Press Release from Takoma Park Police:
On November 19, 2009 between 5:00 and 5:15 p.m. a woman was sexually assaulted on the Sligo Creek Stream Valley Trail in Takoma Park, Maryland. A man grabbed the victim as she jogged the trail and forced her into a wooded area where he sexually assaulted her. The assault occurred between Maple Avenue and the Carroll Avenue bridge.
The suspect is described as a Hispanic male
between 25- 35 years of age
5'7 to 5'9
medium build
short military style black hair
wearing a heavy long sleeve beige shirt and loose fitting pants
The Takoma Park Police and The Maryland-National Capital Park Police are jointly investigating this crime. Anyone who was in the area at the time, or has any information about this crime is asked to please call the Takoma Park Police at 301-270-1100.
The Mousetrap •
Silver Spring Stage •
Through July 26 •
by Gina Guglielmo •
Silver
Spring Stage is currently mounting a production of Agatha Christie's
The Mousetrap, a work which holds the world record for longest-running
show: it opened in London in 1952 and has clocked over 23,000
performances since beginning in the West End. Its perennial appeal
derives from its ingenious plotting and surprise ending, but one must
wonder: Is its staying power dwindling as the Twenty-First Century
moves into its second decade?
by Mary Stella Donovan •
Princeton. Duke. Cornell. Certain universities cast an imposing shadow of academia, admitting only the brightest students. Walking their hallways is considered an achievement. Cleaning them fails to inspire the same admiration. In his new documentary The Philosopher Kings, award-winning filmmaker Patrick Shen probes the lives of the most unacknowledged members of America's top institutions: the custodians. The film, which premiered June 18 at the AFI/Discovery Channel Silverdocs Documentary Festival, proves that working at a prominent university can be as fulfilling as studying at one.
Chronicling the different experiences of eight custodians, The Philosopher Kings takes an intimate look at individuals who rarely have an opportunity to tell their stories. Followed from their workplaces to their homes, the janitors discuss everything from irregular hours and financial strains to failed marriages and future aspirations. Though many of their stories are marked with tragedy, the documentary's focus is not on their misfortunes, but rather how they have transformed their pain. Each custodian has found peace and contentment in his or her life, despite working in a profession that does not provide wealth or recognition. An obvious sense of self-acceptance permeates the interviews as they relate their life journeys and the insights gained from them.
Josue Lajeunesse, a native Haitian and custodian for Princeton University, struggles to work two jobs. Though he has little time or money for himself, he supports a large family and supervises a project that brings clean drinking water to families back in his father's village. After being struck by a drunk-driver and losing his right arm, Luis Cardenas had to relearn simple tasks in order to keep his job cleaning the California Institute of Technology. Corby Baker, a janitor at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, uses the inspiration he gets from the students to further his own projects and develop an artistic voice. After losing several members of his family in quick succession, Oscar Dantzler found a new home cleaning the Duke University Chapel and mentoring its student visitors.
The eight stories unfold in fragments, deepening as the film progresses. The documentary shifts perspectives frequently, which could have disrupted the continuity of the storytelling. Yet far from being disorienting, the parallels are expertly drawn so that each story supports the others. The score, composed by Nathan Matthew David, matches the film's emotional crests without being overpowering. The combination results in a harmonious and uncluttered viewing experience.
The Philosopher Kings is a must-see, both for the quality of the filmmaking and its emotional depth. A Chinese proverb quoted in the movie asserts that a conversation with a wise man is better than ten years of study. There are eight wise human beings featured in this documentary. You do the math.
