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Bob Johnston Photography Show and Competition Returns in January 2015

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4th BOB JOHNSTON MEMORIAL PHOTOGRAPHY SHOW AND COMPETITION
SPONSORED BY Cooperative Gallery 213 and the Two Rivers Photography Club
January 2 – 31st, 2015

The Cooperative Gallery 213 and the Two Rivers Photography Club are sponsoring the 4th Bob Johnston Photography Show and Competition January 2-31st, 2015. “This is one of our most popular shows at the Cooperative Gallery,” according to Peg Johnston. “It speaks to how many great photographers we have in this area and their desire to share their art.” It is an open themed Photography Show and Competition and all photographic media and all photographers are eligible to enter. Photographs will be judged by a local professional photographer.

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. Johnston’s work was also featured in his daughter Peg’s recent “Binghamton: a Photographic Memoir.” This fourth Exhibit is a tribute to his photography. 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.”

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 Saturday, December 27, 2014 1-3 pm or Sunday, December 28th 6-8 pm. Photos may be picked up Sun. Feb 1st 2-5 pm and Monday Feb 2nd 3-6 pm. Contact info@cooperativegallery.com or ggould@binghamton.edu (607) 7757-0499 for more information.

Prizes and cash awards for the winners will be announced at First Friday, January 2nd at 7 pm at a reception for the artists. The Cooperative Gallery 213 is regularly open Fridays 3-9 pm and Saturdays 12-4 pm; there may be additional events announced.

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Jack Gilroy to be Sentenced

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October 1, 2014, Syracuse, NY. UPDATE

  John “Jack” Gilroy, 79, of Endwell, NY and Upstate Drone Action, was sentenced to three months incarceration,three years probation, and $1000 fine by De Witt (NY) Town Judge Robert Jokl.
  "It's time for our justice system to identify the real criminals…not those who carry the message to stop the killing to the gates of Hancock Air Base," said Gilroy in his sentencing statement.  Gilroy was convicted by a six-person jury on July 15th of trespass and obstructing government administration after a twoday jury trial.
  The trial was based on Gilroy’s participation in a solemn funeral procession and die-in outside Hancock’s main gate. The event symbolized the terrorizing and killing of innocent people by MQ9 Reaper drone missiles and bombs piloted by Hancock’s 174th Attack Wing. Hancock, near Syracuse, is one of many drone bases perpetrating US drone attacks in the Middle East, Afghanistan, Pakistan and elsewhere.
"I was proud of the way Jack spoke truth to power, stood for nonviolence instead of war, and brought the reality and names of victims of drones into the court," said Fr. Tim Taugher, Gilroy’s long-time friend and pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, Binghamton.  "Our courts can't allow the truth to be heard. This is one of many ways our country is trying to squelch truth, debate, dialogue, and discussion of the morality of the use of drones.”

  Immediately upon sentencing  Gilroy, a military veteran and retired high school teacher, was taken in handcuffs to Jamesville Penitentiary  [http://www.ongov.net/correction/visitingHours.html].

Jack Gilroy, 79, Broome County Peace Action Board member and longtime activist who has Honorable Discharges from both the US Navy and US Army will be sentenced by Judge Robert Jokl on Wednesday, October 1st at 4:30 PM at the DeWitt Court House, 5400 Butternut Drive, East Syracuse, NY 13057-8509. 

Gilroy was convicted of trespass and obstructing government administration for his participation in a solemn funeral procession and die-in at Hancock Killer Drone base where missiles and bombs are fired via satellite just sixty miles away from Broome County.  The maximum penalty is one year and 15 days in Jamesville Penitentiary. 

Gandhian waves of nonviolent resisters to drone warfare by the 174th Attack Wing of the Hancock Air Force National Guard has been ongoing for the past five years. His trial was based on his participation in an April 28th 2013 solemn funeral procession and die-in to illustrate the death and destruction of innocent people by drone missiles and bombs fired out of Hancock Air Force Base. Hancock is one of many drone bases around the United States doing assassinations of Muslim suspects in foreign nations. 

Gilroy had an opportunity to plead guilty without penalty but noted that “the guilty are not those who carry the message to stop the killing.”   He and others who have been arrested at the gates of the 174th Attack Wing all have taken oaths of non-violence. Gilroy and many others believe the United States extrajudicial killing of suspects is not only immoral and illegal but has become the premier recruiting tool for terrorists. 

For more information on this issue please call Jack at 754-8105

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Vote Smart Could Transform Voting Decisions

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Citizens have got to know about Project Vote Smart, a non-partisan group of students and volunteers from all over the country who have put together a massive factual database on politicians.

Vote Smart gathers the voting records, biographies, public statements (issue or even key word searchable), issue positions, who gives candidates money, even the ratings done by over 200 competing special interests on every candidate and official. They make it so you don’t need to listen to all the self-serving nonsense of campaigns anymore.

You can get just the facts on Vote Smart's web site (votesmart.org) or even call them on their toll-free Voter’s Research Hotline (1-888-VOTE-SMART) and one of their researchers will look up anything you need to know.

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Week One of Parking Ramp Mural Project

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Week Two at the Parking Ramp witnessed 20+ volunteers of the APO Service Fraternity descend upon the parking ramp and leave behind lots of color in the stairwells. Part of the overall Virtual Reality project is to improve directions. Each level has a different color and symbol stenciled on each level.

It was a great weekend for public art!! The Dept of Public Art started work on the Water St. Parking Ramp, the Jablons and several helpers worked on mosaics on the planters on Water St. and Kady Perry, Bruce Greig and others began photographing for murals of children on the Flood Wall. The public seemed to appreciate the art too–spare change and dollar bills were donated freely to the DPA, "enough to buy 2-3 gallons of paint" according to organizers. "We are really heartened by the outpouring of support from people using the parking ramp. It is clear that people appreciate what we are doing to improve the ramp," commented Peg Johnston.

Here is a video of Day One, by videographer Mark Urban:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZ26nqa2LuE
 

Video of Day Two, also by videographer Mark Urban; Music by local favorite Dan Pokorak:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PbTjfs_Dag
And there is such a need for improvements. Volunteers, cleaned the stairwells, scraped loose paint off walls, and put color blocks on each level. Artists painted stencils for each level too. The orange first level is the Bundy time clock, which became IBM and led to the computer; the next is green and is the Player Piano level; the blue level is for the Blue Box, the flight simulator that Ed Link invented on the ramp site, and finally the pink Dancer level that represents the Parking Ramp Dances sponsored by the American Dance Asylum.

If you are interested in volunteering, sign up here: www.tinyurl.com/DPAVolunteers.

Many more photos on the Facebook page Dept. of Public Art.

 

 

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UN Vote Tuesday Could Create Global Bankruptcy Process, Deter Predatory Funds

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The UN General Assembly votes Tuesday at 3pm (EDT) on a resolution that could create a global bankruptcy mechanism. Such a process could protect poor countries from predatory funds and limit future defaults. Jubilee USA’s leadership, a group of religious leaders and financial experts sent a letter to United States UN Ambassador Samantha Power urging her to support the resolution.

“There’s global consensus to stop predatory behavior,” noted Eric LeCompte, Jubilee USA’s Executive Director who signed the letter. “This resolution is an opportunity to turn consensus into action. A process could begin that allows us to challenge inequality and have real stability.” LeCompte serves on UN expert groups developing a sovereign debt resolution process.

The resolution comes in the wake of Argentina’s legal dispute with predatory hedge funds and hold-out investors. During the course of that dispute, the International Monetary Fund, US Government, United Nations and World Bank all expressed concern that a legal victory for predatory funds would make debt restructurings more difficult. The UN action also follows a proposal from the International Capital Market Association to alter debt rules to curb predatory behavior.

Jubilee USA Network is an alliance of more than 75 US organizations, 400 faith communities and 50 Jubilee global partners. Jubilee’s mission is to build an economy that serves, protects and promotes participation of the most vulnerable. Jubilee USA has won critical global financial reforms and more than $130 billion in debt relief to benefit the world’s poorest people. www.jubileeusa.org

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UN Vote Tuesday Could Create Global Bankruptcy Process, Deter Predatory Funds

By /

The UN General Assembly votes Tuesday at 3pm (EDT) on a resolution that could create a global bankruptcy mechanism. Such a process could protect poor countries from predatory funds and limit future defaults. Jubilee USA’s leadership, a group of religious leaders and financial experts sent a letter to United States UN Ambassador Samantha Power urging her to support the resolution.

“There’s global consensus to stop predatory behavior,” noted Eric LeCompte, Jubilee USA’s Executive Director who signed the letter. “This resolution is an opportunity to turn consensus into action. A process could begin that allows us to challenge inequality and have real stability.” LeCompte serves on UN expert groups developing a sovereign debt resolution process.

The resolution comes in the wake of Argentina’s legal dispute with predatory hedge funds and hold-out investors. During the course of that dispute, the International Monetary Fund, US Government, United Nations and World Bank all expressed concern that a legal victory for predatory funds would make debt restructurings more difficult. The UN action also follows a proposal from the International Capital Market Association to alter debt rules to curb predatory behavior.

Jubilee USA Network is an alliance of more than 75 US organizations, 400 faith communities and 50 Jubilee global partners. Jubilee’s mission is to build an economy that serves, protects and promotes participation of the most vulnerable. Jubilee USA has won critical global financial reforms and more than $130 billion in debt relief to benefit the world’s poorest people. www.jubileeusa.org

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UN Treaty Could Enact Global Bankruptcy Process and Stop Predatory Funds Jubilee USA Urges and Prays for US Support

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The UN General Assembly votes Tuesday on a convention that could enact a global bankruptcy process and stop predatory hedge funds. Bolivia proposed the resolution that if voted upon is expected to pass by a majority. The executive board officers of Jubilee USA sent United States UN Ambassador Samantha Power a letter urging her to support the resolution. Jubilee’s 400 US faith communities are holding the Ambassador in prayer as she prepares to vote.

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Local Photographer Wins Four National Prizes

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"Nancy Basmann, a Certified Professional Photographer, won four awards at the International Photographic Competition 2014 sponsored by Professional Photographers of America.  Of the nearly 5000 competition entries, 36% went into the General Collection and 18% into the prestigious Loan Collection of PPA.   Basmann’s “Jivin’”, “Call Waiting”, and “Route 66" are in the General Collection and “If only wishing could make it so” is in the Loan Collection (Volume XVII, Marathon Press).   The images will be on display at the International Photographic Exhibition, Gaylord Opryland in Nashville, Tennessee, Feb. 1-3, 2015, where Basmann will be honored as a Silver Medallist for her accomplishments in photography."  
————————————–
Primary Sources
(1) A panel of 45 eminent jurors from across the United States selected the top photographs from nearly 5,000 total submitted entries at Gwinnett Technical College in Georgia. Judged against a standard of excellence, just over 1,800 images were selected for the General Collection and 918 (roughly 18 percent) were selected for the esteemed Loan Collection—the best of the best. The Loan Collection images will all be published in the much-anticipated "Loan Collection" book … published … by Marathon Press.
 

Photo credit: Basmann, Nancy "Call Waiting" Vestal, NY UNITED STATES

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At Long Last! Painting in the Parking Ramp

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After two months twiddling our thumbs, the painting of a series of murals depicting the "Birthplace of Virtual Reality" in the Water St. Parking Ramp next to Boscov's, the Dept of Public Art is ready for volunteers to tackle several jobs. "We are looking for all kinds of help, from painting stairs to cutting stencils, to advanced air brush technique," says Shawna "Pepper" Stevenson of the DPA. The weekends of Sept 13-14 and 27-28th and another weekend in October are designated although mural painting may continue on other days. Please sign up to volunteer here www.tinyurl.com/DPAVolunteers.

The Project, which has received funding from the Chenango Co. Arts Council and the Hoyt Foundation, documents the unique history of this location in Binghamton where the "building blocks of virtual reality" were invented, according to Susan Sherwood of the Center for Technology and Innovation, who researched the site. 

1. The Bundy Manufacturing Co. (1893-1906) stood at 183-185 Water St., and became the International Time Recording Co (1906-7) and eventually IBM, which, of course, manufactured some of the first computers.

2. The Automatic Musical Co. (1907-14) took over the site to manufacture player pianos, which were robotic innovations.

3. Ed Link, famously, was sitting on the organ bellows at his father’s Link Piano Co. (1914-1933) and got the idea for the Link Flight Simulators (1929, patented 1931) and started Link Aviation and Flying School in that location (1929-34). The Link “blue box” trained WWII pilots.

4. After the devastating floods in 1935 and ’36 the building was not useable and in the late 60’s the Parking Ramp was built in two sections. The American Dance Asylum celebrated the architecture with several performances of the Parking Ramp Dance, which pioneered multi media, video feedback, and dance performances (1978, 1980, 1981, 1984).

COMPUTERS + ROBOTICS + SIMULATION + VIDEO FEEDBACK = VIRTUAL REALITY!!

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