What is an education for, anyway?

This top documentary is a pretty good answer to the USA dilemma where grade competition and test scores have left our children full of need.

"Children Full of Life" should be a staple of teacher education, is it? Please take a few minutes out of your day to view this very moving and informative work that applies to anyone who has ever been a child or who plans on bringing one into the world.

"Mr. Kanamori, a teacher of a 4th grade class, teaches his students not only how to be students, but how to live. He gives them lessons on teamwork, community, the importance of openness, how to cope, and the harm caused by bullying." (from the Top Documentary website, retrieved 6/19/11)

Thank you Robin, for bringing this to my attention.

Urban Wildlife

We share the planet with other living things. Living things provide valuable services that maintain life throughout ecosystems, big and small. As our species has gone on a resource grabbing binge enabled by policies and practices developed from myopic elitism, materialism and ego imbalance, we are in a sense "eating ourselves to death." We are told this creates jobs and economic growth. And yes, this provides jobs and pushes consumerism, but is it really the best we can do. Is this the highest goal of humankind?

I think not!

Adjusting "Family Values" or Phoenix Rising

In the book, The People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn (2003) there are many passages that highlight women in civic and social movements throughout the nation’s history. The laundry workers marches for better pay, the infamous sweat shop fire that brought attention to the inhumane treatment of thousands, the women involved in the civil rights movement, more. Many of these women had children and families that they were either helping to support or they were the sole support. In this history of bonding and uniting to make changes in systems bent on usury, they stood together. And as the military, industrial (corporate), government complex pushes for more power; women are coming together to question and counter these forces once again. Is this a new kind of feminism, a new movement or a radical change in paradigm?

After several decades of shifting family values, women are adjusting to the changes and speaking up in new ways. Acknowledging that what was won through the Women’s Liberation movement of the 1960’s was less satisfying than expected; there is a questioning of goals and values. In the gap, attempts to reestablish conservative more traditional expectations and roles, cloaked as a return to “family values” are being launched in the media by various groups seeking to stabilize their institutions. (Churches, far right conservatives etc.) This may appeal to some but others are seeking to go forward, into new territory.

In this shuffle, a new feminine archetype is emerging. With a sense of purpose and urgency, women are seeking to take the lessons learned from the past and combining them as a means to inform a new balance between the individual and the cultural psyche.

More at "Sustainable Fashion-the Papers"

Fiberorganics YES!

Blossom-organic cotton

wren-hemp

Beautiful prints are available at the Fiberorganics online store. I am so glad to see this!!!
Also they carry a nice range of solids in hemp, cotton and bamboo (a product that can be produced without the possibility of caustic chemical calamity ..I learned this at Green Fast last Sunday as there are currently 4 production methods out there- 2 good & 2 that need improvement, lots of improvement. (Will get into this later!)

Anyway, check out the great hand screen prints on hemp and the SwankySwell prints on organic cotton.

Note: Organic cotton has been a factor in food scarcity as land devoted to production for export is a root cause of global hunger. When small farmers are booted off or "forced: to sell their land (12 Myths of Hunger, Moore, M.) they lose their ability to feed their families. The world loses crop diversity- aka priced out of survival.-

This is a down side of the industrial model going green, we need to consider the whole cycle of production and the sideline ramifications. I was assured at Green Fest that this is being considered by current importers, however I have not looked into it enough to do other than hope it is true.

Labor Behind the Label

Killer Jeans

Labor Behind the Label is now following me on Twitter. I usually check to see who new followers are and thank the ones that appear genuinely active in paradigm shift work. I found out that LB the L is behind the "Clean Clothes Campaign" and that sand blasted jeans are exposing workers to a practice that jeopardizes lung health.

I want to go into a tirade about corporate bully tactics "pushed" by "shareholders" and/or other "stakeholders" in the capitalist blame game that minimizes guilt..."if we don't do it someone else will" NICE, as spreading of the guilt allows bad practices to multiply, but I will stop here.

The truth is, we can take the phrase and make it our own. If we don't awaken and say no to the bad karma and the energy of distress that our consumer economic lifestyles generate, we will barely see the light of our unique and our collective true potentials. Saying no to goods that are made cheap by exploiting humans, animals and natural resources weakens the fabric of life and that rots the thread of existence.

FrPrjct

its Time to Balance the business of life. Check out the raison d'etre for the FrPrjkt experimental business.

Vintage and Handmade

More is going on in Detroit than those most excellent urban gardeners, the recliamers of post industrial land. Dolly Rocker's Vintage and Handmade fashion and accessories deserve some spot in the Detroit headlights, too.

The street up urbanscape creatives that are ecosystem recyclers and innovators are the design masters of this era. We are the post industrial, beyond additive techno actionaries that understand humans need real sensory contact with other humans, real food enhanced by nature not patented chemical pretenders and clothing that is re-appreciated or made new by the hand of someone who cares. That is about the energy of the whole, not just the "product."

We are made of stars, lets act accordingly! .

Ode to Seattle

fiber work, starring an old watch face, beads and a remarkable part of a print

that called out to be a space needle- on re-use wool

Its about a sense of place, home, and though it can let you down and does.. a lot.....for some reason the memories and hope are here, unless i leave the whole USA. Then that would let the bullies own the playground and that is principally, environmentally and all around ..unsound!

"Whether you choose to manufacture and source abroad or here in the UK, both options have the potential to nurture sustainability in the fashion industry. Consumers are increasingly demanding more information on where products are from and how they are made, meaning companies who are able to provide it are capitalising on a longterm trend. FRANK AND FAITH and PEOPLE TREE speak to the SOURCE Magazine to give us insider advice on the benefits and opportunities of working globally vs locally - as well as the associated challenges. "

(Capitalize - the word needs an upgrade as well as the system. Much like religion, its been abused by self interest lurking in the guise)

The USA is still miles behind, but no matter. We are where we are. Anyone who reads this please go forth and tell others that wearing garments that jeopardize the health of the biosphere, the wearer, worker and the dharma of life/energy is -----foul.

Celebrate Beingness

Open Heart/Open Mind

amulet: fabric, costume jewelry, hair and embroidery on wool.

In a materialist vision we have forgotten to live. Seduced by e-distractions and corn syruppy glucose spikes, we are abetting our own physical, emotional and spiritual suicides. Why?

Awake 2012

I made this amulet with hair snippets from my baby's first haircut and some of my own. The art stems from the same need to create personal ritual that i had when i decided to get my first tattoo.

After my child was born I decided the culture lacked meaningfulness, so i commemorated his birth with a tat on the nape of my neck. This was over 35 years ago, and it was only sailors and bikers in the USA that were sporting ink at the time. Though tattoos were big in other cultures, it was considered a primitive form of machismo -a low class, tacky thing. I thought it was the perfect blend of street art, spirit and stoic acceptance of pain -an initiation into motherhood.

With the nearing of 2012 and awakening, my need to honor spirit has taken up with another antique idea reimagined for today. This, like the black rose on my neck, just feels right.

American Dream Inc.

canvas bag with stenciled design, made for AgitProp class at TESC Tacoma

The American Dream is a USA ethos 'in which freedom includes a promise of the possibility of prosperity and success. This was first expressed by James Truslow Adams in 1931, "life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement" regardless of social class or circumstances of birth. The idea of the American Dream is rooted in the United States Declaration of Independence which proclaims that "all men are created equal" and that they are "endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights" including "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Now back in 1886 the Supreme Court supposedly ruled to call corporations 'human' and gave them the rights of said humans. However according to The Straight Dope, this clause was snuck into the books by a former railroad president. If true, it could be used to topple the recent Supreme Court ruling that gave multinational corporations the right of "free speech," earlier this year.

If you saw Inside Job you know how banks, Lehman Bros. and AIG used this bit of 'humanism' as they escaped liability because they were only giving 'opinions.' No doubt the Supremists of Crt were just making sure that this became a legal option for all future shenanigans.

Long story short, the corporations stole the individuals idea of the American Dream and overloaded the deck with super power capacity. They don't die automatically after 100 years, they haven't an underlying consciousness of right or wrong, no guilt, no socialization built into their psyches. Nope, they are free to exploit by very definition, hiring CEOs (elitist henchman) to grow their power and profits. ( an allusion to the Dreams 'right to prosper' which has been used to sue individuals, cities and now countries) They are free to become self defined sociopathic 'beings' wired to grow. Like a cancer they are destroying the very things that 'feed' them. Super suicidal psychopathic monsters are running the show, scary monsters indeed.

As today is the first day of Spring (Vernal Equinox) and many are hearing Nature's call to evolve, this can have a beautiful next chapter. However we can't wait for patriarchal permission ....we must reach out and act to change the destiny of our species and others. Life is in our hands and hearts.