unspeakable: disability history, identity, and rights

“Unspeakable” features lectures by invited scholarly experts who work on topics in disability studies that complement the subject matter of the Willard Suitcases Exhibit. Each presentation will be followed by ample time for audience discussion. Geoffrey Reaume of York University will talk about his research and activism around the history of mental institutions and patient labor in Canada. Philip Ferguson of the School of Educational Studies at Chapman University will discuss his research on historical examples of family-professional interactions in institutions for people with intellectual disabilities. Jeffrey Brune, a UW History graduate who now teaches at Gallaudet University, will speak about the significance of John Howard Griffin’s intersecting racial, sexual and disability identities in his book Black Like Me. Licia Carlson will speak about work she has done on philosophy, gender, and intellectual disability. Several of these scholars will also lead discussions after the Tuesday night film screenings.

winter solstice lunar eclipse

Captured in the crisp early morning at 1:17 AM (MST) in freezing temperatures, the once in a lifetime lunar eclipse—last observed on the Winter Solstice in 1638—was well worth the numb toes and performance anxiety.

While I generally have a confident command of my camera’s functionality, I had to navigate some ridiculous malfunctions. Experimenting with an ISO 100, f16, condensation fog,  an uncooperative focus, exposure meter, and archaic tripod pointed straight up in near darkness, I managed to pull it off while shivering through the camera manual in a snowbank. At least 3/4 of the 300 shots were a complete mess, and just as I fixed the exposure issues I managed to snap a sequence before the camera froze and the tripod buckled. Thankfully the composite turned out beautifully!

Read more at National Geographic

an environmental disaster unfolds

Gerald Herbert/Associated Press

An explosion on April 20 destroyed the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gul of Mexico and caused a massive leak that, by one estimate, may be gushing more than 1 million gallons of oil a day into the waters.

The spill has disrupted much of the Gulf region’s economy and has stirred criticism of the Obama administration’s response to what appears to be the worst oil disaster in American history.

See the full story from the NY Times

the big picture: mount st. helens 30 years ago

Ash billows from the crater where the summit of Mount St. Helens had been only hours earlier during a huge eruption on May 18th, 1980. (USGS/Robert Krimmel)

On May 18th, 1980, thirty years ago today, at 8:32 a.m., the ground shook beneath Mount St. Helens in Washington state as a magnitude 5.1 earthquake struck, setting off one of the largest landslides in recorded history – the entire north slope of the volcano slid away. As the land moved, it exposed the superheated core of the volcano setting off gigantic explosions and eruptions of steam, ash and rock debris. The blast was heard hundreds of miles away, the pressure wave flattened entire forests, the heat melted glaciers and set off destructive mudflows, and 57 people lost their lives. The erupting ash column shot up 80,000 feet into the atmosphere for over 10 hours, depositing ash across Eastern Washington and 10 other states. Collected here are photos of the volcano and its fateful 1980 eruption.

Boston Globe: The Big Picture

meditations in entropy

A collaborative show with mixed media artist, Jamila: http://www.jamilaproductions.com/art

Thornton Room
150 W 25th ST
New York, NY 10001
www.thorntonstudio.com/gallery

DECEMBER 10-20, 2009