CDR-DV1:AITCM(2006)
CDR-DV1:AITCM (The Center for Decorporative Research - Demonstration Video 1: April Is The Cruelest Month) is a twenty-six minute video about the construction and deconstruction of the mythology and symbology of environmental toxification, structured in five chapters following the five phases of organic mutagenesis. Performed by Tif Bullard, Renée Reynolds, Darcy French-Myerson, Joseph Cashiola, Ross Cashiola, Britt Willey, Nora Jean Lange, Matthew Kellard and Robert Voyer. Music by Sam Wagster. Written, directed, shot, edited and designed by Nicholas Monsour.
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CONDITIONS: The facilitator distributes coats and clipboards to the trainees as they arrive. Technicians kneel in their designated position upon the Distribution Mat and wait for the trainees to arrive. Technicians are wearing their respirators without cartridges. Their breathing is amplified through the stereo system. Their demonstration packets are sealed and are placed next to them. Once the trainees have arrived, the facilitator enters and takes his seat. He presses play on the audio system.
OPENING REMARKS: Hello, and welcome to the Center For Decorporative Research. Today’s demonstration is entitled, “April Is the Cruelest Month.” The demonstration will occur in five phases. Todays demonstrations is only an exercise: the air in this room is perfectly safe. Please relax, and enjoy yourselves. Thank you. WHEN THE WELCOMING REMARKS BEGIN, TECHNICIAN 1 removes her rose from her packet and gives it to TECHNICIAN 2, who is seated to her right. TECHNICIAN 2 slides the rose into her suit, and then removes her rose from her packet and gives it to TECHNICIAN 3. TECHNICIAN 3 slides the rose into her suit, and then removes her rose and gives it to TECHNICIAN 1. TECHNICIAN 1 slides the rose into her suit, and then waits.
THE FIRST PHASE: EXPOSURE WHEN A VOICE SAYS “THE FIRST PHASE: EXPOSURE” and the Chinese song begins, technicians unwrap their packages. The Facilitator writes the phase on the chalkboard. TECHNICIAN 1 puts one cartridge on TECHNICIAN 2, and one on TECHNICIAN 3. TECHNICIAN 2 puts one cartridge on TECHNICIAN 1, and one TECHNICIAN 3. TECHNICIAN 3 puts one cartridge on TECHNICIAN 2, and one on TECHNICIAN 1. WHEN THE MUSIC ENDS, TECHNICIAN 2 and TECHNICIAN 3 get up and open the curtains. VICTIM is lying in a puddle of blood just outside the window, with a microphone pointed at his face. TECHNICIANS enter the courtyard. TECHNICIANS walk around, inspecting debris and collecting samples.
THE SECOND PHASE: TOXICOKINESIS A VOICE SAYS “THE SECOND PHASE: TOXICOKINESIS” and TECHNICIANS return to official business. The Facilitator writes the phase on the chalkboard. Each TECHNICIAN retrieves one Reflective Marker, and goes about placing it in a triangle over the next ten minutes. This is a time to really investigate the space and be in the character of a technician. Any interaction is functional—about investigating the space. VICTIM: We were sleeping peacefully that night. I got up to find the children vomiting all over. First I wondered whether it was some thing they had for dinner. Then I too started vomiting. Soon all of us, my husband and me carrying the children were running. My three year-old daughter had swelled up so much like she would burst. We took her to the hospital. We stayed with her at the hospital for 15 days and then the doctors said she would not survive. We were feeling so utterly helpless because there was no doctor around who knew how my baby could be saved. She died on the fifteenth day. My husband owned a watch repair shop. After the gas he suffered the most in our family. He would need to sit under a fan. His mouth stayed open and he had those violent coughing bouts. Often he would cough blood. He was admitted to the hospital for three weeks and then sent home. Soon after early one morning at 3 am he started vomiting and it would not stop. So we took him back. After a month of his being in the hospital the doctors said now take him home we can't do anything to help your husband. I had bitter arguments with the doctors but finally brought my husband home. Then a Red Cross hospital was set up near our house. One month he took treatment there and then the doctor there said these drugs are not doing you any good, you might as well stop taking them. So I took him to the government's hospital but the treatment there did little good. Though we were supposed to get free medicines the doctor there said if you want to get better medicines you should buy them from the market. One morning the doctor wrote a prescription and I worried all day about where to get Rupees five hundred to but all the medicines. My husband died the same evening at 4 o clock. Meanwhile we had had to sell off the watch repair shop at a very low price. I was not able to receive any compensation for my husband's death nor for my daughter's...
THE THIRD PHASE: TOXICODYNAMISM A VOICE SAYS “THE THIRD PHASE: TOXICODYNAMISM” and TECHNICIANS grab kites and fly them. The Facilitator writes the phase on the chalkboard. The music is “Every Breath You Take” by Sting and the Police. TECHNICIANS pay no attention to VICTIM who is flopping around in fake blood and possibly weeping. WHEN THE MUSIC FADES OUT, TECHNICIANS put their kites away. VICTIM, who is now standing, walks to the center of the triangle and begins digging with his hands.
THE FOURTH PHASE: TOXICODYNAMISM A VOICE SAYS “THE FOURTH PHASE: TOXICOGENESIS” and TECHNICIANS come and stand in front of the window. The Facilitator writes the phase on the chalkboard. TECHNICIAN 1 (stepping forward): Hello, and welcome to the ExxonMobil Chemical Company Webcast. For the next hour we will have Mike Dolan, the President of ExxonMobil Chemical Company with us to provide some details regarding our chemical business, its strengths and an update on the major projects and our plans. First slide, please. We will begin with Mike's remarks and then take your questions either via telephone or through the Internet. Before I turn it over to Mike, I draw your attention to the cautionary statement that you now will find on the screen and at the front of the presentation material. This statement contains important information regarding today's presentation and discussion. And I ask that you read it now. I would also refer you to our website at www.exxonmobil.com for additional information on factors affecting future results as well as supplemental information defining key terms that will be used today. It is now my pleasure to introduce Mike Dolan. TECHNICIAN 1 and 3 step back and help the Victim put on his gloves. The Victim begins to dig. TECHNICIAN 2: Thank you, Henry, for that introduction. I'm very pleased to have this opportunity to discuss our chemical business with you. I hope to provide you with some insights on our industry, our performance and plans for the future. I'll start with a little background on industry structure and then describe the types of products we make and how they fit in the overall value chain. And I'll contrast this with competition. Then we'll move into a discussion of our core strategy elements where I'll provide some additional insights on key programs and initiatives. We hope you come away with a better understanding of our continued earnings power and ability to provide industry-leading returns. Let's start with a quick introduction. ExxonMobil has had a growing, profitable chemical business for a long time. Consistent deployment of our key strategies has resulted in performance better than other major oil companies and our "chemical only" competitors. This leadership is reflected in our industry-leading return on capital employed of 14% across the most recent commodity chemical cycle. We exceed the top "chemical only" competitor by over 2% and oil competitors by over 7%. In fact, many oil competitors are divesting large portions of their chemical portfolio after years of being in an acquire and build mode. Our approach has been very different. We have demonstrated constancy of purpose and commitment in the chemical area, which has proven to be a favorable differentiating factor. Most recently, our 2004 performance was exceptionally strong with record volumes of 27.8 million tons and record earnings of $3.4 billion, representing a 30% improvement over our last earnings peak in 1995. Return on capital employed reached 23%, also our best since 1995. And you've seen our first quarter earnings of $1.4 billion, which included $150 million from the sale of Sinopec's shares. My focus today will not be on the chemical markets in general, but rather on the attributes of our chemical business that differentiate us. One of our key strengths is our ability to draw on synergies available to us as part of Exxon Mobil Corporation. Through this relationship, we have access to advantaged feedstocks in prime locations and synergies across operational units in our plants as well as access to corporate technology development. One last differentiating factor is the global scope and scale of our operations. Nothing could be more important as we prepare for the future. By 2015, we expect Asia to contribute 45% of global demand for key commodity products. And China alone will represent 25%. To be the best, you must be truly global in how you develop and execute your business strategies. Most of our key competitors are regional players. A few are semi-global at best. By contrast, our business is globally structured, which drives better decisions and stronger results. You'll hear evidence of our global strength across many of the areas we'll discuss today. Next slide, please. HALFWAY THROUGH THE FOURTH PHASE, the Victim collapses.
THE FIFTH PHASE: MUTAGENESIS A VOICE SAYS “THE FIFTH PHASE: MUTAGENESIS” and EVERYBODY comes back, carrying the Mutagenesis Membrane and the Yellow Cord, T.S. ELIOT reads the Wasteland. TECHNICIAN 1 puts the Cord and the Membrane on the ground in front of VICTIM. EVERYBODY rolls VICTIM onto the Membrane. EVERYBODY wraps VICTIM in the Membrane, and tie him up with the Cord. AFTER 3 MINUTES, T.S. ELIOT begins to repeat the phrase: “I will show you fear in a handful of dust,” and then the DRONE MUSIC returns. EVERYBODY walks in front of the VICTIM TUMOR and take their flowers out of their suits. They stick them in the ground in front of the TUMOR. TECHNICIAN 2 and TECHNICIAN 3 take their back positions in the large triangle, while TECHNICIAN 1 pulls out a lighter and lights the flowers on fire. TECHNICIAN 1 takes her forward place in the triangle. Over the next five minutes, EVERYBODY: KNEELS TAKES OFF ONE CARTRIDGE AND PLACES IT ON THE GROUND, THEN THE OTHER, THEN SLOWLY DIES/MELTS. ALL REMAIN DEAD. The Facilitator closes the curtains. VOICE COMES BACK AND GIVES CONCLUDING REMARKS: This is the end of the demonstration entitled: April is the Cruelest Month. Thank you for visiting the Center for Decorporative Research. Goodbye. The Trainees remove their coats and follow the Facilitator out of the room.
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