Barnes Backers Dead Serious About It

Although the Barnes Foundation is pretty much set to move to Philadelphia — at this rate, I expect it to be in Philly just in time for the tricentennial — those rapscallions at Broad Street Review are still protesting the move.

Nothing wrong with that, of course, but apparently people are writing letters to editor Dan Rottenberg — or stopping him on the street, maybe — saying it’s a done deal so his publication should stop writing about it. Let’s take a look:

Why debate moving the Barnes Foundation? It’s a done deal! But so were slavery, segregation and the Soviet Union, once upon a time.

I expect future columns in the BSR on why the United States should not re-instate slavery. And maybe we can get some sort of “underground railroad” to sneak the Barnes paintings back to the suburbs.

‘It’s a done deal’ [Broad Street Review]

Lenin Statue In AC Upsets One Dude

Back in 2005, the restaurant Red Square opened at the Tropicana in Atlantic City — and up went a statue of Lenin, complete with a martini glass (at right, obviously). And since then one man with way too much time on his hands has been complaining to everyone he can see about the statue.

He claimed having a 15-foot tall statue of one of history’s most brutal dictators is an insult to thousands of soldiers who died fighting communism. He went on talk radio shows claiming the statue is anti-American, wrote letters and attended Boardwalk parades, urging Tropicana officials to take down the statue.

Now he’s claiming the statue is simply “bad luck” and should be taken down lest Atlantic City be smitten by God, who is apparently anti-communism. Wah, wah, a statue of Lenin with a martini in Atlantic City, I must protest! Geeze, what sore winners capitalists are.

Now, the statue of the murderous dictator Julius Caesar? There’s a statue worth protesting against.

Man wants to topple Atlantic City casino’s Lenin statue [AP/NJ.com]
[Thumbnail from Annika Lux]

We knew those Swedes were up to something!

Way to be supportive. Why do you want the Soviets to win?

U.S. Editions [Metro]
U.S. Olympic Team Increases Medal Lead Over Hated Soviets [SportsPickle]