Binh Danh appropriates iconic images of the Vietnam War, which ended 37 years ago today, and prints them on organic material such as leaves and grass.
Present-day Chicago is not Harlem in 1979. Present-day Harlem isn’t even Harlem in 1979. But at the Art Institute of Chicago’s new exhibition Dawoud Bey: Harlem USA, some things have stayed the same.
| I was at home the other night in the middle of my dinner when the phone rang. | |
| ME: | Hello. |
| AT&T: | Hello, this is AT&T. |
| ME: | Is this AT&T. |
| AT&T: | Yes, this is AT&T ... |
| ME: | This is AT&T. |
| AT&T: | Yes, this is AT&T ... |
| ME: | Is this AT&T.? |
| AT&T: | Yes! This is AT&T, may I speak to Mr. Byron, please? |
| ME: | May I ask who is calling? |
| AT&T: | This is AT&T. |
| ME: | OK, hold on. |
| At this point I put the phone down for a solid 5 minutes thinking that, surely, this person would have hung up the phone. I ate my salad. Much to my surprise, when I picked up the receiver, they were still waiting. | |
| ME: | Hello? |
| AT&T: | Is this Mr. Byron? |
| ME: | May I ask who is calling, please? |
| AT&T: | Yes, this is AT&T ... |
| ME: | This is AT&T? |
| AT&T: | Yes, this is AT&T ... |
| ME: | The phone company. |
| AT&T: | Yes, sir. |
| ME: | I thought you said this was AT&T. |
| AT&T: | Yes, sir, we are a phone company. |
| ME: | I already have a phone. |
| AT&T: | We aren't selling phones today, Mr. Byron. We would like to offer you 10 cents a minute, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. |
| ME: | Now, that's 10 cents a minute, 24 hours a day? |
| AT&T: | (getting a little excited at this point by my interest) Yes, sir, that's right! 24 hours a day! |
| ME: | 7 days a week.? |
| AT&T: | That's right. |
| ME: | 365 days a year.? |
| AT&T: | Yes, sir. |
| ME: | I am definitely interested in that! Wow!!! That's amazing! |
| AT&T: | We think so! |
| ME: | That's quite a sum of money! |
| AT&T: | Yes, sir, it's amazing how it adds up. |
| ME: | OK, so will you send me checks weekly, monthly or just one big one at the end of the year for the full $52,560; and if you send an annual check, can I get a cash advance? |
| AT&T: | Excuse me? |
| ME: | You know, the 10 cents a minute. |
| AT&T: | What are you talking about? |
| ME: | You said you'd give me 10 cents a minute, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. That comes to $144 per day, $1008 per week and $52,560 per year. I'm just interested in knowing how you will be making payment. |
| AT&T: | Oh, no, sir. I didn't mean we'd be paying you. You pay us 10 cents a minute. |
| ME: | Wait a minute, how do you figure that by saying that you'll give me 10 cents a minute, that I'll give YOU 10 cents a minute? Is this some kind of subliminal telemarketing scheme? I've read about things like this in the Enquirer, you know. |
| AT&T: | No, sir, we are offering 10 cents a minute for |
| ME: | THERE YOU GO AGAIN! Can I speak to a supervisor please? |
| AT&T: | Sir, I don't think that is necessary. |
| ME: | I insist on speaking to a supervisor! |
| AT&T: | Yes, Mr. Byron. Please hold. |
| At this point, I begin trying to finish my dinner. | |
| SUPERVISOR: | Mr. Byron? |
| ME: | Yeah. |
| SUPERVISOR: | I understand you are not quite understanding our 10 cents a minute program. |
| ME: | Is This A T &T? |
| SUPERVISOR: | Yes, sir, it sure is. |
| ME: | (I had to swallow before I choked on my food. It was all I could do to suppress my laughter and I had to be Careful not to produce a snort.) No, actually, I was just waiting for someone to get back to me so that I could sign up for the plan. |
| SUPERVISOR: | Ok, no problem, I'll transfer you back to the person who was helping you. |
| ME: | Thank you. |
| I was on hold once again and managed a few more mouthfuls. I need to end this conversation. Suddenly, there was an aggravated but polite voice at the other end of the phone. | |
| AT&T: | Hello, Mr. Byron, I understand that you are interested in signing up for our plan.? |
| ME: | No, but I was wondering - do you have that "Friends and Family" |
| thing because I'm an only child and I'd really like to have a little brother... | |
| AT&T: | click........ |
Yes, you should reblog this for future reference.
I NEED THIS ON MY BLOG
(Source: , via tumblegags)
Elizabeth Banks: I Thank Birth Control Pills for My Son
Just over a year ago, my son Felix was born via gestational surrogacy. He came out of me nine months early and because of my broken belly, his babycake was baked in a wonderful angel’s oven and now — I can’t believe it — he’s a year old and walking. He has expanded my capacity for joy a thousand-fold.
His life would have been much harder to come by if not for the birth control pill. How’s that, you ask? Well, it’s a simple fact: The pill is used for many situations that have nothing to do with the prevention of pregnancy. The pill was prescribed to me when hormonally induced migraines kept me locked up in dark rooms for days at a time. It was prescribed to me to regulate insanely painful cramps every month — cramps so painful that I often vomited.
And here’s a little secret I am happy to blow the lid off of: The pill is often prescribed during the IVF (in vitro fertilization) process to help MAKE BABIES! That’s right, women dealing with infertility are often put on the pill to help regulate a cycle so that they might have a more successful IVF. The pill is used to manage ovarian cysts, endometriosis and other conditions too. Not to mention, it helps couples plan for wanted children.
Obviously, I’m not a doctor. I’m just a woman grateful for my necessary and very helpful medication. And I’m sure glad I don’t have to discuss any of these conditions, including infertility, with my employer.
A girlfriend and I recently wondered what would be more mortifying: having to tell her male employer she needed birth control to mitigate a heavy flow or just bleeding all over herself in the office?
So with that image in mind, I encourage all women — and the men in their lives — to protect access to birth control, and encourage our politicians to take women’s health issues out of the political process.
For more information, please visit the most comprehensive and willing advocates for women’s health in America: www.plannedparenthood.org.
(Source: judygrimes, via feyminism)
holy shit.
OIMFGGGGGGGGGGG
oh god…. such a horrible way to die….. drowning… get eaten… ripped in half… and still be alive to feel it all >_< poor mouse… ksjslakdjfasldkj
(via kconsul)