White House orders former personnel security director to disobey congressional subpoena

The move to block congressional investigations into how security clearances were handed out at the White House is the latest effort by Donald Trump to assert the power to ignore both Congress and the law. Not only has Trump instructed Treasury Department chief Steven Mnuchin to ignore a legal request for his tax records, but he has also filed an entirely unprecedented lawsuit against a congressional committee to halt the release of his financial records.

Harry and Meghan, Africa doesn’t want you

Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, may be considering a move to Africa sometime after the birth of their child. Just as with their wedding, the proposed move is being framed in largely positive terms — with Meghan wanting to explore her and her child’s African roots. Unfortunately, the reality is that the only tradition the couple would be embracing is the long colonial history of Britain in general — and the royal family in particular. When black radicals talked about a “back to Africa” movement, this was not exactly what they had in mind.

High school journalists pen viral editorial after being turned away from Betsy DeVos event

If you’ve ever worried about the youth of this country not being engaged in politics enough, this story will offer some relief. High school students from Paul Laurence Dunbar High School in Lexington, Kentucky, tried to attend a discussion between Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and Republican governor Matt Bevin, with the goal of covering it for their school paper. This should be a wonderful opportunity for the students, right?

Wrong. The students weren’t allowed in. As they report in their editorial, a man told them they weren’t allowed inside because they didn’t RSVP. Not to be deterred, they wrote an editorial called “No Seat at the Roundtable” instead. Surprising no one, it (rightfully) slams DeVos. 

Working as a librarian gave me post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms

INTRO

Months before its release, friends and family began sending me links to the movie trailer for “The Public.” It made them think of me, they said.

In the film, a passion project of actor-director Emilio Estevez, homeless patrons, unable to face another night in the subzero Cincinnati winter, refuse to leave, and “occupy” the public library. While critics and moviegoers may view aspects of “The Public” as dramatic license, for me it was the first time I ever saw my job reflected on the screen accurately.

Swedish House-Gymnastics (1913)

These wonderful photographs, which make such innovative use of multiple exposure, are from a 1913 German book titled Schwedische Haus-Gymnastik nach dem System P.H. Ling’s by Theodor Bergquist, Director of the Swedish Gymnastic Institute in the Bavarian spa town of Bad Wörishofen.