Steve Peters

Sometimes I think we’re doing ok as a country, as far as the culture goes. I see encouraging signs of creativity and really good stuff actually shows up on stage and in the media every once in a while. Sure, it’s mostly not great, but usually something shows up somewhere that gives me hope.

Conversely, every once in a while, I witness something that makes me lose the will to live:

So the other night, during the Heat Storm of ’06 in Los Angeles, I was in the lobby of my hotel, which was full of refugees from around the valley, trying to find refuge from the blistering weather. As I walked down the hallway toward the elevators, I noticed a family taking a digital picture of a painting hanging on the wall, oohing and ahhing in the process. I thought, “Wow, I wonder what kind of painting this is. This should be good!”

So, as I approached the family, I casually looked to my right to witness the rapture myself.

Thomas Kinkade.

:|