George W. Bush: Great Painter? Or Greatest Painter?

[Admiral Yi]

So what's the ethical limits of reporting on the hacking?

Don't be a dick.

[Sheilbh]

Don't be a dick.

It's not being a dick it's the actual problem of ethics. It normally leads to angels dancing on pinheads.

For example is it content or intention that's creating an ethical problem for papers? The British press will get their art critics to write a comment on this sort of hack, almost as standard. Is that really worse than a more po-faced paper publishing them as pictorial examples of the hack? When in fact they're publishing the same pictures and, more often than not, getting bought by people who want to have a look at the picture what's the difference?

[Neil]

The public interest is distinct from whatever the public happens to be interested in.

[Admiral Yi]

It's not being a dick it's the actual problem of ethics. It normally leads to angels dancing on pinheads.

For example is it content or intention that's creating an ethical problem for papers? The British press will get their art critics to write a comment on this sort of hack, almost as standard. Is that really worse than a more po-faced paper publishing them as pictorial examples of the hack? When in fact they're publishing the same pictures and, more often than not, getting bought by people who want to have a look at the picture what's the difference?

Those are both examples of dicks being dicks. 

You don't need the pictures to report the story.  "Friends of Bush had their phones hacked and images of his paintings stolen."

[fhdz]

I think we need to know which of the last dozen presidents had the best fashion sense.

Reagan's one of the only men ever able to pull off a brown suit. That deserves some respect.

He was a movie star, not really fair to judge other politicians by the same standard.

A brown suit's a brown suit, whether you're a movie star or not.

[CountDeMoney]

I don't see the point in criticizing the paintings: they are better than I can do. What I think is more interesting is that it seems Bush 43 has an interest in art. It is one more piece of evidence that his Texas cowboy persona was complete bullshit. He came from a new england family, went to a new england prep school, got a degree from yale and another from harvard. And as soon as he leaves politics he moves to a big city rather than staying on his ranch. Culturally he is probably close to a carbon copy of Mitt Romney, but a better politician because he was able to cover that up.

Since when does a "Texas cowboy persona" disqualify oneself from an interest in painting or the arts?  I'm sure somewhere along the republic's history, there's been evidence of a Texan painting a picture of something, somewhere?  Or is southwestern aesthetics a domain solely reserved for the artsy fartsies in Santa Fe, NM?

[Ed Anger]

I await a Velvet Dubya.

[Valmy]

Since when does a "Texas cowboy persona" disqualify oneself from an interest in painting or the arts?  I'm sure somewhere along the republic's history, there's been evidence of a Texan painting a picture of something, somewhere?  Or is southwestern aesthetics a domain solely reserved for the artsy fartsies in Santa Fe, NM?

Actually I remember GWB did like artists and did alot for them as Governor but of course when he was President the art establishment thought he was worse than...well you know.  I remember a meeting of prominent US poets at the White House where they all brought poems attacking him and his policies.  You can guess how many times he did that again.

[CountDeMoney]

I think we need to know which of the last dozen presidents had the best fashion sense.

Reagan's one of the only men ever able to pull off a brown suit. That deserves some respect.

One must possess the complexion and hair to properly complement a brown suit, during the right season and the right climate. 

You sunless, pasty types in England just don't have it, so keep your Fifty Shades of Gray Suits and don't be hatin' on brown.   

[CountDeMoney]

Hell, his stuff is still better than anything I could slap together with finger paint.  My artistic progression is still in stick-figure mode.  Although I do remember to draw the whiskers on the cat.

[Razgovory]

It's not being a dick it's the actual problem of ethics. It normally leads to angels dancing on pinheads.

For example is it content or intention that's creating an ethical problem for papers? The British press will get their art critics to write a comment on this sort of hack, almost as standard. Is that really worse than a more po-faced paper publishing them as pictorial examples of the hack? When in fact they're publishing the same pictures and, more often than not, getting bought by people who want to have a look at the picture what's the difference?

Those are both examples of dicks being dicks. 

You don't need the pictures to report the story.  "Friends of Bush had their phones hacked and images of his paintings stolen."

I think Shelf just likes Celebrity type news.  I agree that this is a dick move, but then I'm not into gossip type news.

[alfred russel]

I don't see the point in criticizing the paintings: they are better than I can do. What I think is more interesting is that it seems Bush 43 has an interest in art. It is one more piece of evidence that his Texas cowboy persona was complete bullshit. He came from a new england family, went to a new england prep school, got a degree from yale and another from harvard. And as soon as he leaves politics he moves to a big city rather than staying on his ranch. Culturally he is probably close to a carbon copy of Mitt Romney, but a better politician because he was able to cover that up.

Since when does a "Texas cowboy persona" disqualify oneself from an interest in painting or the arts?  I'm sure somewhere along the republic's history, there's been evidence of a Texan painting a picture of something, somewhere?  Or is southwestern aesthetics a domain solely reserved for the artsy fartsies in Santa Fe, NM?

It doesn't, but I'm guessing it isn't the most common hobby among texas cowboys. It is just one more characteristic that makes his political persona seem like BS.

[Sheilbh]

You don't need the pictures to report the story.  "Friends of Bush had their phones hacked and images of his paintings stolen."

It's not a matter of need. So austere and priggish

The public interest is distinct from whatever the public happens to be interested in.

Yep. But I think that public interest needs way, way less than a crime to justify intrusion.

I agree that this is a dick move, but then I'm not into gossip type news.

I still don't see it. Hacking the e-mails is dickish. In my view acting 'all above this' is smug and dickish. Having fun with it, isn't.

[sbr]

I hated w bush the president with the white hot passion of a thousand burning suns, but I didn't find this funny at all and think it definitely crossed a line.

Then I snickered a tiny bit.