Backin' Black

A new photography project asks us to embrace the power of the dark side.

Dogs with black fur tend to have trouble getting adopted. According to this article from The Huffington Post, it's due to "black dog bias." Because of a fear of black dogs, a phobia fostered by stories in books and movies, people shy away from adopting them.

Through the Black Dogs Project, photographer Fred Levy hopes to give black dogs a new image and a better chance of adoption. Levy photographs black dogs, capturing their personalities and raising awareness of the bias that makes them less likely to be adopted. To view his work, click here.

When it comes to perceptions, the power of images cuts both ways. Some images limit our thinking, but others expand it. That's one reason photography is so special.

With his pictures, Levy shows us the light about black dogs.

More with Less

I suspect it's hard to find many journalists in kitchens: They apparently have an aversion to heat.

Within the last ten days, a series a disturbing reports have surfaced around environmental issues. First, as The New York Times reports, 2012 was the hottest year on record in the United States. Then, came the news that on a global scale, 2012 was one of the 10 hottest years ever. Together, these pieces of news suggest things are getting pretty warm in here. 

Now, we're learning how media are responding to the warming of the planet. Huffington Post explains that despite the hot temperatures, coverage of global warming declined in 2012. Also, we learn from Al Gore that The New York Times is disbanding its division that reports on environmental issues.

I find it astonishing and discouraging that news media are growing increasingly silent on the environment as massive environmental changes reshape this planet so alarmingly.