City - New York City State - NEW YORK Country - United States
About
The Statue of Liberty rusts away (no funds to take care of it - like our schools, health care, and poor people) as the US dollar falls to all time lows against the Euro, the Japanese Yen, The British Pound, and the Canadian Dollar (amongst others) while the American Government countinues it's never ending war/quaqmire (AKA as an occupation) against the "bad guys" in Iraq for a strong foothold in controlling the Middle East (could it be that the "WAR solves everything Hawks" - non that had personally ever fought in a war by the way - that started this insanity be the real "bad guys"? Naw, come on now, those American SUV's suck up ALOT of gas/petrol - we gotta find the fuel somewhere.) If anyone thinks we're there to "help the people" why aren't we also in Sudan where there's genocide occuring daily (oh, my mistake, Sudan doesn't have any oil). So, as the deficit grows bigger day by day (the US is borrowing 2 BILLION dollars a day - who's gonna pay it back? And when?) and America is now the laughing stock of the world with a tough talkin' slacker cowboy running things. (BTW, where's Bin Laden? Alive or dead? Alive and lookin' rested and healthy from all accounts - I thought he was # 1 on Cowboy's hitlist -Remember 9/11/2001 and 3000 dead? I guess time heals all wounds - except for the families that lost someone. Oh well, never mind that) Lets all remember what really matters - not lettin' those gays get married - Wow! - now that's important and so WRONG!. Let the world laugh (who needs them anyway) - America's got it's compass set straight......And when the next war starts very soon with Iran (different country than IraQ for all you Fox "News(?)" viewers) over nuclear weapons we'll kick their butts too (well kind of at least since things ain't going so well in Iraq) cause the Cowboy knows how to kick butt and he ain'ts afraid of no varmits or nobody or nothin'...So there world! Cry to someone else - we're the Imperialists now so eat your hamburgers, drink your coca-cola, and keep quiet. Remember, we got the nukes... Enough said. 4 more years! (of disaster) Rah , Rah, Rah / Blah, Blah, Blah - which way to Canada please? (if anyone has a problem with this it's just an explaination of the photo. If you don't like it go on Jim Loy's page were he bashes the French (my second home) constantly and waves the US flag daily. We all have our rights to freedom of speech (pro or con) - IT"S AMERICA ! Tech info - color shifted and lettering added with PS. Scanned off an 8x10 print on an Epson Flatbed. One of my first shots of the Statue of Liberty (a gift from the French BTW) on my first visit to NYC in 1978. (Last time I saw her - about 2 years ago - I thought I saw a tear in her eye)
CODA - (dedicated to those who's misguided conclusions are derivided from lack of facts, knowledge, common sense, awareness, and enlightenment) - "While some on principles baptized / To strict party platform ties / Social clubs in drag disguise / outsiders they can freely criticize / tell nothing except who to idolize / and then say God bless him. Old corrupt judges watch people in pairs / limited in sex, they dare / to push fake morals, insult and stare / while money doesn't talk, it swears / obscenity, who really cares / Propaganda, all is phoney. While preachers preach of evil fates / Teachers teach that knowledge waits / can lead to thousand-dollar plates / goodness hides behind it's gates / but even the president of the united states / sometimes must have to stand naked." Portions of "It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)" by Bob Dylan
Your right Mark, there is nothing else to say. You are on your side and I am on mine. You take care and enjoy your world and I will enjoy mine. May peace be with you... Have a good holiday season.
Dear Chris, Saddam? He's a mass murderer too. (The US even sold him tons of weapons in the 80's to help him be the "Best Mass Murderer on the Block") FYI, I don't get my main news from the so - called free press/media (all owned by 6 multi - national coorporations - GE, Disney, etc. You think I'm going to get the facts from them? Dream on (but I DO know how to "read between the lines"). My main source of information is going to these places to see for myself (I've been to about 80 countries since the late 70's, some of them for long periods of time or multi visits, plus I live part time in Paris). I've been to about 6 or 7 Arabic / Muslim countries (including Palestine/Israel) in North Africa / Middle East and about 3 more Muslim countries in East Asia. I go for long periods of time and talk to the people - not on some funky 2 day pre-arranged mini bus tour - I have friends from all over. My other news comes from PBS, C-span, CBC - Canadian, BBC, French news, MSNBC, Link TV - for Arabic news in English, and the Herald Tribune for Newspaper info (www.iht.com) . I love your total Imperialistic attitude and maybe WE SHOULD just take over the world. After all we DO have the best of everything here (well almost). I'm also glad YOU KNOW what will be best for the Iraqi people - that's great ! Let me try that - from now on Portugal shall only speak Spanish !! I make that a declaration ! (and if they don't we'll just invade them with a "Shock and Awe" attack) - Wow, I feel more powerful Already ! You talk SO MUCH about God that I'll leave you with this - "Oh the history books tell it / they tell it so well. The cavalries charged / the Indians fell. The cavalries charged / the Indians died. Oh the country was young / with God on their side. The first World War, boys / It closed out it's fate. The reason for fighting / I never got straight. But I learned to accept it / accept it with pride. For you don't count the dead / When God's on your side. When the Second World War / Came to an end. We forgave the Germans / and we became friends. Though they murdered many millions / in the ovens they fried. The Germans now too / Have God on their side. In many a dark hour / I've been thinking about this. That Jesus Christ / was betrayed by a kiss. But I can't think for you / You'll have to decide. Whether Judas Iscariot / Had God on his Side. (Portions of "With God on our Side" by Bob Dylan. Read the whole thing on www.bobdylan.com) I hope we're finished now. If you don't get this than I'm REALLY SORRY (I have nothin' else to say).......... (PS. but I do ! - Check out "Cross on the Wall" -my latest. You MIGHT find it interesting. Oh and please do pray for me. I wanna be a REAL photographer and not just a "snap shooter" - you can make it happen for me. Thanks
Sorry but I am very informed in what is happening in this world and I am fully aware with the Ten Commandments. Iraq failed several times to meet what the UN required; we gave then plenty of time too. We just carried out what the rest of the UN was afraid to do. The UN should be abolished as it serves no useful purpose anymore in this world. If Bush and the rest are mass murders then what was Saddam? They will be a free country sometime soon and they WILL be better off for it. I don?t know if you?re America or French but honestly it does not matter. If you choose to believe all you hear and see on TV and in the media then you?re a very sad misinformed person... I pray that you will recover from your clouded visions and see the world as it really is? god bless??.
Chris, Yes, Bush / Cheney / Rumsfeld are mass murderers that should be put on trial for War Crimes. They invaded a sovereign country that never did anything to us - Do you know the difference between Arabic countries? Are you AWARE that 15 of the 19 terrorists involved in 9/11 were traveling with Saudi Passports? Are you AWARE that Iraq and Saddam had NOTHING to do with 9/11? Are you aware that Bin Laden is a Saudi? Are you AWARE that Saudi Arabia and Iraq are 2 COMPLETELY different countries (that were about as far apart ideologically as you can get in the Arabic world). So you don't think there's anything wrong with killing hundreds of innocents daily for no valid reason what so ever? Wow, what Church do you go to? You ever hear of the 10 Commandments? (thou shalt not Kill? - pretty basic stuff) Your (so called) Logic is SO twisted I can't even deal with it (this isn't Liberal vs. Conservative - this is knowledgable vs. uninformed.). At least Eric and Jim know how to be articulate about their P.O.V. . Sorry Chris but I can't return to where you're going...See ya, Mark
You are entitled to your opinion as well as I am. Now as for GW being a mass murder, that a bit harsh doesn?t you thinks? I honestly don?t see anything wrong in what we as a country are doing but what I do see wrong is how the liberal media in this world is trying to pull the wool over everyone?s eyes. I have a relative serving in Iraq and I pray for his safe return everyday. I get an email from him about once a week and the things he tells about what?s going on there are completely different then what the media is portraying. He has also been home a couple of times and we have talk about what it?s like there. Anyway... as far as the elections go there, with the current level of civil unrest there how in the work could you have a proper election?
As for WMD, well you got me there but even for this I do not blame GW (maybe I should?) but I do blame the CIA. One of the best things that are going to come out of this is a re-vamping of our intelligent department.
For some reason the USA, being the last superpower, feels the need to help everyone. When an earthquake happens some where we are the first country to send help. We are always sending food and supplies to under developed countries. Anyway, I am firm believer that we need to close our borders and worry about our country a bit more and honestly (don?t want to offend anyone here) let the rest of the world deal with themselves. Unfortunately if we do that the rest of the world will blow it?s self up some how.
This site is not for political views so I will comment on the picture it?s self. It is an ok shot, more in kin to a travel snapshot.
Dear Eric, Hope you had a good holiday. Even though I disagree with most of what you say you are polite and articulate, which I find very decent traits, but the bottom line is we're just not gonna merge on these issues which is alright. I just wanna say that this is not a Republican Vs Democrat issue for me ( I'll trade in "W" for his Dad, Reagan, or even Nixon at this point - in a flash). Speaking about Republicans, I'll leave you with this. Just remember what Dwight D. Eisenhower (2 term Republican President -1952 to 1960 - and the Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in WWII) said in his farewell speech so many years ago. "Beware of the MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX" (I think that pretty much covers America's wars - minus 1 or 2 - in the last half century. The Man knew, he was on the INSIDE but nobody's been listening. (Except Kennedy with the "Cuban Missile Crisis" in 62. Thank God we had him - and Bobby - in charge or we'd all be nuclear dust) Eisenhower was 100% right and that's why the American people need to wake up and Save America (like the photo says) before it's too late (even though, IMO, the clock's at 23:59 and ticking). Take Care, Mark
Dear Chris, I really doubt it....Last I heard God doesn't bless mass murderers. It's estimated that over 100,000 innocent Iraqi's (not to mention thousands of US soldiers) have been killed since the occupation of this TOTALLY useless (except for the fantastic profits for a few gigantic Multi - national coorporations - i.e. Haliburton, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Oil companies, etc) failure of a war "planned" - I use that word loosely - by a bunch of ignorant cowards, Almost all of whom have never actually been in a real war themselves. Why are Iraqi Elections most likely going to be pushed back by at least 6 months now (from Jan. 30th)? Where's the WMD's ? (THE original reason given for invading Iraq) Where's the flowers and candies from the citizens of Iraq? Where's Bin Laden? - the guy who masterminded 9/11 - Pakistan annouced this weekend that they're giving up the hunt for him (I guess that's not so important anymore - it's been over 3 years after all) GW is a TOTAL failure on ALL accounts (he can't even get the House , with a large Republican majority, to pass the " 9/11 Commission recommendations bill") but some people can't handle what a failure he is so they keep on dreaming dreams full of fiction and fantasy - I say, dream on ! Mark PS. A bit of financial abvice - get REAL familiar with THE EURO because soon that (and not the Dollar) will be the World Standard. Watch it all unfold in front of your eyes - just like magic - "Bush Magic".
Mark, You asked where I was in one of your posts, imlying pehaps that I could not or would not answer you? As it happens I was away from home and my computer enjoying Thanksgiving with family and have not been intentionally ignoring you. I'll try to address each of your points and then I intend to drop this, since as I tried to make clear I'm not on this website to talk or argue politics. 1) I did not say my comment was apolitical. I stated at the end that I felt the need to post a partial rebuttal to your political tract. 2) As for photography and politics, certainly the one can be used to support the other. However, you shouldn't need the long rambling diatribe captioning the photo. The photograph should be able to make it's point on it's own to be considered successful. The question was aimed at the political speech you appended to the photo, not the picture itself. 3) America's socialist programs. I agree with you. They do exist and they are complete and utter failures, monuments to bureaucratic bungling and waste. If such programs were proposed today I would have no compunction opposing them or any politician supporting them. A safety net is certainly needed in a modern society, but these pieces of inadequate legislation are not the answer. 4) I am more than happy to acknowledge America's debt to the absolutist monarchy of the Kingdom of France which chose to act in it's own interest to tweak the tail of Great Britain at minimal risk to itself after recently losing the French and Indian Wars (or the Seven Years War if you prefer) the previous decade. My point in mentioning Normandy is not that we saved France from Germany or that France should support the US because of it. France is a sovereign country which will pursue it's own self interest as it sees it just like any other nation state. My point is that today's young servicemen and women are following in a legacy of a country which is willing to fight for the freedom of others. These are men and women who are willing to put their lives on the line for what they believe in. You belittle them every time you write them off as pawns or dupes with no real idea of why they are there. As I said before many of them can tell you exactly why they are there and what they are trying to accomplish. 5) You also happen to be right about your Uncle outranking me. I'm afraid I was only a simple Lieutenant. However, I can't say that your positions would have found much support among either the junior or senior officers in the wardroom either at Parris Island or aboard the USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN (my duty stations while on active duty) if my conversations with these individuals are any indication. 6) I believe I did say how the US would eventually be safer and why so much energy and work is being funnelled into Iraq by the US. Let me repeat myself. A stable democratic Iraq will eventually lead to reform and liberalization throughout the Middle East, thus decreasing poverty and undermining one of the major supports for terrorist movements throughout the region. Any of the other areas you mentioned would not be able to exert this amount of influence in the decisive area. 7) I never said that I believe everything the government says. There are problems with every government on Earth because they are run by fallible and/or corruptible human beings. All we can do is act as we believe is right. It is our good fortune that in this country we have the ability to do that. I see your facts but I look at those facts and draw some rather different conclusions. If you want to call me brainwashed then so be it, but maybe I have a different opinion about that at well. Please notice that I am not writing YOU off as brainwashed by the left. I am sure that you have thought your positions through and have come to your opinions in perfectly good faith. I would appreciate it if you might extend the same courtesy to those of us with a contrary opinion. And just for the record, I do not watch Fox News as I find it rather patronizing and irritating. I tend to prefer National Public Radio for my news. I just prefer to do my own analysis.
My Dear Friend Jim (we go way back - all the way to my World Trade Center Tribute), Thanks for stopping by (again !) and being so welcoming to Eric. I'm sure he'll like your work and he's welcome back here anytime. BTW, no hard feelings on my part AND I do owe you that DVD (so how can I get it to you?) I can send F-9/11 or something else like "The Fog of War" or a great Noam Chompsky one I have - "Born on the Fourth of July" (Oliver Stone) is just excellent if you haven't caught that one. "JFK" if you still believe the "Warren Commission Report". You name one and I'll get it to you. BTW, when we have more time I'll give you the details of how the French Health care system was rated #1 by the W.H.O. (US came in at 36th), How France has the best transportation system in the world (TGV - fastest train in the world, Paris Metro, Paris Bus system, Air France -and, until recently, The Concorde, and last, but not least, AIRBUS, which has taken over Boeing as # 1 for the first time in history) We can get into more later. Come visit me when I'm over there and I'll show you how you can walk the streets at midnight without getting shot. (then we can have a few liters - or more - of some great European beer) I'm really starting to like you. Keep shooting, Take Care, Mark
Dear Olga, Thanks for the nice comments (why do most Europeans - and actually a lot of the rest of the world - always see things so clearly?) "Policy of the Absurd" - that's a great line, going to remember and use that one. All the best, Mark
We get more oil from Central America than Iraq. And I haven't waved the flag for almost 3 posts. Hey? Where's my Fahrenheit 9/11 dvd? And you were right. Kerry/Edwards was at 48% pre-election. Too bad that's where they stayed. No hard feelings? After all, we do have a right to our opinions.
thanks for sharing your invaluable views with us, it is good to know that some people are not unwitting victims of a policy of the absurd.I really appreciated your views and thanks for sharing once more.
Thanks to all the positive comments (where's Eric at ? I had a ton of questions for him.) Especially to Saeed who knows more about what's going on than most Americans who just watch/listen to the news controled by big coorporations and Stan, growing up in Estonia, i believe, (under USSR occupation) knows all to well how governments behave I've seen plenty of it myself - massive Government corruption - and America isn't any different - why would it be? Think ! (Money, Power, and Greed have ALWAYS ruled the world) Thanks to my UF friends, Mark
I like this image and the about,, I?ve got many American friends but am afraid to say that only the those living or lived out side the states know better about the outside world, the once never had the chance to approach other cultures or never been abroad mostly cable-vision minded or brainwashed, sorry to see that but that is the reality,, thanks for sharing such image presenting LIBIRTY!! By the way we did forget about Bin Ladin where is he? We should thank Bin Ladin, with his help now we can add two more STARS to the American flag.(Afghanistan and Iraq).Saeed
Mark, I just came back to see your reaction for my reply and was surprised not to see my words I posted yesterday from home..... Sh---t!!!!!
Mark, life is this exactly word as I told before. Especially if you are starting thinking about how it goes and what it does. Money is main ruler of modern world. Unfortunetelly money and inteligence often are separated in modern world.
I like your thoughts, I agree with most. I Agree with Mark. I agree with all good people. As long as existing opposition to cruelty and stupidity we still have chance to rebuild humanity.
Dear Mark (great name BTW), don't know how you found this page but I have to agree with pretty much everything you said. It's good to see there's aware/enlightened people out there who see what's going on, think for themselves, and tell it like it is. With all the massive corruption going on these days (Watergate's nothing compared to today's illegal activities / Monica's even less, much less) , and you mentioned a lot of it, people still just want to live in denial. I'm afraid the population will be so slow to action that when they do wake up it will be far too late - it's already almost past the point of no return now.Thanks for leaving your thoughts. Take care, Mark
The fact the two longest comments that I have seen come from this picture is more than enough to say about the power of photography. Drumroll Please...
Tibet also has no oil, they suffer also Bush stole the first election, and we did nothing. Next november I am going to try to go to Washington, and experience the moment...As far as Dick Cheney, Hellaburtin.
I am truly beginning to wonder about freedom of speech. It's free untill you say it to the wrong person and get sued.
As far as marriage, I see that as in the Constitution, the Pursuit of Happiness, If that makes two people happy, who am I to say.
As far as abortion, I've never seen a woman go WEE, I GOT AN ABORTION IM SO HAPPY. I believe it should be legal, I would hope it would be the last choice, but it should be a choice. I'm adopted, so I mightve not been here too.
California has the three Strikes Law and people that do what I consider sometimes petty crimes are in jail..MEANWHILE, Enron is still in the courts and all those people's savings are crispy critters. Im not sure but isn't Kenny Boy still free...but they did get Martha, for pretty much doing what Junior did with his stock.
If we worked with Japan, Europe, and Russia, and anyone else who could add, Im sure oil would be quite possibly a much more distant problem. Im tired of hearing about how much money that would cost. I guess lives are ok.
Remember Timonthy M he was one of ours.
As far as freedom, yea popeye's or mcdonalds. I have freedom to buy anything from around the world. Meanwhile the rich kids get the beautiful schools and the poor don't.
The world is a beautiful place, but we didn't make it, we either add or subtract from it, your photo's show that and I think most of what people take here exemplify that. That doesnt mean it can't or shouldn't be better.
As far as the servicemen and women, they are doing there job just like the people at ENRON and Helliburton and the goverment, we have to do a much better job of picking our leaders.
You can tear this to shreads too that's your freedom, I wont sue you, I dont think I can afford the lawyers. Film cost's too much.
So Eric, let me get this straight. If you're Pro American Policy and anti-French (like Jim Loy on UF) that's NOT political and that's OK but if you're "anti American policy" then you're instantly Political (and suddenly that doesn't go along with Photography. OK...I didn't know that).Maybe you should check out the work of one of America's greatest Photographer's, Robert Frank, and tell me how apolitical his work is. Another point, you're mixing up Communism and Socialism. The USSR was Communist (as was the old Eastern Europe -which is now called Central Europe - and the systems were dreadful. I should know, If I added up all my time there i must have spent over a year under that system.) Socialism is a whole different ball game. The great USA is a big fan of Socialism. What do you think Social Security is? What do you think Medicare is? Big, Social programs Eric. I love the Normandy reference (all you guys ALWAYS jump on that one) How about going futher back to a little event in history called the Revolutionary War and recall how without the help of the 24 ship French fleet, under the command of lt. Gen. Jean de Rochambeau, we would still be under British rule today (instead of the rule of multinational corps. and the military industrial complex). Sorry Eric but you can't pick and choose your favorite historical moments - you must put them all in together or leave them all out. The only valid wars in recent history,IMHO, were WWII and Afghanistan (which wasn't fought correctly or finished.) Bin Laden's still out there. (I guess the "Statute of Limitations" comes into play here - or maybe 9/11 just isn't that important to Bush/Cheney anymore). Oh, and help me out on this one, how has occupying Iraq made me / us ANY safer? I hear it ALL THE TIME from you guys but explain it - i don't see it. BTW, where and when did I belittle the troops? I feel sorry for them big time, especially the ones that come back disabled - their LIVES ARE RUINED FOREVER and for what? Power grab of the Middle East by the US War Machine? Why is the US Govn. building the largest embassy in the world (3000 employees) in Central Baghdad (Green Zone) as we speak? To help stranded US tourists in Iraq that have lost their passports? I DON"T THINK SO. Why wasn't there any competative bidding allowed on contracts to rebuild Iraq? Why did Haliburton get the who pie (Cheney's old / future company. One that he's still getting money from, put in a trust, until he's out of office?) It ain't complicated Eric, stop believing the BS and just THINK. As far as Al Qaeda, etc is concerned that movement sprung out from America's one sided support of Israel on ALL matters - right or wrong, It's marginalization of most of the Arabic world - unless there's oil, and it's permanent bases on Saudi soil which is holy land to Muslims (that's just not my opinion but the rightest of the rightwing - Pat Buchanan -check out his book "Where the Right went Wrong") You can't just recycle old Cheney/Bush campaign speeches and Fox news Quotes and think I'm going to buy into all that nonsense - tell me some truth (then maybe I'll listen). I've spent a lot of time in many Arabic/Muslim countries - from Morocco to Egypt to Jordan - and who decided for them that they need to be changed? You, Rumsfeld, Condi Rice? Leave them alone. They're fine the way they are. There's poverty everywhere (including the USA) so why them? Why there? Why not Sub Sahara Africa? Oh no,here comes that nasty word again - oil? Could it be? I don't know Eric, you tell me. One more thing (and this is personal) My entire family went through pure hell and beyond during WWII as Poland was invaded from both sides so don't tell me about war cause you don't know S**t about me, GOT IT? My Uncle was Commander of a Submarine ( I'm SURE he outranked you in more ways than one) and saved his entire crew after being hit by a Nazi torpedo. He's dead now but the difference between him and you (and other "believe anything the Government tells you" like minds) is he would have never fallen for these fairytales, as much as he loved America, he was just too bright to buy into all these lies (I'm sure he's spinning in his grave right now). Go check out Jim Loy's stuff - he's one of your kind. Just so you know, There were no Al Qaeda in Iraq (State Department fact) until the US invasion blew the doors wide open but forgot to secure the borders. Now that's what I call great military planning. Don't you? PS. I know you're probably brainwashed beyond hope but just remember this one sentence "The first casualty of war is the truth"
Is this a site for politics or photography? I'm sorry that you seem so embittered that socialism has been condemned to the dustbin of history and that the great experiment in the USSR has failed. Certainly you are entitled to your opinion but remember what has given you the right to have that opinion. Young men and women have died and are dying to protect your right both here in America and abroad. Where would your "second home" be if those young men had not been willing to make that sacrifice in 1944 at Normandy? The grandsons and granddaughters of those men are now choosing to make that sacrifice to bring democracy to the people of Iraq. You can choose to belittle them as dupes or fools, but they continue to do their duty in circumstances that you could hardly imagine in either of your safe homes. I had the honor of serving with many of our Marines and Sailors while in the Navy, both stateside and deployed to the Persian Gulf, and have nothing but the highest praise and respect for them. As for why Iraq, many of them can tell you that. An autonomous, democratic Iraq in the Middle East has the best chance to demonstrate to other people in the region the benefits that can be brought about by democracy and a free market and lead to reform and a lessening of the conditions that are so conducive to the growth of terrorist movements such as Al Qaeda and Hamas. Are there problems in Iraq? Of course. The terrorists realize what their base of support is and will do all they can to maintain the status quo and hence their power base. I don't really believe that this will convice you in the least, but I did feel that since you felt the need to turn this site to a political statement the other side should at least be partially represented as well.
0 
