The Ol’ Tobacco Warehouse

“The Ol’ Tobacco Warehouse” – Originally built by the Lorillard family, sits on the upland of Empire-Fulton Ferry Park, just north of the Brooklyn Bridge, and just south of the Empire Stores. Together, these landmark 19th century warehouses are vivid reminders of the shipping activity that once defined the downtown Brooklyn waterfront.Constructed in the 1870s as a tobacco customs inspection center, and saved from demolition in 1998, the roofless rooms of the Tobacco Warehouse provide one of the most compelling public spaces in Brooklyn Bridge Park. The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation repaired and stabilized the Warehouse in 2002.

The total size of the Warehouse is approximately 25,000 square feet, offering an 18,000 square-foot, column-free footprint.

 — at http://www.brooklynbridgepark.org

Filed under: Photography, tobacco warehouse

Philippines Strong Wind

A Filipino resident braves strong winds blowing trash at a community in Manila, Philippines, 13 January 2011. The Philippines is one of the countries that suffer the most from extreme weather events, which exact a high death toll and economic losses, a study by an international think tank said. Germanwatch, a climate and development organization, said the Philippines ranked 10th among countries when it came to exposure and responding to severe weather caused by climate change. The Philippines, a country of about 94 million, sits on the earthquake-prone Ring of Fire. It is also on the path of typhoons that form in the western Pacific. The country is visited by about 20 storms every year. – Photoville International

Filed under: News..., Photography, climate change, economic losses, extreme weather events, manila philippines, Philippines, severe weather, typhoon, wind

GUARIN’S KILLING IS A STARK REMINDER OF IMPUNITY

by NUJP

2012, a new year but little changed than years past in the murder of media workers in the Philippines.

The gunmen who attacked Christopher Guarin, publisher of the General Santos City-based Tatak News, Wednesday night made sure he was dead. They shot him at least five times in the body and once in the head, ambushing him as he drove home with his wife and nine-year old daughter, and then chasing him down as he tried to flee.

Guarin was the first journalist murdered in the Philippines this year, less than a week into the New Year.

He joins the long list of murdered Filipino journalists – 150 since 1986, 10 of them under the Aquino administration – all of whom continue to cry out for genuine justice. For, in the 10 cases that have seen convictions, only those who pulled the trigger were punished. No one who ever gave the order to kill a journalist has been convicted.

His death is a stark reminder that impunity in the country remains very much alive, fostered by the glaring lack of inaction, even apathy, by government, belying President Benigno Aquino III’s pledge of justice and respect for rights in his quest for “tuwid na daan.”

We demand that Mr. Aquino unequivocally order all concerned agencies not just to arrest and ensure the conviction of Guarin’s killers, including the masterminds, but also to – on pain of sanctions – end all extrajudicial killings and ensure justice to the victims.

Unless you do, Mr. President, the blood of Guarin and everyone else, past, present and future, for whom justice is denied will ever stain your hands.

Reference:

Nestor P. Burgos Jr.
NUJP Chairperson

 ———–

JOINT STATEMENT OF GENERAL SANTOS CITY MEDIA

We, members of the press in General Santos City, condemn in the strongest possible terms the senseless and defenseless assassination of colleague Christopher Guarin who was murdered in the presence of his wife and daughter Thursday evening.

We are alarmed and appalled over the brazenness of the attack that further reinforced the prevailing culture of impunity.

We urged police authorities to immediately pursue, apprehend and prosecute the assailants and identify the masterminds behind the killing.

We want police authorities to extend their investigation to cover all the other killings in the city.

We are saddened by the growing reputation of General Santos City as the most dangerous place for journalist in the country today with over 20 members of the press already killed since 1986, including 14 who perished in the Ampatuan massacre.

We do not want to believe there is an ongoing campaign to eliminate us from our profession but until these heinous crimes are solved, we cannot help but be outraged.

Let the killings stop.

Stop killing journalists.

NATIONAL UNION OF JOURNALIST IN THE PHILIPPINES – Socgen Chapter

KAPISANAN NG MGA BRODKASTER SA PILIPINAS – Sargen Chapter

PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION OF GENERAL SANTOS CITY

TRI-MEDIA ASSOCIATION OF GENERAL SANTOS AND CENTRAL MINDANAO

SOCSKSARGEN PRESS CLUB

Filed under: News..., extrajudicial killings, journalist, media, mindanao, NUJP