Sigh: Enormous, Creepy Sculpture of Obama Being Readied for Democrat Convention; UPDATE: Nearing Completion!

I'm told that Putin, Castro and Chavez are all extremely envious. Can you say "Cult of Personality"?

Speaking of Mount Rushmore, “Team Sandtastic” is putting the finishing touches today on a huge sand sculpture of Obama to be on display at the EpiCentre in uptown Charlotte...

...15.5 tons of sand were shipped in from Myrtle Beach, SC for this. I don’t know who sponsored it (I don’t think it was paid for with DNC money) but massive sculptures of sitting political figures, especially Presidents, should disturb everyone a great deal (no matter the party), for reasons I don’t have to explain – no matter how well done they are.

A more apropos piece of artwork was recently unveiled by Jon McNaughton.

The artist describes it as "one painting that says it all."

Indeed.


Update: The sculpture nears completion (hat tip: @KevinDGregory):

Update II: Not an omen: Storm washes away giant Obama sand sculpture at site of Democrat convention.

Conservative Superheroes [The Looking Spoon]

From a gallery at The Looking Spoon, three of my favorites:

You can see 'em all here. Now that we've completed the set (Liberal Super-villains were published a few days ago), the site should print up some trading cards for kids.

Graphic: the True Size of Africa

Very cool graphic from FlowingData.

Puts things in perspective.

Man of the people: Obama unveils high-priced, designer campaign fashions

Nothing appeals to the middle class during a brutal recession like overpriced, haute couture Obama logo gear.

Forget those pedestrian campaign t-shirts, buttons and bumper stickers. The Obama Campaign has officially gone upscale and chic in an effort to help re-elect the president in 2012.

Their new “Runway to Win” line of designer campaign swag is now for sale in the campaign’s online store, featuring colorful $85 tote bags by big name designers Vera Wang and Diane Von Furstenberg and a $75 version by fashion favorite Tory Burch.

Looking for a t-shirt? Stars Marc Jacobs, Beyonce, Sean Combs and Jason Wu — who designed Michelle Obama’s inaugural gown — have each contributed a design...

...The priciest of the 13 items listed online is a $95 for a Thakoon-designed silk scarf... Standard campaign t-shirts, it should be noted, cost $30, while a simple canvass tote costs $50 in the same online store...

...The money raised from the sale of campaign-themed apparel and accessory benefits the Obama Victory Fund...

The full list of participating designers: Tory Burch, Marc Jacobs, Beyonce & Tina Knowles, Derek Lam, Jack McCollough & Lazaro Hernandez, Tracy Reese, Narcisco Rodriguez, Rachel Roy, Thakoon Panichgul, Grace Tsao-Wu & Laura Kofoid, Diane Von Furstenberg, Marcus Wainwright & David Neville, Jason Wu, Altuzarra, Richard Blanch, Eddie Borgo, Georgina Chapman & Keren Craig, Sean Combs, Prabal Gurung, Monique Pean, Russell Simmons and Vera Wang.

That's the full list of designers that you should boycott (along with any company that sells their crap), since they obviously support the destruction of this republic.


Hat tip: @AmandaCarpenter.

Outrage: Planned South Korean Towers Will Resemble Planes Smashing Into World Trade Center

In what civilized country could this be considered acceptable?

The unveiling of pictures of planned luxury residential towers scheduled to be built in Seoul, South Korea, has sparked instant controversy. The reason is obvious. The towers, which include a so-called “cloud” feature connecting them around the 27th floors, clearly resemble the World Trade Towers in the process of collapsing following the 9/11 attacks.

The designers of the towers, Dutch architectural firm MVRDV, have responded to the controversy by quickly publishing an apology in English. “It was not our intention to create an image resembling the attacks,” the designers insist, “nor did we see the resemblance during the design process.”

They did not see the resemblance during the design process? The problem with this assertion – apart from its inherent implausibility – is that they have admitted the contrary in Dutch. Thus Jan Knikker of MVRDV told the Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad, “I have to admit that we also thought of the 9/11 attacks.”

Eh, Jan - may I suggest you try roasting yourself in a hot stove for, say, an hour -- so you can better empathize with the victims of the WTC attacks?

Today's Non-Sequitur

Papa B refers us to this Wiley gem:


More Non Sequitur here.

3-dimensional illusions of Kurt Wenner

Stunning 3-dimensional drawings on asphalt - 21 Pics