These haven't been photoshopped yet, something I should be doing in the next few days.
Listening to the music.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
More photodocumentary photos - Matt
I've decided to add several more photos from my photoducmentary of Matthew Goff. These were taken at Pinellas Park's (FL) Country In The Park, an annual spring event for city residents. Always food, crafts booths, country music acts, demonstrations by the fire department. The night before, the fire department holds a chili cook-off.
These haven't been photoshopped yet, something I should be doing in the next few days.
Listening to the music.
These haven't been photoshopped yet, something I should be doing in the next few days.
Listening to the music.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
MoveOn Protest Photos
These are from MoveOn.org's March 19 protest. I still need to photoshop a few, but wanted to get these posted.
Mike Fox, Peace Activist
Mike Fox, Peace Activist
Friday, March 27, 2009
"Your attitude will dictate everything that happens."
Most of us have loved ones. These, of course, are people (and sometimes pets) we are there for, people we would die for, if it were necessary. When one of those loved ones is dying, when nothing we do can help, we strive to be there for that loved one so that he or she is surrounded by love at that moment.
Ryan and Tamishia Moats were on their way to Baylor Regional Medical Center in Plano, Texas on March 18 to be with Ms. Moats' mother, who was dying of breast cancer. When the message came, as I'm sure it did, that it appeared she would pass away that evening, the Moatses did what most people in their situation would do: they headed for the hospital to be with her.
For those who didn't watch this on the Today Show this morning or hear about it, the facts are this: Ryan Moats, an NFL player, was at the wheel. Coming to a red light, he waited until there was traffic had cleared the intersection, then rolled through the red light so that his wife, Tamishia, could see her mother before her mother died. The reports did not say that he shot through the red light at a high rate of speed, recklessly endangering others on the road; he waited until traffic cleared, then rolled through the intersection. Dallas Police Officer Robert Powell turned on his lights and siren to pull Moats over. Moats pulled over less than a minute later in the hospital parking lot, according to reports. Moats and his wife, who are both African-American, tried to explain the situation to Powell, who is white.
The incident was caught on the police cruiser's videocamera. Apparently, it showed the couple telling the officer that Ms. Moats's mother was near death and that they wanted to see her before she died. At one point, the officer informed the couple that "Your attitude will dictate everything that happens" 1.
Although ordered back into the car, Ms. Moats finally ran into the hospital while Powell argued with her husband. According to Dallas Police Chief David Kunkle, "When we...reviewed the tape, we were embarrassed, disappointed...(Powell's) behavior was not appropriate" 2. Kunkle went on to say that "the video showed that Moats and his wife 'exercised extraordinary patience, restraint in dealing with the behavior of our officer,' and that (Moats) 'handled himself very, very well'" 3. While many people might use their fame in this case, Moats did not "identify himself as an NFL football player or expect an kind of special consideration" 4.
How about consideration for being human? For trying to carefully get to a dying relative's side? True, Ryan Moats did run a red light, but only after stopping and making sure it was safe, and only in an extenuating circumstance. As it was, the thirteen minutes that Powells argued with Moats, pulling his gun on Moats at least once, was long enough that Moats and his father-in-law just missed being with Moats's mother-in-law before she died of breast cancer.
I'm white. Yet I can't help wondering if Officer Powell would have treated another white man this way. I wonder if he would have treated, say, Donald Trump or Bill Gates this way.
Here's a really outrageous idea: what if we really looked at people as, well, people? If Powells had listened to what Ryan and Tamishia were saying and assisted them, rather than simply seeing an African-American couple who had gone through a red light, that would have made a bad situation--her mother dying--a little easier because of another's compassion. If he'd given Moats a ticket after assisting them, fine. But treat people, regardless of race, gender, any of our many differences, as people.
That's my point.
1, 2, 3 and 4 are quoted from a BayNews9 article titled, "Dallas Officer delayed NFL player as relative died." It is an AP article found at: http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2009/3/27/453231.html.
Ryan and Tamishia Moats were on their way to Baylor Regional Medical Center in Plano, Texas on March 18 to be with Ms. Moats' mother, who was dying of breast cancer. When the message came, as I'm sure it did, that it appeared she would pass away that evening, the Moatses did what most people in their situation would do: they headed for the hospital to be with her.
For those who didn't watch this on the Today Show this morning or hear about it, the facts are this: Ryan Moats, an NFL player, was at the wheel. Coming to a red light, he waited until there was traffic had cleared the intersection, then rolled through the red light so that his wife, Tamishia, could see her mother before her mother died. The reports did not say that he shot through the red light at a high rate of speed, recklessly endangering others on the road; he waited until traffic cleared, then rolled through the intersection. Dallas Police Officer Robert Powell turned on his lights and siren to pull Moats over. Moats pulled over less than a minute later in the hospital parking lot, according to reports. Moats and his wife, who are both African-American, tried to explain the situation to Powell, who is white.
The incident was caught on the police cruiser's videocamera. Apparently, it showed the couple telling the officer that Ms. Moats's mother was near death and that they wanted to see her before she died. At one point, the officer informed the couple that "Your attitude will dictate everything that happens" 1.
Although ordered back into the car, Ms. Moats finally ran into the hospital while Powell argued with her husband. According to Dallas Police Chief David Kunkle, "When we...reviewed the tape, we were embarrassed, disappointed...(Powell's) behavior was not appropriate" 2. Kunkle went on to say that "the video showed that Moats and his wife 'exercised extraordinary patience, restraint in dealing with the behavior of our officer,' and that (Moats) 'handled himself very, very well'" 3. While many people might use their fame in this case, Moats did not "identify himself as an NFL football player or expect an kind of special consideration" 4.
How about consideration for being human? For trying to carefully get to a dying relative's side? True, Ryan Moats did run a red light, but only after stopping and making sure it was safe, and only in an extenuating circumstance. As it was, the thirteen minutes that Powells argued with Moats, pulling his gun on Moats at least once, was long enough that Moats and his father-in-law just missed being with Moats's mother-in-law before she died of breast cancer.
I'm white. Yet I can't help wondering if Officer Powell would have treated another white man this way. I wonder if he would have treated, say, Donald Trump or Bill Gates this way.
Here's a really outrageous idea: what if we really looked at people as, well, people? If Powells had listened to what Ryan and Tamishia were saying and assisted them, rather than simply seeing an African-American couple who had gone through a red light, that would have made a bad situation--her mother dying--a little easier because of another's compassion. If he'd given Moats a ticket after assisting them, fine. But treat people, regardless of race, gender, any of our many differences, as people.
That's my point.
1, 2, 3 and 4 are quoted from a BayNews9 article titled, "Dallas Officer delayed NFL player as relative died." It is an AP article found at: http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2009/3/27/453231.html.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Tennessee Coal spill
This is basically reminding everyone of December's environmental disaster in Tennessee.
Why am I bringing this back up? Because if we don't remember the past, this will keep happening again and again and again...
Please...even if you start out by cleaning up your neighborhood and/or write or call your elected officials on the city, state and federal level to help clean up the environment, it'll happen...and a lot quicker than if you do nothing!
To quote a famous commercial, Just Do It!
Why am I bringing this back up? Because if we don't remember the past, this will keep happening again and again and again...
Please...even if you start out by cleaning up your neighborhood and/or write or call your elected officials on the city, state and federal level to help clean up the environment, it'll happen...and a lot quicker than if you do nothing!
To quote a famous commercial, Just Do It!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
More Matt photos
When photographing Matthew Goff at work, I noticed that the inside of the donation center, a converted gas station, was nearly empty.
According to Matthew, before the current economic problems, the building would be packed with donations. "There were times we'd have to lock the doors and put a sign up (indicating that they were temporarily unable to take donations)."
Friday March 27 will be the last day for the laid-off workers. Matt's last scheduled day was this past Monday. He's hoping to be able to get a few last hours in on Friday before having to look for work.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Last days of work
Nobody has to tell Matthew Goff that the economy is sick. Late last month, at the employee meeting, Matthew and several others were told that they would be laid-off the end of March. March 27, to be exact.
Matthew has worked for a local health care facility that offers mental health care for Pinellas County, FL. His job for the past 5 1/2 years was as a donation intake worker, taking in donations and sorting them for the facility's thrift shop. Several years ago, the thrift store took in donations at the store as well as three other donation sites. The last donation site closes on March 27.
Matthew's last job was at Goodwill Industries, where he worked for almost 5 1/2 years before being laid-off with about 150 other employees. He has already contacted the Division of Blind Services for help in finding another job.
Matthew has worked for a local health care facility that offers mental health care for Pinellas County, FL. His job for the past 5 1/2 years was as a donation intake worker, taking in donations and sorting them for the facility's thrift shop. Several years ago, the thrift store took in donations at the store as well as three other donation sites. The last donation site closes on March 27.
Matthew's last job was at Goodwill Industries, where he worked for almost 5 1/2 years before being laid-off with about 150 other employees. He has already contacted the Division of Blind Services for help in finding another job.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
AIG's Bonuses Higher Than Thought
New Haven, Conn.-The financially ailing American International Group, Inc. actually paid out $218M in bonuses after receiving bail-out money from the federal government, according to headlines on BayNews9's website Saturday. The increase of $53M came out in documents recieved by Connecticut's Attorney General Richard Blumenthal's office Friday.
To read more on this news, check out http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2009/3/21/451126.html. For MSNBC's story, check out http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29812224/.
To read more on this news, check out http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2009/3/21/451126.html. For MSNBC's story, check out http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29812224/.
Friday, March 20, 2009
USF-Medical School's Graduating class
An article on baynews9.com Thursday evening stated that "Of the 113 future doctors who learned their residency assignments (from University of South Florida's medical school), 53 are men and 60 are women." (Future doctor gets perfect residency, perfect proposal; http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2009/3/19/450489.html .) It gives one pause to think that the first U.S. woman doctor, Elizabeth Blackwell, graduated from Hobart College (Geneva, New York) in 1849. Now, over half the class at USF's medical school learning their residency are women.
What would be interesting would be to find out the national ratio of male/female ratio of doctors graduating from the nation's medical schools and what the male/female pay rate looks like. Women, on average, earn approximately 73 cents for a man's dollar in the United States.
Sounds like something for me to check into.
What would be interesting would be to find out the national ratio of male/female ratio of doctors graduating from the nation's medical schools and what the male/female pay rate looks like. Women, on average, earn approximately 73 cents for a man's dollar in the United States.
Sounds like something for me to check into.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Vigil Commemorating Iraqi war
Largo, Fla.--A vigil commemorating the sixth anniversary of the start of the U.S./Iraq war took place at the southeast corner of East Bay Drive and Seminole Boulevard Tuesday. The vigil, which began at 7:00 a.m. and was slated to go until 7:00 p.m., was one of many held across the country.
Mike Fox, of MoveOn and Progress Democrats of America, an energetic activist, helped set up the vigil, sending out emails to encourage other activists to show up to support the protest/vigil. To the sound of horns honking and passers-by shouting encouragement to protestors, he explained why he felt it important to be here. "Six years is too long," he said. "Let's hope it's not another six."
BetteJo Indelicato, a peace activist and relief worker in Iraq, was actually in Iraq when the bombing began six years ago. In the accompanying video, she describes trying to comfort children during the early days of the war.
From 10 a.m. until noon, approximately 8-10 people drifted in and out to help with the vigil, holding signs; Fox expected more to arrive during the afternoon.
A protest in Washington, D.C. over the weekend is expected to bring thousands to the streets.
Mike Fox, of MoveOn and Progress Democrats of America, an energetic activist, helped set up the vigil, sending out emails to encourage other activists to show up to support the protest/vigil. To the sound of horns honking and passers-by shouting encouragement to protestors, he explained why he felt it important to be here. "Six years is too long," he said. "Let's hope it's not another six."
BetteJo Indelicato, a peace activist and relief worker in Iraq, was actually in Iraq when the bombing began six years ago. In the accompanying video, she describes trying to comfort children during the early days of the war.
From 10 a.m. until noon, approximately 8-10 people drifted in and out to help with the vigil, holding signs; Fox expected more to arrive during the afternoon.
A protest in Washington, D.C. over the weekend is expected to bring thousands to the streets.
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