Exit Strategy?

With the news that the Chicago Sun-Times has fired it's entire photo staff it raises some questions. How could management be so antithetical to their stated goal of reaching their audience in it's visual media of choice - the web? By firing the professional visual experts in their own organization it makes one wonder what they were thinking? A quick search  found a Pulitzer prize winner among the 28 photographers fired.

 It's doubtful that Chicagoans will voice their displeasure with the unavoidable lowering of visual media standards at the Sun-Times which must occur.   In Chicago there is no media monopoly. In New Orleans the citizens didn't quietly accept the gutting of their over 170 year old media institution, The Times Picayune. Covered by the New York Times just two weeks ago.  Article Here   However, here we are again, witnessing the gutting of another media voice by management seemingly bent on destroying their own corporation.  Is this the Chicago Sun-Times exit strategy?

In a "2011 Pulitzer Prize Winners" series of articles from the Sun-Times.
http://www.suntimes.com/pulitzer

Isn't this the very kind of multimedia that management claims they want?
http://www.suntimes.com/pulitzer/4903706-582/photo-essay-go-behind-the-scenes-with-area-5-detectives.html

A Poignant Sunday - April 14th 2013

I want to thank Rick Martinez for inviting me to the Sunday Press farewell. As I entered the building from the north entrance I was struck with the sweet aroma of ink. Smells really do trigger memories, and at 155 Michigan Sunday April 14th a flood of memories overwhelmed me. The poignancy deepened when passing the empty marketing department, but I could hear music coming from editorial. A brief round of hellos and plumbing the depths of ackwardness ensued. Kept asking what I assumed were former employees what they were doing now. Only to discover they were still current employees. Ooops, I'm really outta of touch, and only knew about the farewell because of Rick.

Soon I felt a bit like a party crasher, and had an urge to visit other areas of the building. The first spot I went to was  just outside the editorial photo department. On 9-11-01 I was standing watching a little TV perched on a pillar with many others in the newsroom as tower 1 burned. Then the second plane hit. I can still hear the newsroom gasp in my head, and the instant realization that this wasn't any accident. Next I went to Photo, Imaging, and Dispatch as Rick and I visited. I slipped away to visit where my desk had been in marketing, and headed back towards editorial. When I reached the double doors at the top of the escalator I saw the banners from the pinnacle of the Press's achievements were still hanging. "We're on Top of the World" declared the middle one.  I looked down the escalator toward the lobby. Then went to the lobby to visit the press room window - all that was left was the bed of concrete and steel that use to house the presses.  This is what I saw, and it was enough contrast for the day.

 

March 2013 - Mom

A hard act to follow

My mom is amazing. She is in better health than I am 40 years her junior. She has been incrementally packing up her life in little plastic shopping bags and having family and loved ones carry it all away bit by bit. She has never mentioned her intentions, but it is clear what they are. This photo was from a lunch this March, and the highkey is to reflect on a life well planned.

February 2013 - Angus

A product of his upbringing

After the concert, Angus had an eruption. Never one to hide his emotions, nor varnish his disapproval - Angus let fly in this less than 5 second tyraid of facial dexterity (and verbal lashing). I had to edit the number of photos, because my camera captured many more similiar images. I love the sincerity with which he delivers his disagreements with me. Even when I try and be serious he makes me laugh more often than not. You may ask what the disagreement was about? I don't remember!

January 2013 - Pickels?

Inspired by a song...

Arlo Guthrie's "I don't Want a Pickle" line inspired this latest cross section image. There are some good live versions of the song on youtube - that you should watch. The song has always had a strange appeal to me. Almost like a childhood story, with outrageous elements. In fact, story doesn't quite cover it - it is a yarn. It spins and unravels into utter delightful nonsense. Much like my cross sections photo gallery HERE

Fog

There is something quite magical about the fog. As the landscape fades into the distance it adds a special depth to the view and/or image. On November 21st there was a wonderful fog...and I knew right where I wanted to go.  The pumpkin patch, and the river. Click photo for a larger view.


You can see the river photo HERE

Unplugging or cutting the cord...

I unplugged from TV and my land line phone Monday October 1st. I simply can not afford the outrageously high utility rates. That left only the Internet as my link to the outside world. As a phone replacement I have re-activated our Skype account, and set up two laptops with VOIP phones (that I already owned) attached. Cost was $50 for the year ($30 of which was for a static number). For TV I hooked up a co-axial cable to the 1960's era antenna that was already on the roof of my home...and split it between two analog TVs (With free government converter boxes) and one HD TV. There are channels out there that I had never seen before. RT (Russian), and Al Jazeera English language news are now some the few free channels I can watch; Plus, a host of Internet video content is available.
Interestingly, Huffington Post Live launched the same day I unplugged.