🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1992Dec14.204100.7116@alchemy.chem.utoronto.ca> mbrownel@alchemy.chem.utoronto.ca (Mark Brownell) writes:

>For any of you Americans who are considering adopting a Canadian style
>of funding for the arts, I would like to point out some fundamental
>problems with our system that merit some thought. 

>1) Ossification of the bureacracy:

>2) Creation of artistic fiefs: 

>3) "What is Art?":

>4) Artists turn into grant writers!

>5) Juries begin shying away from politically incorrect material until
>all that remains is watered down pablum that no one has any interest in.

>6) ...the list goes on...

>Before my fellow Kanucks flame me to a crisp (no doubt they have all
>received council funding!) I would like to close by saying that I
>support government funding of the arts. The system may not be perfect
>but I've yet to see a better way. If you Yanks spent 1/10th of your
>military budget on the arts, you would be the envy of the world!

Yeah, but if we spent that much (~$30 billion) then Congress would
impose the same sort of oversight and cost accounting that makes
working for aerospace such fun...

"Okay, Mr. Fitzgerald, just remember to fill out this timecard
correctly.  Hours spent writing get charged to account WTX30393; hours
spent thinking about story ideas get charged to account MDL44212; and
hours spent on aquiring writing materials get charged to account
WSP7775."

	"What about hours spent lost in existential angst?"

"Just charge that to overhead.  Be sure to itemize all writing-related
purchases, and remember that you can't use government-purchased
pencils for personal use.  Oh, and do you have that timetable for
completion of your new novel?"

	:-)
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Brian Yamauchi			Case Western Reserve University
yamauchi@alpha.ces.cwru.edu	Department of Computer Engineering and Science
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