Help End Civil Rights Abuse With Art

Strength and dignity are her clothing...

Proverbs 31:25

Author's Note: I have been enjoined from sharing the details of my true romance adventure until such time that the other party is prepared to present her perspective on the affair arrangement...

My plane touched down in Poland on June 20th. A month later I was in Austria. Two days later, Slovenia. The next day, Croatia. A week later, Italy. The next day, Switzerland. The next day, France. The next day, Germany. The next day, Belgium. The next day, Holland. All with a woman I had met my first weekend on the Continent.

I knew naturism was popular in many parts of Europe and as an artist who had worked on body acceptance for his entire career I was keen on documenting some small part of it. Lo and behold, I found a very important part of it hiding in Poland. Her name was Margo.

I was from America, land of the free...home of the brave. She carried the weight of Old Europe...domestic and religious poverties...stifled creativity. Anger. Sadness. Yearning.

Do unto others as you would have done unto you. But how to judge what we would want done to us if we've never been in somebody else's shoes? If we've never been abandoned by our mother, how do we treat somebody who has? Somebody who seems to constantly suffer the repurcussions of it? Margo and I had 46 days and 6,000 miles to try on each other's shoes. We had one car and one tent in which to hear each other's words. We learned to cooperate. We started learning how to listen.

One of Margo's pictures from our trip across Europe. — 6,000 miles across Europe with a complete stranger
**Day 8**
7/27/2011
⛺ 7༛♊²⁵/₂₄♀
Hoteli Baška
Baška, Croatia
THE DISAPPEARING WOMAN, THE DISAPPEARING MAN...
a collection of modern art prints and posters
During our trip across Europe, Margo very bravely opened up to me and to the camera. It was a difficult thing to do considering the scars that she carries. I wanted to share with the world her often joyful, often sad, often angry but always liberating experience except that the Internet is full of pictures of naked women and men and full of trolls who abuse them.
I realized that what I really need to point out is not the openness that Margo and I cultivated between ourselves, but the darkness that continues to surround us. When I censor nudity, I do so in a way that does not compromise the integrity of the human body. In censoring the photographs that Margo and I took during our trip, I was quick to notice that in those pictures where Margo was at her most open, at her most unguarded and most relaxed, in a word, when she was herself and basking in the sun I was forced to blacken her completely.
Why does our society drive people into darkness? Why can we not accept ourselves as we are? Why can we not accept our bodies? Have we truly become eunuchs? Or are we capable of defying the sickness that pits us against each other? Together we could conquer the devils that abuse us.
Whether you enjoy being nude or not, whether you've been photographed nude or not, but especially if, for you, like for Margo, it's something you never thought you would do, consider submitting your own photograph to be published in a censored manner as a form of protest against the ubiquitous presence of the human body on the internet, naked or not, that is published and duplicated ad infinitum without context and without regard for the identity or the needs of the individual being depicted.

Previous Image — 6,000 miles across Europe with a complete stranger
**Day 8**
7/27/2011
⛺ 7༛♊²⁵/₂₄♀
Hoteli Baška
Baška, Croatia
THE DISAPPEARING WOMAN, THE DISAPPEARING MAN...
a collection of modern art prints and posters
During our trip across Europe, Margo very bravely opened up to me and to the camera. It was a difficult thing to do considering the scars that she carries. I wanted to share with the world her often joyful, often sad, often angry but always liberating experience except that the Internet is full of pictures of naked women and men and full of trolls who abuse them.
I realized that what I really need to point out is not the openness that Margo and I cultivated between ourselves, but the darkness that continues to surround us. When I censor nudity, I do so in a way that does not compromise the integrity of the human body. In censoring the photographs that Margo and I took during our trip, I was quick to notice that in those pictures where Margo was at her most open, at her most unguarded and most relaxed, in a word, when she was herself and basking in the sun I was forced to blacken her completely.
Why does our society drive people into darkness? Why can we not accept ourselves as we are? Why can we not accept our bodies? Have we truly become eunuchs? Or are we capable of defying the sickness that pits us against each other? Together we could conquer the devils that abuse us.
Whether you enjoy being nude or not, whether you've been photographed nude or not, but especially if, for you, like for Margo, it's something you never thought you would do, consider submitting your own photograph to be published in a censored manner as a form of protest against the ubiquitous presence of the human body on the internet, naked or not, that is published and duplicated ad infinitum without context and without regard for the identity or the needs of the individual being depicted.

Usage of Choice in Michal's Fiction Corpus

Michal's Fiction Corpus of Acceptance Literature (FiCAL) is presented under the Bare Bottom imprint. It is currently comprised of six bodies of work, each representing a different pillar of culture and incorporating a wide variety of writhing styles.

If you're wondering...

How do I use this?

Just click on a title to see examples of the word "choice" being used in a particular work. You'll stay on the same spot on the page, only the Table of Contents will disappear. To get back to the Table of Contents just click next to the image of the Bare Bottom imprint where it says "Back to Usage of Choice: Table of Contents."“And...?”

The Table of Frequency and the Table of Collocation provide numerical information about how many times the word choice appears in its original or modified form and with which words. It can help to give you an idea of how a word is used and in what contexts.“Ok.”

Why a Fiction Corpus?

The popular understanding of the word "fiction" and its complement "non-fiction" is a reflection of the cultural influence of a classification system. The Dewey Decimal System is responsible for separating "fiction" from all other work and categorizing it by author's name. This has influenced the popular idea of fiction as a narrative that tends to be "untrue" and the product of an individual's fantasy, a bias compounded by modern art's century-long obsession with abstraction, surrealism and self-expression.“So...?”

My idea of fiction rests on the idea that art doesn't have to be factual to be a true reflection of our existence. Adam and Eve didn't have to exist as two individuals 700 generations ago for them to be true portraits of two human beings trying to work together.“And...?”

The Bible is a Fiction Corpus. It is a body of writing that isn't overly concerned with facts and yet its words carry weight. It was written by many different authors living in different places with different audiences in mind, yet everyone gleans something from it.“Right...”

In preparing my fiction corpus, I have striven to see the world through the eyes of others. Through the eyes of my Adams and Eves I hope that you too will glean some truth about our existence. At the very least you will learn some more about how one man can use the English language.“Ok.”

Who are you, Michal?

I'm just a guy who makes art. And if you're interested in making a solid investment in an aesthetic that supports our present and future welfare, then I will help you look for something that you can buy.“How...?”

Everybody makes. Everybody sells. Some people know how to protect their interests. Some better than others. Few people know how to listen. Listening to somebody means considering their interests as if they were your own. Going out and doing something to satisfy another person's interest is how we build a strong economy. Without a strong economy, democracy collapses.“And...?”

Buying 4Occupy is buying for democracy. Don't give your money to somebody who's ruining it. There's no such thing as cheap democracy, quick democracy, or easy democracy. There's good, solid, complete democracy and the tyranny of feudalism. Let's not mix the two. Let's not buy everything on the cheap. Let's not create another tyrant and enslave ourselves because it was easier not to think about what we were doing. Let's protect our interests. Let's listen.“Ok.”

Who's really behind this site?

Have you ever been to one of those post-it-yourself retail websites where there's a really attractive top-seller ready to give you tips on how you can be a top-seller too?“Uh...”

Have you ever been to a "job" interview where you sit in a line, walk through one door, get hired as a contractor and walk out another door, so that the other applicants don't realize that everyone's getting "hired" to work in the same market?“Maybe...”

The internet is full of people who are ready to exploit your ignorance. They are people who want to make money at the expense of our economy. They are cheats.“And...?”

I, Michal, am behind this site. Not some fat plutocrat exploiting my image. I like to do things the right way. I like to work with people who take the time to do things right.“Why...?”

I used to work for a company that didn't do things the right way. My labor was exploited because of mismanagement. That company was the United States Postal Service, an independent agency of the United States Government that is ultimately controlled by Congress. I'm mad because if the Federal Government can exploit labor, who is going to stop every other cheat from doing it?“Labor Unions...?”

Don't say labor unions. I went to my labor union and they did nothing. They ignored me because labor unions aren't democracies. Holding a free and fair election for a "representative" once in a blue moon does not equal people ruling. Democracy means open government. It means we the public need to accept the hard work. It's the only way to secure liberty and equality.“Ok.”

What's the difference between use and usage?

Definition-wise, not much. But the -age suffix is ultimately French in origin and with most things French, at least in American eyes, the immediate thought is that of something precious and arcane whose value should be judged very carefully. This is in contrast to the word France, which is associated with a beautiful place. Thus people in France or from France are beautiful, warm, kind people. Generous even. Unlike French people who suck. Unless you're frenching, in which case you're only sometimes sucking.“And...?”

Along those lines, usage means you're in bed. Use means you're just heavy petting. Also notice that common people, like common words, get used...whereas "proper" things make "appearances." Whether or not you are being exploited is a different story. Exploitation is what happens when somebody uses you or your property without listening to you. Listening is what happens when you consider another person's needs as if they were your own. You don't have to satisfy those needs. All you need to do is consider them. So many of us can't even do that.“So...?”

Help stop exploitation. Buy 4occupy. Buy a better world. Whether or not you feel you can afford to buy art, consider joining my protest. I want to guarantee every working man and every working mother on this planet a 15-day universal holiday. But I can't. Only we can do that. We have to work together. We have to accept the idea that everyone deserves time for himself and we need to build that time into a new kind of calendar. We have to give peace it's own day. We have to make love something you can't avoid. We have to make even the most miserly cold-hearted capitalist among us say that he cashed his check on Love Your Neighbor Day. There won't be any other way to say it once the Acceptance Calendar is widely adopted.“Ok.”

Back to Usage of Choice: Table of Contents

Choice, a morphological approach

I have yet to make a morphological analysis of the word choice.

That doesn't mean it's not high on my list.

Table of Frequency for the Word "Choice."
This table lists in descending order the total number of times that the word choiceand any of its morphological derivations appears in the Fiction Corpus, along with a breakdown of frequency by title, the respective rank of each word in the complete list of all words in the Corpus, as calculated both densely and competitively, as well as the percent increase in frequency of the word over the frequency of the next lowest rank in the complete list.
Percent Increase over next rank	RANK		WORD	Frequency
	RANK			TOTAL # of occurences	MCDONALDS	JESUS	SEX	TSIGA	JACKSON	DINGBATS
	dense	competitive		TOTAL # of occurences	modern/sloppy	biblical/terse	poetic/high-brow	hard/fast	talky	mixed salad
-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
I have yet to publish the table of frequency for the word choice, but I will get to it shortly. -Michal

Back to Usage of Choice: Table of Contents

Usage of Choice in Death to McDonalds

An aerial view of Dodger Stadium in the foreground, with an imaginary partially submerged Los Angeles behind — A story bible for a comic book series set in a post climate-change California narrated by eight characters who live through a natural disaster that sinks Los Angeles and triggers a war with an expansionist Mexican government covertly supported by China.

Frame #2066

im told theres a notary public around the corner. how convenient. its like i have no other choice but to sell out my sister.

JC Penney

17 August, 10:38 PM

Frame #774

i called sprint. i told him what happened. he decided for me. the obvious choice. go after my sister. and yet i needed him to make it.

JC Penney

4 August, 9:16 AM

Frame #7236

i made it to the channel. im on the waters edge. i have no choice now. i have to go for it.

Chase Credit

24 December, 1:51 AM

Frame #6338

im not saying a man has no choice. he does. he chooses to act. he chooses to believe. his choices influence him. but its a small influence.

Sprint "Iphone" Case

23 December, 10:53 AM

Frame #2638

ever since the night pandora and i spent in banning ive been ignoring it. dreading it. the idea of making it. the choice. all over again.

JC Penney

24 August, 10:29 AM

Back to Usage of Choice: Table of Contents

Usage of Choice in The Gospel of Jesus H.

A picture of the planet Mars — An experimental science fiction Christology that makes Jesus the hard boiled narrator of his own early years on a bizarro earth made dark by volcanic ash and informally ruled by a man from Mars who sells bottled air.

The choice was obvious only for the central government; nobody liked being dependent on central power, but rich politicians didn't really appreciate the threat posed by an unreliable central power-generating network: a power failure meant freezing to death for those who didn't have windmills or solar cells. If your life, and the life of your family, depended on it, no man was willing to place his trust in central power: that was ridiculous.

– Verse 23 from the chapter called Security

"You make the choice every time you do it."

"It's not like that," she said.

"I'm just saying the choice exists."

– Verses 631-633 from the chapter called Bohemia

"You have a choice not to do it," I said. "You have a choice not to puke."

– Verse 629 from the chapter called Bohemia

In the end, it was always the Jews. No matter how well-off a person was, no matter how educated they seemed to be, it was always the Jews: even if they happened to be German-loving deputies in Parliament. Whom else were they going to blame? God? Or 'the ones who killed Him?' The choice was obvious, not just for old farmers, but for any God-fearing Catholic who didn't understand his own religion.

– Verse 305 from the chapter called Adolescence

"Doctors are helpless, I agree. The choice is up to you."

– Verse 635 from the chapter called Bohemia

Back to Usage of Choice: Table of Contents

Usage of Choice in Sex for Children

A drawing of a man between a woman's legs in front of another man in a hospital bed — A literature book narrated by a pair of siblings on either side of the Atlantic whose profoundly weird sexual experiences pose a serious challenge to their traditional understanding of mathematicians, marriage, gay young men and God.

As for the future between me and Indiana, I will keep you informed. I have no idea what will become of us.

If there is to be a future, I will stay here and make my presence felt. If not, I will return home as soon as possible.

So, in the meantime, dear sister, keep yourself beautiful, and as free from sin as possible.

Yours in Christ, Church, et cetera,

Andrea Stewart

– Title 3, Regarding a Dream, Chapter 7, The Seventh Day, Part 1, Strength & Security Sector Reform, Section 2, Facing a Choice, Paragraphs 25-29

But what makes their relationship exclusive? Why do I feel so much attraction for Indiana? Why do I feel so much devotion? Why do I show her so much attention, so much loyalty and concern? Why do I feel so much affection? Why do I feel so much admiration? And why, when she returns my feelings, must I hesitate in front of her?

– Title 3, Regarding a Dream, Chapter 7, The Seventh Day, Part 1, Strength & Security Sector Reform, Section 2, Facing a Choice, Paragraph 18

Now, according to this analysis, the Greatest Commandment would have us give to God as much enthusiastic devotion, as much unselfish loyalty, and as much attention as we could possibly find within ourselves.

– Title 3, Regarding a Dream, Chapter 7, The Seventh Day, Part 1, Strength & Security Sector Reform, Section 2, Facing a Choice, Paragraph 6

My dear sister, I think that this must be the basis for the second commandment.

– Title 3, Regarding a Dream, Chapter 7, The Seventh Day, Part 1, Strength & Security Sector Reform, Section 2, Facing a Choice, Paragraph 13

I know that I should always try to do what's best for me. And I know that I need a healthy self-esteem, et cetera. Therefore, I should always respect other people and keep their own interests in mind. But I've never been satisfied by that sort of thinking. It always left me philosophically uncertain.

– Title 3, Regarding a Dream, Chapter 7, The Seventh Day, Part 1, Strength & Security Sector Reform, Section 2, Facing a Choice, Paragraph 2

Back to Usage of Choice: Table of Contents

Usage of Choice in Tsiga Tsiga Tsiga

Bullets whizzing by a statue of Nikola Tesla — A collection of stories featuring a sexy Parisian ghost, a spooky Moon base full of vagina-faced aliens, a policeman with an Irish name, a truck full of watermelons, a flautist, and a man who has to see another man about a diseased horse.

"We have to go," she cried. She leapt towards the door. Neal jumped after her. "That woman is in danger," she yelled. "We led the killer right to her." Tatum tore through the cars. She reached the end. She jumped into the tunnel. Neal had no choice. He followed.

– from “Dirty Manga People Are Disgusting,” a spooky story featuring lesbians and aliens

Bo closed her eyes. Those men were gone. The joy, the anguish, the hope and the sorrow they inspired had followed her through the cold dimensions of space. She had once thought she had no choice but to cling to them. Now she could sense them fading away.

Kwon arrived with happy news. Do was delivered of a baby boy. "Congratulations," said Bo. She smiled. There were now twelve again.

– from “How Tae & Bo Took Over the World and Kung & Fu Didn't,” an apocryphal bible story featuring a frank discussion of what government really is

"Give me the straight sword." Magog drew it from her belt. She held it out by the blade. Gog grabbed it. He pulled himself up. He thrust the straight sword into the skin above his head. "Stay here," he said.

Magog laughed dryly. "I don't have much of a choice."

– from “In the Beginning, There was Gog,” a fantasy story featuring a man who spills a lot of blood

"How did you get here?"

"Let me go."

"Answer."

"I walked."

– from “Paris Is For Rapists, Too,” a ghost story about choices

"The first ones didn't have a choice. Our government forced experimental surgery on them. It's one of the reasons there's so much distrust. At least it made them fight for their rights. Manga People enjoy huge responsibilities now. They don't just work on the power grid, they manage it. The near side relies on them for power. Why do you think we're in the dark instead of them? The Manga People are afraid to let humans suffer. They'd be risking intervention. The truth is they could hold the near side for ransom."

– from “Dirty Manga People Are Disgusting,” a spooky story about a woman who doesn't like to take shit from anyone

Back to Usage of Choice: Table of Contents

Usage of Choice in Sorry Ms. Jackson

Chiseled letters from an ancient stone tablet hanging on a wall — A real play. With drama in it. Talk fast. It takes two hours. Set in a guest house. In a small community. After a murder. Lots of suspicion. The characters learn to listen to each other. It's funny.

(MS. JACKSON and LESBIAN exit. FLETCHER enters with a towel and massage oil, followed by ALICE)

FLETCHER: Sweet almond: not a bad choice: generic but effective.

ALICE: I'm not the fancy type.

FLETCHER: Yarrow is definitely good for inflammation.

ALICE: You're just bitter I didn't pick the ylang-ylang.

FLETCHER: I am bitter - not surprised. You don't need an aphrodisiac.

ALICE: Are you that good?

FLETCHER: I meant for my sake.

– ACT I, lines 546-552

FLETCHER: There was a girl who tried to kill me. She came after me with an axe. It reminded me of Susannah's story.

ALICE: What made you want to write a play about it?

FLETCHER: Mull.

ALICE: I'm sorry?

FLETCHER: Isn't that what you Australians like to call it?

ALICE: I guess.

FLETCHER: It's the modern artist's drug of choice.

ALICE: Even here on Norfolk?

FLETCHER: There was a time when every other artistically-inclined tourist I met asked me about it.

ALICE: Whether you had any?

– ACT II, lines 101-110

Back to Usage of Choice: Table of Contents

Usage of Choice in Miscellaneous Dingbats

The title of the book at the end of a string of miscellaneous dingbats — A story book full of short fiction stories. An interesting bedtime mystery. A fairy tale. Science fiction romance. Adult life. Uninspiring gay fiction. Horror.

"She went too far. Khrushchev was a fan of national communism. He wasn't an imperialist by choice. He wanted to be a farmer. His first wife died in a famine. He sent people to Siberia to develop millions of acres. He tried to build specialized farming towns. He wasn't focused on politics. Hungary could have done things quietly behind his back. He never would have found out."

"You're saying she should have cheated."

– from “St. Andrew's Eve,” a story of love that might calm one's sense of unease depending on your outlook

"Not by itself," said Orbitz. "It has the maturity of a small child. It will always be like that. The princess was infected with a parasite during the pregnancy. It fused with her child's nervous system. From the belly up it looks like a little girl. Below it has the thorax, the legs, and the abdomen of a large spider. In the abdomen is a poison gland that can be removed surgically. Until then it must be cauterized daily. Its reproductive system cannot be removed. It produces parasites that infect pregnant humanoids. When it sees you onboard it will insist that you be infected." Sara Lee's chest heaved with apprehsion. Orbitz restrained her. "It will sense the child within you," he said. "If you go aboard the ship I am going to let it infect you, Sara Lee." Orbitz's voice almost broke. "I'm sorry for that," he said. "I've paid the price. I want you to know that our son will survive. He will be a beautiful baby boy. He will grow up to love his mother very much. I can't tell you how this is how going to happen. It would betray me to the creature. You have to trust me." Orbitz turned Sara Lee around to face him. "You don't have to go onboard the ship, beloved. You have a choice."

– from “The Death and Life of Captain Orbitz,” a science fiction romance inspired by Stanislaw Lem, if you know who that is

Jesus turned water into wine. That probably pissed people off, you know. People who make the wine. The people who tax the people who make the wine. Those are the people we've been fighting our entire lives. Why should I be ashamed of it. You know, I don't make people abuse drugs or smoke cigarettes. And why I should I stop them. What gives me the right to make that choice. It's their fault.

– from “The Testament of Publio Orazio,” a horror story without that much killing coming straight out of Roman mythology

The next year was the same thing. Sir Lewis was still in high school. Still the only member of the math club. Still put on the same community college team for the Olympiad. The Asian girl was back. It was infuriating. Even the proctor was wearing the same tight skirt.

Sir Lewis sucked it up. This would be his last year of humiliation. He was already accepted into his first choice for college. He had the scholarship. Pretty soon he was going to be a star.

– from “The Skirt on the Proctor,” a kid story about sticking together in an unforgiving world

"What's done is done," said Orbitz Nombre Trois. "The choices I've made have led me to this."

Orbitz Número Dos shot a glance at Orbitz Number One. "I approached from the east," he said.

– from “The Death and Life of Captain Orbitz,” a science fiction romance which hopefully would make Lem proud, if you know who that is

Back to Usage of Choice: Table of Contents

Collocation of Choice in the Fiction Corpus

Table of Collocation for the Word "Choice."
This table lists in descending order of frequency a selection of word pairs that appear in the Fiction Corpus and groups them according to the morphological derivation of the word choice that appears in the pair.
Type	Frequency
	TOTAL # of occurences	MCDONALDS	JESUS	SEX	TSIGA	JACKSON	DINGBATS
	TOTAL # of occurences	modern/sloppy	biblical/terse	poetic/high-brow	hard/fast	talky	mixed salad
-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
I have yet to perform a collocation analysis of "choice." I hope I can get it done sometime soon. -Michal