The First Hmong-American Olympian

An excerpt from WeGotThisCovered - 

Gold medal-winning gymnast Suni Lee’s ethnicity, confirmed

Lee contributed in helping the United States national artistic gymnastics team win gold at the 2024 Summer Olympics.

By Kevin Stewart

Image via NBC

Sunisa “Suni” Lee is a 21-year-old artistic gymnast representing the United States on the world stage. She won gold medals at the 2019 World Championships, the 2022 NCAA Championships, and both the 2020 and 2024 Olympic Games.

~~~~~

Born on March 9, 2003, in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Lee is American through and through. However, her parentage gives her an intriguing ethnicity.

Lee’s mother, Yeev Thoj, a healthcare worker, was a refugee who immigrated to the United States from Laos when she was a child. That means Lee’s ethnicity is Hmong. The Hmong people are an ethnic group that lives primarily in China and Southeast Asia.

It also makes her the first Hmong-American Olympian. Lee is also said to be the first woman of Asian descent and the first Asian American woman to win the Olympic all-around title.

https://wegotthiscovered.com/sports/suni-lees-ethnicity-confirmed/

First Black Gymnast Earns Statue

Face2FaceAfrica - 

The first Black gymnast to win a gold medal finally gets a statue in her hometown

By Dollita Okine

Dominique Dawes statue. Photo via YouTube/ montgomerycountymd

At the Silver Spring Recreation and Aquatic Center (SSRAC), Montgomery County erected a statue honoring one of the area’s own Olympians, three-time gold medalist Dominique Dawes. The statue was unveiled on July 23, just days before the start of the 2024 Summer Olympics.

The 47-year-old retired gymnast told The Washington Informer, “I grew up minutes down the road so it’s truly an honor. It’s very humbling.”

She went on to say that the statue isn’t just about recognizing her work; it’s also about inspiring young people to pursue their aspirations in the face of challenges. Brian Hanlon spent a year creating the sculpture, which was inspired by a photo from the Atlanta Olympics.

https://face2faceafrica.com/article/the-first-black-gymnast-to-win-a-gold-medal-finally-gets-a-statue-in-her-hometown/amp

First Black Woman To Earn Individual Fencing Medal at Olympics

An excerpt from AfroTech - 

The First Black American Woman To Earn An Individual Medal In Fencing Is Also A Harvard Student With An Interest In Alternative Investing

By Samantha Dorisca

Photo Credit: Joe Scarnici

Lauren Scruggs is a Harvard student and Olympic champion!

Scruggs, 21, was introduced to fencing by her brother, Nolen, Essence reports. The sport has now taken the Queens, NY, native to the grand Olympic stage. She has received her first medal at the 2024 Olympics, earning silver in individual foil, falling just short to U.S. teammate Lee Kiefer.

“It’s just unbelievable,” Scruggs told Today. “Seeing my family in the stands and being able to fence in front of all those people in Paris in that great building was just insane to me. Just to have the medal over me and feel the weight was heavy, was unbelievable.”

Additionally, Scruggs made history in the process, becoming the first Black American woman to earn an individual fencing medal at the Paris Olympics, Essence reports.

“Fencing has largely, historically been a non-Black sport,” Scruggs said, per the NCAA. “So I hope to inspire young Black girls to get into fencing and to think that they can have a place in the sport. I just hope that more people who look like me, little girls like me, feel they have a place in the sport.”

https://afrotech.com/meet-harvard-student-lauren-scruggs/

At Last

 

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Don't Come For the Cat Ladies

 

Childless Cat and Dog Ladies for Harris pic.twitter.com/ywHt1W0ZGb

— Chelsea Handler (@chelseahandler) July 28, 2024

"Say it to my face."

 

VP: Donald. I do hope you'll reconsider to meet me on the debate stage. Because as the saying goes, if you got something to say, say it to my face pic.twitter.com/f6Fv67p1uh

— Acyn (@Acyn) July 30, 2024

Welcome to Kindergarten - Mr. Reed

https://youtu.be/NgzXd_Z9RLs?si=Z6v2b1FXx93AVQjZ

Twisted Thoughts About the Border

An excerpt from Time - 

The Border Is Not the Problem

By Dinaw Mengestu

A new U.S. citizen, leaving a 2018 mass naturalization ceremony in L.A.,
waves the flagMario Tama—Getty Images

When my father arrived in America from Ethiopia in 1978, he was resettled, with the help of an immigration agency, to Peoria, Ill. He found a job working on the factory floor of a Caterpillar Inc. plant, and by the time my mother, sister, and I joined him two years later, he’d already found a two-bedroom apartment two blocks from the Catholic school my sister and I would attend.

It was a startlingly American childhood, made more so by the fact that we spent our weekends at a Southern Baptist church on the other side of town. My parents, raised in the Ethiopian Orthodox church, had never heard of Southern Baptists before coming to America. But every Sunday, there we were, in the front pews, the first and only Black family to have ever attended the church.

On a recent cross-country road trip, my wife and I decided to take our two children on a detour to Peoria. My family had left the city at the tail end of the 1980s recession, when unemployment hovered near 20%. I wanted to see if we could find Sharon, one of the members of the church my family had been especially close to. I hadn’t spoken to Sharon in at least 10 years. We arrived unannounced at her doorstep just in time to take her to lunch. It was the first and most likely the last time she would meet my family. On the drive to the restaurant, Sharon pointed out the Greek Orthodox church near her home.

“Your mom and dad tried to go there,” she said, “but the priest or pastor told them not to come back. He said they would be more comfortable somewhere else.”

When I told Sharon I had never heard that story before she didn’t seem surprised. She shrugged. 

“That sort of thing happened a lot back then,” she said.  “Your parents had a hard time fitting in.”

I was about to ask Sharon how they were able to do so at a Southern Baptist church, but she saw the question coming.

“Your mom and dad met with Brother Gene, and he saw that they were good people and told them they would be welcome in his church,” she explained. “Before you all came, though, he went around and called every single person. He said if anyone gave your family a hard time, they’d have hell to pay for it. And that was it. I don’t think anyone bothered you at all.”

It felt like a confession when Sharon told the story, and I suppose to some degree it was. If no one at the church ever told us to our face that we didn’t belong—if no one ever explicitly asked us to leave—it was because the good people of the church had been compelled, even threatened, into accepting us. Had they not been, it’s unlikely we would have ever lasted more than a week at the church. 

Given the current apocalyptic narrative surrounding immigration, it’s hard to imagine the leader of a conservative Southern Baptist church making a similar kind of phone call today. Whether or not Brother Gene knew my parents to be good people, he knew they were refugees, and in the early 1980s, the political and cultural framework had yet to solidify into the often dehumanizing imagery that’s common today.

https://time.com/7004943/the-border-is-not-the-problem-dinaw-mengestu/

Maddow points out frightening truth about Trump's lack of concern about ...

https://youtu.be/of9OP_a6MNg?si=nHbq8ge1FYKIP01v

Olympians Managing Their Periods

An excerpt from the Telegraph - 

How Olympians manage their periods

Both science and athletes themselves are challenging assumption that women are at a disadvantage when menstruating

By Fiona Tomas

Emily Campbell has a contingency plan in place if her period arrives on or in the days leading up to Aug 11, the date when she will become a two-time Olympian. Team GB’s only weightlifter in Paris, in keeping with true British spirit, will simply keep calm and carry on.

“Nine times out of 10, it’s mental,” says Campbell. “It’s just saying to your brain, ‘This isn’t convenient right now, but you’re going to be all right’. Maybe take a couple of paracetamol for the cramps. But it’s business as usual.”

Mindset might trump menstruation but periods can present nightmarish challenges for Olympians. Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith spent seven months planning for her cycle ahead of the delayed Tokyo Games in 2021. A year later, she pulled up with cramps in the 100 metres final at the European Championships and called for more research into how menstrual cycles can affect performance. “If it was a men’s issue, we would have a million different ways to combat things,” she said at the time.

Historically, the contraceptive pill has been a trusted method among sportswomen to limit the impact of their period on performance, with a quarter of respondents in this year’s BBC Elite British Sportswomen’s Study admitting to manipulating their monthly bleed. But amid a rise in cycle-tracking apps and small steps forward in menstrual health research, periods are starting to be hailed as a superpower.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/olympics/2024/07/29/how-olympians-manage-their-periods/

https://youtu.be/ugjmXFmBYe4?si=Lu8FgfzrdWCmISCG

Olympic Athlete Shares Some Truth

 

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Why Not Her?

An excerpt from Time -  

Kamala Harris and the Inevitable Return of ‘Not That Woman’

By Belinda Luscombe

Americans are, for only the second time in history, standing at the brink of that undiscovered country: the one where a woman is in charge. Perhaps now Sri Lankans (the first citizenry to elect a female national leader) will stop snickering. Perhaps the U.S. will finally win some respect from the Finns, who have elected four female leaders already. Maybe the largest economy in the world could catch up with Pakistan—currently ranked 142 of 146 countries for gender inequality—and vote in at least one female leader.

But don’t bet on it. 

When the popular Christian author and podcaster Jen Hatmaker posted her support for Kamala Harris on social media, the reaction from her largely female following was swift, large, and familiar. There was plenty of cheerleading, with a liberal dose of LFGs (Let’s Freaking Go). And then there was the other refrain: Not her.

“I’m all for a woman, but definitely not her!” wrote one follower. “KH is the last person I want to think of as the first woman POTUS,” wrote another. “I would love a strong woman in office that is qualified to improve things for ALL hard working Americans,” began yet another. For women old enough to have lived through previous election cycles that flirted with electing a female head of state, these sentiments were as predictable as arthritis. And about as welcome. 

Every time a woman draws near to getting the top job, it occurs to a certain percentage of voters, male and female, that while they, of course, are deeply committed to female leadership, they simply cannot countenance the particular female who is vying for leadership on that occasion. This was true, memorably, of people’s reaction to the candidacy of Hillary Clinton. And to Elizabeth Warren during the 2020 primary race. But it’s not limited to one side of the political divide. People felt that way about Nikki Haley—that she was uniquely wrong for the job. People really felt that way about Sarah Palin. (Although in that case they may have had a point.)

~~~~~~~~~~

It’s 2024, so a lot of women are hoping we are past the era where a woman’s candidacy can be dismissed because of the way her face looks, or because she was tough on her staff and once ate salad with a comb, or because she was insensitive about her ancestry, or because her spouse with an Italian name didn’t want to release his tax returns. These used to be mountains in the way of women’s electoral path, but time and perspective have (please God?) restored their molehill status.

~~~~~~~~

More difficult to surmount than any of these, however, is the fatal character flaw of being just plain unlikable. Unlikability is a difficult trait to diagnose, but it’s hard to ignore the fact that in women, it’s usually comorbid with assertiveness and ambition. Academic studies have actually discovered the formula behind this phenomenon: the closer a woman gets to power, the less likable she is. In 1984 an aide to then Vice President George H.W. Bush called Geraldine Ferraro “too bitchy” after the VP candidates debated. It hasn’t changed much. Haley was accused of being rude, unnecessarily combative, and “a little too aggressive” during primary debates. Her opponent Ron DeSantis, meanwhile, was “sharp and feisty.” Donald Trump said that "Nikki suffers from something that's a very tough thing to suffer from: She's overly ambitious." This from a guy who sought—and won—the presidency after making his name by firing people on TV. 

https://time.com/7004186/kamala-harris-not-that-woman-female-candidate/

Kamala Harris is Kamalot

From New York Magazine - 

On the Cover: Photo-illustration by Joe Darrow for New York Magazine.

 https://nymag.com/magazine/toc/2024-07-29.html

Finland vs. the United States

An excerpt from CNBC Make It -  

28-year-old who left the U.S. for Finland: What work is like in the world’s happiest country—‘they essentially force you to take a vacation’

By Jade Ventoniemi, Contributor

Here I am at my old office.Photo: Jade Ventoniemi

I’ve been living in Finland, the world’s happiest country, for five years now. I think one of the secrets to the happiness of the Finnish people is the country’s work culture. 

Getting work here as a foreigner can be tough, but I’ve been fortunate to have two different corporate jobs in Finland. One job was at a start-up software company with under 50 employees, and the other was at a manufacturing company with over 500 employees. 

I quickly found that their approach to things like vacation time, parental leave and benefits differed from the US. There are a lot of aspects of work life here that I appreciate, but there was a lot that surprised me and took some time to adjust to. 

In the last year, I took what I learned, launched my own marketing firm and started working for myself. These are a few things that stand out to me about corporate life in Finland:

Many workplaces are flexible and allow employees to choose a schedule that fits their lifestyle.

In Finland, typical office hours go from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. One small culture shock I experienced early on is that when workdays often start so early, some people start going to lunch around 11 a.m. Another surprise was how dark it is during the winter when you arrive and when you leave the office.

For many corporate jobs, the work week is 37.5 hours. Overtime hours are not paid in salary, but in corresponding time off. So, if you work a lot one week, it’s normal to do less the next week or take more vacation days. 

If you have an appointment or some obligations for your children during the work day, that can be considered paid time off. In Finland, you’ll often get paid double if you work on Sundays.

It feels like, in Finland, managers and bosses respect employees’ time off. If it’s after 4 p.m., people do not expect their colleagues to respond to an email or answer their work phone. The flexible hours are meant to allow people to have more time in the evenings for hobbies, activities and picking up kids from school.

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/07/27/american-in-finland-what-work-is-like-in-the-worlds-happiest-country.html

The Tallest Man Who Ever Lived

An excerpt from Factinate - 

Gargantuan Facts About Robert Wadlow, The Tallest Man Who Ever Lived

The Tallest Man On Earth

He might have been almost 9 feet tall, but Robert Wadlow was a gentle giant known for his quiet manner and easy smile. Unfortunately, the world isn’t made for people that tall and he often struggled with finding accommodations for his great height. Health issues plagued him from the start and he lived only 22 years—but he still managed to make the most of it.

1. He Was A Regular Newborn

The average newborn weighs roughly 7-8 pounds at birth. When Robert was born, he weighed 8.5 pounds—perfectly within acceptable range. At birth, his mother, Addie, and his father, Harold, had no reason to suspect anything was strange about their bouncing baby boy, the first of five children. But while babies always grow fast, Robert Wadlow's family was in for an enormous shock.

2. He Grew Over A Foot In 6 Months

Addie and Harold might have started wondering if Robert’s growth was normal by the time he was six months old—at which point he was the size of the average two-year-old. He also weighed around 30 pounds, which was quite the weight for his mother to be carrying constantly. Fortunately, he began to walk at 11 months, at which point he was over 3 feet tall—and his growth just escalated from there.

Flickr, Paille

3. He Outgrew His Father

Robert’s father Harold was 5’11", which is a totally respectable height, and actually a little taller than the global average. By the age of eight, however, Robert had outgrown his own father and had been wearing clothes meant for teenagers since the age of five. His elementary school even had to custom build a special desk for him so he could actually sit without his knees ending up somewhere around his ears.

But his massive height wasn’t all bad; with it came a terrifying physical strength.

https://www.factinate.com/interesting/extraordinary-life-of-robert-wadlow-the-tallest-man-who-ever-lived

Being a Bookworm Comes With Great Advantages

An excerpt from Your Tango - 

People Who Grew Up Reading A Lot Usually Have 11 Unique Advantages Over Everyone Else

Being a bookworm includes some pretty impressive benefits.

By Marielisa Reyes

Growing up, if you were often called a bookworm, you probably spent hours every day reading and were often told that "all that reading would make you go blind.'" 

Regardless, your love for literature never went away, and now that you're much older your mind has likely benefited from it. That's why you likely have some very unique and specific advantages over other people. 

Here are 11 unique advantages people who grew up reading a lot have over other people

1. They challenge their own assumptions

Safi Erneste / Pexels

People who read tend to question their own assumptions, and it's not surprising when you understand why. They spend every day reading about other people's perspectives, exploring the "whys" and the "hows" of different characters.

Because of this, they unconsciously think about their own assumptions and, additionally, their reality. They question why they think the way they do, and how their way of thinking is influenced by others. And that level of contemplation eventually leads them to challenge themselves.

2. They see all possibilities

People who read frequently don't just see one possibility; rather, they're able to look at a situation and see all possibilities due to their ability to think outside of the box.

Reading sparks creativity in them, allowing them to unconsciously look at situations from different perspectives. These perspectives give them the chance to broaden their horizons, which is an amazing superpower to have. 

https://www.yourtango.com/self/unique-advantages-people-who-grew-up-reading

Simone Biles Explains her Tattoo | Simone Biles Rising | Netflix

https://youtu.be/mEo-BRfYZnk?si=_wTEnMq4bu2uH_-9

Black Travel Influencers

An excerpt from Travel-Noire - 

5 Underrated Black Travel Influencers You Need To Follow Now

While many Black travel influencers have gained well-deserved recognition, others with meaningful stories deserve a wider audience.

By Faith Katunga

The travel industry is constantly changing, and hearing new voices from across the world helps us better comprehend other cultures. While many Black travel influencers have gained well-deserved recognition, numerous talented individuals with meaningful stories and insights deserve a wider audience. And so, here, we spotlight five underrated Black influencers who are making waves in the industry and should be on your radar.

Kesi Irvin (@kesitoandfro)

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A post shared by Kesi Irvin | Long Term Travel Expert (@kesitoandfro)

 Brian McIntosh (@whereintheworldisb)

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https://travelnoire.com/underrated-black-travel-influencers 

71 Fascinating Charts - You're Guaranteed To Learn Something

An excerpt from Buzzfeed - 

71 Charts That Will Teach You So, So, So, So, So Much Interesting Stuff

Learn a whole bunch of stuff in half the time it takes a man to use the bathroom.

by Mike Spohr, BuzzFeed Staff

1. This chart shows how much money one person needs to make to live comfortably in each US state...and yeah, things have gotten expensive.

2. To drive home just how expensive things have gotten, look at this chart showing fast-food inflation over the last decade.

 

3. If you're being honest, you're probably a little foggy on the difference between a second cousin and a first cousin once removed. This napkin explains it all!

6. This important chart tells you how you can know when someone has spiked (or otherwise tampered with) your drink.

7. This chart has some terrific advice on how to stay calm (and let's be real...we ALL need this right now).

https://www.buzzfeed.com/mikespohr/71-fascinating-charts

"Vance VP" - Marsh Family parody adaptation of "Dancing Queen" by ABBA, ...

https://youtu.be/vYILYILPrXs?si=bToweClrSFsb8b24

A Question For President Ford

 

President Gerald Ford's in 1989 when asked for advice on how a woman could become president pic.twitter.com/ZfSFT14gRS

— Historic Vids (@historyinmemes) July 25, 2024

https://x.com/historyinmemes/status/1816463411812966774?s=51&t=oAqSVbyKyZJD4ZXw2lq-WQ 

6 Black Miss Americas Reunite

An excerpt from People - 

6 Black Miss Americas Gather for the First Time and Reflect on Winning: 'Grateful to Be Part of History' 

All of the previous Black Miss Americas were honored at this year's National Urban League Conference's Women of Power Awards

By David Chiu

Six Black Miss Americas reunite for the first time. Photo: Jared Lyons/National Urban League

History was made at this year’s National Urban League Conference’s Women of Power Awards luncheon on Thursday, July 25, when six of the nine Black Miss Americas gathered for the first time as part of a special tribute. 

Held in New Orleans on its 20th anniversary, the Women of Power Awards, hosted by CBS News national correspondent Michelle Miller, honored all the nine Miss America winners. They include Vanessa Williams (1984), Dr. Debbye Turner Bell (1990); Kimberly Aiken Cockerham (1994); Erika Harold (2003); Ericka Dunlap (2004); Caressa Cameron-Jackson (2010) and Nia Franklin (2019).

Williams, the first Black woman to win the Miss America crown four decades ago, wasn’t physically present at the awards ceremony because she is currently in the U.K. for her role in the upcoming stage musical adaptation of The Devil Wears Prada.

Despite not being present physically, she delivered a video message expressing gratitude for the honor bestowed on her and her Miss America colleagues.

https://people.com/6-black-miss-americas-gather-for-the-first-time-reflect-on-winning-8684660

Gotta Love Vinny

 

Needed this laugh….amazing story 🤣 and it’s so Jersey pic.twitter.com/875KgVGw3a

— Wu Tang is for the Children (@WUTangKids) July 26, 2024

https://x.com/wutangkids/status/1816629877316944026?s=51&t=oAqSVbyKyZJD4ZXw2lq-WQ 

Today is a Gift

 

This line hits different 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/lY1eRsmSMx

— UpSkillYourLife (@UpSkillYourLife) July 26, 2024

https://x.com/upskillyourlife/status/1816730169308028984?s=51&t=oAqSVbyKyZJD4ZXw2lq-W 

How History is Recorded

 

“You don't expect the people who came to invade us to write the truth about us.” ~ Miriam Makeba #WakeUpEverybody✊🏿 pic.twitter.com/fvN7Rfxqj0

— Mzilikazi wa Afrika (@IamMzilikazi) July 27, 2024

https://x.com/iammzilikazi/status/1817105530319421820?s=51&t=oAqSVbyKyZJD4ZXw2lq-WQ

 

Zooming For Kamala

 

If White Women coalesce, organize, and vote for VP, KAMALA HARRIS WINS IN A LANDSLIDE and it’s not even close!!! pic.twitter.com/e2ebuzKT9n

— Brian Baez (@MentallyDivine) July 26, 2024

https://publish.twitter.com/?query=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2FMentallyDivine%2Fstatus%2F1816660440664908044&widget=Video 

Beyonce introduces Team USA, from Simone Biles to Noah Lyles | Paris Oly...

https://youtu.be/wa7HpWw7DEk?si=mnLzBLD9aSHA7jpI

Brad is Awarded Performance Of The Night At The Final Concert | The Pian...

https://youtu.be/wPjszYk9-hA?si=_rLejC1mHHg8Dd8D

The Last Black Boarding School

An excerpt from Elle - 

The Last Black Boarding School

Piney Woods—the oldest of four remaining historically Black boarding schools in the United States—provides something rare for its students: a safe space to learn.

By Danielle Prescod

Protecting the legacy of Black education in America is a time-honored form of resistance. Established in 1909, The Piney Woods School is the oldest of just four remaining historically Black boarding schools in the United States. Twenty-one miles outside of Jackson, Mississippi, on 2,000 acres of land, 15 very distinct buildings with signature red roofs break through the uniformity of the lush green landscape. Mississippi’s only amphitheater is the graduation stage for a small class of 21 students who wait to shake hands with faculty before crossing over the threshold to college. The aged stones set firmly in the ground serve as a reminder that this place is established and firmly rooted. This is why a by-the-numbers overview hardly captures the essence of this sacred institution, a physical representation of the enduring importance of education.

Initially, these Black institutions became a bulwark against systemic injustices like segregation or the outright denial of access to education for many Black Americans. Black schools made thinking, imagining, and creating possible. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) like Howard, Spelman, and Morehouse are names that are easily recognized. Their marching bands and sports teams and homecoming celebrations are traditions that span generations. But a Black boarding school? Most people don’t even know they exist. After all, these secondary schools have been significantly less publicized than colleges and universities. But given the crucial development that happens before the age of 18, they are equally as important, if not more so.

The benefits of attending Piney Woods are also why a lot of Black students opt for HBCUs—namely, they are a safe space. Aside from that, rigorous academic and behavioral standards help to mold students into the best versions of themselves. Black institutions can teach the banned material. They are not going to sugarcoat the history of the slave trade or mince words about white supremacy. They are the anti-PragerU, the school learning materials designed to hijack history with rewrites that combat critical race theory. That’s part of the reason that Piney Woods students Taimya and Takira Adams, a graduating senior and rising junior respectively, ended up at the school. Taimya, the class of 2024’s valedictorian, requested that her mother send her to Piney Woods after several incidents at her predominately white school made her question the material she was being taught. “In fifth grade, I had an English teacher insinuate that slaves chose to be slaves—that they would rather be slaves than be free or go out and work on their own,” she says. As the daughter of a political advocate and outreach coordinator, Taimya knew that what she was hearing was wrong, but she did not possess the deft language to express what she wanted to say. Instead, she asked to go to a different kind of school, one that her aunt had attended and always talked about, one where there were Black kids and Black teachers. So she enrolled at Piney Woods. Now, she says, “I feel like I’m going to go out into the world knowing who I am, where I come from, and the history of my people in this country.”

https://www.elle.com/culture/career-politics/a61146049/piney-woods-boarding-school-legacy/

How About Adding a Layover?

An excerpt from Afar.com - 

6 Places You Can Visit for (Almost) Free on a Stopover Flight

Airline stopover programs provide a great, affordable way to extend your trip and visit an additional destination. Here’s how to see two countries for the price of one. 

By Bailey Berg

Heading to Europe? Why not stop in Lisbon, Portugal,
en route to your final destination when flying with TAP Air Portugal?
Photo by Diego Garcia/Unsplash

Often, when you’re traveling from one country to another on a connecting flight, the time spent in the connecting hub feels a bit like being lost in a no-man’s-land of travel—neither here, nor there. However, a growing number of airlines are working to reshape travelers’ relationships with extra-long layovers.

In recent years, more carriers have started offering airline stopover programs that encourage travelers to explore additional destinations along their journey, spending between 24 hours and 10 days (depending on the program) in a locale without incurring additional airfare charges. It’s a more extended break in the itinerary than a layover, which generally refers to a relatively short stop between connecting flights. Stopovers are typically free to schedule and often include complimentary or heavily discounted hotel stays and on-ground transit. It’s an opportunity for the airline to direct more tourism dollars to a capital city or flagship country and offer travelers the opportunity to visit multiple destinations for (more or less) the price of one.

Here are six of the best airline stopover programs to help extend your vacation.

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Take a detour to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
in Abu Dhabi.Photo by Katerina Kerdi/Unsplash

Those transiting through Abu Dhabi can opt to stay in the capital of the United Arab Emirates for a spell with Etihad Airways’ stopover program.

Travelers transiting through Etihad’s home base can choose a complimentary one- or two-night stay at various three-, four-, and even five-star hotels across the capital city. Some of the luxury options include the Shangri La Qaryat Al Beri, Bab Al Qasr, and the Grand Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel & Residences Emirates Pearl. You can find the full spread of hotel options on Etihad’s stopover page.

Other perks of the program include up to 30 percent off dining at select restaurants (many of which are within the hotels offered through the program) and free tickets to attractions like the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, and Saadiyat Island. There is also a free shuttle service that connects travelers to the various sites.

The program is only available to those who book directly through Etihad’s website. To be eligible, you must book at least three days before you arrive in the Persian Gulf city. Other stipulations include a handful of blackout periods (including November 3 through 8, December 5 through 8, and December 23 through January 2), and the offer is only valid in one direction (so you can’t score a free stay on both your away and return tickets).

Reykjavík, Iceland

Spending some time in the utterly charming city of Reykjavík, Iceland.
Photo by Annie Spratt/Unsplash

Icelandair is credited as the pioneer of the free airline stopover; it has been offering some iteration of the program since the early 1960s, which greatly helped increase tourism to the land of fire and ice.

The current program allows travelers to book a stopover in Reykjavík, Iceland, for one to seven days at no additional cost. All you have to do is select the “Stopover in Iceland” option and input how many days you’d like to stay when booking your ticket. It’s particularly useful for flights between the United States and mainland Europe.

Unlike some other destinations, Icelandair’s program doesn’t offer free or discounted accommodation or transportation, so be sure to factor travel within the country into your costs. However, it is possible to book some tours (like an abbreviated Golden Circle tour, where guests can visit Gullfoss waterfall and the Geysir geothermal area, two of Iceland’s most famous natural wonders) directly through the airline.

https://www.afar.com/magazine/a-guide-to-airline-stopover-programs

Classic Bill Withers

An excerpt from AmericanSongwriter.com - 

3 Eternal Songs by Bill Withers that Have Stood the Test of Time

by Jacob Uitti

Bill Withers was the essence of simplicity. His songs were tight, compact, and illustrious. Like a little box that opened up into a world of color and poetry, his songs knew how to implore and explode all at the same time. And along the way, the Slab Fork, West Virginia-born songwriter and smooth-voiced performer released several songs that have since stood the test of time.

Withers, who passed away in 2020 at the age of 81, composed songs people still put on today in order to feel something. Whether that’s joy, pain, sorrow, or the concept of community, what he did for music listeners will continue to last well into the future. Here below, we wanted to dive into three songs he wrote that remain iconic. Indeed, here below are a trio of eternal songs by the artist.

https://youtu.be/bEeaS6fuUoA?si=IO-hWyXxHokbDoqo

https://youtu.be/fOZ-MySzAac?si=5S_6fG-Ftuhcai-T

https://youtu.be/CICIOJqEb5c?si=E8_ZXoKJC04UQci-

Do you agree with these choices? Where's "Grandma's Hands?" Check out the link to the article and see why these were chosen.

https://americansongwriter.com/3-eternal-songs-by-bill-withers/

Why Flying Is So Terrible Even As Airlines Spend Billions | Big Business

https://youtu.be/MhhJuDap4CU?si=dP1S8kFTfqLSuoSN

CIA Honors Harriet Tubman As Model Spy With Statue

https://youtu.be/hdIo56gyTnM?si=VSJS-41bBvpTbp2H

CIA's First Black Spymaster

An excerpt from NBC News - 

George Hocker broke through barriers as one of the CIA’s first Black spymasters

After witnessing Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, Hocker decided he wasn't "going to let discrimination define me, and I was going to be a Black spy for my country.”

By Dan De Luce

George Hocker, left, with Robert Gates, former director of the CIA
and secretary of defense.CIA Archive

When George Hocker underwent a grueling training course to become a CIA spy, much of America was still segregated. That meant Hocker, as a Black man, could not go to restaurants in Virginia to meet with agency instructors playing the part of foreign informants.

Different exercises had to be developed for Hocker. “I had to have car meetings, whereas my classmates could go and have a nice meal in a restaurant,” he said.

Out of a class of 75, Hocker was the only Black person. He passed the course and went on to blaze a trail as one of the Central Intelligence Agency’s first Black clandestine officers, the first to open a CIA station abroad and the first to lead a branch inside the Directorate of Operations.

Hocker’s pioneering experience at the spy agency — along with a small number of other African Americans who joined in the 1960s — has been largely overlooked until recently, partly due to the secrecy that requires most CIA officers to serve in anonymity.

But the agency recently installed an exhibit dedicated to Hocker at its museum at CIA headquarters, and interviewed him on its official podcast. And he is now writing a memoir, saying he wants to pass on the lessons he learned as a “Black spymaster” about resilience and determination.

n an interview with NBC News, Hocker, 84, described the discrimination he faced throughout his career and his sometimes harrowing missions overseas.

After starting out in the CIA’s records department in 1957 while a student at Howard University in Washington, D.C., Hocker was later promoted to be an analyst at the CIA. But he was apprehensive about signing up for the spy training course.

Seeing no African American role models at the agency, he planned to leave for the Labor Department to work as economist.

“I had pretty much decided that this was not a place where I wanted to try to make a career,” he said.

Then Hocker attended the historic 1963 March on Washington, where he stood only 100 yards away as Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech. He was deeply affected by what he saw and heard that day, including seeing Black and white Americans walking together peacefully, in common cause.

Hocker said it was “a defining moment for me, and I decided that I wasn’t going to let bigotry and discrimination define me, and that I was going to be a Black spy for my country.”

https://www.nbcnews.com/investigations/george-hocker-cia-first-black-spy-spymasters-rcna160148

Military Trick to Cool Down in Minutes

An excerpt from Upworthy - 

Here’s a military trick that can help you cool down in minutes, even in scorching heat

It's cheap, fast and effective.

Tod Perry

With temperatures rising worldwide, it's essential to know how to stay cool by reducing your body heat. It’s important to keep hydrated and wear breathable clothing, but if you want to cool off quickly, the military has a trick to reduce body temperature in minutes.

According to a CBS report, research shows that submerging your forearms and biceps in ice-cold water can help prevent overheating. That’s why the military uses arm immersion tables when training in hot weather or stationed in places where the heat is unbearable and it's impossible to get to an air-conditioned room.

"It's low-tech, it's inexpensive, it's easy to implement," Lt. Col. Dave DeGroot, who runs the Army Heat Center at Fort Moore, told CBS. "It's a bucket of water." Arm immersion tables are long, narrow troughs filled with ice-cold water that stand on four legs.

To cool down, soldiers place their hands, arms, and wrists in the cold water for 3 to 5 minutes. Then, they raise their arms above their heads. This allows cooled blood to circulate throughout the body, lowering its temperature. It also allows the water to drip down their arms, cooling their core from the outside.

Arm immersion! Participating and observing every POI helps effectively plan, resource and implement training. #RockSteady #Brave&Bold #ItWasCold!!!! #GAHeat pic.twitter.com/QrCyQ6i8PL

— Dysha Harrison (@BarcliffDysha) June 17, 2022

https://www.upworthy.com/heres-a-military-trick-that-can-help-you-cool-down-in-minutes-even-in-scorching-heat 

One Stop Shopping: Groceries & Ammunition in Vending Machines

An excerpt from Newsweek - 

Ammunition Vending Machines Appear in Grocery Stores

By Alia Shoaib

A vending machine stocked with ammunition
produced by company American Rounds.
American Rounds

Vending machines stocked with ammunition have been installed in several grocery stores across the United States.

The machines are made by American Rounds and allow customers over the age of 21 to buy ammunition with the same ease as using an ATM, the company says.

"Our automated ammo dispensers are accessible 24/7, ensuring that you can buy ammunition on your own schedule, free from the constraints of store hours and long lines," American Rounds says on its website.

The company says that their vending machines have "built-in AI technology, card scanning capability and facial recognition software."

The software can verify the buyer's identity and determine whether the machine matches the identification scanned, according to American Rounds.

The CEO of American Rounds, Grant Magers, told Newsweek that there are eight machines installed or in the process of being installed across four states.

https://www.newsweek.com/ammunition-vending-machines-grocery-stores-1921976