A Letter To Black America

On 15 May 2007, 22 Black American professors, writers, religious figures, and other leaders issued a call to Black America to join in the June 10 March and Rally, and break the silence on the injustices faced by the Palestinian people. To read and endorse the letter click here

June 10-11 Mobilization in Washington, DC

On June 10-11, 2007, the US Campaign and United for Peace and Justice are sponsoring a two-day mobilization in Washington, DC to protest the 40th anniversary of Israel's illegal military occupation of the Palestinian West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza Strip. Under the banner, "The World Says No to Israeli Occupation", the US Campaign and UFPJ will hold a massive rally, teach-in, and grassroots lobbying day. Get involved today!

Friday's Photo of the Week . 08 June 2007

Graffiti, Propaganda & Other Writings on the Wall

Las Olas Riverfront . Sunday, 03 June 2007

Vanity Fair July 2007: The Africa Issue

Eastern Market: A Fresh Approach

Through the efforts of the Capitol Hill Community Foundation, assisted by an exhibitor relief fund committee, an ad campaign has begun to make the metro area aware that Eastern Market is open for business, despite the upheavals related to the April 30 fire in South Hall of historic Eastern Market, Communications Director Michael Berman announced today.

"It's essential people understand that the interdependent Market activities continue to operate. This campaign will go a long way to getting the word out" Berman promised.

The idea spun, in part, from brainstorming sessions of the Exhibitor Relief Fund, chaired by photographer- exhibitor Steve Miller. "The committee came together to assess exhibitors needs in wake of the tragedy. We found that what we needed was not necessarily relief, but rather business," Miller explained. "Thus the Relief Fund Committee became a marketing committee, and we set about ideas for bringing business back to the Market."

The ad, designed by Edge Advertising, is targeting several audiences and takes into account all of the different market businesses. The message that the Market is open while being restored will be published in several media.

A special thanks goes to Nicky Cymrot and Gary Peterson of The Capitol Hill Community Foundation's highly successful "Eastern Market, Keep It Going" fund raising campaign which provided much of the financing for the advertising. The organization is also contributing to other aspects of the Market's needs including signage and equipment for the merchants. Donations are still needed and are being accepted both at the website and at their booth at Eastern Market on weekends.

Cymrot pointed out recently that most of the displaced market businesses are now operating outside under the Farmer's Line canopy. A list of South Hall merchants and their new operating schedules is posted at the Save Eastern Market website.

Eastern Market Newsletter dated 08 June 2007

Jason Barnett: The surfer who jumped off Pompano Beach Pier during September 2004 Hurricane Frances

Wanting to get some shots of the Lauderdale-By-The-Sea's "Beach Village", once the sun had began to go done, I'd leave the apartment late Monday afternoon to catch the number 11 bus to Anglin Square.

Waiting at the bus stop just across the street from the apartment building, at the corner of South Ocean Boulevard and SE 19th Street, in the process of setting and configuring the camera I'd focus on bicycle traffic.

The first were of three bicyclists who waved as they passed by while the second was of a shirtless man would stopped and said "Hey, I once photographed 'a chair' that had been abducted by aliens".

"Did you say 'a chair' ... inducted by aliens ...?" I inquired. He said, yes. And then explained further that he and others had seen the aliens on more than one occasion. I said that I had not ever seen an alien but, "... anything is possible ...!"

The shirtless bicyclist then asked "what are you taking pictures for?".

Replying that I live in Washington DC and was visiting a friend who lives in Fort Lauderdale I explained with an interest in tourism that I take pictures of everywhere that I go. Mentioning that it was a brand new camera, I said further that I was testing the new camera out. And that it was very different than my other two digitals that were, both, in for repair.

Unlike my other two this one also shoots videos and movies.

He then asked if I had ever heard of the surfer who jumped off the Pompano Beach Pier during the 2004 Hurricane Frances and that police had spent several days looking for. Reminding him that I live in DC I said that I had not heard of the incident. Nor had any particular recollections of Hurricane Frances.

I then asked if I could photograph him for the purpose of posting the images to flickr and my blog pertaining to his "15 minutes of fame".

In the process of this photo-interview, 40-something Jason Barnett said that he moved to Fort Lauderdale from Fairfax VA in 1973. Which brought to mind September 1973 when I began my first semester as a freshman at the University f Maryland. I also then remembered that was the third person that I had met since Sunday who said that they moved to Fort Lauderdale from Fairfax Virginia.

Handing him my card, I thanked him for his time. Saying, 'good luck ...' Jason then would continue bicycling north along A1A.

The bus would arrive a few minutes later. On the bus ride to Anglin Square, which is about a 5 minute trip, we'd pass Jason along the way, peddling north along Ocean Boulevard. I wondered if and, perhaps, hoped that I'd see him at the Lauderdale-By-The-Sea 'Beach Village'.

After spending about an hour taking pictures of the Village, the Beach and the Pier at Anglin Square I'd catch the number 11 bus back. And, to my surprise, it was the same bus driver from an hour before.

Once back at the apartment when I asked Richard if he remembered news about a surfer jumping off Pompano Beach Pier during the 2004 Hurricane Frances he said "... no".

And when told him about Jason who I had photographed at the bus stop across the street, Richard said "and you didn't think to walk away when his first words were that he had photographed a chair that had been abducted by aliens ...?".

I said "Not reallly. Anything's possible".

In searching the internet for Surfer Jason Pompano Beach Pier 2004 Hurricane Frances I came across an article that confirms the shirtless bicyclist's 'claim to fame'.

In a 5 September 2004 Washington Times article entitled "A weakened Frances roars ashore in Florida" I found the following:

In Pompano Beach, close to the spot where the eye of Frances was expected to make landfall, a lone surfer, who would identify himself only as Jason, jumped off a pier into the huge waves. Hours later, police were still searching for him.

See, also, Surfline AFTER THE FALL which reads:

And the fun didn't stop there. One surfer in Juno Beach is still living large on his 15 minutes of fame. "Jason the surfer" was all over the local 6pm Eyewitness Newscasts up and down the state. In the eye of the hurricane, Jason eluded law enforcement and made it out to the end of the Pompano pier. While local news cameras focused, Jason waited for a lull and launched himself into 8 - 12'+ barrels, zoomed around for the right wave, snagged a large one and rode to fame and television glory while the police waited and then chased him down the beach as he drifted north within the eye wall. Surfers all over the state cheered the sheer bravado.

Or CNN.com's 4 September 2004 Transcripts which reads:

JILL MARTIN, WFOR REPORTER: Hi, Rob and Maggie. No news on the surfer, although everybody is coming out here asking about Jason the surfer.

Like I said. "Anything's possible!".

Should I come across Jason again, perhaps, he will permit me to conduct a second photo-interview of him for inclusion in my NAKED TRUTH Project.

Click above photo taken by Elvert Barnes to view Surfer Jason Barnett photoset.

Sun Trust's Sunday Jazz Brunch along Fort Lauderdale's Riverwalk

Having spent the first nine days of my Memorial Day Week visit to Fort Lauderdale without the benefit of neither of my two digital cameras since both at Ritz for repair I did not resume my 2007 Sunday Photo Walk Project until Sunday, 03 June. When after purchasing a Canon Power Shot S3 IS at a Best Buy in Fort Lauderdale that I visited the Sun Trust Sunday Jazz Brunch at the Las Olas Riverfront.

In its 17th year, the acclaimed SunTrust Sunday Jazz Brunch, produced by the City of Fort Lauderdale Parks and Recreation Department and sponsored by SunTrust takes place the first Sunday of every month along Fort Lauderdale's Riverwalk.

Downtown Fort Lauderdale and the Riverwalk came alive this past Sunday, 03 June 2007, as jazz musicians performed on four diferent stages along the New River.

Not aware, at the time, that the Sunday Jazz Brunch took place along the entire Fort Lauderdale Riverwalk I only photographed the event at the Las Olas Riverfront which is where Billy Bones performed.

And then took a photowalk along the Las Olas Boulevard where after capturing windows and pedestrians, with my All Day Pass, I caught the number 11 bus back to the Lauderdale Beach. Where before catching a third number 11 bus back to Lauderdale By The Sea I spent more than an hour photographing folks and motorcyclists along the Atlantic Boulevard / Beach Promenade.

Now that I know of Riverwalk Fort Lauderdale I am sure to return to the New River with the all three cameras. An advantage of the Canon Power Shot S3 IS is that I can shoot videos and movies as well.

Click the above photo by Elvert Barnes to view Sun Trust Sunday Jazz - Las Olas Riverfront - 03 June 2007 photoset.

Frank Muzzy's "Bear To Bare" opens at Pulp on 14th on Friday, 8 June

"Bear To Bare", a photography exhibition by Washington DC based photoartist Frank Muzzy opens on Friday evening, 8 June 2007, with a 5 - 7 pm opening reception at Pulp on 14th Street in NW WDC.

Featuring some of Muzzy's images that were included in the February 2007 Bare: Body & Soul at MDH Fine Arts in Chelsea NYC and recently at a gallery in Provincetown the Muzzy's "Bare To Bare" will be showing throughout the summer at Pulp on 14th Street.

Located at 1803 14th Street at S Street in NW,WDC, it is the first and remaining Pulp in WDC since the 14 February 2007 closing of Pulp on the Hill.

Contact Frank Muzzy is at muzzydc@verizon.net.