New York, NY – Fashion students from Parsons The New School for Design will soon be working in sweatshops in China and India as part of an addition to the curriculum.
Starting in the fall semester of 2010, undergraduate fashion students at Parsons will be required to spend a semester studying sweatshop labor and its potential. Under the direction of Steven Faerm, the Director of Fashion Studies, students will work at various types of sweatshops.
“Because of my experiences working with Donna Karan, Marc Jacobs, and The Gap, I understand the importance of sweatshop labor in the fashion industry,” said Faerm, “and I believe that my students should learn to improve sweatshop productivity.”
====================================================[ END ]====
Traditional restroom signs (above) have been cleared from fair grounds.
Cleveland, OH–State fair visitors received a surprise opening day with a new bathroom system that seeks to segregate masculine men and feminine women from those deviating from traditional gender presentations. Bathrooms separate women in skirts, dresses, and make-up from those wearing pants and “unfeminine” clothing. Similarly, men with long hair and painted finger nails must use a separate bathroom from their manlier peers. A larger family restroom has five different stations for mothers with their daughters, mothers with sons, fathers with daughters, fathers with sons, and parents with multiple children. Should patrons seek advice on which restroom to use, Restroom Officers are available to help direct visitors. Wheelchair accessible bathrooms are separate and ungendered and also available for difficult to place individuals.
Head of the renovations committee, Patrick Summers stated, “This new bathroom system was designed to make restrooms more accessible to girlfriends, wives, and women who enjoy wearing make-up and pretty dresses and keep other non-preening female visitors out of the way. The men’s rooms also help lessen confusion by providing separate facilities for men with less masculine features, such as long hair, excessive jewelry, and even those men who wear make-up and nail polish.”
Though they suggest there were good intentions behind the construction of the new facilities, the majority of fair-goers are annoyed by the complications presented by the new system.
“I don’t like it. How am I supposed to keep an eye on my teenage girls if they’re getting split up because one likes sports and the other wears dresses…” complained one mother.
“Can I just pee?” asked a confused man who was being held up because of a questionable facial piercing.
Protests have already begun with some people simply marching into the first bathroom they see. While Restroom Officers have done their best to control the crowds of patrons seeking to relieve their bladders, they are struggling to keep up and keep non-compliant fair goers in check.
====================================================[ END ]====
Following the eighty-fourth day of contentious Supreme Court case Lakota and Cheyenne Nations Vs. U.S., U.S. is ordered to cede the entire state of Montana The Department of Ancestral Homeland Security (DAHS) took the federal government to court, claiming that some particular phrasing in a recently approved immigration policy left the entire state of Montana under the jurisdiction of the joint flags of the Lakota and Cheyenne Nations. DAHS spokesman Leonard Blackhawk was overcome,”When we discovered the error they had made, we couldn’t believe it; they tightened state/national borders so much they were forced out themselves. Almost immediately, National Guard personnel were granted entry to evacuate all U.S. citizens without affiliation to an American Indian nation.
The displaced Fischer family (pictured above) is headed to a relative’s ranch outside of Bismarck, N.D. While they declined a formal interview, Richard G. Fischer (19) spoke for the whole family in saying,”Of course it’s difficult to leave, but we just keep reminding ourselves that the purpose of kicking us out is not to sever our ties; the purpose is to restore other people’s. And most of our friends and neighbors feel similarly.”
Though there are public critics of this shift in U.S. land policy across the country, this milestone in world history is met by celebration around the globe. It is hoped by many to mark the beginning of a new period of hope and success for indigenous land rights throughout the Americas, and perhaps U.S. foreign occupation in general.
The President begrudgingly welcomed the new nation to the North American continent, wishing for peace, prosperity, and success.
====================================================[ END ]====
Washington, D.C. — Lawmakers and public health officials met yesterday for Day 264 of President Obama’s Commitment to Health Care Initiative. The mood was somber, hopeless, resigned, depressing. The “hope” that got Obama elected was nowhere to be seen. In its place was an overwhelming stench of disillusionment.
And then, the dancing began.
Protesters – for lack of a better term – interrupted the drowsy, depressing, pointless meeting. Jeffrey Martin, a portly HMO leader, was discussing the details of a plan to prorate the cost of diabetic and other obesity-related…blah blah, when a diverse group of dancers burst into the room. The soulful gospel tunes of Sister Rosetta Tharpe played as the group danced – an unchoreographed, engaging, and participatory occasion that lasted several hours.
A collective artists’ statement read in part: “We’ve got to start thinking about health differently. We’re healthy when we are moving our bodies, being creative, and loving one another across boundaries of age… If we want a healthier society, it’s time we started paying more attention to the people around us, expressing our love for them, and giving more attention and love to our own bodies. We need more arts and movement in schools and in our day to day lives. We can celebrate life!”
At the suggestion of Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), a group meditation followed. At press time, the representatives were playing trust games.
====================================================[ END ]====
BALTIMORE, MD- FDA representative, Sheila Bernstein, announced today that changes to the food pyramid have been made to more accurately define our culture’s nutritional diet. The new food pyramid is more “forgiving” by giving more room at the top for fats and oils, and moving meats and proteins to the bottom as the base of our diet. “Our previous food pyramid was way too restrictive of certain foods. The truth is that meats and proteins are much better for you than meals full of bread, which is the base of our previous food pyramid,” Bernstein says, who is a major advocate for the Atkins’ Diet. “The way our culture is so opposed to sugar, oils, and fats is absurd. High fructose corn syrup is not the enemy, it’s made from a vegetable! With our strict food pyramid as it is, when people overeat their share of fats and oils, which we all do, it springs them into fad diets and diet pills, all of which are incredibly unhealthy. This new system provides wiggle room that we know our bodies can handle and actually react well to.” Our previous food pyramid has about 6-11 servings of bread and pasta, 3-4 servings of vegetables, 2-3 servings of fruit and dairy, and fats sparingly (see figure A). Our new food pyramid swaps the bread and pasta group for the meat group, aiming for each person to get 5-6 servings of meat a day. Instead of 6-11 servings of bread and grains we now should eat only 3-4 servings, and a new addition of 1-2 servings of fats (see figure B).
(fig.A)
(fig.B)
When asked to explain the medical science behind the changes, Bernstein referred to her time spent at Johns Hopkins. “I spent a year working with the scientists at Johns Hopkins Hospital and Johns Hopkins school of public health in Baltimore, Maryland. What the school of public health was finding out through research and statistics was that because of the high percentages of meat and processed foods that most people were consuming, our bodies had started to adapt and change to meet the requirements of our environments. What this means is that because we have been consuming so much meat and fat for so long, our bodies need that high percentage of protein and energy to operate on a daily basis. Our bodies have, on their own, redefined what it means to have a nutritional diet because they have adapted to their surroundings. When I took this research to Johns Hopkins Hospital, researchers agreed that because our body’s needs were changing, our nutritional food pyramid would have to change as well.” Bernstein shared a graph that showed the differences between a group whose diet coincided with that of the previous food pyramid, and a group whose diet coincided with the new food pyramid. The graph showed that levels of obesity and the number of people with diabetes was slightly lower in the group that adhered to a diet of the new food pyramid.
When one of our reporters interjected to express concern about common knowledge of nutritional science not corresponding with these new nutritional findings, Bernstein admitted, “It doesn’t seem like common knowledge, I know. This all seems crazy, I know. But the truth is that science is constantly changing. New researching is being conducted every day, which means one of these days something as outrageous as this was bound to happen. Think of it as a fashion fad; one day you’re in, the next day you’re out. Science is just like that, and you can’t argue with science.”
After last week’s announcement of the government replacing every corner store with a grocery store, most people assumed that healthier diets, ones that correspond to that of the old food pyramid, would be more prevalent, especially to those citizens living in neighborhoods that lacked a grocery store. These citizens were much more likely to develop obesity and diabetes because healthy foods were not available and they were forced to eat what was there, i.e. “junk.” When asked to comment on the relevancy of the new food pyramid to the abolition of corner stores, Bernstein said, “It is actually a shame that they are getting rid of corner stores. Corner stores had the meat and dairy products you need to fulfill your protein requirements of the food pyramid, and an abundance of fats and oils to get your sweet in for the day- all for a very cheap price! Now the grocery stores are going to come in and sell these products at a horribly expensive price that the citizens of lower-income neighborhoods can’t afford, and no one will be eating any healthier. It’s a shame.” When asked if she was referring to the new food pyramid in that quote, Bernstein said, “I would prefer that you refrain from calling it the ‘new food pyramid.’ It is The food pyramid now and we should all start getting used to it.”
The FDA will run an advertisement for the new food pyramid. In addition, a “Diabetes- It’s not that bad” advertisement will also air next week on FOX.
====================================================[ END ]====
As the War on Drugs comes to an end, many government officials are realizing the consequences of their actions. Many fear that the struggle against drugs may have been a little too successful. Along the border wall today, one could see many corporate heads, and nearly 2/3 of congress, along with former president G.W. Bush begging Mexican Federal officials to let them into the country to solicit their fix. Finally Congress could agree on something, governing one of the most powerful countries in the world just isn’t as fun when you’re sober.
Despite their offers of automatic guns, grenades, and helicopters, Mexican officials stated that they were happy with new conditions upon the end of the war. The murder rates of nearby border towns had greatly reduced, former kidnapping victims have begun to return to their families, and Mexican Federales jobs have become much easier. Violent cartel crimes were at an all time low and many have begun to use the accumulated wealth from the trade to invest in their communities.
Allegations against former president Bush Jr. continue to appear as secret service agents come clean about their witness to G.W’s ‘little morning pick-me-up.’ Vice President Joe Biden, an adamant promoter of the War on Drugs, is happy with his success, though he is concerned with how the US Governemnt will maintain their tight grip on the reigns of Latin America now. American politicians since the Reagan era have changed and manipulated drug laws so as to reroute narcotic substances pathways to the US. I suppose it was pretty convenient when former president Vicente Fox just happened also be the former CEO of ‘Coke.’ Now whether this War on Drugs was fought to actually combat drug use or to imprison people of color, we can’t say just yet. But, judging by how many times former president Bush was caught using drugs, its easy to see which way he was leaning.
====================================================[ END ]====
Berkeley, CA – As the slow food movement picks up momentum in kitchens across the country, one visionary Berkeley program attempts to unite with the disparate food justice movement just across the border in Oakland. ”For far too long we’ve been treating these two issues as separate problems,” announced Alex Woops, head and pioneer of the Save Labor program, “we’ve looked at the numbers and have come to the realization that we can kill two birds with one metaphorically genius stone”. Said stone, as Alex illustrated last night at the annual Dining and Eating Slow Produce Talks (or DESPOTS), is a comprehensive plan to bundle the issues of race, equity, food justice, geopolitics and poverty into one tasty, local grown, grass-fed meatball.
The chatter subsided as the sound of hemp and recycled rubber announced Woops had taken the stage. Local Swiss chard, organic chives and hand picked potatoes were pushed aside and the audience focused its attention as Woops began his presentation. ”How can we eat slow, good, healthy food with a clean conscious? Mere miles away folks are supping on microwaved dinners and high fructose syrup”. Woops went on to explain that as the educated elite, as well as the superficially liberal, it was the DESPOTS responsibility to not only do good by themselves but also by others. ”I don’t want to brow beat you, after all, most of you either voted for Obama or went to a liberal arts school – so we know where your heart’s at. We also all know that we don’t have to change your behavior to do good; one can offset the carbon emissions of the annual ski trip to Alta, or even recycle your empty case of Crystal Geyser rather than throwing it out. We at Save Labor are proposing supporting the new slow food and urban agriculture movement with the eager and capable backs of the poor minorities. We plan a new program that would take unemployed low income urban inhabitants and pair them up with a middle class family in another town, away from their dangerous homes in the inner city. The position would be an unpaid internship, involving mostly manual labor working the urban crops of the owner. However, the laborer would receive three fifths of the produce grown in compensation for their hard work. The intern would live on the property of the host family and would have incomparable opportunities to learn about the real value of manual labor and the importance of knowing where ones food comes from. I encourage you all to register as owners, we look forward to matching you with a strong, young person of color to do your work for you – we hope that you in return will enjoy the benefits of Save Labor. Thank you for your time.”
Woops’ presentation was received with universal praise and many celebrated his comprehensive goals for both benefiting America’s inner-city youth and the slow food movement.
====================================================[ END ]====
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY PUTS AN END TO THE BOMBING OF THE APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS
For Immediate Release
July 5, 2010 – 10:20 AM
Environmental Protection Agency, Washington DC
At nine this morning, a representative from the national Environmental Protection Agency showed up at the Marfork Coal Company headquarters on their Bee Tree Permit surface mine site in Raleigh County, West Virginia to revoke all blasting and valley fill permits. After repeated reports from local community members about blasting damages to their homes and toxic slurry leakages from the Brushy Fork Impoundment, the EPA decided to step in and permanenty shut the site down. “For years we have been trying to fight the coal companies and protect our homes, and the EPA did nothing. Finally, there will be peace in the valley. Finally, the bombing will stop,” said one local who wishes to remain annonymous.
For months the WVDEP had been deliberating over 17 valley fill permit requests for Marfork Coal Comany’s three surface permits on Coal River Mountain, and in May they approved the permits, thus approving the destruction of almost 50,000 feet of headwater streams. Local rehtoric often notes that this mountain was the last mountain in the Coal River Valley that had not been touched by surface mining. It is time for the national government to begin protecting our purple mountains magesty and the great American who live in their hallows.
Marfork Coal Company is a subsidiary of coal mining giant, Massey Energy. For years, Massey Energy has had surface and underground mining opperations accross Appalachia. Notorious for union busting and Clean Water Act violations, the Environmental Protection Agency has decided that it can wait no longer before halting the criminal acts of Massey Energy. “These permits should never have been granted. That impountment could have been compromised by the blasting and killed almost 1,000 residents in the valley below, and that risk alone is enough to withdraw these permits. Not to mention, the clean water act violations, loss of ecosystem and indirect health impact on local residents,” said an EPA spokes person, early this morning.
No new surface mine or valley fill permit applications will be considered. Over the course of the next year, the EPA will be systematically shutting down all of the remaining mountaintop mines in the region, and employing all surface mine working as state employees in an aggressive and extensive reclamation and clean up effort. Federal stimulus money will be funding this program for the time being through Obama’s Green Jobs program. The EPA has also filed for a civil suit against Massey Energy, demanding 40 billion dollars in damages for the property destruction, health impacts and environmental degradation resulting from their surface mining opperations. If successful, some of the money will go towards this reclamation and clean up project, while the rest will go towards paying for health care and other damages imposed on locals by these surface mining opperations.
====================================================[ END ]====
According to the July 4th 2010 edition of the New York Times, the Federal government has outlawed any homosexual acts of all kinds, including marriage and courting. The president released this statement:
“It wasn’t my first choice of action, but the pressure from conservatives in Congress has forced me to comply with this new, hateful law. There are more important issues to be addressed right now anyway…like Haiti?”
People were shocked by the Times headline, but no one was caught off guard more than Keanu Reeves was.
The actor, a well known action star and practicing homosexual, was arrested on July 5th, 2010: one day after the news had broken. He and long time gay boyfriend Alan Cumming
were in uptown Manhattan, holding an outdoor “union” ceremony in the streets for all fans and the public to witness. As soon as the man-on-man couple kissed after stating their vows, protesters with megaphones showed up in a huff, and not alone. Four cop cars arrived on the crime scene to break up the spectacle, and they made three total celebrity arrests (Reeves, Cumming, and Melissa Ethridge, who was arrested for conspiracy for humming the couple’s wedding song softly during the ceremony).
Our reporters caught the only statement made by a tearful Reeves as he was being pushed into the cop car. “This was supposed to be the happiest day of my life.”
====================================================[ END ]====
I hope you enjoyed our introduction to The Yes Men and tactical media. All of this gives us a good idea of current threads of socially-engaged art making, as it relates to media and distribution.
For our first major section in class, we are going to continue to think about media, distribution, and networks––ranging from the days before our current Internet even existed. Our journey is going to begin at the art library, where we will engage with the amazing Mail Art collection at the Oberlin College Art Library. Mail Art is going to be the basis for our first major project. Below, I have outlined the schedule for this time period.
TH Feb 18
Visit Mail Art Archive–MEET AT ART LIBRARY
Assignment:
Three prong project.
1. pick and artist and make a power point about them.
2. make a mail art project that is physical
3. make an internet project that is related to the mail art project (or document online)
Reading: TBA
T Feb 23
Assignment: Mail Art / Internet Art
Overview of Dreamweaver
Reading: TBA
TH Feb 25
No class: work on research, begin mail art projects, begin website
T March 2
Mail Art / Internet Art Present so far
In-class viewings and discussions
TH March 4
Mail Art / Internet Art
Individual meetings
T March 9
Mail Art / Internet Art
WORKSHOP DAY
TH March 11 PRESENTATIONS: SEMINAR ROOM IN THE ART DEPARTMENT
====================================================[ END ]====
