Ian Bunn | Political & Popular Culture Arts

Bentley with license plates “BUY ART” (February 5th)

Ronald Coles the 64 year old Australian influential art dealer and gallery owner has been arrested and charged with 87 counts of theft and fraud offences. Coles was seen as a model of success, a jet setter driving a Bentley with license plates “BUY ART”, is alleged to have defrauded 43 clients of their superannuation savings. Under Australian Superannuation Laws, clients are not permitted to retain their art purchases in their homes, instead leaving them with Coles for storage. Coles allegedly in turn on-sold the art works. The Gallery went into bankruptcy in 2009 and Coles disappeared into hiding. Police seized over 400 works from various properties and discovered many were fakes, allegedly painted by Coles. Coles was discovered after his disappearance working as a taxi cab driver, and is in custody pending the posting of his $AU100,000 bail. Coles offering little remorse claims that he is the victim in the scam that potentially places the Australian art industry in disrespect with potential investors.

Inspired by Jeremy Eccles http://ow.ly/8Jmox image source Brock Perks http://ow.ly/8JmZv

Ronald Ernest “Ron” Paul the 75 year old Texan medical doctor and US Republican Congressman and candidate for the 2012 presidential nomination thinks declaring “bankruptcy” might be a good idea on how the US should deal with the growing debt problem confronting the US government. Paul has been referred to as the ‘Intellectual godfather’ of the Tea Party movement and has the most conservative voting record of any member of Congress. Paul wants to convert the U.S. monetary system to one based on the gold standard, and has introduced a bill to audit and inventory the US gold reserves, with the intention to eliminate the Federal Reserve as a way to reduce the deficit by $1.6trill that the government owes to the Reserve, believing this action would provide reassurance to the markets.

Inspired by Frances Martel http://ow.ly/5wLYq image source http://ow.ly/5wLXL