IF THE SHOE FITS, BUY THREE NEW ONES

If you have even a passing interest in seeing Downtown Richmond continue its awkward dance toward revitalization or in the city's arts community, do yourself a favor and drive a fork into your head before you try to get excited about the Mayor''s Performing Arts Committee report.

The committee was formed last fall by Mayor Wilder after he capped the knees of the insipid, tunnel-focused Virginia Performing Arts Foundation, and has proven itself to be as closed and short-sighted as its non-profit (and unprofitable) predecessor.

Snoopy at River City Rapids has three good posts (First Post, Second Post, Third Post) this week outlining just how useless committee work can be. And the award-winning team at Save Richmond continue to groan in dismay at the two steps forward, sxi steps back approach to governing that we're seeing under Mayor Wilder.

Quick summary: The Carpenter Center will remain closed. A large hole on Broad Street will be grassed over. The Landmark will continue to limp along. Committees will continue to meet. Vast sums of money will be spent on bad ideas. And Richmond's artistic underclass will continue to thrive, even as the financial uberclass pisses reams of cash away.