Author name: imc-editor

Bob Johnston Photography Show and Competition Returns in January 2016

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Last year's Best of Show "Toast" by Mike Ricciardi

5th BOB JOHNSTON MEMORIAL PHOTOGRAPHY SHOW AND COMPETITION
SPONSORED BY Cooperative Gallery 213 and the Two Rivers Photography Club January 1 – 23rd, 2016

The Cooperative Gallery 213 and the Two Rivers Photography Club are sponsoring the 5th Bob Johnston Photography Show and Competition January 1-23rd, 2016. “We are looking forward to the best photography this area has to offer,” according to Peg Johnston, Cooperative Gallery president and daughter of the late Bob Johnston. It is an open themed Photography Show and Competition and all photographic media and all photographers are eligible to enter. Photographs will again be judged by Jim Johnston (no relation), a local professional photographer.

A reception for the photographers, friends, and the public will take place New Year's Day at the Gorgeous Washington Assn Art Walk from 6-9, with gallery hours starting at 3 pm that day. The Exhibit will be open Fridays 3-6 pm, Saturdays 12-4 pm and by appointment until January 23rd. Prizes and cash awards for the winners will be announced at First Friday, January 1st at 6:30 pm at a reception for the artists.

The Competition is named for Bob Johnston, a lifelong photographer and a gallery member who died in 2010. “Bob Johnston was an ‘Ansell Adams’ kind of photographer who worked mostly in black and white film and favored both urban and natural landscapes,” said Bill Gorman, also a photographer and member of the Cooperative Gallery. Bob Johnston defined a good photo this way: “For me, the successful photograph is one in which both the abstract elements and the subject matter of the image reinforce each other to provide an emotional experience for the viewer.”

Complete submission guidelines and deadlines are posted at www.cooperativegallery.com, www.2rpc.com. Or download below.

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
Each entrant may submit up to 3 photos with an entry fee of $10 each. The open themed show will be judged and cash prizes will be given for Best in Show and two Judge’s Choice photos one each in Color and Black and White. Photos may be sold and the standard 20% commission will be paid to the gallery. All photos must be framed and ready to hang. Two non-adhesive labels must accompany each entry with Title, Name of Photographer, Medium, Price using Arial 14 pt type on a label no larger than 2” X 3” (labels in envelope attached to wire is recommended). In addition, name and complete contact information must be affixed to the back of each photo.

Submissions may be dropped off at the Cooperative Gallery 213 State St. Binghamton NY on Sunday Dec. 20, 3:00 -5:00 pm, Saturday Dec. 26, 2:00-5:00 pm Sunday Dec. 27, 1:00–3:00 pm. Contact infoATcooperativegallery.com or ggouldATbinghamton.edu (607) 757-0499 for more information.

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Bridge Work Improving This Site

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We are sorry if you have visited the binghamton bridge recently and been dismayed to find it crashed. We have taken a number of steps to rectify the situation. First of all we have removed the hundreds, if not thousands, of users who are spammers. And then we deleted old events dating back to 2010 as well as many articles that go way back. They were taking up space on the site without much benefit. However, we regret if something you posted a good bit ago is gone when you search for it. As you can imagine it is time consuming to delete thousands of entries so if we missed something valuable we apologize. We owe a great debt of gratitude to Joshua Ludski for his advice and help in fixing things! Nice to have smart friends!

Secondly, we increased the space on the server, at greater cost to us, but essential to keeping the site up and running. So, if your appreciation runs to sending a small donation our way, you can use our donate button, with "bridge work" in notation, and we will be most appreciative. You can also send a check to Ctr for Gender, Art, and Culture 213 State St. #1 Binghamton NY 13901 with the same notation.

Finally, we are still looking for someone who can do some updates on the site– a couple of hours initially and then some maintenance. Our site is on the Drupal platform, and we do have some funds to pay a tech person. Email us at binghamtonbridge@gmail.com. Thanks!

The binghamton bridge also posts listed events and articles in a weekly e-newsletter that goes out Sunday evening. If you need help posting, please contact us! And join the mailing list by clicking on the link on the homepage. If you have registered and are still blocked from posting, drop us a note and we will approve you quickly!

 

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Let’s Study Recycling for Profit: Nov 14th

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A local group of community members and students will explore recycling and re-use of materials in Broome County to see if there are opportunities both for increased recycling and for creating jobs. Nov. 14th, 2 pm on BU campus–Library second floor, it is LS2523A South Study.

According to EPA there are over 250 million tons of solid waste generated in the US every year. Over 4 lbs per person per day. With nearly 200,000 people in Broome county that's 800,000 lbs per day or divided by 2000 lbs per ton 400 tons or 10 tractor trailer loads of garbage per day.

Rubber, textiles and leather are about 9% or 72,000 lbs per day. Nearly 2 tractor trailer loads every day.  

To give you some idea of value: Recycled clothes from collection boxes are valued at 20 cents per lb or $8,000 per 40,000 lb load. Let's say that 50% of the rubber, textiles and leather are clothes  that's $4,000 every day. That's the approximate value of just 4 1/2 % of the solid waste going into Broome counties landfill as clothing every day.

According to Les Platt, one of the organizers, "I've sold Credential clothes, that's clothes collected in community boxes, for as much as 38 cents per lb or 2 1/2 times current values." Most materials have nowhere near these values. Some are more valuable. The point is that there are millions of dollars being buried in Broome Counties landfill every year at the cost of other millions of dollars.

Platt says, "Our job is to see how much of this value we can reclaim, at what savings and to direct whatever value we can into productive activities. From my point of view that will be street kids projects, creating jobs for people coming out of jail and of course careers or business opportunities we find for ourselves. There are thousands of other possibilities."

There are hundreds of recycling activities going on in every community all the time. These include scavengers who rummage through dumpsters searching for redemption containers and individuals who search the country side or curbs on garbage days looking for useful items to resell or scrap. There are thousands of people right here in Broome county who have ongoing rummage sales, garage sales or year around flea markets.

There are independent garbage collectors who provide recycling services to commercial enterprises, industries and institutions or scavenge their own collections for anything of value easily separated.

Local municipalities and the county have instituted recycling projects. Catholic Charities, the Salvation Army, the Rescue Mission and many other non profits and churches have thrift stores and rummage sales. There are dozens of profit making thrift stores, consignment shops, used vehicle and equipment dealers. There are many junk yards, scrap dealers, professional materials collectors and brokers of all sizes from local collectors to national and international dealers.

There are local, state, federal and international agency's and institutions set up to promote and regulate recycling activities.The organizers are saying, "Our job will be to study them, learn to understand them, find ways to improve their situations increase their effectiveness and reassure them, that overall we are a credible team member."

"We will need to get involved at all levels. We will need hundreds of people. To attract them we will need to recruit those who are interested, identify or create incentives for those who are ambitious, define infrastructure for the general public to participate and start physical projects, large and small to illustrate viability. We will need to create cash flow, inspire entrepreneurs and attract investors."

For more information, visit the calendar on this site, or email binghamtonbridge@gmail.com.

 

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Fighting for $15 Nov. 10th

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On November 10, we’re holding a national day of action to support $15 an hour and union rights. Believe me, you want to be there.

RALLY FOR $15 WAGES FOR ALL WORKERS! November 10th 2015 @ 12 noon Across from Walmart in Johnson City At the CFJ Park

As fast-food workers across the country go on STRIKE on November 10, people across the country will be coming together to stand with them, with child care workers and with all 64 million underpaid workers making less than $15. Because it’s TIME for $15. Together we’re turning the tide in favor of working people and our families. And we’ll need everyone’s help – including yours – to make this a reality.

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Recycling Opportunities: What do we need to know?

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Throughout every community, in the US and the world, there are individuals, commercial enterprises and industries that service segments of the many recycling activities. These segments are called niches.

With 7.2 billion people on the world there are tens of millions of people actively involved in some aspect of recycling. Those willing and able to actually perform recycling services come in many guises. They are scavengers, finding value in items put out on curbs or tossed in garbage bins. They are independent garbage haulers, cherry picking worthwhile items their clients toss away or providing recycling services for individuals, commercial enterprises or industries who want to save money disposing of unwanted materials.

They can also be people who work for municipalities or counties providing garbage or recycling services, picking up garbage and recyclables transporting them to landfills or transfer stations, where the easy stuff is collected into separate piles, to be transported to scrap dealers or intermediate processors.

Scrap dealers come in all sizes, from the little guy who handlers $100,000 or so a year to multi billion dollar operations like Weitsman who is buying up scrap yards all over the east Coast. Scrap dealers sell to intermediate processors or refineries who separate materials into higher value and more pure categories.

Metals are ferrous and non ferrous. Non ferrous are aluminum, brass, copper and many other types; these are sold as “clean” and “contaminated.” The same is true of other materials, primarily plastics and glass, which have markets although glass is more limited.  There are many materials that could be recycled if they were separated into more homogeneous, cost effective piles that industry could use and if primary materials suppliers could depend on a continuous supply.

“That's what I hope to do in this area,” says Les Platt. “Identify and put in place mechanisms that will give the general public a vested interest in accumulating cost effective lots of recycled materials.”

There are currently many pieces already in place. Individuals, organization's and churches have rummage, lawn and garage sales. Many non profit and profit making operations have thrift or second hand stores. Used equipment and vehicle enterprises are prevalent in every community. Clothing collection often involves donation bins; some of these pay clubs, groups and organizations to help promote them.

It's easy to see from all this the many jobs, occupations, careers, business opportunities, and industries currently involved with recycling enterprises. Less obvious are the obstacles to more effective recycling.

It's human nature to take the easy road. So it's no surprise that that's what happens with recycling. From the scavenger on up the chain the more visible, profitable, easy stuff is recycled.

Reuse, Repurpose, and Recycle are buzzwords that encompass everything from battleships to paperclips, and yet we need a rhetoric that average people can  relate to.

In general, nearly everything is made of materials that can be reused. In reality most products are made of a variety of materials in too small quantities to be cost effectively recycled. Broad categories are excess production, overstock, used products, ferrous and non ferrous metal, plastics, glass, wood, and composite materials. These, in turn, break down to undamaged or damaged goods, clean or dirty materials, mixed or pure materials. Most of these have market values that reflect their usefulness or value.  With the exception of finished goods these values are some percentage of  virgin materials. Virgin materials are those materials supplied directly from the mines, refineries, lumber and textile mills, petrochemical producers or composite manufacturers.

“We need to set up a system that highlights the opportunities and helps interested individuals perform the services necessary to optimize recycling. To do that we need to understand the processes and economics involved, which is why I am calling for students and community members to create study groups to understand the economics of recycling,” states Les Platt.

Les and others are planning a meeting to discuss a Recycling Study Group. Watch this space for details.

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Public Art Encourages Voting

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The Dept. of Public Art is using art and scraps of wood to remind people to vote Tues. Nov. 3rd. "We encourage civic engagement in our public art, so this is a natural extension to remind people of their civic duty," said Peg Johnston, one of the organizers of the volunteer group. The odd shaped pieces of wood, left over from Mural Fest 2015, were brightly painted and the words Vote Nov. 3rd inscribed. The DPA intends to use the signs on social media and as lawn signs, or wherever people want to display them. Anyone wishing to post one –or paint more– please contact the DPA at binghamtonbridge@gmail.com.

A public art group in Philadelphia paired art with voting in their "Next Stop: Democracy" project. They recruited 60 artists to create vibrant signs to mark polling stations, and to engage citizens in the voting process.

Their statement:  "Can public art increase voter engagement? This is a question that hasn’t been answered, so we’re getting Philadelphia’s best creatives together to help us find out. Election Day should be one of the most exciting days of the year, but to many people, it seems like a chore. Finding your polling place, finding the entrance, and waiting in line can be complicated and frustrating. Plus, the signage required by the city to identify a polling place is nothing more than a few pieces of paper taped up on the wall outside the door. If you didn’t know what you were looking for, you wouldn’t give it a second glance. It doesn’t have to be this way! What if we could transform Election Day from something frustrating into something fun? Our idea is simple. Election Day should be an experience. Instead of boring, confusing signs, let’s use bright, vibrant artwork to identify our polling places. Can artists and performers make Election Day in Philadelphia a little more colorful? We vote yes!"

Less than 50% of voters turn out for elections, even in years where there is a Presidential race. On so called "off election cycles" the turnout is often even less, yet, local elections may affect individuals on many more levels.

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Vote Smart New Tool for Democracy

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We have all had the thought that if people voted on the issues that are important to them, instead of gotcha games and bought elections, our democracy would be a lot stronger. Well, that reality is a little closer with Vote Smart a non partisan resources listing all federal and state candidates with their complete records in an easy to access database. It was completed by thousands of volunteers who combed records for every vote, position, speech, article, etc of every candidate. Amazing! Check it out:

Ignore the self-serving nonsense of this year's Presidential candidates with our awesome new interactive tool allowing citizens to find their perfect presidential match.
http://votesmart.org/voteeasy/
 
Simply state your position on an issue and watch to see which candidates agree with you. If you question the accuracy of their positions, just click on the candidates' yard signs and get into their factual record.
 
VoteEasy enables voters to do side-by-side comparisons of current presidential candidates on 13 national issues — and then compare the politicians' stances with their own.
 
"Hundreds of students from across the nation have created this exciting tool that cuts to the facts, the truth, the reality of what these people are likely to do for you or to you if elected president" said Jamieson Bates, Vote Smart's National Director.
                                             —————————————–
Vote Smart (formerly known as Project Vote Smart), founded by Presidents Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford, is powered by more than 8,000 students and volunteers of both major parties, third parties and independents. It is the nation's premier non-partisan, citizen-driven organization devoted to voter education.

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New Additions to “Sculpture Outdoors”

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Photo:Emily Jablon River Walk Sculpture

BROOME COUNTY ARTS COUNCIL is expanding its on-line “Sculpture Outdoors” catalogue on First Friday September 4th.   New research about 6 additional works will go live at 6:00pm at www.broomearts.org/public-sculpture.  The site currently showcases 13 public sculptures.  The new additions are:
 
·       “Fountain & Sculpture” (attached photograph by Kari Bayait), located in downtown Binghamton
·        “Venus” by Arline Peartree, located in downtown Binghamton;
·       “Wisdom’s Truth” by Nathaniel Kaz, located at Binghamton University’s Fine Arts Building;
·       “Supporting Hands” by Yvonne R. Hobbs, located at Binghamton General Hospital;
·       “Lady Justice”, located atop the Broome County Court House; and
·       “High Point #62” by Genevieve Karr Hamlin, located in Harpursville.

 

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Police Union Misinforming Residents and Rank and File Members About Police Modernization Law

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An Attempt to Scare Residents and Prevent Passage of the Bill?

Binghamton, NY — Misinformation is being spread by the Police Benevolent Association (PBA), the police union, about the content of the Police Modernization Law being considered by the Binghamton City Council.  The public, including many human services and advocacy organizations and religious leaders, has demonstrated strong support for this legislation, and it has the support of a majority of city council members.  This week, however, a memo from the PBA was circulated among the rank and file members, residents and business owners on Binghamton’s West Side stating that if the law is passed, police will no longer be able to respond to information provided by the victim of a crime and will no longer be able to present suspects to crime victims for identification.  These statements are completely false and this memo appears to be an unfortunate scare tactic intended to shift public support away from passage of the law.

In addition to the memo, it has been reported that some Binghamton police officers are telling residents that the law will require them, during minor traffic stops, to ask intrusive questions about their religion and sexual orientation. These statements are also completely untrue.  The law does not require the police to ask anyone about anything.  

What the law does say is that racial profiling and bias-based policing are wrong and illegal and that a person's race alone cannot be used to assign suspicion.  The law still allows police to use race as part of the description of a suspect as long as they have probable cause to believe that the suspect (of that particular race) is linked to specific illegal activity.  What the law does do is establish the following priorities: tracking, analysis and reporting of data collected during standard police investigations; cultural competency and anti-bias training for our officers; and development of a plan to diversify the police force.  And it allows the specific plans for implementation of these priorities to be developed over 6 months, through dialogue and cooperation among the police, city leaders, and the community.  These are all proactive and positive measures to provide our officers the resources and support they need to build trust between the police and residents of color in our community and to prevent a racially charged tragedy, like we’ve seen in the national headlines, from happening in our city.

The Police Administration has stated on multiple occasions that the Binghamton police do not racially profile.  We applaud their commitment to fairness and justice, and ask: if they do not racially profile, why are they so opposed to a law making racial profiling illegal?

The current draft of the legislation can be found here on the City of Binghamton website: http://www.binghamton-ny.gov/city-council-business-meeting-61 or at tinyurl.com/PoliceModernizationAct.

There will be a Public Hearing on the Police Modernization Law (LL15-2) on Wednesday, August 19, 2015 at 6:30pm in City Council Chambers.

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