Zachary Roberts

zdroberts — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 02:24:17 +0000

Check out this one sided applause

zdroberts — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 03:31:34 +0000

Big Noise Films – The End of Farming in the Fertile Crescent

zdroberts — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:39:12 +0000

Where The Wild Things Are Trailer #2 (HD)

Zionism vs. Zionism

zdroberts — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 02:59:20 +0000

by: Ira Chernus, t r u t h o u t | Perspective

It was a telling coincidence that two reports were issued on the very same day. The Geneva Initiative, a group of Israeli and Palestinian diplomats and technical experts, released its updated 400-page plan, spelling out the practical details of a reasonable two-state settlement. But Israeli newspapers barely noticed. They were too busy headlining the other report: a UN fact-finding mission’s 575 pages of detail on war crimes committed by both Israeli and Palestinian forces during last winter’s war in Gaza…

Read the rest at Truthout

zdroberts — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 02:37:26 +0000

Before Nader Crashing with After Nader

Philly Libraries are Closing

zdroberts — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 02:46:57 +0000

http://libwww.freelibrary.org/closing/

All Free Library of Philadelphia Branch, Regional and Central Libraries Closed Effective Close of Business October 2, 2009

All Free Library of Philadelphia Customers,

We deeply regret to inform you that without the necessary budgetary legislation by the State Legislature in Harrisburg, the City of Philadelphia will not have the funds to operate our neighborhood branch libraries, regional libraries, or the Parkway Central Library after October 2, 2009.

Specifically, the following will take effect after the close of business, October 2, 2009:

All branch and regional library programs, including programs for children and teens, after school programs, computer classes, and programs for adults, will be cancelled
All Parkway Central Library programs, including children programs, programs to support small businesses and job seekers, computer classes and after school programs, will be cancelled. We are exploring the possibility of relocating the Philadelphia Author Series programs to other non-library facilities.
All library visits to schools, day care centers, senior centers and other community centers will cease.
All community meetings at our branch and regional libraries, and the Parkway Central Library, will be cancelled.
All GED, ABE and ESL programs held at Free Library branches will be discontinued, students should contact their teacher to see if other arrangements are being made.

In addition, all library materials will be due on October 1, 2009. This will result in a diminishing borrowing period for books and other library materials, beginning September 11, 2009. No library materials will be able to be borrowed after September 30, 2009.

Even as we remain hopeful that the State Legislature will act and pass the enabling funding legislation, we wanted to notify all of our customers of this very possible outcome. If you have any questions about impacts to Free Library services, call 215-686-5322, or visit the Free Library of Philadelphia website at www.freelibrary.org. If you have questions about changes to City services, or if you want to be kept informed about this situation, we encourage you to contact Philly 311 by calling 3-1-1 between the hours of 8am and 8 pm Monday-Friday, and 9am-5pm Saturdays, e-mail philly311@phila.gov, or visit the City of Philadelphia website at http://www.phila.gov.

We thank you for your understanding, patience, and continued support of the Free Library of Philadelphia during these difficult times.

Siobhan Reardon, President and Director, Free Library of Philadelphia

zdroberts — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 01:49:40 +0000

Jonathon Tasini Interview – The Audacity of Greed

9-11-09 Subway

zdroberts — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 01:00:49 +0000

9-11-09, originally uploaded by zroberts.

Presenting Miss Graves

zdroberts — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 03:44:14 +0000

Presenting Miss Graves, originally uploaded by zroberts.

PubRecord Call to Action – The Cove

zdroberts — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 06:10:36 +0000

Please see below for an update on this story.

This is the first installment of The Public Record’s “Call to Action” documentary review series. We’ve included links at the end of the review to assist readers who would like to obtain additional information and, most importantly, become active.

The Cove

This week, the small town of Taiji, Japan will be flush with cash. The next couple of months for this coastal community will be their boon season, for this is when the dolphin drive happens.

More than 20,000 porpoises and dolphins will be herded into a lagoon in this unassuming tourist town over the next handful of months. Some will be chosen for places like Sea World and aquariums but the majority will be slaughtered. The National Parks Conservation Association estimates that the number of bottlenose dolphins (the most popular dolpin, see: Flipper) specifically around Japan are as low as 37,000.

“We tried to do the story legally” – Louie Psihoyos

Louie Psihoyos, the film’s director started out as a photographer – shooting in extreme locations around the world, from photographing portraits on the top of Egypt’s pyramid’s to the gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson. After spending more than a decade shooting for National Geographic magazine, Louie co-founded OPS, the Oceanic Preservation Society. Over those years he made lots of friends in Hollywood. The type of friends that would be useful when you’re making a film like ‘The Cove.’

The film crew reads more like a roster of a Hollywood action film than that of a nature documentary. This “Ocean’s 11″ crew – a joke that the director makes at the beginning of the film – includes: a former George Lucas’ Industrial Light and Sound crew member; two free-dive record holders; an avionics technician; and a treasure hunter. And of course that doesn’t include Taiji’s most hated man – Ric O’Barry. Rick carries of his shoulders the guilt of being the creator of the worlds worship of dolphins. He’s the trainer (and catcher) of the five dolphins that acted as TV’s Flipper. After Kathy, the main ‘Flipper,’ died in his arms Ric was arrested the next day for trying to free a dolphin out of a local aquarium, thus starting his career as an activist. He’s spent the past 4 decades freeing dolphins from captivity and is the Director of SaveJapanDolphins.org

This crew was tasked with filming the dolphin kill in a cove surrounded by sheer mountain walls, barbed wire and roaming guards. If any of them we’re caught, arrest would certainly follow and then deportation from Japan.

The Cove is more of an action film than a documentary – add Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and Julia Roberts and you have yourself a multi-million dollar blockbuster. And a plot with the contortions of any of the Ocean’s 11 franchise. Except this is better – because it’s all true. Military grade thermal video, rocks that hide HD video cameras and under water sound for ambiance – they all build to a crescendo that any Hollywood action film could only dream of.

Read the rest at PubRecord.org