Nuclear Iran
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June 2, 2009 Leave a Comment
No Voice No Vote: Silent Changemakers
In September 2008, Allison Firestone, Dayna Davis and I, talked to people in Northern California who were politically active in the presidential elections but could not vote. The result is a flash based project which includes three audio slideshows. For me it was quite an experience. As somebody who couldn’t vote in the U.S. presidential elections, I regularly wrote about the process and candidates plans. It was pretty exciting. You can click here to see the project.
December 5, 2008 1 Comment
Metro Lighting: Go Green!
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Fifteen years ago, Lawrence Grown and his wife Christa, both graduated in Architecture from Southern California University. Rooted in east coast and surrounded by a variety of ideas to devote their life in a green and local business, they found Berkeley perfect a perfect place to reside.
Lawrence’s thesis in college was about “A Sustainable Community.” Their training during and after graduation has been in environmentally-motivated development projects, and their quest for an open community where they can share progressive viewpoints and environmental activities delivered them to the San Francisco Bay Area and Berkeley for the past 15 years.
In their business, Metro Lights, they salvage and build environmentally friendly lamps and lighting fixtures. Using solar cells to produce energy for thousands of lamps, non-toxic colors and materials, local labor, local design for the lamps and employing iron instead of steel, which remains in the nature for hundred of years, is a part of their idea of being environmentally friendly. They provide free local services for the neighbors who want to get rid of their flurcent lamps and recycle for them freely.
In Berkeley, where being green seems a part of culture, organic food are popular, and the bumber of famlilies who do not use paper towel and are reluctant shopping from big corporate retailers like Costco, Wall Greens and or Best Buy and the more and more big businesses are leaving the city, entrepreneurship seems a double sward.
December 4, 2008 2 Comments
Substitute Teachers in Oaklan: A Forgotten Story
Omid Memarian- Unlike most other classes in McClaymonds High School, Mr. Williams’ class had its door ajar, the noise fidgeting through the hallway in lieu of the students. Pacing by the door, Mr. Williams was busy negotiating with three students who were insisting on an early departure, while three boys in the left corner laughed loudly, giving each other high fives. A tall girl in a red T-shirt was arranging her braids in the mirror on the wall behind Mr. Williams, while a couple students were making a headstart on their newly assigned math homework, oblivious of the ensuing chaos.
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Although not an ideal setting for learning, at least these students had the luxury of a substitute teacher. Often when teachers are unable to make it to school, students are dispersed to other classes. Schools throughout Oakland have problems in hiring and keeping substitute teachers, and according to some educators, this problem is exaggerated in West Oakland due to its high poverty rate.
“Students don’t have medical care, dental care and have a lot of issues associated with poverty,” said Betty Olson-Jones, Director of Oakland Education Association. “West Oakland is not separate from the rest of Oakland, just that sometimes there are substitutes who don’t want to go to West Oakland because the problems are greater. Same thing in East Oakland. Schools are very under-funded.” Consequently, teaching is not the only thing substitute teachers have to worry about.
During the last years, keeping subs efficient within the school systems has been a challenge for Oakland schools. The major problems for substitute teachers in Oakland include difficulties of providing lesson plans, financials problems, lack of support from the principals’ support, difficult students and schools. But when it comes to west Oakland, difficulties seem greater. Read more
December 25, 2007 Leave a Comment
Halloween, Fred Thompson and a Cruel Assignment!
December 4, 2007 Leave a Comment
Art and Soul Festival, Oakland CA
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by: Beth Huffman, Lisa Pickoffwhite, Omid Memarian
October 4, 2004 1 Comment
