Culture Watch
The Making of Masterpiece Theater's The Miniaturist and Petronella Oortman’s Dolls' House in Amsterdam's Rijksmusum
Author Jesse Burton’s inspiration for The Miniaturist was a dollhouse that the author saw on display in Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum* when she was on vacation. Made in 1689 for the real Petronella Oortman, the dollhouse was a detailed, elaborate, and precise replica of the Dutch woman’s own home. Fascinated by the exquisite furnishings for a doll’s house cost as much as the home in which it was displayed, Burton couldn’t help but wonder “Why?” That answer and her research led to The Miniaturist. more »
The Source for Women's Issues in Congress: Hearings Ahead: Better Data and Better Outcome Reducing Maternal Mortality in the US
Senator Kamala Harris introduced a bill to support states in their work to end preventable morbidity and mortality in maternity care* by using evidence-based quality improvement to protect the health of mothers during pregnancy, childbirth, and in the postpartum period, and to reduce neonatal and infant mortality*, to eliminate racial disparities in maternal health outcomes. Sen. Tammy Baldwin introduced a bill to require that group and individual health insurance coverage and group health plans provide coverage for treatment of a congenital anomaly or birth defect. more »
Shaping America at the American Precision Museum: How the Machinists and Tool Builders Influence American History
"Our exhibit, Shaping America, explores how the machinists and tool builders of this region's 'Precision Valley' influenced the course of American history, helping drive rapid industrialization, the emergence of the United States as a world power, and the development of our consumer culture. The Tool Revolution tells the story of innovators in Windsor, Vermont, in the 1840s at the forefront of the push to create interchangeable parts and the American System of Manufacturing. more »
Nomination of the Honorable Brett M. Kavanaugh to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States; Nomination Hearing
Some background on Brett Kavanaugh's 2006 hearing on C-Span: "Mr. Kavanaugh testified at a hearing on his nomination as a judge on U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. Among the issues he addressed were his qualifications and service as White House counsel, his rating by the American Bar Association, and various legal matters in which the administration had been involved during his tenure as counsel. Many members expressed frustration with his vague answers to specific questions. " Tune in this week to the Senate Judiciary hearings. more »
