Sunday, July 26, 2015

The photographers in this video know their stuff very well.

This video starts off slowly. Unless you are interested in photography you will click away. 

Back in the day I roamed Philly with a Nikon F. There was no name for the photography I did back then, now it's called "street photography". 

I always had the camera by my side. I was known as the guy with that dammed camera. 

I walked small streets and alleys just like the guys in the video. I felt safe because I could run fast. It was in an alley in North Philly when I realized maybe that was an illusion. A scary looking guy with one eye stood just in front of me saying "I got a gun." He was a cop in plain clothes. The gun was pointed at a Puerto Rican guy who had a radio with a dangling cord under his arm.

I hung out with students and friends that went to the PA Academy of Fine Arts & some TV news cameramen. I worked in commercial advertising photography studios & the University of PA Museum. 

Some friends were involved in Vietnam War protests. I knew Father John McNamee (Diary of a City Priest). I have a few photos of Dave Lynch. Early South Street, Earth Day, a lot of good photo opportunities. A lot happening then even in the relatively sleepy town of Philadelphia. 

I would still be doing "street photography" but I can't walk very well right now. 


These guys know what they are doing. I like their thought processes. Watch the video to see what I mean. 


Tuesday, July 7, 2015

The environmental movement is moving to a moral issue.


Climate change and environmental issues were always a moral and social issue, but sometimes it seemed to be more about trees and bears. 

That’s changing:

National Catholic Reporter




May 18, 2015
By Tom Valtin


WHYY
Radio Times  WITH MARTY MOSS-COANE

July 1, 2015



We had 2 instances of environmental racism in Coatesville. Maybe I should say attempted environmental racism. 

The first was the gas fired electric power plant proposed by then Coatesville City Manager Harry Walker.  

The second was the proponent fracking chemical plant. 

Both industries targeted a poor community that is about 1/2 minority, the City of Coatesville. What is and should be disturbing to our black community is that those industries select black people as their spokespersons to sell a toxic industry to black communities. 

High toxin emitting industries disproportionately are put in low income and minority communities. Those industries often promise jobs that often never materialize. 


WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2015


THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2010