It should make a nice target for taggers and drunk drivers.

Maybe they could mount Gordy on top of that thing live. Stick his feet down in the cement and then see how long he can ENDURE downtown Auburn without a restroom or a bottle of gin.

Just kidding.

Oh geez, thanks for a good laugh! I needed it.

I graduated from Cal Lutheran University where they have a 60's designed statue of Martin Luther called "The Enormous Luther" right in front of the library. They didn't get the money to actual build and install it until the late 80's. By this time it really looked vintage-60's, actually it looks like a huge bottom-heavy Gumby made of iron. Students were constantly making Pokies (ya know, his horse) out of paper mache and put them next to Luther in the middle of the night. So come on, we can have some fun with this. I can see a Munster wagon next to it.

Its a place to hang repubs and demos! Looks level to me.... :)

It's a four story pizza oven. Wouldn't that be great? Fire up that baby on the weekends and have community pizza parties.

It is the world's largest baked ceramic.... pop up sprinkler.

Here is what the next phase is:

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/07/24/article-1036876-021024C500000578-595_468x309_popup.jpg

Don't you recognize it? This is ENDURO, mythical god of endurance. He is the son of TORTURA and AGONIZA, Medieval torture devices.

It's a relief station for dogs.

I can see Rabidog standing on the freshly poured foundation of a house and saying,

"What is this????? You call this a house?????"

If you think you can design better "Art" then why don't you just shut up and do it.

Did you submit a design?

Can we all take a look at it please?

OK, let's all take it back. It is beautiful.

"What deranged group of supposed “artists’ conjured up these piles? A bunch of anal-retentive individuals in desperate need of a swig of prune juice, or are they just Picasso Wannabe’s?

What passes for “art” in this town is nothing more than visual flatulence, and it stinks!"

..........poking fun at eh?

Sounds like a bit more than that to me.

It is easy just to sit back and bring the world down and even

easier to not lift a finger to create anything.

I have tried looking and cannot find the plans for the central square. The were some articles here that had a picture of the plans. What is this brick tower supposed to be? What will hang off of those poles? I assume signs, but what are they going to say? Have they even decided on the "theme" for the square yet?

Closest I got to seeing an overall plan was at www.downtownauburnca.com

and look at the streetscape tab.

At least there is a finished drawing of the monument that has Rabidog beside himself.

To Mike Gruber: Take your meds, or get some, drink plenty of water and rest in the shade. You may have just discovered that an opinion is just that, an opinion. BTW that is a cute picture of your dog, different angle from the sad puppy of the past.

"Rabidog" AKA "I don't want anyone to know who I am"

Nice retreat into the jungle of opinion and relativity.

I'd respect you more if you stood up for your toxic comments.

Your dead serious until someone confronts you, and then it's all just an "opinion".

Attacking me personally does nothing to support your original statement and I really would

like to know what you would design for Auburn....

Are you not interested in my opinion of it?

No

MikeGruber: I think you just got to the heart of this issue, most of us (as I gather from the overkill of articles and letters on this topic) would be happy to not see any "art" in the downtown square.

Alas.....Auburn will just have to wait until you grace us with your

cutting-edge Artistic ingenuity.

Gail...

Most of who?

Most of the people who have written negative posts, are negative about design decisions.....

ummm....let's just bump that up to 100%, not most.

And percentage of the entire population of Auburn do those folks represent?

I don't think that's a good sample to draw conclusions from.

But as Rabidog says....that's just my opinion.

(Hey, that is kind of fun. It's like saying something, but not, all at once.)

OK, let's take a vote: Who wants a fancy downtown square with statues, "art", a theme and all that jazz? Who would rather see something plain and functional?

I have been searching all the Auburn sites to find out what is going to be hanging from the poles, I can't find anything. I found just the blueprint of the monument, but nothing to indicate what will be hanging from the poles. Some kind of "Welcome to Auburn" sign, or what?

And speaking of percentages, Mike, this post has had over 460 views and all the comments except yours have mocked this project. Granted, only us lame people with no lives are here commenting (sorry Jayber) so I guess that throws off the stats. Oh well. I would like to hear from other people with a positive take on this project.

And the "fire pit" - how is that going to be utilized? The other night as I drove past the benches by the AJ office at around 10pm there was a man with no shirt on and not much else dancing to his boom box trying to get people's attention. Will he get to move his dancing over to the fire pit to get warm come winter. I hope so.

Go get him Gail, he's probably a bay area transplant. Auburn City has blown it by not listening to the people, the majority don't want fire pits or ENDURANCE GARBAGE. I don't live in Auburn anymore but I spend a lot of money their, and I vote no endurance and no statues.

Hey Mike,

I really don't have a problem with it, whatever it is. It was just kinda fun to imagine what it could be. Of course we all know that it isn't finished yet. It might be great when it's complete. I actually like the clocktower and the "outhouse" off the freeway. Gail, I think that having public art demonstrates a communty that is vital. And yes, I should be practicing my music or finishing my assigned bookgroup book instead of typing this. It's like eating chips. Just shouldn't open the bag.

I just appreciate the effort and public monuments and art does a community good.

I don't want to see this "Endurance" theme highjack the space but since I am not in any position to

stop them I can only hope that someone else is and that clearer heads will prevail.

The original post was just over-the-top and cheap.

Cheers.

Jayber: I didn't mention you as a slight, but just to say that we all tend to get on here and goof off and I didn't want to include you in the goof off group...you are just so above that. ;-) And, yes, you need to be practicing Old Joe, we have a gig all day Sat. in downtown Colfax, come by and sit in. Observer will be there singing, I hope, I haven't heard back from her since yesterday to confirm.

Mike: Rabidog doesn't post or comment much, but when he does his posts are usually over-the-top with the colorful metaphors but there is always some truth in there too. He has been going off on the clock for a long time now. Does it ever say the same time on all sides?

Personally I think (OK an OPINION here) that cities that get too self-important and try too hard to have themes and art work all around (who gets to define art?) can go over-board and look kind of cheesy. It gets to be like Disneyland where nothing is real, but is supposed to look real. I like the idea of using actual pieces that were once part of an area's heritage to be used as decorations (for lack of a better word). Like the horse watering trough over by the courthouse. In Colfax we have the old caboose as a centerpiece in town. I agree with Rabidog that the little mine scene with the paster hill and carts coming out is somehow not right (I have no idea who made it, so nothing personal) but did mines actually look like that? White plaster on top and pampas grass all around? It looks more like a tee pee.

Gail: Or, is that a pee tee?

The mine shaft thing with the white plaster is really ugly and the people who made it must know that....

Hi Gail,

I knew you were just teasing. But the shoe did fit. (smile) And I like your point about real stuff. The stamp mill down by the old town walkway is cool, Speaking of cool, I could really go for a fountain in the middle of town. Maybe those pipes coming out of the pizza oven could pour water over our sweaty heads on the many 100 degree days we have here.

Jayber: Great idea! Maybe they could put propellers on them so they will twirl in the wind.

The blatant phallic symbolism of both the metal clocktower and the new brick monument does perhaps

explain the fundamental unease the male critics are having. Envy can be a degenerating condition.

And the attack on the "fecal" mine shaft may shed light on another irrational fear.

Hmmmmm?

(Just playing along...)

See Mike you have now lowered yourself and joined in on the potty joke nature of our discussion here. Isn't it more fun? ;-)

BTW we have one vote from glenmv for no statues. I am still waiting for someone to defend (or just explain) the current plan. We are up to 702 views, surely someone out there has something postive and non-potty-joke-ish to add.

I like the fountain idea...why didn't they add that to alternate with the fire pit summer/winter.

Having been born here, I saw nothing wrong with how Central Square was. How much $$$ is going to be spent on the Temple of Endurance? And people DID try to voice their opinions, but a few "nobody" citizens didn't have a chance, especially against those to whom the temple will be dedicated. And so the building goes on.

Sorry Gail. Just couldn't come up with anything positive to say. I'll try harder next time.

Salamnder: Yep, I use to love watching tourists navigate "our" rat maze.......it was fun. Of course, back then us old-timers thought it was fun 'cause we a'int got nuddin' better to do.................

Maybe it will be a place to collect old shoes in an attempt to keep them out of trees and off of power lines.

OK, we now have two more votes for keeping it simpler (I assume roland's comment about shoes means he doesn't think the current plan is the cat's meow).

Temple of Endurance, that is funny. What strikes me as funny is that the endurance people, although probably well meaning in their motives regarding the square, don't seem to factor in that they are a pretty small "club." There are people in our area who quilt, what if those people had come in and said, "We have award winning quilters here in Auburn, we need to dedicate the square - no pun intended - to them." Or "we have some of the best tatoo artists in the nation..." where does it end? Hollywood has its sidewalk of stars, but that is Hollywood's history, the film industry. Our history is the Gold Rush, mining and the transcontinental railroad, not the Tevis Cup - although it is a wonderful race, maybe they can have some monuments at the head of the trail, where ever that is.

Roland - now that would be art! Dynamic, folk art. I am sure that would bring a smile to anyone with a sense of humor. The antithesis of a monument, really.

Art is in the eye of the beholder. Ask Mr Murphy he probally has some insite on the brick whatever it is. Looks like something in Russia with Lenin on the top.

Wow Mike, did you design the "thing"? You sure are taking the ribbing personally. Hey, I'm no art critic, I have even tried to use the outhouse but couldn't find the hole while I was inside, very dark also, but let me tell you, this thing, whatever it is can be called ugly without hesitation. Maybe the winners of the Westen 100 and the Tevis are supposed to stand on top of it the week following the races. A bust of the current Auburn mayor could also top it.

But hey, what do I know, I'm still looking for a place to go, whatever happened to all the outhouses in Auburn?.

loomis there is one on the other side of the railroad tracks. You caan see it from the highway but it looks like a nasty climb to get to it.

ChuxxR: But, when yah gotta go........yah have to climb.