Unreasonable Doubt

 

They went after the library. Really. I looked down at my iPad in disbelief. HoCo APFO, a Facebook page created “to inspire citizens to learn more about Adequate Public Facilities Ordinances benefits and drawbacks”, went after the Howard County Library System.

That very same Steam Machine that was unveiled last week? HoCo APFO put it front and center and used it as a poster child for everything that’s wrong in county government. They didn’t rant. They didn’t use inflammatory language. They did what this account always does: present what looks like a calm, reasoned argument that gives one the reassuring feeling that any intelligent person would see it their way.

For some reason, seeing the Library System get the APFO treatment was the last straw for me. I keep an eye on that page because it’s a local account that covers local issues. Over time I have come to realize the cumulative effect of reading post after post. 

It’s not smears and screaming and character assassination. Not outright. It’s wave after wave of suggesting  that local government is not to be trusted, that elected officials aren’t telling you the truth, and that the only accurate facts and figures and charts and graphs are the ones created by HoCo APFO. 

I don’t have the time or the expertise to fact check HoCo APFO. No one to my knowledge has made it their responsibility to fact check their work except the rare, dissenting commenter. On one particular  occasion where their assertions were refuted, the page response was: nothing. There was no response, no engagement, no discussion.

There are quite a few people locally who swear by HoCo APFO and I guess that’s why this entity is able to keep presenting itself in the way that it does: that thoughtful, detail-oriented friend who’s going to give you “the real dirt” that other folks don’t want you to know. Their page is a place you go to receive their knowledge. It is not a place for interaction, or sharing of divergent opinions. 

If you like HoCo APFO, it likes you right back. 

That in itself is not a crime. What concerns me is their long-term investment in influencing people to exist in a permanent state of distrust. It’s not a big jump from what they preach to accusations of “fake news” and “they’re all crooks.” They’re just very, very subtle about it.

What does it mean if they can convince their readers that a mobile classroom - - created to bring science, technology, engineering, arts, and math education to students who wouldn’t have access otherwise - - is yet another symbol of everything that’s wrong with local government? It means they have planted the seed of doubt in their readers so successfully that even the most altruistic institution in Howard County can be made to look untrustworthy.

HoCo APFO has a website dedicated to “providing information on Howard County's Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance.” There are candidate interviews posted there in addition to the sorts of information found on their Facebook page. What I haven’t been able to find is a list of names. Who researches and writes HoCo APFO? One person? A team? Does it receive contributions to forward its mission? If so, where is that information? This is an account that is more than willing to spread doubt and distrust and yet it’s not willing to have the basic transparency of identifying who is behind it.This has always bothered me. 

But, more than anything else, the steady chipping away of public trust is what concerns me the most. Our local democratic process and the way we engage in community issues is poisoned and weakened by this approach. I don’t think it makes for more empowered activism. It fosters dependence on one source of information: acceptance without questioning.

If HoCo APFO’s mission has been to educate the public, they have missed the mark. What they have done is to create a home for doling out unreasonable doubt. Bit by bit, essay by essay, graph by graph. I probably should have addressed this long ago. 

When I saw the library become the target of their well-practiced technique, I knew I had waited too long.

Hot Days, Hot Nights

Me: Why do people get so excited about the Howard County Fair?

Spouse: Because they love agriculture, and they want to celebrate it.

Me: But why can’t they celebrate it in the Fall? It’s too hot!

Yes, the conversations at my house are chock full of gems like that, especially if the weather climbs beyond eighty degrees. I just can’t cope with the heat, not to mention the accompanying humidity. I am sure there are plenty of fun and interesting things to do at the Howard County Fair. I have gone once or twice and my experience was the same each time.

Me: Ooh! This is going to be fun!

Also me: Get me a snowball. Airlift me to the car. Take me to my air conditioned home.

If you are enjoying the daily activities at the Fair I salute you. Trust me, you do not want me there raining on your parade. 

Despite all this, my curiosity has been piqued by an event coming up at the Howard Fairgrounds on August 20th.

The Asia Collective Night Market makes its Howard County debut at the Faircrounds on August 20th from 2-11 pm. The event turned up in my Instagram feed and I started following them out of curiosity. From their website: 

Our story

We are a small team passionate about fostering communities, celebrating Asian heritage, and promoting local businesses. We are beyond excited to host Asia Collective Night Market and bring you 50+ incredible Asian restaurants in the DMV area!

You must purchase tickets in advance of the event. You will pick a time for entry, but you can stay as long as you wish. I think they are trying to manage crowd flow to ensure a safe and positive experience for everyone. Tickets are ten dollars; childrens under ten are free. They’ve already sold over ten thousand tickets. (You will need to purchase a ticket for your parking place, as well.)

What you’ll find: food vendors, musical performances, activities, and more.

I’ve been meaning to write about this and then Alissa Zhu of the new Baltimore Banner came along and did a much better job than I ever could. You can sign up for a free account which entitles you to one article  per month. This was the one I chose.

New night market in Howard County seeks to provide place to celebrate Asian food and culture, Alissa Zhu, Baltimore Banner

The event’s goal is to celebrate the diversity of Asian food and culture in the area, the organizers said.

Howard County has the second-largest concentration of Asian residents in Maryland. The county’s Asian population grew by about 50% between 2010 and 2020, according to the U.S. Census, with more than 67,000 residents identifying as Asian. The largest segments of Howard County’s Asian population identify as Indian, Korean and Chinese, according to a 2020 county report, with Filipinos, Vietnamese, Japanese and other ethnicities also represented.

Curious? Read the article, visit their website, follow them on Instagram. Maybe you’ll decide to go.

Me? Unless the weather changes drastically, I’ll be here hoping you’ll tell me what it was like.

Needles and Ink

 

Dear Universe,

I am sorry. I know that people send me perfectly good press releases from established local institutions and yet I continually get sidetracked by some odd little thing I saw on Twitter.

- - Village Green/Town² 

Today’s odd little thing from Twitter is this request:

If you’re someone who’s looking to open a tattoo shop please open one in harper’s choice village center in columbia, MD. There’s an empty spot that has been vacant before the pandemic. It used to be a bar then a soul food/Jamaican spot.

Does Columbia need a tattoo parlour? I don’t think we have any in Columbia, proper, although there are places one can get a tattoo in the non-Columbia part of HoCo. The reason I ask is that tattoos and the places one gets them appear to stir up attitudes and feelings in some circles. Rather like laundromats. 

These days all kinds of people get tattoos but when I was growing up they were almost a rigid class/economic divider. My mother would have said, “Nice girls don’t get tattoos.” I have lived long enough to see that’s not true, though I don’t particularly understand what motivates people to get them.

Here’s my theory: a tattoo shop in an affluent part of Columbia like River Hill would be more accepted than one in Harper’s Choice. People tend to dump on Harper’s Choice and I honestly think that a tattoo shop would be simply one more thing for them to roll their eyes over. 

Harper’s Choice blah blah blah tattoo parlor blah blah blah those people blah blah blah…

Some people won’t be happy unless there’s “that other side of town” and they can assure everyone that they don’t live there. Even in Columbia, Maryland.

The well-to-do can afford to get their tattoos anywhere. And they do. They have both the money and personal transportation. The less affluent have to save up but they don’t necessarily have transportation. Perhaps that’s what motivates a request for a place in Harper’s Choice. I don’t know.

What do you think? Do you see the presence of a tattoo parlor as something that would affect public perception of a village center? Are those old attitudes still in play? Or have we moved beyond them to a less judgmental view?

I’m always hoping for that. I’m just not convinced.

Music, Movies, and the Returning Brood

Their name is Elliot Peeples. That’s Elliot with two ls and one t. Like their website: twolsonet.com.

Musician creates cicada movie, Micha Green, Baltimore Sun

Here’s the line I liked best:

Peeples, a native of Ellicott City, has a special relationship with the Brood X cicadas.

Yes, it’s a little bit ironic that I’m sending you to a Baltimore Sun article after my lament last week. I still have a subscription until the end of the month, and you absolutely need to know about the artist/musician/creator from Howard County who made a film about cicadas. Go read it.

Peeples has experienced Brood X at 3, 20, and 37. At twenty they created music using hand-gathered cicada audio recordings. At 37 they made their way back home from California to Ellicott City to make a movie about them.

Peeples visited seven locations to find cicada content, including: the “Welcome to Historic Ellicott City,” sign; the bridge outside the B&O Railroad Museum; the Tiber River; Tiber Park; the burned stone buildings surrounding River Road; Buzzard’s Rock; and the gazebo at Font Hill Wetland Park.

The film is available for purchase at Peeple’s website.

"Cicadian Rhythm" - Brood X in Historic Ellicott City (2021) VR 4K 360 Video Kit, 20.00

This purchase is for a .txt file that contains links to a private Google Drive folder for this project, containing:

• 71 minute MP4 full resolution 360 VR video file
• Instructions and install files for VLC Media Player to play the above
• Super secret YouTube link to view using their VR controls
• Bonus goodies such as hi res image gallery

I have to admit I don’t know what most of that means. For twenty dollars maybe they will explain it to me. I’m curious about all that cicada content.

*****

Update on yesterday’s post about the Stadium Doctor: Ben Harris of Columbia has been found! Of course it turns out that Mr. Harris was a friend of a friend, someone who grew up in Columbia. He was indeed at Sunday’s celebratory Orioles game at Camden Yards, although he didn’t have a kosher hot dog and doesn’t know if the folks at OPACY ever decided to provide kosher food options.

But he remembers the Stadium Doctor answering his letter and, best of all, he’s still an O’s fan.

The Stadium, The Doctor, and Me

 

Way back in January of 1992 there was quite a bit of excitement building as the new baseball stadium at Camden Yards prepared to open for the very first time. Not just excitement - - curiousity, too. Even right here in Columbia.

Dear Stadium Doctor:

Will they serve kosher hot dogs or non-kosher hot dogs at Camden Yards?

Ben Harris, age 8 

Columbia 

The Stadium Doctor was a literary device created by the Baltimore Sun Sports Department as Opening Day approached for the new stadium. Anyone could write in with their questions. If your letter was chosen to appear in the paper you’d be sure to get an answer that was both informative and witty, as well. That Stadium Doctor was a charming guy.

It was a fun way to promote audience engagement and to support enthusiasm for the Orioles and their new home.

How do I know all this? The Stadium Doctor’s son was in my preschool class at Bolton Hill Nursery in Baltimore. You know how teachers are. It was a teachable moment. After a class discussion in circle time, my students sent the Stadium Doctor a letter.

Dear Stadium Doctor:

My 3-year-old nursery school class is very excited about the new stadium. We would like to know if there are going to be enough bathrooms for everyone to use, especially since so many new drinks and snacks will be available.

For my part, I would like to know if any of the dreaded "she-inals" are being installed in the women's rest rooms.

If you would be so kind as to answer these questions, we will try to remember to go before we leave the house.

Miss Julia

Bolton Hill Nursery

Then they went back to their regular daily life: playing, singing, building, creating art, and eating snack. And I kept checking the newspaper, hoping for a response. On January 19th, 1992, Miss Julia and her preschool class made the Sports Section of the Baltimore Sun.

Dear Miss Julia:

Thank you for writing, Miss Julia. And thank you, class, for the handsome painting of the Stadium Doctor standing beside an asparagus tip. Or is that Gumby?

To the class: Listen up, Amanda. You, too, little Jon. The Stadium Doctor is talking to you, Benjamin. There will be plenty of bathrooms for boys and girls at the new ballpark. Twice as many potties for girls as at Memorial Stadium, in fact. If a baby brother arrives at midseason, mommy and daddy will be happy to note that many bathrooms also are equipped with changing tables.

To the teacher: She-inals, the female urinals which created a stir two summers ago, will not be used in the new stadium. Incidentally, this decision had nothing to do with the public outcry when the idea received some media coverage.

Orioles vice president Janet Marie Smith said the team briefly offered to install a prototype at Memorial Stadium, but that the company never responded, so the plan was dropped.

Stadium Authority executive director Bruce Hoffman said there was not a moment when the she-inal was considered for the ballpark. "It was never a part of the project," he said.

It was an exciting day at Bolton Hill Nursery when the Stadium Doctor’s letter was the subject of our daily read aloud. I imagine it was especially exciting for Amanda, Jon, and Benjamin. All in all, it was a lovely bit of fun and I think I may have been more excited than my students. 

After that I was hooked. I wanted to read all the Stadium Doctor letters. I found it all the more exciting since I was in on the secret of the Stadium Doctor’s true identity.

Yesterday, as my husband and I watched the festivities at Camden Yards on television, the Stadium Doctor came to mind. I reached out to him to see how he felt about being unmasked at long last.

Wonder of wonders! I found my old letter to the Stadium Doctor thanks to an internet search. I’d like to include it in my blog post tomorrow, in honor of the 30 year anniversary festivities at Camden Yards.

Quick question: should I continue to protect the mystery around The Stadium Doctor’s identity, or may I name you? I’m not aware if you have ever revealed yourself publicly.

Not long afterwards, a response showed up in my inbox. 

What a nice surprise, Julia. Nice to know the Stadium Doctor lives on in the mind of at least one Orioles fan!

Sure, it’s fine to unmask me. The time has come. 

So, here goes. 

The writer who made all those Stadium Doctor columns so much fun was sports writer Mark Hyman. Like many excellent Baltimore Sun writers, he has since moved on to bigger and better things. Hyman now holds the George Solomon Endowed Chair in Sports Journalism and is the director of the Shirley Povich Center for Sports Journalism at the University of Maryland’s Philip Merrill College of Journalism. You can learn more about him here.  

And to think, I knew him when he was only a doctor. And a really great preschool parent.

Before I sign off - -  does anyone know Ben Harris? Is he still in town? Did he ever get a kosher hot dog at Camden Yards? I’d love to find out. 

Live! Local! Library!

Step right up! Right this way, folks! One day only in the big tent!

Don’t mind me. I’m just getting in the mood for today’s HiTech STEAM Carnival at the library.

Today, beginning at nine am at the East Columbia Branch of the Howard County Library: a Hi-Tech STEAM Carnival with STEAM games and activities for the whole family. Stop by between nine am and one pm to play carnival games like skeeball, catapult, pinball, ring toss, and Ten80 cars. There will be hands-on experiments in Earth science and chemistry, a football throw-off featuring local football players, plus opportunities to play games like corn hole, and giant Jenga. 

Bring some money in case you get hungry while you’re there. Food will be available for purchase.

I’ve noticed that the library has been offering free, interactive STEAM classes (available through mid-August) at the East Columbia branch this summer. They’re also offered at the Elkridge & Savage Branches, too.

Excited about STEAM? Then you’ll be thrilled to learn about the unveiling of the library’s new STEAM Machine, which will take place today at 10:30 am at the Carnival.

The STEAM Machine is a mobile classroom that will:

…make science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics education available to all students, especially those from disconnected communities by taking classes and resources to locations throughout Howard County.

After the ribbon-cutting ceremony, I’m guessing the public will be invited to take a closer look. It sounds amazing:

The STEAM Machine is a 33' Farber diesel bus featuring a climate-controlled classroom that seats 12 students and is equipped with Wi-Fi, laptop computers, two 49" LED TVs, sound system, and video production equipment. A 55" LCD monitor and two awnings allow classes to be taught and activities conducted outside.

I was at the ribbon-cutting last summer for the Pop-Up On the Road to Kindergarten Library Van. What I wrote then definitely still applies.

It doesn’t surprise me that this great idea comes from the Howard County Library. They’ve always been the sort of folks who are willing to get outside the library buildings and go to where the people are: visiting schools, supporting Battle of the Books, and, most recently, partnering with OMO during the pandemic to provide supplemental online programming. And that’s just what I can think of off the top of my head.

The other day I wrote about a concept of preservation that focuses on sharing and providing access without obstacles. Our library system, rooted in the motto “Public education for all”, is driven by that same purpose. Sharing. Providing access. Removing obstacles.

Come out and have some fun today. You’ll probably learn a few things, too. If you go, let me know what you (or your kids) liked the most.

F ³: Beggars Can’t Be Choosers

 

These two tweets are back to back on the account of WMAR-2 News. I kid you not.

At this point, having to cough up personal funds for classroom supplies is old news for teachers, now that issues like being accused of teaching “CRT” for teaching the truth about American history or of “grooming” children by being accepting of LGBTQ+ students have moved to the front.

Inadequate pay, untenable work hours and teaching conditions are expected. It is assumed that teachers will undertake them as proof of dedication to the job and love for the children. If they complain their words are used as proof that they are “greedy.” If they organize to provide better conditions for their students as well as themselves they are “thugs.”

Yet no one has explained to my satisfaction why they should endure the persistence of America’s gun culture which regularly reaches right into their classrooms and annihilates those same children that they love.

Let’s just stick to supplies today. What would it look like if any other highly-trained professional were required to provide the supplies that are needed to truly do their job well? Since teachers are paid by tax dollars, I’ll limit this thought experiment to others who are similarly funded.

Those who hold elected office, plus police, firefighters, state highway workers and more local road workers. Anyone else? I guess anyone who is employed in government would be included. Can you imagine your neighbor who is a representative in Annapolis or the head of a highway work crew needing to make an an Amazon Wish List or a Donors Choose account (or something similar) just to have what they need to do their jobs?

No, of course not. It would be ludicrous.

Here’s what such a list might look like:

I'm a road crew manager for a State Highway work crew. I need to make sure my team is safe on the job and has everything they need to do their best work. I’ve added water bottles and sunscreen to the list this year because not everyone on my team can afford them. I’ve chosen a higher quality reflective work vest this year because the bargain ones the state provides don’t hold up well after repeated use. Anything you can give will help my team perform their responsibilities in safety and to the highest standards of excellence. Thanks so much! - - Bob

How long do we think such publicly-funded professionals would stay on the job if they had to beg for supplies every year or pay for them out of pocket?

In Maryland politics, there’s a regular event in Annapolis jokingly referred to as the “Begathon.” From a 2017 article by Michael Dresser in the Baltimore Sun:

Defying the General Assembly, Gov. Larry Hogan said Wednesday that he will continue to require local school superintendents to take part in the Annapolis ritual known as the "Begathon."

The annual event compels the leaders of Maryland's 24 local school districts to appear before the Board of Public Works to justify the money they are seeking from the state. The legislature sought last year to change the process, which has long been the subject of complaints.

Entire school districts beg. Individual teachers beg. It is a deeply engrained system of supplication simply to survive.

Do police departments beg? Do individual police officers beg?

In this week’s Columbia Flier/Howard County Times:

Retirement Waves Sweeps Over Howard County Schools, Allana Haynes, Baltimore Sun

Since I’m in the mood to imagine today: imagine how much extra discretionary income they’ll have now that they won’t be supplying their classrooms. And all that extra time they won’t spend begging.