Tuesday, March 03, 2009

FBO: 'Oklahoma Off Probation, Colorado On'

OKLAHOMA OFF PROBATION
The FBO is now restored as the Failed Bands of Oklahoma -- not Failed Bands Organization -- after our two-week probation. The FBO asks the state to consult us for future creative decisions. Otherwise, we may switch to FBND (Failed Bands of North Dakota), full-time.

COLORADO ON PROBATION
Meanwhile it's worth noting this profile of Luis Jimenez in The Wall Street Journal, who is responsible for the sometimes criticized, red-eyed mustang sculpture outside the Fred Jones Art Center in Norman. (We love it.)

The FBO hadn't realized the artist went on to create a similar mustang - standing on his hind legs - outside Denver's overrated airport, and that he DIED making it. Not while making, but FROM making it. A section of the fiberglass structure fell on him in 2006. It's now kickstarted a stream of hate, capped with a Colorado campaign to remove it from the airport - so that it's 'not the first thing people see.' One protest haiku states 'ugly devil horse/horrifies the traveler/shames our fair city.'

Upon opening in 1994, the airport in Denver - which killed off one of its long-running newspapers this week, perhaps unwilling to test out the idea of a solely online presence - has been long shamed. Since its very beginning, when a expensive automated baggage retrieval system went haywire. Per one report, 'Suitcases went flying like popcorn kernels, some of them breaking in half, spewing underwear in every direction.'

It should be noted, as the WSJ does in its article, that the Norman mustang was at first hated, but many locals were won over by the 'charisma' of the sculptor who met with 700 locals. Sadly he didn't have a chance to do so in Denver.

The FBO places Colorado on a three-month probation.

FBO Admin
Mobile/Semi-Permanent HQ -- Brooklyn, NY

2 comments:

Unknown said...

I must start trying to win people over with my charisma. (snaps fingers)

Robert Reid said...

Yes, we must not overlook using the charisma card.