"If there are not a multitude of such scales in the world, nevertheless there are at least several: a scale for local events, a scale for things far away; for old societies, and for new; for the prosperous, and for the disadvantaged. The points and markings on the scale glaringly do not coincide; they confuse us, hurt our eyes, and so, to avoid pain, we brush aside all scales not our own, as if they were follies or delusions, and confidently judge the whole world according to our own domestic values. Therefore, what seems to us more important, more painful, and more unendurable is really not what is more important, more painful, and more unendurable but merely that which is closer to home. Everything distant which, for all its moans and muffled cries, its ruined lives and, even, millions of victims, does not threaten to come rolling up to our threshold today we consider, in general, endurable and of tolerable dimensions."
What happens when you wring a wash cloth in space - coolest thing I’ve seen
Cherry blossoms in full bloom at Mount Yoshino, Nara, Japan
Reasons neighbors suck
Upstairs neighbors: I don’t know what they’re doing but it sounds like they are runway-walking back and forth across their living room wearing heels a size too big. This doesn’t even make sense because our apartments are carpeted. I can also imagine them dropping marbles a few at a time. Today, female inhabitant is coughing up a lung; I am worried she may have TB. I can hear them sliding their balcony door open and closed, open and closed 90,000 times a day (presumably for smoke breaks because it’s still fucking 30 degrees F outdoors so I can’t see another reason to hang out on the balcony). Hypothesis re: coughing revised - I now am concerned about COPD. They also run their washing machine and dryer an unreasonable number of times a day - how many clothes does one have to own to do so much goddamn laundry? Inhabitant has now just exited to the balcony once again, and I now have determined that they have heavy furniture on the balcony based on the magnitude of scraping noises made while settling in to smoke.
npr:
Shane attacked Maggie, throwing her into chairs, pushing her up against the wall and choking her in front of her daughter, Memphis.
After I confirmed one of the housemates had called the police, I then continued to document the abuse — my instincts as a photojournalist began kicking in. If Maggie couldn’t leave, neither could I.
Eventually, the police arrived. I was fortunate that the responding officers were well educated on First Amendment laws and did not try to stop me from taking pictures. At first, Maggie did not want to cooperate with the officers who led Shane away in handcuffs, but soon after, she changed her mind and gave a statement about the incident. Shane pled guilty to a domestic violence felony and is currently in prison in Ohio.
The incident raised a number of ethical questions. I’ve been castigated by a number of anonymous internet commenters who have said that I should have somehow physically intervened between the two. Their criticism counters what actual law enforcement officers have told me — that physically intervening would have likely only made the situation worse, endangering me, and further endangering Maggie.
Photographer as Witness: A Portrait of Domestic Violence - LightBox
Photo:
