It may surprise and trouble you
That he’s a painter, W.
A hacker, by name, Guccifer,
Got in his sister’s Facebook lair,
Revealing works of Mr. Bush,
One in the tub, him on his tush.
Another in the shower stall
Him standing with his back to all.
The critical reception’s mixed;
Some panned them and some were transfixed.
Some thought them full of Freudian sense,
While others leapt to his defense.
Is Bush another Claude Monet?
That’s for more qualified to say.
I think from these two that I’ve seen
He’ll sit for one on the latrine.
Seems to be a sadness in those paintings. A loneliness. Maybe an introspection of mortality brought on by a sick parent.
A humanizing of President George W. Bush.
If he is painting his own back, it isn't from personal observation unless he is also a contortionist.
The reflection in the mirror seems odd in that Bush is looking straight ahead.
Nothing saying that the mirror isn't at an angle.
In fact it looks that way to me.*
Apparently, though, it doesn't show if something else is at at an angle
He must not have been thinking about Laura in the shower.
_________
*Note that the horizontal grout lines of the tiles are not.
Probably at a Right angle. As for Laura, that could be why he was taking a shower.
Jimmy Kimmel just picked up on this, to the effect: "Who would have thought that George Bush would paint a picture of his flimsy shower mirror?" "Or paint at all?" "Or send it to his sister?"
I wonder if he painted any of Howard Taft stuck in the tub?
Good morning Mr. Wired, I wanted to bring to your attention Dr Ben Carson. He gave a 27 minute speech at the national prayer breakfast the other day. It is a powerful speech of common sense that was even applauded by Mrs. Obama. I hope you take the time to watch this video that is shaking the country.
Coincidently, this same Dr. was awarded the presidential medal of freedom by President George W. Bush.
Merci, 4zen, I'll take a look.
I listened to Dr. Carson's speech. I agree with many points he made in it, especially about the lack of respect for the intellectual in our society. But I don't agree with his views on tax reform or on fixing the spiraling cost of health care. I believe rather in a progressive tax system with the elimination of the tax loopholes that allow the rich to escape paying effectively any income tax at all. Carson's tax ideas are hardly "country shaking". He fails to take into consideration the total tax burden on the 99%: sales, real estate, etc. Carson also hasn't sufficiently thought through his ideas on making health care affordable for all. What happens when the money in the poor guy's health account runs out?
A few very minor criticisms: Was it necessary to drop the phony 'death panel' lie? He should look up 'piebald' again; it doesn't mean 'white'. And did he forget that Francis Scott Key was a guy trained to win, a lawyer?
One final observation: Dr. Carson comes across as a bit smug and sanctimonious, especially when he pontificates about national policy.
*Shoulders slump. Man wants to weep. Stares, roots back to his faith and goes on.*
?
That was the stage direction of my momentary lapse into despair.
I don't believe the Dr.'s point was a complete manifesto of policy, but the kindling of ideas based in simplicity. It is this lack of simplicity that allows for all kinds malfeasance, and creates the wealth gap you mention. And who benefits from all this convolution and strife in policy?...lawyers. He also alludes to the president's use of class warfare language in the president's appeal for his tax policy.
Nameless simplicity will indeed free them from desires.
Without desire there is stillness,
And the world settles by itself. -Tao te Ching
Remember what Warren Buffet famously said? If there's class warfare, his class is winning.
And he was o.k. with higher taxes.
What was the highest effective tax rate under Reagan? 74%?