Author: James Edward Mills

Capital Region Business Journal, Charitable Giving, Magazines, philanthropy / 14.04.2010

National and local business interests collaborate with a Madison non-profit to improve the job prospects of area teens. Staples, a major office supply retailer with 14 locations in Southern Wisconsin and Minnesota recently donated $5,000 in support of the Youth-Business Mentoring Program created by Common Wealth Development. Providing guidance through the hiring process, executives coach young people through the difficult task of landing their first position in the workforce. [caption id="attachment_3045" align="alignleft" width="354" caption="Sonny Maly (left) and Kristofor Cooks on the job at Staples "][/caption]

“Our focus is on expanding the employment and financial opportunities available to young people,” said Tariq Pasha Saqqaf, youth programs director at CWD. “Especially those teens from poor families, it’s not just about improving their education but increasing their knowledge.”
Cycling, Environmental Protection, Photography, Podcast / 12.04.2010

You might have heard that not everyone agrees when it comes to climate change. While living in New York City, after graduating from college photographer Alan Winslow and journalist Morrigan McCarthy came to realize that across the America people have a difference of opinion. [caption id="attachment_3021" align="alignleft" width="250" caption="photo by Meghan Peterson"][/caption] "Because living in New York City you can kind of feel like you’re in a bubble. Maybe any city is like that," Morrigan said. "But that everyone around you has the same opinion and is in the same boat, especially when it comes to the environment. You know we should be recycling, we should be taking care of the planet." In a community full of liberals Morrigan and Alan believed that everyone would be eager to embrace sustainable practices and a lifestyle to mitigate the damaging effects of climate changes. "But then we would see these poles and watch the news and it didn’t seem to be that way elsewhere, Morrigan said. "Otherwise every body would just be in the same boat and something would be happening. But we decided to take off and figure out what Americans were actually thinking. And Americans have all sorts of opinions." So the two started making plans to travel around the county taking pictures and asking questions. Through their journey, called Project Tandem Alan and Morrigan wanted to connect with everyday Americans across all walks of life to discover what they thought about the planet’s changing climate.
Art, Music, Photography / 09.04.2010

Music and art blend in a new collaboration project by singer songwriter and most recent JTP contributor John Common. In conjunction with the release of his latest album Beautiful Empty the Denver-based musician has invited photographers to illustrate the songs’ lyrics with images as compelling as the words.

The Beautiful Empty Photo Conspiracy calls for the creation of original pictures from across the country. Photojournalist Lucia De Giovanni curates the collection that will be on display at the Fox Theater in Boulder on June 12th. The event coincides with the release of the album by the indie band John Common & Blinding Flashes of Light. “I think artists of all types should collaborate more... this project is an excuse to do that,” Common said in an exchange via Facebook. “There aren't restrictions for participating -- you don't have to be a "professional" photographer to be in this project. Anyone can make art.”
Assignment Earth, Environmental Protection, Video / 06.04.2010

In the shadow of the Canyonlands of Eastern Utah, a site has been proposed for the state’s first nuclear power plant. Located outside the town of Green River, the plant would generate electricity for three million homes and provide a much need economic boost to the community. But the project would depend on huge amounts of water from the Green River itself, raising questions about its capacity to support this new development and other claims to its shrinking supply, not mention the impact on fish and other wildlife “Whether it be oil shale, coal gasification plants, nuclear power plants and so, quite frankly there’s not enough water to support all these things,” said John Weisheit, the conservation director of Living Rivers in Moab. “In a river system such as this, even a small incremental drop can strand endangered fish habitat.” In the edition of Assignment Earth we weigh the balance between energy generation and environmental protection.
Art, Climbing, Film Review, Fun Film Friday / 02.04.2010

A few days before his disappearance while on expedition in China, climber and filmmaker Jonny Copp wrote a poem he called Border Country. Rich with vivid imagery of a headlong journey into an uncertain future the lyric may well have foreshadowed the tragic avalanche that claimed his life and those of friends Micah Dash and Wade Johnson.

A new film of the same title produced by multi-media artist and fellow climber Jeremy Collins pays tribute to his fallen comrades in a style well suited to the way in which they lived their lives. Border Country draws upon the complete spectrum of audio/visual tools to excellent affect coupled with the skilled application of mountaineering technique. With Collins’ handcrafted illustrations and music by Brad Barr, Oriole Post and Rue Royale the film is a requiem that doesn’t memorialize so much as celebrate those who live to climb.