11 artist who collaborated with the Black Keys x 11 days x 11 tracks. 11.27.2009. Photos by John Peets

More photos after the jump.

Just after hearing Wayne is preparing to do a bid in February for a past gun charge, it’s a pivotal time for QD3 to present the ‘The Carter” documentary. What better way is there to pay homage to a pop icon than Sundance? “Few will ever live the life of a true rock star, Wayne is one of the few.”

The people of Portland, Oregon had their city under siege from a 15′ red ball courtesy of Kevin Carroll and Kurt Perschke. See how the ball challenged peoples’ perspectives on play and permission.

Hey hoo…

aku sekarang ni sedang sibuk multi-tasking. Kalau  dioffice, selain buat task harian seperti design book cover, layout atau melukis illustrasi utk buku2, aku juga sibuk surfing web tentang setting up website dan buat research utk buat website. Yup, aku sedang cuba utk setup website utk designs (biasalah cari job luar utk extra income buat anak2)…

anyway, aku jumpa link website ini, Message in-a-box tools and tactics communicating  your cause. Website ini sangat menarik kerana banyak info2 yang boleh kawan2 dapat disini. Terutama buat kawan2 activist, NGO dan juga art activist. So do check out if you have the time…

Tactical Tech’s “Message in-a-box” is a set of strategic guides to using communications tools for social change, together with a suite of open source tools to get you making your own media. The toolkit is designed for small and medium-sized NGOs, advocates, and citizen journalists to help them create and distribute content for their advocacy efforts while exploring the constantly evolving world of campaigning and communications.

dibawah ni ada article tips yang aku ambil dari website mereka tentang grassroots comics

____________________

diambil dari (taken from): http://www.messageinabox.tacticaltech.org/node/107

Bring stories to life with simple pictures

Grassroots comics dramatise specific issues and bring them into live debate within the community.

Grassroots comics have been successfully used in campaigns involving human rights, health education, corruption, environmental concerns, and many others. They can be employed at different levels of campaigning, from peer group distribution within a local community to mass distribution efforts.

The comics are most of the time directly related to some activity of an NGO or a community group, but there are also works from individuals who just want to tell their own stories. In particular children often depict the issues that affect their lives in a moving way.

Since comics stick out, they are attractive for NGOs, which always have to look for new and innovative ways of communicating with their target audience. Furthermore, to distribute comics in communities is not very expensive — pens, papers and access to a copying machine are all that is required.

The voice from the streets

The media in general tend to look at the larger picture and pay most of their attention to political and business stories. The stories of common people are much less visible.

If we look at life through the eyes of a community activist we see that mainstream media rarely reflects the views an activist wants to put across.

Because grassroots comics are created by common people and especially by community activists, they give a first hand view — a “first voice” — on the issues in the community. They are an empowering form of expression in that they give ordinary people a chance to direct debate.

Comics can also promote communal understanding across ethnic lines. When people tell their own stories on a local level, they can reach out to other groups in the society that have false ideas or bad opinions of them. Genuine, heartfelt stories are convincing and they have credibility. These comics can be distributed by organisations working with ethnic, political or communal problems.

Speak truth to those in power

Comics can be an effective means of speaking truth to power. People in decision-making positions often have very little direct contact with grassroots organisations or local activists.

By using the attention-grabbing medium of comics, these activists can send their stories on specific issues directly to the decision-makers. Busy politicians and officials may welcome the opportunity to read a comic rather than to look through another pile of papers.

This is because the drama of the story is captured succinctly in the comic format, and engages the reader and makes the point.

The story begins at a bar, where the girl has got so drunk that she asks a boy to escort her home. He
diverts them to a guest house. In the morning she asks if he used a condom, which he says he did not, because he had none. The last panel shows what the situation was after ten years.

Haha. BURN.! The gay community defends same-sex marriage by quoting the Bible, calling out the validity of common marriages.

Laidback present “Designed to Chill,” an interactive launch party and discussion on how great design can enhance relationships during Design Philadelphia. We will be creating our very own urban hang suite for you to relax and hang out, play with Wii and board games, and experience a sense of community. You will leave with quick easy pointers on creating a space of your own using color and conversation pieces, tips on creating game nights and the food and design to complement it. Laidback will also introduce new designs from the collection throughout the space.

For more info about Design Philadelphia and other events going on during the week check out http://www.designphiladelphia.org/

Over the last few months I have observed closely as employees took ownership to drive various engagement initiatives across the organization I work in. Unlike other organizations where dedicated teams are assigned to create a fun place, employees here leverage their ‘collective wisdom’ to uplift the mood in the offices.

What started as a ‘community event’ to build connection and improve the ‘buzz’ in the office grew into a twice a month engagement calendar event focusing on the company’s key milestones. There are now more and more employees volunteering to chip in with events! Despite the slowdown and pressing demands, the focus has always been on creating a positive workplace.

Looking glass

Inspired by the team of enthusiastic individuals who championed the first event other employees stepped forward to do their bit. Not just the event, they also immersed themselves in communication, promotion and measurement! From sharing updates about the company’s strategy to articulating progress on initiatives. From highlighting values to recognizing high performers. A successful ‘shared responsibility’ model. When asked what drives them, the response is that they like the ‘culture’ and ‘want to contribute more’ to make it better.

So while most organizations rely on the human resources group or a ‘dedicated’ counsel for employee engagement or the cool sounding ‘Chief Fun Officer’ to own and drive engagement, I strongly believe a grass root approach works best. ‘Grass root’ engagement to me is a movement from within and from the ‘bottom-up’ rather than a high level view of what engagement should be.

In their white paper titled ‘Market Research: Voice of the Employee” Globoforce discusses how engagement can improve morale and remain a priority in good or bad times. Communication and recognition are highlighted as essential elements for success.

While surveys agree that engagement drive productivity and improve the bottom-line, it is the final lap of the equation that matters to employees. Employees seek on-the-ground tangible effort that is direct, transparent and visible.

Rather than see a top-down initiative to drive engagement employees usually ask:  

a)       How can I contribute to the effort?

b)      What more can I do to make a difference to the organization?

c)       Can I do something now to improve connection?

So how does this work and how can you as human resources or communicators play an active role?  Here are some thoughts.

Provide a framework: As the internal communicators, you can help define templates for running local connection programs. Basic planning sheets, budget trackers, communication formats, post connection feedback questionnaire, promotion outlines among others. Even communication documents to reduce turnaround time. Discuss and arrive at a formal process for content and design reviews so that you can avoid reinventing the wheel.

Lead by action: Participate in planning meetings and call out the role of internal communication for the success of connection programs. Such as review of communication, support for promotion and internal branding guidance. Work closely on a couple of connection programs to seek more opportunities to pitch in.

Empower: The organization must empower employee(s) to take decisions and thereby evolve their own guidelines for connection programs.  The event owners much be provided all support be it with budgets or with relevant tools and resources.

Recognize instantaneously: I found employees seek recognition and soon. It is the responsibility of local leadership to take action as soon as they see tangible results and effort on the part of employees to go over and beyond.

Communicate widely: We leverage our intranet to showcase the connection events and how employees have contributed. The weekly newsletter carries snippets which the entire organization can read at a glance. This is in itself a wonderful form of recognition.

Plan ahead: When employees see a long term plan they believe there is commitment from the organization to invest in engagement programs. Share the calendar in advance and seek ideas to improve the event formats and feedback mechanism.

Finally – let employees have fun! The most recent event had an interesting connection exercise called ‘Festival of Joy’ as well as a relevant ‘Know Your Colleague’ Contest. The participation it drew was testament of this excellent engagement model.

I just added the next 2 episodes of “Budget Justified” so you can purchase them – only a dollar each! – from my web site. Each episode includes outtakes, not shown in the movie.

If you don’t plan to purchase Episode 3 (w/outtakes!), you can still view it once we get 1000 fans on the Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sexual-Harassment-in-the-Federal-Government-movie-book-true-story/138138959814?ref=ts … so sign up to be a fan & forward the link to all your friends!

“I want my America Back!” “This is not the America I grew up in!” “Give us back our country!” Refrains from the supposedly dissatisfied “non-reformers.” News outlets are saying that the debate over health care reform is getting out of hand but, truth be told, there is no debate. Just a lot of screaming, hollering, and shouts of “No-Bama.” These people are so convinced that the health care reform bill (which is not even a bill yet) is going to be the death of America, that they don’t even want to listen to anything that is said.

Case in point: At Sen. Arlen Specter’s last town hall meeting, a woman (Katy Abram) prompted a standing ovation by telling Specter: “I don’t believe this is just health care. This is about the systematic dismantling of this country. … I don’t want this country turning into Russia, turning into a socialized country. What are you going to do to restore this country back to what our founders created, according to the Constitution?” She admitted that she was 35, never been interested in politics (even after 911 for gosh sakes). This woman is a moron who was given a voice on Fixed Noise Network. She says that she had 1 person called her cell and called her racist and that she’s “scared” it’s going to happen more. She even admitted that she never even heard the answer that Specter gave her because she was so worked up! This is exactly my point because she already had her mind made up when she went there. Now, Fixed Noise is trying to make her out to be a martyr. Come on! She wants her 15 minutes of fame like all of the other wingnuts that are saying the same thing. She even lied about being a Democrat, etc. because she gave herself away by saying, “I even voted for Clinton, twice I think.” Which is it, you’ve never been into politics or you’re a died-in-the-wool ex-Democrat? All you have to do is listen and you’ll find out who these people are, from the birthers to the deathers, they have given us a new “N-word” – Socialism! (Click here to see what some folks really think about the POTUS)

That’s right, just look at some of the signs and slogans that are at these supposed grassroots rallies. They are calling the President every name but a child of God, painting him as the Joker, monkeys, etc. The white congressmen are being sent death threats, being hanged in effigy, and being applauded for almost getting lynched. It’s back to the whole ‘nigger-lovers’ of the past! Swastikas, more death threats, guns at rallies, threats of violence – just way too much. They want their country back! Hmmm, it’s amazing to hear that a woman actually wants to go back to the America of our founding fathers. Well, Ms. Abram, let’s see what we have to do to get there:

First, Medicare and Social Security must be repealed (Socialist programs), so we’re back to the two-class system (no middle class) where your senior citizens will be back to dying in the streets for real! Okay, now all civil rights legislation has to go. (That’s your main goal anyway, though isn’t it?) Alright, all of the amendments to the Constitution have to go because they were not the intent of our founding fathers, so that means that your right to vote (19th Amendment) is gone as well. Welcome to being treated as your husband’s property and personal baby-maker. By the way, did you know that black men were given the right to vote before you (women) were? Amazing, isn’t it? Well, once we get rid of all of those pesky amendments and Socialist programs, we’ll be back to “your” America. Wow, that seems like a nice place to visit. Oh, and by the way, you won’t have to worry about health care reform either, because you’ll be so deep in the backwoods until you can’t get a doctor and have to work with home remedies. But that’s ok, because it will be your America. You know, when men were men and the Blacks were kept in their place by slavery, not trying to be some uppity Negro President! Yes, let’s go back to the days where your husband kept you and half the female slaves on the plantation pregnant at the same time.

Let’s get back to your Amerikkka…

Interesting that Tim brought sexual harassment up within the context of management taking away all perks, leaving employees to seek enjoyment in other ways. Hooters. Especially since the staff in our department also feel that all their perks are taken away one by one. And that creates an atmosphere where the staff wants to get away with things behind management’s backs.

Also interesting that he called it entertainment. Does he think the purpose of the women is for the men’s entertainment? Or is he trying to be funny, trying to entertain me. Part of me does see entertainment value for myself by observing, but not necessarily participating in, Charlie’s games. I don’t always run when I might be better off if I left the office for a moment. I’m curious about what silly thing he’s going to do or say next. I laugh at him, not with him.

And why did Tim connect an obscenity in an article with quotes from the controllers to sexual harassment. Sexual harassment hadn’t crossed my mind. Why does he keep talking about it? Guilty conscience?

He could be trying to gradually desensitize me to behavior that could be construed as sexual harassment. And maybe he is trying to get my promise not to tattle on him for any future sexual harassment. But honestly, I don’t think he’s plotting a sexual harassment campaign on me. Too weird. Maybe he knows what Charlie is like around new women and trying to warn me not to get Charlie fired.

An obscenity in a forwarded email doesn’t bring to mind sexual harassment. Poor taste, bad writing, but not sexual harassment. In fact, when I read it, I wasn’t surprised to see it there. The article was full of quotes from the controllers, saying they all go out to Hooters after work. Now that’s an institution that hires women specifically to get harassed.

I’m the new woman at work. I’ve been here a little over a month. I’m in my thirties and this is my second job since completing grad school and moving my husband of well over a decade across the country. In both of these jobs, within a few weeks of my arrival, a male co-worker has taken my hand and put it somewhere it doesn’t belong.