Made in China -- Assembled in Tacoma

Tacoma Third Thursday Art Walk

17.4.08

funkoma vintage 306 E. 26^th St. noon -- 6 pm

is featuring

Portraits of Your Lifestyle Chinesed Children

A Sculptural Rumination on the Post-Modern Family

What happens when the poison in your children's China-made toys infiltrates your uterus and sperm......

Did you give birth to a child or a pet?

Because you wanted to save money, and didn't read the label, your home is full of poison in the toys from China. Your children play with them. And injest the poisons. And so do you. Are you sure you want another child? Would you be better off to adopt? From China? Why do you want a child? Would you be better off with a pet? What kind of food will you feed it? Food made from Chinese ingredients?
-------- Art ------ Made In China ------ Assembled in Tacoma --------

Why Buy Vintage ??

Mmmm, because when you buy something that was made a long time ago,with materials that have been already harvested and finished......and with a good chance the shop was union....or not...
Well, the best reason is that when you buy something vintage, you are not exploiting todays workers and the environment !
in other words, the damage has been done.....
We can't change the past, but we can fashion the future !!

I have been railing against buying from 3rd world countries...like China for nearly 2 decades....
and now that we are bombarded with recalls of nasty merchandise and toys and toothpaste we need to find a better way ....Disney, Pirates of the Caribbean, Boy Scouts products have been recalled...........
and do you want to know who makes your "distressed furniture" imported from China? Do you want to know the conditions that exist where they make the toys we buy for our kids?
It doesn't have to be disgusting !

Click here for a shocking expose on conditions in China
From the SLC Tribune:

Charles Kernaghan, the director of the National Labor Committee, told Dorgan about factories with forced 70-hour work weeks, where overtime wages are withheld. Workers sleep in "primitive dorms," with a dozen people in each room on metal bunk beds. They have substandard food, no hot water and take home 46 cents an hour.
Kernaghan held up a Barbie produced under these conditions. The labor cost the factory 19 cents. The U.S. company paid $9 to ship it here and then charged the consumer $30 for the doll.
"There is enough money here to make toys safe and to treat the workers in China with dignity and respect," he said.

Sure -- shop funkoma vintage and the other used and vintage shops in T*Town...
Look where the thing was made......if it was made in Europe or the US there is a very good chance
that there were environmental laws and worker safety laws and decent wages laws in place when/where your widget was made.........
It's not a perfect world...but there is something Good to be done about this !

I'll post Over there on the right side under the TACOMA Stuff !
of great places to shop right here in T*Town...places that offer good old-fashioned stuff made safely & fairly, and things that you can feel good about buying and owning.....
It's not just about Being Green......it's about being a moral person !

Recalls And Recall the Tacoma Film Fest...

Although my son always called him "Sour Andersen" since Soren seemed to like almost nothing that was an entertaining movie, we will, here at funkoma vintage, highlight this info about Tacoma Filmfest and Click. I loved the filmfest and I love Click! for my 99.99% flawless delivery of cable internet service that flows through Harbornet. DO not miss Ray Hill's Prison Show. It was the most important film of the fest. Period.

Tune in to film fest on Click

THE NEWS TRIBUNE

The Tacoma Film Festival ended last week, but it continues in an abbreviated form on Click! cable TV.

Eight films from the festival will be shown on Click! video-on-demand through the end of the year, according to spokeswoman Diane Lachel.

The films are “South 5 – True Grit,” “The Old Son,” “My Eating Team Has a Paddling Problem,” “Ray Hill’s Prison Show,” “River Ways,” “The Phone Call,” “Vitruvirus Toybox” and “Washington, My School.”

For information, call 253-502-8900 or www.clickcabletv.com.

Soren Andersen, The News Tribune

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I told you a long time ago to stop buying crap from China. Altho the Bush Admin is trying to strangle it, The US Consumer Product Safety Commission is trying to protect you from yourself. They are trying to save your spawn from death and stupidity.
First recall on my list today:
Starbucks Recalls Children's Plastic Cups Due to Choking and Laceration Hazards

Incidents/Injuries: Starbucks has received seven reports of the cups breaking, including two reports in which a child began to choke on a broken piece. No injuries have been reported.

Next:
Kids II Recalls Baby Einstein Color Blocks Due to Violation of Lead Paint Standard


Yes, Baby Einstein will make your child stupid if they lick the Color Blocks. Toss all Baby Einstein stuff in the garbage now to be sent to the Tacoma Dump. Now!