, often referred to as either the Bowles-Simpson Commission or the Simpson-Bowles Commission, depending no doubt on one's political affiliation, but take your pick.
In essence this report, sub-titled "The Moment of Truth", minces no words in clearly laying out the challenges of adopting its recommendations, as well as the perils if we do nothing. Of course there are things each side will not like which is what makes it so acceptable in my view. But it really tackles the spending cuts and added revenue divide that has stopped all progress thus far and could well be applied to the "The Mother of All No-Brainers" conclusion David Brooks wrote about in the New York Times on July 4th, wherein he also labeled a White House proposal to cut $4 trillion in spending as "the deal of the century". In short, this report clearly lays out its mission to address the "looming fiscal crisis" by succinctly outlining the principles and values embraced to meet its mission to balance the budget by 2015 and improve our long-run fiscal outlook by addressing the following six main categories of concern:
1. Discretionary Spending Cuts
2. Comprehensive Tax Reform
3. Health Care Cost Containment
4. Mandatory Savings
5. Social Security Reforms to Ensure Long-Term Solvency and Reduce Poverty
6. Process Changes
It is a remarkable document which should serve as the blueprint for President Obama's written plan the Republicans constantly call for him to submit to congress, and should be quickly adopted by both chambers. As such, I strongly urge everyone to read about The Moment of Truth in its entirety at http://www.fiscalcommission.gov/sites/fiscalcommission.gov/files/documents/TheMomentofTruth12_1_2010.pdf and, hopefully, avoid a missed opportunity.
ARTISTS - Visual and Musical
Laura Raborn at http://paintingsofhome.com and http://claygifts.com
Jim Johnson at http://yessy.com/jimjohnson/gallery.html
Russ Powell at http://powellphotos.com
Linda Flake at http://lindaflake.com
Tom Herrin at http://tommysart.blogspot.com
Matt McLeod at http://matt@mattmcleod.com
Artists Registry at http://www.arkansasarts.org/programs/registry/default.aspx
Sandy Hubler Fine Art at http://sandyhublerfineart.com
George Wittenberg at http://postcard-art-gallery.com
Will Barnet at http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&expIds=17259,17315,23628,23670,24472,25834,26095,26328,26562,26637,26761,26790,26849,26992,27095,27126,27139,27147,27178&sugexp=ldymls&xhr=t&q=will+barnet&cp=9&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=xpfETMT1O4L6lwf66ugE&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=2&sqi=2&ved=0CEkQsAQwAQ&biw=1350&bih=501
Barry Thomas at http://barrythomasart.com
Sherry Williamson at http://meowbarkart.com
Julie McNair at http://juliemcnair.com
Phoebe Lichty at http://phoebelichty.com
GALLERIES
Local Colour Gallery at http://localcolourgallery.com
Chroma Gallery at http://chromagallery.com
Cantrell Gallery at http://cantrellgallery.com
Greg Thompson Fine Art at http://gregthompsonfineart.com
Red Door Gallery at http://reddoorgalleryonline.com
M2 Gallery at http://m2lr.com
UALR Gallery Program at http://ualr.edu/art
Gallery 26 at http://gallery26.com
Boswell Mourot Fine Art at http://boswellmourot.com
From all I have been able to glean from very knowledgeable journalists including Ezra Klein, Paul Krugman, Nicholas Kristof, David Brooks and Henry Blodget (yes, that Henry Blodget), it is without question time we address these issues head on in a comprehensive manner and not "kick the can down the road" which seems to be modus operandi of some in congress. My concern is that it may be too late. However, before that process can begin each side needs to quit blaming the other for being the responsible party who created this mess. In truth, both Democrats and Republicans did, so admit it and move on. The next step is for both sides to realize that there are merits to both cutting spending and raising revenue, and for those 236 Congressmen and 41 Senators who signed that silly pledge to never do the latter to tear it up. The Economist magazine called such a position "economically illiterate and disgracefully cynical". And, finally, if bi-partisanship is what will make a comprehensive plan acceptable, then there is one on the table right now that should be adopted and passed as written - i.e. the proposal submitted last December by The National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, often referred to as either the Bowles-Simpson Commission or the Simpson-Bowles Commission, depending no doubt on one's political affiliation, but take your pick.
In essence this report, sub-titled "The Moment of Truth", minces no words in clearly laying out the challenges of adopting its recommendations, as well as the perils if we do nothing. Of course there are things each side will not like which is what makes it so acceptable in my view. But it really tackles the spending cuts and added revenue divide that has stopped all progress thus far and could well be applied to the "The Mother of All No-Brainers" conclusion David Brooks wrote about in the New York Times on July 4th, wherein he also labeled a White House proposal to cut $4 trillion in spending as "the deal of the century". In short, this report clearly lays out its mission to address the "looming fiscal crisis" by succinctly outlining the principles and values embraced to meet its mission to balance the budget by 2015 and improve our long-run fiscal outlook by addressing the following six main categories of concern:
1. Discretionary Spending Cuts
2. Comprehensive Tax Reform
3. Health Care Cost Containment
4. Mandatory Savings
5. Social Security Reforms to Ensure Long-Term Solvency and Reduce Poverty
6. Process Changes
It is a remarkable document which should serve as the blueprint for President Obama's written plan the Republicans constantly call for him to submit to congress, and should be quickly adopted by both chambers. As such, I strongly urge everyone to read about The Moment of Truth in its entirety at http://www.fiscalcommission.gov/sites/fiscalcommission.gov/files/documents/TheMomentofTruth12_1_2010.pdf and, hopefully, avoid a missed opportunity.
ARTISTS - Visual and Musical
Laura Raborn at http://paintingsofhome.com and http://claygifts.com
Jim Johnson at http://yessy.com/jimjohnson/gallery.html
Russ Powell at http://powellphotos.com
Linda Flake at http://lindaflake.com
Tom Herrin at http://tommysart.blogspot.com
Matt McLeod at http://matt@mattmcleod.com
Artists Registry at http://www.arkansasarts.org/programs/registry/default.aspx
Sandy Hubler Fine Art at http://sandyhublerfineart.com
George Wittenberg at http://postcard-art-gallery.com
Will Barnet at http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&expIds=17259,17315,23628,23670,24472,25834,26095,26328,26562,26637,26761,26790,26849,26992,27095,27126,27139,27147,27178&sugexp=ldymls&xhr=t&q=will+barnet&cp=9&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=xpfETMT1O4L6lwf66ugE&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=2&sqi=2&ved=0CEkQsAQwAQ&biw=1350&bih=501
Barry Thomas at http://barrythomasart.com
Sherry Williamson at http://meowbarkart.com
Julie McNair at http://juliemcnair.com
Phoebe Lichty at http://phoebelichty.com
GALLERIES
Local Colour Gallery at http://localcolourgallery.com
Chroma Gallery at http://chromagallery.com
Cantrell Gallery at http://cantrellgallery.com
Greg Thompson Fine Art at http://gregthompsonfineart.com
Red Door Gallery at http://reddoorgalleryonline.com
M2 Gallery at http://m2lr.com
UALR Gallery Program at http://ualr.edu/art
Gallery 26 at http://gallery26.com
Boswell Mourot Fine Art at http://boswellmourot.com
Monday, July 4, 2011
Uncle Sam, We Hardly Know Ye
In celebration of our country's Independence Day, I thought I would answer a question posed by my son-in-law this week which is certainly relevant to the occasion. In so doing, this will be light in tone and short in content.
The question was "How did Uncle Sam originate?". The only answer I could muster up was he was an imaginary figure conceived during World War I to help recruit enlistees. While that was, in fact, one of Uncle Sam's purposes, it was way off the mark for a complete and truthful answer. Thanks to Google, I learned that it actually can be traced back to a Samuel Wilson, the person responsible for inspecting all meat purchased by the government following the declaration of the War of 1812 against England, who was commonly called "Uncle Sam". A contractor named Elbert Anderson would label his containers of such provisions "E.A.", for his initials, and "U.S." for the United States, the latter of which were not familiar to his employees. When one suggested that "U.S." stood for Uncle Sam, Samuel Wilson's nickname, the tag stuck and by 1820 became a common reference for the United States. However, it did not become personalized into character form until the Civil War when another character named Brother Jonathan, who had been the popular icon of the United States and was depicted in cartoons with striped pants, tails and a top hat, morphed into the first version of Uncle Sam. Images were subsequently refined by Thomas Nast, a popular artist of that time who also was responsible for our popular image of Santa Clause, until the one resognize today was developed in 1876. Read the complete history at http://www.sonofthesouth.net/uncle-sam/.
With that short story, please remember the wonderful freedoms we all enjoy, and very best wishes to all for a very happy and safe 4th of July!
ARTISTS - Visual and Musical
Laura Raborn at http://paintingsofhome.com and http://claygifts.com
Jim Johnson at http://yessy.com/jimjohnson/gallery.html
Russ Powell at http://powellphotos.com
Linda Flake at http://lindaflake.com
Tom Herrin at http://tommysart.blogspot.com
Matt McLeod at http://matt@mattmcleod.com
Artists Registry at http://www.arkansasarts.org/programs/registry/default.aspx
Sandy Hubler Fine Art at http://sandyhublerfineart.com
George Wittenberg at http://postcard-art-gallery.com
Will Barnet at http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&expIds=17259,17315,23628,23670,24472,25834,26095,26328,26562,26637,26761,26790,26849,26992,27095,27126,27139,27147,27178&sugexp=ldymls&xhr=t&q=will+barnet&cp=9&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=xpfETMT1O4L6lwf66ugE&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=2&sqi=2&ved=0CEkQsAQwAQ&biw=1350&bih=501
Barry Thomas at http://barrythomasart.com
Sherry Williamson at http://meowbarkart.com
Julie McNair at http://juliemcnair.com
Phoebe Lichty at http://phoebelichty.com
GALLERIES
Local Colour Gallery at http://localcolourgallery.com
Chroma Gallery at http://chromagallery.com
Cantrell Gallery at http://cantrellgallery.com
Greg Thompson Fine Art at http://gregthompsonfineart.com
Red Door Gallery at http://reddoorgalleryonline.com
M2 Gallery at http://m2lr.com
UALR Gallery Program at http://ualr.edu/art
Gallery 26 at http://gallery26.com
Boswell Mourot Fine Art at http://boswellmourot.com
The question was "How did Uncle Sam originate?". The only answer I could muster up was he was an imaginary figure conceived during World War I to help recruit enlistees. While that was, in fact, one of Uncle Sam's purposes, it was way off the mark for a complete and truthful answer. Thanks to Google, I learned that it actually can be traced back to a Samuel Wilson, the person responsible for inspecting all meat purchased by the government following the declaration of the War of 1812 against England, who was commonly called "Uncle Sam". A contractor named Elbert Anderson would label his containers of such provisions "E.A.", for his initials, and "U.S." for the United States, the latter of which were not familiar to his employees. When one suggested that "U.S." stood for Uncle Sam, Samuel Wilson's nickname, the tag stuck and by 1820 became a common reference for the United States. However, it did not become personalized into character form until the Civil War when another character named Brother Jonathan, who had been the popular icon of the United States and was depicted in cartoons with striped pants, tails and a top hat, morphed into the first version of Uncle Sam. Images were subsequently refined by Thomas Nast, a popular artist of that time who also was responsible for our popular image of Santa Clause, until the one resognize today was developed in 1876. Read the complete history at http://www.sonofthesouth.net/uncle-sam/.
With that short story, please remember the wonderful freedoms we all enjoy, and very best wishes to all for a very happy and safe 4th of July!
ARTISTS - Visual and Musical
Laura Raborn at http://paintingsofhome.com and http://claygifts.com
Jim Johnson at http://yessy.com/jimjohnson/gallery.html
Russ Powell at http://powellphotos.com
Linda Flake at http://lindaflake.com
Tom Herrin at http://tommysart.blogspot.com
Matt McLeod at http://matt@mattmcleod.com
Artists Registry at http://www.arkansasarts.org/programs/registry/default.aspx
Sandy Hubler Fine Art at http://sandyhublerfineart.com
George Wittenberg at http://postcard-art-gallery.com
Will Barnet at http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&expIds=17259,17315,23628,23670,24472,25834,26095,26328,26562,26637,26761,26790,26849,26992,27095,27126,27139,27147,27178&sugexp=ldymls&xhr=t&q=will+barnet&cp=9&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=xpfETMT1O4L6lwf66ugE&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=2&sqi=2&ved=0CEkQsAQwAQ&biw=1350&bih=501
Barry Thomas at http://barrythomasart.com
Sherry Williamson at http://meowbarkart.com
Julie McNair at http://juliemcnair.com
Phoebe Lichty at http://phoebelichty.com
GALLERIES
Local Colour Gallery at http://localcolourgallery.com
Chroma Gallery at http://chromagallery.com
Cantrell Gallery at http://cantrellgallery.com
Greg Thompson Fine Art at http://gregthompsonfineart.com
Red Door Gallery at http://reddoorgalleryonline.com
M2 Gallery at http://m2lr.com
UALR Gallery Program at http://ualr.edu/art
Gallery 26 at http://gallery26.com
Boswell Mourot Fine Art at http://boswellmourot.com
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