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Movies/TV/Theaters, World

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle interview with Oprah Winfrey

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Sunday, March 7, 2021, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, gave an interview with Oprah Winfrey. Here are some of the main takeaways from this interview:

They got married early

In the interview, Meghan told Oprah that she and Harry got married three days before the actual ceremony on national television was viewed by over a million people. They confirmed that they performed a ceremony in their backyard because they wanted to have a private union between them.

Kate made Meghan cry

Before the wedding, the British tabloids reported that Meghan made Kate Middleton cry because of a fight about the flower girl dress Princess Charlotte would wear. But in the interview, Meghan said “It was the other way around that Kate made her cry about the outfit.” Meghan also said that Kate apologized and sent her some flowers. Due to that incident, she said that was the “turning point” in her relationship with the royals because, when the story got out, the royal family didn’t fix the story.

Baby Archie’s skin color

Back in 2019, when Meghan was pregnant with Archie, they said there were “concerns and conversations” with Prince Harry about “how dark his skin might be when he’s born.” Later, when Prince Harry joined the interview, Winfrey asked him if he’d give the name of who made comments about skin color. He didn’t answer. 

Meghan’s suicidal thoughts

Meghan told Winfrey that she “just didn’t want to be alive anymore,” and that killing herself would “solve everything for everyone.” She also said that she confided in her husband about her thoughts of suicide, and also to a senior royal to seek inpatient care, but was told it “wouldn’t be good for the institution.”

Gender reveal of their baby

When Prince Harry joined the interview, the couple revealed that they were expecting a baby girl. This child will be eighth in line for the throne, following her brother Archie. They also revealed that they will not be having any more babies; that their family is now complete.

Loss of royal protection

Every royal family has received bodyguards. During Harry and Meghan’s move to Canada though, and then California, their security detail was cut off. Meghan told Winfrey that she has been the “target of death threats, some based on her race.” Meghan said that the royal family announced their security cut off during their move to California, a time where they were at their most vulnerable. 

Financially cut off

During their interview, Prince Harry said that they “literally cut me off financially.” Harry said he used the money that his late mother, Princess Diana, left for him, and Meghan has had her money from her acting career on the hit TV series ‘Suits.’

The Royals have put out a statement saying: “The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan.” Prince William has also spoken out when asked if he talked to his brother, and if the royals are racist. He said: “He had not yet spoken to Harry, but would soon” and “No, we are not a racist family.” This is not surprising though as no one is going to say “Yes” to being asked if they’re racist. 

For more information please visit:

School Life

SPPS reopens schools

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SPPS will reopen schools starting Wednesday, April 14, for 6-12th graders. Those who decide to do in-person learning will be there for 4 1/2 hours from Monday through Thursday. Fridays will be distance learning days for all students.

Anyone who wanted to remain in virtual learning had to sign up by Thursday, March 11. If you didn’t sign up, you will be automatically enrolled in school for April 14th. Students will continue to learn with their current teachers whether they are attending in person or virtually. 

For those wishing to return to school, the following health and safety measures will take place on the school’s end:

  • Face coverings for students and staff are required 
  • Daily cleaning and disinfecting for door handles, switches, hand railings, desks, and bathrooms. 
  • Assigned seating during meals
  • Conducting a daily health screening
  • Students and staff must remain six feet apart 
  • Avoid sharing workspaces including phones and computers
  • Stay home if you are sick and notify your supervisor
  • Go home if you become ill at work and notify your supervisor

If a student or staff contracts COVID-19 or shows symptoms, the following response will be carried out:

  • The area where the student or staff member has been will be disinfected. For example the cleaning of bathrooms, hallways, drinking fountains, cafeterias, kitchens, and health offices. 
  • Areas that are touched frequently will be cleaned. That includes: the door handles, outside lockers, student desks/chairs, tables, bleachers, exercise equipment, handrails, pool deck, and more. 
  • The cafeteria will be disinfected, and the kitchen staff will disinfect the kitchen 

Personally, for now, I think we should stay home, even though I am eager to get back to school, right now is not the best time. These steps that have been taken to avoid the spread of COVID and for those who get COVID are good to take, but it’s simply not enough.

For more information, please visit: spps.org/reopen and look for additional info.

Movies/TV/Theaters

‘Bachelor’ host Chris Harrison defending a racist contestant

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‘Bachelor’ host Chris Harrison came under fire after an interview with Rachel Lindsay, on ‘The Extra’, defending one of the contestants, Rachel Kirkconnel’s racist past. Kirkconnell was photographed dressed as a Native American at a South Antebellum Plantation-themed fraternity formal in 2018, she liked racist posts, and shared QAnon conspiracy theories (that falsely claimed that former President Trump is facing down a shadowy cabal of Democratic pedophiles) online.

The Antebellum period was from the late 18th century until the start of the American Civil War, in 1861. During those years, societal standards were created establishing ideals of Southern white manhood and womanhood. The Antebellum parties of the Old South are celebrations of the Antebellum-era and the Confederacy. Attending these parties, or throwing one, is symbolizing and paying respect to the Confederate South and the violent racism of that era.

Here is the interaction between Harrison and Lindsay on ‘The Extra’ about the photos of Kirkconnell: 

Harrison: “Well, Rachel, is it a good look in 2018? Or, is it not a good look in 2021? Because there’s a big difference.”

Linsay: “It’s not a good look ever.” She added, “If I went to that party, what would I represent at that party?”

Harrison: “You’re 100 percent right in 2021. That was not the case in 2018. And again, I’m not defending Rachael. I just know that I don’t know, 50 million people did that in 2018. That was the type of party that a lot of people went to. And again, I’m not defending it. I didn’t go to it.”

After facing criticism about his comments. Harrison’s took to Twitter and Instagram the following day posting: 

“To my Bachelor Nation family — I will always own a mistake when I make one, so I am here to extend a sincere apology. I  have this incredible platform to speak about love, and yesterday I took a stance on topics about which I should have been better informed.”

The following day, after weeks of being silent, Kirkconnell apologized on her Instagram for not recognizing “how offensive and racist” her actions were. She wrote:

“I am sorry to the communities and individuals that my actions harmed and offended. I am ashamed of my lack of education, but it is no one’s responsibility to educate me”, She wrote, “If you are a person who doesn’t understand the offense in question, I urge you to learn from my mistakes and encourage you to use them as a teachable moment.”

The female contestants on the current season, the most diverse group of contestants in the franchise’s history, took a stand in support of Lindsay and condemned the defense of racism. 

“We are the women of ‘Bachelor’ Season 25,” the women posted. “Twenty-five women who identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) were cast on this historic season that was meant to represent change. We are deeply disappointed and want to make it clear that we denounce any defense of racism. Rachel Lindsay continued to advocate with grace” they added, “We stand with her, we hear her, and we advocate for change alongside her.”

After the backlash from Harrison’s interview, he announced in an Instagram and Twitter post that he will be stepping aside for a while to get educated on a more profound and productive level, and that also, he will not join the “After the Final Rose” special.

In the interview Harrison did with Lindsay, I think what he wanted was for everyone to give Kirkconnell a chance to speak out, but then he went on to defend her racist actions and said since it was back in 2018 her actions should be excused. Attending an Antebellum party is not a good look ever, and being in attendance at this kind of party is offensive and racist, even if it was 5 years ago.

Even though I think Kirkconnell’s apology was sincere, white people in her comments are excusing her behavior saying “You did nothing wrong” and that Lindsay is the one who should be apologizing. Due to the negative and racist messages that have been sent to Lindsay, the one who did Harrison interview, she has had to delete her Instagram.

When someone apologizes for their racist actions, or for saying the N-word, white people should not decide what was racist or accept the apology; the apology is not for you. Kirkconnell didn’t offend you, and instead of Kirkconnell being held accountable for her actions, Lindsay had to delete her Instagram because of the racist messages she received.

National

Donald Trump’s second impeachment

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The House began to write articles of impeachment on January 13, 2021, and they voted to impeach Donald Trump of “incitement to insurrection”.

On January 6, 2021, Trump addressed a crowd of supporters where he told them false information about the election, and told them to go to the capitol and “fight like hell” and promised to be there by their side.  

Just hours later, hundreds of pro-Trump protesters pushed through barriers, set up along the Capitol, and there was an armed standoff that took place at the Capitol front door at about 3 p.m.. The police officers had their guns drawn, and this led to a woman to be shot in the chest on the Capitol grounds. Trump finally called on his supporters to “go home” and added, “We love you. You are very special.”

He’s the first president in history to face a second impeachment trial. His trial is expected to begin on February 8, 2021. The vote to impeach him was 232-197, with ten Republicans with him and no Democrats with him.

Senators will be sworn in as members of the impeachment court, Chuck Schumer and the house managers will act as prosecutors, and the Trump defense team will have a period to draft their legal briefs. 

Most Republicans feel that it’s not constitutional to hold a trial when Trump is no longer in the White House. Mr. Schumer in reply said: “It makes no sense whatsoever that a president or any official could commit a heinous crime against our country and then be permitted to resign to avoid accountability and a vote to disbar them from future office.”

Mitch McConnell, who was a loyal supporter of Trump through his presidency, has blamed him for the attack on the capital saying that he “provoked” and “fed lies” to the rioters.

In his 2019 impeachment, where he was impeached for abuse of power and obstruction of justice, for allegedly attempting to pressure Ukrainian officials to provide election interference, Trump called the impeachment then and now “the greatest witch hunt in the history of politics.”

For more information about Trump impeachment please visit

COVID-19

COVID-19 vaccines

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*Note: due to the nature of the vaccine rollout, some information in this article may no longer be current.

The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is for individuals 16 years of age and older. The common side effects from this vaccine is a pain when it’s injected, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever, and tiredness. These side effects are experienced after the second dose of the vaccination. 

Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine was made public on December 18, 2020. This vaccine​​ is for individuals 18 years or older. This vaccine also comes with side effects that will last for seven days. The common side effects are: tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain, swelling, nausea, and fever.

These vaccines won’t be available to regular Americans for some time. The vaccines will be given to front-line workers first (that includes firefighters, police officers, food workers, postal workers, manufacturing workers, grocery store workers, public transit workers, teachers, and daycare workers).

After getting a COVID-19 vaccine, you will not test positive for the COVID-19 test. If you have already had COVID-19, and recovered, you will still need to get the vaccine. 

National

Biden-Harris hires all-female senior communications team.

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President-elect Joe Biden, and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, have announced who will fill the top communication jobs at the White House, and they are all qualified women. An all-female White House communications team would break the barriers and mark the first time that women will hold top communications jobs at the White House. 

Kate Bedingfield, who recently just served as deputy campaign manager for Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign, and who also served as his communications director when he was Vice President, will take over the job as the White House Communications Director.

Jen Psaki, who took on several senior roles during the Obama-Biden Administration, and who also spoke for the Department of State, will serve as President Biden’s White House Press Secretary.

Jean Psaki will serve alongside Karine Jean Pierre, who will serve as the principal deputy press secretary. Karine Jean-Pierre was a senior adviser to Joe Biden, and chief of staff to Harris during their presidential campaign. She will also be the first Black, and gay, person to take on this role. 

Symone Sanders, who recently served as a senior adviser to the Biden-Harris campaign, will be getting the job as the senior adviser, and chief spokesperson, to the Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. 

Ashley Etienne will get the job as communications director, and senior adviser to the Vice President. She will be the first woman of color to get this role.

Biden is soon expected to nominate Neera Tanden, whose parents immigrated from India, to serve as the chief executive of the left-leaning Center for American Progress. Giving her this role would make her the first woman of color to supervise the agency.

Cecilia Rouse will serve as chair of the three-member Council of Economic Advisers. Rouse will be the first African American to take on this role.

For more information please visit:

Events

Celebrating Thanksgiving this year

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Thanksgiving day is a national holiday in the United States, and it’s celebrated this year on November 26. Thanksgiving is all about expressing gratitude for family; it’s a holiday built upon simply being with family and enjoying delicious food. The traditional Thanksgiving meal includes: roast turkey, turkey stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, corn, dinner rolls, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie. 

Unfortunately, with the COVID cases rising in the United States, dinner parties and other social events are going to be too risky this holiday season. According to the CDC (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), it’s best to limit in-person gatherings and to celebrate with people in your household. To celebrate with your extended family you can do a virtual gathering over zoom.

If you plan to spend the holiday with other people, here are few safety precautions: 

  • Wear a mask- Wear the mask over your nose and mouth
  • Have multiple tables- Have families that live in the same household sit together
  • Stay six feet apart- Staying six feet apart is important to protect others around you; people with COVID sometimes don’t show any symptoms
  • Have sanitizers- Put hand sanitizers around the house, use the ones that kill 99.99% of germs
  • Open windows– If you’re indoors, open windows for air to come in
  • Outdoor meal- If it’s warm where you are, have a small outdoor meal
  • Clean and disinfect – Frequently clean and disinfect tables
  • Limit people who prepare food- You can have the guests bring their food, or have one person share the food and use plastic utensils.

If you plan on traveling on a plane:

  • Get a flu shot 
  • Quarantine before traveling 
  • Wear your mask the proper way, for the entire journey
  • Wear a face shield if possible 
  • Avoid contact with anyone who is sick
  • Cover coughs and sneezes
  • Bring your food 
  • Clean your hands often
  • If you are driving, when you are stopping for gas, wear your mask
  • Bring a small bottle of hand sanitizer in a purse or pocket
  • Avoid touching areas and touching your mask 

For more information please visit:

National

2020 presidential race

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*Note: This article was written before the announcement was made over the weekend that Joe Biden had won the election. Rather than have the author rewrite the article, the Editor decided to let it be published based on the time it was written.

President Trump has already claimed victory, even though multiple states haven’t finished counting the vote, while Joe Biden is urging everyone to have patience and to continue to count all the votes.

Trump is leading in North Carolina and Pennsylvania, while Biden is leading in Georgia and Nevada; these states remain too close to call. These states will also determine who the next president will be.

President Trump has called this election “A major fraud in our nation”, even though there is no evidence of fraud in the election counting. Trump and his legal team said they will sue to stop counting and demand the state of Wisconsin to recount. Trump made it clear in a press conference that he would fight in court for his re-election claiming he had already won, even though there is no winner yet.

There is nothing in the constitution that says a winner needs to be determined on November 3. Many elections in the past took days to count, and even in some of our recent elections, the winner took days to announce. For example, our election in 2000, the president was announced on December 12, a month after the election.

 For more information, please visit:

National

Biden and Trump second debate cancelled

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Everyone can agree that the first presidential debate was a disaster. The moderator Chris Wallace spent half of the 90-minute begging president Trump to stop interrupting him and also to stop talking over his opponent Joe Biden and reminding him that he agreed to have answered the questions he was asked in two minutes.

After that disaster of a debate, the group that manages the debate put some new rules in order. Each candidate will be muted at the start of the debate, the candidates will have two minutes to answer the question they were asked, and during that two minutes the opposing candidate will be muted. After both Candidates have had their two minutes, both microphones will be muted so no one can interrupt the moderator while he or she asked the next questions.

With these new rules in place for the second presidential debate, the debate however was canceled. The debate was to take place in Miami, with both candidates taking questions from the audience

On October 2, President Donald Trump announced on Twitter that he and first lady Melania Trump tested positive for Covid-19, putting the nation’s leadership into uncertainty.

The President, who down played the virus for months, said in a statement, “The end of the pandemic is in sight, we will quarantine in the White House for an unspecified period.”

Due to his illness, the debate was canceled. The next best thing to do was to hold a virtual debate but the President refused, saying in a interview with Fox News “I am not going to waste my time doing a virtual debate, sitting behind a computer, ridiculous,” calling it a joke.

The Biden team then proposed to continue with the October, 22 debate in Miami. The Trump team agreed, but hours later Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien then proposed to have another another debate on October 29, just five days before the election on November 3. The Biden team rejected that offer and said, ”Donald Trump doesn’t make the debate schedule; the Debate Commission does.”

Since the debate was canceled, Biden decided to hold his own primetime event on ABC answering questions from voters, and the President decided to hold a campaign rally.

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National

Reactions to the death of RBG

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Ruth Bader Ginsburg (RBG), a member of the Supreme Court died September 18, 2020, of complications from metastatic cancer. On hearing of her death, in front of reporters, President Trump said that “She was an amazing woman whether you agree or not she was an amazing woman who led an amazing life.”