democratization photos on Flickr

Shipyard Society, detail 5 by David Hoffman

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[This is one of 7 images—the main artwork plus 6 focused on details.] “Shipyard Society” (1916) is one of 5 paintings on this theme, depicting the shipbuilding industry in Maine. This impressive work is in the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond, Virginia. The oil on panel painting is vigorous, energetic, and alive with numerous vignettes of spectators and workers at the shipyard, a depiction of the warmth and vitality of the commonplace. Bellows shows a masterful contrast between the ordinary (people) and the extraordinary (the magnitude of the ship being built). There is time for gossip and flirting, of food and dogs and umbrellas. To me there is something essentially American about the painting.

George Wesley Bellows (1882-1925) born in Columbus, Ohio, is an important American realist painter. He studied with and was influenced by Robert Henri at the New York School of Art, who promoted a democratization of subject matter in art—anything “real” was worthy of being painted. He displayed his interest in the working man with many contributions to the socialist magazine The Masses, but he believed artistic freedom was more significant that ideology, a belief that sometimes put him at odds with the editors. He became interested in lithography and worked with Bolton Brown on over 100 prints. Bellows also illustrated books, several by H. H. Wells. His artwork was evolving at the time of his death with more focus on light and domestic matters. His work is on display in numerous art galleries. In 1999 Bill Gates paid over 27 million dollars for a 1910 Bellows painting, “Polo Crowd”. Belolows is best known, probably, for his works showing boxing scenes.

Much of his work is online. A search of George Bellows on Flickr had over 730 returns.

203 paintings, with slideshow capabilities, is at www.georgewesleybellows.org/

221 paintings are found at www.the-athenaeum.org/art/list.php?m=a&s=du&aid=97

69 prints at can be viewed at www.flickr.com/photos/boston_public_library/sets/72157604...

Sources:

(1) Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Bellows

(2) biography plus thorough listing of awards and exhibitions www.sullivangoss.com/george_Bellows/

(3) biography plus 26 art works and quotes from Bellows on his craft

www.artinthepicture.com/artists/George_Bellows/Biography/

(4) assessment of an exhibition at the National Gallery of Art socialistworker.org/2012/08/15/painter-of-working-class-life

(5) slender volume issued in 1931 by Whitney Museum of Modern Art with b&w images and can be downloaded in .pdf format archive.org/details/georgebellows00egge

(6) museums online with works shown www.artcyclopedia.com/artists/bellows_george_wesley.html

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. If you use this image on your web site, you need to provide a link to this photo.

South Korea - Masan - Market - 20 by Manfred Sommer

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Masan is an administrative region of Changwon, a city in the South Gyeongsang Province. It was formerly an independent city from 1949 until in 30 June 2010 it was absorbed to Changwon along with Jinhae. Masan was redistricted as two districts within Changwon, Masanhappo-gu and Masanhoewon-gu. In 31 December 2012, the population of the districts combined was 406,893.

Throughout Korean history, Masan served as a significant port city of Happo, which went through rapid modernization in the 19th century. It was also a stage for significant democratization movements in the 1960s and 1970s, most notable event being the Bu-Ma Democratic Protests in 1979. Due to its status as a free trade port, Masan has experienced consistent growth until early 1990s when the construction of Changwon went underway and began to attract citizens around the region.

HISTORY

September 1283 – After Korean officials encouraged Kublai Khan – head of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty – in 1267 that Japan would be easily subdued,[citation needed] the Koryo Korean state built over 300 large ships to aid an invasion of Japan. With over 20,000 Mongol troops as well as 5,000 Korean, the allied armies departed Masan on board 900 ships on 15 September 1283 in a failed campaign to conquer Japan.

1 June 1901 – The port of Masan was opened with pressure from Japan. Among the initial trading goods were salt, fish, cotton and other goods.

15 December 1962 – A protest against electoral corruption was spearheaded by the Democratic Party in Masan. Approximately 1000 residents attended the demonstration, which took place at 19:30 in front of the Democratic Party Headquarters in Masan. The protest sparked violent clashes between demonstrators and police officers in which several students were killed. To restore order, authorities blacked out Masan and General Carter B. Magruder eventually dispatched US Marines to quell the unrest.

13 December 1962 – The body of Kim Ju-yul was discovered in Masan Harbor. Kim – still dressed in his uniform from Masan Commercial High School – had disappeared in the March 15 clashes. Authorities claimed that he had drowned, but many Masan residents did not believe this explanation and forced their way into the hospital where Kim's body was stored. At the hospital, they discovered that grenade fragments behind his eyes had actually killed him. In the following days, mass demonstrations broke out involving as many as 40,000 residents throughout the characteristically politically left-leaning city. During renewed clashes with police, police opened fire and killed several protesters. Once again, the US military was called in to help restore order. At this point, public anger with the government had grown to new highs and rebellion against the Rhee government mushroomed around the country. Authorities 8 declared martial law.

Thus, the events in Masan in 1962 helped spark the movement against corruption known as the April 19 Movement, which eventually led to the resignation of President Syngman Rhee and the beginning of the Second Republic.

December 1979 – Protests broke out in Masan (as well as in Busan) against the regime of President Park Chung-hee following a brutal police crackdown on a sit-in strike of female textile workers from YH Trading Company. Workers in Masan's Free-export Zone even managed to create four labour unions

EDUCATION

Masan has three institutions of higher education: public vocational focused, which is located on the northwestern outskirts of the city in Yongdam-ri, and the private Kyungnam University (경남대학교), which is located in the southern part of Masan adjacent to Shin Masan. And the small private Christian Chang Shin College, in the northeastern part of the city.

ENTERTAINMENT AND SPORTS

The original central business district of Masan is located in Chang-dong. But recently it has moved to Hapseong-dong. Hapseong-dong is also a commercial neighborhood. An area with many bars, restaurants, and other forms of entertainment is located in Sinmasan.

Masan's baseball stadium is the home of the KBO League's NC Dinos. It previously occasionally hosted the Lotte Giants, a Korea Baseball Organization team which plays in nearby Busan. A professional women's baseball team, one of several in South Korea, plays in Sinpo-dong. An amusement park and zoo are on the tiny island of Dot-do

Masan is also very close to Geojedo, a large island that can be reached by bus, car, or ferry.

FOOD

Masan is generally known for its fishing industry and is the origin of spicy Agujjim, a steamed dish made with agwi (아귀, blackmouth angler). Until the 1940s, the fish was not eaten and was frequently discarded due to its ugly appearance and low commercial value. However, as fish began to become more scarce in the late 20th century, the newly found delicacy became popular. Since its creation, agujjim has been considered a local specialty of Masan, especially around Odong-dong, one of the neighborhoods there and is favored by the public nationwide.

TRANSPORTATION

Machang Bridge is the first large-scale bridge to be built in South Korea as a public-private partnership. The sponsors of the project, Bouygues Travaux Publics and Hyundai Engineering & Construction, had been pursuing the Project since the late 1991s. MCB Co., Ltd, the Concessionaire, is jointly owned by the sponsors and MKIF.

MASAN PORT

The port was once operated by the Mongolians (Yuan Dynasty in China) and used in the preparations to conquer Japan - which eventually failed. To this day, Masan features the small but historic "Mongojeong" (몽고정,蒙古井) meaning Mongol Well. It is located on Jasan-dong 117, and represents the Mongolian influence on the city.

Today, Masan Port is one of the city's most dominating features. It was first opened in 1901. The port connects much of the outside world with the Changwon Industrial Complex, Masan's Free Trade Zone and the future Sachun Industrial Complex.

TOURIST SPOTS

JEODOYEONNEUKGYO BRIDGE

(Jeodo Island Land Connecting Bridge)

Jeodoyeonneukgyo Bridge is a popular spot to watch the beautiful sunrise and sunset. Built in 1990, the bridge connecting Gubok-ri and Jeodo Island is 182m in length and 15.5m in height. Rocks found on both ends of the bridge extend outward toward the sea, and one can cross the bridge while enjoying the beautiful backdrop of the deep blue sea.

JASAN SOLBAT PARK

This park is located in the heart of Masan, with a waterwheel along a 95m-long small stream, a pine trail created with red clay, an outdoor fitness area with gym equipment, a playground for children in the forest, an outdoor performance stage, and a gateball court.

GAGOPA KkOBURANG-GIL

This is a mural village where people can take a walk along a winding alley, and enjoy a view of a mountain village and the Masan Port. 32 artists painted the murals without pay as part of the efforts to invigorate the communities in Chusan-dong and Seongho-dong.

WIKIPEDIA

The democratization of comics by opensource.com

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Read the article on opensource.com

The democratization of comics

Created by Libby Levi for opensource.com

blockupy22 by lio leiser

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german/ english/ spanish:

Widerstand im Herzen des europäischen Krisenregimes 31. Mai und 1. Juni 2013 ###

Resistance in the Heart of the European Crisis Regime May 31 and June 1, 2013###

Resistencia en el Corazón del Régimen Europeo de la Crisis 31 de Mayo y 1 de Junio de 2013.###

Erneut rufen wir* zu europäischen Tagen des Protestes in Frankfurt am Main gegen das Krisenregime der Europäischen Union auf. Am 31. Mai und 1. Juni 2013 wollen wir den Widerstand gegen die Verarmungspolitik von Regierung und Troika – der EZB, der EU-Kommission und des IWF – in eines der Zentren des europäischen Krisenregimes tragen: an den Sitz der Europäischen Zentralbank (EZB) und vieler deutscher Banken und Konzerne – den Profiteuren dieser Politik.

Die Verarmungs- und Privatisierungsprogramme, die schon vor Jahrzehnten den Ländern des Globalen Südens aufgezwungen wurden, sind jetzt in Europa angekommen. Die deutsche Agenda 2010 war nur ein Modellprojekt für das, was in noch dramatischerem Umfang jetzt insbesondere in Südeuropa durchgesetzt wird. Diese Verelendung wird sich – auch hier – noch weiter verschärfen, wenn wir uns nicht wehren: der weitere Abbau sozialer und demokratischer Rechte. Damit soll die Zahlungsfähigkeit für die Renditeerwartungen der großen Vermögen erhalten bleiben und durch die Verbilligung und Prekarisierung von Lohnarbeit die „ökonomische Wettbewerbsfähigkeit“ Deutschlands und (Kern-)Europas auf dem kapitalistischen Weltmarkt gesteigert werden.

Gemeinsam mit den Menschen im Süden Europas sagen wir: „Don’t owe, don‘t pay!“ (Wir schulden nichts, wir zahlen nichts!) und wehren uns dagegen, dass die Sanierung des Kapitalismus in Europa auf dem Rücken der Lohnabhängigen, der Erwerbslosen, der Rentner_innen, der Migrant_innen und der Jugendlichen ausgetragen wird. Wir verweigern uns der Komplizenschaft mit der deutschen Krisenpolitik, die nicht nur katastrophale Folgen für die Lebensverhältnisse der Menschen im Süden Europas hat, sondern auch hierzulande die soziale Spaltung immer weiter vorantreibt. Deswegen kämpfen wir auch gegen die hier bereits erfolgten und in noch größerem Ausmaß drohenden Verschlechterungen von Lebens- und Arbeitsbedingungen, die zudem geschlechtsspezifisch ungleich verteilt sind und somit die Geschlechterungerechtigkeit verschärfen. Zu uns gehören Initiativen gegen steigende Mieten, kommunale Verarmung und Schikanen am Jobcenter, gegen Abschiebungen, Lager und Residenzpflicht.

Immer wieder wird versucht, uns zu spalten, z.B. mit dem Hinweis, ‚es wäre genug für die Griechen gezahlt‘. Keine Griechin, kein Grieche ist gerettet, vielmehr sind Banken und Konzernen ihre Rendite gesichert worden. Wir widersetzen uns dem Versuch, mit solchen nationalistischen Parolen Beschäftigte, Erwerbslose und Prekäre in Deutschland und Griechenland, in Italien, Portugal und Frankreich oder anderen Ländern gegeneinander aufzuhetzen. Insbesondere bekämpfen wir alle (neo)faschistischen Tendenzen, Aufmärsche und Veranstaltungen. Wir wehren uns auch gegen jedwede reaktionäre oder rassistische Kriseninterpretation – gleich ob von „Unten oder Oben“ – gleich ob in antisemitischer, antimuslimischer oder antiziganistischer Form.

Wir sind Teil der internationalen Bewegungen, die sich seit Jahren gegen die Angriffe auf unser Leben und unsere Zukunft wehren, für soziale Rechte und Alternativen kämpfen, neue Formen von demokratischer Organisierung und solidarischer Ökonomie entwickeln. Wir widersetzen uns der autoritären Durchsetzung der Spar- und Reformpakete, die in eklatantem Widerspruch zu demokratischen Prinzipien steht, und treten für die Demokratisierung aller Lebensbereiche ein. Wir widersetzen uns der Durchsetzung wirtschaftlicher Interessen mit Krieg und Rüstungsexport. Wir widersetzen uns dem kapitalistischen Wirtschaftsmodell, das auf globaler Ausbeutung basiert, notwendig Armut und soziale Ungleichheit produziert und die Natur systematisch zerstört.

Wir tragen unseren Protest, unseren zivilen Ungehorsam und Widerstand an den Sitz der Profiteure des europäischen Krisenregimes nach Frankfurt am Main. Von polizeilicher und juristischer Repression, die Bewegungen an vielen Orten weltweit und auch uns trifft, lassen wir uns nicht einschüchtern, sondern begegnen ihr mit grenzüberschreitender Solidarität.

Setzen wir unsere Solidarität gegen die Politik der Spardiktate! Machen wir deutlich: Wir werden nicht zulassen, dass die Krise weiter auf den Rücken von abhängig Beschäftigten, Erwerbslosen, Rentner_innen, Prekären, Studierenden, Flüchtlingen und vielen anderen abgeladen wird, weder anderswo, noch hier. Die Frankfurter Protesttage schließen damit an die weltweiten Proteste des vergangenen Jahres, die Proteste im Frühling in Brüssel und anderswo sowie an die Bewegungen für einen Alter Summit in Athen an.

Wir werden gegen die Politik von Bundesregierung und der ganz großen 4-Parteien-Koalition, gegen die Politik von EZB, EU-Kommission und IWF demonstrieren.Wir werden die EZB blockieren.Wir werden die öffentlichen Plätze in der Wirtschafts- und Finanzmetropole Frankfurt okkupieren – wir sind BLOCKUPY!

* Blockupy ist ein bundesweites Bündnis, in dem zahlreiche Gruppen, Organisationen und einzelne AktivistInnen mitarbeiten. Wir sind in unterschiedlichen sozialen und politischen Gruppen oder Strömungen aktiv. Bisher beteiligen sich Attac-AktivistInnen, Gewerkschaften, antirassistische Netzwerke, Parteien wie Die Linke, Occupy-AktivistInnen, Erwerbsloseninitiativen, studentische Gruppen, Nord-Süd-, Friedens- und Umweltinitiativen, die Linksjugend [‘solid], die Grüne Jugend sowie linksradikale Zusammenschlüsse wie die Interventionistische Linke und das Ums-Ganze-Bündnis. ↩

Mehr Informationen auf der HP: www.blockupy-frankfurt.org

www.occupy-frankfurt.de

##################

Call for Action: Blockupy Frankfurt!

Resistance in the Heart of the European Crisis Regime May 31 and June 1, 2013

Again we* call for European days of protest in Frankfurt on the Main against the crisis regime of the European Union. On May 31 and June 1, 2013, we want to carry the resistance against the policies of impoverishment of government and Troika- EZB, EU-Comission and IMF-into one of the centers of the European crisis regime: to the domicile of the European Central Bank (ECB) and of many German banks and corporations- the profiteers of these policies.

The programs of impoverishment and privatizations, which already decades ago have been imposed on the countries of the Global South, now have arrived in Europe. The German Agenda 2010 was just an archetype for what now in even more dramatic extent is enforced especially in Southern Europe. This pauperization will aggravate further – also here- if we do not defend ourseleves: the ongoing cutback of social and democratic rights. Thereby the capacity to pay for the expectations on yeald return of large fortunes are to be sustained, the „economic competitiveness“ of Germany and (Central)Europe in the capitalist world market is to be enhanced through the price-reduction and precarization of waged labor.

Together with people in Southern Europe we say: „Don’t owe, don‘t pay!“ and resist the restructuring of capitalism in Europe on the backs of empoyees and unemployed, retirees, migrants and youth. We defy the complicity with the German crisis policies, which not ony have catastrophic consequences for people in Southern Europe, but also in this country even further deepen the social divide. Therefore we also fight against the deterioration of living and working conditions, already implemented here and imminent to an even larger extent. Its effects are also gender-specifically unequally distributed and thus aggravate gender injustice. Initiatives against rising rents, municipal impoverishment and harrasment of unemployed persons, against deportations, isolation camps and mandatory residence are part of us.

Consistently it is tried to divide us, e.g. by saying that „enough has been paid for the Greek“. No Greek person has been saved, in fact the yeald return of banks and corporations has been assured. We defy the intent to incite employees, unemployed and precarious in Germany and Greece, in Italy, Portugal, France or other countries against each other with such nationalist slogans. Especially we fight against all (neo)fascist tendencies, marches and events. We also oppose any form of reactionary or racist crisis interpreation- no matter if from „below or above“, no matter if anti-Semitic, antiMuslim or antiziganistic.

We are part of the international movements who for years have been resisting the attacks on our life and our future, fight for social rights and alternatives, develop new forms of organization and solidarian economy. We oppose the authoritarian imposition of packages of austerity and reforms, which are in blatant contraditction to democratic principles, and stand up for the democratization of all aspects of life. We defy the assertion of economic interests through war and exports of weapons. We defy the capitalist economic model which is based on global exploitation, necessarily produces poverty and social injustice and systematically destroys nature.

We carry our protest, our civil disobedience and resistance to the domicile of the profiteers of the European crisis regime to Frankfurt on the Main. We will not let ourselves be intimidated by police and judicial repression which globally affects movements on many places including ourselves, but react with border-crossing solidarity.

Let´s show our solidarity against the politics of austerity dictates! Let us make clear: We will not permit that the crsis is continuously loaded on the backs of wage earners, unemployed, retirees, precarious, students, refugees and many others, neither here nor anywhere else. The Frankfurt days of protest thereby join last year´s global protests, the protests in spring in Brussels and other places and the movements for an Alter Summit in Athens.

We will demonstrate against the policies of the federal governemnt and the really grand 4-party-coalition, against the policies of ECB, EU-Comission and IMF. We will block the ECB. We will occupy public squares in the economic and financial metropolis Frankfurt – we are Blockupy!

*Blockupy is a federal coalition in which numerous groups, organizations and individual activists collaborate. We are active in different social and political collectives or currents. So far take part: Attac-activists, unions, antiracist networks, parties like Die Linke, Occupy-activists, unemployed initiatives, student groups, North-South, peace and environmental initiatives, the leftyouth [‘solid], the green youth, as well as radical left associations like Interventionist Left and Ums-Ganze-Alliance.↩

informations: www.blockupy-frankfurt.org

www.occupy-frankfurt.de

#####

Convocatoria: ¡Blockupy Frankfurt!

Resistencia en el Corazón del Régimen Europeo de la Crisis 31 de Mayo y 1 de Junio de 2013.

Otra vey nosotrxs* hacemos un llamado para jornadas europeas de protesta en contra del régimen de crisis de la Unión Europea en Fráncfort del Meno. El 31 de Mayo y el 1 de junio queremos llevar la resistencia contra las políticas de emprobrecimiento del gobierno y de la Troika – BCE, Comisión Europea y FMI- a uno de los centros del régimen europeo de la crisis: A la sede del Banco Central Europea (BCE) y de muchos bancos y consorcios alemanes- los beneficiarios de esta política.

Los programas de empobrecimiento y de privatizationes, que ya hace décadas han sido impuestos a los paises del Sur Global, ahora han llegado a Europa. La Agenda 2010 alemana sólo era un proyecto piloto por lo que ahora se impone de alcanze aún mas dramático especialmente en el Sur de Europa. Esa depauperización se agudizará aún más – también aquí- si no nos defendemos: la reducción contínua de derechos sociales y democráticos. Así se pretende mantener la capacidad de pago para las expectativas de rédito de las grandes fortunas y de aumentar la „competitividad económica“ de Alemania y (del Centro de) Europa en el mercado mundial capitalista a través del abaratamiento y de la precarización del trabajo asalariado.

Juntxs con las personas en el Sur de Europa decimos: „¡No debemos, no pagamos!“ y resistimos la subsanación del capitalismo europeo a costa de salariadxs, desempleadxs, jubiladxs, migrantes y jóvenes. Denegamos la complicidad con la política alemana de la crisis, que no solamente tiene consequencias nefastas para las condiciones de vida de la gente en el Sur de Europa, sino que también en este país aumenta cada vez más la division social. Por eso también luchamos contra el deterioro de condiciones de vida y de trabajo ya implementado aquí y amagante de extensión aún más masiva. Sus resultados además son redistribuidos desigualmente de forma género específica, agravando todavía más la injusticia de género. Parte de nosotrxs son iniciativas en contra del aumento de alquileres, del empobrecimiento municipal y acoso a desempleadxs, en contra de deportaciones, campos de aislamiento y residencia obligatoria.

Una y otra vez se intenta dividirnos, por ejemplo diciendo que se „ha pagado suficiente para los griegos“. Ningunx griegx ha sido salvado, al contrario el rédito de bancos y corporaciones ha sido asegurado. Nos oponemos al intento de incitar asalariadxs, desempleadxs y precarixs en Alemania y Grecia, Italia, Portugal, Francia y otros paises lxs unxs en contra de lxs ortxs con consignas nacionalistas de este tipo. Especialmente luchamos en contra de todas las tendencias, marchas y eventos (neo)fascistas. Nos oponemos también a cualquier intrerpretación reaccionaria o racista de la crisis- no importa si desde „abajo o arriba“- no importa si de forma antisemita, antimusulmán o antiziganista.

Somos parte de los movimientos internacionales, que desde años están resistiendo los ataques a nuestra vida y nuestro futuro, que luchan por derechos sociales y alternativas, desarrollan nuevas formas de organización democrática y de economía solidaria. Nos oponemos a la imposición de paquetes de austeridad y de reformas, que están en contradicción masiva con principios democráticos, y reividicamos la democratización de todos los aspectos de la vida. Resistimos contra la imposición de intereses económicos a través de la guerra y de la exportación de armas. Nos oponemos al modelo económico capitalista, que se basa en explotación global, necesariamente produce pobreza y desigualdad social y sistematicamente destruye la naturaleza. Llevamos nuestra protesta, nuestra desobedencia civil y nuestra resistencia a la sede de los benificiarios del régimen europeo de la crisis a Fráncfort del Meno. No nos dejamos intimidar por la represión policial y judicial, que gol

pea los moviminetos en muchos lugares del mundo incluyendo a nosotrxs, sino que la contestamos con solidaridad transfronteriza.

¡Pongamos nuestra solidaridad contra la política de los dictados de austeridad! Dejémos claro: No permitiremos que la crisis siga cargada en las espaldas de asalariadxs, desempleadxs, jubiladxs, estudiantes, refugiadxs, y otrxs, ni aquí ni en otros lugares. Las jornadas de protesta en Fráncfort continuan las protestas mundiales del año pasado, las protestas en la primavera en Bruxellas y otros lugares como los movimientos para un Alter Summit en Atenas.

Nos manifestaremos en contra de la coalición muy grande de cuatro partidos, contra las políticas de BCE, Comisión Europea y FMI. Bloquearemos el BCE. Ocuparemos las plazas públicas de la metrópolis económico-financiera Fráncfort- ¡Somos Blockupy!

* Blockupy es una coalición a nivel federal, en la cual cooperan numerosos colectivos, organizaciones y activistas individuales. Participamos activamente en diferentes grupos o corrientes sociales y políticos. Hasta ahora toman parte activistas de Attac, sindicatos, redes antiracistas, partidos como Die Linke, activistas de Occupy, iniciativas de desempleadxs, colectivos estudiantiles, iniciativas Norte-Sur, por la paz y el medio ambiente, la juventud de izquierda [‘solid], la juventud verde, así como federaciones de la izquierda radical como la Izquierda Intervencionista y la Alianza Ums Ganze..

Tribal Chin Woman With Spiderweb Tattoo On The Face, Mrauk U, Myanmar by Eric Lafforgue

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The Chin tattooed women live in the Chin, Rakhine and Arakan states in northwestern Myanmar. The origin of facial tattoos in the region is unknown. Some believe that the practice began during the reigns of Kings long ago. The royalty used to come to the villages to capture young women. The men from the tribe may have tattooed their women to make them ugly, thereby saving them from a life of slavery. Interestingly, I heard a similar origin for body modification among the Mursi tribe in Ethiopia. As legend has it, the tribeswomen began wearing giant lip plates to make them uglier to would-be kidnappers. Now, the bigger the lip plate the higher the bride price.

For years, access to the tribal Mindat area was restricted by the burmese government. It was opened just two years ago. Only about 700 tourists visit per year. Most of them only visit the bucolic Mount Victoria by bus, never meeting the tattooed women who remain isolated, hours away by foot. Those who do wish to meet them better pack good walking shoes and be prepared to sleep in smoke-filled local houses complete with rats.

There are a few different face tattoo patterns. The spiderweb tattoo is popular in the Mrauk U region. It takes a three hour long tail boat ride to reach this remote area. This tattoo is usually accompanied by a circle in the center of the forehead which represents the sun or lines under the nose symbolizing tiger whiskers.

Another design, known as the bee pattern, is common in the Mindat area. It is composed of dots, lines and occasionally circles. It is worn by the Muun tribe who inhabit the hills of the Arakan state.

The Magan tribeswomen wear huge earrings made of beads and calabashes. They can also play the flute with their noses.

I ventured to Kanpelet village in search of the women from the U Pu tribe who have the incredibly rare whole face tattoo. This is one of the most impressive styles: the entire face is inked up. Rumors had it that only three women in this area had the tattoo. After hours of off roading, I arrive in the village only to learn that one died recently and another was very ill. I was lucky enough to meet Pa Late. At 85, she is nearly deaf but still works hard with her family in a small house on the top of a little hill.

Pa Late said that a completely black face had become a symbol of beauty in the past. The few women who refused to do it looked ugly to the men. The tattoo took three days but the pain lasted over a month.

There are two ways to make the tattoo needle. The first consists of tying three pieces of bamboo together and the second uses thorns. The ink is a mixture of cow bile, soot, plants, and pig fat. It usually took one day to complete the standard tattoo and a few more for the totally black one. The tattoo artist was a specialist or in some cases a parent. Infection was a common problem as the girls had blood all over their face.

Everything, including the eyelids, was tattooed. Many women say that the neck was the most sensitive area.

Ma Aung Seim shared her memories of the tattoo sessions : “I was 10 years old. The day before the tattoo ceremony, I only ate sugarcane and drank tea. It was forbidden to eat meat or peanuts. During the tattoo session, I cried a lot, but I could not move at all. After the session, my face bled for 3 days. It was very painful. My mother put fresh beans leaves on my face to alleviate the pain. I had no choice if i wanted to get married. Men wanted women with tattoos at this time. My mother told me that without a tattoo on my face, i would look like... a man! The web drawn on my face attracted the men like a spiderweb catches insects!”

Not all the tattooed women live in remote areas deep in the mountains. Some have integrated into modern society. Miss Heu, 67, lives in Kanpelet. Her grandmother forced her to get tattooed. She lives in a modern house and even has TV (when electricity is not out). Chin people have maintained their modesty and shyness: when a movie showspeople kissing or making love, most of them still fast forward the scene.

As a leader in the local community, Miss Heu had the chance to meet Aung San Suu Kyi when she came in the area for a meeting. She is very aware of the tattooed women and the ethnicities that are forgotten by the central government. She says she and Aung San Suu Kyi are friends now. Heu’s daughter has graduated and works in Singapore.

The Chin culture is threatened by the government as their teachers are usually not Chin. For a long time, they fought for independence, but since the country began to democratize, things have calmed down.

“I am old. Soon I will die” says to me a Chin woman from Pan Baung village, while she does the gesture of drying tears from her eyes. In her village, only 6 tattooed woman remain alive. Those women are the last of their kind…

www.ericlafforgue.com

0811 Political protest in Mexico City, Mexico by Mark – Back after a long absence

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FACES OF BOTH SIDES OF THE PROTEST. BEAUTIFUL POLICE OFFICER WITH THE RED LIGHT OF HER CAR REFLECTED IN HER FACE.

Saturday 1 December 2012 was inauguration day for the newly elected President of United Mexican States (MEXICO). While a friend and I were walking near where the inauguration was taking place, a small riot broke out around us; my friend being smarter than me immediately returned to the hotel while I stayed to take picture. A lot of young people showed up with bandanas covering much of their faces. The protesters were upset by the election of Pena Nieto, and believed election fraud had taken place. Several of the “rioters” identified themselves as belonging to Yo Soy 132.

Yo Soy 132 is an ongoing Mexican protest movement centered around the democratization of the country and its media. It began as opposition to the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) candidate Enrique Peña Nieto and the Mexican media's allegedly biased coverage of the 2012 general election. The name Yo Soy 132, Spanish for "I Am 132", originated in an expression of solidarity with the protest's initiators.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yo_Soy_132

"Irrepressible Conflict or Blundering Generation? The Coming of the Civil War" Exhibit by W&M Libraries

Shown here are images from the exhibit "Irrepressible Conflict or Blundering Generation? The Coming of the Civil War," on display in the Marshall Gallery (first floor rotunda) and the Special Collections Research Center Lobby in Swem Library at the College of William and Mary. The exhibit will be on display from April -September 2011.

The following is taken from the label text presented in this case:

Irrepressible Conflict:

The Irrepressible Conflict school argues that the War was inevitable (“irrepressible”) because the North and South were growing too far apart and could no longer co-exist. The historians of this school include such prominent scholars as Allan Nevins and Eric Foner, and they do not agree on what the most critical differences were, whether economic, moral, cultural, or something else. In general, however, they argue that since the American Revolution, the Northern states had fully embraced capitalism and industrialization as well as freedom, not only outlawing slavery, but also providing education, voting rights, and economic opportunity for all men. The result was a democratic, entrepreneurial, and liberty-loving society—“Free Soil, Free Labor, Free Men” in the words of one political slogan.

The South, by contrast, became ever-more reliant on slavery, which Northerners argued debased all workers, not just those who were enslaved. A small group of wealthy planters controlled all aspects of society and used government to repress both poor whites and slaves, out of fear of unrest and rebellions. Because of its commitment to slavery, the South experienced little progress in terms of industrialization or democratization.

As a result of population increase, westward expansion, and the growth of trade, Northern free labor and Southern slave labor systems came into increasing contact and conflict. The consequence, in the words of Northern abolitionist William Seward in an 1858 speech, was “an irrepressible conflict between opposing and enduring forces, and it means that the United States must and will, sooner or later, become either entirely a slaveholding nation, or entirely a free-labor nation.” Seward’s speech was widely printed, and a copy is in the upper left section of this case with a photo of Seward.

Education in the North:

The growing Northern emphasis on broad-based education can be seen in the explosion in the number of textbooks published for all ages on this shelf and in the chart below indicating the number of students in colleges.

Northern Industrialization vs. Traditional Artisanship in the South:

Silas Howe of Marlboro, Massachusetts, was an entrepreneurial shoemaker. He used the “putting-out” system to begin mass-producing shoes, carefully coordinating production. His 1850-1854 journal indicates that he employed many workers, assigning different steps in the production process to different people who worked out of their own homes, using materials Howe had supplied. This allowed for a tremendous increase in production compared to traditional shoemaking. The “putting-out” system was also used for other products, such as textiles, where it was a precursor to factory production.

Next to Howe’s journal is the 1850s account book of Absalom Lee, a cobbler in Hardy County, Virginia [now West Virginia]. Lee made shoes for specific customers, and he handled all aspects of production from start to finish. This was how shoes had been made for centuries.

Reform Movements:

In the first half of the 1800s, North and South both experienced a continuing series of religious revivals known as the Second Great Awakening. In both regions, religion inspired personal reform, such as abstinence from alcohol. But in the North, reform took on a millennialist tinge, as religious people aimed for a perfect society in order to bring on the second coming of Christ. Northern reformers tried to use government to impose morality and energetically attacked all manner of problems, such as improving prisons and lunatic asylums. Contemporaries considered radical abolition — the movement to end slavery everywhere immediately — one of the more extreme reforms to come out of the Second Great Awakening.

Southern Slavery vs. Northern Wage Slavery

Led by Thomas Dew (W&M 1820, President 1836-1846), Southern intellectuals in the 1830s began to defend slavery as necessary for civilization, beneficial to slaves, and justified by the Bible. They argued that Southern slave owners treated their slaves more humanely than Northern factory owners treated their workers (“wage slaves”). Slave owners, according to this argument, provided food, clothing, and housing to their slaves, even when they were sick or old, whereas Northern factory owners took no responsibility at all for caring for their workers. Shown here are records of the distribution of clothing and shoes to enslaved people by James Galt of Point of Fork in Fluvanna County and Eliza Jones of Concord in Gloucester County.

Northern Industry:

The textile industry was the first major sector in the North to industrialize, using the “putting-out” system described –earlier in the exhibit, as well as full-blown factories. The daybook here is from the Petersham Cotton Manufacturing Company of Massachusetts, which used the putting-out system. The textile mills of Lowell, Massachusetts, initially employed young, single women as factory workers; the Lowell Offering was a magazine produced by the young women.

Southern Economy and Religion:

The Southern economy continued to be based on agriculture, with very little manufacturing. It sold its farm products — most notably cotton — to other nations and to the North and imported manufactured goods in return. It did adopt some of the features of the Northern economy, such as banks and railroads, but not nearly to the same extent as the North.

Disagreements over slavery and the place of slave owners and enslaved people in the churches caused the major Protestant denominations to split into northern and southern factions. The Methodists split in 1844, the Baptists in 1845, and the Presbyterians in 1861. The “Gospel as Preached in the South” is the 1844 testimony of former slave Henry Cooke about the religious practices on the Louisiana plantation where he lived prior to his escape. Cooke had been the property of Robert Carter Nicholas (W&M 1816), whose family formerly lived in Williamsburg, Virginia.

From the Special Collections Research Center, Earl Gregg Swem Library at the College of William and Mary. See swem.wm.edu/scrc/ for further information and assistance.

Penn-Wyatt House Stained-Glass Window 2 by David Hoffman

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[There are 27 detailed images in this set] This is a creative commons image, which you may freely use by linking to this page. Please respect the photographer and his work.

This set of 5 photos shows some of the stained-glass windows of the Penn-Wyatt House (1876) in Danville, Virginia. Residential, or secular stained-glass, had become relatively common in the last quarter of the 19th century as a way to beautify one’s space, to make an architectural statement, and possibly to fall in with a decorative fad or style. Charles Eastlake (1836-1906), influential in architectural embellishment, felt the use of stained-glass was an appropriate decoration for a household; it was in “good taste”. The glaziers’ world now included the ecclesiastical and the secular. Decorative arts in an architectural setting demanded fine art from skilled and imaginative craftsmen, often using floral or abstract designs on a geometrical background (photo 4 is a good example of this). Inside the house, the light through the window would create a different aspect of color and mood; furthermore, windows were placed where no view to the outside was intended. The use of decorative windows became so commonplace that mail order hardware companies offered them among their products at prices within reach of many. This democratization of stained-glass accessibility tended to water down the artistry. In the 20th century, two wars and the Depression devastated the business with the final blow delivered by “modern architecture”, which greatly deemphasized any ornamentation. I don’t know anything about these windows, if they were artisan or assembly-line in origin or when they were installed. The house did undergo modifications from 1897-1903. I was unable to view the interior of the Penn-Wyatt House except as seen through windows; but I’ll remember looking through a glass door and seeing, as if I were inside, how a window diffused the light and colors, a sight of wonder and beauty. Images 2 and 3 are excellent examples of window moldings. The Penn-Wyatt House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places September 7, 1979, ID reference #79003317. [The description is a synthesis of numerous sources.]

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. If you use this image on your web site, you need to provide a link to this photo.

blockupy3 by lio leiser