Support Your Local Artisans (even if they later become millionaires) ;)

INDIANAPOLIS JEWELRY ARTISIAN GETS HER ROSE ON THIS SEASON OF ABC'S "THE BACHELOR"

Indianapolis, IN January 21, 2009

"…it has been such a complete thrill and honor to be included along side such huge names as Smashbox Cosmetics, Xbox, Vera Bradley, JunkFood, David Kahn Jeanswear, Bliss Beauty, Express, etc ....it really is a dream come true for me...in a way I almost feel like one of the contestants…” says Erica Kortz, a lifelong resident of Indianapolis, Indiana.

Recently, after catching the eye of Bachelor Producer Cassie Lambert, from the Etsy Website in which Erica Does most of her retail business, Erica's jewelry has been included in the gift bags that got out to all of the girls on ABC's hit TV show, "The Bachelor".

"...gift bags are a really fun part of our business and the items we put into them are a lot of times quite coveted. Typically all the bags are the same so it's really nice when we find something to make each bag unique and Erica's jewelry pieces do just that. When I first came across her pieces on her Etsy site I thought they were perfect. She has a wonderfully simplistic yet sophisticated style which makes her pieces good for any occasion and that is just what we need for a show like the Bachelor..." says Cassie.

Having various trades and doing many crafts with her hands her entire life, Erica finally settled on jewelry making full time about five years ago.

"My favorite materials are semi-precious and precious gemstones, pearls, coral, and sterling silver. I also incorporate Swarovski crystals on occasion. I love the colors, texture, and uniqueness of the gems I work with. It is extremely important to me that my clients walk away understanding the value of the piece and appreciating it as something they will have for years and hopefully even pass on to their loved ones. I put so much time and effort into the design and execution of each and every piece of jewelry I make..." says Erica.

Not only will you see Erica's jewelry being sported by the girls on this season of "The Bachelor", her pieces are also being featured in the "As Seen On" section of the ABC website were viewers of the show can win a bag for themselves, and included in a Life and Style Magazine gift bag giveaway.

"...I truly enjoy creating jewelry. It gives me a sense of pleasure when I see other people wearing my jewelry and incorporating it into their own unique style. To know that the piece is being worn, and that it puts a smile on someone's face whenever they wear it, makes me truly happy...." Erica confesses.

Watch for Erica’s jewelry beginning Monday, January 5^th on this season of “The Bachelor”.

To learn more about Erica Kortz or her jewelry please visit her website at www.designsbyericakortz.com

***image above found at http://www.artisan-builds.com/images/artisan%20logo.gif***

Online Art: Images With The Tag "Creative Mind"

Artists keep creating!!!~~~









***all images are from urbancowboy.net*** Totally Awesome, right?

Support Your Local Art!!!

Please check out this short film, shot a mere 40 minutes from my humble home with a budget of $200. It is very cool and William Tanoos is my friend's son, so I am proud of him...(fyi he is the same age as me, so don't jump to conclusions, I simply have many older friends) :)


An Obviouschild Productions short film by Josh Pabst featuring William Tanoos.

Learn more at:
obviouschild.com/thirtysixweeks.html

Please, leave your comments!

Bob is your typical middle class American struggling in today's economy to provide for his family. He does everything the right way; he is a hardworking, family man who toils long days at the office while still caring for his wife who is due to give birth at any minute. However, sky-rocketing gas prices, surmounting bills, and a pending mortgage foreclosure all amount to a financial dilemma that Bob must navigate through in order to take care of his young, expanding family. Ultimately, everything comes to a head, and when Bob's boss comes down on him he must decide what is most important.

Obviouschild.com and Obviouschild Productions Copyright 2008.

NYC Graffiti Art vs. Athens Anarchy (Art?) You Decide

Please note that the pictures above were taken in NYC and are the property of James and Karla Murray....check out their website, they put out wicked, awesome pictures~~~

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Below are some grafitti (art) photos from Athens during the rioting found (and sourced) from various places on the web....as I said---you decide! Art appreciation is different for everyone.

from http://gogreece.about.com/od/newsfromgreece/ig/Athens-Riots/A-New-Street-for-Athens-.htm

and I am referring to the graffiti and other interesting stuff on the walls, NOT the funeral pyre...that isn't artistic, its just sad.

from syrupkids.com/shoutouts/?cat=20

from http://www.ekathimerini.com/kathnews/photos/12-11-05/12-11-05_62942_1.gif


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THANKS FOR VISITING :)

Mike Patton/Faith no More and the Face of Fascism

This video is totally awesome....according to many viewers and fans of the great Mike Patton, this video was most likely shot in the Czech Republic circa 1988 (well at least the scenery and plot are supposed to depict that time and place). The video actually came out in 1997 and I recall getting the CD, King For a Day, Fool for a Lifetime around 97' and not really digging this song that much (I had others favs on the CD). This proves that when an artist puts some type of visual with their work, how it can totally change the whole thing around. Mike Patton is a genius at this type of thing.

Enjoy the video and pay close attention to the end...there are quick little flashbacks that make the whole plot make more sense. (You may have to watch it a couple of times to get it...I have!) But, even if you get that part of the video, there are still more questions...like who? why? this is the beauty of art I suppose. You can make this be about what you want it to be. However, there is no denying that he is in a Fascist country and is the beautiful face of the anti-fascist (sorry guys)...its still a good video even if you don't think Patton is totally hot!

America is at Risk for Fascist Rule

American Anomie:
The Vulnerability of a Society

By reviewing the works of Emile Durkheim, most notably, as well as other established academics in a variety of fields, a consensus can be drawn as to the vulnerability of a country like the United States. When confronting the argument made by Amitai Etzioni to the effect that countries like the United States are more individualistic and anomic and therefore more likely to undergo a fascist shift in government, this can be corroborated by implementing the sociological perspective. Karl Marx and Max Weber, similarly looked at the issues of exploitation of workers and the issues surrounding the cold and unfriendly nature of bureaucracy, respectively. When tied together with social psychological studies of conformity, such as the Milgram experiment, sociology is especially useful when used to gauge the issues surrounding the structures and individual strain in American society that puts it and others societies like it at risk for fascism. This type of analysis allows the sociological researcher to come to find what Durkheim referred to as social facts. This can take us beyond the pale of individual psychology and even beyond political science, to a well constructed confirmation of Etzioni’s proposition. The United States is vulnerable to authoritarian rule and demagogical reaching by the very way in which the anomic society rests, allowing Etzioni’s ideas to be sociologically presented as social fact.

It is most relevant and wise to explain Stanley Milgram’s work in the area of psychology, more specifically individual reactions to authority in the United States. This is important, as a sociological thinker would immediately look at the lowest common denominator in a scenario and then proceed with more in depth analysis of the individual’s role in a social group. The Milgram experiment is very effective in looking at mass obedience, as the Milgram Experiment showed results that were unexpected and hard to explain psychologically and more relevant to social psychology. It was in this experiment that Milgram undertook at Yale to understand how individuals under a Nazi regime could do such horrendous acts to their fellow man that really goes into the willingness of individuals to obey an authority figure, despite any pain that they perceived to be inflicting. Participants in this study were told to administer a series of increasingly intense electric shocks if a “learner” provided wrong answers to questions, the “learner” was not actually receiving these shocks, but acted as if he was in dire pain and had a heart condition. Well over half of the subjects asked to administer shocks did so to the point of using the maximum perceived voltage three times. Milgram concluded from this that the individual had little internal resources to fight with an authority figure and even went as far to suggest that people became easily lost in a supposedly authoritarian group, feeling that their actions were right because an authority simply said this was true.

When looking at obedience to authority from this social psychology perspective and then looking at anomie in sociology and finally authoritarianism in politics, the risk for individuals to become easily willed into fascism is as simple as it is scary. Durkheim and others have taken a larger global look at the individuals willingness to participate in authoritarian behaviors rather than morally oppose them. The anomic state of America predisposes individuals to crave and call for laws and structure from authority rather than to submit to personal will and desire. Durkheim explains this very well in many of his works. Marx contributes to the argument for fascism in America by laying down a foundation to understand how easily the working class can be exploited through meager pay and abusive and tyrannical bosses. When the working class, who make up the majority of workers in America allow themselves to be exploited, this leaves most of the population in a perpetual state of normlessness. Weber, also, made his contribution by analyzing the cold and unfeeling nature of bureaucracy. Though, all of these theorists were from European countries, their theories are global and fit into the American landscape quite well. The highly bureaucratic nature of American politics and business illustrates the anomie and confusion of workers caught in such a system. With increasing technology, as well, workers become further alienated from coworkers and society at large when formal behaviors replace informal behaviors, such as communication and socialization.

At this point one can see the impact on a reliance of the informal bureaucracy and anomie tied in with a call for more law and order. With this fascism can easily follow. Demagogical political processes can easily be used to facilitate fear and disseminate propaganda. When individuals are already accustomed to bureaucracy and already lost in anomie, the use of demagogy by a country, such as America can be skillfully used to test a captive public, just as Milgram tested his subjects. It is easy to reason that individuals will easily follow authority and succumb to fascism. Themes of nationalism and prejudices toward any dissenters can further this fascist agenda. Though the aims of sociology are much to the extent of research, applying sociology means being aware of this type of vulnerability and spreading awareness to others as to their own susceptibility toward blindly following authority and falling prey to their own fears and ultimately, their own government.


References
Etzioni, A. “Are Particularistic Obligations Justified? A Communitarian Examination” in The Review of Politics. (Fall 2002). 64,4. pp. 573-598.

Some Anarchist Quotes

Rather than be too transparent, I decided that instead of providing some "Anarchy for Dummies" type synopsis of what I think anarchy is by definition and in theory I would find some quotes and lead any readers in the right direction to find out more..... So in this post you will find said quotes and I have added a blog that I am "following" that is more of an "applied anarchy" place to go. The blogger has made the comment that this year in Greece it was their Christmas tree at the city center in flames, next year it will be Rockefellar Center in NYC. I aim to be simply theoretical, not out of fear or anything of the sort....just because. Much of what I read in connection with anarchy as a movement is confusing to me, so I like to keep it simple-theories and news following is what I plan to contribute. If you feel that you need a "how to guide" I'll search out those blogs and sites, as well. I will leave it now with a quote my friend in Athens passed along to me, maybe it was his, maybe not--but it probably is because he's a smart guy :)

"Chaos is Civilization Taking a Rest" JA

“Anarchism, really stands for the liberation of the human mind from the dominion of religion; the liberation of the human body from the dominion of property; liberation from the shackles and restraint of government.”

Emma Goldman


“Our government teaches the whole people by its example. If the government becomes the lawbreaker, it breeds contempt for law; it invites every man to become a law unto himself; it invites anarchy.”

Louis D. Brandeis


“Anarchy is the sure consequence of tyranny; or no power that is not limited by laws can ever be protected by them”

John Milton