Re: Bad Martha --- way way way off topic

Thank you, Jack- I think it was Breet that liked his nails black...
Susan
www.susanhuber.com
  ----- Original Message -----
  From: Jack Fulton
  To: alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca
  Sent: Saturday, January 22, 2005 8:40 AM
  Subject: Re: Bad Martha --- way way way off topic

  Where I teach (San Francisco Art Institute) is a "fine-arts-only" environment.
  We contract annually with a NY based company to hold sessions informing us of art materials handling, dangers and disposal. Minona, the woman who does the series of lectures, points out none of the materials are really safe. And, safe means what we might think as kind of silly handling . . like sticking your hands in the developer. Was it Ed or Brett Weston (you'll know Steve) who held a certain pride in black fingernails stemming from Amidol use in the developer.
  Further, Minona points out that nomenclature for common household items such as 'organic', 'biodegradable' et al, are not actually. An interesting point was that the laundry detergent industry had many phosphates which became evident in canals, streams, etc. due to its foaming. Industry removed it but now what is in there in the streams is invisible. I am sure most of you know of birth control hormones pass through sewage disposal plants and downstream fish have been noted to have either changed sex or be hermaphroditic.
  Too, we have friends who thought sushi to be a way of life and after consuming it three to four times a week developed weakness and hair fallout. Doctors found mercury poisoning from eating the fish.
  I only point out these anecdotes so that we all realize involvement with chemicals that are manufactured on a constant basis is not good for us. Even sulfites in wine caused labels to be placed on them as warnings to pregnant women.
  In other words, Stuart is right . . we all should be careful in our darkrooms.
  Jack

  Now do I really have to ask whether we need any more
  proof that the fumes from the chemicals we alt
  photographers breathe do harm to our minds?

  Where's Susan Powter when we need her. We need to
  "stop this insanity"!

  I suggest that we start a fund to send alt
  photographers to the open spaces to breathe fresh air.
  I think that Jack runs a camping trip into Neveda (?
  or some place out west, I forgot to turn on my
  darkroom exhaust fan today) -- which should be plenty
  of fresh air. Unless there is still trace radiation in
  the air that may interact with the alt chemicals.

  Argon3, I think you should be our poster boomer (child
  just didn't seem appropriate ). Just post a jpeg on
  your website (remember attachments to this list are
  not permitted) and we'll (or at least someone, I hope)
  will design the poster. I'm going to be too busy this
  weekend shovelling snow.

  Stuart
Received on Sun Jan 23 10:37:46 2005