The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has launched a course examining President Trump’s impact on democracy and the media. The course, “Trumpaganda: The War on Facts, Press and Democracy,” is an eight week class highlighting Donald Trump’s effective propaganda machine. What is propaganda? According to Webster’s Dictionary, “propaganda is a deliberate spread of information,…
Here in the United States we celebrate Thanksgiving the last Thursday in November. Initially it was a harvest festival. However, in 1863 President Lincoln made Thanksgiving a federal holiday. Today, families gather together and give thanks for the freedoms we often take for granted. Many other countries celebrate days of thanksgiving and a few…
About the Book Title: Love for Two Lifetimes Author: Martina Boone Genre: Coming of Age / Young Adult Two generations, two great loves, one devastating lie . . . When Izzy unexpectedly loses her mother in a car accident, her world shatters. Their relationship has always been so close that Izzy can’t imagine life without…
We’ve all heard of the mythical city of Xanadu appearing in literature and movies. It’s an exotic utopia first described by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, a nineteenth century English poet, in his 1816 poem, “Kubla Khan.” Author Elyse Salpeter has embraced the myth and expanded the concept of Xanadu to a higher plane in her first…
According to the Washington Post, President Trump has told more than five thousand false or misleading statements since taking office in January 2017. What message does that send our children and what can we do about it? The message isn’t a positive one. The president is sending an example too many children will emulate.So what…
Since Halloween is Wednesday night, October 31, 2018, many parents are having trouble figuring out what to do with the kids? Afraid to let them go trick-or-treating for fear of the loonies out there? Here are a few ideas for parents spooked about Halloween. First of all, there’s nothing wrong with trick-or-treating. As my daughters…
You are your child’s first teacher. As a parent, you need to embrace this idea and not wait for some stranger with a master’s degree in education do the job for you. Develop your child’s cognitive skills at an early age. Cognitive skills, the ability our brains use to think, read, learn, remember, reason, and…
Set in England during the middle ages, author TF Gray begins Murdoch’s Tale: Book 1 of Corwin’s Chronicle.The novel introduces Corwin, a young child torn away from his family and home by war. Rescued by Tovan of the faer and dropped off to a human family for adoption, Corwin goes through life with the dream of…
Doctors will tell you about the many benefits of exercise—a great way to keep the pounds in check and the metabolism chugging. Exercise also reduces the risk of developing diabetes, colon cancer, high blood pressure, and heart disease. On a personal note, when I complete a workout I feel a small fire blazing inside…
Dear Pop, My 12-year-old son is into water sports. I’m thinking about finding an activity we can do together. Any suggestions? Valley Dad Dear Valley Dad, Encouraging your child to participate in a recreational activity with you is a wonderful bonding experience your son will always remember. Lake Balboa, located between Burbank Blvd. and…