Have suitcase, will travel! Americans take to the skies in almost pre-pandemic numbers as Covid-19 restrictions ease
By Alanne Orjoux, CNN
Updated 6:37 PM EDT, Sun June 13, 2021
Travelers arrive at the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTX) in Romulus, Michigan, on Saturday, June 12, 2021.
Matthew Hatcher/Bloomberg/Getty Images
As more Americans get vaccinated against Covid-19 and states and cities further ease pandemic restrictions, more people are flying for vacations, family visits or just getting away.
The Transportation Security Administration screened more than 2 million passengers Friday, the highest number since March 7 of last year, just before lockdowns and coronavirus restrictions started keeping people home.
Chicago, UNITED STATES: A passenger waits in line with her passport 23 January, 2007 before her Mexicana Air flight out of Chicago O'Hare International airport in Chicago, Illinois. As of 23 January, all Americans, Mexicans, Canadians and Bermudians traveling by air to the United States must for the first time carry a passport, said the Department of Homeland Security. The new measure is part of the department's Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, following the recommendations of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks on the United States, better known as the 9/11 Commission. It is aimed at making it more difficult for terrorists to enter the country with fake documents. AFP PHOTO/JEFF HAYNES (Photo credit should read JEFF HAYNES/AFP via Getty Images)
JEFF HAYNES/AFP via Getty Images
Find out which countries are welcoming US tourists back
The data confirms the recent upward air travel trend to levels not seen since before the pandemic: On June 11, 2019, the TSA screened 2.7 million people.
“The growing number of travelers demonstrates this country’s resilience and the high level of confidence in Covid-19 counter measures, to include ready access to vaccines,” acting TSA chief Darby LaJoye said in a statement.
Before the pandemic, the TSA screened on average between 2 and 2.5 million travelers per day.
National parks welcoming hundreds of thousands every month
Another indicator that Americans are getting back out and about: National parks are citing spikes in attendance.
Yellowstone National Park was the nation's first national park, established by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant on March 1, 1872. It's predominantly in Wyoming but also touches Idaho and Montana. Check in next week for Arches National Park.
Illustration by Stewart Scott-Curra
Yellowstone: Our first national park
Last month, Yellowstone National Park saw the most visitors it had ever recorded for the month of May, with 658,513 visits – an 11% increase over the previous May record, set in 2016.
It’s also more than four times the number of visitors Yellowstone had in May 2020, when the park was closed for the first half of the month due to Covid-19.
Grand Teton National Park, also in Wyoming, set a May record as well. It had 363,712 visitors last month, 30% above the last pre-pandemic May in 2019. Numbers are likely to go even higher further into the summer.
“Historically, July and August have been the busiest months of the year at the park,” Grand Teton said in a press release Friday.
Delta variant likely to become dominant strain, official says
As travel sets pandemic records, there are warnings that parts of the country could see outbreaks of the B.1.617.2 Covid-19 strain, or Delta variant.
The variant was first detected in India and is about 60% more transmissible than the B.117 or Alpha variant – which was first identified in the UK. The Delta variant makes up about 10% of infections in the United States, according to Dr. Scott Gottlieb, a former commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration.
“It’s doubling every two weeks, so it’s probably going to become the dominant strain here in the United States,” Gottlieb said in a CBS interview Sunday.
“That doesn’t mean that we’re going to see a sharp uptick in infections, but it does mean that this is going to take over,” he added.
Gottleib said existing Covid-19 vaccines appear to provide some protection against the variant.
“I think in parts of the country where you have less vaccination – particularly in parts of the South, where you have some cities where vaccination rates are low – there’s a risk that you could see outbreaks with this new variant,” Gottlieb said.
Vaccines recommended despite rare heart inflammation risk
More than 309 million Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered in the US, according to data published Sunday by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
More than 143.9 million Americans – 43.4% of the population – are fully vaccinated, and 52.4% have had one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, according to CDC data. More than 64% of adults have received at least one dose and 54.1% are fully vaccinated. The Biden administration aims to vaccinate 70% of adults with at least one dose by July 4.
Most blue states will make Biden's July 4 vaccine goal. The red ones won't.
The American Heart Association recommended on Saturday that everyone eligible should get a coronavirus vaccine, despite worries about a possible increased risk of heart inflammation.
The CDC has scheduled an emergency meeting of its vaccine advisers for next week to discuss a possible link between the vaccines and inflammatory conditions known as myocarditis and pericarditis, mostly among younger men.
It noted the reports of cases were very rare, and 81% of the 270 patients under 30 with suspected myocarditis related to vaccination have had a full recovery.
“We remain confident that the benefits of vaccination far exceed the very unusual risks. The risks of Covid-19 infection include its potentially fatal consequences and the potential long-term health effects that are still revealing themselves, including lingering consequences affecting the heart, brain, vascular system and other organs after infection,” the association said.
Travelers line up to go through a TSA checkpoint at Orlando International Airport before the Memorial Day weekend on Friday, May 28, 2021, in Florida.
John Raoux/AP
AAP issues new guidelines for kids in sports
Many kids’ sports are getting back to full speed in the summer months, and the American Academy of Pediatrics has issued updated guidelines for children returning to sports and other activities.
Unvaccinated athletes should wear a mask for all indoor activity except situations in which a mask may pose a hazard. For outdoor activities, AAP recommends that unvaccinated athletes wear a mask while on the sidelines and in all activities involving sustained contact of 3 feet or less.
All eligible athletes should get a Covid-19 vaccine as soon as possible, the AAP said in a statement. Currently, only the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is approved for use in people 12 and older. Once people are vaccinated, they are advised to follow CDC guidance for vaccinated individuals, which say they do not need to wear a mask in most situations.
As the US Food and Drug Administration considers what data is needed to extend authorization of coronavirus vaccines to children under 12, a top FDA official reminded the panel that while Covid-19 might not have hit children as hard as it has hit adults, children do die of the virus.
A Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine is seen kept on a table at a Covid-19 vaccination mobile unit setup by the Miami Dade County Homeless Trust in Miami, on May 13, 2021. (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images)
Chandan Khanna/AFP/Getty Images
FDA's vaccine advisers debate urgency of vaccinating kids against coronavirus
Several advisers were cautious about the idea of extending vaccine authorization to children and mentioned that the virus has caused serious disease in children as often as it has among adults.
“I just want to reiterate something here – this is an illness that takes the lives of children. We know that over 300 children have died in the pandemic so far,” Dr. Peter Marks, director of FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said Thursday.
“All of us have the goal to eliminate any vaccine-preventable deaths that we can with a reasonable benefit-risk.”
Schools were open in April yet hesitancy may remain, data shows
While most schools across the country are done for the summer, the Department of Education said more than 90% of schools were open for fourth-graders and eighth-graders for hybrid or full in-person learning in April, according to recently released department data of the two grades. However, enrollment numbers showed that many students were not making use of those options.
For fourth-grade, 97% of schools were open or offering any form of in-person learning for the month of April, an increase of nine percentage points from March. Sixty percent of schools offered full time in-person classes, but only 51% of fourth-graders attended in-person full time, 23% attended hybrid, and 26% were remote only, according to DOE data. These trends have been on a steady rise since the DOE started tracking in January.
Shafkat Anowar/AP
Less than half the adults in five US states have received their first Covid-19 vaccine dose
For eighth-grade, 93% of schools were open for full in-person or hybrid learning, with 57% of schools giving students a full five-day a week option. Just 41% of eighth-graders attended school full-time in April, 26% attended hybrid, and 33% are still fully remote.
“Greater numbers of school buildings continue to open their doors to welcome back students in-person,” said Mark Schneider, director of IES, the research, statistics, and evaluation arm of the Department of Education.
“We should celebrate the substantial progress on a return to normalcy while also redoubling our efforts to ensure that the most high-need students, students who have already borne the brunt of the coronavirus and its effects, don’t get left behind.”
There is some disproportionality along racial demographics with returns to in-person learning, according to DOE data, as a higher percentage of White students were attending school full-time when compared to Black, Hispanic and Asian students.
CNN’s Pete Muntean, Maggie Fox, Andy Rose, Danielle Sills, Sarah Braner, Lauren Mascarenhas, and Elizabeth Stuart contributed to this report.


Judicial Dialogue between International Criminal Tribunals and the European Court of Human Rights
/departments/academic/law/research/int-justice-human-rights-unit/judicial-dialogue-between-international-criminal-tribunals-and-the-european-court-of-human-rights/
Law and Criminology
Criminology and Offending
Law, Criminology and Policing
International Justice and Human Rights Unit
The issue of the interplay between international criminal tribunals and human rights bodies has frequently emerged in academia as well as in the case law. The various fields of international law have become increasingly intertwined, and this process has manifested itself in the ‘gradual interpenetration and cross-fertilization of previously somewhat compartmentalised areas of international law’. This wider phenomenon is especially reflected in the field of international criminal law, which appears as a vivid demonstration of the cross-fertilization practice, since its normative content is often drawn from other fields of law, including international human rights law, international humanitarian law, as well as domestic criminal law and procedure. Particularly in the area of the implementation of human rights standards, there are strong connections between ICTs and human rights bodies.
This interaction has been particularly apparent in the progressive emergence of a practice of cross-referencing between ICTs and the ECtHR. Whereas the ECtHR has (sporadically) made use of the jurisprudence of ICTs, most of the references originate from the ICTs, which have frequently resorted to the European Court’s dicta in order to elucidate the definition, scope and application of human rights. The areas of law where these human rights norms have been invoked, re-interpreted and applied include, inter alia, the right to freedom of expression, nullum crimen sine lege, the right not to be subject to inhumane or degrading treatment, fair trial rights, the right to an effective remedy, sentencing and pre-trial detention, the right to remain silent, self-representation, and ne bis in idem.
The common argument that Dr Mariniello’s research Project seeks to challenge is that cross-fertilization between ICTs and the ECtHR is bound (or at least likely) to produce positive effects. The very notion of ‘fertilising’ a different field, rather than a neutral designation, ascribes an immediately positive connotation to the process of transplantation. Still, this optimistic understanding seems to be grounded in prima facie sensible, though as yet unsupported and unverified, premises. This Project finds said that the positive discourse about cross-referencing by ICTs is yet to be grounded on solid research and risks being rhetorical.
Indeed, a number of crucial questions concerning the use of human rights jurisprudence by ICTs remain mostly unaddressed in the literature. For example, are there discrepancies in the interpretation of the same right by the ECtHR and ICTs? If so, can such discrepancies be justified by institutional differences or other legitimate circumstances? What methodologies can be used to enable a more accurate, and potentially justiciable, appraisal of the process of transplantation of external legal notions? What are the parameters that may legitimise a re-interpretation (or ‘translation’) of ECHR standards in relation to the ‘unique’ context of international(ised) courts adjudicating serious international crimes? Is there a ‘common grammar’ of inter-systemic referencing emerging in international criminal justice which could be used to assess practices of (non-)cross-referencing, (non-)engage-ment, dismissal or endorsement, with respect to human rights courts’ jurisprudence?
This Project shows how a critical reading of the interactions between human rights law and ICTs’ jurisprudence cannot continue to support a purely positive understanding of transjudicial ‘dialogue’. Given the breadth of potentially relevant case law, the study is restrained to the most frequent direction in which the cross-referencing has taken place: the use that ICTs have made of the ECtHR’s jurisprudence. The collaborative research Project also seek to develop a coherent methodology of cross-referencing. Such a methodology can be used to objectively scrutinise ICTs’ practice of importation of human rights concepts from external sources and will help strengthen judicial reasoning and make it more transparent, accessible, and foreseeable.
Lobba, P. & Mariniello, T. (eds) (2017), Judicial Dialogue on Human Rights: The Practice of International Criminal Tribunals, Martinus Nijhoff
Lobba, P. & Mariniello, T, ‘The Grammar of the Judicial Dialogue between International Criminal Tribunals and the European Court: Introductory Remarks’, in Lobba & Mariniello (eds), Judicial Dialogue on Human Rights: The Practice of International Criminal Tribunals, Martinus Nijhoff, 1-10
Mariniello, T. & Lobba, P., (2015) ‘The Cross-Fertilization Rhetoric in Question: Use and Abuse of the European Court’s Jurisprudence by International Criminal Tribunals’, Editorial of the Special Issue, 84(3) Nordic Journal of International Law 363-369.
Mariniello, T. & Lobba, P. (eds), The Cross-Fertilization Rhetoric in Question: Use and Abuse of the European Court’s Jurisprudence by International Criminal Tribunals, Special Issue, (2015) 84(3) Nordic Journal of International Law 363-531


IFOPA News /
FOP Dad Encourages Families to Join the Resilient Living Focus on 5 Program
There is no way you will not benefit from it
Anyone touched by FOP knows, the disease affects entire families. For those helping a loved one navigate FOP, self-care is often a low priority. But it shouldn’t be—and it doesn’t have to be. By building a self-care practice into existing routines and habits, caregivers like Ram Shankar are better prepared to handle tough times ahead and enjoy the day-to-day.
Ram’s family lives in India, and his daughter was diagnosed with FOP in 2007. Since then, their family has been researching, consulting with experts and searching for new ways to manage FOP. Ram acknowledges, it gets overwhelming.
“It can be extremely exasperating for caregivers, who are trying to knock on all the doors looking for a solution,” said Ram.
The IFOPA’s Resilient Living program has become a source of support and encouragement along the family’s FOP journey. Specifically, the Focus on 5 Sensory Self-Care Series helps them understand how each of the five senses — sight, smell, sound, taste and touch — can be used to create a self-care practice to relieve stress and manage challenges.
“The Resilient Living program gives hope, optimism and courage to caregivers, so that we can handle ourselves first,” said Ram. “Then we can help our family member with FOP.”
Throughout the six-week Sensory Self-Care Series, participants meet virtually to discuss how a specific sense impacts them and learn how they can use that sense to their advantage. For instance, how smart food choices (taste) can help reduce stress and raise energy. Participants walk away from each session with a plan to incorporate new lessons into their life.
Ram compares it to an emergency on an airplane. We all know to put on our own oxygen mask before helping others do the same. Although it may feel counterintuitive to make self-care a priority when looking after a loved one with FOP, it is an essential step. Only then, will caregivers have the mental and emotional strength to be the best support system.
That’s not to say a self-care practice eliminates all hardship. It will always be a work in progress, evolving with changing circumstances. Ram admits that at times, it can be difficult to look past the fear and anxiety. But he has discovered tools and resources to reduce those negative thoughts.
“The program provides a different dimension and perspective to handle life situations that result from FOP,” said Ram. “It helps us look beyond the dreaded disease and deal with our lives objectively.”
With some of the emotional burden lifted, Ram has more clarity and energy to be an effective advocate. He has the tools he needs to turn his hope into intentional, positive action, sometimes without even realizing it.
“There is a perceptible calming of the mind, so that caregivers can start thinking clearly about what needs to be done,” said Ram. “The lessons from the program stay with us, and we knowingly—and unknowingly—implement them.”
Ram encourages others to join the next Focus on 5 Resilient Living Sensory Self-Care Series, beginning at the end of the month, offering this advice: “Sign up and take it seriously. Implement it in your life,” he urged. “There is no way you will not benefit from it.”
You can register for the next Focus on 5 Series here. For more information, please contact IFOPA Family Services Manager Hope Newport at [email protected].


Tag Archives: Timothee Chalamet
Dune (2021): The Archetype for Modern Sci-Fi
For being such an influential piece of Science Fiction storytelling, I must admit I have very little history with Frank Herbert’s Dune. I was aware of David Lynch’s adaptation, and I’ve recently been dipping my toes into the impressive mythos of the original novel.
It works in archetypes that feel exceedingly familiar because they’ve helped lay the groundwork for modern sci-fi as we know it. In a contemporary landscape that’s shifted toward stories highlighting the universality of heroism, there’s something intriguing about a story willing to dig into the ancient monomyths that have remained foundational for many cultures.
There’s the tradition of the chosen one – in this case, young heir apparent Paul Atreides (Timothee Chamalet) – who has untapped potential as well as pedigree that might make him the Messiah who has been prophesied about for generations.
This overtly spiritual language would certainly inform the worldbuilding of Star Wars and the hero’s journey of Luke Skywalker, conceived by George Lucas and ultimately captivating the world over. This is how Dune indirectly affected my entire childhood and I see it so clearly now.
Because Dune’s reputation precedes it and for people like director Denis Villeneuve, the passion for this material is palpable. Obviously, his aspirations are to do justice to a piece of literature while giving it a visual resonance for a new generation.
As this is the man who gave us the worlds of Arrival (2016) and Blade Runner 2049 (2017), Dune is hardly an aesthetic surprise. I know, since he is an avid cinephile, Lawrence of Arabia is a major touchstone for his latest film, and given the indelible desert locales, the comparison seems inevitable. After all, both of these films aspire for vast grandeur with the kind of scope other films merely dream of.
Villeneuve’s sleek metallic drabness serves him again. It’s at one time immaculate and sometimes a bit soulless. However, this is less a full-on criticism and more so indicative of epics in the 21st century. In other words, it doesn’t have the vibrancy of Lawrence or the golden hues. Still, there’s a vague kind of wonder when we watch it blending real-life locations with digital magic while also underlining this ominous sense of oppression.
My mind drifts easily to the oddly bewitching bagpipe and drum-infused score of Hans Zimmer. Like the organ in Interstellar, this rather unique choice does wonders in providing a layered soundscape to evoke the ever-expanding world in front of us. Zimmer’s work takes the individual images and transforms them into a full-bodied experience, lending some drama and emotion to a mise en scene otherwise running the risk of aloofness.
Equally important is how famed elements like the sandworms or bits of technology are realized onscreen. Oftentimes this can be a detriment because these visions no longer live in the mind’s eye, once a creator has brought them into reality. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t marvel both at Herbert’s imagination and also how they have been brought to us.
Although Timothee Chalamet is not my favorite actor, he functions as a fine avatar throughout this movie. Because he is the character Villeneuve identifies with, and he is our way into a story. Paul’s father (Oscar Isaac) and his family are displaced and called upon to govern the planet of Arrakis vacated by the Harkonnen, a brutish people who gained exorbitant wealth, but not without repercussion.
Like all the grandest stories, it has this galactic scale but maintains a level of relational intimacy. It could work in no other fashion. It’s a pleasure to see Rebecca Ferguson given such a striking role that at first glance feels so subordinate but is almost covertly imbued with so much power. Because she is a member of the line of female Truth Sayers, even going so far as to pass down their sacred abilities to her adolescent son. In some fashion, Paul is a two-culture kid, different from others, and situated to be a priestly king, blending his two unique bloodlines. This pervasive biblical language is hard to totally dismiss.
Stellan Skarsgaard and Charlotte Rampling show up almost unrecognizably and since I have no context for their characters, I appreciated their level of menace. It makes no difference whether they are good or bad. They are not to be trifled with. Jason Momoa arguably has an easier role, but still, he must be a likable mentor figure and a formidable warrior. He handles both with casual aplomb bringing a refreshing lightness to the movie which could otherwise be a completely dour affair.
It is these characters against this backdrop who begin to suggest the primary thematic ideas passed down from Herbert and taken up by Villeneuve. There are themes ranging all over the spectrum from familiar social and political dynamics, wars of cultural influence, and certainly religious omens. There’s is something somehow Medieval and Machiavellian about it. It is a world of royals, serfs, and fiefdoms, and stratified hierarchies jockeying for survival.
As alluded to before, one of the most overt representations has to do with the Fremen, a people native to the desserts of Arakkis who called the sand-swept world home long before their captors came to rule it. The Fremen, identified with a mostly illusory Zendaya, are rather reminiscent of the Tusken Raiders, although they are more charismatic and given a human face. They are fierce, loyal, attuned to the desert, and they know the treachery that comes with betrayal and the fundamental struggle to survive.
The most unsurprising spoiler might be that this is, in fact, only part 1 of what’s envisioned to be a long saga. I’m hopeful that it might lithely move through the imminent films ahead instead of totally obliterating everything in its wake like a giant sandworm. Because this is the perpetuated fallacy of many serialized blockbusters. Hopefully Herbert’s work won’t suffer the same grisly fate signified by bloated runtimes and oversaturation. If you remember, David Lean only ever made one Lawrence of Arabia, and somehow I’m content with that. Star Wars is a slightly different story, but that’s a subject for another time.
Posted in 2020s, Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi | Tagged Charlotte Rampling, Denis Villeneuve, Oscar Isaac, Review, Timothee Chalamet | 2 Replies
Little Women (2019): Gerwig’s Spirited Adaptation of An American Classic
I once had the opportunity to tour Louisa May Alcott’s house on a family vacation. It’s one of those experiences I’m not sure you appreciate until you have the time and space to look back on it.
However, even then I think there was this innate understanding of how this beloved book was sewn into the very fabric of Alcott’s life and her family home in Concord, Massachusetts. You cannot begin to separate the two.
What’s so intriguing about Greta Gerwig’s adaptation is how it almost conducts an intertextual dialogue with the source material. It frames its story — the creation of a novel and its main character of Jo March (Saoirse Ronan) — in order to map out something of Alcott’s life too. Because, again, they are very much intertwined.
From what little I know about her, she seemed an equally driven, independent, and brilliantly-minded individual. In her own life, she never got married (unlike her characters) and she also provided for her family.
The movie itself has a brazen free-flowing structure taking material some of us might know intimately (and others not quite so well) and finding renewed meaning. To explore plot feels inconsequential — and not just because it is so familiar — Little Women is, by its very nature, anecdotal. It’s about the passage of time as girls evolve into women without ever being totally beholden to any singular event.
If I might make a wildly unsubstantiated reference it comes off a bit like Francois Truffaut’s Jules et Jim (1961), at least in form, where wild expanses of time are chopped up and compressed into these fluid increments. It feels like a young person’s version of an old person’s book. It courts the timelessness already present but, far from being stodgy, the movie burst with its own vigor, always lithe on its feet.
But this also funnels down to the staging and characterizations as well. Especially for the scenes set during their early years, it’s obvious the writer-director tries to capture the near-spontaneous, giddy energy that’s often the fuel of sisterhood. It can be an overwhelming force of nature full of emotion, affection, and contention in all the most meaningful of ways.
Even as someone with only a modicum amount of knowledge about Little Women (mostly from previous movie versions) Greta Gerwig shows such an immense appreciation for the material, she almost willfully carries us along with her. Even when we’re not quite sure what she’s doing or where she’s taking us, we learn to trust her decisions. If nothing else, she cares about these characters as much if not more than we do.
It’s true her version starts in what is normally considered the end of the narrative, as it slaloms back and forth from past to present with ease. All the moments, as far as I can recall, have antecedents in earlier versions, but as Gerwig stitches them together, it’s as if they are rejuvenated and given rebirth — a new context in which to be understood.
Perhaps the greatest accomplishment is how each sister in this newly minted construction is given their own definition and the ability to stand on their own two feet. Because, if you recall, Jo March has always been the undisputed star of these movies; she has provided the central protagonist and P.O.V. from which to understand these stories. If we are to believe Gerwig, Jo essentially wrote them after all.
There’s no denying Saoirse Ronan is our through-line in the narrative here as well amid all its undulations and purposeful digressions, and yet it feels like I get to appreciate the other March girls in ways I never have before. I don’t think it has much to do with star power — because traditionally there have been big names in most of the roles. Again, it is Gerwig who gives each a platform and her players graciously oblige.
Florence Pugh modulates wonderfully between moments of girlish cattiness and whining while simultaneously setting her eyes on mature ambitions, whether it be marriage as an advantageous business proposition or aspiring to be a great artist taken to Paris by Aunt March.
Far from simply capturing the past and the present of Amy, Pugh somehow makes the most complicated, even unlikable sister come out, in the end, gaining our deepest admirations (and sympathies). For those unaware of Pugh’s talent, it stands as yet another breakout performance.
Emma Watson is able as the decent and contented Meg whose life still spills out of the mold of propriety she’s always been relegated to. There’s a bit more to her. Then Amy (Eliza Scanlen) remains the gifted musician and somehow the purest and most naive of them all. Her purpose is to fill the world with goodness and beauty. Some things never change.
Marmy (Laura Dern) — the family’s moral anchor — might come off an angelic goody two shoes quoting scripture judiciously (ie: “Don’t let the sun go down on your anger”). It could be a little much, that is until you realize her love is genuine, and she’s worked on it for an entire lifetime. Meryl Streep could probably play Aunt March in her sleep, and it’s not just a figure of speech; she does. Her performance is generally prickly and imperious while also belying a suspected soft underbelly.
Laurie (Timothee Chalamet), as always, is found on the outside looking in at the March’s household. Their brand of enveloping community is so attractive you yearn to be a part of it, drawn into the fold as one of their kindred. After obliging with a token of his good-will, he quips “man is not made to live on books alone.”
In truth, I’ve never appreciated Chalamet more. There always seemed to be a pretentiousness drawn about him. Here there was something a bit different. It might have been the merit of Laurie teasing it out, but he felt slightly more animated and alive in a way that makes him likable. Although he is a man bred in affluent spheres, he nevertheless, hates their stuffiness.
He would rather dance a jig with Jo, and he calls out the March sisters when they falter into the general public’s pettiness because he knows the people they really are in the familiarity of their own home. In fact, he has tussles with nearly every sister, but never out of malice; there’s always such genuine care, even love, in its multifaceted forms.
What I truly appreciate about Gerwig’s relationship with the text is how she openly courts contrasting ideas. Specifically, there are threads of feminism coursing through the narrative even as they extrapolate off ideas Alcott dealt with years ago.
And yet in the same instance, she does not shy away or completely dismiss romantic love or a more traditional desire for marriage. Case and point is Meg who is genuinely glad to be courted by a decent man she loves before raising a family together, in spite of their poverty. For Meg, this life fills her up with joy
So in some sense, Gerwig’s having her cake and eating it too paying deference to a timeless piece of American Literature while still perceiving it through her own personal creative lens.
You might say this even from a casting perspective with Ronan, Chalamet, and Tracy Letts all being holdovers from Lady Bird (2017). It might be the importance placed on female relationships, or the buoyancy frolicking with a sweeping passion through the storyline.
We get the happy ending if we so choose while also being allowed the space to consider an alternative. It doesn’t feel wishy-washy. Instead, it’s engaged with the enigma of Louis May Alcott herself even as it’s engaged with the process of creating art.
For me, it has the best of both worlds. Little Women has not been compromised and yet we have not been gipped of Gerwig’s own cinematic vivacity. While it’s not a perfect adaptation — not always intuitive to follow — it never scrimps on life-giving vitality.
You can note the humanity in profound new ways mined from a novel that’s been culled through and cherished for generations. I’ve never believed Little Women was a “women’s picture” or just for an American audience. It is, in fact, universal.
Posted in 2010s, Family, Misc., Romance | Tagged Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Greta Gerwig, Laura Dern, Meryl Streep, Period, Review, Saoirse Ronan, Timothee Chalamet | Leave a reply


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The Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Dollar (Buy on eBay) represented the fourth and final release of the series for the year 2014 and the thirty-second release of the series overall.…


WORKSHOP 10: VOLUNTARY GUIDELINES ON THE RESPONSIBLE GOVERNANCE OF TENURE OF LAND, FISHERIES AND FORESTS IN THE CONTEXT OF NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY (VGs):
WHAT CONCRETE IMPLEMENTATION ON THE GROUND?
Translated from French by Karen Stokes, Translators Without Borders (TWB)
The voluntary guidelines do not create an absolute obligation. They are a basic tool that can be used to bring about changes in governance policies and practices associated with the tenure regimes applicable to land, fisheries and forests. The recommendations they contain are highly legitimate insofar as they were signed in late 2012 by the member states of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) following a drafting process that placed significant emphasis on the views of civil society around the world.
The VGs legitimize the participation of civil society in processes to reform the governance of tenure regimes. In practice, this was encouraged in cases where governments were willing to organize participation of this kind. The VGs can also constitute a reason to engage in dialogue upstream with actors whose interests diverge and encourage governments to apply their recommendations.
The VGs call for recognition, respect for and protection of the rights – both formal and informal – of majorities (individual and community) in respect of natural resources, and for such rights to be transferred in exchange for fair consideration. They do not, however, suggest that one form of agriculture should be prioritized over any other. Yet large-scale capitalist agriculture that employs workers is developing at the expense of family agriculture. Ensuring that the recommendations of the VGs to support rural majorities are properly applied, while preventing their being used to legitimize the expansion of large-scale agriculture, depends on how this requirement is expressed by civil society.
In many countries, improving access to land and natural resources for families and rural communities contradicts the immediate interests of those who hold power in the public authorities. Although these were the people who signed the VGs, and even embarked on a political process around them, their willingness to applying them to protect disadvantaged rural communities can be very limited. More generally, capitalist agricultural production companies that employ workers exercise considerable influence over decisions relating to land and agricultural policies. It is essential to mobilize civil society everywhere to change the governance of tenure regimes, in order to ensure greater social justice.
First, rural communities need to be familiar with the VGs if the guidelines are to strengthen the claims of rural majorities. This is not yet always the case, including in countries where people are more directly concerned about competition from large-scale farms and eviction. The FAO has been working on a process to raise awareness of the VGs since late 2012, but it is a long-term effort that has not yet been implemented in every country. Information and training materials are available to everyone on the FAO’s websites.
The discussions and political reforms that have drawn on the VGs in Chile, Colombia, Scotland, Guatemala, Madagascar, Mauritania and Uruguay were presented. In these cases, the VGs have helped to:
1. legitimize the decision to engage in dialogue on the subject of access to land between stakeholders with divergent interests in this area, including in situations where their differences have led to conflict, and in particular, to legitimize the participation of social movements in these discussions;
2. provide a framework for assessing the measures taken in the context of previous reforms, such as confirming certain decisions about method and content, and identifying differences;
3. where the VGs have guided political reforms (in Colombia, Scotland, Guatemala, Madagascar and Uruguay), in some cases with support from the FAO (in Colombia, Guatemala and Madagascar), they have resulted in the development of legal and administrative support for family agriculture, indigenous communities and women. The tangible effects of these measures are often still unclear, since the reforms have only been finalized recently or are still under discussion. Where the guidelines have begun to be applied by governments that favour land concentration on a large scale, they have continued to act as they have previously.
The discussions on the VGs in the Specialized Meeting on Family Farming (REAF) by members of the MERCOSUR (Southern Common Market) were reported. These allowed both state representatives and participants from civil society organizations to assess the importance of introducing regulations to support family farmers, indigenous communities and women. For example, they supported the decision made by the National Institute of Colonization in Uruguay to supervise the transfer (by farmers) of rights to use the land it administers in order to guarantee its use by families over the long term. These discussions led to the REAF’s adoption of a common definition of family agriculture and the creation of a register of family farmers to facilitate their access to support mechanisms in all MERCOSUR member states.
The actions proposed can be confined to citizens only but can also usefully mobilize local, national and international institutions, in particular the FAO.
– The way in which the VGs can help to encourage political choices geared to development based on family agriculture, and family and community use of natural resources in general, could be discussed in more detail and documented to allow experiences to be shared on a large scale.
– From the perspective of encouraging responsible governance of land tenure but also making a political choice to support family agriculture, and given the necessity of social movements being drivers of change, a methodology could be developed to guide social movements in developing strategies for engaging in multi-stakeholder dialogue, with the aim of motivating governments to act in support of rural majorities.
– In addition to the recommendations set out in the voluntary guidelines, guides could be produced to develop thinking around the issues and possible political measures in some key areas of governance. Firstly, the importance of market regulation for land rights (use and ownership) in order to maintain long-term access for farmers and rural communities to natural resources, their independence in using them, and relevant tools should be specifically documented. Similarly, ways of recognizing and protecting communal/community rights could usefully be examined in more detail and additional documents and guides produced. Agrarian reform processes should also be documented.
– Support moves towards intergovernmental regional discussions, which are open to civil society, to allow people to share political and practical experiences and encourage emulation in the field of responsible governance of land tenure.
– Form internal and international alliances involving not only civil society but also academic sectors and government institutions that are willing to support dialogue that encourages development with a focus on small-scale agriculture and other family/community uses of natural resources. International alliances are absolutely essential to move in this direction in countries where rural communities have a limited right of expression, or none at all.
The civil society organizations present expressed three expectations:
– Resources to translate and disseminate the VGs in countries where there is a low level of awareness among the rural majorities, primarily because national governments refuse to communicate them;
– Communication by the FAO on its strategy for applying the VGs in the context of projects to combat climate change involving a large land take, with which it is associated (projects to maintain and create carbon sinks by conserving and planting forests, and projects to conserve and restore soils);
– That the review of the dissemination and implementation of the VGs at the next CFS session in October 2016 should not only present successful examples (“good stories”) but also give government the opportunity to learn lessons from the difficulties that may have been encountered in other cases, in order to find solutions.
The following list is not exhaustive. We apologize to anyone who spoke or attended the workshop who is not listed here, and invite you to contact us at the following address so that we can produce a new version of this summary with the complete list: secretariat@landaccessforum.org
GAMBOA, Klemen, United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Latin America delegation
OUSMANE CAMARA, Jean, National Coordinator in the Land Reform Coordination Unit, Ministry of Presidential Territorial Development and Infrastructure Projects, Madagascar
GOMEZ, Jacqueline, President of the National Institute of Colonization, Uruguay
LEON AYALA, Yvan Felipe, United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) representative, Colombia
BA, Elhadj Mamadou, Mauritanian Association for Self Development (AMAD), Mauritania
BINYUKI NYOTA, Espérance, Union for the Emancipation of Indigenous Women (UEFA), Democratic Republic of Congo
I MOBIN JINNAH, Shah, Community Development Association (CDA), Bangladesh
MOLINA, Javier, United Nations Liaison Officer, United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Colombia
KEMANDA, Bienvenu, Pygmy Women and Children’s Centre, Central African Republic
MACHART, Yves-Rocher, Agronomists and Veterinarian Without Borders (AVSF), France
MANCHOLA RUIZ, Olga, Colombia
PEACOCK, Peter, Community Land Scotland, United Kingdom
RAVINDRA GUNAWARDANA, Kariyawasam Mapalagam Hewaruppage, Center for Environment and Nature Studies, Sri Lanka
SABLE, Anne-Laure, Catholic Committee Against Hunger and For Development CCFD – Terre Solidaire, France
SAMPHORS, Doung, Star Kampuchea, Cambodia
VETTRAINO, Jean, Secours Catholique, France
WARTENA, Sjoerd, Terre de Liens, France
SANCHEZ CURIHUENTRO, Ruben, Observatorio Ciudadano, Chile
TAYLOR, Michael, Director of the International Land Coalition Secretariat (ILC), Botswana


Medical Uses of Ketamine + New Research (incl. Depression)
Jonathan Ritter, PharmD, PhD (Pharmacology), Matt Carland, PhD (Neuroscience) | Written by Joe Cohen, BS | Last updated: December 15, 2022
Ketamine is a medication used primarily as an anesthetic. Some early evidence also suggests that it may have the potential for treating a variety of other health conditions, although these uses have not been fully approved yet. Read on to learn more about the medical uses of and new research about this drug.
Disclaimer: This post is not an endorsement or recommendation for the use of ketamine under any circumstances, except when prescribed and used under supervision by a qualified medical professional. We have written this post for informational purposes only, and our goal is solely to educate people about the potential medical uses of ketamine, as well as the science behind its effects and mechanisms.
What is Ketamine?
Ketamine – sometimes also known as Ketalar or Ketaject – is a drug that initiates and maintains anesthesia [1].
The original compound was first discovered in the early 1960s and was approved for use in the United States in 1970. Now it is considered by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the safest and most essential drugs in the healthcare system [2].
Ketamine is considered a Schedule III controlled substance by the FDA, which means that it requires a written, oral, or electronic prescription to legally buy or possess the drug [3].
Ketamine is also classified as a “dissociative” drug, which means that it alters the senses, leading to hallucinations and feelings of detachment from the environment and oneself [1].
Unfortunately, these dissociative effects are why some people abuse ketamine for recreational purposes – even in spite of the many risks and dangers that are associated with ketamine abuse. For this reason, ketamine has a significant and well-documented potential for abuse and addiction [4, 5].
Ketamine is an anesthetic drug that was discovered in the 1960s. It is a schedule III controlled substance, meaning that it requires a doctor’s prescription to legally buy or possess it.
Dangers of Ketamine
Like any drug, ketamine has a number of potential adverse side-effects that are important to be aware of. To learn about the side effects, drug interactions, and other potential dangers of ketamine, check out this post.
Official Medical Uses of Ketamine
Ketamine has a number of accepted medical uses for treating certain specific medical conditions and situations. Although this means that the evidence for its efficacy in these conditions is relatively solid, always keep in mind that this is a federally-controlled prescription medication that must only be used under the direction and supervision of a qualified medical professional.
Additionally, none of these medical uses should be interpreted as general “benefits” for health! For all of the cases described below, any reported medical benefits only apply to contexts in which ketamine is being administered by qualified medical professionals in a controlled setting. There is no reason to expect any beneficial or therapeutic effects if ketamine is abused recreationally or taken outside of a conventional medical setting.
In medical settings, ketamine is most commonly used as an anesthetic (i.e. to make people unconscious during medical procedures). It is officially approved for this purpose by the FDA and is widely used both by itself and in combination with other anesthetic drugs [3].
Ketamine is also sometimes used – usually at lower doses – as a fast-acting sedative [3].
For example, when ketamine was administered intravenously in 30 children, all patients experienced sedation within 2 minutes [6].
In another study of 431 children, ketamine was administered through the muscles. In this study, 98% of patients experienced rapid sedation [7].
In a medical setting, ketamine is most often used as an anesthetic. It may also be used as a fast-acting sedative.
Off-Label Medical Uses of Ketamine
Occasionally, doctors will prescribe medications to help treat conditions that fall outside of the official uses approved by the FDA – also known as “off-label” drug use [8]. Usually, this is done because there is actually decent evidence that the drug may help, although this evidence might not be quite strong enough to get full FDA approval (which generally has very strict requirements).
As always, however, always remember that the decision to use medications in this way can only be made by a licensed medical professional.
Ketamine and Pain Relief
In addition to its official use as an anesthetic, ketamine also has a number of effects that can significantly reduce the perception of pain (i.e. an analgesic effect). Because of this, it is frequently used by doctors – albeit “unofficially” – to help control and manage pain. In this context, ketamine can be used either by itself or in combination with other pain-killing drugs [3].
For example, when administered by doctors, ketamine may potentially aid in reducing chronic pain. In a study of 12 male volunteers, low doses of ketamine were reported to activate portions of the brain that are believed to be involved in the inhibition of pain (such as the prefrontal cortex and certain areas of the brainstem) [9].
In one 11-week double-blind randomized controlled trial of 60 female patients with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), a steady 100-hour intravenous infusion of ketamine was reported to significantly relieve pain. This effect was even reported to last up to 3 months following treatment [10].
Additionally, a study of 12 cancer patients with severe cancer pain reported that patients required 50% less morphine to reduce their pain after prolonged use of ketamine [11].
Ketamine also reportedly enhanced the effectiveness of spinal cord (“intrathecal”) injections of morphine treatment in a double-blind randomized control trial in 20 cancer pain patients [12].
Some preliminary evidence suggests that ketamine may also be especially effective at reducing pain when combined with certain other medications. For example, a combination of ketamine and a local anesthetic (bupivacaine) reduced post-operative pain in a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial of 53 amputee patients [13].
When used as a local anesthetic with diazepam (a benzodiazepine), meperidine (also known as Demerol – a narcotic pain-killer medication), and nitrous oxide, ketamine was reported to reduce pain, discomfort, and anxiety in a study of 40 healthy adults undergoing oral surgery [14].
Ketamine has an off-label use as a painkiller, but it should never be used for this purpose without the direct supervision of a medical professional.
Potential New Medical Uses of Ketamine
In addition to some of the relatively well-accepted (but still technically unofficial) “off-label” uses, ketamine has also been studied for its potential to treat a variety of other health conditions.
However, keep in mind that the evidence supporting these potential applications is still very preliminary, and a lot more additional research would still be needed before any of these applications are ever officially approved for medical use. Therefore, it is important to take all of the information below with a healthy grain of salt, and never use ketamine without the prescription and supervision of a medical professional.
1) Ketamine and Depression
One of the most promising potential medical applications of ketamine is for treating depression – especially forms of depression that have not responded to many of the more common, “conventional” forms of treatment, such as SSRIs [3].
For example, in a double-blind randomized controlled trial of 7 patients with major depression, ketamine was reported to reduce depression symptoms after just 72 hours [15].
Some early evidence also suggests that ketamine may also be effective in alleviating symptoms in patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). For example, in one review, it was reported that a single dose of ketamine (administered intravenously) produced a strong and rapid antidepressant effect, and which lasted up to 1 week in patients with TRD [16].
Additionally, it was reported that depressive symptoms improved just 40 minutes after ketamine use in one 14-day double-blind randomized controlled trial of 18 treatment-resistant bipolar depression patients [17].
In a randomized control study of 73 patients over 24 hours, patients who used ketamine were reported to show a greater improvement in their scores on the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), one of the tests that psychiatrists use to measure the relative severity of individual cases of depression. According to the authors of this study, ketamine’s effects on depression symptoms were significantly stronger than midazolam (a benzodiazepine) [18].
However, while some of these early results might seem promising, there is one major catch: we really don’t know much about the long-term effects of ketamine, or how safe it would be to use on a regular basis.
Furthermore, the little data that currently exists on using ketamine more than just once paints a very complex and inconclusive picture.
For example, one study of 24 TRD patients over 83 days reported that many patients experienced over 2 weeks of sustained improvement of their symptoms after 6 repeated doses of ketamine [19].
Another study reported that ketamine, when used in combination with the electroconvulsive therapy (commonly used to treat depression), was more effective in improving depression symptoms than another anesthetic, propofol, in a year-long study of 31 inpatients [20].
In a 4-week double-blind randomized controlled trial, 42 depression patients were given an initial dose of ketamine followed by a dose of riluzole (a drug that increases glutamate). About a fourth of the patients did not experience a depression relapse by the end of the trial. However, riluzole did not potentiate the antidepressant effects of ketamine [21].
Similar to ketamine, esketamine (the name given to just the “S(+) enantiomer” form of ketamine) has been reported to be a rapid-acting antidepressant. However, in a review comparing the individual effects of ketamine isomers, it was found that arketamine (the R(-) enantiomer form) was a safer and more effective antidepressant than esketamine [22, 23, 24].
While these early studies might seem encouraging, other, larger-scale studies have come to opposing conclusions.
For example, according to a larger-scale review, the authors concluded that ketamine probably only has relatively short-term effects on alleviating depression symptoms [25].
Similarly, another large-scale review concluded that while ketamine may act as an effective antidepressant (likely by blocking NMDA receptors), it may have significant dissociative side-effects (disconnecting from one’s sense of identity) if used long-term [26].
All in all, a lot more research will be needed before we can know just how safe or effective ketamine might be when it comes to treating depression.
Also, its high potential for abuse – combined with the potentially serious side-effects associated with it – also makes it quite unlikely that the FDA will ever approve ketamine for widespread use.
Ultimately, even if ketamine does turn out to be effective for depression, the most realistic scenario is that it will be reserved only for a minority of the most severe cases of depression, and would only be used once all other treatment options have already been tried. In other words, it’s not likely that we’ll see widespread use of ketamine anytime soon!
Some researchers are currently investigating whether ketamine, in any form or at any dose, could help alleviate the symptoms of depression. It may help in the short term but have detrimental effects in the long term.
2) Ketamine and Seizure Control
Some preliminary evidence suggests that ketamine may be useful in reducing the duration or severity of seizures.
For example, ketamine was reported to decrease the duration of seizures in 10 patients undergoing electroconvulsive therapy [27].
While much more human studies will be needed to confirm this finding, there are a few animal studies that tentatively back this up.
For example, in rats, ketamine effectively controlled seizures in all animals 1 hour after seizure stimulation [28].
Another study in rats found that ketamine stopped seizure activity in 3 rats 30 minutes after administration [29].
Because of its potential to reduce the severity and length of seizures, some evidence suggests that ketamine may also be useful in partially protecting the brain from damage during seizures.
For example, ketamine was reported to reduce damage from increased intracranial pressure (pressure inside the skull) in traumatic brain injury patients during propofol sedation in a study of 8 male patients [30].
Similarly, ketamine was reported to significant protect 22 out of 24 regions of the rat brain after artificially-induced seizures [29].
Systematic dosing of ketamine also prevented the loss of neurons caused by persistent seizures in rats [31].
According to several cell studies, ketamine may help preserve the function and structure of brain cells during hypoxia (lack of oxygen) [32].
Nonetheless, given that most of these findings have only been reported in cell- or animal studies, a lot more research will be needed to know whether ketamine might be effective for controlling and managing seizures in actual human patients.
Ketamine is under investigation for potential use controlling seizures, but much of the research so far has been done in animals and cells.
3) Ketamine and PTSD
Some early evidence suggests that ketamine might be potentially useful in treating PTSD – but the science behind this is still very young, and it’s still far too early to draw any solid conclusions yet.
According to one study, ketamine quickly and effectively reduced the symptoms of PTSD compared to midazolam (a benzodiazepine) 24 hours after administration in a double-blind randomized controlled trial of 41 patients with chronic PTSD [33].
In a study of 603 burn victims, patients who received ketamine after being operated on were reported to show lower rates of later developing PTSD, compared to burn patients who received other post-operative drugs [34]. Although this finding could be taken to suggest that ketamine had a “protective” effect, it’s more likely that PTSD rates were lower in the ketamine group simply because it was just more effective at controlling and reducing pain in general.
In very limited clinical trials, ketamine is under investigation as a potential PTSD drug. However, the research is early and the evidence is sparse.
4) Ketamine and Asthma
According to one study, ketamine improved the breathing of 11 patients with severe asthma 2 hours after administration, when other therapies, as well as assisted breathing, failed [35].
While the authors of this study concluded that ketamine was potentially “a useful and safe drug” for treating certain cases of asthma, they also noted that it should only be considered when other, more conventional treatments have failed – in other words, it’s quite unlikely that ketamine will become a common treatment for asthma anytime soon!
5) Ketamine and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
There’s some very early evidence suggesting that ketamine may target some of the symptoms associated with OCD – however, this evidence is still extremely preliminary, and should be taken with some skepticism.
According to a 1-week double-blind randomized controlled trial of 15 drug-free OCD adults, ketamine significantly improved obsessive symptoms in comparison to treatment with a placebo [36].
In another study of 10 treatment-resistant OCD patients, 35% of patients reported improvement in their symptoms after 3 days of ketamine treatment [37].
While these studies might sound promising, one major limitation is their relatively small sample sizes – just 15 and 10 patients each – which means that a lot more research would be needed to justify the use of ketamine in treating OCD.
In a handful of patients, ketamine reduced symptoms of OCD. However, the available studies have been very small and limited; a great deal more research is required.
Ketamine is an anesthetic drug that was discovered in the 1960s. It is a schedule III controlled substance, meaning that it requires a doctor’s prescription to legally buy or possess it. In medical settings, it is used as an anesthetic or occasionally as an off-label painkiller.
New research is ongoing into other potential uses of ketamine, including for depression, seizure control, PTSD, asthma, and OCD. However, there is currently nowhere near enough evidence to recommend the use of ketamine for these purposes. Ketamine should only ever be taken or administered under the careful, direct supervision of a medical professional.
What is Ketamine? + Mechanism of Action & Side Effects
Etizolam: Potential Uses, Mechanisms, and Medical Controversies
6 Uses of Bromantane (Ladasten) + Side Effects
Ligandrol (LGD 4033) Side Effects & Dangers


Bring our athletes home!
Postedby Randall Theil
Portland State has hosted some incredible athletes recently. Women’s golf phenom Britney Yada, for instance, led the Vikings to two conference championships before her junior year, ranked in the Big Sky All-Conference first team and took home a medal from last year’s conference championship. Men’s tennis player Chris Rice was the first Viking in Portland State history to get selected to the first team in the Big Sky Conference. And this year, the university has hosted two of the best sprinters in its history, both of whom smashed conference records: Geronne Black and Karene King.
There have been some incredible memories from this—one of the best competitive stretches in the university’s history. But unfortunately, you are unlikely to have many of those memories. In fact, as the sports editor of the paper that covers these teams, even I don’t have most of those memories. Very few Portland State students will get to enjoy these feats in person, because none of the teams those great athletes played for ever got a chance to compete in the city of Portland.
Spring quarter is especially egregious. Out of the thirteen sports teams PSU athletics supports, five of which compete this season, only one hosts home games in the city of Portland. Some teams host home games elsewhere. The tennis teams play at a tennis club in Vancouver, Wash. Some, like the golf and track and field teams, just don’t have any home meets at all.
Embarassingly, the only time Viking tennis teams have played in the city of Portland is when they went to face cross-town rivals University of Portland at their home court. Good luck to you if you want to see your tennis team actually play, since their schedule on goviks.com lists their home games as happening in “Portland, Ore.” You’d have to dig into ther PR archives to find the actual location of the games (it’s Club Green Meadows, FYI). How is that encouraging a culture of athletics?
Inter-conference rivals Weber State have found venues for 12 of their 14 teams in Ogden, Utah. Does Portland really have fewer available sporting venues than Ogden? It isn’t as though athletics is doing a bad job of getting our athletes out there. The football team has a permanent home in what is arguably the city’s second nicest stadium, Jeld-Wen, and really go all out, making over the stands in Vikings and Horde regalia and airing finely produced video packages. Both the football and basketball teams will benefit from a new cable television deal that will get our teams out to a wider audience with better broadcast quality than they’ve ever had before.
But is it fair that a football team that hasn’t made the playoffs in half a decade gets a new stadium and television deal, while the only Portland venue provided for the fastest 100 meter sprinter in Big Sky history is the track at Lincoln High School? If you want to see Viking athletics this quarter, I hope you like softball (I do), because while other Portland State students are competing in the spring, none of them are competing here.
Dozing through college
A new season of intramurals
Vanguard endorses Cunningham and Garrick
Postedby Admin
Vikings looking to sink a win
Rainbow Sherbert Roll
Postedby Betty Crocker


Women of Troy look for revenge against Golden Bears
By SAAGAR SARIN
March 29, 2013 in Sports, Tennis
The USC women’s tennis team returns to action today with a highly anticipated match against the visiting Cal Golden Bears.
The Women of Troy enter the match ranked No. 6 in the nation with a 15-2 overall record. The team returns home following a successful road trip that saw two Pac-12 victories over Washington and Washington State, respectively. The conference victories put USC at 4-0 in Pac-12 play.
USC is looking for redemption against the Bears. Since losing to Cal last month, the Women of Troy have won seven straight games. Moreover, the game will serve as the rubber match for bragging rights between the two, as USC was victorious over the Bears at the ITA national team indoor championships in Virginia earlier this year. While USC head coach Richard Gallien understands the importance of treating every match the same, he knows that certain matches hold more weight on a team’s psyche than others.
“Inherently, [the team knows] there are important matches,” Gallien said. “We don’t have that many matches, so we try to play as hard as we can regardless of who it is.”
Following the Cal match, the Women of Troy will square off against Stanford. With only a handful of matches left before Pac-12 tournament play begins near the end of next month, the team is attempting to round into form for a potential NCAA championship tournament run. Winning against the Bears and the Cardinal, both ranked in the top 10, would go a long way in doing just that.
“I felt like we were sort of struggling at the beginning of the year,” Gallien said. “We were doing real well but didn’t have much to show for it … and then we beat UCLA at UCLA. Winning … matches rewards ourselves for our hard work. At the very least it shows ourselves that we are very hard to beat.”
While the team as a whole attempts to continue its success, many of the individuals have already proven that 2013 has been a great campaign for them. Sophomore Zoë Scandalis was recently awarded Pac-12 player of the week for her performance during the week of March 11-17, which included dominating solo victories against Texas, Colorado and Utah. With her award, she became the sixth member of the team to be given the award.
The Women of Troy also continue to do well in the individual rankings released by the ITA. Sophomore Sabrina Santamaria ranks second in the nation in singles play while senior Danielle Lao, a model of consistency, is ranked No. 7. In terms of doubles play, USC continues to boast the top-ranked doubles duo in the nation in Santamaria and junior Kaitlyn Christian.
Gallien has been most impressed by his girls’ individual success in spite of a laser focus on achieving team goals.
“They want so desperately to win this team title in an individual sport,” Gallien said. “I give them credit for blending in and trying to put individual goals aside. They’ve just been really great.”
The match against the Bears is set to start at 1:30 p.m. at Marks Stadium.
Tags: Cal, kaitlyn christian, Richard Gallien, Sabrina Santamaria, stanford, washington state, Women of Troy, women's tennis, Zoe Scandalis
Trojans head north to take on Stanford, CalTrojans drop tough match to Lancers


1Early life and ordination
2Priest and bishop
3Archbishop and cardinal
4Retirement and death
Edward Clancy (cardinal)
Australian cardinal (1923–2014)
Edward Clancy
Cardinal-Archbishop Emeritus of Sydney
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney
Term ended
James Darcy Freeman
George Pell
Other post(s)
Cardinal-Priest of Santa Maria in Vallicella
by Norman Thomas Gilroy
by James Darcy Freeman
Created cardinal
by Pope John Paul II
Edward Bede Clancy
(1923-12-13)13 December 1923
Lithgow, New South Wales, Australia
3 August 2014(2014-08-03) (aged 90)
Randwick, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Previous post(s)
Auxiliary Bishop of Sydney (1973–1978)
Titular Bishop of Ard Carna (1973–1978)
Archbishop of Canberra-Goulburn (1978–1983)
President of the Australian Episcopal Conference (1986–2000)
Fides mundum vincit ("Faith conquers the world")
Styles of
Spoken style
Your Eminence
Informal style
Sydney (emeritus)
Edward Bede Clancy AC (13 December 1923 – 3 August 2014) was an Australian Catholic bishop and cardinal. He was the seventh Catholic Archbishop of Sydney from 1983 to 2001. He was made Cardinal-Priest of Santa Maria in Vallicella in 1988.
Early life and ordination[edit]
Clancy was born in Lithgow, New South Wales, on 13 December 1923. He said that he wanted to be a priest from an early age and pretended to celebrate his first Mass while still a child, to the amusement of his brother and sisters.[citation needed] After completing his studies at Marist Brothers College, Parramatta, he was ordained to the priesthood in 1949, on the same day as the future Australian cardinal Edward Cassidy.
Priest and bishop[edit]
In 1953 Clancy earned a Licentiate in Sacred Theology from the Pontifical University of St Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum).[1] Clancy continued his education, eventually earning his doctorate in theology in 1965. He then started as a teacher and later accepting the position of chaplain at the University of Sydney. He also served as the official spokesperson for the archdiocese at this time and became very well known on that basis.
On 19 January 1974, Clancy was consecrated titular Bishop of Árd Carna and Auxiliary Bishop of Sydney.
Archbishop and cardinal[edit]
On 24 November 1978, he was appointed Archbishop of Canberra (and Goulburn). In the little over four years that he was Archbishop of Canberra and Goulburn, Clancy was respected by the people of Canberra Goulburn as a very friendly and approachable archbishop who was also very supportive of his people and his priests. He had a great rapport with young people in the archdiocese.
On 12 February 1983 he was appointed Archbishop of Sydney and on 28 June 1988 he was elevated to Cardinal-Priest of Santa Maria in Vallicella. He also continued his education career throughout this time, becoming the chancellor of the Australian Catholic University in 1992.
A notable event in the life of his tenure was the beatification of Mother Mary MacKillop, conducted at the Royal Randwick Racecourse on January 15, 1995. Pope John Paul II referenced Clancy in his homily when he said: "We are celebrating an extraordinary event in the life of the Church in this land: the beatification of Mother Mary MacKillop, the first Australian formally declared to be among the Blessed in heaven. I rejoice with all of you: with Cardinal Clancy and my Brother Bishops, with the priests, Religious, all of you, lay men and women, families, young people and children, who offer a radiant and authentic sign of the Church's vitality. I give thanks to God for being able to celebrate this Beatification right here on Australian soil." The Pontiff ended his homily by saying: "The Pope for today, Cardinal Clancy for tomorrow. Praise be the Lord!"[2]
Major work on St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney, took place under his episcopacy. In 1999 a substantial new pipe organ was built by Orgues Létourneau Ltée of Montreal, Québec.[3] In the year 2000 the spires of the cathedral were finally completed.[4]
During his term as archbishop the neo-Gothic diocesan seminary of St Patrick's at Manly (founded by Cardinal Patrick Moran in 1889) was closed and the heritage listed building leased to an international hospitality school.[5] A new seminary, the Seminary of the Good Shepherd, was opened in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Homebush.[6]
Clancy was a fellow of Warrane College, University of New South Wales.
Retirement and death[edit]
Clancy retired as Archbishop of Sydney in 2001 and was succeeded by Archbishop George Pell. In the period from 21 October 2003 (when Pell was made cardinal) until Clancy's own 80th birthday on 13 December 2003, there were three Australian cardinal electors (had a papal conclave become necessary); Clancy, Pell and Edward Cassidy.
Clancy's health began to decline after his retirement and he died on 3 August 2014, aged 90, at the Little Sisters of the Poor nursing home in the Sydney suburb of Randwick.[7][8]
"Edward Bede Clancy", Biography Resource Center Online, Gale Group, 2001.
^ "About Us – Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney". Accessed 2 December 2014
^ "Apostolic Journey to Australia: Beatification of Mother Mary MacKillop at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney (19 January 1995) | John Paul II".
^ "Orgues Létourneau Limited – St. Mary's Cathedral – West Organ". Letourneauorgans.com. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
^ The Catholic Leader (26 August 2000). "St Mary's Cathedral Finally Completed". The Catholic Leader. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
^ Tony Abbott. "St Patrick's College, Manly, seminary becomes a hotel school!". Ad2000.com.au. Archived from the original on 18 March 2015. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
^ "sgs.org.au". Sgs.org.au. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
^ Kerry Myers (3 August 2014). "A faithful son of the church: former Sydney Archbishop Edward Clancy dies". Smh.com.au. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
^ http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/former-sydney-archbishop-edward-clancy-dead-at-90/story-e6frg6nf-1227011865198[bare URL]
Cardinal Clancy on Catholic hierarchy.org
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Cardinal Clancy bio on the Sydney Archdiocesan website
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Demon Turf: Neon Splash Nintendo Switch Indie Video Game Review
By: Author Eric Mortensen
Categories Indie, Platformer, Review, Video Games
Late last year I reviewed the 3D platformer Demon Turf. I enjoyed the game quite a bit as it did a good job focusing on what I enjoy most about games from the genre. It was a genuinely good indie 3D platformer which is a welcome sight. As the original game only come out late last year, I was genuinely surprised when I saw that another game in the series was released last week. As I really enjoyed the original game, I was interested in checking out the sequel. Demon Turf: Neon Splash is a great continuation of the Demon Turf franchise focusing on the best elements of the original game even if it is on the shorter side.
Demon Turf: Neon Splash continues the adventure of Beebz and her friends. One day the gang discovers a strange painting. When they approach it they are sucked inside. To return to their world Beebz must use her platforming skills to complete challenges and find a way home.
In a lot of ways Demon Turf: Neon Splash is similar to the original Demon Turf. It honestly feels like more of an expansion/DLC than a totally new game. The platforming for the most part hasn’t changed much. You have your typical jump, double jump, wall jump, and hover ability. You also have access to Beebz’ special abilities from the very start of the game which will help you in your journey.
The overworld from the original game has been cut from Demon Turf: Neon Splash. Instead the game is basically a set of levels. Your objective for each level is to reach the end which will unlock the next level. In addition to just completing the levels though, there are a few other things to accomplish in each level. Like the original game there are sweets to collect which you can use to purchase upgrades. Each level also has a hidden record which unlocks a remix level. These remix levels are basically twisted variants of the original levels that are considerably harder as they have more obstacles that you have to overcome. Finally each level has a number of times that you can beat to earn trophies.
Basically if you have played the original Demon Turf or any other 3D platformers, you should already have a good idea of what to expect from Demon Turf: Neon Splash. The game streamlines some of the mechanics from the original game. It basically still feels like the same game though, where it is mostly more levels than a drastic change to the original game.
The one area where the game differs from your typical 3D platformer is that it lets you place your own checkpoints (with some limitations). This remains mostly the same as the original game. The one difference is that you only have access to one place-able checkpoint for each level. This is offset by the fact that you can place it as many times as you want. This allows you to create a new checkpoint each time you complete a difficult section of a level.
I actually think this was an improvement over the original game. I liked having multiple checkpoints as it made it easier to find missed collectibles. This was easily made up for by the fact that you can place a checkpoint whenever you want. No longer do you have to worry about wasting one of your checkpoints and then having to complete a long section without making a mistake because you have no checkpoints left. This does make the game easier as you can keep placing checkpoints whenever you complete a difficult section. The amount of frustration it eliminates though is worth it in my opinion.
Like the original game, I thought the platforming of Demon Turf: Neon Splash was really good. Probably my favorite element of the original game was the platforming, and this holds true for the sequel as well. I think the platforming works for a couple of reasons.
First I thought the level design was quite good. The original game did take some time to get going as it introduced new mechanics. As you progressed in the game you unlocked additional abilities which were then added into your repertoire. This gave the level designer(s) more options for later levels which they took advantage of. Some of the best levels in the original game were towards the later parts of the game.
I am not going to directly compare the levels of the two games, but Demon Turf: Neon Splash gets right into things much quicker. Since you have access to all of your abilities from the beginning of the game, the levels can throw everything at you right away. The game still ratchets up the difficulty as you progress, but the game starts much quicker than the original game. I would say that almost all of the levels in Demon Turf: Neon Splash would be in the top half of levels from the original game.
The other thing that I liked about the platforming was the general feel of the controls. The controls for the first game were quite good, and the same holds true for the sequel. The game has streamlined some mechanics and cut others (more on this soon). For the most part the controls are precise since they give you a lot of control as you can adjust in the air if your jump is initially off. When you fail/die, it is generally your fault. I will say that the sequel does feel faster than the original though as you move, jump, etc quicker than the first game. This took some time to get used to leading to some deaths as I felt the character moved too fast. I ultimately had to adjust some of the sensitivity settings to make the movement feel right. If you want a good 3D platformer, you will get it from Demon Turf: Neon Splash.
While not a prevalent element of Demon Turf: Neon Splash, the game even introduces some small 2D platforming sections. At points in some of the levels you will reach a point where the camera locks into place. The visual design doesn’t change, but the camera stays fixed where you can only really move left and right. Outside of the change in perspective, this doesn’t really change the gameplay all that much, but I thought it was a nice change of pace.
Those who played the original game will probably think that I have been ignoring a key element of the game. The original game featured a sort of combat as well as some puzzles that you had to solve periodically. The combat has been completely eliminated from the game, and the puzzles have been severely cut back. While I didn’t hate the combat, I think it was a good idea to cut it from the sequel as it was one of the weakest elements of the original game. For the sequel the developer seemed to focus solely on the platforming. This was probably a good decision as that was always the game’s greatest strength.
As for the setting and story, there isn’t a whole lot to talk about. The story is really basic as you basically get trapped in a painting and have to find a way out. The graphical style is similar to the original. The characters are in 2D while the environments are in 3D. Demon Turf: Neon Splash is more colorful than the original which I liked. I did have to turn off one of the graphical effects though as it was kind of distracting.
I generally enjoyed Demon Turf: Neon Splash. Really the only significant issue I had with the game is just that it feels like more of a DLC/expansion than a standalone sequel. There are a few tweaks to the formula, but in many ways it just feels like more levels for the original game. The levels are quite good, but if you were expecting a full sequel, you may be disappointed.
As the game only retails for $5, I assumed that Demon Turf: Neon Splash would be considerably shorter than the original game. It definitely is shorter than the original game. I don’t know how many levels the original game had, but Demon Turf: Neon Splash only has ten main levels and nine remix levels. There are reasons to replay the levels for the time trials and to pick up all of the collectibles. Still the game is pretty short. I think I beat all of the main levels in around 2 hours while finding all of the collectibles. The remix levels added another hour to an hour and a half. If I wanted to try to complete the time trials, that would add some more time. Ultimately you can beat the game within a couple hours. With the game only retailing for $5, you can’t complain too much about it being on the shorter side. I just wish it was longer, as I was still really enjoying the game when it ended.
As a fan of the original Demon Turf, I was curious what could come out of a sequel that came out only a few months after the original game. Demon Turf: Neon Splash in many ways does what a sequel should do. It focuses on what the original game did best, while also cutting out the elements that dragged it down. The platforming is as good as the original game. The level design is quite good as it jumps right in avoiding some of the slower levels at the beginning of the original game. The controls are quite good as well, even though you seem to move a little too fast without some tweaking of the settings. The combat has been cut out of the game completely as the sequel focuses on what it does best. The only real complaint I had with the game is that it is on the shorter side. Most players could probably beat the entire game within a few hours.
Ultimately my recommendation comes down to your feelings towards the original game or 3D platformers in general. If you didn’t really care for the original game’s platforming or 3D platformers in general, I don’t see the game being for you. Fans of the original game or 3D platformers should really enjoy Demon Turf: Neon Splash and should consider picking it up.
Demon Turf: Neon Splash
Release Date: April 14th, 2022 | Systems: Nintendo Switch, PC
Developer: Fabraz | Publisher: Playtonic Friends | ESRB Rating: E10+ for comic mischief, fantasy violence
Genres: Indie, Platformer
Official Website: https://demonturf.com/
Focuses on the elements of the original game that were most enjoyable, while cutting out the worst elements.
A fun 3D platformer with good level design and controls.
Quite short as you can beat the entire game within a couple hours.
You may have to tweak some of the settings as otherwise you seem to move too quickly at times.
Recommendation: For fans of the original game or 3D platformers in general.
Where to Purchase: Nintendo Switch, Steam
We at Geeky Hobbies would like to thank Fabraz and Playtonic Friends for the review copy of Demon Turf: Neon Splash used for this review. Other than receiving a free copy of the game to review, we at Geeky Hobbies received no other compensation for this review. Receiving the review copy for free had no impact on the content of this review or the final score.
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Betty Vohs, 94
by | Aug 10, 2022
Betty Vohs, age 94, of Imlay City, MI died Monday, August 1, 2022 at home surrounded by her loving family. Betty Jane Daniels was born July 30, 1928 in Royal Oak, MI. She was the daughter of the late Grant and the late Ethel (James) Daniels. Betty grew up and attended Royal Oak High School. She left high school to work at Kresge Dime Store. She married Donald Vohs on September 1, 1951 in Warren, MI. She was preceded by her husband, Donald, on August 3, 2009. Through the years Betty and Don lived in Warren, Sterling Heights, Royal Oak, and they retired to St. Helen, MI in 1987. She moved to Imlay City in 2007.
She was a homemaker, raising her family. While she lived in St. Helen, Betty worked in the bakery of the IGA. Betty was a member of the Seven Ponds Nature Center ‘Stingers’ ladies fundraising group. She had a huge garden and enjoyed canning vegetables. Betty liked to go to garage sales, RV camping, spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and was a great supporter of the Imlay City High School Equestrian events in which her grandchildren participated.
She is survived by her daughter, Beth (Rick) Horton of Imlay City, MI; son, Don Vohs of Roscommon, MI; her sister, Virginia Horn of Dryden, MI: and brother, George (Elaine) Daniels of Atlanta, MI. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Garrett (Jessica) Horton, Benjamin (Rachel) Horton, Adam Horton, Justin Marsch, and David (Anna) Allison; and her great-grandchildren, Aubrey, Lily, Quentin, Addie, Jayden, Megan, Paisley, Teegan and Ryan.
Betty was preceded in death by her husband, Donald Vohs; parents, Grant and Ethel Daniels; her daughter, Debbie Allison; sister, Dorothy (Paul) Daniel; and her brother, Ronald Daniels.
The funeral service was held Friday, August 5, 2022 at Muir Brothers Funeral Home of Imlay City, 225 N. Main Street, Imlay City, MI. Pastor Terry Horton officiated. Interment followed at Imlay Township Cemetery.
Those wishing to make memorial contributions may direct them to the Vohs family for distribution to several different organizations.
Funeral arrangements were entrusted to Muir Brothers Funeral Home of Imlay City.
Please be sure to sign the online register at www.muirbrothersfh.com to share condolences and memories with the Vohs family.


HomeChildren's BooksCensorship Bills On the Table in Nearly Half of U.S. States: This Week’s Book Censorship News, January 7, 2022
Censorship Bills On the Table in Nearly Half of U.S. States: This Week’s Book Censorship News, January 7, 2022
In 2022, don’t anticipate that book challenges and wide-ranging censorship of books will slow down across the U.S. They’ll be amplifying, thanks to right-wing and extremist white supremacist groups like No Left Turn, Moms for Liberty, and dozens of state-based organizations, as well as dark money.
State governments are packed with representatives who are being supported by these groups, as well as dark money, and by listening to these constituencies, many politicians are sponsoring bills with an anti–critical race theory (CRT) agenda. They’re also targeting school curriculum, demanding transparency over books purchased for libraries and those purchased for individual classrooms either as supplemental or required reading. Much of the discourse feels like the satanic panic but with the dark reality that by leading the efforts on censorship, these politicians feel they have a platform for which to seek reelection and support. We can look to Virginia as a bellwether for things to come, following the election of Glenn Youngkin.
A number of states have already enacted so-called anti-CRT bills, while other states are following those leads and either copying the playbook or are attempting to go one further with even more draconian bills meant as educational gag orders. Politico reported earlier this week the ways in which the GOP sees these bills as their “in” to building a “red wave.”
States with bills in place or under discussion include Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Texas. Wisconsin is also floating around potential legislation that would put a similar chokehold in public facilities of higher education. Much has been made about Oklahoma’s bill in particular, which would put a bounty on teachers and librarians who carry books a parent deems inappropriate (where that money would come from in a state that ranks 47th in public education, which factors into the equation that determines state funding, remains a mystery).
If you’re in one of the above-mentioned states, it’s time to reach out to your representatives and demand they act to ensure these laws don’t pass, and/or you stay on top of your representatives with your dissatisfaction, reminding them they work for you. If you’re not in one of the above-mentioned states, the same assignment applies, but this time, write in support of intellectual freedom and the rights of students and educators to as wide a range of materials as possible.
Today In Books Newsletter
Sign up to Today In Books to receive daily news and miscellany from the world of books.
As always, this toolkit for how to fight book bans and challenges will help you do the work, whether you’ve got five minutes or five hours. This primer on evaluating news sites will be helpful, too, particularly when it comes to the information you’re being presented about book challenges and state-focused censorship legislation.
Before diving into this week’s roundup of book censorship news — I’ve limited to news from January and a couple of bigger stories at the end of December — I’d love to know if there’s an angle to censorship, book challenges, or intellectual freedom you’d like to learn more about each week in this roundup. Feel free to drop me a line on social media or via email (it’s my first name at rionewmedia.com).
Book Challenges and Censorship News This Week: January 7, 2022
Lindbergh schools in Missouri have two books back on shelves.
The removal of Gender Queer from Orange County, Florida, schools has some parents pushing back. This is a great look at the story, and the parents in this group are working alongside those in Brevard County’s parent group below.
Brevard County Florida parents are challenging the Moms for Liberty group at the center of book challenges in their community.
A messy school board meeting with clear anti-LGBTQ board members in Pennridge Schools (Pennsylvania) led to the removal of Heather Has Two Mommies from schools. Parents and community member are not happy. (This school board meeting is excruciating to listen to, but you can do so here).
More on the fears surrounding silent censorship from Pennridge.
In good news, Teton library (Wyoming) updated their collection development policy with clear anti-censorship language to prepare for potential challenges. Libraries: worth doing this now if you can and/or haven’t in a while.
It might seem odd that a library not yet facing challenges would make a statement that they don’t tolerate censorship, but Austin Public Library’s statement has a huge impact locally, on the state level, and across the country for both libraries and their advocates.
A look at a number of book bans and challenges in Arkansas.
A discussion of what’s to be lost with anti–critical race theory guidelines as determined by school boards, with a focus on Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District (California).
Six books will remain on shelves at the Rockwood school libraries (Missouri). Three more titles are still under review.
Lamar Independent School District (Texas) is reviewing Me and Earl and The Dying Girl after complaints.
In the ongoing saga of book challenges at Campbell County Public Library district in Wyoming, two books have been moved from the YA to the adult section.
Wake County Public Library librarians are protesting the removal of Gender Queer from the collection. Some of the backstory to this North Carolina censorship.
A Mississippi state auditor is mad about antiracist books purchased for Mississippi libraries from a federal grant. That’s…not even state money. But it’s great for political clout, as it has some of the buzzword mafia’s favorite phrases: tax money, antiracism, libraries, and critical race theory.
Osseo, Minnesota schools will keep Born a Crime on shelves.
Parents complained about a poetry event that happens annually for students in Sarasota, Florida. It was canceled.
Pitt County Schools in North Carolina are reviewing three titles in their middle school collection: All American Boys, Darkness Before Dawn, and Forged in Fire.
These LGBTQ and Antiracist Books are Being Review Bombed by Book Banners
“I Know It When I See It”: Who Pulled Gender Queer from Wake County Library Shelves?
Can The 1982 Island Trees Case Impact Today’s Book Censorship? This Week’s Book Censorship News: December 17, 2021
Students, Teachers, and Librarians are Fed Up With Book Challenges: This Week’s Censorship News, December 10, 2021
There’ve Been More Than 155 Book Challenges Since June: This Week’s Censorship News, December 3, 2021
How to Prepare for 2022 Book Challenges: This Week’s Censorship News
Wake Up: The Censorship Has Been Alive Forever. It’s at Fever Pitch Today.
Craighead County Library’s Battle Against Censorship
Students Petition for Library Books, School Board Members Want to Burn LGBTQ+ Titles, and More Censorship News: November 12, 2021