Home and Shopping

Rose Madeline Mula writes: My other impulse purchases on Amazon include a string of mini, solar-powered lights to brighten my quarantined balcony; a label maker (which I have used to make two labels since buying it a year ago); a roll-up keyboard (in place of the Steinway I can’t afford and have no room for) which I immediately rolled up and put in a drawer before plinking even one melody; a five-pound bag of gum drops (yes, five pounds!); essential oils (which were certainly not essential); make up (too little, too late), and a garden kneeler. No, I don’t have a garden. I live in a third-floor condo. But I’m hoping it will help me get up when (not if) I fall so I don’t have to call the firemen (though, actually, their visits are the highlight of my social life). more »

Shunted to the background, and often ignored, public health professionals at the state and local levels who have been working long hours with few breaks are starting to burn out and lose momentum. Many have left office; a number of them were pushed out, either by their bosses or in the face of vehement public opposition. A recent analysis from Kaiser Health News and the Associated Press found that at least 27 state or local public health leaders across 13 states had resigned, retired or been fired since April. From the beginning of the pandemic, Lori Tremmel Freeman, CEO of the National Association of County and City Health Officials and other experts say, the White House set the tone for this unprecedented circumvention of public health agencies. more »

Jo Freeman writes: This book is a fine description of how the political boys clubs worked. The inner sanctum was known as the Board of Education. Most weekday evenings "Mr. Sam," as Speaker Rayburn (D. TX) was called, invited a few Representatives to have a drink with him... With Mr. Sam as his mentor, Brooks moved up the hierarchy rather quickly, becoming a subcommittee chairman after only two years in the House. Eventually he chaired the Government Operations and Judiciary Committees. More than a biography this book gives you an inside look at how Congress operates, at least during the latter half of the 20th Century. You should get course credit in Political Science just for reading it. more »

“The Fair Housing Act protects the right of individuals with disabilities to enjoy a home to the same extent as everyone else. Common decency, our shared humanity, our nation’s commitment to justice, and our inalienable right to pursue happiness demands no less, and so does the law. Discriminating against people with disabilities is wrong and illegal, and the Justice Department will vigorously continue to enforce the Fair Housing Act to combat this unlawful conduct and obtain relief for its victims,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. ““This consent order will ensure that all prospective and current residents at Traditions and other senior living facilities are treated equally and that victims of past discrimination receive compensation for the harms they have suffered.” more »