Lol! That's funny.
There's lots of malls on the net if you put it this way.
Even real malls need to finance themselves so they can exist so you can be there and shop there and browse there and just be comfortable being there with all the other happy folks from all over that go there in droves.
The real malls I go to quite often because I love shopping have lots of artistic values by way of window dressing and many times even artists and artwork are available, and they would have to pay to be there in some fashion, or I assure you they would not be there.
Museums and art galleries even have shops and stores to sell you thngs at. The zoo, any recreational and even most educational facilities sells stuff or have retail benefits.
I guess your suggesting this place is a mall first, art and community second, but then again, even artists need to be able to know what is available to make art with, and suppose the question you should ask is whether it's beneficial to artits that hang out here? Most of the time it appears to be.
I tend to agree with the hot 20 and won't touch that one, because it is a farce, but it always has been and there's really nothing that can be done about it except get rid of it. I have a feeling even then artist wannabees that want to be better than the best will still find a way to be richly noticed, because that's all that is about, being noticed and noticed and noticed.

Look at me, I'm great because everyone is saying wow at me and my work is the best here! Let them have their fun if it gives them some purpose to enjoying their toil, what's the harm when everyone that comes here knows it's a farce anyways, and even visitors can see it for themselves if they have half of any talent for art. Sometimes it almost seems like the hot 20 is there just so people posting have a purpose and to make some innocent contraversy stay alive.

Message edited on: 12/18/2004 09:15