And he lived near Chicago!

Hivemind: My DH and I were set to buy a painting from an artist who sent us three options. While we were debating, the artist sent us an "oops!" email and said the price of one has been publicly listed at over $500 more than he originally quoted. Of course, it's our favorite. Are there issues with him selling at a price lower than publicly listed that we don't know about? For example, if it's in a gallery (I don't know that it is) is he bound to the public price?

Normally, I'd just assume he was trying to squeeze us for more money, but I'm trying to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Gus *was* allegedly an attractive, charming, middle-aged black man...

Elderly, actually.

Obama is also a very passionate Wire fan, as Gus claimed to be often. Well played, Senator!

Sparky, if it was in a gallery, I would assume the artist would have to pay a commission based on the listed price of the piece.

..so then who is the woman you hired to meet us as "flea"? And those adorable children?

That's what I want to know.

Are there issues with him selling at a price lower than publicly listed that we don't know about?

AFAIK, only if he has a contract with a gallery that covers that particular piece.

My only disappointment with the Daily Show and Colbert being back is they have NOT mentioned the shoe-throwing incident at all. I was hoping that would be Jon's lead item.

Oh well, we DID get another Tek Jansen adventure.

only if he has a contract with a gallery that covers that particular piece.

I just went over the emails, and I don't think this one was/is in a gallery. Originally he said, "about x price, I won't know until I frame it" and now he says "publicly listed at x + $550".

Bummer-drag.

Okay, this is kind of awesome:

Porn industry seeks federal bailout

Hustler publisher Larry Flynt and Girls Gone Wild CEO Joe Francis said Wednesday they will request that Congress allocate $5 billion for a bailout of the adult entertainment industry.

Francis said in a statement that “the US government should actively support the adult industry's survival and growth, just as it feels the need to support any other industry cherished by the American people."

Flynt and Francis concede the industry itself is in no financial danger — DVD sales have slipped over the past year, but Web traffic has continued to grow.

But the industry leaders said the issue is a nation in need. "People are too depressed to be sexually active," Flynt said in the statement. "This is very unhealthy as a nation. Americans can do without cars and such but they cannot do without sex."

"With all this economic misery and people losing all that money, sex is the farthest thing from their mind. It's time for congress to rejuvenate the sexual appetite of America. The only way they can do this is by supporting the adult industry and doing it quickly."

That must be a very nice frame, Sparky. Then again, a professional frame job is very spendy.