Barder and the Magic Turban

Barder was always a weak dog, and now since he was pushing 12 years, he was barely able to walk. His owner, Max was now 8 years old and always wanted to play with Barder. One day, Max took him on a long walk around the neighborhood. As they were walking down by the junkyard, something caught Max’s eye. It was a bright orange turban lying over an old tire. Barder laid down as his owner went to go grab it. As Max put the turban on, he began to float high up in the air. Barder watched and tried to bark at Max, but he couldn’t. Max slowly unraveled the turban as he was flying throw the air and came back down to the ground. He walked over to Barder and put his arms around him, while rewrapping the turban. They flew over the whole town. It was the best day of Barder’s life. He was able to fly anywhere without any limits. He had had these limits all his life and now he didn’t. By the time they landed Barder couldn’t breath. Max started to talk to him and tell him how it was the turban was the coolest thing he had ever found, but Barder was already dead. Max gave Barder a huge hug, put the turban back on, and flew to the pet store to buy a new puppy.

Photography Credit: Jon Van Holleben

Government in Uganda

The government in Uganda as of today is highly unstable and corrupt, and in my opinion, there isn't any sign of drastic change in the near future. The riots that broke out on September 10, 2009, led by the supporters of one of the traditional kings, lasted two days, and only brought more injuries and death to an already suffering country. The government has been fighting the extremely rebellious Lord's Army Rebellion (LRA) for over two decades, and they aren't showing much sign of slowing down. Rioting has been a strong form of expression for the LRA for years and because their country is in such poor shape, it's easier to get away with such actions. Uganda is a country that has been struck with extreme violence and poverty which is probably only going to get worse in the years leading up to the 2011 elections. Uganda's President made a statement saying that their mercy for rioters has run out, but that doesn't mean that there won't be more riots. With the current state that Uganda is in-filled with economic hardships, poverty, corruption, and violence- effort is required of the people, government, and the LRA if Uganda wants to turn their country around.

Photography Credit: Time Magazine

I Love You, New York

With her lesson plan book in hand, Marie O'Hara walked through the turnstyles to take the 6:00 am train into New York City to make it to New York University in time for the first class she was teaching at 7:30. It was her first class of the new school year. Neither teaching nor art were passions of hers anymore. It was lost. Lost with something else that was extrememly important to her. She used to be an amazing photographer when she was younger. Back when she had started teaching at the University. Back before she had two children in college and one in grad school. Back before her husband died in the World Trade Center attacks. Now she was a mediocre artist. Her photographs, paintings, drawings and sculptures all had no meaning. She was living a plain life, everything in black and white, which is exactly what her art was doing. Nothing in her life was for herself or for fun. It was always for someone else.

By the time she got to campus, it was 6:45 am, and New York's streets were beginning to fill with life. The CEO getting out of his limo complete with his $4,000 suit, specially fitted Italian leather shoes, and bluetooth glued to his ear. He walked straight past the homeless man complete with his free jacket taken out of a dumpster, shoes that were 3 sizes to big, with one broken bluetooth in each ear in an effort to block out some of the streets' noise. The yellow taxi cabs eagerly waiting on the side of 6th Avenue for anyone who needs a lift for $.40 a mile. Newspaper stands opening up and brewing coffee for a New Yorker who needs their daily dose of caffine. These were the things that Marie used to love photographing with all her heart. She remember the day that everything changed for her.

On September 11, 2001, Marie had been teaching at NYU for 3 years. It was a day like any other. She woke her 2 daughters and one son - all teenagers, and brewed coffee for her husband, Bill while getting together all of her papers. She put her kids on the bus and she and her husband walked to the station to make the 7:30 train. It was like any other day. He went to the Center and she went to the University. Tonight was going to be different. Tonight was special. They had reservations at Chanterelle because tonight was going to be the night her photography exhibit opened. It had taken her 5 years to perfect everything. She had finally compiled the perfect group of photographs, found the perfect studio, and she was going to share it all with her husband and children. She didn't know much about how this whole exhibition thing was supposed to run, but she knew she wanted it to be perfect. Marie cancelled class that day so she could go straight to the exhibit. She walked to the building, stood outside the glass doors, and looked up. There it was. I Love You, New York by Marie O'Hara. It was what she had been waiting for her whole life. Out of every photograph she had taken, every exhibit she'd had, this was her masterpiece. She unlocked the doors and walked across the dark hardwood floors. She laid her bag down on the ground, grabbed the old style radio, and sat in the middle of the floor. She turned on the radio, waiting to hear the jazz music she listened to every day at this time. Marie didn't hear jazz music when she turned on the radio. She heard voices. Frantic, loud, scared voices. "At approximately 8:46 am, a hijacked airplane crashed into the North Trade Center Tower". Bill worked in the North Tower.

Photography Credit: Bill Sullivan