Early Flight This Morning

Happy Thanksgiving!

-Sam

Wandering NYC

SUNY China 150

This was one of the most inspirational events that I've photographed, probably ever.

After the earthquake in Sichuan provence last May, a program was set up at the 22 SUNY schools where 150 college aged students to attend one year of study at any of the 22 schools.

On Friday, Stony Brook hosted a "Thanksgiving" event for the students that are studying at three schools on Long Island, Farmingdale, Maritime, and Stony Brook.  The head of the China Chamber of Commerce was there, and Ambassador Peng.  He was like a rock star to these students.  Here's this guy who shows up with an entourage in a chauffeured car, with police in dress uniforms with white gloves opening doors for him, and he was so natural with these students.  At one point during the event, they were all on stage and they went out into the audience and dragged him on stage to sing with them, and he happily complied.  I've never seen a dignitary break loose like that.  It was really cool.

-Sam

Stony Brook's Charles B. Wang Center, where the event was held.

Ambassador Peng on the phone before the event formally begins.

Ambassador Peng making small talk over tea before the event begins.

Peng being greeted by the China 150 students.

This is when I realized that the students really saw him as something special, so I used the video guy's light to give him that rock star look.

China 150 students from Stony Brook reading a poem about their experiences thus far.

Stundents from Farmingdale recounting their time in the U.S. and what it's meant to them.

Farmingdale students appearing quite emotional during one of their songs.

One of the students from Maritime sharing his remarks.

Ambassador Peng on stage with all of the students.

And having a great time!

The Stony Brook Lion Dance Team doing their thing.  The costume was awesome, with blinking eyes and a moving mouth and everything.  I just wish it wasn't black, so that it would have been easier to see in the dark.

One of the students being interviewed by Chinese media.

All of the Long Island students with the dignitaries from SUNY and the Chinese Consulate that made China 150 happen.

I wish I looked so poised with chopsticks.  For me, they're like food catapults.

Ambassador Peng chilling with the China 150 students.

Stony Brook University Political Science Department Election 2008 Debriefing

I know this is a little late, but hey, better late than never.  So, my wife Lindsey is a professor in the political science department at Stony Brook, and a few days after the election, they had a debriefing to discuss the results.  Three of Lindsey's colleagues, Profs. Stanley Feldman, Leonie Huddy, and Helmut Norpoth worked behind the scenes during the election coverage at CBS (Stanley and Leonie) and the New York Times (Helmut) and gave us the insider's perspective on how the polling data came in and how they made their calls and everything.  It was really cool.

-Sam

Grad students excitedly gather to listen.

Leonie and Helmut discuss the final touches on their presentation before they started.

Stanley chats before the presentation.

Prof. Milt Lodge listens attentively.

Leonie shares her behind the scenes perspective.

Department Chair Prof. Jeff Segal ponders the results.

Helmut really had a great time with the NY Times.

Stanley tells us how it all went down.

Grad students trying to glean new insights.

More from Leonie

Grad students attending the presentation.

Prof. Frank Myers sharing his opinions.

The crowd paying close attention.

More attentive grad students.

Prof. Howie Lavine laughing at something...  I can't remember what, but it was funny.  Probably had something to do with Palin's political prowess.

"Sleeping By The Curbside"

Been digging through my archives lately, and came across a project that I did for a photo book design course back in college.  It was my response to 9/11, I guess, all about rubble and junk and how the mundane stuff that people leave behind and the beauty that it can still possess.

Anywho, here's the introduction to the book that I wrote ages ago that probably makes more sense than I can probably make now, and, of course, the photos.

Enjoy!

-Sam

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These photographs were taken as I walked around my neighborhood. They are of things forgotten; things that we used, but then tossed aside when we were finished with them. These forgotten things now stare back at us from the curbside, blanketed in decaying leaves, waiting to be found and loved again. Most, however, rot away silently as we pass by day after day.

These forgotten items are remnants of our consume and throw away society. Everything is rendered obsolete before it is made. On the streets and in alleys, I found not only discarded junk, but scraps of culture, peeling and fading away. A bumper sticker stuck to a sign post reminding us to vote for someone for president, but we do not know who anymore, and no one seems to care. Vinyl records collect rain drops in a storm. An old eight-millimeter film editor sleeps in a small garden on someone’s lawn. These are things that were once useful, but are now junk, trash.

The purpose of this book is to prove that junk can indeed be beautiful where it is found. Irving Penn was able to give street garbage new life by bringing it into the studio. I have chosen to leave the junk be and give it life and beauty where it lies now. Our junk, our forgotten things, do describe who we once were and now want to forget. They become poems of our lives, stories of our pasts.

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