I sure wonder what kind of property taxes and um, school districts this little city has? This little entity lives inside Portland. Fascinating.
Technorati Tags: portland
October, 2006
18
Oct 06
Property taxes.
17
Oct 06
City needs smart citizens.
This November, Multnomah County residents have a chance to maintain—not even improve dying boilers and buildings, or even over-funding—our schools, district-wide. From stand.org, we have this PDF that highlights some of the issues. Other support from educational groups also concur; our class sizes need to be maintained, and we can’t go back to begging the City of Portland to kick in another hunk of cash.
Indeed, everyone is so misinformed, even the local rag has it wrong. Don’t listen to the fraudulent tax Nazis; they could care less about voting intelligently—or our future voting intelligently. This levy will mean your tax dollars will finally be spent correctly.
From the measure itself:
EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
In the year 2000, voters approved a five-year local option levy for Portland Public Schools. Over that period of 2000-2005, student achievement improved at virtually every grade level in the four subjects tested by the Oregon Department of Education: reading, mathematics, writing and science. Portland students now regularly match, and often exceed, the state averages in terms of percent of students meeting standards, a rare occurrence among urban districts.
That local option expired in 2005.
and further:
No funds from this local option levy will be used for district administration.
Look, make a small investment in our kids now, or be carted around by a meth addict when you’re 66 without medication in the future. It’s your choice.
We’re out of money, people. Portlanders, VOTE YES on 26-84!
4
Oct 06
all about the light
Photography consists of two words, the first of which—light, is the most important. From the Wikipedia:
The word comes from the Greek words φως phos (”light”), and γραφις graphis (”stylus”, “paintbrush”) or γραφη graphê, together meaning “drawing with light” or “representation by means of lines” or “drawing.”
Watching the light is most of the work in photography; observation is as much the art of photography, as recording it. After some practice, watching the light interact with surfaces, and seeing how soft or harsh it is, its hue and tone, are some of the things you become aware of. Does it create a hard shadow? Is it warm or cool? Does it evoke an emotion within you? The last question is probably the hardest— almost abstract— qualification of the meaning of light.
The subject in the photograph of course, is worth mentioning. Who or what we are recording gives meaning to the light; it becomes a partner with the color and space. Next, is the meaning and context of the photograph— what the subject has to do with the time and place, and the photographer.
Accompanying photographs together add a narrative; it gives the viewer a sense of story and further meaning. Inferences and implications start to form and provide an emotional picture, as well as a visual one. Put together, we can finally relate to a body of work, the subject, the photograph, and ultimately, the light.