June 2006

The internet is abuzz with the story of Tamara Hoover, an Austin, Texas art teacher who is probably going to get fired because of some nude photos. All I can say is this: I wish my art teachers looked like Tamara Hooover… and if there were nude photos available on for what passed for the internet in those days, EVEN BETTER!

But more seriously, the story goes something like this: Tamara Hoover was a high school art teacher, beloved by her students, until a fellow teacher (or a student, according to some reports) discovered nude photos of Hoover on the internet. Then all hell broke loose. Now Hoover could be out of a job. Here’s some info. from the Statesman:

The teacher, Tamara Hoover, 29, has been on paid administrative leave since May 19 because “inappropriate material” was posted on a Web site, according to the district. A student notified school officials about the site’s content, namely several portraits that show Hoover nude from the waist up.

Austin High School art teacher Tamara Hoover says the photos of her posted online are ‘artistic photography,’ not pornography. This photo was among those on a Flickr Web site, a site some students looked at during class last month.

Hoover defended her actions in a blog by saying that the pictures are not pornography but “artistic photography” and that she neither knew nor had any control over which photographs were posted by the photographer.

The school district’s policies regarding employee behavior include a moral turpitude clause that prohibits “base, vile, or depraved acts that are intended to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of the actor.

We will be following this story in the days to come not only because we love topless art teachers and girl-on-girl action, but because this screams injustice on so many levels. First of all, it’s not like she was a math teacher or something. We all know that nudity is a big part of why we all love art in the first place. Secondly, is all the furor really because of nudity or is it because the photos depicted non-traditonal life-style type stuff? Thirdly, we are sick of Jesus-mania taking over even cool places like Austin.

Unfortunately, we have been busy with film festival travel and we totally missed the nude photos which have been (wisely) removed from the internet. But if anybody has them in their personal collections, please feel free to share! (austinoutsider (at) gmail.com)

Links of note:

Tamara Hoover’s MySpace Page

Austinist Call to Action

Celesta Danger flickr photos (naked teacher photos have been removed)

Here are a few more awesome Celesta Danger pics featuring Tamara Hoover:

The historic State Theatre was flooded last night due to a broken water main. There is no estimate yet on the damage but the stage, backstage and first four rows of seats are currently completely under water. The set for the current show “The Bunk Bed Brothers” was also destroyed. Needless to say, this is a serious problem for the non-profit theatre. You can find out more about the flood and made an on-line donation at the State Theatre website.

BigRedBarbie tipped us off to the Love Your Area website. I had noticed posters for this downtown, but figured it was nothing more than a snazzy real estate sales site. And while it IS a snazzy real estate sales site, it also features some pretty great features. The site, sponsored by Avenue One properties, is set up so you can make little photo slideshows about the area around you. Some of the photo essays are actually pretty great. And while you’re at it, you can check out properties that are for sale as well as upcoming Open Houses. (Tip: Is This Really Journalism)

Thanks to everybody who has submitted links. You have pointed out some really cool sites. I have added them to our re-vived Links page, so check them out.

Also, as we get ready to enter the next phase of the Outsider, we are looking for a few new voices to add to our little webzine. You can read all the details here.

Today is a total geek out day for me because the Dazed and Confused Criterion edition is finally hitting stores. Dazed is a movie I can throw in the player and watch any time.
Here’s a preview image that I stole from Wiley Wiggins’ blog.

You can read a glowing and in-depth review of the disc at DVD Talk.

After all our excitement about the creation of the massive screen-printed mural at Bird’s Barbershop, I finally decided it was time to check it out in person. The rock-and-roll meets haircutting hype coming from Bird’s has left a lot of people intrigued but also a little puzzled, myself included. I knew Bird’s would at the very least be a great looking place, but I was concerned about two things:

1. Would it be TOO cool? I can’t stand trendy salons staffed by hipster hair stylists with superiority complexes.

2. Were the haircuts actually good? Bird’s is a walk-in place and I haven’t been to a walk-in place since a bad experience with Supercuts in college that soured me on clipper cuts for life.

So at the risk of being temporarily marred by a clipper wielding hipster, I cancelled my hair appointment last week and went to Bird’s.
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