Happy Birthday Harry

FINALLY!!!

AMC Picks Up BBC Drama ‘The War Of The Worlds’

AMC’s ad-free service AMC Premiere has acquired BBC One’s HG Wells adaptation The War Of The Worlds, toplined by Rafe Spall, Eleanor Tomlinson and Robert Carlyle.

Bibliothek

Switzerland isn’t as neutral as portrayed, ranking high in various records related to education, intelligence, happiness and diversity. While not definitive, the online access and draw of its libraries may symbolize how these institutions wish to encourage development in various education and entertainment avenues. Bibliothek Chur is extremely automated and while having strict rules and either monthly or yearly patronage costs is overall reasonable, especially considering the service and information provided. Similarly, Konzier bibliotheken has fewer hours but boasts an online presence and has events focused on individual community issues and larger intersectional issues.

The prime example of course is The Swiss National Library. With a newsletter release every four to six weeks, you may also take guided tours and speak with workers online or in person if you need help understanding or accessing the archives you are trying to work towards. Within the past ten years, they have even had a focus on both the “digital future” of libraries and books, while holding onto the history of printed bookts

Focused on more than just literary documentation, the Swiss National Library also promotes the importance images and sound documents as important artifacts of their shared history in addition to the smaller archives of each canton (individual states) and different exhibits that occur at the libraries.

Charlie Weasley

Whatever it is, do it. If you love it, if you want it, just DO IT

Oooooo THE HORROR

This week is apparently Banned Books Weeks and this year, the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom (pretty much the point of books in MY opinion) released the top 11 books so far calculated as the most banned in 2018. (1) (2)

George by Alex Gino*

A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo by Jill Twiss, illustrated by EG Keller*

Captain Underpants series, written and illustrated by Dan Pilkey*

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Drama, written and illustrated by Raina Telgemeier*

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki

Skippyjon Jones series, written and illustrated by Judy Schachner

The Absolutely True diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

This Day in June by Gayle E. Pitman, illustrated by Kristyna Litten*

Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan*

It’s important to note that six of the eleven books (asterisked above) were challenged or banned because of LGBTQIA+ content. As books are meant to open your mind and bring you connection, the hateful reasons behind banning books remind us why PRIDE and representation are so important. This is especially true when looking at the statistics from the Trevor Project, that have found that LGB youth contemplate suicide 3x the rate of heterosexual youth and are 5x as likely to attempt. (3)

Going more off the serious side I cannot understand how a same-sex couple was the only reason listed as people’s issue with Captain Underpants. Seriously? I always thought they were stupid so I stopped trying to read them after a few but with everything else I remember finding (now the word I would use) distasteful, it was not any non-heterosexual relationships. What complete horsecrap.

(1)    https://bannedbooksweek.org/11-challenged-and-banned-books/

(2)    https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/22/us/banned-books-week-2019-trnd/index.html

(3)    https://www.thetrevorproject.org/resources/preventing-suicide/facts-about-suicide/

Whoops—

As we work to improve access, equality of access, and diversity some of us will get there faster than others as some have more pressing matters to focus on. For many young girls, their time is mainly taken up walking miles every day to bring clean water home to their families. For them, having a book that describes their personal story or an ancestral connection is first dependent on whether they were in school long enough to know how to read. Other challenges such as those taken on by Malala Yousafzai, deal with female suppression, war and tyranny and of course children who are currently walking hundreds of miles to escape violence, war and famine. 

Not all have the ability to begin to think about education, our stories and our futures as they can only think of reaching tomorrow. But for those that in the midst of this chaos, there is still hope and those who work to bring books to those who don’t have the ease of going whenever they can.

(1)    https://litreactor.com/columns/the-10-most-unusual-libraries-in-the-world

Freedom, חופש, Vrijheid

While libraries should be for everyone, not everyone will be able to use them the same way. Some will use them for tutoring, others for book clubs, some for research and other for light novels readings among other uses. Here are BLANK libraries that are working with those different needs (1)

Multiple studies recently released indicated a difference in male and female brains; (2) while not specifically divided by gender, the Tromsø Library has set different temperatures on different floors allowing those who operate best or have different comfort levels for reading or needed for their focus to all use the library together at the same time. Separately, the Biblo Tøyen, is selective in it’s audience. Only open for residents ages 10-15.

While not limiting patron wise, the Levinksi Garden Library operates with a specific function and purpose, as a haven. Open 24/7 this library has no closed off structure (no walls or doors) and operates as an encouraging, open space to receive refugees and migrants in Israel. (3)

Throughout the world, many countries also have libraries specifically for prisoners as they are held within prisons. Libraries in prisons however are not universal but some countries that also provide more equality and freedom to prisoners while serving their time have libraries and librarians focused on goals for the inmates after they are released and have seen less recidivism back into the criminal justice system (as defendants).

 (1)    https://www.visitnorway.com/things-to-do/art-culture/literature/6-libraries-you-need-to-visit/

(2)    https://time.com/5592353/office-temperature-study/

(3)    https://litreactor.com/columns/the-10-most-unusual-libraries-in-the-world

Best Parties

1.      Benihana Christmas: Season Three, Episode Ten

2.      Launch Party: Season Four, Episode Three

3.      Email Surveillance: Season Two, Episode Nine

4.      Kelly’s day-late birthday party: Lecture Circuit Part One

5.      Dwight Christmas: Season Nine, Episode Nine

6.      Christmas Party: Season Two, Episode Ten

7.      The Dundies: Season Two, Episode One

8.      Booze Cruise: Season Two, Episode Eleven:

9.      Cocktails: Season Three, Episode Seventeen

10.   Season Five, Episode Nine: Frame Toby (Whatever party got Michael to go back to the annex and see that Toby had returned )

Teddy Lupin: New Generation

We know nothing about Teddy Lupin (except he’s a Metamorphmagus like his Mum and is a fan of PDA). But while we know very little, he is such an important character. Another child like Harry alone in the world because of a war (and a main reason why we got the Epilogue) he represents, and reminds us of, the continuous and generational effects war, violence and inaction have on individuals, families and society. But also, the impact that we can make when we make changes to those evils in the world. 

I originally chose February 19th as the day for this entry as with other entries whose birthdays aren’t available, as it is the birthday of the actor who portrayed (or in this case was cut from portraying them. So the timing for the rest of this piece, related to the shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School) is somewhat a coincidence, as in the States we would always be coincidentally close to a school shooting. 

The students from Stoneman Douglas High School have had enough, and regardless of age are refusing to be bystanders or that these are things outside of their control. It reminds me of the old Serenity Prayer by Reinhold Niebuhr

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,        Courage to change the things I can,                                                            And wisdom to know the difference

now includes Angela Davis’ quote

to change the things I cannot accept

I didn’t expect Teddy’s post to be more than the first paragraph about how there are always unexpected tragedies of war, and how far those tragedies spread.But JK Rowling and Harry Potter taught us, reminded us that anyone can be a force for change, for a better world and with that, I am just simply loving this younger generation, I am in awe of their strength, courage and high moral standards 

Personal Favorites

As The Office (US) on Netflix in the US returns to the UK and US’s NBC’s Peacock I would like to list my favorite episodes of each season. These are not all the most awkward, funniest, heart warming or memorable or even my favorites, but, for me they are the ones that I always go back to for a cozy, re-watch. 

Cheers to a better 2021 and that we all use 2020 as an eye-opening experience for a better tomorrow.

Season One: Hot Girl

Season Two: The Injury

Season Three: A Benihana Christmas

Season Four: Money

Season Five” Lecture Circuit (Parts One and Two)

Season Six: Murder

Season Seven: Dwight K. Shrute (Acting Manager)

Season Eight: The Incentive

Season Nine: A.A.R.M.

Harriet the Spy

Ha, look at these youngins. So this is a movie I was obsessed with, the colors and what I remember being an active city but also quirky neighbourhood background for Harriet’s adventures. There was a lot I liked and connected to with this is film; I too had mostly been looked after by a caretaker because my parents worked, only child, high observations—thou it would be about two decades before I’d ever have mayonnaise and I don’t think it's with (baloney?—can’t remember). This film I would say has an extremely unrealistic ending and definitely not the best lessons for a kid; she’s mean to her friends and then lies to get them to be friends with her again? Thou….maybe accurate--John Mulaney: cliques

Another possible reason I hold this movie on a higher pedestal than it probably deserves the part where everyone hates her. Being bullied when I was younger and being sent to a psychiatrist to find out why I’m upset was shown as stupid in the movie and was stupid in real life (thank goodness the world is not the suburbs) but this is a small upswing, and on some level there was something wrong with Harriet—a little narcissism and grandeur, but that’s not important. The points I will focus on was while it had an unrealistic ending it was overall a film about someone quirky not necessarily a genius or a princess but someone a bit outside the box who had friends who were also a bit outside the box and looked at how being outside the box was a good thing