Frustrated with the impact of digital devices, a Minneapolis AP Literature teacher banned phones and laptops from her classroom, and the results were striking.
Maureen Mulvaney, who teaches at Washburn High School, decided to go fully “old-school.” Students completed all their work using pencil and paper, and physical books replaced digital PDFs. Though some students were initially nervous about falling behind, the experiment aimed to restore deep focus, reading stamina, and clear thinking that many educators believe screens have weakened.
The outcomes exceeded expectations. In September, only 46% of her students felt confident in their reading abilities. By February, just five months later, that number jumped to 95%. Students who once struggled to write even half a page by hand were soon producing six- to seven-page essays. Nearly 80% reported that organizing ideas and thinking clearly was easier on paper than on a screen. Many also said the change helped them reduce overall screen time at home and improved their real-world conversations.
Step 1: Remove filters in Reflecting Pool because Obama put them in.
Step 2: Give your criminal neighbor who runs "Greenwater Services" a $20 million no-bid contract to paint the pool.
Step 3: Fill the pool with water from the Potomac River, the phosphates from which cause algae blooms.
Step 4: Freshly sealed pool and extreme heat result in a super scum event
Step 5: Direct National Park Service to dump hydrogen peroxide into the pool which causes the paint to peel.
Step 5: Deploy US National Guard to stop people from taking photos of the swamp as a perfect metaphor for the administration.
Step 6: Blame someone else.
The extent of Trump's destruction of Washington, D.C., is truly stunning. It's the ultimate metaphor.
The algae-infested Reflecting Pool. The destroyed grass from the UFC event. The bulldozed East Wing grounds. "86 47" etched into the lawn near the Reflecting Pool.
REUTERS/Aaron Schwartz
An aerial view shows crews dismantling the UFC fighting venue on the South Lawn of the White House.
The grass on the Ellipse has been completely destroyed following the UFC viewing party.
REUTERS/Aaron Schwartz
Former Fox News host Pete Hegseth’s crusade to purge women and people of color from our Armed Forces has never been subtle.
But today, a New York Times exposé revealed exactly how far he’s gone to dismantle the careers and achievements of our finest servicemen and women.
More than a dozen military insiders — both active duty and those already purged — spoke to the Times anonymously to unmask a horrific ongoing attack.
They detailed a process used by Hegseth and his team to halt senior officer advancements for reasons completely unrelated to merit, job performance, or fighting wars.
Hegseth’s efforts are part of a quest to advance his white-and-male centered worldview, facts, history, and actual service be damned.
In the absence of any such evidence, insiders confirmed that he has used his position to withhold promotions from qualified, decorated veterans. The Times cited several enraging examples:
• Last fall, Hegseth ordered Army Secretary Daniel P. Driscoll to remove two Black and two female officers from a 29-person promotion list. Driscoll repeatedly refused, citing their decades of exemplary service. In March, Hegseth bypassed him, removed their names, and sent the modified list to the White House.
• In total, Hegseth has removed 32 officers from Air Force and Navy one- and two-star promotion lists. He also pulled the only Black officer and the only female officer from a Marine Corps list, leaving their promotions in limbo.
• Vice Adm. Sara Joyner, a highly decorated three-star fighter pilot, saw her advancement stalled over a 2021 Navy recruiting ad where she said, "I’m not just a girl with a dream. I’m a sailor with one." Hegseth deemed the line a "big problem." Joyner has since retired.
• Rear Adm. Stephen D. Barnett was recommended for a promotion after successfully managing the aftermath of a massive Navy fuel spill in Hawaii. Hegseth blocked his advancement after Barnett participated in a Navy-sponsored Pride event back in 2018.
It is an outrage to watch a media personality whose greatest battles have been with hangovers intentionally harm the careers of people who risked everything to keep America safe. Hegseth’s actions are insult to all who have served and a risk to national security.
[Image: REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov]