ALR designletter [4.3]
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Welcome to a new issue of the ALR designletter. As always we welcome your comments, suggestions, criticism and/or praise. Thanks for reading.
Noah Scalin, founder
ALR design
socially conscious graphic design
http://www.ALRdesign.com
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[01] ALR NEWS
5 of ALR’s designs are featured in the new book “It’s a Matter of Promotion” from Japanese publisher Victionary. The selected work includes two brochure designs for New Georges, postcards for Salt Theater & The Performance Initiative, as well as a wedding invitation for Karen Grenke and David Vining. The book is part of the ongoing Amatterofdesign series. For more information see http://www.victionary.com
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Richmond.com, the online guide to Richmond Virginia, recently posted a feature story on ALR Design in its business section. The article, which talks about ALR’s history and socially conscious focus, can be read at: http://richmond.com/business/output.cfm?ID=2958524&vertical=business
[02] WAR & PEACE
In times of strife people often find solace in romance, so it comes as no surprise that an activist dating service has arisen in our current political climate. Love In War (http://www.loveinwar.com/) is an online personals service that allows lonely rabble-rousers to meet up based on their political predilections. Users can list their current mood (from “Clinton Mellow” to “Dean Angry”) and even post a “WarBlog.” If talking politics is your foreplay, this may just be the place for you.
[03] ACTIVISM
Click Back America knows that students don’t have much money, so they are making donations for them. Concerned students (and even folks who aren’t in school) just sign up online at http://www.clickbackamerica.org/ and then for every action they participate in one dollar in matching contributions is donated to the MoveOn.org Voter Fund. They have one million dollars just waiting to be donated, so get clicking.
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If you are an artist interested in helping to get people to New York City to protest at the upcoming Republican National Convention consider submitting work to the Not In Our Name art show. The fundraiser, which will take place on June 26th at the French Fry Factory in Oakland, CA, has the theme of “antimilitarism”. Interested folks should contact
(subject: Art Show) or call Jasmine at 510-601-8000 for more details.
[04] DESIGN
Disappointed with the lackluster T-shirt selection offered on the John Kerry website the folks at Designs On The White House decided to offer some alternatives. Their site allows individuals to submit their own designs (until May 31st) and then lets the public and a panel of celebrity judges decide which ones should get printed. Profits from the winning shirts will then be donated to the Kerry campaign. See how good Democracy can be for design at http://designsonthewhitehouse.org/
[05] ELECTIONS
The US Census Bureau reports that 14% of registered voters didn’t cast a ballot in the last election. Of the 19 million who didn’t make it to the polls 20.9% said they were “too busy”, 12.2% thought “their vote wouldn’t count” or “weren’t interested” and 4.0% said they “forgot”. For the full details visit http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/voting.html
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If you want your vote to count this election you may want to steer clear of computerized voting terminals. In an effort to avoid the debacles of the 2000 election, caused by antiquated equipment like the butterfly ballots, the government has invested billons in questionable technology. Concerns include the fact that the code used to run the machines is being kept secret from even the federal authorities, thus preventing oversight by election officials. Yet Diebold, the maker of many of the voting terminals, accidentally posted their own source code on a publicly accessible server. Even if they hadn’t, many experts say the system is ripe for hacking and is less regulated than slot machines. Already glitches, including Republican candidates being highlighted when Democrats were selected in one instance, are being reported from districts that have gone digital. A test run of the internet voting program SERVE, for use by Americans voting abroad, received severe criticism from experts asked to review it. Their recommendation: stop the program until security issues are addressed. One last frightening fact, Diebold’s chief executive is a major fundraiser of the Republican Party. For more info on voting technology check out http://www.verifiedvoting.org/ and http://www.truemajority.org/ComputerAteMyVote/index.cfm (sources: Mother Jones Nov/Dec 2003 and The Christian Science Monitor 2/2/04)
[06] NEWS
No need to worry about media bias, when you can get your own up-to-the-minute poll data online at PollingReport.com (http://www.pollingreport.com). This non-partisan database lets you instantly compare approval ratings from a variety of sources and over a range of time. For instance you can find out that if the election were held today Bush and Kerry would be neck and neck according to a Fox News poll (both at 40%). However Kerry would be 3 to 5% ahead according to Time/CNN, Zogby and Pew. And aside from Fox every poll shows that right now a majority the population disapproves of how Bush is doing his job.
[07] CULTURE
The folks at Creative Commons believe that the existing one-size-fits all copyright designation (as represented by the ubiquitous c in a circle) has been outgrown by today’s society. In a world of CD burners and Photoshop, the ability to “remix” culture has become easier then ever, but “all rights reserved” prevents people from legally taking part, even when the copyright owner doesn’t mind. Creative Commons proposes an alternative set of copyrights that encourages a free range of creative expression while still protecting the rights artists want. You can instantly get your own license or browse new “some rights reserved” works at http://creativecommons.org/
[08] EDUCATION
As the school year draws to a close, university students across the country are left with the dilemma of what to do with all of their stuff; or rather, the schools are left with having to cart it away when it gets left behind. Instead of adding it to ever increasing trash heaps several colleges are instituting Dump-and-Run programs. Started by a student at the University of Virginia, these programs coordinate massive sales of student leftovers to other students at rock bottom prices with the profits going to charity. Learn more at http://dumpandrun.org/
[09] CORPORATIONS
You’re not the only one who doesn’t like paying taxes. A recent report from the government’s General Accounting Office (http://www.gao.gov/) shows that 61% of American owned corporations paid no taxes from 1996-2000 and 71% of foreign owned corporations in the US were also tax-free. This is despite the fact that they made a combined total of $3.5 trillion during that period. Corporate taxes have fallen from 5% of the Gross Domestic Product in 1946 to only 1.4% today. (source: Christian Science Monitor: 4/19/04)
[10] ENVIRONMENT
Do you want fries with that? Amazon deforestation is on the rise due to increased beef consumption. The government of Brazil, which is the world’s top beef exporter, reported 2003 as one of the worst years ever with a loss of 25,000 square kilometers of forest (40% more than last year). The land is being taken over by cattle ranchers, whose cows currently number over 57 million. (source: The Guardian 4/2/04 thanks to list member Napi for passing this along)
[11] MEDIA
Parents concerned about the effect of viewing nearly 40,000 commercials a year has on their children have an ally in Commercial Alert (http://www.commercialalert.org). This non-profit media watchdog group has proposed a Parents’ Bill of Rights. The Bill includes banning television commercials aimed at children under 12 (which has already happened in several European countries) as well as prohibiting companies from advertising to children in schools. Read the entire document and get involved at http://www.commercialalert.org/index.php/category_id/1/subcategory_id/69/article_id/169
[12] BOOKSHELF
Can art prevent war? The officials who covered Picasso’s Guernica with a curtain for Colin Powell’s “call to war” press conference in February of 2003 were afraid it would. And the dozens of artists featured in the new book “Peace Signs: The Anti-War Movement Illustrated” certainly hoped it would. From funny to horrifying the images created in response to the impending Iraq war reached a broader audience then ever before thanks to the internet. Since transience is the nature of the web many of the images would simply have disappeared from view if it weren’t for Peace Sign’s editor James Mann. His book compiles over 200 anti-Iraq war graphics from around the world and serves as both an invaluable historical archive and also an inspiration to artists still working for peace. The tri-lingual book, which includes an introduction by “A People’s History of the United States” author Howard Zinn, features images from both well-known and obscure artists, grouped into categories based on their subject. By including anti-war facts and essays Mr. Mann chooses to further the cause of peace rather than merely record it. This book should be required on every socially conscious coffee table. For more information or to order a copy, go to http://www.peacesigns.info/ (thanks to list member Jason for pointing us to this book)
[13] NOSH
Scientists at UCLA have begun using MRI technology to study the differences in voters’ brains. They are recording their subjects’ brain functions as they are shown political images. The results? Republicans and Democrats are indeed different. Democrats have more activity in the part of the brain that responds to danger!
(source: Christian Science Monitor 4/23/04)
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The ALR Designletter is a semi-regular update on the activities at Another Limited Rebellion design, the world of socially conscious design, and beyond. You are on this list because you have worked with, contacted, or have a personal connection to ALR design. The names on this mailing list will never be sold or given away. If you no longer wish to be on this list, just respond with "REMOVE" in the subject section and there will be no hard feelings. Back issues can be found on our web site in the ISSUES section.
Sources are listed when information was found in one specific location. However, articles are not quoted verbatim in this newsletter. The addresses provided below are to encourage further reading and support of these fine publications and information services
Christian Science Monitor: http://csmonitor.com/
Mother Jones: http://motherjones.com/
The Guardian UK: http://www.guardian.co.uk/
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