Everything has its place and the telephone’s is just inside the front door, on its own Tasmanian-Oak side table. A white doily with tin…
Everything has its place and the telephone’s is just inside the front door, on its own Tasmanian-Oak side table. A white doily with tiny embroidered flowers, a Christmas gift from one of the congregation, ensures that the wood remains in pristine condition. Roland, like any self righteous man in his place would do, insists on inventing a use for every gift that finds it’s way into his outstretched palms. So every surface of his…their house… bears the personal touch of a closet disenchanted housewife whose mother taught them a thing or two about needlework. / “You’re right there it’s been a fairly quiet week.” I agree, hastily restoring my end of the conversation with the most general comment imaginable. / “Of course it has, Roland loves nothing more than good conversation…except your good self of course!” Sally laughs, curling the phone cord around her wrist. / “Naturally…we took the vows he steadfastly believes in.” / “You did indeed…and you’re all the better for it.” / “Sometimes…I’m not sure…I catch myself wondering, well, where would I be without him?” / “A dark place hon, shadows everywhere…he really pulled you out of it didn’t he?” / “Yeah I spose he did…that’s the latest in back-fence talk been bandied about anyway.” / “Come on hon I know the feeling of such a big community can be a little daunting, especially for a younger woman like yourself, but be grateful for it: at least you know everyone really cares about you.” / “There’s always that angle.” / “There is indeed! So just try and focus in on that, and any ‘negativity’ you’re feeling will dissipate, I promise! We’re all here to help you hon, me especially, so the sooner you start believing that, the better!” / “I know…you’ve been a great help, you all have…” / “And we’re going to continue to be hon, every step of the way and that includes coffee at 11 tomorrow.” / “Looking forward to it,” I assure her, then replace the receiver in it’s cradle before the closest thing I have to companionship can think of anything else to proclaim and promise. / / / More than ample provisions were made for his materialisation. A makeshift stage was assembled on the patchwork lawn. In the centre was a chipped lectern, whose very existence the Caringbah Bible Chapel were forced to deny after it’s sprawled legs claimed a third victim, this time a visiting evangelist who, before appointing Jesus as his true Lord and Saviour, tore after ambulances and trawled hospitals for expiring accident victims and their families. If it wasn’t for the bonfire in his throat, Roland Walker would have had something worthwhile and weighted to say at his daughter Catherine’s farewell dinner. But, as Jeremiah 30:17 so perfectly spells out; “I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the Lord.” Roland took immeasurable comfort from this passage; if it was God’s will that his chronic laryngitis should depart, then it indeed would. He sipped honey-lemon tea, took warm showers as required and even went as far as to swallow two ibuprofen tablets in addition to the recommended dosage of aspirin. Yet, in spite of these determined efforts, God had chosen for Roland not to speak and as unfair as this seemed at the time, he knew not to trouble the Messiah with so much as a raised eyebrow. / Even when Roland is detained beneath a duck feather eiderdown and a mountain of pillows, crocheted blankets and wilting flowers, I can’t break the habit of knocking on our bedroom door. I stand outside, running my bare feet nervously across the mohair carpet until I realise that permission to enter wont be granted anytime soon, given his absent voice. / Propped up in our vast bed by two royal blue banana pillows, his eyes abandon the leather bound King James and follow me across the room. / “When you’re ready.” I offer, setting the Tupperware container on his bedside table. / A motion of his head grants me sanction and I ease the Bible from his hairless hands and rest it at the foot of the bed. / “Sally suggested this remedy when I was over at her place for coffee this morning” I explained, motioning to the container on the table. / His eyes light up at the mention of one of the most cherished and trusted members of his congregation. I know now that whatever remedy I’m offering, he will take without a moment’s hesitation. / “All you’ve got to do is inhale the steam. I spose it soothes or something I’m not sure, she didn’t say…I’ll hold the bowl for you.” I offer, prying the lid off the container of boiling water. / He takes bottomless, down-reaching breaths as I steady the container beneath his stubbled chin. The urge to tip it all down the front of his blue flannelette pyjama top creeps in through an ever stretching hole. The container trembles a little as I force this vision back into the rain soaked trenches of my perception. / “…I…I hope…I really hope it’s working ok…” I manage, a reemergence of sorts. / He shrugs his shoulders, motioning for the bowl to be removed from his sight. / “I guess only time will tell” I answer helplessly, setting the container just outside the door then returning to plant the Bible back in his outstretched hands. / “Your congregation they…they miss you… guess you figured that with all the gifts…the fill-in pastor isn’t fit to sew the hem of your garment, they all agree…well I’ll…I’ll let you get some rest anyway, sooner you recover the better really…” I ramble as I collect his washing and head towards the door. / A smile edges it’s way to his thin lips as I pull it closed; he must be turning my ramblings over in his head, letting the fact that he is sorely missed at church hand feed his ego. / There are only so many times you can squeegee piss stains off the bathroom floor before your mind turns to batter. Roland takes great care in every function of his life, and judging by this and the lack of crusted droplets on our en-suite floor, the three shake rule applies when he’s pissing. The same can’t be said for Jessica Barton’s husband George or her three sons. / As part of the ‘Live the Gospel and Get to Know Your Neighbour’ campaign, developed by Sally and approved by Roland with a flourish of his Parker Pen, I am doing chores for the Barton’s this week. Sally sits at the breakfast bar in their newly renovated kitchen, sipping a cup of percolated coffee and offering shouts of encouragement. / “Hon, come out here a minute, I’d say you’re nearly done anyway.” / Rinsing the squeegee in the Barton’s oversized shower and leaving it there to dry, I come out to the kitchen. / “How’s it going?” Sally asks enthusiastically. / “Ah great now that’s done,” I return weakly. / “You’re right; it gives you a fantastic feeling inside when you help out your fellow man,” Sally asserts, reassured and oddly satisfied. / With her hair is up in a tight bun that contorts her usually delicate features, she appears more authoritative and less of a companion today. / “I’ve been emailing Roland a fair bit while he’s been unwell, to give him a bit of an outlet and obviously keep the lines of communication open, he is the Pastor after all…” Sally began, her hands dancing on the Formica bench top as she spoke. / “Anyway, what I’m saying is, what we both are saying is…it’s been nearly five months since you and Roland married. I can understand you wanting to find your feet in this community and so on: but we’re getting a little impatient now hon, the whole congregation is…” / Her words all melt into one, like butter when you leave the fry pan on, and I rock the kitchen chair on and off my foot in bid to stay alert. / “You know, it’s been great getting to know you hon, it really has, both before you and Roland married and since…but did you ever think that I was doing it for a reason?” She asks, her rust coloured eyes rifling through me for an answer. / I tilt the chair back and bring it back down again, half intending it to topple onto the cream tiles below, sending me sprawling and distracting Sally from the question that lay in wait. / “Well, ah no…not really…I left all my old friends behind when I moved here and started dating Roland…I just thought that we were similar people in some ways and maybe you saw that …” / “Yes yes you’re partially right but there’s more to it…I know Roland hasn’t told you anything at all about loosing his first wife, Marilyn, and I’m not going to, that’s up to him. But let me just say this; it just about destroyed him hon. So many changes, we barely knew him anymore, but we stuck close by him, hanging out for something to happen, for the Lord to intervene: and that’s when he met and married you. I can’t tell you how good it was to see the old Roland again, and it still is but…” / “But what…” I ask, captivated and repelled by the sight of my husband’s grief unearthed. / “But you’re not fully involved in church life hon: there’s whole lot of hesitation to you that no one, least of all Roland, would’ve picked.” / “I know it’s just that…” I begin, overcome with a bizarre sense of emotional responsibility. / “Look, enough with the ‘it’s just that’ excuse, ok hon? I’ve tried to be sympathetic but we’re not asking for much. Listen, Dan’s taking the kids up to see his mother this weekend, so I’ve got the house free. Why don’t you come over, stay the weekend if you like and I’ll show you what it really means to accept Jesus into your heart!” / Sally’s face shines with conviction as she finishes her sentence and a fleck of spittle flies from her mouth and lands on my arm, a Baptism of sorts.
/ This t-shirt is actually available here...
/ This t-shirt is actually available here (there’s one with words too). It’s my observation of office politics. Am I wrong? Hmmm…don’t think so. Well with this little number you can wear it to work and convey the not-so-subtle ‘you bastards’ message to all and sundry. Or simply wear it on the weekend and enjoy the sympathetic nods from passers-by. It looks cool in olive. Which will only make them meaner and greener (or olive-er) with envy. Hee-hee. Be a winner, Buy it.
Seems a wee bit of sand has been kicked out of the Bubbletown sandpit in the last few days. So, for those with a serious and unwavering p…
Seems a wee bit of sand has been kicked out of the Bubbletown sandpit in the last few days. So, for those with a serious and unwavering political mind, welcome aboard the SS Satire . Please enjoy your complimentary cruise around the land that’s girt by sea, courtesy of yours truly, Captain Daz. Sit back, relax, and of course make yourself known to Basil the barman. The drinks are on the house. Cheers. PS. Follow the link. We’re a bit different in Australia
This was a recent request by a respondent. / Thank you for your comment, kind of you to take the time to view my stuff. / You dont know me …
This was a recent request by a respondent. / Thank you for your comment, kind of you to take the time to view my stuff. / You dont know me very well obviously. / I refuse to be silenced.
For those Australian’s out in the Bubble world who have switch on the tv in the last week two you will be aware of the governments decis…
For those Australian’s out in the Bubble world who have switch on the tv in the last week two you will be aware of the governments decision to appologise to the Stolen Generations of Australia’s Aboriginal peoples. In the spirit of reconcillation (as an indigenous australian myself) I would like to invite all interested members of Red Bubble to show there support and create there own Sorry Statement and upload it to the Aboriginal Art group ” and with abit of luck the powers at red bubble will also pick up this idea and theme the home page in the spirit of reconcillation. Please feel free to share this with other bubble members – it would be great to see a ground swell happening & I will make sure that many of the elders that I know will see your sorry statements on Feb 13th. If you need to find a reason to say Sorry read below: THis is an exerpt from an e-mail I recieved recently. / From Crikey: / Mythbusters: ten sorry excuses exploded / Editor of The National Indigenous Times Chris Graham writes: There’s nothing like a little ‘sorry’ debate to get white Australia all red and puffy. Here’s a punter’s guide to exploding 10 of the more virulent myths surrounding a national apology to members of the Stolen Generations: It was done by a previous generation. / Not correct. Of all the Stolen Generations myths, this is the biggest. If it were “previous generations”, then surely there’d be no-one left to apologize to? The facts are that the removal of Aboriginal children continued well into the 1960s and early 1970s. It’s worth noting it was absolutely raging during the late 1950s, when a small, lispy man named John Howard was serving as president of the NSW Young Liberals. Saying sorry won’t deliver better results in health, housing or education. / Here’s a surprising revelation for you—saying sorry is not supposed to deliver health, housing and education. Equally, saying sorry won’t prevent governments from delivering health, housing and education. This particular objection is perhaps the dumbest of them all and is run by conservatives like Warren Mundine, Noel Pearson and The Australian. Its fundamental flaw is that it relies on the premise that Australia is so backward as a nation we can’t deliver practical outcomes while simultaneously delivering symbolic gestures. In other words, we can’t walk and chew gum at the same time. I will not be made to feel guilt and shame for something I didn’t do. / In the case of younger Australians who were not alive during the removal practices, the word ‘Sorry’ does not have to be an expression of shame or guilt. It can be an expression of empathy, as in ‘I’m sorry to hear your mum died’ or ‘I’m sorry you got hurt in that car accident’. Personally, I was born in 1972 when government started to abandon the removal policies. I don’t feel shame at my personal actions, but I do feel shame at the actions of my country. As for older Australians, many claim ‘I had nothing to do with it’. Well, that’s part of the problem – bad things happen when good people stay silent. The point is not that older Australians participated in the removal process, but that they did nothing to stop it. Saying ‘But I didn’t know it was happening’ is certainly more than sufficient to keep you out of a court of law, but it’s not enough to excuse you from a collective national apology. If you’re still confused on this front, you might recall that several years ago, John Howard apologized to Vietnam Veterans for their treatment when they returned from the war. Again, having been born in 1972, I didn’t mistreat Vietnam Veterans. But I had absolutely no problem with the PM saying sorry to them on my behalf, because I am sorry (and I ashamed for my nation) that they were treated so poorly. Some Aboriginal leaders have said an apology is not important. / Sure, but almost every one of them (hi Warren, hi Noel!) are not members of the Stolen Generations. Their views on whether or not an apology is warranted are no more or less relevant than your or my view… because none of us are victims. Aboriginal people can’t even agree on an apology. / Wow, Aboriginal people have this amazing thing called ‘independent thought’. The facts are that some members of the Stolen Generations don’t want an apology. That’s their right. But the overwhelming majority do. That’s also their right. It costs us nothing. / Contrary to popular opinion, a national apology will have no legal affect on the capacity of members of the Stolen Generations to seek compensation. As a nation, an apology costs us nothing. Period. I didn’t do it! / No, you didn’t. But you certainly benefited from it. Just as all Australians today, even some black Australians (hi Noel, hi Warren!) have directly benefited from the theft of Aboriginal land, all Australians have benefited from the removal of Aboriginal children. Why? Because almost all children who were removed to government institutions were then forced to work for the government or private citizens for little or no pay. In America, they called that process slavery. In Australia, we called it ‘apprenticeships’. / In December 2006, both the federal parliament released a report supported by the ALP and the Liberals acknowledging the stolen wages scandal. The people who performed the removals were good people who did a bad thing. / Big f-cking deal. Good people do bad things all the time, but that doesn’t mean they’re excused from apologising. It won’t affect white Australia, so why worry? / The removals practice AND the use of this issue by John Howard as a race wedge is a stain on white Australia’s recent past. Just as Aboriginal people need an apology to move on, white Australia needs to apologise to move on. Saying sorry won’t change the past. / Sadly, it won’t. But it will have a massive impact on the future. That’s the whole point. A real apology will mean an enormous amount to Aboriginal people. I still can’t fathom what sort of a nation would deny them one. Thanks in advance. Bianca Beetson / (Pinkstinks)
READER BEWARE: what follows is a perhaps tedious, lengthy, self-indulgent bit of prose that reflects a somewhat disheartened spirit today…
READER BEWARE: what follows is a perhaps tedious, lengthy, self-indulgent bit of prose that reflects a somewhat disheartened spirit today. Tomorrow will be another, better day, I’m sure. Lay the blame for it – should you manage to get through it all – on the fact that today I accomplished the tense task of filing my taxes – lol. (And to give credit where credit is due, I borrowed the phrase tense task of taxes from my dearest friend, Joan Ireland.) All my adult life, if you asked me who I was / I’d have responded in this order: / I’m a teacher, a reader, a political animal, / a private, part time writer as a means of / personal expression only, a thinker. / Then I’d have added wife, mother, daughter, / sister, friend, kind of artsy-craftsy artist of / no note whatsoever. / Teacher – that’s how I identified myself / first and foremost. For the last 25 years of my teaching career / I taught sociology, social justice and religion / to high school seniors. / My passion was justice – / in politics, in the economic arena, for the poor, / for the middle class who were caught / in the struggle between those who have / too much and those who have too little, / justice for the oppressed – / for reasons of race or creed at home or elsewhere - / in El Salvador, which broke / my heart, the Sudan, Ethiopia, / East Timor, Tibet, / justice in the Middle East, / justice… giving each sacred human being his / due, his basic human rights that exist simply and / undeniably because he’s a human being, / justice for the environment we all share, / justice – period. And I tried not to just talk a good game / in the classroom but to model it, / to get my students involved in / taking care of their little piece of turf / to make a difference, / teaching them, by example, I hoped, / how to be critical thinkers / and problem solvers, / good decision-makers who regard the / needs of others at least as equal to their own. / I engaged them and others in what / I hoped was intelligent debate, / engaged myself in political campaigns, / the occasional protest against wars / or the rape of the middle class / or toxic waste. I gave that all up – most of it unwillingly, / beaten, I suppose, / by forces against which I apparently / had no weapons at all. / Gave up the husband to colon cancer / and a heart attack, linked by the / government’s own admission to / Agent Orange and his time in Vietnam, / the children to freedom, pursuing their / own paths in distant parts of the country, / the friends to distance too. / But I gave up teaching for other reasons / and they are what trouble me today. I tired of the struggle frankly – / The students I faced in that final five years / were very different than those / I’d taught in the first twenty – / more spoiled, more self-indulgent, / academically lazier, with little intellectual / curiosity and a kind of brainwashed political / ideology handed on over the dinner table / by ruggedly individualistic parents – when / they ever had dinner together. / These students, whether children of affluence / or children of struggle, had become hedonists / or escapists with no interests beyond material purchases, / the virtual reality of video games and computers, / the casual sex of entitlement, parentally supplied / alcohol or pervasive recreational drugs. / I saw even very good schools graduating / functionally illiterate young men and women, / universities unable to remediate that failure, / standards declining, literacy rates dropping, / a cultural negligence of all trying to seek / the lowest common denominator within / a grossly overindulged youth mindset. / When even the school administration supported / parents who wanted their babies to have fun instead / of challenging assignments or homework, I left. / When I no longer had the wherewithal, even / in partnership with other like-minded people / to affect educational standards at all, I quit. Politically, I was bamboozled once too often / and betrayed by those whose lofty rhetoric / was left behind after election, / like dusty volumes in an anachronistic library, / when confronted by the wheeling and dealing of / contemporary government. I sincerely / still believe, as I once so idealistically did / and adamantly taught, / that no single politician can / substitute charisma for character or the / courage to lose for telling the whole truth. / The last such politician to tell the unadulterated, / unvarnished truth was Jimmy Carter – / who spoke honestly about our malaise of spirit / and was promptly trampled for his truth / by wrathful patriots hungrier for sugarcoating / and slogans than for substance. / It only took another twenty-two years for him / to win the Nobel Prize and be recognized / for the decent, honorable, quietly determined, / peaceful man he was. That won’t win me kudos / I’m sure from big defense advocates, but / I’ll take peacemaking over saber rattling any day. So I’m disheartened, disabused, and / feeling hollowly empty of purpose. I fear / for those who still cling with sincere / hearts and strong conviction to dreams of / big change tied to the raft of rhetoric. / But perhaps I’m just an aging cynic / who has outlived her usefulness. / In the shelter of my own small circle / of affairs, I feel more in control / and less befuddled, bamboozled or betrayed.
THE BASICS OF ART FOR ACTIVISM AND CHANGE COMMUNITY BASED ART Creative expression emerging from a NEED to collectively highli…
THE BASICS OF ART FOR ACTIVISM AND CHANGE COMMUNITY BASED ART Creative expression emerging from a NEED to collectively highlight and educate for social improvement. Involves many varied social contexts and definitions. Includes an understanding not only of geography but also history and tradition, ethnicity and dedication or belief in spirit. Includes topics/issues (but not limited to): racism, sexism, homophobia, ageism, classism, ableism and all forms of discrimination that create marginalisation in society. COMMUNITY BASED ARTISTS Concerned with the functionality of art in public arenas including community development, corrections, education, intergenerational communications, aging, environment, conflict resolution, cultural citizenship etc. Work with all media, in all disciplines, everywhere. Committed to bringing arts and education to highlight and expose the widest possible range of social conditions and challenges facing our communities. Seek to create social change on every level of society, from the most ‘personal’ to the most ‘political’. Activist Art for Leadership… How do we practice it and what style does it inhibit? Is it catching? WHAT IS IT ALL ABOUT? A few thoughts… If you want to change things you do it with people not to people. Ongoing revolution. To service the greater good activist art (like all forms of expression) should be regarded according to review, peer assessment, research and budget in order to gauge it’s effectiveness in society. A crucial shift in thinking is to involve people for their abilities, what they can do, rather than build up an attitude that only aesthetic or technically sound work should be the focus or at the forefront of the revolution in an ideological sense. Artistic merit should be judged according to a clear communication of a relevant, centralised and communal message, no matter the art form or level of artistic development. Activist art is concerned with cultural and ideological democracy and the right of all to have access to services. Equal rights for one should not come at the cost of another’s rights. Activist art is concerned with promoting a community that encourages ideas and the community leaders who have the courage to put them forward. A community that takes pride in the way we treat and include those that need our help. Inclusion. Apart from enjoying the right to create art for its own sake, activists are often draw to art. Activist Artists are concerned with highlighting technocratic decision making processes… behind closed doors based on limited information and without initial intention to consult those whom the decision most affected. Rather than fearing our differences, we wish to be a people who celebrate it. Recognising diversity can give birth to creativity as much as conflict. / YET… We do not seek to be a society that fears rigorous debate. It is through the testing of ideas, through endless argument and negotiation that a community retains it’s vitality and survives. let our debates be based on mutual respect and the denial of violence. Some Examples of Activist Art: Some Examples of Activist Art In the Art Action Union Gallery One REALLY GOOD link: / Community-based Art for Social Change
I had to share this with you …. The following is the 2007 winning entry from an annual / contest at Texas A&M University calling for …
I had to share this with you …. The following is the 2007 winning entry from an annual / contest at Texas A&M University calling for the most / appropriate definition of a contemporary term. This / year’s term was Political Correctness. / / The winner wrote, / / “Political Correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a / delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted / by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth / the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick / up a turd by the clean end.”
I found out about this ludicrous proposed law on Red Bubble...
I found out about this ludicrous proposed law on Red Bubble and wanted to let everyone else know what they can do about it! If you have not heard about the Orphan Works Act, then you should research it and speak out before it is too late (especially if you are an artist, writer, and/or musician)! No, this Act is not about displaced children or found animals. It revolves around works of art (including fine art, photography, writing, music, etc.) that are not registered with newly proposed agencies. ANY work not registered would be considered in the public domain. This is a dangerous concept and just goes to show how greedy and capitalistic our society, government, and big businesses have become. According to GoPetition.com: “If the Orphan Works legislation passes, you and I and all creatives will lose virtually all the rights to not only our future work but to everything we’ve created over the past 34 years, unless we register it with the new, untested and privately run (by the friends and cronies of the U.S. government) registries. Even then, there is no guarantee that someone wishing to steal your personal creations won’t successfully call your work an orphan work, and then legally use it for free. In short, if Congress passes this law, YOU WILL LOSE THE RIGHT TO MAKE MONEY FROM YOUR OWN CREATIONS!” We would be forced into a world where big business can bully us and use whatever they wanted and not be penalized for it. And, this law not only affects artists, writers, and musicians. It also affect the everyday consumer! If you are planning to get your the photographs of your cousin’s wedding developed at a Wal-Mart or other big box retailer, then you better be prepared to get every image copyrighted or you may just end up seeing them on Wal-Mart’s billboards! Gone would be the days of having rights the minute you create something. Now, if you don’t pay to protect it, then it is like no one created the image and it is up for grabs! Who wants to live in this kind of world other than greedy politicians and businesses? And, it does not surprise me that this has all happened under the Bush administration. Who were the idiots that voted for him and thought he would do us some good? Well, seems like the joke’s on YOU! In an April 10th article in Animation World Magazine, award-winning animation producer/director and speaker, Mark Simon, writes: “It is currently against international law to coerce people to register their work for copyright because there are so many inherent problems with it. But because big business can push through laws in the United States, our country is about to break with the rest of the world, again, and take your rights away. With the tens of millions of photos and pieces of artwork created each year, the bounty for forcing everyone to pay a registration fee would be enormous. We lose our rights and our creations, and someone else makes money at our expense. This includes every sketch, painting, photo, sculpture, drawing, video, song and every other type of creative endeavor. All of it is at risk! If the Orphan Works legislation passes, you and I and all creatives will lose virtually all the rights to not only our future work but to everything we’ve created over the past 34 years, unless we register it with the new, untested and privately run (by the friends and cronies of the U.S. government) registries. Even then, there is no guarantee that someone wishing to steal your personal creations won’t successfully call your work an orphan work, and then legally use it for free.” So, what can you do about it? Well educate yourself on the issues, write to your congress men and women, and sign as many petitions as your can. To get your started, check out this petition, which I have already signed: Say ‘NO!’ to the Orphan Works Act on GoPetition.com Also, be sure to check out these resources for more information: Say ‘NO!’ to the Orphan Works Act on GoPetition.com Mark Simon’s Mind Your Business: You Will Lose All The Rights to Your Own Art IPA Orphan Works Resource Page for Artists U.S. Copyright’s Office Orphan Works Page ASMP’s Update on the 2008 Orphan Works Act You can also find more information about the Orphan Works Act on Red Bubble: Helen Bascom’s Protect Your Copyright – URGENT ACTION REQUIRED Erin Jay’s Something every artist should know about! Crockpot’s The Orphan Works Act of 2008 ~ RELEASE WanderingAuthor’s Writers’ Concerns bchrisdesigns’ Say ‘NO!’ to the Orphan Works Act The Red Bubble forum dedicated to this discussion Say No to Orphan Works Thread @ Burst Anime and Manga Mike Cressy’s IMPORTANT! READ AND ACT NOW!!!
I deliver Chinese food for a living. My day consists of driving, communicating with my customers, writing, and catching small doses of CN…
I deliver Chinese food for a living. My day consists of driving, communicating with my customers, writing, and catching small doses of CNN between deliveries. The people I meet are so varied. / The overweight man who screamed in disbelief when he saw that an American was delivering Chinese. After which he yelled at his wife for losing his credit card. His son (also overweight) laughed at it all. He had an American flag flying in the front yard, a sticker that read “the power of pride” taped to his door. / Fires swept through California, burning thousands of acres and destroying countless homes, countless lives. / The twentysomething man in the projects, his porch littered with empty forty ounce bottles and other trash, some of which blows away in the wind, some of which is rooted forever. He pays me with ten dollars worth of change. In his yard is a sign for Barack Obama, “change we can believe in”. / Des Moines is drowning. A refrigerator swept away by the water bangs lifelessly against a bridge because there is no longer room underneath for it to fit. / The woman in the tank top who never wears a bra. She must always put that joint out when I knock, because her apartment reeks of that pungent smell I love and hate so much. Her baby is laying on the couch. / Two little girls were murdered. We see the wooded backroad where it happened, the police tape falling into the mud as a light rain covers the camera lense. Nancy Grace is saying something, but I’m not sure what. / The man who lives on the hill with his two little girls. They always scream “the Chinese man is here” when I walk to the door. I guess race doesn’t mean much to them. He tips me well, even though he shouldn’t. / Politicians are wagging their forked tongues. They say so much but never say a thing. Gas went up again while they were talking.
I just received the following gmail: comments@whitehouse.gov / to me / / show details 10:05 AM (1 hour ago) / / / Reply / / ...
I just received the following gmail: comments@whitehouse.gov / to me / / show details 10:05 AM (1 hour ago) / / / Reply / / / On behalf of President Bush, thank you for your correspondence. We appreciate hearing your views and welcome your suggestions. Due to the large volume of e-mail received, the White House cannot respond to every message. Thank you again for taking the time to write. Now I can’t recall writing anything to that dipstick Pres Bush at the White House and I sure as hell haven’t added him to my MySpace friends, so what the hell is this? Any clues anyone? :-) I’ll send a bomb back… Can I be arrested for saying that? 8-0
“You can wrap an old fish in a piece of paper called change. It’s still gonna stink.” “We’ve had enough of the same old thing.” -If…
“You can wrap an old fish in a piece of paper called change. It’s still gonna stink.” “We’ve had enough of the same old thing.” -If you haven’t seen the news on this, which flooded both american and international news networks in a matter of hours, then this was Barack Obama referring to the republican’s economic policy. His audience, however, believed he was referring to Sarah Palin, and therefore began to applaud. Perhaps that idea stemmed from one of Palin’s comments before this in her nomination acceptance speech: “What’s the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull? Lipstick.” Obama has been accused of being sexist. Obama meanwhile quite fairly claims that he was referring to the republican’s economic proposals. However, I still can’t help feeling this IS towards the republican candidates themselves. McCain is the pig, Palin is the lipstick. And America needs to realise this. When you vote republican, you don’t vote for Palin, you vote for McCain. I’m seriously worried that the American public may not realise that. Just think about it- once a President is in power, vice presidents no longer have much to do with the country. They are simply the running mate- and that is all. Once the election is over, they no longer matter. I mean, WHO is the current Vice President? Yes, I know it is Dick Cheney, but just LOOK at the Vice Presidency- it’s just a person there for show, a useful standby should a President die in office, but that is all. Voting republican means voting McCain, not Palin. Obama’s speech also for me had another significance- that every word he said was true here. Change, to the republicans, is the piece of paper. It will still stink. I personally believe McCain is another Bush in disguise- by voting McCain, you put yourselves under another Bush. The piece of paper is this change- and it doesn’t make a difference to what lies underneath, to me, the same bunch of idiots who supported Bush and now support McCain. America does not need another Bush- why vote for one? The republican’s haven’t truly changed, They aren’t New Republicans. They’re the same old Republicans that George Bush was. Nothing will change under McCain- wake up America, and make change possible. Furthermore, America must also realise that the responsibility of electing the next President matters weighs upon their shoulders as it is a decision that affects the entire world. George Bush affected the entire world. Not for the better. So the Republicans, as Obama has said so eloquently in his speech, using an old phrase to make a new point, are just the same old Republican party in disguise, the party of George Bush. You can dress it up with lipstick- a popular Vice Presidential candidate like Sarah Palin with her oh so cute family (who on EARTH names their kids Trig, Track, Bristol, Willow and Piper? I think that alone is disgraceful). Obama can’t be accused of unfair play here- every word he said is the truth- Palin and ‘Change’ are merely temporary costumes- just wait until you see the true McCain. You won’t like it. (Sorry here if it sounds like an Obama campaign piece, but I’ve tried to make it much more. Vote Obama ; ) .
Now I am not a very political soul, as most of you know, but when I saw this info it made me so very angry and I thought it would be good…
Now I am not a very political soul, as most of you know, but when I saw this info it made me so very angry and I thought it would be good to share since it is getting close to the time for those voting booths to open…..I will not be voting this year there are only two choices and I cant stand either one….Here is some info from the Defenders of Wildlife~ Governor Sarah Palin, the Republican nominee for Vice President, promotes the practice of Aerial Wolf Hunting, exploiting a loophole in the Federal Airborne Hunting Act to allow private wolf killers to shoot down wolves using aircraft. To encourage the killing, she even proposed a $150 bounty for the left foreleg of each dead wolf! We have to get the word out about this! Please watch this powerful new television ad by Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund, and then share it with every wildlife lover you know: http://actionfund.defenders.org/palintvwolf Please find it in your heart to spread the word, too many of our precious animals are in danger of becoming extinct, with some one in a position of power who has no concern for our wild life, it will only make the problems endangered animals are face worse and we can not afford to let that happen. / In Light and Love to All of you, may Peace be in our future, / Leah
OK.. I HAVE NOT SAID MUCH.. BUT I LIKE TO…. THROUGH THE TID BITS THAT INTELLIGENT PEOPLE PUT TOGETHER ON YOU-TUBE..SAY HOW I FEEL ABOUT…
OK.. I HAVE NOT SAID MUCH.. BUT I LIKE TO…. THROUGH THE TID BITS THAT INTELLIGENT PEOPLE PUT TOGETHER ON YOU-TUBE..SAY HOW I FEEL ABOUT THE STATE OF AFFAIRS HERE IN THE US… WHY WORRY.. HE KNOWS HOW TO HANDLE OUR ECONOMY..RIGHT? AND A OLDIE BUT GOODIE WHY VOTE REPUBLICAN?
I have to admit, I’ve been impressed by the current US election campaign. It’s generated some really incredible political art. One of my …
I have to admit, I’ve been impressed by the current US election campaign. It’s generated some really incredible political art. One of my favourites is “Palin as President” – some pretty sharp political wit at play here. I know it’s been done to death, but as it’s updated daily, it’s worth revisiting http://www.palinaspresident.us/ Joe the curtain etc is especially good. This on the other hand, just scares the fuck out of me.
This is the only bulletin I will post on this subject because this is normally not my thing. If you do not have an open mind, are set in …
This is the only bulletin I will post on this subject because this is normally not my thing. If you do not have an open mind, are set in your ways, or just don’t give a damn about other people’s thoughts, don’t read any further. This election is a big one for sure, more of a life changing election than any one before this. I have noticed that in times such as these, people tend to let their feelings about things cause them to be ‘ugly’ and hateful. It is sad the the bi-partisan politics has caused this country to split into two groups, but hey, that is the way of the land I suppose. Let me tell you this before you read on; I am educated on this subject so don’t go trying to tell me otherwise for I will throw more articles and such down your throat than you can ever read in your life time. Second, I am neither democrat nor republican and do not care to be. I will vote for what I think is right, not what is popular or what my ‘party’ is voting for. I do not really care for Obama, I don’t really care for McCain, so keep that in mind when reading this. If you claim to be christian, which I do not so don’t try to throw that in my face, do not sit there and slander Obama for being Muslim. Last I remember, good Christians do not judge others; they let their Lord do it. The same goes for the whole race issue. A ‘real’ Christian would not slander Obama for being a black man. Black people have done wonderful things for our country and are no different than you or I. It burns me up when I hear or read people go on and on about how Obama is not Christian or that he is a black man. This whole country was created for those who wanted a freedom of religion or did we not all pay attention in history class? This country is and was dubbed ‘The Melting Pot’ for a reason; people from all backgrounds, races, religions and so forth came to this country so that they could live in peace without being percecuted for what they believed.So now in 2008 people are running around saying they won’t vote for a ‘n*’???? That isn’t Christian people. That is ridiculous. So just because I am of Irish decent and have pasty pale skin and reddish hair, are you gonna say I am not worthy of something or another? What if Obama was Catholic? Or Protostant? Or Babtist? Would that make a difference to you? Oh wait, I guess they are ‘true Christians’ then, huh? Whatever…..true Christians practice what they preach and if what I have written so far offends you, you obviously are NOT one. Moving on… / It is true, Obama is not one of the most ‘qualified’ men to ever have ran for president. What about George Washington? What the hell did he have to go off of? Um…nothing, he was the first in case you didn’t know that one. He turned out to be a pretty good president without credentials, wouldn’t you agree? It is true, I totally agree, when it comes to ‘qualifications’ John McCain has more experience, however, lets look at his running mate who will be taking over if he does make it to the White House and croaks in the next 6 months. FACT: Sarah Palin flat out said she had no idea what a Vice Pres does. (Does that sound qualified to you?) FACT: Sarah Palin wants to take Polar Bears off of the endangered species list so that the government can drill oil in Alaska. Sure, we would all like to stop our dependence on foreign oil however I don’t think that killing off an entire species for that purpose is a good idea, nor do many animal rights activists, which again, I am not nor claim to be. If you know anything about the environment or care to read the paper or at least the Yahoo News once in a while, you would know that every tiny creature in our world is there for a purpose. Go look up the problems with the bee shortage and then you will understand why this would be a problem. FACT: Sarah Palin is completely against abortion in any way, shape, or form UNLESS it could cause problems for the mother. Okay, let me get one thing straight, Im not one of those feminists that think that it is a womans body and she can do what she wants, because I am not. I have friends who do think that way and I do not judge them for that because I am not that type of person. I personally believe that abortion should NOT be used as a form of birth control for any girl who wants to go out and have unprotected sex and then decide she doesnt want to deal with the consequences, but I DO believe that if a woman of any age, gets raped by a stranger, friend, or even a sick pervert realitive, that she should NOT have to go through the mental anquish of having that child. It would not be a good emotional or mental situation for the mother or the child who would eventually learn of how they came to be and possibly the reason of their mothers’ resentment toward them, not to mention that in cases of incest, children are more likely to be born with serious problems both mentally and physically. Sarah Palin wants to rid us of the right to abortion in these cases. I have two daughters and if God fobid some slimeball ever did something like this to them, Sarah Palin would not want them to get an abortion. Sarah Palin would want them to go through with that pregnancy. There are many woman who are going to blindly go to the polls to vote for McCain just because his running mate is a woman. Think for one second how you would feel if your own daughter, your mother, your aunt, your sister, your best friend, any woman or young girl that you know became pregnant from a rape or from incest. Think about how that would affect their life, the life of you and their family….just think about that before you go to the polls. This is a serious issue and as a mother, I won’t stand for that. Sarah Palin is being investigated for about a million things…even hard core republicans who were all against the Bill Clinton/ Monica WhatsHerFace scandal should be able to see through this one. I mean c’mon, how are you gonna be all against Bill for getting his rocks off (not that I think it was right or that I am for him lying under oath like an idiot but still) and being investigated when this chick isnt even in office and is already being investigated? Seriously. So lets see, moving on…yeah, if anyone believes that you can see Russia from Alaska….wow, Im shocked you have the reading skills needed to read this. Even so, lets say you can. So seeing a country from a far distance makes you educated on foriegn affairs? Hell, in that case, I can say about 6 words in French, does that mean I can be VP too?? (I bet I can pull of that MILF look better than her anyways!) ;) Look, all I am trying to say is lets not be uneducated here. Do not claim to be something you are not. Do not judge a person based on their race, their background or what they believe. I’m agnostic, are you going to stop talking to me because I don’t believe in your God? Am I a bad person because my skin is lighter than yours? And more importantly, please do NOT go to those polls Tuesday with the intent to vote for a woman just because she is a woman. Woman have come a long way since we were even allowed to vote. We have become doctors, astronauts, biochemists, and yes, even Hillary and Sarah have shown us that woman can do anything we set our minds to. Please don’t cop out and stop using your brain just because awoman’s name is on a ballet. Thats all I have to say. Hope you enjoyed my rant. Again, if I pissed you off, sorry about your luck, I didnt’ intend to do so, only to make you think about using your head at the polls. ~Peace Out / Shannon aka HahpiStuff
Best wishes to pre…
Best wishes to president Obama. Congratulations Barack on your new job. We’ll all remember this day in history. And to the Americans among you congratulations on your new president. To keep a record of this I’m accepting entries from the Core [C.O.R.E] group
This series means alot to me on many levels.. It REMINDS ME.. what I am good at with the camera.. I really love photojournalism… event…
This series means alot to me on many levels.. It REMINDS ME.. what I am good at with the camera.. I really love photojournalism… events and me and capturing the essence of that day, moment, time and place are what I love to shoot. My best work has not been so much for weddings nor for personal hire nor flowers or buildings or minimal shots of which I so admire all these venues. My best work is when I am so excited about what I am seeing that it translates into the medium of photo taking. I can’t help it I love people..and most of them never know I am taking their picture.. when they are aware, sometimes electricity is exchanged in good keeping as I try to portray these moments with the best possible art in my heART. I feel a great honor to have been so recognized by the group C.O.R.E. as they caught onto my mission and indeed highlighted their features this last few day with my work and the work of many others pertaining to this momentous occasion. I deeply appreciate the Hosts. theyellow fury and the amazing Ushna Sardar They have featured / LINK ON IMAGE TO PAGE.. / LINK ON IMAGE TO PAGE.. / LINK ON IMAGE TO PAGE THEY HAVE A PAGE TO CONTRIBUTE YOUR MESSAGE HERE WHAT A WONDERFUL DAY TOO THAT MY POEM WHAT WAS HE LOOKING FOR was featured in the new group for me.. but the work they showcase is OUT OF CONTROL AMAZING.. UNCONVENTIONAL ARTISTRY THE HOSTS I WOULD LIKE TO THANK… EARTHMONSTER AND CHEYWINGS / BIG DAY AHEAD AT WORK.. ALL IS WELL.. AND I heART YOU VERY MUCH!!
Core [C.O.R.E] / ”!http://images-2.redbubble.net/img/art/cropped/size:small/view:main/24472…
Core [C.O.R.E] / / THE FRINGE /
PEACE LOVE AND TRANQUILITY IS AN INCREDIBLE GROUP.. RUN BY.. / SALLY OMAR...
PEACE LOVE AND TRANQUILITY IS AN INCREDIBLE GROUP.. RUN BY.. / SALLY OMAR / AND CHRISTOPHER BIRTWISTLE-SMITH / THANKS SO MUCH TO SALLY AND CHRISTOPHER…FOR GIVING MY SERIES…AMERICANS… PART ! A REAL SHOW!! THEY HAVE FEATURED ONE OF MY SHOTS AND GAVE ME THE HONOR OF INSPIRATION OF THE WEEK !!!! PLEASE TAKE A VISIT TO THEIR GROUP AND JOIN UP.. FULL OF LOVE AND GREAT INTENT!! XOXOXO
My piece from my Americans… Part !... Our Next President 2040...
My piece from my Americans… Part !... Our Next President 2040 / Has been featured in the wonderful group… / NORTHERN CALIFORNIA STYLE THE LOVELY HOSTS.. / E.R. Bazor / AND / Linda Bazor THANK YOU KINDLY!!!
a short film / Songs Of Freedom / ”!http://img3.uploadhouse.com/fileuploads/4734/p47346236a8dd…
a short film / Songs Of Freedom / / a collaboration: / Helen Bascom / Strykermeyer / John Douglas
There seems to be a Left versus Right political battle for PETA – not to win them over but to make the other side …
There seems to be a Left versus Right political battle for PETA – not to win them over but to make the other side take them. On the Right hand Michelle Malkin, the ultra conservative right wing blog queen, puts PETA into her radical Left Wing Animal Rights Wackos category. Ms. Malkin considers PETA a leftist group and she never misses an opportunity attack PETA like a rabid beaver on a birch tree. On the Left hand Gary L. Francione wants PETA to be recognized as part of the reactionary right. “Is there anything more reactionary than PETA’s relentless sexism or its giving awards to people like Pat Buchanan or Arnold Schwarzenegger?” asks Professor Francione. “In any event, it is simply not accurate to make a blanket generalization that the American animal rights movement is leftist.” The Right needs PETA to be on the Left otherwise Mad Beaver Malkin will have to edit her Animal Rights Wacos category. The Left is trying to push PETA off on the Right since violence is definitely not a Leftist value. In the middle is PETA, trudging along saving turkeys and exploiting people. What Is PETA? People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is an animal rights group founded on the belief that animals are not ours to use for food, clothing, experimentation or entertainment. Since 1980, PETA has grown from a handful of volunteers to an international organization with more than 1,800,000 members and supporters.
*“The Challenge- beyond the edge of tomorrow – what will tomorr…
The Challenge- beyond the edge of tomorrow – what will tomorrow bring? / Open for entries. Voting will start for this challenge in 13 days. Throughout history, mankind have speculated on the future and what changes time will bring, technology, education, economic, social, political, challenge aims to cover all aspects. / / What’s a common thought? – What will the future bring? think about the impact of technologies. The technologies we know now will change and merge, at an increasingly rapid pace. / what the future will look like during the next 50 years? / If we believe in innovation – in technology, economics, policies, and the enormous power of the human spirit to find a better way. how our path to a better future will happen? / what comes on your mind? that’s a place to share thoughts and depict them via art (any kind), photography and graphics! / so share a thought! / let your mind speak! Challenge began from now! thanks! / Love&Peace, Ushna S.
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