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Emily Jane O'Dell, Contributor
Resident Fellow in Islamic Law at Yale Law School
Celebrating the Humanities in Oman
Every day, I feel immense gratitude for the humanities education I received at Harvard, Columbia, and Brown, and I try as much as possible to pass on my passion for the liberal arts to my students in the Sultanate of Oman. Whether I find myself teaching Harvard students or the future leaders of the Middle East, I can't help but feel that if there is one thing the world needs more than ever -- it is a greater commitment to education and the creativity, critical thinking skills, and spirit of collaboration that the arts and humanities inspire. I've felt tempted lately to add my voice to the growing chorus of essays on the importance of the humanities in a globalized world, but I thought it might be better to let one of my Omani students speak for herself. The following essay was written by Azzah Ali Saif Al Mamari, who took my Studies in the Essay class at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman this spring. I am sharing it with her permission.
"So is English literature your first choice as a major?" In the summer of 2012, my extended family and friends asked me this question about a million times after I was accepted at Sultan Qaboos University. Over and over again, I told them: "Yes, English literature is my first choice as a major" -- since I considered reading books and studying literature an academic and personal pursuit of the highest order. While they said it was great that I was choosing a major that I adored, their tone and forced facial expressions indicated otherwise.
I smiled, nodded, and listened politely to what they had to say. But what I really wanted to say was: WHAT IS WRONG WITH CHOOSING ENGLISH LITERATURE? WHAT IS WRONG WITH ACTUALLY CHOOSING A MAJOR THAT I ENJOY?
Four years now into university, I am still asking myself this question. It seems that there is some sort of misconception regarding literature and the humanities in general. People tend to believe that these kinds of majors are not beneficial for future purposes. They believe that there is no defined career path or promise of a good future for a humanities major. They also assume that these majors do require a lot of hard work and effort. They quickly diminish the humanities as being unimportant, a waste of time, and inferior to the so-called "scientific majors." This notion is unfortunately common everywhere, as the humanities are becoming marginalized throughout the world.
I try hard not to get defensive when people's body language and tone of speech shift after I tell them that I am a literature major. I try hard not to get defensive when people ask me in a somewhat judgmental manner what job will I have in the future. I try hard not to get defensive when my friends ask me whether literature actually requires any studying. I try hard not to get defensive...I try hard...I really really do. But it's exhausting. So for all of those who judge and marginalize literature students, I would like to tell you that you are underestimating us. Because while you may know how to fix X, we literature students understand life in all its astonishing complexity.
As a literature student in Oman, I have travelled across centuries and all around the world. I have stepped into the mindsets of former American slaves and World War I survivors and heard the cries of oppressed Egyptian women from the past. I have met an assortment of characters, such as Romeo, Elizabeth Bennet, Edna Pontellier, and Willy Loman from the poetry, plays, and novels that my courses have to offer. I have come to understand the historical and cultural backgrounds for each literary work I have encountered. I have learned how to write creatively and delve deep into my emotions in hopes of touching the reader and making a lasting impression.
Now I know how to consider both sides of the coin rather than seeing just one dimension. For example, in my American literature course, I studied autobiographies of both anti-slavery and pro-slavery writers like Booker T. Washington and Jefferson Davis. Moreover, I can now tackle the difficult task of analyzing a particular character, theme, symbol, poetic device, or narrative technique. I can read between the lines and formulate my own opinions, as opposed to merely memorizing definitions and equations. I can think for myself.
So after reviewing all these skills that English literature students are taught, can a person really question the importance of humanities majors and disregard us as useless or unskilled?
I am not saying that scientific majors are not important. On the contrary, we do need doctors, engineers, scientists, and technicians so the world can keep going round. However, we also need humanities students -- and specifically literature majors. It is we, after all, who are taught about humanity and what it means to be human.
We literature students really can bring our share to the world. We can bring the skills of empathy, interpretation, and understanding that we were taught to make the world a better place. This is the reason why literature should be considered as equally important as all the scientific majors, and people should respect it more, rather than dismiss it.
"So is English literature your major?" With a gleam in my eye, I am very proud to say yes. English literature is my major. I can't think of a better way to understand myself and the world.


Best dishes to try in Jakarta Indonesia.
Jakarta is the capital city of Indonesia and it is home to a diverse culture, which includes hundreds of dishes from all over the world. Majority of the dishes are local all prepared differently depending on the locality. One thing all the dishes have in common is undeniable delicacy. Indonesia in general prides itself in traditional thick and savoury dishes with majority of them influenced by Indian, Arabian and Chinese foods. If you have had a chance to taste any of the foods from these regions, then you may have an idea of what to expect when you get to Jakarta.
Jakarta is also a major tourist destination with people visiting the city in droves every year. If you are new to Asian foods, we have selected a list of some of the best dishes to enjoy once you are here. You will find these dishes in some of the best hotels in the city and everywhere you go. Ayana Midplaza-Jakarta, one of the 5 star hotels in Jakarta is one restaurant where you can enjoy an abundance of different cuisines surrounded by amazing views and great ambience.
Bakso is one of the most favourite dishes in Indonesia. It is dish of meatballs prepared differently by people in Indonesia depending on their localities and traditions. It is also a national dish and you will find it in almost every part of the city. Indonesians take Bakso either for dinner or lunch. The ingredients used for this dish are beef and flour. The mixture of meat and flour combine to form meatballs, which Indonesians serve with a variety of vegetables. It is especially common during the cold and rainy seasons because it warms up the body.
Nasi Padang is by the far the most favourite dish for the Indonesians. The name Padang comes from an area in west Sumatra. The best 5 star hotels in Jakarta and other smaller restaurants almost all have Nasi Padang in their menu. Though Nasi Padang is a selection of various dishes, with thick and very rich savoury flavours, the most common ingredients in all the dishes are coconut milk and a variety of herbs. The most popular Nasi Padang dish is rendang. Some people claim that rendang is the most delicious dish in the world. You can only try it to prove them right or wrong.
Gado-Gado is the English version of peanut sauce with vegetable salad. Indonesians love this dish and even as a first time visitor to the city of Jakarta, you will enjoy it too. The ingredients that make up Gado-Gado are boiled vegetables like cucumber, sprouts, morning glory, long bean and spinach among others and rice cakes. Peanut sauce topping completes the dish. If you love peanut butter, you will love the taste of Gado-Gado.
Soto comes in different versions depending on the locality. Though the Soto dishes all have different ingredients and tastes, they are all very delicious. In Jakarta, you will definitely find all the Soto versions in some of the best restaurants in the city. The most common versions are Soto Lamongan, Soto Retawi, Soto Ngawi, Soto Kudus, Soto Banjar, Soto Padang, Soto Makassar and Soto Mie Rogo among many other versions. If you are to taste as many versions as you possibly want, then pay a visit to 5 star hotels in Jakarta or visit the local places if you want the authentic taste of the original Soto dishes. Whatever you choose, you will enjoy the aroma and rich flavours of the dish.
The last of the most popular dishes is Mie Goring, which is a dish of fried noodles. This dish is simple and everyone makes it in Jakarta. It is also a favourite in many of the restaurants. To make the dish even more special, Indonesians add vegetables, meatballs or seafood to it.
The above are just some of the best dishes you should try out on your next visit to Jakarta. You will also discover that the Indonesians have hundreds of other dishes that will tease your taste buds and ask for the recipes. Whether you are putting up in a local place or in one of the best restaurants in the city, food in this city will not disappoint.
MLK Quotes To Live By.


Radio One, Inc. announced that Eddie Harrell, Jr. has been named Vice President/General Manager of its Cleveland radio stations.
Eddie joined the company in June 2011 as Vice President-General Manager of its radio stations in Columbus. He has had proven success in this market and is now taking on the challenge of the Cleveland Market.
"Eddie has proven to be a leader with great community ties leading our Columbus cluster to solid performances in ratings and revenue. I'm confident that he will continue the same leadership taking over for Jeff Wilson who will be concentrating on his regional responsibilities full time," said Chris Wegmann, President, Radio Division.
"Beyond his outstanding contributions to Radio One, Columbus, Eddie has been recognized as one of the most reputable leaders in central Ohio's nonprofit, civil rights, and educational institutions. We are thrilled to see him move those talents to Northeast Ohio, where, as a Cleveland Browns season ticket holder, his drive to the games will be a lot shorter," said Jeff Wilson, Regional Vice President.
"I am very excited to continue my career with Radio One by joining the team in Cleveland. This team has set a high standard of excellence in all facets of user and customer experience metrics, and I'm confident we will accelerate the momentum to improve results and impact change in the communities we serve," said Harrell.
Radio One, together with its subsidiaries, is a diversified media company that primarily targets African-American and urban consumers. The company is one of the nation's largest radio broadcasting companies, currently owning and/or operating 55 broadcast stations located in 16 urban markets in the United States.


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After he uses the Pandorica to reboot the universe, the Doctor travels back through his timeline and is able to plant memories in Amy of the TARDIS.
The reader learns early that Samantha is known as an average high school "good girl" living in the middle of a political world while her father runs for public office.
He told her he was taking her out to dinner for her birthday, and her friends were waiting at the restaurant with the tickets to the concert. Surprise Dinner: Similar to the idea above, take your loved one to dinner and have everyone they know and love waiting at the restaurant.


You have a choice when it comes to repairing your vehicles, which makes choosing a Toyota of Turnersville Service Center Certified Collision Center an easy decision.
Our Toyota Certified Technicians are experts in the repair of Toyota vehicles, ensuring your vehicle will be repaired to Toyota factory specifications. And you'll receive OEM replacement Genuine Toyota Parts, designed to meet defined quality, safety and appearance specifications that cannot be replicated on imitation parts.
This helps maintain your warranty and protect your investment. It's exactly what you need to get back on the road with confidence. It's this standard of quality that sets us apart.


Ball gives a fine dramatic performance in Sirk's glossy thriller. Sandra (Ball) is an American dancer in London whose friend falls victim to a lonelyhearts killer. She agrees to act as a decoy for Scotland Yard even while getting involved with nightclub owner Robert Fleming (Sanders), who turns out to be one of the suspects. 103m/B VHS, DVD . Lucille Ball, George Sanders, Charles Coburn, Cedric Hardwicke, Boris Karloff, Alan Mowbray, George Zucco, Joseph Calleia, Tanis Chandler, Alan Napier, Robert Coote; D: Douglas Sirk; W: Leo Rosten; C: William H. Daniels; M: Michel Michelet.
"Lured." VideoHound's Golden Movie Retriever. . Encyclopedia.com. 24 Apr. 2019 <https://www.encyclopedia.com>.


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ARLnow.com January 18, 2020 at 10:45am
Arlington County Police are investigating what the department characterized as a suspicious death.
Officers and medics were dispatched to an apartment at the AVA Ballston Square building (850 N. Randolph Street) around 5:30 p.m. Friday. Initial reports suggested that a young man was in cardiac arrest, with blood coming from his upper extremities, and that several other people were inside the apartment at the time.
"Upon arrival, an adult male victim was located deceased inside a residence," police said in a press release. "Cause of death will be determined by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner."
"This remains an active criminal investigation and the preliminary investigation has not revealed an immediate threat to the community," ACPD said. "Anyone with information related to this case is asked to contact Detective J. Senn of the Arlington County Police Department's Homicide/Robbery Unit at 703-228-4049 or [email protected] Information may also be provided anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477)."
ARLnow.com January 17, 2020 at 6:00pm
A three day weekend is here, meaning extra rest and relaxation for many, and no need to feed the parking meter on Monday.
Some snow and freezing precipitation may make for hazardous travel on Saturday — even though Arlington is outside the current Winter Weather Advisory — so be careful if you're on the roads. The main event in Arlington on Sunday, other than the NFL playoffs on TV, will be the scheduled Martin Luther King Jr. tribute at Wakefield High School.
ARLnow staff will either be off or working on other projects on Monday, so nothing will be published except in the event of breaking news.
For the die-hards reading this, you might wonder whatever happened to our top vote-getting rejected t-shirt design. Well, the "King of the North (Arlington)" shirt is here and you can order it today.
Get it as either a short sleeve or long sleeve t-shirt.
Here are the most-read articles on the site this week:
Arlington County Ready to Hit the Gas on Lee Highway Transformation Plan
Uber Driver Arrested After Pedestrian Struck at Advanced Towing Lot
Red Hook Lobster Pound Pinches New Space Near Clarendon
Police Investigating Death on Yellow Line Train
Arlington County Moving Forward With Pedestrian Bridge Near Shirlington
There's a Simple Explanation for High Recent Water Bills, Officials Say
Windows Smashed, Airbags Stolen in Car Larceny Spree
New Apartment Building Now Open Near Courthouse
Quick-Service Lebanese Eatery LEBTAV Opens in Ballston
Feel free to discuss those or any other topics of local interest in the comments. Have a great long weekend!
Prius Takes a Dip at Carpool Construction Site
Police responded to an unusual accident in Ballston Friday afternoon.
A Toyota Prius appears to have been driven into a construction zone at the intersection of Fairfax Drive and N. Quincy Street and partially fallen into excavated portion of roadway — possibly an uncovered utility vault — in a scene that looks somewhat like Arlington's version of the infamous Pittsburgh sinkhole bus.
The crash was not obstructing traffic and did not appear to have a significant impact on the construction work. A 22-story apartment tower is being built at the site, which was formerly home to long-time local watering hole Carpool.
For Sale: Sichuan Wok Building Ballston
Sichuan Wok building offered for sale
Sichuan Wok property (via sales flyer)
It's dwarfed by an adjacent apartment building and it's unclear when it was first built, but if you've ever wanted to own a commercial building in the middle of Ballston outright, now's your chance.
The vacant Sichuan Wok building at 901 N. Quincy Street went on the market in the fall for an asking price of $3.2 million.
Sichuan Wok closed in 2018 and its owner, who ran the restaurant with her late uncle, is now offering the building for sale, according to listing agent Virginia Smith. It's still configured as a restaurant, with nearly 3,000 square feet of total floor area and a full kitchen, though the property also presents a redevelopment opportunity.
The 5,200 square foot lot is zoned C-2, which permits smaller "service commercial" uses, as compared to some of the high-rise offices and apartments around it.
"Excellent opportunity for an investor, developer, or user to acquire a rarely available fee simple retail property in such a dynamic, vibrant Arlington location… 2 blocks from the new Ballston Quarter," says a sales flyer.
ARLnow.com January 17, 2020 at 7:55am
Home Prices Up in 2019 — "Data from Bright MLS, a multiple listing service that analyzes real estate data in the Mid-Atlantic region… revealed the average home sale price in Alexandria City, Arlington and Fairfax counties, collectively, rose by 4%, from $590,582 in 2018 to $614,236 in 2019." [WUSA 9]
Endorsements for Choun — Chanda Choun, who is running in the Democratic Arlington County Board primary against incumbent Libby Garvey, has received the endorsement of a pair of current and former elected officials: former County Board member Jay Fisette and, most recently, current Commissioner of Revenue Ingrid Morroy. [Twitter, Chanda Choun]
Chain Salon Locations to Close — "The parent company of Hair Cuttery, Bubbles, and other salon chains will close more than 80 locations around the country starting later in January… A full list of the stores that will shutter was not disclosed. There are more than 30 Hair Cuttery locations, 20 Bubbles locations, 14 Salon Plazas and three Salon Cielos in Greater Washington." [Washington Business Journal]
Musical Performances at DCA — "Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) will host its annual Black History Month celebration of achievements and contributions to American history by African Americans with musical performances for passengers traveling through both airports each Thursday during the month of February." [Press Release]
Dorsey Absent from WMATA Board Meeting — Arlington County Board and WMATA Board member Christian Dorsey was absent from the latter body's meeting yesterday, raising an eyebrow. A WMATA spokesman tells ARLnow that Dorsey was not at the meeting because we was "going to Richmond to provide testimony."
Monday: MLK Day of Service in Arlington — "Celebrate the National MLK Day of Service by joining EcoAction Arlington to clean up trash and debris from Four Mile Run and surrounding streets. Everyone is welcome; we will provide supplies and snacks." [ARLnow Events]
APS Adding Two Electric School Buses to Fleet, Thanks to Dominion
Electric school bus (photo via Thomas Built Buses/YouTube)
This fall, a pair of electric school buses will replace two older diesel buses in the Arlington Public Schools fleet, the first trickle of an expected wave that could convert the fleet to 100 percent electric by 2030.
Dominion Energy is helping to supply the two buses, and 48 others, to 16 Virginia localities, including Arlington. Alexandria, Fairfax County, and Prince William County are among the jurisdictions receiving new buses from Dominion.
"We will be getting two buses sometime in the fall," APS spokesman Frank Bellavia confirmed to ARLnow this afternoon, following the Dominion announcement. "They will replace two buses that are next in the replacement cycle."
The new buses will be manufactured by Thomas Built Buses, a traditional school bus manufacturer that is now producing electric models. Dominion is offsetting additional expenses associated with the electric school buses beyond the cost of a standard diesel bus.
The power company is working on a multi-phase plan to move Virginia school divisions to all-electric school bus fleets by 2030. Beyond environmental benefits, Dominion says the buses will be used, essentially, as batteries on the power grid to help supply more electricity during peak times.
More from a press release:
The electric school buses will serve as a grid resource by creating additional energy storage technology to support the company's integration of distributed renewables such as solar and wind. The "vehicle-to-grid" technology leverages the bus batteries to store and inject energy onto the grid during periods of high demand when the buses are not needed for transport. The buses also provide environmental and health benefits through reduced emissions and reduce operation and maintenance costs for schools by up to 60 percent.
"We are excited to move forward with our commitment to bringing the benefits of electric school buses to the customers and communities we serve," said Dominion Energy Chairman, President and CEO Thomas F. Farrell, II. "This is an innovative, sustainable solution that will help the environment, protect children's health, make the electric grid stronger, and free up money for our schools."
This initial deployment will bring electric school buses to each of the company's operating regions. Localities were selected based on the benefit the batteries would bring to the electric grid. […]
This is just the first step in a larger initiative to replace diesel-powered buses with electric buses. Phase two of the project, with state approval, would expand the program to bring at least 1,000 additional electric school buses online by 2025. Once phase two is fully implemented, the buses' batteries could provide enough energy to power more than 10,000 homes. Phase three would set the goal to have 50 percent of all diesel bus replacements in Dominion Energy's footprint be electric by 2025 and 100 percent by 2030.
Photos via Thomas Built Buses/YouTube
What's Next: Infrastructure Based Growth
What's Next with Nicole is a biweekly opinion column. The views expressed are solely the author's.
There is somewhat of a false dichotomy in our community right now about growth. Are you pro-growth or not?
Plainly, an economy does not succeed without growth. It is my belief, too, that for long-run economic success and stability, growth must be built on sustainable infrastructure.
I would define infrastructure as anything that we issue a bond for. In the past decade that has included schools, transportation, parks, and miscellaneous for projects such as fire stations; in years prior it has also included utilities and government buildings. Bonds theoretically support assets that last ten years or longer.
TLDR: We need growth to provide housing and office space for our growing economy. This does not preclude us from proactively planning for that implication on our schools, parks, transportation, utilities and basic infrastructure needs.
How Do We Track Growth Impacts
I asked the County Board what steps are in the site plan review process for new development to measure the impact on infrastructure.
Christian Dorsey gave a nod to a useful tool, the quarterly development tracker, that shows every development by sector, units, and square foot.
Matt de Ferranti noted that in the site plan review process there is an accounting for estimated number of seats added to designated school districts from new housing development. In my research there is also typically a requirement for a developer to create a Transportation Management Plan that includes items such ongoing payments to Arlington County Commuter Services and loaded SmarTrip cards for new tenants.
All of this is intended to help various departments plan for the future. Unfortunately that information from the site plan review process is not included in the development tracker and doesn't include future planning outside of schools.
There was an acknowledgement that we do not measure the long term fiscal impacts of development like other Northern Virginia jurisdictions, but that "smart growth" studies support the notion that we will receive net positive benefits.
To understand that process between the planning and budget departments, I asked the county's Budget Director about the communication between their offices. He indicated that beginning this year they had more frequent and informal discussions about what projects are in the pipeline and how it would impact revenues. There was not a mention of how it would impact infrastructure or future expenditures.
Growth Impact Varies
Growth's impact on Arlington varies by development type. This seems to not be acknowledged in current planning processes.
For example, apartment buildings are taxed as commercial buildings, not residential buildings. How we assess taxes on commercial and residential buildings are different and the fact that over half of residential units in Arlington are rented means that the distinction of if a development is going to be condos or rentals has an impact.
New Townhomes Coming to Buckingham
Trenton Square at Ballston rendering (image courtesy Resmark Companies)
Unit block of N. Trenton Street in 2012 (via Google Maps)
(Updated at 1:40 p.m.) Construction on a row of new townhomes is expected to start this spring in the Buckingham neighborhood.
Los Angeles-based Resmark Companies and Tysons-based Madison Homes is developing "an upscale enclave of 19 single-family townhomes" at 19 N. Trenton Street, a half block from Route 50.
"The project is fully entitled with construction on the first homes expected to start in spring of 2020," the companies noted in a press release. "Designed in a traditional style, the four-level townhomes at Trenton Square will sit on a tree-lined street, just over three miles from Washington, DC."
The townhomes will each be just over 2,000 square feet, with 3 bedrooms and 3.5 baths, as well as a two-car garage and a "walk-out terrace" on the fourth floor. Construction on the first nine homes is expected to wrap up by the end of the year, with the other 10 expected to be built by the summer of 2021.
Also in the press release, the developer touted proximity to Ballston and to Amazon's HQ2.
"Positive economic and demographic trends in the greater D.C. region continue to drive demand for new for-sale housing in Northern Virginia," said Resmark's Stephen O'Neil, Vice President, Investments. "Trenton Square enjoys an exceptional infill location in Arlington and provides easy access to employers in the District and Tysons, and to future Amazon offices in National Landing," he added. O'Neil also noted that future homeowners at Trenton Square will be a mile from the Ballston Metro and diverse shopping, dining and entertainment options at Ballston Quarter.
Andrew Rosenberger, Vice President of Madison Homes, stated that Trenton Square is anticipated to be one of the only townhome communities to be actively selling in Arlington County during 2020. "There is strong pent-up demand for new home communities in this coveted area. The Ballston submarket, along with other Rosslyn-Ballston Corridor submarkets, have experienced considerable economic growth in the last decade, yet the housing supply hasn't kept pace. We're thrilled to have Resmark as our partner on this project."
The lack of new townhomes for sale in Arlington, referenced in the quote above, is notable as officials consider ways to add more "missing middle" housing in the county. Housing advocates have urged Arlington County to facilitate the production of more townhomes, duplexes and other small-scale forms of multi-family housing, to provide more affordable housing options that meet the needs of residents looking for something in-between apartments and traditional single-family detached homes.
The townhouses will be replacing a pair of aging, single-family homes. The project is part of the redevelopment of the adjacent Red Cross site, which will also build affordable apartments along the Arlington Blvd service road.
Countdown to Construction: Equipment Being Staged at Amazon HQ2 Site
Construction equipment at the Pentagon City Amazon HQ2 site (photo courtesy anonymous)
An elevated view of the Amazon HQ2 site in Pentagon City (Staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Demolition on the Amazon HQ2 site in Pentagon City is expected to begin soon.
The 2.1 million square foot office-and-retail development along S. Eads Street, the first phase of Amazon's permanent second headquarters in Arlington, was approved by the County Board in December.
Now, construction equipment is being staged ahead of demolition of the two-story warehouse building and parking lot currently on the site. According to an off-the-record presentation given to local civic associations earlier this week, a slide from which was obtained by ARLnow, demolition and site preparation is scheduled to start within the next month or two.
Excavation will run from the second quarter of 2020 to the end of the year, while construction of the above-ground portion of the complex is expected to start in the second half of 2021. Construction and interior work is expected to wrap up by the middle of 2023, according to the presentation.
In the meantime, the growing contingent of Amazon employees in Arlington will work out of temporary office space in Crystal City.
"We're looking forward to beginning demolition at the Metropolitan Park site in the very near future; some staging activity has already begun," an Amazon spokeswoman told ARLnow. "Amazon is already here and we're hiring. As the MetPark site takes shape, we will continue to grow the teams in our leased space in Crystal City, where we now have nearly 450 employees."
It's not yet clear whether Amazon will hold a groundbreaking ceremony as work at the Pentagon City site gets underway.
Some local residents, particularly those who live in apartment buildings across the street, have expressed concerns about construction noise from the project. Permitted working hours extend until 9 p.m. on weekdays, we're told.
APS Discontinuing Elementary Summer Enrichment Programs
Citing staffing challenges and future budget cuts, Arlington Public Schools is discontinuing its summer enrichment programs for elementary students this year.
While axing the summer programs — which offered advanced classes on computer programing, math and world geography — APS said it will continue providing make-up classes and resources for students who are falling behind. Outdoor Lab sessions will continue as well.
"We are focusing our resources and staffing to provide makeup and strengthening courses to students who need extra help and additional support," said APS spokesman Frank Bellavia.
The decision is not sitting well with some parents.
"Arlington Public Schools [is gutting its] summer enrichment program with little advance notice leaving parents in the lurch," one parent said in an email to ARLnow.
In a letter to families, below, Interim Superintendent Cintia Johnson said the Arlington Dept. of Parks and Recreation's summer programs may pick up some of the slack created by the APS decision.
Dear APS Staff and Families,
As you begin to make plans for this summer, I am writing to share updates to the APS Summer School Program for 2020. This year, in order to make the best use of available staff and resources, and to serve the students of greatest need, we will no longer be able to offer elementary summer enrichment programs, including: Global Village Summit, Fun with Coding, Math Academy and Summer Laureate. Outdoor Lab sessions will continue for elementary and middle school students.
We came to this decision based on increased challenges in staffing summer school strengthening, as well as anticipated budget reductions for the 2020-21 school year. While this was not an easy decision, these changes allow us to sustain our high-quality summer strengthening program and provide excellent teachers and staff to serve students with the greatest need.
We are working closely with the Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) to identify similar offerings and will communicate comparable camp providers through a follow-up School Talk message in early February, prior to the DPR summer camp registration. Arlington County offers fee reductions for eligible students, making these options comparable in price to APS offerings. Please note:
DPR summer camp registration begins on February 12 at 7 a.m. Lots of fun and enriching experiences for your student, with reduce fees as needed.
Don't wait to sign up for a camp until you hear if your student is referred to APS summer school. Spots fill quickly. Students who are referred to APS Summer School and must cancel a camp in conflict with APS Summer School can notify DPR by Monday, March 16 to get a full refund. All other cancelations follow DPR Cancelation Policy.
The APS Summer Strengthening Program, which runs July 6-31, will continue to be offered for elementary students who meet specific eligibility requirements established by the Department of Teaching and Learning. Enrollment is by teacher and principal recommendation only for students who are at least one grade-level below in reading and/or math. Eligible students will be notified during Parent-Teacher conferences on March 5-6. A letter will also be mailed to families indicating student eligibility.
Lastly, the make-up and strengthening fee for all programs, PreK-12, will be $150. Students who currently receive free or reduced-price meals will continue to pay $56 for summer classes, and students who receive Extended School Year services, may attend free of charge. The 2020 Secondary Enrichment fees and New Work for Credit fees will remain the same as in 2019.
These changes were presented by APS staff and approved by the School Board at the December 19 meeting. The full presentation is available online on BoardDocs.
I hope that this notice helps you plan accordingly. I also encourage you to participate in the APS Summer Activities Fair on Friday, February 7. This is a great way to learn about the many academic and arts programs, sports camps and other offerings available for the summer. Additional resources are provided below. Please contact the Summer School Office by phone at 703-228-7645 or by email at [email protected], if you need additional assistance.
Cintia Johnson
Interim Superintendent
Morning Poll: Which ACPD Dress Uniform Do You Like Best?
The Arlington County Police Department is considering changing up the look of its dress uniform.
The "Class A" uniform — which differs from the standard navy patrol uniform worn by most officers in the field (the patrol uniform is green for K9 handlers) — is due for a change because its heather blue color is "increasingly difficult to obtain" from distributors, ACPD said.
The new options are navy blue and gray. The department is testing out both before reviewing feedback and making a decision.
The Arlington County Police Department has launched a test and evaluation of new Class A dress uniforms. Members of the public can expect to see select officers wearing dress uniforms in navy blue or gray as they evaluate the fabric, fit, function and durability of these garments. All officers participating in the test and evaluation will be easily identifiable as Arlington County Police Officers as the test uniforms will be adorned with the police department's patch, officer's name tag and badge of authority.
The department proposed exploring new uniform options after discovering that unique uniform colors, including our current heather blue shirt and pant stripe, are increasingly difficult to obtain. The new Class A selection is expected to simplify and streamline the distribution of uniforms across the department.
The test and evaluation will occur through March 2020. The department will then review the feedback before selecting and implementing a new Class A uniform by the summer.
Which uniform option do you like best?
1600 Wilson Blvd #101

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) has been promoting research activities in medical sciences since its inception. With up gradation of JIPMER as an "Institution of National Importance" and consequent increase in faculty members and postgraduate and postdoctoral students and increased availability of funds there has been a significant and continuing increase in research activity at all levels. The Nursing Research Monitoring Committee (NRMC) was constituted in 2015 as per Indian Nursing council norms. The purpose of Nursing Research Monitoring Committee (NRMC) is to increase the quality of nursing research, which is undertaken in College of Nursing, JIPMER and make it worth publication in indexed journals.
The Nursing research proposals generated at JIPMER need to have the approval of a scientific committee before being submitted for an ethics committee for consideration. Under this process, Nursing Research Monitoring Committee (NRMC) will perform mainly the function of consideration of nursing research proposals for quality improvement and approval. After the approval, the proposals will be referred to JIPMER Ethics Committee for consideration. Approved proposal will be considered for intramural funding if required.
To create awareness regarding research methodology, ethical issues, bio safety practices and other supporting information to pursue their degree.
Nursing faculty/ nursing expert in the same clinical specialty holding M.Sc./ M.Phil/ Ph.D. in Nursing with a minimum of three years' experience in teaching in the postgraduate programme in Nursing preferably Lecturer and above will be the Guide.
Co-guide will be a Nursing faculty/ expert in the field of study (within JIPMER).
A Nursing faculty will be eligible to Guide for five M.Sc. Nursing students in a batch (including co-guide).
Not more than One Co-guide from the same department.
Nursing faculty/ nursing expert in the same clinical specialty holding M.Sc./ M.Phil/ Ph.D. in Nursing with a minimum of three years' experience in teaching in the post graduate programme in Nursing preferably Lecturer and above will be the Guide.
Besides above, Sister Tutor and Clinical Instructors (whether M.Sc. Nursing or B.Sc. Nursing) who have co-guided B.Sc. Nursing and Post Basic Diploma in Nursing courses for the last three years will also be eligible as Guide.
Co-guide will be a nursing faculty (Professor, Associate Professor, Assistant Professor, Lecturer, Sister Tutor, Clinical Instructor)/ Expert in the field of study (within JIPMER).
A Nursing faculty will be eligible to guide ten B.Sc. Nursing students and Post Basic Diploma in Nursing students in a batch (including co-guide).
As per Indian Nursing Council norms, there should be a research committee in each college.
Principal, College of Nursing will nominate two members from Nursing faculty and two experts in Nursing faculty from outside JIPMER for NRMC.
Dean (Research) will nominate Member Secretary PGRMC and UGRMC, two faculty members from different specialties preferably Medicine, Surgery, Paediatrics, Community medicine, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Psychiatry etc and Statistician.
The Duration for the committee members will be three years.


text:
ACLU Lawsuit: El Paso County Sheriff Illegally Holding Prisoners for ICE
DENVER – El Paso County Sheriff Bill Elder is violating Colorado law by refusing, at the request of federal immigration officials, to release prisoners who have posted bond, completed their sentence, or otherwise resolved their criminal case, according to a class action lawsuit filed today by the ACLU of Colorado.
Colorado sheriffs have no legal authority to enforce federal immigration law. Nevertheless, according to the ACLU lawsuit, Sheriff Elder has unlawfully imprisoned dozens of individuals for days, weeks, and even months, without a warrant, without probable cause of a crime, and without any other valid legal authority, solely on the ground that ICE suspects that they are subject to deportation for civil immigration violations.
"Colorado law authorizes sheriffs to deprive someone of their liberty only when there is probable cause of a crime, not for suspected civil violations of federal immigration law," said ACLU of Colorado Legal Director Mark Silverstein. "When individuals have posted bond or resolved their criminal case, Colorado law requires that Sheriff Elder release them."
The ACLU's clients, Saul Cisneros and Rut Chavez, have been held in the El Paso County Jail as pretrial detainees since November. Shortly after his arrest, Cisneros's daughter posted his bond, set at $2,000 by the county court, but the jail refused to release him because of a detainer request from ICE. Similarly, Chavez's pastor and his wife have been told that due to an "ICE hold," the jail will not release Chavez on the $1000 bond set by the El Paso County District Court.
In 2014, ACLU of Colorado wrote to Colorado sheriffs explaining that when they hold a prisoner on the basis of ICE detainer requests, they are making a new arrest, without legal authority. The ACLU then negotiated a $30,000 settlement with Arapahoe County on behalf of Claudia Valdez, a domestic violence victim who was held for three days after a judge ordered her release because the jail honored an ICE detainer request.
Within a few months, every Colorado sheriff receiving the ACLU letter declared that they would not hold prisoners for ICE without a warrant signed by a judge. By the end of 2016, more than 500 state and local law enforcement agencies around the country were declining to hold prisoners on the basis of ICE immigration detainers and ICE administrative warrants.
ICE is now promoting a new arrangement that it claims will shield sheriffs from legal liability for honoring ICE detainers. Under this arrangement, ICE signs a contract to house federal detainees at the jail at a daily rate. When ICE takes interest in a prisoner, it faxes or emails three forms—none of which is approved by a judge—to the jail, and according to ICE, the detainee then becomes a federal prisoner in ICE custody.
The new arrangement does not change the fact that when Sheriff Elder holds a prisoner for ICE, it is he, not ICE, who is making a new arrest, one that he has no legal authority to make, according to the ACLU. ICE does not transform a prisoner from state to federal custody by sending a fax or an email, the lawsuit says.
"Sheriff Elder is allowing ICE to coopt space and resources in an already overcrowded jail," Staff Attorney Arash Jahanian said. "The jail's participation in this scheme does nothing to promote public safety. Our clients have no prior criminal records and should have been out on bond months ago, consistent with determinations by a court of law. Their situation is yet another indication of the Trump administration's inhumane and indiscriminate immigration policies."
The ACLU's class action seeks a declaratory judgment and an injunction on behalf of all current and future prisoners who are the subject of ICE detainers. According to the complaint, almost two hundred prisoners were subject to ICE holds in the El Paso County Jail in 2017, and the jail labels more than four dozen prisoners as "ICE holds" on any given day.
The lawsuit also seeks compensation for Cisneros, whose three months of unlawful imprisonment dates from his daughter's posting of bond in November, 2017.
Plaintiffs are represented by Silverstein and Jahanian from ACLU of Colorado and Stephen G. Masciocchi of Holland & Hart, LLP.
ACLU Complaint: https://acluco-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/2018-02-27-El-Paso-Complaint.pdf
Motion for Temporary Restraining Order and Preliminary Injunction: https://acluco-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/2018-02-27-El-Paso-TRO-PI-Motion.pdf
2014 ACLU Letter to Colorado Sheriffs: http://static.aclu-co.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/ACLU-Letter-to-Colorado-Sheriffs.pdf
Release: Colorado Sheriff to Pay 30K to Woman Held on Immigration Detainer
Release: All Colorado Sheriffs Now Reject Immigration Detainers
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Very Close Encounter? Woman Snaps Creepy Photo of Lurking "Alien"
Did a woman unwittingly capture the creeping presence of an alien creature lurking outside her vehicle? Or is it something else entirely?
This eerie photograph popped online today, inciting some heated debate rational explanations for what certainly looks like a bug-eyed figure peering through a car window.
"My friend took a picture in the car… there's nobody outside the car," user cblmnop posted to reddit.
Instantly, the comments lit up with possible explanations for the image. Photoshop, pareidolia, and fog were popular choices, with "billboard of a woman wearing sunglasses" ranking pretty highly. Anyone who dared even mention anything paranormal was downvoted into oblivion.
But while everyone was busy taking turns debunking, not one person bothered asking the poster any questions, so I went ahead and sent them a message asking for some details.
The Tropical Trail spoken of is a long stretch of road that runs down Merrit Island and Satellite Beach, an area that definitely has it's fair share of paranormal occurrences and strange sightings.
Does this prove anything? Of course not, but it's more information, and true or not, it's information that might be handy to paranormal investigators in Melbourne, Florida someday, which is why I'm posting it here now.
And all I had to do was ask for it.
What do you think of the photograph? Did extraterrestrials photobomb a teen mom or is Merrit Island home to some really jacked up billboard models? Share your thoughts with us on Facebook, tweet us @WeirdHQ, or leave us a comment below!
photoshopped, if you zoom in 400%, you can see where they tried to blur the edges to blend it in. also, the picalation doesn't match in those areas where they tried to blend them together.
-However, this does not mean it couldn't have been staged either, this depends on the actual emotions of the family being authentic or not. Did they feel out of the ordinary at the time of this event or afterwards? Did they find any markings or out of the norm bodily or emotional damage after the event? Was there missing time?? These questions I'd like to know. and after all this conclusion, it's still possible it was staged but I 99.99% doubt it. Also, nothing suggests this was a reflection on the window, though could possibly be someone wearing a T-Shirt standing at the window…I doubt this too for the filters I ran do not suggest any outlines nor a different color black than the darkest black in the photo.
-I'd also like to know, what type of cellphone took the photo?(assuming it was a cellphone) Considering this image is 11px Resolution, common of inexpensive cellphones. Can this person take another photo for us in the vehicle at night with the light on? This would help better determine authenticity.
one last thing, reading the personal interview with this person(s); It was mentioned that the car broke down with overheating…is this something that commonly happens to the vehicle? Were the fluids low? If not… 'it' did it to stop the vehicle and conduct its abduction. Very common in vehicle abductions for the vehicles battery to suddenly die and or overheating.
Incorrect sir. The pixels throughout the image are perfectly aligned. There is no smudging and the line you see on the lips is the same type of line you see on nearly all sharp looking edges in the photo because it was taken with an 11px resolution device. Feel free to read my professional report in this article for more answers. Thank you!
Trying to do photo analysis on an image that was taken on an unknown phone camera when you have no information on the resolution of said camera that has since been transferred to the internet having its resolution quite possible considerably reduced and quite possibly cropped as well is the height of absurdity.
That's nice but, this is all we have to go with and this is the analysis from this only piece of evidence thus far. Questions were raised and again, the detailed metadata suggests no editing(which includes any cropping and dithering).
The "billboard" explanation is easily proven or disproven, but I guess the debunkers are too busy casting stones to take a simple drive down the same highway.
That's the thing, none of them even know what road it was taken on because none of them even bothered to ask before yammering about how the paranormal doesn't exist.
I suppose its true. Everybody on the internet is an expert in everything. Interesting article, very interesting.
This is probably the best comment I will ever read on the internets. Thank you so much. Rock on.
If it was dark out and light inside the car, it would be a reflection coming from inside the car. If this is her nephew where is her sister? I think this is her sister reflection exaggerated by the glass.
I dont know…to me, it looks like a person with some photoshop done to their face to LOOK alien like. I mean really, look at those lips. Usually when people encounter aliens, they describe them with very thin lips or something.
Got some Mick Jagger lips going on. Not your typical Gray.
Reminds me of a recent ufology panel I saw about aliens supposedly showing up in the back of photos, where the people who took them didn't notice until afterward. Though, it doesn't look like any depiction of an alien, that I've seen, unless extraterrestrials have started getting pouty lips. Then again, this is a paranormal site, so let's say it's a ghost instead of an alien.
The problem with that though is none of the orangey brownie hue of the light seems to seep into or warm up the hue of any part of the external figure.
If this was a grey it was REAL grey.
Reminds me a bit of that Billy Meier pterodactyl pic which was supposedly proved a hoax but when you compare both the illustration which's supposedly the source of the pterodactyl with Meier's dinosaur in inverted colours the dropped snake not only comes off way better than the dropped fishes but the illustration pterodactyl clearly resembles a drawing but Meier's could very well be a photo.
Ditto the alien and Mom make a pretty good match in inverted colour so unless Mom's some sort of rigged image too this pic for me at least's highly problematical.
It almost looks like someone superimposed a monster high doll into the pic. If you look just above the child's car seat, you can see a grey blur. Looks a lot like a monster high dolls hand. Just saying.
It's obviously an alien human hybrid. Did Angelina Jolie mysteriously disappear for a year in her younger days?
Are Grays normally two-dimensional? This doesn't look even remotely real.
The greys did not "engineer" us. That was done earlier by other alien species which is why there are so many different races on earth. The human look is something that was specifically bred here. The greys are future humans who have evolved. Many people think that the greys are terrible but many fail to understand that they are merely curious and they lack the same emotional sentience that most humans have. It was literally bred out of them over eons of time. They felt they had no need for them any longer but they have come back here to help get the earth off the path it has been on so that they wont have to exist, but will come across in the form of a more advanced human being.
Looks more like a paranormal entity than a hybrid grey imo. It appears the girl taking the photo & the boy in the booster seat are both in the back seat of the car & if you look closely there is a light area at the edge of the window above the boys head giving the impression of long unkempt hair flowing out from the face. Also the angle the photo is taken from wouldn't allow a third person in the back seat to be reflected back in that manner as some have alleged. She is obviously not the driver of the vehicle.
the alien was happy to! cheers to her she got a good pic in the night. no need to be scared they are our sisters and brothers from another galaxy universe. we must accept them and take care of our own planet instead of trying to kill them off. unless you guys want to die faster, then MAN up and take the community and tell them to join hands together and fight this corrupted and polluted earth system. bring it back to normal!
It looks like her sister, wearing big-rimmed sunglasses, peeked in the *tinted* window as the picture was taken.
He just wanted to wash your windows, guys.
I can see eyes behind the shades.
Oh, and no one really knows the differences between various paranormal beings, so debating ghosts vs aliens is just silly.
We try to have power over what we do not understand by naming.
It looks like Kim Kardashian.
Whoever did that alien's plastic surgery should be sued for malpractice.
This world is hell bent on disbelief thanks to predictive programming.
Regardless if it's real or not that alien isn't that terrifying and infact it's kind of cute like I'd give it a hug if I was promised not to get like abducted or whatever.
That looks like the kid from the grudge.
Hahaha, it looks like Angelina Jolie.


With a new year comes a new opportunity to review business improvements for your organization. There's always room to streamline processes in your office that will yield a more efficient atmosphere for you and your team. What better time to apply these improvements than early in the year?
Here are 4 business improvements that will promote business efficiency for your business in 2016.
While this is something that is usually done at the end of the year, it's important to perform this process periodically, nevertheless. The reason is simple: you could be hoarding documents that no longer need to be stored. This created an unnecessary volume of clutter in file cabinets and storage spaces—and this clutter is costing your business money. Assign a team to look through document archives and weed out the documents that no longer need to be stored to maximize office space.
Of course, we know there's a catch to document retention; there are laws and regulations in place that require businesses to retain certain kinds of documents for a specific length of time. So, before diving into a document purge, reference your state and industry's document retention guidelines for an overview of what should stay and what can go.
You Might Like:Document Retention Guidelines: Should You Save it or Shred It?
Improved safety: Accidents happen. Safeguarding your stored documents by scanning them will protect them against the possibility of an office fire or natural disaster that would otherwise destroy important documents.
Financial efficiency: We already mentioned how costly it can be to print and store documents. Think of how much your business spends on paper, ink and printer maintenance alone. Over the course of a year, this amount can add up to a pretty penny—and that's money you could be putting towards other processes. Storing documents digitally will prevent the need to reprint a document.
Adopting a green thumb: Going paperless is a way to transition into an eco-friendly office culture. It was also one of the "go green" strategies for entrepreneurs in 2015.
Full text indexing, which requires indexing the entire document. This is a broader search and allows you to search for a document using a variety of words and phrases.
Meta text indexing, which is a more specific search.
Many businesses rely on the use of microfilm or microfiche equipment to view archived documents. While this was once a popular way to store documents, technology has trumped this process and allowed businesses to digitize documents in an easier and more reliable way. If your businesses still views documents via microfilm or microfiche, you could be endangering the quality of your documents. Maintaining the equipment needed to view these kinds of files can be costly and must be stored in a specific environment to avoid damage. A microfilm or microfiche conversion can guarantee that documents are easily legible and accessible across several platforms.


Purchase your child's yearbook now!
You may add your child's name to the cover for $8.
Now is the time to get yearbook recognition ads completed for your 5th grader. 1/2 page ads will be $85, 1/4 page ads will be $45. All orders can be placed online.
For more information, please contact Jostens ad support.
The creation of the 2016-2017 SPARK Yearbook is underway, and we would love your help!
This year we are asking classroom reps to help ensure we have enough photos of each class. Take them yourself, or gather them from others. Please visit our sign-up for more info.
We are looking for members to join our fun group! Whether you want to help a little or a lot, are creative or not, we would love your help! We can find a role that fits your desired time commitment and skills. Email Holly Painter or Lisa Marie Smith for more information.
Create an account through the RePlayit App (iTunes / Google Play) or go to the RePlayit website. Search for Springdale Park Elementary and the password is sparkyearbook. Please use tags to identify class, grade or event.
Email a link to a DropBox (or similar) account to Heather Dominey.
Email the photos themselves to Heather Dominey (you may have to send multiple emails, as we need high-resolution images and those can be big).
For more information, please contact Trish Feng or Georganne Wasick.


text:
Q: Best Practices with IF statement in Catch block I have a method like the following:
public static addSomething(int id)
{
    string msg = getStringMsg(id);
    try
    {
        //do lots of stuff
        Console.WriteLine(msg)
    }
    catch (Exception e)
    {
        if (id == 1)
            throw new Exception("Exception msg 1: " + msg);
        else
            throw new Exception("Exception msg 2: " + msg);
    }
}

Is having a conditional branch like this in the catch block frowned upon? If so, what are my alternatives?
I guess I can do:
public static addSomething(int id)
{
    string msg = getStringMsg(id);
    string exceptionMsg;
    if (id == 1)
        exceptionMsg = "Exception msg 1: " + msg);
    else
        exceptionMsg = "Exception msg 2: " + msg);
    try
    {
        //do lots of stuff
        Console.WriteLine(msg)
    }
    catch (Exception e)
    {
        throw new Exception(exceptionMsg);
    }
}

But I would really like to keep the code outside of the try block to a minimum, if at all. Which comes to my second question: is there a way I can assign getStringMsg(id) to msg inside of the try block, yet still have access to it in the catch block?

A: I would suggest you avoiding error message creation until error occurs. Also I suggest to pass original exception as inner exception to exception you are throwing (and it's better to create some custom exception if you are plaining to throw it to higher levels of your application):
public static void addSomething(int id)
{
    string msg = getStringMsg(id);
    try
    {
        //do lots of stuff
        Console.WriteLine(msg)
    }
    catch (Exception e)
    {
        string errorMessage = (id == 1) ?
           "Exception msg 1: " : "Exception msg 2: ";

        throw new FooException(errorMessage + msg, e);
    }
}

A: I believe your try block also has lot of conditional logic based on your parameter id. In that case, it would be good to split the implementation in separate methods, each with its own try catch block.
Also consider the refactoring - replace conditional with polymorphism

A: It's fine, but you should pass the thrown exception as the inner exception of what you throw:
catch (Exception ex)
{
    ...
      throw new Exception("message", ex);
    ...
}

If you ever want to rethrow the handle exception, just type throw;. Do not throw it again. There's lots of articles on the difference and why a single word statement - throw - is best.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Gestures of Defiance
I'm an artist, educator and activist particularly interested in learning from tactics, props and gestures used as protests. I use this blog as a platform to archive and communicate examples of what I call 'gestures of defiance'-exciting, urgent and relevant actions that link protest histories and present radical potentials. On this blog I'm simply compiling and reposting examples I find as they happen. Months may go by with out a post but the blog as an archive is still active.
What can WE do? The international artist in the age of resurgent nationalism
http://www.thetowner.com/international-artists-nationalism/
The international artist in the age of resurgent nationalism
by Elvia Wilk
Around this time last year, when the refugee crisis in Germany reached a state of emergency, my Berlin-based community haphazardly mobilized. I say "Berlin-based" because we're part of the notorious international culture class. We typically have the means to travel when we want, and our passports usually allow us to. Most of us are not German citizens. All of us speak high-level English. My particular community within this larger demographic is also proficient in what has been called International Art English, because we spend a lot of our time making, talking, and writing about art.
Our mobilization in the face of this humanitarian crisis took two forms. One was to move our bodies to the places where bodies were urgently needed: we boxed clothes and food and carried them to the office of social affairs where asylum applications were being processed, which had become a hideous holding pen for those waiting in endless bureaucratic purgatory. We handed out water bottles, we sorted through donations, and we activated our networks to find emergency housing for families who hadn't yet been able to register for shelter beds. We showed up.
The other thing we did was to have a lot of discussions about what people like us could really do to help. We congregated in apartments, Facebook groups, and art galleries, and asked each other again and again what we could do about this terrible situation—the implication being that we artists and intellectuals have special knowledge, capabilities, or responsibilities that others do not.
Certainly there are plenty of things artists and intellectuals are well-equipped to do. These include making and criticizing artwork, imagining and constructing new kinds of communities, finding ways to have fun in unlikely times (this is not trivial), constructing meaning out of seemingly meaningless situations, championing subjective experience, and, as one of my artist friends recently said: generally expanding the range of human expression.
But being well-versed in the discourse of contemporary art does not necessarily equip you to secure long-term housing for a family of Iraqi asylum-seekers who speak no English or German. I, for one, quickly realized that my time would be better spent handing out socks than doling out misinformation. I did a lot of research and listening to others with more experience during that period, but in terms of strategies of long-term engagement in Berlin my knowledge remains very fuzzy. This is not just because I don't have an MA in social work—it's also that I'm a privileged foreigner who, after six years of getting freelance work visas through sheer trial and error, still knows little about how such things work in Germany.
By December, the gallery meetings had mostly fractured and then petered out. Many conversations had become rather bitter: like all do-gooders, art people are prone to infighting—a phenomenon sometimes known as the splintering of the left. In those conversations nobody seemed to agree on what we could do beyond handing out socks. But above all, it was just impossible to keep the meetings going regularly. Nobody was in Berlin consistently enough.
Immediately after the US election results came in last week, washing a wave of rank panic over everyone I hold dear, the discussions started right up again. What can we do??? How can we artists and intellectuals respond to the rise of nationalism everywhere, including Germany? There must be ways that we can resist! In order to sound inclusive, we remind each other that "non-art people" are also welcome to come.
There are very good reasons for banding together into tight communities in times like this. We need to construct and maintain support networks. At its best and most inclusive, an art-world gathering can create a safe space for those who are unsafe expressing themselves in other contexts. The art world is still disproportionately dominated by the same demographics that have power and visibility in most parts of society (the white guys get all the museum shows), but we are in fact very diverse, and diversifying. That's why, if we are having meetings about what we can do, we should first and foremost be using them to discuss who we are. What voices are missing in our spaces? How we can advocate for those of us who are at risk? In what ways can we be as inclusive as humanly possible within our own networks first? Change starts at home.
This would be acting locally in one sense. But few people I know in Berlin are "local" in the other, classic sense of site-specificity: staying and being active in one place for a protracted period of time. Over six years of living here, the only place I show up every day is my inbox. Berlin has a long history of being a hub rather than a docking station, which is both why it's so inventive and freeing and why people based here have trouble with political engagement. While the privilege of free and constant movement and communication across borders is one of the greatest gifts of our time, it has also depoliticized us by divorcing us from long-term local engagement with the highly specific concerns of specific places.
The art world, like most socio-economic spheres, is globalized, but in very narrow ways. We exist in pockets of mostly urban areas, and those pockets connect directly to other pockets via travel and wifi, with an often uniform set of cultural principles and hierarchies extending across them. In our quest to be internationally inclusive we have become (or always have been) highly exclusive of those who don't already have access, who aren't already mobile. Those people who, for instance, don't profit at all from the gentrification we bring to neighborhoods, no matter how great the exhibitions we put on there are. (As one community activist in Los Angeles put it: "We are still waiting to see an example of where an arts district didn't displace a community.")
So why, exactly, are we having our own meetings in galleries, when there are countless open meetings happening across Berlin, run by people who might know more about organizing in Germany than a lot of us do? Why not just show up to a meeting of the Left Party, or the Pirate Party, or those Antifa who are still around, or the student union, or the after-school tutors, or the climate change lobbyists? Is it because our paltry knowledge of German language and culture would become humiliatingly obvious? Is it because we don't know how to talk to people who don't speak Art? Is it because we feel like we have an exclusive claim on radical thought? Is it because these meetings are ephemeral and will not likely be taken up and canonized in the cultural archive—because they are not compatible with our lifestyle aesthetics? Or is it just because we might be held accountable for showing up to the next meeting instead of EasyJetting to Basel like we'd planned? Most people I know are intelligent, educated, compassionate, curious, and generally woke. What systemic values of the art world prevent us from acting locally?
I recently discovered that a community center in my own neighborhood holds regular meetings where residents gather to barbecue and discuss everything from overcrowding in public schools to legal aid for those at risk for eviction. I've never been to one of those meetings. I always tell myself they're not for me—I don't have kids, I can't vote here, I don't know how to help. I'm not really a neighborhood resident, am I?
In the wake of the election results, much has been written about the isolationism of liberal elites. Their echo chambers, their filter bubbles. Their shock at the realization of how racist, sexist, ableist, and phobic so many Americans are—and the subsequent expression by many who are always affected by power imbalance that they are not at all surprised. Elitism takes many forms. In my life, it expresses itself partly in my isolation from the city where I have implanted myself.
Places like Berlin (of which there are few left) are not just filter bubbles but also space-bubbles that allow us the freedom to generate our own, floating, idiosyncratic cultures, and to theorize the structural change on a massive scale that will someday, I hope, dismantle systems of oppression from the most basic, atomic level. But this does not disallow us or relieve us of the responsibility to do work on the short-term and the micro-scale. As philosopher Susan Neiman said in an interview last week: "I don't think that there's ever a point when it's right to give up on thinking about things properly. What I do think is that theory alone is not enough to break the tyranny of global neoliberalism, which has this amazingly wonderful ability to adapt itself and to co-opt things and people."
To activate ourselves politically in this capacity is going to require reassembling our own value systems on the atomic level too. That includes the ways in which we evaluate career success and prestige according to how many international biennales we attend. That includes how we treat marginalized members of our own communities. That includes how we choose to live in the cities where we live. If we don't reorient our own value systems and priorities, authoritarianism may deconstruct them for us. History has shown that free travel and communication are as precarious as they are precious. Even the internet is no sacred institution—there is no reason to assume that Twitter internationalism will infinitely prevail over manic nationalism. In fact, they are probably flip-sides of the same coin that will eventually meld into one.
In his 1942 memoir The World of Yesterday, Austrian writer Stefan Zweig described the manifold ways that the optimistic cosmopolitanism of artists and writers fed directly into Fascist nationalism in the period between the first and second world wars. Believing borders would eventually become irrelevant (and imagining something like the EU), he and his friends traveled constantly during the late 1920s and early 1930s, pretty much inventing the concept of the international arts career as we know it today. "I was writing, my work was published, my name was known in Germany and Austria and to some extent further afield. […] As a man easily able to travel and full of curiosity, I was present at many artistic events now considered historic. But anything unconnected with the problems of today pales in importance when judged by our sterner criteria." Having spent so little time living or working in his native country for a decade, Zweig had no idea how nationalist it had become until it was too late.
At the time his memoir was published in 1942 (in Sweden, where his work had not been entirely banned), Zweig, who was Jewish, was living exiled in Brazil. In a freakishly short period of time, he'd gone from one of the most celebrated writers of his generation to someone without a passport whose books were being burned. "We thought we were doing enough if wethought in European terms and forged fraternal links internationally," he wrote, "stating in our own sphere—which had only indirect influence on current events—that we were in favor of the ideal of peaceful understanding and intellectual brotherhood crossing linguistic and national borders." (Italics mine.) Needless to say, Zweig's own sphere was dominated by white men. White men who thought talking to each other about the world they hoped for would create that world.
I know, this is not 1942. Information travels in the internet era in completely different ways. Political organizing through digital networks is a totally different task. We based-in-Berliners will not solve anything but moving back to our passport countries in droves. But again: travel, international exchange, and the very concept of a cosmopolitan art career are all subject to change. Asking what we can do is just asking what we can do without also upending our own sanctioned definitions of success, without questioning our own lifestyle politics or the premises upon which our existence depends. "I had lived a politically cosmopolitan life to change all of a sudden," said Zweig. Europe changed it for him.
The first thing I did on November tenth (I spent the ninth wallowing and crying with friends) was to sign up for a volunteering shift at the clothing distribution center for asylum seekers near my house. I do this every few months; it's entirely selfish. At the distribution center, I perform a set of tiny, concrete actions: hand in bucket of socks; socks in hand of woman who needs socks. This is not me overturning power systems or confronting structural violence. Neither has it "humbled" me—which is another way of saying I think I should be congratulated for it. It is certainly not a significant step towards prolonged local engagement; it is low-accountability and it does not demand new skills. It is simply an activity where, for three hours, I am a human who lives in Berlin before I am an international arts professional. It reminds me of the order those things go in.
We don't need more art that looks "political." Making art is and will always be an inherently political activity—not because it serves a political cause, but because it is not a means to the end of any particular ideology. The main thing we can do as art people in the face of oppression is to continue the essential acts of making and talking about art. And while doing that, like any community we can work much, much harder to make space in our conversations and institutions for as many perspectives as possible—to make the art sphere, which is after all one facet of an unjust society, as inclusive as humanly possible. In case it's not clear: this is a task for the entitled, the established, the white.
A friend of mine who is an art person and also happens to be a brilliant activist recently told me that she worries "the scariest thing for an artist is to feel like any other body doing labor." That is, a body doing labor that can't be accounted for under the rubric of cultural capital. A body doing labor that is unspecialized, labor without an aesthetic basis. A body doing labor that might be completely invisible or irrelevant to the art world.
I have spent the last days examining myself and my community for this fear, and I've found it. This fear needs to be immediately confronted and dismantled. Although the art machine, like neoliberalism in general, is very good at extracting value from all activities, artistic communities need to resist the imperative to mobilize as an aesthetic practice—and just focus on mobilizing in parallel to those practices. Rather than asking what we can do as arts people, we need to be asking what we can do as humans. As a side effect, this will probably lead to the making of more relevant, challenging, and engaging art.
Posted by Mary at 5:44 AM
Labels: international artist, nationalism
From "Protest in Pride", 2014
I sometimes contextualize, cite and reactivate elements that I share here through my own artistic practice. You can find out more about that at: www.marycoble.com. Researching the raised fist is where this began for me.
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Low Life (; also known as Raging Years) is a 2004 South Korean action film directed by Im Kwon-taek.

Plot
The life of gangster, Choi Tae-woong is followed through the tumultuous events of the second half of the 20th century in Korea.

Cast
 Cho Seung-woo as Choi Tae-woong
 Kim Min-sun as Park Hye-ok
 Kim Hak-jun as Oh Sang-pil
 Yoo Ha-jun as Park Seung-mun
 Kim Young-hoon
 Tae In-ho as Ddeok Dae's friend.
 Kim Jung-tae as Supplier #1.

Film festivals
It was invited to the 2004 Toronto International Film Festival, and screened in competition at the Hawaii International Film Festival and the 2004 Venice Film Festival.

Awards and nominations

Notes

Sources

External links

2004 films
2004 action films
2000s crime drama films
South Korean crime action films
South Korean crime drama films
South Korean neo-noir films
Films about organized crime in South Korea
Films directed by Im Kwon-taek
Cinema Service films
2000s Korean-language films
2004 drama films
2000s South Korean films

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Tagged: superior spider-man
Superior Spider-Man #31 – Dan Slott's Character-Defining Run Comes to an Anti-Climactic End
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Press Release DAN SLOTT will be signing SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN NECESSARY EVIL, at the Forbidden Planet London Megastore on Wednesday 19th March 6 – 7pm. Back by popular demand – Spider-Man…
Superior Spider-Man #25
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Broken Frontier Staff Picks for October 30, 2013
by Frederik Hautain
It's almost Wednesday, and you know what that means: a fresh load of comics and graphic novels! With so many publications hitting your local comics store or digital storefront, BF…
by Jonah Lang
Superior Spider-Man #18 was just okay. I've been loving Dan Slott's take on the Superior Spider-Man. While I love Peter Parker with all my heart, I thought that this drastic…
The Comic Book Tony Soprano: Doc Ock's Antihero Tale in 'Superior Spider-Man'
Breaking Bad's final season premiered last Sunday night. With nothing but that show on the brain, it was hard not to think about Walter White when examining Doc Ock's new…
News · Previews
Party Like Its 2099 In Your First Look At Superior Spider-Man #17
Marvel presents a first look at Superior Spider-Man #17, from critically acclaimed creative team of Dan Slott and Ryan Stegman! Because YOU demanded it, Spider-Man 2099 is back! From the…
Broken Frontier Staff Picks for August 7, 2013


Outriggers to stabilize your kayak or canoe. Outrigger kits come in 3 lengths for one side or two sides.
Aluminum crossbeam size options are 5, 6, or 8 feet If you do not specify, kits come with 6 foot aluminum crossbeams.
Does NOT include decking shown in some of the photos.
Note: Since kayaks and canoes come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, we recommend you read our All About Outriggers post and watch related videos: https://youtu.be/rdd8ZZ6jupY and https://youtu.be/UgFzpsOLQ5M.