Culture Watch

Rose Madeline Mula Writes: I have had a couple of falls recently. The time before last, I broke my shoulder. When the orthopedic doctor finally discharged me after a series of follow-up visits, I asked him if I had any restrictions. “Yes,” he said. “Don’t fall.” So of course I did — at the door of my building when I got home. And of course I couldn’t get up. My phobia has extended to even very low-incline ramps. As for escalators, forget about them. Not only are the steps moving, but so is the handrail. You might as well ask me to scale Everest without the help of a Sherpa.     more »

Mark-Ups: The House Energy and Commerce Committee will consider several bills, including H.R. 4995, the Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act, and H.R. 4996, the Helping Medicaid Offer Maternity Services (MOMS) Act, H.R. 5084, the Improving Corporate Governance through Diversity Act of 2019. Bills introduced: A bill to prohibit the secretary of Health and Human Services from taking any action to implement, enforce, or otherwise give effect to the final rule, entitled “Protecting Statutory Conscience Rights in Health Care; Delegations of Authority;” A bill to repeal certain limits on leave for married individuals employed by the same employer; A bill to require the administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to establish an advisory board focused on creating opportunities for women in the trucking industry, and for other purposes.       more »

The exhibition at the Museum of Craft and Design in San Francisco aims to make concepts accessible to a general audience and to address climate change through four centralized themes that reflect key characteristics about survival architecture: Circular — the importance of creating structures made of materials that can be used and reused indefinitely; Portable — the ability to create easily moveable and nomadic dwellings; Visionary — forward-thinking ideas that can radically change the way we think about shelter; and Resilient — structures that can adapt to adverse and dynamic circumstances. Linda Gass: My textile, glass, and mixed-media artworks address these concerns – how our infrastructure and development policies are failing under climate chaos – and invite the viewer to ponder the question ‘what can we do better?'” more »

Did the President request that a foreign leader and government initiate investigations to benefit the President’s personal political interests in the United States, including an investigation related to the President’s political rival and potential opponent in the 2020 US presidential election? Did the President – directly or through agents – seek to use the power of the Office of the President and other instruments of the federal government in other ways to apply pressure on the head of state and government of Ukraine to advance the President’s personal political interests, including by leveraging an Oval Office meeting desired by the President of Ukraine or by withholding US military assistance to Ukraine? Did the President and his Administration seek to obstruct, suppress or cover up information to conceal from the Congress and the American people evidence about the President’s actions and conduct? more »