The View From Kalamazoo

Remember when I posted briefly on the Kalamazoo Promise, an amazing gift to the parents and children here? Well, here is the best example of snobbish classicism and racism I’ve seen yet: “I am angered at The Kalamazoo Promise,” wrote Kimberly Ralicki, of Portage. “Why use financial gain to boost a poor school district when you could benefit students who really care in other school districts in Kalamazoo County?”

There are so very many things I can say about this jealous, insensitive, and senseless and her incredibly poor-sport attitude, not to mention my hopes that her children are not the racist, classist bigots she clearly is…
But I think I should end that rant right here.

It must be so very, very hard to continue to feel special and superior when those unwanteds to the north (who include university faculty, CEOs, and other moneyed [don’t forget old money, sweetheart. old money] and educated professions as well as those on assistance and the, apparently, stupid and uncaring working/middle class) are getting attention and tremendous investment in their childrens’ futures (and in the city itself ) by donors. Poor Kimberly. Other people in Portage, and in other surrounding communities, can manage to be happy for those children affected by the Promise even if their own are not…I guess it illustrates the difference between low-class and class-less.

Archaeologists find 4,500-year-old fortune-telling instruments
Greek archaeologists uncovered two prehistoric settlements
thanks to cronaca for the following:
Ancient Roman Anchors Found in Israel
CimabueÂ’s Assisi fresco reconstructed
What amazing news. I remember bursting into tears when I heard of the quake. That evening I had a grad class, with Simon as I recall, and was still 9/10 wreck. I had long sicne left the art dept. at that point, but those first reports, when the fate of Giotto’s cycle was still unknown, grabbed me by the throat.

(and it’s this point when the same people who can’t figure out why I didn’t go into all things Anglo-Saxon, since I dearly love Anglo-Saxon lit., will now chime in with ‘and why the heck didn’t you focus on art history instead of magical texts and inquisition, you dope!!??!?’ le sigh.)