While we wait to see what changes are in store for the Mercury News—recently sold to Denver-based Media News, who take over this summer—we should also be concerned about the impact on local arts and culture in the wake of parent company Knight Ridder’s departure from San Jose. The absence of its $2 million annual expenditure, $750,000 of which is earmarked for arts and culture, will create a huge financial hole in the valley and bring hard times for some who have depended on its support. Unless others step in to help fill this philanthropic hole, the city-logo proclaimed “10th Largest U.S. City” has a big problem.
Already, the signs are showing up. The annual free Jazz Festival that brings 160,000 people into the city is free no more. The San Jose Museum of Art, with 200,000 visitors a year, will begin to charge an entry fee for the first time since 2001, due in part to the loss of a $100,000 annual grant from Knight Ridder. Opera San Jose and many other arts and culture nonprofits are all in the same boat. Even the black-cloud-shrouded Grand Prix has lost a major backer in Knight Ridder.
The City of San Jose grants just over $2 million to arts and culture annually. While this is certainly not inconsiderable, it is comparatively small for a city our size. San Francisco, at the other end of the spectrum, grants over $60 million to the arts, financed in part by $13 million from a dedicated hotel tax fund. Maybe we should explore something like that here. But the need is now urgent, and the city must get involved in solving the problem. If the San Jose City Council could come up with $4 million overnight for the Grand Prix “event,” certainly they can step into this picture proactively.
With all the wealthy corporations here in Silicon Valley, you would think that there would be an enormous amount of giving on their part, and that someone could take up the slack and more. Alas, there are several corporate donors cutting back on grants, and some, like the Valley Foundation, are cutting arts funding all together. Perhaps Media News will take a generous view toward those that have lost funding, but we don’t know their intentions, though it is unlikely they will meet or surpass Knight Ridder’s giving.
World-class cities become that way because of size, location and cultural value. We have had location sewn up since the beginning, and we have attained critical mass as far as size is concerned. If San Jose is ever to get on the big-time map, it must come up with a strategy to develop a major program of arts and culture in the city, far beyond what we presently have. This should be a priority at City Hall now and in the new administration.
I think the basic problem with much of SJ’s “art” is the folks that choose our “art” have bad taste. The liberty Bell was replaced with Squatsaloadal. The “art” put up with the new City Hall remind some of phalanx symbols. (Yeah, I know, I’m a racist… read on) We whiteys subscribed to the repertory theater for years. After achieving success the “artistic” directory decided she knew what we should see and started introducing productions that most slept through and walked out at the first intermission. We subscribed to the ballet in hopes of finding entertaining art. Early on, “popular” ballets were presented. But unfortunately the art director decided to bring in more avant-garde ballets. We dropped our subscriptions. (There’s a reason popular is called popular.)
When we travel to other cities we’re almost always jealous of the public art displayed and I’m sure their local productions aren’t as “cutting edge” but are entertaining.
Art is like pornography – you know it when you see it. I’ve not seen much art in SJ.
So if we want citizens and corporate sponsors to fund “art”, put up some art.
(Please save the time and energy to explain how art is to challenge us and bla, bla…bla. I’m OK with a 10% “challenge”. But SJ is nearing 90%)
I’m sure some will see my comments like pornography – you know it when you see it…
Jack,
With Reed in charge? Fat chance he’ll champion any such thing. This is just one of many issues that give pause to a lot of us who voted ABC in the primary and are now looking at deciding between Chuck and Cindy.
Put Cindy in and she’ll drain every last dime by opening up Coyote valley and requiring city services to be extended way out there.
Put Chuck in charge and he might not open up Coyote but he’ll do everything he can to pour dollars into north SJ. And even if he didn’t, he’s way too conservative to support any of the ideas you’re presenting here. I mean, the guy wears a flag tie. His idea of art is probably a velvet matador painting from the flea market.
It doesn’t look good until sometime in 2009 at the soonest.
Please pardon my ignorance, but who exactly is Jack Van Zandt?
You state the situation perfectly Jack. County-wide, over the past three years, the arts have lost nearly $ 4 million from state cuts (California Arts Council), City of San Jose cuts, Knight Ridder, and as you cite other philanthropic cuts. This places an enormous burden on the Board members and directors of arts and cultural groups to dig into their own pockets to help offset these losses to maintain programs. Also, those private sector sources (corporations, individuals) who do support the arts know that they cannot do it alone. It’s good to see you inject this conversation into a political website. Increased public sector support can only come about when the value of arts, culture and creativity is recognized by elected leaders and voters alike.
It is truly amazing to me that this area has such an apathetic attitude towards the arts. In a region that is known internationally for the spirit of innovation and invention, you would expect to find an emphasis on the arts. After all, arts and culture not only serve as a means of entertainment, they serve as a catalyst to stimulate creative thinking.
Lord knows this city could use a dose of creative thinking.
Has anyone heard about the new theme song the SJ Convention & Visitors Bureau had a press release about last week?
I hope it’s better then some of the mucal lyrics presented on SJI in the past!
I heard a rumor the grand jury is releasing the report tomorrow – – anyone out there have any insight?
Dramatic thing about art in Silly Con Valley is the folks in position, throughout the decades, decided that competing with the City was just too drastic.
These baby crawl movements lead by decision makers was wayward undecisiveness.
Attitudes as such were acceptable and thus, this is where the South Bay stands today… culturally deficient.
We need to do a better job of using the limited funds already guaranteed in projects, a better job of training people what public art is and could be and a better job of demanding public art.
I attended a recent meeting for the development of one of the new community centers. Public art is incorporated into the project, is required as part of the project, and was treated as an after thought at best.
We need to do better outreach to get citizens involved in the public art process. Right now, the only thing that happens is we get some type of mailer for a meeting, but nobody truly explains or reaches out to get the involvement that would make sure each piece of art has a large group of defenders when it’s installed. Art is meant to be, at times, controversial and every installation will draw critisism, but there should always be a huge group of people saying “Hey, back off, we went through months of process, held meetings, and worked our tails off to bring the best project forward. If you didn’t participate, don’t complain.”
Art doesn’t have to be non-functional. Anybody who has travelled to Redding and visited the Sundial Bridge can see an incredible piece of infrastructure that draws people from all over as a piece of art. A city with 60,000+ people leveraged private financing and public funds to come up with an incredible piece of functional design that is true public art. I visited several weeks ago and was enchanted by the sounds of a concert along the river, families, tourists, joggers and picnickers all enjoying the sunset. And I wished we could enjoy our river walks that way.
So, maybe we should stop bitching about how it sucks around here and start working in a creative fashion, with true intention, to make sure we aren’t reliant on one private entity for the support of the arts. We’re only going to be “culturally deficient” if we continue to be deficient in applying hard work and creative vision to the problem, accept it’s not going to be an overnight solution and put our energies into it rather than just decrying the lack.
Part of the problem is that some of our local arts and cultural organizations have a history of poor management. Here are a few examples:
The San Jose Symphony. After a long run, went belly-up. We can argue the reasons, but my impression is they got away from presenting concerts that would create any sort of buzz.
KTEH. After years of private and public subsidies (not to mention endless pledge breaks and auctions) they finally got swallowed up by KQED. There was no lack of community support for KTEH but the Board and management seemed more interested in showing old British TV reruns than creating exciting new local programs.
I also wonder how organizations like The Valley Foundation justify the large salaries paid to top executives while they cut funding for arts organizations.
While it’s important for local corporations, and the entire community, to support the area’s nonprofits there must be accountability from the groups receiving the funds. It seems to me that many of these organizations have simply failed to meet the community’s reasonable expectations.
After reading through the city of San Jose’s public art process matrix[1] I wonder if any significant piece of art in the world was developed in such a convoluted manner.
With so many steps requiring approval from one committee or another, I do not see how you can call the end result art. This might explain how Quetzalcoatl came about.
[1] http://www.sanjoseculture.org/pub_art/pdfs/pub _art _process_for_website.pdf
Our largest, most visable and valuable works of art in San Jose is our architecture. It is there for all citizens to enjoy for free and it creates a sence of place and tradition. Yet we just keep demolishing our great cultural resources and replace them with parking lots etc. What message does that send to our fellow citizens and our visitors about our self respect and appreciation for art?
Dexter, you sized things up perfectly. We’ve had a bunch of hayseeds in there making decisions on public art. No change in the foreseeable future I’m sure.
Was at HP for a graduation ceremony this week. Don’t even get me started on what a stupid venue that was—courtesy of city of SJ. Well, sorry, but you did. Loaded with spectators who lack the most basic of social graces, everybody up and down the steps through the ceremony, talking on cell phones and eating nachos from the concession stand, mixed in with abominable acoustics. Whatever happened to pomp & cirucmstance and respect for the graudates??
Anyway, after the ceremony we’re out there across the street below those tacky tile cylinders and I take a close look at those, what crap and in such a prominent location, and then I see that weird ice rink thing with trinkets under glass, all the glass cracked or otherwise compromised. Who comes up with this hideous stuff? We already know the morons who approved it.
This town deserves every last bit of ridicule it gets from around the universe and beyond.
Randy – you made very good points; especially regarding the River Park in Redding. However, the bulk of the art one experiences there is due to the largess of one wealthy person/family.
None-the-less, I agree with everything you said. As part of the expected government transparency after the election we, the citizens, should/need to get involved.
In addition we should/need to listen more closely to the benefactors, be they businesses or individuals.
But let us all realize most of the people that live in San Jose work and have families and don’t have the time or energy to “get involved”. Our city council NEEDS to appoint members of the art commission that have good artistic “taste”.
Art is an important part of any culture. But is art now yet another “entitlement”? I think not, especially when we are cutting back on public safety, health care, education, and road repairs due to “budget constraints”.
Sorry, but it’s got to be left to the private sector when essential public services cannot be provided due to lack of funds caused by bloated bureaucracies caused by the entitlement generation.
Government should not be in the art business.
Anyone remember the Fallon Statue? A BEAUTIFUL piece but locked away because a few people didn’t like it and were offended by it. So now we have public art that does not offend anyone’s race, religion, sex, or creed (like the stuff near city hall) but it is SO UGLY! I think that we should protest on its ugliness.
Having worked and done business with most of the major companies in Silicon Valley I can tell you first hand that there is a strong belief that art AND culture in San Jose is a huge joke. There isn’t anything of ANY substance of either. No one cares about the people who suck up art dollars and use it as political expression nor the people who use grant money as their next paycheck. The only wat that a huge corporation would invest in this cities status quo is if they’re complete idiots. Say hello to Quinciquotal and kiss San Jose art goodbye!
Randi # 11: The “process” you describe brought us Graham’s Quetzlcoatl and the ridiculous nude in the Gold Building; both controversial, but for very differnet reasons.
“Public Art” in San Jose by hand-selected juries of insiders is a complete waste of public money.
At least 80% of the art I display at my home and in my office was created by artists with a strong connection to San Jose. Fred Spratt has helped me immensely in putting together my “collection”. But the “process” for public art here—and I suspect elsewhere—is absurd.
Art needs to stand alone and be judged on its merit, rather than paid for with public funds that would have a better use. Too may “artists” are just “welfare moms”. Their works has interest and value to them and them alone. Much of it is total crap; and yet they think that because they are “artists” that they are somehow entitled to some public subsidy.
When we cut back on police and fire protection due to budget shortfalls, the “artists” need to seek private benefactors; and if there aren’t any here, they need to either get a job, or move to a place with more private benefactors.
Sorry, Markovitz # 14, but you were an eyesore. Just ‘cuz you’re old, doesn’t mean you’re worth saving.
SJ Downtowner #18: The Fallon Statue may be a well-executed piece; but a beautiful piece? I think not. But see, that’s the point. No-one can ever agree on “public art”.
But art is not an entitlement. It’s a frill all important places need to work on; but surely not at the expense of basic services, like police and fire protection.
We have public art employees in San Ohaze. I’d love to know how big a bureaucracy it is and how many police officers’ salary equivalents it absorbs. The answer is not just to raise taxes.
I have an idea for public art that I think the public will support.
Directly across the street from city hall let’s dedicate a park that commemorates our city debacles with statuary and plaques describing the event.
For starters:
– A larger than life bronzed Norcal recycling receptacle.
– An Iwo Jima-esque statue of workers pulling up a palm tree.
– A Claes Oldenburg sized rendition of office furniture.
and on and on and on…
#18
Your choice of the word BEAUTIFUL to describe the utterly boring Fallon statue shows a complete and utter lack of artistic integrity and ability.
http://www.sanjose.com/underbelly/unbelly/Pale/FStat/capfal.html
Everyone gripes about the Mercury News but now that they have been sold we realize, too late, how much a part of our cultural life they were. I can’t imagine the new owners jumping in with the same grants and endowments to support our arts and culture.
#21 Novice- I’m still laughing over your post as I type this.
I think they should also include:
*Supersized case of OPUS wine autographed by Terry Gregory
*Etched Glass Panels of the deleted Cisco-Gate e-mails from Gonzo/Guerra to the CM’s staff
*Laser Art projections of Cindy Chavez’s “last minute” (It’s not technically a Brown Act violation according to our soon to be fired City Attorney)
*Tomb of the last ethical SJ City Councilmember
It’s ironic that while San Jose’s art scene is being bashed here (by folks such as myself) American Style Magazine has named San Jose as one of it’s “Top 25 Arts Destinations.”
http://www.americanstyle.com/Magazine/AS49/Top_25_Art_Cities_2006/Top_25_AS49.cfm
Get some culture #23: You’re dead wrong in your assessment. I do have a respect for art & culture. I’ve sat on the boards of SJ Stage Co. & SJICA. Most of the art in my home and office was executed by local artists.
It’s a matter of priorities, however. When government cannot supply adequate police and fire protection and fix the roads, government needs to cut back; just like you and I do when the cash flow slows. Put YOUR money where your mouth is; but don’t expect everyone else to pay willingly for your passion.
If you are so hot on art and preservation, do what Sempervirens does—raise money privately and buy that old ugly building YOU (but not others) may want to preserve. Don’t pick my pocket to do it.
We all think the things we love are cool, and only a complete dolt would believe otherwise. But ya know, all of us are wrong in that regard. There is no entitlement ot save the Markovitz building, or to support a starving artist.
I hate it when I’m forced to defend the artist of the City from the idiots of the city.
We all know who we are. artists and idiots. Right?
Ok. First of all. what artist has had his or hers sculpture erected of recent?
What come to mind is the Fallon statue, ex mayor Tom McKenery’s major piece.
The plastic snake in Cesar Chaves Park, Blanch Alvarado, cortese of Fred Spratt and Robert Graham Pena.
When you see graffeti like the Knight Ridder sign and all the other big stuff atop our sky line.
Who do you think resembles that attitude. Everybody want to be noticed, Right?
Politics rules in this valley. That is why most artist that aspire, make it in other cities. Trust me I have been there chronicleing every artist and every politicion.
Lenord Macay could save my memours.
San Jose is not an artist friendly city unless you are part of the political process.
San Jose does not know what it is when it comes to understanding it’s creative people.
We are still so focussed on working our denial. The city of San Jose is not the way to San Jose. Santana Row is San Jose. Get over it. There is no Politics at Santana Row. Cindy, Manny, and Sandra have created a down town that resenbles a striff zone. What happened to the joy, where did all the fun go. Who fixed what is down town.
I hear the need for money. Wake up San Jose. You built a city hall, yet you can’t even keep a Synphony, you can’t support your basic services.
You want to have a race for 4 million, OK, just don’t have a sports writer from the Mercury News try to justify your lies.
In closing, I have a message to the mayor
You took somethng away from us at South Bay Bronze when we needed the work and exposeurer. The Hall of Fame at the then San Jose Arena. I knew then that you would come to no good. Was it worth it? I think not!
You never supported the arts. You wanted to be the arts. The arts in San Jose is what it is Politics.
Tom if you censor this blog, I will not shoe your horse or the Cisco Kids horse ever again in what used to be Pelier Park.
Gil Hernandez
Geez, didn’t think that I would get bashed for calling something beautiful but okay.
JohnMichael – what does well executed mean exactly? There ain’t much more downtown artwise that is better looking than the Fallon state.
Ouch, Picasso. Can you give me an example of local art that you think is beautiful? If you trully are Picasso then you probably think that that colored block crap near city hall is beautiful.
Many good comments here, except for the one that appears to convey that the pile in the plaza is more beautiful than the Fallon statue.
The pile is a glistening and steaming example of what happens when politicians make decisions and/or are leveraged by special interests on public art. We end up with sh*t, literally.
The so-called parade of floats down 5th street? Looks like elementary school art on steroids to me.
I guess I know now that next time I see an issue of American Style magazine I don’t have to bother flipping through it if they think public art in this town has any sense of style at all, other than 4th rate.
Judge me as flippant as I know some of you will, but if Cindy had the cajones to say she’ll scoop up that pile as first order of business as mayor, she’d have my vote over Chuck and I’d gladly donate some money toward her efforts. This city’s image problem is a major issue, at least for me. Politics as usual is going to continue whether it’s Cindy or Chuck at the helm when you really get down to it.
John, with all due respect, I have to disagree with you. I think that it is our responsibility as a society to ensure that art is not just something collected by private people, but is a part of our everyday experience. I don’t think setting aside 2% for public art is overdoing it.
The problem is the perception that all of the public art you see around San Jose is due to the input of a few select individuals with whom you disagree about what is art or worthy of being called art. If you want “better” public art, then accept the call the next time and become part of the process. I can guarantee you that very few people respond when notices go out in the mail, are published in the newspaper or otherwise sent out to the public to say “Hey, we’ve got a public art project and need you to show up at a meeting”.
If you never attend any of these meetings you have no reason to complain about what you get. Get in the game and participate.
As for what’s well executed or “I know art when I see it” , those are subjective statements and all art is subjective. That’s the point. As for art being a frill, it’s a necessary component to an educated, vibrant and engaged society. Stating we should basically get rid of employees whose thankless job it is to help determine public art and use that money for police is a silly argument. For that matter, everybody should just sweep their own streets (and the business districts), we could cut librarians, crossing guards and parks maintenance personnel and hire more cops..but I don’t see you using that argument.
We need better partnerships with our public and private sectors to ensure that San Jose develops a public arts program to be proud of. If we work on building a city that values art, public gathering spaces, parks and recreational services then we are building a city that requires fewer police per capita.
If you spent half the time currently spent on complaining about the art you don’t like on forming better partnerships or participating in the process I would have more respect for your complaints.
These Silicon Valley corporations are a bunch of bland idiots. They don’t the support the arts and entertainment in San Jose. They’re very cheap. I far as I’m concerned, they can get the hell out of here, and nobody would give a damn because they shipped their money to themselves and overseas(out-sourcing). All they care is their terrible suburban campus lifestyle that doesn’t impact and benefit the community in the positive way.
Randi #30
Thank you for your comments. I couldn’t agree more. It’s also important to remember that the very best art, visual and aural, is a pure expression of an original thought process that is often later absorbed by other fields (like science—see Pythagoras, Kepler, Galileo, Einstein, etc. etc.), widely influencing the way all humans think and what we create in material terms. Shine a light on the influence of art on great thinkers throughout history and you will find we could not have gotten anywhere near where we are today without those who create it. It seems to me we can’t afford not to support it in whatever ways we can, public and private.
#28 John
As a republican and a businessman I’m with you. I hate any “entitlement” programs. I also hate to waste our tax dollars. However you need to be careful not to mix up entitlement with investment. If there is not a return on investment then either rework the program to get a better return or end the program. No sane individual wants to waste our tax dollars. This applies to all areas of investment from public art to historic preservation.
You need to weigh the total cost against the total income before you throw out public art or historic preservation. You need to consider the value that a sense of place gives to a city. In a world economy, it becomes harder and harder for us to attract corporations to locate in San Jose. Sure we have good weather, but with the cost of living, why locate here? Corporations want to locate in a community where they can offer a good quality of life to their employees.
We need public art, historic preservation and a lot more to enhance our quality of living in San Jose. I’m sure you know we need corporations to generate tax dollars that pay police, fire depts. and fix roads. A city rich in cultural resources also attracts visitors which in turn further increases San Jose’s tax base. We can always improve upon the process of choosing public art and denoting which buildings are historically significant. However, that is not a good rationale for throwing out two great resources that generate revenue for this city.
Why do we need more police? What area is underserved? What benefit are we to get from more police? Have none of you ever seen a car get pulled over around here? There is a minimum of 2 patrol cars, a minimum! I was going to work Monday morning on 3rd Street. There was a woman sleelping on the sidewalk. Yep, you guessed it, there were two patrol cars and 4 police there. I’m glad that they care but I don’t see a shortage of police. Tell me about the firefighter shortage, is there really one?
#20…Dear John
I’m sorry but it is time for you to move to Bakersfield. It is just your type of town, or maybe a little too progressive. You have made it clear you have no respect for our heritage, our arts or anything else that makes our city unique. Please give me one example of any great city in the entire world that does not have public art or a strong historic preservation policy.
#34
You make a good point. I would love to see the day when we need fewer police. Perhaps if we invest more in our youth we won’t need to waste so much money on our ever growing prison system. And I’m not talkinging about just throwing money at the problem. We have all seen what that has done to our public education system.
#28 John
Please give me some facts not emotion about the economics of historic preservation. You must have been scared by an old Victorian as a child and now seek revenge.
Give me some examples of great cities that do not have an historic preservation policy and program.
Give me a list of the historic buildings you claim the Sempervirerons have purchased.
Give me a list of buildings the citizens of San Jose regret saving and I’ll match it 10 to 1 with buildings we regret demolishing. Lets compare the cost of destroying an historic resource vs. the cost of saving an historic resource to taxpayers.
Please make your case with facts not emotion and I promise to do the same.
Randi # 30: Actually, Randi, in my lifetime (I’m soon to be 60)people did sweep the street and sidewalks in front of their homes and businesses. It was a matter of pride in their neighborhood/business, etc.
My parents rented their entire lives, and we swept the area near us on a regular basis. When I chalked a sidewalk in our apartment complex one day with my version of public art, my Mom dragged me down there and made me clean it up.
Now everyone considers it an ENTITLEMENT to have their sidewalk swept and their street swept by the government. The dowtown transit mall granite is filthy. I saw the guy at Cafe Mordida on Market street sweeping the sidewalk in front of his business the other day and almost fainted. I cannot remember the last time I saw an downtown business owner sweeping the filthy sidewalk in fron of his/her bsuiness. I live in Willow Glen. The older neighbors go out a couple of times a week to sweep the curb area in front of their property.
When times are good and the coffers are flush, we can spend money on all manner of goodies. When times are tough, we need to rethink all spending and set priorities. For me, public art is a good thing, but it comes way down the list after police, fire, streets, power, sewers….you get the picture.
And anything publicly funded is just guaranteed to have more money spent of the administration of the bureaucracy than on the item itself.
Do you know how much of the 2% actually goes to acquisition and maintenance of the public “art” we have been saddled with—The Park God, that ridicuouls nude in the Gold Building Atrium, the now-fading rainbow man in front of the San Jose Museum of Arts and Crafts,Tom McE’s Fallon Statue that we stored at a grand a month or something for years?
Government and the Papacy have tainted art by dangling dollars for a couple of millenia now. At least the Papacy brought us a lot of good work. I am hard-pressed to find a large body of worthy art financed by government at any level.
As I have said many times—if you have a pet project you think would be beneficial to us all, finance it yourself by gathering private donations. Please don’t foist it on the rest of us by making us cut back on something like police and fire protection to buy your view of good art.
Many people have pet projects, and they can never understand the people who don’t believe in them like they do.
#37 John
Nice story but no facts. Did you not read what 33,34and 36 had to say. Looks like you don’t want to talk economics. Is #34 saying over staffing fire and police depts. is your pet project? Looks like 33 and 36 are saying we need public art and historic preservation in order to raise money to pay for the basic services you say we need. Are public art and historic preservation assets or liabilities to tax payers and a city? This should make for some interesting discussion. I hope you will respond to their questions with some facts and figures.
#34—we have by far the lowest ration of cops per capita than any large city in America. There is serious talk of closing the Willow Glen Fire Station on Minnesota due to lack of funds. And we all know how bad the city streets are—many like a third world country. More efficiency by government employees and higher taxes won’t make up all the difference.
#40 John,
I think you are a very well informed man. And I certainly meant no disrespect to Fire or Police. I just wanted to know why so many cops for a stop. I think the cops have a really hard job with so much disrespect in the world. The Fire guys are awesome as well. I agree about fixing the basics. I also know that some of the things that the City is trying to do, like car races and baseball, while there process is flawed, are really good things. Ever been to Indianapolis? That city was brought back from the dead and I do mean dead. It’s an alive, vibrant downtown every day and night now. Someone (more than 1) there had the vision to bring in sports teams, they already had the race and invest millions and millions of city dollars in getting stores downtown. Now they are building a new stadium for the Colts with the peoples’ money but the people are for it!! That’s because they know that the Colts are good for the hotels, the sales tax and the merchants.
A car race 1 weekend a year is NOT going to bring San Jose back from the dead. Please! The economics have been exaggerated.
Anyone know much these full page ads for the race in the Merc are costing? And why are we advertising in San Jose? Do people in San Jose really stay in San Jose hotels?
Our convention center sits empty far too often because we have NO attractions. We need to build attractions that bring people year-round, even when there is no game. A Golden Gate Park, a Space Needle, a San Diego Zoo, a Disneyland, Smithson West, etc.
Indianapolis is not a city model ourselves after, we brigger than that.
I’m not an expert on the Papacy, however while reading this weeks issue of the Silicon Valley Biz Journal in the “profiles in diversity” there’s Deborah Rappaport President of the board for the San Jose Museum of Art stating her interests as first and foremost, “Influential Democratic supporter.” Was it her artistic taste that got her the position? I think not! June 16th issue page38. Art and politics are inseperable in San Jose and are thus a barrometer for one another. Both are amateurish at best. As a third generation resident of San Jose it pains me to watch what these carpet baggers get away with.
> The flood of American liberals sneaking across the border into Canada
> has intensified in the past week, sparking calls for increased patrols
> to stop the illegal immigration. The actions of President Bush are
> prompting the exodus among left-leaning citizens who fear they’ll soon
> be required to
> hunt, pray, and agree with Bill O’Reilly.
>
> Canadian border farmers say it’s not uncommon to see dozens of
> sociology professors, animal-rights activists and Unitarians crossing
> their fields at night.“I went out to milk the cows the other day, and
> there was a Hollywood producer huddled in the barn,” said Manitoba
> farmer Red Greenfield,
> whose acreage borders North Dakota. The producer was cold, exhausted
> and hungry.
> “He asked me if I could spare a latte and some free-range chicken.
> When I said I didn’t have any, he left. Didn’t even get a chance to
> show him my screenplay, eh?”
>
> In an effort to stop the illegal aliens, Greenfield erected higher
> fences, but the liberals scaled them. So he tried installing speakers
> that blare Rush Limbaugh across the fields. “Not real effective,” he
> said. “The liberals still got through, and Rush annoyed the cows so
> much they wouldn’t give milk.”
>
> Officials are particularly concerned about smugglers who meet liberals
> near the Canadian border, pack them into Volvo station wagons, drive
> them across the border and leave them to fend for themselves.
>
> “A lot of these people are not prepared for rugged conditions,” an
> Ontario border patrolman said. “I found one carload without a drop of
> drinking water. “They did have a nice little Napa Valley cabernet,
> though.”
>
> When liberals are caught, they’re sent back across the border, often
> wailing loudly that they fear retribution from conservatives. Rumors
> have been circulating about the Bush administration establishing
> re-education camps in which liberals will be forced to drink domestic
> beer and watch NASCAR races.
>
> In recent days, liberals have turned to sometimes-ingenious ways of
> crossing the border. Some have taken to posing as senior citizens on
> bus trips to buy cheap Canadian prescription drugs. After catching a
> half-dozen young vegans disguised in powdered wigs, Canadian
> immigration authorities began stopping buses and quizzing the supposed
> senior-citizen passengers on Perry Como and Rosemary Clooney hits to
> prove they were alive in the ‘50s.
> “If they can’t identify the accordion player on The Lawrence Welk
> Show, we get suspicious about their age,” an official said.
>
> Canadian citizens have complained that the illegal Immigrants are
> creating an organic-broccoli shortage and renting all the good Susan
> Sarandon movies. “I feel sorry for American liberals, but the Canadian
> economy just can’t support them,” an Ottawa resident said. “How many
> art-history majors does one country need?”
>
> In an effort to ease tensions between the United States and Canada,
> Vice President Dick Cheney met with the Canadian ambassador and
> pledged that the administration would take steps to reassure liberals,
> a source close to Cheney said. We’re going to have some Peter, Paul &
> Mary concerts. And
> we might put some endangered species on postage stamps. The President
> is determined to reach out,” he said.
#33 says: “No sane individual wants to waste our tax dollars.” Have you ever heard of the US Senate & US Housed of representatives? What about the Senator from Alaska who vowed to quit if the tens of millions of dollars for “The Bridge to Nowhere” was cut. I wish the Senate had held him to his word. Senator Robert Byrd has more things named after him that all the saints combined because he delivers the pork. No sane individual wants to waste our tax dollars? Wake up. Mr. R.O.I—it happens daily in D.C., and I’m sure in every state capital and every major city.
I asked in # 5 for 4-1-1 re Mr. Van Zandt. No response in 2 weeks. Is he a real person…or is this a pseudonym? If he’s real, what are his creds?