Ferida Wolff

Rose Madeline Mula: If You Can’t Stand the Heat

Rose Madeline Mula Writes: “It was with considerable trepidation, therefore, that I entered the kitchen of my hostess, the legendary actress, Joan Fontaine, one long-ago Thanksgiving morning, to offer my assistance. Acting was not Miss Fontaine’s only talent. Not by a long shot. She was also a hole-in-one golfer, a prize-winning fisherwoman, a hot air…
An Undocumented Childhood by Rose Madeline Mula

Rose Mula Writes: Some people never leave home without their American Express card; I never leave home without a camera. Digitized pictures of the twenty-five countries and forty-plus states of America that I’ve visited since my first tour of exotic New Hampshire constantly flash on my computer monitors and digital frames throughout my home, helping…
Julia Sneden Wrote: Love Your Library

Julia Sneden Wrote: My mind’s eye can still see the face of the Children’s Librarian, although I have long since forgotten her name. We will be wise to continue to back up our knowledge of history and literature and art and science with hard copy. She kept up with my reading level, suggesting writers and…
Julia Sneden Wrote: If The Shoe Fits … You Can Bet It’s Not Fashionable

Julia Sneden Wrote: My mother was a mini Imelda Marcos. She kept upwards of 40 pairs of shoes well into her 80’s, and was crushed when she had to give up high heels following a heart attack at the age of 89. Her sole criterion in buying shoes was style, not comfort, and she was…
Joan L.Cannon Wrote: A Family Inheritance: More Than ‘Things’ … Emblems of Our Lives

Joan Cannon wrote: As one advances in years, one accumulates possessions the way a caddis fly larva accumulates grit. The glue that makes us carry it all along with us is in a way self-secreted as well. However, it’s psychic rather than physical — emotional rather than material. Perhaps the most obvious example is a…
Julia Sneden Wrote: Old Dogs, New Tricks

Julia Sneden wrote: At the age of 37, I started a new career as a kindergarten teacher. My first day on the job, the lead teacher, who was in her 70’s and scared me every bit as much as she scared the children, watched me writing a note. “You’ll have to change the way you…
Joan Cannon Writes: Finding the Right Excuse; Committing Words to Paper Because …

Joan Cannon Writes: Think of the poets and novelists and playwrights whose words sink into the consciousness of thousands and even millions and remain there, as emblems, guides, beacons of hope or warnings of disasters, and the excuse (as if one is needed) presents itself. Maybe there’s information or a revelation for some unknown viewer…
Joan Cannon Asked: What is a Book Club? An Old-Fashioned Book Report? A Program Given By an Author? What Is the Accepted Practice?

Joan L. Cannnon wrote: A year or so ago, I was invited to attend a tea given by the combined membership of all the book clubs in the town where I now live. A presentation was scheduled for the proprietor of the much-loved local independent book store cum gift shop. She is a legend in…
Crosswalks and Pedestrian Safety: What You Need to Know From Recent Research

In recent months, news organizations have covered crosswalk construction or changes to existing crosswalks, including new, decorative pavers in Slidell, Louisiana, proposed infrastructure changes aimed at improving pedestrian safety in Phoenix, and decorative, themed crosswalks, such as rainbow crosswalks painted in towns across the country for Pride month. Such stories call attention to the dangers…
Women’s Health and Aging Studies Available Online; Inform Yourself and Others Concerned About Your Health

A person’s health is influenced throughout their lifespan by many factors. Some of the most important factors include sex, gender, racial ethnicity, culture, environment, and socioeconomic status. Researchers are discovering the critical roles that sex (being male or female) and gender identity (including social and cultural factors) play in health, wellness, and disease progression. The…
Ferida Wolff’s Backyard Discovers A Museum Tree

Ferida Wolff Writes: “Sometimes trees reach their life span and start losing their leaves, eventually remaining as just a trunk with bare branches. Most of the time they will be chopped by the township and no one will know that they had once been providing beauty and shade and nesting places for local birds. So…
Berkeley Talks: Jessica Morse On How We Can Live With Fire

“And so, I dedicated then my time and energy, as well as many of you have, too, trying to solve and answer that question… I joined the Newsom administration. The governor on day one, he declared an emergency on these fires so that we could start investing in the prevention work.” Jessica Morse, the deputy…
23rd Annual Library of Congress National Book Festival, Saturday August 12; Get to Know the Authors and Their Books

Great Reads from Great Places: A great way to interact and stay connected to the Library and the Festival is to download the Great Reads from Great Places brochure. The brochure contains a reading list of books and authors for each state across the nation and a map that allows you to mark and keep…
Biden-⁠Harris Administration Launches New Efforts to Strengthen America’s K-12 Schools’ Cybersecurity

In the 2022-23 academic year alone, at least eight K-12 school districts throughout the country were impacted by significant cyberattacks – four of which left schools having to cancel classes or close completely. Sensitive personal information – including, student grades, medical records, documented home issues, behavioral information, and financial information – of students and employees…
Brief Remarks on the Economy and Monetary Policy Governor Michelle W. Bowman At the 2023 CEO and Senior Management Summit and Annual Meeting, sponsored by the Kansas Bankers Association, Colorado Springs, Colorado

“… the economy and the labor market have remained strong as the FOMC has tightened monetary policy. Real gross domestic product grew slightly more than 2 percent at an annual rate in the first half of the year, well above many forecasters’ expectations. Consumer spending has been robust, and the housing sector appears to be…
Ferida Wolff’s Backyard: A Fantastic Double Rainbow

Ferida Wolff writes: “A rainbow, besides being amazing, is seen as a sign of possibilities. In the midst of life’s storms it is often hard to spot a rainbow, but they tend to appear after the storm and offer hope. A double rainbow is even rarer and a good omen. It is the symbol of…
Special Counsel Jack Smith Files Two Federal Indictments Accusing Mr. Trump of Three Conspiracies

“THE MEN AND WOMEN OF LAW ENFORCEMENT WHO DEFENDED THE U.S. CAPITOL ON JANUARY 6 ARE HEROES. THEY ARE PATRIOTS AND THEY ARE THE VERY BEST OF US. THEY DID NOT JUST DEFEND A BUILDING WITH PEOPLE SHELTERING IN IT, THEY PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE TO DEFEND WHO WE ARE AS A COUNTRY…
National Institutes of Health: Common Misconceptions About Vitamins and Minerals

“In most cases, whether you need a vitamin or mineral supplement depends on how much you get from the foods and beverages you consume each day. For example, the RDA for calcium is 1,000 milligrams per day for many adults. If you get that much from foods and beverages, you shouldn’t need a calcium supplement…