Do you shut off your cell phone???

[ThomasDodd]

When Americans visit Europe they always come back marveling at the art museums, at the orchestras and choirs. These are all funded by taxpayers.

And are you likely to find work such as started this there? I doubt it.
As mentioned there is no constitutional authority for funduing the "arts" or much of the other stuff the feds spend money on.

But if they funded a traveling show to parts of the country that don't cannot make it to NYC, DC, or LA fine. Or send a symphony on a nation wide tour.

But they aren't doing that.

As far as publishing books by the Klan or the Panther...that is a straw man...it isn't happening and is not the type of thing covered or subsidized by the NEA.

So a work denouncing Christ and Christianity is different to you?

Can I get funding for similary offensive works against Black, Mexican, or Arabs?

How about the Koran half burried in feces?

Think the NEA will fund it's display or production?

[ThomasDodd]

Joe, the WPA Federal Music Project

Ahh yes. The early Socialist experiments in the USA. Look how far they've come now.
They won't be happy untill all of the population is on the government dole.

[Pippen]

I'm not sure how my points affect you. You don't seem to be part of the problem. ...They have no LEGITIMATE reason to be on the phone or have it on during the aforementioned events, and they are terribly rude with their cell phone practices/manners. Unless that is you, it doesn't apply. Most people have their phones on in places they shoudn't just so they can mindlessly shoot the breeze, and they talk when it is inappropriate. They have them and just endlessly shoot the bull. That kind of disruptive, rude, disrespectful behavior pisses me off. You don't appear to engage in that type of behavior. Don't be offended. Doc

I wasn't offended. I was trying to clarify because from my perspective there are circumstances when a disruption via cell phone is justified and personally I didn't read that clearly in your post although you have clarified that position here. Whether that need is due to profession (I have a friend who oversees fire management in a nuclear power plant and if he's called in I sure ain't gonna complain about the ring) or a family crisis, those individuals generally aren't the ones that are discourteous. I don't have a vibrating function on my phone but when the need arose to have the phone on in a place where it would be potentially disruptive, I sat in the balcony near on an aisle seat with the ringer turned down. When I was out shopping recently and my son called to complain about his brother I chewed him out and told him to speak to his father who was out in the garage. It wasn't as big of a chewing out as the mom who I know of who was in a business meeting four states away and whose son called to ask if he could pop corn instead of asking the father who was at home, but that's another story.

While cell phones certainly have their uses, what I often see is people giving their attention to someone on the other end of the phone, as opposed to the here and now, and often very with rude results. I once was in a store and a woman walked through the doors talking on her cell phone. With the phone still on her ear she told the clerk she had something on hold and then she continued to talk on the phone while the clerk completed the transaction and then walked out the door still talking. My jaw just dropped to the floor at the rudeness--this wasn't a kid--this was an adult and the kids she had in tow certainly got a poor lesson in how to treat others. The clerk said it happens all the time.

I frequently drive on a street that cuts through the heart of a busy college campus. About one out of five students walking between buildings has a cell phone in use. I can't imagine anyone I want to talk to bad enough to jabber away while taking a walk but then again I'm not a slave to my land line either.

[Chuck(G)]

Joe, the WPA Federal Music Project

Ahh yes. The early Socialist experiments in the USA. Look how far they've come now.
They won't be happy untill all of the population is on the government dole.

I'd like to submit that things don't get screwed up until there are professionals involved. The WPA efforts were largely seat-of-the-pants efforts and produced some amazing work.

When the colleges offeri degrees in giving out government lucre, then we've passed through the gates of Hell.

But then, a lot of things are like that.

[ThomasDodd]

But if they funded a traveling show to parts of the country that don't cannot make it to NYC, DC, or LA fine. Or send a symphony on a nation wide tour.

But they aren't doing that.

In many ways - the NEA is supporting such. There were several grants allocated to assist local symphonies (and other organizations) with program money

http://www.nea.gov/grants/recent/discip ... music.html

Nothing in MS. I see Nashville, TN but that won't come near me. Same with Birmingham, AL. Instead I see lots of money going to Symphonies in large cities that can (do) support the symphony.

[ThomasDodd]

Joe, the WPA Federal Music Project

Ahh yes. The early Socialist experiments in the USA. Look how far they've come now.
They won't be happy untill all of the population is on the government dole.

I'd like to submit that things don't get screwed up until there are professionals involved. The WPA efforts were largely seat-of-the-pants efforts and produced some amazing work.

When the colleges offeri degrees in giving out government lucre, then we've passed through the gates of Hell.

Perhaps. Wasn't the Boulder Damn a WPA project?

But when things got better, the WPA stopped. But the cat was out of the bag. The idea of the government providing money to the individual sounded good. At least WPA efforts required work. Now it's illegal to require work for a government handout.

[brianf]

Sorry about starting this mess - don't know what the NEA has to do with cell phones.

Mabe I should just stick my head in a hole when a cell phone rings during my next class. That's gotta be better than the old NEA discussion.

[Chuck(G)]

Perhaps. Wasn't the Boulder Damn a WPA project?.

Yes, as were numerous schools and other public buildings as well as bridges, roads and the work of the CCC.

But at the time, there were no formal education programs offering credentials in "getting your hands on gummint loot" or "passing out gummint loot".

Hmmm...does any university offer a degree in lobbying?

"Probably" is my guess.

[Rick Denney]

Sorry about starting this mess

'Taint your fault. If the originator of a thread doesn't own the thread, he also can't be held responsible for it.

Rick "who thinks it must be the silly season" Denney

[Rick Denney]

If I though 25% of the cell calls taken during a performance/rehersal/meeting were emergencies it'd be different. But after years of constant phone ringing during times when they should have been silent, I convinced that you don't really notice the users who really need them. They are the courteous users who never have the ringer on loud or answer the phone when quiet is called for....

But how do you deal with the bad apples?
Especially when they outnumber the good ones 10:1 ?

First thing is don't blame the good apples for the bad apples' behavior. Your post that attracted my argument was aimed at Tom Mason, who is one of those emergency users who is required by law to be in touch, not the general complaint that many people are selfish idiots when using their cell phones. With that complaint, I agree.

Rick "who favors punishment for true selfish rudeness (not just perceived rudeness by people who are equally selfish) and who opposes strategies that prevent legitimate and proper use" Denney

[Tom Mason]

I have been promised not to be called next week. I get to actually take the family on vacation. We're packing up and going to D.C. for 3 days.

I actually get to not be on call during the vacation. When I get back in state, I have to be ready to accept calls.

Tom Mason

[Doug@GT]

Hmmm...does any university offer a degree in lobbying?

"Probably" is my guess.

I don't know about an actual degree, but when I was interning with the Legislature, some of my classmates interned with lobbyists.

They got paid better, but I got free food. Eh.

[Doug@GT]

MMMmmm... Foooood...AAAaarrghh!!!



Doc

Okay, that picture is just making me hungry...

Doug "has noticably lost weight since the free food went away"