Grandparenting

Amid a surge in measles cases nationwide this year, legislators and community leaders are debating ways to boost the number of kids who are up to date on their school-mandated shots. Many have focused on restricting or eliminating vaccination exemptions based on religion or personal opinions, which are common and have been offered by school districts across the United States for decades. But three recent academic studies suggest this might not be the most effective way to improve childhood vaccination rates. Scholars studied student vaccination rates in California and discovered that when parents cannot get an exemption based on their personal beliefs, some seek other ways for their children to stay in school while skipping one or more vaccinations.   more »

Julia Sneden reviews: We find that it an interesting process, looking back at books we read in our twenties and thirties. The books themselves haven't changed, but thanks to the varied experiences that another twenty or thirty years have added to our lives, we read them from a different perspective. Herewith, the first review of an old, beloved book (actually, three books). "Her mother too had been marked in youth, body and soul, by the bearing and nourishing of children; and she had thought perchance no more than Kristin herself, when she sat with that sweet young life at her breast, that so long as they two lived, each single day would lead the child farther and farther from her arms."   more »

Over the last 15 years, use of electronic cigarettes in the United States has grown rapidly as use of traditional cigarettes declined. Most e-cigarettes sold here are thought to be imported. The government began collecting data on imported e-cigarette devices, parts, and liquid in 2016. The value of US e-cigarette imports was $2.4 billion and brought $120 million in tariff revenue over that period. China accounted for 97% of these e-cigarette imports by value, and more than 271 million e-cigarette devices were imported. more »

Since June 2019, several large scale and smaller political demonstrations have taken place in various areas of Hong Kong, including at Hong Kong International Airport. Most have been peaceful, but some have turned confrontational or resulted in violent clashes. These demonstrations, which can take place with little or no notice, are likely to continue. This latest update to the Department of State’s Worldwide Caution provides US citizens with general information regarding terrorist activities, political violence and criminal activity that transpire abroad. more »