Category: Uncategorized
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A judge orders the end of the conservatorship between Michael Oher and the Tuohys
A Tennessee judge has ordered the end of the conservatorship between former NFL player Michael Oher and the Tuohy family, subjects of the 2009 film The Blind Side, but Oher’s case against the family for accounting information continues. “The court’s ruling”: The conservatorship was established in 2004, restricting Oher’s ability to sign contracts or make […]
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Why the Obama era ‘car czar’ thinks striking autoworkers risk overplaying their hand
Striking autoworkers’ demands might exceed industry standards and realities, warned Obama-era “car czar”. Analysis of demands: Unionized autoworkers are asking for conditions beyond industry norms. * They have proposed a 32-hour work week where they work four days, but get paid for five. * Initial demand was for 40% wage increases. They’ve since lowered it […]
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North Carolina radio station plans to reject broadcasts of ‘inappropriate’ Met operas
North Carolina radio station WCPE said it will reject six contemporary operas scheduled for broadcast by the Metropolitan Opera, citing issues with the operas’ content. Controversial decision: General Manager of WCPE, Deborah S. Proctor, voiced concerns with several operas due to depictions of violence and LGBTQ subject material. * Proctor equated her decisions with wider […]
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‘Sparks’ author Ian Johnson on Chinese ‘challenging the party’s monopoly on history’
Ian Johnson, Pulitzer prize-winning journalist and author of “Sparks: China’s Underground Historians and their Battle for the Future,” discusses the individuals undertaking grassroots historiography in spite of Chinese Communist Party’s control over the historical narrative. The context: Xi Jinping, the general secretary of China’s ruling Communist Party, has shown a resolute focus on controlling historical […]
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The Academy is replacing Hattie McDaniel’s Oscar that has been missing for 50 years
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is sending a replacement Oscar to Howard University for actress Hattie McDaniel, whose original award has been missing for 50 years. Background: Hattie McDaniel, the first Black person to win an Oscar for her supporting role in the 1939 film Gone With the Wind, had her award […]
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The fall of an enclave in Azerbaijan stuns the Armenian diaspora, shattering a dream
The fall of the Armenian-majority enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijani troops has shocked the global Armenian diaspora, generating fears of ethnic and cultural erasure of this historic homeland. The big picture: The separatist ethnic Armenian government of Nagorno-Karabakh, after 30 years of de-facto independence, has announced its dissolution and cessation by year’s end. * Over […]
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A 16-year-old boy was arrested in England over the felling of an iconic tree
A 16-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with the felling of a famous tree next to Hadrian’s Wall in northern England. Background: The tree at Sycamore Gap, located next to Hadrian’s Wall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Roman landmark, had stood for nearly 200 years and was famously featured in Kevin Costner’s 1991 […]
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Fossil fuel rules catch Western towns between old economies and new green goals
The town of Farmington, New Mexico, is caught in a transition from a reliance on fossil fuels to embracing green goals, amid new federal land use rules. The current state of play: Demand for outdoor activities in Farmington is growing, set against the decline of the oil and gas industry which historically built the town. […]
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Suit yourselves: The Senate formalizes a dress code just days after ditching it
The Senate has voted unanimously to codify a business casual dress code, just days after an attempt to relax its unofficial dress code. Driving the change: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer recently directed the Senate’s sergeant-at-arms to stop enforcing the unwritten dress code. * This change seemed to be accommodating Senator John Fetterman, who regularly […]
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FTC Chair Lina Khan’s lawsuit isn’t about breaking up Amazon, for now
FTC Chair Lina Khan, known for advocating Amazon’s breakup, has filed a lawsuit against Amazon claiming it has abused its monopoly power, but isn’t currently seeking to break up the tech giant. Motivation behind the lawsuit: The lawsuit primarily aims to bring more competition into the marketplace, ensuring fair operations for rivals and consumers. * […]