State governors across the U.S. are proposing deficit-reducing arts cuts of unprecedented severity. New Jersey Gov. James E. McGreevey's proposed budget would trim $32 million from the state's $5 billion shortfall by eliminating the Council on the Arts and the Historical Commission completely, along with a trust for struggling arts groups. This just a few months after the governor vowed to increase arts funding: He and his family recently posed for a "Discover Jersey Arts" marketing campaign ad.
The governors of Arizona and Missouri are proposing the elimination of their arts commissions, and Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, brother of President George W. Bush, intends to close down the State Library. California Gov. Gray Davis, facing a deficit that may exceed $30 billion, has offered $11.5 million in arts funding, half of last year's allocation and down from a high of $31 million three years ago. In New York, Gov. George Pataki is proposing a 15% cut, reducing the nation's largest arts council budget from $44 million to $37.4 million.
Boo f-ing hoo. While I love art and think it should be very well-funded, it's hardly the responsibility or right of any government entity to do so. And New Jersey? Perhaps they would have more money if they weren't blowing it on poet laureates of questionable literacy.
1:23 PM
A Brea jogger was killed when he was hit by a van a mile from his home after the driver took his eyes off the road to retrieve a cell phone he had dropped, the California Highway Patrol said Sunday.
Yes, the cellphone killed a man.
"In New York state it's against the law to use a cell phone while driving," said Edward Rumph, 69, a relative of Burton's widow. "We have to get some legislation."
The van's driver, Brian Scott Lankford, 38, of Brea told CHP officers he leaned over to pick up his cell phone while driving south on Valencia Avenue near Lambert Road. He said he didn't notice he had drifted into the bike lane where Burton was running. Lankford stopped, checked on Burton and then called police on his cell phone, a CHP spokeswoman said.
Lankford was not intoxicated and was not cited, the spokeswoman said. The crash was under investigation Sunday.
"Some legislation" is really what is needed. Laws are useless unless there is some possibility that they might one day perhaps be enforced. Seeing as how Mr. Lankford killed someone, citing him might have been in order. But no, he was working within the law when he mowed down the jogger! He couldn't be cited for anything b/c he wasn't intoxicated. This makes a lot of sense.
Instead of perpetually attempting to ban the driving distraction du jour, whatever it may happen to be, I have a really wild and crazy suggestion: get some legislation passed making it illegal to hit people with a car.
11:49 AM
